No Other Duke But You

March 11, 2019
Bowman’s witty 11th Playful Brides Regency (after Mr. Hunt, I Presume) highlights how love can develop between two close friends. Lady Delilah Montebank is best friends with Thomas Hobbs, Duke of Huntley. Delilah’s mother will force her to marry Clarence Hilton, heir to an earldom, if she doesn’t secure a better offer of marriage by her birthday in just over a month. A desperate Delilah sets her sights on the Duke of Branville. Though Delilah has always enjoyed her friendship with Thomas, she is confused when the play they are in together calls for them to kiss, and the kiss ignites romantic sparks. Still hoping to marry Branville, Delilah purchases a love potion to make him fall in love with her, but accidentally sprinkles the potion on Thomas instead. When Thomas formally offers to court Delilah, she fears it’s only because of the potion and foists him off, unwilling to trick him into marriage. He must convince her his interest is real. Regency fans will adore this charming tale and its cast of memorable characters.

March 15, 2019
Longtime friends get the nudge they need from a magical love potion in this kooky and playful historical romance.After six seasons, Delilah Montebank needs a husband. With her mother growing increasingly frustrated by Delilah's constant attempts to make matches for her friends while neglecting her duty to secure a betrothal herself, the clock is ticking. Either Delilah finds someone to marry or her mother will pick a husband for her. But as Delilah sets her sights on London's most eligible bachelor, the Duke of Branville, she realizes extra help is required. Her solution: a love potion. Delilah's best friend, Lord Thomas Hobbs, doesn't believe in love potions, but when Delilah accidentally sprinkles the potion on him, he knows it's the perfect excuse to finally act on his feelings for her. He's always loved her, but as Delilah begins to fall for her friend, she worries about what will happen to the two of them when her potion finally wears off. And even if Delilah and Thomas can make a go of their relationship, they'll still have to earn her mother's blessing. A comedy of errors, the romance between Delilah and Thomas, along with all the background shenanigans, pushes this novel into the territory of the ridiculous. There isn't much emotional depth, though there are still feel-good moments that make the courtship lean more toward sweet rather than sizzling. This book is part of the Playful Brides series, which boasts more than 10 installments, and much of the character development appears to rely on history established in previous books. With runaway squirrels, Shakespearean plays produced in secret, and numerous clumsy misunderstandings, this is cotton candy in book form: light and whimsical but not enough to fill you up.Cute and kitschy but emotionally unsatisfying.

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