Last Duke Standing: A Historical Romance

by Julia London

Overview

Fans of Bridgerton will love the this sparkling, witty, and sexy new series from New York Times bestselling author Julia London! With a young future queen in the market for a husband, and the charming—and opinionated—Scottish lord tasked to introduce her to the ton’s most eligible bachelors.

Charming. Cheeky. Cunning.

When Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, she falls under the tutelage of none other than Queen Victoria herself. Justine’s also in the market for a proper husband—one fit to marry the future queen of Wesloria.

Because he knows simply everyone, William, Lord Douglas (the notoriously rakish heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, and decidedly not husband material), is on hand as an escort of sorts. William has been recruited to keep an eye on the royal matchmaker for the Weslorian prime minister, tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality…and one who will be sympathetic to the prime minister’s views.

As William and Justine are forced to scrutinize an endless parade of England’s best bachelors, they become friends. But when the crowd of potential grooms is steadily culled, what if William is the last bachelor standing?

Don’t miss The Duke Not Taken from New York Times bestselling author Julia London! A delicious and playful new frenemies-to-lovers romance set in Victorian England.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781335639868
Publisher:	Harlequin
Publication date:	02/22/2022
Series:	A Royal Match , #1
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	121,716
Product dimensions:	4.75(w) x 6.96(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Julia London is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels of historical and contemporary romance. She is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award. She lives in Austin, Texas. Find her at www.julialondon.com.

Or visit Julia online:

www.julialondon.com/newsletter

www.facebook.com/julialondon

www.twitter.com/juliaflondon

www.instagram.com/julia_f_london

Editorial Reviews

12/20/2021

London (A Princess by Christmas) delivers the goods in her Royal Match series launch, as a crown princess searches for her match in Victorian England. Princess Justine Ivanosen, heir to the throne of Wesloria, travels to London so that Queen Victoria can train her to be queen while matchmaker Lady Lila Aleksander of Denmark finds her the perfect husband. Justine is reluctant about the arrangement, skeptical that a suitable match will be found and fearful that her ill father may die before she’s able to return home. And she’s less than thrilled to learn that William Douglas of Scotland, future Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, will serve as her escort as she meets with prospective husbands. Justine and William met years ago when she first visited London, and neither has fond memories of their contentious interaction. But as they spend more time together, Justine discovers that William, more than any of her suitors, may be her perfect match. To be together, however, they’ll have to overcome the rumors of his tarnished reputation. London’s prolific talent for historical romance shines through in her witty, engaging characters who provide an insightful view into the intrigue and subterfuge involved in ensuring the survival of a monarchy. Readers will be thrilled. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

PRAISE FOR LAST DUKE STANDING

"London’s prolific talent for historical romance shines through in her witty, engaging characters who provide an insightful view into the intrigue and subterfuge involved in ensuring the survival of a monarchy. Readers will be thrilled."—Publishers Weekly on Last Duke Standing

"An eminently appealing pair of protagonists, a winsome cast of secondary characters…and an amusing plot enriched by an abundance of sharp wit and buoyed by romantic chemistry that is both sweet and sexy."—Booklist on Last Duke Standing

"With an engaging premise and great characters, Last Duke Standing is an enjoyable read." —Romance Reviews Today

"What makes this Victorian romance stand out is the entertaining use of irony, humor, and wit, all of which enliven the interaction between the characters.” —Historical Novels Review

PRAISE FOR JULIA LONDON

“Secrets, scandals and steamy chemistry—this paperback escape has it all!”—Women's World on The Princess Plan

"Charming, witty, and warm. This is perfect historical romance."—Sarah Morgan, USA Today bestselling author on The Princess Plan

"It completely charmed me...The chemistry is so delicious. I simply didn't want to put it down."—Nicola Cornick, USA Today bestselling author on The Princess Plan

"Charming... A fun, touching 'prince meets real girl' Victorian fairy-tale romance."—Kirkus on The Princess Plan

“Warm, witty and decidedly wicked—great entertainment.”—Stephanie Laurens, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Hard-Hearted Highlander

"London's observations of gender roles are keen, and her protagonists are eminently likable in their dogged pursuit of their own goals despite societal expectations and political pressures."—Publishers Weekly on The Princess Plan

From the Publisher

2021-12-20
A crown princess must find a worthy husband, but no candidate is as tantalizing as the man least suitable for the job.

Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is heartbroken: Not only is she recovering from an international scandal caused by a previous misalliance, but she's also forced to accept the prospect of losing her father, whose health is steadily deteriorating. She needs to get married and swiftly prepare herself to rule a small but prosperous nation. Prodded by Dante Robuchard, the Machiavellian prime minister of Wesloria, Justine sets sail to England to learn the royal ropes from Queen Victoria and wed an eligible British gentleman. Robuchard, who needs a finger in every pie, asks William, Lord Douglas, heir to the Scottish Duke of Hamilton, to tail the princess and send him regular updates on her progress. Cornered into accepting the mission by his cash-strapped father, who's made an unwise investment in the Weslorian coal industry, the notoriously rakish William does what he can to aid the princess. Justine and William have met before, and they have a history of getting on each other’s nerves, but it appears that he's the only one who can offer her sound advice. As she begins to count on his support, Justine finds it harder to even think of a gentleman other than William, but William’s past threatens to obscure every future prospect. London trots out several secondary characters from her previous books for the first installment of the Royal Match series, and each of them adds to the charm and sweetness of the central love story. While Justine is charming as a sharp princess who knows when she’s being outmaneuvered but feels helpless to prevent it, she is absolutely fabulous as a powerful woman who learns to stand up for herself. William and Justine’s interactions are consistently endearing and witty, but when the focus shifts to his past, the urgency of her present predicament falls by the wayside.

A heartwarming and funny romance.

Kirkus Reviews