When a Duchess Says I Do (Rogues to Riches #2) by Grace Burrowes

Title: When a Duchess Says I Do
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Rogues to Riches
Format: Paperback; Length: 385 pages
Publisher: Forever (April 2, 2019)
ASIN: B07G74HZB3
ISBN-13: 9781538728987
Author's Website: https://graceburrowes.com/
Notes: I received a copy of the book from the publisher for review purposes. This in no way influenced by review.

Once upon a time a woman saw something she should not and ran away. In the midst of her escape, she came upon a crime in the act of being committed. A man was looking at the wrong edge of a knife with his life flashing before him. Never one to keep her head down in the face of danger, she assessed the situation and raised her gun.

Duncan Wentworth was surveying his estate when he came across a pair of poachers. After a miscalculation on his part, he found himself in a lifer-or-death situation. Saved  by a women who no doubt knew how to use a gun, he assesses the lady to whom he owes his life. By no means a fool, although his current predicament might suggest otherwise, he realizes a few things in quick succession. The woman is a Lady, she is most likely the person inhabiting his gatehouse, and she must be in trouble. So he does what any gentleman would, or at least should, do--he extends to her an offer of hospitality and refuge in the form of a job. 

While he doesn't ask, he can't help wondering who or what is she hiding from?

This was the first book I've read by Ms. Burrowes, but it won't be my last. In fact, I've already read the first book of this series as well as another from a different series. I didn't feel lost when I read the books out of order, nor do I feel you need to read 'My One and Only Duke' before this one. I do, however, encourage you to read 'My One and Only Duke'  at some point because it's really good.

From the first page the author immerses her readers into the world she has created, and I felt transported back in time. It took me a little time to catch my footing and acclimate to the speech and mannerisms associated with the time period, but once I did I sat back and enjoyed the ride. As the tale unwinds, I was pulled deeper and deeper into the story as the characters were brought to life and I came to know them. 

Duncan is a bit different from any man Matilda has encountered. He doesn't seem to mind her intelligence, and where others might find fault with it, he seems to appreciate it. He is an old fashioned gentleman through and through, and what he lacks in charm, he makes up for in loyalty. He's also smarter than he's given credit for because he's also humble. Basically, what you see is what you get with Duncan. As Mathilda comes to know the man through living under his roof and reading his journals, she likes what she sees--a man she admires.

Matilda is a bit of a puzzle that Duncan would love to solve. She's intrigued him from the moment he saw her aiming her gun at the men bent on harming him. She's smart, strong, and is definitely NOT a shrinking violet. He knows next to nothing about who she is, and she seems bent on keeping it that way. Despite that, he'll do everything in his power to keep her safe from whatever she is running from. I rather liked that.

I loved how Matilda is both strong and vulnerable at the same time. If need be, she could look after herself. I loved, however, how Duncan takes her in without question and provides her with a reason to stay by offering her the job of editing and rewriting his sloppily written travel journals. He sees her for who she is, and likes what he sees. I loved how he let her tell him her story in her own time, and didn't try to force the information from her. I thought it amusing that she initially felt the invitation he extended to her came with an underlying threat. As I got to know her, I came to realize that her past experiences with men is what led her to believe this. It's the kind of  behavior she's come to expect from men. They almost always tried to try to control her. Reading Duncan's journals allowed her a deeper understanding of the man, and that was rather smart on Duncan's part.

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. The characters were multifaceted and the story smartly written. I loved the mystery of what Matilda was running from, and how the relationship between Duncan and Matilda gradually grew into something rare and beautiful. I came away from the story thinking no one else would ever do for either of these two. They were a perfect match. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a FAN rating--the temperature in the room seems to have suddenly gone up a couple of degrees and a fan would be nice. I definitely recommend this one. I loved it.

Order of the Rogues to Riches series: