from our review:Beth Armitage is a teacher at a girls' school. A follower of Mary Wollstonecraft, she believes in equality for women, which in her mind precludes marriage. Unfortunately, she is not going to be allowed to remain unmarried: the Duke of Belcraven discovers that Beth is his illegitimate daughter and decides that she must marry his heir so that the Belcraven line can continue. Lucien de Vaux, raised as Belcraven's son, is ignorant of the fact that he is the product of an affair his mother had and therefore not really a de Vaux. Lucien and Beth are equally shocked when the truth is revealed to them, and the duke's plan for a forced marriage distresses them both. But he uses powerful weapons of threats and intimidations, so eventually they agree.Beth is an interesting character. At first starched and judgmental, she's only slightly sympathetic. As her confusion grows, she becomes more so. Beth has a lot of adjusting to do. Raised as a commoner with a sharp mind, she has many beliefs about marriage and the aristocracy, none of which is flattering. She moves into the Belcraven home and finds her new life oppressive. While her beliefs don't change, watching as she begins to understand more about her new life and how to be herself in its confines is engrossing.Lucien seems at first to be quite a rake. While he does have a fun-loving side, he turns out to have a strong character as well. Even though he's being forced into marriage, he breaks up with his mistress. He attempts to comfort and be pleasant to Beth before she almost destroys their early relationship. He's charming, but he also has a dark side.What really drew me into this story was Beth's relationship with Lucien. Watching as they try to accept the marriage and each other was like watching a dance. She attempts to get Lucien to call off the betrothal by implying that she is an experienced woman who's had many lovers, not realizing he is being forced as well. This conversation colors their every succeeding encounter, despite her attempts to right what she said. She aptly describes their early relationship as quicksand. Even when they try to be pleasant to one another, it deteriorates into a quarrel. The blossoming of their friendship and love is sweet to watch. One encounter with Beth toward the end will likely upset some readers with its violence, but it does show how Beth and Lucien's relationship has changed.