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Sins for All Seasons #2
When a Duke Loves a Woman: A Sins for All Seasons Novel
Gillie Trewlove knows what a stranger's kindness can mean, having been abandoned on a doorstep as a baby and raised by the woman who found her there. So when suddenly faced with a soul in need at her door-or the alleyway by her tavern-Gillie doesn't hesitate. But he's no infant. He's a grievously injured, distractingly handsome gentleman who doesn't belong in Whitechapel, much less recuperating in Gillie's bed.Being left at the altar is humiliating; being rescued from thugs by a woman-albeit a brave and beautiful one-is the piece de resistance to the Duke of Thornley's extraordinarily bad day. After nursing him back from the brink, Gillie agrees to help him comb London's darker corners for his wayward bride. But every moment together is edged with desire and has Thorne rethinking his choice of wife. Yet Gillie knows the aristocracy would never accept a duchess born in sin. Thorne, however, is determined to prove to her that no obstacle is insurmountable when a duke loves a woman.
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First published August 21, 2018
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About the author
Lorraine Heath
90 books4,376 followersAlso writes Young Adult under Rachel Hawthorne, Jade Parker, and with her son as J.A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
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August 28, 2018
When a Duke loves a Woman by Lorraine Heath is a 2018 Avon publication.
A collision of two people worlds apart from each other leads to true love- but will there be a happily ever after?
When the Duke of Thornley is jilted at the altar, his pride is hurt more than his heart. But, he’s determined to find his fiancé, which leads him to a questionable area no duke would ordinarily wander into. He is attacked by thugs and left to die, and probably would have, if not for Gillie Trewlove.
Gillie was raised, along with her four ‘brothers’ by a woman who kindly took in unwanted children, often ‘by-blows’ of noble heritage. Now Gillie is paying it forward by nursing Thorne back to health.
But, Thorne takes a liking to his unconventional nurse and so once he makes it safely back home, he invents a reason to contact Gillie again. It would seem his errant fiancé was spotted in White Chapel and he enlists Gillie to help him locate her.
Naturally, the more time he spends with Gillie, the stronger his attraction to her becomes, as does his respect for her. Even if a duke could marry outside his class, Gillie is too independent to give up her business, which if she married would immediately become Thorne’s property. So, what’s a duke to do?
I love Lorraine Heath. I especially loved her western historical romances, which were some of her finest stories. However, Heath has written some fantastic Victorian/Regency period romances and is one of the best historical romance authors out there. Unfortunately, this one is not the best example of that.
For me this story was flat. The chemistry between Thorne and Gillie is tepid, at best, and their dialogue felt forced and contrived. But, after having made a loud proclamation about lightening on plausibility and realistic plots, this one really was entirely too far -fetched, with a conclusion that really did insult my intelligence. I just couldn’t suspend belief that far. The book does have some cute and funny moments and is not without charm. However, those moments couldn’t make up for everything else that was lacking in this one.
2 stars
A collision of two people worlds apart from each other leads to true love- but will there be a happily ever after?
When the Duke of Thornley is jilted at the altar, his pride is hurt more than his heart. But, he’s determined to find his fiancé, which leads him to a questionable area no duke would ordinarily wander into. He is attacked by thugs and left to die, and probably would have, if not for Gillie Trewlove.
Gillie was raised, along with her four ‘brothers’ by a woman who kindly took in unwanted children, often ‘by-blows’ of noble heritage. Now Gillie is paying it forward by nursing Thorne back to health.
But, Thorne takes a liking to his unconventional nurse and so once he makes it safely back home, he invents a reason to contact Gillie again. It would seem his errant fiancé was spotted in White Chapel and he enlists Gillie to help him locate her.
Naturally, the more time he spends with Gillie, the stronger his attraction to her becomes, as does his respect for her. Even if a duke could marry outside his class, Gillie is too independent to give up her business, which if she married would immediately become Thorne’s property. So, what’s a duke to do?
I love Lorraine Heath. I especially loved her western historical romances, which were some of her finest stories. However, Heath has written some fantastic Victorian/Regency period romances and is one of the best historical romance authors out there. Unfortunately, this one is not the best example of that.
For me this story was flat. The chemistry between Thorne and Gillie is tepid, at best, and their dialogue felt forced and contrived. But, after having made a loud proclamation about lightening on plausibility and realistic plots, this one really was entirely too far -fetched, with a conclusion that really did insult my intelligence. I just couldn’t suspend belief that far. The book does have some cute and funny moments and is not without charm. However, those moments couldn’t make up for everything else that was lacking in this one.
2 stars
August 26, 2018
READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG
Lorraine Heath has been an auto-read for me for years now. I adore the poetry in her words, her wonderful, swoon-worthy heroes and her beautiful, strong heroines. She has never, NEVER let me down. I love how she pulls my heart strings with every single one of her books. I've been a fan-girling over her books forever and it's so satisfying to see that new readers discover her artistry.
In WHEN A DUKE LOVES A WOMAN we meet Thorne when he is being assaulted and robbed by thugs. His savior comes in the form of a lovely tavern owner. Gillie takes the gravely injured man to her home and nurses him back to life. Nobody can't know that there is a man in her apartment - her brothers would force her to marry the man and that's the one thing she doesn't want: marriage. That the gorgeous man is a duke and would never marry below his station doesn't even matter. Marriage would mean handing over ownership of her tavern to her husband and that just can't happen.
Isn't it refreshing? A heroine so content with herself that she doesn't need a man to make her happy? Gillie was everything I love in women. Independent, brave, kind, smart, sweet, strong yet gentle. She's sunshine, love and wisdom and backbone. I loved her dreamy side, the one that had her collecting unicorns and mermaids and naming her tavern after those fabled creatures.
There was an innocence to her that belied her rough upbringing. Yet at the same time there was a worldliness to her that indicated she had a far deeper understanding of human nature than he.
Being born on the wrong side of the blanket she doesn't want to make the same mistakes as her parents who she never met but that comes with a little bit of loneliness that definitely tugged at my heart. The attraction she feels for the duke becomes stronger with every minute she spends in his presence so it's only a matter of time until she gives in.
Gillie never had a chance resisting Thorne. He had an open personality that admired Gillie's independence rather than cursed it. He loved that she was so different from every other woman he knew. He was warm, sweet and for a man who'd never known love he gave a lot of it.
This woman had every right to complain about her life, the harshness of it. Instead she met it head-on and worked hard to make it better for herself.
I admired him for realizing his mistake in not getting to know the woman who he was supposed to marry, that he did both of them a disservice by just accepting his fate. Thorne is responsible, aware of is station and the promises he makes. He is fascinated by Gillie's spirit and kindness, her love for the people in Whitechapel, the way she shows kindness and it was so easy to see why they would fall in love with one another. Despite their difference in social standing they were inevitable.
Still she felt like a mermaid following a unicorn into the woods, all the while knowing that at some point, she would have to return to the sea.
Gillie's colorful brothers give this story even more depth and I expect that I will fall in love with them just as easily as I did with Gillie and Mick. I have my eyes on Beast in particular. He is one of those deep waters that you need to prod and dive into to reveal its secrets. Having said that I'm looking forward to finding out about all of them. Next up is The Scoundrel in her Bed - Finn's story who will meet his match in Lavinia, Thorne's former fiancee. This sounds already quite angsty and I'm really excited for it!
While I found the first half of When a Duke Loves a Woman a little on the slower side I did enjoy it as a whole. Again Ms Heath touches me with her story. Her ability to make me fall in love with her characters is the reason why she will remain one of my favorites in Historical Romance.
