Why Do Dukes Fall in Love?: A Dukes Behaving Badly Novel

Edwina Cheltam is a young widow with a daughter. She has discovered that her husband squandered all their money. Edwina is in immediate need of a job. Her friend who owns an employment agency and has a solution. Edwina will apply to become the secretary for the Duke of Hadlow. Of course that is not a fit job for a woman. But, Hadlow is in need of someone who is capable. After many interviews, he has not found a man who is capable. Now he has found someone who meets his criteria. The fact that someone happens to be a woman is of no importance.Michael is an abrupt and brilliant man who has varied interests. He is presently looking into the possibility of investing in railroads. Cheltam is helping him research the companies who have applied for his investments. She is able to research and provide valuable information. She is also good with numbers. Her mind is capable and quick. In short, she has become a very good secretary for him.Michael has begun to fantasize about his new secretary. The fantasies are not about her ability with numbers.Edwina also has an asset that Michael did not expect. Edwina has a daughter named Gertrude. Gertrude is a bright child who asks questions. Michael likes to ask questions himself, and he and Gertrude become friends. They also share a love of Chester, Michael's dog.Slowly, but surely the attraction between Edwina and Michael grows and grows. There is an admiration between the two. There is also lust.Edwina is a strong heroine. She is devoted to Gertrude. She has humor and wit and she is beautiful. Michael admires her beauty but he also admires her mind. They share a great deal of the same attitudes. Neither one wants to suffer fools gladly. And both enjoy sparring with one another.Michael is a perfect hero. He has a terrific sense of humor, a quick mind and he is familiar with the concept of always getting his way. His life as a duke has prevented him from hearing the word “No”. He also generally does not have people who disagree with him. Cheltam disagrees and voices her opinion. Those are qualities which make Michael very attracted to her.This book is well written, and the character development is terrific. Everyone in the book from the butler to the Duke are wonderful characters. Gertrude is especially wonderful. She behaves exactly like a bright little girl would behave. The story has humor and drama and wonderful romance.Ms Frampton is a talented author who produces stories which draw the reader into the lives of her characters. This is the first book I have read of hers, but it will not be the last.

I really liked this book - it was a great addition to the series, but so loosely connected it could easily be a stand alone title.Edwina is left penniless after her husband dies and is forced to find employment to support herself and her six year old daughter Gertrude (unfortunate name). With the help of her friend Carolyn who runs an employment agency - she finds work as a secretary to Michael, the Duke of Hadlow.Michael is incredibly intelligent and has no patience for stupid people or to be more accurate, anyone who is not as smart as he is, which is just about everyone. He lives and breathes logic and reason and has no desire to socialize, be polite or involve himself with anyone. He is very much alone and until he meets Edwina, was perfectly content with his life.Edwina and Michael are attracted to each other, but try to ignore the sparks between them. Edwina because she needs the job and Michael because he doesn't want to lose the best secretary he has ever had. But eventually they succumb to there mutual attraction and this is where the story really takes off.They engage in a HOT affair, each knowing that this will not last. When Edwina's daughter is taken and Michael is basically blackmailed to get her back - Edwina decides to break things off with Michael and find another job. She loves him and can't bear the thought of him being blackmailed because of her. When Michael proposes marriage, she declines, because she doesn't want another loveless marriage and because in this case she loves him and believes he will never return that love.Michael is not happy that Edwina refuses his offer, but takes her advice and looks for an "appropriate woman" - the only problem is, none of them are Edwina.Edwina leaves and Michael finally realizes that no other woman will ever do. But he has no idea how to get Edwina back, all of her reasons for leaving were perfectly logical and Michael is nothing if not logical.It takes Michael a little while to figure out that he loves her - he knew he did, but it wasn't logical so he denied it. When he finally decides that he no longer wants to be logical about Edwina, he goes after her.His declaration of love to Edwina was so adorable - I was charmed (which after you read this book you will understand the significance of that statement).I would highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to the next installement in this series!

Reviewed by Reader of Romance (readerofromance1.blogspot.com):After Edwina's husband dies, she discovers that she's in major debt. In order to care for herself and her daughter, she takes a position with the Duke of Hadlow, as his secretary. From the beginning, Michael's pleased with Edwina's work ethic. But no matter how many times he tells himself he can't have her, he still yearns to take her in his arms and make love to her. Surprisingly Edwina wants the same thing and before long they begin an illicit affair that soon turns into something more. But Edwina knows Michael can't marry her because he's a duke and she's a secretary. Will Edwina be able to walk away from Michael before she loses her heart or will Michael lose her forever?I really enjoyed reading this novel. I liked both of the characters—Edwina came across as hardworking and caring, especially when around her daughter, and Michael came across as somewhat quirky but in a very endearing way. I also liked that Michael was at times harsh and straight forward, because it made his character more interesting and it also made the relationship between Michael and Edwina more believable and it added more chemistry during their encounters. I also liked that Edwina was a strong enough person to know how the world worked and she was strong enough to make hard decisions in order to better herself and her daughter.Overall, I would recommend Why Do Dukes Fall In Love? by Megan Frampton.

My first read from the author and I'm gonna read more of her books for sure. Historical romance featuring an awkward hero who seems to have been isolated most of his life, he literally just talks to his dog, but manages his estates etc but no real social life, then hires a female secretary and the story begins there on...I think this one was charming....for mature readers only.

The storyline was great. Personally turned off by the introduction of the "f" word for these two wonderful characters. Otherwise not a bad read.