The Wicked Ways of a Duke

I don’t have much patience with leading ladies who are somewhat dim witted and gullible, nor with leading men who are lecherous opportunists. So not much to like here! The plot is just ok. The humor non existent.

An inheritance she never expected from a father she never met comes with a surprising stipulation: Prudence Bosworth must marry within the year to collect the staggering inheritance willed to her. Not only that, but the man she marries must meet with the approval of the trustees of the estate in order to qualify her to inherit. Having lived her childhood as the illegitimate daughter of a poor woman and her adulthood as a lowly seamstress barely scraping by, Prudence is ill-prepared for the new world she is thrust into as news of her good fortune spreads and the fortune hunters begin to surface. One man is blessedly oblivious to her new status as heiress, and fortunately he is the only man she is interested in as a husband. Prudence once met the Duke of St. Cyres while still a seamstress, and is happy for him to remain ignorant of her fortune as their courtship commences. But the Rhys De Winter has secrets of his own - and when his perfidy is unveiled, Prudence stands to lose everything she holds dear. There are books whose back cover blurbs simply do not do them justice, and I tell you that THE WICKED WAYS OF A DUKE is just such a book. While I was certainly interested in this story from the synopsis I read, I was not prepared for just how delightful a story this is. Mere plot points in a synopsis cannot accurately convey the feelings Laura Lee Guhrke engenders in her readers as she spins this captivating story of romance and betrayal. Granted, there are reasons for the betrayal Rhys commits upon Prudence, and those reasons are understandable, albeit still hurtful. In the end, the question is whether Prudence can forgive her beloved Duke and whether he has truly changed his wicked ways. It is actually Rhys' transformation that I found most compelling throughout THE WICKED WAYS OF A DUKE. When we first meet him, Rhys is a veritable cad, even if he is an honorable one. Yes, he is quick to rescue a damsel in distress from an uncaring rapist, but he is just as quick to accept that damsel's gratitude in the form of her own seduction later. He has lived his adult life as a spendthrift, gadding about Europe with nary a care until his money was gone and the generosity of his friends began to wane as well. Finally forced to face the pile of mounting debt he bears, Rhys resigns himself to the unthinkable - marriage to an heiress. Discovering that the same seamstress he'd found so attractive very recently is now one of the richest women in the world seems an opportunity to fortunate to forgo. Of course, Rhys could never have expected that the simple lass he intends to woo will have such a profound effect on him, inspiring him to divulge the most painful secrets of his past as he actually falls in love with Prudence. That love, and her faith in him cause Rhys to want to be a better man, to live up to the ideal she has of him until finally we see an evolved man we can truly admire, as much as we loved his wicked ways before. Prudence is

For years, I let others decide that I couldn't read "romances." I was embarrassed, ashamed people would think I was shallow,etc. Then I picked up a friend's book during a slow moment at work, and I was hooked!! It happened to be "Guilty Pleasures" by Ms. Guhrke. What a wonderful book, as most of her novels turned out to be. This one turned out to be one of my absolute all -time favorite romances. I loved Rhys, and I liked imperfect Prudence. One of the best things about Ms. Guhrke's writing is you get to know a bit about the main characters at the beginning.The concept of the story was an often used one, but with a twist. The chemistry between the two was so good,and it was a believable read. I'm a picky romance reader, and few meet my standards;i.e. M. Hunter, Eloisa James, and Laura Lee Guhrke are automatic buys. Now the books where the woman's locked up in a Scottish castle and the guy comes in many times and.. well, you've been stuck with a few of those too,eh? Not for me; give me a love story I can't put down, not one I want to fling due to boredom.

London, England 1894 THE WICKED WAYS OF A DUKE is a very good and quite enjoyable tale of a young lady alone in the world trying to make her own way. I found the characters well described with strong passions and true-to-life emotions. Prudence Bosworth understands that she is an illegitimate woman trying to make an honest living while keeping her self respect against the odds. Her false feeling relatives reemerge in her life when Pru suddenly gains respect only instant wealth can bring. When her first love, Rhys De Winter, the destitute Duke St. Cryes sets his sights on Pru, not only does he gain the love and respect he desires but he finds she loves him despite his deep dark secrets. Together, they find each other is exactly what they've always longed for, wealthy or not. Excellent!

Working as a seamstress, Prudence Bosworth is focused on her career. Accustomed to working long hours just to survive in London, Prudence is overwhelmed to learn she has inherited a fortune from a father she's never met. In order to fulfill the conditions of the will, Prudence must be married within a year to a man approved by the estate's trustees. Suddenly Prudence finds herself enjoying the whirl of the ton and being courted by none other than the most wicked, Rhys De Winter, Duke of St. Cyres. Prudence sees the duke as a chivalrous, dashing gentleman. But Rhys is not what he appears. When his deception is revealed, will Rhys do what it takes in order to win back Prudence's heart? Laura Lee Guhrke is a fantabulous author. I adore the Girl-Bachelors Chronicles, and The Wicked Ways of a Duke is sinfully luscious. Although Rhys is wicked, he appeals to my good-girl-wanna-be-bad heart. His redemption made me writhe with pleasure. If you adore reformed rakes and fairy tale, rags-to-riches heroines, I highly recommend Laura Lee Guhrke's The Wicked Ways of a Duke. Annmarie Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I love the usual alpha male - rich, handsome and strong. Our Rhys however, is broke, a scoundrel and extremely handsome. Well, 1 out of 3 isn't bad - I guess. The plot drew me to the book and I'm glad it did. We follow Rhys journey from what he is, how he became the man he is and the kind man he'd like to be - for Prudence. It's refreshing to read romance novel without the usual "save the damsel in distress" but instead an emotional journey which, even in the 21st century, we can relate. Bravo Miss Laura Lee Guhrke!