FROM CHIRP: Domineering Marcus Wyndham stands to inherit all the heirless Earl of Chase owns — until it’s discovered the late Earl left his estate to his illegitimate daughter, Josephina Cochrain. If only the pair could find a way to work together…

FROM AMAZON: At the age of nine, Josephina Cochrane is mockingly dubbed the "Duchess" by her half-cousin, Marcus Wyndham. Little does Marcus suspect that the Duchess will one day reign sovereign over his own future. For the Earl of Chase, the Duchess's father and Marcus' uncle, leaves a double-edged inheritance, a legacy that will bind their fates.
When the Earl of Chase dies without a son, Marcus stands to inherit his fortune and title. But the old earl, bitter that Marcus escaped the tragedy that claimed the lives of his two sons, has laced his legacy with vengeful stipulations.

But there is another Wyndham legacy, one beyond the Earl of Chase's rank and holdings - a treasure from long ago that's shrouded in legend. Before the rival legacies can be settled, the Duchess and Marcus must solve two mysteries - one from the past and one that shadows the present.

Trigger warning: Rape.

I read this for Romance Book Bingo: Wedding Bells square. If I have to read this horrible book I am going to make it count towards something.

Lord. Some of my favorite romance reads do not age well at all. Can we just say right now, that forceful marital relations (rape) between the hero and heroine is just appalling and gross to read about. I get it, those were the times, but I don't want to read about it if I can help it. Marcus sucked and I wanted the Duchess to run off and leave his butt somewhere. Plus they were first cousins and no, just a thousand times no. My gross out sentiment was running high while I was reading this. And the Duchess also drugs and forces the hero to marry her and man I don't think I am on anyone's side in this.

The Wyndham Legacy follows Marcus (hero) and the Duchess (heroine). We find out that the Duchess is the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Chase. He instructs his daughter she is to marry the new Earl of Chase, her cousin Marcus and Marcus doesn't inherit if he doesn't marry the Duchess. We have the American side of the family coming over thinking they will get some money (oh joy, terrible Americans) and this whole book was a who who of who do you hope gets it first.

I don't even get this book. Marcus who does rightfully have a bone to pick with the Duchess drugging him and marrying him against his will is just terrible. He rapes his new wife twice and verbally abuses her almost until the end of the book. One time when he threatens her she defends herself and knocks him unconscious. I recall in later books they are all in love, but did I just block this mess out when I was a teenager? I hope I wasn't swooning over this mess. Man, I probably did. I am just going to hang my head in shame right now.

The Duchess is called that since she is aloof and cold. Well shoot, you get why quick and in a hurry why she acts this way. It's a defense mechanism from Marcus and others who would hurt her. Him goading her in order to get her to break was way too "The Taming of the Shrew" for me. You get repeated references to the Duchess being a bastard which somehow means she is less than any other human being in the room at any one time. I wish she had told Marcus to pound sand.

There are "love" scenes, I skipped over them so I can't tell you much about them.

Secondary characters are so paper thin and evil you have to wonder why in the world Marcus and the Duchess even let them anywhere near them. The only saving grace were the servants in this one. They needed to just kill everyone and take over the estate.

The plot is really just about the fact that Marcus and the Duchess could lose their sizable inheritance if they don't stay married. The whole book is just people trying to off them. The flow is bad, we just go from one awful scene to another when eventually Marcus is all sorry about all those times I raped you.

The ending was just a quick wrap up of things, and also of Marcus and the Duchess being in love. ( )

První kniha trilogie Závěť.

Hrabě z Chase patří k mužům, kteří zplodí mimo svůj domácí krb nemanželské dítě. Dceru Josephinu má s ženou, k níž ho váže hluboký vztah. Když dívenka trochu povyroste, začne ji hrabě brávat jednou ročně na několik týdnů na své rodinné sídlo jako údajnou neteř, ačkoli okolí tuší, jak to ve skutečnosti je. Ve stejné době obvykle přijíždí ke strýci také synovec Marcus, tentokrát nefalšovaný. Krásné Josephině všichni říkají Vévodkyně. Po letech dojde k velkým změnám v domě stárnoucího hraběte: jeho synové tragicky zahynou, později se hrabě stane vdovcem a může v tajnosti uzavřít sňatek s Josephininou matkou. Jak se vyřeší podivuhodné dědické řízení po smrti hraběte, když celá pravda vyjde najevo a z Marcuse náhle není univerzální dědic? Závěť je totiž sepsána tak ďábelsky, aby se Marcus a Josephina museli vzít. Marcus se bouří a nechce se podvolit. Kdo ho přiměje ke sňatku s Vévodkyní a jakým způsobem toho dosáhne? A kdo zjistí, zda na pozemcích hrabství je skutečně ukryt pohádkový poklad? Nebude to někdo docela jiný než Marcus s Josephinou? ( )

Good not great. Fairly typical historical romance. ( )

This story is set in the regency period. It is the first of the legacy series. It has romances,treasure hunt, tragedy, greed, and mysteries. You will fall in love with the charactors. ( )