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Hold Your Breath #1
Stone Devil Duke
Librarian note: older cover of B00JT1HP5Y.
London, 1819
Marked for death, Lady Augustine Christopherson finds herself scouring the slums of London in a desperate search to find the men who killed her father, and are determined to dispose of her. To protect her family, to protect herself, she is determined to find the men before they find her.
The last thing she wanted was an entanglement with a duke that threatens her very survival...
Hardened long ago, the last thing the Duke of Dunway wanted was an entanglement with a chit of the ton. But in the flash of a pistol, his fate is altered as he finds himself honor-bound to protect Lady Augustine from, of all things, herself.
263 pages, ebook
First published April 19, 2014
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June 3, 2021
I made it just halfway through this. I have no idea what all those five-star reviewers were reading; not this. It can't have been this. You can't really blame me for the length of this review; about half of it is highlighted quotes from the book. Blame K.J. Jackson. (I do.)
This … is the story of Lady Augustine (Aggie) who is trying to single-handedly find the men who ruined her father's life, and her own. (At about 16% I made my bet on who the ringleader was. At about 27% I won the bet.) Naturally, she must do it alone (except for the boy she involves, who ends up beaten, which of course she considers justification for her decision and not the result of collective stupidity). Naturally, this involves dressing up as a man and driving a coach through the worst streets of 1819 London.
She considered pretending to be a prostitute, you see, but decided against it. She's not a complete idiot. Almost, but not quite. "I know you think I am stupid—an idiot for doing all this on my own." See? She's also self-aware.
And one night she fails to persuade a man that she isn't actually the coachman for hire she's pretending to be, and a duke gets in her cab. Naturally enough they'll fall in love, after he assumes she's a slut and tries it on with her. (Another night a group of men hops into the coach and she can't get rid of them – not a great disguise, huh, hon? – and they (along with everyone else) fail to notice a large number of bullet holes in the vehicle. Well, they're drunk.)
I have serious problems with books like this. The synopses always sound like they'll be fun – and in other hands they would be fun. The serious problems pop up when I expect, oh, I don't know, acceptable writing. Why is that so difficult to find?
Language, and the use thereof throughout the book, is … odd. English-not-as-first-language odd.
- "Devin bit off a blaspheme"… Can you do that? And can "blaspheme" be used as a noun?
- "His own annoyance had blown past his usual even keel". Pushing a metaphor a little too far, that.
- "Her face had fallen to the ground once more at his outburst." That had to hurt. Did he push her? Or ... did it fall off?
- "I will not impose another dollop on your good will." Is that the unit of measure for imposition, the dollop?
- "The fact that women got his bed, and no proposal, never bothered any of them." *sigh*
- "Taking a different inference" ...
- "to decimate her plans"...
- "Catapulted her into whirlwind of indignation" …
- "I need to request that we not be seen cavorting with each other." Are you planning on cavorting? If you refrain from cavorting, you run no risk of being seen cavorting, with anyone.
- "Digging down to the bottom [of the closet], an exasperated smile appeared" What an odd thing to find in a closet.
- "Onto her knees, she pulled a wooden box from under her bed."
- "Devin found himself clear to make it to Killian."
- He "nicked Sunshine along" … Sunshine's a horse. I don't know what is being done to it. (Seriously, I've read hundreds of books with horses in them. I have never heard of this.)
- "…She had barely escaped being mugged—or worse—from an unscrupulous patron." From? And mugged, in 1819? See below.
- "Introductions and requests to land on her dance card petered in" – To ... land on? And petered ... in? No. Just ... no.
- "…Could not have just talked to the Devin." The?
- "Right behind her, his sudden heat blanketed her bare shoulders" …
- "…Lips still wispy on hers" – Is he a ghost?
- "Both arms wrapped around her, strangling her air."
- "She hit a big black wall of no memories." I mean, really.
- "Much of the blood about the gash was dried, falling from her touch." In half an hour or less? From a "gash"?
Here is a quote truly awesome in its wut??-ness: Aggie: "Blazes bite your ass, sir. Only a hell-bound rogue would sneak onto a lady like that." I don't even know where to begin. I could do a thousand words on that quote alone. Starting with: if you just cried out "blazes bite your ass", you're a) no early 19th-century lady, and b) very confused. And ... "sneak onto"?
Or this: "She blustered a look that reeked of pity". Um. "Bluster" is, to me, related to sound. "Look" is of course visual. And "reek" is olfactory. Pity is pretty much intangible. Come on.
"The pit in her stomach expanded. The pit of failure." The pit of despair ... I get where she's going with this, but isn't it more along the lines of "a knot in the pit of the stomach"? The pit being ... oh, look: "a slight depression in the midline just below the sternum (where a blow can affect the solar plexus)". If that's expanding, this girl has a medical problem. Or… is she pregnant? No, she hasn't been forcibly deflowered at this point yet. (Waaaaiiiit for it...)
Another: "'As unfortunate as the garden ended, I must admit I did enjoy it.' She stopped, suddenly embarrassed. 'Did I just say that out loud?'" So many issues, from the phrasing to the anachronism to the groping she's expressing her enjoyment of. Again, that's a quote worth a thousand words, right there.
One of my favorite oddities, if you can call anything about this mess "favorite", is "nugget". The author loves this word. "Only nuggets of annoyance still holding root". "Nuggets of hope filled Aggie". It could be a drinking game.
Now, sometimes when I pick up a book like (a "historical romance") this I go a bit mad and expect – along with decent writing – some degree of historical accuracy. I know. I'm just crazy that way.
- "Muggers. Which was exactly why he carried a pistol." The earliest use for "muggers", based on an etymological website which seems to be trustworthy, seems to be 1865. Which is a heck of a lot earlier than I expected - but still not 1819.
- Another anachronism: "Aggie tuned in and out of her aunt and uncle's chattering". Advanced of her to imitate a radio in 1819.
Questionable phrasings, period-wise:
- "You need to believe me on that one."
- "Why would you go there?" (Not physically go – verbally. As in a warning: "Don't go there". )
- "He did want to bust that leer off of Ferrington's face." (Bust a move, D. Bust a move.)
- "…Lemons and lemonade, dear." (Wikipedia, and what a fantastic background for a saying: "The phrase was initially coined by Christian anarchist writer Elbert Hubbard in a 1915 obituary he penned and published for dwarf actor Marshall P. Wilder." NINETEEN fifteen.)
I sincerely hate it when a girl in these period novels uses a man's first name far too quickly, and this book scored that square on the Awful HistRom Bingo Card™. (I really need to make that a thing. Now.)
Place names are … silly. One I'll mention below. Another I made note of was "Clapinshire", which somehow doesn't click. But then I came to "Charring Cross", and maybe that makes the others make sense: it's an alternate London of the 1800's, with a Charring Cross instead of Charing Cross. And radio, and muggers. And making lemonade from the lemons handed one. Yeah, that's it. (When Amazon hands me lemons, I write long book reviews.)
The heroine is … undefined. I didn't make a note of whether there's a decent description of her, so it can't have been too clichéd at least (no violet eyes or sun-gold hair or whatever). Her age is indeterminate. And her height? "At average height, she was a head taller than her uncle, two heads over her aunt"… Best I can find, average height for a woman in 1800 is 5'-5'2". Let's say, based on one source relating to figure drawing, that the head is about 1/7 the length of the figure. Call it 5'2" (62") divided by 7 = about 9". Ergo, her uncle is under four and a half feet tall. Her aunt is three and a half feet tall. Huh. Remarkable. Perhaps they are ancestors of Marshall P. Wilder.
The hero is … kind of an idiot. And, as per usual, kind of a jerk. (With "a very pulsating, manly bulge". Not just pulsating – VERY pulsating.) "He already had a plan set in mind to finish off these four, but wanted to know what this woman was about." He ponders this in the middle of a gunfight – which, as one tiny point in the book's favor, is an example of when you ought to bring a knife to a gunfight. "He didn't take kindly to kittens." Meaning the heroine. Who just shot a guy. If that's your idea of a kitten, you must hang out with saber-toothed tigers. And because she isn't really a kitten, he naturally assumes … well, here: "Was it possible, as bold as she was, that she was not experienced in the bedroom?" Oddly for this sort of book, I had no idea how old Aggie was supposed to be at this point, but regardless: Why would you assume otherwise about a gently brought up girl in 1819 London? He gropes "her exposed breast" in a garden – and "...He didn't think Aggie even knew where his hand had been..." Right. Well, she is in fact a virgin – until a surprisingly rough deflowering (on a dining room table). The 1819 heroine's reaction? "Wow". <- Verbatim.
And that was the end for me. "Hold Your Breath", indeed. The author may do so while waiting for me to read anything more she's ever written.
One of my least favorite oddities about this thing was that
The one thing I genuinely enjoyed about the half of this book that I read was the Marquess of Southfork. It just made me happy to picture this set in, instead of an alternate 19th century London, Dallas in the 80's. One line I highlighted was "Sure, she was an oddity". See? With that use of "sure", Texas makes sense. (Also, with the belief he was from Texas, "sure" makes sense.) Oh, and someone keeps calling the Heroine "Aggie, honey" and "Aggie, sweetie" – that's pretty US Southern, right?
No, I lied. There was one other remark I did enjoy, though I honestly don't know if it was meant to be as funny as it is. The book had some … extraordinary (for which read weird) curses and exclamations: "Blasted that." "Blasted. Now she was leaving?" (Funny enough, a lot of the cussing in the book was from Aggie, our genteel gentle heroine.) But this… this has promise:
"Dribble on that, Howard."
This … is the story of Lady Augustine (Aggie) who is trying to single-handedly find the men who ruined her father's life, and her own. (At about 16% I made my bet on who the ringleader was. At about 27% I won the bet.) Naturally, she must do it alone (except for the boy she involves, who ends up beaten, which of course she considers justification for her decision and not the result of collective stupidity). Naturally, this involves dressing up as a man and driving a coach through the worst streets of 1819 London.
She considered pretending to be a prostitute, you see, but decided against it. She's not a complete idiot. Almost, but not quite. "I know you think I am stupid—an idiot for doing all this on my own." See? She's also self-aware.
And one night she fails to persuade a man that she isn't actually the coachman for hire she's pretending to be, and a duke gets in her cab. Naturally enough they'll fall in love, after he assumes she's a slut and tries it on with her. (Another night a group of men hops into the coach and she can't get rid of them – not a great disguise, huh, hon? – and they (along with everyone else) fail to notice a large number of bullet holes in the vehicle. Well, they're drunk.)
I have serious problems with books like this. The synopses always sound like they'll be fun – and in other hands they would be fun. The serious problems pop up when I expect, oh, I don't know, acceptable writing. Why is that so difficult to find?
Language, and the use thereof throughout the book, is … odd. English-not-as-first-language odd.
- "Devin bit off a blaspheme"… Can you do that? And can "blaspheme" be used as a noun?
- "His own annoyance had blown past his usual even keel". Pushing a metaphor a little too far, that.
- "Her face had fallen to the ground once more at his outburst." That had to hurt. Did he push her? Or ... did it fall off?
- "I will not impose another dollop on your good will." Is that the unit of measure for imposition, the dollop?
- "The fact that women got his bed, and no proposal, never bothered any of them." *sigh*
- "Taking a different inference" ...
- "to decimate her plans"...
- "Catapulted her into whirlwind of indignation" …
- "I need to request that we not be seen cavorting with each other." Are you planning on cavorting? If you refrain from cavorting, you run no risk of being seen cavorting, with anyone.
- "Digging down to the bottom [of the closet], an exasperated smile appeared" What an odd thing to find in a closet.
- "Onto her knees, she pulled a wooden box from under her bed."
- "Devin found himself clear to make it to Killian."
- He "nicked Sunshine along" … Sunshine's a horse. I don't know what is being done to it. (Seriously, I've read hundreds of books with horses in them. I have never heard of this.)
- "…She had barely escaped being mugged—or worse—from an unscrupulous patron." From? And mugged, in 1819? See below.
