Review: THE MAKING OF A DUCHESS by Shana Galen

French dukes, Regency spies and a prison breakout. Oh my!

What's a poor governess to do? Blackmailed into spying on an émigré French duke in order to prove him a traitor, untrained and unsure of herself Sarah must convince him she's the aristocratic French lady, Serafina, he's supposed to marry. Julien, forced to flee France for England to escape certain death in the Revolution, considers marriage to the so-called Lady Serafina a duty. As much of a duty as finding his long-lost brothers.

The plot twists and turns as Sarah's contact in the Foreign Office applies more and more pressure for her to prove Julien guilty. But as Sarah begins to know and love Julien, she finds it increasingly difficult to believe him a traitor.

Julien, attracted to Sarah, yet suspicious of the contradictions in her behavior, discovers her true identity. The only way to prove his innocence and give their budding feelings a chance is to find his brother. They join forces in a dangerous journey to France from which they might not return.

I like stories that contain elements in addition to the romance. The Making of a Duchess has everything I could ask for--romance (of course), spies (I LOVE spies), mystery (is Julien a traitor? And what about Sarah's contact in the Foreign Office? ), and even some adventure (a prison break-in).

The plot keeps you guessing until the last few pages where the story resolves with a tense, dramatic confrontation that ties up all the plot lines. For an enjoyable read, try The Making of a Duchess, which continues with The Making of a Gentleman, which is on my TBR pile.

Shana Galen will guest blog here on June 10. Return then and leave a comment for a chance to win one of two copies of The Making of a Duchess.

Thank you all,
Linda

ARC provided by Sourcebooks