Secrets of a Dutchess

by Kaitlin O'Riley

Scandal After Wonderful Scandal!

From the very first chapter Kaitlin O'Riley's debut novel, Secrets of a Duchess sets a scene of Victorian England. The death of her father leaves Caroline Armstrong as an orphan and she becomes the ward of her grandmother in London. In Victorian times, society expected women to remain under someone's protection, either a man's or an elderly female relative. In order to please her grandmother, Caroline Armstrong attends the dances of the Season when young ladies make their debut in front of society's eligible bachelors. Despite her desire for approval, Caroline vows that she will not marry!

Alexander Woodword, Duke of Woodborough, is the choice potential husband at The Season and the spoiled beautiful Lady Madeline Maxwell has all but tied up their engagement even before the first ball. Alexander, however, is determined to extract himself from this assumed arrangement. When he spies Caroline hiding from the party, he follows her. Together, the two come up with the perfect solution! They pretend to court to discourage any other potential marriage prospects...and the scandals and suspense begin.  Does Caroline or Alexander have a hidden agendas beneath their pact? As they play the courting game, Caroline and Alexander find themselves drawn to each other. Caroline insists that they cannot marry. She fears her secret will expose her to more scandal or Alexander's rejection.  Meanwhile, Lady Madeline must defend her honor and standing within the girls' society. Caroline has upstaged her in front of all. How will she extract her revenge?

If Caroline follows through on her plans to break off her engagement after the end of the Season, she exposes her entire family to scandal. Scandal is something her family cannot afford! After all, her deceased mother's marriage created such a scandal that they were removed from polite society until her parents' death and her grandmother's intervention. If she protects their honor and marries Alexander, then she may create even more scandal, especially if her secret becomes known. To make her decision even more complicated, she must think of her sister Emma's marriage prospects. Whichever choice Caroline makes, she must think of the ball when Emma's engagement will be announced. Caroline has grown to love her potential mother-in-law Elizabeth who took her under her wing and protected her from all the haughty malicious society women. How can she not marry Alexander now? But worse, how can she?

A stunning debut novel! This book did not end when the heroine meets the hero. Every time one scandal seemed solved, another was revealed. O'Riley creates a real scene of the historic time from the girls' society at the Season to the horrible conditions at Newgate Prison. The inclusion of the American character Stephen Bennett, a Southerner who returned to fight for the Confederacy.  helps the reader place British history in a context relevant to American History. The discussion of slavery in America reminds the reader that Victorian times were so very ideal or moral. The scenes between the lovers are wonderful butreaders will also thoroughly enjoy seeing other relationships and parts of society, from the young debutantes to the judicial functionaries. The secondary and even minor characters are strong and help to create total image of the times.

The hero and the anti-hero create a tension and a means to examine love beyond a surface level. Although I cannot identify either without ruining the suspense, the comparison of these two men would provide an interesting discussion for book clubs about love and choices that allow women to grow and unhealthy choices that often occur. I enjoyed seeing a historical romance tackle issues that face modern women. For this reason, this romance is appropriate for adolescent readers of a certain age as well as any age. Although the love scenes are sensual and anything but tame, this romance is much more than sex. Ultimately, Caroline must make choices between situations that degrade her as a woman and as an individual and those that respect her inner dignity. Even in modern times, women of all ages are faced with these choices and situations.

My only complaint with this book is the cover illustration. Why does Zebra pick such poor covers for historical romances and particularly a debut book this exceptional? The two cover models do NOT look like Victorian lovers! You cannot truly judge a book by its cover. As a reader, however, I find it disconcerting to close the book or open it and see this historical mismatch. The cover does not inspire the imagination. Fortunately, Kaitlin O'Riley is a master at creating atmosphere and historical detail.

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