Duke of Desire

I love how Elizabeth Hoyt tells a story! Lady Jordan and the Duke of Dyemore is good for each other! Love how it started that he was under cover as a masked man and nude then became her husband after she shot him. His protection of her was outstanding because he loved her. He was afraid that he was going to turn out like his father but she made him realized that he wasn't his father. Sad to see the series done but can't wait to see what she has in store for us next! I love that I got a free copy for my review but I would of bought it anyways because like I said before I love Elizabeth's books!

The Duke of Desire is a dark, gritty, and captivating historical fiction romance. Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore returned home for one purpose, and that was to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and bring them down. His depraved, now deceased, father, had once been the head of that vile organization. When Iris Jordan, a woman Raphael had secretly desired, was kidnapped, by the Lords of Chaos, Raphael was compelled to save her. He knew of all the horrid things that Iris would have to endure before the despicable group would end her agonizing torture and put her to death. Raphael couldn’t allow that to happen. It didn’t matter that Iris tried to murder him, or that he would never enjoy a consummated marriage with her; he just needed to keep her safe. Iris couldn’t stop her traitorous heart from falling for Raphael, the man who forced her to marry him. Raphael considered himself a hideous and detestable man. How could he not be? He had his father’s evil blood running through his veins. Iris, however, knew differently. She just had to convince Raphael of that, before he sent her away, or ended up getting himself killed. The Duke of Desire is an engrossing adult historical fiction romance. If you like dark and gritty, then this book is for you. Thank you, Forever-Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.

A far different tone and weight than earlier titles in the series, Holt is telling the story of Raphael de Chartres, Duke of Draymore. Scarred, aloof and determined to bring down the Lords of Chaos once and for all, he’s a rather anti-heroic hero, and full of trauma and pain from his past. Believing that the Lords had been disbanded, everyone in society had breathed a sigh of relief until a new leader is chosen, one believed to be more ruthless and unconcerned with society’s censure than ever before. When Lady Iris Jordan discovers she is the target of their next plot, and is hied off to a carriage by a man, the story starts. Unfortunately for Iris, her story almost stalls here, and while she is determined to play a part in Raphael’s investigation, and has agreed to marry him despite his not really wanting a relationship, particularly not with someone who won’t do his bidding, her story and character becomes a sort of window dressing: always there, constant, allowing Raphael’s story and struggle to take center stage. And Raphael’s story is a traumatic one: scarred and closed off from much real emotion BUT anger and his desire to do something major, a childhood of sexual and emotional abuse stalled and hindered his well-being, and his attraction to Iris was like a plant turning to the sun – he wanted it, but at a distance. Unfortunately he was so broken and closed off for so much of the book that interactions (what few there were) that could be considered ‘romantic’ and allow the development of true feelings between Iris and he were few, and lacked much of the quick-fire banter, flintiness and lightness of Hoyt’s previous works. Yes, I understand this is a new character with plenty of baggage and a little black cloud that seems to follow him, but even Iris’ attempts to show him (as telling wasn’t even close to acceptable) that she was in his corner, wanted to be there and he was worth having that didn’t make much of an impression. Sadly, the balance of issues with hope and light was off, and the pacing in the first and second halves of the book were uneven, leaving me with conflicted feelings. Hoyt gave us a character in Raphael who was palpable and developed, with enough issues to warrant empathy and sympathy, but he didn’t move from that aloof and suspicious man until far too late. And Iris never really grabbed me: it would take a strong and determined woman, one not afraid of conflict and willing to push, prod and insert herself, challenging his reserve and remove – and she never quite hit those marks. An interesting installment that diverges greatly from others in the series, and works well on its own as none of the other characters from this world of Maiden Lane appear or move their own earlier stories forward in this one. The highlight for me in this book was Raphael and his own struggles with a past and present that were not the easiest, and his determination to move on, if not exactly forward. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.