We begin with a hand in marriage given away like so many poker chips, and while not the best sounding of foundations, it works for both their purposes. He the notorious rake who wishes to continue his ways while never having an heir. She the woman perfectly content with her own company that desires to dive into the past not herald a new future. He has the well known "beauty" and she the plainness that would not draw unwanted attention, nor even the adoration of her own husband. Ah yes, a union that would be for the poets...err, um...okay, well it would secure both the futures they seek and provide companionship in times of need...HOWEVER, ladies and gentlemen, the heart wants what the heart wants, and closeness can open the soul's eyes to things beyond fancy trappings, and decorations. As more often than not proved, once you get to REALLY know a person, their true beauty shines...and these two could potentially be a match made in heaven. If, that is, they can each get out of their own way...

I was whole heartedly glued to the page, and while I guessed where it was going to implode, it did nothing to take away from the moment, nor the steps taken afterward. Dare I say, I was perhaps even more excited to see where things went having pondered the idea for all the preceding pages! It's definitely a story of plans going awry, appearances being deceiving, and the ton's knowledge being guided by idle gossip that they believe to be truths instead of actual fact. Does that work in their favor? Absolutely, until it doesn't anymore because hearts can change, and feelings, or a lack thereof, grow into something even more noteworthy...like the big "L" word.


**ecopy received for review; opinions are my own ( )

A marriage made in?

Derek Marcus Andrew Kent, the Duke of Chase, can’t help but interfere when he sees the Marquess of Halford use his eldest daughter as collateral for a bet at a club with a known bouncer. One Halford should have wished to keep his daughter well away from. Chase knew he was going to regret interfering. On the other hand he might have just found a solution to his own pressing problem—a wife with no strings attached.
Lady Victoria Kirby was acknowledged as different and difficult, known for using her tongue as a weapon. Without knowing her, Chase admired that.
All Victoria wanted to do was to excavate the ancient burial sites on the family property. Now her father’s actions have put that in doubt. Chase and Victoria’s relationship might not be one made in heaven, and they do have a long way to travel, but the getting there is quite interesting.
I was concerned by a reference to life, lemons and lemonade, one that didn’t come into being until the early 1900’s. It just struck an odd note.

An Entangled Pub. ARC via NetGalley ( )