Book Review: What To Do With A Duke

Author: Sally MacKenzie

Publication Date: August 25, 2015

Publisher: Zebra

Series: Spinster House # 1

Welcome to the charming, fatefully named village of Loves Bridge, where a woman destined for spinsterhood can live a life of her own choosing—or fall unexpectedly, madly in love…

Miss Isabelle Catherine Hutting would rather be lounging in the library than circling the ballroom in search of a husband any day. So when Cat hears that the town’s infamous Spinster House is open for a new resident, she jumps at the chance to put all this marriage business behind her. But first she must make arrangements with her prospective landlord, Marcus, the Duke of Hart—the most handsome man she’s ever seen, and the only man who’s ever impressed her in the least…

With her wit, independent spirit, and not least of all her beauty, Marcus can’t help but be stirred by Cat. It’s terribly unfortunate he’s not looking to marry, given the centuries-old curse that left his family with the Spinster House to begin with. No duke shall live to see his heir’s birth. But is there a chance the curse could be broken—in true fairy-tale fashion—by an act of true love? The race to Happily Ever After is about to begin…

Madness. This beautiful, vibrant woman wished to look herself away with a quill and paper live in her imagination?

“Your Grace, not only do I not wish to marry you, I don’t wish to marry anyone.”

He liked the girl, but she made his head spin. She wasn’t like any other woman he’d ever met. Not only did she not want to marry, she said the most outrageous things.

It would be a blessing if he were the last Cursed Duke.

I have been a dedicated fan of Sally MacKenzie since I started by book blog. I first fell in love with her Duchess of Love series and I am sure this series will be just as promising and rewarding. MacKenzie writes historical romance like no other. This first book was so enchanting in every way. Miss Isabelle Catherine “Cat” Hutting is twenty-four years old and is well past the marrying age, and with her younger sisters either married or about to get married, she knows that soon she will only wear on her parents nerves and all she really wants is some peace and quiet to writer her novel. When she hears that the Spinster House has lost its spinster, she quickly jumps on the idea of occupying the house and finding her peace and quiet away from her rowdy siblings. Soon, Marcus, Duke of Hart, rushes off to Loves Bridge to find a new spinster to fill the vacancy. But when he and Cat meet, they are instantly attracted to each other. They might be attracted to each other, but Marcus cannot forget the curse that has ripped a line of Dukes before him from the world. The curse holds true to the fact that the Duke of Hart will not live to see the birth of his first heir. This is not a fate that Marcus wants to live through.

Sally MacKenzie is able to hold any reader’s attention with her witty and loveable characters. There will be humorous scenes and serious scenes and everything in between. You will not want to lay this book down until you have finished the entire thing. I immediately went to Goodreads and looked to see when the next book would be published. MacKenzie can just develop her characters and make you fall in love with them; she can make you think of them long after putting the book down. Neither Cat nor Marcus want to marry, but the way they are drawn together is undeniable and unavoidable. These really are the best types of romances; stories in which the characters cannot help but to fall in love with one another. They do, after all, make for the best endings!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Zebra in exchange for my honest review***