The Wedding Wager by Eva Devon (TLC Book Tour)

 

The Marquess of Halford has decided that he needs to get his eldest bluestocking daughter, Victoria, wedded by wagering her hand in marriage at the gaming table.  Derek Kent, the Duke of Chase is horrified when he sees a notorious lecher winning this bet and takes over to win it for himself.  He needs a wife to stop society mothers from chasing him to marry their daughters.   Why not Victoria who is the daughter of a Marquess, but is known as unattractive with a sharp mind of her own?

Victoria loves archaeology, but she feels awkward at the social settings that the ton requires.  She doesn’t want to be married and would love a career in archaeology.  She has helped her father with archaeology in the past and is shocked when he suddenly wants her married off.  When she meets Derek, the Duke of Chase, she realizes that she might be able to get the independent life she has always craved by becoming his wife.  But will she be able to live in a marriage without love?  Why has her father suddenly decides to marry her and her sister off?

I loved this novel.  The Wedding Wager definitely had hints of Bridgerton:  The Duke and I.  I really wanted to know why Derek did not want to marry and have any children.  I loved Victoria.  She was very matter of fact about everything and just wanted to be able to pursue her own passions.  She could care less about balls and things that society wanted her to care about.  She loved history and wanted to travel the world looking for new archaeological treasures.  Derek was a great guy as well, posing as a rake in order to help out women in impossible situations in Regency London.

Both characters had troubled relationships with their fathers and dealt with them in completely opposite ways.  I loved that in this book, it’s the female lead, Victoria, who remains level headed and provides the logic and calm.  Derek has much more angst and reacts in not always the most rational way.

This was a book I couldn’t put down and found myself enjoying when I needed an escape read.  This was a marriage of convenience trope book.  I love that trope.  There are a couple of steamy scenes in this book.

Favorite Quotes:

“The laws of England are barely coherent, and they make it very clear that ladies are indeed chattel.”

The truth was, he liked her confidence, her self-assurance, and her clear sense of capability.  Few people had that in his experience.”

“As society will one day find, often the work of women is behind what men believe to be the greatness of other men.”

“What is the point of living this life if we do not attempt to improve ourselves.”

Book Source:  Review Copy from Netgalley and Entangled Publishing as part of the TLC Book Tour.