This was my first book by Caroline Linden, and I'm anxious to continue the series! The premise of this story - stern and starchy Duke is leveled by ambitious and borderline scandalous woman - felt reminiscent of Bringing Down the Duke, by Evie Dunmore, and Silk is for Seduction, by Loretta Chase. All three dukes inherit young and face cumbersome marriage mart expectations, and in the case of Sebastian in Bringing Down the Duke and Jack in My Once and Future Duke, the trials of reigning in adventurous (and irresponsible) younger brothers stress their already-heightened sense of familial expectation and duty. 

What sets this particular duke apart (for me) is his inner monologue. I can become frustrated with starchy dukes, particularly when they ride the you're-good-enough-to-be-my-mistress-but-not-my-wife line in a class difference story, but this inner monologue evidences that our duke is a GONER for our female main character, that he's desperate for her attention and affection, that he fears only that they don't know each other well enough and that she may not risk scandal for him. I loved the romance in this, and every beat of their relationship (even the miscommunication in the third act) worked for me. 

The only story elements that didn't quite work were some of the more sudden plot turns in the secondary family stories, and occasional moments of telling vs. showing (I don't love when inner monologue leads a character too easily to an emotional conclusion or decision that could have been better evidenced in dialogue or action). That said, this is the start of a long Caroline Linden journey for me, as I thoroughly enjoyed this read.