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The Renegade Royals #4.75
The Dukes of Vauxhall
Four dukes. Two balls. One prizefight.
Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens will never be the same.
After England’s victory in the Battle of Waterloo, the Prince Regent arranges a series of lavish celebrations at London’s notorious Vauxhall Gardens. The royal festivities bring together the rich and the desperate, the criminal and the lordly…and allow four very different dukes to find the love of a lifetime.
A proper viscount is kidnapped by a duke of the criminal underworld, only to encounter a mysterious woman from his past. A retired prizefighter, once known as the Duke of the Ring, stakes his reputation on a scrappy young boxer for the sake of a long-lost love. A traveler who inherited a dukedom needs a tightrope dancer’s help with a fake engagement that just might turn real. And the buccaneer son of a royal duke goes hunting for a respectable, highborn wife to salvage his scandalous reputation.
Let the pleasures begin...
Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens will never be the same.
After England’s victory in the Battle of Waterloo, the Prince Regent arranges a series of lavish celebrations at London’s notorious Vauxhall Gardens. The royal festivities bring together the rich and the desperate, the criminal and the lordly…and allow four very different dukes to find the love of a lifetime.
A proper viscount is kidnapped by a duke of the criminal underworld, only to encounter a mysterious woman from his past. A retired prizefighter, once known as the Duke of the Ring, stakes his reputation on a scrappy young boxer for the sake of a long-lost love. A traveler who inherited a dukedom needs a tightrope dancer’s help with a fake engagement that just might turn real. And the buccaneer son of a royal duke goes hunting for a respectable, highborn wife to salvage his scandalous reputation.
Let the pleasures begin...
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2017
204 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Kelly
36 books1,755 followersVanessa Kelly is a bestselling author of historical mystery and historical romance. She has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Maggie Medallion for best historical romance. She is a USA Today, Barnes & Noble, BookScan, and Amazon bestseller several times over. To date, her books have been published in eleven languages. Vanessa also wrote USA Today bestselling contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels with her husband, under the pen name of V.K. Sykes.
After receiving her MA in English literature from Rutgers University, Vanessa spent several years in the Ph.D program at the University of Toronto, studying women authors of the 18th Century. She worked as a researcher for many years, and currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband.
After receiving her MA in English literature from Rutgers University, Vanessa spent several years in the Ph.D program at the University of Toronto, studying women authors of the 18th Century. She worked as a researcher for many years, and currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 18, 2017
TAKEN BY THE DUKE by Shana Galen
4*
FIGHTING FOR HIS LADY by Christi Caldwell
5*
THE PRODIGAL DUKE by Theresa Romain
5*
THE BUCCANEER DUKE by Vanessa Kelly
5*
4*
FIGHTING FOR HIS LADY by Christi Caldwell
5*
THE PRODIGAL DUKE by Theresa Romain
5*
THE BUCCANEER DUKE by Vanessa Kelly
5*
May 12, 2017
This is a rather lengthy review, if you don’t care to read it, simply get this marvellous anthology; it’s worth every penny and every second of your time!
Four extremely gifted historical romance authors have combined their efforts in this fabulous anthology, definitely one of the best ever. The four stories take place at celebrations commissioned by the Prince Regent to celebrate his birthday as well as the Victory at Waterloo. And I was particularly impressed at how the stories all fit so well together; the authors worked really hard at establishing the continuity, especially when it comes to Ms. Galen and Ms. Kelly.
TAKEN BY THE DUKE by Shana Galen
Henry Selkirk is the new Viscount Bexley, something he never wanted, but circumstances made it so that Henry would not become a barrister, so here he is. The Prince Regent tasked him with the preparation of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens for Prinny’s birthday and in celebration of the victory at Waterloo. But worse, Henry must do this economically, and given the Prince’s propensity to extravagance, it won’t be an easy task indeed. While touring Vauxhall, Henry is grabbed by a gang of thugs, whose leader is “the Duke of Vauxhall”. But Henry certainly didn’t expect to meet his childhood friend Kate Dunn. Kate has a huge secret, and while Kate rescues Henry, her life is now in danger.
Shana Galen does not waste one paragraph, we’re thrown in the thick of things right from the start. Ms. Galen is in spectacular form, her writing has never been better, and her dialogues are a marvel, and more eloquent than ever; she had me enthralled and guessing from the start at why all this was happening. TAKEN BY THE DUKE certainly does not qualify as fluff! Kate has had a rough life, and while Henry and she came from the streets of London, Henry has moved up in the world. They were once in love, but things have changed too much to rekindle their romance; or have they? I knew Shana Galen would not fail me, but I had no idea how Henry and Kate would ever get their happily ever after together, too many things seem to draw them apart, and yet it all worked out, but at quite a bit of cost to both Kate and Henry.
TAKEN BY THE DUKE might be a novella, but there is a lot of substance in there, as well as much character development, a lot of action, and much heartache caused by class differences. At one point, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like where the story was going, what choices the characters would make, and I feared someone was going to opt to do something I wouldn’t like, and I would have considered a huge mistake, and well Ms. Galen handled that prickly situation with extraordinary finesse and intelligence! TAKEN BY THE DUKE is a marvellous story, and I would not have expected any less from one of my favourite authors!
THE PRODIGAL DUKE by Theresa Romain
Leo Billingsley comes from trade, the black sheep of the family, is now the Duke of Westfair, courtesy of his elder brother who had the bad taste to die. Leo sees his long-time friend and his first love, Poppy Hayworth, at Vauxhall Gardens; she is now a tightrope walker. Even after not having spoken to Poppy for six years – Leo was abroad – he still trusts her, and he asks her to agree to a pretend engagement. He needs to convince his uncle to listen to him, but the cantankerous Uncle Bernard, Ubie, likes Poppy better. Poppy had planned one season at Vauxhall to earn enough money to start anew in France, and when Leo offers her money for his crazy idea, she accepts. It can’t be so bad, as long as her secret remains so.
Theresa Romain certainly did her homework on ropewalking, something I knew nothing about, and the author made it quite exciting, even if I felt a bit like Leo! Leo is a charming rogue, he is so nice that Poppy doesn’t even bear a grudge for what he did six years before, and it was for a good cause. Poppy’s backstory is heartbreaking, but she has a backbone of steel, and they do make a most wonderful couple. The ever delightful Theresa Romain spins a tale so touching, and characters so endearing that I was hurting for them, and I embraced Leo and Poppy with open arms. Apart from the marvellous romance, Ms. Romain peppers her tale with some very witty dialogue, and some of the exchanges had me laughing out loud; Leo has quite a sense of humour.
Ms. Romain paints such a vivid picture of the masquerade and the Vauxhall Gardensthat it made me wonder if the author was a time-traveller! All kidding aside, THE PRODIGAL DUKE is a concentrated novel, it never felt like a novella: the characters display unusual depth; there’s the precarious relationship between Leo and Ubie as well as lovely moments, scary moments, a revolting villain, and O my, the romance! What a perfectly wonderful romance it is!
FIGHTING FOR HIS LADY by Christi Caldwell
Patience Storm, the daughter of a seamstress and a prize fighter, had her heart broken ten years ago by the son of a duke, Godrick Gunnery. Godrick shunned all the trappings of his position to become a fighter, who was trained by Patience’s father. Patience’s younger brother Samuel is also a fighter, and he needs help if he is to win his next fight; the Storms desperately need the money. The three siblings have been fending for themselves for a few years, and times are more than lean. Patience knows she must do the unthinkable: ask Godrick’s help in training Samuel, their survival depends on Samuel winning.
I loved Ms. Caldwell’s spin on the duke becoming a fighter against his family’s wishes, but how Godrick, the former god of the pugilists, is adept at putting his foot in his mouth, or rather staying mute at the wrong moment! At first, I thought he was mainly cold and mean, but he’s just powerless in front of his mistakes. And poor, brave, noble Patience, how my heart ached for her! The author shows with much care the immensely complicated dynamics between the Storms and Godrick. It’s not easy for Patience and Godrick to be reunited at first, and even worse when the ugly ghosts from the past resurface to threaten a romance just about to be rekindled. Christi Caldwell’s knowledge of Regency pugilism is extremely impressive, and she made me feel I was watching the fight along with the crowd.
Elegantly written and filled with raw emotion, FIGHTING FOR HIS LADY is a quiet and heartwrenching romance that ends in a gloriously beautiful epilogue that will leave you sighing with pleasure.
THE BUCCANEER DUKE by Vanessa Kelly
Captain Roman Cantrell, son of a duke and former privateer, is back in London now that the war is over. Of course, he is now expected to marry a lady of impeccable breeding, but no one has caught his eye until he attends the festivities at Vauxhall to celebrate the Prince Regent’s birthday and the successful end of the war. At first, from afar, Roman doesn’t find Antonia Barnett very attractive. Antonia comes from trade, and although she is very wealthy, suitors don’t come out of the woodwork to ask for her hand in marriage. There is also the trifle of her shady birth. Antonia is a very spirited girl, and she has every intention of attending as many festivities as she can, especially the prize fight. She had noticed the man from afar, a dangerous and alluring man, who looks like a pirate, who is also staring at her, it seems. Then she learns that Roman is a sworn business enemy of her father’s, which doesn’t bode well, and when Roman speaks with Antonia, he is hopelessly smitten, because up close, she is like a sun to him…
Dear Vanessa Kelly, every time I pick up one of her books, I am reminded how much I love her writing style, her wit, her glorious prose and irresistible dialogues. THE BUCCANEER DUKE is a delectable tale with sharply defined characters; it’s all very elegant and still feels entirely natural. Ms. Kelly always makes her fictional world become reality as she enchants with her easy storytelling. THE BUCCANEER DUKE is charming, lovely, and so very pleasant, and yet there are completely unexpected plot twists, delightful surprises; there is so much to love! Roman is a rather enigmatic character and the fabulous Antonia a right little hoyden, and entirely believable one at that! It’s uncanny how Ms. Kelly perfectly meshes some of her own characters from her fabulous Renegade Royals with Shana Galen’s, and the stories from these two authors really flow together seamlessly. THE BUCCANEER DUKE is another novella from this anthology that has so much material, and so flawlessly paced, that it feels like a full novel, again. Vanessa Kelly has once again written a splendid story!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. You can also read my review on
http://www.buriedunderromance.com/201...
Four extremely gifted historical romance authors have combined their efforts in this fabulous anthology, definitely one of the best ever. The four stories take place at celebrations commissioned by the Prince Regent to celebrate his birthday as well as the Victory at Waterloo. And I was particularly impressed at how the stories all fit so well together; the authors worked really hard at establishing the continuity, especially when it comes to Ms. Galen and Ms. Kelly.
TAKEN BY THE DUKE by Shana Galen
Henry Selkirk is the new Viscount Bexley, something he never wanted, but circumstances made it so that Henry would not become a barrister, so here he is. The Prince Regent tasked him with the preparation of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens for Prinny’s birthday and in celebration of the victory at Waterloo. But worse, Henry must do this economically, and given the Prince’s propensity to extravagance, it won’t be an easy task indeed. While touring Vauxhall, Henry is grabbed by a gang of thugs, whose leader is “the Duke of Vauxhall”. But Henry certainly didn’t expect to meet his childhood friend Kate Dunn. Kate has a huge secret, and while Kate rescues Henry, her life is now in danger.
