Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlikely-Duchess-Historical-Dollar-Duchesses-ebook/dp/B08Q7MS4H4/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Duchess-Dollar-Duchesses-Book-ebook/dp/B089YTPXSW/

Excerpt
(Our first meeting between Violet and her duke, at a crowded Presentations Ballroom at Buckingham Palace!)

    Violet let her breath out with a great whoosh—as much as her tightly boned bodice would let her.  She had done it!  She hadn’t fallen or laughed loudly or made a gaffe.  Even better, she’d seen several people she would love to photograph.  Lord and ladies, princes and princesses.

     The man with the green eyes.

     Relieved, she let go of her long train and reached hungrily for a biscuit.  As she followed Lily across the room, she heard a terrible loud noise, the rip-rip of satin cloth.  But she was quite frozen in place.

     So close to success, so close!

     She clenched her gloved hands into fists and slowly turned.

     A man stood behind her, and not just any man but the one from the throne room.  And he was far too close for comfort, yet he did not smirk and tease like all those annoying creatures who thought it such a good joke to tease her at parties.  He looked terribly abashed, as if he was as shocked in that sudden accent as she was.  And, up close, he was every more handsome than her glimpse in the throne room.  His hair so dark as to be almost black, his face lean and sun-browned, his eyes so vivid.

     But the embarrassment quickly vanished, as behind a gray, flat sky, and he straightened to his full, very high-indeed height, and gazed down at her almost as if the rip was her own fault.

     Violet prickled at the thought, at the way her looked at her out of those emerald eyes.  How dare he regard her thus, like she was a stupid, clumsy creature!  She was no ballet dancer, but she knew how to behave properly.  He should be falling all over himself in apology.  Instead he just kept watching, as still as a Greek statue and just as coldly handsome.  Blast him!  For he really was too gorgeous for her presence of mind.

     Tall, slim, but with narrow hips and wide shoulders that rippled slightly with powerful muscles under his correct, beautifully-cut black superfine coat and a sparkling array of orders.  The blush sash of the Garter lay like an azure river over one shoulder, so Violet knew he was someone very important indeed. 

      She peeked up at him carefully, and saw a face hard-carved in elegant, lean angles, like an ancient cameo of a god or emperor, cheekbones that could cut, a square jaw with a dimple just at one side (of course he had an adorable dimple, the blighter).  Skin lightly sun-touched set off those bright green eyes and impossibly long, sooty lashes, with arched dark brows of glossy, black hair brushed back from his forehead in a slight widow’s peak.

     Violet was quite enthralled.  How she would love to photograph him!  The shadows and angles of him would look so perfect.  On the other hand, he was so perfect, so impeccable in every way, so very still, he made her feel quite blowsy even in the finest gown she had ever owned.  She was just glad she wore gloves to hide the tremor of her hands.

     She smoothed her hair beneath the feathers she feared now leaned quite precariously, ans scowled up at him.  “Pardon me, sir!”

     He unfroze at last, and gave a little bow.  “I do beg your pardon, ma’am.  It is quite crowded in here.  I had forgotten what these Drawing Rooms were like, or I would never have agreed to attend, even for my sister and cousin.”

     Violet unbent a little.  “It is rather like a zoo, though not nearly as amusing.  I was forced to come by my sister.  One does not ignore a royal invitation, she says, even if one is American!   What’s your excuse, then?  Your family, too, I guess?”

     A smile seemed to quirk at his lips, which were of course also full and lovely, but he quickly suppressed it.  “My cousin is being presented, and my sister bullied me into giving my support.  Sisters, above royalty, must be obeyed, I see.”

     Violet bit back a snort.  “They certainly are in my family!   Though I’m the middle one, no one bothers to obey me, with a beautiful older and a winsome younger.  Even if she really is only younger by fifteen minutes.”  She realized she was rather babbling, but she couldn’t help it.  He really was gorgeous.  She studied him from under her lashes, wondering if she was boring him.

     He certainly didn’t look as if he had trouble getting people to listen to him.  Indeed, every inch of him, every smallest movement, every flash of his eyes, spoke of wealth and power, an ease that meant it all must be inborn.  Yet he wore it all lightly, seemed not even to notice it.  It must have been lain over him like an ermine blanket since he was born.

     Yet there was something deep in his eyes, a darkness like a shadow, almost hidden.  She wondered what it could be, and she couldn’t help but be intrigued.

Author Bio –

Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)

 She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion.  She lives in Santa Fe with a Poodle, a cat, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections. 

 When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook. 

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