The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Sirens in Silk, #1

Release Date: September 26, 2023

When his father died, Anthony “Strick” Carey, the new Duke of Strickland, was shocked to learn that his spendthrift father let the entail on the family’s castle lapse and that he left the castle to his second wife, Deena Darwish, an American of Arab decent. Strick never liked Deena and was sure that she was selling off family heirlooms to support her lifestyle, he is also convinced that she had stolen some of his personal possessions, including some rare Saxon goblets he found at a dig, but he was just as surprised as everyone else when she tragically dies after falling from a tower in the ruins. He believes that the castle is now his, and even plans to sell off his precious Saxon collection to fund the castle’s restoration, but when her will is read he learns that even in death Deena has found a way to steal from him because instead of returning the castle to him as she said she would, she left it to her cousin, Miss Raya Darwish of New York. A termagant, who drives him mad with her money-making schemes, yet still makes him burn with a desire more powerful than anything he has ever experienced.

Raya travels to England to meet her cousin Deena for the first time, only to arrive and learn that she is dead and has left Castle Tremanyne to Raya. Raya came to England not only to meet Deena but also to lick her wounds. Raya along with her brother, Salem worked with their father in the family’s linen business, but when her father died, he left the business entirely to Salem, who promptly cut Raya out. Raya is an astute businesswoman and was responsible for the successful expansion of the family business, so being cast out was a double blow, leaving her with no purpose and no way to support herself. She is at first thrilled to learn she inherited a castle, but then learns the truth, the castle is all she has, since all the outbuildings and tenant farms belong to Strick, so she has no way to pay for improvements, upkeep, or even the staff. Never one to give up, Raya has ideas for ways to generate income, but it will mean working with Strick, who annoys her and excites her in equal measure, and happens to be the man rumored to have killed her cousin. They butt heads constantly, but can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves, a problem that ultimately finds them betrothed. But when a secret comes to light and a surprising offer comes in, will Raya marry the duke, or will she choose business over her lover?

This was a well-written, fast-paced story with wonderful characters and a fresh and unique plot. The story was filled with betrayal, murder, lies, secrets, jealousy, miscommunications, prejudices, steamy love scenes, a hero who falls first, and finally, a HEA that didn’t seem possible. The story had a lot going on, but it never seemed “busy”, it flowed nicely and while I think Raya was a bit too “in love” with making money, I did appreciate the struggles she encountered and found her to be a very likable as well as one of the most resilient heroines I have ever read. Overall, this was a very good story and I am happy to recommend this title. This is the first book in a new series, so this would be a great book to start with if you are new to this author!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*