Determined to save her father’s newspaper, brashly assertive Abigail Shaw decides to write a scandalous article about the resident Duke, Christopher Cabot, in order to increase the paper’s circulation.  When her best friend includes her in an invitation to a house party at the Duke’s estate, Abby seizes the opportunity.  Disguised as a lady of a higher class, she attends the party to snoop around the estate and question the servants for a hint of scandal.  The closer she gets to Christopher and his lovely mother and sister, however, the less she wants to make trouble for the family.  At her own suggestion, Abby and Christopher team as pretend lovers in order to discourage husband-hunting party attendees from harassing the Duke.

When a reporter from a rival newspaper appears on the scene along with another woman longing to become a duchess, Abby becomes increasingly protective of her newfound companion, Christopher.  After days of playing at having a mutual attraction and love affair, their pretend relationship becomes the real thing.  Yet there are problems that must be overcome:  They are of different classes; she lied to him repeatedly; and he has a dark secret in his past.

Complete with a ghost hunt, archery tournament, fencing match, and numerous romantic encounters, Never Dare a Duke presents engaging characters in an adventurous story sure to please fans of historical fiction.