You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
This HaBO is from Megan, who is looking for a historical romance:
I have a HaBO request for a historical romance I read a long time ago, maybe ten years? Google is not accepting what I remember as an adequate finding aid, and is instead directing me to all kinds of duchess erotica. While interesting, I just want to reread this book!
It’s a historical romance, and for some reason a duchess left England for the continent (I think, might have been India or something) several years ago. She’s thinking about coming back to England, but wants to test the waters first (maybe left because of a scandal?) so she sends her maid in her place. Her maid impersonates her and I think is supposed to write to her saying yay England/boo England.
Somehow, the poor duchess impersonator ends up engaged to some other lord (I should say I’m pretty sure that while she was a duchess, he wasn’t a duke, but I might have gotten that completely wrong) and I think the engagement might be leftover from the original duchess. Anyway, he’s pissed at her and hates her (perhaps because of her disappearing act and engagement), but of course he wants her and they somehow fall in love and the duchess comes in on their wedding day or a party, sees that her maid is having this awesome life, and quietly disappears because she’s cool.
It should be mentioned that the maid had crazy long hair for half the book, then cuts it all off because the fiance said something about it (I can’t remember if it was one of his fantasies about said hair or he told her it was ugly to hide his said fantasies for the hair). Of course she looked amazing and he was all “holy crap” behind his stoic face.
I remember this being really entertaining and not just a historical romance with fainting couches.
I know there are other romances with impersonation plots, but that hair detail sounds pretty specific.
I think I know this one. The hair detail makes me think it’s One Kiss from You, by Christina Dodd. Eleanor, the meek companion and cousin of the Duchess of Magnus, trades places with the duchess at her behest to go try to put off a rich upstart American who won the duchess’s hand and estate from her father, while the duchess pretends to be her cousin in order to try to restore her fortune, during which she ends up meeting the man she jilted, which caused the original scandal. The duchess has her own book. Eleanor, of course, marries the American while he still thinks she’s the duchess, which causes another set of problems. Good times.
@Bunnifur, you named the book I was thinking of. I knew the women were related and I knew it was an author I read years and years ago but I couldn’t quite put a finger on it. I loved Christina Dodd’s books. I hope this is the one Megan is looking for.
@ Bunnifur
It does sound like it could be the HaBO.
To note if anyone is interested; Christina Dodd’s first book in this series Scandalous Again is on sale for $1.99 on Kindle and the book Bunnifur mentioned One Kiss From You is on sale for $2.99.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE impersonator recs!!!!!!
Original poster here, that sounds right! I will immediately check it out. I know I’ve read Dodd, I like a lot of her stuff so this is very possible. Thank you!
@Bunnifur NAILED IT. I searched for the hair scene, and it’s exact. Thank you again!!!!!! The bitchery wins again!
@Coralie, try How To Deceive a Duke by Lecia Cornwall. The heroine impersonates her sister who ran away the night before an arranged marriage. It’s very good!
@Coralie, one of the Pink Carnation books by Lauren Willig has a “wrong sister” impersonation – I think it’s #3.
Kate Noble’s Game and the Governess has a man and his… secretary? Switching places.