My Daddy the Duke by Judy Christenberry, Harleqin American #735, Morris Brothers, July 1998 Rating: B

This was a cute read. I was in the mood for a bit of sappy fun and this book fit just perfectly. An English - and titled - father on the run from the paparazzi because his mother wants him to find a wife and mother to his daughter, Penelope. A teacher working as a truck driver during the summer to pay the bills. How could these two worlds ever come together?

Robert Morris is on the run. He came to America to visit his brother and his wife for the birth of their son, the heir since Robert doese not have a son. His mother is intent on ensuring that he does not leave America without a bride and mother for his daughter, Lady Penelope. As fate would have it, his car broke down and they walked to a nearby truck stop.

Sydney Thomas is an independent woman who only wants to earn enough money to support her mother the way she promised her father. She works hard year round both teaching and driving truck and has little time for a social life. The truckers are her family, having known them since she was a little girl accompanyhing her father on his routes. She takes Robert and Penelope in, not realizing who they are, out of the goodness of her heart.

Their journey takes them from Ohio to Fargo (ha!) to Montana, the location of Robert's brother's ranch. Robert grows fond of Sydney along the way and wants to help her, but she feels that by accepting his help she would be no better than the woman chasing him for no other reason than he holds a title. Penelope, in the meantime, has fallen head over heals with Sydney and wants the American woman to be her new mommy.

A cute story, it's fun to watch their relationship unfold. Traveling cross country in such close quarters it was inevitable they'd start to fall for one another. I rate My Daddy the Duke a B.

©Susan Falk and phantomroses.com