- "Introductions and requests to land on her dance card petered in" – To ... land on? And petered ... in? No. Just ... no.
- "…Could not have just talked to the Devin." The?
- "Right behind her, his sudden heat blanketed her bare shoulders" …
- "…Lips still wispy on hers" – Is he a ghost?
- "Both arms wrapped around her, strangling her air."
- "She hit a big black wall of no memories." I mean, really.
- "Much of the blood about the gash was dried, falling from her touch." In half an hour or less? From a "gash"?
Here is a quote truly awesome in its wut??-ness: Aggie: "Blazes bite your ass, sir. Only a hell-bound rogue would sneak onto a lady like that." I don't even know where to begin. I could do a thousand words on that quote alone. Starting with: if you just cried out "blazes bite your ass", you're a) no early 19th-century lady, and b) very confused. And ... "sneak onto"?
Or this: "She blustered a look that reeked of pity". Um. "Bluster" is, to me, related to sound. "Look" is of course visual. And "reek" is olfactory. Pity is pretty much intangible. Come on.
"The pit in her stomach expanded. The pit of failure." The pit of despair ... I get where she's going with this, but isn't it more along the lines of "a knot in the pit of the stomach"? The pit being ... oh, look: "a slight depression in the midline just below the sternum (where a blow can affect the solar plexus)". If that's expanding, this girl has a medical problem. Or… is she pregnant? No, she hasn't been forcibly deflowered at this point yet. (Waaaaiiiit for it...)
Another: "'As unfortunate as the garden ended, I must admit I did enjoy it.' She stopped, suddenly embarrassed. 'Did I just say that out loud?'" So many issues, from the phrasing to the anachronism to the groping she's expressing her enjoyment of. Again, that's a quote worth a thousand words, right there.
One of my favorite oddities, if you can call anything about this mess "favorite", is "nugget". The author loves this word. "Only nuggets of annoyance still holding root". "Nuggets of hope filled Aggie". It could be a drinking game.
Now, sometimes when I pick up a book like (a "historical romance") this I go a bit mad and expect – along with decent writing – some degree of historical accuracy. I know. I'm just crazy that way.
- "Muggers. Which was exactly why he carried a pistol." The earliest use for "muggers", based on an etymological website which seems to be trustworthy, seems to be 1865. Which is a heck of a lot earlier than I expected - but still not 1819.
- Another anachronism: "Aggie tuned in and out of her aunt and uncle's chattering". Advanced of her to imitate a radio in 1819.
Questionable phrasings, period-wise:
- "You need to believe me on that one."
- "Why would you go there?" (Not physically go – verbally. As in a warning: "Don't go there". )
- "He did want to bust that leer off of Ferrington's face." (Bust a move, D. Bust a move.)
- "…Lemons and lemonade, dear." (Wikipedia, and what a fantastic background for a saying: "The phrase was initially coined by Christian anarchist writer Elbert Hubbard in a 1915 obituary he penned and published for dwarf actor Marshall P. Wilder." NINETEEN fifteen.)
I sincerely hate it when a girl in these period novels uses a man's first name far too quickly, and this book scored that square on the Awful HistRom Bingo Card™. (I really need to make that a thing. Now.)
Place names are … silly. One I'll mention below. Another I made note of was "Clapinshire", which somehow doesn't click. But then I came to "Charring Cross", and maybe that makes the others make sense: it's an alternate London of the 1800's, with a Charring Cross instead of Charing Cross. And radio, and muggers. And making lemonade from the lemons handed one. Yeah, that's it. (When Amazon hands me lemons, I write long book reviews.)
The heroine is … undefined. I didn't make a note of whether there's a decent description of her, so it can't have been too clichéd at least (no violet eyes or sun-gold hair or whatever). Her age is indeterminate. And her height? "At average height, she was a head taller than her uncle, two heads over her aunt"… Best I can find, average height for a woman in 1800 is 5'-5'2". Let's say, based on one source relating to figure drawing, that the head is about 1/7 the length of the figure. Call it 5'2" (62") divided by 7 = about 9". Ergo, her uncle is under four and a half feet tall. Her aunt is three and a half feet tall. Huh. Remarkable. Perhaps they are ancestors of Marshall P. Wilder.
The hero is … kind of an idiot. And, as per usual, kind of a jerk. (With "a very pulsating, manly bulge". Not just pulsating – VERY pulsating.) "He already had a plan set in mind to finish off these four, but wanted to know what this woman was about." He ponders this in the middle of a gunfight – which, as one tiny point in the book's favor, is an example of when you ought to bring a knife to a gunfight. "He didn't take kindly to kittens." Meaning the heroine. Who just shot a guy. If that's your idea of a kitten, you must hang out with saber-toothed tigers. And because she isn't really a kitten, he naturally assumes … well, here: "Was it possible, as bold as she was, that she was not experienced in the bedroom?" Oddly for this sort of book, I had no idea how old Aggie was supposed to be at this point, but regardless: Why would you assume otherwise about a gently brought up girl in 1819 London? He gropes "her exposed breast" in a garden – and "...He didn't think Aggie even knew where his hand had been..." Right. Well, she is in fact a virgin – until a surprisingly rough deflowering (on a dining room table). The 1819 heroine's reaction? "Wow". <- Verbatim.
And that was the end for me. "Hold Your Breath", indeed. The author may do so while waiting for me to read anything more she's ever written.
One of my least favorite oddities about this thing was that
The one thing I genuinely enjoyed about the half of this book that I read was the Marquess of Southfork. It just made me happy to picture this set in, instead of an alternate 19th century London, Dallas in the 80's. One line I highlighted was "Sure, she was an oddity". See? With that use of "sure", Texas makes sense. (Also, with the belief he was from Texas, "sure" makes sense.) Oh, and someone keeps calling the Heroine "Aggie, honey" and "Aggie, sweetie" – that's pretty US Southern, right?
No, I lied. There was one other remark I did enjoy, though I honestly don't know if it was meant to be as funny as it is. The book had some … extraordinary (for which read weird) curses and exclamations: "Blasted that." "Blasted. Now she was leaving?" (Funny enough, a lot of the cussing in the book was from Aggie, our genteel gentle heroine.) But this… this has promise:
"Dribble on that, Howard."
