ARC REVIEW My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid

Sinful Wallflowers #1, The Sinful Wallflowers are a group of young ladies on the cusp of becoming "old maids" and they have decided that they are finally going to do something wicked and truly sinful before becoming unmarriageable. First up we have Katherine Danvers, the daughter of a Viscount who five years previously died and left an annual stipend for the family but with a stingy heir the money is running low and since this is going to be her fourth season with no prospects she must do something drastic to help her sisters and her mother even if it means sacrificing her own future. After sending a letter to the gossip columnist stating she is to marry a reclusive Duke who hasn't been seen in almost ten years has made Kitty Danvers the talk of the ton but more importantly it opened certain doors for her and her marriageable sisters.

Even after ten years Alexander Master, Duke of Thornton, is still considered one of the most eligible bachelors but he doesn't concern himself with matters of the ton. After the terrible accident that left him scarred and at times wheelchair bound he has given up any thought to such things and given up hope of ever marrying. Alex never paid attention to the rumors about him until suddenly he has a fiancee, he isn't concerned with it at first but the more he reads the fascinated he becomes and he decides that a trip to London is warranted.

Alex isn't even angry and when he meets Kitty for the first time he knows he needs more. Letting her carry on with the lie and understanding why she did it were easy but he wanted something in return from her time away from London without a chaperone until his fascination with her wanes. Reluctantly she agrees and arranges with her mother to be out in the country taking care of a sick aunt. Her time in Scotland with Alex, his sister and his cousin was eye opening; their feelings grew and soon it was love but Alex is a hard one and his stubbornness might be the end of it.

Overall, it was a great story I'm having a hard time trying to decide 4 or 5 stars. It was wonderfully written and the characters were all well done. I have a feeling the second book is going to run parallel with this one. I really like the Beauty and the Beast similarities, it is kind of a retelling and a nicely done one too. I look forward to the rest of the series.