The Duke's Proposal
Leslie LaFoy
St. Martin's, Jun 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 0312347723

In 1891 London when Lady Fiona Turnbridge finds the severely injured cat, she knows immediately the animal needs a professional. The nearest medical practitioner that she knows about is a former military surgeon Lord Ian Cabott. He handles beauty and the beast at his door at midnight with aplomb as he learned to remain cool while working combat medicine.

Ian proposes a deal with the fiery visitor. He will tend to the injured feline, but Fiona must help him with his ward fourteen years old wheelchair bound Miss Charlotte, whose parents died six months ago and moved into his home, that of a stranger, while the raised eyebrows of the aristocracy were upset with the arrangement. Fiona wants to say yes, but if she moves into the Ian's home, she wonders how she can avert a scandal especially since she is attracted to the noble doctor. Meanwhile Ian reflects that until Fiona's arrival, the duty was boring.

THE DUKE'S PROPOSAL is an entertaining late Victorian romance starring two likable caring characters. However, the story line is stolen by Miss Charlotte whose anguish and grief will hook the audience from the first broken piece of china to the last shard but the love of Fiona causes a miracle top happen. Leslie LaFoy writes an interesting historical that brings to life the state of medicine in perhaps the most affluent late nineteenth century society.

Harriet Klausner