Customer Reviews

The Dangerous Duke (Berkley Sensation)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Maxwell Brooke, the new Duke of Lyle, is investigating in his ancestral home a fire that killed lots of people and left him the next in line for the title. Lady Kate Fairchild's brother allegedly knows who was involved but refuses to tell, so he has been imprisoned to extract the information from him. Lady Kate is threatening to make public some very sensitive information about various government officials if he's not released. Of course, this puts her life in danger because there are some very powerful people who don't want her to reveal their secrets.

Max wants her help in persuading her brother to talk, so he looks for her diary where the blackmail data is written, but Kate was bluffing. It doesn't exist except in her head. What Max accidentally gets is Kate's diary of her secret fantasies. Talk about fueling an already smoldering attraction!

So Max develops a plan to kidnap Kate and use her as leverage to get her brother to talk. He tells her it's for her own protection, and it turns out he's quite right. But her body isn't the only thing that needs protection. What about her heart?

In The Dangerous Duke Christine Wells expertly weaves a tale of danger, passion and intrigue combined with fascinating secondary characters for a juicy story you can really sink your teeth into. The interaction between Max's sister and his rival Jardine is at least as moving as that of the primary players.

I really enjoy a book where the characters communicate with each other intelligently without a surplus of unnecessary misunderstandings, and this book comes through beautifully. Add some very tricky and interesting twists, and you've got a really great read.

4 Kisses, 1 Pepper

~Lindy
Reviewer, TwoLips Reviews, LLC
www.TwoLipsReviews.com

Newly minted Duke of Lyle, Max Brooke, is a former spy whose new mission in life is to discover who set the fire that destroyed his home and killed off most of his family. He is known for taking the dirty jobs no one else can handle, but despite his rough past, seems to have a kind enough heart. When a job included the death of a man who peddled women and children for sex, Max became a mentor to the man's young son.

Max's only lead on who set the deadly fire is the brother of Lady Kate Fairchild. Kate is an interesting blend of strength and innocence. Widowed, yet seemingly innocent, she is full of secrets. Kate is desperate to get her brother out of jail, and when all avenues seem closed to her, she threatens to release a tell-all diary about the scandalous exploits of the politicians whose company she keeps - a diary that does not exist.

Once Max hears about this alleged diary, he knows he has a problem. His attraction to Kate only serves to muddle his renowned instincts, as he steals the fictional diary Kate kept as an outlet for her sexual frustration, kidnaps her, and uses her as ransom against her brother. As Max and Kate spend more time together, they discover a real chemistry, which only complicates things further.

I really enjoyed The Dangerous Duke and the characters. It was a quick read, enjoyable and sweet, without being cloying. The characters were layered and real, making the plot seem plausible and fun.

Niki Lee
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

After accolades from her debut novel SCANDAL'S DAUGHTER, author Christine Wells shows immense promise with another steamy and yummy historical with THE DANGEROUS DUKE.

Set in the ever popular Regency period, Maxwell Brooke a celebrated and exacting operative for the Home Office has unexpectedly become a duke. In line for the title it was a horrific twist of fate that arsonists set fire to Lyle Castle which ended up killing the four heirs who would have inherited the title. Bent on bringing the perpetrators to justice Maxwell, now the Duke of Lyle, jailed the stubborn Reverend Stephen Holt who refused to divulge the whereabouts of said arsonists.

Lady Kate Fairchild, mystified over her inability to have her brother released from prison, hastily and without thought of the repercussions, threatened to publish her memoirs which could embarrass high placed members of the crown unless her brother is freed; said memoirs being only a figment of her imagination. After attempts are made on her life, Lyle made plans to kidnap her and have her hidden diary, thinking they contained her memoirs, translated. After the translation Lyle learned not state secrets, but Kate's most intimate sexual fantasies; and Lyle is more than ready to grant her every single one!

*** Whew... one word - steamy! Lyle is one fabulous creation, tall, dark, and dangerously sexy. Having spent so many years as a top operative in the field, Lyle had learned to bank his desires and feelings. Letting down ones guard and letting emotions and feelings get in the way was a good way to get killed, but from the very moment he met Lady Kate he found her wit and intelligence as rapier sharp as his own. Lyle could not get her out of his mind. Along the same lines, Lady Kate who endured a loveless marriage was now widowed. Kate had found solace in her fantasy lover but was now set ablaze by the very dangerous sharp eyed duke. Both leads were cast perfectly in the war of the love. I loved the author's interpretation of the transition that overcame Lyle's mindset after realizing how much Kate meant to him and the risk he was taking if and when she discovered the truth of her kidnapping.

