What do you think?
Rate this book
Season for Scandal #2
A Duke to Remember
Love takes the stage...
Elise deVries is not what she seems. By night, the actress captivates London theatergoers with her chameleon-like ability to slip inside her characters. By day, she uses her mastery of disguise to work undercover for Chegarre & Associates, an elite agency known for its discreet handling of indelicate scandals. But when Elise is tasked with locating the missing Duke of Ashland, she finds herself center stage in a real-life drama.
Noah Ellery left the glamour of the London aristocracy to pursue a simpler life in the country. He's managed to avoid any complications or entanglements—that is, until he lays eyes on Elise and realizes there's more to this beautiful woman than meets the eye. But when Elise reveals her real identity—and her true feelings for him—the runaway duke must confront the past he left behind . . . to keep the woman he loves forever.
RUNNING TIME ⇒11hrs. and 42mins.
©2016 Kelly Bowen (P)2016 Hachette Audio
Elise deVries is not what she seems. By night, the actress captivates London theatergoers with her chameleon-like ability to slip inside her characters. By day, she uses her mastery of disguise to work undercover for Chegarre & Associates, an elite agency known for its discreet handling of indelicate scandals. But when Elise is tasked with locating the missing Duke of Ashland, she finds herself center stage in a real-life drama.
Noah Ellery left the glamour of the London aristocracy to pursue a simpler life in the country. He's managed to avoid any complications or entanglements—that is, until he lays eyes on Elise and realizes there's more to this beautiful woman than meets the eye. But when Elise reveals her real identity—and her true feelings for him—the runaway duke must confront the past he left behind . . . to keep the woman he loves forever.
RUNNING TIME ⇒11hrs. and 42mins.
©2016 Kelly Bowen (P)2016 Hachette Audio
Audible Audio
First published July 26, 2016
272 people are currently reading
1835 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Bowen
21 books1,373 followersAward-winning author Kelly Bowen attended the University of Manitoba, earning a BSc & MSc in veterinary studies. She worked as a research scientist before realizing her dream to write historical fiction. Currently, Kelly lives with her family in Winnipeg, Canada.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
June 21, 2025
I decided to read this one right after finishing the first book in the series. I listened to the audio, and it didn't capture me the way the first book did. The plot is a lot of luck and insta love and a bunch of steamy parts. I was at the halfway mark and realized it was an enjoyable book but one I could have put down and moved on (so it was a take it or leave it for me). Something I forgot to point out in my review of the first book that is more a fairytale type of setting. Where Dukes can fall in love with magnificently beautiful intelligent commoners. My favorite character in the book is "KING" and he is more of anti-hero. Many have really enjoyed this book for me it was only meh and I give it a low 3*
November 14, 2021
It was a controlled leap into love
****Slightly spoilerish, please proceed with caution****
It’s not often when I'm reading (and enjoying) a story that the heroine is the highlight instead of the hero. In A Duke to Remember, Elise, is by far the star of the show. Mind you, Noah isn't bad by any means, he’s pretty special too and the more you get to know him, the more you love him.
Elise De Vries is an intelligent, determined, loyal and funny woman. She’s a part-owner of Chegarre & Associates, the company that “saves the day” of the upper-class members of society who find themselves in a spot of bother and need to keep their problems quiet. Elise is also a part-time actress which helps her slip into disguise and infiltrate and fix things under the radar. While she’s great at her jobs, we also learn that her strength and determination were learned the hard way on the frontlines of war. What made her stand out as a character, was that she didn’t hide her intelligence, skills or humour. Most of the time, when she’s not playing a part, what you see is what you get. It turns out that this confidence in herself is quite newfound. Someone gave her the strength to be proud of her talents. That someone is a Duke, hiding behind the façade of an ordinary man.
Noah is an ordinary man. Most people who know him think he’s shy and a bit of a loner. What none of them would believe is that he’s a man in hiding. His past is ugly and something that he is ashamed of. Noah wants no part of his old life and tells his new friends and acquaintances that he has no family alive. People believe what they see…or what they want to see. None of his new acquaintances would ever think or consider him to be a Duke in hiding. This disguise is not just to avoid his past it’s also to cover for the fact that Noah sometimes struggles to communicate. It’s easier to avoid talking to a lot of people as uncomfortable situations make him feel worse. What Noah doesn’t realise is that his past does not want to stay in the past and people, including his family, are determined to resurrect him.
Elise has been employed to bring Noah home. What she wasn’t counting on was meeting him and feeling an almost instant connection to him…and the feelings are mutual. Elise tries to not let her heart get involved but with Noah determined to keep her close and connected to him she’s fighting a losing battle.
