The Duke’s Got Mail

Parish follows While the Duke Was Sleeping with another fun Victorian remix of a classic 1990s rom-com. Eleanor Wright, a career-minded woman who enjoys her work as the best typesetter in London, has recently become enamored with the letters she’s received from the Captain, the brother of her anonymous pen pal who’s assisting with correspondence for his sight-impaired sister. Meanwhile, at an exhibit at the London Zoological Society, Eleanor meets Peter, a seemingly affable man who she later discovers is the Duke of Strafford, responsible for spearheading efforts for his Linotype machine to replace typesetters. Their budding friendship turns to rivalry as Eleanor accepts the duke’s challenge to go up against his machine. Unbeknownst to her, of course, Peter and the Captain are one and the same. The setup is as entertaining here as in the original, and Parish does a good job updating the details to be period-specific. Especially successful is the correspondence between Eleanor and the Captain, which showcases the genuine connection of these well-shaded characters. Readers will soften to the duke right alongside Eleanor as he realizes his machine’s impact and attempts to atone. This series is going strong. (Apr.)