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In the Duke's Arms
He's made a horrible impression on the love of his life, but Christmas is a time for second chances.
The Duke of Oxthorpe has kept his heart under lock and key. Everything changed when he met Miss Edith Clay. His hopes for true love took a turn when Edith's rich cousin sought to attract his offer of marriage. But Oxthorpe is so smitten with the former poor relation that he goes through intermediaries to sell Edith a property as close as possible to his own.
Edith always saw the duke as haughty and arrogant. As Christmas approaches, Oxford reveals himself to be reserved, considerate, and-blame the mistletoe-an accomplished kisser! Edith has a hold Oxthorpe's earlier behavior against him or embrace the altogether unexpected holiday gift.
In the Duke's Arms is a Regency romance novella with a twist. If you like the crisp writing of Jane Austen, sweet romance, and gruff heroes with a suppressed softer side, then you'll love Carolyn Jewel's tale of a duke in love.
Buy In the Duke's Arms to read a tale of Regency love today!
The Duke of Oxthorpe has kept his heart under lock and key. Everything changed when he met Miss Edith Clay. His hopes for true love took a turn when Edith's rich cousin sought to attract his offer of marriage. But Oxthorpe is so smitten with the former poor relation that he goes through intermediaries to sell Edith a property as close as possible to his own.
Edith always saw the duke as haughty and arrogant. As Christmas approaches, Oxford reveals himself to be reserved, considerate, and-blame the mistletoe-an accomplished kisser! Edith has a hold Oxthorpe's earlier behavior against him or embrace the altogether unexpected holiday gift.
In the Duke's Arms is a Regency romance novella with a twist. If you like the crisp writing of Jane Austen, sweet romance, and gruff heroes with a suppressed softer side, then you'll love Carolyn Jewel's tale of a duke in love.
Buy In the Duke's Arms to read a tale of Regency love today!
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2015
22 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Jewel
58 books527 followersCarolyn Jewel was born on a moonless night. That darkness was seared into her soul and she became an award winning and USA Today bestselling author of historical and paranormal romance. She has a very dusty car and a Master’s degree in English that proves useful at the oddest times. An avid fan of fine chocolate, finer heroines, Bollywood films, and heroism in all forms, she has two cats and a dog. Also a son. One of the cats is his.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 4, 2020
Oh, I do love you Carolyn Jewel. So very, very much.
As ever with CJ, not a lot happens in this story, but it’s still great because it’s a character focused romance, and I read it straight though..
Self-contained, aloof, sort of grumpy Duke, Oxthorpe, falls in love with free-spirited, interesting gentlewoman, Edith. I know, it’s a tale we’ve heard before, but it’s so well-done.
Jewel just gets the whole bodice ripper thing. What makes the ripping good is the fact you’re doing it to a bodice. Everyone is so tightly bound- by their clothes, by convention, by language, by society – it’s so very good when it all finally comes apart. This novella is a great example of that. The Duke is all smouldering looks and lustful thoughts, but proper actions and decidedly unlustful words. Edith is battling with her surprising attraction to him and his apparent unconcern for her. This book is just a marvellous little package of tension – emotional, romantic, sexual – all the good tensions. I wanted these two to get it together so badly and I was not disappointed when they did.
It’s four stars because there were a few out of character moments. One which was particularly jarring – the Duke has a Mr Darcy In The Lake moment. In December. A snowy December in England. I am shivering in sympathy.
Still, great.
As ever with CJ, not a lot happens in this story, but it’s still great because it’s a character focused romance, and I read it straight though..
Self-contained, aloof, sort of grumpy Duke, Oxthorpe, falls in love with free-spirited, interesting gentlewoman, Edith. I know, it’s a tale we’ve heard before, but it’s so well-done.
Jewel just gets the whole bodice ripper thing. What makes the ripping good is the fact you’re doing it to a bodice. Everyone is so tightly bound- by their clothes, by convention, by language, by society – it’s so very good when it all finally comes apart. This novella is a great example of that. The Duke is all smouldering looks and lustful thoughts, but proper actions and decidedly unlustful words. Edith is battling with her surprising attraction to him and his apparent unconcern for her. This book is just a marvellous little package of tension – emotional, romantic, sexual – all the good tensions. I wanted these two to get it together so badly and I was not disappointed when they did.
It’s four stars because there were a few out of character moments. One which was particularly jarring – the Duke has a Mr Darcy In The Lake moment. In December. A snowy December in England. I am shivering in sympathy.
