The Portrait of a Duchess is my first book by Scarlett Peckham. Set in the 18th century, this novel follows Cornelia, a renowned painter famous (or infamous) for immortalizing women whom society has deemed unworthy. She and her friends are determined to fund an institute dedicated to women’s equality and education, but securing a location for her art exhibition proves challenging.
Enter Rafe—the male protagonist, a newly minted duke, and, as it turns out, Cornelia’s long-estranged husband. Their marriage was one of convenience, and they never lived together, but now, he has news of an inheritance that could secure her financial future—provided she is married. With mutual goals in mind, they strike a bargain: if she returns to her childhood home, she can use it for her exhibition.
Rafe is a big-hearted man who falls in love easily, while Cornelia fiercely guards her independence, knowing that in her time, a wife was legally her husband’s property. The novel boldly explores themes of autonomy, love, and the constraints of marriage, making it a refreshing yet unconventional historical romance.
This book may not be for everyone—it challenges traditional romance tropes, and the ending isn’t the standard happily ever after. But for historical romance readers open to an independent heroine and a nontraditional approach to monogamy, this is a compelling and thought-provoking read.
Anna Bushi 