The Duke’s Best Friend

Kate Meacham has a problem. Her entry into the diplomatic world has been cut off following the death of her grandfather, a legend in the espionage world that Kate also occupies. Reduced to sneaking into parties and bluffing her way past various gatekeepers, she decides to partner with Henry Deeping, new to the Foreign Office and, like Kate, determined to be useful. The pair slowly come to appreciate each other and what they are building, but the threats they face are far more dangerous than getting caught crashing a party, as a traitor with possible ties to George IV is on the loose. Ashford shines at crafting character engagement between the lovers and between the many friends who connect in the novel. She excels at creating space for her characters to bloom and discover themselves and each other.