The Ugly Duchess is about boy who had to marry the girl he cares about because of the mistakes of his father and also about a young girl who in love with a boy who betrays her. While the other quarter-half is about a young girl who became woman who brave the world and a boy who became a pirate who rule the sea. 
 Basically that was the story of this book. Honestly, this is the second Victorian book in a row that doesn't read like a normal average historical romance. Again, its the sex thing. I don't know why, but this book is quite possibly more explicit than an average historical romance but not so much like Samantha Kane's The Devil's Thief. Most of the time the two character interact was on a bed even after they had several years of separation. 
 And the book uses too much exposition around the end of the book, it does feel awkward while reading the book after the initial story arc. In fact, the book is more predictable than ever. The only saving grace was when James burst into the parliament to announce that he's alive after all these years. 
 The story that intended to be an adaptation of the Ugly Duckling doesn't even work well with the storylines. I felt it was written reluctantly without any consideration. Its not just disjointed, its just plain disappointment.