Better Than a Duke

Bestseller Enoch (A Duke Never Tells) puts a Regency spin on The Parent Trap in this sparkling romp. Widower Beckett Raines, the Marquis of Hentrose, reluctantly arrives in London to fulfill his mother’s wish that he find a suitable bride and mother for his nine-year-old daughter, Rebecca. His mother believes that Lady Pauline Grenedy is the perfect match, and Beckett tentatively agrees to pursue her—but grows conflicted when he meets and feels drawn to widow Iris Silbern. Iris is staying next door to Beckett with her aunt and uncle, who seek to arrange her marriage to the elderly Duke of Trent to free themselves of the burden of caring for her and her 10-year-old son, Edmund. As Edmund and Rebecca become fast friends, their parents engage in some steamy clandestine trysts but don’t believe that a lasting relationship would work. With both of their parents’ potential engagements looking increasingly likely, Edmund and Rebecca come up with a plan to ensure they marry no one but each other. There’s plenty of wit and intrigue on offer as the children’s scheme unfolds. Meanwhile, the chemistry between Beckett and Iris is palpable. Historical romance fans won’t want to miss this one. Agent: Nancy Yost, Nancy Yost Literary. (Mar.)