Still, great.
March 12, 2023
3.5 stars
I'm very torn on this book. Well, not torn — my 3.5 star rating is not budging, unfortunately — more disappointed because this had SUCH the makings of an excellent romance. I loved the setup, the heroine's background story, the hero's personality and his feelings, etc.
The story fell short in far too many ways though. Yes, it was a novella, which makes it that much more of a challenge for the author to pull-off a believable love story, but I have now seen it done extremely successfully (see A Kiss For Midwinter by Courtney Milan), so I know it's possible. Jewel helped herself out by having us skip to after him already falling in love with her and all their months of encounters, and I think she could have pulled off a decent development, if it were not for the oddness of the heroine and how she's written.
In the first encounter we see, Edith is cold to the Duke, and it's clear this is what he was expecting and is the current dynamic of their relationship ... and then all of a sudden it changes the next time she sees him and then she's confiding all her financial woes and concerns to him and letting him advise her on household finances. Yes, I get that she thinks he'll be her cousin-by-marriage soon, but still, such familiarity is odd given the times and ESPECIALLY given their current dynamic. I get she's supposed to Miss Jolly, but we know and have seen that she has issues with him — where did those go all of a sudden?
I also hated that all of a sudden she's lusting after him and noticing how attractive he is. We hear about how he's handsome, but randomly during one of his visits, she starts to want to jump his bones and the she thinks of that like every 5 minutes. I don't like it when a hero can only think about that and I don't like it when a heroine does either.
While I adored Ryals' feelings, thoughts, and personality, and felt he was so three-dimensional, I had issues with Edith's feelings for him and not really believing it. Interestingly, I just reread Jewel's Scandal and thought the same thing:
a) what is up with her heroes' weird eyes and the mention of them every seconds
b) the hero's feelings are so wonderful and swoon-worthy and the heroine's are milktoast in comparison; Scandal is a great book and I recommend it, but here I didn't have a feel for Edith, found her to be all over the place in terms of how she acted, and didn't understand how/why she all of a sudden is in love with him; it wasn't believable
So sad, because Ryals was FANTASTIC: written so well, loved his struggles to express himself without sounding haughty and autocratic, and found his feelings so touching.
Bonus: as someone mentioned in another review, it was nice to have an older heroine for once; Ryals is 29 and Edith is only two years younger than him at 27.
Some of my Favorite Quotes:
I'm very torn on this book. Well, not torn — my 3.5 star rating is not budging, unfortunately — more disappointed because this had SUCH the makings of an excellent romance. I loved the setup, the heroine's background story, the hero's personality and his feelings, etc.
The story fell short in far too many ways though. Yes, it was a novella, which makes it that much more of a challenge for the author to pull-off a believable love story, but I have now seen it done extremely successfully (see A Kiss For Midwinter by Courtney Milan), so I know it's possible. Jewel helped herself out by having us skip to after him already falling in love with her and all their months of encounters, and I think she could have pulled off a decent development, if it were not for the oddness of the heroine and how she's written.
In the first encounter we see, Edith is cold to the Duke, and it's clear this is what he was expecting and is the current dynamic of their relationship ... and then all of a sudden it changes the next time she sees him and then she's confiding all her financial woes and concerns to him and letting him advise her on household finances. Yes, I get that she thinks he'll be her cousin-by-marriage soon, but still, such familiarity is odd given the times and ESPECIALLY given their current dynamic. I get she's supposed to Miss Jolly, but we know and have seen that she has issues with him — where did those go all of a sudden?
I also hated that all of a sudden she's lusting after him and noticing how attractive he is. We hear about how he's handsome, but randomly during one of his visits, she starts to want to jump his bones and the she thinks of that like every 5 minutes. I don't like it when a hero can only think about that and I don't like it when a heroine does either.
While I adored Ryals' feelings, thoughts, and personality, and felt he was so three-dimensional, I had issues with Edith's feelings for him and not really believing it. Interestingly, I just reread Jewel's Scandal and thought the same thing:
a) what is up with her heroes' weird eyes and the mention of them every seconds
b) the hero's feelings are so wonderful and swoon-worthy and the heroine's are milktoast in comparison; Scandal is a great book and I recommend it, but here I didn't have a feel for Edith, found her to be all over the place in terms of how she acted, and didn't understand how/why she all of a sudden is in love with him; it wasn't believable
So sad, because Ryals was FANTASTIC: written so well, loved his struggles to express himself without sounding haughty and autocratic, and found his feelings so touching.
