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The Duke's Den #1
A Duke Changes Everything
In the first novel in Christy Carlyle’s sizzling Duke’s Den series, three men, intent on making a fortune, discover irresistible opportunities . . .
Nicholas Lyon gambled his way into a fortune and ownership of the most opulent, notorious gentlemen’s club in England. But when Nick’s cruel brother dies, he inherits a title he never wanted. The sooner Nick is rid of the estate that has always haunted him, the sooner he can return to the life he’s built in London. But there’s one obstacle—the exquisite Thomasina Thorne.
When the new heir to the Tremayne dukedom suddenly appears in Mina Thorne’s life, she’s flustered. Not only is he breathtakingly handsome, but he’s also determined to take away her home and position as steward of the Enderley estate. If Mina learns what makes the enigmatic duke tick, perhaps she can change his mind—as long as she doesn’t get too close to him.
With each day Nick spends with Mina, his resolve weakens as their colliding wills lead to explosive desire. Could she be the one woman who can help him finally bury the ghosts of his past?
Nicholas Lyon gambled his way into a fortune and ownership of the most opulent, notorious gentlemen’s club in England. But when Nick’s cruel brother dies, he inherits a title he never wanted. The sooner Nick is rid of the estate that has always haunted him, the sooner he can return to the life he’s built in London. But there’s one obstacle—the exquisite Thomasina Thorne.
When the new heir to the Tremayne dukedom suddenly appears in Mina Thorne’s life, she’s flustered. Not only is he breathtakingly handsome, but he’s also determined to take away her home and position as steward of the Enderley estate. If Mina learns what makes the enigmatic duke tick, perhaps she can change his mind—as long as she doesn’t get too close to him.
With each day Nick spends with Mina, his resolve weakens as their colliding wills lead to explosive desire. Could she be the one woman who can help him finally bury the ghosts of his past?
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 27, 2018
333 people are currently reading
1979 people want to read
About the author
Christy Carlyle
52 books555 followersFueled by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British costume drama she can get her hands on, USA Today bestselling author Christy Carlyle writes sensual historical romance set in the Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds there's nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a die-hard belief in happy endings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
November 22, 2018
Ah discovering new authors to love. One of my favorite things. It's a bit like sniffing the scent of new books.
I was bullied into reading this book by my book bestie and I regret nothing! This story isn't the most original concept but it has a lot of unusual aspects to make the story compelling and captivating.
Nick never wanted to be a duke because that would mean having to go back to the home he hated. So when he learns that his ducal brother passed away he hates being forced into returning. His father's horrific treatment of him didn't leave just scars inside - he marked his son's face because he thought Nick wasn't the duke's flesh and blood. Nick is convinced that people consider him a monster - one of the reasons trust doesn't come easy to him. Nick's arrival at Enderley has the household in a tizzy - will the new duke step up and do right by the estate, the town and the people under his care?
“My only loyalty, Miss Thorne, is to my business.”
“Is Enderley not your business now?”
“Enderley is my burden.”
You know these hardened, bitter, aloof heroes who have been broken in the past? That's Nick in the beginning of A DUKE CHANGES EVERYTHING. The title is apt and when you read this book you will see in how many ways. He changes so many things about himself, about the place he hates so much, Mina's life and the lives of those living in his ancestral home. Nick evolves from the bitter man who keeps people at arms length to a man who softens towards his female steward, to the man who doesn't do altruistic things for Mina but because it feels good to be a good person.
Somehow, she’d unearthed goodness in him, a vein of decency he’d doubted he still possessed.
I loved that his development came steadily but not without sometimes sliding back. Mina confuses the hell out of him because he falls in love with her and doesn't understand why. And when he realizes the twinge in his heart as love it's touching and charming.
“I’m not afraid of seeing your scars.”
He settled her with infinite care on the edge of the enormous bed, not quite meeting her gaze. “I am.”
Mina has grown up on Nick's estate as the steward's daughter. When her father died she took over and although many people think that's inappropriate for a woman to work as a steward (and to wear pants) she finds a lot of contentment in her work. I admired her instinct to push Nick at the right time and to back off when he needed room to work things out in his mind and heart. I loved her sweetness and strength, her self confidence and that she didn't just want to settle but strived for more.
From the first moment their gazes clashed, Mina saw him and never looked away. As if she wasn’t put off by what she saw.
A DUKE CHANGES EVERYTHING has everything I expect from an outstanding historical romance.
- A swoon-worthy hero who is good at heart and falls so irrevocably in love with the heroine
- A lovable, admirable female main character who is worthy of him.
- A fresh, polished writing style that is descriptive without being too flowery
- Multi-dimensional side characters who you want to know more about.
As I said in the beginning, plot-wise it's not the most innovative story but the execution is flawless. I'm looking forward to continuing this series and I'm wondering whose stories we'll get beside the obvious best friends of the duke.
He hadn’t anticipated finding beauty in this blighted place.
October 24, 2018
Title: A Duke Changes Everything
Series: Duke's Den
Author: Christy Carlyle
Release date: November 27, 2018
Cliffhanger: No
HEA
“You clearly haven’t read many fairy tales, Your Grace. There’s plenty of tragedy, and sometimes the creature is actually an enchanted prince.”
What a breath of fresh air! I needed this book so badly, I can't even tell you how much. Lately I've been in such a book funk that I couldn't seem to find a romance that swept me away and gave me that level of excitement that elevates a good book to great. From the moment I cracked open this book, (or tapped open would be more apt) I knew it was going to give me something more. Something that makes you want to speed read and slow it down to make it last all at the same time. Thank you, Avon Romance for putting that absolutely STUNNING cover art on the book. It caught my eye and helped me impulse click this hidden gem. All I can say is, after reading A Duke Changes Everything, I'm firmly hooked on the series, and I cannot wait to read more about Nick's friends in the next installments.
Aidan, Rhys, and Nick are co-owners of the Devil's Den, a gentlemen's club that made them all very wealthy and independent men. Nick makes additional money in the Lyon's Den, the basement of the club where desperate gamblers go to beg for mercy and one last-ditch loan. Nicholas Lyon is the secondborn son of the Duke of Tremayne, but don't let his aristocratic lineage fool you into thinking he's a pampered and privileged lord. It doesn't take long to realize that Nick's frigid coldness and brooding nature are hiding a world of pain that he's kept hidden away for a very long time. The power he wields in his club is something he needs after a childhood of fear and powerlessness. When he unexpectedly inherits the dukedom, he must return to his ancestral home to get his affairs in order.
Nick is a character you can easily empathize with despite his gruff exterior. Abused for being born with Heterochromia (two different colored eyes), the castle he returns to is nothing but a house of horrors with painful memories around every corner. He's suffered unimaginable cruelties by his father, and it's left him deeply scarred, both emotionally and physically. But he doesn't let his fear control him, and bravely faces the place he barely escaped with his life. Because of his facial scar and his unusual eyes, he's prepared for people to recoil at the sight of him. The isolation and loneliness are constant companions, even with Aiden and Rhys' acceptance. He's used to being an outsider, and it's hard for him to warm up to people. But when he encounters a young woman in breeches climbing a tree on the road to Enderley, he's not prepared for the emotions that she immediately begins to stir.
Mina has lived on the property her entire life, and when her father passed away, she took over his job of managing the estate. I loved how unconventional she was, working as a steward, and wearing men's clothing. Her father had raised her to temper her adventurous spirit, and her decidedly "un-ladylike" behaviors, but she failed to hide her true nature from Nick. He saw right through her thin veneer, and spotted the passion and intelligence she exuded so brightly. Mina was one of the best HR heroines I've read in a long time. She had such courage and spirit, and not for a minute was she intimidated by the hero. They had such an instant awareness of each other that makes you melting into a pile of goo from their very first interaction. The author did an amazing job creating an organic attraction in subtle ways that built my anticipation to monumental levels. I wanted to smoosh their faces together and make them kiss so many times!
His head, where he’d convinced himself to value a life unencumbered by personal entanglements, knew she was right to draw a boundary line between them. But his heart, that rarely used thing that thrashed every time Mina was near, didn’t seem to agree.
He was determined to leave as soon as humanly possible, she was equally determined to convince him to let go of his hatred of the property. Unfortunately, she had no idea of the trauma he went through there, and what an impossible task that would be. As she took him through the property to meet the tenants, and show him the beauty hidden under the disrepair, their attachment grew stronger. She may not have been able to make him love his home, but she made him want to be a better person. He doesn't trust anyone easily, but from the moment they saw each other again, there was a mutual understanding and respect that neither had felt before. They were from completely different social classes, but he always sees her as an equal which I adored. There was some trepidation on her part that they could never be together because of the vast differences in their social stations, but he went above and beyond to make her feel comfortable. When he went in, his heart was all in.
