Diana Quincy

Desire knows no reason... When Lady Delilah Chambers finds herself stranded at a country inn on a rain-swept evening, she's forced to fend off a group of ruffians with the help of a handsome gentleman. Irresistibly drawn to each other, Leela and the stranger spend one reckless night in each others' arms--and then go their separate ways. But the very next day Leela receives the shock of her life when she meets the duke who is set on wedding her beloved stepdaughter. When it finds two destined hearts... One night isn't enough with a woman as fierce, fiery, and brilliant as Leela. Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, cannot believe his good fortune when their chance encounter leads to an unforgettable evening of passion. Yet Hunt's luck runs out when he is introduced to his prospective mother-in-law. Dowagers aren't supposed to look like this... Leela and Hunt are determined to keep each other at arm's length, which should be easy enough for two intelligent adults with reputations to uphold. The problem is all logic is lost when it comes to a passion that refuses to be ignored.

Her Night with the Duke

laura

I really enjoyed this read. I really loved this book was widow romance and also had a unique lead. It was fun read. I also loved that sisterhood was at the focus of this read. I also really did liked the romance as well. It was a fun read. I also liked how this book had a non-british lead. It was fun read and one that i flew through. I really am excited to read the second book in this series,

Alexis 

5/5 stars 

I absolutely loved this book. This was the first book that I've read by Diana Quincy and now I want to read more. The writing was very good and kept me invested in the book, I never wanted to put it down. I also adored our main character, she was so much better than I thought she would be. Don't even get me started on the romance! Everytime I read an interaction between thoese too I was left swonning just a little, and loved every second of it. I highly recommend everyone picking up a copy of this book.

b.andherbooks

Lady Delilah has an epic one night stand with a mystery man who turns out to be the Duke engaged to her former daughter in law! GASP, scandal!

I was hooked in with this premise, but ultimately was not won over by the romance. 

The overall arc, going from epic night of love making, to discovering both Elliot and Leela are connected by the young woman Elliot intends to marry, and fighting their pants feelings for each other never made me feel like they actually got to know each other or were actually in love, not lust. 

Elliot didn't earn his HEA with Leela, and ultimately I was not thrilled with the way some of the other plot points played out, and I found myself skimming to get to the end.

CW: cheating (depends on how you view it), attempted sexual assault on page, racism, vomit, pregnancy

The rest of this review is spoilery

(view spoiler)[Leela is a biracial heroine, and this is an "own-voices" author. I cannot comment on the rep, but the way Elliot thinks about Leela's looks were often in juxtaposition to his feelings about Victoria's looks (a described pale English rose). Victoria is also very young, and I liked her relationship with Leela, but I did not like that it was suddenly okay for Elliot to take Leela as his mistress because Victoria eloped with his title-less friend. Leela's ex-step-son (they are the same age) also attempts to force himself on Leela to make her his mistress and black mail her so he can keep lands/a house left to her by his father and her now dead husband. She cuts his cheek open to make him have a scar, then sits and has tea with him? The incident is kind of brushed off as a "one-off." Leela is also self-described as barren throughout the story, she and Elliot take no precaution during sex, and Elliot needing an heir is something "he gives up" so they can be together. Then the epilogue comes and she's had his baby. I'm tired of this plot point.  (hide spoiler)]

Thus, I enjoyed learning about Leela's character but I did not enjoy the romance.

I received an ARC from the publisher for review, and checked out a copy from the library.

Lacey

I hadn't read a new-to-me author in a while, so when Avon pitched Diana Quincy to me and I saw a friend of mine love Her Night with the Duke, I had to give it a try. And I'm so glad I did – I loved this forbidden historical romance! I honestly haven't read enough forbidden romances that are also historical, so this was a great change of pace. The Duke hero, Elliot, has a woman in mind to marry for duty, but he ends up falling for her stepmother instead. SPICY!

Elliot and Leela meet one night rainy night at an inn and feel a connection right from the start. They share a passionate night together before they find out who they are to each other when Elliot shows up at Leela's home, and that a relationship between them would be impossible. Elliot wants to throw everything away to be with Leela, but Leela, who is dear friends with her stepdaughter, refuses to hurt Victoria. There is so much push and pull, with a good dose of angst – all of it was so well-written. I was hurting for Elliot and Leela and wishing for a way for them to be together.

I love how unique the heroine's character is. Leela is a Dowager countess who married an older count when she was very young, young enough to be closer in age to her stepdaughter and stepson than her late husband. She’s half Arab, half English, and feels like she's never really belonged to either part of her family. She does explore more of her mother’s roots as she travels around the world to gain experience for her writing.

I'm now a big fan of Diana Quincy – the author wrote such a swoony hero in Elliot, who falls deep and hard for Leela. The forbidden aspect was set up and executed well. I can't wait to read more in the Clandestine Affairs series and am so looking forward to Elliot's Viscount friend, Griffin's story next!

Ishika Jain

Desire knows no reason... When Lady Delilah Chambers finds herself stranded at a country inn on a rain-swept evening, she’s forced to fend off a group of ruffians with the help of a handsome gentleman. Irresistibly drawn to each other, Leela and the stranger spend one reckless night in each others’ arms—and then go their separate ways. But the very next day Leela receives the shock of her life when she meets the duke who is set on wedding her beloved stepdaughter. When it finds two destined hearts... One night isn’t enough with a woman as fierce, fiery, and brilliant as Leela. Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, cannot believe his good fortune when their chance encounter leads to an unforgettable evening of passion. Yet Hunt’s luck runs out when he is introduced to his prospective mother-in-law. Dowagers aren’t supposed to look like this... Leela and Hunt are determined to keep each other at arm’s length, which should be easy enough for two intelligent adults with reputations to uphold. The problem is all logic is lost when it comes to a passion that refuses to be ignored.

Her Night with the Duke

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