seriously romantic: last night with the duke by amelia grey

amelia grey's latest regency romance series kicks off with a delightful romance between miss esmeralda swift and lord benedict mercer, duke of griffin. the duke finds himself in need of a companion for his twin sisters who are making their debut onto the london social scene when his aunt falls ill and is unable to complete the task. when he meets esmeralda he knows that she's absolutely the right woman to handle his sisters and even though she runs a whole agency he won't take no for an answer. so he makes her an offer impossible to refuse. even allowing her to bring her younger sister who she cares for and their dog.

one might wonder at his determination, but though he is charmed by esmeralda he has no intention of seducing her. he already has a reputation to guard, given that he was somewhat reckless in his youth, and that reputation may be endangering his sisters' ability to navigate the london marriage mart safely. the problem is that there is no specific threat, just the possibility that someone might act dishonorably toward his sisters, and griffin won't have that.

he also won't have his sisters' companion bedecking herself in drab grays and browns all the time. though why he should interfere in her wardrobe, esmeralda would like to know. and this is how it is between them. there's a constant spark, they are at cross-purposes all of the time, and yet, they can't stay away from one another.

there is of course a huge misunderstanding. griffin is a jerk and esmeralda doesn't stick up for herself. but they figure it out in the end. they have to, because with all the bickering and back and forth they share, there isn't anyone else who could stand to be around them. esmeralda is smart and feisty and does stand up for herself most of the time. and griffin is domineering and entitled, but he genuinely loves his aunt and sisters, and he loves esmeralda and her young sister, josephine.

griffin's two friends round out the rakes of st. james, so i expect we'll be seeing them in future novels. and maybe one of griffin's sisters will be in play? you never know, only one has settled her future by the end of last night with the duke.

**last night with the duke will publish on march 7, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/st. martin's press in exchange for my honest review.