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Ways of Love #3

When a Duke Pursues a Lady

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An innocent woman. A loyal agent to the Crown. A path of deception that tests the bonds of love.

After three years trapped in an abusive and loveless marriage, Lyra Coventry has been arrested for the murder of her husband, the Earl of Weston. Although she's innocent of the crime, she has no one to turn to for help, until Alister Ayles, the Duke of Albright, comes forward to offer his aid. The handsome duke takes her into his custody, saving her from a jail cell. But Lyra doesn't suspect Alister's ulterior motive—to prove her guilty of treason—as she slowly loses her heart to a man who is far more than he seems...

Alister Ayles leads a secret life. To the ton, he is a dullard, the subject of ridicule. But as a highly respected agent for the Crown, he's discovered a higher purpose by protecting his country. Now he's faced with his toughest investigation to date, uncovering a plot against the Crown...and discovering whether or not Lyra, the woman he let slip through his fingers years ago, is a traitor. Nothing is as it seems, and as the plot unravels, the dangers to them increase. He struggles to keep his feelings for her contained, but when it comes down to a test of loyalty, will he stand strong, or fall prey to his desires?

357 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 10, 2018

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About the author

Tabetha Waite

97 books816 followers
Tabetha Waite is a small-town Missouri girl who grew up with big dreams of being a published author after her fourth-grade teacher said she liked reading her stories. She began her journey by putting pen to paper writing anything from fantasy to mystery, before graduating to an old Underwood typewriter. It wasn’t until she started high school that her grandmother introduced her to the classic, Gothic novels. As her love of romance grew to encompass Harlequins, it wasn’t until she read “Midnight Bride” by Kathleen Drymon that she developed a fascination for historical England. After discovering the allure of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, she was hooked!
It wasn’t until 30 years and 63 rejections later that her debut novel, “Why the Earl is After the Girl,” the first book in her Ways of Love series was picked up for publication by Etopia Press and released in July of 2016 to critical acclaim. Since then, she has become a hybrid author with books previously released with Soul Mate Publishing, WOLF Publishing, and Dragonblade, as well as transitioning into Indie. She has won several awards for her books and has been an Amazon bestseller.
When she’s not writing, Tabetha is reading as true bookworms do, or checking out any flea market, antique mall, or doll show she comes across.
You can find her on most any social media site and she encourages fans of her work to join her mailing list to learn more about upcoming novels or events.
www.authortabethawaite.wix.com/romance

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5 stars
54 (69%)
4 stars
16 (20%)
3 stars
4 (5%)
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3 (3%)
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1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Nicole.
1,003 reviews17 followers
January 19, 2023
I definitely have to say I love love love this series.. Each book is like unwrapping a Christmas gift. Its so good.

She needs to prove her innocence after her husband is found dead because she is the only suspect they have and no one is going to believe her simply because she's a woman along with other reasons for possibly wanting him dead. She never excepted for the duke she considered of marrying before her husband would be the one who believes she's innocent.

He loved her years ago but she wed another and he thought to never be in the same proximity of her but when he is assigned to her case by keeping an eye on her to see if she's not only guilty of murdering her husband but also another crime. He never excepted for those feelings to still be there after all these years.

After being in close proximity of each other not only do they feel desire for each other but they also start to love each as they start healing each other along the way.


I love a good mystery historical romance and this story has the angst the happily ever after and the who done it all packed in one story.

I highly recommend this story.

I received this a gift from the author in exchange for an review and these are purely my thoughts and no one else's.
Profile Image for Brenda.
3,629 reviews51 followers
March 28, 2019
An innocent woman.

After three years trapped in an abusive and loveless marriage, Lyra Coventry has been arrested for the murder of her husband, the Earl of Weston.

A loyal agent to the Crown.
Alister Ayles leads a secret life. To the ton, he is a dullard, the subject of ridicule. But as a highly respected agent for the Crown, he's discovered a higher purpose by protecting his country.

A path of deception that tests the bonds of love.

Now Alister is faced with his toughest investigation to date, uncovering a plot against the Crown...and discovering whether or not Lyra, the woman he let slip through his fingers years ago, is a traitor.

