With her characteristic optimism, she travels to the far reaches of Northumberland to wed a greatly feared stranger. The obscene sum of money he's offering Persephone would save her family from ruin.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT When Persephone Lancaster receives a marriage proposal from the ill-tempered Duke of Kielder, she refuses - and then reconsiders. The only downside is the insipid narration. I thought the writer brought the book to an excellent end by bring all the loose threads together and it was a delightful rendition of the retelling of Hades and Persephone. It is lovely to watch how this bad tempered and irascible Duke is slowly brought to heel by the charms Persephone.

Due to the family estate creaking financially, it is seen as a blessing when the Duke offers for her hand with a huge payoff and she goes willingly like a lamb to the slaughter. She is a charming and sweet natured girl who has had to, due to circumstances, run the house, look after her siblings and has never really had a childhood of her own. Enter Persephone who is a delightful character. The crux comes when his estate upon his death will pass a long lost cousin who he doesn't like and decides to find a wife to thwart any attempts by the cousin to succeed to the dukedom. There is a tragic story behind why he is such a lonesome character and why he won't have any visitors to his castle, which is quite understandable. He has a foul temper, is feared by many and has indeed only one friend, Harry. Adam, Duke of Kielder, lives in his remote castle in Northumberland. If you are looking for a light read and one that will pull at your heart strings, look no further. It is always so refreshing to read a new author who can write a clean and charming story and this is rather like beauty and the beast.

Seeking persephone by sarah m eden