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Lords of Discipline #1
Disciplined by the Duke
The day her sister murdered their abusive father, Elizabeth Wilcox stopped being a gentleman’s daughter. Willing to do anything to save her sister from the hangman’s noose, now she is a spy... A servant. A liar. A thief. A submissive.
Masquerading as a parlor maid and entrenched in the Duke of Montague’s estate, Liz is willing to risk all to uncover the secrets that would save her sister. But submitting to the duke’s peculiar brand of discipline surprises her with a heady mixture of pleasure and pain. Eager to relinquish control of her messy life, Liz soon craves the rough hands of Montague and his powerful, passionate attentions. Can she succumb to the hot sting of his hand and the gentleness of his kisses without revealing her true identity and darkest secrets? And what punishment will she face when he realizes her betrayal?
Masquerading as a parlor maid and entrenched in the Duke of Montague’s estate, Liz is willing to risk all to uncover the secrets that would save her sister. But submitting to the duke’s peculiar brand of discipline surprises her with a heady mixture of pleasure and pain. Eager to relinquish control of her messy life, Liz soon craves the rough hands of Montague and his powerful, passionate attentions. Can she succumb to the hot sting of his hand and the gentleness of his kisses without revealing her true identity and darkest secrets? And what punishment will she face when he realizes her betrayal?
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2017
525 people are currently reading
1055 people want to read
About the author
Alyson Chase
19 books222 followersAlyson Chase writes historical romances that are just a bit…naughty. She is a former attorney, and thought that her flair for dramatic and sexy writing was seriously undervalued in her legal career. She also writes under the name Allyson Charles.
If you want to know when Alyson Chase’s next book is coming out, visit her at www.alysonchase.com and sign up for her VIP club.
If you want to know when Alyson Chase’s next book is coming out, visit her at www.alysonchase.com and sign up for her VIP club.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
April 9, 2019
4 stars
This book delivered on my biggies: steamy goodness (yes, yes, yes), interesting H/h characters, and a captivating plot!
Liz is stuck between a rock and a hard place: her sister is in prison for the (justifiable) homicide of their abusive father, and the only person who has offered to help her is a thoroughly despicable Earl whose main goal in life appears to be accumulating as much wealth as possible in the form of mostly stolen goods. He has assured Liz that if she completes one last task for him, he will convince the magistrate to release her sister. Liz would do anything for her beloved sibling, so she agrees to pose as a maid in the household of a Duke in order to obtain a letter with details about a shipment that the Earl intends to hijack and take for himself. While Liz despises everything about the Earl and this assignment, she feels she has no other recourse, so she agrees. What she doesn't expect is to find her new employer so fascinating, nor does she expect to be drawn into his scandalous games.
Marcus, the Duke of Montague, has always had specific and less conventional tastes when it comes to engaging in play with members of the opposite sex, but he is always careful: he limits his exploits to bored widows and the ladies of a very exclusive men's club. He NEVER dallies with "the help" -- that has been a hard and fast rule he has always followed as he found it completely distasteful to impose his form of pleasure on those who are beholden to him. And then he sees the new maid --- Miss Elizabeth Smith, and his thoughts begin to run wild with the fantasies of what he would like to do to her that would break her seemingly always in control demeanor. But as she is a member of his staff, he dismisses the idea. And he should be seeking information about the traitor to the crown anyway... but he can't seem to get his mind off of the thought of breaking the implacable Miss Smith. Will he be willing to cross the line? What will happen when he discovers her betrayal?
What I liked:
--- STEAMY GOODNESS --- perfect amount for me!
--- Interesting and deeper main characters than I expected
--- Solid introduction and initial development of side characters --- good set up for future books in the series
--- THANK YOU SO MUCH for not allowing the angst factor to spiral and/or drag on and on -- when issues arose, they were resolved appropriately and without excess/unnecessary drama
What I didn't like as much:
--- Not sure if it was meant to be completely obvious who the traitor was from the start, but it was :) so not much mystery there
--- At one point, Liz does something seemingly out of character that was a little odd
Overall, a very enjoyable and satisfying read --- looking forward to the next book in the series!
Plot --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level --- 4/5
Violence --- minimal
Language --- not egregious
POV --- 3rd
(Side note: I read some of the Amazon reviews for this after I finished it, and I just have to vent... Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it totally irritates me when people read a book and leave a review that says something like, "too much sex" or "I don't care for BDSM" because first of all, it clearly states that this is EROTICA in the book's description, and it further notes that there is light BDSM play -- if that doesn't interest you, DON'T READ IT, and if you DO read it, then don't leave a review that complains about the fact that those very things mentioned in the description in the book are what you didn't like about it! Ugh!)
This book delivered on my biggies: steamy goodness (yes, yes, yes), interesting H/h characters, and a captivating plot!
Liz is stuck between a rock and a hard place: her sister is in prison for the (justifiable) homicide of their abusive father, and the only person who has offered to help her is a thoroughly despicable Earl whose main goal in life appears to be accumulating as much wealth as possible in the form of mostly stolen goods. He has assured Liz that if she completes one last task for him, he will convince the magistrate to release her sister. Liz would do anything for her beloved sibling, so she agrees to pose as a maid in the household of a Duke in order to obtain a letter with details about a shipment that the Earl intends to hijack and take for himself. While Liz despises everything about the Earl and this assignment, she feels she has no other recourse, so she agrees. What she doesn't expect is to find her new employer so fascinating, nor does she expect to be drawn into his scandalous games.
Marcus, the Duke of Montague, has always had specific and less conventional tastes when it comes to engaging in play with members of the opposite sex, but he is always careful: he limits his exploits to bored widows and the ladies of a very exclusive men's club. He NEVER dallies with "the help" -- that has been a hard and fast rule he has always followed as he found it completely distasteful to impose his form of pleasure on those who are beholden to him. And then he sees the new maid --- Miss Elizabeth Smith, and his thoughts begin to run wild with the fantasies of what he would like to do to her that would break her seemingly always in control demeanor. But as she is a member of his staff, he dismisses the idea. And he should be seeking information about the traitor to the crown anyway... but he can't seem to get his mind off of the thought of breaking the implacable Miss Smith. Will he be willing to cross the line? What will happen when he discovers her betrayal?
What I liked:
--- STEAMY GOODNESS --- perfect amount for me!
--- Interesting and deeper main characters than I expected
--- Solid introduction and initial development of side characters --- good set up for future books in the series
--- THANK YOU SO MUCH for not allowing the angst factor to spiral and/or drag on and on -- when issues arose, they were resolved appropriately and without excess/unnecessary drama
What I didn't like as much:
--- Not sure if it was meant to be completely obvious who the traitor was from the start, but it was :) so not much mystery there
--- At one point, Liz does something seemingly out of character that was a little odd
Overall, a very enjoyable and satisfying read --- looking forward to the next book in the series!
Plot --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level --- 4/5
Violence --- minimal
Language --- not egregious
POV --- 3rd
(Side note: I read some of the Amazon reviews for this after I finished it, and I just have to vent... Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it totally irritates me when people read a book and leave a review that says something like, "too much sex" or "I don't care for BDSM" because first of all, it clearly states that this is EROTICA in the book's description, and it further notes that there is light BDSM play -- if that doesn't interest you, DON'T READ IT, and if you DO read it, then don't leave a review that complains about the fact that those very things mentioned in the description in the book are what you didn't like about it! Ugh!)
August 5, 2017
This book caught my interest on Netgalley because I like historical romances, and I was intrigued at the prospect of this one being a little naughtier than usual. The sex in most HRs is quite vanilla (not that there's anything wrong with this, it's just a fact). Some do promise scandalous desires and unusual bedroom practices that all the lords and ladies love to gossip about, but few actually deliver.
Well, this one didn't either.
First, there was something that just didn't ring true about the writing. The dialogue and the characters' thoughts didn't seem like what you would normally read in an HR—more like someone was trying to write what they thought an HR would be like. It seemed too modern at times. There was liberal usage of the work "fuck" in ways you don't normally see in HR.
- For fuck's sake, he was infatuated with the chit.
- Right up against the fucking wall.
- Finger-fuck
- Fuck, she was beautiful.
- Oh, fuck it.
I don't mind an occasional "fuck" in HR, particularly if it's in crude reference to the actual act, but these just seemed anachronistic.
The characters weren't developed in depth at all. Liz comes to work in Marcus's household in order to save her sister from death in prison. Except we don't meet her sister until like 80% or so into the book, so we don't really care. Instead we're just beaten over the head with the fact that everything Liz is doing is for her sister. She can't even bring herself to eat because her sister isn't getting enough food in prison. (Yet she has no problem with Marcus giving her a bit of pleasure here and there. Maybe she knows something about Newgate that I don't...) Liz is the daughter of a second son, fallen from society, and your average innocent. Literally nothing stands out about her character except that she curls her hand into a fist when she's feeling anxious.
The duke's character doesn't fare much better. We're told he's a strict disciplinarian and likes everything in order. Yet there's no evidence of this, other than that his servants keep his house really clean. But he's nowhere near the sternest or strictest character I've ever read, and he seemed to lose control quite easily despite words to the contrary. All tell, no show. He was both a wannabe alpha and a wannabe beta, and wasn't particularly memorable in either role.
Despite their lack of development, these characters were really annoying at times. I don't mind a little angst, but they got all bent out of shape about the dumbest things.
Kill me.
So, you're a duke with qualms about marrying a maid? Shut up.
Dear god, you're insufferable.
Then, my friends, there was the sex. At first, when they were just doing hands and oral, everything seemed fine. Nothing too purple or out of the ordinary here. Marcus was supposedly into discipline and punishment in the bedroom, things that make it necessary for him to visit a brothel. Sure, there wasn't much punishment going on besides a little spanking, but I thought there was more to come.
And there was. Oh, there was.
The sex descriptions started out a little amusing (like a cock so hard it can hammer nails or pound horseshoes into shape), but somehow they just got more hilarious as the book went on.
Okay. Not the greatest sex description, but nothing too weird.
Marcus deduces that Liz is an innocent, which he apparently takes to mean that she knows literally nothing about her body. I mean, it's not like they have a Q&A about it, but he just takes it upon himself to mansplain all her reactions.
Uh-huh. Thank you.
Can you not... say that.
Dirty talk that sounds like it came out of a textbook aside, he just called his semen PROOF. OF MY. DESIRE.
I've read a lot of romances. I've heard of fluids, and I've heard of juices, and I've heard of cream, but I've never heard these things called "desire."
Apparently Marcus can mansplain without actually speaking.
THE ENTRANCE. THE ENTRANCE TO HER WOMB.
Aaaaand we just crossed the line into dirty erotica territory. Except... not. I feel I should warn people because the description and title of this book are pretty misleading, in my opinion. This is the dirtiest it gets. There's SO much talk of punishment and discipline, and how actions have consequences, but nothing is ever delivered. Marcus spanks Liz a few times with his hand (the man even owns a riding crop, for crying out loud). He makes her hold her hands above her head. He... oh wait. That's it. They never go beyond that, despite what this book appears to suggest.
I was actually really optimistic about this book at first. The opening scene with the villain was really good. Soon after that, however, things went downhill fast.
1.5 stars.
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Well, this one didn't either.
First, there was something that just didn't ring true about the writing. The dialogue and the characters' thoughts didn't seem like what you would normally read in an HR—more like someone was trying to write what they thought an HR would be like. It seemed too modern at times. There was liberal usage of the work "fuck" in ways you don't normally see in HR.
- For fuck's sake, he was infatuated with the chit.
- Right up against the fucking wall.
- Finger-fuck
- Fuck, she was beautiful.
- Oh, fuck it.
I don't mind an occasional "fuck" in HR, particularly if it's in crude reference to the actual act, but these just seemed anachronistic.
The characters weren't developed in depth at all. Liz comes to work in Marcus's household in order to save her sister from death in prison. Except we don't meet her sister until like 80% or so into the book, so we don't really care. Instead we're just beaten over the head with the fact that everything Liz is doing is for her sister. She can't even bring herself to eat because her sister isn't getting enough food in prison. (Yet she has no problem with Marcus giving her a bit of pleasure here and there. Maybe she knows something about Newgate that I don't...) Liz is the daughter of a second son, fallen from society, and your average innocent. Literally nothing stands out about her character except that she curls her hand into a fist when she's feeling anxious.
The duke's character doesn't fare much better. We're told he's a strict disciplinarian and likes everything in order. Yet there's no evidence of this, other than that his servants keep his house really clean. But he's nowhere near the sternest or strictest character I've ever read, and he seemed to lose control quite easily despite words to the contrary. All tell, no show. He was both a wannabe alpha and a wannabe beta, and wasn't particularly memorable in either role.
Despite their lack of development, these characters were really annoying at times. I don't mind a little angst, but they got all bent out of shape about the dumbest things.
His little bird didn't need punishing. She was far too close to perfect to ever do real wrong.
Kill me.
For the first time in his life he hated his nobility.
So, you're a duke with qualms about marrying a maid? Shut up.
She was responsible for her sister's pain.
Dear god, you're insufferable.
Then, my friends, there was the sex. At first, when they were just doing hands and oral, everything seemed fine. Nothing too purple or out of the ordinary here. Marcus was supposedly into discipline and punishment in the bedroom, things that make it necessary for him to visit a brothel. Sure, there wasn't much punishment going on besides a little spanking, but I thought there was more to come.
And there was. Oh, there was.
The sex descriptions started out a little amusing (like a cock so hard it can hammer nails or pound horseshoes into shape), but somehow they just got more hilarious as the book went on.
Her walls sucked wetly at him.
Okay. Not the greatest sex description, but nothing too weird.
So he told his cock to stand down.
Marcus deduces that Liz is an innocent, which he apparently takes to mean that she knows literally nothing about her body. I mean, it's not like they have a Q&A about it, but he just takes it upon himself to mansplain all her reactions.
"Giving you a lesson. About your body." He trailed a finger down the side of her neck. She tilted her head, exposing more skin to his caress. "About your desires. About how to ease the ache inside you."
Uh-huh. Thank you.
"Your body is softening for me. Preparing for an intrusion. Releasing its sweet essence to maximize both of our enjoyment."
He pressed that finger into her mouth, slid it over her tongue. "Can you taste that? That's the flavor of you wanting me."
Can you not... say that.
"You are stroking my cock and proof of my desire is escaping. That liquid is the result of what you do to me."
Dirty talk that sounds like it came out of a textbook aside, he just called his semen PROOF. OF MY. DESIRE.
He rubbed her desire onto her bottom.
I've read a lot of romances. I've heard of fluids, and I've heard of juices, and I've heard of cream, but I've never heard these things called "desire."
Her orgasm rolled through her, like waves gently breaking on a shore. She smiled in contentment. Again, Marcus had taught her something new about her body. There was variety to her orgasms; they weren't all raging infernos.
Apparently Marcus can mansplain without actually speaking.
... his shaft automatically notched at her entrance. It knew where it belonged.
When her thighs encircled his hips, he drove even deeper, the aching head of his cock grazing the entrance to her womb.
THE ENTRANCE. THE ENTRANCE TO HER WOMB.
"Come for me, Liz." His thrusts became uneven, frantic. "Damn it, get there."
He pressed deeply into her, her throbbing walls milking streams of hot cum from him.
Aaaaand we just crossed the line into dirty erotica territory. Except... not. I feel I should warn people because the description and title of this book are pretty misleading, in my opinion. This is the dirtiest it gets. There's SO much talk of punishment and discipline, and how actions have consequences, but nothing is ever delivered. Marcus spanks Liz a few times with his hand (the man even owns a riding crop, for crying out loud). He makes her hold her hands above her head. He... oh wait. That's it. They never go beyond that, despite what this book appears to suggest.
I was actually really optimistic about this book at first. The opening scene with the villain was really good. Soon after that, however, things went downhill fast.
1.5 stars.
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2017
Combining a spicy historical romance with a bit of BDSM seems like a dream come true for those that live a bit on the wild side. I was looking for a bit of spice and this one fit the bill.
The story is unique and not like many of the other historical romances. Good character development. Montague is pretty yummy and a sweet guy. Most guys depicted in HR are kind of jerks. He is kind and sexy.
There are a few quirks that stuck out and made this a good read VS a great read. Liz spent a ton of time just wandering around and shirking her duties without issue. Reality... not happening, esp. as a new employee. There were also several scenes where they were together with no issues or fallout from other staff. That was different as everyone knows what happens in a house. She also became very forward and while it led to some hot scenes, it was also different.
This read more like a mix of HR and contemporary romance. While it is not a bad thing, it can be confusing to the reader. The story overall is good with plenty of spicy action, light BDSM scenes, (which there could have been more of) and uniqueness. Looking forward to more in this series!
The story is unique and not like many of the other historical romances. Good character development. Montague is pretty yummy and a sweet guy. Most guys depicted in HR are kind of jerks. He is kind and sexy.
There are a few quirks that stuck out and made this a good read VS a great read. Liz spent a ton of time just wandering around and shirking her duties without issue. Reality... not happening, esp. as a new employee. There were also several scenes where they were together with no issues or fallout from other staff. That was different as everyone knows what happens in a house. She also became very forward and while it led to some hot scenes, it was also different.
This read more like a mix of HR and contemporary romance. While it is not a bad thing, it can be confusing to the reader. The story overall is good with plenty of spicy action, light BDSM scenes, (which there could have been more of) and uniqueness. Looking forward to more in this series!
September 25, 2017
So much more than I was expecting!
4.5 EROTIC STARS!!
Perhaps the title of this book sells it a bit short. To me, Disciplined by the Duke implies a naughty smut romp, one that is short on plot and involves loosely sketched characters who go at it on a very regular basis (I know, I'm so classy. :) So imagine my surprise when I got a well-thought out, erotic Regency romance.
The plot goes a bit like this: Over the last year, Liz's entire life has been ripped away. With her sister in jail for murdering their father, she has no one and falls prey to a powerful man who claims he can have her sister exonerated - for a price. Desperate, Liz agrees to work for him and pose as a maid in the Duke of Montague's house in order to search for a specific piece of correspondence.
The first half of the story was exceptional and deserves 5+ stars! Though Liz's plan does not involve the Duke (Marcus), their encounters set off sparks of attraction between them. Their inadvertent, mutual seduction was thrilling to read. I loved that the author really took the time to build their relationship, and I completely bought the way their kink was brought into the story.
Unfortunately, the second half was more focused on the intrigue of stealing the letter, freeing Liz's sister, and introducing Marcus's friends - I would have rather read about their love story! Still, I was impressed and I will definitely read the next in the series when it comes out.
4.5 EROTIC STARS!!
Perhaps the title of this book sells it a bit short. To me, Disciplined by the Duke implies a naughty smut romp, one that is short on plot and involves loosely sketched characters who go at it on a very regular basis (I know, I'm so classy. :) So imagine my surprise when I got a well-thought out, erotic Regency romance.
The plot goes a bit like this: Over the last year, Liz's entire life has been ripped away. With her sister in jail for murdering their father, she has no one and falls prey to a powerful man who claims he can have her sister exonerated - for a price. Desperate, Liz agrees to work for him and pose as a maid in the Duke of Montague's house in order to search for a specific piece of correspondence.
The first half of the story was exceptional and deserves 5+ stars! Though Liz's plan does not involve the Duke (Marcus), their encounters set off sparks of attraction between them. Their inadvertent, mutual seduction was thrilling to read. I loved that the author really took the time to build their relationship, and I completely bought the way their kink was brought into the story.
Unfortunately, the second half was more focused on the intrigue of stealing the letter, freeing Liz's sister, and introducing Marcus's friends - I would have rather read about their love story! Still, I was impressed and I will definitely read the next in the series when it comes out.
July 3, 2024
Less than 2 stars. 1.5 stars maybe?
The last 20% has a different tone from the first 80%, which was jarring for me. There was more dialogue and action (as expected). It was a messy rescue for four seasoned spies. Granted, it was last minute, so they couldn’t plan the rescue in advance.
The heroine felt more like the main character with the hero as a side character. I didn’t really know who the duke was besides him being a spy and preference for visiting a particular brothel for certain sexual proclivities (i.e. spanking). He didn’t actually visit the brothel in the book but it was as mentioned a handful of times.
The H/h didn’t interact as much as I would have liked in the first half. I was impatient for their next encounter after each short, if not, unsatisfying, interaction. Their first kiss was at the 45% mark! The sexual tension went up slightly after this. The title has the word “disciplined” in it, so expect some spankings. I’m not a fan so I skimmed those parts.
I didn’t buy that they’ve fallen in love with each other by the end of the book. I can believe that they would eventually fall in love, just not this soon. I wanted to see them get to know each other besides just lust after one another. Granted, it would be hard for them to get any long moments of privacy due to their current stations without drawing notice from his staff (she, pretending to be a maid, and he, a duke and her employer).
There was no epilogue. I was curious to see how the duke’s staff would react to her new station in life and if the duke’s cook ever got married to the duke’s steward.
I read this series out of order and this was last book I needed to read so series complete! 😁 🎉🎊
The last 20% has a different tone from the first 80%, which was jarring for me. There was more dialogue and action (as expected). It was a messy rescue for four seasoned spies. Granted, it was last minute, so they couldn’t plan the rescue in advance.
The heroine felt more like the main character with the hero as a side character. I didn’t really know who the duke was besides him being a spy and preference for visiting a particular brothel for certain sexual proclivities (i.e. spanking). He didn’t actually visit the brothel in the book but it was as mentioned a handful of times.
The H/h didn’t interact as much as I would have liked in the first half. I was impatient for their next encounter after each short, if not, unsatisfying, interaction. Their first kiss was at the 45% mark! The sexual tension went up slightly after this. The title has the word “disciplined” in it, so expect some spankings. I’m not a fan so I skimmed those parts.
I didn’t buy that they’ve fallen in love with each other by the end of the book. I can believe that they would eventually fall in love, just not this soon. I wanted to see them get to know each other besides just lust after one another. Granted, it would be hard for them to get any long moments of privacy due to their current stations without drawing notice from his staff (she, pretending to be a maid, and he, a duke and her employer).
There was no epilogue. I was curious to see how the duke’s staff would react to her new station in life and if the duke’s cook ever got married to the duke’s steward.
I read this series out of order and this was last book I needed to read so series complete! 😁 🎉🎊
August 28, 2022
Great adventure with h blackmailed into spying on the H. She's trying to save her sister from being hanged. To protect her sister she's incognito and although she's clever, she does of course get caught by the H. Her understandable determination was frustrating but on my 2nd read, I liked it very much.
