Every Duke Has His Day

Starred review from July 10, 2023
This waggish and uplifting historical rom-com from bestseller Enoch (Something in the Heir) resets the classic screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby in Regency England. The smarmy Lord Peter Cordray is convinced he could win wealthy Elizabeth “Bitsy” Dockering’s hand in marriage if only she weren’t so devoted to her “damned poodle,” Galahad, who hates him. So, naturally, he arranges for kindhearted thief Jimmy Bly to steal the pup. Jimmy needs the dognapping fees to enable his own marriage plans, a sweet subplot that only adds to the farcical hijinks that follow. Things go awry almost immediately: Galahad collides with another black poodle, Lancelot, in Hyde Park, and Jimmy, unsure which dog is which, ends up stealing them both. Michael Bromley, Duke of Woriton, agreed to care for his aunt’s dog while she’s away and will do whatever it takes to get Lancelot back—even if it means teaming up with the flighty Bitsy to track him down. Peter is a fantastically fun villain and the dognapping investigation is a perfect showcase for how well creative Bitsy and science-minded Michael work together. At a glance, theirs is an opposites attract dynamic, but they are in fact exactly matched in intelligence and compassion, making it easy to understand their chemistry. This is an utter delight.

August 1, 2023

The Duke of Woriton, Michael Bromley, knows it all when it comes to the science of chemistry. Romantic chemistry, on the other hand, is a mystery, as he prefers to spend his days with beakers rather than in ballrooms. When a dog-sitting snafu results in more of a meet-catastrophe than a meet-cute, Michael is thrust into the path of Elizabeth Dockering, society's sought-after--and in his opinion, self-obsessed--diamond darling. Though the two are initially at odds, they must join forces when their prized poodles are stolen, and Michael finds that perhaps love is more like science than he thought, at least when it comes to opposites attracting. Enoch (Something in the Heir) presents a heartwarming and humorous historical romance. The likable lovers share more witticisms than wantonness on the page, and their playful partnership is endearing and engaging. The dual dog-napper narrative has its own tender twosome as well. Lush detail and delightful banter round out the reading experience. VERDICT This book will appeal to readers seeking a fast-paced, flirtatious Regency romance full of crooks and canines. Recommended for fans of Virginia Heath, Martha Waters, and Maya Rodale.--Lauren Hackert

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2023
A not-so-old duke learns new tricks. Elizabeth Dockering, Bitsy to her friends, may be the happiest woman in London. She's the diamond of her second London Season, with multiple suitors, a full dance card, and at least another year until she's on the shelf. But though Bitsy is adored, her rambunctious poodle, Galahad, causes problems everywhere he goes, and then Galahad leads her to meet the only person in London who isn't immediately fond of her: Michael Bromley, Duke of Woriton. That might be because her poodle has dragged his aunt's poodle, Lancelot, and thus also the duke, into the Serpentine, a lake in Hyde Park. Or it might be because he's generally known to be a grumpy, eccentric man more interested in his scientific experiments than traditional pursuits for a duke. In any event, they couldn't have less in common, but when first his aunt's poodle and then Bitsy's are stolen and held for ransom, they partner up to try to find their dogs and get them back. They are soon attracted to each other, and though they're certain that they're just too different for anything meaningful to occur, as the hunt for their dogs continues, they keep surprising each other and wondering about something more. Though this Regency rom-com does center around a pair of dognappings and a bit of suspense, it never gets dark--the story is far too sweet for that. Switching among several points of view creates additional depth and also allows Enoch to incorporate a charming B-plot romance set on the working-class side of town. Though it's a relatively chaste tale, readers will believe in the straightforward attraction between Bitsy and Michael and enjoy the moments of levity throughout. A well-crafted historical romance about dogs and the people who love them.

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