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Maiden Lane #12
Duke of Desire
A LADY OF LIGHT
Refined, kind, and intelligent, Lady Iris Jordan finds herself the unlikely target of a diabolical kidnapping. Her captors are the notoriously evil Lords of Chaos. When one of the masked-and nude!-Lords spirits her away to his carriage, she shoots him . . . only to find she may have been a trifle hasty.
A DUKE IN DEEPEST DARKNESS
Cynical, scarred, and brooding, Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore, has made it his personal mission to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and destroy them. Rescuing Lady Jordan was never in his plans. But now with the Lords out to kill them both, he has but one choice: marry the lady in order to keep her safe.
CAUGHT IN A WEB OF DANGER . . . AND DESIRE
Much to Raphael's irritation, Iris insists on being the sort of duchess who involves herself in his life-and bed. Soon he's drawn both to her quick wit and her fiery passion. But when Iris discovers that Raphael's past may be even more dangerous than the present, she falters. Is their love strong enough to withstand not only the Lords of Chaos but also Raphael's own demons?
Refined, kind, and intelligent, Lady Iris Jordan finds herself the unlikely target of a diabolical kidnapping. Her captors are the notoriously evil Lords of Chaos. When one of the masked-and nude!-Lords spirits her away to his carriage, she shoots him . . . only to find she may have been a trifle hasty.
A DUKE IN DEEPEST DARKNESS
Cynical, scarred, and brooding, Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore, has made it his personal mission to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and destroy them. Rescuing Lady Jordan was never in his plans. But now with the Lords out to kill them both, he has but one choice: marry the lady in order to keep her safe.
CAUGHT IN A WEB OF DANGER . . . AND DESIRE
Much to Raphael's irritation, Iris insists on being the sort of duchess who involves herself in his life-and bed. Soon he's drawn both to her quick wit and her fiery passion. But when Iris discovers that Raphael's past may be even more dangerous than the present, she falters. Is their love strong enough to withstand not only the Lords of Chaos but also Raphael's own demons?
308 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 17, 2017
452 people are currently reading
3847 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Hoyt
48 books7,182 followersElizabeth Hoyt is a New York Times bestselling author of historical romance. She also writes deliciously fun contemporary romance under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with three untrained dogs and one long-suffering husband.
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October 10, 2017
***Full Review***
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Kidnapped and brought as an offering to the Lords of Chaos, Iris improbably finds herself rescued by the towering Wolf.
Now a man and ready to take on the insidious Lords of Chaos, Raphael, finds himself saving a woman he can't forget a shared waltz with.
Raphael's scars run deeper than just the surface but Iris is determined to show him he's worthy of love.
With the Lords of Chaos looming over them, Raphael and Iris will show that love is the greater strength.
The twelfth installment in the Maiden Lane series brings us to a resurgence of the Lords of Chaos. Previously thought snuffed out in the last book, a new Dionysius leader has emerged and stronger than ever. You actually wouldn't need to read any other books in the series, maybe just the previous one as you get an introduction to the Lords of Chaos. As this is placed in the Maiden Lane series, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get any previous characters to check up on; the Duke of Kyle from the previous book makes an appearance but that is all.
"You need to marry me."
If you read the previous book, you'll remember the Duke of Dyemore, Raphael, introduced as a hulking scarred beast who waltzes with Iris. Here he rescues her and in order to keep her safe from the Lords of Chaos, he marries her. Iris was a bit dull as heroine but with the focus so heavily on Raphael's past with the Lords of Chaos, she didn't get a fully rounded out story. We know she didn't have a loving marriage and she cares for Raphael, but I didn't feel why she cared for him so soon. Iris ended up being a ghost on the pages to me.
Raphael's childhood trauma dominated the story and was extremely heavy. Frankly, that's all it felt like his character was, I didn't learn anything else about him. His attraction to Iris seemed to be based on one waltz and because she seemed like a golden light to him. A lot of their relationship was Raphael wanting to keep Iris on some sort of pedestal, away from his defiling hands, but this also creates a blank spot of him never really knowing and connecting with her.
After a darkly adventurous start, the story took a bit of a slow turn. The first half was basically Iris wandering around Raphael's gloomy Abbey, trying to learn his servants’ names, and disregarding Raphael's warnings of danger. Iris' lack of understanding or listening to Raphael about the danger ended up making her feel pretty vacuous at times, too.
With the focus so much on childhood pain (childhood sexual abuse is discussed prominently here), it made it extremely hard to switch gears and follow along to a sex scene, no matter how it was handled. In fact, the whole heavier tone of this one had a very uneven feeling with the usual Hoyt naughty sexual scenes.
The romance was lacking for me here with Iris not showing up completely and Raphael dealing with extremely traumatizing pain. Their lack of romantic connection kept me from feeling them and the Lords of Chaos brought such a heavy disturbing emotional toll, this ended up not being a very fun read. Hoyt's atmospheric writing can't be denied but after following along with the Maiden Lane series for so long, I guess I was personally looking for a more uplifting, sigh, and smile ending.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Kidnapped and brought as an offering to the Lords of Chaos, Iris improbably finds herself rescued by the towering Wolf.
Now a man and ready to take on the insidious Lords of Chaos, Raphael, finds himself saving a woman he can't forget a shared waltz with.
Raphael's scars run deeper than just the surface but Iris is determined to show him he's worthy of love.
With the Lords of Chaos looming over them, Raphael and Iris will show that love is the greater strength.
The twelfth installment in the Maiden Lane series brings us to a resurgence of the Lords of Chaos. Previously thought snuffed out in the last book, a new Dionysius leader has emerged and stronger than ever. You actually wouldn't need to read any other books in the series, maybe just the previous one as you get an introduction to the Lords of Chaos. As this is placed in the Maiden Lane series, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get any previous characters to check up on; the Duke of Kyle from the previous book makes an appearance but that is all.
"You need to marry me."
If you read the previous book, you'll remember the Duke of Dyemore, Raphael, introduced as a hulking scarred beast who waltzes with Iris. Here he rescues her and in order to keep her safe from the Lords of Chaos, he marries her. Iris was a bit dull as heroine but with the focus so heavily on Raphael's past with the Lords of Chaos, she didn't get a fully rounded out story. We know she didn't have a loving marriage and she cares for Raphael, but I didn't feel why she cared for him so soon. Iris ended up being a ghost on the pages to me.
Raphael's childhood trauma dominated the story and was extremely heavy. Frankly, that's all it felt like his character was, I didn't learn anything else about him. His attraction to Iris seemed to be based on one waltz and because she seemed like a golden light to him. A lot of their relationship was Raphael wanting to keep Iris on some sort of pedestal, away from his defiling hands, but this also creates a blank spot of him never really knowing and connecting with her.
After a darkly adventurous start, the story took a bit of a slow turn. The first half was basically Iris wandering around Raphael's gloomy Abbey, trying to learn his servants’ names, and disregarding Raphael's warnings of danger. Iris' lack of understanding or listening to Raphael about the danger ended up making her feel pretty vacuous at times, too.
With the focus so much on childhood pain (childhood sexual abuse is discussed prominently here), it made it extremely hard to switch gears and follow along to a sex scene, no matter how it was handled. In fact, the whole heavier tone of this one had a very uneven feeling with the usual Hoyt naughty sexual scenes.
The romance was lacking for me here with Iris not showing up completely and Raphael dealing with extremely traumatizing pain. Their lack of romantic connection kept me from feeling them and the Lords of Chaos brought such a heavy disturbing emotional toll, this ended up not being a very fun read. Hoyt's atmospheric writing can't be denied but after following along with the Maiden Lane series for so long, I guess I was personally looking for a more uplifting, sigh, and smile ending.
January 23, 2018
Someone's been watching too much of The Bachelor! The heroine in this book is the person rejected by the hero of the last book. And, just like The Bachelor, I can't help but wonder why we would want to see the LOSER of the last story get their own story.
I see our next Bachelorette!
So, like the chick above (I don't watch the shows and just spent a disturbingly long amount of time researching so I can use the memes and gifs. I really need to get a life.), Iris is getting her chance at romance after being snubbed by the dude in the last book for a girl whom he had thought was a boy for months and was mentoring as a son. Yeah, cuz that's not disturbing at all...
This was literally the theme of the book before this one.
Obviously, I'm not over the creepy icky factor of the last book. I mean, really. If we ladies all found out that the cute little girl in Stranger Things was actually an adult male, would we really be lining up to sleep with him? NO! Because that's gross and weird. WTH last book???
Even better!
Our girl, Iris, meets her new love interest at a debauched orgy where she will be gang-raped and killed. He's one of the participants, but has a change of heart and decides to save her and marry her. Sounds like husband material to me!
Raphael, the male, is actually an okay guy... well except for the angst. I'll get to that in a minute, but sheesh - Lord, save me from an angsty man! Anyway, Raphael is undercover to stop the asshole rapist group and couldn't let them kill Iris. Or rape her. So, he's alright in my book. Raphael would be a beautiful man, but he has a giant jagged scar running across half of his face. That's right, he's hideous, girls. And, has angst. Stop lining up for him, dammit!! I don't see guys lining up for the scarred female trope. But, we are suckers, aren't we? Zsadist, anyone? There are definite similarities to our favorite Black Dagger Brotherhood hero.
Twinsies!
So, Iris and Raphael are married and the rapey-brotherhood is trying to kill them both. Also, Iris wants a baby and Raphael is too angsty to give her one. There is a lot of smut that doesn't involve actual sex, which is strange, but at least there is variety. Variety is the spice of life, I've heard...
I liked both of the characters well enough, but there was tons of emotional trauma on Raphael's side. He has a messed-up past and is basically a walking case of PTSD. Iris, on the other hand, is like that extremely practical woman who would be considered "hearty". She knows what she wants and will not allow his angst get in her way.
I think this book is the last one in the series, and I'm okay with it ending because, other than Val's book, it was mostly just mediocre. There was one character left who didn't get a story and I missed. Also, more of an epilogue would have been nice. Maybe some hangings of the rapists? I do like me a good happy ending.
I see our next Bachelorette!
So, like the chick above (I don't watch the shows and just spent a disturbingly long amount of time researching so I can use the memes and gifs. I really need to get a life.), Iris is getting her chance at romance after being snubbed by the dude in the last book for a girl whom he had thought was a boy for months and was mentoring as a son. Yeah, cuz that's not disturbing at all...
This was literally the theme of the book before this one.
Obviously, I'm not over the creepy icky factor of the last book. I mean, really. If we ladies all found out that the cute little girl in Stranger Things was actually an adult male, would we really be lining up to sleep with him? NO! Because that's gross and weird. WTH last book???
Even better!
Our girl, Iris, meets her new love interest at a debauched orgy where she will be gang-raped and killed. He's one of the participants, but has a change of heart and decides to save her and marry her. Sounds like husband material to me!
Raphael, the male, is actually an okay guy... well except for the angst. I'll get to that in a minute, but sheesh - Lord, save me from an angsty man! Anyway, Raphael is undercover to stop the asshole rapist group and couldn't let them kill Iris. Or rape her. So, he's alright in my book. Raphael would be a beautiful man, but he has a giant jagged scar running across half of his face. That's right, he's hideous, girls. And, has angst. Stop lining up for him, dammit!! I don't see guys lining up for the scarred female trope. But, we are suckers, aren't we? Zsadist, anyone? There are definite similarities to our favorite Black Dagger Brotherhood hero.
Twinsies!
So, Iris and Raphael are married and the rapey-brotherhood is trying to kill them both. Also, Iris wants a baby and Raphael is too angsty to give her one. There is a lot of smut that doesn't involve actual sex, which is strange, but at least there is variety. Variety is the spice of life, I've heard...
I liked both of the characters well enough, but there was tons of emotional trauma on Raphael's side. He has a messed-up past and is basically a walking case of PTSD. Iris, on the other hand, is like that extremely practical woman who would be considered "hearty". She knows what she wants and will not allow his angst get in her way.
I think this book is the last one in the series, and I'm okay with it ending because, other than Val's book, it was mostly just mediocre. There was one character left who didn't get a story and I missed. Also, more of an epilogue would have been nice. Maybe some hangings of the rapists? I do like me a good happy ending.
October 5, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt
Book Twelve of the Maiden Lane series
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 17, 2017
Rating: 5 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
A LADY OF LIGHT
Refined, kind, and intelligent, Lady Iris Jordan finds herself the unlikely target of a diabolical kidnapping. Her captors are the notoriously evil Lords of Chaos. When one of the masked-and nude!-Lords spirits her away to his carriage, she shoots him . . . only to find she may have been a trifle hasty.
A DUKE IN DEEPEST DARKNESS
Cynical, scarred, and brooding, Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore, has made it his personal mission to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and destroy them. Rescuing Lady Jordan was never in his plans. But now with the Lords out to kill them both, he has but one choice: marry the lady in order to keep her safe.
CAUGHT IN A WEB OF DANGER . . . AND DESIRE
Much to Raphael's irritation, Iris insists on being the sort of duchess who involves herself in his life-and bed. Soon he's drawn both to her quick wit and her fiery passion. But when Iris discovers that Raphael's past may be even more dangerous than the present, she falters. Is their love strong enough to withstand not only the Lords of Chaos but also Raphael's own demons?
What I Liked:
This book. Was. Perfect. Friends, I wanted to weep after finishing it. It was so excellent for so many different reasons - I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this book was to me. I definitely won't do the story justice with this review. You all know how much I love this series? This is only the third of twelve books that I've rated five stars. It's definitely tied with the other two as my favorite. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.
