The Duke and I (Bridgertons Book 1) — Ukrainian Hardcover Romance by Julia Quinn (496 pp)

In the Regency era, London’s ballrooms and drawing rooms are ruled by unspoken, rigid codes: how to greet an earl, what curtsy to offer a prince... A duke must be authoritative and aloof, and a marriageable young lady — polite but not too eager.

Daphne Bridgerton, the fourth of eight children in a famously close aristocratic family, is charming and sincere — unlike many of the prideful young ladies of her time. Yet, her mother, the viscountess, still hasn’t received a proper marriage proposal for Daphne.

Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, recently returned from abroad, wants nothing to do with society — or marriage — due to a painful past. But when he meets Daphne, they hatch a plan: a fake courtship. She gains popularity, and he fends off unwanted suitors. But in the dazzling, gossip-filled world of London’s elite, only one thing is certain — love can’t be faked.