Bonus: as someone mentioned in another review, it was nice to have an older heroine for once; Ryals is 29 and Edith is only two years younger than him at 27.
Some of my Favorite Quotes:
“What of you?”Written January 1, 2016
She cocked her head, wondering what he meant by the odd inflection of his question. “Me?” She waved a hand. “I am the least memorable woman you’ll ever meet.”
“I disagree.” His eyes bored into her. “I have never forgotten you.”
“Dread that she would meet some other man and see in him all the joy of life that he lacked.
“I will see you home.” The words came out all wrong, with gruff emphasis on the word will. One look at her, and he lost all chance at serenity. Because he had never in his life cared whether anyone liked him. He’d never thought about it. Until her.”
“She cocked her head. The ribbon tied beneath her chin glinted dully in the light. “Have I said something wrong?”
“No."
“I have.” She stepped closer. “You are the most inscrutable man I have ever met.”
He laughed. No mirth at all.
“I’m quite serious.” She studied him. “No.” Her quiet voice lanced through him. “Don’t look away. Not when I am about to understand you.”
“Are you certain you wish to?” He held her gaze, and the silence of his hunting box became unendurable. He fixed in his head an image of her in his bed. Nude. And of him, there to touch, and taste, experiencing that moment when his prick slid into her body. Her. Not any woman, but her. Specifically. The woman who made him see beauty where he’d once seen only duty.”
December 8, 2021
I didn't realize this was a Christmas novella. It's a Christmas novella! The hero (the duke with the titular arms) is not well-liked by the people in his village because he's kind of brusque. What they are interpreting as iciness is actually him being an awkward weirdo that doesn't know how to talk to people. At the beginning of the book, he is already at least partially in love with Edith, a former lady's companion that recently became wealthy.
It's cute and it made me smile. Not one of Carolyn Jewel's more lusty books (Good Lord, Lord Ruin) but that's fine with me.
It's cute and it made me smile. Not one of Carolyn Jewel's more lusty books (Good Lord, Lord Ruin) but that's fine with me.
January 6, 2024
“…he had never in his life cared whether anyone liked him. He’d never thought about it. Until her.”
I love gruff, starchy dukes who absently insult the heroine out of awkwardness, liking someone and worrying about whether they like you is uncomfortable, especially if you’re supposed to the intimidating figure.
I love gruff, starchy dukes who absently insult the heroine out of awkwardness, liking someone and worrying about whether they like you is uncomfortable, especially if you’re supposed to the intimidating figure.
May 7, 2020
Nice short story. Well worth reading. 4☆
2nd reading: still enjoyable reading. Lovely story. 4☆
2nd reading: still enjoyable reading. Lovely story. 4☆
October 5, 2020
I love Carolyn Jewel's HRs. My favorite that I revisit often is Scandal. However, Ms. Jewel also excels at short stories. I first discovered her excellent ability to write novellas in Midnight Scandals. In that book she takes a story premise that plays a part in a series of Sherry Thomas novels. The part that I hate to admit is that even though Sherry Thomas has a short story in "Midnight Scandals," it rather pales in comparison to Carolyn Jewel's offering in that anthology. Thomas is a fantastic author but I think the short story is a medium that is not her forte. Which to me is not an insult because to be perfect in all mediums is frankly just being greedy.
Jewel has a true talent for the short story. How she manages to tell such a fully fleshed out story in such a limited number of pages is awe inspiring. I found myself loving "In the Duke's Arms." A fast read but definitely not lacking in depth and breadth of feeling. The whole story reads like a fairy tale with hints of Cinderella (only with the H losing his shoe), Robin Hood, Beauty and the Beast and Goldilocks to name a few. Only here we have Beauty (who is actually not beautiful) living in her pretty home of Hope Springs. We also have the Beast (who is actually quite handsome) living next door at his grand estate Killhope. The metaphors abound.
I also loved the interactions between the H and h. I loved how they grew to be comfortable with their silences, how they discussed practical daily matters as the H helps the h decide how to spend her money (what is "economy" vs. "false economy") and their discussions of the h's sudden windfall. A particular favorite of mine was almost a throwaway line where the h describes the first time she held 5 pounds in her hand and how it made her feel stunned to have so much money. The H meanwhile thinks how losing 5 pounds would be nothing to him except that he would remember that he had misplaced it and it would bother him. To me it said a lot about their innate personalities.