We met Raphael and Iris in Duke of Pleasure, in which Iris and the Duke of Kyle (Hugh) are friends. Iris attends Hugh's wedding and they fool society into thinking that they (Iris and Hugh) got married, because they don't want anyone to know that Hugh married Alf... at least not yet. Little does Iris know that the Lords of Chaos have it out for Hugh, and they kidnap her, thinking that she is the new Duchess of Kyle. But she is rescued by a man whom she never would have expected - the Duke of Dyemore. Raphael de Chartres wants no part of the Lords of Chaos, but he does want to destroy them. Rescuing Iris from them isn't part of his revenge plan, and it only makes things harder, because he must defy the Dionysus (the leader of the Lords of Chaos). He does not kill her - instead, he marries her, to protect her. Iris slowly learns more about her new husband, and she finds out that his past is even darker than she might have imagined.
This book broke my heart and made me swoon at the same time, which is pretty difficult to do. The story is darker than any of the other Maiden Lane books, with the heart of it involving the horror of the Lords of Chaos. Raphael's father used to be the Dionysus, and Raphael was to be initiated into the Lords. The tone of this book is bleaker than any other book in this series, but this makes the book so much more compelling and intriguing. I enjoyed it so much, darkness and all. Much like Raphael.
I'd go as far as to say that this book is Raphael's (as opposed to it being Raphael's and Iris's). Yes, both have POVs in the story. But this story is one of growth and healing for Raphael. He went through a horrible, traumatic event during his childhood, and it affected him through adulthood. It broke my heart to see him react to certain things, because of this event. He doesn't like this or that, he doesn't want children, he never planned on getting married. Raphael thinks he is such a monster, and he shrouds himself in darkness, but really he is a good man. He is bent on revenge, trying to take down the Lords, but he is a selfless, good person.
Iris is hands-down one of my favorite heroines of the Maiden Lane series, just like Raphael. Both are in my top three for sure. Iris... she isn't a plucky, feisty, outspoken heroine. She isn't brash and loud, opinionated and demanding to be heard in any way. She is soft and quiet and caring, a light to Raphael's darkness. But she is so strong in her caring, loving nature. She isn't an alpha female and she doesn't need to be - her whole self is just as tough and assertive as an alpha female, except she is Iris Daniels, a loving, gentle soul. I adored her. I especially loved her for sticking with Raphael, for never running away or giving up on him. There is so little drama in this book because Iris had the strength to be patient with Raphael. Every time he told her to leave him, she never did.
There is a certain amount of angst in this book that I loved so much. I know, it's weird for me to be loving angst. But it was so perfect. Raphael and Iris are nearly strangers when they get married. Iris doesn't know anything about Raphael's past, the scar on his face, why he won't have sex with her like any husband would. Every time Iris would learn something new about Raphael, my heart would break a little. The angst in this book is so perfect. Raphael is so complicated, with layers and layers of hurt from many years of build-up, and it's beautiful and heartbreaking to see Iris slip through those layers one by one.
That being said, the execution of the "tough issues" of this story was excellent. The execution of the story in general was excellent. Hoyt's writing is superb as always, her world-building flawless, and her craftsmanship solid. This story is so much darker, because of the Lords of Chaos and because of Raphael's past, and Hoyt did an amazing job with bringing across the story without depressing readers. The tone of the story is darker, but it's also hopeful.
The romance is so sweet and slow-burn. I loved watching Raphael and Iris fall for each other - especially Iris falling for Raphael. How she learns more about him and is still drawn to him. How she grows to care about him more and more, with every secret she uncovers. Raphael can't help but fall for her, because she becomes a constant that he wants, needs, and loves.
This book is quite steamy, which I appreciated! I mentioned earlier in my review that Raphael refused to have sex with Iris (at first). He has his reasons. But that doesn't mean they couldn't do... other things. The sexy times get creative, before there is "actual" sex. I was all for it!
This book has an edge and an excitement to it that isn't as present in the other books. Likely because this book deals with a man who wants revenge and he is out for blood. Taking down the Lords of Chaos is everything to Raphael. There is a lot of blood and murder in this book. There are a lot of high stakes. But this book ends extremely well, so don't worry about the HEA. It's an awesome ending to a wonderful series. Yes, this is the end of the series!
What I Did Not Like:
I can't think of anything I didn't like!
Would I Recommend It:
I highly recommend this book, and the entire series in general. The Maiden Lane series is quite possibly my favorite historical romances series ever. I've never stuck it out with a twelve-book series before, but there is no way I would have missed any of the books in this series. This final book is particularly good, a masterpiece that Hoyt has perfected for readers. It's worth all of the pain and hurt and angst, because this book is still a sweet novel, above all of that. If you don't want to read the entire series (you should though!), read Duke of Midnight, Duke of Sin, and Duke of Desire.
Rating:
5 stars. Hoyt has outdone herself with this conclusion novel. I am so happy with this book, and the series, and I'm also so sad to see the series end. I am definitely excited about new projects that Hoyt might be working on though!
Pre-read:
YAAAAAAASSSSS! Raphael and Iris for the win!
Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt
Book Twelve of the Maiden Lane series
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 17, 2017
Rating: 5 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
A LADY OF LIGHT
Refined, kind, and intelligent, Lady Iris Jordan finds herself the unlikely target of a diabolical kidnapping. Her captors are the notoriously evil Lords of Chaos. When one of the masked-and nude!-Lords spirits her away to his carriage, she shoots him . . . only to find she may have been a trifle hasty.
A DUKE IN DEEPEST DARKNESS
Cynical, scarred, and brooding, Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore, has made it his personal mission to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and destroy them. Rescuing Lady Jordan was never in his plans. But now with the Lords out to kill them both, he has but one choice: marry the lady in order to keep her safe.
CAUGHT IN A WEB OF DANGER . . . AND DESIRE
Much to Raphael's irritation, Iris insists on being the sort of duchess who involves herself in his life-and bed. Soon he's drawn both to her quick wit and her fiery passion. But when Iris discovers that Raphael's past may be even more dangerous than the present, she falters. Is their love strong enough to withstand not only the Lords of Chaos but also Raphael's own demons?
What I Liked:
This book. Was. Perfect. Friends, I wanted to weep after finishing it. It was so excellent for so many different reasons - I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this book was to me. I definitely won't do the story justice with this review. You all know how much I love this series? This is only the third of twelve books that I've rated five stars. It's definitely tied with the other two as my favorite. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.
We met Raphael and Iris in Duke of Pleasure, in which Iris and the Duke of Kyle (Hugh) are friends. Iris attends Hugh's wedding and they fool society into thinking that they (Iris and Hugh) got married, because they don't want anyone to know that Hugh married Alf... at least not yet. Little does Iris know that the Lords of Chaos have it out for Hugh, and they kidnap her, thinking that she is the new Duchess of Kyle. But she is rescued by a man whom she never would have expected - the Duke of Dyemore. Raphael de Chartres wants no part of the Lords of Chaos, but he does want to destroy them. Rescuing Iris from them isn't part of his revenge plan, and it only makes things harder, because he must defy the Dionysus (the leader of the Lords of Chaos). He does not kill her - instead, he marries her, to protect her. Iris slowly learns more about her new husband, and she finds out that his past is even darker than she might have imagined.
This book broke my heart and made me swoon at the same time, which is pretty difficult to do. The story is darker than any of the other Maiden Lane books, with the heart of it involving the horror of the Lords of Chaos. Raphael's father used to be the Dionysus, and Raphael was to be initiated into the Lords. The tone of this book is bleaker than any other book in this series, but this makes the book so much more compelling and intriguing. I enjoyed it so much, darkness and all. Much like Raphael.
I'd go as far as to say that this book is Raphael's (as opposed to it being Raphael's and Iris's). Yes, both have POVs in the story. But this story is one of growth and healing for Raphael. He went through a horrible, traumatic event during his childhood, and it affected him through adulthood. It broke my heart to see him react to certain things, because of this event. He doesn't like this or that, he doesn't want children, he never planned on getting married. Raphael thinks he is such a monster, and he shrouds himself in darkness, but really he is a good man. He is bent on revenge, trying to take down the Lords, but he is a selfless, good person.
Iris is hands-down one of my favorite heroines of the Maiden Lane series, just like Raphael. Both are in my top three for sure. Iris... she isn't a plucky, feisty, outspoken heroine. She isn't brash and loud, opinionated and demanding to be heard in any way. She is soft and quiet and caring, a light to Raphael's darkness. But she is so strong in her caring, loving nature. She isn't an alpha female and she doesn't need to be - her whole self is just as tough and assertive as an alpha female, except she is Iris Daniels, a loving, gentle soul. I adored her. I especially loved her for sticking with Raphael, for never running away or giving up on him. There is so little drama in this book because Iris had the strength to be patient with Raphael. Every time he told her to leave him, she never did.
There is a certain amount of angst in this book that I loved so much. I know, it's weird for me to be loving angst. But it was so perfect. Raphael and Iris are nearly strangers when they get married. Iris doesn't know anything about Raphael's past, the scar on his face, why he won't have sex with her like any husband would. Every time Iris would learn something new about Raphael, my heart would break a little. The angst in this book is so perfect. Raphael is so complicated, with layers and layers of hurt from many years of build-up, and it's beautiful and heartbreaking to see Iris slip through those layers one by one.
That being said, the execution of the "tough issues" of this story was excellent. The execution of the story in general was excellent. Hoyt's writing is superb as always, her world-building flawless, and her craftsmanship solid. This story is so much darker, because of the Lords of Chaos and because of Raphael's past, and Hoyt did an amazing job with bringing across the story without depressing readers. The tone of the story is darker, but it's also hopeful.
The romance is so sweet and slow-burn. I loved watching Raphael and Iris fall for each other - especially Iris falling for Raphael. How she learns more about him and is still drawn to him. How she grows to care about him more and more, with every secret she uncovers. Raphael can't help but fall for her, because she becomes a constant that he wants, needs, and loves.
This book is quite steamy, which I appreciated! I mentioned earlier in my review that Raphael refused to have sex with Iris (at first). He has his reasons. But that doesn't mean they couldn't do... other things. The sexy times get creative, before there is "actual" sex. I was all for it!
This book has an edge and an excitement to it that isn't as present in the other books. Likely because this book deals with a man who wants revenge and he is out for blood. Taking down the Lords of Chaos is everything to Raphael. There is a lot of blood and murder in this book. There are a lot of high stakes. But this book ends extremely well, so don't worry about the HEA. It's an awesome ending to a wonderful series. Yes, this is the end of the series!
What I Did Not Like:
I can't think of anything I didn't like!
Would I Recommend It:
I highly recommend this book, and the entire series in general. The Maiden Lane series is quite possibly my favorite historical romances series ever. I've never stuck it out with a twelve-book series before, but there is no way I would have missed any of the books in this series. This final book is particularly good, a masterpiece that Hoyt has perfected for readers. It's worth all of the pain and hurt and angst, because this book is still a sweet novel, above all of that. If you don't want to read the entire series (you should though!), read Duke of Midnight, Duke of Sin, and Duke of Desire.
Rating:
5 stars. Hoyt has outdone herself with this conclusion novel. I am so happy with this book, and the series, and I'm also so sad to see the series end. I am definitely excited about new projects that Hoyt might be working on though!
Pre-read:
YAAAAAAASSSSS! Raphael and Iris for the win!
September 29, 2017
⭐️⭐️3.5 Stars⭐️ ⭐️
Maiden Lane Series:
Book 1: Wicked Intentions 4 stars
Book 2: Notorious Pleasures 5 Stars
Book 3: Scandalous Desires 5+++ Stars
Book 4: Thief of Shadows 5 Stars
Book 5: Lord of Darkness 4.5 stars
Book 6: Duke of Midnight 5+++ Stars
Book 7: Darling Beast 3.5 Stars
Book 8: Dearest Rogue 3.5 Stars
Book 9: Sweetest Scoundrel 3.5 Stars
Book 10: Duke of Sin 5 Stars
Book 11: Duke of Pleasure 4.5 Stars
Book 12: Duke of Desire 4 Stars
This has been one exciting series. I never would've thought historicals would take me on a such a ride. I clearly have my faves: Mickey, Winter and Maximus will always have a special place in my heart. Gosh those heroes!
I was over the moon excited about this newest book. The Duke of Dyemore is a scarred hero...literally. And I love nothing more than a bad boy, scarred, asshole duke. Raphael has had a traumatic past that's tied in with the evil group Lords of Chaos. His only goal is to bring them down even if it kills him and falling in love is not a part of that plan.
This story wasn't exactly what I was expecting. While I loved the side story about the Lords of Chaos...I wanted a tad bit more romance between Raphael and Iris. I felt like it was a bit hard to connect with them at times.
With that said, this story is still a solid read that will capture your attention. I've no doubt about that. The action, the suspense, the devastation that we face with this hero, it'll leave you stunned and your heart will hurt for this tormented hero.
Thank you so much Elizabeth Hoyt for writing such an incredible series! So sad to see it come to an end, but I've gotten some faves from this series and I'm happy about that.
_____________________________________________________________
It's time to meet Raphael, The Duke of Dyemore.
I'm so happy to have received a paperback arc for this book!
The scarred, dark, brooding hero...yep I need this book in my life!
Fingers crossed it's a goodie!
