Three Dukes and a Baby...with Maya Rodale and Giveaway

Three Dukes and a Baby on Christmas Eve - Maya Rodale

Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence. She is now the author of numerous “dazzlingly sexy and witty” historical romance novels. A champion of the romance genre and it’s readers, she is also the author of the non-fiction book Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation Of Romance Novels, Explained and a co-founder of Lady Jane’s Salon, a national reading series devoted to romantic fiction. Maya lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own.

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Three Dukes (and an earl, and a baron) and a Baby

by Maya Rodale

This story features the heroes of the Writing Girl romance series, which centers around a Regency London newspaper and the four scandalous women who wrote for it. Oh, and a baby…


One Baron, one Earl, one regular duke and one double Duke stood staring down at the squalling infant on the settee in the library. It seemed the child had been forgotten as all the ladies, children, and maids had been pressed into service to prepare for that evening’s ball celebrating the anniversary of The London Weekly.

It would be hosted by the Duchess of Hamilton and Brandon (who wrote of weddings for the paper), Countess Roxbury (the gossip columnist), the Duchess of Wycliff (author of exposés) and Lady Northborne, advice columnist and wife of Lord Northborne, formerly known as Mr. Knightly, the owner of the paper.

The men had sought refuge in the library to enjoy the quiet, and brandy, and to avoid being pressed to answer questions about the placement of potted palms or the drapery of decorations. But the women had been bustling in and out anyway and lo and behold, the baby, set down and forgotten momentarily.

“I would know my own son,” the double duke of Hamilton and Brandon said confidently. Nevertheless he peered closer at the infant’s features, scrutinizing them for an indication of an innate ducal bearing.

“Shall we check it for tattoos?” Lord Roxbury suggested, with a nod to Wycliff, who was scandalously known as The Tattooed Duke after the body decoration he’d picked up during his adventurous in the South Seas.

“Eliza was oddly opposed to tattooing our child,” Wycliff replied.

“Funny, that,” said Northborne said. “Are we even certain it is a boy? It could be a girl.”

“We’d have to check it’s nappy in order to find out,” Roxbury said. All the men grimaced at the suggestion.

“I say we ring for a maid,” Brandon said.

“And let it be known one of our children was lost?” Roxbury asked, lifting one brow. It was a very bad idea.

Upsetting to the wives, etc, etc.

“And that we weren’t quite sure who—“ Wycliff started to say.

“Let’s not say that aloud,” Northborne said.

“And to think our wives thought it a wonderful thing that they all had babies within a month of each other,” Roxbury remarked.

“Wah.” The baby emitted a cry.

“It speaks,” Wycliff stated.

In truth, each gentleman defied convention and was an engaged and wonderful father. However, this situation was peculiar. And there were pretenses of masculinity to maintain.

“I think it might be my Amelia. She has Annabelle’s eyes,” Knightly said.

“She has Eliza’s inquisitive gaze,” Wycliff said.

“I thought it was a he?” Roxbury mused. “His hair is the same auburn color as Julianna’s.”

“Yes, but it curls just like Sophie’s,” Brandon pointed out.

The conversation devolved into an argument in which each reformed rake tried to claim the child as his own.

The nappy was inspected. As was the clothing, which was embroidered with birds and thus gave no clue to whom the child belonged to. The baby, meanwhile, gurgled happily with all the attention.

Thus when a Writing Girl burst in she saw Roxbury holding the baby while the other gents were gathered round and pointing out it’s wonderful qualities.

“There you are, darling,” she cooed before whisking the baby away, presumably for it to begin consulting on the placement for potted palms, the orchestral selections or the drapery of decorations for the ball that evening.

“Let us never speak of this again,” Knightly said.

To that, all the gentlemen agreed.

• The duke and duchess of Hamilton and Brandon appear in A Groom of One’s Own.
• Lord and Lady Roxbury appear in A Tale of Two Lovers.
• The duke and duchess of Wycliff appear in The Tattooed Duke.
• Baron and Baroness Northborne are formerly known as Annabelle Swift and Derek Knightly in the new release, Seducing Mr. Knightly.

He’s the only man she’s ever loved…

For ages it seems advice columnist Annabelle Swift has loved Derek Knightly, editor-owner of The London Weekly from a distance. Determined to finally attract her employer’s attention, she seeks advice from her loyal readers—who offer Annabelle myriad suggestions…from lower-cut bodices (success!) and sultry gazes (disaster!) to a surprise midnight rendezvous (wicked!).

She’s the only woman he’s never noticed…

Derek never really took note of his shy, wallflower lady writer. But suddenly she’s exquisite…and he can’t get Annabelle out of his mind! She must be pursuing someone, but who? For some inexplicable reason, the thought of her with another man makes Knightly insanely jealous.

Will Dear Annabelle find her happy ending?

But Knightly’s scandalous periodical has been targeted for destruction by a vengeful Lord Marsden, and the beleaguered editor now faces a devastating choice: either marry Marsden’s sister to save his beloved newspaper…or follow his heart and wed his Writing Girl.

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Check out the Writing Girls series:

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**Don't forget to head over to Not Another Romance Blog to check out author, Miranda Neville's story.

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