The Tattooed Duke [Mass Market Paperback]

Maya Rodale (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 28, 2012

"Tantalizing passion...certain to delight."
--Publishers Weekly
Maya Rodale's wonderfully witty Writing Girls series is a winner!  Her third delectable love story to feature a plucky Regency heroine with a pen, The Tattooed Dukefollows a scandal sheet reporter posing as a common housemaid in order to uncover whatever nasty little skeletons an adventure-seeking Duke may be hiding in his closets--only to fall in passionate love with the nobleman whose secrets she's been exposing to the world! The Tattooed Duke is deliciously fun historical romance fiction in the vein of Laura Lee Guhrke and Suzanne Enoch, and no true romance fan will want to write it off!

Editorial Reviews

Review

• Packed with engaging, complex characters, humor, blackmail, secrets, deceit, clever banter, true love and a city on tenterhooks awaiting Eliza's next article, this story is a keeper... -Romance Junkies Reviews
• Fans of historical romance will fall in love with our intrepid heroine and our ornately decorated hero. -Library Journal

From the Inside Flap

The Writing Girls Romance Series: 

1. A Groom Of One's Own
2. A Tale Of Two Lovers
3. The Tattooed Duke
4. Seducing Mr. Knightly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Original edition (February 28, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062088920
• ISBN-13: 978-0062088925
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #315,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother's insistence and it wasn't long before she was writing her own. Maya is now the author of multiple Regency historical romances. She lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own. Please visit her at www.mayarodale.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#14 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance

#15 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Historical

#20 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Historical

#83 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction

#14 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance

#15 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Historical

#20 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Historical

#83 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Works as a standalone February 28, 2012

By Jen TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Her job as a writer is the most important thing in Eliza's life. But she hasn't had many stories published in the paper lately. The scandalous return of the Duke of Wycliff might change that. Her boss has given her the assignment to get the gossip on Wycliff --and put together a titillating article-- or consider her career as one of the so-called "Writing Girls" to be over. She accepts the challenge and decides to go undercover as a maid in his household.

I liked the story overall. Eliza is spunky and it doesn't take long for her conscience to catch up with her. Wycliff is sexy and worldly and free thinking. I was happy to find a heroine who was not a prim miss --one who works hard to take care of herself and direct her own life. However, I did have some issues.

I felt like the amount of time it took Wycliff to figure out Eliza's identity was ridiculous. In addition, I thought the character development was only slightly beyond superficial. Other than a desire to escape the confines of London and to indulge his wanderlust, we don't see much depth to Wycliff. We do get a better glimpse into who Eliza really is, thanks to the unveiling of a major event in her past. --Also, there was no sex until the very end.

This is book three in Maya Rodale's Writing Girls series. And while some of the previous couples are secondary characters, this works very easily as a standalone. 3 1/2 stars.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Closer to 3.5 stars... March 20, 2012

By JRD

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book was okay - and I mean that in the nicest possible way.

The book as a whole felt kind of superficial, just skimming the surface of really knowing the characters. Or maybe it was that the characters themselves were superficial, or at least, not complicated.

Both main characters are fixated on one goal - furthering their career. Sebastian, who should have been born a commoner and not a Duke, only wants to find the funds to support his next expedition. Eliza, proud of her independence and success in a time when woman were known for neither, only cares that she gets the story that will keep the readers wanting more. I didn't exactly dislike either character for their motivations, but I didn't respect either of them for it either.

By the end of the book, each character has grown just enough to see outside of themselves and their own goals and try to help each other. There is a happily ever after - which is why I love romance - but I couldn't say that I loved this romance in particular.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars charming Regency romance February 28, 2012

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Mass Market Paperback

After a dozen years globetrotting in search of adventure, Sebastian Digby returns to England in 1825. He has come home not out of love for his country, but because he is broke and can no longer afford the lifestyle he cherishes; at least not as a bachelor. In the tradition of financially strapped aristocrats, Sebastian plans to marry wealth so he can fund his escapades with her money, but knows his scandalous past severely limits the available pool.

The London Weekly assigns Eliza Fielding to go undercover inside the prodigal duke's home in order to report his activities. Eliza obtains a position of housemaid in Sebastian's home. She exposes his secrets in her reporting. However, she finds him caring and warm while he is attracted to the witty maid. Though she fears his reaction when he learns of her duplicity as he hunts for the reporter making him the laughing stock of the Ton; Eliza also wants to kiss every tattoo on Sebastian's body. Love is inconvenient for Eliza and Sebastian.