Maiden Lane Series:
Book 1: Wicked Intentions 4 stars
Book 2: Notorious Pleasures 5 Stars
Book 3: Scandalous Desires 5+++ Stars
Book 4: Thief of Shadows 5 Stars
Book 5: Lord of Darkness 4.5 stars
Book 6: Duke of Midnight 5+++ Stars
Book 7: Darling Beast 3.5 Stars
Book 8: Dearest Rogue 3.5 Stars
Book 9: Sweetest Scoundrel 3.5 Stars
Book 10: Duke of Sin 5 Stars
Book 11: Duke of Pleasure 4.5 Stars
Book 12: Duke of Desire 4 Stars
This has been one exciting series. I never would've thought historicals would take me on a such a ride. I clearly have my faves: Mickey, Winter and Maximus will always have a special place in my heart. Gosh those heroes!
I was over the moon excited about this newest book. The Duke of Dyemore is a scarred hero...literally. And I love nothing more than a bad boy, scarred, asshole duke. Raphael has had a traumatic past that's tied in with the evil group Lords of Chaos. His only goal is to bring them down even if it kills him and falling in love is not a part of that plan.
This story wasn't exactly what I was expecting. While I loved the side story about the Lords of Chaos...I wanted a tad bit more romance between Raphael and Iris. I felt like it was a bit hard to connect with them at times.
With that said, this story is still a solid read that will capture your attention. I've no doubt about that. The action, the suspense, the devastation that we face with this hero, it'll leave you stunned and your heart will hurt for this tormented hero.
Thank you so much Elizabeth Hoyt for writing such an incredible series! So sad to see it come to an end, but I've gotten some faves from this series and I'm happy about that.
_____________________________________________________________
It's time to meet Raphael, The Duke of Dyemore.
I'm so happy to have received a paperback arc for this book!
The scarred, dark, brooding hero...yep I need this book in my life!
Fingers crossed it's a goodie!
June 25, 2018
It's been one of those days. I've been binge reading EH's series. Thanks to my fellow Goodread friends who convinced me to continue on with the Maiden Lane series with Duke of Sin. While it wasn't my fav unlike many of the series' devoted fans, I am re-appreciating some of the other books later in the series, centered around the Lord of Chaos secret society.
I give this one 4.5 stars, which I rounded to 5. And here's why:
1) I love tortured heroes. Who doesn't?? They make for the most interesting characters, and the tortured heroes who overcome their demons demonstrate such courage and innate goodness that you can't help but fall in love with them in the process. Raphael is one such character. Between him and Valentine from Duke of Sin, he definitely had it worse. But he triumphed over the darkness in the end.
2) The loyal, strong heroine. Iris was attracted to him from the get-go, and I'm a fan of insta-lust if not insta-love. There's a rawness to EH's sex scenes, a gritty primitiveness that fogs up the Kindle, powers up fantasies (tho I think most of us might not encounter such primal sexuality in real life or we wouldn't be reading romances!! We'd be spending every waking moment with the source of that primal sexuality!). Iris knows what she wants, who she wants, and it doesn't take her long to figure it out. Bravo. I do like a woman who knows what she wants.
3) This one is a particular fetish of mine - the male virgin. Or if not a virgin, then someone not very prolific at the very least. Someone not so "easy." It's a treat for the heroine when she discovers him, and the treat for the reader vicariously.
Small complaint - the ending was rather abrupt. One moment he was ready to leave her forever (again) and the next, just because she prettily entreated him, he crumbles and gives in, to have their HEA. Hmmmmm... maybe she was up against a deadline and HAD to end it?? Too abrupt. Hence the minus half star.
Made me want to read more tho, so on to Duke of Pleasure! (in reverse order)
I give this one 4.5 stars, which I rounded to 5. And here's why:
1) I love tortured heroes. Who doesn't?? They make for the most interesting characters, and the tortured heroes who overcome their demons demonstrate such courage and innate goodness that you can't help but fall in love with them in the process. Raphael is one such character. Between him and Valentine from Duke of Sin, he definitely had it worse. But he triumphed over the darkness in the end.
2) The loyal, strong heroine. Iris was attracted to him from the get-go, and I'm a fan of insta-lust if not insta-love. There's a rawness to EH's sex scenes, a gritty primitiveness that fogs up the Kindle, powers up fantasies (tho I think most of us might not encounter such primal sexuality in real life or we wouldn't be reading romances!! We'd be spending every waking moment with the source of that primal sexuality!). Iris knows what she wants, who she wants, and it doesn't take her long to figure it out. Bravo. I do like a woman who knows what she wants.
3) This one is a particular fetish of mine - the male virgin. Or if not a virgin, then someone not very prolific at the very least. Someone not so "easy." It's a treat for the heroine when she discovers him, and the treat for the reader vicariously.
Small complaint - the ending was rather abrupt. One moment he was ready to leave her forever (again) and the next, just because she prettily entreated him, he crumbles and gives in, to have their HEA. Hmmmmm... maybe she was up against a deadline and HAD to end it?? Too abrupt. Hence the minus half star.
Made me want to read more tho, so on to Duke of Pleasure! (in reverse order)
October 19, 2017
Possible spoilers ahead
Raphael de Chartres, the new Duke of Dyemore since his father’s death in Duke of Sin, has come back to England to finally destroy the infamous Lords of Chaos, a secret society of degenerates who were led by his father for years and indulged in all sorts of unspeakable crimes against women and children. To do so, he has infiltrated said society, pretending to be one of them, and kill the new leader, the Dionysus whose real identity is unknown, even by the members of the Lords themselves.
The Dionysus and the rest of the Lords of Chaos, still holding a grudge against the Duke of Kyle (Hugh from Duke of Pleasure), abduct Lady Iris Jordan, falsely assuming she’s the new Duchess of Kyle. Raphael, who has met Iris at a ball months prior to the events with which this book starts, instantly realises the mistake and rescues Iris from the clutches of rapists and murderers. Not knowing Raphael’s real intentions, Iris shoots Raphael and seriously wounds him. So much so that he can’t do more to protect her identity and reputation, and proposes marriage. Being married to the Duke of Dyemore will assure security for Iris in the short run - until Raphael recuperates enough to strike again. And so begins the marriage of convenience between Raphael and Iris at the family seat, Dyemore Abbey. A place where Raphael experienced the most painful and shocking betrayal possible: the sexual abuse by his - up until then beloved - father.
Iris, who met her new husband only once at the ball in Duke of Pleasure, slowly comes to understand that Raphael is haunted by demons of his past whilst nursing him back to health,. What exactly it is, is revealed later. But she’s fascinated by this man she likens to Hades. Raphael, on the other hand, has always kept an eye on Iris ever since the ball, and upon learning that she didn’t marry the Duke of Kyle, is equally thrilled and appalled by the idea to call the woman he’s been fascinated with for months, his wife. She’s everything he is not. Where she has hopes for the future, Raphael can’t think beyond the destruction of the Lords of Chaos. Where she is light, he is darkness.
The story runs smoothly with the easiness I am accustomed to by Ms. Hoyt. Nothing is too flowery and – as always – there is a keen eye on the little details. From the surroundings, the fashion, the mannerisms to the ticks and quirks of the characters, the secondary characters included, thus creating a vivid picture of the time and the main protagonists. Taking the subject matter into account, there are only a few scenes that allow for some humorous relief, such as Raphael making it clear that he loathes tea in a manner that had me smiling. But Duke of Desire is Raphael’s story.
If Raphael is darkness and Iris his light, there’s no room for Iris to be anything but nigh angelic. She has an answer to almost everything, her patience endless, her positive outlook unwavering. And, sadly, that becomes dull very quickly. Now, I’m a reader who likes her characters flawed, something I can relate to, and watch them grow as the story moves along. Iris is a strong woman, knows what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to express her wishes. But she’s simply perfect. At the same I can’t fault her either, seeing that that’s what Raphael needs.
Raphael is deeply tortured, as one can imagine. And the shame, self-loathing and anger he displays is poignant and true. The panic attack, in particular, was difficult to stomach. Knowing what the trigger was, already imagining how the trigger was created, was one of the hardest scenes to read. There’s another scene, which I’ll not put in a spoiler, where I had to put the book aside for a few hours. Iris turns out to be probably his last chance to a normal life. But for that to happen, he must destroy the Lords of Chaos first.
There is a scene quite at the beginning of the book, told from Dionysus’ point of view during one of their despicable orgies that first night and it gives the reader a fairly good idea how far these men are willing to go to fulfil their ‘fantasies’. It’s neither graphic nor gratuitous, only two or three sentences. But Ms. Hoyt is too talented an author, her few words evoking the horror these men cause and it set the tone for me, and - along with additional scenes later – I could never shake it off.
This was my main problem with the book. It’s not only dark; it deals with child abuse and rape. And although I’ll be forever grateful for a childhood as carefree as possible, I still find it extremely difficult to read about it.
Ms. Hoyt doesn’t make light of it. To say so wouldn’t be true. The epilogue also makes it clear that Raphael – although having found happiness - will probably never truly heal. The Lords of Chaos story line has been going through the past 4-5 books, and if we didn’t know what these men were capable of, Valentine Napier and his kittens gave us a good glimpse already.
This is quite difficult to put into words. I love this author’s eloquent writing. That’s why I also said she was too talented an author. She doesn’t need to be graphic. But what is a praise for her talent, backfires at the same time. I remember reading Duke of Sin, having a grand time, loving every moment Val would open his mouth, grinning, laughing – until the ‘Kitten’ scene. All laughter was forgotten. Duke of Desire Is much darker, and as much as I tried, I couldn’t just simply go from being appalled to embracing the budding romance, which at times happened within the same scene. I must admit, I don’t think that the page count was enough to truly explore/solve the subject matter satisfactorily. But this topic actually never does. The only book that I can think of and which left me gobsmacked by how carefully this had been handled with, was J.R. Ward’s Lover Awakened.
The Maiden Lane series is not quite finished. There’s at least one novella still coming, if not two. I’m not sure about that. But definitely one novella. But - not being a big fan of novellas - as far as I am concerned, the series has come to an end. I am equally relieved and saddened at this point. Relieved because the last few books were running out of steam, shorter, with less time to explore the characters. And saddened because it ended on such a dark note. I wish the author had switched Duke of Pleasure and Duke of Desire around. At the end, Hugh helps Raphael bring the Lords of Chaos down, anyway.
At the same time, I am also glad because I am already looking forward to Ms. Hoyt’s new stories. I neither really liked nor disliked Duke of Desire, and though, I may have ranted about Duke of Pleasure, this author is still miles better than most HR authors, even the established and very popular ones, in my opinion.
On this note: Go, go, Ms. Hoyt, and thanks for the entertainment you’ve given me and the laughter, the wonderfully steamy sexy times, for Griffin, Godric, Meg, Asa and Eve, Val and Bridget, and all the others I haven’t mentioned.
Raphael de Chartres, the new Duke of Dyemore since his father’s death in Duke of Sin, has come back to England to finally destroy the infamous Lords of Chaos, a secret society of degenerates who were led by his father for years and indulged in all sorts of unspeakable crimes against women and children. To do so, he has infiltrated said society, pretending to be one of them, and kill the new leader, the Dionysus whose real identity is unknown, even by the members of the Lords themselves.
The Dionysus and the rest of the Lords of Chaos, still holding a grudge against the Duke of Kyle (Hugh from Duke of Pleasure), abduct Lady Iris Jordan, falsely assuming she’s the new Duchess of Kyle. Raphael, who has met Iris at a ball months prior to the events with which this book starts, instantly realises the mistake and rescues Iris from the clutches of rapists and murderers. Not knowing Raphael’s real intentions, Iris shoots Raphael and seriously wounds him. So much so that he can’t do more to protect her identity and reputation, and proposes marriage. Being married to the Duke of Dyemore will assure security for Iris in the short run - until Raphael recuperates enough to strike again. And so begins the marriage of convenience between Raphael and Iris at the family seat, Dyemore Abbey. A place where Raphael experienced the most painful and shocking betrayal possible: the sexual abuse by his - up until then beloved - father.
Iris, who met her new husband only once at the ball in Duke of Pleasure, slowly comes to understand that Raphael is haunted by demons of his past whilst nursing him back to health,. What exactly it is, is revealed later. But she’s fascinated by this man she likens to Hades. Raphael, on the other hand, has always kept an eye on Iris ever since the ball, and upon learning that she didn’t marry the Duke of Kyle, is equally thrilled and appalled by the idea to call the woman he’s been fascinated with for months, his wife. She’s everything he is not. Where she has hopes for the future, Raphael can’t think beyond the destruction of the Lords of Chaos. Where she is light, he is darkness.
The story runs smoothly with the easiness I am accustomed to by Ms. Hoyt. Nothing is too flowery and – as always – there is a keen eye on the little details. From the surroundings, the fashion, the mannerisms to the ticks and quirks of the characters, the secondary characters included, thus creating a vivid picture of the time and the main protagonists. Taking the subject matter into account, there are only a few scenes that allow for some humorous relief, such as Raphael making it clear that he loathes tea in a manner that had me smiling. But Duke of Desire is Raphael’s story.
If Raphael is darkness and Iris his light, there’s no room for Iris to be anything but nigh angelic. She has an answer to almost everything, her patience endless, her positive outlook unwavering. And, sadly, that becomes dull very quickly. Now, I’m a reader who likes her characters flawed, something I can relate to, and watch them grow as the story moves along. Iris is a strong woman, knows what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to express her wishes. But she’s simply perfect. At the same I can’t fault her either, seeing that that’s what Raphael needs.
Raphael is deeply tortured, as one can imagine. And the shame, self-loathing and anger he displays is poignant and true. The panic attack, in particular, was difficult to stomach. Knowing what the trigger was, already imagining how the trigger was created, was one of the hardest scenes to read. There’s another scene, which I’ll not put in a spoiler, where I had to put the book aside for a few hours. Iris turns out to be probably his last chance to a normal life. But for that to happen, he must destroy the Lords of Chaos first.
There is a scene quite at the beginning of the book, told from Dionysus’ point of view during one of their despicable orgies that first night and it gives the reader a fairly good idea how far these men are willing to go to fulfil their ‘fantasies’. It’s neither graphic nor gratuitous, only two or three sentences. But Ms. Hoyt is too talented an author, her few words evoking the horror these men cause and it set the tone for me, and - along with additional scenes later – I could never shake it off.
This was my main problem with the book. It’s not only dark; it deals with child abuse and rape. And although I’ll be forever grateful for a childhood as carefree as possible, I still find it extremely difficult to read about it.
Ms. Hoyt doesn’t make light of it. To say so wouldn’t be true. The epilogue also makes it clear that Raphael – although having found happiness - will probably never truly heal. The Lords of Chaos story line has been going through the past 4-5 books, and if we didn’t know what these men were capable of, Valentine Napier and his kittens gave us a good glimpse already.
This is quite difficult to put into words. I love this author’s eloquent writing. That’s why I also said she was too talented an author. She doesn’t need to be graphic. But what is a praise for her talent, backfires at the same time. I remember reading Duke of Sin, having a grand time, loving every moment Val would open his mouth, grinning, laughing – until the ‘Kitten’ scene. All laughter was forgotten. Duke of Desire Is much darker, and as much as I tried, I couldn’t just simply go from being appalled to embracing the budding romance, which at times happened within the same scene. I must admit, I don’t think that the page count was enough to truly explore/solve the subject matter satisfactorily. But this topic actually never does. The only book that I can think of and which left me gobsmacked by how carefully this had been handled with, was J.R. Ward’s Lover Awakened.
The Maiden Lane series is not quite finished. There’s at least one novella still coming, if not two. I’m not sure about that. But definitely one novella. But - not being a big fan of novellas - as far as I am concerned, the series has come to an end. I am equally relieved and saddened at this point. Relieved because the last few books were running out of steam, shorter, with less time to explore the characters. And saddened because it ended on such a dark note. I wish the author had switched Duke of Pleasure and Duke of Desire around. At the end, Hugh helps Raphael bring the Lords of Chaos down, anyway.
At the same time, I am also glad because I am already looking forward to Ms. Hoyt’s new stories. I neither really liked nor disliked Duke of Desire, and though, I may have ranted about Duke of Pleasure, this author is still miles better than most HR authors, even the established and very popular ones, in my opinion.
On this note: Go, go, Ms. Hoyt, and thanks for the entertainment you’ve given me and the laughter, the wonderfully steamy sexy times, for Griffin, Godric, Meg, Asa and Eve, Val and Bridget, and all the others I haven’t mentioned.
December 17, 2017
I'm sorry to see the Maiden Lane series end because I have enjoyed all eleven of the previous installments. I cannot say that I enjoyed this one though.
Yes, there is Elizabeth Hoyt's gothic atmospherics, deft plotting, and excellent pacing, as well as her outstanding characterization. She is a first-rate writer. If the danger and adventure had come from a group of evil men who were, say, French spies or jewel thieves, I imagine I would have enjoyed the book.
The villains, however, are a group of aristocrats who kidnap, torture, and rape women and children for their own entertainment. The book opens with one of their midnight orgies out in the countryside, and Iris is the chosen victim. Her ordeal is horrifying, until Raphael the Duke of Dyemore rescues her and takes her to his gloomy home in an old abbey. Dyemore's late father had been the Lords leader, but Dyemore has joined the group in order to sabotage and put an end to it.
There is a romance between the two, but Iris turns out to be a rather bland character, while Dyemore is so scarred by his childhood trauma that it seems impossible that ever will be normal. Their lives are constantly in danger because the Lords have sworn to kill them both. On the one hand, I found the Lords to be almost laughable, what with their masks and feuds and standing around naked to perform their paganish rituals. On the other hand, though, they were grown, presumably responsible gentlemen, with every right and privilege known to man, and they were rapists, torturers, and murderers.
Elizabeth Hoyt doesn't spare the details, and in a way, I admire her for that. It was just too dark for me, and I found it jarring to switch from discussions of child abuse to hot sexual encounters between Iris and Dyemore. So here is my complaint in a nutshell -- too little romance; too much horror.
Finally, I was hoping for a brighter conclusion to the series, perhaps with some of the characters from earlier stories appearing, or at least being discussed. I admit that in a series this long it would be hard to do that and work in a new romance at the same time, and the whole thing would amount to just one giant epilogue. So I was a bit disappointed.
I was given an advance review copy of this book by the author, and as you can tell, that did not affect my rating, but I am grateful for her generosity.
Yes, there is Elizabeth Hoyt's gothic atmospherics, deft plotting, and excellent pacing, as well as her outstanding characterization. She is a first-rate writer. If the danger and adventure had come from a group of evil men who were, say, French spies or jewel thieves, I imagine I would have enjoyed the book.
The villains, however, are a group of aristocrats who kidnap, torture, and rape women and children for their own entertainment. The book opens with one of their midnight orgies out in the countryside, and Iris is the chosen victim. Her ordeal is horrifying, until Raphael the Duke of Dyemore rescues her and takes her to his gloomy home in an old abbey. Dyemore's late father had been the Lords leader, but Dyemore has joined the group in order to sabotage and put an end to it.
There is a romance between the two, but Iris turns out to be a rather bland character, while Dyemore is so scarred by his childhood trauma that it seems impossible that ever will be normal. Their lives are constantly in danger because the Lords have sworn to kill them both. On the one hand, I found the Lords to be almost laughable, what with their masks and feuds and standing around naked to perform their paganish rituals. On the other hand, though, they were grown, presumably responsible gentlemen, with every right and privilege known to man, and they were rapists, torturers, and murderers.
Elizabeth Hoyt doesn't spare the details, and in a way, I admire her for that. It was just too dark for me, and I found it jarring to switch from discussions of child abuse to hot sexual encounters between Iris and Dyemore. So here is my complaint in a nutshell -- too little romance; too much horror.
Finally, I was hoping for a brighter conclusion to the series, perhaps with some of the characters from earlier stories appearing, or at least being discussed. I admit that in a series this long it would be hard to do that and work in a new romance at the same time, and the whole thing would amount to just one giant epilogue. So I was a bit disappointed.
I was given an advance review copy of this book by the author, and as you can tell, that did not affect my rating, but I am grateful for her generosity.
October 26, 2017
Maybe it was unfair to expect anything to live up to my last read, it could be argued nothing really stood a chance no matter what I picked up, but also.. uh.. this was really not enjoyable? It felt the least Maiden Lane-y of all the series. We get a pretty brief/minor appearance of one of the characters from the last book (and not even my favourite one) but otherwise it was full of more Lords of Chaos doom and gloom without any of the fun.
Both leads were a pretty big disappointment, though kudos to Hoyt on giving both the male and the villain these backstories, and some of the story felt disjointed. I'm super sad that this is the end and that I'm left with this feeling after everything. Which is, generally, disappointed. Though new to the author's writing, I have loved this series, even if some of the books along the way were [insert sound of record screeching here], and really hoped it would have gone out with a bang instead of a mewl. I'm mixing metaphors. But you get it.
At this point I'm now pinning a lot of hopes on the novellas that follows this -- even if the series is technically over -- to recapture the glory of St Giles and the legacy of all these wonderful characters. No pressure though.
Both leads were a pretty big disappointment, though kudos to Hoyt on giving both the male and the villain these backstories, and some of the story felt disjointed. I'm super sad that this is the end and that I'm left with this feeling after everything. Which is, generally, disappointed. Though new to the author's writing, I have loved this series, even if some of the books along the way were [insert sound of record screeching here], and really hoped it would have gone out with a bang instead of a mewl. I'm mixing metaphors. But you get it.
At this point I'm now pinning a lot of hopes on the novellas that follows this -- even if the series is technically over -- to recapture the glory of St Giles and the legacy of all these wonderful characters. No pressure though.
September 25, 2023
Hmmmm why was this written? Like genuinely why? I didn’t mind a lot of this book but I’m also like why was THIS the conclusion?? It got very dark—which isn’t something I’m inherently opposed to—but the villain wasn’t satisfying for a plethora of reasons. The real villain (his father) was killed in an earlier book which took some wind out of my sails. This villain just made me sad. Parts of the relationship were also extremely messy but I did enjoy them as a couple by the end.
The only reason I’m giving this 3 and not 2 is bc I wasn’t enraged like I was during other books in this series…but it’s a pretty low bar. Also at the beginning there’s a note saying that if this is your first book in the series to buckle up and I’m like??? Dear GOD if you’re reading this review and are like hmm should I read this before any other book in the series?? NO PLEASE don’t do that start with book one you innocent angel.
The only reason I’m giving this 3 and not 2 is bc I wasn’t enraged like I was during other books in this series…but it’s a pretty low bar. Also at the beginning there’s a note saying that if this is your first book in the series to buckle up and I’m like??? Dear GOD if you’re reading this review and are like hmm should I read this before any other book in the series?? NO PLEASE don’t do that start with book one you innocent angel.
May 26, 2024
Review from 2017
I've given this a B for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals.
All good things must come to an end, and here we are, at the end (almost – I think there are a couple of novellas to follow) of Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series with the twelfth and final full-length novel, Duke of Desire. I’ve read some of the novels and listened to others (and in many cases, done both) and there’s no doubt that Ms. Hoyt has maintained an incredibly high standard of storytelling throughout the series, gifting us with some wonderful stories, plenty of action and adventure, a group of memorable characters – gorgeous, sexy heroes to sigh over and their equally gorgeous and sexy ladies to envy – and her own brand of steamy, earthy and heartfelt romance.
Duke of Desire brings us all of those things, although I’ll say now that anyone expecting a big reunion between all the protagonists from the other eleven books is going to be disappointed, because this isn’t that sort of story, and in fact, I’m glad of it. To have brought back all the earlier heroes and heroines would have been too much and actually, rather implausible, and I’m glad that this book concentrates on a new hero and heroine and gives them their chance to shine.
At the end of the previous book, Duke of Pleasure , Iris, Lady Jordan was abducted from the wedding of her friend, the Duke of Kyle. Days later, she finds herself in the middle of some sort of Bacchanalian revel, surrounded by men wearing animal masks – and nothing else – who are intent on using her as a sacrifice. When a chance of escape presents itself, Iris immediately takes it and, still in fear for her life, shoots the man whom, she later learns, had actually been trying to rescue her. He reveals himself (well, his face anyway!) to be Raphael de Chartres, Duke of Dyemore, and explains that he has infiltrated the secret society, the Lords of Chaos, with the intention of exposing their identities and putting an end, once and for all, to their depraved practices. Listeners to earlier books in the series will recall that Dyemore’s father had once been a leader of the Lords, and that in Duke of Pleasure, the Duke of Kyle had been charged by the king to bring down the society and had almost succeeded.
Raphael is badly wounded and instructs his coachman to make for Dyemore Abbey, the home at which he spends as little time as possible because of the horrible memories that await him there. But it’s close and he needs time to recover before he faces the Lords again; he can’t afford to show any weakness if he is to protect Iris from them while he figures out his next move… which, he quickly decides, is to make her his wife. Raphael is surrounded by a group of fiercely loyal servants from Corsica who will defend him to the death, and such loyalty and devotion will automatically be extended to Iris if she is his duchess. With everything happening so quickly, and the threat to her safety a very real one, Iris can’t see any other alternative and agrees, even though this is certainly not the way she’d envisaged ending her widowhood.
The story this revolves around two different elements; Raphael’s self-imposed mission to expose the identities of the Lords of Chaos – a secret society so secret that even its members don’t know each other’s identities –and the developing relationship between Iris and Raphael, which certainly has a lot of obstacles to overcome. Duke of Desire goes to some pretty dark places and the conflict in the relationship arises because Iris had hoped, after a loveless first marriage, to find love and create a family while Raphael, who has been emotionally crippled as the result of terrible childhood trauma, regards himself as the progeny of a monster and has no wish to pass on his tainted genes.
It’s clear from early on that Raphael has been more than half in love with Iris since he first met her, even though he doesn’t realise it. He wants her desperately but refuses to bed her – not only because he doesn’t want to risk creating a child, but because he doesn’t want the intimacy it will likely engender and because he believes he doesn’t deserve to be happy. Iris is most certainly physically attracted to her darkly brooding, sexy husband and is bewildered when he makes it clear that even though he intends to sleep beside her he doesn’t intend to do anything else in bed with her.
But Iris isn’t prepared to forego the things she wants most from life without good reason; she challenges Raphael to allow her to care for him and love him – and to tell her the truths she knows he is holding back. He stubbornly refuses to let her in, fearing he will lose her once she knows what a disgusting creature she has married, and unwilling to taint her by sharing such dark and horrible secrets with her. And while Raphael and Iris are struggling with the nature of their feelings for one another and with the seemingly unsurmountable gulf lying between them, Raphael is getting closer to discovering the identity of the Dionysus – the leader of the Lords of Chaos – and putting an end to the group and its depraved activities once and for all.