Shana Galen does not waste one paragraph, we’re thrown in the thick of things right from the start. Ms. Galen is in spectacular form, her writing has never been better, and her dialogues are a marvel, and more eloquent than ever; she had me enthralled and guessing from the start at why all this was happening. TAKEN BY THE DUKE certainly does not qualify as fluff! Kate has had a rough life, and while Henry and she came from the streets of London, Henry has moved up in the world. They were once in love, but things have changed too much to rekindle their romance; or have they? I knew Shana Galen would not fail me, but I had no idea how Henry and Kate would ever get their happily ever after together, too many things seem to draw them apart, and yet it all worked out, but at quite a bit of cost to both Kate and Henry.
TAKEN BY THE DUKE might be a novella, but there is a lot of substance in there, as well as much character development, a lot of action, and much heartache caused by class differences. At one point, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like where the story was going, what choices the characters would make, and I feared someone was going to opt to do something I wouldn’t like, and I would have considered a huge mistake, and well Ms. Galen handled that prickly situation with extraordinary finesse and intelligence! TAKEN BY THE DUKE is a marvellous story, and I would not have expected any less from one of my favourite authors!
THE PRODIGAL DUKE by Theresa Romain
Leo Billingsley comes from trade, the black sheep of the family, is now the Duke of Westfair, courtesy of his elder brother who had the bad taste to die. Leo sees his long-time friend and his first love, Poppy Hayworth, at Vauxhall Gardens; she is now a tightrope walker. Even after not having spoken to Poppy for six years – Leo was abroad – he still trusts her, and he asks her to agree to a pretend engagement. He needs to convince his uncle to listen to him, but the cantankerous Uncle Bernard, Ubie, likes Poppy better. Poppy had planned one season at Vauxhall to earn enough money to start anew in France, and when Leo offers her money for his crazy idea, she accepts. It can’t be so bad, as long as her secret remains so.
Theresa Romain certainly did her homework on ropewalking, something I knew nothing about, and the author made it quite exciting, even if I felt a bit like Leo! Leo is a charming rogue, he is so nice that Poppy doesn’t even bear a grudge for what he did six years before, and it was for a good cause. Poppy’s backstory is heartbreaking, but she has a backbone of steel, and they do make a most wonderful couple. The ever delightful Theresa Romain spins a tale so touching, and characters so endearing that I was hurting for them, and I embraced Leo and Poppy with open arms. Apart from the marvellous romance, Ms. Romain peppers her tale with some very witty dialogue, and some of the exchanges had me laughing out loud; Leo has quite a sense of humour.
Ms. Romain paints such a vivid picture of the masquerade and the Vauxhall Gardensthat it made me wonder if the author was a time-traveller! All kidding aside, THE PRODIGAL DUKE is a concentrated novel, it never felt like a novella: the characters display unusual depth; there’s the precarious relationship between Leo and Ubie as well as lovely moments, scary moments, a revolting villain, and O my, the romance! What a perfectly wonderful romance it is!
FIGHTING FOR HIS LADY by Christi Caldwell
Patience Storm, the daughter of a seamstress and a prize fighter, had her heart broken ten years ago by the son of a duke, Godrick Gunnery. Godrick shunned all the trappings of his position to become a fighter, who was trained by Patience’s father. Patience’s younger brother Samuel is also a fighter, and he needs help if he is to win his next fight; the Storms desperately need the money. The three siblings have been fending for themselves for a few years, and times are more than lean. Patience knows she must do the unthinkable: ask Godrick’s help in training Samuel, their survival depends on Samuel winning.
I loved Ms. Caldwell’s spin on the duke becoming a fighter against his family’s wishes, but how Godrick, the former god of the pugilists, is adept at putting his foot in his mouth, or rather staying mute at the wrong moment! At first, I thought he was mainly cold and mean, but he’s just powerless in front of his mistakes. And poor, brave, noble Patience, how my heart ached for her! The author shows with much care the immensely complicated dynamics between the Storms and Godrick. It’s not easy for Patience and Godrick to be reunited at first, and even worse when the ugly ghosts from the past resurface to threaten a romance just about to be rekindled. Christi Caldwell’s knowledge of Regency pugilism is extremely impressive, and she made me feel I was watching the fight along with the crowd.
Elegantly written and filled with raw emotion, FIGHTING FOR HIS LADY is a quiet and heartwrenching romance that ends in a gloriously beautiful epilogue that will leave you sighing with pleasure.
THE BUCCANEER DUKE by Vanessa Kelly
Captain Roman Cantrell, son of a duke and former privateer, is back in London now that the war is over. Of course, he is now expected to marry a lady of impeccable breeding, but no one has caught his eye until he attends the festivities at Vauxhall to celebrate the Prince Regent’s birthday and the successful end of the war. At first, from afar, Roman doesn’t find Antonia Barnett very attractive. Antonia comes from trade, and although she is very wealthy, suitors don’t come out of the woodwork to ask for her hand in marriage. There is also the trifle of her shady birth. Antonia is a very spirited girl, and she has every intention of attending as many festivities as she can, especially the prize fight. She had noticed the man from afar, a dangerous and alluring man, who looks like a pirate, who is also staring at her, it seems. Then she learns that Roman is a sworn business enemy of her father’s, which doesn’t bode well, and when Roman speaks with Antonia, he is hopelessly smitten, because up close, she is like a sun to him…
Dear Vanessa Kelly, every time I pick up one of her books, I am reminded how much I love her writing style, her wit, her glorious prose and irresistible dialogues. THE BUCCANEER DUKE is a delectable tale with sharply defined characters; it’s all very elegant and still feels entirely natural. Ms. Kelly always makes her fictional world become reality as she enchants with her easy storytelling. THE BUCCANEER DUKE is charming, lovely, and so very pleasant, and yet there are completely unexpected plot twists, delightful surprises; there is so much to love! Roman is a rather enigmatic character and the fabulous Antonia a right little hoyden, and entirely believable one at that! It’s uncanny how Ms. Kelly perfectly meshes some of her own characters from her fabulous Renegade Royals with Shana Galen’s, and the stories from these two authors really flow together seamlessly. THE BUCCANEER DUKE is another novella from this anthology that has so much material, and so flawlessly paced, that it feels like a full novel, again. Vanessa Kelly has once again written a splendid story!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. You can also read my review on
http://www.buriedunderromance.com/201...
May 1, 2017
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
As is common for Shana Galen and co anthologies, there usually is a common theme to anchor the novellas. All four novellas take place more or less during the same timeline. The Prince wants to celebrate his birthday and the recent win at the Battle of Waterloo and declares numerous social gatherings to be done in his honour. Among these, an illegal fistfight is also being set up on the dark walks....The stories can be read in any order since there are only some common keywords and circumstances however I would recommend reading them as presented in the book since there is one tiny detail in The Buccaneer Duke that might spoil Taken by the Duke.
Shana Galen's Taken by the Duke is the story between Henry Selkirk, the new Viscount Bexley and Kate Dunn his childhood friend and first love. While Henry became part of the peer for being the the remaining male descendant, Kate's family lost all they had and had descended into poverty. Henry was deceived by other Lords and got appointed as the Master of Ceremonies when he went to talk to The Prince Regent about overindulgent expenditures. Unfortunately, this position brings him to the attention of the notorious Duke of Vauxhall since his efforts are making it difficult for the Duke's gang to carry out their criminal activities. The Duke threatens Henry to either walk away from the whole situation or risk his life. Henry however has another idea and strikes a deal with the Duke. Little did he know that this would change his life forever...
Christi Caldwell's Fighting for his Lady is the story between Patience Storm, daughter of the late fighting champion Tom Storm and the man who broke her heart years before, Godrick Gunnery. Godrick had spent time living with the Storms while being trained by Tom Storm and fell in love with Patience. However, he failed to tell her that he was a younger son of a Duke and had been betrothed since childhood. When this came to light, Patience broke his nose and banished him. Following their father's death, the Storms are in dire straits. Her younger brother is in need of an instructor to help them win the Fight of the Century, and most importantly, the prize-money. Unfortunately for Patience, the best is Godrick.....or should I say fortunately?
Theresa Romain's The Prodigal Duke is the story between the new Duke of Westfair, Leo Billingsley and his old friend and first love Poppy Hayworth. As a younger son, Leo had left England with his share of funds in hand. After several years and some successful investments, he is called back to London with news of his brother's death. Despite his fortune, Leo is still considered as the black sheep of the family by his only remaining relative, Uncle Bernard. Thus, Leo decides that the only way Uncle Bernard can believe in him is if he asks Poppy to become his pretend fiancee. Little did he expect to find Poppy working at Vauxhall as a tightrope walker. Poppy has a terrible secret and she is counting on the money received at Vauxhall to flee England and live a simple country life. However, she underestimated how the power of passion and first love can change circumstances.
Vanessa Kelly's The Buccaneer Duke is the story between the illegitimate son of a royal duke, Captain Roman Cantrell and the unconventional Antonia Barnett. With the war at an end, Duke of Clarence orders Roman home to find a respectable wife and restore his reputation. So far all the society misses seemed boring and terrified of him. Until he meets fairy-like Antonia. Despite her small size and common looks, she is a force to be reckoned with and Roman cannot seem to stay away from her. Roman is totally enchanted, even though she is the daughter of his greatest rival. Will the couple be able to overcome the obstacles thrown in their path?
The Dukes of Vauxhall is a lovely read and I highly recommend it. While all the novellas are enjoyable, I must say that Shana Galen's and Christy Caldwell's are my favourite.
As is common for Shana Galen and co anthologies, there usually is a common theme to anchor the novellas. All four novellas take place more or less during the same timeline. The Prince wants to celebrate his birthday and the recent win at the Battle of Waterloo and declares numerous social gatherings to be done in his honour. Among these, an illegal fistfight is also being set up on the dark walks....The stories can be read in any order since there are only some common keywords and circumstances however I would recommend reading them as presented in the book since there is one tiny detail in The Buccaneer Duke that might spoil Taken by the Duke.
Shana Galen's Taken by the Duke is the story between Henry Selkirk, the new Viscount Bexley and Kate Dunn his childhood friend and first love. While Henry became part of the peer for being the the remaining male descendant, Kate's family lost all they had and had descended into poverty. Henry was deceived by other Lords and got appointed as the Master of Ceremonies when he went to talk to The Prince Regent about overindulgent expenditures. Unfortunately, this position brings him to the attention of the notorious Duke of Vauxhall since his efforts are making it difficult for the Duke's gang to carry out their criminal activities. The Duke threatens Henry to either walk away from the whole situation or risk his life. Henry however has another idea and strikes a deal with the Duke. Little did he know that this would change his life forever...
Christi Caldwell's Fighting for his Lady is the story between Patience Storm, daughter of the late fighting champion Tom Storm and the man who broke her heart years before, Godrick Gunnery. Godrick had spent time living with the Storms while being trained by Tom Storm and fell in love with Patience. However, he failed to tell her that he was a younger son of a Duke and had been betrothed since childhood. When this came to light, Patience broke his nose and banished him. Following their father's death, the Storms are in dire straits. Her younger brother is in need of an instructor to help them win the Fight of the Century, and most importantly, the prize-money. Unfortunately for Patience, the best is Godrick.....or should I say fortunately?
Theresa Romain's The Prodigal Duke is the story between the new Duke of Westfair, Leo Billingsley and his old friend and first love Poppy Hayworth. As a younger son, Leo had left England with his share of funds in hand. After several years and some successful investments, he is called back to London with news of his brother's death. Despite his fortune, Leo is still considered as the black sheep of the family by his only remaining relative, Uncle Bernard. Thus, Leo decides that the only way Uncle Bernard can believe in him is if he asks Poppy to become his pretend fiancee. Little did he expect to find Poppy working at Vauxhall as a tightrope walker. Poppy has a terrible secret and she is counting on the money received at Vauxhall to flee England and live a simple country life. However, she underestimated how the power of passion and first love can change circumstances.
