IF THE DUKE DARES

 

 

IF THE DUKE DARES

by Darcy Burke

GENRE:  Regency Historical Romance

Incorrigible flirt Acton Loxley, Duke of Wellesbourne is in need of a duchess. En route to greet a potential bride, he encounters a most intriguing and captivating widow who completely distracts him from his task. However, she disappears before he can deepen their acquaintance. Acton begrudgingly goes to meet his bride, unaware she and the widow are one and the same.

When Persephone Barclay’s younger sister is compromised, Persephone must wed before the scandal spreads. Her parents scramble to present her to the Duke of Wellesbourne; except he’s precisely the kind of rogue she has now vowed to avoid. Taking flight to avoid a match, Persephone runs straight into her would-be betrothed and pretends to be someone else. But dash it all, the duke proves to be irresistibly charming! If she remains in his company, she’ll end up in the wicked scoundrel’s clutches.

Even worse, her second attempt at escape lands her in increasingly poor circumstances. With nowhere to turn and her safety at risk, she may have to accept help from the one man who threatens her resolve—and her reputation.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Really, Persephone, I thought you would be more excited about this. Who could have thought you would have this opportunity?”

Who indeed.

Persephone felt as though the walls were closing in around her. She tried to recall what Wellesbourne looked like. He had auburn hair and an easy smile, and she supposed he was objectively handsome. “Just because he’s a duke doesn’t mean he’ll make an excellent husband. He has a reputation as a rake and is a friend of Bane’s. Think of Pandora. I would rather not consider him.”

“He could be whatever he wants and friends with whomever he chooses, and you will manage to accept him. You will be a duchess.” Her mother’s enthusiasm wasn’t surprising. She’d married above her station when she’d become a baroness. However, Persephone’s father’s title wasn’t prestigious, and his fortune was lacking. And now that Pandora wasn’t able to carry them up the social ladder, that duty had fallen to Persephone, the spinster-in-waiting.

“Only if he accepts me, which I find hard to believe.” A duke would want someone loftier than Persephone, even if she were staggeringly beautiful and possessed an excess of charm.

The baroness made an inelegant sound. “We are out of options, Persephone. Your sister’s ruin could be the ruin of us all. Is that what you want? I expect you to do whatever it takes to ensure this match is successful. If you can’t do that, then perhaps you shouldn’t be a member of this household.”

About the Author:

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of over sixty captivating, compelling historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Her novels have been translated into five languages and are also available as audio books. Join her Reader Club at https://www.darcyburke.com/join.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming, teacher husband, artist daughter, and writer (yes!) son. They’re a crazy cat family with two Bengal cats, a small, fame-seeking cat named after a fruit, a rescue Maine Coon with attitude to spare, an adorable former stray who wandered onto their deck and into their hearts, and two bonded boys who used to belong to (separate) neighbors but chose them instead. You can find Darcy in her comfy writing chair, folding laundry (which she loves), or enjoying game night with the family. Visit Darcy online at http://www.darcyburke.com and follow her social media: Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/darcyburkefans, Instagram at http://www.instagram/darcyburkeauthor, and Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/darcyburkewrite.

If the Duke Dares website link: https://geni.us/IftheDukeDares

If the Duke Dares buy links

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GIVEAWAY

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