Duke of Desire is an intense and gripping story that is firmly focused on the progression of the central relationship while also picking up threads from the previous two books and wrapping them up. I admit that I’m not wild about the “You are so pure; I will not sully you with my filthiness” thing that Raphael has going on, but I enjoyed the story overall even though, as I said earlier, it is quite dark in places, possibly the darkest of all the books in the series. Raphael is a deeply traumatised man, and while he does eventually allow Iris to break through his barriers, it’s clear that he still has a way to go and a lot of adjustments to make if he is to come out the other side. But it’s also clear that with the woman he loves by his side, he’s going to get there.
Ashford McNab has been the voice of Maiden Lane for ten of the twelve books in the series, and while I’ve had some issues with certain aspects of her performances, for the most part, I’ve enjoyed her work. Her pacing is a little on the slow side – but not overly so – and she has a habit of overdoing the dramatic pauses, but her narrations are always very expressive and well-acted. She adopts age and station appropriate vocal characterisations for the female characters – in this book, that’s just Iris and a couple of Raphael’s Corsican servants, who are given appropriately European sounding accents. But as I’ve said before, her heroes are less well-rendered; they tend to have an ‘Eeyore-ish’ quality about them, a nasal drawl that isn’t especially attractive (and they all sound the same), and Ms. McNab’s repertoire of male voices in general is quite limited. There are several male speaking roles in this story, and while the Corsican servants are differentiated by accent, the listener will sometimes need to rely on dialogue tags to work out which of the other male characters is speaking. Ultimately, however, none of those things interfered with my enjoyment of the story to any great degree, and I’m sure fans of the series will be pleased with this final instalment.
Duke of Desire is a well-written, compelling story featuring a couple of captivating central characters, a steamy romance and an intriguing plot. Ms. Hoyt has done us proud over the last few years in creating such an enthralling set of stories, and I’m looking forward to whatever she comes up with next.
I've given this a B for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals.
All good things must come to an end, and here we are, at the end (almost – I think there are a couple of novellas to follow) of Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series with the twelfth and final full-length novel, Duke of Desire. I’ve read some of the novels and listened to others (and in many cases, done both) and there’s no doubt that Ms. Hoyt has maintained an incredibly high standard of storytelling throughout the series, gifting us with some wonderful stories, plenty of action and adventure, a group of memorable characters – gorgeous, sexy heroes to sigh over and their equally gorgeous and sexy ladies to envy – and her own brand of steamy, earthy and heartfelt romance.
Duke of Desire brings us all of those things, although I’ll say now that anyone expecting a big reunion between all the protagonists from the other eleven books is going to be disappointed, because this isn’t that sort of story, and in fact, I’m glad of it. To have brought back all the earlier heroes and heroines would have been too much and actually, rather implausible, and I’m glad that this book concentrates on a new hero and heroine and gives them their chance to shine.
At the end of the previous book, Duke of Pleasure , Iris, Lady Jordan was abducted from the wedding of her friend, the Duke of Kyle. Days later, she finds herself in the middle of some sort of Bacchanalian revel, surrounded by men wearing animal masks – and nothing else – who are intent on using her as a sacrifice. When a chance of escape presents itself, Iris immediately takes it and, still in fear for her life, shoots the man whom, she later learns, had actually been trying to rescue her. He reveals himself (well, his face anyway!) to be Raphael de Chartres, Duke of Dyemore, and explains that he has infiltrated the secret society, the Lords of Chaos, with the intention of exposing their identities and putting an end, once and for all, to their depraved practices. Listeners to earlier books in the series will recall that Dyemore’s father had once been a leader of the Lords, and that in Duke of Pleasure, the Duke of Kyle had been charged by the king to bring down the society and had almost succeeded.
Raphael is badly wounded and instructs his coachman to make for Dyemore Abbey, the home at which he spends as little time as possible because of the horrible memories that await him there. But it’s close and he needs time to recover before he faces the Lords again; he can’t afford to show any weakness if he is to protect Iris from them while he figures out his next move… which, he quickly decides, is to make her his wife. Raphael is surrounded by a group of fiercely loyal servants from Corsica who will defend him to the death, and such loyalty and devotion will automatically be extended to Iris if she is his duchess. With everything happening so quickly, and the threat to her safety a very real one, Iris can’t see any other alternative and agrees, even though this is certainly not the way she’d envisaged ending her widowhood.
The story this revolves around two different elements; Raphael’s self-imposed mission to expose the identities of the Lords of Chaos – a secret society so secret that even its members don’t know each other’s identities –and the developing relationship between Iris and Raphael, which certainly has a lot of obstacles to overcome. Duke of Desire goes to some pretty dark places and the conflict in the relationship arises because Iris had hoped, after a loveless first marriage, to find love and create a family while Raphael, who has been emotionally crippled as the result of terrible childhood trauma, regards himself as the progeny of a monster and has no wish to pass on his tainted genes.
It’s clear from early on that Raphael has been more than half in love with Iris since he first met her, even though he doesn’t realise it. He wants her desperately but refuses to bed her – not only because he doesn’t want to risk creating a child, but because he doesn’t want the intimacy it will likely engender and because he believes he doesn’t deserve to be happy. Iris is most certainly physically attracted to her darkly brooding, sexy husband and is bewildered when he makes it clear that even though he intends to sleep beside her he doesn’t intend to do anything else in bed with her.
But Iris isn’t prepared to forego the things she wants most from life without good reason; she challenges Raphael to allow her to care for him and love him – and to tell her the truths she knows he is holding back. He stubbornly refuses to let her in, fearing he will lose her once she knows what a disgusting creature she has married, and unwilling to taint her by sharing such dark and horrible secrets with her. And while Raphael and Iris are struggling with the nature of their feelings for one another and with the seemingly unsurmountable gulf lying between them, Raphael is getting closer to discovering the identity of the Dionysus – the leader of the Lords of Chaos – and putting an end to the group and its depraved activities once and for all.
Duke of Desire is an intense and gripping story that is firmly focused on the progression of the central relationship while also picking up threads from the previous two books and wrapping them up. I admit that I’m not wild about the “You are so pure; I will not sully you with my filthiness” thing that Raphael has going on, but I enjoyed the story overall even though, as I said earlier, it is quite dark in places, possibly the darkest of all the books in the series. Raphael is a deeply traumatised man, and while he does eventually allow Iris to break through his barriers, it’s clear that he still has a way to go and a lot of adjustments to make if he is to come out the other side. But it’s also clear that with the woman he loves by his side, he’s going to get there.
Ashford McNab has been the voice of Maiden Lane for ten of the twelve books in the series, and while I’ve had some issues with certain aspects of her performances, for the most part, I’ve enjoyed her work. Her pacing is a little on the slow side – but not overly so – and she has a habit of overdoing the dramatic pauses, but her narrations are always very expressive and well-acted. She adopts age and station appropriate vocal characterisations for the female characters – in this book, that’s just Iris and a couple of Raphael’s Corsican servants, who are given appropriately European sounding accents. But as I’ve said before, her heroes are less well-rendered; they tend to have an ‘Eeyore-ish’ quality about them, a nasal drawl that isn’t especially attractive (and they all sound the same), and Ms. McNab’s repertoire of male voices in general is quite limited. There are several male speaking roles in this story, and while the Corsican servants are differentiated by accent, the listener will sometimes need to rely on dialogue tags to work out which of the other male characters is speaking. Ultimately, however, none of those things interfered with my enjoyment of the story to any great degree, and I’m sure fans of the series will be pleased with this final instalment.
Duke of Desire is a well-written, compelling story featuring a couple of captivating central characters, a steamy romance and an intriguing plot. Ms. Hoyt has done us proud over the last few years in creating such an enthralling set of stories, and I’m looking forward to whatever she comes up with next.
October 5, 2017
This one is all Lords of Chaos. No Ghost, and no Maiden Lane/St. Giles. Although the LOC were supposedly defeated in the last book, they are back; and stronger and more evil than ever. I found the story to be uneven at best. The romance was bogged down by erotic escapades, the H had a lot of psychological damage, and the atrocities by the LOC were enough to turn the stomach. It was bad enough for the women who were sexually assaulted; but the abuse of the little boys by the group was unthinkable.
All in all, I wish this particular storyline had not been saved for the end of the series. I just felt like it beat down the reader's emotionally and was high on the 'ick' factor. It would have been nice to end the series with a story that said goodbye to the characters and the world in a more pleasant fashion; one that didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth...and especially one that I enjoyed reading more.
All in all, I wish this particular storyline had not been saved for the end of the series. I just felt like it beat down the reader's emotionally and was high on the 'ick' factor. It would have been nice to end the series with a story that said goodbye to the characters and the world in a more pleasant fashion; one that didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth...and especially one that I enjoyed reading more.
July 1, 2022
Reseña completa: https://masromance.blogspot.com/2022/...
¡Terminada la serie! Ni yo misma me lo creo
No puedo decir que haya terminado por todo lo alto. Ha sido una lectura muy entretenida, pero llena de tópicos que me han dejado un poco plaf.
Raphael de Chartres prometía mucho, pero al final, esa prometida frialdad y maldad me ha sabido a poco. Otro hombre atormentado al que se puede entender, pero del que la autora no explica demasiado. Su pasado es tremendo, pero la evolución del personaje es demasiado brusca y todo lo que insiste e insiste da un giro de 360º en 5 páginas.
Iris es más constante y me ha convencido su valentía, pero sigo preguntándome qué es lo que le enamora de Raphael.
Su relación ha empezado muy bien pero luego queda diluida y enmascarada por la persecución y desmantelamiento de una asociación de maldades de la que, al final, todo queda también muy simplón.
Del malo, demasiadas pistas, a la mitad del libro ya se puede intuir por dónde irán los temas.
En general, una lectura muy entretenida, pero que creo que daba para mucho más y la autora al final no se mete de lleno en ninguno de los temas que podrían resultar más interesantes y todo queda cerrado de forma demasiado sencilla.
Aun así, una serie muy recomendable, algunos son una delicia
¡Terminada la serie! Ni yo misma me lo creo
No puedo decir que haya terminado por todo lo alto. Ha sido una lectura muy entretenida, pero llena de tópicos que me han dejado un poco plaf.
Raphael de Chartres prometía mucho, pero al final, esa prometida frialdad y maldad me ha sabido a poco. Otro hombre atormentado al que se puede entender, pero del que la autora no explica demasiado. Su pasado es tremendo, pero la evolución del personaje es demasiado brusca y todo lo que insiste e insiste da un giro de 360º en 5 páginas.
Iris es más constante y me ha convencido su valentía, pero sigo preguntándome qué es lo que le enamora de Raphael.
Su relación ha empezado muy bien pero luego queda diluida y enmascarada por la persecución y desmantelamiento de una asociación de maldades de la que, al final, todo queda también muy simplón.
Del malo, demasiadas pistas, a la mitad del libro ya se puede intuir por dónde irán los temas.
En general, una lectura muy entretenida, pero que creo que daba para mucho más y la autora al final no se mete de lleno en ninguno de los temas que podrían resultar más interesantes y todo queda cerrado de forma demasiado sencilla.
Aun así, una serie muy recomendable, algunos son una delicia
April 15, 2021
Thus was a fantastic conclusion to the series. I have loved my time in the streets of St. Giles! This hero was so damaged, had been through so much trauma. And the heroine remained so hopeful for a happy family with him, never giving up on their love.
Just incredible. What a ride!
Just incredible. What a ride!
November 2, 2017
Iris Jordan finds herself in the middle of the Lords of Chaos latest diabolical plan when they mistake her for the Duke of Kyle’s wife and kidnap her. Lucky for her Raphael is there, trying to infiltrate their horrid group rescues her from rape, torture, and possibly death. These men are despicable! Unaware of Raphael’s true intentions, Iris shoots Raphael as he’s trying to get her to safety. Ooops!
Snatching Iris away from the Lords of Chaos as his own was no easy task. To continue the deception Raphael realizes he must marry her to keep her safe. Which is in no way a hardship since he’s longed for Iris from afar for quite some time now. Unfortunately, Raphael believes his tainted line must die with him and, so he plans on the marriage to be in name only. Poor Raphael.
Iris has met Raphael before, they shared a dance and she was fascinated and maybe a little afraid of the man. Just being next to him felt dangerous and thrilling, but she never counted on marrying him! As they get to know each other well in a short period of time, she hopes their marriage can be a love match after all. Raphael may feel responsible for the sins of his father, but Iris has other ideas for the two of them. She’s drawn to him and she knows he’s attracted to her even though he fights it every step of the way. Can she dispel his fears? Add to their dilemmas are the Lords of Chaos scheming to take them out for good.
Iris and Raphael had some obstacles to overcome with their romance, and I loved their journey! Raphael had damage from the past, but Iris was determined to help him to see the light, and prove he was someone worthy of love and happiness. My heart ached for Raphael, so I was happy he had Iris to help with his dark times. Raphael couldn’t resist his desire for Iris and every time they were alone they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Lusty, heated encounters between them crumbled Raphael’s resolve a little more each time.
Duke of Desire was full of passion, peril, and conflicted emotion, but wrapped up so very sweetly! I’ve read and loved the Maiden Lane series, so I’m sorry that this is the last book! Elizabeth Hoyt’s beautiful writing made this series come alive; exciting and daring, making each book a thrilling read! I’m anxious to find out what she plans next!
A copy was kindly provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Snatching Iris away from the Lords of Chaos as his own was no easy task. To continue the deception Raphael realizes he must marry her to keep her safe. Which is in no way a hardship since he’s longed for Iris from afar for quite some time now. Unfortunately, Raphael believes his tainted line must die with him and, so he plans on the marriage to be in name only. Poor Raphael.
