They call him the Duke of Ruin.
To an undaunted wallflower, he’s just the beast next door.
Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliestย slums to the pinnacle of high societyโand now he wants to get even.
Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldnโt take into her home and her heart.
When her imposingโand attractiveโnew neighbor demands she clear out the rescued animals, Penny sets him a challenge.ย Sheย will part with her precious charges, ifย heย can find them loving homes.
Done, Gabriel says. How hard can it be to find homes for a few kittens?
And a two-legged dog.
And a foul-mouthed parrot.
And a goat, an otter, a hedgehog . . .
Easier said than done, for a cold-blooded bastard who wouldnโt know a loving home from a workhouse. Soon heโs covered in cat hair, knee-deep in adorable, and bewitched by a shyly pretty spinster who defies his every attempt to resist. Now sheโs set her mind and heart on savingย him.
Not if he ruins her first.
A reclusive wallflower finds love unexpectedly with the infamous Duke of Ruin, in Tessa Dareโs sweeping new romance, THE WALLFLOWER WAGER.
In this third, highly anticipated installment in the Girl Meets Duke series, we meet twenty-six-year-old Lady Penelope Campion who surrounds herself with a menagerie of animals, from parrots to otters, goats to kittens. When one of her animals escape, she chases him to the house next door, colliding with the ill-famed Gabriel Duke, known for ruining wealthy London families.
While they meet under somewhat scandalous circumstances, they are both surprisingly drawn to each other. But Pennyโs family is intent on sending her to the countryside, as her prospects for marriage seem grim. Gabriel agrees to help her stay in London, if he can find suitable homes for her many furry charges. Before too long however, Penny and Gabe engage in a torrid affair that is sure to ruin them both if anyone only knewโฆ
Penny and Gabeโs story will sweep you away from the very beginning. As usual, Dare delivers a tale thatโs brimming with heart, humor and romance. Penny is such a kind, spirited soul, and despite his reputation, Gabe is caring and wildly protective.
The narrative moves quickly and itโs impossible not to devour this story with all the charm and wit it touts. I love this series so much for that reason, but also because there is always an emotional underpinning that makes you fall even more for these characters. Itโs a beautiful dance between humor and heart and somehow, Dare always gets it right.