Name: Lover of Romance 's review of My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid
Item: My Darling Duke
Rating: 4
Author: Lover of Romance

Stacy Reid

“Lush, beautifully written, and deeply romantic, My Darling Duke will sweep you off your feet. My heart was lost to this couple from the very start.” —Amalie Howard, author of The Beast of Beswick Miss Katherine Danvers has always been a wallflower. But now, with her family on the brink of financial ruin, she finds herself a desperate wallflower. To save her family, she’ll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan... She’ll impress the ton by simply announcing she is engaged to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, and secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the duke in years. Surely he’ll never find out before her sisters’ weddings, and she can go back to her own quiet life. Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, it’s just a few new ball gowns on the duke’s accounts. Then, it’s interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the ton—with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fiancé. But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives in the city, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expected... Each book in the Sinful Wallflowers series is STANDALONE: * My Darling Duke * Her Wicked Marquess

My Darling Duke

Lover of Romance 

“Lush, beautifully written, and deeply romantic, My Darling Duke will sweep you off your feet. My heart was lost to this couple from the very start.” —Amalie Howard, author of The Beast of Beswick Miss Katherine Danvers has always been a wallflower. But now, with her family on the brink of financial ruin, she finds herself a desperate wallflower. To save her family, she'll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan... She’ll impress the ton by simply announcing she is engaged to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, and secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the duke in years. Surely he’ll never find out before her sisters’ weddings, and she can go back to her own quiet life. Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, it’s just a few new ball gowns on the duke’s accounts. Then, it’s interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the ton—with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fiancé. But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives in the city, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expected...

dija

Rebecca

I’ve accidentally read 3 beauty and the beast retellings in a single week. This one was pretty mediocre, but it gets the job done. Feels like the story could’ve resolved earlier, and there were some ridiculous tropes in it but it was overall a fun ride.

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance


“I believe people look away because it is uncomfortable to gaze upon another’s pain when it is bare for the world to see. How do they relate? Or offer words of compassion when they truly cannot understand your pain?”


My Review
First Impressions
The moment I started this audiobook I was actually hooked right away into the story, and I am not sure if it was the writing itself or the talent of the narrator, but I was really pulled into the story and now I am kinda wishing that I had read this one physically and not in the audio format because I might have enjoyed it more. But maybe not, you never do know. I was really drawn into this story here and see what it brought to the forefront and there were so many factors that brought this book into such an array of enjoyment and even though there were elements to the story that I didn’t like, I also loved this sweet romance in ways that I can see why this author has become so well-loved so quickly. I think if you enjoy fewer descriptions in historicals and less authentic historical feels then this one will definitely work in many ways for you. And even though I quite liked this story I didn’t quite love it like I was expecting to.


“The beauty of silence is that it simply is. In the stillness and tranquility, I find peace. Instead of being afraid of the void, I embrace it.”


Summary
Miss Katherine Danvers, while part of a titled family, are a less financially fortunate one. She has been out in the Ton for a few years and hasn’t had many opportunities for much. But then she finds a way to make an opportunity for both herself and her family. She decides to pose as a distant Duke’s fiancee. He is far from London, and what are the odds that he will ever discover what she has truly done. But her fake engagement has take the Ton by storm and surprise when the Duke himself who has kept himself closed off from society enters the doors of a social gathering and all of the ton are there, and now they both are making the pretense of being madly in love. They make a pact with each other that they will provide some opportunity for them both. Alexander Master, ten years ago, suffered a horrible accident from a fire and lost much of the use of his legs, and is scarred in certain areas and he once scared many members of society and has spent years in seclusion. But there is something about Katherine that has made his body and mind come alive with every touch. He knows the time they have together is short, but he is willing to take the risk and enjoy the moment with her. Katherine realizes that winning the heart of the Duke won’t be so easy. He might view this as temporary, but she is determined to win the man’s heart and fight for the love they share.

What I Loved
My Darling Duke was such a sweet romance and it also contained one of my favorite elements in a romance. As much as I love seeing a hero fight for the heroine, my true catnip is actually the heroine fighting for the hero and the heroine in this book was so badass in that she was willing to fight for the Duke’s heart and hand. She falls for him pretty quickly, and even though she knows it won’t be easy to tear down the barriers that he has built for himself, she is also a fighter. While she is financially in need, she also recognizes how good she and Alex are together. I truly adored seeing these sensual moments that build between these two. Seeing their intimacy and bond deepens with each encounter. I also couldn’t seem to get enough of seeing the romance that came to the forefront and oh the SWOONY MOMENTS that just tugged at my heartstrings. Stacy Reid definitely knows how to write those feels that just endear you so quickly. This story had me smiling all over the place for all these endearing moments that won me so quickly.


“I would lay the world at your feet if I could, Katherine.”

“I do not need the whole world. Just a little bit of you, Alexander”



What I Stuggled With
Now for the tough part, on the reasons why the rating was lower than I expected it to be. I will be honest, when I first started this book I actually thought it might get to a five-star, that is how good it worked for me at first. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out that way. I think part of the reason is how fast I was listening to the audiobook, just this experience shows me I need to keep it at a moderate pace and that having it too fast just ruins the experience of having a story narrated for me. I also wished there was more historical authenticity with this one. And what I mean by that is if not for the phrases Ton and Duke, I could have thought this was a contemporary. There wasn’t much in the descriptions to convey that it was set in the 1800s, I definitely crave that more in a historical romance and this is something that can take away my enjoyment from reading a historical romance (that is kinda the point haha ) I want it to feel like I am taken back through time, and I just didn’t feel that in this one.

The Narration
I absolutely adored this narrator, it was so well done. I can’t wait to listen to more of this narrators work because I felt like she did such a wonderful job in her narrating abilities. She has such a likable voice, and she handles the male voices very well in my opinion, which can be hard for some female narrators. I really loved her tones of the emotions that she conveyed in the narration and it was just a enjoyable experience listening to her bring this story to life.

Overall View
My Darling Duke was such a story that will charm you with every sensual interaction. Its a story that conveys the tenderness of an intimate relationship and portrays the value of intimacy being more than just sexual need, that the emotional connection can only make those sexual moments sweeter. This book put this author on the map for me and I am excited to explore more of her work. Be ready for a historical romance to curl your toes and keep you wanting for more.

Love the dynamics between Kitty and Alexander. It's a simple read with lots of sexual tension. 

Karen

Emily

Probably pretty good for a historical romance but I just don’t think the genre is for me

Preye

Finished this in an afternoon and friends, this historical romance at its finest. I try to avoid exaggerating when writing but I won't be able to talk about how affected I am by this book without sounding hysterical. On the surface, it's the usual beauty et beast story: scarred and reclusive male and an outgoing boisterous female. What sets this apart is the disability rep and mental health inclusivity. The author took very delicate issues and handled them with such care and I say this is a work well done. I will definitely be returning to this text in the future and I'm very happy that my final reads of the year are turning out well!

Nicki

This was a beautiful classic beauty and the beast story and I loved every moment of it. I adored Kitty and Alexander’s love story so much. Alexander was such a beautifully tortured soul and I really wish them all the happiness together. It was beautifully written and I enjoyed how nicely the story flowed. I loved how much of a tease it was with the sexy times. I want to give this five stars but I don’t know if this is because of my current mental state. Perhaps we shall dote this a four star book for now then revisit it upon a re-read when my emotions are not so turbulent.

Tshering Yangzom

reasons why you should read this;

disability rep (hero is on wheelchair)
hero is scarred 
fake relationship/engagement
one bed trope
heroine is smart and witty
best quotes and lines were delivered 
hero is grumpy but with depth
heroine is very protective of the hero

i had such a fun time reading this historical romance. so the premise of the book is; the heroine is part of this group with her friends called sinful wallflowers, basically deemed as society's rejects (because they were not able to secure marriage which will in turn give them name and fortune), and they devise a plan to save their families/themselves with supposedly "wicked and indecent" plans to salvage the last of their reputation and family names. they have nothing to lose and so our heroine goes "go big or go home" and boy oh boy did she go big. our hero has been recluse from society for 10 years and after the news of his engagement to katherine (a fake engagement ruse that katherine came up with), he comes out of his self-imposed isolation to meet his supposed fiance. and he is taken by her before he even met her! (he kept tabs on her through newspaper and gossip articles and found her genuinely intriguing). i would like to say alexander, the hero, is a gentle giant and has a way with words because;

