BOOK REVIEW: How I Danced with the Duke by Eva Devon

How I Danced with the Duke by Eva Devon (first book in the The Duke’s House Party series) is a short (<200 pages) Regency Romance that made for an entertaining one-sitting read.

The set-up is this: five tall handsome dukes (and one avenging commoner raised in Seven Dials and now a friend to the dukes) are all bent on revenge for slights (significant ones) in their past. The hero of this book, Griffin Harrington, Duke of Wildwood, wants vengeance for the killing of his sister by the Earl of Wexford. The plan is to hold a house party where all the dukes and their targets will be present - and then exact their revenge.

Lady Virginia Milton is a pretty young lady in her second Season, who is more interested in her art than in finding a husband, although a husband might be nice too. She is independent and courageous. And she has the support of her grandmother, a feisty woman also. She and her cousin have been invited to the house party. Before things get underway, she slips off into the woods to sketch. There, she comes across her host, the duke.

There is an immediate chemistry between them. And this attraction grows during the party. The only difficulty is that Griffin needs to exact his vengeance without distraction, and Virginia is definitely distracting. When Wexford makes his interest in her known as well, Griffin is spurred to more drastic action. Will this drive Virginia away?

It’s an interesting set-up, with likeable protagonists and great series potential. My only disappointment was my own fault. I wanted a quick read, but this felt rushed. I would have liked more time to settle in with the characters and experience their dilemmas. I’ll have to look for more of this author’s longer books.