Review: Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

Duke of Pleasure is the newest addition to the Maiden Lane Series...and it didn't disappoint.  The new Ghost of St. Giles happens to be the favorite street urchin Alf.  Alf is a woman who dresses as a boy to hide her identity in a dangerous part of London.  While protecting the streets one evening she comes across the Duke of Kyle, who realizes right away that the ghost is a woman.  The Duke has been attacked and calls upon the services of Alf to find out who his enemy is.

Alf stays in the Duke's house, and starts to become part of the family.  Hugh's two young sons are still recovering from the loss of their mother and Hugh's absence from the house.  They take to Alf right away, and it turns out that Hugh does as well.  There is a happily ever after in this story, as there always is.

Hugh and Alf's story seems a little far-fetched (usually the heroine isn't so different from the hero) but it feels right almost from the first page.  It's a story that was hard to put down, with enough action and suspense to make you keep turning pages.  Also, the characters seemed to real and spoke to me right away.  The writing was fresh and clever and kept me in the story instead of life around me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy.  5/5 on Goodreads.