Prior to this, I had not read any Caroline Linden, but I was pleased to find The Way to A Duke’s Heart stands alone just fine on its own.


The lovers meet in Bath, and their pasts quickly come back to haunt them as they embark on a journey to check out an investment in some canals not far away. Tessa is a business smart young woman, investigating an investment for her brother, and the rakish Duke of Durham is tracking down a blackmailer, so he can stay the Duke of Durham.

I liked reading Regency with a change of scenery, and I am looking forward to reading more of Caroline Linden’s work, for just that reason. This is more of a traditional romance, peppered with some nice romantic scenes, and possibly even a tiny homage to Les Liaisons Dangerous. I enjoyed the flow of the story. The characters were interesting enough to keep my attention, but I did wonder about Tessa’s past a little, and I would have liked to see it explained a little more. I did especially enjoy Tessa’s companion, and her antics throughout.

Overall; it was an enjoyable read. 3/5 stars.