A Case of Not So Mistaken Identity

The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn

Summary: Jack Audley has been a highwayman. A soldier. And he has always been a rogue. What he is not, and never wanted to be, is a peer of the realm, responsible for an ancient heritage and the livelihood of hundreds. But when he is recognized as the long-lost son of the House of Wyndham, his carefree life is over. And if his birth proves to be legitimate, then he will find himself with the one title he never wanted: Duke of Wyndham. 

Grace Eversleigh has spent the last five years toiling as the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. It is a thankless job, with very little break from the routine... until Jack Audley lands in her life, all rakish smiles and debonair charm. He is not a man who takes no for an answer, and when she is in his arms, she's not a woman who wants to say no. But if he is the true duke, then he is the one man she can never have...

Review: An enjoyable romance with great characters and a nice slow buildup.

I immediately fell in love with Jack Audley. He is incredibly charming, handsome, and very witty. Grace Eversleigh is very patient with the dowager and that shows her strength of character since the dowager is very very aggravating. She is a very nice person as well. It's been a couple days since I've read the book and Jack sticks out much more in my mind than Grace. It's a small thing, but I like that the woman on the cover actually looks like the character in the book. I found the premise of the book a little hard to believe even though it does set up the story. 

The romance between Grace and Jack builds slowly and I like that Grace reacts with humor and amusement to his advances. She does come to care for him (although it's a case of instalove for both of them), but it takes some time (relatively) and involves slow seduction. I feel like there is a healthy dose of friendship in the relationship between Grace and Jack, which is always a nice thing to see. Jack's seduction of Grace was something they both wanted, not just a man deciding he wants to seduce that beautiful woman just because. There was such a build up between the characters that the actual sex was a bit of a letdown. 

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance and those who love devastatingly witty characters.