Adam Fairfax, the Duke of Sunderford, happily enjoys a different woman (or two) every night—or he did, until his wards landed on his doorstep. Ever since Sunny took in the seven-year-old twin girls and their prim and proper governess, Isabel Finch, his love life has been a shambles. But, as time goes by, Sunny catches himself getting lost in Isabel’s haughty blue eyes, or following the curves beneath her unbecoming dress. An unexpected kiss ignites a passion that shocks him into realizing how thin the line between love and hate can be.
If Isabel’s hidden past were revealed, she could lose everything. Oddly enough, only when “Sinful Sunny” is near does she feel safe—or safe enough to speak up in defense of the girls. The duke’s decadent lifestyle is a disgrace, and clearly he considers Isabel a nuisance. Still, she can’t help admiring his sculpted cheekbones, strong-cut jaw, and tousled chestnut hair. When their lips meet, it’s almost as if he could kiss the secrets right out of her. Worse, she’s tempted to let him. . . .
Titles in the Rebellious Brides series include: Sky Fall – A License to Wed – From London With Love – The Duke Who Ravished Me
Title: The Duke Who Ravished Me
Series: Rebellious Brides #4
Author: Diana Quincy
Genre: Regency Romance
Published: April 17, 2018
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept
My Rating: 4.5 stars
I immediately fell back into the world of the Rebellious Brides series within the first few pages of The Duke Who Ravished Me. And while I would love nothing more than to talk about this delightful romance for hours I do believe this is a story best experienced firsthand by each reader. To that end I’m going to be very careful about letting any spoilers escape.
Adam is a textbook example of the excessive debauchery of the time period. As the Duke of Sunderford he can get away with anything his heart or body desires… and he does with great enjoyment. There are few, if any, vices that Adam would not partake of in the need to be everything that his father was not. A lifetime of cold parenting, punishments that would bring in social workers today were the norm for him as a child. There are very real reasons why Adam is the man he is today, not excuses but reasons. The absolute last place two seven year old, adorable twin girls should be placed is with Adam. He knows it, the twins’ governess knows it as well… but Adam is now guardian to Patience and Prudence, at least until he can make other arrangements for them and the woman he dislikes on sight.
Isabel will do everything that she can to protect, guard and continue to love her charges. That their uncle has seen fit to name Adam as their guardian is a complete unsolvable mystery to her. This man, this house of sin is the last place those precious little girls should be, yet without a choice or the power to change anything Isabel will continue to protect the girls and maybe herself from the worldly charm of one very arrogant and desirable duke.
It would be fair to say that Isabel and Adam detested each other on sight. To be frank, at first there is very little to like about Adam… at all. Oh, yes, he’s a handsome devil but his view on life and the people surrounding him leaves much to be desired. It was charming to watch the twins work their little girl magic on Adam over time. To watch this grumpy man begin to have the ice crack that surrounds him was quite an experience, and his confusion and puzzlement at the changes happening to him were at times quite comical. Slowly, Adam and Isabel begin to change their opinions of each other. So gradually that their growing feelings for each other were completely believable. I liked them together throughout this story, but they did shine once they stopped hating each other.
There are a few twists and turns that make The Duke Who Ravished Me an excellent romance. Perhaps I might have seen them coming, but the lead up to this story’s ending was woven so gently that I did not and the surprise quite caught me off guard. We will lightly meet up with other characters we’ve come to know from this series – enough so that I’m tempted to do a re-read of them all soon. I would highly recommend this story and the entire series to any Regency Romance or Historical Romance reader. Adam and Isabel’s story comes alive and easily wound its way into this reader’s heart. Yes, I will definitely be revisiting this couple again.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
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