Some Dukes Have All the Luck

TITLE: Some Dukes Have All the Luck

SERIES: Synneful Spinsters #1

AUTHOR: Christina Britton

RATING: 

STEAM: 

THE SYNOPSIS

Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley, no more wants to marry than he wants a stick in his eye. As the owner of a gaming hell, he is all too aware the odds of a happy marriage are against him. But raising his three rebellious wards alone is proving more than he can handle. He needs to find someone who stands to benefit from a marriage of convenience as much as he does. Someone logical, clinical, and rational. And in a stroke of luck, he quite literally stumbles over just such a woman.

After years of ridicule for being more interested in bugs than boys, Bronwyn has accepted that she’ll never marry for love. Her parents, however, are threatening to find her a husband. Bronwyn doesn’t need any scientific research to show her Ash has secrets. But his proposal would give her the freedom to continue her entomology research and perhaps finally get published. Just as long as she can keep her mind on her work and off his piercing eyes, broad shoulders, and wicked, wicked tongue.

THE PLOT

Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley is the owner of a popular gaming hell and in charge of three hoydens that are quite a handful.  Ash had a very hard childhood; he was beaten at school, witnessed his mother die at the hands of his abusive father and decided to run away to London, away from his abusive father to start a gaming hell.

He had not realized until just then how starved he was for a connection to another person. And it troubled him. Over the years he had become an expert at keeping people at arm’s length.

Bronwyn Pickering would love nothing more than to become a spinster so she is free to continue her entomology research. But her parents are social climbers and want her to make a way for them to advance in society by making an advantageous match. 

He pictured her as a small child, without a single friend, turning to insects in her need for companionship. How lonely she must have been. And yet how resilient, to find light in the darkness and passion from barrenness.

When two of the girls run away to his family estate, he follows after they have two chance meetings. At which the second, he proposes a marriage of convenience; she will look after his wards for him in Synne and  she can pursue her research.    

After a whirlwind two weeks, they married and settled into their new home. Ash had promised her two weeks before he left her and the girls to return to London and his gaming hell. But suddenly, neither thought that was what they wanted anymore. Ash was realizing that he no longer wanted to be alone and that Bronwyn made him happier than he can remember and the peace of the countryside was wonderful. Bronwyn, in turn, realized that Ash truly supported her research and genuinely thought she was a beautiful and amazing woman. 

When the girls finally join them after a few days ‘honeymoon’, Ash agrees to Bronwyn’s plan of family outings and time together to get the girls to behave and listen to her. But in spending time together, Ash, Bronwyn and the girls settle into a wonderful family unit, truly enjoying their time together! 

But when the bubble of their wonderful time together is burst by the arrival of visitors, Ash is forced to face the fact that he will never get away from the stigma of his father’s legacy and he decides it best to leave for London.  Both feel they are unworthy of love, but neither can find happiness apart. 

Bronwyn and Ash were so delicious as a couple! He absolutely adored her and poured encouragement and confidence into her broken spirit. These two pulled at my heart strings because they desperately needed each other in their lives and fought it with all their might, but watching them give in was made all the sweeter! 

“You think we have no use for you?” he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. “You think you are not of value? Well, listen to me now, my wonderful, incredible wife. To me, you are priceless. To my sisters, you are priceless. You are a part of this family, the glue that holds us all together.” He smiled, and Bronwyn’s heart, which was already full with unbelievable happiness, overflowed. “And I love you,” he rasped, his gaze caressing her, as if she were indeed a priceless treasure. “I have loved you for weeks now, and perhaps even before that. You are brilliant, and strong, and giving. And I am so damn lucky that you tumbled into my path that day.”

TROPES

Historical Romance, Regency Era, Country Life, Seaside, Titled Hero, Damaged/Tortured Hero, Single Dad, Unworthy Hero, Bluestocking Heroine, Damaged/Tortured Heroine, Scientist Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Outdoor Steam, Marriage of Convenience/Arranged Marriage, Five Star, Three Flame

HistoricalRomance, RegencyEra, CountryLife, Seaside, TitledHero, Damaged/TorturedHero, SingleDad, UnworthyHero, BluestockingHeroine, Damaged/torturedHeroine, ScientistHeroine, VirginHeroine, OutdoorSteam, marriageofconvenience/ArrangedMarriage, Fivestar, Threeflame