A review by ssejig
The Accidental Duchess by Madeline Hunter

4.0

Lady Lydia Thornton has been through a lot in this series. Her brother got married and she's been looked at strangely because of her gambling habits. And she experienced the loss of a friend when Lakewood was killed in a duel with the Duke of Penthurst. Now, she's being blackmailed over a novel (journal?) she wrote when she was younger.
Clayton Galbraith, Duke of Penthurst, has always known Lydia. In fact, before he put his foot down, they were supposed to be married (childhood engagement). But he knows that, while she is a little outre, she's not going to do anything to seriously damage her own reputation or her family's. Which is why it's such a shock to see her sneaking out of a gambling hall with a single man. He interrupts Lydia at a very tenuous negotiation point and seems to do it over and over. Never on purpose, but he does seem to barge in at all the wrong moments. That and his unceasing good luck leaves her in his debt. Big time.
Somehow, between her headstrong nature and his need to control, these two will struggle, but ultimately find their HEA.
I quite enjoyed Lydia's character. She was trying to carve out as much of a life for herself as was possible in the close strictures of her time period.
SpoilerShould Lydia have been more upset with Penthurst and not quite so willing to forgive (it seemed awfully fast). I don't know. I was sort of bothered by that fact but she also seemed to instinctively know that Lakewood wasn't all that he appeared. Also, I think she takes a cue from her brother. He forgave so there's some indication she should as well. It's a little "He's got the magic wang so I must believe in him" but it's really more of a reasoned thought process.