Duty Before Desire (The Honorables: Book 2)

Lord Sheridan Zouche, playboy of 1817 London, has occupied beds of a number of widowed and married English ladies, leaving behind satisfied women and angry husbands. Fed up with his scandalous younger brother, the Marquess of Lothgard threatens to disinherit “Sheri” unless he marries and settles down. Miss Arcadia Parks, raised and nurtured in India, has just arrived from a seven-month sea voyage from the only place she’s ever called home. After a somewhat rocky chance meeting at Hyde Park, Sheri and Arcadia form an alliance—to marry in name only, and then go their separate ways. Once apart, he would be free to get back to his single, womanizing lifestyle, and she, to return to India with her ayah, Poorvaja. 

Wow! From the raucously entertaining opening scene of Sheri’s unfortunate dueling injury to his and Arcadia’s first scandalous meeting, this reader could not get enough! Elizabeth Boyce constructs a scrumptiously unique tale of a woman, ripped from the only life she’s ever known and dumped into London society, as completely ignorant of its strict rules as she is unprepared for its damp, cold climate. The author aptly lays out Arcadia’s culture shock as well as she describes the lifestyle left behind. This story is masterfully written, full of juicy conflict and well-scripted dialogue that pulls the reader into the story. Just when one thinks there are no surprises left—the author throws in one more. Delightfully enchanting!

Lori Leger