Books like Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

When the duke’s scheming mother forces him to marry within a season, Griffin York of Halford decides to rebel by selecting an unexpected bride: Pauline Simms, a down‑to‑earth barmaid with ambitions of opening her own bookshop. Offered a week’s employment and a fortune in exchange for participating in a “duchess training” program, Pauline agrees, hoping to secure a better future. In London, the pair’s unlikely partnership begins. Pauline proves to be clever, resilient, and surprisingly captivating, igniting a forbidden attraction in the scowling duke. Their relationship must navigate the rigid expectations of Regency society while confronting the duke’s own haunted past. Through witty banter, shared adventures, and gradual vulnerability, they discover whether a duke can trust a servant girl with his heart and whether love can transcend societal boundaries. Set against the backdrop of Regency-era etiquette and limited opportunities for women, the novel follows their journey from reluctant allies to lovers, questioning whether true companionship can emerge from the most unlikely of unions.

First publish date: 2013