Nothing is as it seems, and as the plot unravels, the dangers to them increase.

My heart went out to Lyra with all she had previously and now was going through. In this case life just doesn't seem fair for this unlucky in love lady.
At the time she is arrested she has no idea why this is happening to her or if she has anyone she can turn to.

This well crafted story is not to be missed. I have read bits and pieces of this series to date because I was gifted with first chapters of this one and book #1. After reading them I bought book #1 and received a complimentary copy of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
I gave Lyra and Alister's story 4.5 of 5.0 stars for plot, story line and characterization. I want to read the entire series.
I am looking forward to the fifth and final book of this series later this year.
Profile Image for Lori D.
4,088 reviews131 followers
March 31, 2019
Prepare to be pulled into this amazing story from the first line as Lyra Coventry, Lady Weston, was led out of her townhome in irons and taken to the Tower of London to be locked in a cell. Wow that really hooked me right there! She was accused of murdering her husband, the Earl of Weston. Not that he did not deserve it, oh no, I would have done it myself if I had been her friend! He had treated her terribly, but Lyra was innocent but had nowhere to turn. Enter Alister Ayles, the Duke of Albright who has her released until her trial and takes her home.
Alister was not what he appeared (although I have to say his likeness on the cover is scrumptous!). Society saw him one way, but he hides his work with the Crown and is on a mission to find a traitor. Could he think Lyra was that person or that she and her deceased husband had worked together? These two had met years ago so they had a small past, but it seems Alistar had greatly admired her, but then she had married Weston!
Tabetha Waite is such a talented author with her wonderful narrative and descriptions that bring the story to life. Her words flow so smoothly that you can hear the characters talking and feel their emotions. Full of intrigue, subterfuge, suspense and everything you want in a historical romance! I love the mystery intertwined and it was done expertly!! Don't miss this story or the other two in this series. Although it can be read as a standalone, you really will want to read them all!!
Profile Image for Catherine Stein.
Author 28 books170 followers
March 27, 2019
Mix of romance and intrigue. Would have liked a little more clarification on why everyone thought Albright was an idiot, but maybe that's something that earlier books would have clarified? I also thought Lyra and Alister were a bit too quick to swing from wild attraction to being upset/angry at one another. The romance and intrigue were well-woven together. 2.5 stars
Profile Image for Rainelle.
2,258 reviews132 followers
December 2, 2020
When a Duke Pursues a Lady, by Tabetha Waite. What an absolute delight it was to read this lovely romance story. Tabetha Waite’s brilliant writing definitely shines in this book. She was able to pull me into her story from every aspect that a reviewer would take when reading a book. The details surrounding the action scenes were great.
I was able to imagine these scenes like a movie as they played out in my mind. Doing this helped the pace of the book move along quickly. Let’s not forget the suspense. There where scenes from the book that had me so drawn into what would be revealed next. I was saying to myself, “ I’m going to finish this book tonight”!
The mystery was truly great. The plot behind the mystery had me trying to figure out, who was the culprit. Every time I would say to myself, “oh yeah, it was definitely him”, but then in the next chapter, that person turns out to have only a small part to what happened. The drama was amazing. Lyra and Alister characters are not like other romantic characters that are written out there.
Their romance had some realistic hardships that they had to battle. Together, they took on those battles with all the resources that they had. Lyra didn’t go crying away in the wind. She was strong and fierce. She met her battles head on.
Clearly Alister didn’t need to worry about her as much. Alister’s character is like a charming prince, willing to lay down his life for the woman that he loves. The romance and steamy scenes are a plus. The passion that’s described between Alister and Lyra when their together, had me getting a little hot under the collar and not in the irritating way. I definitely like how the writer spoiled her readers by giving them more than one steamy love scene.
Those scenes were definitely a joy to read. I recommend this book with a, “dang Elise, you keep turning up like a bad penny”! Until next time my fellow readers... read on!



