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A review by thebritishbibliophile
One Night with the Duke by Jodi Ellen Malpas
5.0
One Night with the Duke (Belmore Square #1) by Jodi Ellen Malpas is the author's first dive into a regency-style romance novel, producing more than satisfactory results. Which will no doubt be echoed by fellow readers when it is their turn to spend (more) than one night with this captivating novel.
The craving has been here within me since finishing The Resurrection (Unlawful Men #3) to quench my Malpas thirst, and I knew from reading the blurb alone that One Night with the Duke would be the book for the job. I am most grateful to be given the opportunity to read this book in advance, and I am especially honoured that this is my first ever Jodi Ellen Malpas ARC read. I could think of no better way to pop that bookish cherry than with a read in a brand new series. Simply fantastic!
Without a shadow of a doubt, Jodi has nothing to fear with dipping her toes into this new genre in which she has not yet written within. Writing within the unknown--even if you have read plenty of the genre yourself--is always nerve-wracking, but it is down to the skill of the author and their ability to spin and craft a story which makes all the difference. Jodi has that skill and ability in spades. The flawlessness and excellent execution of this story did not give away that this was her first time writing such a novel, but rather showed instead that she is capable of standing among those who have been established within the genre for however long they been in it. There is no air of inexperience from either the novel or from Jodi. Her debut into the bookish regency ton, was a resounding success.
One Night with the Duke kept flawlessly to the classic elements of the regency genre we all know and love, without falling into the pitfalls of modernising the genre. It did not plague us with situations and circumstances within the modern age put into the time period, neither did it include any up-to-date terminology. Everything about this novel from its time-period appropriate & accurate social situations, dramatic twists and turns, taking-us-to-the-edge-suspense, and an added dash of something extra which put this read to the cream of the romance crop. Steam.
Jodi as in her unique way, brought the steam to the fictional realm of Belmore Square. Where I won't reveal how or why--as it would be unfair to those who have yet to read this novel--, I will disclose this. Even on today on the hottest day of the year for England, did it even come close to the heat and steam generated by the Duke and Miss Melrose. A few times we were brought to the edge , but when it really mattered that all important climactic moment was only the more satisfying. For fans of Jodi who have loved the succulent steam in her other books, you simply must pick this one up as well! This isn't just a read that will have you on the seat or the edge of, you will be off your seat and right there with the characters as they show us what they are made of. Needless to say, I did not read those scenes just the once. For one simply never goes just one round with the Duke.
The Duke and Miss Eliza Melrose have swiftly risen through the ranks to become two of my favourite all-time Jodi Ellen Malpas main characters. Where they both mix and mingle within the same social circle, they are as alike as they are dissimilar. Eliza is not a simpering wallflower of a woman who bends to society's will. Thanks to Jodi's writing and injection of humour and quick-wit, she is a woman who knows what she wants, how she thinks and isn't afraid to do what needs must. The Duke is as complex as they come. His brooding, alluringly mysterious nature and past ensnares Eliza to the fruit that is dangling so close to her face, but dare she take a bite out of the forbidden? And will the consequences be too much to tempt her to have one night with the Duke?
What Miss Melrose and The Duke have here is more than simple chemistry. They are as right for each other as night and day, and I can only commend Jodi for writing two characters who will no doubt be someone's favourites that they can champion as I did myself.
One simply cannot get enough of this awe-inspiring first novel in Jodi's brand new Belmore Square series and everything within its pages. The unpredictable journey to discover who The Duke is, was and will be with Eliza on his tail, filled with emotional upheaval, shocking revelations and societal ton dramatical events, does not make you--or I--feel that we were merely reading this from the pages of a book. We were in this story with all the players on the road to a conclusion to please all. And please it did.
As I am only able to give this book five stars as a rating, I would like to say that here and now this is not simply just a five-star read. What you're looking at here, ladies and gentlemen, is a one-hundred star read all the bookish ton must read.
