... despicable dukes!

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Stealing the Duke (The Scandal Sheet #2) by Jess Michaels           

I was not greatly enamored by the Alexander Wittingham, the Duke of Avondale. Nor did I feel comfortable with the premise of said Duke using blackmail for his amorous designs. When the Earl of Martingale dies leaving his eldest daughter Marianne to discover his guilty secret and the artifacts he'd stolen from various ton associates she calls the police to have them returned. Arrk! Social ruin now in place!  Alas she finds one more piece so tries to sneak into Avondale's home and return it. Foolishly empty headed or desperate? I can't decide. Of course she's going to be caught! Unfortunately when this innocent young woman, without protection tries to set things to rights she becomes ensnared in a larger game. And so, Alexander Wittingham shot straight to the top of my blackguards list.
I know all turns out well after some harrowing times but I just plain dislike the Duke! I'm also not relating too well to our heroine victim Marianne.
I must declare this Jess Michaels' Duke was not for me. I can understand Marianne's struggles to protect her sister and her need to go ahead with the transaction, but I was just plain cross with our ducally preditor.
Definitely a story with a different twist before reaching its HEA. And of course this series is The Scandal Sheet!

 A NetGalley ARC

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