A Duke, Love & Sunshine

Book excerpt: An independent woman hoping to fulfill a dream. A duke who can’t seem to ignore his attraction to the lady. Together they uncover their heart’s desire. Miss Iona Richards wants one thing in life—to be an independent woman. Her dream is to become a highly reputable landscape architect and create masterpieces that will live on for generations. Thus, she dares to embark on an adventure, leaving her family behind to travel to Burnham-On-Sea where she joins the Seaside Society of Spinsters. The ladies at the boarding house are champions of ladies who wish to eschew the strictures placed upon society and will do their best to help her succeed in her goals. When she is met with opposition from a prospective client, the Duke of Rosewood, she is convinced that if he will just give a woman a chance, she can make his cottage retreat an artistic example of her talents. When she finally gains the opportunity, she has no idea that her heart is the one in danger of change. Thorpe Covington, the Duke of Rosewood, finds more than just Miss Richards’ prints of his gardens to his liking. But he finds that this fierce, gently bred woman is more concerned with digging in the soil than marriage, and at first that seems like an ideal arrangement. But as their attraction begins to develop, he finds himself wanting more from the lady. Knowing that she would never give him anything but one night, he tells himself that is enough. The problem is that he could very well be wrong.