The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Two Dukes of Wyndham Series #1) Book

I had a one night stand with this book. Or more fitting, I had a 24-hour stand with this book. I started it on Friday evening and finished it on Saturday afternoon. And in between reading it, I reorganized my closet and my dresser, cleaned the bathroom, opened some windows to get some fresh air circulating (it was over 40 on Saturday'a virtual heat wave!) and put together a bag of old clothes to donate. I almost never finish books that fast, especially when I'm multi-tasking.

So all in all, this book most assuredly fit the bill for a fast read. It was very lighthearted, Julia Quinn writes dialogue quite well and the hero's name is Jack, which is a name I am partial to because I married a Jack. The plot was also driven by an identity crisis and when it comes to romance novels, the dual identity or mistaken identity storyline gets me every time.

Jack Audley is a highwayman who makes the ill-fated decision one night to stop a coach carrying the dowager Duchess of Wyndham and her companion, Grace Eversleigh. Once the women have exited the carriage, her grace comes to the startling conclusion that Jack Audley is the spitting image of her dead son (even though he's wearing a mask) and that she is most likely his grandmother.

Audley steals the dowager duchesses ring (a feminine version of his own ring) and steals a kiss from Miss Eversleigh, but then panics at the announcement the dowager has just made and disappears into the night.

So is he the true Duke of Wyndham or isn't he? That is the plot and there is very little else to say because I don't want to spoil the ending (even though it isn't exactly unique).

This book is worth the read because the dialogue between the characters is enjoyable, Jack Audley is humorous and the dowager duchess is a nasty old biddy, which is also quite amusing. This was also the first book I'd read by this author but I wouldn't be opposed to seeking out another.