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Scandal in Sussex #1
The Duke in Denial
(Gay Regency Romance)
Sebastian Lewis never expected to become a duke. But with the sudden deaths of his cousin and uncle, Sebastian’s position changes. He is determined to fulfill his new responsibilities with grace, even if it means remarrying, and even if the attractions of women, so often lauded by poets, fail to interest him.
Captain William Carlisle, newly returned from India, is elated when he meets Sebastian. Nobody knows of his inclinations, but his harrowing experiences in battle have prompted him to reach for the type of companionship he longs for. He thinks Sebastian might feel an attraction as well, but to his dismay, he discovers that Sebastian is courting his sister Dorothea.
After a semi-arranged engagement and a disconcerting romantic tangle with William, Sebastian escapes London to look after his manor, only to face mysterious thefts, a headless ghost, and the arrival of his fiancée, her brother, and his family. Sebastian’s new estate sits on the south coast, England’s most vulnerable location, and Napoleon has set his sights on conquering the area. Amid this growing turmoil, Sebastian must sort out his feelings for his fiancée’s brother and keep his home safe . . . and determine if he has the courage to reach for his own happiness in the process.
Sebastian Lewis never expected to become a duke. But with the sudden deaths of his cousin and uncle, Sebastian’s position changes. He is determined to fulfill his new responsibilities with grace, even if it means remarrying, and even if the attractions of women, so often lauded by poets, fail to interest him.
Captain William Carlisle, newly returned from India, is elated when he meets Sebastian. Nobody knows of his inclinations, but his harrowing experiences in battle have prompted him to reach for the type of companionship he longs for. He thinks Sebastian might feel an attraction as well, but to his dismay, he discovers that Sebastian is courting his sister Dorothea.
After a semi-arranged engagement and a disconcerting romantic tangle with William, Sebastian escapes London to look after his manor, only to face mysterious thefts, a headless ghost, and the arrival of his fiancée, her brother, and his family. Sebastian’s new estate sits on the south coast, England’s most vulnerable location, and Napoleon has set his sights on conquering the area. Amid this growing turmoil, Sebastian must sort out his feelings for his fiancée’s brother and keep his home safe . . . and determine if he has the courage to reach for his own happiness in the process.
340 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2014
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895 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
April 6, 2017
3.5 stars
audio version
This was a new author for me. I enjoyed this. It was a slow burn romance with a mystery weaved in. I liked the narration although I'm not sure it was an accurate English voice. I'll read the next in the series at some point.
audio version
This was a new author for me. I enjoyed this. It was a slow burn romance with a mystery weaved in. I liked the narration although I'm not sure it was an accurate English voice. I'll read the next in the series at some point.
May 30, 2023
3.8 Stars!
I love me a good Regency romance—I’ve read more than my share of MF Regencies before discovering the joys of MM.
This is classic Regency with a bit of gothic thrown in just for fun. What truly made this for me was....
1. The ridiculous UST between the MC’s. One, William, accepted his attraction to men and sought to make himself happy in fulfilling his desire. One, Sebastian, buried his attraction to men so deeply that he denied such a thing could even exist (this was a bit naive, too naive really, for me to accept). Their attraction KILLED ME! Not a lot of sex here, but what there was between the two men was extremely heightened due to their circumstances (read the blurb).
2. The narration by Joel Leslie. He kills it. This man could read an instruction manual for a refrigerator and make a sumptuous feast out of it.
3. I didn’t guess all of the “reveals” by the bad guy or the author’s plot twists. This is a good thing, no? In a mystery-ish, gothic-ish, regency romance.
4. I totally dug the HEA epilogue. Realistic? Ehhhhh...I’m just going to say that this is a ROMANCE and leave it at that.
Some things didn’t work as well for me, such as Sebastian’s COMPLETE awareness of homosexuality or of the existence of Molly houses. This was hard to buy, even for someone so deeply in the closet, he wasn’t aware of the closet. Also, the villain seemed extra dastardly, psychotic in fact. The author’s accounting of his behavior felt hollow. I say he should have been afflicted with syphilis—this could easily account for madness. There. Problem fixed. In addition, the reaction of the family upon learning of William and Sebastian’s “natures” was not what I expected in 1808.
So, a great listen, a solid historical, and a bit of a mystery. I say, go for it!
I love me a good Regency romance—I’ve read more than my share of MF Regencies before discovering the joys of MM.
This is classic Regency with a bit of gothic thrown in just for fun. What truly made this for me was....
1. The ridiculous UST between the MC’s. One, William, accepted his attraction to men and sought to make himself happy in fulfilling his desire. One, Sebastian, buried his attraction to men so deeply that he denied such a thing could even exist (this was a bit naive, too naive really, for me to accept). Their attraction KILLED ME! Not a lot of sex here, but what there was between the two men was extremely heightened due to their circumstances (read the blurb).
2. The narration by Joel Leslie. He kills it. This man could read an instruction manual for a refrigerator and make a sumptuous feast out of it.
3. I didn’t guess all of the “reveals” by the bad guy or the author’s plot twists. This is a good thing, no? In a mystery-ish, gothic-ish, regency romance.
4. I totally dug the HEA epilogue. Realistic? Ehhhhh...I’m just going to say that this is a ROMANCE and leave it at that.
Some things didn’t work as well for me, such as Sebastian’s COMPLETE awareness of homosexuality or of the existence of Molly houses. This was hard to buy, even for someone so deeply in the closet, he wasn’t aware of the closet. Also, the villain seemed extra dastardly, psychotic in fact. The author’s accounting of his behavior felt hollow. I say he should have been afflicted with syphilis—this could easily account for madness. There. Problem fixed. In addition, the reaction of the family upon learning of William and Sebastian’s “natures” was not what I expected in 1808.
So, a great listen, a solid historical, and a bit of a mystery. I say, go for it!
December 11, 2014
2.75 stars rounded up to 3 stars
First of all, historical or regency romance is not a favorite genre of mine. However, I discovered some really good ones lately – after a personal reading challenge that I set to myself – so I thought that I shouldn’t dismiss the whole genre altogether. When I read the blurb of this book, I was quite intrigued – despite the fact that it might border to cheating in a sense (since Sebastian was already in an arranged engagement with William’s sister, Dorothea) – because I was hoping for a complicated relationship, complex emotion, and delicious angst due to the situation.
Unfortunately, I mostly found this book, well, dull.
The first quarter of this book was filled with all this talk about “should I marry her?”, “are you happy marrying him?”, “are you sure you want to marry him?”, “do you really want to marry my sister?”, “he will marry my sister, and so on and so on. In fact, when I did a word count, my Kindle returned with 119 words of marry, married, marrying variation. My eyes started to gloss over the words and I struggled to keep interest. My finger began to keep touching the screen to go to the next page.
On top of that, I found both the characters to be slightly wishy-washy. Especially William... I mean, he kept asking his sister whether she was sure she wanted to marry Sebastian, but at the same time, William praised Sebastian to be a good man.
I couldn’t help feeling the same way with Dorothea when she said. “ You keep praising Sebastian while trying to dissuade me from the match. If he is so good, why are you so adamant that we should not be together? ” Yes William, WHY? William pined over Sebastian, but I found it uninspiring. While Sebastian, he was just too bland of a character to stand out from thousands of M/M stories I read for the past 6 years.
There was a ‘light danger’ plot with a two-dimensional villain who tried to become a threat for William and Sebastian. I didn’t particularly care about him, though. There was also a “ghost” (or possible intruder) plot introduced, which I found as being a bit silly.
The only part that I found quite interesting was the twist near the end, which brought the needed situation to bring William and Sebastian together, in the world where being a man who loved other men as dangerously illegal. I also thought Sebastian’s aunt was pretty awesome in those final chapters.
I am stretching my star rating to three stars because I usually reserve anything below 3-stars for books that I dislike or stories that brings negative reaction in me (anger, disappointment). I can’t say that I dislike it. Mainly, I just feel indifferent and can’t care less for the characters.
The ARC is provided by the author for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
First of all, historical or regency romance is not a favorite genre of mine. However, I discovered some really good ones lately – after a personal reading challenge that I set to myself – so I thought that I shouldn’t dismiss the whole genre altogether. When I read the blurb of this book, I was quite intrigued – despite the fact that it might border to cheating in a sense (since Sebastian was already in an arranged engagement with William’s sister, Dorothea) – because I was hoping for a complicated relationship, complex emotion, and delicious angst due to the situation.
Unfortunately, I mostly found this book, well, dull.
The first quarter of this book was filled with all this talk about “should I marry her?”, “are you happy marrying him?”, “are you sure you want to marry him?”, “do you really want to marry my sister?”, “he will marry my sister, and so on and so on. In fact, when I did a word count, my Kindle returned with 119 words of marry, married, marrying variation. My eyes started to gloss over the words and I struggled to keep interest. My finger began to keep touching the screen to go to the next page.
On top of that, I found both the characters to be slightly wishy-washy. Especially William... I mean, he kept asking his sister whether she was sure she wanted to marry Sebastian, but at the same time, William praised Sebastian to be a good man.
I couldn’t help feeling the same way with Dorothea when she said. “ You keep praising Sebastian while trying to dissuade me from the match. If he is so good, why are you so adamant that we should not be together? ” Yes William, WHY? William pined over Sebastian, but I found it uninspiring. While Sebastian, he was just too bland of a character to stand out from thousands of M/M stories I read for the past 6 years.
There was a ‘light danger’ plot with a two-dimensional villain who tried to become a threat for William and Sebastian. I didn’t particularly care about him, though. There was also a “ghost” (or possible intruder) plot introduced, which I found as being a bit silly.
The only part that I found quite interesting was the twist near the end, which brought the needed situation to bring William and Sebastian together, in the world where being a man who loved other men as dangerously illegal. I also thought Sebastian’s aunt was pretty awesome in those final chapters.
I am stretching my star rating to three stars because I usually reserve anything below 3-stars for books that I dislike or stories that brings negative reaction in me (anger, disappointment). I can’t say that I dislike it. Mainly, I just feel indifferent and can’t care less for the characters.
The ARC is provided by the author for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
March 5, 2015
****Reviewed For Prism Book Alliance****
The Duke in Denial was everything I could ask for in a regency romance. A few balls, good banter, some illicit sex and a bit of a mystery. What made this different was that we weren’t rooting for the Lord and his Lady, but for the Lord and his Captain.
I loved that both men were strong and acted like men with out being promiscuous rake-hells. Though there is nothing wrong with a rake-hell or two on occasion, it becomes a bore when all men are portrayed that way. I adored Sebastian! His confusion and desire to do right by Dorthea, even though it hurt him, was endearing. I felt for William and his circumstances, and was glad at how everything played out.
Homosexuality was not accepted at this point in history and I appreciated how Ms. Ainsworth dealt with this issue. It felt real and plausible.
The few faults: the women were not as strong as I would have liked, but did seem typical for the period; and the mystery was a little odd and contrived but was resolved satisfactorily.
Overall, a great debut novel!
The Duke in Denial was everything I could ask for in a regency romance. A few balls, good banter, some illicit sex and a bit of a mystery. What made this different was that we weren’t rooting for the Lord and his Lady, but for the Lord and his Captain.
I loved that both men were strong and acted like men with out being promiscuous rake-hells. Though there is nothing wrong with a rake-hell or two on occasion, it becomes a bore when all men are portrayed that way. I adored Sebastian! His confusion and desire to do right by Dorthea, even though it hurt him, was endearing. I felt for William and his circumstances, and was glad at how everything played out.
Homosexuality was not accepted at this point in history and I appreciated how Ms. Ainsworth dealt with this issue. It felt real and plausible.
The few faults: the women were not as strong as I would have liked, but did seem typical for the period; and the mystery was a little odd and contrived but was resolved satisfactorily.
