Not the Duke's Darling is the first book in the Greycourt series by Elizabeth Holt. Freya de Moray is many things: a member of the secret order of Wise Women, the daughter of disgraced nobility, and a chaperone living under an assumed name. What she is not is forgiving. So when the Duke of Harlowe, the man who destroyed her brother and led to the downfall of her family, appears at the country house party she's attending, she does what any Wise Woman would do: she starts planning her revenge. Christopher Renshaw, the Duke of Harlowe, is being blackmailed. Intent on keeping his secrets safe, he agrees to attend a house party where he will put an end to this coercion once and for all. Until he recognizes Freya, masquerading among the party revelers, and realizes his troubles have just begun. Freya knows all about his sins-sins he'd much rather forget. But she's also fiery, bold, and sensuous-a temptation he can't resist. When it becomes clear Freya is in grave danger, he'll risk everything to keep her safe. But first, he will have to earn Freya's trust...by whatever means necessary.
Not the Duke's Darling starts off well, with action and some mystery about the pasts oft he main characters, but I felt like it never got better than the first chapter. Freya and Christopher have hurt and scandal in their shared past, and more that has befallen both of them since the day that shattered three families. There are multiple story lines, histories, and dangers in play and while I liked the characters I felt like some oft he important details that are important to the history and motivation and not fully fleshed out. I need more information on the Wise Women and witch related story arc, I want more understanding about what actually happened the night of the "Greycourt scandal". Readers get bits and pieces of the stories, and how they relate to some of the characters, but I wanted a better understanding of the big picture. There were also a slew of new loose ends, particularly three characters of ill intent that just rather disappeared- with no one questioning their whereabouts. The romance and connection between Freya and Christopher was good, and I liked the respect and strength they shared. However, as a whole I was not really as engaged or intent on the story as the opening scene had my expecting to be.
Not the Duke's Darling is a good, but not wonderful read. I have come to expect more from Holt, and while I am curious about what might happen next for a couple characters I am not going to be hunting down the rest of the series.
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