The Secret Duke, comment to enter to win a copy of your own.
The Secret Duke
Author: Jo Beverley
Publisher: Signet/NAL
Pub. Date: April 6, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0451229533
Retail: $7.99
432 pagesWhen Arabella Barstowe is kidnapped, she believes her life and virtue are forfeit-until she’s rescued by the notorious rogue Captain Rose. Bella never expects to see him again. But years later she learns the wicked truth behind her abduction, and she seeks out the only man who can help her take revenge.
What she doesn’t know is that Captain Rose is just a disguise for the formidable Duke of Ithorne, who is intrigued to hear from the mysterious woman from his past. Their lives are soon entangled by danger and a growing forbidden passion.
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The Secret Duke… an intriguing tale with some exciting scenes.
Jo Beverly weaves a complex plot and group of characters into a well developed world of the 1760’s in this third installment of her Malloren World novels. It was an intriguing tale with some exciting scenes but fell a little short for me. I felt almost let down at the end. Something was missing… it was like the book just ended and that was it. What about the cats? What happens to everyone? This final book really needed an epilogue to give the reader some closure for the series.
The book was not all bad, I did enjoy the character development and the love story. You feel and grow with the characters as they learn about each other and their love blossoms. I like it when an author gives the reader time to get to know her characters. I am a fan of Jo Beverly and have read all her books with the exception of her traditional regencies. This book did not have the same feel as her other Malloren books and lacked something in the plot. It was almost as if this book was an afterthought.
Bella, our heroine, is a girl who has been served a bad turn but is seeking revenge for her shattered reputation. She is a smart and fiercely protective of her inner self—pretending to be a multitude of characters, each a fraction of her true self—until she meets the only man she would ever want to be herself with… only she can’t.
Ithorne, or the Duke, is an oddly vulnerable hero. He is afraid the woman whom he is quickly coming to care for won’t want him if she knows he is a duke. He has strength and character with a witty charm that draws the reader to him.
I don’t know what to say about the love scenes in this book. They are very tame, almost traditional regency but not quite. There are a few scenes of intimacy but short and not specific in nature at all.
As a Jo Beverly fan, this book let me down. I would never write off an author after one book but she has earned a strike from me with this one. I am hoping her next book will redeem her…
Rating: 6 (Satisfactory)
Heat-Level: 2 (Warm)
I’m reading the first in this series now!
Enjoyed reading the comments and excerpt. This books sounds really good. I have yet to read a book by this author so would welcome a chance to do that.
Hmmm… sad you didn’t really like this book, Danielle. I’ve found Ms. Beverly books to be hit or miss for me, but the hits are some of my favorites.
Great review. I have yet to try this author and the hero sounds right up my alley. Plus the cover is gorgeous. ^^
I’m okay with tame if the rest of the book is good so I think I’d give it a chance (and love the cover).
I don’t mind a vanilla book as long as it is well written.
I just discovered Jo Beverly and I think I would like to read this book. Good, honest review, Danielle, but I’m still going to try it. 🙂
Even if it’s a little tame I’d still live to give it a try
Good review. I want to read this book now.
Well, sounds a tad disappointing, but I have read and enjoyed Jo Beverly in the past, I would be willing to give this a go! Enter me in!
Sounds a little disappointing, but I have never read this author before so I can’t say!
This synopsis sounds really good. I don’t base my opinion on someone’s review. Kidnappings are my favorite plotline so I’d love to read it. 🙂
I’ll have to give this one a go as I never miss one of Jo Beverly’s books. I agree that the synopsis sounds intriguing!
I will be reading this series. Your comment about the story just ending but not finishing is interesting.
I have seen that more and more lately. The author will develop good characters and a good story. Then it is as if she has reached her word count and the story is done. I don’t know if this is the same, but it does ruin a good book.
I am surprised that this is being said of Jo Beverly. All of her books have been so good. I’ll have to read it and see.
The book excerpt sounds interesting to me.Iwould love to read it.
I picked up the second book over the weekedn but have yet to read it. I think I’ll find the first one first. 🙂
Danielle,
I enjoyed reading your honest review. It’s interesting to have a vulnerable hero in the book, I don’t encounter many of them. I wonder if they are at sea much in this book, I’m in a “high seas adventure” mood lately!
I’d love to read this book – please count me in! Thanks for the giveaway.
One of my favorite authors. Love read this book.
Thanks for your review. It’s interesting to read other people’s opinions of books I’ve read or will be reading soon. I didn’t realize that ‘The Secret Duke’ was part of the Malloren Family series. I have it listed as 3rd in her Rakist Trilogy.
Jo Beverley is a favorite author of mine. I have a large backlog of her books, but I’m working on them. It’s interesting that you said the love scenes in TSD were tame. I haven’t read a book by Miss Beverley yet that has what could be termed a ‘tame love scene’. Case in point, the opening chapter of ‘An Arranged Marriage’, the first book in her Company of Rogues series. It starts out with the heroine being drugged and raped by the hero’s twin brother, who was also drugged. That’s not tame, IMHO!
I have also read books, all written by various authors, that ended suddenly leaving me with the feeling it needed another 10-20 pages to better wrap things up. I wonder if page numbers and word counts were reached and rather than edit out something less important to the story, the hatchet fell, end of story! I hate that!
Please enter me in the giveaway.
I’m a great reader of Jo Beverley’s books – first the Company of Rogues – later the Malloren Family. I have reread most of the Malloren books to enjoy them more – once I had the characters straight and the interactions understood. It reminds me of reading “War and Peace” when I was in high school. The first time I got the gist of the story. The second time I figured out who was who since everyone had about three names (for family, intimates, and officials). The third time I read it I could finally appreciate it as literature.
Jo writes of a whole society in many ways and, really, many books aren’t “stand alone” in my opinion. That said, when I have reread a book such as “Winter Fire” and then listened to Jenny Sterlin’s marvelous narration of it, the book and characters have come to life for me. It’s now one of my favorites. I like to listen to it during the Christmas holidays. It’s got just layers and layers of meaning.
Jo Beverly’s books are always amazing. I really love stories with characters who’s identity is a secret or who are not what they seem. This one sounds GREAT and I’ve got it on top of my wishlist. So please count me in, thanks.