Along with his stepsiblings, Sheridan Wolfe, Duke of
Armitage, is determined to finally solve the mysteries behind the suspicious
deaths of their mother's three husbands. Tasked with investigating a possible
suspect, Sheridan finds himself in dangerous proximity to her captivating
daughter, Vanessa Pryde. But still haunted by a tragically lost love, the duke
is resolved to resist the attraction -- and avoid any "scheming"
husband-hunters. Besides, lovely Miss Pryde seems utterly smitten with a
roguish London playwright . . .
Vanessa thinks a little scheming may be in order -- for
it's Sheridan she truly has her sights, and her heart, set on. Her theatrical
flirtation is intended only to break through his business-like demeanor and
guarded emotions. And as Sheridan's jealousy becomes aroused, the two soon find
themselves propelled into a scheme of an altogether different kind, involving a
pretend engagement, a secret inquiry -- and a perhaps not-so-secret leap into
true love . . .
Good book. I liked the romance between Vanessa and
Sheridan and how it tied into the investigation of the murders. This is the
final book in the series, and the family's determination to solve their
fathers' murders comes to a satisfactory conclusion. In the first book of the
series,
Project Duchess, Sheridan is the one who suspects that the deaths were
neither natural nor accidental. Eventually, they conclude that three
aristocratic ladies had the means and motivation to carry them off. Sheridan
finds himself tasked with investigating Lady Eustace, mother of Vanessa Pryde. Sheridan
is unwillingly attracted to Vanessa and doesn't look forward to spending time
in her company.
Vanessa is in love with Sheridan and has been for months.
Unfortunately, he doesn't appear to see her as a woman instead of his
half-brother's cousin, so she sets out to gain his attention. To do so, she
fakes an interest in playwright Juncker in hopes of stirring Sheridan's
jealousy.
I liked both Sheridan and Vanessa. Sheridan never
expected to become the duke and trained for a diplomatic career. He is kind,
honorable, protective, and a bit on the serious side, which gained him the
nickname of "Saint Sheridan" within the family. He spends much of his
time trying to figure out how to save the estate from bankruptcy due to his
uncle's profligate ways, and he faces greater than usual challenges in doing
so. Sheridan also closed himself off to any idea of marriage after the death of
his fiancée. Vanessa is intelligent, independent, and willing to go after what
she wants. She spent her life watching her parents fight their way through
their marriage. Her mother is selfish and cruel in her treatment of Vanessa,
currently pushing her toward marriage with an older peer.
I liked watching the development of the relationship
between Vanessa and Sheridan. Vanessa's interest in Juncker irritates Sheridan
though he doesn't know why and he becomes determined to show her what a poor
choice he is. While looking for a way to get closer to Lady Eustace, he agrees
to pretend to court Vanessa so she can stir Juncker's jealousy (?!) and he can
prove to her that Juncker is a cad. The convolutions of their schemes lead to some
interesting verbal battles and the growing realization that each has misjudged
the other. I loved seeing them engage in their verbal fisticuffs around their
families, who can see the truth about their feelings, while Sheridan and
Vanessa remain oblivious. I ached for Vanessa when a moment of uncontrolled
passion led to a hasty marriage because she never wanted him forced into
marriage with her. Her hopes take a hit when she finds out what brought them
together. Meanwhile, Sheridan continues to fight his feelings for her until a
comment by his half-sister opens his eyes:
"You don't choose love; love
chooses you. ...resistance is pointless." That revelation nearly comes too
late, but in the end, both Sheridan and Vanessa admit their feelings for each
other. I loved the epilogue with all of the couples from the series.
I felt mysteries were addressed in this book. The first
was Sheridan's battle with the estate's finances and how they got to be in such
bad shape. My suspicions on that subject focused on one person, and I wasn't
surprised to discover I was right. The second mystery dealt with the deaths of
the dukes. This was somewhat more convoluted. I was fascinated with how the men
focused on the aristocratic women, while Vanessa pointed out that they completely
overlooked the servants who also had motive and opportunity. When the truth
came out, the link between the two mysteries didn't surprise me, but the motivation
did. The final confrontation was intense and had me glued to the pages until it
was over.
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