The Duke of Her Desire: Diamonds in the Rough, Book 2

Barnes’s perfectly crafted second Diamonds in the Rough historical (after A Most Unlikely Duke) mixes romance and risk in Regency England. Thomas Augustus Heathmore, Duke of Coventry, agrees to watch over the Duke of Huntley’s sisters, Lady Amelia and Lady Juliette, while Huntley is away. The forthright and admirable Lady Amelia captures Thomas’s attention when he discovers her on a dangerous outing in the grimy neighborhood of St. Giles, where she has purchased a building to turn it into a school for poor children. Thomas realizes that Amelia, unlike the other women he knows, cares much more about how her wealth can benefit others than about how she might enjoy it herself. Amelia is also drawn to Thomas, who is interested in sponsoring groundbreaking legislation that would permit illegitimate children to inherit property and titles. Her lust for him runs up against his stoutly honorable intentions, and the sexual tension builds. Appealing protagonists, immense emotional intensity, and a thread of suspense combine to make this a standout. (Jan.)