Seu Duque de Dever e Desejo

American Heiresses #1

by Violet Sinclair

Autora premiada, Violet Sinclair apresenta Her Duke of Duty and Desire

Um Romance Regency de Engano, Redenção e Amor Escandaloso

Quando o dever colide com o desejo, o amor pode conquistar tudo?

Diana Wakefield não é uma herdeira americana comum. Independente, perspicaz e ferozmente leal, ela cruzou o Atlântico para confrontar o futuro que sua família arranjou—um casamento por procuração com um poderoso duque inglês que ela nunca conheceu. Mas, em vez de aceitar seu destino, Diana faz um ousado acordo com sua avó ela se passará por governanta para observar seu novo marido em segredo. Se ele se mostrar indigno de sua confiança—ou de seu coração—ela partirá, livre para traçar seu próprio destino.

Gabriel Rayborne, Duque de Rothbury, é um homem preso ao dever. Viúvo com dois filhos pequenos e uma propriedade em ruínas, ele se resignou a uma união sem amor para garantir o futuro de sua família. No entanto, quando uma governanta cativante entra em sua casa, desafiando todas as suas crenças sobre família, lealdade e amor, Gabriel vê seu mundo cuidadosamente ordenado desmoronar. O fato de ela mexer com seu coração—e seu desejo—é uma complicação irresistível.

Enquanto o engano de Diana tece uma teia de segredos e verdades, a paixão se inflama entre eles, deixando ambos questionando seus planos cuidadosamente traçados. Mas quando sua identidade é revelada, Gabriel verá sua traição como imperdoável—ou como o ato de coragem definitivo?

Com escândalos ameaçando e o passado assombrando cada passo, Diana e Gabriel devem seu amor é forte o suficiente para superar o abismo entre o dever e o desejo?

Perfeito para fãs de Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas e Tessa Dare, *Her Duke of Duty and Desire* é um romance Regency encantador, repleto de diálogos espirituosos, momentos emocionantes e uma história de amor inesquecível. Se você adora heroínas cheias de espírito e duques com corações de ouro, este conto cativante vai te arrebatar.

Garanta sua cópia hoje e mergulhe em um mundo de romance, engano e paixão irresistível!

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2025

About the author

Violet Sinclair is obsessed with all things historical; ballrooms, fancy gowns, and Regency England. When she's not traveling with her boys, you can find her writing sexy stories and dreaming of her next journey poolside beneath the Florida palm trees.

Reviews

[Chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't love the deception but I understand it. Diana and Gabriel are the perfect match. Her grandmother was right about that. I love how kind and caring Diana was towards Gabriel's kids. She understood them in a way no other could've. It was beautiful to watch. I love the ending. Such a sweet story.

[Cassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted very much to enjoy this book. I thought the premise sounded great, that a spitfire of an American woman wasn't just willing to accept her fate and was going to create a path for herself moving forward but instead I just couldn't get past the setup. When she goes to confront her Grandmother about the wedding, her grandmother has already schemed this idea that she would pretend to be a governess so that she could learn the duke's true nature. But that doesn't make sense, it told to us as if the grandmother understands that a husband has absolute control over his wife as she is his property and creates this opportunity for her to pretend to be the governess so she can susus him out, but she already married her granddaughter off. If you understand she is property, then she is already his property. This fake scheme isn't going to change that. And the granddaughter wasn't in England, she came to England where England could enforce the marriage and not allow her to leave? And it felt like we were getting POV from both female characters during this discussion which kind of made it hard to follow. The duke is fine I suppose.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her Duke of Duty and Desire is Book 1 in the American Heiresses by Violet Sinclair. Diana finds herself married by proxy to the Duke of Rothbury. I thought this book was so enjoyable. The Duke's children, Sophie and Oliver are spirited and charming. The Duke and Diana are written perfectly. I found this Regency romance is not to be missed. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Lb · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was a sweet hidden identity romance but got a bit repetitive which made parts of the story feel like a slog to get through, the timeline from the FMC's arrival until the deadline of her grandmother coming to check in was short leading to everything in the back half of the book between the couple feeling rushed, the couple didn't really have all that many interactions with each other by the time I was over half way through the book. Would have liked for more actual time spent together with our couple but it was a cute quick read and I plan to read the next in the series.

Gabriel (our Duke) is a hard working man who is not opposed to picking up tools and rebuilding the land right along with his tenants he is also a loving father and I love how the author placed cute interactions between the powerful/imposing Duke and his two children throughout the book. I love our FMC's fiesty American attitude it made for funny interactions with the Duke and a different teaching style as the children's "governess" you could see the children's walls coming down and them falling in love with her right along with the Duke.

wrote more on my blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...

*Historical Romance *Hidden Identity (FMC) *Duke *run down estate needs funding

*Book Sirens *secrets *drama *single father *widowed MMC *marriage by proxy

*lack of communication *MMC with a heart of gold *Independent FMC *governess

*American Heiress

[Christy · Rating 1 out of 5]

ONLY the audiobook.will probably read on paper and or Kendall and see if I change my review. This is the worst narrator I've honestly listen to in a long time.
OMG it's worse than AI! The narrator is absolutely ai would have done a better job because at least you know you're listening to ai and they're going to some words!! Bed- raggled! March-OwN- ness! If you're a professional narrator, wouldn't you just Google the words at least if you're not familiar with them? I do not know how audiobooks are made. I will state that up front. But just thinking about the reviews that I write with voice to text when it doesn't get it right? I go back and review just to make sure it hasn't used a word incorrectly. If you are doing this as a job wouldn't you just have somebody listen to it or listen to it yourself and say oh I don't know if that word is spelled correctly or said correctly? just thinking It's literally LibriVox quality. Maybe I'm shocked and surprised that I had to pay for this or use my hoopla borrow. If I'd have paid for it I would have returned it. But it's so frustrating that you can't sample things on hoopla cuz my gosh I would have never ever ever check this out. Even from the library I would have just returned it. The woman cannot speak English, just regular English, but then everything is in a probably New York. Maybe East Coast accent but not Appropriate. Just a regular modern type accent. It's just absolutely not appropriate for this book.

[Angela Brannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a lot of fun. Diana is a spunky FMC and Gabriel is totally swoon worthy. Add in a scheming grandmother Duchess and an arranged marriage and things start to get very interesting.

Diana arrives in London for said arranged marriage, which she is totally against and plans to escape from at the first opportunity. Her grandmother has a plan to allow Diana to get to know what kind of man the Duke is before committing to the proxy marriage. She goes to his estate undercover as the newly hired governess to his two children. Of course nothing can go wrong with a little deception…..

I loved Diana's interaction with the children and the household help. The storyline here is well written and fun to read. Later, the drama ramps up as the deception unravels, and the fun begins. There is a little steam but no actual spice (stolen kisses only) so the focus remails on the budding romance and Diana's reluctance to be tied down by duty and society expectations.

This is a delightful read for all fans of regency romances and clean love stories. I definitely recommend this - it would be a great light hearted beach read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan and collector of Violet Sinclar. Her talent for storytelling shows in every book she writes. Her stories are always amazing to me. This is no exception.
American heiress Diana Wakefield is a strong independent, & feisty woman. She loves her freedom but that's all about to change. Her family has arranged marriage to an English Duke. She wants no part of it. Now she must figure out how to get out of and learn what she is in for. She has a plan to pose as a governess to see if her future husband is worth losing her freedom.
Duke of Rothbury, Gabriel, has so much on his shoulders. when his wife passed it left him with two children to raise on his own along with the responsibilities of being the Duke. He has to do whatever it takes to give his family a stable future. That's until the new governess gets his attention. Now everyone’s plans get all twisted. With so many secrets can they find a way to be together?
Strong characters with wit, humor and of course amazing romance all together create a fun adventure you won’t be able to put down. The details and story are exceptional.
Enjoy this adventure for yourself.

[Rose Seals · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, full of drama, suspense, romance, love, society and families. Lady Diana is an American , who is married by proxy by her English Grandmother, a Duchess. When she arrives, Diana makes plans to stop this marriage and get out of it. Gabriel is the new Duke that has inherited a dukedom with many problems. His Grandfather makes this marriage contract with the Duchess. They were in need of the money to come from this marriage to save the dukedom. Diana has never seen or meet Gabriel so she plans to go to his home as the governess and get to know them and their story. The meeting with each other, you feel the sparks, the conflicts and the head butting that occurs often. Gabriel's children , both fall for her and have her promise not to leave as their other governess's did. Lots of surprises and action between all these multidimensional remarkable characters. Fireworks, rain, floods and pushy family members in this terrific story. Curl up and enjoy. Would strongly recommend to everyone.

