The Duke and I

Description

Can there be any greater challenge to London's Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke-Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1813 By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend's sister-the lovely and almost-on-the-shelf-Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth-it's all an elaborate ruse to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable. But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it's hard to remember that their courtship is a sham. Maybe it's his devilish smile, certainly it's the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her . . . but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke . . . for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love.

Julia Quinn started writing her first book one month after finishing college and has been tapping away at her keyboard ever since. The New York Times bestselling author of sixteen novels for Avon Books, she is a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

"If you've never read romance novels, start here." -- Washington Post "Quinn is . . . a romance master. [She] has created a family so likable and attractive, a community so vibrant and engaging, that we want to crawl into the pages and know them." -- NPR Books "Julia Quinn is truly our contemporary Jane Austen." -- Jill Barnett "Quinn is a consummate storyteller. Her prose is spry and assured, and she excels at creating indelible characters." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Simply delightful, filled with charm, humor, and wit." -- Kirkus Reviews