Title: How the Wallflower Wins a Duke
Author: Lucy Morris
Published: July 2024
Rate: 5 of 5
Genre: Fake-Dating, Regency Romance, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical

Blurb:

Be tantalized by this spicy Regency romance

Maria Fletcher’s Rules:

Rule 1: Send life composing music in peace. Do not worry about finding a husband.

Rule 2: If must marry about finding a husband, marry for love only or commit to becoming a spinster.

Rule 3: Resist urge to spend time with the sinfully sexy Duke of Framlingham, who clearly does not believe in love.

Rule 4: Never ever say yes to said duke’s wicked plan for us to silence society’s expectations with a fake engagement...

But what happens when this wallflower breaks every single rule?

My Review:

When Pride and Prejudice collided with The Bridgeton ...

Oh dear, I had to fan myself when Lucy Morris announced that she was writing an alternative character to Mary Bennet in her next book! I was so excited as I have such a fondness for Mary.

After the humiliation she suffered some time ago, Marina is committed to devoting her life for music and being a spinster. Not only does she play the instruments, but she also composes her own music. Meanwhile, as the daughter of loving and compassionate parents, she is determined to marry only for love, even though she doesn’t come from a noble family.

After his father and step-brother’s demise, Brook must accept his role as a spare heir to become the new Duke of Framlingham. He also has to deal with the mess left behind by his mother. However his attractiveness has left society in awe, encouraging prospective mothers and their daughters to be part of the duke’s family.

To gain freedom from the nagging society, Brook needs to find a fake fiancée. When he meets Marina and her family, his determination to make her one leads them into a fake courtship. The story isn’t only about how Regency romance works, but the book also has a strong content of architecture and music that can live up to your imagination.

Lucy Morris is one of my favourite authors. Her writing in the Viking era was absolutely captivating and this Regency is no different! I loved how Lucy was able to recreate the character of Mary Bennet in Marina Fletcher. Her creation of the Duke also brought the fun and excitement to the story. The annoying nemesis irked me at times, but I found their ridiculousness strangely amusing. I also loved the Fletcher’s family bond and Brooks’s mother.

All in all, it is a fun read with lively and lovable characters wrapped in Regency romance. Lucy Morris’s writing is beyond exceptional, bringing each period to life with such vivid detail and intriguing cast of characters.

About the author

Lucy Morris lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two young children and two cats. She has a massively sweet tooth and loves gin, bubbly and Irn-Bru. She is a member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association and is delighted to begin her publishing journey with Harlequin Historical in 2021 with her first release ‘The Viking Chief’s Marriage Alliance’.

She adores writing strong, passionate women and the brave honourable men who fall in love with them. Weaving her fascination with the dark age of medieval Europe with her compulsion to give her characters a happily ever after. But only after they’ve had an adventure along the way. Follow her on twitter https://twitter.com/LMorris_Author
 

Picture and blurb source: goodreads.com