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The Lyon and the Lyoness: The Lyon's Den Connected World

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A widower believed to be cursed seeks a wife from a matchmaker.

Oliver Barnes, the Duke of Weston, is a widower three times over. He needs to marry and have an heir, but no eligible lady, widow, or wallflower will consider his suit despite his title and wealth. No one wants to marry The Duke of Doom, as members of the ton have nicknamed him.

But one night at White’s, he overhears several gentlemen discussing Mrs. Dove-Lyon, the Black Widow of Whitehall and owner of The Lyon’s Den. She is secretly a matchmaker for the ton. He visits The Lyon’s Den and intentionally loses at cards until he owes a considerable amount to the widow, hoping to capture her attention. Desperate men will do desperate things.
Phoebe Windham, the daughter of an earl’s middle son, is left destitute and alone after her mother dies and her father flees England to escape his creditors. She depends on the goodwill of her uncle, the Earl of Greenwich. When it becomes apparent that Lady Greenwich thrives on making her stay miserable, Phoebe knows it’s time to leave.

Lady Emma, Phoebe’s sympathetic cousin, tells her about the Black Widow of Whitehall. She sneaks off to The Lyon’s Den, hoping that Mrs. Dove-Lyon will help her find a husband—someone who will overlook her nonexistent dowry and see her for who she truly is—a shy, intelligent woman wanting to marry and start a family.

Mrs. Dove-Lyon pairs Phoebe with the Duke of Weston, and Phoebe is taken aback. Even she has heard of The Duke of Doom. However, as she gets to know him, she becomes more willing to overlook the death of his previous three wives, the curse they say haunts him, and follow her heart.

Tropes you'll WidowerCursed HeroDesperate DukePenniless HeroineMatchmakerUnkind Relatives

164 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 8, 2026

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About the author

Christine Donovan

15 books8 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

For the Romance author, see Christine Donovan

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5 stars
131 (58%)
4 stars
67 (29%)
3 stars
20 (8%)
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6 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Pam  Bereznak.
1,986 reviews151 followers
July 11, 2026
I just started reading Christina Diane in Dec, 2024. This is already my 15th book by her. I saw another of her books when I was downloading another new author and also ran across her on a FB takeover in one of my steamy book groups. Her stories are well written and sex is pretty good.

I loved Phoebe and Oliver. I loved this story. I couldn't put it down. I keep wandering what that "bitch" was going to do. When you read it, you'll know who I'm talking about. :) I was getting my nails done and finished up to 30% while doing so. It read very fast which to me is always a good sign. I wanted more. I love these Lyon's Den stories and this one is a must read.
3,652 reviews37 followers
July 8, 2026
The Lyon and the Lyoness by Christine Donovan is a short novel in which both people go to Mrs. Dove-Lyon for help. Miss Phoebe Windham had sat, holding her mother’s hand as she passed away. Her father had left, not even caring the end was near. Phoebe was going to follow the directions given her by her mother and contacted her uncle, Lord Greenwich, her father’s older brother. He arranges for a funeral and takes her into his home, where she is given the smallest, simplest room in the servant’s quarters. Her aunt hated her. But, her cousin, Emma did not and she appeared presently as the only bright spot in her new life. She got her first look at the Duke of Doom, so called because he had had three wives, all of whom had died. He had come to the house after he uncle had told him he could court his eldest daughter, Emma. When he got there, her aunt, who was having none of it, was rude to him. As Phoebe was lurking in the hallway, their eyes met. Things got worse after he was gone. Mrs. Dove-Lyon was Emma’s suggestion and she went with her.

Some men had White’s had suggested to Oliver Barnes, the Duke of Weston, try Mrs. Dove-Lyon after he had been cut by the ton. Oliver really was blameless in the deaths of his wives. It was horrible coincidence and it nearly broke his heart. Both of these are sympathetic characters, well-written and likable. The aunt was the problem. She had been a problem for years, it turned out after Phoebe discovered by she was hated by the woman. OK, so there was an abduction, but it was a little different than it usually is. The, Oliver started rethinking his commitment to Phoebe: he didn’t want her to be the brunt of gossip, or God forbid, die. It all worked out and Mrs. Dove-Lyon was successful one more time. Good read.

