The Duke’s Perfect Wife

Author: Jennifer Ashley
Publication date: April 3, 2012
Series: MacKenzies & McBrides #4
Pages: 296
Genre: Historical, Romance
Synopsis: Lady Eleanor Ramsay is the only one who knows the truth about Hart Mackenzie. Once his fiancee, she is the sole woman to whom he could ever pour out his heart.

Hart has it all–a dukedom, wealth, power, influence, whatever he desires. Every woman wants him–his seductive skills are legendary. But Hart has sacrificed much to keep his brothers safe, first from their brutal father, and then from the world. He’s also suffered loss–his wife, his infant son, and the woman he loved with all his heart though he realized it too late.

Now, Eleanor has reappeared on Hart’s doorstep, with scandalous nude photographs of Hart taken long ago. Intrigued by the challenge in her blue eyes–and aroused by her charming, no-nonsense determination–Hart wonders if his young love has come to ruin him . . . or save him.

Love Factor (How much I loved it):
Would I recommend it:
Would I read it again:

This book may contain explicit intimate scenes, so if you are not 18+ then I probably wouldn’t recommend it for younger readers.

My Opinion

Hart is the oldest of the Mackenzie brother’s lot, an also the duke of Kilmorgan which means he is a very powerful man whom intimidates people into getting what he wants (he does it quite often too).Even though he may be powerful, has money, an is one of the most well known dukes of Britain, but he still longs for something that he lost ten years ago, his first real true love – Eleanor. Unbeknowning, the one thing that he wishes to have back, shows up on his doorstep with scandalous pictures of himself. While he wasn’t expecting to see her, he takes advantage of the situation and offers her a position at his home, to keep her close to him.

I loved the part when he heard that she was leaving for Scotland, and he gets up out of bed and races down the stairs in dishevel, blocking the main exit with both of his arms bracing against the door frames giving her his well known intimidating hawk like stare. He wants her to stay so bad this time, that he goes to any length to win her over, even offering her the finer things of life – jewels and pretty dresses. He thinks that if he does this, that she will get used to it and not want to leave, that she will stay this time with him for, forever.

The Mackenzies is known for breaking and ruining everything they touch, but secretly Hart is already a broken man, broken by the smallest Mackenzie – his son he lost during birth almost 10 years ago. That scene just grabbed your heart and made you feel for the man. I am glad he finally got his happy ending with Eleanor and the family that he longed to have.

I will say I did not expect the twist on who was the original sender of the scandalous photos of Hart. But I sorta like the twist and meddling that they did. They realized what someone needed and decided to do something about it. Also I loved the ending where the whole family, Ian, Mac, Cam, and Hart’s family was taken family pictures together. I thought that was a nice, sweet wrap up of the whole family.