Someday my duke will come

A fake engagement to avoid an arranged marriage ends in wedding bells in Britton's fantastic second Isle of Synne Regency romance (after A Good Duke Is Hard to Find). When easygoing Quincy Nesbitt returns home, he's shocked to learn he's now the Duke of Reigate--but his three cruel older brothers, all now deceased, have left the dukedom in dire financial straits. Lady Clara Ashford, Quincy's best friend's cousin, was manipulated out of her innocence at a young age and has vowed never to marry. When Quincy's mother attempts to force him to wed for money, however, Clara saves him by claiming she and Quincy are already engaged. They agree to keep up the pretense until after Clara's sister's upcoming nuptials, as it has the added benefit of helping Clara evade her aunt Olivia's matchmaking attempts. Despite the stress of potential bankruptcy and ruination and Quincy's mother's continued scheming, the couple's dynamic is fun and flirty and their easy emotional connection will win readers' hearts. Shame, redemption, and loyalty provide the backbone of this swoonworthy romance. Agent: Kim Lionetti, BookEnds. (Jan.)

Thirty-one-year-old Clara Ashford has lived a quiet life dedicated to her family after a youthful indiscretion. With her younger sister about to marry, Clara wonders about her future. Meanwhile, Clara's crush, Quincy Nesbitt, who has returned to London after living in America, discovers he is the Duke of Reigate with a bankrupt estate. His scheming mother tries to get him to marry a meek but rich lady of her choosing, but Clara and Quincy foil her plans by claiming they are engaged. VERDICT Britton ("Twice Shy" series) uses the familiar fake engagement trope to further the romantic ties between Quincy and Clara, both of whom have beautifully detailed yet tragic backstories. Unfortunately, challenges to their romance and also Quincy's dukedom are resolved a bit too conveniently to be believable. Series fans will enjoy following the characters from the first in the "Isle of Synne" series, who play prominent roles in this second installment. New readers should start with the first book, A Good Duke Is Hard To Find.--Eve Stano, Ball State Univ. Muncie, IN

Two people with painful pasts develop real feelings during their fake engagement. After his beloved father died, Quincy Nesbitt ran away from home at age 14 and crossed the ocean to America, where he became a self-made man. Finally returning to England, he plans to confront his malicious mother and then move on once and for all and embark on his dream of traveling the world. His plans are turned upside down when he learns that all his brothers have died, he's inheriting a bankrupt dukedom, and his mother is as awful as ever. Lady Clara Ashford, cousin of Quincy's best friend, has no plans to marry since a man in her youth betrayed her trust. Not even her family knows the heartbreaking secret of her past. Her younger sister is about to wed, and their aunt is determined to see Clara married off as well. Quincy and Clara enter into a mutually beneficial fake relationship, but during time spent together in London and then the Isle of Synne, their feelings deepen into something true. The grief these characters have endured is palpable, but the joy they experience with each other is healing and beautiful. Their emotions and internal turmoil are convincing and poignant. Quincy and Clara learn not just how to be vulnerable with each other, but how to open themselves up to their closest loved ones and find comfort from their support. Relationships drive the story more than plot, and sometimes the pacing is slow. Moving and heartfelt. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.