The Duke’s Scandalous Proposal: A Witty, Funny, and Sweet Regency Romance (The Scandalous Hearts)

Adelaide Blair, the sharp-witted and kind-hearted second daughter of an Earl, has always had a knack for falling in love with the wrong man. After years of secretly pining for her childhood friend, the charming Marquess of Ashford, her heart shatters when she witnesses him in a passionate embrace with another woman at a glittering ball. In her moment of heartbreak, she finds herself in the arms of the most unlikely companion—Duke Bastian Lightwood, the kingdom’s most notorious and cold-hearted noble.
Duke Bastian Lightwood, a man as icy as the winter winds, is feared for his ruthless reputation. But an unexpected encounter at the ball leaves him entangled with Adelaide in a scandal that could ruin her family. Desperate to forget the night, Adelaide returns to her life, only to find it upended when Bastian makes a shocking demand.
The Duke holds Adelaide accountable for stealing his virginity, insisting that she marry him to save both their reputations. Convinced that she may be carrying his child, Bastian is determined to force her into a marriage she never wanted.
As the rumor mill spins out of control, Adelaide is thrust into the treacherous waters of high society gossip, with her heart torn between fear, duty, and the Duke’s unexpected allure. With the scandal escalating and her future at stake, Adelaide must decide: will she surrender to a life dictated by duty, or will she risk everything for a love as dangerous and unpredictable as the Duke himself?
In a world where reputation is everything, can Adelaide find her happily ever after with a man who has never known love? The Duke’s Scandalous Proposal is a tale of daring romance, hidden vulnerabilities, and the power of true love to thaw even the coldest of hearts. Will Adelaide’s courage be enough to forge a future free of regret, or will the secrets of that fateful night doom her to a life she never wanted?