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Saints & Scoundrels #1
The Devilish Duke
Devlin Markham, the notorious “Devil Duke” of Huntington, needs a woman. And not just any woman. If he can’t woo one of the most eccentric bluestockings of the Ton within the month, he can kiss his hard-earned fortune good-bye. But he’s always thought love a wasted emotion and marriage an inconvenience at best. And oddly enough, Lady Sophie Wolcott seems unmoved by his charm…
When Sophie learns her beloved orphanage is in imminent danger, she will do anything to save it. Even marry a ruthless rake who takes what he wants in business and pleasure. A man who’s everything she’s always feared most—but whom she reluctantly begins yearning for.
Then Sophie becomes the target of a killer lurking from the dark shadows of Devlin’s past. And they find not only their lives in jeopardy but their very hearts.
When Sophie learns her beloved orphanage is in imminent danger, she will do anything to save it. Even marry a ruthless rake who takes what he wants in business and pleasure. A man who’s everything she’s always feared most—but whom she reluctantly begins yearning for.
Then Sophie becomes the target of a killer lurking from the dark shadows of Devlin’s past. And they find not only their lives in jeopardy but their very hearts.
450 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2018
About the author
Maddison Michaels
14 books445 followersMaddison Michaels, is an award-winning historical romantic suspense author, who captivates readers with her signature blend of "Sexy History with a Dash of Mystery." Her debut novel, "The Devilish Duke," won the prestigious Romance Writers of Australia RUBY Award in 2019, along with two of her subsequent novels being finalists in the 2021 and 2022 RUBY Awards. Maddison is the published author of ten historical romance novels, that promise page-turning mystery and suspense, and keep readers hooked until the last word. She’s also set to release two non-fiction writing craft books, aimed to help her fellow writers let their stories take flight!
Maddison draws on her success as an author, along with her previous 17-year career as a police officer, prosecutor, and teacher of senior NSW Police officers, to offer writing courses, webinars and coaching services to mentor aspiring and established authors. Maddison helps her fellow writers infuse their writing with authenticity and master their craft. Her upcoming podcast ‘The Writer’s Nest’ will explore and discuss various strategies and ways writers can use their personality to unleash their writing.
She lives in Northern New South Wales, Australia, with her own handsome hero, little princess, and fur babies. She’s recently taken up golf with her husband (you don’t want to know her handicap… even she doesn’t want to know, lol) and she’s a committed coffee connoisseur (read: total caffeine addict), who always starts her day with a cup of liquid gold!
When not whisking herself away to a world of historical romance or helping other writers hone their craft, Maddison loves engaging with her readers. You can contact her through her contacts page, or visit her on most social media platforms, where she shares her writing journey, writing news, life snippets, and behind-the-scenes tidbits.
Maddison draws on her success as an author, along with her previous 17-year career as a police officer, prosecutor, and teacher of senior NSW Police officers, to offer writing courses, webinars and coaching services to mentor aspiring and established authors. Maddison helps her fellow writers infuse their writing with authenticity and master their craft. Her upcoming podcast ‘The Writer’s Nest’ will explore and discuss various strategies and ways writers can use their personality to unleash their writing.
She lives in Northern New South Wales, Australia, with her own handsome hero, little princess, and fur babies. She’s recently taken up golf with her husband (you don’t want to know her handicap… even she doesn’t want to know, lol) and she’s a committed coffee connoisseur (read: total caffeine addict), who always starts her day with a cup of liquid gold!
When not whisking herself away to a world of historical romance or helping other writers hone their craft, Maddison loves engaging with her readers. You can contact her through her contacts page, or visit her on most social media platforms, where she shares her writing journey, writing news, life snippets, and behind-the-scenes tidbits.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
October 2, 2018
3.5 stars.
I can't believe I'd forgotten that this book was on my reading list ! I had a marvellous time reading this story, that's set in 1855 Britain. This was a lovely debut novel by the author, with my favourite type of historical H: the rakish, rogue H who also happens to be a filthy rich duke. And trust me, this guy is sinfully rich because he's one of the few noblemen who go against conventional Ton policy by actively participating in industry and commerce. The heroine's a bluestocking with a purpose that doesn't include annoying the F out of me, the way bluestockings sometimes tend to do in some historical romances, with their overbearing "know it all" attitude and superior self righteousness. Sophie was a heroine with a good heart who always looked at the bright side of a bad situation. The novel explores the engagement of convenience trope and mingles in some intrigue, a murder mystery and a healthy sprinkling of witty repartee as well. Devlin, the Duke of Huntington, has a somewhat unsavoury reputation as a ladies man. Women, married and single, chase after him while he just smiles smugly and laps up all the attention:
The heroine, Sophie, hadn't ever been introduced to Devlin until one fateful night when she attended a ball at his townhouse. Sophie had had a great infatuation with another guy, the Earl of Abelard and when she'd seen him enter the upstairs library with a young debutante, she wanted to see what was happening. The heroine ended up removing her crinoline skirt frame and climbing a tree to spy on the couple. But, she got more than she bargained for because another couple turned up: the H and a skanky married woman ! Sophie's curiosity got the better of her and she couldn't help herself. She just had to crane her neck and watch:
The naive heroine had heard about married women cavorting with rakes but she'd never actually seen evidence of it:
In her enthusiasm to see more she ended up falling out of the tree and this prevented the H from continuing with his illicit rendezvous. The only reason I'm making light of it is that the H never actually did more than kiss the skanky married OW. I really appreciated the fact that the author was able to put the brakes at that point and not give the reader a full fledged make out or sex scene between a H and an OW. That's the only way I'm able to appreciate a rakish H: if his rakishness is a thing of the past after he meets the heroine. Devlin definitely gave up his citizenship status in the kingdom of Manwhoria, after he got involved with Sophie.
The engagement of convenience came about after the prudish and family oriented Queen Victoria demanded that Devlin mend his ways:
“The obvious lack of respect you hold for your title is easily witnessed by all. If we did not know of your shrewd business acumen, we would think you nothing but a halfwit who was led around by his nether regions!”
The Queen was never one to mince words.
Michaels, Maddison. The Devilish Duke (Kindle Locations 292-294). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.
The H is basically blackmailed by the cunning queen; she refused to agree to one of his important business proposals unless he settled down with a suitable, respectable bride. At first, Devlin was shocked and horrified ! He totally refused to adhere to the queen's "request" and made his objections even clearer than this rottweiler does:
But the funniest thing, to me, is that Devlin loved making money more than he wanted to hang onto his bachelorhood. Therefore, he decided to marry a suitable young lady and there was only woman that came into his mind: the heroine.
This is the heroine, Sophie:
This is the H, Devlin:
The romantic storyline was buoyed by the MC's sexy chemistry and their humorous attempts to outwit each other. Sophie has no interest in getting married and she's totally devoted to raising funds for an orphanage. The H's sudden courtship of the heroine meanders into rough waters with the return of her old crush, Lord Abelard. For the first time in his life, the H actually gets into a fight over a woman when he and Lord Abelard both try to outdo each other to impress the dazed heroine. It was awesome ! I couldn't stop laughing during that scene where both men are taunting each other and gearing up to fight in the middle of Sophie's receiving room. The advent of the heroine's colourful, eccentric aunt Mabel just spiced things up even more.
One thing I enjoyed about the novel was the author's ability to balance the light hearted and funny romantic scenes with the creepy, suspense filled murder storyline. The secondary murder storyline revolves around this unknown villain who's got a vendetta against Devlin. This villain murders 2 maids and a footman in his attempt to conceal his identity from the MC's. The MC's are drawn into further intrigue because one of the murdered maids had been an orphan who had lived at Sophie's orphanage. The heroine keeps rushing to try and solve the crime all by herself ( as heroines always do ) and the H ends up arriving just in time to prevent her creating even further disaster. Devlin's character arc was handled quite well, in my opinion. He's one of the tortured H's; he hates his late grandfather, since the latter had engineered the murder of his ( the H's ) parents. And, he's cynical about love because no one has truly loved him since the demise of his parents. His hagwitch aunt is also embroiled in the secondary murder storyline, since she's in cahoots with the unknown villain.
One of the best things about these MC's is that they're loyal to each other even before they fall in love. This was proven twice over when Sophie refused to believe lies/rumours about the H. The heroine even stood up for Devlin, during a scene at the opera and had a great big verbal cat fight with his nasty old aunt, when that hagwitch was belittling him publicly:
“You go too far, Madam!” Sophie exclaimed before he could respond, stepping forward. “You have no right to speak to him like that.”
Devlin glanced in surprise at his fiancée, who looked like a lioness as she all but bared her teeth, facing off against his aunt. He’d never actually had anyone leap to his defense before. It sent a warm feeling through him, one he hadn’t really felt since before his parents had died. His throat unexpectedly tightened.
“I am the dowager Marchioness of Brampton. I can speak to him any way I choose.”
“Your rank gives you no right to be so rude,” Sophie replied.
The older woman glared forbiddingly at Sophie. “You have the audacity to speak to your betters in such a manner?”
“Lady Brampton,” Sophie began, “you may outrank me in social standing, but let us be clear: you are certainly not my better. Your inappropriate and rude behavior gives credence to that assertion.”
Michaels, Maddison. The Devilish Duke (Kindle Locations 2477-2485). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.
I haven't LOL so much and enjoyed reading about a rakish H, in a very long time ! Normally, rakes and former manwhores get on my nerves a little but Devlin just made me laugh. He was the best combination of funny and sexy. One of the funniest scenes occurred when the heroine told him that she wouldn't tolerate infidelity. Devlin's quick response was:
“It may surprise you to know that I haven’t actually cheated on a woman before.”
Michaels, Maddison. The Devilish Duke (Kindle Location 1508). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.
For a second, I was awed ! It's hard to find a rakish libertine who can truthfully make that claim, so I was filled with wonder and joy:
Then, Devlin continued and added:
“No,” he confirmed. “I’ve never been with a woman long enough to do so. I get bored with them rather quickly, you see.”
Michaels, Maddison. The Devilish Duke (Kindle Location 1510). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.
Well, let's just say that my next reaction was:
I know. I know...it's no laughing matter, but seriously, Devlin was damned funny ! And, since there was no OW drama and no cheating in the novel, I was able to enjoy all of this without making my usual judgements against the citizens of Manwhoria.
Everything was resolved, as expected, but it happened in the most dramatic manner because Devlin ends up jumping in front of the villain's pistol in order to save Sophie. As is the case with certain rakish H's, it takes a life or death situation to make Devlin realize just how much he loves her. It had actually been obvious to the reader from before because of Devlin's irrational jealousy of 2 men who cared for Sophie and his intense possessiveness. Devlin was also the type of H who kept repeating that his jealousy was non existent and that he was just being protective of his fiance. There was also a cute minor storyline that included Devlin's young ward Nicholas. In the epilogue, set a year after their marriage, Queen Victoria is happy with Devlin, the heroine is pregnant and the MC's are happily ensconced at their country estate with the adorable, mischievous Nicholas. I can't wait to read the second novel in the series, because it deals with the heroine's older brother, Daniel: the Earl of Thornton.
I am not giving any spoiler information about the identity of the killer because it will definitely ruin this specific storyline and kill the suspense.
This novel will be enjoyable for readers who are entertained by a romance with a dash of mystery and a hot, amusing, rakish H whose manwhore past is behind him.
Safety: No cheating, no OW, 2 wannabe OM. The scene between the H and the OW at the beginning occurred before the MC's were introduced to each other and it was just kissing.
I can't believe I'd forgotten that this book was on my reading list ! I had a marvellous time reading this story, that's set in 1855 Britain. This was a lovely debut novel by the author, with my favourite type of historical H: the rakish, rogue H who also happens to be a filthy rich duke. And trust me, this guy is sinfully rich because he's one of the few noblemen who go against conventional Ton policy by actively participating in industry and commerce. The heroine's a bluestocking with a purpose that doesn't include annoying the F out of me, the way bluestockings sometimes tend to do in some historical romances, with their overbearing "know it all" attitude and superior self righteousness. Sophie was a heroine with a good heart who always looked at the bright side of a bad situation. The novel explores the engagement of convenience trope and mingles in some intrigue, a murder mystery and a healthy sprinkling of witty repartee as well. Devlin, the Duke of Huntington, has a somewhat unsavoury reputation as a ladies man. Women, married and single, chase after him while he just smiles smugly and laps up all the attention:
The heroine, Sophie, hadn't ever been introduced to Devlin until one fateful night when she attended a ball at his townhouse. Sophie had had a great infatuation with another guy, the Earl of Abelard and when she'd seen him enter the upstairs library with a young debutante, she wanted to see what was happening. The heroine ended up removing her crinoline skirt frame and climbing a tree to spy on the couple. But, she got more than she bargained for because another couple turned up: the H and a skanky married woman ! Sophie's curiosity got the better of her and she couldn't help herself. She just had to crane her neck and watch:
The naive heroine had heard about married women cavorting with rakes but she'd never actually seen evidence of it:
In her enthusiasm to see more she ended up falling out of the tree and this prevented the H from continuing with his illicit rendezvous. The only reason I'm making light of it is that the H never actually did more than kiss the skanky married OW. I really appreciated the fact that the author was able to put the brakes at that point and not give the reader a full fledged make out or sex scene between a H and an OW. That's the only way I'm able to appreciate a rakish H: if his rakishness is a thing of the past after he meets the heroine. Devlin definitely gave up his citizenship status in the kingdom of Manwhoria, after he got involved with Sophie.
The engagement of convenience came about after the prudish and family oriented Queen Victoria demanded that Devlin mend his ways:
“The obvious lack of respect you hold for your title is easily witnessed by all. If we did not know of your shrewd business acumen, we would think you nothing but a halfwit who was led around by his nether regions!”
The Queen was never one to mince words.
Michaels, Maddison. The Devilish Duke (Kindle Locations 292-294). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.
The H is basically blackmailed by the cunning queen; she refused to agree to one of his important business proposals unless he settled down with a suitable, respectable bride. At first, Devlin was shocked and horrified ! He totally refused to adhere to the queen's "request" and made his objections even clearer than this rottweiler does:
But the funniest thing, to me, is that Devlin loved making money more than he wanted to hang onto his bachelorhood. Therefore, he decided to marry a suitable young lady and there was only woman that came into his mind: the heroine.
This is the heroine, Sophie:
This is the H, Devlin:
The romantic storyline was buoyed by the MC's sexy chemistry and their humorous attempts to outwit each other. Sophie has no interest in getting married and she's totally devoted to raising funds for an orphanage. The H's sudden courtship of the heroine meanders into rough waters with the return of her old crush, Lord Abelard. For the first time in his life, the H actually gets into a fight over a woman when he and Lord Abelard both try to outdo each other to impress the dazed heroine. It was awesome ! I couldn't stop laughing during that scene where both men are taunting each other and gearing up to fight in the middle of Sophie's receiving room. The advent of the heroine's colourful, eccentric aunt Mabel just spiced things up even more.
One thing I enjoyed about the novel was the author's ability to balance the light hearted and funny romantic scenes with the creepy, suspense filled murder storyline. The secondary murder storyline revolves around this unknown villain who's got a vendetta against Devlin. This villain murders 2 maids and a footman in his attempt to conceal his identity from the MC's. The MC's are drawn into further intrigue because one of the murdered maids had been an orphan who had lived at Sophie's orphanage. The heroine keeps rushing to try and solve the crime all by herself ( as heroines always do ) and the H ends up arriving just in time to prevent her creating even further disaster. Devlin's character arc was handled quite well, in my opinion. He's one of the tortured H's; he hates his late grandfather, since the latter had engineered the murder of his ( the H's ) parents. And, he's cynical about love because no one has truly loved him since the demise of his parents. His hagwitch aunt is also embroiled in the secondary murder storyline, since she's in cahoots with the unknown villain.
One of the best things about these MC's is that they're loyal to each other even before they fall in love. This was proven twice over when Sophie refused to believe lies/rumours about the H. The heroine even stood up for Devlin, during a scene at the opera and had a great big verbal cat fight with his nasty old aunt, when that hagwitch was belittling him publicly:
“You go too far, Madam!” Sophie exclaimed before he could respond, stepping forward. “You have no right to speak to him like that.”
Devlin glanced in surprise at his fiancée, who looked like a lioness as she all but bared her teeth, facing off against his aunt. He’d never actually had anyone leap to his defense before. It sent a warm feeling through him, one he hadn’t really felt since before his parents had died. His throat unexpectedly tightened.
“I am the dowager Marchioness of Brampton. I can speak to him any way I choose.”
“Your rank gives you no right to be so rude,” Sophie replied.
The older woman glared forbiddingly at Sophie. “You have the audacity to speak to your betters in such a manner?”
“Lady Brampton,” Sophie began, “you may outrank me in social standing, but let us be clear: you are certainly not my better. Your inappropriate and rude behavior gives credence to that assertion.”
Michaels, Maddison. The Devilish Duke (Kindle Locations 2477-2485). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.
I haven't LOL so much and enjoyed reading about a rakish H, in a very long time ! Normally, rakes and former manwhores get on my nerves a little but Devlin just made me laugh. He was the best combination of funny and sexy. One of the funniest scenes occurred when the heroine told him that she wouldn't tolerate infidelity. Devlin's quick response was:
“It may surprise you to know that I haven’t actually cheated on a woman before.”
Michaels, Maddison. The Devilish Duke (Kindle Location 1508). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.
For a second, I was awed ! It's hard to find a rakish libertine who can truthfully make that claim, so I was filled with wonder and joy:
Then, Devlin continued and added:
“No,” he confirmed. “I’ve never been with a woman long enough to do so. I get bored with them rather quickly, you see.”
Michaels, Maddison. The Devilish Duke (Kindle Location 1510). Entangled Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.
Well, let's just say that my next reaction was:
I know. I know...it's no laughing matter, but seriously, Devlin was damned funny ! And, since there was no OW drama and no cheating in the novel, I was able to enjoy all of this without making my usual judgements against the citizens of Manwhoria.
Everything was resolved, as expected, but it happened in the most dramatic manner because Devlin ends up jumping in front of the villain's pistol in order to save Sophie. As is the case with certain rakish H's, it takes a life or death situation to make Devlin realize just how much he loves her. It had actually been obvious to the reader from before because of Devlin's irrational jealousy of 2 men who cared for Sophie and his intense possessiveness. Devlin was also the type of H who kept repeating that his jealousy was non existent and that he was just being protective of his fiance. There was also a cute minor storyline that included Devlin's young ward Nicholas. In the epilogue, set a year after their marriage, Queen Victoria is happy with Devlin, the heroine is pregnant and the MC's are happily ensconced at their country estate with the adorable, mischievous Nicholas. I can't wait to read the second novel in the series, because it deals with the heroine's older brother, Daniel: the Earl of Thornton.
I am not giving any spoiler information about the identity of the killer because it will definitely ruin this specific storyline and kill the suspense.
This novel will be enjoyable for readers who are entertained by a romance with a dash of mystery and a hot, amusing, rakish H whose manwhore past is behind him.
Safety: No cheating, no OW, 2 wannabe OM. The scene between the H and the OW at the beginning occurred before the MC's were introduced to each other and it was just kissing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2022
I found this to be one of those books where I liked the hero, Devlin and spent most of the time being annoyed with Sophie. Sophie is a saint...she runs an orphanage and is independent..... to the point where it became tiresome. She is beautiful and all men want her but she doesn't notice. The villain was soooooo villainous(I thought he might twirl his mustache). There were fisticuffs at the drop of a hat. Sometimes I had more of a feeling of a western as it did not feel as rigid as I expect a womans life to be in a Victorian novel. I did enjoy the plot twists and found it was a nice read.
June 2, 2020
Not so Devilish in the end...
I was extremely satisfied with my listening experience of The Devilish Duke. The characters were engaging, the storyline kept me captivated from start to finish, and the love that bloomed between Devlin and Sophie was believable. I was convinced I knew who was causing mayhem and murder, then found myself doubting myself towards the end. A new player came to the front, and I knew my doubts were well-founded. I just never expected him to be as dastardly as he ended up being.
The narrator does a very good job and was convincing playing all characters both male and female. Justine Eyre's voice is easy to listen to and it was never hard to tell when the characters changed.
This was my first story by Madison Michaels and I enjoyed it enough to say that it will not be my last. I liked the characters she created and the love story gave me heart flutters and left me sighing with contentment at the end.
If you're a fan of audiobooks, enjoy historical romance with a hint of mystery, and love seeing a Rake becoming a loving and devoted husband by the end, I highly recommend giving The Devilish Duke a try.
I was extremely satisfied with my listening experience of The Devilish Duke. The characters were engaging, the storyline kept me captivated from start to finish, and the love that bloomed between Devlin and Sophie was believable. I was convinced I knew who was causing mayhem and murder, then found myself doubting myself towards the end. A new player came to the front, and I knew my doubts were well-founded. I just never expected him to be as dastardly as he ended up being.