The latest Writing Girls late Regency romance (see A Groom Of One's Own, A Tale Of Two Lovers and The Tattooed Duke) is a charming tale starring two fascinating protagonists. The storyline is fast-paced from the moment Eliza joins Sebastian's household and never slows down until the explosive finish. The epilogue reminded me of Bob Thaves' comment: "Sure he (Fred Astaire) was great, but don't forget Ginger Rogers did everything he did backwards and in high heels!"

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars So-so November 30, 2012

By kms88

Format:Kindle Edition

I was excited to read this book because I'll admit I love a good Duke, but I felt like I could easily set this one aside. There wasn't that excitement to finish. There was little to no romance (in my opinion) between the two main characters, besides stolen kisses here and there. I don't think they even had sex? If they did, it was lost on me. **SPOILER** I realize this is a romance novel, however a good storyline to me is one where love grows over time, not one minute their not in love and then BOOM there's a sudden realization that they are madly, deeply, in love with the person. It just didn't seem realistic to me that he, someone who's traveled the world and slept with countless women, suddenly realizes he loves her. I finished the book, but I just wish there was a little more romance, other than "she betrayed me, but I love her so I'll forgive her" or "he can't marry for money, so I'm going to turn myself in and save him because I love him". I wanted to like this one, but only walked away with a "meh" feeling.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A book rant with SPOILERS! February 28, 2013

By CMelland

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

In reading the synopsis for this book I was thrilled. It. Had. It. All. The heroine was a feisty lady who secretly (to the general public) wrote articles for a local newspaper and for her latest assignment was going undercover as a maid into the Wild Duke’s house to get the first hand gossip. Only she finds that once she gets there the Duke’s awesome, sexy as hell, and she’s falling madly in love with him.

The hero (the Duke) has just returned to England after years of exploration and adventure on the high seas. He has returned due to his father’s death and his (the hero’s) ascension to the title, but he does not plan to stay. No, he plans to only be there long enough to put his affairs in order and to gain funds to support his life’s desire to explore and discover the legendary African city of Timbuktu. He is young and handsome, a bit wild in manners and appearance, and becomes the sensation of England when articles of “The Tattooed Duke” begin appearing in the paper (in reference to the “shocking” tattoo on the hero’s upper chest and arms).

So where did it go wrong you ask, well stay with me little birds and I’ll tell you. Was it the characters? No, on the whole the characters were pleasant enough and had likable qualities. Was it their interaction? No, though it lacked the truly witty repertoire that I’ve come to appreciate from some of my favorite regency romance writers (Julia Quinn has ruined me), the characters’ interactions in this book were fine. Was it the plot? Well yes and no. The overall plot line was fine.... The feisty heroine sneaks into the Duke’s household to write stories, the hero’s trying to come up with the money to leave while denying his lustful urges brought about by the young housemaid (who’s strangely enough not that great at her job which provided some humor, not much, but some), articles detailing personal information about the Duke keep appearing in the paper and the hero has no idea who the writer is, trouble occurs, the truth is discovered, misunderstandings are overcome, and the Hero and Heroine achieve their HEA and flit off to Timbuktu.

What pissed me off was that Rodale couldn’t just have the hero & heroine overcoming one big problem with maybe one or two minor difficulties. Nooooo….. She had to throw in the secret baby (that wasn’t), the dead husband (who wasn’t), the prize to discover the author of “The Tattooed Duke” articles (which was already done, and better too, in Quinn’s ‘Romancing Mister Bridgerton’), and the secret locked room (which wasn’t a secret, though it was locked).

So let me explain, the secret baby was a kid the evil seductress (it’s a regency, there has to be one) was claiming was the Duke’s, but was quickly resolved when mathematics were used, the dead husband turned up alive and kidnapped the heroine (of course), but she’s quickly rescued and it’s discovered that he (the not-so-dead husband) was actually still married to his first wife who is very much alive, and the “secret” locked room that the author kept trying to attract us with was just the place the Duke kept all the stuff he had collected on his journeys (so he turns out to be a hoarder).

The problem was that these weren’t treated as minor points; they were pulled along in the story as major points until the author felt she didn’t need them and quickly dissolved them. I didn’t so much mind that as I minded that there were just too many major points. It made the story feel cluttered (much like the Duke’s room of hoarding (snick)). In the end I didn’t think they helped the story as I just felt bored, and since the heroine thought she was married (even though for the first half of the book she thought he was dead) she wouldn’t sleep with the Duke since she couldn’t break her marriage vow. So I didn’t even get my sexy time until the end and it was boring to. Read more ›