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A review by champ81
Return of the Duke by Lorraine Heath
4.0
Oh, I did enjoy this conclusion to the series. I had been waiting for Marcus's story, and it turned out to be one not of angst but adventure.
Once the heir to the Duke of Wolfford, Marcus Stanwick loses everything in the blink of an eye when his father is arrested and hanged for treason. When he and his siblings, Althea and Griff, are stripped of their titles and wealth, Marcus launches a mission to hunt down his father's co-conspirators. Most of this we learned in [b:Beauty Tempts the Beast|50172892|Beauty Tempts the Beast (Sins for All Seasons, #6)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581042098l/50172892._SY75_.jpg|73236158] and [b:Scoundrel of My Heart|52662535|Scoundrel of My Heart (Once Upon a Dukedom, #1)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596278892l/52662535._SY75_.jpg|78469222]; now that his siblings have their happy endings, Marcus is more determined than ever to regain his good name and honor. Having hit dead ends in his investigation, he goes to the last person he ever hoped to meet: his father's presumed mistress, Esme Lancaster.
Of course, Esme is so much more than she appears--an agent of the Crown rather than a duke's mistress, and more complex than Marcus could imagine. She is bad-ass, period. And together, they are wonderful partners. They combine their investigations into the plot to murder Queen Victoria, and face potential assassins, shadowy threats, and underworld criminals as they search for the truth.
Marcus really could have gone dark and brooding after his life-altering circumstances, yet while circumstances hardened him, his story really was one of hope. Smart move by Lorraine Heath in a novel that was a real change of pace for her, as her books tend not to be spy capers. This book has all the hallmarks of an amazing Lorraine Heath book save one: deep yearning between the main characters, which she does so well. There was room for it and I would have liked to see some of it here; it would have given Esme in particular a welcome vulnerability to complement her bad-assery. Still, this was a fun, well-paced adventure with rich, memorable leads; steamy bedroom scenes; and a satisfactory resolution to the Stanwick siblings' saga.
Looking forward to the next series that was teased here, which will take off from the second book in this series ([b:The Duchess Hunt|56462935|The Duchess Hunt (Once Upon a Dukedom, #2)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615848156l/56462935._SX50_.jpg|86058421]).
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
Once the heir to the Duke of Wolfford, Marcus Stanwick loses everything in the blink of an eye when his father is arrested and hanged for treason. When he and his siblings, Althea and Griff, are stripped of their titles and wealth, Marcus launches a mission to hunt down his father's co-conspirators. Most of this we learned in [b:Beauty Tempts the Beast|50172892|Beauty Tempts the Beast (Sins for All Seasons, #6)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581042098l/50172892._SY75_.jpg|73236158] and [b:Scoundrel of My Heart|52662535|Scoundrel of My Heart (Once Upon a Dukedom, #1)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596278892l/52662535._SY75_.jpg|78469222]; now that his siblings have their happy endings, Marcus is more determined than ever to regain his good name and honor. Having hit dead ends in his investigation, he goes to the last person he ever hoped to meet: his father's presumed mistress, Esme Lancaster.
Of course, Esme is so much more than she appears--an agent of the Crown rather than a duke's mistress, and more complex than Marcus could imagine. She is bad-ass, period. And together, they are wonderful partners. They combine their investigations into the plot to murder Queen Victoria, and face potential assassins, shadowy threats, and underworld criminals as they search for the truth.
Marcus really could have gone dark and brooding after his life-altering circumstances, yet while circumstances hardened him, his story really was one of hope. Smart move by Lorraine Heath in a novel that was a real change of pace for her, as her books tend not to be spy capers. This book has all the hallmarks of an amazing Lorraine Heath book save one: deep yearning between the main characters, which she does so well. There was room for it and I would have liked to see some of it here; it would have given Esme in particular a welcome vulnerability to complement her bad-assery. Still, this was a fun, well-paced adventure with rich, memorable leads; steamy bedroom scenes; and a satisfactory resolution to the Stanwick siblings' saga.
Looking forward to the next series that was teased here, which will take off from the second book in this series ([b:The Duchess Hunt|56462935|The Duchess Hunt (Once Upon a Dukedom, #2)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615848156l/56462935._SX50_.jpg|86058421]).
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley for an honest review.