Are you looking to get into historical romance? I find that I enjoy this genre because there’s some spice, but not too much spice. Usually the plots of these books are pretty interesting. I love the tension we typically see between the male and female main characters. I had quite the backlist of historical romance to get through as I am trying to increase my Netgalley ratio, so thanks to good old Hoopla, I got to listen to these audiobooks courtesy of my local library while also improving that Netgalley score.
I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
The Worst Duke in the World by Lisa BerneNarrator: Moira Quirk
Length: 12 Hours 3 Minutes
Series: The Penhallow Dynasty #5
Published by HarperCollins on January 12, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Romance / General, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Victorian, Fiction / Women
Pages: 416
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
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"Attention, Bridgerton fans: if you're ready to delve deeper into the world of historical romances, The Worst Duke in the World by Lisa Berne is a fun place to start." —Pop Sugar
A wayward duke must choose: will he be the bad hero in a love story gone awry, or the brave and clever hero who risks everything for true love? The acclaimed Penhallow Dynasty series continues in this fresh, fun, funny tale!
Life’s no bowl of cherries for Anthony Farr, the Duke of Radcliffe. Duty demands he remarry to provide a spare to go along with the heir — and eligible ladies keep trying to finagle him into a proposal. All he wants is to be a good father to his 8-year-old son, see the Duchess (his truly terrific pig) win first prize at the harvest fête, and stay single. Even if that makes him a Bad Duke. Maybe the Worst Duke in the World.
Then Miss Jane Kent, a long-lost relation of the illustrious Penhallow family, arrives in the neighborhood and is promptly befriended by the Duke’s son. Jane, Anthony comes to realize, is smart and fun and also very kissable and dazzlingly desirable. Still, that’s not enough to melt his resistance to marrying again. He made a stern promise to himself and promises must, of course, be kept.
But what if that’s just his head talking, and his heart . . . is saying something entirely different?
“Delicious.” —Sarah MacLean, The Washington Post, on You May Kiss the Bride
“…It's champagne in book form — bubbly, fun, and intoxicating far more quickly than one might anticipate.” —Entertainment Weekly
The Worst Duke In The World by Lisa Berne is the fifth in the Penhallow Dynasty series. I’ve listened to a few of the other books in the series and found them quite enjoyable. Thus, I thought hey why not give this historical romance a shot via audiobook. This story is about Anthony Farr, the duke of Radcliffe. He is really focused on raising his eight year old son, but society demands he remarry and have another child. All the eligible women are interested in him. He, however, is more interested in focusing on the son he has. No woman catches his attention. That is, until Jane Kent, a long lost Penhallow relation shows up in the neighborhood and absolutely charms Farr’s son. Soon, sparks are flying.
I thought that The Worst Duke In The World was a fun read. The Penhallow series is really one that I enjoy on audio and so, yes, I really enjoyed this entry to the series as well. The narrator, Moira Quirk, is fun to listen to. She does accents and different voices. It wasn’t a challenge to pay attention and keep listening. The audiobook is 12 hours, 3 minutes and on Hoopla. I really liked how Jane wasn’t some wilting flower, but had a little bit of grit in her. And well, the love story is just captivating.
I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Duke Effect by Sophie JordanNarrator: Carolyn Morris
Length: 7 Hours 9 Minutes
Series: The Rogue Files #7
Also by this author: Firelight, Hidden, Reign of Shadows, How the Dukes Stole Christmas, This Scot of Mine
Published by HarperCollins on October 27, 2020
Genres: Fiction / Romance / General, Fiction / Romance / Historical / General, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Victorian, Fiction / Romance / Military
Pages: 352
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sophie Jordan continues her bestselling Rogue Files series with this captivating romance that will thrill her many fans.
She doesn’t care about love…
Despite being surrounded by her happily wed sisters, Nora Langley prefers botany to ballrooms and would rather spend a lifetime in her laboratory than consider affairs of the heart. An expert herbalist, Nora has been masquerading as her late physician father for years, dispensing invaluable medical advice. She corresponds with people all over the world, including an old army colonel. But when the man shows up on her doorstep, he is nothing like she expected—he is a young, handsome heir to a dukedom who suddenly threatens everything she holds dear.