I enjoyed A Duke to Remember from start to finish. I loved both Elise and Noah and enjoyed seeing them grow strength and confidence from just having each other by their side. I think this was a great example of what loving someone gives you when it comes to confidence in yourself. A loved one doesn’t always have to do something for you to show their love. Having someone at your back or by your side supporting you is as much a sign of love. Elise finds that she can be herself around Noah and he doesn’t expect anything more. She doesn’t have to put on an act, she can just be a girl with a gun who is able to out-shoot most men. Noah finds strength and confidence in being with Elise. His history and issues don’t define him in her eyes. She sees him as a beautiful man with intelligence and compassion. They both bring out the best in each other which makes them even more appealing as characters.
I have to say that my only negative would be that the sexy times did not feel true to a historical romance. Elise is an actress but up till the sex scenes, it never seemed like she was one of those actresses, who supported their income by performing services in the bedroom. I’m guessing because of her confidence and familiarity with his bits and pieces, that she’s been around the block a time or two. This is never explained and Noah never questions it either.
Most historical romances have the female with a little less knowledge unless they are a widow or a courtesan. So, because of this, I felt like I was either reading a modern sex scene or I was kind of missing part of the story of how she gained so much knowledge. There are plusses and minuses for this happening. On one side we have very sexy times with both the male and female enjoying it from the very beginning. There wasn’t any deflowerings or maidenly shaming that normally makes me roll my eyes. On the other hand, it just felt a titch off for historical accuracy. Mind you, what would I know, it’s not like I was there back in the day. ;-)
Overall, I really enjoyed A Duke to Remember. The characters, scenery and storyline were exciting and drew me in from the start. It was great to see some of the characters from Duke of my Heart and I definitely want to read more of this author's work in the future.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
****Slightly spoilerish, please proceed with caution****
It’s not often when I'm reading (and enjoying) a story that the heroine is the highlight instead of the hero. In A Duke to Remember, Elise, is by far the star of the show. Mind you, Noah isn't bad by any means, he’s pretty special too and the more you get to know him, the more you love him.
Elise De Vries is an intelligent, determined, loyal and funny woman. She’s a part-owner of Chegarre & Associates, the company that “saves the day” of the upper-class members of society who find themselves in a spot of bother and need to keep their problems quiet. Elise is also a part-time actress which helps her slip into disguise and infiltrate and fix things under the radar. While she’s great at her jobs, we also learn that her strength and determination were learned the hard way on the frontlines of war. What made her stand out as a character, was that she didn’t hide her intelligence, skills or humour. Most of the time, when she’s not playing a part, what you see is what you get. It turns out that this confidence in herself is quite newfound. Someone gave her the strength to be proud of her talents. That someone is a Duke, hiding behind the façade of an ordinary man.
Noah is an ordinary man. Most people who know him think he’s shy and a bit of a loner. What none of them would believe is that he’s a man in hiding. His past is ugly and something that he is ashamed of. Noah wants no part of his old life and tells his new friends and acquaintances that he has no family alive. People believe what they see…or what they want to see. None of his new acquaintances would ever think or consider him to be a Duke in hiding. This disguise is not just to avoid his past it’s also to cover for the fact that Noah sometimes struggles to communicate. It’s easier to avoid talking to a lot of people as uncomfortable situations make him feel worse. What Noah doesn’t realise is that his past does not want to stay in the past and people, including his family, are determined to resurrect him.
Elise has been employed to bring Noah home. What she wasn’t counting on was meeting him and feeling an almost instant connection to him…and the feelings are mutual. Elise tries to not let her heart get involved but with Noah determined to keep her close and connected to him she’s fighting a losing battle.
I enjoyed A Duke to Remember from start to finish. I loved both Elise and Noah and enjoyed seeing them grow strength and confidence from just having each other by their side. I think this was a great example of what loving someone gives you when it comes to confidence in yourself. A loved one doesn’t always have to do something for you to show their love. Having someone at your back or by your side supporting you is as much a sign of love. Elise finds that she can be herself around Noah and he doesn’t expect anything more. She doesn’t have to put on an act, she can just be a girl with a gun who is able to out-shoot most men. Noah finds strength and confidence in being with Elise. His history and issues don’t define him in her eyes. She sees him as a beautiful man with intelligence and compassion. They both bring out the best in each other which makes them even more appealing as characters.
