The Duke Alone

"Lady Myrtle McQuoid has always felt a little forgotten, and this season is no exception. When her boisterous family vacates their London townhouse for the country, Myrtle finds she’s been left behind. Next-door neighbors, brooding widower Val Bancroft, the Duke of Aragon, has shut himself off from the world. He craves blessed solitude—a loyal dog, a silent house, and his own company are all he requires.<br/><br/>Obviously, what Val wants is not what he gets. And since all he wants is silence, in walks Myrtle to shake things up. Val and Myrtle are two opposites attract in this book; Myrtle is free-spirited and lives on her own terms, while Val is shut off to the world after his wife's death. When Myrtle gets left behind at home to fend for herself, what's a gentleman to do? Between never used to being alone, no clue how to start a fire, and thieves looking to steal from her house, Myrtle is in need for a man in white shining armor. But she'll have to make so with Val, who seems to want nothing to do with her.<br/><br/>After reading multiple mystery/thriller books, this straight forward romance novel was just what I needed. The book was an easy-to-read romance book that held a tast of Home Alone (with the thieves) mixed in. The ending felt a tad lacking to me and could have offered a bit more. Overall, a book is recommended to those looking for a light romance read, a book that takes place around Christmas, or a book about a Duke.<br/><br/>I rate this book as 3.5"