July 17, 2018
Title: When a Duke Loves a Woman
Series: Sins for All Seasons #2
Author: Lorraine Heath
Release date: August 21, 2018
Cliffhanger: No
HEA
He’d kissed women before, lots of women, all sorts of women, but it had never felt as though any of them had reached deep within him and caressed his soul.
I was so excited to start the second installment in the Sins for all Seasons series after reading and loving the first book, Beyond Scandal and Desire. This is the story of Gillie, one of six illegitimate siblings who were raised by Ettie Trewlove. Besides the youngest, Fancy, they were all aristocratic children born on the wrong side of the blanket and discarded on her doorstep. Despite society's unfair prejudice against them, they have all grown to be a tight-knit family who are reasonably well adjusted and successful in their own right.
Gillie was a fascinating heroine who unlike most other women of her time wants nothing to do with love and marriage. She's completely independent, and focused on making The Mermaid and Unicorn tavern in Whitechapel a success. If she were to marry, the business she built with her blood, sweat, and tears would be handed over to her husband. How could she possibly desire such a thing? No, she was just fine living by her rules, since the rules and opinions of society had never been in her favor anyway.
It hurt too much to care. She knew her limits, knew her path. It didn’t involve marriage, children, or love.
On top of that, she was taught growing up to guard herself from men and be wary of their intentions. Dressing in men's clothes, cutting her hair short, and binding her breasts, she learned to make herself blend into the background and avoid drawing attention to herself. Too many women had fallen prey to their passion, and she had no desire to repeat past mistakes and create a child who would be ostracized by polite society like her family had been.
Another thing I loved about her was her unpredictability. She was a study in contradictions. Growing up in the seedy side of town, saw things in her tavern that ladies couldn't even imagine, and because of that understands human nature at a deeper level than most ladies. At the same time, she's utterly inexperienced with men, to the point where she fears allowing anyone to get close. She knows the mechanics and facts of sex, but she's never even been kissed at almost thirty years old. She wouldn't think twice about throwing a punch in a bar brawl to break it up, or bluntly speaking her mind, but her tough exterior hides a woman who has no faith in her own desirability and confidence in her worth.
For all her boldness, there was still a part of her that believed she deserved being left on a doorstep; buried deep within her was a little girl who wanted to believe she was a princess. He intended to treat her as though she were a queen.
Then there's her whimsical side verses her practical side. She daydreamed as a child that she was a princess, and loves mermaids and unicorns. Yet, in her life, her head has always ruled over her heart. Gillie is a true three dimensional character who's strong, yet just vulnerable enough to capture readers' hearts.
The book begins with a twist on the classic hero rescues the heroine trope which I really enjoyed. In this case, Thorne has been set upon by thugs, and could have lost his life if not for Gillie's quick intervention. After dragging him up to her apartment, she spends time caring for him and fighting some very unfamiliar feelings of attraction. Thorne goes in and out of consciousness, but even in his weakened state, he's drawn to her just as much. I found his insta-lust/attraction to be a little on the unbelievable side to be honest.
First of all, he was in her neighborhood searching for his bride who left him at the altar. Secondly, he's had a massive amount of blood loss and life threatening injuries. I couldn't help but feel that it was far-fetched for him to be mooning over another woman, and even responding physically in those circumstances as he was laying in bed so weak. I had a hard time connecting to them as a couple in the first half of the book partly because of feeling like their attraction was so abrupt and rushed.
The whole period where they spent time getting to know one another was in the search for his missing bride. As she assisted him through her neighborhood, there was a LOT of internal dialogue on his part where he compared her to Lavinia. Even though it was always in favor of Gillie, after a point it started to grate on my nerves. Yes, it helped to establish that he had no feelings of love for Lavinia, and that he was sadly lacking knowledge about her, but it didn't endear me to Gillie and Thorne's romance.
Thorne was an easy hero to love, and refreshing in that he wasn't your typical brooding or alpha type. He was much more open and warm, and from the very beginning, he admired Gillie's independence and differences. And though he was a Duke (and a cousin to the Queen herself!) he never looked down his nose at her, or anyone else in the working class. In fact, he admires them, and even rolled up his sleeves to help work in the tavern when she's shorthanded.
The greatest roadblock for Thorne was understanding and identifying the love he had for Gillie. Growing up with such cold parents, he has never been exposed to true romantic love. His father was a philanderer, and his mother was vicious and bitter because of it. There was never any parental affection doted on him from either of them, only expectations of his responsibility as the future Duke.
When he came to realize his growing feelings for the woman he admired so deeply, he didn't hesitate to try to introduce her to his world. Gillie was sure that like the Unicorn and Mermaid, they were destined to live in different worlds never to cross, but he was determined to convince her otherwise. She was strong, intelligent, and the bravest woman he ever met. All he had to do was convince her that she was the perfect candidate to step into the roll of duchess without having to let go of her dreams. The second half really picked up for me, and I was really invested in them finding a way to come together despite his mother and snobby society's expectations.
Though I didn't love this one quite as much as the first book, I still thoroughly enjoyed seeing these two find their way to each other. Thorne was a man who didn't know how to love, and Gillie didn't want to fall in love. However, they grew, changed, and by the end, understood themselves and one another better than they ever had before.
I'm so looking forward to reading Finn and Lavinia's story, The Scoundrel in Her Bed . Lavinia really intrigued me in this book, so I was excited to see that she would be paired with Gillie's brother Finn! I'll be counting down the days until February.
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August 20, 2018
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So I'm not really a fan of Historical Romances and I've only read a handful of them in the past. But when I got this book from the publisher and read the blurb I was instantly curious. The heroine sounded like a strong one and I always love reading about women who can take control of their own lives instead of waiting around for a man to do it, so I decided to jump into this one. And it is the second book from the Sins for All Seasons series but I didn't have a problem reading it before the previous one.
I really enjoyed getting to learn more about Gillie and she was really different from what I usually think of for heroines in HR books. She wasn't worried about marriage or finding a perfect man, and instead she took care of herself and did it pretty damn well. I thought she was a great switch on the usual damsel in distress, where she wasn't the one in distress, she was the one doing the rescuing. Whether Historical or Contemporary, I love that strength in my heroines.
Thorne was also an interesting character to read about. He didn't have any type of snobbish attitude towards the lower class, and I was glad he didn't have that personality that I was honestly expecting.I did get slightly frustrated at the constant comparing he did between Gillie and his ex-bride-to-be but it wasn't something that had me hating him.
Overall, I can't say I'll be rushing out to read Historical books in the future but I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author and series to read more of.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
So I'm not really a fan of Historical Romances and I've only read a handful of them in the past. But when I got this book from the publisher and read the blurb I was instantly curious. The heroine sounded like a strong one and I always love reading about women who can take control of their own lives instead of waiting around for a man to do it, so I decided to jump into this one. And it is the second book from the Sins for All Seasons series but I didn't have a problem reading it before the previous one.
I really enjoyed getting to learn more about Gillie and she was really different from what I usually think of for heroines in HR books. She wasn't worried about marriage or finding a perfect man, and instead she took care of herself and did it pretty damn well. I thought she was a great switch on the usual damsel in distress, where she wasn't the one in distress, she was the one doing the rescuing. Whether Historical or Contemporary, I love that strength in my heroines.
Thorne was also an interesting character to read about. He didn't have any type of snobbish attitude towards the lower class, and I was glad he didn't have that personality that I was honestly expecting.I did get slightly frustrated at the constant comparing he did between Gillie and his ex-bride-to-be but it wasn't something that had me hating him.