I have to say that my only negative would be that the sexy times did not feel true to a historical romance. Elise is an actress but up till the sex scenes, it never seemed like she was one of those actresses, who supported their income by performing services in the bedroom. I’m guessing because of her confidence and familiarity with his bits and pieces, that she’s been around the block a time or two. This is never explained and Noah never questions it either.
Most historical romances have the female with a little less knowledge unless they are a widow or a courtesan. So, because of this, I felt like I was either reading a modern sex scene or I was kind of missing part of the story of how she gained so much knowledge. There are plusses and minuses for this happening. On one side we have very sexy times with both the male and female enjoying it from the very beginning. There wasn’t any deflowerings or maidenly shaming that normally makes me roll my eyes. On the other hand, it just felt a titch off for historical accuracy. Mind you, what would I know, it’s not like I was there back in the day. ;-)
Overall, I really enjoyed A Duke to Remember. The characters, scenery and storyline were exciting and drew me in from the start. It was great to see some of the characters from Duke of my Heart and I definitely want to read more of this author's work in the future.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
January 18, 2017
2.5 stars
I read this for the Secret Billionaire square for Romance Bingo
I am with you, not against you.
Since this is historical my secret billionaire is a secret Duke living as a farmer but said to be one of the richest in the land. I'm guessing, if inflation was applied, he'd be considered a billionaire today :)
This story utilized one of my lesser favorite tropes of insta-love. When our hero helps to drag our heroine out of a river that she had jumped into to save a little boy, it's pretty much on from that point on. Get ready for my broken record of missed the sexual tension (you could say there is a little bit before they are able to hit the sack but because they had already fallen for each other, I put it down to lust more), missed the chase, and missed the journey.
How they met was mega coincidence and you're talking with a well seasoned romance reader, too easy. As with the other Bowen books I've read, the heroine was kick-butt awesome, if not putting out a completely jiving historical feel. I honestly could have just read the heroine's biography and been super pleased. The hero had a tragic background but I don't know, I still didn't feel like I really knew him.
Secondary characters: King. KingKingKingKingKing. I NEED his book. He seems just shady, heartless, and honorable to knock my socks off.
*************
Haven't read the first in the series yet and too full of an arc schedule for July but how great is this promo pic?!
Want to read the story based on this alone, lol.
I read this for the Secret Billionaire square for Romance Bingo
I am with you, not against you.
Since this is historical my secret billionaire is a secret Duke living as a farmer but said to be one of the richest in the land. I'm guessing, if inflation was applied, he'd be considered a billionaire today :)
This story utilized one of my lesser favorite tropes of insta-love. When our hero helps to drag our heroine out of a river that she had jumped into to save a little boy, it's pretty much on from that point on. Get ready for my broken record of missed the sexual tension (you could say there is a little bit before they are able to hit the sack but because they had already fallen for each other, I put it down to lust more), missed the chase, and missed the journey.
How they met was mega coincidence and you're talking with a well seasoned romance reader, too easy. As with the other Bowen books I've read, the heroine was kick-butt awesome, if not putting out a completely jiving historical feel. I honestly could have just read the heroine's biography and been super pleased. The hero had a tragic background but I don't know, I still didn't feel like I really knew him.
Secondary characters: King. KingKingKingKingKing. I NEED his book. He seems just shady, heartless, and honorable to knock my socks off.
*************
Haven't read the first in the series yet and too full of an arc schedule for July but how great is this promo pic?!
Want to read the story based on this alone, lol.
May 21, 2018
5 stars – Historical Romance
I absolutely LOVED this! Such an engaging, swoon-worthy romance! It’s been quite a while since I’ve been so impressed and enamored with a new-to-me historical romance author. I read and really enjoyed A Duke in the Night and knew I had to devour Kelly Bowen’s entire backlist. This was my second book by her, and it’s simply fantastic!
I have complete heroine worship for brave, unique, capable, sweet Elise (just adored her), and Noah is a tortured but strong, swoonalicious hero. The secondary characters are all fabulous, too. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator, Polly Lee, was superb and made my utter enjoyment of the story even better. I just wish there had been an epilogue for icing on an already decadent cake! I can’t wait to read the other books in the series. Big 5 stars!
I absolutely LOVED this! Such an engaging, swoon-worthy romance! It’s been quite a while since I’ve been so impressed and enamored with a new-to-me historical romance author. I read and really enjoyed A Duke in the Night and knew I had to devour Kelly Bowen’s entire backlist. This was my second book by her, and it’s simply fantastic!
I have complete heroine worship for brave, unique, capable, sweet Elise (just adored her), and Noah is a tortured but strong, swoonalicious hero. The secondary characters are all fabulous, too. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator, Polly Lee, was superb and made my utter enjoyment of the story even better. I just wish there had been an epilogue for icing on an already decadent cake! I can’t wait to read the other books in the series. Big 5 stars!