Iris has met Raphael before, they shared a dance and she was fascinated and maybe a little afraid of the man. Just being next to him felt dangerous and thrilling, but she never counted on marrying him! As they get to know each other well in a short period of time, she hopes their marriage can be a love match after all. Raphael may feel responsible for the sins of his father, but Iris has other ideas for the two of them. She’s drawn to him and she knows he’s attracted to her even though he fights it every step of the way. Can she dispel his fears? Add to their dilemmas are the Lords of Chaos scheming to take them out for good.
Iris and Raphael had some obstacles to overcome with their romance, and I loved their journey! Raphael had damage from the past, but Iris was determined to help him to see the light, and prove he was someone worthy of love and happiness. My heart ached for Raphael, so I was happy he had Iris to help with his dark times. Raphael couldn’t resist his desire for Iris and every time they were alone they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Lusty, heated encounters between them crumbled Raphael’s resolve a little more each time.
Duke of Desire was full of passion, peril, and conflicted emotion, but wrapped up so very sweetly! I’ve read and loved the Maiden Lane series, so I’m sorry that this is the last book! Elizabeth Hoyt’s beautiful writing made this series come alive; exciting and daring, making each book a thrilling read! I’m anxious to find out what she plans next!
A copy was kindly provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2023
What a disappointing, mediocre ending to an amazing series.
Reread: adjusted from five to three stars.
Don’t start the series here, and if you skip this one, you aren’t missing much. There is no recap or revisiting of any fave characters in the series, only the one from the previous book appears (the Duke of Kyle and he’s a dud anyway). This book honestly doesn’t need to exist.
I will add more later about the badgering, baby crazy heroine and dark yet unsatisfying hero arc, but I don’t feel like it right now.
Reread: adjusted from five to three stars.
Don’t start the series here, and if you skip this one, you aren’t missing much. There is no recap or revisiting of any fave characters in the series, only the one from the previous book appears (the Duke of Kyle and he’s a dud anyway). This book honestly doesn’t need to exist.
I will add more later about the badgering, baby crazy heroine and dark yet unsatisfying hero arc, but I don’t feel like it right now.
October 18, 2017
If you are current with this series, you know all about the Lords of Chaos and their dark, horrible, abusive ways. If you are new or not up to date with this series, you can easily read this one as a stand alone. The Lords of Chaos are a clandestine group of men, who wear masks and torture, rape, kill and abuse women and children. They are after power and money – and obviously other things as well. This group has been the “villain” for a couple of books now, and it all comes to a dramatic climax in Duke of Desire.
Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore unfortunately knows all too well what the Lords of Chaos can do. His father was once their leader. He was initiated at the tender age of twelve. Unspeakable acts were done to him which changed his life forever. Althogh he was initiated, he didn’t join this ugly group. Instead, he found himself going to Corsica to stay with family and mature into an adult. Now with his father dead and Raphael inheriting the title, he is back in England, surly and scarred. No one knows how he got the scar that runs down the side of his face but people fear him. He is cold and a recluse. He lives in a dark abbey surrounded by his Corsican servants, and one thing on his mind – to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and bring them down. To murder their leader and end all of their horrible acts. He joins them undercover and is just getting them to trust him, when they kidnap our heroine Lady Iris Jordan, who was returning from a wedding. Raphael had met Iris once before and never forgot her. Pretending he wants to kill her, he whisks her away to his carriage, promising the other men that he will follow through and murder her himself (although obviously secretly getting her to safety) Iris thinks he really is a bad guy, and finds a pistol in the carriage and shoots him! I do love when a heroine shoots the hero. Well done, Iris.
Once on the road, she realizes he is actually saving her – oopsie – and they rush to now save him and his bleeding shoulder wound. Knowing the Lords will be after Iris, and knowing he is badly injured, he makes Iris marry him that night, to make sure she has his protection, and the trust of his loyal Corsican servants (who are fighters). Iris, who had been kidnapped, told she would burn to death, and then kidnapped again, can barely think straight, and agrees to the marriage.
From here, these two get to know one another. Raphael is a complicated man. Since his father was so evil, he feels like he has his father’s evil blood running through his veins. Iris sparks interest in him – as she is not a wilting flower. She is mature, and sure of herself, and can handle herself in a crisis. He enjoys arguing with her and conversing with her and knows that his body, even with his scar, turns her on. But the thought of sullying her with his tainted blood makes him try to avoid anything physical with her. Iris won’t have it. She longs for companionship after her previous elderly husband died. She wants to understand Raphael and his dark past. She wants to stand beside him in their marriage. She also really wants to explore his cock. (hey – those were her words).
As I said, the Lords of Chaos add a very dark undertone to this book. It has Hoyt’s usual steaminess in the romance department, with great sexual tension. Raphael has a raspy voice, and is cold nature leads to some very passionate kisses – and beyond.
“God’s blood, woman, how much control do you think I have?” he whispered, his clove-scented breath brushing her face. “You must think me a saint by the way you harangue me despite my warnings. Listen and listen well: I am no saint.”
“But I don’t need a saint,” she breathed, her voice trembling. “I don’t want a saint. I want you.”
“God forgive me,” he snarled, and pulled her to his mouth.
Iris is eager to explore her new husband, and pry into his past. But his past is very dark too. I feel like the subject matter was handled well, and Hoyt didn’t hold back to show just how horrible the acts were.
Marriage of convenience? Check. Beauty and the beast trope? Check. Adventure and a sexy romance? Check.
Really enjoyed this one
Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore unfortunately knows all too well what the Lords of Chaos can do. His father was once their leader. He was initiated at the tender age of twelve. Unspeakable acts were done to him which changed his life forever. Althogh he was initiated, he didn’t join this ugly group. Instead, he found himself going to Corsica to stay with family and mature into an adult. Now with his father dead and Raphael inheriting the title, he is back in England, surly and scarred. No one knows how he got the scar that runs down the side of his face but people fear him. He is cold and a recluse. He lives in a dark abbey surrounded by his Corsican servants, and one thing on his mind – to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and bring them down. To murder their leader and end all of their horrible acts. He joins them undercover and is just getting them to trust him, when they kidnap our heroine Lady Iris Jordan, who was returning from a wedding. Raphael had met Iris once before and never forgot her. Pretending he wants to kill her, he whisks her away to his carriage, promising the other men that he will follow through and murder her himself (although obviously secretly getting her to safety) Iris thinks he really is a bad guy, and finds a pistol in the carriage and shoots him! I do love when a heroine shoots the hero. Well done, Iris.
Once on the road, she realizes he is actually saving her – oopsie – and they rush to now save him and his bleeding shoulder wound. Knowing the Lords will be after Iris, and knowing he is badly injured, he makes Iris marry him that night, to make sure she has his protection, and the trust of his loyal Corsican servants (who are fighters). Iris, who had been kidnapped, told she would burn to death, and then kidnapped again, can barely think straight, and agrees to the marriage.
From here, these two get to know one another. Raphael is a complicated man. Since his father was so evil, he feels like he has his father’s evil blood running through his veins. Iris sparks interest in him – as she is not a wilting flower. She is mature, and sure of herself, and can handle herself in a crisis. He enjoys arguing with her and conversing with her and knows that his body, even with his scar, turns her on. But the thought of sullying her with his tainted blood makes him try to avoid anything physical with her. Iris won’t have it. She longs for companionship after her previous elderly husband died. She wants to understand Raphael and his dark past. She wants to stand beside him in their marriage. She also really wants to explore his cock. (hey – those were her words).
As I said, the Lords of Chaos add a very dark undertone to this book. It has Hoyt’s usual steaminess in the romance department, with great sexual tension. Raphael has a raspy voice, and is cold nature leads to some very passionate kisses – and beyond.
“God’s blood, woman, how much control do you think I have?” he whispered, his clove-scented breath brushing her face. “You must think me a saint by the way you harangue me despite my warnings. Listen and listen well: I am no saint.”
“But I don’t need a saint,” she breathed, her voice trembling. “I don’t want a saint. I want you.”
“God forgive me,” he snarled, and pulled her to his mouth.
Iris is eager to explore her new husband, and pry into his past. But his past is very dark too. I feel like the subject matter was handled well, and Hoyt didn’t hold back to show just how horrible the acts were.
Marriage of convenience? Check. Beauty and the beast trope? Check. Adventure and a sexy romance? Check.
Really enjoyed this one
October 25, 2017
I have debated internally on this rating. This is such a hard one. I liked it, but it's one of my lesser likes among Hoyt HR. For me, three stars for Hoyt is like saying I hated it, but that is absolutely not true. I DID find it disappointing, however, and that is the clencher here.
I am a huge Hoyt fan girl. I think she is amaze balls and can do no wrong. There are ones I like more than others, of course, but in general, I find more enjoyment from her books than most other authors out there. She is a wonderful story teller, and I truly enjoy her writing style. This story has all of these elements and more, really. It's just that it feels stale and recycled by comparison. Tormented hero, just about all of her Heros fall into this category. Raphael is certainly not the most compelling of the bunch. Unassuming, overlooked heroine -- she has several of these and they rank high in my favorite all-time HR heroines (mythical) list. Iris will not be joining the ranks. Probably one of the most disappointing aspects is that it wasn't very sexy, which is almost unheard of with a Hoyt story.
This book featured a difficult theme, and Hoyt handled it well. Despite its theme, it was not too heavy or overwrought. Due to its theme, however, it did feel underdeveloped in some ways. This is not a long book. Overall, I think this book will be more enjoyable to a Hoyt newbie or someone who has read just a few of her stories.
The Maiden Lane series has run its course, with a couple of novellas still to be released. I am excited to see what her next venture will be.
I am a huge Hoyt fan girl. I think she is amaze balls and can do no wrong. There are ones I like more than others, of course, but in general, I find more enjoyment from her books than most other authors out there. She is a wonderful story teller, and I truly enjoy her writing style. This story has all of these elements and more, really. It's just that it feels stale and recycled by comparison. Tormented hero, just about all of her Heros fall into this category. Raphael is certainly not the most compelling of the bunch. Unassuming, overlooked heroine -- she has several of these and they rank high in my favorite all-time HR heroines (mythical) list. Iris will not be joining the ranks. Probably one of the most disappointing aspects is that it wasn't very sexy, which is almost unheard of with a Hoyt story.
This book featured a difficult theme, and Hoyt handled it well. Despite its theme, it was not too heavy or overwrought. Due to its theme, however, it did feel underdeveloped in some ways. This is not a long book. Overall, I think this book will be more enjoyable to a Hoyt newbie or someone who has read just a few of her stories.
The Maiden Lane series has run its course, with a couple of novellas still to be released. I am excited to see what her next venture will be.
September 23, 2020
Well, this was a big womp womp for me. Sad to report the last book in the Maiden Lane series did not in any way make me feel that the series was complete. Also, as I was warned about, the last three books in this series were dark, disturbing, and felt a bit out place with the rest.
CW: kidnapping, attempted rape, description/discussion of rape of children (main character was raped as a child), gun violence, death of secondary characters, blood, gore, animal endangerment, probably more.
At the end of Duke of Pleasure, I was all in on Lady Iris Jordan. I loved how Hoyt handled Iris becoming friends with (and not rivals of) Alf, who marries Lord Kyle instead of Iris because of true love. Iris, a widow, had a loveless marriage and she's ready to find at least companionship and have her own family.
Instead, she finds herself kidnapped and about to be raped by the Lords of Chaos, but then rescued by one of the naked and masked men who turns out to be an interloper, the son of the former head, who is trying to take the group down. She shoots Raphael, Lord Dyemore, in the arm and while he is bleeding he forces her to wed him "for her protection."
Up to this point I was having an okay time. But ultimately I never bought into their romance and I never felt fulfilled by Raphael seeking revenge and the downfall of the Lords, and especially the leader "Dionysus."
SPOILERS
CW: kidnapping, attempted rape, description/discussion of rape of children (main character was raped as a child), gun violence, death of secondary characters, blood, gore, animal endangerment, probably more.
At the end of Duke of Pleasure, I was all in on Lady Iris Jordan. I loved how Hoyt handled Iris becoming friends with (and not rivals of) Alf, who marries Lord Kyle instead of Iris because of true love. Iris, a widow, had a loveless marriage and she's ready to find at least companionship and have her own family.
Instead, she finds herself kidnapped and about to be raped by the Lords of Chaos, but then rescued by one of the naked and masked men who turns out to be an interloper, the son of the former head, who is trying to take the group down. She shoots Raphael, Lord Dyemore, in the arm and while he is bleeding he forces her to wed him "for her protection."
Up to this point I was having an okay time. But ultimately I never bought into their romance and I never felt fulfilled by Raphael seeking revenge and the downfall of the Lords, and especially the leader "Dionysus."
SPOILERS
December 11, 2018
3.5 stars!! Liked it 💕. This story was darker and full of angst.., nevertheless I believe that since this may be the last of the Maiden Lane series.. it is understandable that the culmination would be full of action and angst.
The story started with a bang when Iris gets kidnapped by the Lords of Chaos, but Raphael (one of the Lords who is part of them only because he wants to bring them down from inside) rescues her; only to be shot by her due to a misunderstanding. What follows is a quick wedding and a slow-burn romance between the two while danger in the form of Lords of Chaos lurks in the shadows. There weren't many lighter moments due to Raphael's horrifying childhood and terrifying memories that still haunt him. Iris proved to be a very strong h with an iron will and positive attitude despite being so utterly feminine. It was realistic to show that to be strong and brave one doesn't have to dress and act like a man. 😊. Nevertheless the violence and suspense sort of over-shadowed the romance between the two and that's why I didn't enjoy it quite as much as some of the other books in this series. However the ending was very satisfactory and the epilogue; perfect. 👏.
This is certainly not a standalone and should be read as part of the series.
The story started with a bang when Iris gets kidnapped by the Lords of Chaos, but Raphael (one of the Lords who is part of them only because he wants to bring them down from inside) rescues her; only to be shot by her due to a misunderstanding. What follows is a quick wedding and a slow-burn romance between the two while danger in the form of Lords of Chaos lurks in the shadows. There weren't many lighter moments due to Raphael's horrifying childhood and terrifying memories that still haunt him. Iris proved to be a very strong h with an iron will and positive attitude despite being so utterly feminine. It was realistic to show that to be strong and brave one doesn't have to dress and act like a man. 😊. Nevertheless the violence and suspense sort of over-shadowed the romance between the two and that's why I didn't enjoy it quite as much as some of the other books in this series. However the ending was very satisfactory and the epilogue; perfect. 👏.
This is certainly not a standalone and should be read as part of the series.
December 15, 2017
This combines two of my favorite tropes Beauty and the Beast along with the marriage of almost strangers to love. So this already is starting out pretty high for me and would take a lot to screw up. This story also seems to wrap up the Lords of Chaos arc that has ran through multiple books now.
Iris is kidnapped directly after the Duke of Kyle’s wedding. Seems the Lords of Chaos assumed that she is the new duchess of Kyle and want to inflict a little revenge against the man who is trying to take them all down. Raphael or the Duke of Dyemore knows well what the Lords of Chaos are capable of and has come to London to make sure that they are all pitched into the fires of hell. He ends up saving Iris from her fate only for her to shoot him. To save her, he will marry her and make sure that she is protected.
I enjoyed a large part of this. Most of the stuff with Iris and Raphael was great. It was so sad to see how Raphael saw himself because of the man his father was, but wonderful to see how Iris came to see him.
The only drawback in this story for me was the actual Lords of Chaos. They are not a nice group of people and in this book we see some of the activities they have participated in. It was difficult for me to read and it all made me hate them all even more.
The other thing of note is that Dyemore is scarred but it isn’t really paid much attention to. It is mentioned briefly but I never felt like he was all that beastly to look at. I kinda wish that it had been played up a little more after a description like the one below.
I never felt like he was all that hideous or that it was a great struggle to overcome the what the man looked like to adore the heart of him. I was very surprised though as to how he got the scars and more surprised by who gave him the scars.
Iris was a great heroine for me. She isn’t a virgin for one since she is a widow and so she wasn’t afraid to ask for what she wanted. After a loveless marriage to her first husband so is very clear in her hopes and desires for the marriage she wasn’t expecting but just might come to love.
Not my favorite book of the series but very much a solid and entertaining installment that wrapped up the Lords of Chaos for good I would think.
Iris is kidnapped directly after the Duke of Kyle’s wedding. Seems the Lords of Chaos assumed that she is the new duchess of Kyle and want to inflict a little revenge against the man who is trying to take them all down. Raphael or the Duke of Dyemore knows well what the Lords of Chaos are capable of and has come to London to make sure that they are all pitched into the fires of hell. He ends up saving Iris from her fate only for her to shoot him. To save her, he will marry her and make sure that she is protected.
I enjoyed a large part of this. Most of the stuff with Iris and Raphael was great. It was so sad to see how Raphael saw himself because of the man his father was, but wonderful to see how Iris came to see him.
“You’re burning,” she gasped.
“Then you ought not to touch me,” he said seriously. “You’ll be consumed.”
“Too late,” she muttered, and pivoted, trying to drag him, he presumed, toward the bed. “You’re awfully heavy—”
“My soul is made of lead.”
“—and you’re delirious,” she ended decisively.
The only drawback in this story for me was the actual Lords of Chaos. They are not a nice group of people and in this book we see some of the activities they have participated in. It was difficult for me to read and it all made me hate them all even more.
The other thing of note is that Dyemore is scarred but it isn’t really paid much attention to. It is mentioned briefly but I never felt like he was all that beastly to look at. I kinda wish that it had been played up a little more after a description like the one below.
“The face that was revealed had once been as beautiful as an angel's but was now horribly mutilated. A livid red scar ran from just below his hairline on the right side of his face, bisecting the eyebrow, somehow skipping the eye itself but gouging a furrow into the lean cheek and catching the edge of his upper lip, making it twist. The scar ended in a missing divot of flesh in the line of the man's severe jaw. He had inky black hair and, though they were closed now, Iris knew he had emotionless crystal-gray eyes.
She knew because she recognized him.
He was Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore, and when she'd danced with him- once- three months ago at a ball, she thought he'd looked like Hades.
God of the underworld.
God of the dead.”
I never felt like he was all that hideous or that it was a great struggle to overcome the what the man looked like to adore the heart of him. I was very surprised though as to how he got the scars and more surprised by who gave him the scars.
Iris was a great heroine for me. She isn’t a virgin for one since she is a widow and so she wasn’t afraid to ask for what she wanted. After a loveless marriage to her first husband so is very clear in her hopes and desires for the marriage she wasn’t expecting but just might come to love.
Not my favorite book of the series but very much a solid and entertaining installment that wrapped up the Lords of Chaos for good I would think.
October 11, 2017
4 "The Light to His Dark" Stars!
Lovers of Beauty and the Beast styled romances will be the most intrigued by Duke of Desire. Building on this theme, Ms. Hoyt delivers another installment of the beloved Maiden Lane Series featuring a scarred hero who has become bitter and a recluse due to a terrible past at the hands of the man who should have loved him the most (his father). Fortunately though the hero does come back to life, not just with a kiss but with the perseverance of the love that the heroine shines upon him. For those of you who have been following the series, you will also be thrilled to know that Duke of Desire shares some light on the long-running Lords of Chaos plot and who the Dionysus (the leader of the wicked group) actually is.
One word of caution though. For those for whom child/domestic abuse is a trigger, this may not be a book for you. Please note that the plot of this story has some very emotional and traumatic events--though thankfully they are not described in detail (mostly alluded to and eventually revealed in a limited number of words).
Lady Iris Jordan finds herself in the most dire of circumstances when she is kidnapped by the Lords of Chaos and strewn up to be violated and sacrificed. For those that read the prior book in the Series, Duke of Pleasure, Iris was long believed to be the intended wife of the Duke of Kyle (the hero of that book). The Lords of Chaos, believing that she had actually married the Duke of Kyle (rather than Alf, the true heroine of the Duke of Pleasure), kidnap Iris shortly after the wedding (which she attended as a guest) with the intent of exacting their revenge on the Duke of Kyle through Iris.
Fortunately for Iris, Raphael, the Duke of Dyemore, has infiltrated the ranks of the Lords of Chaos with the intention of taking them down for their debauchery and depraved ways (something which as the son of the former Dionysus he is unfortunately intimately familiar with). Having previously seen Iris at a ball and her having caught his eye though, he determines to blow his cover by saving her instead. An act which he performs and then immediately feels guilt over. No woman could possibly ever really want him given his past and genes. Never mind his physical state which marred by horrible scars.
Can there possibly be a happily ever after under the circumstances? Moreover, will Raphael be able to keep Iris safe from the Lord of Chaos long term? Indeed will he be safe given how strong and influential this underground group is?
All in all, I enjoyed the Duke of Desire, though perhaps not as much as some of the other books in this series. I think this may have been because the plot was somewhat predictable. Nonetheless, I'm a huge fan of the underdog, and loved rooting for both Raphael and Iris. Moreover, after his sad past, it was so satisfying to see such a strong determined woman finally shed some light and help Raphael experience joy for the first time after thinking himself beyond hope.
Additionally, as this is the last book in the series, I'm sad to see the Maiden Lane Series end! This has been a favorite series of mine for years. For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of experiencing this great series, I highly recommend that you do!
Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.
Lovers of Beauty and the Beast styled romances will be the most intrigued by Duke of Desire. Building on this theme, Ms. Hoyt delivers another installment of the beloved Maiden Lane Series featuring a scarred hero who has become bitter and a recluse due to a terrible past at the hands of the man who should have loved him the most (his father). Fortunately though the hero does come back to life, not just with a kiss but with the perseverance of the love that the heroine shines upon him. For those of you who have been following the series, you will also be thrilled to know that Duke of Desire shares some light on the long-running Lords of Chaos plot and who the Dionysus (the leader of the wicked group) actually is.
One word of caution though. For those for whom child/domestic abuse is a trigger, this may not be a book for you. Please note that the plot of this story has some very emotional and traumatic events--though thankfully they are not described in detail (mostly alluded to and eventually revealed in a limited number of words).
Lady Iris Jordan finds herself in the most dire of circumstances when she is kidnapped by the Lords of Chaos and strewn up to be violated and sacrificed. For those that read the prior book in the Series, Duke of Pleasure, Iris was long believed to be the intended wife of the Duke of Kyle (the hero of that book). The Lords of Chaos, believing that she had actually married the Duke of Kyle (rather than Alf, the true heroine of the Duke of Pleasure), kidnap Iris shortly after the wedding (which she attended as a guest) with the intent of exacting their revenge on the Duke of Kyle through Iris.
Fortunately for Iris, Raphael, the Duke of Dyemore, has infiltrated the ranks of the Lords of Chaos with the intention of taking them down for their debauchery and depraved ways (something which as the son of the former Dionysus he is unfortunately intimately familiar with). Having previously seen Iris at a ball and her having caught his eye though, he determines to blow his cover by saving her instead. An act which he performs and then immediately feels guilt over. No woman could possibly ever really want him given his past and genes. Never mind his physical state which marred by horrible scars.
Can there possibly be a happily ever after under the circumstances? Moreover, will Raphael be able to keep Iris safe from the Lord of Chaos long term? Indeed will he be safe given how strong and influential this underground group is?
All in all, I enjoyed the Duke of Desire, though perhaps not as much as some of the other books in this series. I think this may have been because the plot was somewhat predictable. Nonetheless, I'm a huge fan of the underdog, and loved rooting for both Raphael and Iris. Moreover, after his sad past, it was so satisfying to see such a strong determined woman finally shed some light and help Raphael experience joy for the first time after thinking himself beyond hope.
Additionally, as this is the last book in the series, I'm sad to see the Maiden Lane Series end! This has been a favorite series of mine for years. For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of experiencing this great series, I highly recommend that you do!
Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.
January 25, 2022
this series was an overall success and joy to read
book one Wicked Intentions 5⭐
book two Notorious Pleasures 4⭐
book three Scandalous Desires 5⭐
book four Thief of Shadows 3⭐
book five Lord of Darkness 3⭐
book six Duke of Midnight 5⭐
book seven Darling Beast 3⭐
book eight Dearest Rogue 5⭐
book nine Sweetest Scoundrel 4⭐
book ten Duke of Sin 3⭐
book eleven Duke of Pleasure 3⭐
book twelve Duke of Desire 2⭐
I found so many great characters and some of my favorites historical novels...
It is unfortunate that the final book in the series was a miss for me but oh well you can't win them all... it was very insta lovely where the hero feels he doesn't deserve her and she is a little bit desperate.. the ending is rushed too...
This book also has a lot of dark themes and trigger warnings for rape, pedophilia, sacrifice rituals.
book one Wicked Intentions 5⭐
book two Notorious Pleasures 4⭐
book three Scandalous Desires 5⭐
book four Thief of Shadows 3⭐
book five Lord of Darkness 3⭐
book six Duke of Midnight 5⭐
book seven Darling Beast 3⭐
book eight Dearest Rogue 5⭐
book nine Sweetest Scoundrel 4⭐
book ten Duke of Sin 3⭐
book eleven Duke of Pleasure 3⭐
book twelve Duke of Desire 2⭐
I found so many great characters and some of my favorites historical novels...
It is unfortunate that the final book in the series was a miss for me but oh well you can't win them all... it was very insta lovely where the hero feels he doesn't deserve her and she is a little bit desperate.. the ending is rushed too...
This book also has a lot of dark themes and trigger warnings for rape, pedophilia, sacrifice rituals.
January 30, 2018
I was around these parts when this came out so I wasn't expecting much. Here's the thing though. I LOVED this as the story of Raphael. In fact, I was surprised by how much I loved his character. But that/his conflicts didn't feel fully resolved. Whatever, it was compulsively readable as usual.
I kind of liked Iris, but even in the last book, she seems a little annoyingly good. I don't know, I didn't get her. Just gives Hugh up in book 11. I mean I get it, but she was so graceful and above it all. Like, fuck this shit, no one's that self-sacrificing. And if they are, are they so selfish as to keep pushing on painful things in order to "heal" someone you're lusting after and maybe care for. She just seems to lack consistency - or maybe in this case - depth.
That said, she clearly doesn't ruin this book for me. I will say this one felt far more dangerous and emotionally taxing than any of her others, which wasn't necessarily negative.
I kind of liked Iris, but even in the last book, she seems a little annoyingly good. I don't know, I didn't get her. Just gives Hugh up in book 11. I mean I get it, but she was so graceful and above it all. Like, fuck this shit, no one's that self-sacrificing. And if they are, are they so selfish as to keep pushing on painful things in order to "heal" someone you're lusting after and maybe care for. She just seems to lack consistency - or maybe in this case - depth.
That said, she clearly doesn't ruin this book for me. I will say this one felt far more dangerous and emotionally taxing than any of her others, which wasn't necessarily negative.