Overall, I can't say I'll be rushing out to read Historical books in the future but I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author and series to read more of.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2021
Honestly this series is not impressing me and this one was VERY slow burn to the point that l didn't feel the chemistry between the characters.
August 12, 2018
Series: Sins for All Seasons #2
Publication Date: 8/21/18
3.75 Stars
The Sins for All Seasons series tells the stories of six ‘siblings’ raised by Ettie Trewlove in the rookeries of London. These were all abandoned children left on her doorstep, poor illegitimate babies, and she took them all in and loved them. Though the children are not related by blood, they are raised as siblings and they all share a love of their Mum, Ettie Trewlove. I have not read the first book in the series, but I don’t feel that detracted from this book. The book is well written and well plotted, but it is highly improbable, so leave all you know about the social norms of this time period in the closet before you begin to read.
Gillian ‘Gillie’ Trewlove was left on Ettie Trewlove’s doorstep when she was only hours old. There were no clues about her or her parents. Ettie already had four boys to raise, but couldn’t help but love the sweet little baby girl dropped on her doorstep. Ettie was careful to raise Gillie so that she understood what could happen to a young girl in the rookeries. She dressed her as a boy and she taught her to stand up for herself and to defend herself. Those lessons served Gillie well as she matured and came to own her own tavern in Whitechapel. Everybody loved Gillie who is a strong, self-confident, generous, caring woman who gives back to the community with food and care. I enjoyed Gillie and it was nice to see her come to embrace her femininity.
Anthony Coventry, the ninth Duke of Thornley is thirty-six years old and became a duke at the age of fifteen. His parents were stiff, cold and unloving – so how would he ever recognize love if he saw it? At the urging of his best friend and to fulfill a deathbed promise he made to his father, he had finally agreed to marry the woman everyone had planned for him to marry. Then, she left him standing at the altar. Thorne is a very honorable man and he is very, very embarrassed by what happened. He has to find Lavinia – just to assure she is alright and to find out why she felt that she needed to run rather than just talk to him. Boy, was that a mistake. She had fled to Whitechapel and after getting totally foxed, he headed after her. Now, he is lying in a filthy alleyway in Whitechapel with his life’s blood flowing out of him from at least three stab wounds. He knows he is about to die – then, he hears the voice of an angel.
I loved both Gillie and Thorne and I believe that they could and did love each other. I just find it very hard to believe that a duke – even today – would defy everything in his social class and marry an illegitimate tavern owner from the rookeries. Then, to expect that it would all be forgotten socially just because he was a duke and his mother could influence opinions. No – I enjoyed the story, but it was definitely not believable. Cinderella was more believable since she was actually the daughter of a nobleman.
Also, I had a puzzled frown on my face whenever Thorne’s age was mentioned. It didn’t take anything away from the story – just something about it puzzled me. It didn’t bother me enough to plow back through the book to figure it all out, but – the book plainly states that he is thirty-six. At one point it mentions that he inherited the dukedom when he was fifteen. At another point, there is a conversation with his mother (speaking about his father) when he says “It’s been nearly a dozen years since his passing.” If you add those – he’d be twenty-six and not thirty-six.
I enjoyed the read, but I did find myself skimming parts of it as it seemed a little slow. The characters were lovable and I liked them all – especially Robin and Gillie’s brothers.
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: 8/21/18
3.75 Stars
The Sins for All Seasons series tells the stories of six ‘siblings’ raised by Ettie Trewlove in the rookeries of London. These were all abandoned children left on her doorstep, poor illegitimate babies, and she took them all in and loved them. Though the children are not related by blood, they are raised as siblings and they all share a love of their Mum, Ettie Trewlove. I have not read the first book in the series, but I don’t feel that detracted from this book. The book is well written and well plotted, but it is highly improbable, so leave all you know about the social norms of this time period in the closet before you begin to read.
Gillian ‘Gillie’ Trewlove was left on Ettie Trewlove’s doorstep when she was only hours old. There were no clues about her or her parents. Ettie already had four boys to raise, but couldn’t help but love the sweet little baby girl dropped on her doorstep. Ettie was careful to raise Gillie so that she understood what could happen to a young girl in the rookeries. She dressed her as a boy and she taught her to stand up for herself and to defend herself. Those lessons served Gillie well as she matured and came to own her own tavern in Whitechapel. Everybody loved Gillie who is a strong, self-confident, generous, caring woman who gives back to the community with food and care. I enjoyed Gillie and it was nice to see her come to embrace her femininity.
Anthony Coventry, the ninth Duke of Thornley is thirty-six years old and became a duke at the age of fifteen. His parents were stiff, cold and unloving – so how would he ever recognize love if he saw it? At the urging of his best friend and to fulfill a deathbed promise he made to his father, he had finally agreed to marry the woman everyone had planned for him to marry. Then, she left him standing at the altar. Thorne is a very honorable man and he is very, very embarrassed by what happened. He has to find Lavinia – just to assure she is alright and to find out why she felt that she needed to run rather than just talk to him. Boy, was that a mistake. She had fled to Whitechapel and after getting totally foxed, he headed after her. Now, he is lying in a filthy alleyway in Whitechapel with his life’s blood flowing out of him from at least three stab wounds. He knows he is about to die – then, he hears the voice of an angel.
I loved both Gillie and Thorne and I believe that they could and did love each other. I just find it very hard to believe that a duke – even today – would defy everything in his social class and marry an illegitimate tavern owner from the rookeries. Then, to expect that it would all be forgotten socially just because he was a duke and his mother could influence opinions. No – I enjoyed the story, but it was definitely not believable. Cinderella was more believable since she was actually the daughter of a nobleman.
Also, I had a puzzled frown on my face whenever Thorne’s age was mentioned. It didn’t take anything away from the story – just something about it puzzled me. It didn’t bother me enough to plow back through the book to figure it all out, but – the book plainly states that he is thirty-six. At one point it mentions that he inherited the dukedom when he was fifteen. At another point, there is a conversation with his mother (speaking about his father) when he says “It’s been nearly a dozen years since his passing.” If you add those – he’d be twenty-six and not thirty-six.
I enjoyed the read, but I did find myself skimming parts of it as it seemed a little slow. The characters were lovable and I liked them all – especially Robin and Gillie’s brothers.
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."
September 17, 2022
Ugh that ending 🥲
The class difference got a bit tiring but just as I was rolling my eyes it all worked out so there’s not much to complain about! The ending was adorable and I really loved their relationship. He called her princess which is my catnip and he wore glasses.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
The class difference got a bit tiring but just as I was rolling my eyes it all worked out so there’s not much to complain about! The ending was adorable and I really loved their relationship. He called her princess which is my catnip and he wore glasses.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
November 8, 2018
Gillie Trewlove is the tomboy sister of four bastards raised in poverty in London. When she rescues Antony, Duke of Thornley, from a mugging/stabbing, she feels literal TINGLES because he's GORGEOUS. He, too, feels tingles even though he's a DUKE like OMG. They eventually bone. ROLL CREDITS.
1. YIKES.
2. The first chapters cast Gillie as the focused, driven tavern owner who keeps her head down. QUOTE: "[...] her absence never lasted longer than a couple of hours because she'd never had anything better to do or anything she cared about more than her tavern." (12.4%)
EXCEPT LITERAL HOURS AFTER RESCUING THORNE FROM NEAR DEATH, WHEN HE'S UNCONSCIOUS IN HER BED, SHE DOES A COMPLETE 180: "She could hear some of revelry from belowstairs. Strange how it didn't call to her, how she was able to ignore it. [...] For the first time in her life, something seemed more important than pouring ale." (14.2%)
SO THAT'S A THING.
