The Illegitimate Duke: Diamonds in the Rough

You don’t need to have read the earlier titles in the series to jump into Juliette and Florian’s story, but once you put this one down you’ll be wanting to see how things came about. Juliette is the sister of a newly-minted Duke, although their early years as children were spent in poverty and scrabbling for survival. Now elevated to the tonne and recipients of the ‘best’ invitations even as whispers and finger points follow her near everywhere, Juliette isn’t desperate to marry simply because it is the next step: she wants to find love (like her brother and sister have) and to have a partnership in her marriage – something rare and not ‘usual’ in her social circle. A sickly child, Juliette spent more of her childhood reading and learning, young Raphe being careful to keep the girls safe and well-stocked with reading material, even if it was only two books at a time. Intelligent, curious, exceedingly kindhearted and determined to ‘make her own sort of difference’, Juliette seems unaware of her beauty and desirability, particularly when confronted with the snotty and often clique-y behavior of other unmarried girls at the balls. Juliette is instantly engaging and solidly her own woman, and truly hard not to like with her combination of brains, curiosity, problem-solving and softly managed determination. Florian is the second son, with a nod from the King and his ailing uncle to inherit a Dukedom. A physician by trade, he went into medicine and delved into his studies to ‘offset’ his own perceived weakness as he determined to be the best and most helpful and honorable man possible. Not wanting the title from his Uncle, he’s also taken pains to care for him in the last stages of cancer, nearly the only time his well-practiced remove in separating emotions and personal feelings from his work. A control freak, Florian isn’t one who likes to allow his emotions freedom: he’s entirely too much in his own head, spiraling into a sort of depression and anxiety surrounding his big secret, and the struggles to maintain a distance and appearance of ‘together’ when in truth, he feels anything but worthy or respectable. Add to that – he’s a GINGER! A rarity in romance – we see redheaded women often enough – it’s rare that a man would be. But his hair is just one thing that sets him apart from others. He’s spent years traveling and learning, adopting different procedures and techniques and gaining valuable experience that he has brought back to London and a hospital that he manages with the able help of a Dowager Duchess, long removed from society. These two are adorable together, Juliette is drawn to Florian for his reserve, the slight tinge of sadness in his eyes, and his apparent inability to accept her compliments, even when they are more than well-deserved. Juliette is not a ‘flatterer’ or a flirt, she’s going to speak kindly, but never gild the lily when she feels a compliment is deserved. And, having a man, in her recent experience, that isn’t chasing her for the connection to her brother and actually engage in conversations with her about ‘real’ things is a rarity. It doesn’t hurt that the two are stunning to look at, and the sparks fly