It’s been two years since Harriet Gardner was caught thieving in the home of one of the notorious Boscastles.  Rather than having her arrested, Harriet is taken into Emma Boscastle’s academy for young ladies as a charity case.  Hard work, sweat, and tears turn Harriet from a thief of the streets to a gentlewoman and instructress at the academy.  All of Harriet’s hard work threatens to come crashing down when she meets Lord Griffin Boscastle.  The devilishly handsome duke infuriates and arouses Harriet, making her want to break every rule she’s ever learned.

Griffin Boscastle, Duke of Glenmorgan, has come to his cousin’s academy to drop off his niece.  Griffin has never wanted the responsibilities of the title he unexpectedly inherited, especially not the duty of taking a wife.  Yet something about Miss Harriet Gardner makes Griffin feel more alive than he has in ages.  And when his aunt hires Harriet to be her companion, the temptation of living with the woman he desires becomes too much to resist.  Society would never find a woman known in London’s slums as the “Duchess of St. Giles” to be a proper duchess.  But then again, when has a Boscastle given a fig what society thinks?

The wicked Boscastle clan is out in full force in this delightful story by Jillian Hunter.  The Wicked Duke Takes a Wife has become one of my favorite stories in an altogether charming series about a family of rakes, rogues, vixens, and mischief-makers.  Griffin is your typical Boscastle male.  He’s dashing, loyal, seductive, and protective.  You can’t not fall for him, so it’s no surprise Harriet does.  As for Harriet, she might just be my favorite of Ms. Hunter’s heroines.  She’s street smarts combined with kindness and gentility, making her a likeable and somewhat unusual heroine.  There’s also her affinity for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein which makes her character call to me.  She fits right in with the oft-unruly Boscastle clan, many of whom appear in The Wicked Duke Takes a Wife.

One of my favorite things about Ms. Hunter’s Boscastle series is that every book makes me feel like I am visiting with old friends.  I finished The Wicked Duke Takes a Wife eager for some of the as-yet unmarried Boscastles to find their happily ever after, Charlotte Boscastle in particular.  Yet those new to this series need not fear they will be lost; each book fully stands on its own.

The Wicked Duke Takes a Wife is a fast-paced adventure of a tale.  It’s packed with romance, tenderness, and fun.  I adored every bit of this book and cannot wait for Ms. Hunter’s next Boscastle story.  Pure entertainment!