Publishers Weekly
★ 04/08/2024
Riley (Island Queen) makes a triumphant return to romance after dabbling in mystery and historical fiction, proving with this Betting Against the Duke Regency series launch that her talent translates across genres. Georgina Wilcox is a middle daughter with beauty, brains, and musical talent. Unfortunately, her parents’ deaths and her sister’s desperate marriage left their family business in the hands of a pathological gambler. After her brother-in-law dies, an old family friend, the Duke of Torrance, helps the Wilcoxes narrowly escape destitution, but they cannot afford another scandal. Unfortunately, Georgina and Lord Mark Sebastian, an aspiring composer, are about to cause just that when a misunderstanding leads to a kiss in the Duke’s gardens that’s witnessed by a large group of guests. The only way to protect their good names is a fake engagement, a charade they hope to pull off through a concert in which Georgina performs Mark’s music, making society believe that they fell in love in the process. Mark hopes this performance will also convince London society of his talent. Riley renders the Regency in living color, with impressive historical detail and an admirably diverse cast. Historical romance readers will be entranced. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (June)
From the Publisher
Praise for Vanessa Riley’s Historical Romances:
“A triumphant return to romance….Riley renders the Regency in living color, with impressive historical detail and an admirably diverse cast. Historical romance readers will be entranced.” –Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW for A Gamble at Sunset
"A sparkling love story with deep wells of faith and feeling...It's refreshing to read historical romance that reflects the true diversity of the era...A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby is about overcoming trauma, a testament to love forged in adversity—a love that both leaves space for and hastens healing. Riley knows how to spin a yarn built on faith and trust, that lilts along with the gentility and reserve of her characters." —Entertainment Weekly
"Readers on the lookout for Black or disabled characters in historical romance will not want to miss this." —The New York Times on A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby
"Smart and witty...Vanessa Riley delivers the perfect historical read." —Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author on A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby
"Riley loads her expertly crafted romance with intrigue, droll banter, and steadily building passion." —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW on A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby
"With strong heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, and deeply emotional stories, Vanessa Riley is a magnificent voice in historical romance—one not to be missed!" —Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author on A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby
"Riveting from the first sentence to the last. Vanessa Riley's lyrical voice shimmers in this emotional, uplifting tour de force." —Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author on A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby
"Get your fill of scandal, misunderstandings and a secret society to boot." — ELLE Canada on An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler
"Move over, Bridgertons. There’s a new set of scandalous aristocrats waiting to take London society by storm.” —Library Journal on An Earl, The Girl, and a Toddler
"With brilliant pacing, memorable characters, and witty dialogue, the premise elevated beyond our expectations...portrays Black people in a beautiful way that makes us relatable and takes us out of the stereotypical maid and slave roles." —AAMBC on A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby
“Riley's extensive research into people of color during the Regency era adds greatly to the appeal of this page-turning romance. Fans of Shonda Rhimes’ adaptation of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton books will devour this series.” —Booklist, STARRED REVIEW on An Earl, The Girl, and a Toddler
“Riley dispels the myth of the all-white Regency—people of color rose to the titled elite in this and in many other historical periods—while also refusing to diminish or gloss over an iota of the bigotry and judgment a blackamoor earl would face.” —Bookpage on An Earl, The Girl, and a Toddler
Kirkus Reviews
2024-04-22
A composer finds his muse on the other side of the Thames.
Georgina Wilcox, second-eldest daughter of a wealthy coal magnate, has gotten herself in a bit of trouble. In an impulsive moment, she kissed a man she barely knows in a garden that wasn’t as private as she thought, and now she’s in danger of being ruined. This isn’t as troubling for the man she kissed, Lord Mark Sebastian, a marquess’ “spare’s spare.” His primary passion and struggle in life have always been composing music, and after Georgie inspires him in more ways than one, he wonders if she could be his muse. Despite this, he doesn’t want her to be forced into marriage, so both agree to a convoluted plan to pretend to be engaged while he serves as her music teacher and then allows her to throw him over for a more advantageous match. Though the plan is proposed by the Duke of Torrance—who has a mysterious history with Georgie’s widowed sister, Lady Hampton—it can’t fully protect her from the gossip mill. Rumors start spreading about Georgie and Mark, most focused on the fact that Mark is a white nobleman and Georgie is a “Blackamoor woman” whose father was a man of trade, not title. When their fake betrothal starts to lead to complicated romantic feelings for both of them, the threats intimated by the rumors start to feel all too real. The first in a new series from Riley builds on her reputation for depicting authentic diversity in the Regency era, including depictions of sickle cell anemia and its devastating impact, as well as the complicated experience of Black Russians in London society. Though Georgie and Mark have chemistry, their encounters are relatively chaste, which combined with a traditional writing style gives the story a pleasingly retro feel even as it broadens representation in the genre. The early chapters are a jumble and the plot feels disjointed at times, but when the book hits its stride, it’s a satisfying story that also lays out a promising setting for future entries.
A strong historical romance that combines diverse experiences with classic storytelling.