I was invited to read The Lyon and The Lyoness by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #ChristineDonovan #TheLyonAndTheLyoness
Profile Image for Margaret.
3,457 reviews34 followers
August 29, 2026
Oliver, the Duke of Weston, needs an heir to continue the line, but no one wants to marry a widower known as the Duke of Doom. Losing three wives has made him a bad bargain. On the advice of a friend he goes to Mrs. Dove-Lyon and pays to find him a bride. After her mother's death and abandoned by her father, Phoebe goes to live with her father's brother, the Earl of Greenwich. Badly treated by her aunt and uncle, her cousin offers her help to get away by finding her a husband. Mrs. Dove-Lyon is her only hope. Includes a dangerous aunt, an apathetic uncle and a heartbreaking love story.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from Netgalley.
Profile Image for Charmaine Fernando.
486 reviews7 followers
July 25, 2026
We meet Phoebe Windham, who is the only child of Mary and William. William is the second son of the Earl of Greenwich. Mary’s parents matched her with the heir to the Earldom when both parties were young, however when she met William, she falls in love with him and runs away to Gretna Green to get married. Mary gets seriously ill and dies, Phoebe’s father, William, runs away to the continent to escape the creditors and this leaves Phoebe all alone. Prior to her death, Mary instructs Phoebe to write to her uncle Edward, the Earl of Greenwich to come get her. He takes her to live with them, however his wife, keeps Phoebe in the attic and informs her that all her meals must be taken there and she is not to wonder about. This goes on a few days until the oldest of the earl’s daughter, Lady Emma comes to Phoebe’s rescue and places her in the room next to her; the two become fast friends. When Phoebe realises that Emma’s mother is trying to poison her, she shares her fears with Emma who suggests she goes to see Mrs Dove-Lyon who is well known in the ton as the matchmaker and would be able to find her a husband and take her away from the house and her aunt’s clutches.

Oliver Barnes, the Duke of Weston is a widower three times over is also known as the Duke of Doom given, he has lost three wives in quick succession. When no society mum wants to give her daughter in marriage to Oliver, he decides to act on the advice of two young bucks who catch up with him at White’s. He approaches Mrs Dove-Lyon for help.

The story moves at a very quick pace; you have Oliver and Phoebe seeing each other for the first time when he comes to court one of the Earl’s daughters and the countess turns him down. As he’s leaving the home, he sees Phoebe peaking out of the room and the catch a fleeting glimpse of each other. The next time they see each other is when Mrs. Dove-Lyon arranges the initial meeting.

There are several holes in this story; firstly, what happened to the Earl and Countess of Greenwich after Phoebe is rescued? There seems to be no mention of any sort of punishment or charges brought upon her. Mrs Dove-Lyon mentions making the Earl pay but no details are provided – I guess the reader is to draw their own conclusions here. Finally, mention is made to investigate the mystery of why Mary’s parents, the Marquess and Marchioness did not try to assist Mary and William when the Earl cut off the money their father left for William. All these holes in the story with no closure.

I received an ARC from the publishers and NetGalley and submit my honest review voluntarily.
728 reviews6 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 2, 2026
This was a short novella about Phoebe and Oliver. She was abandoned by her father and lost her mother to illness when she went to live with strangers, her uncle and family. She was treated poorly and needed to find a husband so she could escape their home. Oliver was a Duke with a bad reputation because he has married and lost three wives. The ton considered him cursed. He needed a wife and heir and went to Mrs Dove-Lyon for help. She put them together, and they had an instant connection. They decided to court but couldn’t wait to marry one another. They had to work around possible threats of danger and evil family that wanted to keep them apart. The story had potential, but there were missed opportunities for more depth. The main characters were both really likable, but their connection could have been better developed. They didn’t really interact until halfway through the book, and then everything felt rushed. It was a short novella, but some of the earlier time apart could have been better used on their relationship development. The story had steam, ton rumors and judgments, evil family, family secrets, kidnappings, love, and, finally a HEA. The story did contain some errors and details that seemed inconsistent like different names, or events that seemed contradictory.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
Profile Image for Janet.
5,550 reviews67 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 7, 2026
Oliver Barnes, the Duke of Weston, is a widower three times over. He needs to marry and have an heir, but no eligible lady, widow, or wallflower will consider his suit despite his title and wealth. No one wants to marry The Duke of Doom, as members of the ton have nicknamed him. He visits The Lyon’s Den and intentionally loses at cards until he owes a considerable amount to the widow, hoping to capture her attention. Phoebe Windham, the daughter of an earl’s middle son, is left destitute and alone after her mother dies and her father flees England to escape his creditors. She depends on the goodwill of her uncle, the Earl of Greenwich. When it becomes apparent that Lady Greenwich thrives on making her stay miserable, Phoebe knows it’s time to leave. Lady Emma, Phoebe’s sympathetic cousin, tells her about the Black Widow of Whitehall.
A very enjoyable novella, I really liked both Oliver & Phoebe & I loved the chemistry between them, there were also strong secondary characters who I hope will get their HEAs. The pace was good & this was heading towards a five star read until I reached the end & I was left with quite a few questions, the villains appeared to get off scot free & what about the missing allowance? It’s so frustrating not to get closure
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
Profile Image for Lesley.
2,679 reviews19 followers
July 8, 2026
A Lyon's Den novella which features Mrs Dove-Lyon being invested in the welfare of the heroine, which is a rather nice touch. A number of Americanisms crept in, such as sidewalk instead of pavement or path, and stoop instead of step but otherwise not too many typos which is my bugbear. I liked the H and h's predicament and why they felt they needed to go to the Lyon's Den. However I didn't like that the H took the h's virginity before their marriage, when he was already planning to marry by special licence and they had only known each other about 2 hours or less. This scene could have been included at a later date in the book. A longer epilogue would have been nice, with a comeuppance for the Aunt; Hennie being involved with the children; and a happy marriage for Lady Emma.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Bridget Love to read Lewis.
2,724 reviews30 followers
July 12, 2026
We have a couple full of history but will they overcome the odds?
We have Miss Phoebe Windham whose father leaves her and dying moths to escape creditors!
Phoebe writes a letter to her uncle who takes her in but places her in a cold dark attic.
Her cousin Emma befriends her and takes her to the Lyons Den.
Bessie Lyon plays a crucial role in this couples happiness and takes a very active part in a rescue! Introduced to the Duke of Doom aka Oliver the Duke of Weston.
Oliver and Phoebe share an instant attraction and chemistry but Phoebe’s aunt has sinister plans much as in the history before!
Oliver won’t rest until she is found but will he believe the curse and not make her his wife?
There is unexpected action and some steam where these two find a HEA in the Lyons den! Bravo
I received an ARC copy from Netgalley for my honest opinion!
Profile Image for Veronica Hamilton.
114 reviews4 followers
July 21, 2026
This was an amazing book! It started out on an emotional note but built toward a truly satisfying and happy ending. I loved both the main characters and the supporting cast, and I'm hoping some of the secondary characters will get stories of their own in future books.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was the friendship between Phoebe and Emma. Their relationship added so much heart to the story. The plot kept me guessing with plenty of twists and unexpected surprises, making it difficult to put the book down.