3. Add to that the 'rioting' in Gillie's drawers and you'd think the lady had a full militia betwixt her thighs. IDK: it's A LOT.
4. I will commend Heath for not dragging Gillie's bio family out of the shadows to reconcile the story, so!
5. Overall, though, this was rather dull and flat. Gillie was interesting but all her interesting facets were immediately overwritten by lust and then by ""love"". Thorne was a template, boring hero. And what kept them apart felt foolish and manufactured.
(I sincerely think I am done with current publications of Heath: this was my last outstanding reservation from a "upcoming releases" bulk hold I did a few months back. I may revisit Heath's back-list, but I have been underwhelmed with her last 6+ books.)
1. YIKES.
2. The first chapters cast Gillie as the focused, driven tavern owner who keeps her head down. QUOTE: "[...] her absence never lasted longer than a couple of hours because she'd never had anything better to do or anything she cared about more than her tavern." (12.4%)
EXCEPT LITERAL HOURS AFTER RESCUING THORNE FROM NEAR DEATH, WHEN HE'S UNCONSCIOUS IN HER BED, SHE DOES A COMPLETE 180: "She could hear some of revelry from belowstairs. Strange how it didn't call to her, how she was able to ignore it. [...] For the first time in her life, something seemed more important than pouring ale." (14.2%)
SO THAT'S A THING.
3. Add to that the 'rioting' in Gillie's drawers and you'd think the lady had a full militia betwixt her thighs. IDK: it's A LOT.
4. I will commend Heath for not dragging Gillie's bio family out of the shadows to reconcile the story, so!
5. Overall, though, this was rather dull and flat. Gillie was interesting but all her interesting facets were immediately overwritten by lust and then by ""love"". Thorne was a template, boring hero. And what kept them apart felt foolish and manufactured.
(I sincerely think I am done with current publications of Heath: this was my last outstanding reservation from a "upcoming releases" bulk hold I did a few months back. I may revisit Heath's back-list, but I have been underwhelmed with her last 6+ books.)
July 18, 2022
Hands down my favorite of the series.
June 30, 2024
Review from 2018
I've given this an A for narration and a B- for content at AudioGals
The first two books in the author’s Sins for All Seasons series – Beyond Scandal and Desire and When a Duke Loves a Woman – have been released simultaneously as audiobooks, and as I read and reviewed the first book earlier this year, I opted to review the second in audio. It’s a low-angst, low-conflict Cinderella story which is well written, boasts a couple of engaging central characters and a romance that feels very mature – but ultimately, it lacks the emotional punch I’ve found in other books I’ve read by this author, and I came away from it feeling a little disappointed.
Antony Coventry, Duke of Thornley, is some way into his cups when he decides to make his way to Whitechapel, the last known destination of the woman who jilted him at the altar that morning. While there, Thornley – Thorne – falls foul of a bunch of footpads who rob him and beat him quite badly. He just about recalls hearing a low, melodious voice yelling at the men to leave him alone and moves in and out of consciousness as his rescuer, gets him to her flat, has the doctor called, and then takes care of him until he is well enough to be able to return home.
Gillie Trewlove is one of five ‘siblings’ who aren’t related by blood but regard themselves as such owing to the fact that they were all taken in as babies and brought up by the big-hearted Ettie Trewlove. They have gone on to make something of themselves through dint of their own hard work; one brother – Mick (hero of Beyond Scandal and Desire)- is an incredibly wealthy businessman, while another owns a thriving gambling establishment, and Gillie is the proud owner of the Mermaid and Unicorn Tavern in Whitechapel. She’s clever, compassionate, hard-working, fair – and the lynch-pin of the local community, generous and always ready to offer help to those in need.
Over the next few days, Gillie watches over Thorne and, to the surprise of her staff, doesn’t set foot in the tavern for a day or so, which is unprecedented. But there’s no-one else to care for him; the last thing she needs is for her brothers to discover there’s a man in her bed – even a seriously injured one – because then they’ll try to force him to marry her, and Gillie is certainly not going to hand over control of the business she’s worked so hard to build to a husband.
After a few days, Thorne is well enough to travel, and with a reluctance she hadn’t expected and doesn’t want to feel, Gillie arranges for him to be taken home. She still has no idea of his identity, although it’s clear he’s a gentleman of means, and she doesn’t expect to see him ever again. But this is a romance novel, so readers and listeners know better and won’t be at all surprised to learn that Thorne makes his way to the tavern a few days later in order to properly thank Gillie for taking care of him.
This is the first of many visits to the Mermaid and Unicorn. Thorne tells Gillie about his aborted wedding, and explains he is concerned about his former betrothed. He asks for Gillie’s help tracking her down; he just wants to make sure she is well and to try to persuade her to return home. Soon, however, Thorne is visiting the tavern for Gillie’s sake alone; he finds her very attractive, and is drawn to her strength, her compassion and her very down-to-earth way of looking at things. Those are the qualities I most admired about Gillie as well; she’s sensible, kind and confident – she knows who she is, likes who she is and isn’t about to apologise for it or change for anybody. Thorne is a similarly attractive character although he’s a bit more stereotypical, the product of a miserable marriage (his father was a serial adulterer who died of syphilis) and thus not sure he’s ever felt – or is capable of feeling – love. As I said earlier, the romance has a refreshing maturity about it; Thorne and Gillie are a slightly older couple (she’s thirty, he’s thirty-six – although there’s a mistake in the text indicating he’s ten years younger than that), which shows in their outlook and attitude to life, and I appreciated that very much. BUT – it’s also on the tepid side and I wasn’t feeling a great deal of chemistry between them.
This is a character-driven story and the pacing reflects that, but it takes a while to get going, as after Thorne’s beating, we’re presented with several chapters which seem to consist mostly of Gillie’s mental lusting over his gorgeous physique and handsome features. Considering we’re told (extensively) that she’s never felt sexual attraction before (and in fact, has deliberately avoided it), I suppose it’s understandable that she would go a bit ga-ga over him, but still, it got old quickly. And I can’t NOT point out that if you look for a degree of historical accuracy in your historical romances, you won’t find much of it here; this is a fairy tale at heart and that’s fine – the Cinderella trope is popular for a reason and I enjoy it when it’s done well. But asking me to believe that Thorne’s mother would behave in the way she does at the end of the book was the straw that broke the camel’s back of my already thinly stretched credulity.
Lorraine Heath is one of my favourite authors, but I was disappointed with the narration in When the Duke was Wicked and Falling into Bed with A Duke , and decided not to listen to any more of the books in those series. So I’m sure it will come as no surprise that my reaction to seeing Kate Reading’s name attached to Ms. Heath’s latest audiobooks was “Hallelujah! At last, Lorraine Heath gets a decent narrator!” (well, a more than decent one, but you know what I mean.)
Ms. Reading is a favourite narrator here at AudioGals, and she delivers exactly the sort of enjoyable and accomplished performance I’ve come to expect. Technically, she’s flawless; her pacing is such that she allows the words room to breathe and all the characters are portrayed in a way that is appropriate to gender, age and station. She knows how to render the aristocratic male hero perfectly – Thorne’s voice oozes authority and confidence and has a slightly husky note that is very attractive – and she also does a great job with the slightly less polished accents that belong to Gillie and her brothers. The text indicates that they were all taught to speak correctly, although their upbringings mean they don’t have the sort of cut-glass accent belonging to the upper classes. I especially loved her interpretation of Gillie, which brought her completely to life as a no-nonsense, mature woman who was comfortable in her own skin, didn’t suffer fools but had a compassionate streak a mile wide.
The audiobook of When a Duke Loves a Woman earns a recommendation mostly on account of Kate Reading’s excellent performance – although even that wasn’t quite enough to disguise the lethargic pacing of the first few chapters. This isn’t one of the author’s best books, but it’s unquestionably the best narrated!
I've given this an A for narration and a B- for content at AudioGals
The first two books in the author’s Sins for All Seasons series – Beyond Scandal and Desire and When a Duke Loves a Woman – have been released simultaneously as audiobooks, and as I read and reviewed the first book earlier this year, I opted to review the second in audio. It’s a low-angst, low-conflict Cinderella story which is well written, boasts a couple of engaging central characters and a romance that feels very mature – but ultimately, it lacks the emotional punch I’ve found in other books I’ve read by this author, and I came away from it feeling a little disappointed.
Antony Coventry, Duke of Thornley, is some way into his cups when he decides to make his way to Whitechapel, the last known destination of the woman who jilted him at the altar that morning. While there, Thornley – Thorne – falls foul of a bunch of footpads who rob him and beat him quite badly. He just about recalls hearing a low, melodious voice yelling at the men to leave him alone and moves in and out of consciousness as his rescuer, gets him to her flat, has the doctor called, and then takes care of him until he is well enough to be able to return home.
Gillie Trewlove is one of five ‘siblings’ who aren’t related by blood but regard themselves as such owing to the fact that they were all taken in as babies and brought up by the big-hearted Ettie Trewlove. They have gone on to make something of themselves through dint of their own hard work; one brother – Mick (hero of Beyond Scandal and Desire)- is an incredibly wealthy businessman, while another owns a thriving gambling establishment, and Gillie is the proud owner of the Mermaid and Unicorn Tavern in Whitechapel. She’s clever, compassionate, hard-working, fair – and the lynch-pin of the local community, generous and always ready to offer help to those in need.
Over the next few days, Gillie watches over Thorne and, to the surprise of her staff, doesn’t set foot in the tavern for a day or so, which is unprecedented. But there’s no-one else to care for him; the last thing she needs is for her brothers to discover there’s a man in her bed – even a seriously injured one – because then they’ll try to force him to marry her, and Gillie is certainly not going to hand over control of the business she’s worked so hard to build to a husband.
After a few days, Thorne is well enough to travel, and with a reluctance she hadn’t expected and doesn’t want to feel, Gillie arranges for him to be taken home. She still has no idea of his identity, although it’s clear he’s a gentleman of means, and she doesn’t expect to see him ever again. But this is a romance novel, so readers and listeners know better and won’t be at all surprised to learn that Thorne makes his way to the tavern a few days later in order to properly thank Gillie for taking care of him.
This is the first of many visits to the Mermaid and Unicorn. Thorne tells Gillie about his aborted wedding, and explains he is concerned about his former betrothed. He asks for Gillie’s help tracking her down; he just wants to make sure she is well and to try to persuade her to return home. Soon, however, Thorne is visiting the tavern for Gillie’s sake alone; he finds her very attractive, and is drawn to her strength, her compassion and her very down-to-earth way of looking at things. Those are the qualities I most admired about Gillie as well; she’s sensible, kind and confident – she knows who she is, likes who she is and isn’t about to apologise for it or change for anybody. Thorne is a similarly attractive character although he’s a bit more stereotypical, the product of a miserable marriage (his father was a serial adulterer who died of syphilis) and thus not sure he’s ever felt – or is capable of feeling – love. As I said earlier, the romance has a refreshing maturity about it; Thorne and Gillie are a slightly older couple (she’s thirty, he’s thirty-six – although there’s a mistake in the text indicating he’s ten years younger than that), which shows in their outlook and attitude to life, and I appreciated that very much. BUT – it’s also on the tepid side and I wasn’t feeling a great deal of chemistry between them.
This is a character-driven story and the pacing reflects that, but it takes a while to get going, as after Thorne’s beating, we’re presented with several chapters which seem to consist mostly of Gillie’s mental lusting over his gorgeous physique and handsome features. Considering we’re told (extensively) that she’s never felt sexual attraction before (and in fact, has deliberately avoided it), I suppose it’s understandable that she would go a bit ga-ga over him, but still, it got old quickly. And I can’t NOT point out that if you look for a degree of historical accuracy in your historical romances, you won’t find much of it here; this is a fairy tale at heart and that’s fine – the Cinderella trope is popular for a reason and I enjoy it when it’s done well. But asking me to believe that Thorne’s mother would behave in the way she does at the end of the book was the straw that broke the camel’s back of my already thinly stretched credulity.
Lorraine Heath is one of my favourite authors, but I was disappointed with the narration in When the Duke was Wicked and Falling into Bed with A Duke , and decided not to listen to any more of the books in those series. So I’m sure it will come as no surprise that my reaction to seeing Kate Reading’s name attached to Ms. Heath’s latest audiobooks was “Hallelujah! At last, Lorraine Heath gets a decent narrator!” (well, a more than decent one, but you know what I mean.)
Ms. Reading is a favourite narrator here at AudioGals, and she delivers exactly the sort of enjoyable and accomplished performance I’ve come to expect. Technically, she’s flawless; her pacing is such that she allows the words room to breathe and all the characters are portrayed in a way that is appropriate to gender, age and station. She knows how to render the aristocratic male hero perfectly – Thorne’s voice oozes authority and confidence and has a slightly husky note that is very attractive – and she also does a great job with the slightly less polished accents that belong to Gillie and her brothers. The text indicates that they were all taught to speak correctly, although their upbringings mean they don’t have the sort of cut-glass accent belonging to the upper classes. I especially loved her interpretation of Gillie, which brought her completely to life as a no-nonsense, mature woman who was comfortable in her own skin, didn’t suffer fools but had a compassionate streak a mile wide.
The audiobook of When a Duke Loves a Woman earns a recommendation mostly on account of Kate Reading’s excellent performance – although even that wasn’t quite enough to disguise the lethargic pacing of the first few chapters. This isn’t one of the author’s best books, but it’s unquestionably the best narrated!
January 3, 2022
Great Class Difference romance. A Duke arrives at her door near death. She nurses him back to health and a relationship blooms between them.
It was sweet and fun and I enjoyed myself.
4.5/5 Stars
It was sweet and fun and I enjoyed myself.
4.5/5 Stars
March 24, 2018
ARC provided by Edelweiss and Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
RTC closer to publication.
RTC closer to publication.
August 24, 2018
When a Duke Loves a Women is my first 5-star read this year! I love it even more than Beyond Scandal and Desire!
In When a Duke Loves a Woman, we have an unusual heroine – Gillie. She is very independent and runs her own tavern in Whitechapel! She also had an unusual upbringing since she was raised by Ettie Trewlove along with her brothers. Gillie’s upbringing was unique and it does affect her attitude towards everyone. When she was younger she had to pretend to be a boy, dress like one and even worked like one. Of course, this was to protect her virtue and keep her safe, but it really affected her overall view of the world.
We are introduced by the Duke of Thornley – Thorne – one night while he was mugged in an alley next to Gillie’s tavern. She rescues him and nurses him back to health and they end up falling for each other.
I thoroughly enjoyed When the Duke Loves a Woman! If you've been following my reviews, you will know that I love historical romances featuring non-aristocratic characters and not set in a ballroom! Not that ballrooms aren't great, but I love settings outside the ballroom or a manor! When the Duke Loves a Woman has this in spades!
Majority of the book is set in Gillie's tavern and it's called The Unicorn and The Mermaid! I think? But Gillie is such an awesome character! I love how independent she is. What is heartbreaking about her is that she is a romantic at heart but because of how she grew up and she couldn't help but compare herself to her younger sister.
Thorne is also the perfect man for Gillie! Since it is set mostly in Gillie's tavern, he doesn't have a chance to act like an aristocrat. But of course, he also wanted to marry someone appropriate.
When he finally realizes that he loves Gillie, his declaration of love was AMAZING!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series! We also know who the couple would be! Eeep!
This review first appread on I Heart Romance & YA
May 3, 2019
DNF 55%. So dull. No chemistry between the protagonists. The main characters fell into instant attraction with one another when she (tavern owner of unknown parentage in shady part of town) saved him (duke searching for his runaway aristocratic bride )from a violent mugging. Heroine really quite unappealing. What almost 30 year old woman jumps into a fisticuff? Leave it to the impulsive, undignified young ones. And she acted like she'd never seen an attractive male before, neglecting her business completely as soon as he came into the picture. The same business that had been her passion for so many years to the exclusion of all others including her adopted family. She lamented her loneliness but it was entirely her lifestyle choice to focus on her tavern and assert her independence, because, unlike many other women, she did have a choice. As for the hero, apart from his supposed good looks, there was nothing outstanding about him - no sparkling charms, no wicked sense of humour, no clever wit, not even arrogant aloofness or bad temperament! He was dutiful to the point of being a push-over. He was just... nice. When it comes to book entertainment, I need more than nice to keep my interest. This might possibly be the first LH book allocated to my 'Unfinishable' shelf.
Narrated by Kate Reading who gave the heroine a deep, manly voice (which I believe LH intended) and masculine mannerism that add to her lack of appeal for me.
Narrated by Kate Reading who gave the heroine a deep, manly voice (which I believe LH intended) and masculine mannerism that add to her lack of appeal for me.
August 9, 2018
4.5 stars
I was drawn in by the synopsis and maybe a little bit by the color of her dress.
I really liked Gillie and Thorne. She’s sassy and stands up for herself and others and punches people when necessary. He’s a bit of a marshmallow and completely infatuated. I loved the two of them together.
Plot wise, it was good for the most part. There is a bit of push and pull and some things did feel drawn out and repetitive. However, I loved that they took time to talk and get to know a bit about each other. And of course I adored every scene between Gillie and the duchess.
Overall, it was a good read that has me intrigued at the first book in the series and eager for the next one.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I was drawn in by the synopsis and maybe a little bit by the color of her dress.
I really liked Gillie and Thorne. She’s sassy and stands up for herself and others and punches people when necessary. He’s a bit of a marshmallow and completely infatuated. I loved the two of them together.
Plot wise, it was good for the most part. There is a bit of push and pull and some things did feel drawn out and repetitive. However, I loved that they took time to talk and get to know a bit about each other. And of course I adored every scene between Gillie and the duchess.
Overall, it was a good read that has me intrigued at the first book in the series and eager for the next one.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
August 30, 2022
3 stars. I’m a pretty forgiving romance reader. But this book is so far from historical accuracy that it’s ridiculous. A woman bar owner with unknown parentage becomes a duchess? Oh, and she dresses like a man most of the time. And there’s really very minimal backlash mentioned in the book. Yep sure, sounds realistic. I can only handle so much fantasy when it comes to historical romance.
Safe; virgin heroine, hero was a manwhore in the past but seems to not be anymore. I believe it said he was celibate since becoming betrothed to OW. Hero’s betrothal ended because OW runs away on their wedding day, no feelings for the runaway bride. Hero does try to find a replacement bride during the story. No OM drama, no scenes with OM/OW, no cheating, both celibate during separation.
Safe; virgin heroine, hero was a manwhore in the past but seems to not be anymore. I believe it said he was celibate since becoming betrothed to OW. Hero’s betrothal ended because OW runs away on their wedding day, no feelings for the runaway bride. Hero does try to find a replacement bride during the story. No OM drama, no scenes with OM/OW, no cheating, both celibate during separation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2018
Despite the unlikely pairing of a Duke and a illegitimate tavern owner I always enjoy Lorraine Heath's easy reading style and the way she mixes up the social classes. And that's why I read historical romance.. never letting reality get in the way of a swoon worthy Happy Ever After. Sigh.
Read
October 2, 2022After struggling for a week just to skimming till 72%, I decided to DNF! Life is too short to read boring books.
April 13, 2019
Short Review
Lorraine Heath has always been one of my favourite authors because of her ability to write beautiful and emotionally moving love stories. After reading and loving Beyond Scandal and Desire, I was really looking forward to this second book in the series but regrettably I found it disappointing.
Born out wedlock and left on Effie Trewlove’s doorstep, Gillie, like her ‘siblings’, was raised in poverty in the Rookeries. I admire the way she worked hard and now owns her own tavern. She is fiercely independent, strong-willed and pragmatic but also kind and compassionate.
Thorne was likeable enough but seemed a little too perfect and I felt his character lacked depth. I did appreciate his utter devotion to Gillie and loved the scene after his mother’s ball when he tells everyone what an exceptional woman she is.
My main problem was that the romance between Gillie and Thorne felt rather lukewarm and lacked the emotional intensity that I have come to expect from Lorraine Heath.
However implausible, I was willing to accept a duke marrying a tavern owner, but a duke serving drinks in a tavern in Whitechapel did stretch credulity a bit too far. In addition, I found it hard to believe that Thorne’s mother could change so dramatically at the end of the book.
I am pretty forgiving when it comes to Americanisms in my Historical Romances but it is autumn here in the UK, NOT fall!
Overall, not one of my favourite books by Lorraine Heath.
3.5 Stars
September 15, 2018
Searching in Whitechapel for the woman who left him at the altar, the Duke of Thornley would have probably bleed to death in an alley if a pretty redhead didn't come to his rescue, after being viciously attacked by thieves.
Being a tavern owner is unusual for a woman at that time, but probably not so much when you had the upbringing that Gillian Trewlove had, a by-blow abandoned as a babe on the threshold of a woman who raised four more and a daughter she had later out of wedlock. Gillie and her siblings are commoners and grew up in the Rookeries, but it didn't stop the young girl to educate herself on all sort of things.
While she doesn't need a man to be content with her life and have not much interest in them and they don't seem to see her as a potential match either, she sometimes feel lonely and would like to share affection and touch. She's starving for love while not waiting for it, but she wouldn't accept just everyone and she protect her heart. Rescuing a stranger was a natural thing for her, but her reaction to him is something new. She feel a connection she never had before with anyone. It's only later that she learn he's a duke, but it doesn't change a single thing for her heart.
After nursing him back to health, she'll still help him, this time to find his runaway bride. Not because he still want to marry her, but because he wants to be sure that she's well and nothing untoward happened to her. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is just the beginning of how amazing the hero was ! He's a real class act no matter the situation and being kind just come so naturally to him.
So here's the thing about this book ; it's not the most entertaining one. The pace is slow and it feels like not much happened in it, but I liked it all the same because it made me feel so much ! And I think it's because the characters had such a great presence and beautiful soul. Gillis opened her heart easily, she was very touching. But she was also a good mix of strength and softness. She worked hard to better herself and help other at the same time. She earned people respect, and that's why I think she was credible as a tavern owner.
There were so many beautiful scenes in this book. I especially liked the one when the heroine explain to Thorn why she called her tavern the Mermaid and the Unicorn, and when the hero brought a book to Robin, a little urchin that Gillie took under her wing, I wanted to kiss him !
What made this romance so wonderful it's that they took time to talk, to get to know each other before going further. It was not the kind of chemistry you compare to a fire, raging and blazing, but more like a gentle wave, soft and soothing. It's a great reminder that in our days of "more and faster" sometimes all we need is to take our time and listen.
