[Subdue] My One and Only Duke by Grace Burrowes - 3 stars

[Theresa]

Once again Grace Burrowes gives us a regency romance not in the normal way of the genre. Quinn, a wealthy banker who started life as an abused guttersnipe, is in Newgate, awaiting execution by hanging for the murder of another. Although, in truth, something doesn't add up about all of this given his care of some fellow inmates, a mouser and some birds visiting his barred window, or given that no matter how much of his wealth he were to use for bribes, his sentence would not be commuted to something other than death. Someone wants him dead and disgraced. It's pretty far into the plot before the full story is known but not too long. Because of course, this is a regency romance and that romance needs to develop.

Enter Jane, a widowed and pregnant vicar's daughter, who finds herself in his cell a few days before his hanging, waiting for her hypocritically pious vicar father who is sermonizing to the condemned in the Common Ward. Eventually a deal is struck between Jane and Quinn wherein she marries him just before he is to die and he leaves money in trust for her to give her independence and her child a chance. How could this possibly go wrong?

Quite a lot, as we have been following in a separate plot thread, as it seems Quinn is the heir to a debt ridden dukedom...and all are rushing to get a royal pardon before he's hung. Then there's Quinn's unusual family -- who will feature in the rest of the series. Of course, who's looking to disgrace and murder him also has to be revealed and punished, and love has to triumph.

This was just the fun, cleverly plotted regency romance I needed right now.

Bonus: there was a Christmas novella Once Upon a Christmas Eve by Elizabeth Hoyt tucked in as well which I also enjoyed - also rating it 3 stars. It was far smuttier than My One and Only Duke, just the right amount, and I'm a sucker for rakes falling in love at Christmas, especially when a carriage accident during a blizzard strands one and his elderly grandmother in the home of a spinster who thinks she hates rakes. It's made me rethink reading Hoyt who I had dropped after I found her Maiden Lane series unpleasant reading around the third or fourth.

[Booknblues]

When I read a large amount of regencies one of my favorite tropes was the "forced to marry."

I haven't read a book with that particular trope in years and wonder if I would enjoy it still.

[Theresa]

Booknblues wrote: "When I read a large amount of regencies one of my favorite tropes was the "forced to marry."

I haven't read a book with that particular trope in years and wonder if I would enjoy it still."

Maybe not one of my favorite tropes, but i sure enjoyed it here.

And right now, Fran, this may be just the diversion you need. This author's characters and plots often vere enough from what everyone else writes to feel fresh.

[Theresa]

Oh, and I enjoyed learning all about the College of Arms, who no doubt have been quite busy this last year or so with all the titles and heraldry involved with the present British royals. It is responsible for verifying titled lineage - and finding missing heirs.