I received this story and leave this unbiased, honest review.

[Margaret P Medberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Violet Sinclair has written a wonderful story in Her Duke of Duty and Desire. The novel is part of her Regency American Heiress series and tells the tale of Diana Wakefield, who has somehow gotten involved in a proxy marriage sight unseen to down on his luck, super handsome Gabriel, Duke of Rothbury. Diana decides with the encouragement of her wiley grandmother the Duchess of Radcliff, to first meet the Duke as a governess for his children. She intends to quickly escape the situation with her fortune of Spanish coins that she has secreted away in the hem of her skirts.

Of course, she discovers the Duke is amazing and falls in love with his kids but as the story continues it becomes more and more difficult to get out of her deception.

The novel is clean with a bit of spice and lots of swoony moments. Ms. Sinclair writes with a lovely eye for description and manners of the day making the book a little bit Jane Eyer-ish with a dose of Sanditon. Truly a fun Regency read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brooke Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Duke of Duty and Desire
Violet Sinclair

This book was pretty good. It had a bit more spice than I was expecting (inside a marriage, but not, you'll see), but overall a clean romance read.

As always, happy endings, but a different journey. Diana, an American heiress, has been married to Gabriel, an English duke, by proxy. Diana did not ask for this marriage and Gabriel only married to satisfy his father's last wishes and save his estate from financial ruin.

Diana isnt going to enter a marriage without knowing whay type of man she is marrying so undercover she goes.
When Gabriel hires a new governess, he must decided if he will honor marriage to a stranger or risk it all for love.

This one was a bit frustrating. Early on you could tell the characters were attracted and that Diana was basically falling in love with a good man, but the constant waffling between her "freedom" and her marriage was severely frustrating. The book dragged some due to this indecisiveness.
The book also changed perspectives randomly and that took a bit to get used to.

Overall a decent read, but definitely could have been a bit shorter.

I received a free copy and wrote this review voluntarily

[Chantal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Diana Wakefield was married by proxy to Duke Gabriel Rayborn. Diana didn’t know this man, so together with her grandmother she came up with a plan to get to know him. She would pretend to be the governess of his children and live in his house. This way she could figure out if she wanted to marry this man. She brought Spanish coins with her so she could flee at any moment. Will she like the life of a Duchess and wife to the Duke or will she choose to live her own life?

I absolutely loved this book and I couldn’t put it down. I loved all the characters, especially Diana and Gabriel. The way they grew together was really beautiful. Diana was a very strong female character and I really liked that. I also liked the Duke’s children and Diana’s grandmother.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a great regency romance.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

⭐️: 5
🌶: 1

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really good idea that had a lack of execution. The couple hardly spoke to each other at all and that will kill my like for a book super fast. This book had Tons of internal dialog and paragraphs of unneeded content. We get that she has coins hidden! How many times do we need to be told things. ALso the movement was way off. They would be far away from each other and then he would reach out and she would be right there. This books timing was also way off. This book took place in 2 weeks. The duchess was coming and so everything that seemed like it took days really was in the span of a day. This happened over and over. I probably won't read this author again.

This is a almost clean romance. There is one make out scene where things get a little more heated then just a couple kisses. There is no swearing and a little drinking. No violence.

[Chere Gruver · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story!

In this story, we have an American heiress married by proxy to an English Duke by her grandmother, also a Duchess. Considering this is a romance, we know how it ends, it’s how they get there that is definitely worth the read. We have a very independent woman afraid to give up her freedom and an English aristocrat widowed after a happy marriage. This story is very well written and the characters are all engaging, including the children, both Sophie and Oliver. The plot is original and I found it to be highly entertaining. I fully plan on reading more Regencies by author Violet Sinclair.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been much of a fan of the hidden identity/deception trope in romance novels. I was wary of it in this tale, but it did make sense. It wasa great way for Diana and Gabriel to really get to know each other without all of the fluff and nonsense of the Season. However I do wish that Diana had stopped the deception earlier and let Gabriel know who she really was once it was clear she was bonding with him and his children. I'm a big fan of honesty you know?

