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Series · historical romance

Desperate Duchesses

by Eloisa James

The Desperate Duchesses series by Eloisa James has 9 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Desperate Duchesses (2007).

Books
9 books
First published
2007
Status
completed
Last checked

Start here: Desperate Duchesses (2007) — then read straight through in publication order.

Book one

Cover of Desperate Duchesses, the first book in Desperate Duchesses

Desperate Duchesses (2007)

Reading order

The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.

  1. Desperate Duchesses

    Novel

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  2. An Affair Before Christmas

    Novel

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  3. Duchess by Night

    Novel

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  4. When the Duke Returns

    Novel

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  5. This Duchess of Mine

    Novel

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  6. A Duke of Her Own

    Novel

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  7. Three Weeks With Lady X

    Novel

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  8. Four Nights with the Duke

    Novel

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  9. Seven Minutes in Heaven

    Novel

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About the Desperate Duchesses series

Desperate Duchesses is Eloisa James's longest-running series, following a wide circle of Georgian-era duchesses, dukes and their friends across nine interconnected novels centered on chess, scandal and the marriage games of the era's high society. Desperate Duchesses (2007) opens the series, followed the same year by An Affair Before Christmas, then Duchess by Night and When the Duke Returns (both 2008), This Duchess of Mine and A Duke of Her Own (both 2009). Three Weeks With Lady X (2014) and Four Nights with the Duke (2014) form a loosely connected spinoff pair within the same world, and Seven Minutes in Heaven (2017) closes out the series.

Across its nine books the series builds one of James's largest ensemble casts, with chess matches functioning as a recurring motif for the strategic games of courtship and reputation her characters play across Georgian London.

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in the Desperate Duchesses series?

Nine: Desperate Duchesses (2007), An Affair Before Christmas (2007), Duchess by Night (2008), When the Duke Returns (2008), This Duchess of Mine (2009), A Duke of Her Own (2009), Three Weeks With Lady X (2014), Four Nights with the Duke (2014), and Seven Minutes in Heaven (2017).

Why is there a gap between A Duke of Her Own and Three Weeks With Lady X?

Eloisa James returned to the Desperate Duchesses world five years after A Duke of Her Own (2009) to continue the series with three further books connected to the same social circle.

What order should I read Desperate Duchesses in?

Publication order, which is also the order the ensemble cast's storylines unfold in across the nine books.

Is Desperate Duchesses connected to James's other series?

No -- it's a standalone series, unconnected to her Essex Sisters or Fairy Tales books, though it shares her recurring interest in dukes and duchesses.

Is a tenth Desperate Duchesses book planned?

None has been announced as of August 2026; the series appears complete.

Reading order last verified .