Overall, a great debut novel!
did-not-finish
May 30, 2014Sounded promising, but I couldn't get past the first chapter. I read historical fiction because I like to see how people interacted in a different time and place, how they had all those social mores that they had to be following even when they were with close friends, not to mention how more convoluted and difficult courtship was when one couldn't even address one's fiancée by her first name...
So it just miffs me that two gentlemen, who have just barely met on the street, decide to call each other by their first name and share their life stories. And then they blow off a social engagement to go get drinks and make eyes at each other. Everyone sounded too modern and I couldn't get into it at all.
So it just miffs me that two gentlemen, who have just barely met on the street, decide to call each other by their first name and share their life stories. And then they blow off a social engagement to go get drinks and make eyes at each other. Everyone sounded too modern and I couldn't get into it at all.
July 28, 2020
Honestly not my favorite historical novel. Reading might have been a better bet for me, there are just too many female characters in this one and that's definitely not Joel Leslie's forte.
September 10, 2014
The Duke in Denial? Well,
denial
is the keyword here at a time when being gay would mean prosecution and in the worst case it would mean being hung; then yes Sebastian is definitely in denial.
Sebastian has inherited an estate in Sussex and the title of Duke after his cousin dies in action in India. So he finds himself in London at a party arranged by his Aunt Beatrice in order to find him a wife. It is intended that he should marry the ex-fiancé of Lewis, Dorothea, in order to save her good name seeing that she was widowed before she even got married. Here Sebastian meets her brother William who also returned injured from India and the attraction at least emotionally throws Sebastian into a flat spin.
I loved how the book began and how Sebastian meets a charming stranger in the park on the way to the ball. Although his intentions are to meet and marry Dorothea, he doesn’t realize the stranger he met and was strongly attracted too happens to be his future wife’s brother. This ultimately puts Sebastian in an extremely precarious and convoluted situation. However, right from the beginning of the book you can feel that Sebastian is in true denial of his sexual orientation and sees marrying Dorothea as a means to save himself from ridicule of the ton and tries to redeem himself in his own eyes, even if this means a lifetime of unhappiness and locked into what eventually would be a loveless marriage.
My goodness, the fear that must of existed in those times about being gay, not only the fear of discovery but also due to this the denial of one’s true feelings. I could just feel what a tortured soul poor Sebastian is, although he likes Dorothea immensely you are left with no doubt it is obviously a platonic attraction, even if Sebastian denies it to himself it is definitely not a physical one.
However, the hormones will have their way and his attraction to William grows to the point of no return. William has accepted his lot about being gay and therefore is a lot more comfortable within in his own skin, although having to always be on his guard about being discovered. While they are in London for the season, the burning fire of passion explodes and Sebastian leaves for his estate in Sussex unexpectedly, awaiting Dorothea to join him. This was more or less a snub to the growing feelings he has for William. William knows that and is also concerned whether Sebastian is the right man for his sister. However, it comes to light quite early that Dorothea is more concerned about rescuing her reputation and wealth than she is interested in love. Is this the proverbial love triangle? Well, not really because he hasn’t yet cheated on Dorothea in any way he has to be ashamed for, only really in his thoughts.
At the party in London he meets Sir Ambrose his neighbour in Sussex with the estate next to him. From the beginning of the book you know the man is a detestable character and is going to be trouble, a real snake in the grass. The first half of the book is a little slow paced as it is mainly concerned with all the politics and conventions of the times, observing etiquette, rules and social obligations. I loved the way conversations would have been conducted then, I feel Alexandra got this just right too. Always the meaning behind the words. It was never boring, but also typical for that time, as it was equally important to see how the attraction and heat level builds up between Sebastian and William until it was like a dam waiting to burst…..and oh my did it just do that!
In the second part of the book when Sebastian leaves for Sussex everything really takes off, the mystery starts and begins to unfold. Once I was drawn in hook, line and sinker, there was no putting the book down, building up to a great, breath stopping climax. Again lots of great elements for that time, headless horsemen, highwaymen, highway robbery, spies and smuggling. All connecting to provide for some real entertainment and a plot that gathers pace nicely to its final conclusion and oh boy was there a surprise or two there at the end too.
I suppose the question that I always ask when reading an historical M/M romance is how the author is going to provide an HEA, but remain realistic given the constraints of the period and its attitudes. This for me is a big key for such works. Well, I’m delighted to say that the ending is most definitely an HEA, realistic and a totally believable solution for that time. I could have hugged Aunt Beatrice myself at the end as she plays a key role in their final happiness. I love it when totally unassuming characters at the beginning of a book appear again only to pack a punch at the end. I’m sure anyone who reads this will also want to give Aunt Beatrice a huge hug. Can’t say anymore though as that would spoil the surprise!
I love my historicals and the regency period always seems to be a time period that remains an evergreen for a romance, whether M/F or now M/M! I would like to think if the Bronté sisters were alive today that possibly they would love the whole idea of an M/M regency romance. Alexandra portrays a vivid and very true story for this period and weaves into it an excellent M/M romance with all its trials and tribulations that this type of relationship would have been confronted with at that time. On an emotional level it was excruciating to read Sebastian’s internal struggle and turmoil he was fighting. Also William’s feelings of rejection and hopelessness over the whole situation. Build into this a mystery of downright skulduggery and the author is on a winner for me. A fantastic debut novel and will be looking forward to more from this author for sure.
>
Sebastian has inherited an estate in Sussex and the title of Duke after his cousin dies in action in India. So he finds himself in London at a party arranged by his Aunt Beatrice in order to find him a wife. It is intended that he should marry the ex-fiancé of Lewis, Dorothea, in order to save her good name seeing that she was widowed before she even got married. Here Sebastian meets her brother William who also returned injured from India and the attraction at least emotionally throws Sebastian into a flat spin.
I loved how the book began and how Sebastian meets a charming stranger in the park on the way to the ball. Although his intentions are to meet and marry Dorothea, he doesn’t realize the stranger he met and was strongly attracted too happens to be his future wife’s brother. This ultimately puts Sebastian in an extremely precarious and convoluted situation. However, right from the beginning of the book you can feel that Sebastian is in true denial of his sexual orientation and sees marrying Dorothea as a means to save himself from ridicule of the ton and tries to redeem himself in his own eyes, even if this means a lifetime of unhappiness and locked into what eventually would be a loveless marriage.
“Yes, he had to get married. His mind turned to unspeakable things too frequently now. He needed to restore order, not invite speculation.”
My goodness, the fear that must of existed in those times about being gay, not only the fear of discovery but also due to this the denial of one’s true feelings. I could just feel what a tortured soul poor Sebastian is, although he likes Dorothea immensely you are left with no doubt it is obviously a platonic attraction, even if Sebastian denies it to himself it is definitely not a physical one.
“Sebastian found the whole conversation dismaying. Formerly engaged women possessed few options, and Dorothea’s and his marriage would be merely to alleviate her situation. Why did everyone assume they were in love?”
However, the hormones will have their way and his attraction to William grows to the point of no return. William has accepted his lot about being gay and therefore is a lot more comfortable within in his own skin, although having to always be on his guard about being discovered. While they are in London for the season, the burning fire of passion explodes and Sebastian leaves for his estate in Sussex unexpectedly, awaiting Dorothea to join him. This was more or less a snub to the growing feelings he has for William. William knows that and is also concerned whether Sebastian is the right man for his sister. However, it comes to light quite early that Dorothea is more concerned about rescuing her reputation and wealth than she is interested in love. Is this the proverbial love triangle? Well, not really because he hasn’t yet cheated on Dorothea in any way he has to be ashamed for, only really in his thoughts.
“From the responsiveness to the kiss last night, William thought Sebastian had rushed into his marriage, eager to prove he was something he should never have pretended to be.”
At the party in London he meets Sir Ambrose his neighbour in Sussex with the estate next to him. From the beginning of the book you know the man is a detestable character and is going to be trouble, a real snake in the grass. The first half of the book is a little slow paced as it is mainly concerned with all the politics and conventions of the times, observing etiquette, rules and social obligations. I loved the way conversations would have been conducted then, I feel Alexandra got this just right too. Always the meaning behind the words. It was never boring, but also typical for that time, as it was equally important to see how the attraction and heat level builds up between Sebastian and William until it was like a dam waiting to burst…..and oh my did it just do that!
In the second part of the book when Sebastian leaves for Sussex everything really takes off, the mystery starts and begins to unfold. Once I was drawn in hook, line and sinker, there was no putting the book down, building up to a great, breath stopping climax. Again lots of great elements for that time, headless horsemen, highwaymen, highway robbery, spies and smuggling. All connecting to provide for some real entertainment and a plot that gathers pace nicely to its final conclusion and oh boy was there a surprise or two there at the end too.
I suppose the question that I always ask when reading an historical M/M romance is how the author is going to provide an HEA, but remain realistic given the constraints of the period and its attitudes. This for me is a big key for such works. Well, I’m delighted to say that the ending is most definitely an HEA, realistic and a totally believable solution for that time. I could have hugged Aunt Beatrice myself at the end as she plays a key role in their final happiness. I love it when totally unassuming characters at the beginning of a book appear again only to pack a punch at the end. I’m sure anyone who reads this will also want to give Aunt Beatrice a huge hug. Can’t say anymore though as that would spoil the surprise!
I love my historicals and the regency period always seems to be a time period that remains an evergreen for a romance, whether M/F or now M/M! I would like to think if the Bronté sisters were alive today that possibly they would love the whole idea of an M/M regency romance. Alexandra portrays a vivid and very true story for this period and weaves into it an excellent M/M romance with all its trials and tribulations that this type of relationship would have been confronted with at that time. On an emotional level it was excruciating to read Sebastian’s internal struggle and turmoil he was fighting. Also William’s feelings of rejection and hopelessness over the whole situation. Build into this a mystery of downright skulduggery and the author is on a winner for me. A fantastic debut novel and will be looking forward to more from this author for sure.
>
dnf
February 16, 2018Nope, I can't buy that. That's not how a man of his social class would behave in that situation. So onto the DNF shelf you go.
January 17, 2018
A clever and light MM romance set in Britain during the Napoleonic wars. Lots of Austen-like concern for society and marriage and an intriguing subplot that tied it all together.
February 11, 2017
Amazon freebie 26.8.15
I really struggled with this one. For some reason it just didn't work for me. I think it may be my fault for reading it so soon after K.J. Charles' Society of Gentlemen books.
The characters felt either flat or came over as caricatures. Sure there was a big slow build between the MC's but I found myself skimming
There were a number of things that sent me to double check the historical facts (yeah I know, it's a story, but I have a thing about historical accuracy).
Very much a case of it's me not the book
I really struggled with this one. For some reason it just didn't work for me. I think it may be my fault for reading it so soon after K.J. Charles' Society of Gentlemen books.
The characters felt either flat or came over as caricatures. Sure there was a big slow build between the MC's but I found myself skimming
There were a number of things that sent me to double check the historical facts (yeah I know, it's a story, but I have a thing about historical accuracy).
Very much a case of it's me not the book
July 9, 2018
This book was dreadful. I gave it two stars because I liked the narrator. I found the main characters to be so obnoxious that I wanted to slap them. I’m glad to be finished don’t have to read the other books in this series.
August 8, 2018
The blurb and high reviews indicated this might be a good read, but I was disappointed. The writing didn’t work for me. It didn’t flow and I just couldn’t get into the story at all. DNF
July 27, 2014
Widower Sebastian Lewis has suddenly become a duke. His uncle and cousin have died and Sebastian must now do the responsible thing and find a wife. Who better to choose than his dead cousin’s fiancé Dorothea Carlisle. But when Sebastian has a chance meeting with Dorothea’s brother, Captain William Carlisle, for the first time ever Sebastian is tempted to give in to his desires.
I think I have a love/hate thing going on with this book. There were things that I loved about it, and things that were extremely frustrating.
The Love Triangle: Well, first of all, Sebastian didn’t love Dorothea. He wasn’t even attracted to her. M/M Regency stories with this type of dilemma where one MC is attached to or betrothed or sometimes even married to a woman: it usually doesn’t bother me so much. But Dorothea was not a likable character at all. I didn’t feel sorry for her that she had lost her fiancé and was considered tainted; she was only using Sebastian to get where she wanted. And then Sebastian was okay with that, but not wanting to betray her. I did feel bad for Sebastian because he was doing what he felt he needed to do, but I felt the worst for William. William was the scarred war hero who just wanted to find someone to love him for who he was and Sebastian kept sending him all these mixed signals…making him feel wanted but not good enough to choose over having the cover of a wife. I loved Sebastian and William together and really felt their connection, I just wanted to see more of them together than they were.
The Mystery: It starts off a bit subtle in the begging. There were some hints here and there that something suspicious is going on, but its not until the second half of the book until it really comes to the forefront of the story. The first half was all about Sebastian courting Dorothea and William trying to avoid him. At first I was annoyed thinking “how is this important”?? But it really was essential and tied in nicely to the romance in the end.
The Ending: It felt a bit too easy and sudden to me. It has a HEA, but I wanted to see more of Sebastian and William happy together. I think they were only happy for one night and about 5 minutes at the end. The epilogue helped, but I wanted to SEE some of that, not be TOLD about it.
The Next Book: Looks like this is going to be a series and the next one will be about Geoffrey and Etienne. I’m intrigued and looking forward to it!
3.5 Stars
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
I think I have a love/hate thing going on with this book. There were things that I loved about it, and things that were extremely frustrating.
The Love Triangle: Well, first of all, Sebastian didn’t love Dorothea. He wasn’t even attracted to her. M/M Regency stories with this type of dilemma where one MC is attached to or betrothed or sometimes even married to a woman: it usually doesn’t bother me so much. But Dorothea was not a likable character at all. I didn’t feel sorry for her that she had lost her fiancé and was considered tainted; she was only using Sebastian to get where she wanted. And then Sebastian was okay with that, but not wanting to betray her. I did feel bad for Sebastian because he was doing what he felt he needed to do, but I felt the worst for William. William was the scarred war hero who just wanted to find someone to love him for who he was and Sebastian kept sending him all these mixed signals…making him feel wanted but not good enough to choose over having the cover of a wife. I loved Sebastian and William together and really felt their connection, I just wanted to see more of them together than they were.
The Mystery: It starts off a bit subtle in the begging. There were some hints here and there that something suspicious is going on, but its not until the second half of the book until it really comes to the forefront of the story. The first half was all about Sebastian courting Dorothea and William trying to avoid him. At first I was annoyed thinking “how is this important”?? But it really was essential and tied in nicely to the romance in the end.
The Ending: It felt a bit too easy and sudden to me. It has a HEA, but I wanted to see more of Sebastian and William happy together. I think they were only happy for one night and about 5 minutes at the end. The epilogue helped, but I wanted to SEE some of that, not be TOLD about it.
The Next Book: Looks like this is going to be a series and the next one will be about Geoffrey and Etienne. I’m intrigued and looking forward to it!
3.5 Stars
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
May 22, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The Duke in Denial is a light and fluffy M/M historical romance, easy to read and follow but perhaps ultimately treading a very well worn path for anyone who has read regency romances. The villain is evil and well telegraphed, the main characters good and decent people at the victim of the dastardly, and there's a bit of a mystery to solve.
Plot: Sebastian has unexpectedly inherited a title after the death of his Uncle and cousin. A widower who lost his wife and child, Sebastian is determined to do well by his title and remarry to create an heir. Then, in a chance encounter, he meets a Captain fresh from fighting the French: William Carlisle. As fate would have it, Sebastian has been encouraged to ask for the hand of Beatrice Carlisle, sister of William. What is Sebastian to do when his 'inclinations' tend toward the brother rather than the sister?
As the title suggests, this is a fairly generic regency romance with only the pairing gender changed. There is a bit of mystery (the death of Sebastian's uncle and cousin) as well as both men dealing with a standard regency villain, Sir Ambrose. Most of the plot is well telegraphed in the start so there aren't any surprises. But then again, it is a pleasant read and not every novel needs to surprise.
Reviewed from an ARC.
April 3, 2019
I always enjoy a good M/M regency romance. Emphasis on good. Maybe I'm just spoiled from reading K.J. Charles, but this one rather left something to be desired in that respect... because, oh, the clichés. The melodrama. The generic, predictable plot. The sheer absurdity of the way the characters behaved given their stations in life and the society they live in. Not to mention the inconsistencies in their behaviour and the fact that every single character in this book annoyed me - with the exception of Aunt Beatrice, that is, because Aunt Beatrice is awesome.
January 15, 2017
Not going to finish this one. There were hints of a good story and the bones of the novel were decent. The duke is attracted to his fiancee's brother which could lead to some nice angsty scenes if done right. This however needed a few more revisions to be a good story. There was little character development and I thought the characters behaved inconsistently. I found myself skimming and quit at about 40%.
March 10, 2016
This book was so good, I couldn't put it down. Stayed up past midnight finishing it. Wow!
Regency romance. Historical. Who knew I'd be sucked in so completely? Haha!
Regency romance. Historical. Who knew I'd be sucked in so completely? Haha!
September 14, 2022
I enjoyed it. I would have liked more affection between the men but a slow burn is welcome once in a while. The narration was good but a lot of sentences were recorded twice.
January 23, 2018
Great book. Discovered them accidentally . Looking forward to others. Great characters and good storylines. Sometimes can be a bit obvious what is going to happen ( like who the intruder in the gatekeepers hut was) but still had a wee bit of a surprise.
tried-but-dnf
August 6, 2022This started off really well but then got overly homophobic. I think it was going for a gothic/Victoria Holt vibe. Anyway, gave up.
April 7, 2017
Really good story. I loved the way the author wove the history into the story.
July 29, 2016
>: Sebastian Lewis, he had expected to remain a widowed country squire for the rest of his life. With the possibly mysterious deaths of his uncle and cousin he is thrust into the position of becoming a duke and dealing with the Ton. He’s not too happy about it but he’s ready to assume his responsibilities. He is a loyal, responsible soul, our Sebastian. He’s also sad, which makes it so easy to feel for him. He lost a wife he loved and a child he adored. Now this.
Aunt Beatrice, awesome character. Quirky, eccentric, devoted to Sebastian and working on finding him the proper Duchess. Who better than the fiancé of his deceased cousin. Dorothea is from good family, needs someone, is beautiful and is prepared to be a Duchess. She’s also lost someone she loves (the cousin) so that makes her a sympathy character. The fact that later she had some behavior that made me want to smack her, well that’s neither here nor there.
On the way to the ball to meet his soon-to-be fiancé, Sebastian loses his hat. Can’t have that! Since he is really a country boy at heart he of course he goes after it. During his chase, he meets William, a soldier home on leave. They have a drink and they click. It is therefore even more devastating at the ball when they meet again and realize – William is Dorothea’s brother.
As they try to make their way through the idea of becoming family, brother in laws, they are faced with problems all over Sir Ambrose is a royal asshat and though it’s pretty obvious what’s happening, you still hate him. Dorothea, well, she was a bit of an enigma because she seemed like such a devoted sister and a decent person, yet later she threatens William with blackmail. She lost all my respect right there and really, no matter what, she never got it back. She only “relented” because she got what she wanted in the end.
I liked the intrigue of the mystery and how they went about trying to figure it all out, and how it led to what happens at the end. This is where Dorothea gets what she wants and I didn’t want her to have anything!
Just a shout out to Aunt Beatrice. Thank heaven the story had her, because she was a breath of fresh air after Dorothea and the women of the ton. And she’s way ahead of her time – accepting, loyal and loving. And a little bit bawdy too, bless her. She is just lovely. “But you must choose to accept the present. If the present still feels the same way, of course.” Such an odd phrasing and yet she brings the perfect gift.
I admit, I have a major weakness for historical romance and M/M historical? Count me in! My fear is always that it will be a completely unreasonable ending. I didn’t feel that here. The couple had a few trusted, close people who knew their secret (Aunt Beatrice, I adore you) and they were saddened at how they had to hide, but the way it worked out I think was a solid ending.
Aunt Beatrice, awesome character. Quirky, eccentric, devoted to Sebastian and working on finding him the proper Duchess. Who better than the fiancé of his deceased cousin. Dorothea is from good family, needs someone, is beautiful and is prepared to be a Duchess. She’s also lost someone she loves (the cousin) so that makes her a sympathy character. The fact that later she had some behavior that made me want to smack her, well that’s neither here nor there.
On the way to the ball to meet his soon-to-be fiancé, Sebastian loses his hat. Can’t have that! Since he is really a country boy at heart he of course he goes after it. During his chase, he meets William, a soldier home on leave. They have a drink and they click. It is therefore even more devastating at the ball when they meet again and realize – William is Dorothea’s brother.
As they try to make their way through the idea of becoming family, brother in laws, they are faced with problems all over Sir Ambrose is a royal asshat and though it’s pretty obvious what’s happening, you still hate him. Dorothea, well, she was a bit of an enigma because she seemed like such a devoted sister and a decent person, yet later she threatens William with blackmail. She lost all my respect right there and really, no matter what, she never got it back. She only “relented” because she got what she wanted in the end.
I liked the intrigue of the mystery and how they went about trying to figure it all out, and how it led to what happens at the end. This is where Dorothea gets what she wants and I didn’t want her to have anything!
Just a shout out to Aunt Beatrice. Thank heaven the story had her, because she was a breath of fresh air after Dorothea and the women of the ton. And she’s way ahead of her time – accepting, loyal and loving. And a little bit bawdy too, bless her. She is just lovely. “But you must choose to accept the present. If the present still feels the same way, of course.” Such an odd phrasing and yet she brings the perfect gift.
I admit, I have a major weakness for historical romance and M/M historical? Count me in! My fear is always that it will be a completely unreasonable ending. I didn’t feel that here. The couple had a few trusted, close people who knew their secret (Aunt Beatrice, I adore you) and they were saddened at how they had to hide, but the way it worked out I think was a solid ending.
May 25, 2014
3.5 marbles at Cryselle's Bookshelf
England in 1804, at war with France, struggling to consolidate power in India, when Georgian ideals of piety and decorum ruled society. A woman’s reputation mattered as much as her fortune, and men could be hanged at the yardarm for consorting with each other.
Of course, all sorts of scandalous things still went on, though people were much more cautious about being caught. Such is the story Alexandra Ainsworth has given us. From a chance meeting while pursuing an errant hat, Sebastian and William have to overcome understanding what it is they want to being able to reach for it without the other taking offense. Because of the delicacy of this dance and the huge amounts of self-questioning, the story moves slowly. The two are thrown together often. Sebastian never expected to inherit the dukedom and the entailed properties, nor to find himself engaged to his cousin/predecessor’s fiancée. It’s a situation where secrets can fall out of closets like improperly stored skeletons, not played for laughs.
The sorting out of feelings, engagements, and mysteries set on the vulnerable southern coast fit well into the period, with no obvious anachronisms and with a lot of period detail in politics, attitudes, and décor. Some social details repeat, leaving me thinking, yes, I did catch that the first four times, and would have been better illustrated than told.
The pace picks up considerably in the second half, when Sebastian abruptly flees for his coastal property and is beset with external problems with staff, thefts, the ghost, and the difficulties of his new neighbor. William has an active role to play here, which enlivens the story.
The sex scenes are few and a little fumbly, which suits the story’s mood and the times, and made me smile. An incident where Sebastian and William find themselves in a quarter of molly houses (brothels with male sex workers) educates Sebastian considerably, but I wondered if a molly boy would persist in calling someone by name, no matter whose.
