This book ends the "Desperate Duchesses" series, by Eloisa James. The protagonist is the previous villain, or "other man", Villiers.
In the previous book, Villiers came close to dying after a dueling wound. This experience brought a change of heart, mostly regarding the upbringing of his 6 bastard children (now he sounds like Captain von Trapp).
In the last book Villiers found out that his steward "misplaced" the children and pocketed the money destined for their needs. He started a hunt for his missing children, but as the new book starts he still haven't found two of them.
However, he has 4 children under his roof and he has come to the conclusion that the children need a mother. But not any mother: his wife should be a lady of impeccable pedigree, with enough social standing that she can launch his illegitimate children into Society and arrange good marriages for them later. This is no easy enterprise, since the nobility is heavily prejudiced against illegitimate offspring.
Thus, there are only 2 possible candidates, both dukes's daughters.
Lady Eleanor is haughty and has declared that she won't accept any marriage proposal from anyone below the rank of duke... since the only man she has ever loved is already married. Lady Lisette is a free spirit - some call her mad - who doesn't care about Society's rules and regulations and has devoted herself to orphan children.
Villiers finds himself attracted to both, but he has to decide wether to follow his heart desire or settle for the woman who appears to be the best "mother" for his children.
Like the rest of Eloisa James' books this novel is well researched and well written, and brings to light some secrets that appeared in the previous books.
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