The Duke Dare by Valerie Bowman

She took the dare.
Lady Gemma Brooks was still in her awkward phase when a spiteful young woman dared her to ask the unattainable Duke of Grovemont for a dance. Gemma accepted, not for herself, but to protect the other wallflowers from malicious gossip. But what began as a harmless dare spiraled into scandal, and Gemma soon finds herself forced into an unexpected marriage with a man she barely knows.

He paid the price.
Lucian Banks, the Duke of Grovemont, was still grieving his mother’s death when a simple wedding invitation turned his life upside down. Never did he imagine that his friend’s younger sister would draw him into a compromising situation, one that led to a hasty marriage. As a gentleman, Lucian will do his duty, but he’s convinced that Gemma trapped him, and has no plans to play the role of doting husband.

Can love bloom from obligation?
Lucian leaves London without a word, abandoning his new bride. But when he returns a year later, he’s shocked to find that the awkward girl he left behind has transformed into a stunning beauty and the toast of the ton. When the truth about their marriage finally comes to light, Lucian embarks on a mission to win his wife’s heart. Will Gemma be able to resist the man who once spurned her, especially when he turns from cold and distant to irresistibly charming?