♡ Thank you for the free ARC and book, author Emily Sullivan, Forever, and NetGalley.
Synopsis
Phoebe Atkinson is what society might call unconventional. Instead of marrying well like other women born to wealth, she chose to be a schoolteacher. Not to mention she lives in a leaky flat in an unfashionable part of town rather than stay in her parents’ mansion. But when her most promising pupil goes missing, she has only one option: beg her sister’s best friend, the powerful Duke of Ellis, for help. The last thing William Margrave ever expected was to inherit a dukedom. But now that he has it, he’s determined to act the part perfectly—and that includes marrying the perfect duchess. A bluestocking Bohemian schoolteacher is decidedly not duchess material. But he can’t resist her plea for help regarding her missing student.
As they fall further into the mystery, William discovers that he never got over his childhood crush on Phoebe, and he doesn’t really want to.
Thoughts
I love historical romance, so I was over the moon to read this early copy. I also adore beautiful covers and books by authors that I have not yet read. So, this book ticked a few boxes before I even began reading it.
I got everything I wanted and more from this story. Phoebe was a strong and lovely FMC while Will was the perfect match. Together, their chemistry produced a spice level that I did not expect! With a little something for everyone—from mystery to romance—this was a quick and enjoyable read.