It was still a lovely story. I really liked how not only did Diana and Gabriel connect on an amazing level, there were strong bonds formed with Gabriel's children too. It was a touching story of how a beautiful family was built.

Thank you BookSirens for the ARC. My reviews are my own honest opinions.

[Carmel Zumbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love blooms between two people worlds apart that need each other. Married by proxy they are bound together. Diana is an American whose grandmother has orchestrated a match with an English duke. Gabriel is a widower with two children and a crumbling estate that needs funds to survive. There is a sense of duty that must be followed for him and there is a fear of the unknown which colours her decision to deceive. When desire enters their world they will discover the true cost of their arrangement. This book is a wonderful tale of family, responsibility, honesty and acceptance. An enjoyable read that does not disappoint.

[Julie Ambrose]

There is nothing not to like about this story ….an heiress married by proxie to a duke whose estate needs funding and children to mother . Yet she won’t be told what to do she takes a job as gouverness to find out what her proxie husband really is .

So the story starts ….such wonderful characters these two are And the children so beautifully written , I truly fell in love with all of them .

The duke is falling in love with his governess “his wife “ though he doesn’t know it and she feels fo him too … oh great plot great story read it you will love it .

[Carol P - H · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Her Duke of Duty and Desire,” major life events don’t follow the traditional order. First the marriage by proxy, followed by the couple meeting and getting to know each other under false pretenses. It’s wild, frustrating and interesting seeing the characters develop and grow attached as they try to solve pressing issues. I really enjoyed reading this one! I thank the author for an advance review copy and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two people married by proxy who have never met come together in an experience of secrets and duty. Diana is an American who pretends to be a governess to Gabriel's children.
He is filled with duty and she is full of independence. A delightful story, well written and filled with society and family mores/issues. The children are wonderfully woven into the story and add to the experience. Steamy and hot in all the right places, don't miss out on this one.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful treat to read! I am a sucker for Regency Romance and this book adds a twist. She is American and wealthy and wed by proxy to the Duke. She travels to England and is his children's governess so she can view the family and their interactions. Loved how feelings developed and grew between all family members. Book is so very very good!


I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a great love story that almost wasn’t. A governess who is actually the Duchess, Diana played both roles with so much finesse she earned the love of Gabriel but it almost blew up in her face. The story is well written, full of humor and an unexpected love. I always love the addition of young children and Sophie and Oliver did not disappoint. In the end it is a great love story and worth reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksirens and are voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana is a strong female who is furious she has been married to an English Lord. She travels from America to England hoping to escape the marriage. Her grandmother convicts a plan for her to get to know the man she is married to. It's a wild plan and has many flaws, but eventually love conquers all. It's an enjoyable story.

[MEF · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drama, deception and denial are the backdrop to this Ducal romance.

I found it a little overblown at times but it’s a descriptive, lively read and the children are a fun addition to the mix whilst showcasing Gabriel’s fatherly characteristics and Diana’s intellect and spirit.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Suze82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

breath of fresh air

I loved Diana for her courage and determination, isn´t it better to get to know the family you are supposed to marry in disguise that blindly agreeing to what others foisted upon you? Gabriel surely gets more than what he bargained for, but as he loosens up, he finds that Diana is the perfect wife and mother for his children, hooray for HEAs.

[Mary Ansell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Tale of Deception
With its romantic poetic imagery, and heroine forced to disguise her identity and become accustomed to a new country and customs, this tale is reminiscent of the work of classic romance author Violet Winspear. I enjoyed this book's writing style, atmosphere, and attractive characters. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book, clean read historical romance. Great characters, both main and support, plus great world building, sweet romance with a bit of deception and a happy ever after, what else could you want.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first opportunity to read from this author. Loved everything about this story filled with the right amount of romance and deception. Always love a strong willed female lead such as Diana. Hope to read more from this author.

[Ernielee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The love story of Diana and Gabriel. Feisty American and determined Duke. I was sucked in from the beginning and stayed there through the whole book. This book is very emotional with highs and lows. They both have their secrets to work through. A very good read.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful historical romance story with strong, well written characters. Loved reading this and the other books I’ve read by this very talented author.

A+++++

[Danette · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. Very tame. So tame a jr. high can read. No steam at all. Might as well read a Nancy Drew book.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

ser infiel con su esposa...

Gabriel un buen hombre, Diana una americana con corazón ❤️