Book Review: My Duty to You by Alyssa Martin
Spare turned heir, Aiden Elliot, has to procure a bride, and fast! With the untimely death of his elder brother and imminent demise of his beloved father, Aiden's matriarchal grandmama is on his case to uphold the dynasty and continue the family lineage.
Enter bluestocking, Lynette Elphinstone. It's her nineth London Season and at the ripe old age of six and twenty, her days on the marriage market are numbered. Not that she could give a pinch of snuff. Lynette is quite happy to retire to the country and indulge her passion for literature. Although she is content with her lot, there's just one thing missing; Lynette yeans for the true love she reads about but believes can only exist in novels.
When Aiden spots Lynette doing something she shouldn't in Lady Paxton's orangery, he knows that he can have no other. He makes her an offer of marriage and with societal expectations weighing heavily, Lynette accepts. While neither of them can deny their attraction to one another, the question that vexes them both is whether their relationship is only based on duty and lust, and if there is a chance for love.
I am not a huge romance reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed My Duty to You by Alyssa Martin. Reading about a bygone era where marriage was openly mercenary as opposed to our modern ideals of marrying for love was interesting and often amusing. Alyssa paints a vivid picture of this time, where the outward gentility of the London Season belied its true nature; it was little more than a meat market.
Through it all, Alyssa Martin captures the excitement and trepidation of a new relationship, and she doesn't shy away from the sex scenes. Indeed, the blossoming physical relationship between the couple is exquisitely written and portrays how their sexual intimacy strengthened their bond.
A delightful, uplifting romance that will rekindle your belief in true love.
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