July 28, 2016
Kelly Bowen knows how to write!!!
This is even better than the previous book!
The absolutely main character here is Elise! A fantastic heroine! A fantastic woman!!!
She’s incredibly self-possessed, intelligent, smart, fun… there’re not enough positive adjectives for her!!! I was simply in awe! I almost fell in love with her myself!!! I could totally understand Noah!!!
…sorry, digress… back to review…
Noah was pretty great too!
He made his life after a very traumatic childhood and didn’t become a bitter man.
When Elise and Noah meet, the attraction is immediate. Noah is the one affected the most. So when Elise tells him that she came to find him, that she knows he’s the lost duke, that she want him to come back to London and claim his title, Noah is devastated.
Noah tries to make her leave, tells her that he will not go, that he doesn’t care, but Elise confronts him with his fears, with his resentment.
What was great is the way she makes him see things her way. How she makes him reveal all the horror and betrayal of his childhood, but also doesn’t offer him pity or makes him feel less because of that. In a way she makes him come out of his shell and the wonderful thing is that Noah is willing to see reason. Ha rages and rants, but he is willing to accept that what Elise is saying has a point.
Their attraction plays a big part in that acceptance and a kiss during a storm make for some scorching hot night….
I could really feel what they were feeling. Their emotions were wonderfully described. I loved that the act was not just physical, but also deeply emotional.
This is a very, very good book! I would recommend it to all who love a well written romance.
This is even better than the previous book!
The absolutely main character here is Elise! A fantastic heroine! A fantastic woman!!!
She’s incredibly self-possessed, intelligent, smart, fun… there’re not enough positive adjectives for her!!! I was simply in awe! I almost fell in love with her myself!!! I could totally understand Noah!!!
…sorry, digress… back to review…
Noah was pretty great too!
He made his life after a very traumatic childhood and didn’t become a bitter man.
When Elise and Noah meet, the attraction is immediate. Noah is the one affected the most. So when Elise tells him that she came to find him, that she knows he’s the lost duke, that she want him to come back to London and claim his title, Noah is devastated.
Noah tries to make her leave, tells her that he will not go, that he doesn’t care, but Elise confronts him with his fears, with his resentment.
What was great is the way she makes him see things her way. How she makes him reveal all the horror and betrayal of his childhood, but also doesn’t offer him pity or makes him feel less because of that. In a way she makes him come out of his shell and the wonderful thing is that Noah is willing to see reason. Ha rages and rants, but he is willing to accept that what Elise is saying has a point.
Their attraction plays a big part in that acceptance and a kiss during a storm make for some scorching hot night….
I could really feel what they were feeling. Their emotions were wonderfully described. I loved that the act was not just physical, but also deeply emotional.
This is a very, very good book! I would recommend it to all who love a well written romance.
July 22, 2016
4.5 stars
A Duke to Remember by Kelly Bowen is a 2016 Forever publication.
Together Noah and Elise make a perfect team, balance each other, and they are always stealing each other’s lines, which is so cute!
If you enjoy light hearted historical romances with just a touch of suspense, lots of witty and sharp banter, and a sweet and sensual love story, featuring two very unique characters, then you can’t go wrong with this one!
Overall, this a very pleasant and captivating story! I recommend this one to all historical romance lovers!!
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews
To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
A Duke to Remember by Kelly Bowen is a 2016 Forever publication.
Together Noah and Elise make a perfect team, balance each other, and they are always stealing each other’s lines, which is so cute!
If you enjoy light hearted historical romances with just a touch of suspense, lots of witty and sharp banter, and a sweet and sensual love story, featuring two very unique characters, then you can’t go wrong with this one!
Overall, this a very pleasant and captivating story! I recommend this one to all historical romance lovers!!
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews
To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
August 30, 2016
She was like an addiction, something that he was powerless to resist, even though he understood just how dangerous she was. He’d never experienced anything like it before, and it disturbed him beyond words.
Elise deVries excels at pretend. Her chameleon ability suits her well as a part-time actress, and in her position at Chegarre & Associates. Chegarre & Associates who fixes the problems and scandals of the wealthy. No one is better than Elise at undercover work or at finding those that don’t wish to be found. And in order to fix her most recent case she needs to find the missing Duke of Ashland.
