A Most Unlikely Duke is a lovely, if implausible, Regency romance in which the very rich and the very poor collide in a variety of unlikely ways. I loved this book for its lovely use of language, its focus on the problems of both the lower and upper classes, the incredibly likeable characters, and the affirming, sexy, sweet romance.

The premise is that a man named Raphe Matthews (our hero) supports his two sisters in the impoverished St. Giles district of London by bare-knuckle boxing. His fortune changes when he discovers that he is the new and rightful Duke of Huntley. He and his sisters (Amelia and Juliette) move to the richer parts of London to assume their new roles in society.

Luckily for Raphe, his neighbors include Lady Gabriella (our heroine). Gabriella’s parents are terrible snobs, and they are particularly interested in avoiding any kind of scandal since their oldest daughter, Victoria, eloped with a tradesman. Gabriella’s parents had placed all their hopes on the beautiful Victoria, so after Victoria left Gabriella had to undergo extensive training to become the lady her parents found worthy of the marriage mart. Gabriella is being courted by the rich but dull Earl of Fielding, much to her parents’ delight.

Gabriella does not share her parents’ snobbery. When kind-hearted Gabriella meets the Matthews family, she can’t bear for them to have the same kinds of experiences she had in preparing for her society debut. With the help of Raphe’s butler and valet, Gabriella teaches the siblings how to walk, dance, talk, and pour a proper cup of tea. While Raphe is sorely tempted to ignore the rules of society altogether, Gabriella reminds him that he will have to be presentable if he wants to find husbands for his sisters.

To be honest, I had a hard time believing that anybody could learn how to act perfectly aristocratic in the space of time allotted these characters. However, if anyone could pull it off, it would be Raphe, Amelia, and Juliette, who have patient, strict, but affectionate teachers and a lot of spare time in which to practice. They also have the advantage of being naturally smart and naturally stubborn. The book is worth reading if only for the scene in which Raphe has to learn how to hold a teacup properly.

The main characters in this book (Gabriella, Raphe, Amelia, and Juliette) are incredibly fun people to spend time with. Raphe has had to parent his sisters since they were very young children, and I loved the scene in which Gabriella and Raphe see the sisters off to a social event with the same warning tones of a pair of protective parents. My favorite thing about reading this book was just hanging out at Raphe’s house (I’m also very fond of the butler and the valet).

As far as romance goes, this one involves people who are opposites except that they are both accustomed to sacrificing for their family. Their sexual chemistry is great and their personal connection is even better. Gabriella encourages Raphe to blend in for the sake of his sisters, but in other ways encourages him to let a go a little bit. He’s always had the sole responsibility of caring for them and Gabriella encourages him to let her help and to give them a little more freedom.

Meanwhile, Raphe encourages Gabriella to continue to pursue her interest in entomology (ALERT: SCIENCE HEROINE FTW) and to pursue her own happiness despite the wishes of her parents. I love couples who see and value each other’s true selves and who are stronger as a team, and Gabriella and Raphe have both of these characteristics as a couple. Gabriella is one of the few characters who does not shame Raphe for his background. She values it, insists on seeing him box, and reacts to the violence of the boxing match by immediately planning a treatment and recovery regimen for Raphe. This mix of empathy and practicality makes her a perfect match for Raphe, who has not known much affection in his life and who sometimes is too stubborn to think things through.

I’m giving this a B+ only because there’s a subplot with Gabriella’s sister which, while it works wonderfully with the social class themes, is stuffed in with no time to get to know the characters or anything beyond the basics of the situation. Additionally, the villain of the piece, Fielding (that guy who was courting Gabriella) is one-dimensional. The whole premise involves a significant suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader.

However, that didn’t stop me from finding this book to be incredibly fun and sexy. The next book will be about Amelia, who struggles more than Juliette with her new world. Be still, my socially awkward heart!