How a quiet duke, a bold investigator, and one unsolved mystery turned into my favorite slow-burn romance

Some stories begin with an idea. Others with a kiss. This one began with a locked door, a missing letter, and a woman who absolutely refused to stay in her place.

A Dilemma for the Duke is Book 2 in the Barrington’s Brigade series, and while it can be read on its own, it builds on the emotional threads and quiet danger introduced in A Marriage for the Marquess. This time, our focus shifts to Rockford—the quietly powerful duke who made only a brief appearance in Book 1—and the woman who turns his carefully ordered world inside out.

🧩 A Duke with a Secret

Rockford was a character who surprised me as I wrote him. Reserved. Brilliant. Discreet. He carries the burden of expectation with quiet precision—and carries something else too: the memory of a failed courtship, a lost cause, and a case that still haunts him.

He doesn’t expect to investigate again. But duty calls. And so does she.

🔍 A Woman Who Asks Too Many Questions

Lora was never going to be quiet. Or meek. She’s clever, persistent, and trained in skills most women of her time were never taught to use. She asks the wrong questions—and the right ones. She doesn’t shrink before a duke. She challenges him. And when Rockford hires her, he doesn’t realize he’s hiring his greatest temptation.

Their partnership is a delicate dance of tension and trust. She brings the fire. He brings the quiet. And somewhere between those extremes, a romance takes root that neither of them can afford.

✨ What Makes This Story Special?

There’s a moment in the book—one I won’t spoil—where Rockford realizes Lora isn’t a problem to solve. She’s the solution to a question he never dared ask: What if love isn’t chaos? What if it’s clarity?

Their relationship isn’t fast or flashy. It’s built in stolen glances, long nights in the study, a single touch when words fail. It’s the kind of romance that simmers before it sparks—and when it finally ignites, it changes everything.

📚 A Series About Secrets, Second Chances, and Strength in All Forms

The Barrington’s Brigade series is about love in the shadows—about the strength it takes to trust when everything is at stake. You’ll find slow-burn romance, political intrigue, found family, and women who know exactly what they want (and aren’t afraid to demand it).

A Dilemma for the Duke is a story about second chances—at justice, at love, and at becoming the person you were always meant to be.

Currently available for Pre-Order at $0.99. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZJFDSDT

I can’t wait to share this next chapter with you.

And if you haven’t read A Marriage for the Marquess yet, now’s the perfect time to start. Here is a recent review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Unputdownable… immersive historical romance with emotional narration and characters you’ll fall in love with.” —Nancy from N.N. Light’s Book Heaven

For fans of Julia Quinn, Erica Ridley, and Emily EK Murdoch.

📚 Read A Marriage for the Marquess – Book 1 of Barrington’s Brigade today for $0.99  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DR3C66BP