Reviews

Return of the Duke by Lorraine Heath

tufriel's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

shoversten's review against another edition

5.0

I am officially declaring this a must read series, especially if you want to get into HR. This book was so sexy

mostlyfated's review against another edition

2.0

I had so much anticipation for this book but it just turned out to be a dud for me. I really enjoyed the first two of this series and was soooo looking forward to reading about the duke that has been referenced in the previous stories. But alas, it was not meant to be. The book has so much potential but I felt there was too much time spent on these two characters trying to solve the conflict and too much plot and the romance was just lacking.

For me to really enjoy a historical romance, there needs to be emphasis on the romance. The entire time when I was reading, it felt like a suspense or mystery novel than anything else. I also found the female character to be really selfish and not willing to make any sacrifices for the relationship with the hero (it was him doing most of the sacrificing) and that was just off with me.

This series started out with so much potential but ended with a dud.

rngsnapdragon's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I’m just not super into spy thrillers

meganh10's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

tippyloohoo's review against another edition

3.0

It has been a while since I've read the first two books in Lorraine Heath's Once Upon a Dukedom series so it took me a few chapters to remember who everyone was and what had happened previously. The main male protagonist, Marcus, is known as Wolf in the previous books. I remember being intrigued by his character and wanting to know more about what he was really up to since it was all pretty cloak and dagger. This book delivered on that, though I didn't find his as compelling as I had hoped. However, his love interest was a different story. I loved Esme! I am here for a woman in her early 30's being the main character. Down with debutants! Esme is fierce and capable and a perfect leading lady. I could read a whole other book about her and what she was up to before Marcus showed up. So while I didn't 100% love everything about this story it was still really enjoyable.

andrea_author's review against another edition

5.0

Marcus was heir apparent to a dukedom until his father was convicted of treason. Disgraced and penniless, Marcus is determined to rehabilitate his family name by capturing the plot's ringleader. His investigation forces him to team up with courtesan Esme—but he soon learns she's not what she appears. Can they escape danger and find their way to love?

I love these characters! There's a lot going on in this book, and the author handles it all expertly. Sparkling banter, an intricate plot, and a triumphant ending. What a great way to wrap up the series!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

pareads's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

5.0

greylandreviews's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

I loved Esme character but Marcus wasn't my cup of tea. The spy/espionage plot line I enjoyed and glimpse of other characters from previous books and series was nice also. I will be binging all her previous backlist possibly in February or March.

bookishmya's review against another edition

4.0

An exciting story of mystery, intrigue and a great passion. Falling for his father's mistress was never what Marcus expected, he expected to be a duke but that was lost to him when his father was stripped of his title for treason. In a bid to find some justice for his family's loss, he embarks on a journey to find the others his father must have been working with. This led him to Esme, his father's mistress and they reluctantly begin to work together in this quest. What results is a wild ride because nothing is as it seemed and one truth after another are slowly unveiled. Passions quickly build, mysteries unravel and even more questions are uncovered. This story will keep you guessing and glued to the page.