Profile Image for Katie.
2,260 reviews15 followers
April 26, 2018
When a Duke pursues a Lady
By Tabetha Waite
5 stars
Reviewed on behalf of 3 Degrees of Fiction Book Blog

I really truly loved this book! It was a perfect historical romance story with a touch of suspense. I was completely hooked from beginning to end. Although it is book 3 in this series I read it as a standalone and had no trouble keeping up, I do believe the characters are introduced in the previous books but this is their story. It is also the first book that I have read by this author and will not be the last – I definitely want to read the first two books in the series too! I thought that it was beautifully written and the characters were well thought out and developed. I loved Lyra and was desperate for her innocence to be proven and Alister, the Duke of Albright, I loved his complex character and trying to figure him out was exciting – I also couldn’t help but fall a little bit in love with him!! I loved all the twists and turns in this book and I really did love it. I would definitely recommend it to historical romance lovers!
Profile Image for Leslie OBrien.
757 reviews14 followers
April 30, 2018
If you read any of my other reviews, then you know that I LOVE period pieces. There’s something about an author giving her insight into a world that we can only read (or dream) about and Tabitha Waite does a remarkable job of doing just that.

Her world building was quite engaging and her characters were marvelous.

What we know: Having spent three years in a loveless marriage, things go from bad to worse when Lyra Coventry is taken from her home in chains and arrested for the murder of her husband, a man who regularly abused her. Alister Ayles, the Duke of Albright, and considered quite the dullard by the ton, is actually one of the Crown’s most respected agents.

What does that give us? An intriguing Regency romance with danger, conspiracies, murder, and a true test of loyalty (but to what or whom?).

Likes: As I pointed out, Ms. Waite’s world building and attention to detail is what kept me tapping those pages. Her character development and the attraction between Lyra and Alister, especially the witty banter, made for fun reading. Of course, we have the suspense behind those members of “the Cause”, all of which come together to make a wonderful read.

This review was originally posted by me on The Romance Reviews website.
Profile Image for Ms Cat's World.
997 reviews13 followers
February 18, 2018
The third book in the Ways of Love series brings together a widow (Lyra, the Viscount's sister) and a Duke (Alister, Duke of Albright) that were touched upon from the prior two in the series. Lyra is being deemed a murderess of her abusive husband and finds her voice, strength, and heart once Alister starts to save her.

Mystery, murder, and mayhem that paints the field for treason against the crown. This historical romance is riddled with as much, if not a bit more, twists and turns as we follow Lyra's and Alister's paths to right justice and find love. Some heat and romance, but I was really drawn into the stories strength. The old saying, "Never judge a book by its cover", is perfect for agent Alister and it was wonderful to follow him and Lyra as they transform into stronger characters. While the secondary characters are a plethora from book one and two, it brings into the fray new characters which, upon reading the epilogue, lead into a fourth in the series. Very thrilled to have received this novel as part of a book tour for the series and can't wait to see more from the author, Tabetha Waite.
Profile Image for Shayne.
562 reviews4 followers
March 2, 2018
My heart broke for Lyra in book two when we first witnessed the bruises her dastardly husband left on her. I rejoiced that he's dead but at the same time, upset that she's accused of his murder.

The Duke of Albright was met in book one and seemed relatively unintelligent. But oh how looks can be deceiving.

There's so much intrigue and suspense as well as love. The conclusion of the series, or what's currently the end of the series unless the author changes her mind, was as wonderfully written as the previous two.
Profile Image for DENISE I..
392 reviews4 followers
July 15, 2024
This one starts with a
bang‼️
It actually was set up in the prior books, but okay I love the intrigue!
Hero - Alister
Heroine - Lyra
I am enjoying the non traditional relationships between the couples - who are actually looking past the “ norm and prejudices of the time”.
This continues with Roark’s sister - and mother, who may have softened a bit in this one (still early….)
Profile Image for Carole Burant.
1,279 reviews38 followers
July 6, 2018
This is the first book I read by this author and all I can say is...it certainly won't be my last!! Loved the story, the characters, the mystery, the intrigue, the adventure, the romance, etc., everything you could ever want in a historical romance. Highly recommend this book! Now I can't wait to read the other 2 books in this series:)
Profile Image for Lilly.
411 reviews24 followers
May 20, 2018
“When a Duke Pursues a Lady” is a story full of twists and complications. The direction always changes (intentionally) and the reader is taken from following one path to the next. The action is simple, yet complex at the same time, so feeling bored and tired while reading is out of the question.

Lyra is a victim of 19th century perception of women. She has had to submit to a husband she never had feelings for, a horrible person whose death cannot cause anything else but relief. However, when accused of murder, she begins fighting for her innocence, all the while discovering the many layers her husband had. Alister’s conflictive feelings for his only love begin tormenting him as soon as he is charged with the task of finding out her involvement with an organization planning to overthrow the current leaders. Question is: will they be able to stick to their mission or will their feelings shift their objectives?

Now, I was mentioning the many layers of this book in the beginning of this review. We have treason inside a treason plan. We have characters that are not what they seem and what’s more, we have a murder that may not have happened as everybody tries to imply. I was reading until the end to find out who the killer was and my suspicions shifted many times throughout the book.

As much as I liked it, I decided to decrease one star from my rating because I would have liked more emphasis on Lyra’s development. She has had a very unhappy marriage that has left scares on her heart. I would have wanted to see more of how this has affected her.

All in all, I had a great experience reading Tabetha Waite’s book. Her writing is beautiful and her story is very complex. If you are a fan of Historical Romance, this book is definitely for you. The mystery aspect is well integrated in the plot and this gives an additional plus. Happy reading !
Profile Image for Lana Birky.
1,757 reviews25 followers
January 15, 2023
Lady Lyra Coventry, Lady Weston (now widow Weston) was arrested and thrown into the Tower of London for the murder of her husband. She felt no sadness, after her three-year, miserable marriage with her unfaithful husband that she was forced to marry for duty; however, no matter how she felt about him, she did not kill him. She is at a loss as to who can help to prove her innocence.

Alister Algernon, Duke of Albright, has always hated he did not ask to court Lyra years ago before she married, and now she has been arrested for murder. Society teases the duke, calling him the Duke of Not-So-Bright Albright but underneath his facade is the Home Office's number one field agent. He is going to get Lyra out of the Tower and prove her innocence for the murder and also for the Home Office's thinking she may be involved in a conspiracy against the Crown.

When Alister arranges the release of Lyra, he is suspicious, unsure of her connection or not with "The Cause", also not knowing for sure of her guilt in her husband's death. The mystery, investigations, danger, and the growing attraction between this couple is magnetic - I could not put the book down! Alister and Lyra are perfect for each other and the secondary characters in the book are wonderful. I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.
248 reviews2 followers
September 23, 2022
Alister Ayles, the Duke of Albright is thought of as a simpleton by the London Ton, but he is anything but.
Extremely good at his job working for the crown, he is strong, handsome with two adorable dimples that would make a young woman go weak at the knees, and that woman is Lyra Coventry.
Beautiful Lyra has not only been in a loveless and abusive marriage but has just been arrested for the murder of her late husband.
But all is not what it seems, dark forces plot to bring her down and the king's life is in danger. Can the handsome duke stay focused on keeping Lyra safe and find out who is trying to set her up, and can he achieve this without his heart being distracted by a woman he has yearned after for many years, only time will tell.
This story is written so beautifully by Tabetha Waite, and with all the familiar characters making appearances throughout this book, it all adds to the fun. Full of emotion, passion, empathy, with twists and turns in each chapter, you won't be able to put it down.
Tabetha certainly has a way with words and this one was my favourite so far.
I absolutely loved it!
766 reviews4 followers
April 8, 2019
Wow. So many twists and turns. Just when one situation is resolved, another pops up. And just when you think the story is over, bam - here comes another problem! Romance, mystery, and non-stop action.
1,174 reviews12 followers
February 21, 2023
Loved Alistair and Lyra's story, it was lovely to catch up with all the other characters from previous books in the series. Lyra is accused of murdering her husband, Alistair to all appearances is a dullard, but in reality he is a highly regarded agent of the Crown who believes that Lyra is innocent. Soon enforced company leads to attraction and possibly love. Can he prove her innocence before it's to late.
Profile Image for Aj.
2,546 reviews
January 6, 2025
An entertaining story, great mix of intrigue and romance. Alister and Lyra make a captivating pair, great chemistry and lots to unravel before they gain their happy ending.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews