What the Duke Desires

The Duke's Men #1

by Sabrina Jeffries

Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, accepted long ago that his kidnapped brother was dead. When a crytpic note from investigator Tristan Bonnaud claims otherwise, Max seeks out Tristan's sister, Lisette- just as Tristan himself goes missing. Have the siblings staged an elaborate hoax? Or is the fiercely protective beauty innocent as she claims?

Fearful that the powerful duke will retaliate, clever Lisette convinces Max to accompany her to Paris to jointly search for their loved ones. Posing as husband and wife- not an English duke with a tarnished family name, and the illegitimate daughter of a viscount- they find an exhilarating passion that has enticingly blurred the line between danger and desire. And they discover that some mysteries, like those of the heart, are answered tenfold in the bliss of a true and trusting love.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Regency Romance, Adult

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 4, 2013

About the author

Sabrina Jeffries is the NYT bestselling author of over 50 novels and works of short fiction (some written under the pseudonyms Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas). Whatever time not spent writing in a coffee-fueled haze of dreams and madness is spent traveling with her husband and adult autistic son or indulging in one of her passions—jigsaw puzzles, chocolate, and music. With over 11 million books published in print and electronically in 25 different languages, the North Carolina author never regrets tossing aside a budding career in academics for the sheer joy of writing fun fiction, and hopes that one day a book of hers will end up saving the world.

She always dreams big.

Reviews

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with a terrific plot which included historical facts, romance, and an intriguing mystery. The plot twist when the mystery was solved at the end was thrilling to read. This book gets 4.5 stars for me

[Mary - Buried Under Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on: Buried Under Romance

This is the first in Jeffries's new series, The Duke's Men, and features our eponymous duke, Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons.

Max became the heir to the dukedom after a report claiming the death of his kidnapped older brother, Peter. He has long mourned his brother's death, until he gets a mysterious note from Tristan Bonnaud, whom he met only briefly, claiming that his brother is alive. However, when Tristan failed to show up at their arranged meeting, Max decided to storm Tristan's half-brother, Dominick Manton's, residence in search for answers.

Lisette Bonnaud was insulted when the angry duke who forced entry in her half-brother's residence thought she was Dom's mistress. Lisette had been helping Dom's private investigations for a while, and knowing that Tristan would willingly never return to England, manipulated the duke into taking her to find Tristan in France, delaying him from calling the authorities to have her family arrested. Thus began a journey from England to France of two lonely strangers who assumed the guise of married gentry, both carrying family secrets, soon to gave in to the blazing desire between them and bare all secrets of the heart.

The majority of the book is focused on characterizations of Max and Lisette. Both are wonderfully complex characters who have endured much at the hands of their own loving yet erring families. Max bears one of the greatest burdens of any hero I've read, that of fearing he will succumb to madness that overtook the males of his family. He was not the favored child of his family, and naturally he felt even more distance from his parents after his brother's abduction and death. What's more, having seen his mother crumpling down in the last years of his father's illness left him unwilling to marry for love, in order to spare another the same grief of attending him as he eventually succumbs to madness. Max's painful struggle to push Lisette away from him, despite wanting her comfort, tugs at my heart throughout most of the story, until he becomes a foolishly stubborn duke and hurts Lisette.

Lisette is by far my favorite Jeffries heroine. She is the illegitimate daughter of a viscount who promised loved her mother but could not give her marriage before his death. Her father's heir, George, detests Lisette and Tristan, and turned them to poverty before accusing Tristan of a crime. From a young age, she became strong and took care of herself, vowing never to marry or become anyone's mistress. What truly captured my heart is how she so easily saw the hurt in Max, and very unconditionally gave her love to him. Her later refusal to marry him unless he allowed her to care for him when he becomes mad is another sign of her incredibly caring nature, something that I feel makes Max almost unworthy of her.

The plot of the story is fast-paced and engaging, fraught with intrigue and dangers, but still with a focus on characterization. I was ready to give this book 5 stars until the last bit of the story, in which a HUGE amount of family secrets came tumbling out, making the story very rushed and almost unbelievable. It was then that Max did something stupidly selfish and hurt Lisette, and I was only able to forgive him slightly at the end. Suffice it to say, despite the twists and turns at the end, this is a great read with engaging characters. This book has a darker tone than most of Jeffries's other books, but lacks not in its rich scenery descriptions, intense emotional and sexual attraction, and endearing characters.

Having had a glimpse of one future pairing, I highly anticipate the next addition to The Duke's Men and hope that fans of Sabrina Jeffries will pick up this series right away.

*I received an ARC from the publisher via edelweiss

[Sammy Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Sabrina Jeffries and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!



There was action, romance, and a bit of mystery. I'm looking forward to more of this series!!

[Feminista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The daughter of an English lord who promised her mother, his French mistress, marriage, Lisette has grown up wary of men. Correctly so, as her social standing in life affords no marriage propositions, but promises of a different kind.

The Duke of Lyons is borne of a family of mad men. Fear of putting a wife through the nightmare his mother had to go through, Maximilian does not want to marry, but his duty to bring about an heir means that sooner or later, he has to marry.

The search for Max’s presumed dead older brother brings to two together, to uncover the truth. But their journey also brings emotions of another kind that threatens to tie them together for life.

This novel was of an average read. The plot and writing was good. However, there were some inconsistencies that detracted from my enjoyment.

For example, when Lisette and Max finally sleep together, and Max offers marriage, Lisette gets offended when Max correctly says that without his offer of marriage she might be bringing in illegitimate (a word I am not fond of, but that was commonplace in those days) child in the world. Lisette angrily says that if she finds herself in that position, of course she would marry him. But how was she to know that Max would offer her marriage, when even before their sleeping together, Max was refusing to marry her.

So what would she have done, if she was left with a child with no marriage prospects. I guess people could say that she knew in her heart that Max with do the right thing, but such certainties, especially with her history of a father who kept giving her mother hope of marriage but never followed through, would make such a notion unfathomable. So I didn’t understand her need to get all righteous when she has no real means of making things right. I mean she can barely force a duke to marry her, if he doesn’t want to.

I also disliked how Max, subconsciously kept on testing her. For example in the scene above, Max thinks that he half expected her to accept the offer of marriage, something which other women in her place would do.

I also hated what a hypocrite Max was. There is a part at the end where he calls her mother a whore. Yes he was angry, but that doesn’t excuse him. He can’t even properly apologise for it until way later. But meanwhile, when some other man calls her mother a whore, he gets all righteous and uses his power as a duke over him. Was I supposed to be impressed by this contradiction? Because I most certainly was not.