September 28, 2021
Just have to say- haven't read (or tried to read) such a poorly-written Regency in a while. I have made my notes public, but if you value quality writing that is authentic with respect to the historical period and place in which it is set, then this author is not for you.
There are American authors who do a wonderful job of recreating the Regency period, and if the occasional Americanism or modernism slips in, it is not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the story.
Unfortunately, not the case here.
There are American authors who do a wonderful job of recreating the Regency period, and if the occasional Americanism or modernism slips in, it is not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the story.
Unfortunately, not the case here.
March 4, 2023
Hell, that was intense.
Highlights...
- Dark plot.
- Character depth.
- Very emotional.
- Romantic and steamy.
- Aggie's fortitude.
- Devin's protective instincts.
- Despicable villain
*Devin's story came out later than expected. Fizzled a bit toward the end.
Highlights...
- Dark plot.
- Character depth.
- Very emotional.
- Romantic and steamy.
- Aggie's fortitude.
- Devin's protective instincts.
- Despicable villain
*Devin's story came out later than expected. Fizzled a bit toward the end.
July 30, 2018
Wonderful..
Wow! Aggie went out at night loaded for bear. And once Devin found her there was no way she was going out alone anymore. I could certainly see her hunting those men from her point of view but she really did need someone to protect her. Even disguised she WAS going into the worst part of London, after midnight.
There was some sexual tension in this book, which I like, and some nicely written sex. So, if you’re looking for something clean this book is not for you.
There were some glaring 21st century phrases used. They didn’t really take away from the story but when I came across them I found myself reading them over and over again. I don’t understand why authors want to write an historical novel then use 21st century words. I mean “it is what it is,” was not used in 1819. Those kind of phrases stand out. AND I just hated him calling her Aggs. LOL… I kept thinking to myself that I would like some bacon and aggs. Silly, I know.
Other than that this was simply a wonderful book. I love books where I can’t wait to turn the page, and this was one of those books.
Wow! Aggie went out at night loaded for bear. And once Devin found her there was no way she was going out alone anymore. I could certainly see her hunting those men from her point of view but she really did need someone to protect her. Even disguised she WAS going into the worst part of London, after midnight.
There was some sexual tension in this book, which I like, and some nicely written sex. So, if you’re looking for something clean this book is not for you.
There were some glaring 21st century phrases used. They didn’t really take away from the story but when I came across them I found myself reading them over and over again. I don’t understand why authors want to write an historical novel then use 21st century words. I mean “it is what it is,” was not used in 1819. Those kind of phrases stand out. AND I just hated him calling her Aggs. LOL… I kept thinking to myself that I would like some bacon and aggs. Silly, I know.
Other than that this was simply a wonderful book. I love books where I can’t wait to turn the page, and this was one of those books.
February 8, 2015
HORRIFIC TORTURE ON THE HEROINE!!
This is my first and my Last book by K. J. Jackson!! What is wrong with people writing such horrific torture on women or anyone. I read Historical Romance for the romance an a glimpse into the past. Not Torture and abuse of the lead character. There is enough women being abused in real life. This is a real problem especially in the U.S.. I don't want to read about it in my Romance stories.. What is so sad is this story started out very good but then the horrific torture of the heroin Aggie was beyond belief!! It happens more then once in the story. I don't know what to say but K. J. Jackson is one sick author!! to write this kind of stuff in a Historical Romance story!! Thank God I got this book free on Amazon. I would have returned it for a full refund if I had bought it. I cannot recommend Stone Devil Duke. I am shocked that so many people like this book. Shocked!!
This is my first and my Last book by K. J. Jackson!! What is wrong with people writing such horrific torture on women or anyone. I read Historical Romance for the romance an a glimpse into the past. Not Torture and abuse of the lead character. There is enough women being abused in real life. This is a real problem especially in the U.S.. I don't want to read about it in my Romance stories.. What is so sad is this story started out very good but then the horrific torture of the heroin Aggie was beyond belief!! It happens more then once in the story. I don't know what to say but K. J. Jackson is one sick author!! to write this kind of stuff in a Historical Romance story!! Thank God I got this book free on Amazon. I would have returned it for a full refund if I had bought it. I cannot recommend Stone Devil Duke. I am shocked that so many people like this book. Shocked!!
July 15, 2018
Usually, you fall in love with the "hero", but I disliked him intensely. What an arrogant, egotistical, cold, mentally unbalanced clod. And this was only partway through the book. By the time I finished, if I had a pistol, I would have shot him. He treated Aggie unforgivably, starting with her brutal deflowering and continuing on until his distrust of her winds up with her being brutally tortured - and then, he is disturbed because she doesn't acknowledge that he finally says "I love you" until he finally gets it into his stupid head that she is in shock from the torture. What an abject moron.
Add to this some of the stupid expressions and terms that clearly do not fit into that period of time, the fact that no one seems to proof read the manuscript before it is printed and so you get a lot of things like using "you" instead of "your", "no" instead of "not" and on and on ad infinitum.
And probably, the fact that Aggie did not spit into the face of Devin at the end of the book, as I and probably most women would do after what he, in essence and fact, had caused to happen to her.
Needless to say, I won't be reading any other books by K.J. Jackson. I leave that to the multitude of readers who do not read quality books and so do not realize the difference between K.J. Jackson's books and good books.
Add to this some of the stupid expressions and terms that clearly do not fit into that period of time, the fact that no one seems to proof read the manuscript before it is printed and so you get a lot of things like using "you" instead of "your", "no" instead of "not" and on and on ad infinitum.
And probably, the fact that Aggie did not spit into the face of Devin at the end of the book, as I and probably most women would do after what he, in essence and fact, had caused to happen to her.
Needless to say, I won't be reading any other books by K.J. Jackson. I leave that to the multitude of readers who do not read quality books and so do not realize the difference between K.J. Jackson's books and good books.
August 21, 2015
I really enjoyed this story. It was great and so different from the usual Historical Romance. A lot happening all the time. Murder, mystery, torture, kidnapping, romance and hot and steamy sex. What more can you ask for!