He only cares about duty…
Constantine Sinclair arrives on the Langley doorstep in a desperate bid to save the woman who raised him, the Duchess of Birchwood … only to discover that the venerable doctor he expected is a bold and lovely charlatan. Furious at the deception, he vows to reveal her secrets. Determined to prove her skills, Nora promises to save the duchess in exchange for Con keeping her secret. Con reluctantly agrees… and soon Nora’s brilliant, headstrong ways are throwing his carefully controlled life into chaos. What happens when the rigid soldier begins to lose his grip on his heart?
I really enjoy Sophie Jordan’s historical romances as they are easy to follow and I find I have a good time with both the plot and the characters. The Duke Effect – part of the Rogue Files series – is about Nora Langley. Nora is a young woman who loves botany. She also loves medicine. For years, she has been corresponding as her father. Unfortunately, this comes to bite her in the behind when when Constantine Sinclair shows up on her doorstep in need of medical help for the Duchess who raised him. The jig is up. He threatens to reveal Nora’s deception, however, she makes him a deal to help the Duchess. As she goes with Constantine, it turns out she may convince him to lose control and fall for her.
The Duke Effect is narrated by Carolyn Morris and is only 7 hours and 9 minutes. It is a really fast historical romance audiobook. That is one thing that appealed to me, I like fast books as life is short – I want to get through as many as possible. Morris does a great job with the material — which admittedly is also fun. I enjoyed how the romance played out and how the book kind of takes a feminist bent, in that it shows inequity between men and women at the time and what a waste of talent that inequity was. This book was, of course, another great edition to Sophie Jordan’s collected works.
I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Devil in Disguise by Lisa KleypasNarrator: Mary Jane Wells
Length: 9 Hours 9 Minutes
Series: The Ravenels #7
Also by this author: Secrets of a Summer Night
Published by HarperCollins on July 27, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Historical / General, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Scottish, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Victorian, Fiction / Women
Pages: 384
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
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New York Times bestseller Lisa Kleypas returns with an enthralling and steamy romance between a Scot with a mysterious past and strong-willed lady looking for adventure—and love.
“The devil never tries to make people do the wrong thing by scaring them. He does it by tempting them.”
Lady Merritt Sterling, a strong-willed beauty who runs a shipping company, knows London society is dying to catch her in a scandal. So far, she’s been too smart to provide them with one. But then she meets Keir MacRae, a rough-and-rugged Scottish whisky distiller, and all her sensible plans vanish like smoke. They couldn’t be more different, but their attraction is powerful, raw and irresistible.
From the moment Keir MacRae arrives in London, he has two goals. One: don’t fall in love with the dazzling Lady Merritt Sterling. Two: avoid being killed.
So far, neither of those is going well.
Keir doesn’t know why someone wants him dead until fate reveals the secret of his mysterious past. His world is thrown into upheaval, and the only one he trusts is Merritt.
Their passion blazes with an intensity Merritt has never known before, making her long for the one thing she can’t have from Keir MacRae: forever. As danger draws closer, she’ll do whatever it takes to save the man she loves . . . even knowing he might be the devil in disguise.
Devil In Disguise by Lisa Kleypas is such a strong entry into the Ravenels series. I’ll admit, it’s been awhile since I picked up a book from this historical romance series. However, I loved this audiobook. The story opens with Lady Merritt Sterling who is a widow running her late husband’s shipping company dealing with an incident involving Keir MacRae, who is Scottish and runs a distillery. Merritt promises to make it up to Keir and the two collaborate. Meanwhile, someone is trying to kill Keir for some reason. And so, the two are thrown together a lot but also trying to resist each other.
I really liked the plotting of this book. It felt like there wasn’t way too much going on which I appreciate. There were threads that were very easy to follow. We also got appearances from characters from the other Ravenel books. Keir learns the reality of his birth and who his birth parents are. We also see why someone is trying to take him out. Oh, and Merritt is amazing, I loved her. The audiobook is narrated by Mary Jane Wells who makes the 9 hours and 9 minutes go by so fast. If you are looking to get into historical romance, Lisa Kleypas is classic for a reason.
I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
The Duke Goes Down by Sophie JordanNarrator: Carolyn Morris
Length: 7 Hours 51 Minutes
Series: The Duke Hunt #1
Also by this author: Firelight, Hidden, Reign of Shadows, How the Dukes Stole Christmas, This Scot of Mine
Published by HarperCollins on July 27, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Historical / General, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Victorian, Fiction / Women
Pages: 352
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
AMAZON BEST ROMANCE PICK IN AUGUST
New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan begins the all new The Duke Hunt series with the illegitimate son of a duke who meets his match in the daring daughter of a vicar.
The Bastard Rogue...
Peregrine Butler’s privileged blue-blooded world is rocked to the core when it is revealed he was born before his parents’ marriage and therefore is not the legal heir to the dukedom. Facing ruin, Perry must use his charm and good looks to win an heiress—all the while ignoring his fascination with the one interfering and alluring chit who is intent on sabotaging his efforts.
The Lady Vicar...
Everyone knows Imogen Bates, the virtuous daughter of the senile vicar. She can write a sermon in a day and spot a rogue in a second, so she sees right through Perry’s seductive façade. But Imogen’s plan to protect the heiresses of her beloved Shropshire from the erstwhile Duke of Penning, the bane of her existence since childhood, soon turns into something altogether unacceptable for the proper lady … who suddenly finds herself longing to keep his heated glances and tempting kisses all to herself.
The Duke Goes Down by Sophie Jordan is the first of the Duke Hunt series. I’ll admit, it isn’t my favorite book I’ve read by Sophie Jordan. This story is about Peregrine Butler, who lived a super privileged life. That is, until it comes out that he was born before his parents got married and thus is illegitimate and he is no longer heir to the dukedom. Now, he has to marry really well seeing as how he no longer has money. Imogene Bates is the daughter of the vicar, the good girl keep watch over her small village and their spiritual needs. Peregrine is someone she had crossed paths with years ago, when she overheard him saying mean things with other men about her. So, when he shows up, Imogene starts some rumors about him so he doesn’t happen to ensnare any women. Meanwhile, it turns out that years later, there may be a spark between Perry and Imogene.
As said, this isn’t quite my favorite of Jordan’s work. However, I did like the aspect of Imogene starting rumors to try and stop Perry from finding a woman. The rumors are kind of funny too and mostly innocuous. Also, there’s a part where Perry helps Imogene out of a scary position to be in. But, overall, my attention wandered during this book. The audiobook is narrated by Carolyn Morris and is 7 hours and 51 minutes long. It’s a short audiobook but not super memorable.
I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
The Scot Who Loved Me by Gina ConkleNarrator: Marian Hussey
Length: 10 Hours 10 Minutes
Series: Scottish Treasures #1
Published by HarperCollins on May 25, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Scottish, Fiction / Romance / Suspense
Pages: 384
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
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A Mass Market Original
From USA Today bestselling author Gina Conkle, the first in a daring new Scottish historical series about a woman determined to return Scottish treasures to the Highlands and the only man who can help her—the lover she once abandoned.
Proud Scot, Will MacDonald sits in prison for wearing his kilt. He’s determined to leave England as soon as he’s released, but his plans go awry when a mysterious woman enters his cell, promising freedom and gold.
Anne Fletcher never thought she’d see her former lover again. She knows Will hasn’t forgiven her for leaving him so many years ago, but to accomplish her league’s mission, she needs him by her side. Stealing the Treasure of Loch Arkaig from English hands and returning it to the Highlands where it belongs is no easy feat. But with Will’s help, they can achieve the impossible, even if being with him is as painful as it is pleasurable.
Taking back the fortune could mean death but after being parted from Anne for so long, Will can’t leave her side. As they work together to steal the treasure from watchful eyes, will they return to their lonely lives or will they risk everything for a love they thought was lost forever?
The Scot Who Loved Me by Gina Conkle is the first of the Scottish Treasures series. Will MacDonald is in an English prison simply for wearing a kilt. A mysterious woman who actually is a blast from his past offers him freedom if he agrees to help her with a mission. That woman is Anne Fletcher, Will’s former lover. She’s now part of a league that steals Scottish treasures from the English and returns them to the Highlands. She has her sights set on gold this time. If Will can just focus on the mission and not Anne’s re-entry into his life, they’ll successfully accomplish their goal. However, that chemistry is right there.
Honestly, I think my focus is off a little bit nowadays. It felt to me like this book was a little overlong. I ended up getting bored in the middle. Also, I felt so sad for Anne at one point and just didn’t get why she’d be open to rekindling things with Will. Granted, not his fault, but still. I do like heist books though and this did indeed have a heist involved. Still, I don’t think I can see myself checking out more from this series — maybe later when my kids are older and I have more attention to dedicate. The audiobook is narrated by Marian Hussey. It is 10 hours and 10 minutes long and I could for sure feel the minutes ticking by.