I was especially happy that Phoebe received the ending she deserved. The epilogue was a wonderful touch, and I appreciated that it jumped ahead five years instead of the typical six months. It gave readers a more meaningful glimpse into the characters' lives and made the ending feel complete. Overall, this was a heartfelt, entertaining, and memorable read.
Profile Image for Carol.
366 reviews7 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
July 6, 2026
Phoebe is alone her mother has died. Before her death her mother made her promise to contact her uncle Lord Greenwich. He comes and collects her but when she gets to his house his wife is not friendly and gives her a room in the attic. Luckily Emma her cousin befriend her. And suggests they visit Mrs Dove-Lyon to find Phoebe a husband and get her out of the house. The Duke of Weston is looking for a wife he hasn't had much luck with wives and is known as the Duke of Doom he also visits the Lyons Den.
Both Phoebe and Oliver are happy and agree to marry. But Phoebe aunt has other ideas and does her best to interfere. But as always everything is OK in the end.
This was a nice cozy read a nice relaxing way to spend a couple of hours and I recommend it to readers
Thanks to Netgalley and Dragonblade publishing for my arc copy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Cherie S.
1,244 reviews21 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 7, 2026
Fate, Family, Intriguing Love Story
A sad beginning to this truly emotional story that has two wonderful characters finding love
Phoebe after her mother's death has no place to go except to her uncle's home where the villain her aunt lives and
her cousin Emma her savior lives.
Phoebe and Oliver took me into the Lyons den, and I must say that this is the most involved Mrs. Dove Lyon has ever been
She was more helpful and caring in this delightful story. which made this book a treat to read.
I would have given a higher rating if there was more desirous passion between Phoebe and Oliver.
All in all, it is a good story with a happy ending.
💖Cover was perfect for the story.
Profile Image for Nancy.
1,459 reviews26 followers
July 27, 2026
Thank you NetGalley. On the day Phoebe's mother breathes her last her father leaves their home to leave England because of his debts not knowing his wife is dead and his daughter is homeless. She contacts her uncle who has not had anything to do with his brother or family. He takes her in but not as expected. She is in the servants' part of the house and takes her meals there until her cousin comes in and moves her next to Emma. There are three girls but Emma is the only friendly one. Oliver, the Duke of Weston can't find a wife anywhere. He has lost three wives but the ton seems to think he has done something to each of them. He goes to Mrs Love-Lyon for help and so does Phoebe,
1,099 reviews12 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 4, 2026
Oliver is a widower three times and is known as The Duke of Doom. Even though he is rich, young and handsome he can't find a woman to marry him. He goes to Mrs. Dove-Lyon for help. Phoebe is destitute and goes to her estranged Uncle 's to live. She is treated very poorly and realizes that she needs a husband to get away. Mrs. Dove-Lyon matches them. All is going well until Phoebe is kidnapped and Oliver must find her. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.
Profile Image for Pat Robinson.
1,027 reviews9 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 4, 2026
Phoebe is an orphan. Oliver is a widower three times over. Mrs. Dove-Lyon works her magic. I enjoyed the premise of the story, but felt there were a lot of holes left after finishing. What came to mind was Cinderella with a twist, and was glad to see some niceness in the story. But we are told nothing about what happened with the villains. That is an integral part of the story, that I felt , was left hanging and felt unfinished. A good story , rather simplicitically written, with characters that could have been more developed.

