The Wicked Duke
The Wicked Trilogy
ISBN-10: 0515155187
ISBN-13: 978-0515155181
Publisher: Jove (May 31, 2016)
Blurb:
She appeals to his wicked inclinations, but he never expects she might snare his heart….
Suspected of his brother’s murder, Lancelot Hemingford, Duke of Aylesbury, was forced to give up his hell-raising habits in London for the anonymity of quiet country living. So, when an opportunity arises to clear his name in exchange for proposing to the niece of a neighbor, he sees no choice but to accept. Plus, seducing the reluctant maiden will be a most intriguing challenge…
As Marianne Radley is dependent on her uncle, she must accept the Duke’s marriage proposal at her family’s request, despite her belief he is irredeemably wicked. But along with marrying him, she intends to sniff out the duke’s unsavory secrets and expose them to the world: a plan that would be flawless were it not for one minor detail—even she, with all her determination, is not immune to the charms of a rakish duke…
Review:
I was not previously familiar with Ms. Hunter, but how glad I am I’ve become acquainted with her work. What a tangled web of reading she’s written, and what an oh-so-good time I had reading it. Lance is just as sexy as his name suggests, and despite his situation of being forced to wed – he’s all alpha. He tempts and teases, and no one could blame Marianne for falling for him. I wasn’t at all pleased with her uncle, and my heart went out to her cousin. I did eventually figure out the truth of the cousin’s situation, and figuring it out didn’t disappoint me at all. The story was wonderfully constructed.
There’s nothing amateur about the writing. The dialogue is pleasing and the characters’ actions propels the story forward. There’s a mystery to solve, secrets to uncover, and characters to despise. There’s of course “the other woman” (let her tell it), and loyalty amongst friends. This story has it all.
Hunter did an outstanding job with character development. I connected with them, and rooted for the HEA I knew was to come.
The Wicked Duke is the final in the Wicked Trilogy, and I most definitely will be purchasing the others in the series: Tall, Dark & Wicked and His Wicked Reputation.
Rating system: Cups of Coffee (the less the better)
0: You won’t need any coffee to stay up for this one. It’s intriguing enough all on its own.
1: You’ll stay up late, but not all night. Brew one cup.
2: You’ll read as long as you’re not tired. If you are, two cups should do the trick.
3: I hope you got plenty of rest; you’ll need it, or at least 3 cups.
4: If the cable goes out, read the book. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Oh, don’t forget your brew!
5: Find anything else to do- it doesn’t matter what it is. Don’t waste your coffee. Too much caffeine is bad for you.
My rating: 0 cups of coffee