Customer Reviews

Sins of a Wicked Duke (Historical Romance)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Okay, I admit I'm a huge fan of historical romance in general and Sophie Jordon in particular. Once again, she's written a wonderful, original story I couldn't put down.

The beautiful Fallon O'Rouke has been in service since leaving school. Unfortunately, she's finding it impossible to keep both a position and her virtue in a world where men of privilege expect more than housekeeping from comely servants. After fleeing the insistent son of her latest employer, Fallon decides to apply for her next position disguised as a young man, only to find herself in the employ of the Duke of Damon, the most notorious rake in London.

Dominic Hale has come by his reputation honestly, flaunting his libertine behavior most outrageously. Lately, however, he's become restless until even alcohol and women in copious quantities and combinations no longer distract him. His thoughts keep drifting to a lovely red-h aired woman he'd met briefly one evening. Now his new valet's obvious disapproval is ruining the little pleasure Dominic still takes in his vices.

Being Dominic's valet gives Fallon the chance to see behind the duke's public mask . As her attraction to him grows, poor Dominic is puzzled that he cares what the naïve young man thinks of him. He never suspects the valet is really the red-haired beauty he can't forget. Then one night in the dark, a case of mistaken identity changes everything for both of them.

One of the things I love about Sophie Jordan's's books, is her heroines are as charming and flawed as her heroes. Fallon is smart and feisty but she carries around a grudge that taints her view of the world in general, and male aristocrats in particular. Determined to earn her independence, she sees betrayal where there is only benign neglect and as a result becomes her own worst enemy.

Dominic, unlike most heroes labeled wicked, truly is unrepentant and determined to live down to the worse of his shocking reputation. Still, he has his own eccentric code of honor that makes one cheer him on and fall under his spell. And of course he's VERY hot.

As in all Ms. Jordan's books, "Sins of a Wicked Duke" is a rich, original story that goes beyond the ballrooms of the ton. Fallon is a servant who must work to survive. Dominic is a duke with past that tortures his present. Their story is compelling, romantic, sexy and ultimately heart-warming. I love everything Ms. Jordan writes and this is another not-to-be-missed historical romance!

Her father dead a world away, Fallon O'Rourke spends her formative years at Penwich School for Virtuous Girls, where the headmaster takes perverse delight in attempting to beat the sass and spirit right out of the statuesque, fiery-haired miss. He fails miserably, and so it is no surprise that the virtuous Fallon cannot seem to hold a position for any length of time among the blue-blood households that would employ her. She attracts the sort of attention that demands she defend herself and subsequently finds herself sacked time and again. With no other options she chops off her hair and garners a position as a footman in the home of the notorious Demon Duke.

Having endured a painfully strict childhood himself, Dominic Hale, Duke of Damon, credits it--at least in part--for his nickname. Of course it doesn't help that he spends his days soused in liquor and sin, a different woman parading through the house each night. But he has come to terms with his life, the numbness and the loneliness, and refuses to answer to anyone. When the agency sends a disturbingly disapproving footman to his home, he can't quite figure why he is so affected by the lad--until he discovers the lad is a lass and sets his sights on seducing her. Let the battle of wills begin.

Sins of a Wicked Duke is pure Sophie Jordan, with its irrepressible emotional pull and pull-out-the-stops sexual tension. Don't be surprised if, while you're cheering for Fallon's stand as a virtuous woman, you're simultaneously thrilling over the eventuality that Dom will topple it--and her. Right into his bed.

I struggled through this author's last book so I was so pleased when I picked this one up and couldn't put it down! The chemistry between the hero (a duke) and the heroine (a commoner) is just right as is the tension between the two. They are both strong characters who are a bit hardened by their childhoods - both lost parents at young ages and both suffered subsequent abuse. They meet as the heroine is trying to figure out how to survive on her own and only wants a home, and the hero is lost in numbness and emptiness and doesn't know how to feel alive anymore. This story is well written and grabs you from the start. Yes, the heroine has a stint as a male, but it in no way is the overriding theme of the book. When you finish, it will just seem like a small part. The book was over way too soon and has me anticipating this author's next release, (the last release is the only one by this author that I didn't recommend - the others are great reads). You love and care about all of her vivid and well-defined characters. 4.5

I have never read a book that ended with so many unanswered questions, such as What happen to the dying grandfather, did he die? where did they decide to live? what happen to Reverned Simmons?, one minute she was talking to him and next she was married to Dominic. I don't think I missed any pages. I also agree with some of the other reviewers about Fallon for a servant she sure had a smart mouth. This story had no character development, not story line and no romance at all!! Just bad writting.