Mina didn’t make him feel weak. She made him want to surrender. To give her everything and hold nothing back. Even if it meant she’d see the truth of who he was—the ugliness, inside and out. Somehow, she’d unearthed goodness in him, a vein of decency he’d doubted he still possessed.
Nick and Mina gave me the giddy feels. From the uncovering of each other's heartaches and hurts, to the sweet unraveling of their carefully constructed lives into something much more beautiful together. I was either grinning like a fool at Mina, or sighing in complete bliss over the hero's wounded heart that got pieced back together bit by bit.
I'm SO happy I found Christy Carlyle, and even more thrilled that I have Aidan and Diana's book to stalk next. Book two in the Duke's Den series, Anything But a Duke, is scheduled for publication April 2019
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July 6, 2020
Nice, but rather unexciting. I didn’t quite understand Mina’s appeal for Nick considering she was constantly advocating for him to care about a place he hated. She didn’t even question why he hated it, she was so singleminded about the estate.
September 19, 2025
4.5 Jane Austen inspired ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The romance between Mina and Nick was one of the loveliest things I have read in a long time. ❤️ If you like Pride and prejudice, you will like this.
The love between them grew on every page, no cringe, just beautiful little things that made my heart leap for them.
Mina is the Stuart of the estate, sort of by omission, Nick inherited the dukedom against his will. His childhood trauma is significant and seeing him learn to trust Mina and embrace his future, is heartbreakingly beautiful.
The writer does not use his bad childhood as an excuse to be awful, but it’s more a slow lift of the curtain, to how he learns to love for the first time in his life. Mina is just lovely and selfassured🫶
This is not about drama, but a slow burn of true love between two people who have always been alone, and is done so well my eyes were teary several times. The good kind of teary.
Should you read it? YES if you like historical romance. It’s a very feel good story❤️
The romance between Mina and Nick was one of the loveliest things I have read in a long time. ❤️ If you like Pride and prejudice, you will like this.
The love between them grew on every page, no cringe, just beautiful little things that made my heart leap for them.
Mina is the Stuart of the estate, sort of by omission, Nick inherited the dukedom against his will. His childhood trauma is significant and seeing him learn to trust Mina and embrace his future, is heartbreakingly beautiful.
The writer does not use his bad childhood as an excuse to be awful, but it’s more a slow lift of the curtain, to how he learns to love for the first time in his life. Mina is just lovely and selfassured🫶
This is not about drama, but a slow burn of true love between two people who have always been alone, and is done so well my eyes were teary several times. The good kind of teary.
Should you read it? YES if you like historical romance. It’s a very feel good story❤️
February 24, 2019
I've given this a C+ at AAR, so that's 3.5 stars
A Duke Changes Everything is the first book in Christy Carlyle’s new series set in the early Victorian Era. It features a reluctant duke who happens to own a successful London gaming club – seriously, nineteenth century London – the historical romance edition - not only has about a million more dukes than could feasibly exist, but it seems the entire city consists of gambling establishments owned by aristocrats. It’s become such an over-used character type that my eyes are starting to glaze over whenever I read a synopsis in which the words ‘duke’ (or earl) and ‘gambling club’ appear in the same sentence.
Anyway. This particular duke has absolutely no interest in being one. Nicholas Lyons is the second son of the Duke of Tremayne, who, from the sound of it, was completely insane. Believing Nick to have been the product of his wife’s infidelity, the old duke hated his younger son and subjected him to unbelievable cruelty before the duchess was able to get them both away to France. When she died, Nick was just sixteen and he returned to England penniless, determined to make his own way and wanting nothing whatsoever to do with his family. After his father died, the title passed to Nick’s older brother, Eustace – and it’s the latter’s recent death that sees Nick now saddled with a dukedom and attendant duties and estates he doesn’t need or want. His memories of Enderley Castle are far from happy ones, and so naturally, the last thing he wants is to set foot in the place, but he knows he’ll have to if he’s going to carry out his plan of selling everything of value, setting the place to rights and then leasing it out.
Mina Thorne has lived at Enderley her entire life, and seeing the previous duke took no interest in the place, took over her late father’s role as steward. She’s highly competent and genuinely cares for the land and its inhabitants, although naturally the local gentry shake their heads disapprovingly and insist it isn’t proper for her to hold such a position.
After Nick and Mina’s initial meeting – Nick arrives at the estate a day or so before he’d originally intended and comes upon her while she’s stuck up a tree rescuing a very pregnant cat – the story focuses on developing their working relationship and subsequent romance. Nick tells Mina he’s only going to be at Enderley for a couple of weeks, for as long as it takes for him to assess the situation, see what can be sold and order whatever repairs are needed to make the place fit for habitation; while Mina is determined to persuade him to take up residence, or at least keep the house and lands rather than rent them out. She decides the best way to do this is to show him the best of the place – the house, the grounds, the local farms, where some tenants have adopted more modern methods of working in order to get the job done. This obviously allows them to spend time getting to know each other, too, and the chemistry between them simmers along nicely, both of them acknowledging that their mutual attraction is unwise, but also unable to ignore it.
I liked the way that they gradually come to trust each other and Nick begins to tell Mina what he went through as a child. They converse intelligently, and there’s a sense of admiration and respect developing between them at the same time as their attraction builds. The trouble is, though, that there’s nothing to make this novel stand out from the plethora of other, similar ones – of which there are more than you can shake a stick at. The conflict in the story is mostly external, provided by a nasty, horse-whipping neighbour and a disgruntled former patron of Lyon’s club who is out for revenge, both of whom are dispensed with fairly quickly. Nick and Mina are decent people but are fairly bland in spite of the author’s attempts to make them interesting. Nick is another in a long line of heroes who had a truly craptastic childhood, pulled himself up by his bootstraps and believes himself to be a veritable monster and all-round terrible person – scarred, ruthless, dangerous – but really, he’s just a big old softie who’s nowhere near as mean as he thinks he is, unless it’s to give someone their just desserts (like people who won’t or can’t pay their gambling debts, who deserve exactly what they get as far as I’m concerned). And Mina was, supposedly, constantly told by her father that she wasn’t ladylike enough, that she was too emotional and impulsive – but it’s a case of telling and not showing. Other than her becoming a steward – which didn’t happen until after her father died – none of those criticisms are supported by her actions. She tells us on a few occasions how hard she’s always striven – and still strives – to curb those tendencies, but she doesn’t really display any of them.
This is very much a character-driven story, which I appreciated – but the author’s attempts to introduce some last-minute drama by means of a mini-misunderstanding and a scenario involving completely unnecessary peril fall totally flat, and by the time I got to the epilogue wherein Lyon’s turned into a nineteenth century version of Dragon’s Den (which was, as the series title is The Duke’s Den , I suppose inevitable) I was clichéd out.
A Duke Changes Everything is a decent read and the central romance is well done, but it’s pretty unoriginal. I can’t say I wasn’t engaged by it while I was reading, but I know I won’t remember much – if anything – about it a week from now.
A Duke Changes Everything is the first book in Christy Carlyle’s new series set in the early Victorian Era. It features a reluctant duke who happens to own a successful London gaming club – seriously, nineteenth century London – the historical romance edition - not only has about a million more dukes than could feasibly exist, but it seems the entire city consists of gambling establishments owned by aristocrats. It’s become such an over-used character type that my eyes are starting to glaze over whenever I read a synopsis in which the words ‘duke’ (or earl) and ‘gambling club’ appear in the same sentence.
Anyway. This particular duke has absolutely no interest in being one. Nicholas Lyons is the second son of the Duke of Tremayne, who, from the sound of it, was completely insane. Believing Nick to have been the product of his wife’s infidelity, the old duke hated his younger son and subjected him to unbelievable cruelty before the duchess was able to get them both away to France. When she died, Nick was just sixteen and he returned to England penniless, determined to make his own way and wanting nothing whatsoever to do with his family. After his father died, the title passed to Nick’s older brother, Eustace – and it’s the latter’s recent death that sees Nick now saddled with a dukedom and attendant duties and estates he doesn’t need or want. His memories of Enderley Castle are far from happy ones, and so naturally, the last thing he wants is to set foot in the place, but he knows he’ll have to if he’s going to carry out his plan of selling everything of value, setting the place to rights and then leasing it out.
Mina Thorne has lived at Enderley her entire life, and seeing the previous duke took no interest in the place, took over her late father’s role as steward. She’s highly competent and genuinely cares for the land and its inhabitants, although naturally the local gentry shake their heads disapprovingly and insist it isn’t proper for her to hold such a position.
