The Devil's Own Duke

July 19, 2021
A vintner meets her match in the owner of a gaming house in Bell’s enchanting second Wallflowers vs. Rogues Victorian romance (after Love is a Rogue). Lady Henrietta “Hetty” Prince wants her widowed father, the Duke of Granville, to remarry so he can get an heir and save his property, Rosehill Park, from reverting to the crown upon his death. Then rakish gambling hall owner Ash Ellis steps forward, claiming to be the Duke’s long-lost heir. Uninterested in any of Hetty’s candidates for duchess, Hetty’s father is quick to accept Ash’s claim. Though Hetty is convinced that Ash is a fraud, she accepts her father’s wish that she marry Ash to secure her claim to Rosehill, treating the marriage as a business proposition: in exchange for Hetty helping Ash integrate into the aristocracy, he offers her six months to prove the profitability of Rosehill’s vineyards before he considers razing them to raise thoroughbreds. This convenient arrangement quickly becomes much more as their mutual attraction gives way to deeper emotions. The romantic tension is ever-simmering, enhanced by Ash’s determination not to fall in love and Hetty’s single-minded quest to gain recognition for her wines. Fast-paced plotting keeps the pages turning, making for a magnetic historical romance. Agent: Alexandra Machinist, ICM Partners.

August 1, 2021
If Ash Ellis thinks Henrietta Prince is going to sit quietly while he ruins the future Hetty has carefully planned for herself, he is in for a big surprise! Ash, aka the Devil's Own Scoundrel, might be able to fool some people into thinking he is actually the long-lost heir to her father's title, but Hetty knows better. Once Ash becomes the new Duke of Granville, his plans for a horse-breeding program at Rosehill Park will mean an end to Hetty's ongoing efforts to make her mother's vineyards a viable business. However, if Hetty were to agree to marry Ash and help smooth his way into society, perhaps she can convince him to leave her grapes alone. With a perfect sense of aplomb and plenty of whimsical wit, Bell continues her Wallflowers vs. Rogues series, following Love Is a Rogue (2020), in splendid fashion by offering readers a cleverly crafted marriage-of-convenience plot that delivers not only a spot-on cast of characters (including a delightfully finicky feline), but also a generous dose of smoldering sexual chemistry and combustible love scenes.

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