A review by joreadsromance
Dare to Love a Duke by Eva Leigh

3.0

Didn't hit the mark for me
3 stars

This is the third book in the Scandalous Ladies of London series (also known as the [b:London Underground|40721889|Not a book|NOT A BOOK|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1555345628l/40721889._SX50_.jpg|63343933] series). While the couples from the first two books ([b:From Duke Till Dawn|31931749|From Duke Till Dawn (The London Underground, #1)|Eva Leigh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544946325l/31931749._SY75_.jpg|52586127] and [b:Counting on a Countess|35068619|Counting on a Countess (The London Underground, #2)|Eva Leigh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544945243l/35068619._SY75_.jpg|56364069] respectively) pop up in this tale - this can be read entirely as a standalone.

I enjoyed the first two books in the series - giving them both 4 stars - but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. I think that might partly have been because both Tom and Amina/Lucia have appeared throughout the series with little glimpses that set out to tempt readers into wanting to know the couple’s story. Instead, I always thought they were a mismatched pair which definitely had me going into this book waiting to be convinced.

And I was not convinced.

I normally like a couple who are hugely different in some way and have to find a way to overcome their situation/temprement/ideals etc to be together. In this story, I found Lucia and Tom were so similar - jaded, world wise characters - that even their difference in stations hardly seemed insurmountable.

I also very much enjoy sex in a story - in fact I prefer a story with some graphic shenanigans going on and if there’s graphic language it’s all the better. So I was very much surprised that I found the sex, and the descriptions of the Orchid Club’s goings on, to be vulgar, gratuitous and a little gross. And the use of all the f-words in a Regency tale…well, it didn’t feel right, somehow.

Despite the writing being good, I found myself massively struggling to finish this book. I understand that much of this might have been due to my preconceived notions about the book and its characters - which is why I feel it’s only fair that I up my grading to 3 stars instead of my initial thoughts of 2.

Not a book for me, but if you like the idea of a worldly woman who manages a sex club matching with a worldly duke who frequents said sex club - then this very well could be tale for you. But just 3 stars from me.