First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
- Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
- Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
- Finally… reveal the book!
First Lines:
Miss Jane Delaney burst through the front door of Halifax House in a flurry of green silk skirts and ruffled petticoats. Breathless with rushing and bristling with ill humor, she came to an abrupt halt at the bottom of the stone steps, then frowned as she scoured Chester Square. Well, attempted to scour.
Do you recognize the lines?
Here’s a hint:
It’s a new historical romance.
Still not sure? Here’s another hint:
It’s by Amy Rose Bennett.
The First Lines Friday book is:
Tall, Duke, and Scandalous
Title: Tall, Duke, and Scandalous
Author: Amy Rose Bennett
Series: The Byronic Book Club
Page Length: 408
Publication Date: Aug. 23, 2023
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Synopsis: This bluestocking would do almost anything to save her reputation and her grandfather’s legacy…even marry a scandalous duke.
No-nonsense Jane Delaney divides her time between her grandfather’s beloved bookstore and writing newspaper columns, determined to overcome a past that’s left her with scars on her face and in her heart. But when the store ends up in unexpected financial jeopardy and Jane’s secrets are threatened by a mysterious blackmailer, she finds herself in desperate need of money. All seems lost until a temptation like no other presents itself…
Christopher Marsden is the new rakish Duke of Roxby…and someone wants him dead. The problem is, he has no idea who or why. Following a vicious attack, he’s acquired a rare affliction where he can no longer recognize faces. But when he catches Miss Delaney attempting to steal a priceless book from his library, Christopher can tell her apart from the rest. Her scarred beauty stands out like a beacon, and he doesn’t want to let her go. So he offers her an outrageous proposal: the money she needs in exchange for a marriage of convenience and her help in catching his would-be killer.
As passion flares between the two unlikely newlyweds, dangerous truths are exposed and hidden enemies poise to strike. Can these two damaged souls survive long enough to find love?
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Review
Have you read Tall, Duke, and Scandalous? What do you think of the first lines? Comment below!
This sounds so fun! 😍 Adding to my TBR immediately!
Yay! It’s definitely a fun and unique read!