As expected no book has action and depth without having very well defined supporting characters that entertain as well having a compelling plot. In this Wells fashioned extremely well done characters, from Jardine, another of the Home Office's operatives; Lyle's sister Louisa; and Lyle's ubiquitous hero worshipping assistant Perry, not to mention the very pregnant Fanny and her amorous husband Romney.

While I pretty much figured out early in the book who the villain was, the question of "why" became the greater mystery, but all was tied up very nicely at the end. Unfortunately, for me I was left with an unanswered question of what would happen between Jardine and Louisa whose last parting words were so emotionally laden I wanted their story to go on. I sincerely hope that Ms. Wells comes back with a sequel to answer that puzzle.

Bottom line: Good suspense, superb sensuality, and emotionally satisfying give this novel high marks and a very high recommendation.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

Christine Wells is an expert in bringing her characters to life. Perhaps Kate doesn't have the most likeable and redeeming qualities but that gives many hope for the possibility of love and romance and isn't that what life is all about? At least that is what romance novels are about, hopes, dreams and possibilities. Maxwell Brooke is full of intrigue and a very fragmented individual except for his focus on the outcome of love for Kate. Though there are many complications, Christine has led the reader on a rollercoaster ride which keeps the fascination with the story till the end. I'm looking forward to reading her next book.

What a great sensual, witty read! Right from the first scene where our world-weary, sophisticated hero is dangling one of the bad guys over a balcony by his ankles, The Dangerous Duke is a rollercoaster of a ride. I really enjoyed Christine Wells's debut historical romance Scandal's Daughter and this is a more than worthy successor. All the wonderful qualities that made the first book such a compelling read are still here. The vivid feel for the period. The witty dialogue. The deep emotion. This book is such a treat. There's a compelling romance between the Duke of Lyle and the headstrong, smart and brave Lady Kate. I love romances where love is found through a battle of wits between two clever, complex people and that's exactly what you get here. They battle each other right up to the end so you give a great sigh of satisfaction when they finally work everything out. And the plot is such a hoot - Lyle steals Lady Kate's diary which he thinks reveals embarrassing political secrets. Only to discover that he's stolen her secret erotic imaginings, the fantasies that kept her going through a loveless marriage and a virtuous widowhood. With a premise like that, how can you resist? I highly recommend The Dangerous Duke!

In 1817 the fires devastated the Duke of Lyle family killing almost all of them and leading to Maxwell Brooke inheriting the title he never expected. He vows to find the arsonists who murdered his family.

Clues lead him to Reverend Stephen Holt, who knows the identities of the arsonists, but refuses to reveal them; he locks Holt up and decides to use the man's sister widow Lady Kate Fairchild as bait to make him talk; that is after he learns why a stalker is in her garden. As a reaction to her loveless marriage, Kate kept a fantasy diary that highlighted her desires. Max assumes it contains scandalous information that will damage reputations so he steals it. When he reads it, he vows to pleasure Kate in every way she vividly described. However, an unknown adversary tries to harm Kate leading to a desperate Max kidnapping her to keep her safe and for him to show her reality beats fantasy when love is involved.

This is an exciting Regency romantic suspense as Maxwell has two mysteries to solve; that of who killed his family and why someone stalks the hostage he loves. The story line is action-packed yet filled with passionate romance as neither Max nor Kate welcome love. The dual detecting mysteries are entertaining and enhance a fine tale starring THE DANGEROUS DUKE and courageous Kate.

Harriet Klausner

I expected this to be an emotionally gripping, suspenseful story but it felt a bit flat for me. It wasn't one of the more exciting books I've ever read nor extremely dull, so overall an average book. I think the main problem was I didn't really appreciate the heroine Kate. She annoyed me most times, there wasn't really anything interesting about her and I couldn't see why the hero was attracted to her and/or loved her. Not a keeper, unfortunately, but good effort.

I read the reviews here and thought this would be a nice little regency novel. The story sounded good, new Duke, who is described as handsome, smart, clever etc., searching for the culprits that started a fire killing the next four in line for the dukedom. Involvement with a heroine who is intelligent, politically astute etc., but after the initial description, these characteristics all but disappeared.

The story line was more of a backdrop to write about the two main character's lust. I couldn't help but think the whole book was very amateurish. In 1817 a servant refers to her father figure as dad? I guessed the arsonist from the first - there was nothing gripping, exciting or intriguing. I give it two stars because it wasn't the worst I have read and I can see the author might have potential but I cannot recommend it if you are looking for a nice romance.

My Review:

Lady Kate Fairchild is willing to go to desperate extremes in order to free her brother from prison. As the Lyle parish vicar, Stephan is accused of withholding information regarding the identities of the arsonists that burned the Duke of Lyle's seat to the ground - killing several family members. Knowing that her brother will martyr himself before revealing the names of those that Lyle seeks, for he'll surely be sending the accused to their death, Kate turns to blackmail. As the widow of a once affluent politician, Kate has mentally retained many incriminating anecdotes that could easily bring down a few members of the peerage. After exhausting all other avenues, blackmail appears to be the best and last choice, that is until she incurs the wrath of the Home Office and the Duke of Lyle himself.