"You are loud and flamboyant, Cousin Miranda. Miss Danvers is something altogether different. A rare hothouse flower in the midst of hardened diamonds." BANGER

“It is not the frivolity of the season, empty, aimless chatter, and hypocrisy that fills the void in me.”
“What does?”
An uncomfortable beat, then he said, “You.”
HOLLERING


“With you I do not know who I am. I feel so much for you, my Katherine, and I do not want to hide it,” he said, holding her gaze with infinite tenderness and that flaming adoration.
NEED I DARESAY MORE?!

he wanted to spare katherine from himself because the thinks he is not able to give her the love and family she deserves. but katherine is very stubborn and doesn't leave his side. it is a very sweet and heart-warming tale of two lonesome souls finding companionship in each other and being each other's confidant. this novel, at the very core, is about blossoming friendship and love and sacrifices.

danielle bush

** spoiler alert **
           At the start of My Darling Duke we have Katherine Danvers and her friends deciding that they are going to find away to get what they want.. Katherine wants to help her family. 
So she comes up with a plan to claim to be engaged to a mysterious Duke named Alexander. No one has seen him in years and thinks he will never find out that she is pretending to be engaged to him. 

However Alexander who hasn't come to town in years due to a tragic accident (where is was burned, and had to jump out a window saving his sister from the fire. He has a bad limp. And mostly uses a wheelchair. ) finds out. 

But instead of being mad, he is intrigued. He follows Katherine in the papers seeing all the things she is saulying about him..
He decides to go to town and confront her.. 
When he does, he is even more intrigued and offers her a bargain. He wont tell anyone about the lie. If she will go back to his home with him for a week. With no one else. 

She agrees, and the slow burn romance starts.. they end up falling in love. Of course. Lol. 
This was really good. And I look forward to the next book in the series. 
I really loved Alexander. He's definitely a new book boyfriend..

B. K.

3.5 stars, rounded up. Could've benefited from more proofreading/copyediting, and got pretty cheesy at the end, but overall I liked our two main characters. In order for me to root for a couple, I need to understand why they like each other, what they would talk about when they're alone, etc. Physical attraction by itself is too boring to sustain a romance. I think that's why this story worked for me; Kitty and Alexander are attracted to each other, but their love is founded on genuinely enjoying each others' company. And I appreciated that Alexander disabilities aren't magically healed for the convenience of the plot.

I enjoyed this book so much. I do love a good fake it till you make it story and this one was delightful. I loved getting to read along as the layers were peeled back on both Katherine and Alexander. The slow burn build-up worked for me and there was plenty of humor, heat and heart to go along with it. This was my first Stacy Reid book, but it won't be my last. 

The only thing I didn't love about this book was the narrator for the audiobook. British voices can be hard for me sometimes and I just did not vibe with this narrator. Her voice was very soft-spoken and I had a hard time with it, even at louder volumes — and slower pace — than I'd normally listen to. But, since I'm pretty much only listening to books these days, I soldiered on in that format for the bulk of the book. It wasn't enough to take me totally out of the story, but it did impact my enjoyment to a point.

Celia Adams

3.5 Stars
You know what fine, I've decided I'm owning up to the romance novels I read this year because....I kinda just want to be able to point out when they are or aren't problematic. And I'm so pleased to say this one didn't have any weird consent issues or uncomfortable moments of men getting unreasonably angry at women for living their lives. And the premise was fun and the characters were really likable so... go you Stacy Reid.

Ann-Loy

OKAY STACY!! Historical romance that isn’t puritanical, we love to see it. Leading man has a tragical story and man, it hurt my heart. But love heals all wounds! Like, literally all. Read the book and you’ll know what I mean lol

Lacey

3.5-4 stars! I've been wanting to read a Stacy Reid book for a while, and I'm glad I got to this one! It's so different from the other historical romances, or romances in general, that I've read, and I liked that. It just lagged during the middle of the story and I wanted the romance to pick up a bit. But I really enjoyed Kitty, Alexander, and their Beauty & the Beast twist. I can't wait to read more from the Sinful Wallflowers series!

Lover of Romance &
My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid

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My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid