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Regency Black Hearts #2
The Duke's Brother
Can a Duke's bastard win the heart of a lady?
Plucked as an orphan from the slums of St. Giles' by his half-brother the Duke of Blackmore, Sebastian Black soon rises to become one of the richest men in London, and a notorious rake to boot. His time at Eton has left him with a healthy disregard for the aristocracy - that is until he inadvertently becomes involved in the affairs of the prim, proper and snooty Aurelia St Claire.
Aurelia's brother, Lord Theodore Epsom, was reported missing after Waterloo, but she is convinced that she has sighted him alive and well in London. The pair join forces to try to discover exactly what happened to Theo and as their sleuthing takes them into London's murky back alleys, they discover that they aren’t so different after all.
Can two people overcome their prejudices, their foibles - or even their very history - to find love?
This clean Regency Romance is by the author of "Proposing to a Duke" the first novel in The Regency Black Hearts Collection. It can be read as a stand-alone novel or enjoyed as part of a series.
Plucked as an orphan from the slums of St. Giles' by his half-brother the Duke of Blackmore, Sebastian Black soon rises to become one of the richest men in London, and a notorious rake to boot. His time at Eton has left him with a healthy disregard for the aristocracy - that is until he inadvertently becomes involved in the affairs of the prim, proper and snooty Aurelia St Claire.
Aurelia's brother, Lord Theodore Epsom, was reported missing after Waterloo, but she is convinced that she has sighted him alive and well in London. The pair join forces to try to discover exactly what happened to Theo and as their sleuthing takes them into London's murky back alleys, they discover that they aren’t so different after all.
Can two people overcome their prejudices, their foibles - or even their very history - to find love?
This clean Regency Romance is by the author of "Proposing to a Duke" the first novel in The Regency Black Hearts Collection. It can be read as a stand-alone novel or enjoyed as part of a series.
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2017
265 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Claudia Stone
34 books140 followersClaudia Stone was born in South Africa but moved to Plymouth as a young girl. Having trained as an actress at RADA, she moved to New York to pursue her dream of acting on Broadway in 1988. She never did see her name in lights, but she did meet a wonderful Irishman called Conal who whisked her away to the wilds of Kerry, where she has lived ever since.
Claudia and Conal have three children, a dairy farm and a boisterous, black lab called Buddy. When she has any time left over, Claudia enjoys reading Regency as well as writing it.
You can also connect with Claudia on Facebook:
fb.me/ClaudiaStoneAuthor
Claudia and Conal have three children, a dairy farm and a boisterous, black lab called Buddy. When she has any time left over, Claudia enjoys reading Regency as well as writing it.
You can also connect with Claudia on Facebook:
fb.me/ClaudiaStoneAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 7, 2024
Sebastian Black is the bastard son of the late Duke of Blackmore. When his brother found out about his existence, instead of having him dropped off at a workhouse, he had him educated at Eaton. But instead of going on to Oxford, he goes out in the world and makes his own wealth. Although many fathers of the ton try to sell their daughters, money for a title, Sebastian has no use for the ton, until he meets Miss St. Claire.
Aurelia is the niece of the current Baron of Epsom, and she’s running away. A month earlier, she told him that she had seen her brother Theo, who was supposed to have been killed at Waterloo. After that she was locked in her room and starved for refusing to marry the husband her uncle had picked. When she still refused they started a rumor that she belonged in Bedlam. When Sebastian and his friend saved her from being accosted, he becomes her hero. The only problem is that neither of them knows what to do with the feelings being stirred up.
I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to everyone.
Aurelia is the niece of the current Baron of Epsom, and she’s running away. A month earlier, she told him that she had seen her brother Theo, who was supposed to have been killed at Waterloo. After that she was locked in her room and starved for refusing to marry the husband her uncle had picked. When she still refused they started a rumor that she belonged in Bedlam. When Sebastian and his friend saved her from being accosted, he becomes her hero. The only problem is that neither of them knows what to do with the feelings being stirred up.
I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to everyone.
August 22, 2017
So Good!
I love the characters and the back stories. I love the fact that this is a series but you also get a glimpse into the future of the characters. You are not left hanging and wondering what happened to them. I read this book in an afternoon.
I love the characters and the back stories. I love the fact that this is a series but you also get a glimpse into the future of the characters. You are not left hanging and wondering what happened to them. I read this book in an afternoon.
June 23, 2023
This is the continuation of the Regency Black Hearts Series by Claudia Stone. The first story was about the Duke of Blackmore, while this one is about his (bastard) half-brother, Sebastian Black.
When Sebastian's mother died, the Duke of Blackmore learned he had a bastard brother, and he plucked Sebastian from the warrens of St. Giles and placed him at Eton. After five years at Eton, Sebastian avoided Cambridge or Oxford and began his career as a trader in China. He soon became a wealthy man in London.
Sebastian and his best friend, the Marquess of Sutherland, are an unlikely pair. Despite Sebastian's healthy disregard for the aristocracy, he becomes involved with the odd story of Aurelia St Claire. Soldier Lord Theodore Epsom was reported missing after Waterloo, but she is convinced she has sighted him alive and well in London.
When Aurelia told her uncle, who had risen to Theo's lofty position after Theo's death, he started threatening to send his niece to an insane asylum. So, Aurelia ran away and started looking for her brother. Unfortunately, her uncle sent Bow Street Runners to find Aurelia (to get her to an insane asylum immediately).
There's much humor in this story supplied by the secondary characters, the Marquess of Sutherland and Lady Lydia Beaufort (the third novel's couple). Overall score = 4.5 stars.
Regency Black Hearts
1. Proposing to a Duke (2017) -- VG
** 2. The Duke's Brother (2017)
3. A Lady Like No Other (2017)
When Sebastian's mother died, the Duke of Blackmore learned he had a bastard brother, and he plucked Sebastian from the warrens of St. Giles and placed him at Eton. After five years at Eton, Sebastian avoided Cambridge or Oxford and began his career as a trader in China. He soon became a wealthy man in London.
Sebastian and his best friend, the Marquess of Sutherland, are an unlikely pair. Despite Sebastian's healthy disregard for the aristocracy, he becomes involved with the odd story of Aurelia St Claire. Soldier Lord Theodore Epsom was reported missing after Waterloo, but she is convinced she has sighted him alive and well in London.
When Aurelia told her uncle, who had risen to Theo's lofty position after Theo's death, he started threatening to send his niece to an insane asylum. So, Aurelia ran away and started looking for her brother. Unfortunately, her uncle sent Bow Street Runners to find Aurelia (to get her to an insane asylum immediately).
There's much humor in this story supplied by the secondary characters, the Marquess of Sutherland and Lady Lydia Beaufort (the third novel's couple). Overall score = 4.5 stars.
Regency Black Hearts
1. Proposing to a Duke (2017) -- VG
** 2. The Duke's Brother (2017)
3. A Lady Like No Other (2017)
March 27, 2020
This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:
The second book in The Regency Black Series is as charming and entertaining as the first one.
Aurelia believes she's seen her brother, reported missing after the battle of Waterloo, but when she mentions it to her uncle, she is accused of insanity... Sebastian, a bastard son of a duke, thinks most aristocrats are not worh a shilling - until he meets Aurelia and decides to get to the bottom of what's been happening to her...
Both will unexpectedly find love while searching for the truth,,,
It's a nicely-paced story, with memorable, likeable characters, with a little bit of humour in it, and with a proper happy ending. As the book is set in a circle of close friends and family, we meet characters both from the previous book and those that we will probably meet again soon in the next one - and it makes us feel a part of this quite amiable, cordial crowd.
In general, it's the type of romance that leaves you satisfied and uplifted.
Narration by Ms Ferguson is really good, though a bit slow for my taste. But she does voices well, especially the female ones, and I like the way she acts out dialogues. I really liked her interpretation.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
The second book in The Regency Black Series is as charming and entertaining as the first one.
Aurelia believes she's seen her brother, reported missing after the battle of Waterloo, but when she mentions it to her uncle, she is accused of insanity... Sebastian, a bastard son of a duke, thinks most aristocrats are not worh a shilling - until he meets Aurelia and decides to get to the bottom of what's been happening to her...
Both will unexpectedly find love while searching for the truth,,,
It's a nicely-paced story, with memorable, likeable characters, with a little bit of humour in it, and with a proper happy ending. As the book is set in a circle of close friends and family, we meet characters both from the previous book and those that we will probably meet again soon in the next one - and it makes us feel a part of this quite amiable, cordial crowd.
In general, it's the type of romance that leaves you satisfied and uplifted.
Narration by Ms Ferguson is really good, though a bit slow for my taste. But she does voices well, especially the female ones, and I like the way she acts out dialogues. I really liked her interpretation.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
March 4, 2019
This was so much better than Proposing to a Duke. Yeah, the heroine did have a couple of TSTL moments, but they turned out okay and once Lady Lydia was stupid enough to go with her. Don’t know why authors want to make a heroine TSTL.
