A Duchess in Name The Grantham Girls 1 The plot of A Duchess in Name, the first book of The Grantham Girls series, revolves around the themes of technology evolution, personal paradigms, love, and survival. Set in the late 19th century, the story follows the lives of two protagonists, Victoria Carson and Andrew Hargrave, who are forced into a marriage of convenience due to their families' financial situations. Victoria, an American heiress and graduate of Lady Grantham's finishing school, has been groomed since birth to marry an English title, the grander the better. However, when she meets her husband-to-be, the forbidding Earl of Dunnley, she realizes that he seems to hate her on sight. Despite this, she understands that love cannot be a factor in this arranged marriage. Andrew, on the other hand, has little use for his title and his cold, disinterested parents. Determined to make his own way, he works as an archaeologist in Italy until his family's fortune collapses, bringing him back to England and a marriage he never wanted. As the two protagonists navigate their unwanted union, they begin to develop feelings for each other. However, their relationship is threatened by the deception that binds them, which may not be enough to overcome the truth when it is finally revealed.

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