Set in the late Regency era (prologue 1817, 1822 and then 1835), this tells the story of Lady Clara Fairfax. Ever gorgeous, she was raised to marry a duke. Alas (from her mother’s perspective), she falls in love with a barrister, Oliver Radford, who is cousin to the Duke of Malvern, who calls Radford “Raven” for his black hair.
It seems that Lady Clara has a head on her shoulders and is tired of the swains who propose to her who expect she does not. In an unexpected encounter, she re-connects with a boy she had once saved from Radford’s cousin, Bernard, an ignorant bully.
Radford is committed to his career and, by all reports, he is a splendid barrister. He loves to argue and so does Clara. When a poor child she is helping asks for help to save her brother from some petty thieves, Clara turns to Radford. He warns her not to get involved but he likes her so he helps. Overwhelmed by the intelligent beauty, Radford is soon entangled in Clara’s affairs.
I liked this book… the witty dialog, the clever arguments and the research reflected in the story. Kudos to Chase for that. I have not read the other books in the series and, though I could tell there were stories (references to three seamstresses who married into the nobility abound), I could still enjoy this as a stand alone.
Recommended for romance readers who like intelligent reads and heroes with more than good looks. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was its title. I assume that is the publisher pandering to the readers who insist upon a duke in the title. While Radford eventually got his title, it came late and really didn’t figure into who he was at all.
The Dressmaker Series (which I only learned about after I read the book):
Silk is for Seduction
Scandal Wears Satin
Vixen in Velvet
Dukes Prefer Blondes
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