And finally, Lisette melted even before Max apologised. He calls her dearling and she melts faster than ice-cream on a hot day. I am not a big fan of malleable women, no matter how authors painted them otherwise. If they are strong in one aspect of their life, it should reasonably translate to their personality and character as well.

ARC Courtesy of Edelweiss and Pocket Books

[♡Karlyn P♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Price drop & audiobook deal! 1/28/2014

The ebook is now just $4, and you can get the audio book for an additional $3.49

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What a fun, romantic, sexy, adventurous historical romp by one of the best authors writing in this genre. What the Duke Desires was a great start to a new series, I look forward to more!



Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, is searching for his long lost brother. He is such a likable character, and not the typical snooty, snobby or ego driven Duke. I loved his humor, loved how quickly he opened up to Lisette, and loved how he didn't ever hold Lisette's 'bastard' status against her.

So when Max and Lisette set out on a road trip disguised as married commoners, their passionate story made for a fun romp to read.

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release Date: June 18, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Pocket Books
Author’s Website: http://www.sabrinajeffries.com/
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, The Duke’s Men
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: None
Favorite Tropes: Pretend Marriage, Fearful of Falling Mad (Family History Of Madness), Enemies To Lovers


Lighthearted without being silly, and with a delightfully besotted hero who is determined never to marry, this one is a true gem.

Though I admit it bugged me a bit that I knew the cause of Max’s family’s “madness”, even though the medical technology of that era wouldn’t necessarily have allowed him to have been aware of it, I loved the tension caused by his determination to never marry and sire an heir.

Max and Lisette were a perfect foil for each other, even when neither could decide whether they even liked the other. The chemistry was delicious, and the mystery surrounding Max’s family kept the story moving without ever overwhelming the romance.

And I do love a hero who is worried that he’ll one day fall mad like the rest of his family.

4.5/5

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maximillian Cale, Duke of Lyons, received a message from Tristan Bonnaud saying that he may have found Max's older brother. Peter was kidnapped many years ago and has been presumed dead. The message asks Max to meet Tristan for more information; but when Max goes to the designated spot, no one shows up. Max hurries to the home of Dominic Manton, Tristan's half-brother. Dom isn't at home, but Max meets Lisette Bonnaud, Tristan's sister. She offers to help Max find Tristan, but only if he will let her accompany him. Max and Lisette pose as husband and wife while they travel the countryside looking for her brother.

This is the first book in The Duke's Men series. Both Max and Lisette are very likeable characters. Max is hoping his brother is alive and can take over the title. Max doesn't want to marry just to produce an heir. He has seen the men in his family succumb to madness and thinks that is in store for him too. Lisette is the illegitimate daughter of a Viscount who claimed to love her mother but never married her. She doesn't believe in love and has no intention of ever marrying. Of course, when two people swear off marriage, they immediately fall in love.

Both the story and characters were entertaining. I enjoyed the unexpected twist in the search for Max's long-lost brother and look forward to the next book in the series. My rating: 4 Stars.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Sabrina Jeffries book as well as my first time to hear narrator Corrie James, and the experience was most enjoyable. The heroine is feisty but not irrational, and the hero is appropriately "dukely." Part of the story is a road trip to France, traveling as a middle-class married couple, and it's fun. The mystery was well done and kept me guessing. The entire plot takes place over just a few days, however, and the duke's devotion to his lady happened way too quickly.

Corrie James did an excellent job handling male and female voices as well as British and French accents. For Lisette, born and raised in England to a French mother, she did just the right mix of accents. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books narrated by her, especially the next book in this series.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What the Duke Desires is a Pocket Books publication. This is a June 2013 release. Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC copy of this book.

Maximilian Cale, The Duke of Lyons, received a note from Tristan Bonnaud explaining that he may have evidence that the Duke's older brother, Peter, is still alive.
When the Duke arrives to meet Tristan, Tristan never shows up. Infuriated, The Duke sets out to find Tristan. This leads him to Tristan's sister, Lisette.
When the Duke makes demands on Lisette, insisting she reveal to him where her brother might be, she stands her ground. She agrees to help the Duke on the condition she be able to travel with him to France. So, they pretend to be husband and wife and set off for Paris.

On the way to France, the Duke and Lisette have many disagreements, but also find they can't keep from kissing each other every chance they get.

As they arrive in France and locate Tristan, they find he is working as an investigator and he does indeed have information about Peter.
Intrigue sets in when they seek to discover if the man Tristan located is really Max's long lost brother. To make it even more interesting, Lisette and Tristan's evil half brother is hot on their trail, trying to have Tristan arrested for thievery.

The differences in classes would normally prevent Lisette and Max from being married. Lisette is the daughter of a Viscount, but her mother was a French actress and they never married. For Max though, he doesn't want to marry anyone he is really in love with due to a family trait he fears he may be afflicted with.
The agency that Tristan works for and his boss, Eugene Vidocq, was a real detective agency and a real detective, and he was well ahead of his time when he actually did hire female agents.

I really enjoyed this novel. I always like to read historical romances that go off the beaten path of Regency Period rules and society strictures, seasons and so on. This one featured two adults that were willing to put the other first over their own wants and desires. Sure, they have misunderstandings and hurt each other before they are able to resolve the issues that might be keeping them from having the HEA they deserve, but they each have the sense to see past it and forgive each other.
This one was a real pleasure to read. I was in a really good mood by the time I turned the last page. Overall a solid A.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 WILD STARS!!

I love everything Sabrina Jeffries writes! Her characters are always interesting, and her stories are always intriguing! This book did not disappoint!

My Max:



He was thunder and lightning and rain, and she was the earth and flowers that drank up the storm.

Max is a duke, and I LOVE DUKES!!!! I wish I had a sexy duke of my own!! I love that Max isn’t this impenetrable duke, but he has real fears. Lisette is the only one who can stubborn her way through those fears. These two are a match in every way!!

My Lisette:



She was a French rose growing wild amid the hothouse flowers of London.




Lisette is a strong, sensible woman. She grew up with 2 brothers, so she knows how and when to defend herself. She has a smart tongue and wit, and she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. I absolutely love the witty dialogue between Max and Lisette!

You got off on the wrong foot. I merely watched you shove it into your mouth.

This story is not set amongst the ton, but instead, it is an adventure! Max is seeking Lisette’s brother, who is in hiding, because he believes her brother knows a secret about his family. In order to protect her brother, Lisette must travel with Max to locate Lisette’s brother. Most of the story is the two travelling from London to Paris and coming up against obstacles along the way. In order to maintain Lisette’s reputation, they must travel incognito and pretend to be married, which, as you can guess, makes things very interesting! (wink)



mon coeur (my heart)

This is how it should always be. You in my bed...in my arms. Always.



