Duchess in Love » (Reissue)

Author of eleven award-winning romances, Eloisa James is a professor of English literature who lives with her family in New Jersey. All her books must have been written in her sleep, because her days are taken up by caring for two children with advanced degrees in whining, a demanding guinea pig, a smelly frog, and a tumbledown house. Letters from readers provide a great escape!

A Duke in Retreat

Gina was forced into marriage with the Duke of Girton at an age when she'd have been better off in a schoolroom than a ballroom. Directly after the ceremony her handsome spouse promptly fled to the continent, leaving the marriage unconsummated and Gina quite indignant.

A Lady In the Middle

Now, she is one of the most well-known ladies in London ... living on the edge of scandal—desired by many men, but resisting giving herself to any one.

A Duchess in Love

Finally, Camden, the Duke of Girton, has returned home, to discover that his naïve bride has blossomed into the toast of the ton. Which leaves Cam in the most uncomfortable position of discovering that he has the bad manners to be falling in love—with his own wife!

Publishers Weekly

Fresh and witty, this high-spirited Regency-era romance gives a tried-and-true formula a merry spin. Cam Serrard, the duke of Girton, leapt out of a window and ran off to Greece immediately after being forced into wedding 11-year-old Gina. Instead of resenting him, however, Gina spends the next 12 years sending him friendly letters. When Cam finally returns to England to grant Gina an annulment so she can marry a marquess who loves her, the warm easiness between the childhood friends doesn't surprise them, but the flare of desire does. Before long, Gina starts to wonder if being the wife of a nude-sculpting, frequently absent and socially careless duke might not be such a bad future. Chatter among Gina and her friends has the modern ring of a Sex and the City episode, and James's cheeky, sometimes sly humor makes for frequent laugh-out-loud moments. Avoiding easy stereotypes, James fleshes out all of her characters and gives them depths of emotion that romances seldom allocate to supporting characters. Though each chapter is headed by a droll description of the events to come, readers may find themselves too caught up in the snowballing action to take much notice. (Dec. 3) Forecast: Excellent reviews, positive word-of-mouth and a national print advertising campaign will ensure that James's move from hardcover to paperback is as successful as possible. James's appearance on NPR's "The Next Big Thing" in December is bound to bolster sales as well. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.