I was charmed with the resolution: the author finds everyone a happy ending in spite of the difficulties. Everyone needs an Aunt Beatrice.
Copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
England in 1804, at war with France, struggling to consolidate power in India, when Georgian ideals of piety and decorum ruled society. A woman’s reputation mattered as much as her fortune, and men could be hanged at the yardarm for consorting with each other.
Of course, all sorts of scandalous things still went on, though people were much more cautious about being caught. Such is the story Alexandra Ainsworth has given us. From a chance meeting while pursuing an errant hat, Sebastian and William have to overcome understanding what it is they want to being able to reach for it without the other taking offense. Because of the delicacy of this dance and the huge amounts of self-questioning, the story moves slowly. The two are thrown together often. Sebastian never expected to inherit the dukedom and the entailed properties, nor to find himself engaged to his cousin/predecessor’s fiancée. It’s a situation where secrets can fall out of closets like improperly stored skeletons, not played for laughs.
The sorting out of feelings, engagements, and mysteries set on the vulnerable southern coast fit well into the period, with no obvious anachronisms and with a lot of period detail in politics, attitudes, and décor. Some social details repeat, leaving me thinking, yes, I did catch that the first four times, and would have been better illustrated than told.
The pace picks up considerably in the second half, when Sebastian abruptly flees for his coastal property and is beset with external problems with staff, thefts, the ghost, and the difficulties of his new neighbor. William has an active role to play here, which enlivens the story.
The sex scenes are few and a little fumbly, which suits the story’s mood and the times, and made me smile. An incident where Sebastian and William find themselves in a quarter of molly houses (brothels with male sex workers) educates Sebastian considerably, but I wondered if a molly boy would persist in calling someone by name, no matter whose.
I was charmed with the resolution: the author finds everyone a happy ending in spite of the difficulties. Everyone needs an Aunt Beatrice.
Copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2015
Got lucky enough to grab this copy from Amazon as a freebie. I didn't notice the cover at the time, but oh, my, that man on the cover is lovely to look at. No wonder William couldn't help himself at first glance! ;)
Sebastian is a country squire and he never expected to be the Duke. But the heir to the title, his cousin, had died unexpectedly leaving him unsettled and his fiance devastated. As a Duke, it is Sebastian's duty to marry and provide heirs... On the night he is supposed to meet his future wife, before he arrives at the ball, he meets the devastatingly handsome and virile Captain William Carlisle.
The attraction between them is instant... But "sodomy" is illegal. William could lose his position in the Army. Sebastian could lose his title. They could lose their lives. It is a risk but their feelings are impossible to ignore. For Sebastian, duty must come first, and William cannot risk for anyone to find out.
HR is my go-to romance subgenre and I also enjoy the occasional M/M read. I found this a really great read. What I enjoy most about M/M romances is reading about the emotional struggles of a man in denial about his true sexuality which I find quite riveting; the angst, the fear, and when they finally overcome it, it's powerful and emotional, affecting me in such a way that was like a physical blow to my heart. This author fashioned a story that is shattering and compelling at the same time, with endearing characters.
I look forward to my next Alexandra Ainsworth read.
Sebastian is a country squire and he never expected to be the Duke. But the heir to the title, his cousin, had died unexpectedly leaving him unsettled and his fiance devastated. As a Duke, it is Sebastian's duty to marry and provide heirs... On the night he is supposed to meet his future wife, before he arrives at the ball, he meets the devastatingly handsome and virile Captain William Carlisle.
The attraction between them is instant... But "sodomy" is illegal. William could lose his position in the Army. Sebastian could lose his title. They could lose their lives. It is a risk but their feelings are impossible to ignore. For Sebastian, duty must come first, and William cannot risk for anyone to find out.
HR is my go-to romance subgenre and I also enjoy the occasional M/M read. I found this a really great read. What I enjoy most about M/M romances is reading about the emotional struggles of a man in denial about his true sexuality which I find quite riveting; the angst, the fear, and when they finally overcome it, it's powerful and emotional, affecting me in such a way that was like a physical blow to my heart. This author fashioned a story that is shattering and compelling at the same time, with endearing characters.
I look forward to my next Alexandra Ainsworth read.
March 6, 2017
i have no idea why this is rated so low. it has angst, drama, a goddamn french spy ring, secret agents, illicit sex, and a pretty well-written romance (imo). what more could you want?!
i didn't rate it five stars because i thought it wasn't outstanding, the mystery could have been a bit less contrived and i was kind of expecting the Major Twist, and also the villain was too one-dimensional. but overall i really liked it, probably because i knew it was going to be a light read and wasn't expecting some literary masterpiece. recommended if you are looking for a light, slightly angsty m/m historical romance.
2017 is becoming the Year of Light, Mildly Trashy Romance Books and i don't know why. actually i do know why. it begins with 'k' and ends with 'indle unlimited'
i didn't rate it five stars because i thought it wasn't outstanding, the mystery could have been a bit less contrived and i was kind of expecting the Major Twist, and also the villain was too one-dimensional. but overall i really liked it, probably because i knew it was going to be a light read and wasn't expecting some literary masterpiece. recommended if you are looking for a light, slightly angsty m/m historical romance.
July 30, 2014
The angst. Not sure it was revolved enough, although one saccharine scene set on a cliff really did melt my ice.
The balance is a little tilted. For a book FULL of angst/doubt/chest pains, the HEA could have been a little longer than a tacked on afterthought
of an epilogue, STILL, it was fuzzy and sweet enough, and I did want to cuddle/thrash the mc's. :)
I've read far worse.
The balance is a little tilted. For a book FULL of angst/doubt/chest pains, the HEA could have been a little longer than a tacked on afterthought
of an epilogue, STILL, it was fuzzy and sweet enough, and I did want to cuddle/thrash the mc's. :)
I've read far worse.
June 1, 2018
Review for the audio version, btw.
