Review: My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid

Posted August 28, 2020 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: My Darling Duke by Stacy ReidReviewer: Holly
My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid
Series: Sinful Wallflowers #1
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Publication Date: December 31, 2019
Format: eBook
Source: Library
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Content Warning: View Spoiler »
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 377
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Holly's 2020 Goodreads Challenge, Holly's 2020 Historical Challenge
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Miss Katherine Danvers is a desperate wallflower. Her family is on the brink of financial ruin, and it is up her to save her mother and sisters from a life of indignities. So she transforms herself into the incomparable Kitty Danvers, the fiancée of the enigmatic and reclusive Alexander Masters, Duke of Thornton—once dubbed the mad, bad, and dangerous catch of the Season.

Ten years ago, society and the woman Alexander Masters loved called him a monster, after a tragic accident left him scarred and confined to a wheelchair. His heart exists in cold, lonely exile, until he learns he has a fiancée—a deceptive, clever, and utterly intriguing woman he's never met. Miss Danvers will now learn the consequences of engaging herself to the beast, for Alexander is determined to make her his. Soon, they are involved in a chase, a clash of wills, and though he once vowed to never love again, he burns for the enchanting Miss Danvers. And denying his heart may cost him an exquisite love that happens only once in a lifetime.

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid is the first book in the Sinful Wallflowers series. My friend and fellow reader Nikki recommended this to me. I’m a sucker for all things Beauty and the Beast, so I had to download it as soon as she told me the premise. I’m so glad I did.

Miss Katherine Danvers is a wallflower, a desperate one. Her father died and left them with nothing. She and her friends, other desperate wallflowers, vow to do something daring to change their circumstances. She has a very short window in which to get her sisters married, so she does something daring..she creates a new persona and claims to be the fiance of a reclusive Duke. He hasn’t been in society – or even the country – in years, so she figures she’s safe enough. Only things keep spiraling out of her control..before she knows it she’s installed in a new rental house in a better location, riding around in a hired carriage and has a new wardrobe…all courtesy of the unsuspecting Duke.

Alexander Masters, The Duke of Thornton, withdrew from society 10 years ago, after a house fire killed his parents and left him badly scarred. He knows he can never take a wife, but he’s very intrigued by this woman claiming to be his fiance. Rather than calling her a liar, he goes along with it, curious beyond measure. Kitty is nothing like he imagined her to be, and he can’t seem to stay away from her. But he can’t sire children, and he doesn’t want to take a wife when he can’t be a true husband.

This was a sweet story. The end was a little over the top cheesy, but I can’t deny I was smiling while I read it. I loved Katherine and Alexander. Their reactions to each other weren’t the expected ones, and I was here for it. I really liked the friendship between Kitty and the other wallflowers, too. They had a strong bond and I really liked how they confided in each other, and encouraged one another to be bold and brave. I also liked Alex’s relationship with his sister, and his servants. They were a family, for all that he was in charge of them.

As I said, some parts were overly cheesy, but I liked how supportive Kitty and Alex were of each other. I’m looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Sinful Wallflowers

four-stars


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