The second half of the book was faster than the first half. I LOVED the ending! Even though this wasn’t my favorite, I will always read a book by Sabrina Jeffries!

[ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...] · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...

Trust SJ to give us a new series that began with a charming read, What the Duke Desires. It was fun-filled and action packed, along with some mystery that needed to be resolved. The H, Max, was sweet even if sometimes he was being a little obnoxious about things. Yet, I was glad to put him in my lists of sexy betas. The h, Lisette was a force to reckon with. She was strong and brave, qualities I admire in the h of a novel.

The Duke’s Men series is somewhat of a spinoff the Hellions of Hallstead Hall. Duke of Lyons, or Maximilian was a minor secondary character, being Lord Gabriel’s close friend. We were hinted at a family curse that made Max’s life difficult to bear, something that he always had to fight while mixing with his peers. They’re always waiting and watching for him to do something… irrational. Max seemed the reserved sort, the perfect Duke with his solid character and commanding presence. He also seemed distant and a little cold. Lisette was not introduced in that series but if you take a look at the nice family diagram at the beginning of the book, it’ll explain to you much. You might remember this; with the reference from Jackson Pinter, now retired detective extraordinaire, Dominic Manton helped Pierce sort out some things at the end of book 6 of the Hellions series. Dominic’s elder brother, George (who is now a viscount) was Pierce’s schoolmate. He has always been the mean sort and Pierce stayed away from him. But Dominic is nothing like George. He was thorough and quick to solve Pierce’s request, proving himself an able detective.

In this book, we come to learn that Dominic’s father, Viscount Rathmoor had a longtime faithful mistress; a French actress whom, it’s rumored, that he loved. She was pretty much established as his mistress when Dominic or Dom’s mother died giving birth to him. Lisette is Rathmoor’s illegitimate daughter, born to that actress. She has an elder brother who is a few years younger than Dom, named Tristan. I was not fond of the backstory since cheating always makes my skin itch. But Lisette’s mother, who went as ‘Mrs. Bonnaud’ was the trusting sort. She believed that Rathmoor will eventually marry her when they have the opportunity. And apparently, she loved the man enough to leave her own family and country to journey to England. But that marriage never took place as we find in the beginning scene. Rathmoor kept this off with various excuses... and then, he was killed. It was heartbreaking. Lisette was around 14 at that time. Just after Rathmoor’s death, Tristan, the wildest of the siblings, takes a horse his father gave him and sells it for some money.

Dom is the one breaks the news to the family as he was closer to his father’s other family. He accepted them while George hated them. After that shattering news, when they learn of what Tristan did, there was no doubt that he’d be in big trouble because there was no proof that the horse belonged to Tristan. George destroyed whatever evidence their father left in acknowledgement of his other family. Tristan was there but couldn’t stop George from doing it. In a nutshell, to save Tristan from hanging, they hastily pack him off to France as there was no other option. George comes by to threaten them. To their distress, Lisette and her mother learn that they don’t even have that small cottage they had lived in for so long. With Dom’s interference, and to save her family, Mrs. Bonnaud promises to leave England. Otherwise George would hound and humiliate them to his heart’s content. For his trouble, George denies Dom his rightful share from his father’s legacy. There was still the matter of Tristan, and George makes it known that he’ll find him and see that he’s hanged for his so-called ‘offense’.

Many years have passed since then. Lisette’s mother passed away in France. You can imagine how well she was welcomed to the bosom of her family as she left them to become mistress to some English lord, to their utter shame. Mrs. Bonnaud went back to the stage and did her best to support her family. They kept in touch with Dom, who finished his studies and eventually established his own investigation agency. Dom loves them very much, as they’re now his only family. He grew up playing with Tristan, so Mrs. Bonnaud always treated him as one of her own. Seems like, somehow, Tristan started working for the Sûreté Nationale, a matter only Dom, Lisette and Tristan’s mentor, Eugène Vidocq know about. (FYI: reading Vidocq’s life-story made me realize just how SJ connected him and Tristan so well, as Vidocq was also known to be a criminal before he became such a famous criminologist. Who else can read the workings of another criminal mind better, right?)

Recently, Lisette has returned to London to help Dom organizing his office. She has grown up to be a smart girl, even if a little on the impulsive side. Vidocq, it seemed, has trained her well for some tasks, as she helped him with his own office, sorting out the cards containing the criminal records etc. She’s doing the same for Dom. But what Lisette actually wants is to become a female agent and work for Vidocq, who welcomed the idea. But Tristan was vehemently opposed to it, forcing Lisette to back out of her plan. Lisette is unhappy about men interfering in her life this way. She didn’t trust any men of her life, or at least didn’t want to trust them. She hated that her father never married her mother, even though he kept her waiting for years. She hated how Dom or Tristan tries to ‘take care’ of her even now. She is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, so why would they not trust her with something more... adventurous?

Fate gives her the opportunity to ‘explore’ her adventurous side soon enough, in the form of the Duke of Lyons. One day, after Dom is gone to Scotland, making her promise that she won’t get herself into trouble, Lisette goes and does that; get herself into trouble. Well, she didn’t have a lot of other options and she did want to test her limits. The Duke comes in search of Dom, wanting information on Tristan. He tells her something so out of place, like Tristan is in London, and wanted to meet him to give Max some information about his long-lost, thought to be dead, elder brother Peter! Max waited for him but he never showed up. Now he thinks Tristan is a fraud trying to filch his money. For one, Lisette doesn’t believe that Tristan would be such an idiot to return to England. But then, as she views the note, she recognizes her brother’s handwriting that sends a chill down her spine. How could he be so careless? Apparently, now that the ‘Lofty Lyons’ (as Max is known through the peerage) is on to Tristan’s arse to see him punished (and ruin his life), even if it means by traveling to France, it’s up to Lisette to save the day. Or at least, save Tristan’s very troublesome arse!

Their first meeting was funny. Max thought Lisette was Dom’s mistress, seeing her coming out of bed in her nightdress. Lisette did her best to talk back, never mind she was talking to a Duke. Her straightforward and bold stance, not to mention her protectiveness towards her family intrigues Max from the beginning since he’s the unfortunate sort who hasn’t known close family ties in that sense. Max’s family secret was mostly assumption and a result of wrong information. He was scared of going mad like his father and his great uncle. He stood by and witnessed his mother suffer through his father’s condition and it made an awful impression on him. This is the reason Max decided a long time ago that he’d never marry a woman he might fall in love with. Moreover, his brother’s kidnapping by his great uncle and his subsequent death in abroad cast a dark shadow over Max’s family that his parents never recovered from. Max had to bear the brunt because it sounded as though they preferred ‘the heir’ more than ‘the spare’. His parents’ obvious preference and repeated mention of it hurt Max (and it’s so understandable, really), yet he never stopped loving any of them. Max worshipped his mother and loved his father before both of them passed on.

So he saw a lot in Lisette that start attracting him like a moth to a flame. It was not only her inner strength, but also her French-English grace and beauty. The journey to France was something Max would’ve gladly done alone, but on Lisette’s insistent, he had to take her along. Then he had to come up with an instant plan to appear as husband and wife. Another funny scene, since Lisette had lost her tongue when faced with that force of nature, aka the gossipy woman at the station. Later Max doesn’t forget to needle Lisette about it, making her realize (to her utter annoyance) that she’d never make a good agent. Lol

On that journey their intimacy grew. Already mentioned that I really enjoyed Lisette and Max’s banters, how Max always appeared so cool and ‘dukely’ while Lisette would fumble along with her various attempts of acting in her role. She’d be greatly annoyed by him, but more often than not, it stemmed from her unwavering attraction to the tall and handsome Duke. She knew nothing good could come of it, and she will NOT repeat her mother’s mistake. This is something I admired in Lisette. But I grew a little impatient because I wanted the book to pick up its pace. More of their banters, fact exchange, coming clean of information that Lisette kept from Max, yes, but other than that, the story slowed down quite a bit. Lisette didn’t trust Max for a long, long time and she was very reluctant to come forward with information. This frustrated Max because in his life, he has been lied to by people many-a-times, starting from his parents. And he absolutely abhorred it! This caused trouble in their budding relationship quite a few times. Lisette didn’t trust that Max won’t ruin Tristan, and Max would be kind of cold in his assessment of what should be done etc., leaving her confused about his intentions.

On that largely uneventful journey, Lisette finds out Hucker, one of George’s right-hand man, following them. This is when Lisette knew that she needed Max’s cool head, logical thinking and ‘dukely’ behavior to evade Hucker. But Max won’t help without the truth. Even though her natural impulsiveness tries to take over, Lisette admits that Max needed to know all about Tristan.

After a successful escape, when they reach France, Max finally meets the brilliant yet elusive Eugène Vidocq. He was jealous of the man because Vidocq seemed so close to Lisette, suspecting he might’ve been her lover or something. But it was very much apparent that Vidocq’s affection for Lisette was that of a father. It does calm Max’s mind a little, though he still can’t help feeling a little bereft. By now, Max has realized that Lisette was the kind of woman he can fall in love with... and in his dictionary that means she’s a big NO NO. Someone he can never be with. Oh goodness, Max would be so obnoxious about this thing that at times I wanted to smash something on his thick head! He was quite adorable, which is why I probably didn’t, much like Lisette because she knew she was already falling.

Obviously Max needed Lisette to set him straight, something Lisette proved to be good about. Hehe As they were searching in Tristan’s quarters for any clue, Lisette finally asks Max to show her what he feels for her. I liked that scene so much; her teasing, his groaning because he wanted to resist, yet for the love of him, he couldn’t. Afterwards though, Max had to go and ruin it by saying he can’t marry her... because... because it’s not even her illegitimacy but that he can’t bear it when she’d watch him go mad inevitably, suffering alongside him. So he’d marry someone cold and calculating, who’d leave him in his insane state! Or, they can get married, ONLY IF Lisette leaves Max be (preferably with servants) when his supposed madness takes him over! *sigh* This angers Lisette much and she vows that she’d make him see reason; that she’d never leave him no matter what, only if he’d let her in.

Later that day, Vidocq confirms that Tristan is not in France. He also divulges some information on Max’s great-uncle and Peter. It seemed like both went to a small Belgian town called Gheel, which harbors mad people for treatment. It only confirmed that Max’s great-uncle was indeed going mad. But what actually happened? What about that fire they died in? Was it an accident or a case of arson? Vidocq remembers the case as he was one of the people Max’s father contacted with. That is how he also recognized Max even before Lisette had a chance to introduce him. And Vidocq, once a ladies’ man, totally understood that Max wanted Lisette, a feeling she returned. He’s duly concerned about this situation, for it seemed likely that Lisette would end up hurt. So he and Max have some word exchange on the whole mess they were in at that moment. Their so-called plan of Lisette acting as a widow when she returns to England doesn’t really sound concrete, not to mention what Dom’s reaction would be once he’s aware of the whole situation!

I was glad that Lisette could see and acknowledged (even if to herself) that she has mucked up badly. Right now, they don’t even know where Tristan is, or if this news of Max’s brother being alive true or false. At some point though, they come to the decision that Tristan’s ship might’ve passed a diseased town before reaching England. And that means the ship would be on quarantine. Quarantined ships sat on the dock for a period of time, hoisting a yellow flag, to determine if there was any infected man abroad and needed to be taken care of. Until the quarantine officers were satisfied and gave permission to move, no one could go out of that ship; be it weeks or months of waiting. When this is confirmed, Max and Lisette decide to return to England pronto and look for the ship which Tristan has boarded. Max could definitely use his influences in higher places to do something about it.

In between, there was the push and pull in their relationship and the proposed marriage. Lisette doesn’t care for Max’s conditions of their marriage and Max won’t relent. This was kinda frustrating I tell you. Anyway, when they return to England, Max finds out that the ship indeed is under quarantine. That means Tristan had to find a way to get the news to Max. What did he do to pull it off? Is Max’s brother really on that ship? Could this mean that he is no longer the Duke of Lyons? Thoughts like this swirl around Max’s head. He wants Lisette to stay in safety but she won’t listen. Throughout their journey together, Lisette has had this insatiable urge to help Max find his way back, and she’d see it through. She also needed to see Tristan, to make sure that her lover and her brother don’t kill each-other off... or something.

Inside the ship, it was another matter entirely. It was like they stepped into a different world; a dark, dank and dirty world to be precise. Max then finds Tristan when he’s led to the place where they’re holding the sick man, who turns out to be Victor Cale. Oh God, would Max lose his brother when he’s come so close to have him back in his life? But why is he using a different name? Max is anxious... even scared, learning that Victor is not doing very well. The young Dr. Worth is trying his best to keep him alive. As Max steps inside the room... that was a moment that should’ve changed his life entirely. Yet it doesn’t. Not in that sense. Max doesn’t know what to think of this thin, gaunt man, who exceptionally resembles his own father. Since Max was very young when Peter was taken, he had no memories of him but in his mind, Max decides that this must be his long lost brother.