Working his last mission for the Home Office due to his recent defaulted inheritance as the new Duke of Lyle, Maxwell Brooke is determined to acquire the identities of the arsonists that destroyed his ducal seat in addition to several family members - unfamiliar people to Max but nonetheless family. Determined to imprison Lady Kate's stubborn brother for as long as feasibly possible, Max hopes to hurry matters along by seducing the lady in question into convincing her brother to spill the information he so desperately seeks. However, he never anticipated his lustful but inconvenient reaction to the clever minded, gorgeous slip of a woman. Kate's quick intelligence both infuriates and fascinates Max while her sharp tongue and bald remarks ignites his temper right along side his flaming desire. Determining that Kate is entirely too smart and too desperate for her own good after revealing her plans to print a tell-all memoir, Max fears for her safety and swiftly organizes his procurement of said memoir as well as the Lady Kate herself.

Initially, Kate worries that her spotless reputation faces irreparable damage in the hands of the duke whom of which has the shocking ability to turn her sharp mind slow with lust. Never has she felt a passion this sharp, not even with her phantom lover. Sexually repressed within her loveless marriage, Kate took her pleasure in a diary that documented all her erotic fantasies. There she found solace in the arms of her made-up lover but what Max makes her feel surpasses all of her fantasies. Terrified by her rampant emotions, Kate thinks of nothing but escape until her many refusals of Max's ardor leads her straight towards a killer's embrace.

When Max's falsities for abducting Kate turns to reality and she truly does become the prey of a killer, he's convinced that his ill-timed lust prevented him from ensuring her proper protection and resolves to maintain distance. Emotional entanglements are never conducive to a successful mission but Kate's vulnerabilities and overall shock after near death propels them both into each others arms seeking comfort and release. When the details of the Kate's stolen diary reveals not the incriminating facts that she's threatened, but rather years worth of pent up sexual frustration, Max becomes convinced that his lust is to blame once again since it's obvious that he's gone about his carnal pursuits all wrong. Kate's documented her wants of a slow and sensual lover not the fierce ravishment he's subjected her to, treating her as though a common trollop. Resolving to treat Kate like her phantom lover as well as that which her station deserves, Max fights to restrain the dark possessive nature within him that demands release.

Kate, confused by Max's sudden cooling ardor, fights to build confidence and explain to him that she rather experience more of the possessive, overwhelming love making he'd originally demanded. While he still sates her every desire, somehow she's left unsatisfied. While a distance inevitably begins to expand with Max's clamped hold on his lust and Kate's fear of what his reaction will be to her dark needs, an enemy soon gains the upper hand forcing them each to face who they really are or loose each other forever.

My Thoughts:

THE DANGEROUS DUKE, while a seamless romance with a wonderfully developed hero and heroine, unfortunately became a bit overshadowed by two very interesting secondary characters. Lady Louisa, Max's sister, and Jardine, a Marquis whose connections led him to work for the Home Office, are embroiled in a thrilling game of cat and mouse. Jardine's extremely possessive nature combined with Louisa's desperation to maintain distance, soon propels the reader's own desperation to speed to the next scene containing the two. The forbidden passion and underlying current of a deep history leaves one begging for more, thus thrusting Max and Kate into the background. Jardine is one of those magnetic characters that commands full attention of the reader whenever he walks on stage. One can't help but have their eyes completely captured by his beauty, his dangerous bad-boy appeal so a warning: Be prepared to fall in love.

Unfortunately by the end, I cared little for Max and Kate but instead held bated breath between theirs and Jardine's and Louisa's scenes. It was their romance I became desperate to read and therefore sadly - yet successfully - ending my connection with Max and Kate. Their trials became trivial in the face of Jardine's and Louisa's complicated connection.

Aside from the above, I'm still in awe of Christine Wells and her unbelievable talent as a writer for she brings a distinct authenticity to her novels. Her grasp of the language, culture and rules whisks you wonderfully away to a whole other time and place. I imagine that she must toil over each and every sentence because from beginning to end, this novel is supremely polished and complete.

A wonderful diversion, THE DANGEROUS DUKE, combines thrilling action, sweet romance and two brilliant secondary characters that make it a complete pleasure from start to finish. Enjoy!

I liked it. Easy-Light story-romance-including good dialogue between Max and Kate. Plenty of great awkward moments as expected in every good romance read...It's a keeper to be re-read at least once a year, if only to refresh the reasons we romantics tend to fall in love.

Hope there is a Louisa and Jardine story-now.........he would be the more dangerous of the two men......really Christine!