His Hazard of a Duchess by Hazel Linwood

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Meet two of the most headstrong people you'll ever encounter: the Duke and Duchess of Desford. This marriage will be neither easy nor dull! We have a woman, Prudence, who cares nothing for society but loves her sisters deeply. And we have a man, the Duke, whose only concern is keeping his rake of a brother from destroying the family reputation.

These two strong characters are destined to butt heads until love intervenes. In a surprising twist, the Duke is portrayed as a coward because he simply cannot control himself from falling in love with Prudence. Prudence, on the other hand, accepts her love for the Duke, but is willing to sacrifice anything to make him happy, believing she cannot achieve happiness herself. They truly are fire and ice.

The central conflict is a powerful one: the Duke must learn that we can't control other people if he hopes to live peacefully with Prudence. While Prudence already knows this truth, she attempts to find happiness within what she believes is a loveless marriage. As Michael Gellert famously said, "True happiness is an acceptance of life as it is given to us."

This story is a great read, and Prudence's character effortlessly draws you into the narrative of what it truly means to sacrifice for love.