A Duke Of One's Own by Emma Orchard

 

A Duke of One's Own by Emma Orchard.

Published 22nd April 2024 by Boldwood Books.

From the cover of the book:

Summer, 1816. A notorious rebel is about to meet her match...

Lady Georgiana Pendlebury is no stranger to breaking the rules of polite society. But when a so-called ‘friend’ invites her to a clandestine party, Georgiana is shocked to discover the event is more scandalous than even she could have imagined. So when a mysterious stranger offers help, she accepts, not realising their encounter will turn her life upside down.

Later that summer, Georgiana is invited to attend a house party at an infamous castle in Yorkshire. The gathering is a loosely veiled effort to arrange a marriage for the Duke of Northriding, who desperately needs an heir. Duke Gabriel Mauleverer has a terrible reputation as a rake, and Georgiana is happy to be a guest purely for the entertainment, but upon arrival, she is shocked to discover that the Duke is none other than the stranger who rescued her weeks earlier.

As the other ladies vie for the Duke’s attention, Georgiana is desperate to avoid their shocking secret getting out. But she finds herself caught, unable to avoid Gabriel’s gaze. Are they a threat to each other? Or could they be the answer to each other’s greatest desires?

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Summer, 1816. Lady Georgiana Pendlebury's rebellious nature has got her into a scrape or two, but her next adventure might just be a scandalous step too far. Having shrugged off her chaperone, she dons a mask and man's clothing to attend a private gathering, but it is not until she arrives that she realises this is much more of a risque affair than she was prepared for. To put it bluntly, this is an orgy. Having been abandoned by the 'friend' that invited her here, she knows she should flee, but is frozen to the spot. A handsome man with silver streaked hair offers to rescue her from her predicament, and in a moment of unrestraint she finds herself leaping over the bounds of propriety in a most enlightening way.

Later that summer, Georgiana is invited to a house party at the Yorkshire castle of an infamous duke, in the company of a friend of the family. She is surprised to discover that a bevy of marriageable young ladies have also been invited. The word is that Gabriel, Duke of Northriding, known for his rakish reputation, is looking for a wife to provided him with an heir, and Georgiana looks forward to watching the marriage game play out from the side-lines - until the moment she meets the Duke. Their eyes lock, and they both realise that this is not their first encounter.

As the competitive young ladies of the haut ton vie for the Duke's attention, Georgiana is desperate to protect her secret. She attempts to keep her distance, but the powerful attraction between them cannot be denied. Is she in real danger, or could this man be just what she has been looking for?

I am not a big reader of Regency romances, but in search of a light read, this book caught my eye, and I decided to take the plunge. The story follows the enjoyable course of the will-they-won't-they, Bridgerton-esque love story of Georgiana and Gabriel, who have unexpectedly met their match in each other, set against a lovely Gothic backdrop.

Orchard hits the sexy Regency vibe from the word go, having a ball with time and place. She gets into her stride with atmospheric lingering glances, and heaving bosom moments as the cat and mouse romance proceeds in the Yorkshire wind and wuthering, while the back-biting theatrics of the ton plays out. Inevitably, passion overflows, and events overtake the couple, leading to a change of venue and dramatic scenes in Regency York that are the consequence of Georgiana's rebellious past, which added a lovely bit of intrigue.

The dynamic between Georgiana and Gabriel is full of sexual tension, and their relationship develops emotional depth as they get to know each other, upping the swoon-worthy factor. There are several, moderately spicy, open-door scenes, which I thought were well written, and just graphic enough not to be cringeworthy - with a sprinkling of coy language to evoke the Regency feeling. Orchard cleverly subverts the 'rogue overpowers innocent young thing' trope too, exploring consent in a historical setting and putting Georgiana very much in charge of her fate. She also touches on some interesting themes about the double standards for men and women in Regency society, family, friendship, legacy, loss, motherhood, and different shades of sexuality to set you pondering.

As the story unfurled, referencing past events, I was occasionally struck by the feeling that this book was not the first one to feature Georgiana and her family.  A little light research told me that there are earlier books too, which I look forward to seeking out, but you can easily read this one as a standalone.

This was such a fun and engaging Regency romp, full of wit, humour, romance, and raunch. It was just the job as a rainy weekend read. Emma Orchard, you have a new fan! 

A Duke of One's Own is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

About the author:

Emma was born in Salford and studied English Literature at the universities of Edinburgh and York. She was a copy editor at Mills & Boon, where she met her husband in a classic enemies-to-lovers romance. Emma has worked in television and as a Literary Agent, and started writing in 2020.