Miss Lydia Whitfield has known what her future holds since her father's death some years before. She's done everything in her power to make sure that it all comes to fruition, including the running of the family estate and planning to marry the man her father picked out for her before his untimely death. She's even gone so far as to have her solicitor's apprentice, Mr. Robert Newton, begin drawing up the marriage contracts. Everything has been going pretty much according to plan. That is, until Lydia and Robert are kidnapped. 
 Robert and Lydia do manage to escape, but, through the dictates of society, if any of it becomes public knowledge Lydia's reputation will be ruined. Now, Robert and Lydia need to find out who would want to ruin Lydia and who wants her out of the way of her estate. While trying to unravel this mystery, Lydia discovers that maybe all her well-laid plans are not what she wants out of her life after all. Especially as she and Robert form and undeniable attachment to one another. 
 I really enjoyed Cindy Anstey's first book Love, Lies and Spies. So when I started reading Duels and Deceptions, I was really happy that the overall feel of the story was kept in the same vein as it's predecessor. I love the regency period and I think that Anstey gives such a delightful perspective on society especially in the character of Lydia Whitfield. She is such a by-the-book character. She's up on and follows the rules of society, yet she's still a willful soon to be of-age woman. I loved her intelligence, and I loved the fact that the main conflict of the story didn't require Lydia to lose any of that intelligence, or sharp observations. Meaning the solving of the mystery wasn't contingent upon things Lydia just didn't understand or chose to ignore. 
 For his part Robert Newton was a wonderful hero to Lydia's heroine. Robert is apprenticing to be a lawyer. I loved his think-things-through mentality. He is not a man governed by rash decisions. Instead he sees a conflict and tries to solve it in the least messy way possible. I loved that, despite their undeniable attraction, Robert and Lydia form a friendship first and foremost. Even though the deeper feelings are there, in keeping with society's predilections, Robert and Lydia would never be considered a match. This allows them to begin a friendship first, and the romance kind of blooms afterwards in a very sweet and natural way. 
 Overall, I really enjoyed Duels and Deceptions. I think I actually liked it more than Loves, Lies, and Spies to be honest. The mystery kept me guessing, as there are multiple shady character running about within the story. But in the end it was the regency setting that really kept me reading. 
 *Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.