Never Seduce a Duke

Lorret’s fifth installment in the “Mating Habits of Scoundrels” series (after How To Steal a Scoundrel’s Heart) features a determined heroine and the bespectacled hero who pursues her across Europe. Lucien, the Duke of Merleton, unexpectedly runs into Meg Stredwick on his estate the day a precious family recipe book is stolen. Believing her to be the thief, Lucien follows Meg and her aunts to France. Meg is nursing a broken heart and wants to practice her flirting with Lucien, while also helping her aunts steal recipes from famous kitchens. The trust is low between the two protagonists, and they fight attraction and each other while travelling the continent. The story takes an abrupt and unexpected turn in the second half of the book, which may catch some readers off guard. But a touch of mystical fate (Lucien’s family claims to have ties to King Arthur) all but ensures a happy ending.