Thank you to Jodi Ellen Malpas for not only providing us with a knockout read, but a read that has become a must read for all & a personal top read of 2022.
Fin...for now ;)
The craving has been here within me since finishing The Resurrection (Unlawful Men #3) to quench my Malpas thirst, and I knew from reading the blurb alone that One Night with the Duke would be the book for the job. I am most grateful to be given the opportunity to read this book in advance, and I am especially honoured that this is my first ever Jodi Ellen Malpas ARC read. I could think of no better way to pop that bookish cherry than with a read in a brand new series. Simply fantastic!
Without a shadow of a doubt, Jodi has nothing to fear with dipping her toes into this new genre in which she has not yet written within. Writing within the unknown--even if you have read plenty of the genre yourself--is always nerve-wracking, but it is down to the skill of the author and their ability to spin and craft a story which makes all the difference. Jodi has that skill and ability in spades. The flawlessness and excellent execution of this story did not give away that this was her first time writing such a novel, but rather showed instead that she is capable of standing among those who have been established within the genre for however long they been in it. There is no air of inexperience from either the novel or from Jodi. Her debut into the bookish regency ton, was a resounding success.
One Night with the Duke kept flawlessly to the classic elements of the regency genre we all know and love, without falling into the pitfalls of modernising the genre. It did not plague us with situations and circumstances within the modern age put into the time period, neither did it include any up-to-date terminology. Everything about this novel from its time-period appropriate & accurate social situations, dramatic twists and turns, taking-us-to-the-edge-suspense, and an added dash of something extra which put this read to the cream of the romance crop. Steam.
Jodi as in her unique way, brought the steam to the fictional realm of Belmore Square. Where I won't reveal how or why--as it would be unfair to those who have yet to read this novel--, I will disclose this. Even on today on the hottest day of the year for England, did it even come close to the heat and steam generated by the Duke and Miss Melrose. A few times we were brought to the edge , but when it really mattered that all important climactic moment was only the more satisfying. For fans of Jodi who have loved the succulent steam in her other books, you simply must pick this one up as well! This isn't just a read that will have you on the seat or the edge of, you will be off your seat and right there with the characters as they show us what they are made of. Needless to say, I did not read those scenes just the once. For one simply never goes just one round with the Duke.
The Duke and Miss Eliza Melrose have swiftly risen through the ranks to become two of my favourite all-time Jodi Ellen Malpas main characters. Where they both mix and mingle within the same social circle, they are as alike as they are dissimilar. Eliza is not a simpering wallflower of a woman who bends to society's will. Thanks to Jodi's writing and injection of humour and quick-wit, she is a woman who knows what she wants, how she thinks and isn't afraid to do what needs must. The Duke is as complex as they come. His brooding, alluringly mysterious nature and past ensnares Eliza to the fruit that is dangling so close to her face, but dare she take a bite out of the forbidden? And will the consequences be too much to tempt her to have one night with the Duke?
What Miss Melrose and The Duke have here is more than simple chemistry. They are as right for each other as night and day, and I can only commend Jodi for writing two characters who will no doubt be someone's favourites that they can champion as I did myself.
One simply cannot get enough of this awe-inspiring first novel in Jodi's brand new Belmore Square series and everything within its pages. The unpredictable journey to discover who The Duke is, was and will be with Eliza on his tail, filled with emotional upheaval, shocking revelations and societal ton dramatical events, does not make you--or I--feel that we were merely reading this from the pages of a book. We were in this story with all the players on the road to a conclusion to please all. And please it did.
As I am only able to give this book five stars as a rating, I would like to say that here and now this is not simply just a five-star read. What you're looking at here, ladies and gentlemen, is a one-hundred star read all the bookish ton must read.
Thank you to Jodi Ellen Malpas for not only providing us with a knockout read, but a read that has become a must read for all & a personal top read of 2022.
Fin...for now ;)