The Black Duke's Prize [Paperback]

Suzanne Enoch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1995

Exiled to London by her disreputable uncle, Katherine Ralston discovers her family estate has been sold to Nicholas Varon, the ""Black Duke"" of Sommesby, a professedly reformed rake who is taken with her charms.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 10 pages
• Publisher: Avon Books (Mm) (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380780526
• ISBN-13: 978-0380780525
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #851,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Worth the Effort to Find This Book!, September 1, 2002

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black Duke's Prize (Paperback)

The very beautiful and very feisty Katherine Ralston was banished to London from her home Crestly Park by her very obnoxious uncle. She was afraid that he would sell off her heritage while he disposed of her in London.

Her godparents were delighted to take her under their wing and introduced her to all the right people of the ton - including the notorious "Black Duke of Sommesby", Nicholas Varon, who she insulted on the very first night she met him. HE was surprised to say the least that this petite slip of a girl did not seem impressed with him, nor was she frightened of him either.

Kate's godfather, Neville requested that Nicholas because of his connections, attempt to buy Crestly on the quiet so that when the rightful heir was able to inherit it, in two years time, it wouldn't have been sold off to a stranger. Of course, what Neville failed to let Nicholas know was that Kate was the rightful heir, an omission that caused all sorts of problems. Alas, after many mishaps and misunderstandings - true love will prevail!

This was a darling story. One to enjoy over and over and well worth the effort of locating a copy!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Enoch's first historical romance, from 1995., November 30, 2011

By 

Old Latin teacher (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Black Duke's Prize (Kindle Edition)

This is out of print as a hardcopy book, so if you're interested in reading Enoch's very first published novel, don't pass up this e-book at only $2.99. The out-of-print 1995 book new costs almost $170.00 and used ones start at $16.00 so this is quite the bargain.

The story itself is kind of cute but Enoch has definitely improved as a writer over the years. I mostly enjoyed this as a curiosity. Authors' first books sometimes are great works of art but sometimes they're just practice. This one shows she had some polishing to do but it's entertaining.

Enoch's characters even in recent HRs behave and speak out of period, but I've learned to read them for the romance and interaction of H and h, not for any historical aspect to them. Heroine Kate Ralston and hero Nicholas Varon, Duke of Sommesby, of this book do not spark in their interactions as much as, for example, the H and h of London's Perfect Scoundrel (Lessons in Love, Book 2) but it was still fun to read Enoch's first published romance.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Oldie but a Goodie, December 10, 2011

By 

Long Time Reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black Duke's Prize (Kindle Edition)

One of the best things about ebooks and the Kindle is getting to read old romances that we enjoyed years ago. That's certainly true with The Black Duke's Prize. I think this was Suzanne Enoch's first novel, and I remember loving the story and the heroine (Katherine Ralston). Well, I just read this wonderful story again, and I don't think it has aged a bit.