After reading multiple enthusiastic reviews at multiple sites I decided to pick this book up. Unfortunately this book didn't work for me nearly as well as it did for those other happy readers. The description of the book sounded promising and the details mentioned by the reviews were ones that I usually like. For some reason it just didn't come together for me in this book. I spent most of the book with one eyebrow cocked struggling to believe in the characters and their motivations.

For some reason I could never bring myself to like Fallon. I know that her pity party of one was supposed to make me feel for her, but it didn't work. I found her whiny and the type of person that would cut off her nose to spite herself. Her father died years ago following the demands of his employer. Fallon is unwilling to move past it and has a hatred for all noblemen (because her father's employer was one). The employer had paid for her to go to a school after her father's death, but that only deepened Fallon's dislike of him. The school she was sent to had a sadistic headmaster who got his jollies out of beating the girls enrolled there and watching them suffer.

This sounds like a nice background for character growth and the realization that it is narrow minded to blame a large group of people for the actions of one man. Unfortunately I didn't see that happen until the last few pages. When it finally did happen I didn't believe it. It seemed like she stayed mired in her bitterness the whole book until the author realized the end was coming up and had Fallon play lip service to character growth so that she and Dominic could get their HEA.

Very little was ever made out of the fact that Fallon was a servant and Dominic was a duke. I know it was brought up a few times by Fallon to explain why they could never be together but it seemed like lip service. When they finally got together in the end the class difference was ignored in a way that I found laughable. I know that Fallon blamed her looks and the fact that she wouldn't put out for not being able to keep a job, but I really don't believe that. She seemed to have no awareness of the fact that she was a servant and what that meant to her standing in the world. The girl couldn't keep her mouth shut and her rudeness contained if you stapled her lips shut. I think that was the real reason she couldn't keep a job.

Dominic was a pretty bland character. He was made out to be this dissolute rake that still managed to be sexy to Fallon. Unfortunately it didn't work for me. Usually there is something about the rakes that wallow in darkness that fascinates you even as their actions repel you. He didn't have that spark. Because of this lack I couldn't understand what Fallon was so fascinated by. She apparently saw something in him that fascinated her enough to look past his skeezy behavior. I wish I had seen it too.

One last point... I really dislike the fact that Fallon's charade lasted for so long. It made the rest of their relationship seem really rushed. It seemed like the minute Dominic saw she had breasts he worshipped her. Very irritating. I don't know if I'll try this author again. If the rest of her books are styled in this manner I don't think they'll work for me.

Fallon O'Rourke's father has died and she is dropped off at Penwick School for Girls - where there are forty or so other young girls in residence. Much like a Dickens book, the girls are treated abominably, beaten and starved - the only redeeming factor is the strict education they receive.

After years at the abusive school, Fallon tries to retain positions but her fiery tresses and statuesque, curvy physique make her the target for unwanted male attentions and she is dismissed from every post. Realizing that only men retain their positions in a work society, she does the unthinkable - cuts her hair and gets a post as a footman at the residence of the Demon Duke - Dominic Hale.

Dominic is a true debauched soul. All he does is entertain prostitutes and drink himself into oblivion - his only respite is his painting.

Fallon enters his residence, although shocked by the debauched behavior of her employer, she knows that she cannot afford to loose this post - as all she wants is to save enough funds so she can get a small house and live undisturbed.

However, even though she condemns Dominic's behavior - she sees redeeming aspects as his heart is not so hardened; he saves street urchins and places them in homes. And she cant help but be attracted to his physique and wonder what it would be like to be in his bed.

I have really enjoyed Sophie Jordan's books, with the exception of her last novel - which I just read. But I admit that I couldn't get into this story or its characters. I couldn't like Fallon. One can understand her behavior and attitude from her childhood - but she was ornery, whinny and not a likable heroine throughout the whole book. As for Dominic, I couldn't understand why the name "The Demon Duke" - when his behavior was just as debauched and blasé as the rest of his friends in Society at the time. His childhood was obscured by his grandfather, who allowed a Hitler type governess to raise him so that Dominic wouldn't end up as debauched as his father. Ok, ok, he was at the mercy of a masochistic nanny who inflicted pain in her efforts to raise him correctly and his grandfather condoned this behavior... but his grudge and resentment are beyond deep rooted. One can understand the mental and physical scars that both Fallon and Dominic carry from their early childhood years - yet the writer almost fails to make you sympathetic to their plight, by their present conduct.

I also didn't care for the fact that Fallon remained disguised as a man for almost three quarters of the book. All in all this was an okay read. I have read better stories by Sophie Jordan, and I hope that her next installments mirrors her earlier novels, which in my opinion have been superb.

I bought this because I enjoyed "One Night with You" but this novel was nothing like that! I had to force myself to finish the book because the characters were so hard to like. Over and over we were told how "evil" the duke was, but besides sleeping with a lot of women, he did absolutly nothing the whole book. Still not sure why he was so evil! And what a bore and idiot Falon was! Just awful all around!

"Sins of a Wicked Duke" is Sophie Jordan's latest historical with moderate heat about a young woman whose temperment and looks have made it hard for her to keep a job. So she does the unthinkable--cuts her long hair, disguises herself, and hires on as a footman!

Fallon's life took a hard turn as a young girl when her father died. She was sent to a school where her flame-red hair earned her especially harsh treatment from the headmaster. She hated every moment, but did cherish the two friends she made and kept. After escaping the school, she's had a hard time earning her keep as a servant, simply because she refuses to become a man's toy and tends to speak her mind. After losing yet another job, Fallon comes up with the perfect plan...she'll become a footman! But 'best laid plans' and all that since the house she hires out to is that of the licentious duke. If anyone can penetrate her disguise, it's certainly a man who knows women as well as the Duke.

Dominic grew up with all the privileges of his station. He also grew up under the severe tutelage and control of his grandfather, who blamed Dominic's father for the ruination and death of his daughter, Dominic's mother, and was determined to punish Dominic for his 'blood'. After being told so often that he was a devil, Dominic decided to live up to his name...and he's done quite the bang up job of it ever since. Now he's jaded and becoming bored with life, until he meets a beautiful servant girl he can't seem to forget.

Not a bad read, just not very memorable. I had difficulty becoming attached to either of the lead characters and that affected my enjoyment of the plot. What was nice about this story is the lack of any danger or intrigue. This is purely a romance about two people who should be all wrong for each other...but discover that nothing levels the playing field like love.

Fallon O'Rourke just can't seem to keep a job. Her bold personality just can't help but come out and when it does, she gets sacked. Deciding that men have it better, she disguises herself as a footman and gets a job. But she didn't expect to be working for the man known as the Demon Duke, a man who once tried to lure her to his bed.

Dominic Hale feels empty and the only things that make him feel anything are reveling in the sins of gambling and loose women. The only woman who has ever gotten under his skin is Fallon. His new footman, Frank, also gets to him but he can't figure out why. Something about Frank makes him reconsider the kind of man he is.

The heat practically explodes off the page! Sins of a Wicked Duke is one seriously hot book, with the relationship between Fallon and Dominic full of sizzling chemistry. With a couple of twists to make the plot unpredictable, I really enjoyed Sins of a Wicked Duke. The wonderful Sophie Jordan has another hit on her hands!

Nikki Lee
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Orphan Fallon O'Rourke is sent to the Penwich School for Virtuous Girls where forty or so young girls are routinely punished. Master Brocklehurst battered Fallen with a strap for removing her cap. The beating leads her to make friends with Evie and Marguerite who all make a wish on a shooting star.

Upon leaving the abusive school, Fallon finds work as a servant, but her beauty and unwillingness to be a sex toy for the males in the households consistently lead to her firing. Desperate and tall and solid at least for a female, she cuts her hair and dresses up as a male. She obtains a job as a footman working for Dominic "Demon Duke" Hale. However, Fallon never counted on falling in love with her employer who is renowned for his seductions. Meanwhile he wonders why the new footman remains in his head seemingly all the time until he realizes why and plans his next seduction.

This is a fabulous historical romance starring two individuals with deep scars caused by childhood tragedies. The theme of a woman masquerading as a man has been done many times (Shakespeare in Love for instance), but Sophie Jordan keeps it brisk and amusing through her lead couple who know life's prime lesson is you always walk alone; that is until now. Fans will enjoy this fun frolic as the Demon Duke falls in love with his "footman".

Harriet Klausner