I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

If the Duke Demands is a historical romance novel written by Anna Harrington. It is the first novel in the Capturing the Carlisles trilogy. I have not read any of Harrington’s other books, but Regency stories are my favorite genre, and I am always excited to discover new authors.

Miranda Hodgkins has a plan to capture the attention of Robert Carlisle: she’ll sneak into his room after a masquerade ball and show him exactly what she thinks of him. The plan goes awry when she sneaks into Sebastian Carlisle’s room instead. Sebastian is Robert’s older brother, and the Duke of Trent. Fortunately for both of them, the encounter is limited to little more than a kiss before identities are revealed, but not brief enough to leave a lasting impression.

As it turns out, Sebastian’s mother wants to sponsor Miranda for a Season in London. This is rather unexpected, as Miranda is the orphaned niece of tenant farmers on the Trent estate, but she is a dear sweet girl and a loyal friend of the family.

Sebastian agrees to help Miranda capture Robert’s attention if she helps him find a wife. But of course, as soon as the Season begins, they both realize that they can’t stop thinking about each other.

If the Duke Demands provides a nice balance between light-hearted and angsty. Sebastian was rather wild in his younger days, but inheriting the title has proven to be a sobering experience. He needs to reconcile his genuine feelings for Miranda with the notion that he needs to pick a wife with an aristocratic background. Sebastian is so devoted to his title that he is willing to put aside his own happiness, and there was just so much angst about the decision.

I would absolutely recommend If the Duke Demands. Miranda is a delightful heroine who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to push boundaries. She is very clever, and I definitely agree with her: Hamlet needs a pirate scene. I also enjoyed the opportunity to acquaint myself with Sebastian’s wild brothers who will appear in the other two books in the Capturing the Carlisles trilogy. I am looking forward to those books, as well as catching up on Harrington’s other books as well!