March 19, 2018
A good surprise....
I honestly thought I was going to open a book with lots of smut, and there was, quite tame actually for as adventurous a reader as I am, but also a suspenseful well written spy plot.
We first meet our heroine Liz. She’s had an unfortunate 2 years. Her father has been murdered at the hands of her sister. Her sister sits in Newgate awaiting trial. Amanda is starving and falling apart. It’s a race against time.
Liz is tasked by a traitor Lord for her sisters release to obtain information, specially a letter. He works for the French, he’s a traitor, but If returned, her sister shall be released.
So we’re off with Liz as she goes undercover as a chambermaid at the Dukes household. Marcus as we meet him, is intense and works for the Crown himself in the opposite way of uncovering spies, Lords specifically with a group of other high ranking lords who we meet later on in the book.
There’s an immediate attraction between the two. Secrets and lies intermingled with attraction. I actually enjoyed every minute of their unconventional attraction and found the romance to be not only believable but torturous for the Duke. He’s a good man, he doesn’t dally with the help and falling for his maid......not done.
It’s a good start to the series. I like who we’ve met and I’m looking forward to Amanda’s story.
I recommend.
I honestly thought I was going to open a book with lots of smut, and there was, quite tame actually for as adventurous a reader as I am, but also a suspenseful well written spy plot.
We first meet our heroine Liz. She’s had an unfortunate 2 years. Her father has been murdered at the hands of her sister. Her sister sits in Newgate awaiting trial. Amanda is starving and falling apart. It’s a race against time.
Liz is tasked by a traitor Lord for her sisters release to obtain information, specially a letter. He works for the French, he’s a traitor, but If returned, her sister shall be released.
So we’re off with Liz as she goes undercover as a chambermaid at the Dukes household. Marcus as we meet him, is intense and works for the Crown himself in the opposite way of uncovering spies, Lords specifically with a group of other high ranking lords who we meet later on in the book.
There’s an immediate attraction between the two. Secrets and lies intermingled with attraction. I actually enjoyed every minute of their unconventional attraction and found the romance to be not only believable but torturous for the Duke. He’s a good man, he doesn’t dally with the help and falling for his maid......not done.
It’s a good start to the series. I like who we’ve met and I’m looking forward to Amanda’s story.
I recommend.
March 4, 2023
'disclipined by the duke' he spanked her twice. honestly. 2.5
October 27, 2021
A Duke and his Maid
Don’t let the cliché plot fool you, this was a highly entertaining read with a little kink thrown in to liven up this regency romance.
Elizabeth Wilcox has been under the Earl of Westmore’s thumb for the last miserable year of her life. But with her sister held at Newgate and with each passing day, harder and harder to reach her, Elizabeth will make a pact with the devil to get her out. So if she finds her self stealing a few things here or there, her conscience is pricked but her determination to save her sister trumps it.
What should have been an easy job of posing as a maid to the Duke of Montague and retrieving a letter with a distinctive seal should have been easy enough. But when you add in state secrets, treason and a combustible chemistry with the lord of the house, things are anything but simple.
Marcus, the Duke of Montague has never had a problem resisting the help. For his darker tastes, there have always been women who would accommodate him. But Liz isn’t like anyone he’s ever dealt with, maid or lady. She’s curious, outspoken and makes him feel alive for the first time in a long while. But his work with the Crown has made Marcus more suspicious then most and Liz’ arrival plus her vague connection to Westmore send up some red flags.
What I liked:
The story was surprisingly well thought out and represented. I enjoyed both Liz and Marcus. Neither were your cookie cutter protagonists. They were complex and flawed and at times I had to push my limits but ultimately their actions and decisions were explained and I rooted for their HEA.
The story is a bit kinky but nothing OTT – it might even be considered too tame by some standards. I liked it, it had some spice but BDSM is a tricky terrain to navigate and I thought the author did great giving us just enough to titillate but not overwhelm.
I came to love the MCs and the secondary characters were great to keep the story light and funny at times. Loved the starchy butler and the sassy cook :) As for Liz’ sister, Amanda, and Marcus’ friend, Julius, I can’t wait to see how their story pans out. I’m bracing myself for a more deeply emotional read there due to Amanda’s history but I so want to see them overcome it and reclaim some happiness with each other.
What I didn't like:
There wasn’t much I didn’t like about this one. There are some subjects that are only slightly mentioned at that can be triggers for some (I’ll include a spoiler tag below) and the H, although not a manwhore, does make too many references to past lovers. The comments are vague and not at all detailed but rather used to highlight his kink in the bedroom and also used to make him distance himself from Liz a few times.
I get that the times and their social statuses come into play but I do remember a few times, scrunching up my face whenever Marcus thought about finding OW to make him forget about Liz. It didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story but it could have happened a little less and I probably wouldn’t even have remembered it. Lol :)
Memorable Moments:
The voyeurism scene when Liz is caught by Marcus. Not so much because of the scene they are watching (pretty non-sexual – at least on one side – spanking) but the chemistry between Liz and Marcus is at it’s highest at that point and I loved how tangible their connection was. Come to think of it, all the intimate scenes with Liz and Marcus were memorable. This author really knows how to write a sexy scene with both emotional and physical impact.
I am definitely keeping my eye on this author and the next in the series!
* * *ARC provided for an honest review* * *
SAFETY
Don’t let the cliché plot fool you, this was a highly entertaining read with a little kink thrown in to liven up this regency romance.
Elizabeth Wilcox has been under the Earl of Westmore’s thumb for the last miserable year of her life. But with her sister held at Newgate and with each passing day, harder and harder to reach her, Elizabeth will make a pact with the devil to get her out. So if she finds her self stealing a few things here or there, her conscience is pricked but her determination to save her sister trumps it.
What should have been an easy job of posing as a maid to the Duke of Montague and retrieving a letter with a distinctive seal should have been easy enough. But when you add in state secrets, treason and a combustible chemistry with the lord of the house, things are anything but simple.
Marcus, the Duke of Montague has never had a problem resisting the help. For his darker tastes, there have always been women who would accommodate him. But Liz isn’t like anyone he’s ever dealt with, maid or lady. She’s curious, outspoken and makes him feel alive for the first time in a long while. But his work with the Crown has made Marcus more suspicious then most and Liz’ arrival plus her vague connection to Westmore send up some red flags.
What I liked:
The story was surprisingly well thought out and represented. I enjoyed both Liz and Marcus. Neither were your cookie cutter protagonists. They were complex and flawed and at times I had to push my limits but ultimately their actions and decisions were explained and I rooted for their HEA.
The story is a bit kinky but nothing OTT – it might even be considered too tame by some standards. I liked it, it had some spice but BDSM is a tricky terrain to navigate and I thought the author did great giving us just enough to titillate but not overwhelm.
I came to love the MCs and the secondary characters were great to keep the story light and funny at times. Loved the starchy butler and the sassy cook :) As for Liz’ sister, Amanda, and Marcus’ friend, Julius, I can’t wait to see how their story pans out. I’m bracing myself for a more deeply emotional read there due to Amanda’s history but I so want to see them overcome it and reclaim some happiness with each other.
What I didn't like:
There wasn’t much I didn’t like about this one. There are some subjects that are only slightly mentioned at that can be triggers for some (I’ll include a spoiler tag below) and the H, although not a manwhore, does make too many references to past lovers. The comments are vague and not at all detailed but rather used to highlight his kink in the bedroom and also used to make him distance himself from Liz a few times.
I get that the times and their social statuses come into play but I do remember a few times, scrunching up my face whenever Marcus thought about finding OW to make him forget about Liz. It didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story but it could have happened a little less and I probably wouldn’t even have remembered it. Lol :)
Memorable Moments:
The voyeurism scene when Liz is caught by Marcus. Not so much because of the scene they are watching (pretty non-sexual – at least on one side – spanking) but the chemistry between Liz and Marcus is at it’s highest at that point and I loved how tangible their connection was. Come to think of it, all the intimate scenes with Liz and Marcus were memorable. This author really knows how to write a sexy scene with both emotional and physical impact.
I am definitely keeping my eye on this author and the next in the series!
* * *ARC provided for an honest review* * *
SAFETY
August 26, 2019
Three and a half stars
This was an enjoyable Regency romance with some intriguing plot lines. Spies and sensual pleasures. This was my first read from this author and though I like the book I did not love it. It was slow in the middle and there could have been a little more historical accuracy. I will however be reading the rest of the series because who doesn’t like a good bodice ripper!
This was an enjoyable Regency romance with some intriguing plot lines. Spies and sensual pleasures. This was my first read from this author and though I like the book I did not love it. It was slow in the middle and there could have been a little more historical accuracy. I will however be reading the rest of the series because who doesn’t like a good bodice ripper!
July 3, 2017
I enjoyed this book, but I was expecting so much more from the relationship between Marcus and Liz. I thought this was going to be an erotic historical, but in the end it was a story of a girl desperate to save her sister.
August 11, 2017
DNF at 44%
After four days of trying to slog through this story, I had to give up. The book’s description sounded fun and I expected a sexy historical with perhaps even a dash of intrigue. As of where I stopped reading, the blurb didn’t fit the book. Perhaps the latter 56% percent of the story was all passion and submission, but I’m not about to stick around and find out. Disciplined by the Duke is incredibly slow-paced, with an insipid heroine who is mostly memorable for her brief bouts of martyrdom and a hero who is pretty unbelievable (and I’m willing to suspend quite a bit of disbelief when reading). Almost halfway in, the romance hadn’t really developed, the sexual tension had barely started to simmer, and the letter that Liz is risking everything to find was proving to be more of a MacGuffin than an actual plot point. Perhaps the latter half of the book picked up, but when reading a book feels like a chore, it’s time to call it a quits.
After four days of trying to slog through this story, I had to give up. The book’s description sounded fun and I expected a sexy historical with perhaps even a dash of intrigue. As of where I stopped reading, the blurb didn’t fit the book. Perhaps the latter 56% percent of the story was all passion and submission, but I’m not about to stick around and find out. Disciplined by the Duke is incredibly slow-paced, with an insipid heroine who is mostly memorable for her brief bouts of martyrdom and a hero who is pretty unbelievable (and I’m willing to suspend quite a bit of disbelief when reading). Almost halfway in, the romance hadn’t really developed, the sexual tension had barely started to simmer, and the letter that Liz is risking everything to find was proving to be more of a MacGuffin than an actual plot point. Perhaps the latter half of the book picked up, but when reading a book feels like a chore, it’s time to call it a quits.
August 7, 2017
3.5 "Good Ole Fashion Spy Bodice Ripper" Stars
Loved It! A Good Ole Fashion Spy Bodice Ripper @ it's best! Disciplined by the Duke
had a very intriguing plot & was executed very well. I loved Montague & Liz together. The author got the Dominant in Marcus just right for my taste at least! I enjoyed Liz's personality immensely. She had just enough push back to make it fun!
This won't go down in favorites but I do definitely wanna continue this series! Really looking forward to the next book w/ Rothchild (yum) & Mandy!
That one looks like it will be even better!!
I graciously received a free copy of this book on behalf of NetGalley & St. Martin's Press and voluntarily chose to post a review.
Loved It! A Good Ole Fashion Spy Bodice Ripper @ it's best! Disciplined by the Duke
had a very intriguing plot & was executed very well. I loved Montague & Liz together. The author got the Dominant in Marcus just right for my taste at least! I enjoyed Liz's personality immensely. She had just enough push back to make it fun!
This won't go down in favorites but I do definitely wanna continue this series! Really looking forward to the next book w/ Rothchild (yum) & Mandy!
That one looks like it will be even better!!
I graciously received a free copy of this book on behalf of NetGalley & St. Martin's Press and voluntarily chose to post a review.
August 13, 2017
'Disciplined by the Duke' by Alyson Chase is the First Book in the New Series called " The Lords of Discipline". This is the story of Elizabeth 'Liz' Wilcox and Marcus the Duke of Montague.
Liz is trying desperately to save her sister who in locked up in prison for killing their father. The Earl of Westmore happen upon Liz when she was upset about her sister's imprisonment. The Earl offered to help her get her sister free if she but do a few 'things' for him. Of course Liz aggregated and did all of the illegal things he asked her to do but now the Earl has one last task for her to do. The Earl promises that this will be the last and her sister will be saved from being Hanged.
The Earl wants her to steal a letter with information that will help advance the Earl. Liz is to go and work as a Chambermaid in the Duke of Montague's house...there she will steal a letter to complete her job for him. Liz was once a sheltered Lady but now she doesn't feel so sheltered. Liz's physical innocents is still there but her mental is not longer.
Liz is taken back by how much Marcus does not at all appear to look like a Duke. Marcus does not dress as you would think one would and a normal Duke wouldn't be so strong. But Liz fights any feelings she has because she needs to save her sister at any cost.
Marcus is a man who observes people and looks for their secrets or differences. As someone who likes questionable sexual habits he has made it a priority to know if something isn't what it seems.
Liz in on of those things...she doesn't appear to be what she tries to say she is. In addition, Marcus has become fascinated by Liz and wants her...but can he have her?
Liz has the goal of freeing her sister, which can only be done she thinks if she steal from Marcus to satisfy the Earl.
I love historical Romance and you really don't see to many with BDSM tone to them. So this was a nice surprise...I wish we saw more of them. Overall Loved the Book...there was a few times I felt Liz might have done things differently and I really liked Marcus.
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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Merged review:
Book Review For: Disciplined by the Duke by Alyson Chase 'Disciplined by the Duke' by Alyson Chase is the First Book in the New Series called " The Lords of Discipline". This is the story of Elizabeth 'Liz' Wilcox and Marcus the Duke of Montague. Liz is trying desperately to save her sister who in locked up in prison for killing their father. The Earl of Westmore happen upon Liz when she was upset about her sister's imprisonment. The Earl offered to help her get her sister free if she but do a few 'things' for him. Of course Liz aggregated and did all of the illegal things he asked her to do but now the Earl has one last task for her to do. The Earl promises that this will be the last and her sister will be saved from being Hanged. The Earl wants her to steal a letter with information that will help advance the Earl. Liz is to go and work as a Chambermaid in the Duke of Montague's house...there she will steal a letter to complete her job for him. Liz was once a sheltered Lady but now she doesn't feel so sheltered. Liz's physical innocents is still there but her mental is not longer. Liz is taken back by how much Marcus does not at all appear to look like a Duke. Marcus does not dress as you would think one would and a normal Duke wouldn't be so strong. But Liz fights any feelings she has because she needs to save her sister at any cost. Marcus is a man who observes people and looks for their secrets or differences. As someone who likes questionable sexual habits he has made it a priority to know if something isn't what it seems. Liz in on of those things...she doesn't appear to be what she tries to say she is. In addition, Marcus has become fascinated by Liz and wants her...but can he have her? Liz has the goal of freeing her sister, which can only be done she thinks if she steal from Marcus to satisfy the Earl. I love historical Romance and you really don't see to many with BDSM tone to them. So this was a nice surprise...I wish we saw more of them. Overall Loved the Book...there was a few times I felt Liz might have done things differently and I really liked Marcus. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... https://twitter.com/soapsrus68 https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR... http://booklikes.com/bloghttps://roma... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
Liz is trying desperately to save her sister who in locked up in prison for killing their father. The Earl of Westmore happen upon Liz when she was upset about her sister's imprisonment. The Earl offered to help her get her sister free if she but do a few 'things' for him. Of course Liz aggregated and did all of the illegal things he asked her to do but now the Earl has one last task for her to do. The Earl promises that this will be the last and her sister will be saved from being Hanged.
