Susan's Review of The Duke by Katharine Ashe

Katharine Ashe continues her lush and sensual Devil’s Duke series with a sweeping story of unbreakable love.

Six years ago, when Lady Amarantha Vale was an innocent in a foreign land and Gabriel Hume was a young naval officer, they met . . . and played with fire.

Now Gabriel is the dark lord known to society as the Devil’s Duke, a notorious recluse hidden away in a castle in the Highlands. Only Amarantha knows the truth about him, and she won’t be intimidated. He is the one man who can give her the answers she needs.

But Gabriel cannot let her learn his darkest secret. So begins a game of wit and desire that proves seduction is more satisfying—and much more wicked—the second time around…

About the Book

The Duke

by Katharine Ashe

Series

Devil’s Duke #3

Genre

Adult

Historical Romance

Publisher

Avon Books

Publication Date

September 26, 2017

Katharine Ashe’s The Duke is a classic regency historical. The novel has five parts, spans a six- year period and begins in Jamaica and concludes in Scotland. It took me three days to read Gabriel and Amarantha’s journey as each step was carefully crafted.

I enjoyed reading the first part of the novel which was set in Kingston, Jamaica. Ms Ashe touches upon the subjects of slavery, freedom, faith and religion—these themes play out throughout The Duke. The description of Gabe and Amy’s first meeting drew me into the story. She calls him a ‘giant beast of a man” and these words set the tone for their future conversations. In my opinion, this section of the book was a complete story and should have been published as a standalone novella.

Amy’s journey to Gabe begins in the third part of the novel. Now widowed, Amy travels to Scotland in search of her friend. Amy has changed in the past five years. Her experiences have shaped her and she has grown. Amy is a very determined, headstrong character and I enjoying reading how she searched for what she perceived as the truth and her desire to be free.

Gabriel Hume, the Duke of Loch Irvine, has made several guest appearances in the Devil’s Duke Series. Based on the hints in the prior novels, I thought this novel was going to focus on mysterious rituals and be dark in nature. However, the author perfectly assembles the clues concerning the mysterious Duke together using her flawless descriptive voice and her clever dialogue. I was intrigued to finally read his story and was captivated by this kind, compassionate man who gave his heart to someone and waited patiently for her to love him completely.

Ms. Ashe’s beautiful writing style shines when Gabriel shares his truths with Amy. In my opinion, this chapter and the pages which describe the couple making love are exquisitely written. I could feel the emotion, caring and desire that this couple felt for each other. I wanted this couple who had overcome so much to enjoy their happily ever after—not keep fighting for it.

I enjoyed and recommend The Duke—the hero was perfectly written. Gabe is every woman’s wish and fondest desire. Kudos to Katharine Ashe for writing a free spirited, headstrong heroine who captures Gabe’s heart and writing their journey!

Reviewed By Susan Gorman

ARC provided by Avon

To read an excerpt from The Duke, please click here.

About Katharine Ashe

KATHARINE ASHE is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of historical romances reviewers call “intensely lush” and “sensationally intelligent,” including her acclaimed Devil’s Duke Series, and My Lady, My Lord and How to Marry a Highlander, 2015 and 2014 finalists for the romance industry’s most prestigious award, the RITA®.

Katharine lives in the wonderfully warm Southeast with her beloved husband, son, dog, and a garden she likes to call romantic rather than unkempt. A professor of European History, she writes fiction because she thinks modern readers deserve grand adventures and breathtaking sensuality too.

Katharine’s Links

    

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The Earl

Review of The Earl—Katharine Ashe

“Marriage is good for no woman, Clarice. It binds her securely to a master as chains, and silences her voice as surely as if she had a gag stuffed between her lips. Why should I want that? I have been blessed with an affectionate, negligent father and am free to do mostly as I wish, with the resources to do it. I have no desire to subject myself to a potentially harsher overlord. I have work yet to do—so much work that I haven’t time to stand here and argue this with you.” Lady Justice 

Katharine Ashe’s descriptive writing style shines in The Earl, the second installment in the Devil’s Duke Series. It is an elegantly written opposites attract love story which features suspense, fabulous dialogue, romance and history. I have been waiting for this story for several years and I was not disappointed! Lady Justice writes about social reform in her pamphlets. She and Peregrine are fierce political opponents who have appeared throughout Ms. Ashe’s Falcon Club series. The Falcon Club’s mission was to find missing people and return them. Lady Justice’s sister has been missing for seven months and she reluctantly turns to her rival Peregrine for assistance.

Lady Justice receives a note from Scotland which states that her sister is alive. She dismisses Peregrine and decides to find her sister on her own. Peregrine and Lady Justice meet unexpectedly at an inn in Scotland where they are mistaken for a pair of felons who have murdered a local woman. Outnumbered, they leave the inn on horseback. The couple is pursued from village to village. Lady Justice has no choice but to follow Peregrine. The trip through the Scottish countryside parallels the couple’s personal journey. To outsmart the people who are intent on capturing them, they must learn to trust and rely on each other. I was so immersed in the couple’s travels, that I felt that I was walking through the rugged countryside, down the puddle filled country roads and up the unforgiving mountainside with them.

Katharine Ashe creates characters who have purpose. Lady Justice and Peregrine are imperfect but, are perfect for each other. Both are strong willed and determined and these traits enable them to survive their ordeal. Ms. Ashe is not afraid to portray characters that appear to be strong but, in fact, are emotionally vulnerable. Lady Justice’s pamphlets show the importance and the value of the written word. The letters speak of social injustices, political reform and woman’s rights important topics in 1822 and in 2016. At first, the pairing of this couple surprised me. As I became immersed in the novel, I wanted them to elude the men who were chasing them and fall in love. The conclusion to The Earl was splendidly crafted–and made me cry-one person’s voice can make a difference!

Reviewer’s note: As a longtime Falcon Club reader, I chose not reveal the identities of Lady Justice and Peregrine in my review.

Reviewed by Susan Gorman
ARC from the Publisher

Graphic artwork: Graphics by Sharlene

Photo of Celeste by Susan Gorman