The heroine, Aggie was just awesome, not taking any crap anymore she strikes back! Wielding six pistols and mad as hell. She was smart, strong, funny and just a great character.
Our hero Devin has his own demons he is fighting. He is smart, sexy and determined to help our heroine. Together they have some great chemistry that grew into a great romance. It felt real and genuine, not forced or fake. They had some great hot and steamy sex too.
The story line and plot were great. The story flowed very well and was easy to follow along. There is no filler nonsense either. There is lots of great dialogue throughout the entire book. (I love lots of dialogue). Also, I noticed it was not full of angst either, It really kept me wanting to read more and more. A very fun enjoyable read. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
The heroine, Aggie was just awesome, not taking any crap anymore she strikes back! Wielding six pistols and mad as hell. She was smart, strong, funny and just a great character.
Our hero Devin has his own demons he is fighting. He is smart, sexy and determined to help our heroine. Together they have some great chemistry that grew into a great romance. It felt real and genuine, not forced or fake. They had some great hot and steamy sex too.
The story line and plot were great. The story flowed very well and was easy to follow along. There is no filler nonsense either. There is lots of great dialogue throughout the entire book. (I love lots of dialogue). Also, I noticed it was not full of angst either, It really kept me wanting to read more and more. A very fun enjoyable read. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
February 4, 2018
Just okay
I liked both of the main characters very much but the story line of lagged after their marriage. The ending was great and I liked the epilogue very much. Just the middle part was a little slow. And I hated Killian because I read the second book first.
I liked both of the main characters very much but the story line of lagged after their marriage. The ending was great and I liked the epilogue very much. Just the middle part was a little slow. And I hated Killian because I read the second book first.
June 15, 2017
More reviews available at my blog, Beauty and the Bookworm.
Historical romances frustrate me more than any other genre, because in no other genre do I find such a wide array of quality with so few indicators as to what's going to be good and what's not. Why? Because they all look the same. I am a sucker for a girl in a pretty dress (even if the dresses are hardly ever period-accurate) and so whenever they come up, I continue to fall for them. Every. Single. Time. As for this one? Well, it fell pretty much in the middle, quality-wise. Let's go!
The plot follows Aggie and Devin. Devin the titular "Stone Devil Duke," as he is widely known throughout the ton, though there isn't really a reason for him to be known as such. At one point, it's said that it's because of something he witnessed when he was younger--but then it's said that pretty much no one knows about that, so why it would be such a widespread nickname, I have no idea. Aggie is a young lady of quality who spends her nights dressed as a cabbie and loaded down with pistols as she hunts for the men who killed her father and scarred her. She doesn't usually pick up fares, but Devin ends up in her cab and gets pulled into the mess and then, of course, finds himself completely unable to leave.
I didn't find Aggie and Devin's relationship plausible. Characters in historical romances often have near-instantaneous connections, but this one felt off even when taking that trope into consideration. Aggie wants absolutely nothing to do with Devin, and yet when she finds herself stuck with him, she suddenly surrenders pretty much her entire quest to him because their relationship is, very abruptly, more important to her. She has no real reason to think that Devin will actually follow through on his promises to her, as he's done nothing to show that he would. In fact, given that she sees him talking to one of her attackers at one point, she should have every reason to suspect that he might be in on the whole thing--what a plot twist that would have been! But no, Devin and his compatriots are nothing but what they appear to be. For his part, Devin basically marries Aggie because he has to-slash-because he wants to have sex with her. Fair enough, I guess. But still, I didn't think these two had any real connection until after they were married, at which point they proceeded to have hot sex (which was well-written, I felt) and the mystery which occupied so much of the first part of the book abruptly fell by the wayside, only to be neatly tied up in the space of two chapters later on.
The mystery was the other thing that bothered me. When the background for it finally comes out, it makes sense--but it takes forever until that background comes out. Additionally, there's no real "mystery" to the component of Aggie's brother, who is gone and then just reappears without anyone having any success at figuring out what happened to him--not even a little. Not much of a mystery if there aren't any clues. And then the villain... In my view, a mystery should provide you with clues to figure out who the villain really is. This didn't. It just suddenly comes out, and everyone is like, "Oh, it's him," and then they go on with their lives. Blah.
The writing here wasn't bad. The dialogue seemed a bit stilted in places (a good deal of places) but the rest of it was okay. The sex was good. The characters' backgrounds and the setup was good. I'm just not sure that I really liked how the main story was executed, dropped, and then picked up again; I feel like the threads could have been twined together a bit more artfully. This was okay, but it wasn't something I devoured, and it's not something I'll be reading again.
2.5 stars out of 5.
Historical romances frustrate me more than any other genre, because in no other genre do I find such a wide array of quality with so few indicators as to what's going to be good and what's not. Why? Because they all look the same. I am a sucker for a girl in a pretty dress (even if the dresses are hardly ever period-accurate) and so whenever they come up, I continue to fall for them. Every. Single. Time. As for this one? Well, it fell pretty much in the middle, quality-wise. Let's go!
The plot follows Aggie and Devin. Devin the titular "Stone Devil Duke," as he is widely known throughout the ton, though there isn't really a reason for him to be known as such. At one point, it's said that it's because of something he witnessed when he was younger--but then it's said that pretty much no one knows about that, so why it would be such a widespread nickname, I have no idea. Aggie is a young lady of quality who spends her nights dressed as a cabbie and loaded down with pistols as she hunts for the men who killed her father and scarred her. She doesn't usually pick up fares, but Devin ends up in her cab and gets pulled into the mess and then, of course, finds himself completely unable to leave.