The Earl wants her to steal a letter with information that will help advance the Earl. Liz is to go and work as a Chambermaid in the Duke of Montague's house...there she will steal a letter to complete her job for him. Liz was once a sheltered Lady but now she doesn't feel so sheltered. Liz's physical innocents is still there but her mental is not longer.
Liz is taken back by how much Marcus does not at all appear to look like a Duke. Marcus does not dress as you would think one would and a normal Duke wouldn't be so strong. But Liz fights any feelings she has because she needs to save her sister at any cost.
Marcus is a man who observes people and looks for their secrets or differences. As someone who likes questionable sexual habits he has made it a priority to know if something isn't what it seems.
Liz in on of those things...she doesn't appear to be what she tries to say she is. In addition, Marcus has become fascinated by Liz and wants her...but can he have her?
Liz has the goal of freeing her sister, which can only be done she thinks if she steal from Marcus to satisfy the Earl.
I love historical Romance and you really don't see to many with BDSM tone to them. So this was a nice surprise...I wish we saw more of them. Overall Loved the Book...there was a few times I felt Liz might have done things differently and I really liked Marcus.
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H...
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
https://twitter.com/soapsrus68
https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR...
http://sissymaereads.blogspot.com/
http://booklikes.com/blog
https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp...
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
https://plus.google.com/+SissyHicks
Merged review:
Book Review For: Disciplined by the Duke by Alyson Chase 'Disciplined by the Duke' by Alyson Chase is the First Book in the New Series called " The Lords of Discipline". This is the story of Elizabeth 'Liz' Wilcox and Marcus the Duke of Montague. Liz is trying desperately to save her sister who in locked up in prison for killing their father. The Earl of Westmore happen upon Liz when she was upset about her sister's imprisonment. The Earl offered to help her get her sister free if she but do a few 'things' for him. Of course Liz aggregated and did all of the illegal things he asked her to do but now the Earl has one last task for her to do. The Earl promises that this will be the last and her sister will be saved from being Hanged. The Earl wants her to steal a letter with information that will help advance the Earl. Liz is to go and work as a Chambermaid in the Duke of Montague's house...there she will steal a letter to complete her job for him. Liz was once a sheltered Lady but now she doesn't feel so sheltered. Liz's physical innocents is still there but her mental is not longer. Liz is taken back by how much Marcus does not at all appear to look like a Duke. Marcus does not dress as you would think one would and a normal Duke wouldn't be so strong. But Liz fights any feelings she has because she needs to save her sister at any cost. Marcus is a man who observes people and looks for their secrets or differences. As someone who likes questionable sexual habits he has made it a priority to know if something isn't what it seems. Liz in on of those things...she doesn't appear to be what she tries to say she is. In addition, Marcus has become fascinated by Liz and wants her...but can he have her? Liz has the goal of freeing her sister, which can only be done she thinks if she steal from Marcus to satisfy the Earl. I love historical Romance and you really don't see to many with BDSM tone to them. So this was a nice surprise...I wish we saw more of them. Overall Loved the Book...there was a few times I felt Liz might have done things differently and I really liked Marcus. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... https://twitter.com/soapsrus68 https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR... http://booklikes.com/bloghttps://roma... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
August 4, 2017
The day Amanda Wilcox murdered their abusive father, Elizabeth Wilcox, her younger sister stopped being a gentleman’s daughter. Willing to do anything to save her sister from the hangman’s noose, now she is a spy... A servant. A liar. A thief. A submissive.
She is sent by the Earl of Westmore to masquerade as a parlour maid at the Duke of Montague’s country estate in order to steal a letter with a purple seal, Liz is willing to risk all to uncover the secrets that would save her sister. But submitting to the duke’s peculiar brand of discipline surprises her with a heady mixture of pleasure and pain.
An enjoyable novel the pace is well paced, well written & the characters well portrayed. Marcus is stern & likes to use a ruler but he also has a softer side & becomes almost obsessed with a parlour maid. Liz finds it hard to be a servant & is very outspoken for a maid no wonder the steward views her with distrust. Marcus works for the Crown & is trying to find a traitor, Liz believes the letter she has to steal is about Marcus’ fleet of ships & the goods they carry. A page turning novel that kept me reading & wanting to find out how things were resolved of which there are quite a few, will Amanda hang? who’s the traitor & will they be caught? (although this wasn’t hard to work out), will Liz find & steal the letter? how will Marcus’ & Liz’s relationship develop? So plenty of goings on to keep your interest. This is the first novel I’ve read by the author & look forward to the rest of the series especially after the teaser for the second book at the end of this one
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
She is sent by the Earl of Westmore to masquerade as a parlour maid at the Duke of Montague’s country estate in order to steal a letter with a purple seal, Liz is willing to risk all to uncover the secrets that would save her sister. But submitting to the duke’s peculiar brand of discipline surprises her with a heady mixture of pleasure and pain.
An enjoyable novel the pace is well paced, well written & the characters well portrayed. Marcus is stern & likes to use a ruler but he also has a softer side & becomes almost obsessed with a parlour maid. Liz finds it hard to be a servant & is very outspoken for a maid no wonder the steward views her with distrust. Marcus works for the Crown & is trying to find a traitor, Liz believes the letter she has to steal is about Marcus’ fleet of ships & the goods they carry. A page turning novel that kept me reading & wanting to find out how things were resolved of which there are quite a few, will Amanda hang? who’s the traitor & will they be caught? (although this wasn’t hard to work out), will Liz find & steal the letter? how will Marcus’ & Liz’s relationship develop? So plenty of goings on to keep your interest. This is the first novel I’ve read by the author & look forward to the rest of the series especially after the teaser for the second book at the end of this one
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
August 12, 2017
3.5 stars
This was a nice intro into what should shape up to be a good series. A group of friends, who are high ranking peers, are working as spies for the Crown. Someone is selling information to the French and they are trying to find out who it is. Well, that scoundrel is blackmailing Liz Wilcox and sends her to the Duke of Montague's home to search for the next piece of Intel he needs to sell to France. What no one expects is for Liz and Montague to fall for each other.
While this hints at BDSM, it's very mild and its not the focus of the book. The focus is Liz's story of what she's doing and why. I really felt the last 20-25% was fantastic! It moved a lot quicker than the rest of the book and was filled with action.
I'm looking forward to the next book because of the characters. It should be interesting.
*thanks to Tasty Book Tours and the publisher for sharing a copy of this with me*
This was a nice intro into what should shape up to be a good series. A group of friends, who are high ranking peers, are working as spies for the Crown. Someone is selling information to the French and they are trying to find out who it is. Well, that scoundrel is blackmailing Liz Wilcox and sends her to the Duke of Montague's home to search for the next piece of Intel he needs to sell to France. What no one expects is for Liz and Montague to fall for each other.
While this hints at BDSM, it's very mild and its not the focus of the book. The focus is Liz's story of what she's doing and why. I really felt the last 20-25% was fantastic! It moved a lot quicker than the rest of the book and was filled with action.
I'm looking forward to the next book because of the characters. It should be interesting.
*thanks to Tasty Book Tours and the publisher for sharing a copy of this with me*
July 31, 2017
I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really had my hopes up during the first 25% of the book because it started to well with the blackmailing etc. but over the pages it got more and more predictable. I really had my hopes up that there would be more of a relationship development – it was pretty flat in my opinion. When you read the title “Disciplined by the Duke” you get the image of some BDSM, well it was so mild – some soft spanking – I expected much, much more.
There were so man options to make a great story out of it but honestly said: predictable and boring towards the end.
That Elizabeth would use the secret ways through the house as soon as she discovers them – predictable. That Montague would sooner or later find out that there are some spies in his house – well predictable. But the reason why Elizabeth’s sister is in jail is quite late exposed to the reader if not even too late.
I really had my hopes up during the first 25% of the book because it started to well with the blackmailing etc. but over the pages it got more and more predictable. I really had my hopes up that there would be more of a relationship development – it was pretty flat in my opinion. When you read the title “Disciplined by the Duke” you get the image of some BDSM, well it was so mild – some soft spanking – I expected much, much more.
There were so man options to make a great story out of it but honestly said: predictable and boring towards the end.
That Elizabeth would use the secret ways through the house as soon as she discovers them – predictable. That Montague would sooner or later find out that there are some spies in his house – well predictable. But the reason why Elizabeth’s sister is in jail is quite late exposed to the reader if not even too late.
July 28, 2017
ARC received for review
I forget how long it takes people to hook up in a historical. Light BDSM. I skimmed a lot cause it seemed like Liz was cleaning way too much. I wanted a little between her and Marcus.
Looks like her sister and one of his fellow "spies" are up next.
I forget how long it takes people to hook up in a historical. Light BDSM. I skimmed a lot cause it seemed like Liz was cleaning way too much. I wanted a little between her and Marcus.
Looks like her sister and one of his fellow "spies" are up next.
August 28, 2017
Alyson Chase delivers such a unique and as far as I am concerned a wonderful twist to a historical romance , an intresting Villian, one in the upper 10% of the ton, The Earl of Westmore ; a young naive women, Elizabeth Wilcox ; looking only to save her sister from the hangman, and the sexy iriisistble, dominant Duke of Montague.
Elizabeth finds herself alone and struggling to get her sister set free from Newgate and suddenly financially desperate with the death of her father she is lured in by the Earl of Westmore who promises her that he hs a judge who is freindly and can get her sister released but the Earl keeps dangling that carrot for yet one More despiclple so called errand , steal this, get that , secure information and now he wants her to pretend to be a chambermaid for a Duke no less and steal a letter from him.
To spite trying to void this latest despicable assignment fear of Westmore allowing her sister to go to the hangman's noose sets Elizabeth on the path to stealing from the Duke. Elizabeth however will find her determination tested when she meets the iriisistble , sexy Duke that arouses feeling in her she hs never experienced.The Duke of Montague has a firm rule no taking advantage of the people who work under him, including his maids , however his newest maid arouses desires , he wishes to see her submit to him, to own her, to dominate her unusual for him since he is always in control of his desires and when he indulges he does so with widows who are willing or pays for the priv,age with professionals.
These two temp each other , so who is to blame him when he finally caves no breaks his own rule, how can a man resist exploring Elizabeth submissive nature .
While Liz is hiding her search for the letter with the purple seal and dallying with the Duke , The Duke is searching for the traitor to the crown and these two lovers soon find themselves at a crosstoad.
Can these two both achieve their goals and not find themselves on opposite ends .
Suspense, submission, sex and yes love keep you glued to the pages .
Arc graciously provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Elizabeth finds herself alone and struggling to get her sister set free from Newgate and suddenly financially desperate with the death of her father she is lured in by the Earl of Westmore who promises her that he hs a judge who is freindly and can get her sister released but the Earl keeps dangling that carrot for yet one More despiclple so called errand , steal this, get that , secure information and now he wants her to pretend to be a chambermaid for a Duke no less and steal a letter from him.
To spite trying to void this latest despicable assignment fear of Westmore allowing her sister to go to the hangman's noose sets Elizabeth on the path to stealing from the Duke. Elizabeth however will find her determination tested when she meets the iriisistble , sexy Duke that arouses feeling in her she hs never experienced.The Duke of Montague has a firm rule no taking advantage of the people who work under him, including his maids , however his newest maid arouses desires , he wishes to see her submit to him, to own her, to dominate her unusual for him since he is always in control of his desires and when he indulges he does so with widows who are willing or pays for the priv,age with professionals.
These two temp each other , so who is to blame him when he finally caves no breaks his own rule, how can a man resist exploring Elizabeth submissive nature .
While Liz is hiding her search for the letter with the purple seal and dallying with the Duke , The Duke is searching for the traitor to the crown and these two lovers soon find themselves at a crosstoad.
Can these two both achieve their goals and not find themselves on opposite ends .
Suspense, submission, sex and yes love keep you glued to the pages .
Arc graciously provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
June 30, 2021
She was one of the most composed women of his acquaintance, and it drew him to her like a honeybee to a flower.4 stars
This was my first book by Alyson Chase and I really enjoyed it. It was definitely a sizzling hot read, but it's a real romance with meat to the story and three-dimensional characters.
Normally the duke-chambermaid setup would be a hard one for an author to pull off for me, because of the power differential, but I think Chase did a great job of balancing that fine line. Marcus, for his part, really struggles with his feelings for Elizabeth—as he should. This is definitely a lust-driven romance, but despite that, I felt that there was depth to their relationship and to the characters themselves. I felt so much for Elizabeth, who is in an impossible situation and feels so much guilt over her sister's situation. Her deception is massive, there's no doubt, and I thought Marcus's reaction was appropriate to the situation, whereas sometimes authors would draw something like that out to a ridiculous degree.
She curtsied, slow and deep, not her customary bob. If he didn't know better he'd swear she was mocking him.
But he knew. Like him, she needed to reestablish their boundaries. Inclining his head, he spun on his heel and headed for his rooms.
The duke and the chambermaid.
The fates were a bitch.
January 30, 2019
Wonderful!!
One of the best books I have read in a long time. This was not a novella, but I found I could not put it down! I went to bed thinking about it and woke up eager to get back to it! Highly recommend for everyone that loves a naughty romance. Don't miss it! On to the next book in the series, hopeful it will be as good!,
One of the best books I have read in a long time. This was not a novella, but I found I could not put it down! I went to bed thinking about it and woke up eager to get back to it! Highly recommend for everyone that loves a naughty romance. Don't miss it! On to the next book in the series, hopeful it will be as good!,
August 15, 2017
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
3 stars
For the first third of Disciplined by the Duke, I was hooked by the setting and the characters. It was everything I loved in a book, anchoring me- tension and buildup, and a plot that sinks its teeth in.
Elizabeth is a strong heroine, with a stronger need to protect her sister, a sister who is absent for the majority of the book. The martyr, Elizabeth is willing to do anything, which opens the door to the Earl of Westmore. Westmore is the perfect, nefarious villain, one readers love to hate. The villain employs the heroine to seduce the hero of the story.
Elizabeth enters the Duke of Montague's estate under the guise of being a new parlor maid, in the hopes of stealing a letter for Westmore.
I'm a big fan of historical romance, the steamier the better, but my mind began to wander due to a disconnect between the eroticism and the plot itself- they didn't mesh together, feeling separate on the whole. The cover and description are slightly misleading. With a series title of Lords of Discipline, Disciplined by the Duke was light on BDSM with sex scenes that felt more immature than the characters who were involved. The erotic scenes weren't salacious or explicit, but more sensual in nature.
What happened next occurs for me often- my reading taste rears its ugly head. The book pacing slows down when the between-the-sheets actions starts, and I begin to wish the book was a short novella, rather than a novel. I don't know if I'm explaining correctly- have you ever had a book feel longer than its page count? It 'reads' longer? My interests waned, removing that page-turning sensation.
I do recommend Disciplined by the Duke for fans of historical romance, who want to dip their toes into light BDSM. However, it wasn't to my reading tastes, needing more plot and character development to feel satisfaction in the heat between the characters.
3 stars
For the first third of Disciplined by the Duke, I was hooked by the setting and the characters. It was everything I loved in a book, anchoring me- tension and buildup, and a plot that sinks its teeth in.
Elizabeth is a strong heroine, with a stronger need to protect her sister, a sister who is absent for the majority of the book. The martyr, Elizabeth is willing to do anything, which opens the door to the Earl of Westmore. Westmore is the perfect, nefarious villain, one readers love to hate. The villain employs the heroine to seduce the hero of the story.
Elizabeth enters the Duke of Montague's estate under the guise of being a new parlor maid, in the hopes of stealing a letter for Westmore.
I'm a big fan of historical romance, the steamier the better, but my mind began to wander due to a disconnect between the eroticism and the plot itself- they didn't mesh together, feeling separate on the whole. The cover and description are slightly misleading. With a series title of Lords of Discipline, Disciplined by the Duke was light on BDSM with sex scenes that felt more immature than the characters who were involved. The erotic scenes weren't salacious or explicit, but more sensual in nature.
What happened next occurs for me often- my reading taste rears its ugly head. The book pacing slows down when the between-the-sheets actions starts, and I begin to wish the book was a short novella, rather than a novel. I don't know if I'm explaining correctly- have you ever had a book feel longer than its page count? It 'reads' longer? My interests waned, removing that page-turning sensation.
I do recommend Disciplined by the Duke for fans of historical romance, who want to dip their toes into light BDSM. However, it wasn't to my reading tastes, needing more plot and character development to feel satisfaction in the heat between the characters.
August 16, 2017
A servant. A liar. A thief. A submissive. And foremost a woman. A woman with desires, needs, expectations. . . This was a walk on the steamier side of historical romance. Spicy sexy tutorial in BDSM for one undercover maid that did little work and too much snooping and descent amount of discovery, of herself. While the premise was not new it was alluring to have a historical romance feel more like it melded in to the world of contemporary romance without being a time travel romance.
Liz finds herself in the role of being protector for her sister. She becomes entangled in a game that may cost her so much more than she has to loose. One final assignment was required of her to gain her sisters freedom. One final task to get on with her life. This final task proved to be a lot out of her realm of her upbringing. Her target a duke. Her downfall that same duke. Her savior . . . ?
Marcus was a duke that was not of the convention that his peers and the ton expected. He was a man that had his own way about himself. He was a man that knew so much more than was relied on the outside. He becomes widely intrigued by the new maid in the manor.
There's so much more to this story than the BDSM aspect, the historical aspects, the need to free her sister was even surpassed by the bond that takes place between Marcus and Liz. It took time an patience, but this new series has a descent start and I look forward to discovering the next steps in the Lords of Discipline series. This was the introduction needed to set the tone for the direction of this series.
Liz finds herself in the role of being protector for her sister. She becomes entangled in a game that may cost her so much more than she has to loose. One final assignment was required of her to gain her sisters freedom. One final task to get on with her life. This final task proved to be a lot out of her realm of her upbringing. Her target a duke. Her downfall that same duke. Her savior . . . ?
Marcus was a duke that was not of the convention that his peers and the ton expected. He was a man that had his own way about himself. He was a man that knew so much more than was relied on the outside. He becomes widely intrigued by the new maid in the manor.
There's so much more to this story than the BDSM aspect, the historical aspects, the need to free her sister was even surpassed by the bond that takes place between Marcus and Liz. It took time an patience, but this new series has a descent start and I look forward to discovering the next steps in the Lords of Discipline series. This was the introduction needed to set the tone for the direction of this series.
August 17, 2017
Confession time--I didn't examine the blurb for this one all too well before signing up to read it (the title and series name got me, I admit it), so the part of the plot that dealt with Liz determined to do pretty much anything to save her sister from prison and Marcus's side business of espionage came as a bit of a surprise. A pleasant surprise, though, because let's face it, when you're reading BDSM with your teenage kids just feet away from you, it sometimes feels a bit awkward. The other plot elements, therefore, were a nice distraction, and made both Liz and Marcus more sympathetic and relatable than they might have seemed otherwise.
Disciplined by the Duke is a decent debut that combines historical romance, intrigue (spies have been my weakness since pretty much forever...), and light BDSM--though there were a few things here that gave me pause, Ms. Chase definitely has my attention for the next book in the series, which will feature Liz's sister and another of Marcus's friends and fellow spies.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Disciplined by the Duke is a decent debut that combines historical romance, intrigue (spies have been my weakness since pretty much forever...), and light BDSM--though there were a few things here that gave me pause, Ms. Chase definitely has my attention for the next book in the series, which will feature Liz's sister and another of Marcus's friends and fellow spies.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
August 2, 2017
So this book wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I figured it would be another smutty read with terrible writing and even worst characters. But I was surprised to find out that that wasn't true. This book actually had a plot. Liz is trying to save her sister and to do that she needs to steal from the duke. They have an immediate attraction and Liz finds out that her desires run a little bit darker and the duke is the perfect man to help her out with that. So yes of course it's smutty. How can it not be with that title? But there is a story and it's actually really good.
I liked Liz and Montague. They both had separate things going on besides the smut. It was just a really good read and I am looking forward to more from this author.
I liked Liz and Montague. They both had separate things going on besides the smut. It was just a really good read and I am looking forward to more from this author.
August 15, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This is the first book in the Lords of Discipline serie and I loved it.
To save her sister from the hangman’s noose, after her sister murdered their father, miss Elizabeth Wilcox is a spy, masquerading as a chambermaid in the household of the Duke of Montague. She is willing to do everything to save her sister, lie, play a servant, a thief, a submissive.
It is well written and I loved every second. I can't wait for the next book in the Lords of Discipline serie.
This is the first book in the Lords of Discipline serie and I loved it.
To save her sister from the hangman’s noose, after her sister murdered their father, miss Elizabeth Wilcox is a spy, masquerading as a chambermaid in the household of the Duke of Montague. She is willing to do everything to save her sister, lie, play a servant, a thief, a submissive.
It is well written and I loved every second. I can't wait for the next book in the Lords of Discipline serie.
February 6, 2024
Look say what you will… I didn’t read the title when it came through on my recommended kindle deals. The blurb was true to its word. This book was a proper historical romance and was surprisingly well written- there was espionage, murder, deceit and funny characters with the dramatic happenings that only occur in these novels. Oh and also the napoleonic war lol.
I read it in one evening and then stayed up late to finish it. Set up the next book nicely so can’t wait for that tbh. Do not judge me !!!
I read it in one evening and then stayed up late to finish it. Set up the next book nicely so can’t wait for that tbh. Do not judge me !!!
April 4, 2025
This was actually quite cute, of all things. Even so, pedant that I am I couldn’t help but cringe every time they used anachronistic language and mannerisms.
Side note: how many different books with this exact title are there???
Side note: how many different books with this exact title are there???
Want to read
April 17, 2021Didn’t start cba lol
February 9, 2024
Just not my thing
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