London, England 1815

Unlike her two cousins, Phoebe and Deirdre, it was never Sophie Blake’s intention to come to London to catch a duke and thereby win the Pickering Trust, a stipulation laid out in their grandfather, Sir Hamish Pickering’s will. He made it clear that the only way to inherit his fortune is to marry an English Duke, leaving the other two girls who fail virtually penniless. With Deirdre recently married to a marquess, and Phoebe blissfully wed to his brother, the issue is all but decided anyway, for nobody, not even Sophie, imagines she will marry a duke. Indeed, it’s doubtful that painfully shy and hopelessly plain “Sophie the Stick” will find a husband at all.

Sophie, however, is not in the market for a husband. She had her own reasons for coming to London, one of which was to escape her miserable existence in Acton. So, aside from a few torturous balls she must attend to please her chaperone, she is enjoying her time in Town reading and visiting museums. Socially, of course, she is a failure, but she has formed one satisfying friendship. Lord Graham Cavendish is an exceedingly handsome rake, qualities that usually leave Sophie hopelessly tongue-tied when in such a man’s presence. Yet, Graham is able to put Sophie at ease, and the two spend companionable time together. But when he unexpectedly becomes the Duke of Edencourt and decides he must find a rich heiress in order to save the estate, Sophie finds she cannot abide the notion of Graham marrying. An incredible idea quickly takes hold of her, one that involves the Pickering Trust, which, if she can win, will not only save Graham from financial ruin but gain her her heart’s desire as well.

Graham can hardly believe that his father and three elder brothers have all been killed in a hunting accident on the Dark Continent. Certainly, there was no love lost between him and his family, but he would not have wished them gone, especially now that he realizes what he is facing. Graham was not aware of the financial crisis about to befall his family. Before he can even bury them, creditors come calling for immediate payment. His only recourse is to marry an heiress by the end of the Season, a horrible thought for a man with no inclination to marry, ever. He longs to return to his previous existence when all that was required of him was to pursue the pleasures of life -- women, drink, and of course time with Sophie. When it all becomes too tiresome, he always goes to her for a refreshing change. He has quite come to value their friendship, so when she is suddenly transformed into a ravishing beauty with an active social life, Graham is rather put out. He should be hunting for a bride, but instead all he can think about is Sophie.

DUKE MOST WANTED wraps up a most delightful trilogy about three cousins and their friendly competition to marry a duke and win their grandfather’s inheritance. As suspected from having read the first two books, Sophie, the quiet, bookish cousin, is the one with surprises in store for readers. Her story is compared to the Cinderella fairytale by Sophie herself, but I was reminded of the ugly duckling who turns into a majestic swan. It’s not an original idea, but Ms. Bradley has no trouble tweaking it and making it her own, enhancing it with creative plot twists and well-drawn, engaging characters. As noted, Sophie is full of surprises that are completely unexpected and are slowly revealed throughout the tale. It’s a delight to witness her transformation on the outside while she manages to retain her true essence, an intelligent mind, a sharp wit, and a kind heart, the characteristics that make her so amiable to readers and to Graham. Indeed, one of the most endearing things about him is that he sees Sophie’s worth before she becomes a “swan.”

Graham, for his part, also goes through a transformation of sorts. Upon becoming duke, he promptly discovers he has a conscience, and although he’s never been pompous or arrogant, he recognizes that he has been rather shallow. As the duke, he now has people depending on him, and this creates more than one dilemma for him. He needs to find a way to support his estate, i.e. marry an heiress, but he wants Sophie. She, meanwhile, cannot tell Graham about her grandfather’s inheritance or she will be disqualified from winning it. All this ensures there is no small amount of inner turmoil for both hero and heroine and makes for an emotional tale of ups and downs. Factor in the passion between the two, Sophie’s secrets, and desperate secondary characters determined to cause trouble and DUKE MOST WANTED becomes a fast paced tale almost impossible to put down. I highly recommend it, even if you’ve not had the pleasure of reading either Phoebe's tale (DESPERATELY SEEKING A DUKE), or Deirdre’s (THE DUKE NEXT DOOR) first. They can be read independently of each other, but do be sure to read all three.

Sandra Brill