Distracting The Duchess by Emily Bryan/Mia Marlowe
Rated 4.5 out of 5 White Roses.
Content rated with the Red Rose.
When Artemesia, the Duchess of Southwycke, got her first glimpse of Trevelyn Deveridge she knew there was something about him that made her very suspicious. She just assumed that he was sent to be her next male model for her paintings. But the more time she spends in his company, the more she realizes two very unsettling things. The first is that he’s very good at lying. And two, even worse, she can’t help but be attracted to him.
Trevelyn Deveridge has a duty to his Queen and his country. His current operation is to get his hands on a key that is in the Duchess’ hands, or more precisely in the hands of Josiah H. Beddington, the trustee of her father’s estate. Beddington is a very elusive person and no matter what Trev (or anyone else for that matter) does, no one can seem to get a hold of that man. Only the Duchess seems to know how to get in contact with him and she’s not telling anyone where he is.
Trev needs that key and will do anything to find it -like pretending to be a country bumpkin named Thomas Doverspike who will pose naked so a very beautiful duchess can paint him in all his glory. The things one does for one’s Queen and Country…
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Normally, I am not a big fan of historical romance novels that include espionage in the premiss but Ms. Bryan -or I should say, Ms. Marlowe, has turned that around and given me a change of heart and mind. This story has proven to me that while spies may need love and romance too, it can be done well, and not in a cheesy highly predictable manner, but a classy one. I enjoyed reading Distracting the Duchess and have no doubt others will too.
The chemistry between Trev and Larla (as he calls her) is brilliant. From the moment he stands naked, er, nude, before her, Ms. Marlowe provides readers with a picture that’s the perfect balance of amusing and sensual. It was fun watching Trev and Larla go through the pieces of the puzzle and unravel the story. I don’t want to say anymore because I don’t want to give any delicious spoilers away. So I’ll just say, read Distracting the Duchess, you won’t be disappointed.
Hugs & Kisses,
The Lustrous Courtesan
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Distracting the Duchess
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