After Nick and Mina’s initial meeting – Nick arrives at the estate a day or so before he’d originally intended and comes upon her while she’s stuck up a tree rescuing a very pregnant cat – the story focuses on developing their working relationship and subsequent romance. Nick tells Mina he’s only going to be at Enderley for a couple of weeks, for as long as it takes for him to assess the situation, see what can be sold and order whatever repairs are needed to make the place fit for habitation; while Mina is determined to persuade him to take up residence, or at least keep the house and lands rather than rent them out. She decides the best way to do this is to show him the best of the place – the house, the grounds, the local farms, where some tenants have adopted more modern methods of working in order to get the job done. This obviously allows them to spend time getting to know each other, too, and the chemistry between them simmers along nicely, both of them acknowledging that their mutual attraction is unwise, but also unable to ignore it.
I liked the way that they gradually come to trust each other and Nick begins to tell Mina what he went through as a child. They converse intelligently, and there’s a sense of admiration and respect developing between them at the same time as their attraction builds. The trouble is, though, that there’s nothing to make this novel stand out from the plethora of other, similar ones – of which there are more than you can shake a stick at. The conflict in the story is mostly external, provided by a nasty, horse-whipping neighbour and a disgruntled former patron of Lyon’s club who is out for revenge, both of whom are dispensed with fairly quickly. Nick and Mina are decent people but are fairly bland in spite of the author’s attempts to make them interesting. Nick is another in a long line of heroes who had a truly craptastic childhood, pulled himself up by his bootstraps and believes himself to be a veritable monster and all-round terrible person – scarred, ruthless, dangerous – but really, he’s just a big old softie who’s nowhere near as mean as he thinks he is, unless it’s to give someone their just desserts (like people who won’t or can’t pay their gambling debts, who deserve exactly what they get as far as I’m concerned). And Mina was, supposedly, constantly told by her father that she wasn’t ladylike enough, that she was too emotional and impulsive – but it’s a case of telling and not showing. Other than her becoming a steward – which didn’t happen until after her father died – none of those criticisms are supported by her actions. She tells us on a few occasions how hard she’s always striven – and still strives – to curb those tendencies, but she doesn’t really display any of them.
This is very much a character-driven story, which I appreciated – but the author’s attempts to introduce some last-minute drama by means of a mini-misunderstanding and a scenario involving completely unnecessary peril fall totally flat, and by the time I got to the epilogue wherein Lyon’s turned into a nineteenth century version of Dragon’s Den (which was, as the series title is The Duke’s Den , I suppose inevitable) I was clichéd out.
A Duke Changes Everything is a decent read and the central romance is well done, but it’s pretty unoriginal. I can’t say I wasn’t engaged by it while I was reading, but I know I won’t remember much – if anything – about it a week from now.
November 20, 2018
This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Duke Changes Everything is the first book of a new series by Carlyle and I have to say that this being my first Christy Carlyle...this book was a winner for me! I was very impressed with this book. Now I am not going to say this was the best book of the year or anything, but I found it refreshing for a regency style romance and had a old style historical romance writing style that I fell head over heels in love with. There is so much that can draw you into such a book. Now I will admit that Avon did a superb job with the cover, because the cover art alone got me to grab this book up even though I hadn't tried out this author before and had no idea if I would love it or hate it but I can happily say that I truly enjoyed this one.
This story starts out with our hero, Nicholas Lyon who is co owner of a gambling hell in London. He and his friends built their place out of the ground and is becoming very successful. All three men have worked hard to make their business sucessful. Nicholas loves numbers and is in charge of the accounts for the club and will spend all day happily in the books. But then he received word that his older brother has passed away and now Nicholas is the new Duke of Tremayne. Nicholas has very bitter feelings towards his father and brother and with good reason he has no desire to be the new Duke but now he has no choice. So he heads down to his late father's estate out in the country and a place that holds painful memories for him.
Mina Thorne grew up at the Enderley estate and has taken after her father in being the steward and ever since her father died two years previous, she has taken the responsbility of seeing to the needs and caring of the Enderley estate. She has come to love this home in the country despite the challenges but she is also worried about the new Duke and wonders if he will be like his father and brothers. But when they first meet, she sees that Nicholas is very different from his father and brother. He is bitter against his past, and Mina remembers the young boy she used to know but then disappeared one day. At first it seems like their relationship will be strictly professional, but there is a raw chemistry between Mina and Nicholas and sparks fly and soon they will discover a tender love in each other's arms.
A Duke Changes Everything is simply a sweet filled romance that gave me all the feels and more. I didn't know at first what to expect from this book, and I am thrilled to say that it met my expectations. We have a hero that is a rogue, has risen above some terrible events in his childhood and made sure he was a success since his father never thought he would amount to anything. He has strong friendships and his share of women but he is responsible and intelligent although bitter against anything connected to his family. The heroine, is strong and smart but also kind and thoughtful. She takes care of the tenants when she can and she sees to the servants and they are her family. She has been betrayed by a man she thought she loved but who was just toying with her affections. Now she is ready to just be a spinster and live her life on the estate...until she meets Nicholas and everything changes. I first want to say that the chemistry between these two is explosive and awe inspiring and keeps the reader captivated at times. I was swept away by their sensual moments that take your breath away.
It was also interesting to see the changes in these characters. They begin to see life in a different perspective and seem to be so aware of the development of their relationship and just go with it. Neither of them fight what they feel for each other too hard and I love seeing them embrace their emotions instead of fighting so hard and its subtle so its more of a gradual acceptance and a lovely friendship forms between them. I love seeing these two share with each other their past experiences and this is where the emotional intimacy between them really builds and is felt by the reader.
Overall I found A Duke Changes Everything to be a stunning and packed with endearing characters that you can be proud of....characters that grow and form a love that will leave you with a smile! BEAUTIFULLY DONE!
A Duke Changes Everything is the first book of a new series by Carlyle and I have to say that this being my first Christy Carlyle...this book was a winner for me! I was very impressed with this book. Now I am not going to say this was the best book of the year or anything, but I found it refreshing for a regency style romance and had a old style historical romance writing style that I fell head over heels in love with. There is so much that can draw you into such a book. Now I will admit that Avon did a superb job with the cover, because the cover art alone got me to grab this book up even though I hadn't tried out this author before and had no idea if I would love it or hate it but I can happily say that I truly enjoyed this one.
This story starts out with our hero, Nicholas Lyon who is co owner of a gambling hell in London. He and his friends built their place out of the ground and is becoming very successful. All three men have worked hard to make their business sucessful. Nicholas loves numbers and is in charge of the accounts for the club and will spend all day happily in the books. But then he received word that his older brother has passed away and now Nicholas is the new Duke of Tremayne. Nicholas has very bitter feelings towards his father and brother and with good reason he has no desire to be the new Duke but now he has no choice. So he heads down to his late father's estate out in the country and a place that holds painful memories for him.
Mina Thorne grew up at the Enderley estate and has taken after her father in being the steward and ever since her father died two years previous, she has taken the responsbility of seeing to the needs and caring of the Enderley estate. She has come to love this home in the country despite the challenges but she is also worried about the new Duke and wonders if he will be like his father and brothers. But when they first meet, she sees that Nicholas is very different from his father and brother. He is bitter against his past, and Mina remembers the young boy she used to know but then disappeared one day. At first it seems like their relationship will be strictly professional, but there is a raw chemistry between Mina and Nicholas and sparks fly and soon they will discover a tender love in each other's arms.
A Duke Changes Everything is simply a sweet filled romance that gave me all the feels and more. I didn't know at first what to expect from this book, and I am thrilled to say that it met my expectations. We have a hero that is a rogue, has risen above some terrible events in his childhood and made sure he was a success since his father never thought he would amount to anything. He has strong friendships and his share of women but he is responsible and intelligent although bitter against anything connected to his family. The heroine, is strong and smart but also kind and thoughtful. She takes care of the tenants when she can and she sees to the servants and they are her family. She has been betrayed by a man she thought she loved but who was just toying with her affections. Now she is ready to just be a spinster and live her life on the estate...until she meets Nicholas and everything changes. I first want to say that the chemistry between these two is explosive and awe inspiring and keeps the reader captivated at times. I was swept away by their sensual moments that take your breath away.
It was also interesting to see the changes in these characters. They begin to see life in a different perspective and seem to be so aware of the development of their relationship and just go with it. Neither of them fight what they feel for each other too hard and I love seeing them embrace their emotions instead of fighting so hard and its subtle so its more of a gradual acceptance and a lovely friendship forms between them. I love seeing these two share with each other their past experiences and this is where the emotional intimacy between them really builds and is felt by the reader.
Overall I found A Duke Changes Everything to be a stunning and packed with endearing characters that you can be proud of....characters that grow and form a love that will leave you with a smile! BEAUTIFULLY DONE!
December 9, 2018
3.5 stars
November 27, 2018
Series: Duke’s Den #1
Publication Date: 11/27/18
A lovely romantic first book in a new series. The Duke’s Den is an exclusive gaming hell owned by three men – Aidan Iverson (large, red-haired, grew up in London’s worst slum), Rhys Forester, Marquess of Huntley, and Nicholas Lyon (large, scarred, abused son of a mad duke). If this book is an example of those to come in the series, I can’t wait to read the others! It is well written, well plotted and I really enjoyed all of the characters.
Nicholas (Nick) Lyon had an absolutely terrifying childhood. His father, Talbot Lyon, Duke of Tremayne, was a demented, jealous, abusive man who hated Nick because, in his madness, he believed that Nick was not his son. The despicable things he did to his young son will make your hair stand on end, but you can easily see why Nick has become the man he is. Nick carries deep scars both on his body and deep inside. People refer to him as ‘monster’ because of his mismatched eyes and the jagged scar bisecting the left half of his face.
Miss Thomasina (Mena) Thorne is the daughter of Thomas Thorne, steward of Enderley Castle, the seat of the Duke of Tremayne. Mena grew up on the estate and loved it, the tenants, and the people in the surrounding village. Since her mother passed away when Mena was young, she spent all of her time with her father and knows every inch of the estate and how to manage it. When her father passed away, it was just an easy step to assume her father’s role. The old Duke had also passed away and his heir, Eustace, was a drunken wastrel and didn’t care who managed the estate, so he allowed Mena to assume those duties. However, when Eustace also passed away, Mena didn’t exactly mention to the new heir that she was a female.
Mena was an outstanding steward and was loved and respected by the estate staff. However, she was a woman and the male leaders in the area took exception to her acting in the role a man would normally hold. “Over the years she’d mastered half smiles, grown proficient at blank expressions, and she would’ve earned high marks in tongue-biting if anybody was offering a grade.”
When Sir Malcolm Granville showed up at The Duke’s Den and insisted on speaking with Nick, Nick refused to see him because he recognized Granville as a crony of his deceased father and the mentor of Nick’s older brother Eustace. Instead, Nick sent Huntley to deal with the man – assuming that Granville had come on Eustace’s behalf seeking money because, in the three years since Eustace had inherited, he had almost emptied the ducal coffers. Nick wanted nothing to do with his wastrel brother nor the ducal estate that had served as Nick’s torture chamber. Then, Nick heard the words that brought horror and loathing to him – “Your brother, Eustace, is dead. As of a week ago, you’re the Duke of Tremayne.”
Nick pursued every avenue he could find to refuse the title and inheritance, but there was no way around it. If he couldn’t refuse it, then he’d gut it. He’d empty Enderley Castle of all of its possessions by auctioning off everything that wasn’t entailed, then he will lease out the castle and grounds. He wanted no part of that dark, cruel place.
After several rounds of correspondence with the estate manager, T. Thorne, Nick heads out for a personal look at the estate to see what needs to be repaired and handled prior to leasing the estate – and to start the process of cataloging the items for auction. When he arrives early, the scene where he meets his steward is very entertaining and funny.
Mena and Nick are at a standoff. Nick plans to gut and empty the estate, so he can’t really hire a new steward at the moment – and Mena is the one with all the answers to Nick’s questions. The only option is to work with Mena. Mena is agape when she learns of Nick’s intentions but realizes there is nothing she can do except try to make him see what is good about the estate and especially its people.
Their path to their HEA was not an easy one, but their attraction grew and grew until both of them finally realized how much they cared and what each would give up for the other. It was a lovely romance between truly lovable characters.
I hope you will enjoy the read as much as I did.
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Publication Date: 11/27/18
A lovely romantic first book in a new series. The Duke’s Den is an exclusive gaming hell owned by three men – Aidan Iverson (large, red-haired, grew up in London’s worst slum), Rhys Forester, Marquess of Huntley, and Nicholas Lyon (large, scarred, abused son of a mad duke). If this book is an example of those to come in the series, I can’t wait to read the others! It is well written, well plotted and I really enjoyed all of the characters.
Nicholas (Nick) Lyon had an absolutely terrifying childhood. His father, Talbot Lyon, Duke of Tremayne, was a demented, jealous, abusive man who hated Nick because, in his madness, he believed that Nick was not his son. The despicable things he did to his young son will make your hair stand on end, but you can easily see why Nick has become the man he is. Nick carries deep scars both on his body and deep inside. People refer to him as ‘monster’ because of his mismatched eyes and the jagged scar bisecting the left half of his face.
Miss Thomasina (Mena) Thorne is the daughter of Thomas Thorne, steward of Enderley Castle, the seat of the Duke of Tremayne. Mena grew up on the estate and loved it, the tenants, and the people in the surrounding village. Since her mother passed away when Mena was young, she spent all of her time with her father and knows every inch of the estate and how to manage it. When her father passed away, it was just an easy step to assume her father’s role. The old Duke had also passed away and his heir, Eustace, was a drunken wastrel and didn’t care who managed the estate, so he allowed Mena to assume those duties. However, when Eustace also passed away, Mena didn’t exactly mention to the new heir that she was a female.
Mena was an outstanding steward and was loved and respected by the estate staff. However, she was a woman and the male leaders in the area took exception to her acting in the role a man would normally hold. “Over the years she’d mastered half smiles, grown proficient at blank expressions, and she would’ve earned high marks in tongue-biting if anybody was offering a grade.”
When Sir Malcolm Granville showed up at The Duke’s Den and insisted on speaking with Nick, Nick refused to see him because he recognized Granville as a crony of his deceased father and the mentor of Nick’s older brother Eustace. Instead, Nick sent Huntley to deal with the man – assuming that Granville had come on Eustace’s behalf seeking money because, in the three years since Eustace had inherited, he had almost emptied the ducal coffers. Nick wanted nothing to do with his wastrel brother nor the ducal estate that had served as Nick’s torture chamber. Then, Nick heard the words that brought horror and loathing to him – “Your brother, Eustace, is dead. As of a week ago, you’re the Duke of Tremayne.”
Nick pursued every avenue he could find to refuse the title and inheritance, but there was no way around it. If he couldn’t refuse it, then he’d gut it. He’d empty Enderley Castle of all of its possessions by auctioning off everything that wasn’t entailed, then he will lease out the castle and grounds. He wanted no part of that dark, cruel place.
After several rounds of correspondence with the estate manager, T. Thorne, Nick heads out for a personal look at the estate to see what needs to be repaired and handled prior to leasing the estate – and to start the process of cataloging the items for auction. When he arrives early, the scene where he meets his steward is very entertaining and funny.
Mena and Nick are at a standoff. Nick plans to gut and empty the estate, so he can’t really hire a new steward at the moment – and Mena is the one with all the answers to Nick’s questions. The only option is to work with Mena. Mena is agape when she learns of Nick’s intentions but realizes there is nothing she can do except try to make him see what is good about the estate and especially its people.
Their path to their HEA was not an easy one, but their attraction grew and grew until both of them finally realized how much they cared and what each would give up for the other. It was a lovely romance between truly lovable characters.
I hope you will enjoy the read as much as I did.
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
November 25, 2018
I do love finding new to me authors and the start of a series and this one sounded promising.
I really liked Mina. She’s smart and stands up for herself and wears trousers. Nick is brash and maybe a bit cocky, but comes from a horrible childhood. I throughly enjoyed getting dual POV on this one. There are a few other characters, but mostly all secondary. I’m quite intrigued at Nick’s friends.
Plot wise, there were parts that felt repetitive, but the UST kept things going for me. I reveled in this slow burn story and even though I basically wanted them kissing from their first meeting, it was near perfection.
Overall, it was a quick read with characters who had me rooting for them at the first page. I’m eager to read the next story.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I really liked Mina. She’s smart and stands up for herself and wears trousers. Nick is brash and maybe a bit cocky, but comes from a horrible childhood. I throughly enjoyed getting dual POV on this one. There are a few other characters, but mostly all secondary. I’m quite intrigued at Nick’s friends.
Plot wise, there were parts that felt repetitive, but the UST kept things going for me. I reveled in this slow burn story and even though I basically wanted them kissing from their first meeting, it was near perfection.
Overall, it was a quick read with characters who had me rooting for them at the first page. I’m eager to read the next story.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
November 30, 2018
I am giving "A Duke Changes Everything" a very Generous 3 stars.
Nicholas/Nick Lyon's was the 2nd son of a cruel father who physically and mentally abused him in horrible ways. Talbot Lyons Nicks father was the Duke of Tremayne now he is dead and so is Nicks older brother, the heir to the Tremayne Dukedom. Nick has suddenly become the new Duke of Tremayne. He never wanted to be Duke or to ever go back to his ducal estate Enderley . It holds so many horrible memories. His mother took him one night and they ran away to France to hid from the abuse they both suffered at the hands of the Old Duke. Nicks mother died when he is 16 and he travels back to London and becomes a very rich owner of Lyon's Gentlemen's Club.
Thomasina/Mina Thorne takes over her fathers job as Stewart of the Enderley Estate after his death. She has been made aware that there is a new Duke and is worried she will be sacked because she is a women.
Nick arrives at Enderley to find that his Stewart is a she and not a he. However they work together and he lets her keep her job. They start to become close and Nicks treats his tenants and staff with compassion and care. His initial intent had been to lease Enderley and sale of all the furnishings and paintings anything of value. Mina gradually changes his mind and Nick stays longer and longer. Him and Mina start to fall in love. But of course neither will admit it to one another.
The sex and the romance are Sorley Lacking in between this couple!!
If this review sounds boring its because the story was basically boring. Nick let Viscount Calvert who owed him money walk all over him and in the end he let him get away without paying the money back to the club. Another Viscount Lyle and his son Gregory also talked down to Nick who is a Duke. WTH?? Dukes were respected and revered. No low title like a Viscount would ever treat a Duke like Viscount Lyle and Calvert treated Nick. But was even worse they got away with it. Nick just Kowtowed and bowed down to them. I don't think the author understands how the aristocracy worked. A Duke is one of the highest titles in the land just under a Prince. Viscounts are at the bottom of the aristocracy. A viscounts children were Mr. and Miss they did not even carry the title of Lord and Lady. So why give them so much power over a Duke? A real Duke would have shut them down. Nick was just to passive and paid off these low titled people to get along with them. That did not work for me. He need to act more Alpha Male and Arrogant like a Duke towards these lowly titled men.
The other think that was not made clear to me is was Mina a virgin or did Gregory relieve her of her virginity? That part of the story was not clear. Gregory tells Nick that he was the first one to have her. But Mina said she stopped Gregory before it went to far. When Nick and Mina finally made love it was as generic as ice water and Nick didn't mention that Mina was a virgin.
The end of the story was not good at all. Nick decides to turn his Profitable Gentlemen's Club into a club for inventors. OK it takes a lot of time and money to invest in inventions. So I guess Nick and his partners plan on going broke. Because the way this epilog is written about investing in inventions is just all kinds of ways wrong. They could have keep the gentlemen's club for revenue and opened up and office to interview investors. That way there income could stay secure or turn the gentlemen's club into a Luxury Grand Hotel. I wouldn't want the author Ms. Carlyle to handle my money. I would be broke LOL!!
But overall it was an Okay read. But I won't be continuing with the series "Duke's Den" It doesn't feel like a Historical Romance to me.
Nicholas/Nick Lyon's was the 2nd son of a cruel father who physically and mentally abused him in horrible ways. Talbot Lyons Nicks father was the Duke of Tremayne now he is dead and so is Nicks older brother, the heir to the Tremayne Dukedom. Nick has suddenly become the new Duke of Tremayne. He never wanted to be Duke or to ever go back to his ducal estate Enderley . It holds so many horrible memories. His mother took him one night and they ran away to France to hid from the abuse they both suffered at the hands of the Old Duke. Nicks mother died when he is 16 and he travels back to London and becomes a very rich owner of Lyon's Gentlemen's Club.
Thomasina/Mina Thorne takes over her fathers job as Stewart of the Enderley Estate after his death. She has been made aware that there is a new Duke and is worried she will be sacked because she is a women.
Nick arrives at Enderley to find that his Stewart is a she and not a he. However they work together and he lets her keep her job. They start to become close and Nicks treats his tenants and staff with compassion and care. His initial intent had been to lease Enderley and sale of all the furnishings and paintings anything of value. Mina gradually changes his mind and Nick stays longer and longer. Him and Mina start to fall in love. But of course neither will admit it to one another.
The sex and the romance are Sorley Lacking in between this couple!!
If this review sounds boring its because the story was basically boring. Nick let Viscount Calvert who owed him money walk all over him and in the end he let him get away without paying the money back to the club. Another Viscount Lyle and his son Gregory also talked down to Nick who is a Duke. WTH?? Dukes were respected and revered. No low title like a Viscount would ever treat a Duke like Viscount Lyle and Calvert treated Nick. But was even worse they got away with it. Nick just Kowtowed and bowed down to them. I don't think the author understands how the aristocracy worked. A Duke is one of the highest titles in the land just under a Prince. Viscounts are at the bottom of the aristocracy. A viscounts children were Mr. and Miss they did not even carry the title of Lord and Lady. So why give them so much power over a Duke? A real Duke would have shut them down. Nick was just to passive and paid off these low titled people to get along with them. That did not work for me. He need to act more Alpha Male and Arrogant like a Duke towards these lowly titled men.
The other think that was not made clear to me is was Mina a virgin or did Gregory relieve her of her virginity? That part of the story was not clear. Gregory tells Nick that he was the first one to have her. But Mina said she stopped Gregory before it went to far. When Nick and Mina finally made love it was as generic as ice water and Nick didn't mention that Mina was a virgin.
The end of the story was not good at all. Nick decides to turn his Profitable Gentlemen's Club into a club for inventors. OK it takes a lot of time and money to invest in inventions. So I guess Nick and his partners plan on going broke. Because the way this epilog is written about investing in inventions is just all kinds of ways wrong. They could have keep the gentlemen's club for revenue and opened up and office to interview investors. That way there income could stay secure or turn the gentlemen's club into a Luxury Grand Hotel. I wouldn't want the author Ms. Carlyle to handle my money. I would be broke LOL!!
But overall it was an Okay read. But I won't be continuing with the series "Duke's Den" It doesn't feel like a Historical Romance to me.
February 11, 2024
***3.5***
Oh boy, I've procrastinated writing reviews (I've had no time) and now ... I'll try?
I cut my teeth on Regency romances and though this was a Victorian I was quite pleased with the 'back to basics' story:
An alienated/estranged son (we'll call him Nick) unexpectedly inherits a Dukedom whose finances have been squandered by an incompetent father and/or brother. He's a self-made man who wants nothing to do with the place that only holds bad memories. However once there he slowly changes his mind by spending time with those who live & work there and his female estate manager (Mina).
Everything was going swimmingly but the last 1/3 dragged with the heroine just waffling about whether she would or wouldn't marry the Duke and what really annoyed me .
What was sure to be a 4.00 or even a 4.5 became a 3.5 and that because of the very good audio by Karen Cass.
Oh boy, I've procrastinated writing reviews (I've had no time) and now ... I'll try?
I cut my teeth on Regency romances and though this was a Victorian I was quite pleased with the 'back to basics' story:
An alienated/estranged son (we'll call him Nick) unexpectedly inherits a Dukedom whose finances have been squandered by an incompetent father and/or brother. He's a self-made man who wants nothing to do with the place that only holds bad memories. However once there he slowly changes his mind by spending time with those who live & work there and his female estate manager (Mina).
Everything was going swimmingly but the last 1/3 dragged with the heroine just waffling about whether she would or wouldn't marry the Duke and what really annoyed me .
What was sure to be a 4.00 or even a 4.5 became a 3.5 and that because of the very good audio by Karen Cass.
February 23, 2021
Au début, j'ai eu un peu de mal à entrer dans l'histoire. L'alchimie entre les personnages principaux n'arrive que vers la moitié du roman. Cela dit, une fois que l'alchimie est là, elle ne s'en va pas ; elle est là plus forte que jamais.
Le passé de Nicholas se dévoile petit à petit. On comprend mieux de personnage, je me suis mise à l'aimer lorsque j'ai compris son histoire qui est tout sauf facile.
Le personnage féminin est adorable. Elle est très forte malgré le fait qu'elle soit une vieille fille et qu'à l'époque où se déroule l'intrigue, la place de la femme n'est pas au beau fixe.
L'histoire en elle-même est bien approfondie. Hormis la lenteur du début, le reste se déroule dans un bon rythme. Si certaines scènes sont drôles, d'autres sont tristes.
J'ai beaucoup aimé cette histoire au final, même si j'ai eu peur de ne pas aimer. Le vocabulaire est bien choisi du début à la fin, il correspond parfaitement à l'époque et aux situations.
Le passé de Nicholas se dévoile petit à petit. On comprend mieux de personnage, je me suis mise à l'aimer lorsque j'ai compris son histoire qui est tout sauf facile.
Le personnage féminin est adorable. Elle est très forte malgré le fait qu'elle soit une vieille fille et qu'à l'époque où se déroule l'intrigue, la place de la femme n'est pas au beau fixe.
L'histoire en elle-même est bien approfondie. Hormis la lenteur du début, le reste se déroule dans un bon rythme. Si certaines scènes sont drôles, d'autres sont tristes.
J'ai beaucoup aimé cette histoire au final, même si j'ai eu peur de ne pas aimer. Le vocabulaire est bien choisi du début à la fin, il correspond parfaitement à l'époque et aux situations.
December 9, 2018
I loved, loved this one! I was hooked from the beginning, this was a book I read quite easily and enjoyed a lot. This book oozed with sweet unbridled romance that made me frantically flip through the pages! I was blown away by the intensity of the romance. The characterization is excellent, I liked both the hero and the heroine, they are a perfect match and they share a deep emotional connection.
Nicholas Lyon, Duke of Tremayne, is a survivor. Everything he has, he has worked for. A victim of his father's cruelty, he has survived on the streets and is now the feared and respected owner of a gambling empire. He is a shrewd and ruthless man of business and he wants nothing to do with the ancestral Tremayne estate, Enderley Castle, a place he hates for good reason. He never wanted the title and the duties of the dukedom.
Mina Thorne is Enderley Castle’s steward. She hasn’t chosen her job, but she can’t give it up. She is dutiful, loyal and has no other prospects. Mina is an endearing heroine, witty, kindhearted, stubborn and brave.
What follows is a delicious slow-burn of a story in which Mina makes Nick believe in a happy future. She stands up to him, contradicts him and, most importantly, tells him the truth. She brings him around to seeing value in the estate and its people. The slow and beautiful transformation of Nick was truly breathtaking. Nick has a really good heart, but he doesn’t flaunt his goodness. Their romance leaves you with no doubt that these two were meant for each other. You're bound to fall for them, to root for them. The ending was perfect and left me with a smile on my face and in a happy place.
Christy Carlyle is a superb writer, blending humor, sensitivity and depth of emotion in a way that pulled me in completely. Her writing is crisp, clever and witty. If you are looking for a historical romance that will have you smiling, sighing and blushing throughout, then this book is a good choice! It is the first in a new series and I can’t wait for Nick’s friends’ story.
Nicholas Lyon, Duke of Tremayne, is a survivor. Everything he has, he has worked for. A victim of his father's cruelty, he has survived on the streets and is now the feared and respected owner of a gambling empire. He is a shrewd and ruthless man of business and he wants nothing to do with the ancestral Tremayne estate, Enderley Castle, a place he hates for good reason. He never wanted the title and the duties of the dukedom.
Mina Thorne is Enderley Castle’s steward. She hasn’t chosen her job, but she can’t give it up. She is dutiful, loyal and has no other prospects. Mina is an endearing heroine, witty, kindhearted, stubborn and brave.
What follows is a delicious slow-burn of a story in which Mina makes Nick believe in a happy future. She stands up to him, contradicts him and, most importantly, tells him the truth. She brings him around to seeing value in the estate and its people. The slow and beautiful transformation of Nick was truly breathtaking. Nick has a really good heart, but he doesn’t flaunt his goodness. Their romance leaves you with no doubt that these two were meant for each other. You're bound to fall for them, to root for them. The ending was perfect and left me with a smile on my face and in a happy place.
Christy Carlyle is a superb writer, blending humor, sensitivity and depth of emotion in a way that pulled me in completely. Her writing is crisp, clever and witty. If you are looking for a historical romance that will have you smiling, sighing and blushing throughout, then this book is a good choice! It is the first in a new series and I can’t wait for Nick’s friends’ story.
July 1, 2019
A Duke Changes Everything features a wonderful romance between a man who inherits a title he doesn’t want and the woman who handles the estate he’s trying to get rid of.
As a second son, Nicholas Lyon never imagined he would inherit his father’s title which was fine with him as the man was heartless. But when Nick’s brother dies, the title passes to Nick forcing him to take time away from his gentlemen’s club to settle the estate. His first order of business is so get rid of the Enderley estate and all of its’ inhabitants. But after Nick meets the estate’s steward, Thomasina Thorne, he finds his original plan put on hold as passion blooms between them.
Mina grew up on the Enderley estate and after her father passed away, she became steward of the estate. Mina loves Enderley and can’t imagine a life anywhere else which is why she’s devastated when she learns Nick’s plan. Determined to change his mind, Mina slowly whittles away at Nick’s resolve and I found myself admiring her tactics.
Nick has every reason to hate the Enderley estate as it was the source of all his nightmares as a child. At the estate, Nick was tormented by his cruel father and if he could find a way to tear it down brick by brick, he would. Everything Nick has in his life, he worked for and earned. His thriving gentleman’s club is his key accomplishment as it gives Nick back some of the control he didn’t have as a child.
Mina and Nick’s relationship starts out very adversarial as Nick is determined to get rid of Enderley and Mina is determined to change his mind. I loved the back and forth between the pair over the subject as they both had great points for their point of view. Nick was slow to tell Mina what his reasons were, but I liked that he did eventually open up to her. Their relationship starts out slowly which I liked as the pair had time to get to know one another. When their relationship does progress physically, it’s fantastically done with some very steamy scenes.
Overall I really enjoyed A Duke Changes Everything and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Anything But a Duke, soon.
As a second son, Nicholas Lyon never imagined he would inherit his father’s title which was fine with him as the man was heartless. But when Nick’s brother dies, the title passes to Nick forcing him to take time away from his gentlemen’s club to settle the estate. His first order of business is so get rid of the Enderley estate and all of its’ inhabitants. But after Nick meets the estate’s steward, Thomasina Thorne, he finds his original plan put on hold as passion blooms between them.
Mina grew up on the Enderley estate and after her father passed away, she became steward of the estate. Mina loves Enderley and can’t imagine a life anywhere else which is why she’s devastated when she learns Nick’s plan. Determined to change his mind, Mina slowly whittles away at Nick’s resolve and I found myself admiring her tactics.
Nick has every reason to hate the Enderley estate as it was the source of all his nightmares as a child. At the estate, Nick was tormented by his cruel father and if he could find a way to tear it down brick by brick, he would. Everything Nick has in his life, he worked for and earned. His thriving gentleman’s club is his key accomplishment as it gives Nick back some of the control he didn’t have as a child.
Mina and Nick’s relationship starts out very adversarial as Nick is determined to get rid of Enderley and Mina is determined to change his mind. I loved the back and forth between the pair over the subject as they both had great points for their point of view. Nick was slow to tell Mina what his reasons were, but I liked that he did eventually open up to her. Their relationship starts out slowly which I liked as the pair had time to get to know one another. When their relationship does progress physically, it’s fantastically done with some very steamy scenes.
Overall I really enjoyed A Duke Changes Everything and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Anything But a Duke, soon.
April 29, 2024
Estranged Duke falls in love with his estate steward
December 3, 2018
Poor Nick. He really hated his dad and the place he grew up. It was pretty obvious then when his dad was dead, and his brother was a wastrel that tadaa, Nick becomes Duke and hates it.
And I did like Nick. He did everything he could to make it on his own, with no help, not that he would have gotten it from a dad who hated him. I totally understood why he hated the place where he grew up, it is told early on.
Then there is Mina, whose father died and she took on the job as steward since the previous Duke did not care. And she loves her job, the castle and the people in it. She was tough and sweet. Hardworking and smart. But then comes a Duke who changes everything.
The book is about him wanting to get rid of the place and she trying to make him see the beauty. And obviously these two falling in love too. Then there is the usual you are a Duke, I am a nobody! Some wicked neighbors, and some idiots from his life in London. There are always people who tries to take you down.
I enjoyed this tale. I do love a Duke!
Narrator
I really liked her voice for him, it was well done. All other voices worked great too. She had a tone and followed along for the ride.
And I did like Nick. He did everything he could to make it on his own, with no help, not that he would have gotten it from a dad who hated him. I totally understood why he hated the place where he grew up, it is told early on.
Then there is Mina, whose father died and she took on the job as steward since the previous Duke did not care. And she loves her job, the castle and the people in it. She was tough and sweet. Hardworking and smart. But then comes a Duke who changes everything.
The book is about him wanting to get rid of the place and she trying to make him see the beauty. And obviously these two falling in love too. Then there is the usual you are a Duke, I am a nobody! Some wicked neighbors, and some idiots from his life in London. There are always people who tries to take you down.
I enjoyed this tale. I do love a Duke!
Narrator
I really liked her voice for him, it was well done. All other voices worked great too. She had a tone and followed along for the ride.
dnf
May 23, 2020I like this author's writing, but this premise just felt stale to me. There was absolutely NO REASON that the hero needed to be a duke. None. And owning a gambling hell? Well, that's been done before too.
I like this author so I thought I'd see how she spun it and the cover of this is GORGEOUS so I dove in. It just didn't work for me. This new duke is supposedly wealthy in his own right, but doesn't travel with anyone? And then the servants constantly "misplace" him? And the hero makes his bed? What?
It just read more like a country squire or something, not like a ducal property which is usually overwhelming in it's vastness.
It just didn't feel like it was cast correctly for the storyline and so my heart couldn't get into it. I may try another that doesn't have this nobility link and see if I can find it more believable for my taste.
I like this author so I thought I'd see how she spun it and the cover of this is GORGEOUS so I dove in. It just didn't work for me. This new duke is supposedly wealthy in his own right, but doesn't travel with anyone? And then the servants constantly "misplace" him? And the hero makes his bed? What?
It just read more like a country squire or something, not like a ducal property which is usually overwhelming in it's vastness.
It just didn't feel like it was cast correctly for the storyline and so my heart couldn't get into it. I may try another that doesn't have this nobility link and see if I can find it more believable for my taste.
June 4, 2024
3.5 stars
This was a pleasant read! I really liked Nickolas and Mina as characters and I liked the pacing of their romance. It didn't feel too quick like most regency books do. Also, Nickolas's internal conflict was explored in a way that added depth to his character rather than being a smokescreen for a disagreeable personality. Honestly, my favorite aspect of this book was his character arc.
The pacing was fine up until the last 30%; that's where the plot slowed down a bit and I found myself wishing things would just hurry along so I didn't lose interest. Thankfully the ending gave me what I needed! Character growth behbeh!
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the writing, and I'm interested to dive into the lives of the other Lyon brothers.
This was a pleasant read! I really liked Nickolas and Mina as characters and I liked the pacing of their romance. It didn't feel too quick like most regency books do. Also, Nickolas's internal conflict was explored in a way that added depth to his character rather than being a smokescreen for a disagreeable personality. Honestly, my favorite aspect of this book was his character arc.
The pacing was fine up until the last 30%; that's where the plot slowed down a bit and I found myself wishing things would just hurry along so I didn't lose interest. Thankfully the ending gave me what I needed! Character growth behbeh!
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the writing, and I'm interested to dive into the lives of the other Lyon brothers.
November 25, 2018
Life and love requires some tough decisions to be made. How do you choose between the things you want and the people you need? Nick and Mina find themselves caught in the the middle of their heart's desires and their life's ambition in A Duke Changes Everything. In a world full of people blessed with pretty things, sometimes it takes surviving the ugliest of circumstances to help make the right choice. Carlyle takes readers through the good, the bad and the painful to get to the meant to be.
July 6, 2020
This was my first time reading anything by Christy but now I know I’ll be picking up more of her books. Loved the characters and how they were with each other. A very nice romance to put some light in your life.
December 2, 2018
He was the moon and she was the waves.
After years of neglect and abuse, Nicholas Lyon vowed to never return to Enderley. But when his brother dies and he’s named the new duke of Tremayne, he’s forced to return to his childhood home. Nick still sees nightmares around every corner of the estate, and he’s determined to clean the place out and return to his gambling hall in London as soon as possible. But that’s before he meets Mina Thorne, the steward of Enderley. Mina believes that she can show Nick the beauty of Enderley, and she never expects he’ll inspire her to break free of the small corner of the world where she’s spent her whole life.
This was a lovely romance about two character who grow together and learn to let go of what they thought they wanted out of life. At the beginning of the book, Nick is hardened and angry. His scars (physical and emotional) run deep, and he wants to punish the world for the torments he suffered as a child. Meanwhile, Mina is filling her father’s shoes as a steward and struggling to keep the crumbling estate afloat. She cares deeply for the people who work alongside her, but she puts them and the estate first. She won’t even allow herself to dream of a future where she can follow her own path and dreams.
These two enchant and antagonize each other in the best of ways. I loved reading along as they fell harder and harder for each other, and I really appreciated the book’s focus on character growth for both leads. It felt genuine and well-earned by the end.
The one hiccup is that I was a little confused by the fact that nothing truly came of the angry lender from the opening chapter. He reappears and makes a threatening statement. I kept waiting for him to show up again and cause trouble with Mina, but nothing came of it. It felt like a dropped plot line.
I also personally wish we got a hint at where Aidan Iverson’s story will lead. I always like when romances give us a little clue as to where the next book’s romance will take us, but that’s just me and nothing that actually took away from how lovely this book was.
Overall, I really enjoyed the writing, characters, and storyline. I’ll definitely be checking out more books by Christy Carlyle in the future!
I do not regret the hope I held fast to. It anchored me. It always has. Hope does a soul good.
After years of neglect and abuse, Nicholas Lyon vowed to never return to Enderley. But when his brother dies and he’s named the new duke of Tremayne, he’s forced to return to his childhood home. Nick still sees nightmares around every corner of the estate, and he’s determined to clean the place out and return to his gambling hall in London as soon as possible. But that’s before he meets Mina Thorne, the steward of Enderley. Mina believes that she can show Nick the beauty of Enderley, and she never expects he’ll inspire her to break free of the small corner of the world where she’s spent her whole life.
This was a lovely romance about two character who grow together and learn to let go of what they thought they wanted out of life. At the beginning of the book, Nick is hardened and angry. His scars (physical and emotional) run deep, and he wants to punish the world for the torments he suffered as a child. Meanwhile, Mina is filling her father’s shoes as a steward and struggling to keep the crumbling estate afloat. She cares deeply for the people who work alongside her, but she puts them and the estate first. She won’t even allow herself to dream of a future where she can follow her own path and dreams.
These two enchant and antagonize each other in the best of ways. I loved reading along as they fell harder and harder for each other, and I really appreciated the book’s focus on character growth for both leads. It felt genuine and well-earned by the end.
The one hiccup is that I was a little confused by the fact that nothing truly came of the angry lender from the opening chapter. He reappears and makes a threatening statement. I kept waiting for him to show up again and cause trouble with Mina, but nothing came of it. It felt like a dropped plot line.
I also personally wish we got a hint at where Aidan Iverson’s story will lead. I always like when romances give us a little clue as to where the next book’s romance will take us, but that’s just me and nothing that actually took away from how lovely this book was.
Overall, I really enjoyed the writing, characters, and storyline. I’ll definitely be checking out more books by Christy Carlyle in the future!
I do not regret the hope I held fast to. It anchored me. It always has. Hope does a soul good.
December 29, 2019
Mina had a unique job as estate steward. Her job and organizational abilities aside though, what I loved about her was her impulsive, feisty attitude. She had an impish sense of humor that was such a contrast to her job position, and it was very amusing seeing her tame the Duke.
Nick was grumpy and broody-a good hero type for me to fall for, lol! I couldn't blame the guy for his deep seated dislike for his childhood home so his gradual change of heart was pretty impressive. Seeing Mina unintentionally wrap Nick around her finger was worth a few sleepless hours.
Overall, I enjoyed the story! The storyline didn’t drag and the romance was a nice, slow burn. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in since I didn’t even read the summary, so this turning out to be a pleasant read was very fun!
Nick was grumpy and broody-a good hero type for me to fall for, lol! I couldn't blame the guy for his deep seated dislike for his childhood home so his gradual change of heart was pretty impressive. Seeing Mina unintentionally wrap Nick around her finger was worth a few sleepless hours.
Overall, I enjoyed the story! The storyline didn’t drag and the romance was a nice, slow burn. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in since I didn’t even read the summary, so this turning out to be a pleasant read was very fun!
October 15, 2025
Nick is the hated 2nd son of the late duke and inherits the title after his brother's death. He has a lot of baggage. His father was abusive and scarred his face. Nick also had 2 different colored eyes. Nick was able to escape his father and is now a self-made man. Mina has always known Enderley (the estate) and village and took over as the estate steward when her father died.
Nick visits to set things in order to rent the place out (since he can't sell it). Enderley is in disrepair. Things change once he gets to know Mina and converse with her.
I found this easy to put down and pick up later. The writing was fine, the characters too. (This was a decent HR, but nothing really stood out).
Nick visits to set things in order to rent the place out (since he can't sell it). Enderley is in disrepair. Things change once he gets to know Mina and converse with her.
I found this easy to put down and pick up later. The writing was fine, the characters too. (This was a decent HR, but nothing really stood out).
January 23, 2019
I love this story, it was slow burn and a few mental problems and some history to overcome but still a great story. I loved that they did not fall into bed shortly after they met as many less talented authors tend to do to please those readers who can't seem to get enough sex no matter that that kind of thing was few and far between in this era. I am not a stickler for historical accuracy but I tend to dislike it when it is thrown out altogether, this felt more realistic. Besides, who can't love a Cinderella story :) This also sets up the start of what looks like an entertaining trilogy for his 2 associates
July 30, 2019
Nicholas Lyon is the second son of the Duke of Tremayne and the co-owner of Lyon's Gentlemen's Club, a gambling establishment. He escaped a horrific, abusive childhood at the hands of his father. Called a bastard by his father and a monster because of his scar and two different colored eyes, Nick doesn't trust easily and doesn't let others get close to him. He loves numbers and keeps the books for the club. When his brother dies, Nick becomes the new Duke of Tremayne, a title he dislikes and an estate he doesn't want.
Thomasina Thorne has grown up on the Duke of Tremayne's estate, Enderley, since she was a small child. She took over as steward to the estate when her father died two years ago. Mina loves Enderley and considers the staff her family. She and the staff wonder and worry whether the new duke will be like his father and brother, or will he do right by the estate and its people. Mina receives a missive informing her the Duke of Tremayne will arrive Friday, in three days.
Nick arrives early to Enderley. He sends one maid screaming and running because of his looks and eyes. He is use to this reaction. He locates the old butler and asks where the steward is? Told the steward is at the stables, Nick heads in that direction. What he finds is a woman clad in trousers up a tree cooning to a cat. He helps her and the cat down. Mina is shocked to see the new duke so early. When she informs him she is the steward, Nick is upset she lied to him. She said she didn't lie. That she signed the letters T. Thorne, her name. Nick accuses her of not letting him know she was female. Mina turns and walks toward the stables, hips swaying in her male attire. She says she will meet him in his study.
It was a delight to read about these characters. Nick is bitter and filled with pain. Mina is compassionate and loyal. It was great to watch the growth of Nick and Mina. The chemistry between the two was a slow burn with many sparkling moments. The plot is predictable. The description is just right. The pace was great. I read book two, Anything But a Duke, first. This did not detract from my enjoyment of this novel. Now to wait for book three, Nothing Compares to the Duke, expected publication date, May 2020.
Thomasina Thorne has grown up on the Duke of Tremayne's estate, Enderley, since she was a small child. She took over as steward to the estate when her father died two years ago. Mina loves Enderley and considers the staff her family. She and the staff wonder and worry whether the new duke will be like his father and brother, or will he do right by the estate and its people. Mina receives a missive informing her the Duke of Tremayne will arrive Friday, in three days.
Nick arrives early to Enderley. He sends one maid screaming and running because of his looks and eyes. He is use to this reaction. He locates the old butler and asks where the steward is? Told the steward is at the stables, Nick heads in that direction. What he finds is a woman clad in trousers up a tree cooning to a cat. He helps her and the cat down. Mina is shocked to see the new duke so early. When she informs him she is the steward, Nick is upset she lied to him. She said she didn't lie. That she signed the letters T. Thorne, her name. Nick accuses her of not letting him know she was female. Mina turns and walks toward the stables, hips swaying in her male attire. She says she will meet him in his study.
It was a delight to read about these characters. Nick is bitter and filled with pain. Mina is compassionate and loyal. It was great to watch the growth of Nick and Mina. The chemistry between the two was a slow burn with many sparkling moments. The plot is predictable. The description is just right. The pace was great. I read book two, Anything But a Duke, first. This did not detract from my enjoyment of this novel. Now to wait for book three, Nothing Compares to the Duke, expected publication date, May 2020.
November 29, 2018
Christy Carlyle is surprinsingly on the road to become one of my favorite HR author !
This book has a somehow classic premice but with an original execution ?
It is a character-driven story, our heros are somehow classic while being original ?
I know this does not make much sense...
It is like everything you have ever read, while being like nothing you have ever read...
Still not making any sense right...
Even if sometimes the storyline was not really realistic, I loved our two heros, I loved their dynamics, I would have loved following them in another book, I know that I will remember them even if among the dizzying amount of books I read, I can almost remember none.
The author loved her characters, she made me love them, what more could I ask for?
This book has a somehow classic premice but with an original execution ?
It is a character-driven story, our heros are somehow classic while being original ?
I know this does not make much sense...
It is like everything you have ever read, while being like nothing you have ever read...
Still not making any sense right...
Even if sometimes the storyline was not really realistic, I loved our two heros, I loved their dynamics, I would have loved following them in another book, I know that I will remember them even if among the dizzying amount of books I read, I can almost remember none.
The author loved her characters, she made me love them, what more could I ask for?
December 1, 2018
Between Nick uttering this intriguing line at the start, “There are advantages to being a monster.” and a trousers-clad Mina climbing a tree in order to rescue a cat, I had high hopes for the obviously Beauty and the Beast inspired A Duke Changes Everything. Sadly, all that potential quickly faded away and what I was left with instead was a slow paced bore of a plot that went nowhere and an equally muddled romance that came up short of what it could’ve been.
November 17, 2018
I really enjoyed this, my first read from Christy Carlyle. The hero, Nick, was just broody enough without being a jerk to Mina. Watching them fall in love was great. It was sweet and not angsty. I'm curious to see who wins the heart of Nick's friend, Huntley.
May 5, 2019
This was fine, standard disowned son regains the title due to the untimely death of older brother... The newly minted *duke meets a strong willed woman who puts him in his place. Yada yada yada.... And we all live happily ever after. The end.
November 30, 2018
Originally posted on Adria's Musings and Reviews
* A copy of this book was and provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for the purpose of an honest review. All conclusions are my own responsibility and I was not compensated for this review.
The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: Scarred and brooding Nicholas Lyon has built his enormous wealth all on his own merit, but when his cruel older brother dies he finds himself inheriting a title he doesn’t want. Eager to move on with his life he travels to Enderly estate with plans to sell as much of it as he can but instead he finds the estate is being managed by a woman, Thomasina Thorne and she doesn’t want to let go of her home or her job without a fight. As Mina and Nick spend more and more time together their battle of wills turns into something more and Nick’s resolve to be rid of his legacy starts to waver.
Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? A Duke Changes Everything is the first of a new series and it does a great job of introducing new characters and future characters without overwhelming a reader with too much information.
Author Christy Carlyle’s style of writing is easy to follow whether you’re a loyal fan or a new reader. Nick and Mina were likable characters on their own and I could identify with both on some level. Nick’s family history wasn’t pretty and I could completely understand why he wanted nothing to do with his family estate. But I could also see why his actions could be seen as selfish and a tad childish. Without the estate he’d still be rich and able to survive but the people who worked his estate wouldn’t be so lucky. I see Mina’s side of things too, she was considerate of the people who needed their jobs at the estate but she was also afraid of change. I enjoyed their clashes but what I really liked about these two is that they opened the other’s eyes and forced each other out of their respective comfort zones. Nick had to confront his past and Mina had to confront her fears. They balanced each other out quite nicely too. Mina never let Nick intimidate her and Nick never let Mina railroad him cause that lady had a strong personality I tell you.
I loved how quiet A Duke Changes Everything was. Most of the story took place in the country, away from the chaotic mess that was the city in those days. The focus was kept on Mina and Nick’s growing romance and while there was a cast of lively characters, they never took the attention away from the main couple and there weren’t any interfering balls or society events taking place to interrupt the connection between them either. It was nice to have a book take place away from all that, there’s a certain charm in a countryside setting that a city setting doesn’t have.
Click It or Skip It? Click It. Definitely a good start to a new series. A Duke Changes Everything has loads of charm in the form of two strong but completely likable characters. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
* A copy of this book was and provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for the purpose of an honest review. All conclusions are my own responsibility and I was not compensated for this review.
The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: Scarred and brooding Nicholas Lyon has built his enormous wealth all on his own merit, but when his cruel older brother dies he finds himself inheriting a title he doesn’t want. Eager to move on with his life he travels to Enderly estate with plans to sell as much of it as he can but instead he finds the estate is being managed by a woman, Thomasina Thorne and she doesn’t want to let go of her home or her job without a fight. As Mina and Nick spend more and more time together their battle of wills turns into something more and Nick’s resolve to be rid of his legacy starts to waver.
Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? A Duke Changes Everything is the first of a new series and it does a great job of introducing new characters and future characters without overwhelming a reader with too much information.
Author Christy Carlyle’s style of writing is easy to follow whether you’re a loyal fan or a new reader. Nick and Mina were likable characters on their own and I could identify with both on some level. Nick’s family history wasn’t pretty and I could completely understand why he wanted nothing to do with his family estate. But I could also see why his actions could be seen as selfish and a tad childish. Without the estate he’d still be rich and able to survive but the people who worked his estate wouldn’t be so lucky. I see Mina’s side of things too, she was considerate of the people who needed their jobs at the estate but she was also afraid of change. I enjoyed their clashes but what I really liked about these two is that they opened the other’s eyes and forced each other out of their respective comfort zones. Nick had to confront his past and Mina had to confront her fears. They balanced each other out quite nicely too. Mina never let Nick intimidate her and Nick never let Mina railroad him cause that lady had a strong personality I tell you.
I loved how quiet A Duke Changes Everything was. Most of the story took place in the country, away from the chaotic mess that was the city in those days. The focus was kept on Mina and Nick’s growing romance and while there was a cast of lively characters, they never took the attention away from the main couple and there weren’t any interfering balls or society events taking place to interrupt the connection between them either. It was nice to have a book take place away from all that, there’s a certain charm in a countryside setting that a city setting doesn’t have.
Click It or Skip It? Click It. Definitely a good start to a new series. A Duke Changes Everything has loads of charm in the form of two strong but completely likable characters. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
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