Grace (The Shackleford Sisters Book 1) by Beverley Watts

The Shackleford sisters: Unruly, unstoppable, and about to unleash delightful chaos upon Regency England, beginning with one wounded duke who never expected to find love… Reverend Augustus Shackleford has one mission: secure wealthy, titled husbands for each of his eight headstrong daughters. A nearly impossible task, given that in the Reverend's opinion they don't possess a ladylike bone in the eight bodies they have between them. Where he'll find gentlemen willing - or foolish - enough to take them on remains a mystery that could well test even divine intervention. Battle-scarred and haunted by nightmares, Nicholas Sinclair never expected to inherit a dukedom. After twenty years away and grievously wounded at Trafalgar, the new Duke of Blackmore returns to his ancestral home with one pressing duty—to marry quickly and produce an heir. Yet the thought of navigating London's marriage mart in search of a suitable bride holds no appeal for his tortured soul. When an unexpected offer arrives for his eldest daughter Grace, Reverend Shackleford can scarcely believe their good fortune. Of course, describing Grace as "respectful," "meek," or "dutiful" required significant creative interpretation of those terms—but surely the duke needn't discover this immediately? What the Reverend never anticipated was how his daughter's spirited nature might not only capture the wounded duke's heart but potentially bring scandal raining down upon them all. As Grace's rebellious spirit clashes with Nicholas's carefully constructed walls, both discover that healing—and love—may come from the most unexpected quarters. Read more