Shape shifting in Regency times!

A Most Unusual Duke (Shapeshifters of the Beau Monde #2) by Susanna Allen

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Two of my fav genres combine—Regency romance and shapeshifters. Bliss! Arthur Humphries, Duke of Osborn, the hereditary leader of a ‘sleuth’ (a group of shape shifters or versipellis) is doing all he can to have the clan he’s the Alpha of, cease to be. The consequence of a childhood trauma that’s haunted his every action down through the years.

The very human Beatrice, Marchioness of Castleton, aka Lady Frost, had been married to a cruel Marquess and shapeshifter leader who’d died. She is feisty, passionate and supremely capable behind her mask. One that descended every day of the marriage, a shield of ice, her armour against the world, and against her despicable husband. Beatrice knows the secrets of the versipellis and as an unaligned female is a danger to the them as pointed out to her by His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent George IV, the supreme leader of the versipellis who imbues an awesome power of dominatum. Lady Frost and the Regent clash frequently in ways only the haughty of the ton can express.

George is determined that Arthur “will throw off [his] naive rancor and take [his] place. [His] clan awaits and must have its Alpha.” By decree George solves the problem of a recalcitrant leader and a too knowledgeable human female in one fell swoop. He commands them to marry.

The tale of their marriage, the problems they face and the resolutions make for a captivating read.

Original, vastly entertaining with a few twists, this had me hiving off to read the first in the series and looking forward to the next.

A Sourcebooks Casablanca ARC via NetGalley 

Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change