This really is not spoilerish but rather a peak at the lovely sentiments in the story:
It was her grace that had first caught his eye. That and the fact that three weeks into the Season, everyone he knew, lady or gentlemen, had eventually remarked in passing that they very much liked Miss Edith Clay, and wasn't Miss Louisa Clay a pretty young thing? Men wrote poems in praise of Miss Clay's beauty, but they all wanted Edith to sit beside them at dinner.
It's really a lovely story and a perfect holiday read actually. Highly recommended but then Carolyn Jewel is one of my biases.
Jewel has a true talent for the short story. How she manages to tell such a fully fleshed out story in such a limited number of pages is awe inspiring. I found myself loving "In the Duke's Arms." A fast read but definitely not lacking in depth and breadth of feeling. The whole story reads like a fairy tale with hints of Cinderella (only with the H losing his shoe), Robin Hood, Beauty and the Beast and Goldilocks to name a few. Only here we have Beauty (who is actually not beautiful) living in her pretty home of Hope Springs. We also have the Beast (who is actually quite handsome) living next door at his grand estate Killhope. The metaphors abound.
I also loved the interactions between the H and h. I loved how they grew to be comfortable with their silences, how they discussed practical daily matters as the H helps the h decide how to spend her money (what is "economy" vs. "false economy") and their discussions of the h's sudden windfall. A particular favorite of mine was almost a throwaway line where the h describes the first time she held 5 pounds in her hand and how it made her feel stunned to have so much money. The H meanwhile thinks how losing 5 pounds would be nothing to him except that he would remember that he had misplaced it and it would bother him. To me it said a lot about their innate personalities.
This really is not spoilerish but rather a peak at the lovely sentiments in the story:
It was her grace that had first caught his eye. That and the fact that three weeks into the Season, everyone he knew, lady or gentlemen, had eventually remarked in passing that they very much liked Miss Edith Clay, and wasn't Miss Louisa Clay a pretty young thing? Men wrote poems in praise of Miss Clay's beauty, but they all wanted Edith to sit beside them at dinner.
It's really a lovely story and a perfect holiday read actually. Highly recommended but then Carolyn Jewel is one of my biases.
August 15, 2021
I suspect I missed some backstory that might have made this a more satisfying read, but I loved the heroine’s complete obliviousness to the hero being in love with her. If it were a bit longer and could have drawn out some angst, this would have been a solid four-star read, but alas, it is a bit too short.
March 22, 2017
Loved it, just wished it wasn't a novella.
August 23, 2020
4 stars
Carolyn Jewel is in a class of her own when it comes to her heroes who are (in all her historical I have had my hand on) first in love with the heroine. They may be broody, reticent, reserved, misunderstood, awkward- but their dedication in passion (in that deadly silent way) for the heroine makes her books all-so-swoony for this reader. And the way Jewel writes, her prose, the dialogue ... such a treasure in the midst of so much dross available to us romance readers.
I didn't appreciate Jewel's craft as much when I first started out reading historical romances, but on my second pass through 10 years later, I am finding myself enchanted and struck by the depth in characters in her books. Probably because I have matured more as a reader
Mind you, Jewel has published many novella - more than I have seen her contemporaries do, and I can trust the same degree of character building in every one of them. Not all are perfect of course, this one has a star less because I felt the HEA at the end was rushed and it impacted the beauty of this story the reader wants to savour. Please keep writing Ms Jewel !
Carolyn Jewel is in a class of her own when it comes to her heroes who are (in all her historical I have had my hand on) first in love with the heroine. They may be broody, reticent, reserved, misunderstood, awkward- but their dedication in passion (in that deadly silent way) for the heroine makes her books all-so-swoony for this reader. And the way Jewel writes, her prose, the dialogue ... such a treasure in the midst of so much dross available to us romance readers.
I didn't appreciate Jewel's craft as much when I first started out reading historical romances, but on my second pass through 10 years later, I am finding myself enchanted and struck by the depth in characters in her books. Probably because I have matured more as a reader
Mind you, Jewel has published many novella - more than I have seen her contemporaries do, and I can trust the same degree of character building in every one of them. Not all are perfect of course, this one has a star less because I felt the HEA at the end was rushed and it impacted the beauty of this story the reader wants to savour. Please keep writing Ms Jewel !
