The Duke’s Quandary by Callie Hutton – a Review

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Description:
This is the first sequel to The Elusive Wife. In the Duke’s Quandary, we are re-introduced to Jason’s best friend, Drake, who is now the Duke of Manchester.  Drake, duke of Manchester has always known he would one day step into his father’s shoes. However, the older man took the family by surprise when he died in a riding accident.  Not feeling ready for the responsibilities, Drake decides marrying a perfect woman will assure him, as well as the ton, that he is, indeed, up to the job. Miss Penelope Clayton, a shy and somewhat clumsy botanist, intends to spend her life as a spinster, crawling around in the dirt pursuing her work.  That all changes when her aunt insists she travel from her home in the country to London and present herself to the dowager duchess of Manchester who will guide Penelope through a Season.  The first meeting between Drake and Penelope is a disaster, and he resents his mother’s request that he help keep their houseguest’s dance card filled with eligible gentlemen.  He wants to spend the time this season looking for the perfect wife.  Penelope doesn’t want a husband, and Drake surely doesn’t want her for a wife.  But things change when they’re caught together in a compromising situation.  Will he have his perfect duchess?


Review;

Having recently become a fan of historical romances, this one did not disappoint me one bit.  I’ve never read anything before by Callie Hutton, but let me just say this won’t be the last for me.  I thoroughly enjoyed this read.  The Duke’s Quandry is a short and fast paced read and many times had me chuckling out loud at the antics of one Penelope Clayton. 

I would have to say that the reason I enjoyed this read so much would be because of our unlikely heroine, Penelope Clayton.  Her whole persona appealed to me and many times had me thinking, yup that would so be me in that situation at a coming out ball.  You see Penelope is not your typical lady of the ton in a society where ladies are to present themselves in just such a way.  No, not at all, she’s shy, clumsy, introverted and a tad on the geeky side, and just wants to be left to her botany pursuits.  I don’t know how many times I laughed out loud at something that happened to poor Penelope.  Whether she was bumping into pieces of furniture because her aunt convinced her she’d never find a husband wearing her glasses, or knocking drinks over, or crawling around in the dirt digging up flowers while catching her night gown on fire, and causing our poor Duke to wring his hands over her, she just brought the story to life for me.  Penelope was a like a breath of fresh air in a stuck up society where ‘perfection’ in a wife is what the men are looking for.

Which leads me to our hero, Drake the Duke of Manchester.  Having decided in order to show he is ready to truly take up the mantle of Duke of Manchester after their father perished in a riding accident he decides it’s time to find a wife amongst the ladies of the ton.  Looking for the ‘perfect’ lady doesn’t go quite as he thought it would.  For some reason there’s just something about Penelope that keeps drawing Drake to her, and causing him to loose all control and reason around her.  Even though she’s constantly causing him grief with her awkwardness in society, and pretty much driving him batty, he’s drawn to her like a moth to a flame, and he can’t quite figure out why.  I got such a kick out of watching Drake flounder around where Penelope was concerned, and convince himself that there were no feelings of love developing towards her on his part.  There were times he seemed completely clueless where he and Penelope were concerned, but then the more time he spent with her, and the more he got to see just who Penelope really is, we get to see a transformation in Drake as he begins to realize maybe he doesn’t need the ‘perfect’ wife, but a wife who’s perfect for him. 

I would have to say that Ms. Hutton has another hit on her hands with The Duke’s Quandry.  It’s a fresh and witty story, with plenty of comical scenes that will have you chuckling to yourself many times.  Penelope is the type of heroine that you can really identify with, and come to adore.  You want to see her succeed in both her botany pursuits and finding love.  I really enjoyed the way Ms. Hutton slowly built up the romance between these two characters and allowed the reader to come to know both and see how each see themselves in society and in a relationship.  The descriptions of the balls, ballrooms and gowns transports the reader back in time to a place where the girls had coming out balls to be presented to available suitors.  I felt like I was right there with Penelope worrying about how I was going to do at the latest ball I was being dragged too.  For anyone who is a fan of historical romances, then I highly recommend this one and trust me you won’t be disappointed. 

Until next time, happy reading!

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by publisher