The Good, the Bad, and the Duke/ Janna MacGregor/ 356 pgs

I was very much looking forward to this book as the hero is the same guy who was a villain in the first two books of the series. It's always interesting to see how an author plans to redeem a character. I was not disappointed. Paul, the second son of a duke, wreaked havoc on the lives of his two best friends wives-to-be and he is persona non grata, despite inheriting a dukedom when his father and his older brother die in quick succession. Daphne has known Paul for most of her life as her older brother is one of the men now shunning Paul. When Daphne's family prepares to leave London to spend the Christmas holiday at their estate, she accidentally gets left home alone. Yes, it's a take on the movie, but other than the initial setup, the similarities end there. When Daphne's private journal is stolen by a street urchin, Paul steps forward to help her get it back. I feel like MacGregor hits her stride in this book. Both characters are fully fleshed out, are flawed, and have a way to go to set their lives back on track. The emotions are fully formed and Paul and Daphne's friendship is a delight. A job well-done on redeeming bad boy Paul.