I didn't find Aggie and Devin's relationship plausible. Characters in historical romances often have near-instantaneous connections, but this one felt off even when taking that trope into consideration. Aggie wants absolutely nothing to do with Devin, and yet when she finds herself stuck with him, she suddenly surrenders pretty much her entire quest to him because their relationship is, very abruptly, more important to her. She has no real reason to think that Devin will actually follow through on his promises to her, as he's done nothing to show that he would. In fact, given that she sees him talking to one of her attackers at one point, she should have every reason to suspect that he might be in on the whole thing--what a plot twist that would have been! But no, Devin and his compatriots are nothing but what they appear to be. For his part, Devin basically marries Aggie because he has to-slash-because he wants to have sex with her. Fair enough, I guess. But still, I didn't think these two had any real connection until after they were married, at which point they proceeded to have hot sex (which was well-written, I felt) and the mystery which occupied so much of the first part of the book abruptly fell by the wayside, only to be neatly tied up in the space of two chapters later on.
The mystery was the other thing that bothered me. When the background for it finally comes out, it makes sense--but it takes forever until that background comes out. Additionally, there's no real "mystery" to the component of Aggie's brother, who is gone and then just reappears without anyone having any success at figuring out what happened to him--not even a little. Not much of a mystery if there aren't any clues. And then the villain... In my view, a mystery should provide you with clues to figure out who the villain really is. This didn't. It just suddenly comes out, and everyone is like, "Oh, it's him," and then they go on with their lives. Blah.
The writing here wasn't bad. The dialogue seemed a bit stilted in places (a good deal of places) but the rest of it was okay. The sex was good. The characters' backgrounds and the setup was good. I'm just not sure that I really liked how the main story was executed, dropped, and then picked up again; I feel like the threads could have been twined together a bit more artfully. This was okay, but it wasn't something I devoured, and it's not something I'll be reading again.
2.5 stars out of 5.
January 2, 2019
Devin liked things simple. No superfluous chitchat. No posturing. The minimum in everything, from his attire, to the very few people he allowed in his life. Simple in, simple out.
4.5 stars!
My 2018 reading year has surely gone out with a bang ending with this amazing novel! I have such a long list of historicals that I want to get to eventually so choosing which novel to start next is always hard, but I am so glad I made time for this one. I admit it took me a while to connect with Devin and Aggie in the beginning as their pasts were both clouded in mystery for story-telling purposes, but as the story progresses I found myself entrenched more and more in their intertwining stories.
She had been too brave, too scared, too strong, too smart, too hard, too calm--too damn everything, for too damn long.
When we first meet Aggie, she is dressed as a hack driver with soot covering her face, male trousers, and a cockney accent to match. By chance, she picks up Devin--whose carriage has just broken down--and is transporting him through London's streets when she happens upon the men who are trying to kill her. One year ago she witnessed her father's murder and is now the next target on their hit-list as she is able to recognize the killers' faces. She has been forced to be responsible for the well-being of not only herself but her younger sister and catatonic mother as her brother has been presumed dead for some time. She has resorted to using herself as bait in order to lure her father's murderers out so that she can rid herself of this threat once and for all.
This wasn't simple. Not simple at all. But for the first time in his life, simple didn't hold quite the allure it usually did. There was something about complicated that suddenly seemed fitting.
And this is how Devin, the Duke of Dunway, finds himself in the middle of a shootout with Aggie as the target. He has a horrible past and an (undeserved) reputation of his own but finds himself intrigued by Aggie's situation and unable to abandon her in her hour of need. His backstory is one of the most tragic I've read for a historical hero (right up there with Griff from Any Duchess Will Do) and my heart just hurt for him. However, I didn't like/agree with some of his highhanded actions towards Aggie--especially towards the end--so he was by no means perfect. But neither was Aggie as she makes plenty of mistakes and missteps as well.
She had given everything to him. Her body. Her heart. Her trust. All he had to do was give her a chance.
Overall, this novel was a bit of a rocky start for me, but I couldn't help but be pulled in by the story and characters. There was plenty of angst, action, bloody violence (KJ does NOT hold back!), misunderstandings, love, hope, tragic backstories, and some sweet and lovely moments between Devin and Aggie who both overcome so much to find love and trust in each other. The ending was a bit brutal but I felt it added so much depth and heart to the novel. Definitely recommend this one, and I will be checking out more of KJ's books!
My Devin Williams Stephenson, the stubbornly sweet and possessive Duke of Dunway, and his love Aggs..
August 11, 2015
I really liked this story. The heroine (Aggie) was brave and took on her father's murderers with swashbuckling flair. Devin (the hero) gets mixed up in her problems by mistake and from then on feels compelled to help her get out of danger. They've both been through hard emotional hurdles which makes them quite interesting as characters too.
I enjoy some action in my stories - especially adventurous leading ladies so that suited me fine. The writing flowed and apart from a little bit of modern dialogue and a few typos, I enjoyed it all. The violence did escalate a bit toward the end (might effect squeamish readers) but again, that was fine for me. I'd rather that than simple misunderstandings and wringing of hands for pages on end!
Well done - I'll be reading another from this author.
I enjoy some action in my stories - especially adventurous leading ladies so that suited me fine. The writing flowed and apart from a little bit of modern dialogue and a few typos, I enjoyed it all. The violence did escalate a bit toward the end (might effect squeamish readers) but again, that was fine for me. I'd rather that than simple misunderstandings and wringing of hands for pages on end!
Well done - I'll be reading another from this author.
February 9, 2015
Exciting page turner
This is the very first book that I have read by K.J. Jackson and it definitely won't be my last. This book has a mysterious villain, a rakish but endearing Duke and a courageous and brave heroine along with a passionate romance. I absolutely loved Devin and Aggie and it was fun reading along as they found themselves falling in love with each other. Their conversations had me entertained and the story had me engaged from the very first page. Can not wait to read the next two books based on Killian, Devin's friend and Jason, Aggie's brother. All in all, a most satisfying and delightful read. Highly recommend it!
This is the very first book that I have read by K.J. Jackson and it definitely won't be my last. This book has a mysterious villain, a rakish but endearing Duke and a courageous and brave heroine along with a passionate romance. I absolutely loved Devin and Aggie and it was fun reading along as they found themselves falling in love with each other. Their conversations had me entertained and the story had me engaged from the very first page. Can not wait to read the next two books based on Killian, Devin's friend and Jason, Aggie's brother. All in all, a most satisfying and delightful read. Highly recommend it!