January 2, 2021
There is not so much a plot as the simple telling of the comings and goings that bring together the Duke and Edith so that they develop affection for one another. There are some minor backstory mysteries concerning Edith with which the author teases the reader.
The Duke is the usual taciturn male with some natural intimidation thrown in.
Edith is an insecure lady who has for years been a poor relation dependent on her cousin. Her backstory and her current living situation are revealed slowly. Despite that, the Duke sees her from the beginning of the story as an almost angelic bringing joy and light wherever she appears.
It's not hard to figure out what will happen.
Mature themes: only some mildly explicit sex.
The Duke is the usual taciturn male with some natural intimidation thrown in.
Edith is an insecure lady who has for years been a poor relation dependent on her cousin. Her backstory and her current living situation are revealed slowly. Despite that, the Duke sees her from the beginning of the story as an almost angelic bringing joy and light wherever she appears.
It's not hard to figure out what will happen.
Mature themes: only some mildly explicit sex.
February 10, 2019
Quite ... stark really - a bit removed; especially considering I just read (re-read) Lord Ruin this week and read Not Proper Enough just before this.
Oxthorpe is a dear though and so awkward and I also apparently have a thing for not just smitten heroes but awkward heroes so... there is that.
And I L O V E D how Edith was an independent woman and I didn't know lotteries were also a thing "back then" and I guess they were and good for her. And O_O to the Duke's wager when he was 17. Yikes.
A nice read.
C+
Oxthorpe is a dear though and so awkward and I also apparently have a thing for not just smitten heroes but awkward heroes so... there is that.
And I L O V E D how Edith was an independent woman and I didn't know lotteries were also a thing "back then" and I guess they were and good for her. And O_O to the Duke's wager when he was 17. Yikes.
A nice read.
C+
February 6, 2022
This book (and hero!) is to die for! I usually go for more sexual content books (it has a delicious sex scene) but believe me, it wasn’t missed. This couple was sooo good.
Hero is a man that has a soft heart for the heroine but doesn’t know how to show it. He was just not raised this way and feeling this way is new to him.
Heroine doesn’t possess the conventional beauty but she’s a total catch, even though the hero isn’t make a good impression on her.
I recommend!
Hero is a man that has a soft heart for the heroine but doesn’t know how to show it. He was just not raised this way and feeling this way is new to him.
Heroine doesn’t possess the conventional beauty but she’s a total catch, even though the hero isn’t make a good impression on her.
I recommend!
August 17, 2020
At times dry, at times interesting, overall rather lacking in emotional connection.
January 2, 2016
This did not feel a novella coming into it (I knew it was though), but somewhere in the middle there was this shift in the story and I was confused? I really enjoyed that it was the hero pining for the heroine and I really did like In the Duke's Arms. There was just something missing somewhere in the middle there though. IDK.
I'll probably end up rereading this in the future so hopefully I'll remember to edit my review?
I'll probably end up rereading this in the future so hopefully I'll remember to edit my review?
February 17, 2015
Sweet
I love historical romance it is my favourite. I also liked that the the hero and the heroine are older. The hero is kind of gruff but he has a hard time expressing his feelings. And the heroine doesn't like him at first but as she gets to know him better she falls in love with him. It was a sweet story.
I love historical romance it is my favourite. I also liked that the the hero and the heroine are older. The hero is kind of gruff but he has a hard time expressing his feelings. And the heroine doesn't like him at first but as she gets to know him better she falls in love with him. It was a sweet story.
December 21, 2015
I have a soft spot in my heart for books where the hero feels so much, but can't communicate what he feels and this was one of those and I really enjoyed it. I adored this duke and the sweet story. I wished this was longer though. There were parts I wish had been explained more, and I would have loved to see what happened when they first met.
March 1, 2015
I thought this was a lighthearted humorous feelgood story! Once again the plain girl brings the grouchy old duke out of his black moods to be free of worry and live happily ever after. I really liked the dog stealing things that was a cute original touch.
July 13, 2015
3.5 stars ! Good read - well written
historical
January 15, 2019The Duke of Oxthorpe lost his intensely guarded heart to Miss Edith Clay when Edith's rich cousin sought to attach the duke's marital interest. So smitten is Oxthorpe with the former poor relation that he's gone through intermediaries to sell Edith a property adjoining the ducal seat.
Edith doesn't much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and—blame the mistletoe!—an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe's earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?
Edith doesn't much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and—blame the mistletoe!—an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe's earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews