The first 90 percent of A Duchess a Day by Charis Michaels was a perfectly fine Regency romance. Heroine Helena is engaged against her will to a nasty duke whose family will obtain a piece of land that will further its shipping interests when they marry. Hero Declan is hired by the duke's family to make sure Helena does not run away. Sparks ensue, My Bodyguard, etc., etc.
The duchess a day referred to in the title is Helena's plan to find another woman for the nasty duke to fall in love with so he will break the engagement. This is an okay plan, I guess, as middling Regency romance plans go.
Out of the blue, the resolution to Helena's dilemma is blindingly stupid writing. It undoes the duke's characterization throughout the whole book and is dependent on sheer luck.
SPOILERS AHEAD
There is a subplot in the book that seems intriguing, again until the blindingly stupid end. Someone wearing a black cloak is following Helena and Declan around and spying on them. In private stables. At a country fair miles from town. Everywhere. The duke at one point reveals both humanity and his knowledge of the relationship between Helena and Declan, so he is a likely candidate. So is Helena's sister, who we are told, but not really shown, is perceptive. Or could it be the duke's wicked uncle, who hired Declan? Or someone else hired by him?
The answer is none of the above. The answer is -- again, blindingly stupid. Out of courtesy I won't reveal it here -- but I promise that no reader will see it coming because there is no groundwork whatsoever laid for it in the book.
I did not realize until I read the author's note at the end that she was modeling her story on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Huh? Yes, Declan is called The Huntsman, and there's another character with a fairy tale like name, and either the narrator or Helena refers to the girls she tries to set the duke up with by the names of the dwarves (like, Sneezy for the one with allergies) -- but names aside, none of the plot tracks the Snow White story. Helena's dilemma has nothing in common with Snow White's dilemma. She owns an apple orchard, which I guess could make her the wicked queen, but she doesn't poison anyone or harm anyone in any way. And the dwarves in this novel are non-entities who barely interact with any of the main characters.
I honestly don't believe this plot can be saved. A more creative author might have started with this germ of an idea and taken it somewhere worthwhile. Michaels did not manage it.