October 6, 2018
I really need to stop reading these free books on Amazon, but hope does spring eternal. Unfortunately, that does not excuse how really awful this book was. It started off smoothly enough but the angst, general brutality, and frankly vulgarity of the rest of it should have been enough warning to stop. I regret that I didn't.
March 15, 2015
Action
Lots of action in this one. A strong woman who has been through more pain then I can imagine. A Duke whose life of innocence ended at eleven. Two unconventional people who learn that love can heal.
Lots of action in this one. A strong woman who has been through more pain then I can imagine. A Duke whose life of innocence ended at eleven. Two unconventional people who learn that love can heal.
June 5, 2018
Quite simply, upon finishing I was left smiling.
February 4, 2017
2.5/5. The writing was not bad, just occasional use of modern words and phrases were rather jarring after a while. Like the heroine saying: "Hell, yes", for example. The plot was rather unbelievable, but created an excuse for a strong, gun-toting female, which would be fine except for her annoying tendency to burst into tears, faint and ridiculously low self-esteem, that allows her to accept the hero's overbearing and at times abusive treatment of her as being acceptable. Nothing wrong with a girl with low self-esteem if she came from a troubled past, but her family life was good, yet she habitually walked around punching herself in time to her chanting of "stupid" and "useless" as referring to herself.
The hero himself for some reason blamed himself for his parents' violent deaths, even though nowhere in the story does it say that he had any chance of preventing their inevitable deaths. His mother was a cruel, distant, promiscuous woman, who apparently liked her laudanum, which was only mentioned once and certainly did not seem to have influenced her awful behaviour. She couldn't have been that addicted, if she still had energy to engage in affairs with a multitude of men. However for that flimsy reason, the hero denied a laudanum dose to the heroine and subjected her instead to unbearable pain and torture and she, anti-thesis to the tough trigger-happy girl we were initially introduced to, took it all in stride after all the begging, screaming and faints and never resented his heavy-handed treatment of her.
The hero himself for some reason blamed himself for his parents' violent deaths, even though nowhere in the story does it say that he had any chance of preventing their inevitable deaths. His mother was a cruel, distant, promiscuous woman, who apparently liked her laudanum, which was only mentioned once and certainly did not seem to have influenced her awful behaviour. She couldn't have been that addicted, if she still had energy to engage in affairs with a multitude of men. However for that flimsy reason, the hero denied a laudanum dose to the heroine and subjected her instead to unbearable pain and torture and she, anti-thesis to the tough trigger-happy girl we were initially introduced to, took it all in stride after all the begging, screaming and faints and never resented his heavy-handed treatment of her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2015
I love strong women, especially ones in an era where it is not acceptable.
Aggie is a strong female character who takes on her father’s murderers without a second thought. Devin soon finds himself mixed up in Aggie’s problems and although he has every right to walk away, he feels the need to protect her.
This story kept me up all night and tiredly I am writing this review. This was an engaging read from the start to finish.
Aggie is a strong female character who takes on her father’s murderers without a second thought. Devin soon finds himself mixed up in Aggie’s problems and although he has every right to walk away, he feels the need to protect her.
This story kept me up all night and tiredly I am writing this review. This was an engaging read from the start to finish.
May 18, 2015
I liked this book. Every now and then I need a break from the urban fantasy/paranormal romance that I typically read for something lighter. This book satisfied that need. I like historical romances (my fave being the Outlander series) and this was a good story with likeable characters. Will definitely read the other two books in the series about Aggie's brother and Devin's friend.
August 4, 2015
Must have
I stayed up all night til I was finished. It was fantastic. So often, the wedding comes at the end but this encompassed so much more. It was different and delightful. My budget is begging me not to impulse buy the next two but it is so hard to listen. Jackson just got put on my must read list for life.
I stayed up all night til I was finished. It was fantastic. So often, the wedding comes at the end but this encompassed so much more. It was different and delightful. My budget is begging me not to impulse buy the next two but it is so hard to listen. Jackson just got put on my must read list for life.
Want to read
May 8, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (5/8/2019)! 🎁
Read
February 9, 2020Dnf at 40%
April 19, 2017
Aloft, cold Duke forces himself into a stubborn, unconventional débutant deadly troubles. Not only are they trying to stop a psychopath whose hunting her but they have demons from the past ripping at their passionate yet fragile relationship.
The main characters are smart, strong willed at times wily. It is a real page turner though at times gruesome. I'm interested in following the series as we have already been introduced to these intriguing fellows.
The main characters are smart, strong willed at times wily. It is a real page turner though at times gruesome. I'm interested in following the series as we have already been introduced to these intriguing fellows.
January 12, 2020
First thoughts: Wow, I got so caught up in this book after a sort of slow beginning. Before I knew it, it was over and I wanted more!
August 8, 2017
Romantic, but a little violent. Still a good summer read.
April 21, 2018
The thing I love most about this author is that she actually puts together an interesting plot with well rounded characters. Bravo. Great book.
Read
August 23, 2020I was really loving this book until about halfway through or more. The story was great, the writing wonderful. And then somehow towards the end, there seemed to be a lot of drawn-out scenes, copyedit errors, and long long speeches of a very modern approach. I was even prepared to accept some of the wording that didn't fit the period, like 'Wow!' But by the finale, it just became one of the many ordinary period romance novels. I really thought I'd found a terrific writer with a novel idea and for a while, it was so, but no.
January 18, 2018
Not impressed
I don't know how this got as many 5 star reviews as it did. Neither of the main characters are particularly believable nor do they have any endearing qualities that might make up for it. In addition, and this is probably my biggest issue with this book, the speech patterns of all of the characters in this book are horrendous. I have to imagine that the author was trying for something formal and "regency-era-like". She failed miserably. The conversations are stiff, stilted and haughty. It was terribly painful to read and I started skimming at the 40% mark because I just couldn't take it any longer. The last thing I will mention is that the author's style is to tell rather than show. Because of this, I never got a chance to immerse myself in the world she wrote about. I never connected with the characters, nor truly cared what happened to them. A decent writer will sit you down and tell you a story, but you never forget that it's just a story you are listening to. A great writer will show you the story in her head and make you live it along with the characters; you will forget that you are even reading a story, so immersed do you become in the struggles and happiness playing out before you. This story is a decent one at best.
