The Duke and I

by Julia Quinn Book 1 in the Bridgerton Series series.

First published 2000

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4.4(76,209)

Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, agree to pretend that they are courting. The arrangement should make Daphne more desirable to London’s bachelors while allowing Simon to discourage ambitious mothers who want him as a son-in-law.

The deception becomes complicated when friendship turns into attraction. Simon’s determination not to continue his family line, rooted in his conflict with his late father, places him at odds with Daphne’s hopes for marriage and children. Their relationship exposes the pressures hidden beneath the polished rituals of the 1813 season.