A Duke in shining armor

*Starred Review* In theory, giving a jittery bride-to-be a cup of tea laced with brandy to steady her nerves seemed like a good idea. In reality, Olympia Hightower, soon to be the new Duchess of Ashmont, had quickly moved on from sipping her tea to taking a few nips from the flask of brandy she borrowed from her brother. By the time Hugh Ancaster, the Duke of Ripley and Ashmont's best friend, arrived on the scene to see what was taking the bride so long to appear, Olympia was attempting to escape through the closest window. Hugh did promise Ashmont that he would do whatever it took to see to it that his friend's wedding ceremony went through as planned, but Hugh never imagined that it would entail trying to catch a runaway bride! When it comes to writing unforgettable, superbly crafted historical romances, RITA Award-winning Chase is the crème de la crème, and A Duke in Shining Armor, which launches her new Disgraceful Dukes series, is another exquisitely sensual, perfectly calibrated masterpiece of frothy wit and flawless characterization.--Charles, John Copyright 2017 Booklist

Longtime romance author Chase's first Difficult Dukes historical sparkles with wit. The unconventional 1833-set historical romance between Lady Olympia Hightower and Hugh Philemon Ancaster, Duke of Ripley, begins when Olympia leaves the Duke of Ashmont, Ripley's close friend, at the altar. Ripley impulsively follows her, intending to get her to return and marry Ashmont, but circumstances conspire against his plan. Meanwhile, their marvelous banter and delicious chemistry banish the staid behavior that earned the bespectacled 26-year-old the title of Most Boring Girl for each of her seven London social seasons. As she decides to explore activities and experiences that have always been off-limits to her, Ripley tries to remain honorable. Chase's spot-on humor and period-authentic writing combine with easy-to-love characters for a superb soufflé-light romance. Agent: Nancy Yost, Nancy Yost Literary. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Smart, well-read Lady Olympia -High-tower has no idea why the scapegrace Duke of Ashmont proposed to her, but she knows that she only accepted for the financial good of her family (and their library, of course). Now, minutes before the wedding, she's having second thoughts. Fortified with a bit too much brandy, she flees into the rain, only to be seen and tracked down by the Duke of Ripley, one of Ashmont's best friends and another of the three notorious Dis-Graces. All Ripley wants to do is bring her back to her intended, but the more time they spend together, the less sure he is of his own intentions. A canny bluestocking virgin and an honorable rakehell duke lead fans on a rollicking escapade in a delectable story that overflows with Chase's signature lively wordplay, hilarity, and simmering sexual tension. VERDICT Another riveting read from the unparalleled Chase (Dukes Prefer Blondes); she lives in Worcester, MA. [Previewed in Joyce Sparrow's "Love Is All Around," LJ 10/15/17; see also "Editors' Fall Picks," LJ 9/1/17, p. 34.] © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.