The Phantom Duke's Convenient Bride by Sally Forbes

 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Refreshingly Fierce Heroine Who Unmasks Her Brooding Duke
On the surface, the story kicks off with a trope as old as the ton itself: an evil uncle attempting to auction off his niece to a disreputable crony. But twenty-four hours before she’s forced down the aisle, Evelyn flips the script. Instead of weeping into her embroidery, she marches right up to the castle of the infamous "Phantom Duke" and offers herself up for matrimony. Owen, the Duke of Caranwood, knows a good deal when it knocks on his castle door. Since Evelyn is a frustrating four months shy of her twenty-first birthday, he whisks her off to Gretna Green before her family can protest.
What makes this romance click is the refreshing lack of fainting spells. Evelyn is absolutely no blushing debutante; she is forceful, direct, and completely unapologetic about what she wants. Rather than being threatened by a woman with a backbone, Owen finds her fierce personality completely intoxicating—she is, without a doubt, the perfect Duchess to command his estate. Even when the wicked uncle arrives to reclaim his prize, Evelyn stands her ground. The man is so blinded by his own arrogance that he utterly misjudges her, even when resorting to a desperate kidnapping plot. Ultimately, it’s a lovely journey of unmasking. Between the loyalty of his villagers and Evelyn's unwavering strength, Owen learns a vital lesson for any brooding aristocrat: society is ultimately judged by the character of the man, not the mask he hides behind.