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aureliaweaver's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
3.75
romancelibrary's review
4.0
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Duke Redemption is the long awaited book of Wickham Murray, who first appeared in The Viscount Always Knocks Twice from the Heart of Enquiry series. He was also quite the supporting character in Regarding the Duke, the previous book in the Game of Dukes series. Even though Wickham has jumped from one series to another, The Duke Redemption can easily be read as a standalone. Wickham has really grown from his role as a spoiled rake to a self-made man who worked his way up and redeemed himself in the process. As a railway industrialist, his latest business venture leads him to the heroine, Lady Beatrice, who refuses to sell him her land. Lady Beatrice left London seven years ago after an accident left a permanent scar on her face and Society named her Lady Beastly. She escaped to the countryside and now lives in seclusion with her tenants, who are mostly outcasts like herself.
I really enjoyed Wick and Bea’s love story and its delicious twist on the beauty and the beast trope. Physically scarred heroes are prevalent in the romance genre, but it is very rare to encounter heroines who are physically scarred. The author did an excellent job portraying the aftermath of Bea’s fall from being a popular debutante to being a reclusive spinster. Bea's trust issues are authentic to her character and I couldn't fault her for not trusting Wick in the beginning. But what I love the most about Bea and Wick’s relationship is that they clearly communicate with each other, even when Bea was still having reservations about him. Wick and Bea bring out the best in each other and I love how their relationship progressed in an organic way. Their love story is both incredibly steamy and heartfelt (the best of both worlds!). And when I say steamy, I mean S T E A M Y
The Duke Redemption is the long awaited book of Wickham Murray, who first appeared in The Viscount Always Knocks Twice from the Heart of Enquiry series. He was also quite the supporting character in Regarding the Duke, the previous book in the Game of Dukes series. Even though Wickham has jumped from one series to another, The Duke Redemption can easily be read as a standalone. Wickham has really grown from his role as a spoiled rake to a self-made man who worked his way up and redeemed himself in the process. As a railway industrialist, his latest business venture leads him to the heroine, Lady Beatrice, who refuses to sell him her land. Lady Beatrice left London seven years ago after an accident left a permanent scar on her face and Society named her Lady Beastly. She escaped to the countryside and now lives in seclusion with her tenants, who are mostly outcasts like herself.
I really enjoyed Wick and Bea’s love story and its delicious twist on the beauty and the beast trope. Physically scarred heroes are prevalent in the romance genre, but it is very rare to encounter heroines who are physically scarred. The author did an excellent job portraying the aftermath of Bea’s fall from being a popular debutante to being a reclusive spinster. Bea's trust issues are authentic to her character and I couldn't fault her for not trusting Wick in the beginning. But what I love the most about Bea and Wick’s relationship is that they clearly communicate with each other, even when Bea was still having reservations about him. Wick and Bea bring out the best in each other and I love how their relationship progressed in an organic way. Their love story is both incredibly steamy and heartfelt (the best of both worlds!). And when I say steamy, I mean S T E A M Y
velagirl1147's review
There is no one who loves a Beauty and the Beast retelling but this one didn't cut it for me. I didn't buy the fact that our FL was truly a beast and her emotional journey did not touch me. which is critical in a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
tlovesbooks's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
Good redemption arc for Wick. Bea got a little repetitive in not trusting herself or her love for Wick and putting him in a hard spot with his company.
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