From the Publisher
Lorret launches the Liars’ Club series with a scintillating fake fiancé romance in Regency England...With big emotions, sensual love scenes, and endearing protagonist, this is sure to win hearts.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on It Had to Be a Duke
“[A] sprightly and fun fake-engagement tale…It is a lovely tumble.” — Library Journal on It Had to Be a Duke
“I love this delightful historical romance, Vivienne Lorret is one of my favorite authors and It Had to Be a Duke is a fun romp. The fake betrothal trope has honestly been done so many times but somehow Lorret manages to make it fresh. It’s probably because on top of the fake betrothal trope, Verity and Magnus are enemies-to-lovers, my second favorite trope.” — Fresh Fiction on It Had to Be a Duke
“Lorret has created a delicious world filled with complex, charming characters. A touch of passion and some comic relief make this a well-blended novel that includes an alluring setup for the next in the series.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Wrong Marquess
“Lorret’s bright humor and sharp wit shine in this charming historical romance.” — Kirkus Reviews on The Wrong Marquess
In this fast-paced romance with a bit of mystery, [...] Lorret alluringly creates passion between the protagonists, and readers will be excited to watch their love story develop. — Library Journal on The Trouble With Inventing a Viscount
Lorret strikes the right balance of humor and swoony romance. The pages fly as this unlikely couple work for their happy ending — Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
2024-08-03
A con artist meets his match with a gambler in disguise.
Honoria Hartley never wants to marry or have children, and she’s found a clever way to avoid it. Her grandmother betrothed her long ago to Viscount Vandemere, and since no one has ever met the man, she’s spent years “clinging to the betrothal contract like a shield,” sending herself letters in which "Vandemere" always has an excuse for why he can’t yet marry her. As she’s exempted herself from the marriage mart, she’s freed up considerable time to do things like disguise herself as Signor Cesario, giving herself the freedom to live as a man and especially to gamble. She’s wearing her Cesario drag the first time she meets ruthless gambler Oscar Flint, and after she wins a large pot he was counting on, he becomes the first person to realize she’s wearing a disguise; only a well-timed kiss allows her to slip away. One year later, he gets his revenge. Honoria is comfortably at home in her normal attire when Oscar reappears, and this time he’s the one in disguise—as her fiance. Flint moves into the Vandemere home and openly courts Honoria, and as their attraction is obvious, both are secretly happy to goad the other. But there’s a good reason Flint escaped to the country to act as Vandemere, and it may put all of them in danger. In the second book in her Liar’s Club series, Lorret turns her attention to the middle Hartley sister. As usual, her writing sparkles, and it’s a delight that Honoria and Oscar can admit their attraction early on, providing for many witty exchanges (and a few spicy ones as well). The plot, however, droops a bit under unnecessary complexity—it’s tempting to think of that as a nod to Shakespeare, given the Hartley family’s theatrical leanings, but it doesn’t quite hold together. Still, the emotional depths of both Honoria and Oscar, the quasi-enemies-to-lovers chemistry between the two, and the charms of the Hartley family provide more than enough reasons for readers to roll the dice on this one.
An enjoyable romance from a Regency fan favorite.
