Review: Funny Historical Fiction!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 25, 2014
Charming the Duke is a humorous historical fiction novel that takes place in England during the 1800s. The Duke of Thornsby was speechless when he discovered that in order to receive his inheritance on his thirtieth birthday he would have to be married. The very thought of it made him shutter. But he'd be damned if was going to lose his fortune just because of a technicality. The Duke had less than a year to find and marry a woman who wasn't aware of his appalling reputation. He needed a plan.Thornsby smiled at the invitation to the Earl of Bisset's house party. The pea-brained Earl had two beautiful dimwitted daughters and a featherhead for a wife. No one in that entire family would even have the wherewithal to look past his title and see that he was a notorious rake. What could be more perfect?Thornsby's eyes glazed over while the two half-wit daughters, Juliet and Alexandra, chattered endlessly to him about bows and ribbons. His head was splitting. He needed to get away from them. How could he have ever thought that marrying one of these airheads would be a good idea? The only daughter he could even consider marrying was the middle daughter, Matilda - the daughter he didn't know the Earl had before he insulted her.  How was he to know that Matilda wasn't hired help?  And what was she doing dressing up like a maid anyway?Matilda wanted nothing to do with The Duke of Thornsby. He was a pretentious, rude, stick-in-the-mud, who was only interested in himself. She, on the other hand,  had an orphanage to build, children to help and a life to live.  Why would she ever want to be tied down to a man? And a controlling man at that.Thornsby found himself growing fond of Matilda. She was caring and pretty when she wasn't wearing grey. He was doing his best to win her over until his past came roaring back, threatening to destroy all that he held dear.I found Charming the Duke funny, a little too silly at times, but enjoyable just the same. I would recommend this book to readers looking to lose themselves in a light and humorous fictional story.