If you are thinking about downloading this book (I am eternally grateful it was free when I downloaded it), I strongly recommend you download a sample before you buy it.
I don't know how this got as many 5 star reviews as it did. Neither of the main characters are particularly believable nor do they have any endearing qualities that might make up for it. In addition, and this is probably my biggest issue with this book, the speech patterns of all of the characters in this book are horrendous. I have to imagine that the author was trying for something formal and "regency-era-like". She failed miserably. The conversations are stiff, stilted and haughty. It was terribly painful to read and I started skimming at the 40% mark because I just couldn't take it any longer. The last thing I will mention is that the author's style is to tell rather than show. Because of this, I never got a chance to immerse myself in the world she wrote about. I never connected with the characters, nor truly cared what happened to them. A decent writer will sit you down and tell you a story, but you never forget that it's just a story you are listening to. A great writer will show you the story in her head and make you live it along with the characters; you will forget that you are even reading a story, so immersed do you become in the struggles and happiness playing out before you. This story is a decent one at best.
If you are thinking about downloading this book (I am eternally grateful it was free when I downloaded it), I strongly recommend you download a sample before you buy it.
June 23, 2014
Hold Your Breath is Right
Lady Augustine Christopherson watched her father die. She must find the five men who have marked her for death, before they find her. She saw their faces, and they know it. The night she comes up against four of them, she finds a stranger at her side to help her. She finds out later it is the Duke of Dunway. He tells her he will continue to help her, but can she trust him with all her secrets? Her life and the lives of every member of her family would be in even more danger if she trusts the wrong person.
This book is filled with mystery, a complex, satisfying plot, steamy sex, and romance. This author is excellent in her word crafting. There is nothing wrong with this book. The author takes the reader on an edge of the seat ride through the glamourous and seedy portions of London and the idyllic English countryside with breakneck speed. However, the story is very dark, almost gothic, in its mood. And there is much violence and even torture. It is just not my cup of tea, but for those of you who like suspenseful murder mysteries with lots of blood and pain, you cannot miss with this book. Wow! After this one, I need some humor!
Lady Augustine Christopherson watched her father die. She must find the five men who have marked her for death, before they find her. She saw their faces, and they know it. The night she comes up against four of them, she finds a stranger at her side to help her. She finds out later it is the Duke of Dunway. He tells her he will continue to help her, but can she trust him with all her secrets? Her life and the lives of every member of her family would be in even more danger if she trusts the wrong person.
This book is filled with mystery, a complex, satisfying plot, steamy sex, and romance. This author is excellent in her word crafting. There is nothing wrong with this book. The author takes the reader on an edge of the seat ride through the glamourous and seedy portions of London and the idyllic English countryside with breakneck speed. However, the story is very dark, almost gothic, in its mood. And there is much violence and even torture. It is just not my cup of tea, but for those of you who like suspenseful murder mysteries with lots of blood and pain, you cannot miss with this book. Wow! After this one, I need some humor!
November 12, 2014
Genre: romance/historical
Author: K J Jackson
Book: Stone Devil Duke
My Star Rating: 4 out of 5
Will I read I read it again? YES
I was given this book to read and give an honest review. This review is my honest opinion and I have fully read this book.
Lady Augustine Christopherson (Aggie) is not after revenge BUT she is after the 5 men that killed her father. When she watched her father die in front of her she saw the faces and evil eyes of his killers. She wants them dead. But they want her dead. After the second time they have tried to kill her she decides that she must go after them and kill them before they kill her.
In London acting as a hack driver late at night, Aggie gives the Duke of Dunway (also known as Stone Devil Duke) a ride. She runs into the 4 men that she is after and with the help of the Duke she kills 2 of them.
The Duke continues to help Aggie with the mystery of who these killers are. This was a great story and great players in the book. I can’t wait until the next one!!
Author: K J Jackson
Book: Stone Devil Duke
My Star Rating: 4 out of 5
Will I read I read it again? YES
I was given this book to read and give an honest review. This review is my honest opinion and I have fully read this book.
Lady Augustine Christopherson (Aggie) is not after revenge BUT she is after the 5 men that killed her father. When she watched her father die in front of her she saw the faces and evil eyes of his killers. She wants them dead. But they want her dead. After the second time they have tried to kill her she decides that she must go after them and kill them before they kill her.
In London acting as a hack driver late at night, Aggie gives the Duke of Dunway (also known as Stone Devil Duke) a ride. She runs into the 4 men that she is after and with the help of the Duke she kills 2 of them.
The Duke continues to help Aggie with the mystery of who these killers are. This was a great story and great players in the book. I can’t wait until the next one!!
August 3, 2015
Hold your breath...
When KJ said "hold your breath" she really meant it..the whole book had you from the beginning you were kept holding your breath wanting to know so many answers to why and how Aggie and Devin were getting so ... and then out of the blue you can't help but laugh, then cringe, then silently scream at the way Aggie is tortured by dreams and actually being tortured.
This happened to me once started I could not put the book down till I fell asleep and as soon as I woke up I was back to reading till I had to go to work.
Stone Devil Duke is a wonderful and great book and I now have a wonderful New author to add to my collection of favorite books. And now gonna get the next book...and the next..
If you love historical romances with a little bit of mystery, a little bit of danger and a ending that will have you smiling KJ Jackson has them.
When KJ said "hold your breath" she really meant it..the whole book had you from the beginning you were kept holding your breath wanting to know so many answers to why and how Aggie and Devin were getting so ... and then out of the blue you can't help but laugh, then cringe, then silently scream at the way Aggie is tortured by dreams and actually being tortured.
This happened to me once started I could not put the book down till I fell asleep and as soon as I woke up I was back to reading till I had to go to work.
Stone Devil Duke is a wonderful and great book and I now have a wonderful New author to add to my collection of favorite books. And now gonna get the next book...and the next..
If you love historical romances with a little bit of mystery, a little bit of danger and a ending that will have you smiling KJ Jackson has them.
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