Being a tavern owner is unusual for a woman at that time, but probably not so much when you had the upbringing that Gillian Trewlove had, a by-blow abandoned as a babe on the threshold of a woman who raised four more and a daughter she had later out of wedlock. Gillie and her siblings are commoners and grew up in the Rookeries, but it didn't stop the young girl to educate herself on all sort of things.
While she doesn't need a man to be content with her life and have not much interest in them and they don't seem to see her as a potential match either, she sometimes feel lonely and would like to share affection and touch. She's starving for love while not waiting for it, but she wouldn't accept just everyone and she protect her heart. Rescuing a stranger was a natural thing for her, but her reaction to him is something new. She feel a connection she never had before with anyone. It's only later that she learn he's a duke, but it doesn't change a single thing for her heart.
After nursing him back to health, she'll still help him, this time to find his runaway bride. Not because he still want to marry her, but because he wants to be sure that she's well and nothing untoward happened to her. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is just the beginning of how amazing the hero was ! He's a real class act no matter the situation and being kind just come so naturally to him.
So here's the thing about this book ; it's not the most entertaining one. The pace is slow and it feels like not much happened in it, but I liked it all the same because it made me feel so much ! And I think it's because the characters had such a great presence and beautiful soul. Gillis opened her heart easily, she was very touching. But she was also a good mix of strength and softness. She worked hard to better herself and help other at the same time. She earned people respect, and that's why I think she was credible as a tavern owner.
There were so many beautiful scenes in this book. I especially liked the one when the heroine explain to Thorn why she called her tavern the Mermaid and the Unicorn, and when the hero brought a book to Robin, a little urchin that Gillie took under her wing, I wanted to kiss him !
What made this romance so wonderful it's that they took time to talk, to get to know each other before going further. It was not the kind of chemistry you compare to a fire, raging and blazing, but more like a gentle wave, soft and soothing. It's a great reminder that in our days of "more and faster" sometimes all we need is to take our time and listen.
March 10, 2019
4 Stars
I’m not sure why this series have low ratings, I think Lorraine Heath’s writing style is enjoyable, entertaining and you never know what kind of book you are going to get. Is this author my favorite historical romance author? No, but there’s potential and I’m a fan of this series so far.
This is Gillie and Duke of Thornley’s story.
This series will focus on 6 kids, all of them were brought on to this world by men cheating on their wives. It’s an interesting concept, kind of sad, but regardless interesting.
I think you need to read the series in order. You don’t have to, but a lot of the feels are in the first book with Mick’s story. To my surprise When a Duke Loves a Woman is a little less depressing, a little less intense and a little less angsty, but I liked it a little more than the first book. Although they are pretty close, it’s just that each book gave me different feels.
The best part of the book was the beginning. When you start to read, you are sucked into the story and I couldn’t put the book down. Duke of Thornley is robbed, stabbed and left for dead, until a passerby, Gillie finds him and nurse’s him to health.
What really made the story for me was Gillie, she’s a strong, independent older spinster. She has her family and her Tavern which she owns and that’s all she needs in life. I love my damsels when I read historical romances, but there’s something the way Gillie’s character’s written, that I loved. I really liked how she wasn’t Thornley’s scraps. She was willing to be in his life as much as she was willing to let her heart allow it.
I liked how Gillie didn’t need to be proper. I liked her kind heart and I liked how she opened Thornley’s eyes to the other side of the way people lived. It was just a nice, sweet story.
I’m not sure why this series have low ratings, I think Lorraine Heath’s writing style is enjoyable, entertaining and you never know what kind of book you are going to get. Is this author my favorite historical romance author? No, but there’s potential and I’m a fan of this series so far.
This is Gillie and Duke of Thornley’s story.
This series will focus on 6 kids, all of them were brought on to this world by men cheating on their wives. It’s an interesting concept, kind of sad, but regardless interesting.
I think you need to read the series in order. You don’t have to, but a lot of the feels are in the first book with Mick’s story. To my surprise When a Duke Loves a Woman is a little less depressing, a little less intense and a little less angsty, but I liked it a little more than the first book. Although they are pretty close, it’s just that each book gave me different feels.
The best part of the book was the beginning. When you start to read, you are sucked into the story and I couldn’t put the book down. Duke of Thornley is robbed, stabbed and left for dead, until a passerby, Gillie finds him and nurse’s him to health.
What really made the story for me was Gillie, she’s a strong, independent older spinster. She has her family and her Tavern which she owns and that’s all she needs in life. I love my damsels when I read historical romances, but there’s something the way Gillie’s character’s written, that I loved. I really liked how she wasn’t Thornley’s scraps. She was willing to be in his life as much as she was willing to let her heart allow it.
I liked how Gillie didn’t need to be proper. I liked her kind heart and I liked how she opened Thornley’s eyes to the other side of the way people lived. It was just a nice, sweet story.
March 30, 2021
3,5★
The romance was good, but I think Lorraine Heath's books work better as an audiobook
The romance was good, but I think Lorraine Heath's books work better as an audiobook
May 12, 2023
I hate giving books 1 star, but I should have DNFed this one. I hated the audiobook so much. Like the narrator was awful and this book was just boring. I will be continuing this series... one day, but I need a small break. I just cannot with this one. I didn't like a single thing about it. I think I may be officially in a reading slump since the last few books I have read, I have not liked. So maybe it's the slump, or maybe it was just that this book did not work for me. Either way, I will probably not be reading this one again.
August 11, 2022
Loved it!!
December 5, 2021
When a Duke Loves a Woman is the second book in Lorraine Heath’s Sins for All Seasons series, following the Trewlove children (children raised by a widowed woman who took in aristocrat’s children “born on the wrong side of the blanket”). This book follows one of the orphaned children, Gillie, who is now a spinster and the proud owner of a tavern, The Mermaid and Unicorn.
Gillie Trewlove was abandoned on a doorstep as a baby and raised by the woman who found her there. She finds herself in a similar situation when a grievously injured gentleman shows up in the alleyway by her tavern, The Mermaid and Unicorn. Thorne, Duke of Thornley, was jilted at the altar and then attacked in the alleyway when Gillie sees what’s happening and fights off and rescues Thorne. Gillie then nurses him back to health (the first 20% of the book) and once he’s healed up, Thorne starts to worry about what happened to his bride-to-be and returns to Gillie to ask her help in searching for Lady Lavinia.
I love how much Thorne appreciates Gillie and her independence, he is amazed by her at every turn and loves that Gillie speaks her mind. I loved seeing them get to know one another the more time they spent together in Whitechapel. Other moments I loved: Thorne brings Robin (one of the younger orphan boys) a book and then takes him and Gillie to a zoological garden to see a giraffe in person. Thorne offering to get a bath ready for Gillie and then trying to figure out how to do that. A little update on Mick & Aslyn’s wedding. The ball with Aslyn and Fancy helping Gillie get ready. Gillie’s relationship with her brothers. The conversation being had in this series about how aristocrats treated their by-blows. We also get a couple appearances of Dr. William Graves (from Scoundrels of St. James series).
“For all her boldness, there was still a part of her that believed she deserved being left on a doorstep. Buried deep within her was a little girl who wanted to believe she was a princess. He intended to treat her as though she was a queen.”
While some of the story did drag on for me in the middle, this gets an extra star just for how amazing and badass Gillie is. When Gillie meets Thorne’s mother at the ball, the dowager duchess informs Gillie she should bow to her, Gillie says she bows to no one unless she deems them worthy of her bow. 🙌🏼
Gillie Trewlove was abandoned on a doorstep as a baby and raised by the woman who found her there. She finds herself in a similar situation when a grievously injured gentleman shows up in the alleyway by her tavern, The Mermaid and Unicorn. Thorne, Duke of Thornley, was jilted at the altar and then attacked in the alleyway when Gillie sees what’s happening and fights off and rescues Thorne. Gillie then nurses him back to health (the first 20% of the book) and once he’s healed up, Thorne starts to worry about what happened to his bride-to-be and returns to Gillie to ask her help in searching for Lady Lavinia.
I love how much Thorne appreciates Gillie and her independence, he is amazed by her at every turn and loves that Gillie speaks her mind. I loved seeing them get to know one another the more time they spent together in Whitechapel. Other moments I loved: Thorne brings Robin (one of the younger orphan boys) a book and then takes him and Gillie to a zoological garden to see a giraffe in person. Thorne offering to get a bath ready for Gillie and then trying to figure out how to do that. A little update on Mick & Aslyn’s wedding. The ball with Aslyn and Fancy helping Gillie get ready. Gillie’s relationship with her brothers. The conversation being had in this series about how aristocrats treated their by-blows. We also get a couple appearances of Dr. William Graves (from Scoundrels of St. James series).
“For all her boldness, there was still a part of her that believed she deserved being left on a doorstep. Buried deep within her was a little girl who wanted to believe she was a princess. He intended to treat her as though she was a queen.”
While some of the story did drag on for me in the middle, this gets an extra star just for how amazing and badass Gillie is. When Gillie meets Thorne’s mother at the ball, the dowager duchess informs Gillie she should bow to her, Gillie says she bows to no one unless she deems them worthy of her bow. 🙌🏼
July 15, 2018
I loved this even more than book one. Gillie was such a unique and strong heroine. Thorne was a fine enough character, but it was Gillie (and Robin!) who stole the show.
And after the setup happening in the background, I cannot wait for book three!
And after the setup happening in the background, I cannot wait for book three!
January 18, 2020
Questo secondo libro della serie mi ha appassionata di più, per me 3.5 stelle
June 18, 2021
3.5 stelline
Sempre un po' sottotono rispetto ai romanzi di quest'autrice ma meglio del precedente
Sempre un po' sottotono rispetto ai romanzi di quest'autrice ma meglio del precedente
February 4, 2022
Lorraine Heath writes the best happy endings and her epilogues are so, so satisfying. I seriously teared up reading the last chapter and that is not normal for me!
The Trewlove clan is full of unique characters (though brothers Aiden and Fin have been interchangeable thus far). The women are especially interesting. Knowing Gillie (Gillian) wasn’t feminine in her mannerisms, appearance, or profession from the last book, I wasn’t sure how I’d like her story, but Lorraine Heath’s descriptions of her kind actions won me over quickly.
I admit that I wasn’t sure how the Happily Ever After could happen at one point, but I’m so glad it did in a surprising way. Even the “villain” was redeemed at the end. On to the next!
The Trewlove clan is full of unique characters (though brothers Aiden and Fin have been interchangeable thus far). The women are especially interesting. Knowing Gillie (Gillian) wasn’t feminine in her mannerisms, appearance, or profession from the last book, I wasn’t sure how I’d like her story, but Lorraine Heath’s descriptions of her kind actions won me over quickly.
I admit that I wasn’t sure how the Happily Ever After could happen at one point, but I’m so glad it did in a surprising way. Even the “villain” was redeemed at the end. On to the next!
August 21, 2018
I loved this book, maybe even more than the first book!
Gillian "Gillie/Gil" Trewlove and Antony Coventry "Thorne", the Duke of Thornley meet when Gillie saves him from footpads outside her tavern. She tends his wounds and is stunned to realize she is attracted to him. Gillie is a very private person, abandoned and left on Ettie Trewlove's doorstep as an infant, Gillie grew up in the hard world of Whitechapel, but she has risen above that, she owns her own tavern and has no desire to marry or be bound to a man. But for the first time in her life, Gillie begins to think about what she might be giving up.
Thorne is not having a good night, he was jilted at the alter by Lady Lavinia, the woman who since her birth has been destined to be his duchess. He is going to find her and learn why she fled, tips led him to Whitechapel and too much drink led him to trouble. He is set upon, robbed and nearly killed in an alley, but is saved by an angel. When he comes to, he is confused, it is a man tending him, he could have sworn it was a woman. When he wakes again, he realizes his mistake, Gillie is a woman, but her short hair and bound breasts disguise her He is attracted to her and intrigued. Once he heals and she sends him home, he returns and asks for her help to find Lavinia. He no longer wants to marry her, but he feels obligated to ensure she is alright. Gillie agrees and this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
The more time they spend together, the more they want, but Gillie is not a part of his world, any more than he is a part of hers. But the heart wants what the heart wants and they embark on an affair. He wonders if she could possibly become a part of his world and invites her to a ball. A ball his mother planned to find him a new bride. Gillie attends but the night ends in scandal and later when Thorne comes to her, she tells him they must part ways.
They spend weeks apart and Thorne is miserable, he has a duty to marry, but Gillie is the only woman he wants. An unexpected visitor calls on him and gives him advice. Advice that he wastes no time putting in to action.
I loved this story, it is heartfelt, sweet, steamy and unforgettable. Thorne and Gillie are perfect for each other and are wonderful people. Thorne never tries to change Gillie and goes out of his way to make her feel special. They have a lot of obstacles keeping them apart, but in the end, love is all that matters. Sigh, I really loved this book and can't recommend it highly enough. It is the second book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a stand alone title.
Gillian "Gillie/Gil" Trewlove and Antony Coventry "Thorne", the Duke of Thornley meet when Gillie saves him from footpads outside her tavern. She tends his wounds and is stunned to realize she is attracted to him. Gillie is a very private person, abandoned and left on Ettie Trewlove's doorstep as an infant, Gillie grew up in the hard world of Whitechapel, but she has risen above that, she owns her own tavern and has no desire to marry or be bound to a man. But for the first time in her life, Gillie begins to think about what she might be giving up.
Thorne is not having a good night, he was jilted at the alter by Lady Lavinia, the woman who since her birth has been destined to be his duchess. He is going to find her and learn why she fled, tips led him to Whitechapel and too much drink led him to trouble. He is set upon, robbed and nearly killed in an alley, but is saved by an angel. When he comes to, he is confused, it is a man tending him, he could have sworn it was a woman. When he wakes again, he realizes his mistake, Gillie is a woman, but her short hair and bound breasts disguise her He is attracted to her and intrigued. Once he heals and she sends him home, he returns and asks for her help to find Lavinia. He no longer wants to marry her, but he feels obligated to ensure she is alright. Gillie agrees and this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
The more time they spend together, the more they want, but Gillie is not a part of his world, any more than he is a part of hers. But the heart wants what the heart wants and they embark on an affair. He wonders if she could possibly become a part of his world and invites her to a ball. A ball his mother planned to find him a new bride. Gillie attends but the night ends in scandal and later when Thorne comes to her, she tells him they must part ways.
They spend weeks apart and Thorne is miserable, he has a duty to marry, but Gillie is the only woman he wants. An unexpected visitor calls on him and gives him advice. Advice that he wastes no time putting in to action.
I loved this story, it is heartfelt, sweet, steamy and unforgettable. Thorne and Gillie are perfect for each other and are wonderful people. Thorne never tries to change Gillie and goes out of his way to make her feel special. They have a lot of obstacles keeping them apart, but in the end, love is all that matters. Sigh, I really loved this book and can't recommend it highly enough. It is the second book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a stand alone title.
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