January 30, 2025
Summary:
Wow, I’m finally done with the Maiden Lane series, and Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt was a strong finish. I’m giving it 4.5 stars because it was a fantastic story overall, but it does lose half a star for being just a little too dark for my tastes. If you’re not into plots involving murder and violence, you might want to skip this one. That said, this book—and the entire series—was an experience. I laughed, cried, and fell in love with the world Hoyt created. If you’re a historical romance fan, the Maiden Lane series is a must-try.
Characters:
Rafael: I ended up loving Rafael. His longing for Iris throughout the book was everything. He’s the kind of man who yearns, and it was so satisfying watching him work through his trauma and grow alongside her.
Iris: Iris was incredible from the start. I mean, she shot him in the shoulder in Chapter 1—how could I not love her? She’s brave, strong, and has so much gumption. Her determination and warmth made her a perfect match for Rafael, and watching her help him heal was beautiful.
Overall Thoughts:
Duke of Desire is a great conclusion to the series. The romance was heartfelt, the growth between the characters was well-developed, and the plot kept me engaged. The Corsican deaths were devastating, but overall, I really don’t have much to complain about. I highly recommend this book and the Maiden Lane series as a whole. It’s a staple in historical romance for a reason.
Rating: ★★★★½☆ (4.5/5 stars)
Wow, I’m finally done with the Maiden Lane series, and Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt was a strong finish. I’m giving it 4.5 stars because it was a fantastic story overall, but it does lose half a star for being just a little too dark for my tastes. If you’re not into plots involving murder and violence, you might want to skip this one. That said, this book—and the entire series—was an experience. I laughed, cried, and fell in love with the world Hoyt created. If you’re a historical romance fan, the Maiden Lane series is a must-try.
Characters:
Rafael: I ended up loving Rafael. His longing for Iris throughout the book was everything. He’s the kind of man who yearns, and it was so satisfying watching him work through his trauma and grow alongside her.
Iris: Iris was incredible from the start. I mean, she shot him in the shoulder in Chapter 1—how could I not love her? She’s brave, strong, and has so much gumption. Her determination and warmth made her a perfect match for Rafael, and watching her help him heal was beautiful.
Overall Thoughts:
Duke of Desire is a great conclusion to the series. The romance was heartfelt, the growth between the characters was well-developed, and the plot kept me engaged. The Corsican deaths were devastating, but overall, I really don’t have much to complain about. I highly recommend this book and the Maiden Lane series as a whole. It’s a staple in historical romance for a reason.
Rating: ★★★★½☆ (4.5/5 stars)
January 15, 2018
This series lost its appeal to me when the Lords of Chaos were introduced....the 11th book was the only 1 star I have ever given a Hoyt novel...because they don't resemble her writing...the unbridled passion....the desperate love....the angst and beauty of yearning for each other was missing from these books starting with the 8th book. This was an anticlimactic end to a beautiful series that for me began with Wicked Intentions and ended before Dearest Rogue....the rest of the books felt rushed and under developed....probably written to meet publisher deadlines. I am hoping she returns to her awe inspiring writing after this. This book was decent....I really enjoyed the strong willed heroine and the broken hero....but I just couldn't connect with the book....in a better book I would've felt devastated by the hero's painful childhood but I was just reading this from a distance....I don't know if it was the writing....the character development.....or the horrors of the Lords of Chaos but the book failed to engage my emotions.
October 15, 2025
Ditto Charlene's review. I'm not a fan of child sexual abuse in any plot and I am really not a fan when the hero drags an unsuspecting heroine into his mess even as he tries to keep her out of it. Yeah, I know, that is the plot, I just don't like it. The author has been focused on the evil Lords of Chaos for a couple of books. I thought they were vanquished in the last book, but like a bad penny, they keep turning up. I was bored out of my mind by the narrative and after skipping pages of introspection by the main characters, I cut to the chase, and Iris and Raphael get their HEA. The End.
I enjoyed most of the books in this series, but not this one, which is sad as I hated to see the series end with such a bad book.
I enjoyed most of the books in this series, but not this one, which is sad as I hated to see the series end with such a bad book.
October 20, 2017
As the final full length book in the Maiden Lane series, Duke of Desire ended up being my least favorite as I cared neither for the main couple, nor the story surrounding them. Elizabeth Hoyt’s often lush and captivating prose came across as hollow and unimpressive here. Worst of all was the romance itself. Because there wasn’t one; a romance, I mean or any romantic anything period. While I did think Iris and Raphael were fine, if not fully fleshed out characters as they were, the lack of a believable emotional connection or chemistry between them was painfully obvious. It didn’t help that Raphael’s feelings for Iris were insta in nature, while hers appeared to be based primarily in lust. It’s a real shame because this couple had an array of great tropes as the starting point of their relationship, but sadly it never manifested into anything tangible.
What really grated on my nerves about this book was the Lord of Chaos plot arc, which for me has been the worst aspect of the later Maiden Lane books. Here, the plot furthered explored the Lords’ repulsive offenses including (but not limited to) TW: . Ugh, just...UGH. At least Tansy the dog was spared any harm, but this wasn't much of a comfort. Then of course you have the multiple kidnappings of Iris, first at the beginning of the book and once more at the end. Come on Elizabeth Hoyt, surely you have more plot bunnies in your arsenal that don’t include the kidnapping of heroines and forcing them into dangerous situations. And I really didn’t like how Raphael’s hellish backstory basically consumed not only the book itself, but him as a character as well. The suffering romance paid the ultimate price for this error in judgement on the author’s part.
I was also surprised by how very few cameos of previous characters there were, especially given that this was the last main book of the series….presumably. Of course, Hugh was the most logical choice given the plot but, no Alf? Seriously? Even the epilogue left me wanting something, anything to prove that this wasn’t just a throwaway book. That reassurance never came and thus, the dreadful rating. I will say that the Maiden Lane series has been, for all its highs and lows, a truly enjoyable reading experience and I will miss it greatly.
What really grated on my nerves about this book was the Lord of Chaos plot arc, which for me has been the worst aspect of the later Maiden Lane books. Here, the plot furthered explored the Lords’ repulsive offenses including (but not limited to) TW: . Ugh, just...UGH. At least Tansy the dog was spared any harm, but this wasn't much of a comfort. Then of course you have the multiple kidnappings of Iris, first at the beginning of the book and once more at the end. Come on Elizabeth Hoyt, surely you have more plot bunnies in your arsenal that don’t include the kidnapping of heroines and forcing them into dangerous situations. And I really didn’t like how Raphael’s hellish backstory basically consumed not only the book itself, but him as a character as well. The suffering romance paid the ultimate price for this error in judgement on the author’s part.
I was also surprised by how very few cameos of previous characters there were, especially given that this was the last main book of the series….presumably. Of course, Hugh was the most logical choice given the plot but, no Alf? Seriously? Even the epilogue left me wanting something, anything to prove that this wasn’t just a throwaway book. That reassurance never came and thus, the dreadful rating. I will say that the Maiden Lane series has been, for all its highs and lows, a truly enjoyable reading experience and I will miss it greatly.
November 8, 2017
Well, Ms. Hoyt's writing is as good as I'm used to, but the heroine here was pulling out my inner bitch!
I understand that Iris is a lady and used to have her every wish fulfilled, but sometimes I wanted to slap her! She didn't listen to Raphael, she didn just what she wanted and to hell with all the others! Grrr!!!
I wished a different heroine for Raphael! Somebody more empathetic, with a humility to trust his warnings, not just disregard them!
It was a good story, but when I cannot love one of the main characters, I just cannot enjoy the book fully. So, sorry but this was 3 stars for me...
I understand that Iris is a lady and used to have her every wish fulfilled, but sometimes I wanted to slap her! She didn't listen to Raphael, she didn just what she wanted and to hell with all the others! Grrr!!!
I wished a different heroine for Raphael! Somebody more empathetic, with a humility to trust his warnings, not just disregard them!
It was a good story, but when I cannot love one of the main characters, I just cannot enjoy the book fully. So, sorry but this was 3 stars for me...
July 21, 2018
Kidnapped by the evil Lords of Chaos to be used as a sacrifice, Lady Iris Jordan shoots one of the masked men when he puts her in his carriage. She didn't know that he was Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore, and that he was trying to rescue her. Raphael had infiltrated the Lords of Chaos to discover the identity of the new Dionysus and take him out. Now both he and Iris are targets of the group, so Raphael decides to marry her to keep her safe.
This is the last full-sized novel in the Maiden Lane series. This story is one of the darker stories in the series. It deals with Raphael overcoming his past as a victim of sexual abuse. Iris was the perfect mate for Raphael. Believing he was not good enough for her, he would push Iris away. She would push right back at him, not letting him wallow in misery.
I forgot to add that I was once again upset with the publisher. When you have a hero whose face is badly scarred, why do you put a good looking hot guy on the cover? Didn't they read the book?
This book was a nice addition to the series. I'm looking forward to reading the novellas in hopes we revisit some of my favorite couples. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is the last full-sized novel in the Maiden Lane series. This story is one of the darker stories in the series. It deals with Raphael overcoming his past as a victim of sexual abuse. Iris was the perfect mate for Raphael. Believing he was not good enough for her, he would push Iris away. She would push right back at him, not letting him wallow in misery.
I forgot to add that I was once again upset with the publisher. When you have a hero whose face is badly scarred, why do you put a good looking hot guy on the cover? Didn't they read the book?
This book was a nice addition to the series. I'm looking forward to reading the novellas in hopes we revisit some of my favorite couples. My rating: 4 Stars.
October 18, 2017
“Duke of Desire” is the wrap up of an outstanding series. As the last full length installment in the Maiden Lane series, this book was one of my most anticipated read of the year. And I absolutely loved it! The characters are so beautifully drawn, the growth of their love, and the obstacles to it, so believable, that I was completely captivated by their story. It was gripping, intense and heartbreaking, the pace of the story, the angst and the action kept me riveted to the pages!
Iris Daniels, Lady Jordan, has been kidnapped by the Lords of Chaos, a secret society of rapists and murderers. She is saved from sure death by Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore. Raphael is a fascinating hero, deeply scarred and damaged. As the son of their former leader, he was a victim of the Lords of Chaos’ debauchery. He has vowed to take revenge for their crimes and, after years of planning, he has been able to infiltrate their secret order, with the intention of bringing them down. And yet, he risks everything to rescue Iris.
After a chance encounter, Raphael’s attraction to Iris fuels his drive to protect her. But he has set a strict path for his life, and she is a distraction he can’t afford. I loved this character, he is arrogant, dark, secretive and yet so vulnerable and broken. His past is similar to the Duke of Montgomery’s childhood. But their personalities are completely different. Raphael is a good person, he is plagued with feelings of guilt because he hasn’t yet destroyed the Lords of Chaos. The man he is at the start of the story is very different to the hero we end up with. This story is his journey of healing, and you get the feeling that it could only happen with the heroine by his side, she is his game changer. I loved how protective, possessive, and caring he was with Iris. He marries her to protect her, but their marriage of convenience soon becomes so much more.
Iris is a strong heroine, kind, thoughtful, she has a sweet personality. She wants a real marriage, a family life with Raphael. And even though it is very difficult for her to break through his pain, she stands her ground. I loved seeing Iris and Raphael’s relationship slowly blooming and growing. It is a slow burn that was perfectly executed by the author.
Elizabeth Hoyt never ceases to amaze me, with her riveting storytelling, elegant writing style, richly drawn settings and wonderful characters. I have read each and every book in her Maiden Lane series and all of them have been perfect or near perfect reads for me. A novella featuring Mary from the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children, all grown up, will soon be released. But it seems that this outstanding series is coming to an end. It is definitely time for me to plan a re-read! Highly recommended!
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley.
Iris Daniels, Lady Jordan, has been kidnapped by the Lords of Chaos, a secret society of rapists and murderers. She is saved from sure death by Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore. Raphael is a fascinating hero, deeply scarred and damaged. As the son of their former leader, he was a victim of the Lords of Chaos’ debauchery. He has vowed to take revenge for their crimes and, after years of planning, he has been able to infiltrate their secret order, with the intention of bringing them down. And yet, he risks everything to rescue Iris.
After a chance encounter, Raphael’s attraction to Iris fuels his drive to protect her. But he has set a strict path for his life, and she is a distraction he can’t afford. I loved this character, he is arrogant, dark, secretive and yet so vulnerable and broken. His past is similar to the Duke of Montgomery’s childhood. But their personalities are completely different. Raphael is a good person, he is plagued with feelings of guilt because he hasn’t yet destroyed the Lords of Chaos. The man he is at the start of the story is very different to the hero we end up with. This story is his journey of healing, and you get the feeling that it could only happen with the heroine by his side, she is his game changer. I loved how protective, possessive, and caring he was with Iris. He marries her to protect her, but their marriage of convenience soon becomes so much more.
Iris is a strong heroine, kind, thoughtful, she has a sweet personality. She wants a real marriage, a family life with Raphael. And even though it is very difficult for her to break through his pain, she stands her ground. I loved seeing Iris and Raphael’s relationship slowly blooming and growing. It is a slow burn that was perfectly executed by the author.
Elizabeth Hoyt never ceases to amaze me, with her riveting storytelling, elegant writing style, richly drawn settings and wonderful characters. I have read each and every book in her Maiden Lane series and all of them have been perfect or near perfect reads for me. A novella featuring Mary from the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children, all grown up, will soon be released. But it seems that this outstanding series is coming to an end. It is definitely time for me to plan a re-read! Highly recommended!
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley.
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