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Clandestine Affairs #1
Her Night with the Duke
Desire knows no reason...
When Lady Delilah Chambers finds herself stranded at a country inn on a rain-swept evening, she's forced to fend off a group of ruffians with the help of a handsome gentleman. Irresistibly drawn to each other, Leela and the stranger spend one reckless night in each others' arms—and then go their separate ways. But, the very next day, Leela receives the shock of her life when she meets the duke who is set on wedding her beloved stepdaughter.
When it finds two destined hearts...
One night isn't enough with a woman as fierce, fiery, and brilliant as Leela. Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, cannot believe his good fortune when their chance encounter leads to an unforgettable evening of passion. Yet Hunt's luck runs out when he is introduced to his prospective mother-in-law. Dowagers aren't supposed to look like this...
Leela and Hunt are determined to keep each other at arm's length, which should be easy enough for two intelligent adults with reputations to uphold. The problem is, all logic is lost when it comes to a passion that refuses to be ignored.
When Lady Delilah Chambers finds herself stranded at a country inn on a rain-swept evening, she's forced to fend off a group of ruffians with the help of a handsome gentleman. Irresistibly drawn to each other, Leela and the stranger spend one reckless night in each others' arms—and then go their separate ways. But, the very next day, Leela receives the shock of her life when she meets the duke who is set on wedding her beloved stepdaughter.
When it finds two destined hearts...
One night isn't enough with a woman as fierce, fiery, and brilliant as Leela. Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, cannot believe his good fortune when their chance encounter leads to an unforgettable evening of passion. Yet Hunt's luck runs out when he is introduced to his prospective mother-in-law. Dowagers aren't supposed to look like this...
Leela and Hunt are determined to keep each other at arm's length, which should be easy enough for two intelligent adults with reputations to uphold. The problem is, all logic is lost when it comes to a passion that refuses to be ignored.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2020
425 people are currently reading
8107 people want to read
About the author
Diana Quincy
15 books747 followersBestselling author Diana Quincy is an award-winning television journalist who decided to make up her own stories where a happy ending is always guaranteed.
Her books have been included on "Best of" lists in Library Journal and The Washington Post.
As a U.S. Foreign Service brat, Diana grew up all over the world, but is now happily settled in Virginia with her husband and two boys. When not bent over her laptop, Diana spends time with her family, reads, practices yoga, and plots her next travel adventure.
Diana loves to hear from readers. You can follow her on Twitter @Diana_Quincy, Facebook, Instagram (diana_quincy_author) or visit her website at dianaquincy.com
Her books have been included on "Best of" lists in Library Journal and The Washington Post.
As a U.S. Foreign Service brat, Diana grew up all over the world, but is now happily settled in Virginia with her husband and two boys. When not bent over her laptop, Diana spends time with her family, reads, practices yoga, and plots her next travel adventure.
Diana loves to hear from readers. You can follow her on Twitter @Diana_Quincy, Facebook, Instagram (diana_quincy_author) or visit her website at dianaquincy.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 732 reviews
August 16, 2020
I had never heard of this author before, but when Avon sent me an e-arc, I thought the cover was really pretty and decided to give it a shot.
When the book started, I really loved Leela's character. She is a widowed duchess, wears pants, and does not let society define her role just because she is a woman. When she first meets Hunt at an inn, their chemistry was through the roof and I was living for their romance. Of course, after their own night together, they learn that he is actually betrothed to her step-daughter, who is more like a best friend because she is only two years younger than her. That makes this a forbidden romance and the angst was KILLING ME. Leela wanted her friend to be happy, but both Hunt and Leela are finding it harder and harder to ignore their feelings for one another.
I loved the forbidden romance and the angst, but what sealed the deal for me was the groveling Hunt had to do for the last 20% of the book. Both Leela and Hunt are such strong-headed characters, so neither one of them would easily give into each other. Hunt does something that hurts Leela and she definitely makes him work for it to win her back. I loved it. I also loved how Leela is half-Arabic, so she feels like she really doesn't belong with either part of her identity; society doesn't see her as good enough for them and her mother's Arabic family sees her as too good for them. It was sad watching her try to understand her identity and feel like she really didn't belong anywhere.
If you can't tell, I absolutely loved this book. And I think Griff gets the next book, which has my dying. Gah. I can't wait to read more from Diana Quincy!
When the book started, I really loved Leela's character. She is a widowed duchess, wears pants, and does not let society define her role just because she is a woman. When she first meets Hunt at an inn, their chemistry was through the roof and I was living for their romance. Of course, after their own night together, they learn that he is actually betrothed to her step-daughter, who is more like a best friend because she is only two years younger than her. That makes this a forbidden romance and the angst was KILLING ME. Leela wanted her friend to be happy, but both Hunt and Leela are finding it harder and harder to ignore their feelings for one another.
I loved the forbidden romance and the angst, but what sealed the deal for me was the groveling Hunt had to do for the last 20% of the book. Both Leela and Hunt are such strong-headed characters, so neither one of them would easily give into each other. Hunt does something that hurts Leela and she definitely makes him work for it to win her back. I loved it. I also loved how Leela is half-Arabic, so she feels like she really doesn't belong with either part of her identity; society doesn't see her as good enough for them and her mother's Arabic family sees her as too good for them. It was sad watching her try to understand her identity and feel like she really didn't belong anywhere.
If you can't tell, I absolutely loved this book. And I think Griff gets the next book, which has my dying. Gah. I can't wait to read more from Diana Quincy!
dnf
February 1, 2021DNF at 46%.
I’m annoyed at how boring this book was. The writing was off, it didn’t allow for the characters to shine or for the plot to move forward, the dialogue did not flow, so naturally I felt nothing.
I feel like this author was trying too hard. Trying too hard to be diverse and showcase Leela’s Middle Eastern heritage.
I think this is supposed to be a regency romance? Did not feel like one.
The historical aspect of it all felt forced.
I rather this story have been about Leela and her travels than following her annoyingly timid stepdaughter and overly villain stepson. The guy was a tool for no reason.
The love interest had no personality. There was no chemistry between them.
Meh.
I’m annoyed at how boring this book was. The writing was off, it didn’t allow for the characters to shine or for the plot to move forward, the dialogue did not flow, so naturally I felt nothing.
I feel like this author was trying too hard. Trying too hard to be diverse and showcase Leela’s Middle Eastern heritage.
I think this is supposed to be a regency romance? Did not feel like one.
The historical aspect of it all felt forced.
I rather this story have been about Leela and her travels than following her annoyingly timid stepdaughter and overly villain stepson. The guy was a tool for no reason.
The love interest had no personality. There was no chemistry between them.
Meh.
September 14, 2020
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
She was a widow, bound to no man, finally answerable to no one but herself. It was one night in the middle of nowhere. No one need ever know.
First in the Clandestine Affairs series, Her Night With the Duke introduces us to widowed Delilah (Leela) and almost betrothed Elliot, the Duke of Huntington, as they both take shelter at an Inn. Due to her tawny skin color, the Innkeeper doesn't want to give her a room and the men act less than gentlemanly towards her. With her janbiya, she demonstrates she can take care of herself but Elliot still steps in to offer to share his meal and room with her. As the night goes on, these two can't fight their instant attraction anymore and they both agree to share one night together. However, when true identities get revealed, their one night has dire consequences, in more ways than one.
There was no denying the truth any longer. She felt more than just a physical attraction for the Duke of Huntington.
I am a frequent reader of the Regency sub-genre in romance and I think that hurt my enjoyment of this; characters and lines came off cardboard cut-out and cliche. The beginning conversation between Leela and Elliot felt stilted and with some cheesy lines, I never felt the heat and passion between the two that was supposed to lead to them jumping into the bed right away. Elliot was our Duke who likes strict schedules to prove he is not a wastrel like his late brother and would never want to do anything to cause a scandal; I could never pick him out of a romance genre Regency Duke line-up. Leela was by far the more interesting character. With her English Marquess father marrying an Arab merchant's daughter, she had a more complex background. Leela was raised completely English, her mother didn't want her to acknowledge her Arab side to try and help her fit in better, married at seventeen, and then widowed at twenty-four where she decides to travel in and around Jerusalem to meet her mother's side of the family. While Leela's penchant to use Arabic words and phrases added some much needed character freshness to this sub-genre, I struggled with how it came off forced at times because of how English she was raised and how little time she spent with her mother's family. Leela talks about her travel and we get one scene with her mother's family but I still felt like the fabric of the connection to her Arabic side was missing.
“Some men enjoy flirting with danger.”
The angst in the story comes from Leela and Elliot discovering after their one night together that Leela's step-daughter Tori is who Elliot was planning on becoming betrothed to. Since I didn't feel the lust or heat between them in the beginning, I had trouble feeling the angst and struggle for them to keep apart. Without feeling the emotion between the two, this fell pretty flat for me. Leela and Tori had a good relationship but Tori's stuttered pauses whenever Elliot was in the scene made them drag and Leela's step-son character, from an attempted rapist super-villain to oh was just jealous calmly talking and working together made the character so uneven. Elliot's friend Griff does sound intriguing with society murmuring that he could have killed his parents, some tortured hero angst there.
“Following the rules certainly hasn’t proven satisfactory. Maybe everything in life cannot be tied up into a neat little package.”
This read closer to an Avon Impulse as Leela and Elliot's interactions take place more in the bedroom than anywhere else. About halfway through, Elliot makes a plea for Leela and him to be together but she refuses and the betrothal happens. Even at midway, this felt like a betrayal to the message of how strong the emotion between Leela and Elliot was supposed to be. However, at around 70% our couple gets together and then it feels like the ending was dragged out with some compulsory emotional obstacles that if they'd just sat and had a conversation could have been resolved.
I wish we could have gotten scenes with Leela's brother Alexander (he shows up once), along with more scenes with her dragoman Hashem to explore those emotional connections. Unfortunately, the romance fell flat for me in this, I found myself wanting to read more about Leela on her travels in Arabia. I missed the emotional fabric of why the characters thought and acted like they did, they felt like paper dolls moving from point A to point B. As I mentioned though, new readers to this sub-genre could have a different experience and Leela was an admirable heroine.
She was a widow, bound to no man, finally answerable to no one but herself. It was one night in the middle of nowhere. No one need ever know.
First in the Clandestine Affairs series, Her Night With the Duke introduces us to widowed Delilah (Leela) and almost betrothed Elliot, the Duke of Huntington, as they both take shelter at an Inn. Due to her tawny skin color, the Innkeeper doesn't want to give her a room and the men act less than gentlemanly towards her. With her janbiya, she demonstrates she can take care of herself but Elliot still steps in to offer to share his meal and room with her. As the night goes on, these two can't fight their instant attraction anymore and they both agree to share one night together. However, when true identities get revealed, their one night has dire consequences, in more ways than one.
There was no denying the truth any longer. She felt more than just a physical attraction for the Duke of Huntington.
I am a frequent reader of the Regency sub-genre in romance and I think that hurt my enjoyment of this; characters and lines came off cardboard cut-out and cliche. The beginning conversation between Leela and Elliot felt stilted and with some cheesy lines, I never felt the heat and passion between the two that was supposed to lead to them jumping into the bed right away. Elliot was our Duke who likes strict schedules to prove he is not a wastrel like his late brother and would never want to do anything to cause a scandal; I could never pick him out of a romance genre Regency Duke line-up. Leela was by far the more interesting character. With her English Marquess father marrying an Arab merchant's daughter, she had a more complex background. Leela was raised completely English, her mother didn't want her to acknowledge her Arab side to try and help her fit in better, married at seventeen, and then widowed at twenty-four where she decides to travel in and around Jerusalem to meet her mother's side of the family. While Leela's penchant to use Arabic words and phrases added some much needed character freshness to this sub-genre, I struggled with how it came off forced at times because of how English she was raised and how little time she spent with her mother's family. Leela talks about her travel and we get one scene with her mother's family but I still felt like the fabric of the connection to her Arabic side was missing.
“Some men enjoy flirting with danger.”
The angst in the story comes from Leela and Elliot discovering after their one night together that Leela's step-daughter Tori is who Elliot was planning on becoming betrothed to. Since I didn't feel the lust or heat between them in the beginning, I had trouble feeling the angst and struggle for them to keep apart. Without feeling the emotion between the two, this fell pretty flat for me. Leela and Tori had a good relationship but Tori's stuttered pauses whenever Elliot was in the scene made them drag and Leela's step-son character, from an attempted rapist super-villain to oh was just jealous calmly talking and working together made the character so uneven. Elliot's friend Griff does sound intriguing with society murmuring that he could have killed his parents, some tortured hero angst there.
“Following the rules certainly hasn’t proven satisfactory. Maybe everything in life cannot be tied up into a neat little package.”
This read closer to an Avon Impulse as Leela and Elliot's interactions take place more in the bedroom than anywhere else. About halfway through, Elliot makes a plea for Leela and him to be together but she refuses and the betrothal happens. Even at midway, this felt like a betrayal to the message of how strong the emotion between Leela and Elliot was supposed to be. However, at around 70% our couple gets together and then it feels like the ending was dragged out with some compulsory emotional obstacles that if they'd just sat and had a conversation could have been resolved.
I wish we could have gotten scenes with Leela's brother Alexander (he shows up once), along with more scenes with her dragoman Hashem to explore those emotional connections. Unfortunately, the romance fell flat for me in this, I found myself wanting to read more about Leela on her travels in Arabia. I missed the emotional fabric of why the characters thought and acted like they did, they felt like paper dolls moving from point A to point B. As I mentioned though, new readers to this sub-genre could have a different experience and Leela was an admirable heroine.
September 17, 2020
Rich in detail, love, and passion. Sooo good!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the very first page, I knew this was going to be something special. The author really made this a unique story with the lead female not being your standard character.
Not only that, but she also made her a Lady as well. She’s unique and hard-core and absolutely is in love with a one night stand. She just doesn’t know it, yet.
The book was just wonderful from the beginning. Quincey has amazing characters and such a fabulous way of telling her story that I simply couldn’t stop reading. I read the whole thing in one sitting and wanted more!
Classic historical romance with the spice and heat that we love today. Rich in detail, love, and passion!
Interesting and highly developed characters with wonderful supporting characters make this a stunning story that leaves you craving so much more! I will definitely look for more books from Quincy!
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/her-night-wi...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the very first page, I knew this was going to be something special. The author really made this a unique story with the lead female not being your standard character.
Not only that, but she also made her a Lady as well. She’s unique and hard-core and absolutely is in love with a one night stand. She just doesn’t know it, yet.
The book was just wonderful from the beginning. Quincey has amazing characters and such a fabulous way of telling her story that I simply couldn’t stop reading. I read the whole thing in one sitting and wanted more!
Classic historical romance with the spice and heat that we love today. Rich in detail, love, and passion!
Interesting and highly developed characters with wonderful supporting characters make this a stunning story that leaves you craving so much more! I will definitely look for more books from Quincy!
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/her-night-wi...
September 21, 2020
I hadn't read a new-to-me author in a while, so when Avon pitched Diana Quincy to me and I saw a friend of mine love Her Night with the Duke, I had to give it a try. And I'm so glad I did – I loved this forbidden historical romance! I honestly haven't read enough forbidden romances that are also historical, so this was a great change of pace. The Duke hero, Elliot, has a woman in mind to marry for duty, but he ends up falling for her stepmother instead. SPICY!
Elliot and Leela meet one night rainy night at an inn and feel a connection right from the start. They share a passionate night together before they find out who they are to each other when Elliot shows up at Leela's home, and that a relationship between them would be impossible. Elliot wants to throw everything away to be with Leela, but Leela, who is dear friends with her stepdaughter, refuses to hurt Victoria. There is so much push and pull, with a good dose of angst – all of it was so well-written. I was hurting for Elliot and Leela and wishing for a way for them to be together.
I love how unique the heroine's character is. Leela is a Dowager countess who married an older count when she was very young, young enough to be closer in age to her stepdaughter and stepson than her late husband. She’s half Arab, half English, and feels like she's never really belonged to either part of her family. She does explore more of her mother’s roots as she travels around the world to gain experience for her writing.
I'm now a big fan of Diana Quincy – the author wrote such a swoony hero in Elliot, who falls deep and hard for Leela. The forbidden aspect was set up and executed well. I can't wait to read more in the Clandestine Affairs series and am so looking forward to Elliot's Viscount friend, Griffin's story next!
Elliot and Leela meet one night rainy night at an inn and feel a connection right from the start. They share a passionate night together before they find out who they are to each other when Elliot shows up at Leela's home, and that a relationship between them would be impossible. Elliot wants to throw everything away to be with Leela, but Leela, who is dear friends with her stepdaughter, refuses to hurt Victoria. There is so much push and pull, with a good dose of angst – all of it was so well-written. I was hurting for Elliot and Leela and wishing for a way for them to be together.
I love how unique the heroine's character is. Leela is a Dowager countess who married an older count when she was very young, young enough to be closer in age to her stepdaughter and stepson than her late husband. She’s half Arab, half English, and feels like she's never really belonged to either part of her family. She does explore more of her mother’s roots as she travels around the world to gain experience for her writing.
I'm now a big fan of Diana Quincy – the author wrote such a swoony hero in Elliot, who falls deep and hard for Leela. The forbidden aspect was set up and executed well. I can't wait to read more in the Clandestine Affairs series and am so looking forward to Elliot's Viscount friend, Griffin's story next!
January 6, 2023
I first heard about this book's insane premise on a Fated Mates episode (awesome podcast, go listen if you haven't already), and I just had to drop everything and see it for myself.
Turns out, it was indeed crazy. Like, crazy good.
It starts out with a chapters-long one night stand between the main characters, which is so rare for historicals!! Or maybe I just wasn't reading the right ones?? But I feel like it's way easier to find it in contemporaries, so I was very pleasantly surprised with this one.
Anyway. The one night stand happens at a country inn, since the heroine, Delilah, is on her way to visit her stepdaughter, and the hero, Elliot, is on his way to visit his future fiancée. Turns out, THE STEPDAUGHTER AND THE FIANCÉE ARE THE SAME PERSON!!!!! WHAT!!!!!!
Such a twist!!! The stepdaughter (and fiancée)'s name is Victoria and she's very sweet.
Delilah's stepson, Victoria's brother, has invited Elliot to stay for weeks in the family's estate so he could get to know his future wife, and Victoria is very insistent that Delilah does the same. It's not awkward at all.
I feel like this twist could have very easily carried the whole plot of the book, but the author took this story into such unexpected paths all throughout. There were things happening at 50% that I was sure would only happen at 90%, so I never knew where she was going to take these characters next.
I really liked Elliot (I'm always a sucker for an honorable Duke), but Delilah was undoubtedly the star of this book. She had Arabian descent and her story was so powerful and compelling. Plus, she had a really interesting (secret) job as a very successful travel writer, which was so cool.
This story was bonkers and so well constructed. This will definitely not be my last Diana Quincy!
Turns out, it was indeed crazy. Like, crazy good.
It starts out with a chapters-long one night stand between the main characters, which is so rare for historicals!! Or maybe I just wasn't reading the right ones?? But I feel like it's way easier to find it in contemporaries, so I was very pleasantly surprised with this one.
Anyway. The one night stand happens at a country inn, since the heroine, Delilah, is on her way to visit her stepdaughter, and the hero, Elliot, is on his way to visit his future fiancée. Turns out, THE STEPDAUGHTER AND THE FIANCÉE ARE THE SAME PERSON!!!!! WHAT!!!!!!
Such a twist!!! The stepdaughter (and fiancée)'s name is Victoria and she's very sweet.
Delilah's stepson, Victoria's brother, has invited Elliot to stay for weeks in the family's estate so he could get to know his future wife, and Victoria is very insistent that Delilah does the same. It's not awkward at all.
I feel like this twist could have very easily carried the whole plot of the book, but the author took this story into such unexpected paths all throughout. There were things happening at 50% that I was sure would only happen at 90%, so I never knew where she was going to take these characters next.
I really liked Elliot (I'm always a sucker for an honorable Duke), but Delilah was undoubtedly the star of this book. She had Arabian descent and her story was so powerful and compelling. Plus, she had a really interesting (secret) job as a very successful travel writer, which was so cool.
This story was bonkers and so well constructed. This will definitely not be my last Diana Quincy!
January 9, 2022
Eeeuuw
33%
33%
February 15, 2021
4⭐
The hero is very sweet and the heroine is a widow that is determined not to marry again because she wants to travel and write about her experiences... it was a lovely story but I think it took too long and too much groveling to get to the happily ever after. But okay.
The hero is very sweet and the heroine is a widow that is determined not to marry again because she wants to travel and write about her experiences... it was a lovely story but I think it took too long and too much groveling to get to the happily ever after. But okay.
January 4, 2022
mismatched feelings about this book
it has certain aspects I enjoyed but overall lacks character connection
I wish I was more invested into the storyline
I had the same issues with book two...
it has certain aspects I enjoyed but overall lacks character connection
I wish I was more invested into the storyline
I had the same issues with book two...
February 9, 2025
3.5 stars
RTC
This would’ve been a solid 4 star read had that 3rd act not irritated me. It wasn’t the worst 3rd act that I’ve ever read but I found myself saying “Just get on with it!” It felt like things were being dragged out for no reason!
The plot: Leela is a widow who has never experienced passion in a relationship: her deceased husband was kind but A LOT older than her. When she comes across Hunt at an inn (after he rescues her from some creepy guys, not that she needs rescuing because she carries a very cool sword and is not afraid to use it) she throws caution to the wind and has a one-night stand with her very sexy knight in shining whatever. Unknowingly, she’s just banged her beloved stepdaughter’s soon to be fiancé 🙃
My thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed 80 percent of this book. Truly. Leela was a fabulous heroine, and I loved her relationship with her stepdaughter Lady Victoria AKA Tori. If you're weirded out by the stepmother/stepdaughter dynamic, Leela is more of a big sister and best friend to Tori because they're so close in age. Leela manages to be an absolute badass-yay for slicing and dicing predatory men and writing popular travel novels even though she's a *gasp* WOMAN -and still manages to have so much warmth and vulnerability. This is what I like to see in my romance heroines. A complicated, complex fully dimensional human being. I'm a feminist but sometimes I've feared we've girlbossed too close to the sun. Leela's mother was Arab, and her father was English so there's a lot of complex feelings when it comes to straddling two worlds. She feels like an outsider because of the racist ton (and her horrible stepson Edgar) but she doesn't feel as if she truly fits in with her mother's family either.
Hunt is a solid hero. He's very Darcy-esque. He inherited the dukedom from his late older brother who was a bit of a ✨disaster ✨and most of the previous dukes were also disasters, so he is trying his darnedest not to be a disaster; meaning he will stay out of trouble, marry a nice young lady and produce those disaster-free heirs ASAP. He's firmly on the path of respectability until he accidentally bangs his intended fiancée's stepmom. OOPS.
Hunt and Leela had gorgeous chemistry, even when they were trying to keep each other at arm's length after THE REVEAL, the sexual tension was strong, and the banter was exquisite. This romance manages to combine insta-lust with slow burn, they hit the sheets pretty early in the book but after The Reveal (yes, I will continue to call it The Reveal) they don't do anything physical behind Tori's back and I admire them for their restraint.
Also, don't worry about Tori getting her heart broken. That's all I'm gonna say.
CW: Racism, Sexism, Attempted Assault
RTC
This would’ve been a solid 4 star read had that 3rd act not irritated me. It wasn’t the worst 3rd act that I’ve ever read but I found myself saying “Just get on with it!” It felt like things were being dragged out for no reason!
The plot: Leela is a widow who has never experienced passion in a relationship: her deceased husband was kind but A LOT older than her. When she comes across Hunt at an inn (after he rescues her from some creepy guys, not that she needs rescuing because she carries a very cool sword and is not afraid to use it) she throws caution to the wind and has a one-night stand with her very sexy knight in shining whatever. Unknowingly, she’s just banged her beloved stepdaughter’s soon to be fiancé 🙃
My thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed 80 percent of this book. Truly. Leela was a fabulous heroine, and I loved her relationship with her stepdaughter Lady Victoria AKA Tori. If you're weirded out by the stepmother/stepdaughter dynamic, Leela is more of a big sister and best friend to Tori because they're so close in age. Leela manages to be an absolute badass-yay for slicing and dicing predatory men and writing popular travel novels even though she's a *gasp* WOMAN -and still manages to have so much warmth and vulnerability. This is what I like to see in my romance heroines. A complicated, complex fully dimensional human being. I'm a feminist but sometimes I've feared we've girlbossed too close to the sun. Leela's mother was Arab, and her father was English so there's a lot of complex feelings when it comes to straddling two worlds. She feels like an outsider because of the racist ton (and her horrible stepson Edgar) but she doesn't feel as if she truly fits in with her mother's family either.
Hunt is a solid hero. He's very Darcy-esque. He inherited the dukedom from his late older brother who was a bit of a ✨disaster ✨and most of the previous dukes were also disasters, so he is trying his darnedest not to be a disaster; meaning he will stay out of trouble, marry a nice young lady and produce those disaster-free heirs ASAP. He's firmly on the path of respectability until he accidentally bangs his intended fiancée's stepmom. OOPS.