I received this story for free and these are my own views.
Profile Image for AmazingJ.
1,143 reviews8 followers
July 22, 2026
This Story was Entertaining & Romantic.

The .hero a 3 time widower, which all 3 passed away in the month of April was feeling like he was cursed but still wanted a wife & heir. The heroine swas taken in by her uncle after her mother passed away & made to feel like a prisoner. After everything thT happens will they find happily ever after?

Phoebe & Oliver were wonderful characters..-
I am looking forward to reading "Lyon On The Loose" by Elizabeth Keysian in the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Jill.
797 reviews14 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 7, 2026
A fun, quick romance. I enjoyed Phoebe and Oliver. They are both kind and loving, even though they have both faced difficult situations. It was such a quick read that I was left wanting more. I wanted more closure for the whole conflict they faced together. If you want a quicker read with a happy ending, this would be a good choice.
Profile Image for Petula.
3,185 reviews88 followers
July 19, 2026
This is a historical romance novella set in the "Lyon's Den world " . The characters are fabulous. The hero seems to have been cursed with bad luck. Our heroine is a victim of bad behaviour by her relatives.
We get a little adventure and a sweet romance. An enjoyable read suitable for anyone.
Good fun.
Profile Image for Patrice.
1,109 reviews46 followers
July 21, 2026
I always enjoy a good historical romance. This one lived up to my expectations. It had a young lady in distress, a handsome and kindhearted nobleman, dastardly doings by relatives and an engaging story to bring it all together. I really like Miss Phoebe and Oscar, the Duke along with the other "cast of characters". This is a story with a bit of mystery and matchmaking.
6 reviews
July 10, 2026
Enjoyable

Good story with likable main characters.
My only complaint is the fact the dukes name keeps changing throughout the book between Duke of Weston and Duke of Barrington. Was it missed in editing/proofreading maybe?
65 reviews
July 13, 2026
Another wonderful Lyon's Den story!

I would give 5 stars for the storyline itself but the truth of the matter is that someone should have edited this book better before releasing it. I was so confused at first but I figured it out. Otherwise, a very enjoyable book!
Profile Image for Rebekah Carulli Hanson.
1,170 reviews1 follower
July 11, 2026
Great read!

Oh I do love when the underdog comes out on top!!! These stories with the Widow of Whitehall are always entertaining and enjoyable.
Profile Image for Luz T.
2,170 reviews5 followers
July 24, 2026
3.5 stars
There was a certain scene that I would have liked to happen more towards the end because it seemed a little rush and once it happened I kind of lost interest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1,597 reviews3 followers
Read
July 25, 2026
I DNFed this at about 15% after reading the same paragraph 4 or 5 times. It just didn't catch or hold my attention.
Profile Image for Phylis Collins.
2,904 reviews8 followers
August 8, 2026
Great read

I enjoyed this story very much. The Lyon and the Lyon's one of many books in this series The Lyon's Den Connected World it has many different authors.
272 reviews
September 7, 2026
Lyon

A good love story always has was moments go make the loving so much stronger!
This is one of those love stories!
Profile Image for Peggy.
2,271 reviews12 followers
July 8, 2026
As her mother lays dying, Phoebe Windham’s father flees to avoid his creditors. She is taken in by her uncle the Earl of Greenwich. Her aunt does not like the arrangement and make Phoebe miserable. Lady Emma, Phoebe’s cousin becomes her friend and tell her about the Lyon’s Den and Bessie Dove-Lyon’s matchmaking endeavors. It seems like a good plan. Oliver Barnes, the Duke of Weston, has been widowed three times. Because of rumors and reputation, no eligible lady will consider him. He goes to the Lyon’s Den and loses at the tables until he owes enough to the Widow of Whitehall for her to notice him. There is an instant attraction between Oliver and Phoebe. They are a good match. This is a very enjoyable story with engaging characters (a couple of villains thrown in). A curse, greedy relatives, a kidnapping, and uncertainty work against them, but love has a way of making things come right. Heartwarming story.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews