Project Duchess

Project Duchess (Duke Dynasty #1)- Sabrina Jeffries
Zebra/Kensington 
Release Date: June 25, 2019

Rating:
📚📚📚📚📚

Warning: Potential Spoilers Ahead!

Synopsis: A series of stepfathers and a difficult childhood have left Fletcher “Grey” Pryde, 5th Duke of Greycourt, with a guarded heart, enviable wealth, and the undeserved reputation of a rogue. Grey’s focus on expanding his dukedom allows him little time to find a wife. But when his mother is widowed yet again and he meets the charmingly unconventional woman managing his stepfather’s funeral, he’s shocked to discover how much they have in common. Still, Grey isn’t interested in love, no matter how pretty, or delightfully outspoken, the lady . . .

Beatrice Wolfe gave up on romance long ago, and the arrogant Duke of Greycourt with his rakish reputation isn’t exactly changing her mind. Then Grey agrees to assist his grief-stricken mother with her latest “project”: schooling spirited, unfashionable Beatrice for her debut. Now that Beatrice is seeing through Grey’s charms to his wounded heart, she’s having trouble keeping him at arm’s length. But once Grey starts digging into her family’s secrets, she must decide whether her loyalties lie with her family . . . or with the man whose lessons capture her heart . . .   

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Like all Sabrina Jeffries (Secret of Flirting) series, the new Duke Dynasty series focuses on family: in this case half-siblings trying to discover the truth behind the deaths of their fathers- and trying to mend the bonds between them.  This family promises disfunction, chaos, and five equally headstrong brothers and sister planning to discover the truth behind old family secrets.

 Grey is the oldest, and the most distant. He has become cynical and hardened, and works to keep his distance from everyone- family included.  Grey's belief is that by burying his emotions he can protect himself from pain and betrayal, lessons he learned as a child living with his abusive aunt and uncle. The shocking news that his stepfather has died brings Grey back into his family's orbit- and finds him agreeing to help his half-brother discover the truth behind the death. Grey is the epitome of a man who was abused as a helpless child and is determined to never be at anyone's mercy again.  He projects a ruthless air, arrogant and focused.  It's a front everyone believes, but it cracks almost immediately when Grey meets Beatrice Wolfe, his half-brother's cousin and a woman who says what she thinks and doesn't play the games he's used to from women.  Beatrice stands up to Grey, calls him on his rudeness, and in general treats him like a man instead of a duke.  In short, she's exactly the kind of woman Grey never expects to meet (maybe didn't even believe was real) and is perfect for him.  Except she only wants to marry for love and he refuses to believe in love.

As light and sweet as Project Duchess is, Jeffries also deals with some heavy and emotional issues. Grey was abused and bullied by his aunt and uncle, blames his mother and stepfather, and has never told anyone what happened to him- meaning his mother has no idea why he stays away from the family as much as possible.  Beatrice has been abused by her lecherous old uncle and never told anyone for fear they would blame her.  Her brother Joshua has returned from war a changed man with dark secrets he won't share.  While we don't know the stories of the rest of Grey's siblings yet, you can tell that they are also trying dealing with issues of their own. Jeffries handles these dark issues sensitively but also doesn't brush them aside.  She balances the complex emotions of her characters, their past and present, and allows their individual healing processes to begin through love.  The connection between Grey and Beatrice is powerful and delightful, and watching them slowly find their way to each other was a wonderful journey for me as a reader as much as for them as characters.

Project Duchess is a must-read winner: mystery, murder, and mayhem promise the give readers a wonderful series in Duke Dynasty.  All of Sabrina Jeffries' talents are on display here and I already can't wait to read the next book!    

I received an ARC of this book through a GoodReads contest in exchange for an honest review