Hunt and Leela had gorgeous chemistry, even when they were trying to keep each other at arm's length after THE REVEAL, the sexual tension was strong, and the banter was exquisite. This romance manages to combine insta-lust with slow burn, they hit the sheets pretty early in the book but after The Reveal (yes, I will continue to call it The Reveal) they don't do anything physical behind Tori's back and I admire them for their restraint.
Also, don't worry about Tori getting her heart broken. That's all I'm gonna say.
CW: Racism, Sexism, Attempted Assault
dnf
September 29, 2020Just a heads up that this heroine is apparently half-Arab. I quit after the opening chapter which made much of her dark skin in a way I’m not comfortable with. But I will stress that this is a personal opinion. Apparently this is #ownvoices, and it even has a star from Publisher's Weekly which praised this aspect. If you're looking for a deep dive into racial injustice, maybe this will be for you. I wanted something fluffy, so this was distinctly not it.
Quotes from the ARC's opening chapter:
After a bit of back and forth, the innkeeper suggests she whore out to one of the white men for a place to sleep.
They keep doing this, and the hero, who is watching is getting annoyed.
Then the woman holds a curved dagger to the scarred man's throat, because she gets, understandably, sick of this shit.
Then the hero rescues her by pulling a gun and claiming that she's his. For some reason, she allows this?!?!?! He thinks she's super hot.
He thinks she should be grateful for his assistance.
So when I say this made me uncomfortable, I mean that absolutely everything about her introduction was intended to other and exoticize her, while playing on violent stereotypes. The italicization of the non-English words is taken from the text. While I would love more diversity in historical romance, I never liked even the Italian or Spanish heroines went written in this same sort of style where the author clearly wanted an exotic, unique, special heroine, rather than to do a realistic portrayal of a person of a different background.
Also, based on the scene, she clearly has dark skin (though later on she's described as tawny, which is not that dark...), but that is a pale white woman on the cover. 😑
These two things make me think the rep in this isn’t going to be great, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for ownvoices reviewers, who probably didn’t know to try this, since it’s not marketed that aspect at all.
Quotes from the ARC's opening chapter:
"What are you?" The innkeeper flushed as he stared after the man. "A blackamoor?"
"She's Persian," one of the old soldiers cried out. "No, Arabian, that's it."
One of his companions guffawed. "As if you's know the difference, you old drunk."
"I 'eard that kind of guttural talk in Egypt," the old soldier insisted, "when we fought against the frogs in Alexandria in '01."
"They got camels there, don't they?" another of the companions inquired.
The innkeeper scowled at the woman. "We do not accommodate heathens."
After a bit of back and forth, the innkeeper suggests she whore out to one of the white men for a place to sleep.
"Maybe she learned some tricks in her master's harem," one man called out amidst guffaws of approval.
They keep doing this, and the hero, who is watching is getting annoyed.
"I got a room yer can share, sweet'eart." A man sitting with the old soldier separated from the crowd and sauntered up to the woman. A huge scar ran down the left side of his face, a jagged line dissecting one ruddy cheek. "'Ow about we go up now and yer ride me like yer people ride a camel in the desert?"
"I got a bigger . . . chamber." Another man, this one small and ragged, stood up, gyrating his bony hips indecently. "Come with me and I'll take yer on the ride of yer life."
Then the woman holds a curved dagger to the scarred man's throat, because she gets, understandably, sick of this shit.
"I'll teach yer some manners, yer barbarian bitch."
Then the hero rescues her by pulling a gun and claiming that she's his. For some reason, she allows this?!?!?! He thinks she's super hot.
She was extraordinary. Enormous almond eyes the color of black tea regarded him with unfettered scorn. Golden honey skin drew tight across a proud forehead and razor-cut cheekbones. She was so striking he almost forgot to notice that her curved blade was now pointed directly at him."
He thinks she should be grateful for his assistance.
"I certainly do not mean to show appreciation by accompanying you to your bedchamber." Her smoky voice slid along his nerves like silk. Hunt had never before encountered anyone like her. He admired her fierceness, the way she wielded that strange dagger like a conquering female samurai.
"Besides," she added. "I did not require assistance. I had the matter well in hand."
"Oh?" She really was magnificent. "Was your plan to stab every man here?"
"You may be certain that if I had intended to kill you, or anyone, with my janbiya, you wouldn't have known it until well after my dagger was buried deep inside your chest."
"A bloodthirsty woman. I quite admire that."
So when I say this made me uncomfortable, I mean that absolutely everything about her introduction was intended to other and exoticize her, while playing on violent stereotypes. The italicization of the non-English words is taken from the text. While I would love more diversity in historical romance, I never liked even the Italian or Spanish heroines went written in this same sort of style where the author clearly wanted an exotic, unique, special heroine, rather than to do a realistic portrayal of a person of a different background.
Also, based on the scene, she clearly has dark skin (though later on she's described as tawny, which is not that dark...), but that is a pale white woman on the cover. 😑
These two things make me think the rep in this isn’t going to be great, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for ownvoices reviewers, who probably didn’t know to try this, since it’s not marketed that aspect at all.
July 14, 2023
Reseña completa: https://masromance.blogspot.com/2023/...
Me ha gustado mucho más de lo que esperaba.
Ha sido una lectura de menos a más. Ha empezado siendo entretenida, pero los giros, la coherencia y el desarrollo de los personajes han hecho que termine disfrutando mucho de la lectura.
El argumento es muy original (o no, pero yo no lo había leído) y la novela gira en torno a la fortaleza de dos personas en luchar y defender su «deber» por encima de sus anhelos, al mismo tiempo que su obligación con ellos mismo.
Quizás el punto negativo y por el cual no le he puesto mayor nota es que la autora (o quizás ha sido que no he entrevisto matices al leerlo en inglés) no ha conseguido quitarme la sensación de que todo está basado demasiado en la lujuria, pese a que las frases de amor eterno y la fortaleza de sus sentimientos no faltan en frases contundentes que se repiten a lo largo de la mitad de la novela
Me ha gustado mucho, lo recomiendo
Me ha gustado mucho más de lo que esperaba.
Ha sido una lectura de menos a más. Ha empezado siendo entretenida, pero los giros, la coherencia y el desarrollo de los personajes han hecho que termine disfrutando mucho de la lectura.
El argumento es muy original (o no, pero yo no lo había leído) y la novela gira en torno a la fortaleza de dos personas en luchar y defender su «deber» por encima de sus anhelos, al mismo tiempo que su obligación con ellos mismo.
Quizás el punto negativo y por el cual no le he puesto mayor nota es que la autora (o quizás ha sido que no he entrevisto matices al leerlo en inglés) no ha conseguido quitarme la sensación de que todo está basado demasiado en la lujuria, pese a que las frases de amor eterno y la fortaleza de sus sentimientos no faltan en frases contundentes que se repiten a lo largo de la mitad de la novela
Me ha gustado mucho, lo recomiendo
July 23, 2020
Hi everyone! I hope you love HER NIGHT WITH THE DUKE. Thanks for taking the time to read Leela and Hunt's story. This is my first book featuring a diverse heroine. As an Arab American, I enjoyed adding a fresh perspective to Regency and historical romance, while staying true to everything readers love about the genre. I can't wait to hear what you think!
October 31, 2020
Aaaahhhhhhh!!!!! So much angst and so much love. This book was delightful!
September 22, 2020
Stuck at a country inn on a stormy night, Lady Delilah Chambers finds herself delivering a well-deserved set down to several rough men, aided by a handsome gentleman. She feels an instant connection with this man and the two spend the night together with no strings attached. A widow is allowed a few pleasures after all, and the man is gone before she wakes. But Leela faces the worst of surprises the next day when she’s introduced to her gentleman at a family house party, only to learn that he is a duke and on the cusp of becoming betrothed to her much-loved stepdaughter, Tori.
Elliot Townsend, the Duke of Huntington, wasn’t satisfied by one night with Leela and finds himself terrified by the feelings he’s already experiencing for her after such a short time, and haunted by the callous way he left her. But he’s in for a rude awakening when he learns just who Leela is.
Leela and Hunt endure the house party they’re attending, giving each other a wide berth. They both know the betrothal talks have gone too far and that to renege now would cause a scandal and ruin Tori. Leela would never do anything to injure Tori. Hunt craves order, abhors scandal, and has spent his life trying to live down the debauched reputation with which his later brother tainted the family name, but he finds his passion for Leela soon overriding his rational mind and his proper marriage seems like a bleak future.
This book wasn’t quite what I expected, but in a good way. I was super nervous reading this description because it sounded like it was dancing close to infidelity, which is a dealbreaker for me, but I don’t think that actually occurred here. I liked Leela but most especially Elliot. He had some excellent groveling and was very sincere in his feelings and earnest in their delivery. If anything, my issue was with Leela and her insistence on martyring herself, and thereby Elliot, even after obstacles between them were cleared. In fact, it almost seemed like she kept grasping for reasons not to be with Elliot even as he removed obstacles and made compromises for her. That said, Leela did recognize this reticence in herself and it made sense given her struggle to figure out where she belonged. Leela’s struggle with her mixed backgrounds and her decision to live for herself and her own happiness made it all the more endearing when things finally worked out for these two just as I was completely losing my patience with her. There was a lot of exhausting back and forth between Elliot and Leela and I kept finding myself just wanting to shake them both when they kept failing to get on the same page. These two were both set in their ways and resistant to change but they made each other better, although the constant angst did leave this one feeling a bit disjointed in places and threw off some of the pacing. Nonetheless, this was an original plot with good writing. This author was new to me and I liked her style and will be continuing this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advanced review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Elliot Townsend, the Duke of Huntington, wasn’t satisfied by one night with Leela and finds himself terrified by the feelings he’s already experiencing for her after such a short time, and haunted by the callous way he left her. But he’s in for a rude awakening when he learns just who Leela is.
Leela and Hunt endure the house party they’re attending, giving each other a wide berth. They both know the betrothal talks have gone too far and that to renege now would cause a scandal and ruin Tori. Leela would never do anything to injure Tori. Hunt craves order, abhors scandal, and has spent his life trying to live down the debauched reputation with which his later brother tainted the family name, but he finds his passion for Leela soon overriding his rational mind and his proper marriage seems like a bleak future.
This book wasn’t quite what I expected, but in a good way. I was super nervous reading this description because it sounded like it was dancing close to infidelity, which is a dealbreaker for me, but I don’t think that actually occurred here. I liked Leela but most especially Elliot. He had some excellent groveling and was very sincere in his feelings and earnest in their delivery. If anything, my issue was with Leela and her insistence on martyring herself, and thereby Elliot, even after obstacles between them were cleared. In fact, it almost seemed like she kept grasping for reasons not to be with Elliot even as he removed obstacles and made compromises for her. That said, Leela did recognize this reticence in herself and it made sense given her struggle to figure out where she belonged. Leela’s struggle with her mixed backgrounds and her decision to live for herself and her own happiness made it all the more endearing when things finally worked out for these two just as I was completely losing my patience with her. There was a lot of exhausting back and forth between Elliot and Leela and I kept finding myself just wanting to shake them both when they kept failing to get on the same page. These two were both set in their ways and resistant to change but they made each other better, although the constant angst did leave this one feeling a bit disjointed in places and threw off some of the pacing. Nonetheless, this was an original plot with good writing. This author was new to me and I liked her style and will be continuing this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advanced review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 28, 2023
2-Catch-Me-If-You-Can-Stars
I asked people to choose a random number and read that book from my "want to read" pile. When one selects randomly from TBR - there is zero control over what falls into my lap. Well, you win some and lose some!
Dear God, what a muddle! Man meets woman. Woman wants the man. Man wants Woman. They fuck. The woman turns out to be the man's almost betrothed's exotic stepmother! Plot problem? You'd think that, but ironically, no! What followed was an insane tug-of-war about the most inane aspects one could think of.
My Thoughts
- My first from this author. I liked her writing. It was engaging and humorous at times.
- I did not have a problem with the plot either, as I knew what I was reading going in. I was quite curious about how the author would resolve the quandary, and sadly, I was left unimpressed.
Let's talk problems...
- The biggest issue was that the main selling point was left unaddressed. The concern with Elliot and Leela getting together should have been that she was his former almost betrothed's stepmother, for fuck's sake! But no, it was about independence and acceptance (not due to the stepmother bit, but because of her half-Arab heritage!)
- The see-saw of "I want you, I want you not" that followed was idiotic. At times, I was rolling my eyes, and at others, I wanted to pull my hair.
- Then came the aforementioned idiocy. In the relationship context, Leela was a failure! Even with repeated assurances, she had no clue what she wanted from Elliot.
- Elliot was no better. You cannot declare your love to one person and announce your intention to marry another in the same sentence. Have some tact, you clout. When you are saved from the debacle, have a better sense to go after the woman you love, you spoilt, entitled brat.
- Where was the romance? Most of the book was about them trying desperately to deny their feelings. Then he was pouting. Then they were just fucking. Then she kept leaving or wanted to leave or tried to leave until he went after her for the final time because the readers were tortured enough. We were bombarded with how visceral their connection was. SHOW ME! Love at first sight, is a beginning of a romance, an attraction, not a realisation. If that is the only element that makes a case for their romance, then I don't buy it.
- And there were a whole host of peripheral characters and minor subplot points that added no value to the romance whatsoever.
The Two Stars?
- It was an engaging read, and it inspired a reaction.
- I liked Elliot and Leela individually. Together they were a disaster apart from their lust.
- I loved Victoria. She was the only one who came to her sense quickly and efficiently and had the wherewithal to take action for her happiness.
It was a confusing romance, as evidenced by my confusing review (Grammarly threw up eleven "clarity" issues!). None of the characters were wrong in their own right, but if the point of the story is to fall in love, then at least make the journey pleasurable.
PS - He got them matching necklaces! I died of laughter. I literally DIED rolling my eyes and laughing.
I asked people to choose a random number and read that book from my "want to read" pile. When one selects randomly from TBR - there is zero control over what falls into my lap. Well, you win some and lose some!
Dear God, what a muddle! Man meets woman. Woman wants the man. Man wants Woman. They fuck. The woman turns out to be the man's almost betrothed's exotic stepmother! Plot problem? You'd think that, but ironically, no! What followed was an insane tug-of-war about the most inane aspects one could think of.
My Thoughts
- My first from this author. I liked her writing. It was engaging and humorous at times.
- I did not have a problem with the plot either, as I knew what I was reading going in. I was quite curious about how the author would resolve the quandary, and sadly, I was left unimpressed.
Let's talk problems...
- The biggest issue was that the main selling point was left unaddressed. The concern with Elliot and Leela getting together should have been that she was his former almost betrothed's stepmother, for fuck's sake! But no, it was about independence and acceptance (not due to the stepmother bit, but because of her half-Arab heritage!)
- The see-saw of "I want you, I want you not" that followed was idiotic. At times, I was rolling my eyes, and at others, I wanted to pull my hair.
- Then came the aforementioned idiocy. In the relationship context, Leela was a failure! Even with repeated assurances, she had no clue what she wanted from Elliot.
- Elliot was no better. You cannot declare your love to one person and announce your intention to marry another in the same sentence. Have some tact, you clout. When you are saved from the debacle, have a better sense to go after the woman you love, you spoilt, entitled brat.
- Where was the romance? Most of the book was about them trying desperately to deny their feelings. Then he was pouting. Then they were just fucking. Then she kept leaving or wanted to leave or tried to leave until he went after her for the final time because the readers were tortured enough. We were bombarded with how visceral their connection was. SHOW ME! Love at first sight, is a beginning of a romance, an attraction, not a realisation. If that is the only element that makes a case for their romance, then I don't buy it.
- And there were a whole host of peripheral characters and minor subplot points that added no value to the romance whatsoever.
The Two Stars?
- It was an engaging read, and it inspired a reaction.
- I liked Elliot and Leela individually. Together they were a disaster apart from their lust.
- I loved Victoria. She was the only one who came to her sense quickly and efficiently and had the wherewithal to take action for her happiness.
It was a confusing romance, as evidenced by my confusing review (Grammarly threw up eleven "clarity" issues!). None of the characters were wrong in their own right, but if the point of the story is to fall in love, then at least make the journey pleasurable.
PS - He got them matching necklaces! I died of laughter. I literally DIED rolling my eyes and laughing.
July 3, 2020
This is my first Diana Quincy and I will definitely be back for more! This is the first in a new series. She also has Accidental Peers (4 books) and Rebellious Brides (4 books) as series.
This premise totally sounded like a book I would not like. Leela is on the road heading to see her step daughter and meet her almost betrothed for a house party and due to the rain, shelters at an inn. She meets a stranger, Elliot Townsend, and they have a night of passion. As she continues on her journey the next day, she finds out that the man almost married to her own step daughter is the same man she just spent the night with. Wow. Talk about awkward. I was a bit anxious to read this hahaha. I am usually not a huge fan of early sex in books, and I also don't love when the hero/heroine is promised to another (like a love triangle), and experienced heroine's aren't my favorite, but I adored this book. I was really pulled in by Daina Quincy's writing.
Elliot, or Hunt, was a hero I liked, even though he comes off at first like a total scoundrel. But I felt like he did stand up for himself to Daina. He's usually a predictable man, someone who plans out the aspects of his life and follows them through. Staid. Steady. Completely unlike his reprobate dead brother. Rumors say there is a curse on his family where irresponsibility and scandal covers every other generation. He is from the scandal laden generation and must do what he can to avoid scandal and be an upstanding member of society. Yet from the moment he meets Leela, it's like he's lost his mind. He does things that are out of character for him. He has a hard time controlling himself. He wants to do what he can to make Leela happy and Leela insists it's to marry her step daughter and make her happy.
Leela in this book truly shines. I am usually all about the heroes, and while I did like Hunt, I LOVED Leela. She was so fun. She is super independent and while her pride went a liiiiiittle far for me in some parts, it was easy to forgive. She was wed to her step children's father at the age of 17. Her step daughter was 9 and her step son was 19. After being married for 9 years she found herself a widow. She's the daughter of the Mad Marquess. Mad because he dared marry and Arab woman, the daughter of a shopkeeper. With her low social status on her mother's side and her mixed heritage, she has never fully been accepted by the ton and has faced catty remarks her entire life. Even once she secured her husband, an Earl, it continues. As a dowager countess, she just wants the freedom to explore the world, learn her culture, and have financial independence from her step son.
Give this book a try if:
-you like a forbidden love trope. Stepdaughters betrothed? Pretty forbidden...
-heroine with a diverse cultural background, she has an Arab mother and has traveled the world meeting some of her family members and learning their way of life
-a steamy read – plenty of partial scenes, full length scenes, fade to black scenes. Not erotica but it definitely doesn't shy away from the sex
-a bit of angst. There's no villain or mystery to solve here, but there's plenty of obstacles for the couple to overcome. Society, cultural, financial, family, I didn't know how they would make it work, but it does!
-I can't call this heroine older...she's only 26 (? I think) but she feels like the older woman here. She's similar age to Hunt and I love that he wanted her instead of the new debutante.
-An independent heroine! A secret writer heroine! A working heroine!
-Very light enemies to lovers. They have some animosity throughout the book and it leads to some great dialogue and steamy angst.
This story did have a few obstacles I wasn't a huge fan of. Also there was quite a bit of back and forth about why they couldn't be together. Some parts dragged a tiny bit, more of when Hunt was still engaged to her stepdaughter (but that could have been me just being really anxious over the situation). STILL. I LOVED parts of this book. There is a scene where she chases the duke down and chucks a golf ball at his head. I loved her then. I loved her before but she might be one of my favorite heroines at that point. And what follows is so steamy and good and then filled with angst and stomped on my heart and I'm pretty sure my eyes actually filled with tears. Me, who thought her emotions dead at this point.
Writing this review has filled me with so much emotion about the book I want to read it again. I think I'll go buy another by her. Can't wait to try her again. Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to a new forever author for me. All these opinions are my own gushing love for this novel.
This premise totally sounded like a book I would not like. Leela is on the road heading to see her step daughter and meet her almost betrothed for a house party and due to the rain, shelters at an inn. She meets a stranger, Elliot Townsend, and they have a night of passion. As she continues on her journey the next day, she finds out that the man almost married to her own step daughter is the same man she just spent the night with. Wow. Talk about awkward. I was a bit anxious to read this hahaha. I am usually not a huge fan of early sex in books, and I also don't love when the hero/heroine is promised to another (like a love triangle), and experienced heroine's aren't my favorite, but I adored this book. I was really pulled in by Daina Quincy's writing.
Elliot, or Hunt, was a hero I liked, even though he comes off at first like a total scoundrel. But I felt like he did stand up for himself to Daina. He's usually a predictable man, someone who plans out the aspects of his life and follows them through. Staid. Steady. Completely unlike his reprobate dead brother. Rumors say there is a curse on his family where irresponsibility and scandal covers every other generation. He is from the scandal laden generation and must do what he can to avoid scandal and be an upstanding member of society. Yet from the moment he meets Leela, it's like he's lost his mind. He does things that are out of character for him. He has a hard time controlling himself. He wants to do what he can to make Leela happy and Leela insists it's to marry her step daughter and make her happy.
Leela in this book truly shines. I am usually all about the heroes, and while I did like Hunt, I LOVED Leela. She was so fun. She is super independent and while her pride went a liiiiiittle far for me in some parts, it was easy to forgive. She was wed to her step children's father at the age of 17. Her step daughter was 9 and her step son was 19. After being married for 9 years she found herself a widow. She's the daughter of the Mad Marquess. Mad because he dared marry and Arab woman, the daughter of a shopkeeper. With her low social status on her mother's side and her mixed heritage, she has never fully been accepted by the ton and has faced catty remarks her entire life. Even once she secured her husband, an Earl, it continues. As a dowager countess, she just wants the freedom to explore the world, learn her culture, and have financial independence from her step son.
Give this book a try if:
-you like a forbidden love trope. Stepdaughters betrothed? Pretty forbidden...
-heroine with a diverse cultural background, she has an Arab mother and has traveled the world meeting some of her family members and learning their way of life
-a steamy read – plenty of partial scenes, full length scenes, fade to black scenes. Not erotica but it definitely doesn't shy away from the sex
-a bit of angst. There's no villain or mystery to solve here, but there's plenty of obstacles for the couple to overcome. Society, cultural, financial, family, I didn't know how they would make it work, but it does!
-I can't call this heroine older...she's only 26 (? I think) but she feels like the older woman here. She's similar age to Hunt and I love that he wanted her instead of the new debutante.
-An independent heroine! A secret writer heroine! A working heroine!
-Very light enemies to lovers. They have some animosity throughout the book and it leads to some great dialogue and steamy angst.
This story did have a few obstacles I wasn't a huge fan of. Also there was quite a bit of back and forth about why they couldn't be together. Some parts dragged a tiny bit, more of when Hunt was still engaged to her stepdaughter (but that could have been me just being really anxious over the situation). STILL. I LOVED parts of this book. There is a scene where she chases the duke down and chucks a golf ball at his head. I loved her then. I loved her before but she might be one of my favorite heroines at that point. And what follows is so steamy and good and then filled with angst and stomped on my heart and I'm pretty sure my eyes actually filled with tears. Me, who thought her emotions dead at this point.
Writing this review has filled me with so much emotion about the book I want to read it again. I think I'll go buy another by her. Can't wait to try her again. Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to a new forever author for me. All these opinions are my own gushing love for this novel.
September 28, 2020
I had the great pleasure of reading this glorious book early and I absolutely adored it! Leela is a fierce, passionate, and complex heroine, and Elliot, the strong-yet-sensitive and extremely sexy Duke of Huntington, completely stole my heart. But don't take my word for it...critics and readers are raving:
"Leela and Hunt's amorous scenes are page-turners, but it's Quincy's extraordinary ability to convey complex emotions that sets the book apart." (Kirkus Starred Review)
"Quincy cleverly incorporates much-loved genre tropes into the daringly sensual plot of her print romance debut, and this combined with the refreshingly original, boldly adventurous heroine, who fully embraces her Middle Eastern family origins, makes this marvelously entertaining love story..." (Booklist Starred Review)
Order HER NIGHT WITH THE DUKE now - you will thank me!
"Leela and Hunt's amorous scenes are page-turners, but it's Quincy's extraordinary ability to convey complex emotions that sets the book apart." (Kirkus Starred Review)
"Quincy cleverly incorporates much-loved genre tropes into the daringly sensual plot of her print romance debut, and this combined with the refreshingly original, boldly adventurous heroine, who fully embraces her Middle Eastern family origins, makes this marvelously entertaining love story..." (Booklist Starred Review)
Order HER NIGHT WITH THE DUKE now - you will thank me!
June 1, 2025
i eat UP a post hook-up trope, and this time the pair discovers that he's about to be betrothed to her stepdaughter 🤭
ok that sounds like it can be SUCH a messy situation, which yeah a bit, but 1. the stepdaughter is not actually that into him besides his being a duke and 2. the fmc married her father very young so they're close in age (not a big age gap).
leela is also palestinian (as is the author) who has travelled, wears pants, and secretly has written successful travel books, she is goals af.
fortunately the engagement stuff isn't too dragged out and the plot keeps moving. overall i really enjoyed this, my only complaint is that i didn't love the narrator's voice for male characters (specifically for the mmc) but otherwise enjoyed it!
ok that sounds like it can be SUCH a messy situation, which yeah a bit, but 1. the stepdaughter is not actually that into him besides his being a duke and 2. the fmc married her father very young so they're close in age (not a big age gap).
leela is also palestinian (as is the author) who has travelled, wears pants, and secretly has written successful travel books, she is goals af.
fortunately the engagement stuff isn't too dragged out and the plot keeps moving. overall i really enjoyed this, my only complaint is that i didn't love the narrator's voice for male characters (specifically for the mmc) but otherwise enjoyed it!
December 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, it's everything I love about historical romances. It has a strong Arab FMC, an mmc that a a man a duke anc down bad for the fmc. A good plot and diversity. I loved that the FMC was Arab and all the culture and experiences it brought to the book. I loved her experience being a brown woman in England and trying to navigate being a writer and getting her inheritance. This book is also spicy and the chemistry between the characters is so fun to read. I can’t wait to read more by this author!
4.25/5
4.25/5
April 7, 2024
Reread update: even better the second time around 😭🫶
Absolute, utter, perfection. The back and forth longing, the pining, the smut, WOW. And on top of all of that, beautifully done details about Palestinian culture. Leela is fiercely independent and confident in her abilities, which I adored.
Elliot is kind of a man child at times, but don’t worry, Leela makes him beg
Absolute, utter, perfection. The back and forth longing, the pining, the smut, WOW. And on top of all of that, beautifully done details about Palestinian culture. Leela is fiercely independent and confident in her abilities, which I adored.
Elliot is kind of a man child at times, but don’t worry, Leela makes him beg
September 29, 2020
3.5 stars
When I was pitched this book, I really liked the synopsis and was excited at the idea of new to me author writing an Own Voices historical romance.
I really liked Leela. She's smart and driven and (mostly) knows what she wants out of life. Hunt is sort of boring. He's very concerned about scandal and it seemed that was the pinnacle of his personality. Together they did have decent chemistry and conversation, but a lot of their relationship growth was telling, not showing. I enjoyed Leela's relationship with Tori and there were some really sweet scenes between them.
Plot wise, it was okay. I did enjoy the angsty and longing filled glances across the room, but I could have done without some of the repetitive scenes of push and pull. It felt like they were having the same argument over and over again, with Leela explaining her thoughts and feelings and Hunt just taking her to bed without actually hearing them. I loved how much he had to grovel, but I definitely wanted more of a growth arc for Hunt.
Overall, it was a great introduction to this author and I'm definitely interested in other books by her.
FYI: a scene with drunken, unwanted groping on the page
**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**
When I was pitched this book, I really liked the synopsis and was excited at the idea of new to me author writing an Own Voices historical romance.
I really liked Leela. She's smart and driven and (mostly) knows what she wants out of life. Hunt is sort of boring. He's very concerned about scandal and it seemed that was the pinnacle of his personality. Together they did have decent chemistry and conversation, but a lot of their relationship growth was telling, not showing. I enjoyed Leela's relationship with Tori and there were some really sweet scenes between them.
Plot wise, it was okay. I did enjoy the angsty and longing filled glances across the room, but I could have done without some of the repetitive scenes of push and pull. It felt like they were having the same argument over and over again, with Leela explaining her thoughts and feelings and Hunt just taking her to bed without actually hearing them. I loved how much he had to grovel, but I definitely wanted more of a growth arc for Hunt.
Overall, it was a great introduction to this author and I'm definitely interested in other books by her.
FYI: a scene with drunken, unwanted groping on the page
**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**
November 29, 2021
I don't really know why I'm secretly becoming obsessed with historical romances now... but I'm not mad about it either. Ever since I met the two main characters in Her Night with the Duke, I just knew that I was going to fall in love with them. Eventually. It did honestly take a while because these two were frustratingly annoying for most of the book.
Yes, it was clear to anyone with eyes that they had serious chemistry. The sexual tension was sizzling in the air whenever they were in the same room. It was intense - heck more than intense - and I ate it all up. Each page flew through my hand and I just waited patiently for these two to realize how dumb they were being.
It took a really long time for them to admit their feelings for one another and they eventually got to their little happily ever after. I wanted to slap them silly so many times but I'm happy with the overall outcome. Their romance was one for the books even if they wear matching friendship necklaces.
Yes, it was clear to anyone with eyes that they had serious chemistry. The sexual tension was sizzling in the air whenever they were in the same room. It was intense - heck more than intense - and I ate it all up. Each page flew through my hand and I just waited patiently for these two to realize how dumb they were being.
It took a really long time for them to admit their feelings for one another and they eventually got to their little happily ever after. I wanted to slap them silly so many times but I'm happy with the overall outcome. Their romance was one for the books even if they wear matching friendship necklaces.
November 8, 2020
This was SUCH A DELIGHT! Leela and Hunt had sparks APLENTY! So. Much. Chemistry! Leela was a wonderfully strong and independent woman,, there was a lovely female friendship/sisterhood. And boy do I love a hero who is completely smitten with his woman, and Hunt definitely was. This is an author to watch, I loved this!
June 12, 2025
3.75⭐️
October 24, 2020
Lady Delilah has an epic one night stand with a mystery man who turns out to be the Duke engaged to her former daughter in law! GASP, scandal!
I was hooked in with this premise, but ultimately was not won over by the romance.
The overall arc, going from epic night of love making, to discovering both Elliot and Leela are connected by the young woman Elliot intends to marry, and fighting their pants feelings for each other never made me feel like they actually got to know each other or were actually in love, not lust.
Elliot didn't earn his HEA with Leela, and ultimately I was not thrilled with the way some of the other plot points played out, and I found myself skimming to get to the end.
CW: cheating (depends on how you view it), attempted sexual assault on page, racism, vomit, pregnancy
The rest of this review is spoilery
Thus, I enjoyed learning about Leela's character but I did not enjoy the romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher for review, and checked out a copy from the library.
I was hooked in with this premise, but ultimately was not won over by the romance.
The overall arc, going from epic night of love making, to discovering both Elliot and Leela are connected by the young woman Elliot intends to marry, and fighting their pants feelings for each other never made me feel like they actually got to know each other or were actually in love, not lust.
Elliot didn't earn his HEA with Leela, and ultimately I was not thrilled with the way some of the other plot points played out, and I found myself skimming to get to the end.
CW: cheating (depends on how you view it), attempted sexual assault on page, racism, vomit, pregnancy
The rest of this review is spoilery
Thus, I enjoyed learning about Leela's character but I did not enjoy the romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher for review, and checked out a copy from the library.
May 6, 2021
I’m vacillating between a 3 & 3.5 here— there were a lot of things I liked about this book, but for some reason reading it felt like such a slog🤦🏼♀️ I’m thinking it might’ve been poor timing? Definitely going to give this author another go!
What I liked: Leela was so awesome!! She wields knives, she’s independent, Shes a widow who was happy in her 1st marriage, i just loved her!! I think my favorite parts of this book were learning about her life🙌🏼
What I didn’t like: gosh, might’ve just been me in a weird funk but this book just felt like the plot was so unnecessary? I loved the setup, but their whole reasons for not being together was to avoid scandal and that just felt so dumb to me👀 this guy is a fucking Duke, his life has NO CONSEQUENCES!!! So I just felt like there were no real stakes, i never wondered what would happen, and the whole book was just Leela & Elliot being like “I want you but I shouldn’t, oh wait I have a lapse in judgement JK I can’t want you goodbye forever” over and over again🤷🏼♀️
What I liked: Leela was so awesome!! She wields knives, she’s independent, Shes a widow who was happy in her 1st marriage, i just loved her!! I think my favorite parts of this book were learning about her life🙌🏼
What I didn’t like: gosh, might’ve just been me in a weird funk but this book just felt like the plot was so unnecessary? I loved the setup, but their whole reasons for not being together was to avoid scandal and that just felt so dumb to me👀 this guy is a fucking Duke, his life has NO CONSEQUENCES!!! So I just felt like there were no real stakes, i never wondered what would happen, and the whole book was just Leela & Elliot being like “I want you but I shouldn’t, oh wait I have a lapse in judgement JK I can’t want you goodbye forever” over and over again🤷🏼♀️
Read
December 22, 2023I do always love a book that starts off with a bang! And I did really love reading a Regency with a Palestinian-British heroine; all the bits of Arabic and Arab culture were great. There was so much I really enjoyed.
There was quite a lot of hyper gendered language, though, including one bit near the end that particularly bothered me. (I do start to wonder, these days, if loving/reading historical romance is almost a masochistic pursuit for me, except I know masochistic isn’t quite the right word. I love it so much, but it also hurts me so often, in such a predictable way. But it is a hurt I do not enjoy lol. Even though I know it is hardly ever an intentional hurt on the part of the author, it is a dichotomy I increasingly struggle with.)
Still, I enjoyed most of this so well (aside from the gender stuff and another predictable annoyance in the epilogue)—and the following books in the series are so well hinted-at, which I always enjoy—that I do look forward to reading more from Quincy.
There was quite a lot of hyper gendered language, though, including one bit near the end that particularly bothered me. (I do start to wonder, these days, if loving/reading historical romance is almost a masochistic pursuit for me, except I know masochistic isn’t quite the right word. I love it so much, but it also hurts me so often, in such a predictable way. But it is a hurt I do not enjoy lol. Even though I know it is hardly ever an intentional hurt on the part of the author, it is a dichotomy I increasingly struggle with.)
Still, I enjoyed most of this so well (aside from the gender stuff and another predictable annoyance in the epilogue)—and the following books in the series are so well hinted-at, which I always enjoy—that I do look forward to reading more from Quincy.
December 13, 2021
Okay—upon reread, this book didn’t hold up. These people are too self-sacrificing. Maybe I’m just not a good person but I just can’t get behind Leela consistently choosing to be unhappy for the betterment of others. Then the fact that Hunt would still marry Tory was frustrating. Fucking Edward was a twat dumpster and I’ve said it before: I have zero patience for fuckwit family members. Idk why I have such an issue with terrible family members but it sucks for me because they are EVERYWHERE. At least Leela cut the bitch.
Tory was the only one brave enough to take her future in her own hands. Ten points Gryffin-Tory.
I have grown since I first read this book and my new ratings reflect that. It’s still a fine book but frustrating and I have little time these days for frustrating.
oO yes Hunt worded it perfectly: Leela pushed Tory to be happy but didn’t care about his happiness.
LMAO why is this ending so angsty and drawn out? Hunt is actually a dick. Docking another .5⭐️s. He also waited tooooo long to kick the mistress out. He wasn’t actively seeing the mistress but still.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.25/5
_______
🌶🌶🌶🌶/5 Behold another four on the sauciness meter. I was very close to giving it a five but what truly is a 5/5 on this critically acclaimed spicy scale? Will this be my white whale? Either way this was definitely a hot hot hot book, as forbidden romance usually is.
I loved this book. I read it over a few nights before bed and it was the perfect remedy for a brain that's been cruising at a solid 90mph all day. I believe Diana Quincy said in her @avonbooks Insta take-over that she has Arab heritage, which is why the heroine does as well. Heritage and family is a large part of this novel and it was interesting to read about it in the context of a historical romance! I always appreciate learning historical context and mini history lessons interwoven with the romance.
'Her Night with the Duke' is the classic "widow meets an alluring hunk of a man in a shabby inn after which they share a glorious night of passion together but as morning comes the two quickly realize that Mr. Man Hunk is the soon-to-be betrothed to her step-daughter" trope. JUST KIDDING! Nothing about the plot of this book is common at all! This was a take on the historical romance that I hadn't encountered before and one I want to encounter again. As soon as I heard that Leela (our widow) slept with her step-daughter's betrothed, Elliot (our Fabio), I immediately added it to my cart.
It's a shorter read at 258 pages, so it is quite refreshing. Also it has both Leela and Elliot's perspectives which I always love in a novel. This is the first in the 'Clandestine Affairs' series which has me giddy, I really hope Griff gets the second book. Plus this book reminds me of ‘Illicit Affairs’ by @taylorswift just with a happier ending.
Tory was the only one brave enough to take her future in her own hands. Ten points Gryffin-Tory.
I have grown since I first read this book and my new ratings reflect that. It’s still a fine book but frustrating and I have little time these days for frustrating.
oO yes Hunt worded it perfectly: Leela pushed Tory to be happy but didn’t care about his happiness.
LMAO why is this ending so angsty and drawn out? Hunt is actually a dick. Docking another .5⭐️s. He also waited tooooo long to kick the mistress out. He wasn’t actively seeing the mistress but still.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.25/5
_______
🌶🌶🌶🌶/5 Behold another four on the sauciness meter. I was very close to giving it a five but what truly is a 5/5 on this critically acclaimed spicy scale? Will this be my white whale? Either way this was definitely a hot hot hot book, as forbidden romance usually is.
I loved this book. I read it over a few nights before bed and it was the perfect remedy for a brain that's been cruising at a solid 90mph all day. I believe Diana Quincy said in her @avonbooks Insta take-over that she has Arab heritage, which is why the heroine does as well. Heritage and family is a large part of this novel and it was interesting to read about it in the context of a historical romance! I always appreciate learning historical context and mini history lessons interwoven with the romance.
'Her Night with the Duke' is the classic "widow meets an alluring hunk of a man in a shabby inn after which they share a glorious night of passion together but as morning comes the two quickly realize that Mr. Man Hunk is the soon-to-be betrothed to her step-daughter" trope. JUST KIDDING! Nothing about the plot of this book is common at all! This was a take on the historical romance that I hadn't encountered before and one I want to encounter again. As soon as I heard that Leela (our widow) slept with her step-daughter's betrothed, Elliot (our Fabio), I immediately added it to my cart.
It's a shorter read at 258 pages, so it is quite refreshing. Also it has both Leela and Elliot's perspectives which I always love in a novel. This is the first in the 'Clandestine Affairs' series which has me giddy, I really hope Griff gets the second book. Plus this book reminds me of ‘Illicit Affairs’ by @taylorswift just with a happier ending.
January 18, 2021
4 stars
**Historical Romance Readathon 2021 | Bingo Board Prompts: Recent Release (2020) / Shirtless Man on Cover / Windowed Heroine**
Her Night with the Duke reads like a complete narrative, rather than just a potent dosage of romance fixation, and I very much appreciate that.
Having just recently surpassed 10 books into my historical romance journey, I'm starting to uncover my preference; the primary one being the need for story to expand beyond just courtship. While I do enjoy reading snappy banter and steamy love making, oftentimes I find historical romance novels very 'plot-less'—barely anything substantial/unique happens (other than the expected happily ever after), and the setting so generically described every books simply blends into one giant vanilla Regency England Universe.
While Her Night with the Duke still follows the genre's template (with the obligatory third act conflict intact—though it handles it slightly more gracefully the others), I greatly appreciate the intentional deviation, with its half-Arabic heroine, commentary on classism, sexism, and diversity, and two level-headed (to the extent allowed in HR) protagonists that openly discuss their roadblocks rather than dive straight into dramatic hysteria. Most of all, there is a plethora of subplots and characters that get meaningful time in the limelight and properly developed. The evenly distributed detail makes the world of Her Night with the Duke feels alive and tangible, rather than just cardboard backdrop for the romancing couple.
For someone who has no patience following series (book, TV, film, no matter the medium), I'm actually looking forward to the next book in the series. That in itself is quite an accomplishment!
**Historical Romance Readathon 2021 | Bingo Board Prompts: Recent Release (2020) / Shirtless Man on Cover / Windowed Heroine**
Her Night with the Duke reads like a complete narrative, rather than just a potent dosage of romance fixation, and I very much appreciate that.
Having just recently surpassed 10 books into my historical romance journey, I'm starting to uncover my preference; the primary one being the need for story to expand beyond just courtship. While I do enjoy reading snappy banter and steamy love making, oftentimes I find historical romance novels very 'plot-less'—barely anything substantial/unique happens (other than the expected happily ever after), and the setting so generically described every books simply blends into one giant vanilla Regency England Universe.
While Her Night with the Duke still follows the genre's template (with the obligatory third act conflict intact—though it handles it slightly more gracefully the others), I greatly appreciate the intentional deviation, with its half-Arabic heroine, commentary on classism, sexism, and diversity, and two level-headed (to the extent allowed in HR) protagonists that openly discuss their roadblocks rather than dive straight into dramatic hysteria. Most of all, there is a plethora of subplots and characters that get meaningful time in the limelight and properly developed. The evenly distributed detail makes the world of Her Night with the Duke feels alive and tangible, rather than just cardboard backdrop for the romancing couple.
For someone who has no patience following series (book, TV, film, no matter the medium), I'm actually looking forward to the next book in the series. That in itself is quite an accomplishment!
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