To start, I did like this book. It was entertaining & not a bad way to spend the hours while listening. The characters have a surprising amount of depth, particularly Dorothea (Sebastian's fiancee & William's sister), and Sebastian has a couple very charming relatives. There is suspense on how it will all work out, how Sebastian & William might overcome the obstacles of obligations to family & society, and their own beliefs, (particularly with Sebastian, as he struggles with his inexperience and ideas of duty & morality).
My caveats that made this a 3-star, rather than a 4 or 5-star are:
1) There are issues with the narration; although the emotion is quite good, the editing was not complete. There are a few instances where Joel Leslie repeats lines, with slightly different emphasis, which is likely due to multiple takes & one not being removed. It's not horrible, but noticeable on a few occasions.
In addition, I felt that the women's voices were too old for a couple of the female characters, which is a common flaw in audio narration. Dorothea should be a young woman, but sounded older than the men. She might be mature in behavior, but she would likely still be about 25 years old. I also felt that William's accent was too different from the accent of his sister, closer to some approximation of Highland. William did travel quite a bit, but the accent still seemed less British than it might ought to. I believe that although Joel Leslie is a good narrator & capable of many accents, he used a different accent for William soley to differentiate between male characters.
2) I believe that certain circumstances, thrown in to add mystery & to help solve other problems, were implausible, beyond my suspension of disbelief. I think the author could've used some of these circumstances, but they needed further explanation or some slight adjustments to make them more plausible.
I'm not advising anyone against listening to the book - it was entertaining, but think of it as a light diversion, rather than a great masterpiece to do a lot of over-thinking about.
To start, I did like this book. It was entertaining & not a bad way to spend the hours while listening. The characters have a surprising amount of depth, particularly Dorothea (Sebastian's fiancee & William's sister), and Sebastian has a couple very charming relatives. There is suspense on how it will all work out, how Sebastian & William might overcome the obstacles of obligations to family & society, and their own beliefs, (particularly with Sebastian, as he struggles with his inexperience and ideas of duty & morality).
My caveats that made this a 3-star, rather than a 4 or 5-star are:
1) There are issues with the narration; although the emotion is quite good, the editing was not complete. There are a few instances where Joel Leslie repeats lines, with slightly different emphasis, which is likely due to multiple takes & one not being removed. It's not horrible, but noticeable on a few occasions.
In addition, I felt that the women's voices were too old for a couple of the female characters, which is a common flaw in audio narration. Dorothea should be a young woman, but sounded older than the men. She might be mature in behavior, but she would likely still be about 25 years old. I also felt that William's accent was too different from the accent of his sister, closer to some approximation of Highland. William did travel quite a bit, but the accent still seemed less British than it might ought to. I believe that although Joel Leslie is a good narrator & capable of many accents, he used a different accent for William soley to differentiate between male characters.
2) I believe that certain circumstances, thrown in to add mystery & to help solve other problems, were implausible, beyond my suspension of disbelief. I think the author could've used some of these circumstances, but they needed further explanation or some slight adjustments to make them more plausible.
I'm not advising anyone against listening to the book - it was entertaining, but think of it as a light diversion, rather than a great masterpiece to do a lot of over-thinking about.
January 13, 2018
A quick read set in the regency period. Instead of rooting for a lord and his lady (or whatever title because ALL historical romances involve titles of some sort ... but I suppose readers wouldn't be as interested in "the common man") this tale has us rooting for a duke and his captain. Sodomy is illegal so the denial in the book title is understandable. By a twist of fate, Sebastian finds himself inheriting a dukedom and all that it entails. He wasn't raised with the expectations of inheriting so is "a babe in the woods" to some degree. His wife died in childbirth and his 2 yo son of a fever so he comes to London to seek a bride even though he finds himself admiring men more and can't understand why. He gets engaged but ends up falling for her brother and it is a rocky road to untangle this triangle mess. There are a few mysteries to solve regarding deaths of family members as well as uncovering the identities of the highwaymen. The romance scenes are fairly clean and the characters are as you'd expect so there aren't too many unexpected moments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2018
Silly and Yet, SO Much Fun...
A chance casual encounter with a handsome soldier on the way to a party is the beginning of an epic friendship/romance between the new Duke Sebastian Lewis and the dashing Captain William Carlisle who, just also happens to be Sebastian's future brother in law! While the two try and navigate their own budding relationship around Sebastian's upcoming wedding they also solve a Scooby Doo mystery complete with a headless horseman! Sounds ridiculous? IT IS and yet, Ainsworth's sweeping Regency romance still manages to satisfy on every level by paying great care to the details of character development, good supporting characters, a great ear for dialogue and brilliant attention to the details of place, dress, decor and manners of the time. A little editing and tightening of the pace would make this a 5 star read instead of the 4 i'm giving it here. I'm eagerly looking forward to my next Ainsworth novel!
A chance casual encounter with a handsome soldier on the way to a party is the beginning of an epic friendship/romance between the new Duke Sebastian Lewis and the dashing Captain William Carlisle who, just also happens to be Sebastian's future brother in law! While the two try and navigate their own budding relationship around Sebastian's upcoming wedding they also solve a Scooby Doo mystery complete with a headless horseman! Sounds ridiculous? IT IS and yet, Ainsworth's sweeping Regency romance still manages to satisfy on every level by paying great care to the details of character development, good supporting characters, a great ear for dialogue and brilliant attention to the details of place, dress, decor and manners of the time. A little editing and tightening of the pace would make this a 5 star read instead of the 4 i'm giving it here. I'm eagerly looking forward to my next Ainsworth novel!
January 30, 2018
The Duke In Denial by Alexandra Ainsworth is a great read. It is a M/M romance though, so it may not be for everyone. Ms. Ainsworth has given us a well-written book packed with fantastic characters.Sebastian inherits and becomes a Duke when his cousin and uncle die. Sebastian becomes engaged to his dead cousin's fiance, even though he's drawn to her brother, William. William and Sebastian's story is packed with drama, action, sizzle and humor. I enjoyed reading The Duke In Denial and would happily read more from Alexandra Ainsworth in the future. The Duke In Denial is book 1 of the Scandal In Sussex Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
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