Vanessa Kelly's The Buccaneer Duke is the story between the illegitimate son of a royal duke, Captain Roman Cantrell and the unconventional Antonia Barnett. With the war at an end, Duke of Clarence orders Roman home to find a respectable wife and restore his reputation. So far all the society misses seemed boring and terrified of him. Until he meets fairy-like Antonia. Despite her small size and common looks, she is a force to be reckoned with and Roman cannot seem to stay away from her. Roman is totally enchanted, even though she is the daughter of his greatest rival. Will the couple be able to overcome the obstacles thrown in their path?
The Dukes of Vauxhall is a lovely read and I highly recommend it. While all the novellas are enjoyable, I must say that Shana Galen's and Christy Caldwell's are my favourite.
May 9, 2017
Fantastic anthology! Really interesting heroines, each with their own unique story. The heroes are diverse, with back stories that are a little different from the normal Regency men. I like how interwoven each story was with the theme and each other. The authors are all excellent writers with wonderful skill in drawing you into the plots. I couldn't put this book down!
May 9, 2017
As this anthology was written by some of my favorite authors, I had no doubt that I would truly enjoy it. I was correct. It was absolutely fabulous.
I was very intrigued by the title as the one place I would have loved to visit during the Regency time period is Vauxhall Gardens.
While each story in this collection was very different and unique to each author, the stories centered around a common theme, a very special birthday celebration and in some cases, rekindled love.
The real fun of the stories was the heroines They are not your typical debutantes that attend balls and worry about their next gown. These are ladies that are strong and do what they have to in order to survive or make their own happiness. The gentlemen were also unique. They recognized the value of strong, resilient women. Their paths to happily ever after often took years and both encountered roadblocks along the way.
These stories confirm that love is not always easy, but so very worth the wait!
I hope that when you download this wonderful book, you are prepared to just keep reading until The End. Once I started, I lost myself to the magic of Vauxhall!
I was very intrigued by the title as the one place I would have loved to visit during the Regency time period is Vauxhall Gardens.
While each story in this collection was very different and unique to each author, the stories centered around a common theme, a very special birthday celebration and in some cases, rekindled love.
The real fun of the stories was the heroines They are not your typical debutantes that attend balls and worry about their next gown. These are ladies that are strong and do what they have to in order to survive or make their own happiness. The gentlemen were also unique. They recognized the value of strong, resilient women. Their paths to happily ever after often took years and both encountered roadblocks along the way.
These stories confirm that love is not always easy, but so very worth the wait!
I hope that when you download this wonderful book, you are prepared to just keep reading until The End. Once I started, I lost myself to the magic of Vauxhall!
May 3, 2017
What a wonderful anthology! Sometimes in an anthology, there is one story I don't like as much as the others, but NOT in this case. The four stories are all very good and original. I especially enjoyed the mix of aristocracy and commoners. I liked all of the heroes and heroines, but I admit Godrick was my favorite hero. One of the nice things about anthologies is you can read them individually if you don't have much reading time. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to the authors for the ARC. Release date is May 9th.
May 8, 2017
I was got ARC of The Dukes of Vauxhall. I loved how the four authors worked storyline into one event.
The story of victory celebration of Waterloo and Prinny birthday.
Taken by the Duke, Fighting for his lady, The Prodigal Duke and Buccaneer Duke each show a different storyline of the celebration.
The story of victory celebration of Waterloo and Prinny birthday.
Taken by the Duke, Fighting for his lady, The Prodigal Duke and Buccaneer Duke each show a different storyline of the celebration.
April 25, 2017
I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
I'm not much of a reader of multiple author books but this one has changed my mind.
Each story is related through one single event and yet would stand on their own.
I really enjoyed reading it
I'm not much of a reader of multiple author books but this one has changed my mind.
Each story is related through one single event and yet would stand on their own.
I really enjoyed reading it
July 4, 2017
This was a delightful anthology and I'm usually not a fan of them. We have 4 fantastic historical romance authors giving us different couples story centered around the same event, the prince's victory celebration of Waterloo at notorious Vauxhall Gardens. This set of stories is just fun and I know I'll have to explore more of Vanessa Kelly as this was the first taste I've had of her author's voice. I want more of her as well as my favorites Shana Galen and Theresa Romain. Christi Caldwell was new to me and she was great too. Each story is about a duke of some sort: Duke of Vauxhall, a thief, newly minted not expecting to be Duke, a illegitimate son of a royal Duke and a prize fighter "duke". Love the tie ins.
Each story was my favorite until I read the next one. I really don't think any story is better than the others but each author takes her subject couple and deftly weaves their story threads for a HEA. My thanks go to Shana Galen for giving me this ARC for an honest review.
Story titles:
Galen: Taken By The Duke
Caldwell: Fighting For His Lady
Romain: The Prodigal Duke
Kelly: The Buccaneer Duke
Each story was my favorite until I read the next one. I really don't think any story is better than the others but each author takes her subject couple and deftly weaves their story threads for a HEA. My thanks go to Shana Galen for giving me this ARC for an honest review.
Story titles:
Galen: Taken By The Duke
Caldwell: Fighting For His Lady
Romain: The Prodigal Duke
Kelly: The Buccaneer Duke
May 9, 2017
I absolutely love this book and it's have not only 1 story but 4 from all of my favorite authors. I loved all of them.
May 7, 2017
It is always great to get a new story from Shana Galen and it was extra special because it came along with new stories from Christi Caldwell & Theresa Romain and introduced me to Vanessa Kelly. These stories are all set around Vauxhall with its various entertainments. It was so interesting to get a behind the scenes view of the pleasure gardens while meeting some great characters. Get ready for an exciting ride!
May 14, 2017
Anthologies are not my favorite type of book to read and review. In my experience, I have found that authors often contribute previously published novellas and repackage them as a new book. I have been burned a few times by the anthology marketing scheme and was hesitant to read The Dukes of Vauxhall. I took a chance on the anthology because Shana Galen is one of my favorite authors and I was intrigued that the novellas were set in London’s mysterious Vauxhall Gardens.
Shana Galen’s Taken by the Duke was my favorite story in the book. I loved the characters, the fast-paced storyline and the surprises throughout the novel. Ms. Galen’s descriptive writing draws the reader into the story, the dialogue between the characters of Henry and Kate is superb and the conclusion is fabulous!
Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell is a second chance romance. Christi Caldwell creates strong female leads in her novels and I admired Patience Storm devotion to her family. I enjoyed the action described in the fight scenes but I could not connect with the hero’s previous actions. In my opinion, this novella did not have enough cross over with the other three stories.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed Theresa Romains’s The Prodigal Duke. Loved the quirky characters, their backstory and the humorous banter between Leo and Poppy and the heartfelt conversations between Leo and his uncle. Based on this novella, I would read another book by the author.
The Buccaneer Duke surprised me! Vanessa Kelly is a wonderful storyteller—the characters are unique, fabulously written and their journey was full of surprises. Loved the instant attraction between Roman and Antonia, the secondary characters of Richard, Griffin and Anthony Barnet, Antonia’s father. The book seamlessly connected with the other novellas in the anthology and the ending was fabulous!
The authors of The Dukes of Vauxhall anthology created individual stories for this book. I enjoyed reading the novellas because The Vauxhall Garden setting unifies each of the stories allowing me to feel that I was reading a single interwoven novel.
Shana Galen’s Taken by the Duke was my favorite story in the book. I loved the characters, the fast-paced storyline and the surprises throughout the novel. Ms. Galen’s descriptive writing draws the reader into the story, the dialogue between the characters of Henry and Kate is superb and the conclusion is fabulous!
Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell is a second chance romance. Christi Caldwell creates strong female leads in her novels and I admired Patience Storm devotion to her family. I enjoyed the action described in the fight scenes but I could not connect with the hero’s previous actions. In my opinion, this novella did not have enough cross over with the other three stories.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed Theresa Romains’s The Prodigal Duke. Loved the quirky characters, their backstory and the humorous banter between Leo and Poppy and the heartfelt conversations between Leo and his uncle. Based on this novella, I would read another book by the author.
The Buccaneer Duke surprised me! Vanessa Kelly is a wonderful storyteller—the characters are unique, fabulously written and their journey was full of surprises. Loved the instant attraction between Roman and Antonia, the secondary characters of Richard, Griffin and Anthony Barnet, Antonia’s father. The book seamlessly connected with the other novellas in the anthology and the ending was fabulous!
The authors of The Dukes of Vauxhall anthology created individual stories for this book. I enjoyed reading the novellas because The Vauxhall Garden setting unifies each of the stories allowing me to feel that I was reading a single interwoven novel.
May 18, 2017
The Dukes of Vauxhall might have been one of the most underwhelming anthologies I’ve ever read. It was a huge disappointment to say the least as I’ve previously read and loved two of four featured authors, while the remaining authors were both new to me and you never want your first experience with an author to be a lackluster one.
Despite all that, Shana Galen’s The Duke of Vauxhall was the exception. In it, Galen flipped gender expectations by making ‘The Duke’, a notorious crime lord of the underworld, a woman. Kate was a breeches-wearing, knife carrying, all-around badass QUEEN and I loved her SO MUCH. However, I do wish that she had been given a full length book as I would’ve liked to spend more time exploring her character and it also would’ve given her so-so romance with Henry more time to blossom.
Fighting For His Lady by Christi Caldwell was okay, but forgettable. Her writing style was quite good though.
Shockingly, Theresa Romain’s The Prodigal Duke was the biggest letdown. Even the originality that came from pairing a tightrope walker and a hero with (what I interpret as) ADHD, as well as Theresa’s always lovely prose, this novella failed on every level for me. Between the heroine’s triggering backstory , MEH chemistry between the leads and the borderline ridiculous plot, there was little, if anything, to enjoy about this one. Does writing negative reviews for your favorite authors ever get easier?
I enjoyed The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly if only because Roman and Antonia’s romance was the only one that gave me even a hint of feels.
The main takeaway from all of this is that despite my aversions to most of the stories featured here, I would read all of the authors again without an ounce of hesitation. The excerpts from their upcoming or recently released novels gave me further hope as well. Especially Theresa Romain’s as it featured a ginger heroine and a pining hero. GIMME THAT CATNIP NOW!
Despite all that, Shana Galen’s The Duke of Vauxhall was the exception. In it, Galen flipped gender expectations by making ‘The Duke’, a notorious crime lord of the underworld, a woman. Kate was a breeches-wearing, knife carrying, all-around badass QUEEN and I loved her SO MUCH. However, I do wish that she had been given a full length book as I would’ve liked to spend more time exploring her character and it also would’ve given her so-so romance with Henry more time to blossom.
Fighting For His Lady by Christi Caldwell was okay, but forgettable. Her writing style was quite good though.
Shockingly, Theresa Romain’s The Prodigal Duke was the biggest letdown. Even the originality that came from pairing a tightrope walker and a hero with (what I interpret as) ADHD, as well as Theresa’s always lovely prose, this novella failed on every level for me. Between the heroine’s triggering backstory , MEH chemistry between the leads and the borderline ridiculous plot, there was little, if anything, to enjoy about this one. Does writing negative reviews for your favorite authors ever get easier?
I enjoyed The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly if only because Roman and Antonia’s romance was the only one that gave me even a hint of feels.
The main takeaway from all of this is that despite my aversions to most of the stories featured here, I would read all of the authors again without an ounce of hesitation. The excerpts from their upcoming or recently released novels gave me further hope as well. Especially Theresa Romain’s as it featured a ginger heroine and a pining hero. GIMME THAT CATNIP NOW!
