How the Duke Was Won (Disgraceful Dukes Series #1)

by Lenora Bell

Overview

The pleasure of your company is requested at Warbury Park. Four lovely ladies will arrive… but only one can become a duchess.

James, the scandalously uncivilized Duke of Harland, requires a bride with a spotless reputation for a strictly business arrangement. Lust is prohibited and love is out of the question.

Four ladies. Three days. What could go wrong?

She is not like the others…Charlene Beckett, the unacknowledged daughter of an earl and a courtesan, has just been offered a life-altering fortune to pose as her half-sister, Lady Dorothea, and win the duke’s proposal. All she must do is:

* Be the perfect English rose [Ha!]

* Breathe, smile, and curtsy in impossibly tight gowns [blast Lady Dorothea’s sylph-like figure]

* Charm and seduce a wild duke [without appearing to try]

* Keep said duke far, far from her heart [no matter how tempting]

When secrets are revealed and passion overwhelms, James must decide if the last lady he should want is really everything he needs. And Charlene must decide if the promise of a new life is worth risking everything . . . including her heart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062397737
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/26/2016
Series:	Disgraceful Dukes Series , #1
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	184,750
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Lenora Bell is a USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of historical romances. A teacher with an MFA in Creative Writing, Lenora has lived and worked on five continents. She currently lives in Colombia with her partner and two tiger-striped rescue kitties. She loves hearing from readers! Sign up for her mailing list to hear about new books, sales, and giveaways.

Editorial Reviews

★ 03/14/2016
Debut author Bell begins the Disgraceful Dukes Regency series with a winning tale in which disreputable but charming protagonists bond over a shared passion for righting social injustices. Charlene, the illegitimate and unacknowledged daughter of an earl, longs to save herself and her sister from prostitution by opening a boarding house for impoverished girls. James, a second son who unexpectedly inherits a ducal title, arrives in London prepared to marry an impeccable bride, produce an heir, and return to the West Indies to run his fair-wage cocoa farms. When James invites four women to audition for the role of duchess, Charlene is hired to stand in for her look-alike half-sister, Lady Dorothea, until Dorothea returns from abroad. Charlene’s spirited manner, martial arts skills, and instant rapport with James’s biracial daughter (whose existence and acceptance by her father are absolutely scandalous to most of the London elite) immediately put her at the top of the list, but soon James’s suspicions of trickery dampen his ardor. Meanwhile, Charlene reluctantly cedes her place to Dorothea, certain a duke would never marry an illegitimate woman. Colorful supporting characters, plentiful plot twists, and the trials of star-crossed lovers make for a sizzling and heartwarming page-turner. Agent: Alexandra Machinist, ICM Partners. (May)

Publishers Weekly

How the Duke was Won is exciting and emotional—evocative of the best of the genre. If you’ve been looking for a bold, new voice in historical romance, the search ends here. Lenora Bell is it.” — Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author

“Fresh, flirty, and fabulous! Lenora Bell is the new Belle of Historical Romance!” — Kerrelyn Sparks, New York Times bestselling author

“Bell has found a new avenue to the happily-ever-after of the Regency era, and it’s one that fans will enjoy exploring. Bold and sweet as good chocolate, this debut romance will give Regency fans a new author for their must-read list.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Debut author Bell begins the Disgraceful Dukes Regency series with a winning tale in which disreputable but charming protagonists bond over a shared passion for righting social injustices….Colorful supporting characters, plentiful plot twists, and the trials of star-crossed lovers make for a sizzling and heartwarming page-turner.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“HOW THE DUKE WAS WON hooked me from page one with its humor, emotion, and captivating characters. Lenora Bell is a true delight to read.” — Lorraine Heath, USA Today bestselling author

“HOW THE DUKE WAS WON is everything that made me first fall in love with historical romances while still being new and different. Trust me...you’ve been waiting for Lenora Bell.” — Sophie Jordan, New York Times bestselling author

“RWA Golden Heart winner Bell’s debut romance, the first in her Disgraceful Dukes series, is a knockout with its seductive combination of breathtakingly sexy romance, a refreshingly unconventional hero and heroine, and clever writing infused with droll wit.” — Booklist (starred review)

A debut that reads like an instant classic. Message to my readers: You’ll love Lenora Bell! — Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author

“Bell’s talented debut is full of characters whose antics, from the clever to the ridiculous, will have readers laughing out loud. Charlene is smart and tough and easily steals the show with her gutsy nonconformity. Regency romance fans will delight in this expert start to a fun new series.” — Library Journal (starred review)

“Combine The Princess and the Pea with a dollop of Cinderella and you have Bell’s fresh, lively romance! Along with its carefully crafted plot, rapid-fire repartee, quick pace and delightful characters, this sensual tale is a delectable romance made to charm.” — RT Book Reviews

From the Publisher

Combine The Princess and the Pea with a dollop of Cinderella and you have Bell’s fresh, lively romance! Along with its carefully crafted plot, rapid-fire repartee, quick pace and delightful characters, this sensual tale is a delectable romance made to charm.

RT Book Reviews

How the Duke was Won is exciting and emotional—evocative of the best of the genre. If you’ve been looking for a bold, new voice in historical romance, the search ends here. Lenora Bell is it.

Sarah MacLean

A debut that reads like an instant classic. Message to my readers: You’ll love Lenora Bell!

Eloisa James

RWA Golden Heart winner Bell’s debut romance, the first in her Disgraceful Dukes series, is a knockout with its seductive combination of breathtakingly sexy romance, a refreshingly unconventional hero and heroine, and clever writing infused with droll wit.

Booklist (starred review)

Fresh, flirty, and fabulous! Lenora Bell is the new Belle of Historical Romance!

Kerrelyn Sparks

HOW THE DUKE WAS WON is everything that made me first fall in love with historical romances while still being new and different. Trust me...you’ve been waiting for Lenora Bell.

Sophie Jordan

HOW THE DUKE WAS WON hooked me from page one with its humor, emotion, and captivating characters. Lenora Bell is a true delight to read.

Lorraine Heath

How the Duke was Won is exciting and emotional—evocative of the best of the genre. If you’ve been looking for a bold, new voice in historical romance, the search ends here. Lenora Bell is it.

Sarah Maclean

Beverley Crick’s upper-crust British accents are spot-on for Bell’s romance. In order to save her family, beautiful, feisty Charlene Beckett must pose as the half-sister she has never met to try to win the hand of James, the wicked but handsome Duke of Harland. Can she act the lady, seduce the man, and still keep her heart? Crick puts just the right amount of snootiness and righteous indignation in the voice of the plotting countess as well as indolence and ennui in the voices of the duke’s male companions. An enjoyable light listen. A.C.P. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2017 - AudioFile

★ 2016-03-03
One proud duke, four desperate women, and a weekend full of surprises. Charlene knows her place—she's the by-blow of the Earl of Desmond—and all she dares hope for is a better life for her family. Her father's wife has offered her what might be her only chance to change their lives. Charlene looks just like her half sister, Lady Dorothea, who's busy traveling, which means Lady Desmond wants to train Charlene to stand in for Dorothea and help charm the Duke of Harland into marrying her. Charlene needs to use all of her talents to reach James, aka His Disgrace, who's bringing four women to his country house for a weekend in order to find a suitably proper wife (with suitably powerful father) who can give him an heir and restore his reputation. True love isn't his aim; he only cares for his cocoa farm in the West Indies, where he's abolished slavery, and his only goal is making chocolate affordable for everyone in England. Over a weekend of pratfalls, with Lady Desmond urging her on from the sidelines, Charlene falls for the duke despite herself, and the duke falls for "Lady Dorothea." When Charlene secures a betrothal, her work is done—but the duke might not be fooled so easily. Bell's debut romance is as fierce as Charlene's self-defense skills and is full of surprises. The duke's proto-social justice leanings add a new angle to this spicy romance and will delight fans of the genre. Bell has found a new avenue to the happily-ever-after of the Regency era, and it's one that fans will enjoy exploring. Bold and sweet as good chocolate, this debut romance will give Regency fans a new author for their must-read list.

Kirkus Reviews