The first time I ever saw the name Claudia Dain was when I happened upon the cover of How to Dazzle a Duke. The seductive look on the heroine’s face intrigued me. Then I noted that it was a trade. I don’t generally buy trades so I pushed my curiosity aside and moved on.

Several weeks ago I discovered that How to Dazzle a Duke was part of the Courtesan Chronicles series. Have I ever told you how much I love series? Generally, I’m not a huge fan of the heroine being a courtesan and initially, I balked at even looking further into the series because of that. Then I decided to give it a little peek, and lo and behold, the heroines were not in fact courtesans. And yet even better news, the books also came in mass market paper back. That, of course, was music to my ears. So this weekend, I ordered the first book in the series, The Courtesan’s Daughter.

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Book #1

The Courtesan’s Daughter
Author: Claudia Dain
Publisher: Berkley
Pub. Date: October 7, 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0425224229
320 pages

Young Lady Caroline’s prospects for a suitable match are severely limited by her mother’s infamous past. Before Lady Sophia Dalby entered London society, she was a highly desired courtesan. What man of title, position, and wealth would marry a courtesan’s daughter?

Sophia’s solution is to purchase a husband for Caroline-the Earl of Ashdon-agreeing to settle his gambling debts if he will take her daughter’s hand. Insulted, Caroline refuses to have a husband who was bought for her.

But after meeting the fiery Lord Ashdon, she wonders if it wouldn’t be satisfying to have him pay for her, perhaps with a priceless pearl necklace? With Sophia pulling the strings, Lord Ashdon may get more than he bargained for and Caroline may get just what she wants.

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After The Courtesan’s Daughter found her happily ever after, Claudia gave us The Courtesan’s Secret and The Courtesan’s Wager.

Book #2

Lady Louisa fell in love with Lord Dutton exactly three years ago and never fell out. It was past time for him to fall in love with her. Long past time. What was wrong with Dutton? Couldn’t he see that she was the very ideal sort of wife for him? The picture of ginger haired beauty and sparkling wit? And her bosom was quite nice, too.

After watching the speed with which Caroline, Sophia’s daughter, managed to snag a husband, Louisa has come to the logical conclusion that if she could only have Sophia help her then Louisa and Dutton would find themselves quickly married. With Dutton as her goal, Louisa swallows her pride and asks Sophia for help in acquiring the man of her dreams.

Sophia is more than happy to help a woman get the man of her dreams, but is Dutton that man? Lord Henry Blakesley seems a much better match for the fiery Louisa. And Sophia, an ex-courtesan, has no qualms at all in arranging things so that Louisa sees Blakesley in a new light. But it’s a secret…no one can know that Louisa sought help in snaring a man from a former courtesan.

But in London, secrets are as rare as hen’s teeth.

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Book #3

Lady Amelia is the daughter of a duke and, unlike her cousin Louisa, is not at all distracted by a rakish wit or a pair of seductive blue eyes. She is going to be a duchess, which means that she must marry a duke. In the three years that she’s been out in Society, she has, to her complete dismay, not found a single duke who appears even slightly interested in her. Being a sharp girl of a very determined nature, Amelia cannot ignore that both Caroline and Louisa made very quick and very happy marriages. It was beyond obvious that Sophia Dalby had a firm hand in each match. Swallowing her considerable anxiety about approaching a former courtesan, Amelia asks Sophia for help in snagging a duke.

Sophia is delighted to help. But, as is becoming obvious to even the most casual observer, Amelia gets more than she anticipated from her alliance with Sophia. Will Amelia marry a duke, after all?

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And finally, we come full circle to the most recent installment in the Courtesan Chronicles, How to Dazzle a Duke, whose mass market paperback edition will be released in June 1, 2010.

Book #4

Miss Penelope Prestwick wants a duke for a husband and clearly the dashing Duke of Edenham is the best choice. Just as Lady Dalby is clearly the best person to arrange the match. But how exactly should Penelope go about dazzling a duke? Surely a show of cleavage never hurt anyone. Perhaps a kiss or two, just to make a lasting impression. And a bit of competition usually helps move things along.

To that end, Penelope approaches the Marquis of Iveston with a request. Would he kindly appear interested in her so that the Duke of Edenham will take note of it? Alternately amused and annoyed, Lord Iveston agrees; he even places a wager on White’s betting book to draw attention to the fact that he is pursuing Penelope.

Soon, it’s wagers and counter wagers as all of Society tries to determine who will actually marry Penelope. Edenham she’s been hotly pursuing or Iveston she’s been hotly kissing? Who will claim the lady’s heart…all in all it’s the most entertaining—and most contested–dance to the altar Sophia has yet choreographed.

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I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to immerse myself in this series and ‘discover’ Claudia Dain. If you’d like to read excerpts from the respective books, I’ve linked the covers to the excerpt page on Claudia’s website. Okay, so who else is ready to join me? Comment and you’ll be entered to win the first book in the series, The Courtesan’s Daughter.