The Desire of a Duchess (The Beautiful Barringtons #7)
Kathleen Ayers
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars
3.93
· Steam/Spice level: 4 of 5
Explicit open door [?]
· 12 ratings · 244 pages · Published: 16 Mar 2023
Beatrice Howard, the widowed Duchess of Castlemare was once considered the jewel of London. Lauded and sought after for her beauty, decorum, and pedigree, Beatrice was also despised for her malicious and petty nature. After a tragic accident sends her fleeing to the remote village of Chiddon, Beatrice now hides from the society she once lorded over. Chiddon not only provides sanctuary from prying eyes, but also atonement for the terrible pain she’s caused others, especially Andromeda Barrington.
Her life is peaceful. Content. Serene.
Until Beatrice’s past suddenly interrupts her quiet existence in the form of the handsome and charming Lord Blythe.
Ellis Aperton, Earl of Blythe has only recently returned from Rome after spending the last several years trying to become something other than an earl known more for his physical beauty and charm than anything else. It seems his only purpose is to marry well and produce an heir. A trifling existence. Driven to the country by the matchmaking of his mother, he finds himself in the remote village of Chiddon. A place of few amusements. A tavern. Scenic landscape. Blythe is bored senseless until he rescues a rider about to fall off her horse.
The Duchess of Castlemare is less than pleased with his rescue.
Blythe wishes he’d let the horse run off her.
Thrown together in Chiddon, mutual discord blooms into an undeniable attraction neither of Beatrice nor Blythe can resist. Their affair is fierce. Passionate. Doomed.
Blythe must return to London
Beatrice refuses to even entertain the thought.
But the past cannot stay buried forever, not even in Chiddon. Will Beatrice finally face society once more? Or risk losing Blythe forever?
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Tagged as:
- historical 4
- regency 3
- victorian 3
- enemies to lovers 2
- m-f romance 2
- grumpy/ice queen 2
- tortured heroine 2
- disabilities & scars 1
- dual pov 1
- third person pov 1
- take-charge heroine 1
- sweet/gentle hero 1
- sunny/happy hero 1
- himbo 1
- aristo/royal heroine 1
- pregnancy 1
- Add topics
- geography
- england 1
romance tags
The 'The Beautiful Barringtons' series
4.15 · 213 ratings- The Theory of Earls by Kathleen Ayers Book #1
- The Design of Dukes by Kathleen Ayers Book #2
- The Marquess Method by Kathleen Ayers Book #3
- The Wager of a Lady by Kathleen Ayers Book #4
- A Recipe for a Rogue by Kathleen Ayers Book #5
- The Making of a Gentleman by Kathleen Ayers Book #6
- The Desire of a Duchess by Kathleen Ayers Book #7
- The Taming of a Scandal by Kathleen Ayers Book #8
victorian · m-f · historical · regency · explicit-open-door · cold hero · england · dual-pov · possessive hero · virgin heroine · independent heroine · alpha male · strong heroine · tortured hero · competent heroine · height-difference · from hate to love · super rich hero · third-person-pov · aristocratic heroine
The Beautiful Barringtons reading order and complete book list ❯