I did like Sebastian and Aurelia a lot. Actually, I love books about illegitimate sons of the nobility who get-the-girl. AND I like it when the legitimate son is friends with the one who’s not legitimate.
This was a good story about Aurelia’s brother who was supposed to have been killed at Waterloo, but she saw him on the street one day and had to find out why he was hiding from her before her evil uncle had her committed. That’s where Sebastian and Gabriel, the Marquess of Sutherland, step in.
(The final chapter was all about Gabriel and his story with Lady Lydia.)
May 18, 2021
Sweet and charming
Mostly enjoyed this book. Very sweet and romantic, with a bit of suspense and intrigue. Although I felt that the writer should have advised the reader what happened to the villain in the story. No mention was made whatsoever of the consequences of his crime, which kinda leaves the ending up in the air. I felt the ending was rushed and finished too abruptly. And there were many typos in this book which really bothers me. But regardless, it was a pleasant read.
Mostly enjoyed this book. Very sweet and romantic, with a bit of suspense and intrigue. Although I felt that the writer should have advised the reader what happened to the villain in the story. No mention was made whatsoever of the consequences of his crime, which kinda leaves the ending up in the air. I felt the ending was rushed and finished too abruptly. And there were many typos in this book which really bothers me. But regardless, it was a pleasant read.
October 26, 2017
I definitely enjoyed this one more than the first in this series. How can you not love Sebastian Black! Great story with some intrigue and mystery.
CONTENT Romance--Mostly Mild, PG
Language, none. Violence, brief having to do with the mystery but still mild.
***This is part of a series, and while you could read this one independently, it's better as part of the whole ****
Minor spelling and grammatical errors, nothing that overly disrupts the story.
CONTENT Romance--Mostly Mild, PG
Language, none. Violence, brief having to do with the mystery but still mild.
***This is part of a series, and while you could read this one independently, it's better as part of the whole ****
Minor spelling and grammatical errors, nothing that overly disrupts the story.
December 15, 2019
Recency Romance
Adorable recency romance. Loved every page. What's with this required number of words? This is why I don't always right reviews, I said what I wanted Erin much less than required
Adorable recency romance. Loved every page. What's with this required number of words? This is why I don't always right reviews, I said what I wanted Erin much less than required
August 23, 2017
Great read!!
I really enjoyed this book. The ladies were as light crazy but that's what moved things along. Nice story great to read in a thunderstorm, which I did.
I really enjoyed this book. The ladies were as light crazy but that's what moved things along. Nice story great to read in a thunderstorm, which I did.
October 14, 2017
Entertaining
I enjoyed reading this second story as much as the first and look forward to reading the last book in this series and other books written by thus aythoir
I enjoyed reading this second story as much as the first and look forward to reading the last book in this series and other books written by thus aythoir
November 18, 2017
Enchanting
Thank you again, Claudia Stone, for another delightful story. It is such fun to know all the characters from reading your previous books in the series.
Thank you again, Claudia Stone, for another delightful story. It is such fun to know all the characters from reading your previous books in the series.
December 14, 2017
Thank you
Loved the romance novels series books. Thank you very much for these romance novels. Please write more series books.Thank you
Loved the romance novels series books. Thank you very much for these romance novels. Please write more series books.Thank you
August 6, 2018
Sebastian Black
Great line line and well written. Love the characters and the action and the potential for spin off from each story
Great line line and well written. Love the characters and the action and the potential for spin off from each story
October 10, 2018
What happened
Really what happened. There was no closure. Does it continue in another book. Did I miss something and if so what did I miss.
Really what happened. There was no closure. Does it continue in another book. Did I miss something and if so what did I miss.
April 11, 2019
Hate the silly cover
February 8, 2020
Better
May 20, 2020
When I say I SCREAMED at some of the scenes in this book I ain’t kidding. *chef’s kiss*
October 22, 2021
Swoonworthy
May 13, 2023
Needs work
Not much meat on the bones of this story. The story seems to skip around a lot. If you're bored and need something to pass the time, it's a clean read and quick.
Not much meat on the bones of this story. The story seems to skip around a lot. If you're bored and need something to pass the time, it's a clean read and quick.
October 2, 2025
I always enjoy a book when it starts out with something of importance happening and this book did just that. The romance was a bit sparse in my opinion but still a good read.
June 6, 2017
The follow up to Proposing to a Duke, I hope you enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed writing it! Follow me to hear about my new releases.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews