A Duchess in Name by Amanda Weaver

Victoria Carson was born in America.  Her parents wanted her to marry an English title, so they moved to England when she was eight.  She was sent to Lady Grantham's finishing school to be molded into the proper wife for an English aristocrat.  Victoria has always known that she will be wanted for her money only.

Andrew Hargrave, Earl of Dunnley, is the unwanted second son of two people that have hated each other since they were married. He has escaped his family by working in Italy as an archaeologist, devoting himself to finding an Etruscan tomb.  The his older brother and father's heir died before he could marry his heiress, so now it is up to Andrew to save his family.  Phillip Carson sets up a dummy company to fail and the Duke of Waring is the target.  Andrew is forced to marry Victoria.  When he figures out what her father has done the day before their wedding, he dumps her at his decrepit, dilapidated family estate and returns to Italy and his mistress.

Upon his father's death, Andrew has to return to England.  Can he fix the damage he has done to his marriage?

I could not stop reading this novel.  I wanted to know what happened next.  This novel was so intense that you could feel what the characters were going through.  Andrew's feelings of betrayal, Victoria's feelings of despair when Andrew walked out.  The joy when Andrew realized that he loved Victoria and was going to fight for what he almost destroyed.

This was the first book by Amanda Weaver that I have read.  If I had a real book shelf, this novel would go next to Eloisa James and Julia Quinn.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!