Tag: #DukeDynasty

Undercover Duke by Sabrina Jeffries

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Mystery, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Undercover Duke (Duke Dynasty, #4)Undercover Duke by Sabrina Jeffries

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Duke Dynasty, #4

Release Date: May 25, 2021

This series started when after the deaths of 3 husbands and her brother-in-law, the Duchess of Armitage’s children begin to wonder if foul play was involved and set out to discover the truth. After a lot of frustration and dead ends, the siblings have narrowed their suspects down to three ladies that were present at the time of the deaths of the duchess’s first two husbands. One of the ladies is the Duke of Greycourt’s aunt, but with his wife entering confinement with their first child, Grey tasks his half-brother Sheridan Wolfe, the Duke of Armitage with interviewing his aunt, Lady Eustance. With no real reason to call on her, Sheridan forms a plan to pretend to woo her daughter, Vanessa Pryde. An idea that takes wings when Vanessa agrees to play along if Sheridan will help her make the playwright, Konrad Juncker jealous enough to offer for her.

Vanessa has no interest in Mr. Juncker, Sheridan has always been the man she wanted, but he has never paid any interest in her at all and has made it clear that he is not looking to marry any time soon. She is hopeful that if he spends time with her, she can change his mind. But what she doesn’t know is that Sheridan’s heart was broken years ago and he refuses to risk it again – no matter how much Vanessa tempts him. But when they are caught in a passionate embrace, the only way to protect Vanessa is to marry her. Sheridan rationalizes his eagerness by thinking that he is keeping her out of the clutches of the rakish Mr. Juncker, that her dowry will help shore up his failing estate and he will have credible access to her mother for questioning – that is his story and he is sticking to it!

After they marry, Vanessa learns the real reason he started wooing her and is hurt, but she wants to clear her mother’s name and offers to help. But Sheridan was not the only one with secrets and these two will have to come clean and open their hearts to get their HEA, assuming that the killer doesn’t strike again before they get the chance!

This was a good book, well-written and nicely paced with wonderful characters and the conclusion to a series-long, well-thought-out, and perfectly executed murder mystery. The book is full of secrets, steamyish love scenes, great characters, cameos from previous heroes/heroines, a hero with a broken heart, a heroine who knows what she wants, and a nail-biter ending as well as a very sweet and satisfying epilogue. I enjoyed this book and am happy to recommend it. This is the fourth book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone, I would strongly recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *

The Bachelor by Sabrina Jeffries

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

The Bachelor (Duke Dynasty, #2)The Bachelor by Sabrina Jeffries

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Duke Dynasty, #2

Release Date: February 25, 2020

Lady Gwyn Drake has a history with Lionel Malet that goes back much further than their recent encounter when he tried to abduct a heiress. He is blackmailing her and if she doesn’t pay, he says he will tell the press about the affair they had ten years ago and ruin her. Gwyn never told anyone about the one night she spent in his bed or the consequences and will do anything to keep her secrets. Thinking she can intimidate him, she pulls a gun, but is quickly disarmed and would have been in trouble if she wasn’t saved from him by Major Joshua Wolfe. A man she has long been attracted to and who clearly doesn’t feel the same, or so she thinks.

Joshua is the current Duke of Armitage’s cousin and acting estate gamekeeper. Joshua was gravely wounded in battle years ago and is desperate to return to active duty. His letters to the War Office have been ignored, so when Gwyn’s brother the Duke of Thornstock asks him to act as her bodyguard in London, he agrees and hopes that he can finally get some answers from the War Office and keep his attraction to Gwyn a secret. He feels unworthy of her, even though he is the grandson of a duke and a war hero.

He is not sure what is going on with Gwyn and Malet, but he thinks there is more than what Thorn and Gwyn have told him and when there is an attempt to sabotage their coach, he is sure of it. He is determined to get answers and keep Gwyn at arm’s length – but she won’t make it easy!

I thought this was a great addition to the series. Gwyn and Joshua are both a little broken and both have trust issues, they are clearly perfect for each other, but neither is going to make the journey to HEA a smooth ride! The book has some amusing dialogue, a lot of secrets, a bit of intrigue, some steamyish love scenes, a great supporting cast of characters, a nasty villain and finally HEA. I did feel like the book dragged a bit towards the end and I was disappointed that Gwyn never actually says “I love you” to Joshua – it is implied, but for me – it’s not the same. This is the second book in the series, but there is also a linked novella in the anthology Seduction on a Snowy Night that is Heywood and Cass’s story and the events in that book are closely linked to this story – so while this book is easily read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the novella “A Perfect Match” if you want a bit more backstory. Overall, I am happy to recommend this book and I look forward to the next installment.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*