The Duke’s Illegitimate Bride: A Spicy Slow-Burn Regency Romance of a Scarred Duke, a Hidden Daughter, and a Perilous Marriage of Convenience Kindle Edition

Self-contained Regency romance with a military twist—more depth and healing after the war than court intrigue; honor and second chances; no series knowledge necessary.He was the duke no debutante wanted. She was the bride no one claimed.He expected a titled bride. He got a veiled stranger—and a marriage he never asked for.War left Lieutenant Nicholas Grey, now Duke of Ravenshore, with more than just scars. It left him with a reputation, a title he never wanted, and a need for a politically convenient wife. Lady Arabella, the earl’s proud and perfect daughter, was meant to be that wife.Until the vows were spoken… and the veil was lifted.Instead of the earl’s jewel, Nicholas finds himself bound to Cecilia Hart—the illegitimate daughter hidden in the shadows. Unacknowledged. Unwanted. Swapped at the altar without warning or consent.Nicholas is furious. Humiliated. Trapped in a farce arranged by a powerful man who assumed a scarred duke would accept any bride. Cecilia, used to being dismissed and overlooked, wants only to make the best of her new life—grateful for kindness, determined not to bow.What follows is a slow-burn storm of glances held too long, of walls built high and lowered in silence, of a man haunted by war and a woman determined not to break. In the quiet corners of a cold manor, desire flickers—unexpected, undeniable. Each touch lingers too long. Each kiss tastes of both fury and longing.But trust is a fragile thing, and when the secrets behind their marriage begin to unravel, even the gentlest love—and the fiercest passion—may be tested by the weight of betrayal.He’s survived the battlefield. But can he survive a marriage built on lies… and a woman who sees beyond the scars? Read more