This part of the story was pretty intense. I loved how Lisette would take Max’s hand and try to show her support to him. I also had my own suspicions about Victor’s real identity, which hit the mark at the end. But the suspense in which SJ kept me was pretty good, and neat. While discussing this madness shared by Max’s father and great-uncle, which was not shared by any the other male members of Max’s family, some plausible dirty family secret comes to light. Secrets that were made out of lies... and those Max still hated the most. When he felt cornered by those revelations and unable to face them, Max botch things up a little. Poor guy, I felt so sad for him. :( I wasn’t angry with him, mind you but he did hurt Lisette with his words. Then I totally appreciated Lisette’s steady support of Max, even though she probably should’ve kicked on his nuts hard. Lol Either way, I was simply glad that finally Max had people to call ‘family’ again; a blood relation no less, alongside Lisette, to lighten up his days.

Overall, it was a sweet read, the usual SJ delivery; well researched and entertaining. This was also a good start to a new series. Now that Manton’s Investigation is known as The Duke’s Men (thanks to the media attention because of Max’s brilliant handling of the George problem), we’ll be getting the stories of more secondary characters. Already the pairing of Dom and George’s wife’s cousin, Jane was hinted at the end. I’m also looking forward to Victor, Tristan... even Dr. Worth’s book (if SJ ever decides something for him). For What the Duke Desires, 4.25 stars.


I was auto-approved for this ARC by Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster via edelweiss which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.

[Maida (Medley of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 3.5 "Mon Coeur & Dearling" HEARTS!!


Every now and then I have a craving to read Historical Romance, and like with all cravings, it must be satisfied, which is exactly what Sabrina Jeffries’ What the Duke Desires did – bringing contentment with its cute, fun, and overall relaxing quality.

The most appreciative aspect of this book lies in its absence of predictability as so often seen in many HR reads. Yes, the sweet romance is the same, the angst-filled relationship is ever present, and even the proverbial HEA is there, yet, the fast-paced plot offers the feelings of something refreshing with its mild mystery, eccentric husband-wife disguises, unexpected surprises, and the omission of the usual relationship drama. A nice and welcome change.

Both Lisette Bonnaud and Maximilian Cale are likeable characters. Lisette is a strong, proud woman showcasing many admirable qualities, one of which, not allowing Max to rule her with his high class “Duke” standards. She doesn’t let the label of illegitimacy (or her heartbreaking past) bring her down, instead standing up for herself in every situation, letting her voice be heard. Max comes off as overbearing at first, but we quickly warm up to his character – his snarky commentary, his sweet moments and his protective actions with Lisette all lovely traits. And when these two come together, their romance is nothing short of amusing with all the banter, cute with the traditional romance words exchanged, and passionate with smexy lovin’.

In addition, this story is made sound with an entertaining cast of secondary characters – Lisette’s brothers – and a sweet ending. So why not 5 stars? Despite all the good, this story just doesn’t read as a 5 star read. Plus, although likeable, Max’s past story makes him a weak character. His past is seemingly pointless, further dimmed in the face of Lisette’s past, eliciting no tender or relatable feelings, essentially making him two dimensional. And his sudden marriage proposal to Lisette, despite his earlier denials, is frustratingly trivial, not earning him any favourable points.

Overall, a winsome read, but definitely not foolproof. Recommended to fans of HR looking to not overly think about what they are reading for a couple of hours.




Posted: February 18, 2015

[Nadia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book infuriated me, I had absolutely no patience with it. I have no idea what kept me reading. Maybe I just wanted to see how it'll all end with Max's brother. That's what I get for trusting Pinterest with my books.

[Ana María · Rating 2 out of 5]

Max Cale, duque de Lyons, recibe una nota de un investigador citándolo para darle noticias de su fallecido (¿?) hermano mayor. Pero el investigador, Tristan Bonnaud, no acude a la cita por lo que Max piensa que es un posible estafador y trata de encontrarlo yendo a la casa de su medio hermano, Dominic Manton. Pero Dom fue por un trabajo a Escocia y lo recibe la hermana de Tristan, Lisette. Ella explica al exaltado Max que no puede ser porque Tristan está en Francia trabajando para la Sureté y es una buena persona. Como el duque quiere viajar a Francia para encontrarlo y denunciarlo, Lisette no le quiere dar los datos para localizarlo sino que se ofrece a acompañarlo para aclarar las cosas. Y así, parten a Francia de incógnito y la novela se transforma en una especie de road-movie en el transcurso de la cual saltarán los secretos de Lisette y su extraña familia, las dudas familiares de Max, secretos del pasado y surge la atracción y pasa todo lo que tiene que pasar hasta el happy end. Tiene suspenso, acción, algo de comedia, sensualidad. Pero… no me pregunten por qué, pero me tenía que esforzar en retomarla. No sé si la lingüística, que Max es medio exasperante, o faltó el anzuelo para atraparme, o demasiados problemas de las familias de ambos protagonistas. O el relato es algo chato. No sé.
2,5 estrellas

[Carisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story mostly developed while the H/h traveled as disguised married commoners. It was fast paced with funny moments, action and love scenes nicely intermingled, really entertaining until the end, but I wasn’t awed by the love story itself.
HERO is a Leader, a second son who became the heir when his older brother was kidnapped as a child. Victim of his mad father and afraid that madness runs in his family, he resents his duty to marry to have a heir. So when he gets a tip that his older brother may be alive, hopeful to hands over his title to him, he goes to hire an investigator but ends up being helped by the investigator’s sister, a woman who slowly thaws his heart.
SCENES/CONTENT: few/hot
GENRE/TONE: historical/mixed
LENGTH: 380 pages

[Fabiola Chenet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je viens de me rendre compte qu'en 2013 j'avais mis ce livre dans ma liste "veux lire" lol Maintenant c'est chose faite et j'ai passé un super moment avec ce livre. Toujours une touche d'humour, des personnages que j'ai vraiment adorés et un personnage que j'ai voulu étrangler (et qui n'est malheureusement pas encore mort lol)