The narrator does a very good job and was convincing playing all characters both male and female. Justine Eyre's voice is easy to listen to and it was never hard to tell when the characters changed.
This was my first story by Madison Michaels and I enjoyed it enough to say that it will not be my last. I liked the characters she created and the love story gave me heart flutters and left me sighing with contentment at the end.
If you're a fan of audiobooks, enjoy historical romance with a hint of mystery, and love seeing a Rake becoming a loving and devoted husband by the end, I highly recommend giving The Devilish Duke a try.
February 9, 2018
ARC provided by NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating 3.25-3.5 (wrestling with the actual rating)
Lady Sophie is climbing a tree determined to spy on the man she's been infatuated with for years. She had seen him with another woman headed into a room. Well she was determined to see what the two were up too and was unhappy to see him down on one knee proposing. Saddened but not heartbroken she begins her decent down when she sees a man and woman approaching the bench situated below her. She overhears that it a liaison between the man know as Devil Duke and a married woman. Sophie somehow slips and tumbles to the ground. Devlin comes to her rescue and instant sparks and sparing ensues. Devlin and Sophie part ways but a year later the two are destined to meet again.
Devlin and Sophies are thrown into a marriage of convenience. For Sophie it will bennefit her the orphanage that is dear to her heart and that she over sees. The monetary value the marriage will bring to the children and orphange would be significant. And Devlin was order by the queen to marry (interesting to Devlin is she suggests Sophie and that was the first woman he thought of when marriage was mentioned) or his very important business transaction will not occur as he needs to clean up his reputation by marrying a respectable lady.
And so the two meet again, the first meeting never far from their thoughts the past year. Sophie was beautiful, intelligent and could hold her own with Devlin. Sophie found Devlin to be intriguing and smart, not conforming to the ton's ideas or not really caring what they thought. She found there was more to him then his reputation and persona projected. The story progresses with their romance, a bit of murder and mystery.
I believe this is a first time HR for this author. I liked the premise of the story and characters. But I did find some moments a bit cheesy and predictable. The two main characters were fairly well developed and as well as the secondary characters. The pacing at times was slow but picked up again fairly quickly. The writing was good as well as description of the time period. I again have to reiterate that certain scenes seemed to flowery and cheesy for my taste. I think this author has potential and will try her future books again.
Rating 3.25-3.5 (wrestling with the actual rating)
Lady Sophie is climbing a tree determined to spy on the man she's been infatuated with for years. She had seen him with another woman headed into a room. Well she was determined to see what the two were up too and was unhappy to see him down on one knee proposing. Saddened but not heartbroken she begins her decent down when she sees a man and woman approaching the bench situated below her. She overhears that it a liaison between the man know as Devil Duke and a married woman. Sophie somehow slips and tumbles to the ground. Devlin comes to her rescue and instant sparks and sparing ensues. Devlin and Sophie part ways but a year later the two are destined to meet again.
Devlin and Sophies are thrown into a marriage of convenience. For Sophie it will bennefit her the orphanage that is dear to her heart and that she over sees. The monetary value the marriage will bring to the children and orphange would be significant. And Devlin was order by the queen to marry (interesting to Devlin is she suggests Sophie and that was the first woman he thought of when marriage was mentioned) or his very important business transaction will not occur as he needs to clean up his reputation by marrying a respectable lady.
And so the two meet again, the first meeting never far from their thoughts the past year. Sophie was beautiful, intelligent and could hold her own with Devlin. Sophie found Devlin to be intriguing and smart, not conforming to the ton's ideas or not really caring what they thought. She found there was more to him then his reputation and persona projected. The story progresses with their romance, a bit of murder and mystery.
I believe this is a first time HR for this author. I liked the premise of the story and characters. But I did find some moments a bit cheesy and predictable. The two main characters were fairly well developed and as well as the secondary characters. The pacing at times was slow but picked up again fairly quickly. The writing was good as well as description of the time period. I again have to reiterate that certain scenes seemed to flowery and cheesy for my taste. I think this author has potential and will try her future books again.
November 25, 2025
Headstrong girlie gets BRIBED into an engagement of convenience with a rakish Duke 💙✨ historical romance full of playful banter & a murder mystery!
Devlin is a shrewd rake that needs a wife to secure a business deal. Who better than the pretty girl that fall off the tree into his lap? He schemes to buy Sophie’s orphanage in exchange for her hand in marriage 💍 Thank god he’s HOT! Sophie will do anything for the children even though she might have to guard her heart.
These two complimented each other perfectly, even though they initially didn’t realize it. Sophie’s headstrong & altruistic personality was much needed to jostle Devlin off his (semi) rakish path. I just adored Sophie and how she NEVER buckled under Devlin’s commands!
💙 all men are in love with her & the mmc can barely hide his jealousy while fighting them off
💙 they are both secretly into each other
💙 she uses her looks to make men donate to her orphanage <>*applause*
💙 intriguing criminal side plot with a surprising plot twist
Devilish Duke was my first historical by this author and I really enjoyed it. Well written story with strong characters that you can’t help to root for. I thought the criminal side plot & guessing game was done impeccably. It really kept me guessing ’who done did it’?
⭐️ 4.5
engagement of convenience
protective mmc
opposites attract
headstrong fmc
virgin fmc
criminal side plot
fmc works with children
HEA
Devlin is a shrewd rake that needs a wife to secure a business deal. Who better than the pretty girl that fall off the tree into his lap? He schemes to buy Sophie’s orphanage in exchange for her hand in marriage 💍 Thank god he’s HOT! Sophie will do anything for the children even though she might have to guard her heart.
These two complimented each other perfectly, even though they initially didn’t realize it. Sophie’s headstrong & altruistic personality was much needed to jostle Devlin off his (semi) rakish path. I just adored Sophie and how she NEVER buckled under Devlin’s commands!
💙 all men are in love with her & the mmc can barely hide his jealousy while fighting them off
💙 they are both secretly into each other
💙 she uses her looks to make men donate to her orphanage <>*applause*
💙 intriguing criminal side plot with a surprising plot twist
Devilish Duke was my first historical by this author and I really enjoyed it. Well written story with strong characters that you can’t help to root for. I thought the criminal side plot & guessing game was done impeccably. It really kept me guessing ’who done did it’?
⭐️ 4.5
engagement of convenience
protective mmc
opposites attract
headstrong fmc
virgin fmc
criminal side plot
fmc works with children
HEA
March 7, 2019
Adorable read and much better than I expected. Devlin Markham has worked very hard to earn his a reputation as a rake. He's afraid to love and has a scarred past!
The Devil Duke
I absolutely loved his interactions with Lady Sophie. She's a bluestocking with no desire to marry. But everyone has a price, and the Devil Duke knows what Sophie wants most in life.
Looking forward to more books by this author.
The Devil Duke
I absolutely loved his interactions with Lady Sophie. She's a bluestocking with no desire to marry. But everyone has a price, and the Devil Duke knows what Sophie wants most in life.
Looking forward to more books by this author.
March 24, 2020
Unfortunately this was a 1 star read. It was full of cliches in the worst way and I can’t count how many times my eyes rolled while reading. Our heroine is “not like other girls” and while some how is adored by every man around yet unmarried and so “independent”. Sophie was irrational and selfish and I found her character impossible to like. The plot holes were glaring with the dialog being very forced and unnatural. This started out interesting but was a case of the reader being told and not shown.
August 14, 2018
5 Stars
This is my first Maddison Michaels book and oh boy did this one take me by surprise. I will admit I don’t take chances on historical romance authors. I’m very picky on how I like my stories to be told, but Maddison Michaels surprised all my expectations.
The Devilish duke is a perfect read. It kept me interested from the very first page to the very last page. I was sucked into the story and although it is a meaty book I never wanted it to end. When I finished reading it, I wanted to read it again and I even tried to see if there was an audio version. There is not.
The Devilish Duke is my top historical romance read of the read and I think everyone needs to take a chance on this one.
As a debut book I am very impressed. It’s very hard to write an accurate and believable historical romance book. Although there are a few things I question, overall, I enjoyed the story a lot.
The best part of the book is the story building and developing the characters. You believe in the relationship between Sophie and Devlin and you will be rooting for them.
Sophie is a Lady and she has one priority, to manage an Orphanage. She cares for the children and I really do love that. She doesn’t care about gossip or society. She wants to do good and if she can’t find love, she’s okay in not marrying.
I really loved Sophie’s character. I love how independent she was and what a good heart she had.
Devlin is known as a rake and cad. He loves the ladies and is in no rush to be married. Why would he, he’s a duke? BUT when a business opportunity presents himself and he has to get married, he’s willing to do everything he can to marry a respectable lady, like Sophie.
What I like most about this book is that the plot isn’t about Devlin getting married to obtain a business deal. Sophie knows it’s not a love match and Devlin is very straight forward in his expectations. The main story is Devlin and Sophie getting to know each other.
The side plot and storyline is fun to read too! Someone is killing people and it was a nice read to see who it is.
I really enjoyed this book and I can’t believe there isn’t another book for me to binge read, because that is what I do when I find new authors. This will not be my last Maddison Michaels read.
This is my first Maddison Michaels book and oh boy did this one take me by surprise. I will admit I don’t take chances on historical romance authors. I’m very picky on how I like my stories to be told, but Maddison Michaels surprised all my expectations.
The Devilish duke is a perfect read. It kept me interested from the very first page to the very last page. I was sucked into the story and although it is a meaty book I never wanted it to end. When I finished reading it, I wanted to read it again and I even tried to see if there was an audio version. There is not.
The Devilish Duke is my top historical romance read of the read and I think everyone needs to take a chance on this one.
As a debut book I am very impressed. It’s very hard to write an accurate and believable historical romance book. Although there are a few things I question, overall, I enjoyed the story a lot.
The best part of the book is the story building and developing the characters. You believe in the relationship between Sophie and Devlin and you will be rooting for them.
Sophie is a Lady and she has one priority, to manage an Orphanage. She cares for the children and I really do love that. She doesn’t care about gossip or society. She wants to do good and if she can’t find love, she’s okay in not marrying.
I really loved Sophie’s character. I love how independent she was and what a good heart she had.
Devlin is known as a rake and cad. He loves the ladies and is in no rush to be married. Why would he, he’s a duke? BUT when a business opportunity presents himself and he has to get married, he’s willing to do everything he can to marry a respectable lady, like Sophie.
What I like most about this book is that the plot isn’t about Devlin getting married to obtain a business deal. Sophie knows it’s not a love match and Devlin is very straight forward in his expectations. The main story is Devlin and Sophie getting to know each other.
The side plot and storyline is fun to read too! Someone is killing people and it was a nice read to see who it is.
I really enjoyed this book and I can’t believe there isn’t another book for me to binge read, because that is what I do when I find new authors. This will not be my last Maddison Michaels read.
February 22, 2022
I like reading books before 1845, (You know, before trains and such) and that being so I am wondering if the rules changed a bit after that time. This book takes place in 1856 and the heroine is so free that it is unbelievable. She goes to work by herself, they took a carriage ride by themselves, they went to a house party by themselves for goodness sake. They did so many things that were bordering on scandalous that I started disliking the book.
The heroine also irritated me with the simple fact that I dislike heroines that keep monologuing about love ALL the freaking time. Give the hero some time to love you! Ugh, it is so annoying when the heroine wants to be loved right away but does nothing to show their love for the hero.
Another thing was the fact that EVERYBODY wanted her. I seriously couldn't see why all the guys adored her. She's portraited as a saint that has a great heart and think only of charity works and blah blah blah, but I thought her an idiot.
And c'mon, I can't believe you're in the middle of a mystery where multiple murders has occurred and you act so reckless towards you own safety. I hate heroines that put themselves in danger out of stubbornness. Makes no sense to me.
What I enjoyed most here was the mystery aspect. It was well done even though I wish the villain was someone else. Hehehe
The heroine also irritated me with the simple fact that I dislike heroines that keep monologuing about love ALL the freaking time. Give the hero some time to love you! Ugh, it is so annoying when the heroine wants to be loved right away but does nothing to show their love for the hero.
Another thing was the fact that EVERYBODY wanted her. I seriously couldn't see why all the guys adored her. She's portraited as a saint that has a great heart and think only of charity works and blah blah blah, but I thought her an idiot.
And c'mon, I can't believe you're in the middle of a mystery where multiple murders has occurred and you act so reckless towards you own safety. I hate heroines that put themselves in danger out of stubbornness. Makes no sense to me.
What I enjoyed most here was the mystery aspect. It was well done even though I wish the villain was someone else. Hehehe
March 7, 2022
4 Stars
Quick Review
- My first Maddison Michaels, and it was a hoot, at least for the most part.
- The romance between a devil of a hero (the devilish shoe fits) and a strong heroine was cute, their fights and banter was hilarious.
- Crazy murders and an even crazier villain.
- Interesting side characters.
- The story was a trifle too long, but with a humorous writing style.
- It was an enjoyable read overall.
Quick Review
- My first Maddison Michaels, and it was a hoot, at least for the most part.
- The romance between a devil of a hero (the devilish shoe fits) and a strong heroine was cute, their fights and banter was hilarious.
- Crazy murders and an even crazier villain.
- Interesting side characters.
- The story was a trifle too long, but with a humorous writing style.
- It was an enjoyable read overall.
August 1, 2020
Pretty good debut. My first by the author, and I thought it had good pacing and compelling characters overall. 3.5 Starts.
February 24, 2018
Devlin Markham, the notorious “Devil Duke” of Huntington, needs a woman. And not just any woman. If he can’t woo one of the most eccentric bluestockings of the Ton within the month, he can kiss his hard-earned fortune goodbye. But he’s always thought love a wasted emotion and marriage an inconvenience at best. And oddly enough, Lady Sophie Wolcott seems unmoved by his charm...
When Sophie learns her beloved orphanage on Grey Street is in imminent danger, she will do anything to save it.
I was drawn into the story from the start & found myself laughing out loud at Sophie’s climbing fiasco. I thought it would just be a light hearted but I was wrong, the mystery of who’s murdering servants & how it’s linked to Devlin & Sophie added another dimension. The characters are very well fleshed, Devlin (sigh) has an awful reputation but as Sophie gets to know him more of his backstory is revealed we find everything shouldn’t be taken at face value. Sophie is no simpering miss but an intelligent, independent woman who will do almost anything for her orphans. The attraction between the pair is immediate & just grows which perplexes both of them. The secondary characters are also delightful especially Mabel – loved her & Nicholas is a scene stealer. I thoroughly enjoyed this engrossing debut novel which was very accomplished, there was everything you could want in a historical romance, mystery, murder, humour, a tortured gorgeous hero, a determined heroine & of course romance. I’ll be impatiently awaiting the next novel.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
When Sophie learns her beloved orphanage on Grey Street is in imminent danger, she will do anything to save it.
I was drawn into the story from the start & found myself laughing out loud at Sophie’s climbing fiasco. I thought it would just be a light hearted but I was wrong, the mystery of who’s murdering servants & how it’s linked to Devlin & Sophie added another dimension. The characters are very well fleshed, Devlin (sigh) has an awful reputation but as Sophie gets to know him more of his backstory is revealed we find everything shouldn’t be taken at face value. Sophie is no simpering miss but an intelligent, independent woman who will do almost anything for her orphans. The attraction between the pair is immediate & just grows which perplexes both of them. The secondary characters are also delightful especially Mabel – loved her & Nicholas is a scene stealer. I thoroughly enjoyed this engrossing debut novel which was very accomplished, there was everything you could want in a historical romance, mystery, murder, humour, a tortured gorgeous hero, a determined heroine & of course romance. I’ll be impatiently awaiting the next novel.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
May 23, 2021
4.5 stars (I am in love with the Heroin star)😊😊
When I read the first scene, a rake as a Hero and a heroine who is ready to fall for him because "he is just so handsome", I mentally groaned. But then the plot evolved and we see a hero who has past baggage and acute trade knowledge. An intelligent heroine who is a spinster by choice and runs an orphanage. Both are going to be in a marriage-of-convenience (read Engagement) Sounds familiar, I know. But the plot development was so good and the sub-plot of mystery was also very intriguing. I was interested in the mystery till the end. But what I love most about the book was the Heroine, Sophie. She is sensitive but so very smart with a strong sense of independence. She is loyal, sees logic but hates it when Devlin tries to make decisions for her. I developed such a strong girl crush on her.😊😊 I also loved the pace of relationship development between Sophie and Devlin. She knew he was a rake and was not ready to forget this easily. He too was fighting with his feelings. But both of them were perfect partners while solving the mystery. They were sexy and fun together but would also argue over each other opinions. I simply adored them. Maybe I liked the book more because I went with no expectations. But even if this was not the case I would have not given less than 4 stars. Not when I finished reading more than 350 pages in one seating. 😊😊
I loved the narration by Justin Eyre although I half-listened and half read the book.
When I read the first scene, a rake as a Hero and a heroine who is ready to fall for him because "he is just so handsome", I mentally groaned. But then the plot evolved and we see a hero who has past baggage and acute trade knowledge. An intelligent heroine who is a spinster by choice and runs an orphanage. Both are going to be in a marriage-of-convenience (read Engagement) Sounds familiar, I know. But the plot development was so good and the sub-plot of mystery was also very intriguing. I was interested in the mystery till the end. But what I love most about the book was the Heroine, Sophie. She is sensitive but so very smart with a strong sense of independence. She is loyal, sees logic but hates it when Devlin tries to make decisions for her. I developed such a strong girl crush on her.😊😊 I also loved the pace of relationship development between Sophie and Devlin. She knew he was a rake and was not ready to forget this easily. He too was fighting with his feelings. But both of them were perfect partners while solving the mystery. They were sexy and fun together but would also argue over each other opinions. I simply adored them. Maybe I liked the book more because I went with no expectations. But even if this was not the case I would have not given less than 4 stars. Not when I finished reading more than 350 pages in one seating. 😊😊
I loved the narration by Justin Eyre although I half-listened and half read the book.
February 11, 2018
Having just watched the series ‘Victoria’, I was delighted to see the Queen’s appearance in “The Devilish Duke”. The Queen has insisted that Devlin Markham, who is known as the “Devil Duke” of Huntington, must marry if she is to agree to his plans for the Transatlantic telegraph cable, an event that actually took place during the reign of Queen Victoria. When this demand is made, he instantly thinks of Lady Sophie Wolcott. Sophie accepts his proposal in order to save an orphanage that she has long been a patron of.
This story never had a dull moment as not only was there an amazing romance, but a mystery that I didn’t piece together until it was revealed. The pace was rapid and the dialogue between Sophie and Devlin, was entertaining. Sophie continued to surprise me in her ability to not only stand up for herself but also for Devlin. Their rapport is instantaneous as is their regard for each other. Whilst Devlin is devilish, he is also such a strong yet honourable character. The secondary characters of aunt Mabel and Daniel, Sophie’s brother also added complexity to the storyline.
This is an amazing debut novel and I am looking forward to reading more from Maddison Michaels. Maybe Daniel will feature in the next story!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This story never had a dull moment as not only was there an amazing romance, but a mystery that I didn’t piece together until it was revealed. The pace was rapid and the dialogue between Sophie and Devlin, was entertaining. Sophie continued to surprise me in her ability to not only stand up for herself but also for Devlin. Their rapport is instantaneous as is their regard for each other. Whilst Devlin is devilish, he is also such a strong yet honourable character. The secondary characters of aunt Mabel and Daniel, Sophie’s brother also added complexity to the storyline.
This is an amazing debut novel and I am looking forward to reading more from Maddison Michaels. Maybe Daniel will feature in the next story!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 11, 2018
I really loved this book. Devlin and Sophie were made for each other, and their dialogue was sparkling and witty. The secondary characters were fab - especially loved Aunt Mabel (she made me laugh) and Sophie's brother Daniel was rather dishy (hope he gets his own book). The pacing was great and the murder/mystery had me guessing who the bad guy was right up to the end. This was a wonderful read from a debut author, and I will definitely be looking forward to her future books. This ARC was provided by the Publisher for an unbiased review.
August 3, 2019
I absolutely adored this book. It had some of my favorite elements. Contract marriage, romance, mystery, a strong female lead, and a sexy alpha male.
I honestly sometimes forget how much I like historical fiction/romance. Because I don't read it that often, but when I do I almost always enjoy it. Victorian England specifically seems to be a very choice setting for me.
Also, totally Plausible Alternative Title: Lady Sophie and The Rake 😂 Because by the end of this you're going be hooked on this term, or utterly annoyed by how often it is used
I honestly sometimes forget how much I like historical fiction/romance. Because I don't read it that often, but when I do I almost always enjoy it. Victorian England specifically seems to be a very choice setting for me.
Also, totally Plausible Alternative Title: Lady Sophie and The Rake 😂 Because by the end of this you're going be hooked on this term, or utterly annoyed by how often it is used
March 1, 2018
Who doesn't love a devilish duke? Especially one who has a butt like the guy on the cover of this book!? And there is nothing I like more than a businesslike marriage of convenience that quickly skates over the edge into pleasure.
Anyhow, I hugely enjoyed this Victorian romance and found the mystery that is skillfully woven throughout the story an added bonus. Excellent chemistry between Devlin and Sophie and just enough bickering and tension to keep me turning pages, but not make me want to throttle either of them.
Michaels writes a fast-paced and well-conceived story and I was glad when Devlin and Sophie got their happily ever after, but sorry the story had to end!
Anyhow, I hugely enjoyed this Victorian romance and found the mystery that is skillfully woven throughout the story an added bonus. Excellent chemistry between Devlin and Sophie and just enough bickering and tension to keep me turning pages, but not make me want to throttle either of them.
Michaels writes a fast-paced and well-conceived story and I was glad when Devlin and Sophie got their happily ever after, but sorry the story had to end!
Read
November 2, 2018Just another Rake and Bluestocking romance
And I liked it but I didn't love it for some reason. There were murders and a mystery in the book and it was intriguing but I figured it out real early. Devlin the H was a good character but I hated when he pushed her away around 70% into the book. He did redeem himself but it still rankled. And I hated that he waited a year before he decided to pursue her and only after the queen made him. I did love the epilogue though. All in all an enjoyable read.
And I liked it but I didn't love it for some reason. There were murders and a mystery in the book and it was intriguing but I figured it out real early. Devlin the H was a good character but I hated when he pushed her away around 70% into the book. He did redeem himself but it still rankled. And I hated that he waited a year before he decided to pursue her and only after the queen made him. I did love the epilogue though. All in all an enjoyable read.
February 15, 2018
This is an incredible story! It is heart poundingly scary! It is an Awesome Romance, it is a Wonderful First Book! I am amazed, that I want another one, with these same people to go on! This is like the Sebastian St. Cyr Novels!
Maddison is brilliant, thorough, and extraordainarly kind! I will be the first one, buying her books!
I highly Recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!
carolintallahassee 👒
Maddison is brilliant, thorough, and extraordainarly kind! I will be the first one, buying her books!
I highly Recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!
carolintallahassee 👒
July 18, 2020
I loved it!
February 26, 2018
The Devilish Duke is one of those books which have everything, romance, intrigue, suspense, mystery, rakish hero, independent and strong heroine, and a lot more. It's a really well-written historical fiction, the kind of book which has the ability to make you fall in love with the genre. I genuinely enjoyed reading it, especially because of the characters. They are all amazing and fun to read about.
Devlin and Sophie's first encounter was a year ago, and it wasn't something either of them could forget, although for different reasons. For Devlin it was strange to meet a woman who could resist his charm and he simply could not forget the way she had behaved around him, censoring him like no other person ever had or since.. For Sophie it was simply embarrassing.... but neither could forget it.
Now Devlin is back and in need of a wife. The first and only woman who comes to his mind is Lady Sophie. And he is the man who gets what he wants one way or the other. He has decided to marry her so he will. On the other hand, the lady in question isn't thrilled about the prospect of marrying a known rake, however, she wants something only he could give... So will she agree to this farce of a marriage or not?
While this is the romance side of the story, there is also a mystery unfolding. One of Sophie's ex-orphan has gone missing living behind a trail of mischief and mayhem. What happened to her and how is it related to either Devlin or Sophie is a question which will plague the readers for quite some time. But we will have our answers eventually...
It's a great read. I loved it and would recommend it to all readers who enjoy mixed genres, especially historical fiction.
Devlin and Sophie's first encounter was a year ago, and it wasn't something either of them could forget, although for different reasons. For Devlin it was strange to meet a woman who could resist his charm and he simply could not forget the way she had behaved around him, censoring him like no other person ever had or since.. For Sophie it was simply embarrassing.... but neither could forget it.
Now Devlin is back and in need of a wife. The first and only woman who comes to his mind is Lady Sophie. And he is the man who gets what he wants one way or the other. He has decided to marry her so he will. On the other hand, the lady in question isn't thrilled about the prospect of marrying a known rake, however, she wants something only he could give... So will she agree to this farce of a marriage or not?
While this is the romance side of the story, there is also a mystery unfolding. One of Sophie's ex-orphan has gone missing living behind a trail of mischief and mayhem. What happened to her and how is it related to either Devlin or Sophie is a question which will plague the readers for quite some time. But we will have our answers eventually...
It's a great read. I loved it and would recommend it to all readers who enjoy mixed genres, especially historical fiction.
August 10, 2018
NEW AUTHOR, and WORTH TRYING!!! also only 99 cents on Amazon rn
I loved this, because I was looking for something short and sweet, not too emotional, and I honestly didn't know the whodunnit lol. Sometimes authors really suck at that but here I was like was it him or him or him??
The dialogue needed a little working on, but otherwise I truly loved it! Probably won't re-read but I will definitely try her again!!
I loved this, because I was looking for something short and sweet, not too emotional, and I honestly didn't know the whodunnit lol. Sometimes authors really suck at that but here I was like was it him or him or him??
The dialogue needed a little working on, but otherwise I truly loved it! Probably won't re-read but I will definitely try her again!!
August 9, 2018
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
Loved, loved , loved the chemistry between these two , wow what an adventure this book Takes you on .
Devlin, my type of hero , reformed rake , ladies man , needs the love of a good woman .
Enter the good woman and he hasn’t a clue what to do with her .
This is an exceptional book and is at the top of my list for great authors at the moment .
💋💋
Loved, loved , loved the chemistry between these two , wow what an adventure this book Takes you on .
Devlin, my type of hero , reformed rake , ladies man , needs the love of a good woman .
Enter the good woman and he hasn’t a clue what to do with her .
This is an exceptional book and is at the top of my list for great authors at the moment .
October 29, 2024
Even if I guessed the villain it was a nice and fast paced book.
February 21, 2018
A marvelous debut novel for Maddison Michaels!!! Skillfully plotted and full of romance and a mystery to be solved, I really could not put this one down. Using the setting of the Victorian era, there is even a meeting with Queen Victoria and our hero, Devlin Markham, the (Devil) Duke of Huntington. When a story starts out and I find myself laughing out loud pretty quickly, I know I am in for a great read. Lady Sophie Wolcott is in love and she finds herself up in a tree spying on her beloved proposing to a lady and is devastated. What is funny is that she is at a party and as she tries to quietly climb down, she falls into the bushes and that is when she meets the Devil Duke. That meeting is very important to the story because it becomes the bases for them meeting again a year later. Sophie is a bluestocking whose main interest is in an orphanage she supports that her mother had started. Devoted to raising funds and helping every child possible she is a feisty, outspoken heroine who has decided she will never marry or fall in love after seeing her mother devastated by her philandering father. Devlin on the other hand feels the same but is pushed into marriage in order to fund his business venture and be shown as a reformed rake. Sophie is the only choice of wife that Devlin can even consider and Sophie will benefit with hugh funding for her orphanage. What could be more perfect? Two people not wanting to fall in love and both benefiting from the union. Well that is when the adventure and mystery begin. Murder, disappearing objects and a growing attachment between Sophie and Devlin had me entrenched in the story. This author made the characters come to life and the secondary characters were delightful. Prepare to be thoroughly mesmerized as you read this wonderful story of fate taking a hand in bringing two people together and their journey to happiness. I cannot wait for more stories from this author!!
April 23, 2018
Good Debut romance and adventure....
I really liked this book, it was a bit slow in parts but for the most part it was an enjoyable read....
We first meet our lovely heroine Lady Sophie up a tree. Truly. Spying on a proposal. She literally falls to the ground in front of our Duke. It’s quite the meeting....
It’s a meeting they both think about often after.
Flash forward, the Queen wants Devlin married. As his reputation as the Devil Duke, Queen Victoria has had it with his reputation. He cannot do his Telegraph trade until then. He must marry.
His only choice is Lady Sofie...
Neither ever wanted to marry but....
He pursues her relentlessly, lol. She’s shocked but not immune. (Who can resist a Devil Duke that leans against door-frames upon every entrance, yum that visual, lol).
He does some under handed things including winning her beloved charity property for the orphanage in a wager to win her.
The story and romance takes off from there, including a mystery surrounding a maids death that meant something to Sofie. To solving a murder of Devlins parents. (His background reminded me a bit of Ian from Almost Heaven).
The slow build on the romance was great, I would of liked more at the end. I could have had steamier and yet I found myself smiling at some of their antics. The verbal sparring between the two in this book was fun.
I’d love to see her brother get a book! I’m also positive we need one for Sofies first choice love, as we know he’s not stopped looking into his wife’s death.
All around a solid debut historical from this new author.
Recommend.
I really liked this book, it was a bit slow in parts but for the most part it was an enjoyable read....
We first meet our lovely heroine Lady Sophie up a tree. Truly. Spying on a proposal. She literally falls to the ground in front of our Duke. It’s quite the meeting....
It’s a meeting they both think about often after.
Flash forward, the Queen wants Devlin married. As his reputation as the Devil Duke, Queen Victoria has had it with his reputation. He cannot do his Telegraph trade until then. He must marry.
His only choice is Lady Sofie...
Neither ever wanted to marry but....
He pursues her relentlessly, lol. She’s shocked but not immune. (Who can resist a Devil Duke that leans against door-frames upon every entrance, yum that visual, lol).
He does some under handed things including winning her beloved charity property for the orphanage in a wager to win her.
The story and romance takes off from there, including a mystery surrounding a maids death that meant something to Sofie. To solving a murder of Devlins parents. (His background reminded me a bit of Ian from Almost Heaven).
The slow build on the romance was great, I would of liked more at the end. I could have had steamier and yet I found myself smiling at some of their antics. The verbal sparring between the two in this book was fun.
I’d love to see her brother get a book! I’m also positive we need one for Sofies first choice love, as we know he’s not stopped looking into his wife’s death.
All around a solid debut historical from this new author.
Recommend.
March 5, 2018
What a tremendously amazing book! I really can't begin to praise this book enough! This book is incredibly well written and had me hooked from the very beginning... well the cover to be honest! The characters are fantastic! There are many characters and they all seem so real! Sophie and Devlin are completely captivating characters. I loved them both. The story is perfectly paced, easy to follow and unpredictable! There were many parts that had me laughing, and the writing was so vivid that I felt what the characters were feeling throughout the entire book. I wish I could give more than 5 stars... Really, I don't want to give anything away, it's definately a story you need to read for yourself!
March 6, 2019
I couldn't finish it. It was as romantic as a colonoscopy. Oh, and it was so very proper. Halfway through and they'd only kissed twice. They barely knew each other and the heroine was the typical, "Oh, I'll never marry. I must take care of these orphans!" kind of girl. So droll.
The only interesting part was the murderer, but we all know how that goes. He'll kidnap/try to kill the heroine and the hero will come after her. There's a big struggle, our couple wins and declares their undying love. It has to be, because this book is too formula otherwise. I bet no one even gets laid in this boring heap of predictability.
The only interesting part was the murderer, but we all know how that goes. He'll kidnap/try to kill the heroine and the hero will come after her. There's a big struggle, our couple wins and declares their undying love. It has to be, because this book is too formula otherwise. I bet no one even gets laid in this boring heap of predictability.
December 16, 2025
3 The h knows everything better than you ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can respect Lady Sophie, but her “know it all attitude” about solving a crime drove me to insanity.
I loved the beginning, but the end of the whole suspense plot, the story became repetitive and it wasn’t really very interesting.
Devlin needs a respectable wife to secure a business opportunity. and the Queen demands he settle down. I loved the queen’s involvement, it was witty and refreshing.
Lady Sophie, a spinster, blue stocking, dedicated to her mother's orphanage, finds it in danger and will do anything to save it, even marry the Duke. He is pretty much blackmailing her into marriage. I was super into this part! So crisp.
They meet a year prior, Sophie is spying on a rival at a ball, fell from a tree and met Devlin, sparking an unexpected attraction despite his rake reputation.
Devlin pursues Sophie, seeing her as the solution to his Queen imposed problem, and she agrees to a marriage of convenience to save her orphanage.
They go on to navigate their new arrangement, discovering deeper emotions and witty verbal sparring, while a killer from Devlin's past targets Sophie, putting their lives and budding romance in jeopardy. However Sophie was a little exasperating with her lack of vulnerability.
The writing is witty and well done, I just got really bored around the 60% mark.
Should you read it? Maybe. If you enjoy romantic suspense then yes. It’s not really my thing.
I can respect Lady Sophie, but her “know it all attitude” about solving a crime drove me to insanity.
I loved the beginning, but the end of the whole suspense plot, the story became repetitive and it wasn’t really very interesting.
Devlin needs a respectable wife to secure a business opportunity. and the Queen demands he settle down. I loved the queen’s involvement, it was witty and refreshing.
Lady Sophie, a spinster, blue stocking, dedicated to her mother's orphanage, finds it in danger and will do anything to save it, even marry the Duke. He is pretty much blackmailing her into marriage. I was super into this part! So crisp.
They meet a year prior, Sophie is spying on a rival at a ball, fell from a tree and met Devlin, sparking an unexpected attraction despite his rake reputation.
Devlin pursues Sophie, seeing her as the solution to his Queen imposed problem, and she agrees to a marriage of convenience to save her orphanage.
They go on to navigate their new arrangement, discovering deeper emotions and witty verbal sparring, while a killer from Devlin's past targets Sophie, putting their lives and budding romance in jeopardy. However Sophie was a little exasperating with her lack of vulnerability.
The writing is witty and well done, I just got really bored around the 60% mark.
Should you read it? Maybe. If you enjoy romantic suspense then yes. It’s not really my thing.
February 18, 2018
The Devilish Duke is my first book by Maddison Michaels, I look forward to reading many more. Ms. Michaels has delivered a book that is well-written and loaded it with amazing, lovable characters. Sophie has dedicated herself to teaching and training the young people at the orphanage she helps with. Devlin has been told he must marry by the queen if she is to endorse a business plan. Sophie and Devlin's story is packed with drama, humor, suspense, action and sexy bits. I enjoyed every page of this book and hope to read more of Maddison Michaels' books soon. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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