May 11, 2017
Kind of a mixed bag. Each of these authors knows how to write good novellas but it seems like their through story of the celebration/boxing match at Vauxhall was a hindrance. Only Christy Caldwell took the time to establish what the characters were really up to about a month beforehand. Everyone else focused on a few days or maybe a week prior to the event for their characters to meet (or meet again) before launching them into their romance. I appreciate that Vanessa Kelly doesn't rely on a preexisting relationship in her story; however that same short period of acquaintance bites the story in the ___ since they're all but in love with each other from basically their first introductions.
What killed me is that none of the heroes or heroines (or even side characters) are part of the other stories in the anthology. There was no smooth transition between the different stories or any carryover characters between them (except for the Duke of Vauxhall and the boxing opponents being named several times). It would have been so simple for the best friend of one hero to pop-up again later as the romantic lead of another story. In the end there were too many missed opportunities and quite a bit of insta-love.
What killed me is that none of the heroes or heroines (or even side characters) are part of the other stories in the anthology. There was no smooth transition between the different stories or any carryover characters between them (except for the Duke of Vauxhall and the boxing opponents being named several times). It would have been so simple for the best friend of one hero to pop-up again later as the romantic lead of another story. In the end there were too many missed opportunities and quite a bit of insta-love.
May 9, 2017
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: http://wp.me/p3QRh4-xT
THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL is a collection of four concurrent short stories taking place, at least partially, in the famous (or infamous) Pleasure Gardens at the time the end of the war was being celebrated. Not all of these tales are of the typical highborn duke, but rather a variety of the noble and the not-so-noble, and undoubtedly with unique storylines. Shana Galen's is a somewhat dark story of lovers from two different worlds. Christi Caldwell's lovely story is about forgiveness and a second chance at love. Theresa Romain's touching story is also about second chances, and choices. Vanessa Kelly's delightful story is about opposites attracting, and having to battle opposition to be together. You expect quality from these four talented ladies, and they deliver in this most enjoyable collection. Recommended.
TAKEN BY THE DUKE by Shana Galen
Henry and Kate were childhood friends with respectable families. Henry grew up to become a barrister, then unexpectedly inherited a viscountcy. Kate's father took a spiral, and her family lost everything, and Kate made a decision to take a much different path into a life of vice and crime. When Henry's new title forces him to become the party planner for the Regent's birthday celebration at Vauxhall, his preparations put a crimp in the style of the criminal element. The reigning crime lord, known as the Duke of Vauxhall, has Henry kidnapped in order to lay down the law to him. Imagine Henry's surprise to find that the "Duke" is really his long lost childhood friend, Kate. Though hardened by her current life, Kate chooses to only warn Henry instead of seriously harming, or even killing him. Their continued meetings cause a strong attraction to develop, which really was born years ago as they were youngsters just beginning to mature. How could there possibly be any future between a respected peer and a wanted crime lord?
FIGHTING FOR HIS LADY by Christi Caldwell
Patience is the daughter of a former fighter, now a renowned instructor. When a young man, Godrick, comes to train with him, Patience soon finds herself falling in love. Over the course of his training, they plan to marry and build a future together. When it turns out that Godrick has neglected to share the truth of his birth and his availability, Patience is devastated and sends him away. Godrick's path took him to success and wealth, while Patience's family is living a threadbare existence. Now, ten years later, Patience's younger brother has a shot at a large prize in a bout with the top fighter around, but he's not quite ready. Godrick is now an instructor, and Patience knows that he is the only one who can prepare her brother in the short time left. She swallows her pride, and seeks out Godrick to ask this favor. Over the course of time, neither Godrick nor Patience has loved anyone else or has forgotten the other. Can past wrongs be forgiven, and can this couple realize that they belong together forever?
THE PRODIGAL DUKE by Theresa Romain
Leo and Poppy are great friends, and are headed on the path to happy-ever-after, when Leo's older brother, the duke, declares that he intends to marry Poppy. Wanting her to have the best, Leo leaves the country, not returning for six years, and then, only at his inheriting the dukedom upon his brother's death. Poppy turned down the duke's proposal and has never married, and is now earning a living as Madame Haut, tightrope walker at Vauxhall Gardens. When Leo finds Poppy, it's only to learn that she is pregnant and unmarried. As soon as she has sufficient funds, she plans to leave the country to raise her child in France. Any dreams of a reconciliation are gone, as how can a duke possibly claim another's child (and possibly the next duke) as his own?
THE BUCCANEER DUKE by Vanessa Kelly
Roman is the illegitimate son of a royal duke, who has spent years as a privateer. Now his father wants him to settle down and find a high ranking noble lady to marry. While Antonia is an heiress, there are also rumors about her birth, and she has a direct and quirky personality. At first glance, Roman dismisses her, but they more they meet, the more he's determined to have her. Antonia's forthrightness is purely delightful, as is their attraction to each other. Their conversations are guaranteed to bring a smile and you can't help but root for them as they try to convince Antonia's watchdog father and the duke that they belong together.
THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL is a collection of four concurrent short stories taking place, at least partially, in the famous (or infamous) Pleasure Gardens at the time the end of the war was being celebrated. Not all of these tales are of the typical highborn duke, but rather a variety of the noble and the not-so-noble, and undoubtedly with unique storylines. Shana Galen's is a somewhat dark story of lovers from two different worlds. Christi Caldwell's lovely story is about forgiveness and a second chance at love. Theresa Romain's touching story is also about second chances, and choices. Vanessa Kelly's delightful story is about opposites attracting, and having to battle opposition to be together. You expect quality from these four talented ladies, and they deliver in this most enjoyable collection. Recommended.
TAKEN BY THE DUKE by Shana Galen
Henry and Kate were childhood friends with respectable families. Henry grew up to become a barrister, then unexpectedly inherited a viscountcy. Kate's father took a spiral, and her family lost everything, and Kate made a decision to take a much different path into a life of vice and crime. When Henry's new title forces him to become the party planner for the Regent's birthday celebration at Vauxhall, his preparations put a crimp in the style of the criminal element. The reigning crime lord, known as the Duke of Vauxhall, has Henry kidnapped in order to lay down the law to him. Imagine Henry's surprise to find that the "Duke" is really his long lost childhood friend, Kate. Though hardened by her current life, Kate chooses to only warn Henry instead of seriously harming, or even killing him. Their continued meetings cause a strong attraction to develop, which really was born years ago as they were youngsters just beginning to mature. How could there possibly be any future between a respected peer and a wanted crime lord?
FIGHTING FOR HIS LADY by Christi Caldwell
Patience is the daughter of a former fighter, now a renowned instructor. When a young man, Godrick, comes to train with him, Patience soon finds herself falling in love. Over the course of his training, they plan to marry and build a future together. When it turns out that Godrick has neglected to share the truth of his birth and his availability, Patience is devastated and sends him away. Godrick's path took him to success and wealth, while Patience's family is living a threadbare existence. Now, ten years later, Patience's younger brother has a shot at a large prize in a bout with the top fighter around, but he's not quite ready. Godrick is now an instructor, and Patience knows that he is the only one who can prepare her brother in the short time left. She swallows her pride, and seeks out Godrick to ask this favor. Over the course of time, neither Godrick nor Patience has loved anyone else or has forgotten the other. Can past wrongs be forgiven, and can this couple realize that they belong together forever?
THE PRODIGAL DUKE by Theresa Romain
Leo and Poppy are great friends, and are headed on the path to happy-ever-after, when Leo's older brother, the duke, declares that he intends to marry Poppy. Wanting her to have the best, Leo leaves the country, not returning for six years, and then, only at his inheriting the dukedom upon his brother's death. Poppy turned down the duke's proposal and has never married, and is now earning a living as Madame Haut, tightrope walker at Vauxhall Gardens. When Leo finds Poppy, it's only to learn that she is pregnant and unmarried. As soon as she has sufficient funds, she plans to leave the country to raise her child in France. Any dreams of a reconciliation are gone, as how can a duke possibly claim another's child (and possibly the next duke) as his own?
THE BUCCANEER DUKE by Vanessa Kelly
Roman is the illegitimate son of a royal duke, who has spent years as a privateer. Now his father wants him to settle down and find a high ranking noble lady to marry. While Antonia is an heiress, there are also rumors about her birth, and she has a direct and quirky personality. At first glance, Roman dismisses her, but they more they meet, the more he's determined to have her. Antonia's forthrightness is purely delightful, as is their attraction to each other. Their conversations are guaranteed to bring a smile and you can't help but root for them as they try to convince Antonia's watchdog father and the duke that they belong together.
June 7, 2017
Received in return for an honest review naughtiness 4*
Utterly loved every single book in this anthology, each fantastically done and coinciding with one another had me hooked from page one I do not give spoilers but can very much highly recommend the authors and the anthology as a whole and must admit I will be adding no doubt to my already teetering tbr pile more books by these amazing Ladies
Thank you all for coming together writing these amazing stories that make the Dukes of Vauxhall
Utterly loved every single book in this anthology, each fantastically done and coinciding with one another had me hooked from page one I do not give spoilers but can very much highly recommend the authors and the anthology as a whole and must admit I will be adding no doubt to my already teetering tbr pile more books by these amazing Ladies
Thank you all for coming together writing these amazing stories that make the Dukes of Vauxhall
September 26, 2018
This was an entirely delightful collection featuring four stories set around the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens during some lavish celebrations thrown by the Prince Regent.
Taken by the Duke by Shana Galen
Henry Selkirk is the newly minted Viscount Bexley, a role he never anticipated or wanted. When he's kidnapped at knifepoint during his work overseeing Prinny's extravaganza, he comes face to face with a woman from his past.
Kate Dunn can't believe that her childhood friend and first love is standing before her, but it's been years since they were playmates, and much has changed. So much.
Ms Galen does a lovely job with this story of second chances, and Kate and Henry don't simply fall easily into traditional roles. An exciting, enjoyable read.
Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell
Patience Storm is the daughter of a well-known fighter, but since her father's demise, her family has fallen into hard times, and she finds herself having to swallow her pride and approach Godrick Gunnery for help. He is her father's best-known proteges and unfortunately the one who broke her heart, but he is the only one who might be able to take her younger brother in hand to prepare for the fight of his life.
Ms Caldwell's story of a second chance is both sweet and moving. Patience is no shrinking miss, and Godrick recognizes immediately how deeply he regrets how he handled their past. It's a lovely journey to see how they handle the possibility of a future.
The Prodigal Duke by Theresa Romain
Leo Billingsley is another younger son who never anticipated being the duke. The one high point of returning to London is reuniting with Poppy Hayworth, his childhood friend. He talks her into a faux engagement, but Poppy's got a secret of her own.
I definitely enjoyed this also--Poppy's a tightrope walker, an unusual profession. And their forthrightness in speaking with each other, whether accurate for the time or not, is refreshing and delightful.
The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly
Captain Roman Cantrell's home from serving his country as a privateer, and under pressure from his father to find a respectable wife. Antonia Barnett catches his eye but she's decidedly NOT one who would help his reputation. And she's the daughter of his greatest business rival, a man who is not inclined to believe anything positive of him, much less entrust his precious daughter to.
Roman and Antonia find they have a great deal in common, having dealt with unfair and scathing gossip for much of their lives. Their conversations are entertaining and fun.
This entire collection worked for me, and I will be seeking out other work by all four authors.
Taken by the Duke by Shana Galen
Henry Selkirk is the newly minted Viscount Bexley, a role he never anticipated or wanted. When he's kidnapped at knifepoint during his work overseeing Prinny's extravaganza, he comes face to face with a woman from his past.
Kate Dunn can't believe that her childhood friend and first love is standing before her, but it's been years since they were playmates, and much has changed. So much.
Ms Galen does a lovely job with this story of second chances, and Kate and Henry don't simply fall easily into traditional roles. An exciting, enjoyable read.
Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell
Patience Storm is the daughter of a well-known fighter, but since her father's demise, her family has fallen into hard times, and she finds herself having to swallow her pride and approach Godrick Gunnery for help. He is her father's best-known proteges and unfortunately the one who broke her heart, but he is the only one who might be able to take her younger brother in hand to prepare for the fight of his life.
Ms Caldwell's story of a second chance is both sweet and moving. Patience is no shrinking miss, and Godrick recognizes immediately how deeply he regrets how he handled their past. It's a lovely journey to see how they handle the possibility of a future.
The Prodigal Duke by Theresa Romain
Leo Billingsley is another younger son who never anticipated being the duke. The one high point of returning to London is reuniting with Poppy Hayworth, his childhood friend. He talks her into a faux engagement, but Poppy's got a secret of her own.
I definitely enjoyed this also--Poppy's a tightrope walker, an unusual profession. And their forthrightness in speaking with each other, whether accurate for the time or not, is refreshing and delightful.
The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly
Captain Roman Cantrell's home from serving his country as a privateer, and under pressure from his father to find a respectable wife. Antonia Barnett catches his eye but she's decidedly NOT one who would help his reputation. And she's the daughter of his greatest business rival, a man who is not inclined to believe anything positive of him, much less entrust his precious daughter to.
Roman and Antonia find they have a great deal in common, having dealt with unfair and scathing gossip for much of their lives. Their conversations are entertaining and fun.
This entire collection worked for me, and I will be seeking out other work by all four authors.
May 9, 2017
************3.25 Star Review for the Entire Anthology************
I am a sucker for a good historical romances and when I found out one of my favorite authors (Christ Caldwell) had a big in this anthology I knew this was going to a must read for me. Two of the stories were fantastic and think I found a new author to check out, two of the stories just didn't work for me.
Taken by the Duke: 2 star read: I really wanted to like this novella and a female crime lord called the Duke and the old love that walks back into her life. The story intrigued me right of the bat, but it was not able to capture my interest as the story progressed and found myself skimming most of the story.
*****Received an ARC for the author for an honest review******
Fighting For His Lady: 5 Star read: What can I say Christi writes some of the best novellas out their and the story of Godrick and Patience. Two young lovers separated by deception and youthful folly who find themselves thrown into each other's world after 10 year separation. I was drawn into this story from page and Patience has to be one of the strongest heroines Christi has created. Patience has never had an easy life and has bored the weight of her family for years, but she never let it break her and took all challenges head on. And Godrick, wow he was all man and loved everything about him.
The Prodigal Duke: 1 star read: This story did not work for me at all and only skimmed the vast majority of the story.
The Buccaneer Duke: 5 star read: This story was everything! I was hooked from the blurb and the story did not disappoint. The author is new to me and will definitely be checking out her other books. It was light, fun and oddly poignant. Roman (love this name) and Antonia are two societal outcast, who don't feel they belong anywhere until they meet each other and finally find everything they have longed for. Just a perfect love story!
I am a sucker for a good historical romances and when I found out one of my favorite authors (Christ Caldwell) had a big in this anthology I knew this was going to a must read for me. Two of the stories were fantastic and think I found a new author to check out, two of the stories just didn't work for me.
Taken by the Duke: 2 star read: I really wanted to like this novella and a female crime lord called the Duke and the old love that walks back into her life. The story intrigued me right of the bat, but it was not able to capture my interest as the story progressed and found myself skimming most of the story.
*****Received an ARC for the author for an honest review******
Fighting For His Lady: 5 Star read: What can I say Christi writes some of the best novellas out their and the story of Godrick and Patience. Two young lovers separated by deception and youthful folly who find themselves thrown into each other's world after 10 year separation. I was drawn into this story from page and Patience has to be one of the strongest heroines Christi has created. Patience has never had an easy life and has bored the weight of her family for years, but she never let it break her and took all challenges head on. And Godrick, wow he was all man and loved everything about him.
The Prodigal Duke: 1 star read: This story did not work for me at all and only skimmed the vast majority of the story.
The Buccaneer Duke: 5 star read: This story was everything! I was hooked from the blurb and the story did not disappoint. The author is new to me and will definitely be checking out her other books. It was light, fun and oddly poignant. Roman (love this name) and Antonia are two societal outcast, who don't feel they belong anywhere until they meet each other and finally find everything they have longed for. Just a perfect love story!
May 8, 2017
The Dukes of Vauxhall is an amazing box set of books, that I absolutely loved! From tightrope walking heroine, illegitimate son, Master of Ceremonies, to a fighting lord! The box set literally has it all!
But there was one story that stuck out for me! Mainly because I have never read a story like it! And that is the story of Patricia Storm and the man that love her and lied! Oh my goodness, to say that I'm praying that the author continues with this series, might just be an understatement. Patricia character honestly broke my heart! to be "betrayed" by a lie from someone you love, and not be able to move on FOR 10 YEARS! oh my goodness, this brought ugly tears! But then you get to Godrick, and you just want to shake him, and yell at him. But he has more regrets that we will ever know!...so yeah! I'm just a little bit invested in the story.
As a British women living in America, I'm always very critical of American authors writing historical romances set in London. But this collection completely enchanted me, and I couldn't put it down. The writing and plots of all four authors kept me gripped, and in parts, crying like a baby and alternatively yelling at my kindle like a deranged women.
I have to say, if you a looking for a fresh take on Historical romance, take a chance on The Dukes of Vauxhall box set, but be prepared to fall in love!
I give The Dukes of Vauxhall 5 stars.
But there was one story that stuck out for me! Mainly because I have never read a story like it! And that is the story of Patricia Storm and the man that love her and lied! Oh my goodness, to say that I'm praying that the author continues with this series, might just be an understatement. Patricia character honestly broke my heart! to be "betrayed" by a lie from someone you love, and not be able to move on FOR 10 YEARS! oh my goodness, this brought ugly tears! But then you get to Godrick, and you just want to shake him, and yell at him. But he has more regrets that we will ever know!...so yeah! I'm just a little bit invested in the story.
As a British women living in America, I'm always very critical of American authors writing historical romances set in London. But this collection completely enchanted me, and I couldn't put it down. The writing and plots of all four authors kept me gripped, and in parts, crying like a baby and alternatively yelling at my kindle like a deranged women.
I have to say, if you a looking for a fresh take on Historical romance, take a chance on The Dukes of Vauxhall box set, but be prepared to fall in love!
I give The Dukes of Vauxhall 5 stars.
June 10, 2017
SIMPLY CAPTIVATINGLY ROMANCE COLLECTION
What an amazing treat! 4 five star authors, Shana Galen, Vanessa Kelly, Christi Caldwell, and Theresa Romain, has joined and brought us 4 five star adventurous stories, linked together through scandal, murder, mystery, love, passion, and adventure of 4 engrossing couples.
Four dukes, two balls, one prizefight, and a Vauxhall celebration Prinny’s birthday. The rich, desperate, lordly, and even the criminal, join in the festivities. A duke of the underworld encounters a lady from his past while kidnapping a viscount. The Duke of the Ring, famous prizefighter, risks his reputation for the sake of a past love. Another Duke needs help from a tightrope dancer in faking an engagement. The son of a Duke is on the hunt for a respectable wife to help salvage his reputation. Vauxhall Gardens will never again be the same.
Each of these authors has earned a place on my keeper shelf. Their books are filled with action, page turning passion, romance, twists and turns, secrets, and lies, humor and heartbreak. The reader reaches the last page feeling they have read a complete romance, feeling as if they became a part of the story and have escaped into another time and place.
This book, each author, and everything they have written is highly recommended. I look forward to each new release.
What an amazing treat! 4 five star authors, Shana Galen, Vanessa Kelly, Christi Caldwell, and Theresa Romain, has joined and brought us 4 five star adventurous stories, linked together through scandal, murder, mystery, love, passion, and adventure of 4 engrossing couples.
Four dukes, two balls, one prizefight, and a Vauxhall celebration Prinny’s birthday. The rich, desperate, lordly, and even the criminal, join in the festivities. A duke of the underworld encounters a lady from his past while kidnapping a viscount. The Duke of the Ring, famous prizefighter, risks his reputation for the sake of a past love. Another Duke needs help from a tightrope dancer in faking an engagement. The son of a Duke is on the hunt for a respectable wife to help salvage his reputation. Vauxhall Gardens will never again be the same.
Each of these authors has earned a place on my keeper shelf. Their books are filled with action, page turning passion, romance, twists and turns, secrets, and lies, humor and heartbreak. The reader reaches the last page feeling they have read a complete romance, feeling as if they became a part of the story and have escaped into another time and place.
This book, each author, and everything they have written is highly recommended. I look forward to each new release.
May 11, 2017
Good Read!
I love all of these Author's! They each are terricfic stars on their own, you must try their books! However, I deducted one star, for all four stories, are based on the young ladies being the hero! I am unhappy with this trend in new books, feminism has crept in, centuries too early. I love where the man is the hero, and his saving grace, is the love of the perfect lady. These are all good, different tales, that take place in Vauxhall Gardens, to celebrate the Battle of Waterloo, and Prinny's Birthday! They are all good reads, I highly recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!
carolintallahassee👒
I love all of these Author's! They each are terricfic stars on their own, you must try their books! However, I deducted one star, for all four stories, are based on the young ladies being the hero! I am unhappy with this trend in new books, feminism has crept in, centuries too early. I love where the man is the hero, and his saving grace, is the love of the perfect lady. These are all good, different tales, that take place in Vauxhall Gardens, to celebrate the Battle of Waterloo, and Prinny's Birthday! They are all good reads, I highly recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!
carolintallahassee👒
May 5, 2017
A mutual topic can be found in every storyline of the novellas that have been created by four notable authors. The French have been defeated at Waterloo, and the British are ready for some merrymaking. Parties are taking place, and several big gatherings will occur at Vauxhall Gardens. What will happen to eight individuals attending various entertainments will change their lives forever, and I was thoroughly enraptured by how cleverly the authors entwined common threads into each of their stories. There are also fascinating romances which are given a second chance at love or an unexpected beginning. All the authors have previously written outstanding romance books about the Regency period, and these fun novellas are totally gratifying. THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL has enchanting characters, original circumstances, and compelling emotional issues in every captivating story.
“Taken by the Duke” by Shana Galen
After recently becoming a viscount, Henry Selkirk gets chosen to organize a huge ball that will celebrate the British victory over the French at Waterloo plus observe the Prince Regent’s birthday. As he tours Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, the site of the festivities, he is taken by a group of ruffians whose leader is called the Duke. While held hostage, Henry meets Kate Dunn, a childhood friend with whom he was once very close. But she has grown into a woman with many secrets, and their lives depend on what choices each ends up making.
The interaction between Henry and Kate is often very interesting, as these two gradually discover whether they can ever trust the other or if they will only get hurt. I thought the current events in their lives led to plenty of surprising scenes, where emotions and hope played a huge part in deciding the course of their actions. Shana Galen makes “Taken by the Duke” constantly intriguing with unforeseen developments. A delightful story with subtle humor and charming characters.
“Fighting for His Lady” by Christi Caldwell
Though Patience Storm had once deeply cared for Godrick Gunnery, his lies caused her to never want him in her life again. However, a desperate need for her brother to win a prizefighting match has her contacting the man who became a champion after being taught by her deceased father. Previously called the Duke of the Ring but now retired, Godrick agrees to help Patience’s brother train in order to hopefully have a victorious bout. Fighting is all he has let himself think about since he last saw the only woman who ever meant anything to him, yet being around her brings back memories that he wants to turn into a reality once more.
“Fighting for His Lady” is an exciting story of lost dreams and optimistic wishes. The premise does not follow a typical Regency plot, as Godrick lives an unusual life for a Duke’s son, while the conduct of Patience is not the norm for women of the period. I was highly entertained when this couple interacted, because honest feelings led to earnest responses. Christi Caldwell has written a rousing and enjoyable romance.
“The Prodigal Duke” by Theresa Romain
There was a good reason for Leo Billingsley leaving London years ago, but now he has returned and will become the next Duke of Westfair. But he needs some assistance with a problem, and the only person who comes to mind is Poppy Hayworth, the woman with whom he grew up and is now a local tightrope performer. Since she has her own troubles, accepting his offer of a fictitious engagement will also benefit her. What was once between Poppy and Leo could have turned into more than friendship at one time, and they might just realize that the chance is still there.
Amusing comments had me smiling, while several more serious incidents made me anxious as I waited to see what would eventually take place. Leo and Poppy are pleasantly delightful, and I saw them as two people who were caught in difficult situations not of their making yet still tried to make the best of whatever they faced. Theresa Romain gives her couple much to prevail over, and I found their choices to be genuinely realistic. “The Prodigal Duke” has sincere emotions and enthralling occurrences.
“The Buccaneer Duke” by Vanessa Kelly
With two aspects about her life that English society sees as disgraceful, Antonia Barnett is not having any luck finding a man willing to marry her. Then she meets Captain Roman Cantrell. He was a privateer during the war, and now the illegitimate offspring of a royal prince is supposed to wed someone of good standing in the hope it gives him respectability. Though different in many ways, Roman and Antonia do share some similarities and their conversations are certainly lively. But there is no way her father will get his daughter be connected to the man who not only looks like a pirate but has acted like one.
Engagingly imaginative from beginning to end, “The Buccaneer Duke” is an engrossing romantic adventure. I was overjoyed for the chance to read another Renegade Royals story, as this favorite series has an innovative premise and unique characters. Roman and Antonia are truly beguiling, as they are quick-witted and make some of the most outrageous remarks. I repeatedly laughed at the more humorous moments in the story, while other instances profoundly affected me with their realism. The large number of candid scenes created by Vanessa Kelly for her appealing couple caused countless smiles.
I voluntarily reviewed the book and all comments are my honest opinion
“Taken by the Duke” by Shana Galen
After recently becoming a viscount, Henry Selkirk gets chosen to organize a huge ball that will celebrate the British victory over the French at Waterloo plus observe the Prince Regent’s birthday. As he tours Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, the site of the festivities, he is taken by a group of ruffians whose leader is called the Duke. While held hostage, Henry meets Kate Dunn, a childhood friend with whom he was once very close. But she has grown into a woman with many secrets, and their lives depend on what choices each ends up making.
The interaction between Henry and Kate is often very interesting, as these two gradually discover whether they can ever trust the other or if they will only get hurt. I thought the current events in their lives led to plenty of surprising scenes, where emotions and hope played a huge part in deciding the course of their actions. Shana Galen makes “Taken by the Duke” constantly intriguing with unforeseen developments. A delightful story with subtle humor and charming characters.
“Fighting for His Lady” by Christi Caldwell
Though Patience Storm had once deeply cared for Godrick Gunnery, his lies caused her to never want him in her life again. However, a desperate need for her brother to win a prizefighting match has her contacting the man who became a champion after being taught by her deceased father. Previously called the Duke of the Ring but now retired, Godrick agrees to help Patience’s brother train in order to hopefully have a victorious bout. Fighting is all he has let himself think about since he last saw the only woman who ever meant anything to him, yet being around her brings back memories that he wants to turn into a reality once more.
“Fighting for His Lady” is an exciting story of lost dreams and optimistic wishes. The premise does not follow a typical Regency plot, as Godrick lives an unusual life for a Duke’s son, while the conduct of Patience is not the norm for women of the period. I was highly entertained when this couple interacted, because honest feelings led to earnest responses. Christi Caldwell has written a rousing and enjoyable romance.
“The Prodigal Duke” by Theresa Romain
There was a good reason for Leo Billingsley leaving London years ago, but now he has returned and will become the next Duke of Westfair. But he needs some assistance with a problem, and the only person who comes to mind is Poppy Hayworth, the woman with whom he grew up and is now a local tightrope performer. Since she has her own troubles, accepting his offer of a fictitious engagement will also benefit her. What was once between Poppy and Leo could have turned into more than friendship at one time, and they might just realize that the chance is still there.
Amusing comments had me smiling, while several more serious incidents made me anxious as I waited to see what would eventually take place. Leo and Poppy are pleasantly delightful, and I saw them as two people who were caught in difficult situations not of their making yet still tried to make the best of whatever they faced. Theresa Romain gives her couple much to prevail over, and I found their choices to be genuinely realistic. “The Prodigal Duke” has sincere emotions and enthralling occurrences.
“The Buccaneer Duke” by Vanessa Kelly
With two aspects about her life that English society sees as disgraceful, Antonia Barnett is not having any luck finding a man willing to marry her. Then she meets Captain Roman Cantrell. He was a privateer during the war, and now the illegitimate offspring of a royal prince is supposed to wed someone of good standing in the hope it gives him respectability. Though different in many ways, Roman and Antonia do share some similarities and their conversations are certainly lively. But there is no way her father will get his daughter be connected to the man who not only looks like a pirate but has acted like one.
Engagingly imaginative from beginning to end, “The Buccaneer Duke” is an engrossing romantic adventure. I was overjoyed for the chance to read another Renegade Royals story, as this favorite series has an innovative premise and unique characters. Roman and Antonia are truly beguiling, as they are quick-witted and make some of the most outrageous remarks. I repeatedly laughed at the more humorous moments in the story, while other instances profoundly affected me with their realism. The large number of candid scenes created by Vanessa Kelly for her appealing couple caused countless smiles.
I voluntarily reviewed the book and all comments are my honest opinion
July 15, 2017
Taken by the Duke - Shana Galen - 2.5 / 5 - Henry is stuck with organizing the Prince’s birthday festivities at Vauxhall and is kidnapped only to discover the famed criminal lord, the Duke of Vauxhall is his childhood friend Kate, who has changed a lot. She threatens him if he doesn’t look after her interests and he goes along with it. He wants to rekindle their youthful love and rescue her from her life of crime. This might have been good if it had been longer and I’d had more time to really understand what Kate had been through, where she was coming from and why she was this way. As it was, she was too hard, too vicious and she seemed very uncaring even of Henry. I did not believe that she loved him as she was still acting quite selfishly. I also had trouble believing he loved the real her, since she’d changed so much and barely had any time to get to know her.
Fighting for His Lady - Christi Caldwell - 5 /5 - So, I’ve kind of avoided starting some of the full length Christi Caldwell books because I’ve read that she writes only clean romances. That’s fine and all, but in my experience, clean romances achieve this status by focusing so much on the romance that they leave the passion and desire by the wayside and they typically bore me. I’m pleased to learn that this is not the case with this author. Wow. This was a second chance romance that had everything packed into a tiny little novella. Godrick and Patience had some serious chemistry, some angst-filled, heart-breaking history and there was plenty of desire and passion (not all of it sexual passion either). I was near tears at one point and for a novella that is astonishing. I can only imagine what a full length novel would do to me. This was also the perfectly executed second chance story with a truly repentant and and suffering hero, a heroine who has to abandon her pride and forgive (but it doesn’t feel too soon) and a hero who was . I will be reading more by this author, I can tell you.
The Prodigal Duke - Theresa Romain - 2.5 / 5 - Not so much my kinda story here. When they were younger, Poppy and Leo were great friends and soon to be more, but Leo took off to make his family fortune and has been gone for 6 years. So Poppy is surprised when he’s suddenly back and asking her to pretend to be his fiancee to appease his uncle. They become much closer, but Poppy knows they can’t be together because and Leo has to focus on being the Duke of Westerfield. This kinda fell flat for me - Leo and Poppy definitely felt like friends, but outside of their one sexual interlude, they felt like they weren’t anything else. It was like they had no sexual chemistry and then suddenly they were having sex and they did, and then it was gone again. And it was really strange that Poppy was so free about sex given a. Her experience at the house party and b. The fact that she’s a gently bred woman. But yet she’s raising her skirts in a dark alcove at Vauxhall and making off-color jokes about long vegetables (which was exceedingly strange...she had a lot of suggestive humor going on that felt really out of place for her character). This just wasn’t for me.
The Buccaneer Duke - Vanessa Kelly - 3 /5 - I quickly realized that this is something of a sequel to the same author’s novella, His Wicked Revenge. This follows Antonia, the two main characters’ daughter in that novella. She’s been on the marriage mart for a while now, but hasn’t found any takers, partially because of the gossip surrounding her legitimacy and also her father’s profession and over-protectiveness. She meets Roman, who is a competitor of her father’s and they sort of hit it off but her father majorly disapproves. This was just okay. I didn’t care for Antonia’s constant insecurity about being a hoyden and being accepted balanced with her acting confident all the time. I didn’t understand nor like her father this time around...although I didn’t get him much in the novella he was in either. This was okay, but not the best in the anthology.
Fighting for His Lady - Christi Caldwell - 5 /5 - So, I’ve kind of avoided starting some of the full length Christi Caldwell books because I’ve read that she writes only clean romances. That’s fine and all, but in my experience, clean romances achieve this status by focusing so much on the romance that they leave the passion and desire by the wayside and they typically bore me. I’m pleased to learn that this is not the case with this author. Wow. This was a second chance romance that had everything packed into a tiny little novella. Godrick and Patience had some serious chemistry, some angst-filled, heart-breaking history and there was plenty of desire and passion (not all of it sexual passion either). I was near tears at one point and for a novella that is astonishing. I can only imagine what a full length novel would do to me. This was also the perfectly executed second chance story with a truly repentant and and suffering hero, a heroine who has to abandon her pride and forgive (but it doesn’t feel too soon) and a hero who was . I will be reading more by this author, I can tell you.
The Prodigal Duke - Theresa Romain - 2.5 / 5 - Not so much my kinda story here. When they were younger, Poppy and Leo were great friends and soon to be more, but Leo took off to make his family fortune and has been gone for 6 years. So Poppy is surprised when he’s suddenly back and asking her to pretend to be his fiancee to appease his uncle. They become much closer, but Poppy knows they can’t be together because and Leo has to focus on being the Duke of Westerfield. This kinda fell flat for me - Leo and Poppy definitely felt like friends, but outside of their one sexual interlude, they felt like they weren’t anything else. It was like they had no sexual chemistry and then suddenly they were having sex and they did, and then it was gone again. And it was really strange that Poppy was so free about sex given a. Her experience at the house party and b. The fact that she’s a gently bred woman. But yet she’s raising her skirts in a dark alcove at Vauxhall and making off-color jokes about long vegetables (which was exceedingly strange...she had a lot of suggestive humor going on that felt really out of place for her character). This just wasn’t for me.
The Buccaneer Duke - Vanessa Kelly - 3 /5 - I quickly realized that this is something of a sequel to the same author’s novella, His Wicked Revenge. This follows Antonia, the two main characters’ daughter in that novella. She’s been on the marriage mart for a while now, but hasn’t found any takers, partially because of the gossip surrounding her legitimacy and also her father’s profession and over-protectiveness. She meets Roman, who is a competitor of her father’s and they sort of hit it off but her father majorly disapproves. This was just okay. I didn’t care for Antonia’s constant insecurity about being a hoyden and being accepted balanced with her acting confident all the time. I didn’t understand nor like her father this time around...although I didn’t get him much in the novella he was in either. This was okay, but not the best in the anthology.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2017
Taken by the Duke - Shana Galen: Henry Selkirk, the new Viscount Bexley, has been roped into planning the Prince Regent’s birthday and Battle of Waterloo celebration at Vauxhall Gardens, all while keeping expenses within budget. As if that’s not hard enough, then he’s captured by the resident criminal group, led by the so-called Duke of Vauxhall, who object to his presence on their turf. It turns out the Duke is Henry’s childhood friend, Kate Dunn, who had disappeared into poverty after her family's fortunes took a turn for the worse. The two work out a way for them to both get what they want from the situation, but all of his old feelings for Kate have returned and Henry wants more. I love the author’s unusual character’s, Kate is definitely not the commonplace heroine, she’s tough and smart, and she’s had to fight for her place at the top while keeping her gender from being known by her rivals. Henry is a man thrust into a role he never planned for, content in his previous life as a barrister before becoming a lord, he’d happily leave it all behind if he could. This couple needed a happily ever after, and they managed to find one.
Fighting For His Lady - Christi Caldwell: As the fourth son of a duke, Godrick Gunnery is beyond the reach of lowly Patience Storm, or so she thinks. The daughter of a street fighter and a seamstress, she fell in love with Godrick when he came to her father for fighting instruction, but when she found out his station and that he was betrothed to another since he was a child, she said she never wanted to see him again. Now, ten years later, with her father dead and her little family fallen on hard times, she needs his help if her younger brother Sam is going to survive a prize fight against the reigning champion, a monster of a man. Of course while Sam’s instruction is progressing, so are Patience and Godrick’s feelings for each other. I always love a second chance at love story, and this was a delightful one. Poor Patience deserved some happiness after taking care of everyone but herself, and though Godrick had made mistakes, he deserved a second chance.
The Prodigal Duke - Theresa Romain: Leo Billingsley, the new Duke of Westfair, has returned to London to take up the duties of his title, and he’s hoping to reconnect with his friend and first love, Poppy Hayworth. After learning of her unfortunate situation, he convinces her to pretend an engagement, and in return he will provide her enough funds to be able to leave London if she wishes. If Leo had his way, he’d make the engagement for real, and Poppy would love nothing better. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem as if they will be able to find a way out of the situation they’re in, since Leo has duties to his title and Poppy can’t change what has happened to her. I was very happy to see them work things out, after Leo and his Uncle Bernard had a frank and heartfelt discussion, which helped Leo to see what was really important. I really enjoyed this couple, they just seemed to fit together so well, and I loved their story.
The Buccaneer Duke - Vanessa Kelly: I loved both main characters in this wonderful story, Antonia Barnett and Roman Cantrell. Antonia was the result of her parent’s indiscretion, and years later when the couple were reunited, her supposed step-father adopted her, but everyone knows (or guesses) the truth. She now courts more scandal by running around dressed as a boy with her best friend Richard. Roman is the illegitimate son of a royal duke, so he has it a bit easier, but has still led a somewhat scandalous life as a privateer during the war. These two are perfect for each other, if they can just convince their respective parents, who want them each to make an advantageous match to someone beyond reproach. I loved how all of the stories carried elements from the others, especially this one, which had a number of little tidbits that recalled the previous stories, which were woven seamlessly into the main story.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this book early after receiving an ARC from one of the authors.
Fighting For His Lady - Christi Caldwell: As the fourth son of a duke, Godrick Gunnery is beyond the reach of lowly Patience Storm, or so she thinks. The daughter of a street fighter and a seamstress, she fell in love with Godrick when he came to her father for fighting instruction, but when she found out his station and that he was betrothed to another since he was a child, she said she never wanted to see him again. Now, ten years later, with her father dead and her little family fallen on hard times, she needs his help if her younger brother Sam is going to survive a prize fight against the reigning champion, a monster of a man. Of course while Sam’s instruction is progressing, so are Patience and Godrick’s feelings for each other. I always love a second chance at love story, and this was a delightful one. Poor Patience deserved some happiness after taking care of everyone but herself, and though Godrick had made mistakes, he deserved a second chance.
The Prodigal Duke - Theresa Romain: Leo Billingsley, the new Duke of Westfair, has returned to London to take up the duties of his title, and he’s hoping to reconnect with his friend and first love, Poppy Hayworth. After learning of her unfortunate situation, he convinces her to pretend an engagement, and in return he will provide her enough funds to be able to leave London if she wishes. If Leo had his way, he’d make the engagement for real, and Poppy would love nothing better. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem as if they will be able to find a way out of the situation they’re in, since Leo has duties to his title and Poppy can’t change what has happened to her. I was very happy to see them work things out, after Leo and his Uncle Bernard had a frank and heartfelt discussion, which helped Leo to see what was really important. I really enjoyed this couple, they just seemed to fit together so well, and I loved their story.
The Buccaneer Duke - Vanessa Kelly: I loved both main characters in this wonderful story, Antonia Barnett and Roman Cantrell. Antonia was the result of her parent’s indiscretion, and years later when the couple were reunited, her supposed step-father adopted her, but everyone knows (or guesses) the truth. She now courts more scandal by running around dressed as a boy with her best friend Richard. Roman is the illegitimate son of a royal duke, so he has it a bit easier, but has still led a somewhat scandalous life as a privateer during the war. These two are perfect for each other, if they can just convince their respective parents, who want them each to make an advantageous match to someone beyond reproach. I loved how all of the stories carried elements from the others, especially this one, which had a number of little tidbits that recalled the previous stories, which were woven seamlessly into the main story.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this book early after receiving an ARC from one of the authors.
May 7, 2017
*I was provided a copy by one of the authors in exchange for my honest review.
Taken by The Duke by Shana Galen
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Spice Level: 💋💋💋
The beginning will definitely hook you! I loved everything about it from beginning to end. I love the setting of this one because it was not in ballrooms and showed the other side of London. I did not see the ending happening the way it did, but it was perfect.
Kate is definitely someone you want on your side. She is doing what she has to so she can stay alive and hide her identity. I loved her because she acts tough and heartless, but she really just has walls up and has shut down.
Henry is a man who never expected to be in the position he is or have a title. I loved him from the start because he kept his cool and had always had a plan. He saw her for the real her and wanted to help.
Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Spice Level: 💋
Who doesn't love a good prize fight! Another one outside the ballroom that I love. lies tore them apart years ago, but the need for help brought them back together. I loved the details in the training and how it brought them together. I wasn't expecting the part with her one brother or his father in the end.
Patience is a woman that made it clear how much she hated him years ago. She blames herself for not noticing the truth all those years ago but seeing him again wakes up her heart. I loved that she could break a nose and listened to the truth.
Godrick has made a name for himself and a fortune. He wasn't your typical lord and was a great trainer. I loved how he understood why she hated him and that he was still willing to help.
The Prodigal Duke by Theresa Romain
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Spice Level: 💋💋💋
A tightrope dancer and a Duke afraid of heights make a great match! I loved the back story and that they still got along. I was not expecting the twist with her or what happened later, but it played out well. They were one of those couples that were meant to be together from the start.
Poppy is a woman that doesn't let anything keep her down. She was going to take care of herself after what happened to her and being a tightrope dancer was perfect for her. I loved her from the start and how she was with everyone because she understood things.
Leo is a man on a mission. He's trying to help his uncle and do better than his brother. I loved him from the start when he told her his plan and how open he was about himself. He is unique in the best way.
The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Spice Level: 💋💋 1/2
Scandals and reputations are forgotten when love comes into play. I loved this one and how it included events from the other stories. Both of them had scandals that were not their fault from the past and they brushed them off. There are many characters that I loved from her parents to his family and her best friend. The ending was perfect for this story.
Antonia is very blunt and does what she wants. I loved her right away because of her bluntness and how she could protect herself even if things she did caused trouble. She surprised me with everything she did and said. Loved her nickname!
Roman scares ladies off because of his past and a scare he has, but he is a great man behind all of that. I loved him because he didn't blink at the way she talked and could match her with the teasing and bluntness.
Taken by The Duke by Shana Galen
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Spice Level: 💋💋💋
The beginning will definitely hook you! I loved everything about it from beginning to end. I love the setting of this one because it was not in ballrooms and showed the other side of London. I did not see the ending happening the way it did, but it was perfect.
Kate is definitely someone you want on your side. She is doing what she has to so she can stay alive and hide her identity. I loved her because she acts tough and heartless, but she really just has walls up and has shut down.
Henry is a man who never expected to be in the position he is or have a title. I loved him from the start because he kept his cool and had always had a plan. He saw her for the real her and wanted to help.
Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Spice Level: 💋
Who doesn't love a good prize fight! Another one outside the ballroom that I love. lies tore them apart years ago, but the need for help brought them back together. I loved the details in the training and how it brought them together. I wasn't expecting the part with her one brother or his father in the end.
Patience is a woman that made it clear how much she hated him years ago. She blames herself for not noticing the truth all those years ago but seeing him again wakes up her heart. I loved that she could break a nose and listened to the truth.
Godrick has made a name for himself and a fortune. He wasn't your typical lord and was a great trainer. I loved how he understood why she hated him and that he was still willing to help.
The Prodigal Duke by Theresa Romain
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Spice Level: 💋💋💋
A tightrope dancer and a Duke afraid of heights make a great match! I loved the back story and that they still got along. I was not expecting the twist with her or what happened later, but it played out well. They were one of those couples that were meant to be together from the start.
Poppy is a woman that doesn't let anything keep her down. She was going to take care of herself after what happened to her and being a tightrope dancer was perfect for her. I loved her from the start and how she was with everyone because she understood things.
Leo is a man on a mission. He's trying to help his uncle and do better than his brother. I loved him from the start when he told her his plan and how open he was about himself. He is unique in the best way.
The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Spice Level: 💋💋 1/2
Scandals and reputations are forgotten when love comes into play. I loved this one and how it included events from the other stories. Both of them had scandals that were not their fault from the past and they brushed them off. There are many characters that I loved from her parents to his family and her best friend. The ending was perfect for this story.
Antonia is very blunt and does what she wants. I loved her right away because of her bluntness and how she could protect herself even if things she did caused trouble. She surprised me with everything she did and said. Loved her nickname!
Roman scares ladies off because of his past and a scare he has, but he is a great man behind all of that. I loved him because he didn't blink at the way she talked and could match her with the teasing and bluntness.
May 9, 2017
There was no way I was going to miss reading this anthology. It's written by some of todays best names in historical romance. I'm a fan of all four women that have written it and it's no surprise I liked all four stories. All four tales have a common thread, and while it isn't necessary to read them in order, I think you'll enjoy the stories much more if you read them in order.
I have to say that despite the short length of each story, these authors are way to good and gave us three dimensional characters, complex plots and plenty of chemistry between the leads. If you've never read any of these fantastic authors, please consider getting this anthology and get acquainted with them. You won't regret it.
If you're a fan of one or all four of these authors, I guarantee you'll have a few hours of unmitigated fun reading this collection of stories.
Taken by the Duke - Shana Galen
As this story opens the common thread of Prince Regent’s birthday and Battle of Waterloo celebration at Vauxhall Gardens, we find Henry, newly minted Viscount Bexley put in charge of organizing the festivities.
Shana Galen had managed to capture my attention with this unique and intriguing heroine, while developing a vastly entertaining plot. I enjoyed these two characters and loved their journey to their happily ever after. Hope you will too.
Fighting For His Lady - Christi Caldwell
I'm always apprehensive when authors decide to pair two leads that come from vastly different backgrounds. To have a son of a duke fall in love with a commoner didn't happen that often, so I always have to suspend my imagination and pray the author would find a way to make the story believable and plausible.
Christi Caldwell did a great job of having me believe this second chance at romance story and I loved every character she introduced me to, but especially the heroine. It was about time this young woman found her hero.
The Prodigal Duke - Theresa Romain
Theresa Romain is one of those authors that manages to surprise me every time I read her new book. I'm still getting used to her writing voice and that's a good thing. I like it when she keeps me guessing as she did in this complex and wonderful telling of reconnecting two people that are meant to be together but the road to their happiness just seams to be harder then they deserve.
I know you'll love this one!
The Buccaneer Duke - Vanessa Kelly
When it comes to complex plots and well rounded characters, this author delivers every time. She plots her stories very carefully and gives her characters plenty of flaws and a lot of baggage, but by the end of the tale, you'll find yourself well satisfied.
In this story, I found myself drawn to both leads and I honestly didn't know how these two would pull off their happily ever after. There were too many obstacles to their happiness, but I should have had more faith in this author ;)
By the time I read the fourth and final tale, I was very happy with all the endings and wasn't surprised that the authors managed to inter weave all stories with ease.
Listen, these women know their craft and I for one am happy they're sharing it with me.
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
I have to say that despite the short length of each story, these authors are way to good and gave us three dimensional characters, complex plots and plenty of chemistry between the leads. If you've never read any of these fantastic authors, please consider getting this anthology and get acquainted with them. You won't regret it.
If you're a fan of one or all four of these authors, I guarantee you'll have a few hours of unmitigated fun reading this collection of stories.
Taken by the Duke - Shana Galen
As this story opens the common thread of Prince Regent’s birthday and Battle of Waterloo celebration at Vauxhall Gardens, we find Henry, newly minted Viscount Bexley put in charge of organizing the festivities.
Shana Galen had managed to capture my attention with this unique and intriguing heroine, while developing a vastly entertaining plot. I enjoyed these two characters and loved their journey to their happily ever after. Hope you will too.
Fighting For His Lady - Christi Caldwell
I'm always apprehensive when authors decide to pair two leads that come from vastly different backgrounds. To have a son of a duke fall in love with a commoner didn't happen that often, so I always have to suspend my imagination and pray the author would find a way to make the story believable and plausible.
Christi Caldwell did a great job of having me believe this second chance at romance story and I loved every character she introduced me to, but especially the heroine. It was about time this young woman found her hero.
The Prodigal Duke - Theresa Romain
Theresa Romain is one of those authors that manages to surprise me every time I read her new book. I'm still getting used to her writing voice and that's a good thing. I like it when she keeps me guessing as she did in this complex and wonderful telling of reconnecting two people that are meant to be together but the road to their happiness just seams to be harder then they deserve.
I know you'll love this one!
The Buccaneer Duke - Vanessa Kelly
When it comes to complex plots and well rounded characters, this author delivers every time. She plots her stories very carefully and gives her characters plenty of flaws and a lot of baggage, but by the end of the tale, you'll find yourself well satisfied.
In this story, I found myself drawn to both leads and I honestly didn't know how these two would pull off their happily ever after. There were too many obstacles to their happiness, but I should have had more faith in this author ;)
By the time I read the fourth and final tale, I was very happy with all the endings and wasn't surprised that the authors managed to inter weave all stories with ease.
Listen, these women know their craft and I for one am happy they're sharing it with me.
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
September 20, 2018
Overall a good read, but as is usual with anthologies, my enjoyment of the stories varied a bit.
Taken by the Duke, Shana Galen - Not the best, not the worst of the bunch. For most of the novella I really wondered how Galen would get the hero and heroine together in the end, since the hero is now a proper viscount, and the heroine is a crime lord. Eventually they do run off into their HEA, but since this is a novella, we don't get to see how their relationship changes once they return.
Fighting for his Lady, Christi Caldwell - I liked the premise of this story, but I felt like the characters spent a lot of time reminiscing and dwelling on their past, rather than figuring out how to overcome their mistakes and move forward together. The last chapters mostly redeemed this, at least for me.
The Prodigal Duke, Theresa Romain - my second favorite! I love a heroine with an unusual profession or talent, and I think tightrope walking definitely qualifies. I think if this had been a full novel, we would have been able to delve into both of the characters more deeply, since they both had some traumatic events that they needed time to process, and I'm not sure we got enough time in the novella. I do like a time-jump epilogue that assures us that the characters are happy and doing well together.
The Buccaneer Duke, Vanessa Kelly - so fun and slightly silly! I'm not sure how accurate our heroine's behavior is - sneaking out dressed like a boy, working alongside her father in his shipping business, learning how to knife fight - but she was so much fun to read that I'll forgive that. The slightly piratical hero is also fun, and though the two fall for each other very quickly, I feel like they understand enough that things will all turn out okay (though I do wonder about their age difference. Antonia seemed simultaneously very young and very mature, and Roman is noted as being only 7 years younger than her father, who is in his early forties. So, was Antonia born when her father was very young, and she's in her early 20's, or is she more like 18, and falls in love with someone in his early 30s?)
Taken by the Duke, Shana Galen - Not the best, not the worst of the bunch. For most of the novella I really wondered how Galen would get the hero and heroine together in the end, since the hero is now a proper viscount, and the heroine is a crime lord. Eventually they do run off into their HEA, but since this is a novella, we don't get to see how their relationship changes once they return.
Fighting for his Lady, Christi Caldwell - I liked the premise of this story, but I felt like the characters spent a lot of time reminiscing and dwelling on their past, rather than figuring out how to overcome their mistakes and move forward together. The last chapters mostly redeemed this, at least for me.
The Prodigal Duke, Theresa Romain - my second favorite! I love a heroine with an unusual profession or talent, and I think tightrope walking definitely qualifies. I think if this had been a full novel, we would have been able to delve into both of the characters more deeply, since they both had some traumatic events that they needed time to process, and I'm not sure we got enough time in the novella. I do like a time-jump epilogue that assures us that the characters are happy and doing well together.
The Buccaneer Duke, Vanessa Kelly - so fun and slightly silly! I'm not sure how accurate our heroine's behavior is - sneaking out dressed like a boy, working alongside her father in his shipping business, learning how to knife fight - but she was so much fun to read that I'll forgive that. The slightly piratical hero is also fun, and though the two fall for each other very quickly, I feel like they understand enough that things will all turn out okay (though I do wonder about their age difference. Antonia seemed simultaneously very young and very mature, and Roman is noted as being only 7 years younger than her father, who is in his early forties. So, was Antonia born when her father was very young, and she's in her early 20's, or is she more like 18, and falls in love with someone in his early 30s?)
May 15, 2017
I would actually give this collection of novellas a 3.75 overall. While I did like the fact that all of the heroines (Kate, Patience, Poppy and Antonia) were strong, independent-minded women, at times they went a little overboard and got on my nerves (Kate and Antonia especially). Three of the four heroes (Henry, Godrick and Leo) were former friends/lovers from the heroines' pasts who had to work their way back into the ladies' good graces.
While these stories were fine light reading, the problem I have with most anthologies is the need for more material. Yes, I know. Novellas are by definition short stories. But the majority of the time in reading novellas, I'm left unsatisfied, with the feeling of being rushed through the plot to the ending.
My favorite from this collection was "Fighting for His Lady" by Christi Caldwell. It felt more complete, with 3D characters made so from their backstory and history together. Plus, I'm a sucker for a "misunderstanding from the past made right" story.
Shana Galen's "Taken By the Duke" showcased a tough, desperate woman masquerading as a man to survive in a man's world. And I enjoyed watching how a man from her past (Henry) was able to resurrect some of her softness and trust as he won her heart.
In Theresa Romain's "The Prodigal Duke" two people who were on the cusp of being more than friends are reunited years later. Leo, as a duke who didn't want the title and Poppy, as a tightrope walker who didn't have a choice as she was in a desperate situation.
And Antonia and Roman from Vanessa Kelly's "The Buccaneer Duke", are two souls who have to put up with societal judgments for things they had no control over and find kindred souls in each other.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While these stories were fine light reading, the problem I have with most anthologies is the need for more material. Yes, I know. Novellas are by definition short stories. But the majority of the time in reading novellas, I'm left unsatisfied, with the feeling of being rushed through the plot to the ending.
My favorite from this collection was "Fighting for His Lady" by Christi Caldwell. It felt more complete, with 3D characters made so from their backstory and history together. Plus, I'm a sucker for a "misunderstanding from the past made right" story.
Shana Galen's "Taken By the Duke" showcased a tough, desperate woman masquerading as a man to survive in a man's world. And I enjoyed watching how a man from her past (Henry) was able to resurrect some of her softness and trust as he won her heart.
In Theresa Romain's "The Prodigal Duke" two people who were on the cusp of being more than friends are reunited years later. Leo, as a duke who didn't want the title and Poppy, as a tightrope walker who didn't have a choice as she was in a desperate situation.
And Antonia and Roman from Vanessa Kelly's "The Buccaneer Duke", are two souls who have to put up with societal judgments for things they had no control over and find kindred souls in each other.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2017
I was given a copy of The Dukes of Vauxhall for an honest review. 4 stories in 1 book. Taken by the Duke by Shana Galen. Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell. The Prodigal Duke by Theresa Domain. And The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly. I don't mind these types of books, but I'm generally not a fan of reviewing them. It can be difficult to review multiple stories because your always going to have some you like better than others. Some stories you might love. Some you might be able to get into. I still do them. Especially if a favorite author is involved. In this case, Christi Caldwell. It seems I do a lot more of these sets/multiple stories at Christmas time. The Dukes of Vauxhall flowed together perfectly. I did have a hard time getting into the first story, in the beginning. It started of slow in the beginning, but once it going? I really enjoyed it. I loved the twist to the Duke. I'm not telling what it is. Refreshing. And in keeping with the time period. The Dukes of Vauxhall centers on the festivities for the Prince Regent's birthday. And England winning the war with France. Of course, I loved, loved Godrick and Patience in Fighting for his Lady. And I learned about boxing in that time period. I love when I learn something from a book I'm reading for enjoyment. I enjoyed The Prodigal Duke. I just loved all of the heroine's in each book. And I really love when I discover a new author, after reading their book for the first time. Which was the case with The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly. It made me want to read more by her.
May 16, 2017
All four of these books deserve a rating of FIVE stars! Each story was different, and each story was very enjoyable and entertaining. All stories were well-written with very interesting characters, and all stories had good drama, emotion, suspense and sweet romance.
Taken by the Duke by Shana Galen - The story of the Duke of Vauxhall and Henry Selkirk, the Viscount Bexley. It was a great story with a twist. Lots of excitement!
Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell - I loved the story of Goodrich and Patience! Christi's writing is brilliant! Great emotion and wonderful drama.
The Prodigal Duke by Theresa Romain - This is the story of Leo and Poppy. I have always loved Theresa's books, and this one did not disappoint. There were times when I laughed out loud. Loved it!
The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly - I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Captain Roman Cantrell and Antonia Barnett. Great blend of humor and drama.
Taken by the Duke by Shana Galen - The story of the Duke of Vauxhall and Henry Selkirk, the Viscount Bexley. It was a great story with a twist. Lots of excitement!
Fighting for His Lady by Christi Caldwell - I loved the story of Goodrich and Patience! Christi's writing is brilliant! Great emotion and wonderful drama.
The Prodigal Duke by Theresa Romain - This is the story of Leo and Poppy. I have always loved Theresa's books, and this one did not disappoint. There were times when I laughed out loud. Loved it!
The Buccaneer Duke by Vanessa Kelly - I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Captain Roman Cantrell and Antonia Barnett. Great blend of humor and drama.
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