[Ivonne. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonita historia con una trama muy entretenida, tiene toques intriga, misterio, romance y un poco de peligro, todo gira en torno a la desaparición del hermano del Duque de Lyon (Maximilian Cale), quien desde pequeño sufrió junto a sus padres por la desaparición de su hermano mayor, el cual fue secuestrado cuando era niño, junto a sus padres recorrieron muchos lugares en su busca y todas eran pistas falsas, finalmente el padre pierde la razón al poco tiempo muere, luego le sigue la madre. Tiempo después cuando prácticamente había superado su pérdida le llega la nota del investigador Tristán Bonnaud con pistas creíbles de que el hermano seguía vivo, es así que al acudir en su busca de información, conoce a Lisette, hermana del investigador e hija ilegítima de un vizconde, quien por temor a que perjudique a su hermano, logra con sus artimañas convencerlo y le propone investigar juntos, es así que emprenden el viaje fingiendo ser pareja, donde logra conocer su historia y de da cuenta que ella también tuvo una vida muy dura, logrando empatizar con ella y desarrollándose un bonito romance, Me ha gustado mucho Lisette, inteligente, ingeniosa, obstinada y muy leal a su familia. Siento que el final fue un poco apresurado, pero igual se disfruta.
Le doy 3.5 #retorita4 #ritasabrina

[moi, k.y.a. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yazar son okuduğum kitaplarında ortalama bir tat vermeye başlamıştı, bu seri iyi geldi.

[Севдалина · Rating 5 out of 5]

Максимилиан Кейл, херцог Лайънс и Лизет Бони

O, наистина, наистина ама наистина прелестна книга. Хареса ми от началото до самия край. 5***** от мен.

Лизет е дъщеря на френска актриса и благородник. Когато започва връзка с майка й, баща й е женен, затова както Лизет, така и брат й Тирстан са незаконно родени. От законния си брак баща им има още двама сина. Доминик и Джордж. След ненадейната смърт на баща им, Джордж, който винаги е мразил незаконните си брат и сестра им отнема всичко, тъй като той е наследникът на титлата на баща им, а взимайки тяхната страна, Доминик също се оказва обезнаследен от злия им брат. Така, Дом, който винаги е мечтал да стане адвокат загърбва мечтите си и основава детективска агенция, за да се издържа, а Лизет, Тристан и майка им заминават за Франция, където майка им се връща към кариерата си на актриса, а Тристан започва да работи за Френското правителство, защото не може да се върне в Англия, където брат му Джордж го е обвинил в кражба и го очаква затвор.

Минават години и майка им умира, за Лизет се грижи единствено брат й Тристан, като й намира работа при известен частен детектив, а по-късно, тя заминава за Англия, където да живее с брат си Дом и да му помага в управлението на малката му агенция.
На Дом му се налага да замине, и оставя Лизет сама в дома си, когато на прага й се появява Максимилиан, херцог Лайън.

Въпреки, че е втори син, Макс наследява титлата след смъртта на баща си, тъй като семейството му крие голяма тайна. Когато Макс е бил малък, по-големия му брат Пол е отвлечен и след години намерен мъртъв. Така вторият син наследява титлата земите и парите, и става Херцог Лайън. До деня в който Макс не получава бележка от Тристан, братът на Лизет, в която мъжа твърди, че познава човек, който може би е брат му Пол. Сега Макс е готов на всичко да открие Тристан и да разбере дали брат му наистина е жив или Тристан просто е намерил начин с който да се домогне до парите на херцога.

За тази цел той отива в дома на Доминик, търсейки Тристан. Но там намира само своенравната им упорита сестра Лизет, която отказва да му даде каквато и да информация за братята си. Всичките заплахи на света не могат да накарат красивото момиче да предаде роднините си, затова Макс е принуден да се съгласи с плана й, да се представят за брат и сестра, и прикривайки истинската си самоличност да заминат за Франьция в търсене на Тристан.

Пътувайки с обществен дирижанс обаче, двойката "роднини" се натъкват на съседи на Лизет, които много добре знаят кои са братята й, затова единственото, което Макс успява да измисли е да ги представи за съпрузи, които тъкмо са се венчали. От тук двамата потеглят на едно шеметно пътуване по суша и море в търсене на истината, като малко по малко се опознават и откриват любовта.

Имаше много силни моменти в които просто тръпнех от нетърпение какво ще последва. Макс беше супер умен, съобразителен, забележителен. Въпреки съмненията и опасенията си, той не спираше да бъде истински джентълмен и се отнасяше винаги прекрасно с Лизет. Тя от своя страна бе силна, забавна и остроумна. На моменти супер инатлива, но като цяло двамата се допълваха невероятно добре. Всичко, което преживяха беше забавно и интересно и до самия край на книгата нямаше дори една скучна сричка. Беше истинско удоволствие да се насладя на толкова прекрасна книга. <3

Edit: За феновете на Лайънс за пръв път го срещаме като млад лентяй в книгата , а после и като ухажор в , преди да ни бъде представен в тази своя книга.

[Sonya Heaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted HERE

In the past couple of months I’ve read four Sabrina Jeffries books. Two from around 2002, and the two in her most recent series.

Here’s the (not all that common) thing about this author: the ‘new’ Jeffries is an entirely different, better, more innovative writer. Her new series is creative, devoid of most of the tired old historical romance clichés and just so engrossing. I read the second book first, as I had a review copy, and I loved it very much. I can’t pick a favourite of the two, as What the Duke Desires is equally as original with an equally complex plot.

If only I could track down more historical romances like these, that is, if they even exist.

Lisette is in a difficult position. Born to a noble father, she could have had so many more expectations from life if only the man had fulfilled his promise to marry her mother before his death. As he did not, she and her family had to find their own way in the world.

I have to admit to being very worried about how her eventual happy ending with a duke was ever going be plausible, but it worked for me here (one of the very few where it does, The Duke by Gaelen Foley being another).

As for Max, Duke of Lyons? I liked him a lot. He was more than a cluster of clichéd ‘romance hero’ characteristics. I also loved that he was fairer-haired, as I’m a little tired of the carbon copy heroes in historical romance.

What I loved best of all was The Plot. There was a lot of it, and it was complex and clever and reached beyond the standards for the genre (taking us, for a time, to mainland Europe, as the next book did briefly, too). Sex didn’t replace storytelling.

Complaints? Well, if you stop to think about it, the relationship happens very quickly, but it didn’t come across as unbelievable to me, even taking that into consideration. There’re gottens all over the place, sometimes numerous times in the same paragraph – a big distraction – but I was very happy to see arse spelt correctly (and used often!).

This is a truly wonderful historical romance series.

[OLT · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't a satisfying read for me. The main characters are too full of contradictory and sometimes silly behavior and lose track of what they're supposed to be doing.

Supposedly, it's super important that Maximilian Cale, Duke of Lyons, locate investigator Tristan Bonnaud, who claims to know something about Max's older brother Peter, who is believed to be dead for many years. Max goes looking for Tristan and instead comes across Lisette Bonnaud, Tristan's sister, who is a wannabe P.I. and convinces Max to take her along in the search for Tristan and the truth about Peter.

That search takes them from London to France. On their journey they pretend to be man and wife to protect Lisette's reputation. And, unfortunately for the plot, along the way they forget that the most important thing is to find Tristan and discover the truth, not discover what's under each other's clothes.

They have an unconvincing fall into love, with Max in particular denying love exists and even if it did, he wouldn't marry for love because of a deep, dark family secret. Oh, the mooning, sniffing, touching, feeling and finally the giving in to their total lack of self control.

And then somewhere at maybe 3/4 or 4/5 in to the story, they remember they have a mission that doesn't involve sex. OK. Let's finish the book. Easy-peasy we get to the bottom of everything. It all just seems to fall into place with very little effort on their part. Was the mystery worth the reading of the book? Not to this reader. Was the romance enough to make up for this? Again, not to me.

[D.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 stars**

For a while, I've been trying to pinpoint what exactly I liked about this book and I'm having issues figuring it out. Maybe it was because both of the main characters were sensible and not so over the top - yes, he was a Duke but he was still human and she wanted to be independent but wasn't "feisty". There was a middle ground in these characters which you seldom see these days.

The whole plot with the lost brother didn't make much sense (unless they were identical twins, how the heck can you prove the identity of a stranger in those days) but otherwise, I liked a lot of the historical aspects: the quarantine, the French guy which had been head of the Sureté, etc.

Corrie James' narration was below average (why are historical romance narrators so bad these days?) She didn't have one decent male voice and she sounded too old for the heroine. Even with her flaws, I still enjoyed the book and will probably continue the series.

[Insh · Rating 3 out of 5]

People notice only what you reveal,
and the key is to reveal only
what you want them to see.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was chosen as one of 4 BOTM for the HRBC on Goodreads. August’s trope for HR is Proximity. The h and H pretended to be husband and wife while working on an investigation together. Attraction grew to lust then love. The love scenes were well done full of passion and sentiment. Sabrina Jeffries brings new descriptions to passion and love. Most original.
Mystery: a Duke is looking for his lost brother who was kidnapped and thought burned in a fire. An investigator found a clue that a man he knew might be the Duke’s brother. He left a note for him asking him to meet but had to go back to the ship because it was under quarantine due to cholera. The Duke didn’t meet Tristian so he decided to go to his brother Dominic’s place to find Tristian. He met Lysette sister to both Dom and Tristian. She convinced him to go to France with her to look for Tristian. They went as a married couple using a false identity. This is where the romance begins and steams up. They begin to trust each other but hold onto their disdain for marriage. Her mother was her father’s mistress. He promised marriage and to provide for them. He did write a coticil to his Will but the siblings legal brother burnt it so all three Dominic, Tristian and Lysette had nothing. Tristian stole the horse their father promised him and sold it to provide for the family. He had to leave England and move to France so his mother and sister Lysette went with him. After their mother passed away Lysette moved back to England and moved in with her brother Dom helping him with secretarial work with his detective agency. Tristian would be charged with being a horse thief if he returned to England. He worked for the French Secret Service and was one of the best agents. With some detective work Maximilian the Duke of Lyons found her brother and Max’s cousin on a quarantined boat. Victor Kale turned out to be his first cousin and he was sick with pneumonia but after three weeks his fever broke and he was on the mend. When Max was four his brother Peter was kidnapped by his Uncle Nigel who was actually Peters father. Nigel apparently had an affair with Maximilians mother. When Max’s father grew old he went insane. Apparently he had syphillus when he was a young man and in later years a person can go mad because of it. Max thought his family was cursed with madness in old age. He didn’t want to marry someone he truly loved and who loved him because of the pain and suffering his wife would endure. Lysette didn’t want to marry because she didn’t want to have to depend on a man who would always disappoint. Max knew he must marry Lysette but she kept saying no because he would not let his family stand by him when he went mad. He would go away. She wanted to be with him and care for him. She said he may not go mad like his father and Uncle Nigel. It turned out both brothers had syphilus which they received from sleeping with the Dukes wife Max and Peters mom. Max helped have the charges against Tristian dropped so he could live in London. Dominic, Tristian and cousin Victor went into the detective business together. The business was named the Dukes Men. Max and Lysette were married.
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[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 “Dukely” Stars!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my first full length Sabrina Jeffries book, and I really, really enjoyed it! It had a lot of great tropes I love, including the main one of traveling alone together posing as husband/wife.

The other thing I loved was the side story of the investigation. I’m a huge fan of historicals that have a bit of mystery/intrigue/adventure in them as well, so this one checked all the boxes for me. I’m very interested in the rest of the Duke’s Men, so I definitely want to continue on.

As for the romance, I loved these two! The class difference trope is another favorite. I also absolutely LOVED that when shit started to hit the fan for Lisette, she TOLD MAX RIGHT AWAY what was going on and that she needed his help. Thank you SJ! 😍

Highly recommend for folks who like a bit of suspense with their romance 💕

[ReadToBreathe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
The book was too long.

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! What the Duke Desires was a top notch historical romance. Definitely a delightful read.

I loved how this book was different than most historical romances. Historical romance tend to have the same few plots over and over, though I don't mind that predictability. However, this book had a different idea to it that I haven't seen before. But, of course, we still have the sweet romance and happy ending.

I loved Lisette. She was a brilliant heroine. She was very likable and came off as a great character right away. She was strong and didn't let anyone walk all over her. Not even Max, when he was acting too "dukely." I liked that she was understanding and knew to reserve judgement. It was a nice change from heroines who jump to conclusions. Honestly, there is absolutely nothing but good I can say about her.

Max was just as wonderful. He had me falling for him immediately. He was so sweet. He would do anything for his loved one, evidence by the way he reacted to news about his brother and by his protectiveness over Lisette. Despite being a duke, he was very down to earth. Basically, he was absolutely perfect.

Lisette and Max's romance was adorable. These two were so cute together! And they definitely had some serious heat that could turn scorching. They were a lovely couple.

I loved Lisette's brothers. They were great characters, even though they didn't appear much in this book. Here's hoping that they get their stories in the upcoming books in the series!

The plot was was fast paced and I was hooked from beginning to end. There were thrills along the way as Max and Lisette attempted to track Tristan down. And a few surprises that I never saw coming. The ending, of course, was a delightful, sweet conclusion.

I loved this book; it was absolutely brilliant. Romance lovers, you really have to read What the Duke Desires!

*Thanks to Edelweiss and Pocket Books for a copy!

[Gloria—aka—Tiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another uneven work from Sabrina Jeffries, but better than most of the books I’ve read by her. I find it hard to rate this author’s work: the writing is always readable, the idea for the story usually interesting, and the characters tend to be appealing. I use the word “uneven” because a good scene is followed by a silly scene, sparkling conversation on one page is lowered by labored conversation on another. A character will be resolved on one thing, then change their mind about it, then go right back to their original thoughts without even acknowledging that their mind had changed before. Can that happen? Of course. But it’s written in such a herky-jerky way that it’s jarring and the dots aren’t connected.

***spoiler (and a run-on sentence warning)***

And then there was the third act bit of silliness about Max wanting to marry Lisette and Lisette wanting to marry Max and she didn’t think he would go mad but she wouldn’t marry him because if he did go mad he wouldn’t let her take care of him and she called it a half-marriage but in spite of her thinking he wouldn’t go mad anyway she refused him and then he got the idea to get her pregnant so she would have to marry him so then she cut the sex off because they both wanted sex and marriage but there was that remote chance he might go mad and if she married him and couldn’t take care of him at the end of his life it would break her heart. So I guess it was better to break their hearts immediately instead of spending a lifetime together and face a slight possibility of a broken heart decades in the future? Yeah, THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE.

But the ending was terrific.

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Sabrina Jeffries! I am a huge fan of Jeffries historical romances and couldn’t be more excited about this new series of characters. I love that Jeffries creates series set in the same “world” connecting each new series with a character that has popped up in a previous series. In this case, this series is connected to Dominic Manton and his family. Manton was introduced in the Hellions of Halstead Hall series when he assisted Pierce Waverly in investigating a family matter in ‘Twas the Night After Christmas. What the Duke Desires introduces readers to a whole new cast of characters that have some connection to Manton, and I think will each get their own book in the series. I love it when authors connect their series like this and that a specific character gets their own story.

What the Duke Desires is an on-the-road romance where Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, learns that his kidnapped and presumed dead brother might just be alive. Tristan Bonnaud contacts Max with information regarding his brother; however, when Max goes to meet Tristan he’s nowhere to be found. Thinking that Tristan has sinister motives for raising a subject that Max has long come to terms with, he brashly approaches Manton’s Investigations, hoping that Dom Manton will have some information regarding the whereabouts of his half-brother, Tristan. However, Dom has departed for Scotland and it is Tristan’s sister, Lisette, who Max confronts for information. Max soon learns that Lisette is no demure lady and is willing to go to extreme lengths to protect her brother. In order to get to the bottom of Tristan’s whereabouts and the information he holds, Lisette demands that she accompany Max to France to find and confront her brother.

Max and Lisette had a great relationship and as always, Jeffries creates witty dialogue between the pair that translates into a romantic and steamy relationship. What I liked about this one is that while Max and Lisette had some baggage to deal with (his family’s madness and her illegitimacy) they didn’t let it get in the way for long. I find a lot of romances drag out the problem FOREVER and I liked that Jeffries didn’t do that here – or at least wrote it in a way that I didn’t feel like it was being dragged out.

I also really liked how Max wasn’t a rakish character. I find a lot of Jeffries’ books feature a rakish hero, and while I like that reformation concept, I liked the departure from that common theme. Max was an arrogant hero, but he was also standoffish in relationships because he was afraid that the madness his father and uncle suffered was a genetic trait. There also weren’t many references to Max “out on the town” like most rakes and again I found this refreshing. This less than rakish attitude was more than evident at the one point when Max tries to drink himself into a stupor because of his attraction to Lisette – it has comical results and is my favourite scene in the novel. Max really was an endearing character when he wasn’t playing the duke and Lisette was his perfect counterpart.

Overall, I loved this new one from Jeffries and I can’t wait to see more from The Duke’s Men series!

[Lover of Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lisette's father dies suddenly, and she and her two half brothers and her mother (her fathers mistress) gets kicked out of their home by their fathers heir and their eldest brother, they run to France, knowing that its the only safe place they can go to. Now years later, Lisette and her brother Dom have returned to England, where Dom has been working on setting up his investigating business, with his sister aiding him. But then Dom is called away on a case up in Edinburgh, and Lisette is left on her own. Then the Duke of Lyons comes knocking on her door, insisting on the location of her other brother, Tristan, who knows the location of the Dukes brother, but Tristan has disappeared. So to safeguard her brother, so goes with Maximillian in search of her brother. On their journey they are forced to pretend to be husband and wife, and as they are alone, a desire builds between the two, a desire that threatens to consume them both.

What The Duke Desires is the first book in the "Duke's Men" series, which is the most recent series by this author. Sabrina Jeffries is a favorite of mine, when it comes to romances, and has been for many years. Many of her titles are at the top of my list as favorites. So I knew I was going to fall in love with What The Duke Desires and I was right, I could barely put this one down, and I haven't read a story so fast in quite a while, I was so immersed with the story I could barely put this down last night to go to bed. What The Duke Desires is a book I found through my local library. What The Duke Desires is a story that is set in Regency England, but most of the book is set in France. When I started reading this book, there is quite a overwhelming feeling of emotion from the beginning. We get introduced into the Bonnaud family, and as this is the first official book of the series, I felt like it did a well job in setting up the series, and I loved seeing these two together. There was such a sizzling connection between this couple from the very beginning.

Maximillian, is the type of hero that gives you tingles. Max, is a Duke, and ever since his older brother disappeared as a child when he was a boy, he has been raised to that position. He is very arrogant, commanding, and must get his own way at all times. So when he meets Lisette he is astounded that a little piece of a woman would even think of standing up to him. I love the scenes, especially in the first meeting, definitely will give you giggles and balls of laughs. As their connection deepens, the plot thickens, and tensions rise, and passion erupts.

A Delightful romance that will take you breath away. I loved the style of this story and especially the way this series began. I couldn't help but fall in love with Lisette and Max and their families. This story was intoxicating and addicting, a love story that is intense at times, and sweet at others. The heat in this story isn't way hot, but isn't light either. I felt like it had the perfect balance, that is my favorite style of sensuality. A remarkably written romance that stole my heart!!! BREATHTAKING!!! A Must read for historical romance lovers.