Noah Ellery disappeared from London aristocracy when he was very young. After escaping his captivity he left for the country, living a peaceful life, intent on never returning to London. But when he helps the beautiful Elise from a river, he doesn’t realise that she’s come to find him to confront the past he left behind. Can Noah overcome the damage caused by his past and take back his place as the Duke of Ashland, and can he keep the woman he has come to love?
“When I’m with you, like this, without an audience, I forget myself. I forget the role I am supposed to play, forget the lines I am supposed to deliver. With you I can step from the shadows,” she said quietly.
No one writes unconventional HR heroines better than Kelly Bowen. Elise was amazing and I loved the fact that she used to be a soldier, that she doesn’t need a man to protect her, and how talented she was as a tracker and with a gun. She has been pretending for so long, that she feared she had forgotten who she really was. Until she meets Noah, who makes her forget the job she has to do, who makes her forget to pretend that the attraction she feels is not there. He makes her wish for things that she never thought she would have.
“You’re so much more than just a girl with a gun.” He said it fiercely and with such passion that she felt her stomach drop and her pulse race. “I see you, Elise DeVries. No matter what clothes you might wear or what mask you might assume, I see your courageous heart and I see your beautiful mind. I see your compassion and your hope, your resilience and your strength. If you do not know who you are, know that I do.”
I adored Noah. He was so sweet and I loved how he blushed when he was embarrassed. I also loved how protective and strong he was when it was needed. My heart just broke for all he had to endure because his father and mother thought him imperfect as a child and tried to fix him. And I loved how Elise made him realise that his flaws which he was punished so cruelly for was just that … a flaw. Everyone has flaws, it’s nothing to be horrified or ashamed of.
“Because when you left, you took my heart with you.” Not waiting for her to respond, he caught her face in his hands and kissed her softly. “You took my soul, you took my very life with you. And I can’t live without you.”
I loved the instant attraction between Elise and Noah, and the fact that both of them are survivors and because of this they understood how the other felt about what they had to do to survive, to protect those they cared about. I also loved that Elise wasn’t a virgin, and the sexy times were wonderful. The romance was just fantastic, so sweet and intense.
Kelly Bowen always writes such captivating plots, and I loved the one in this story. It’s truly horrifying how women and those not part of the aristocracy were treated back then, and seeing how easy it was for people to be admitted to Bedlam and the horrifying things they were subjected to there was appalling.
“And good assassins, the kind that can make murder seem like the most innocent of accidents, are heinously expensive. At least my favorites are. Highway robbery if you ask me, but then again, one gets what one pays for.”
I loved the secondary characters in this book, especially Elise’s brother Alex who owns a club, and who has a scar across his face. And then there’s the mysterious King, who is infamous among London’s underworld. A man who has no past and who trades in rare antiquities. I have been fascinated with him since the first book, and after learning pieces about his awful past, I NEED his book!! Pretty please let him get his own book……….
This was another winner by one of my favorite HR authors. If you love unorthodox heroines, sexy heroes who aren’t afraid of going after what they want, intriguing plots and fantastic romance then this author is for you. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
August 28, 2016
4.5 "The Forgotten Duke & His Resourceful Savior" Stars for the story and narration!
What a pleasant and captivating surprise! I really loved the depth and originality of the characters in A Duke to Remember. The story was well done and kept me hooked throughout. This was my first book by Kelly Bowen, and I will undoubtedly be looking for more. Moreover, I found Ashford McNab's narration pleasing and additive to the allure of this remarkable story. So this audibook is a win/win all around!
If you have a problem you'd like discreetly handled the firm of Chegarre & Associates is your firm to call. Set in London in 1819, A Duke to Remember, takes Elise deVries, one of the Chegarre & Associates, on an interesting assignment to locate a Duke (the Duke of Ashland) long thought dead. Moreover, time is of the essence as the life of his mother may very well depend on it.
Noah Ellery, the true heir and Duke of Ashland has been hiding out in the country for most of his life. Fleeing a life and secrets that his family has long tried to bury, the Duke of Ashland never thought to return to claim his rightful inheritance. But when a spirited woman happens to run in to him in the isolated town where he has been hiding out, he is forced to face feelings he never thought he would feel. Perhaps even worse, when it becomes clear that Elise is hiding more than a sure talent for wielding a weapon and generally being ingeniously resourceful, but instead has also failed to immediately reveal why she has happened to "stumble" upon him, Noah is forced to face the deep dark secrets that he long thought he had left in the past. But can a romance built on secrets ever lead to a true HEA?
Ashford McNab delivers a stunning performance in A Duke to Remember. From her characterization of the independent, strong and clever Elise to the self-made and regal Duke of Ashland, Ms. McNab's voicings of each character perfectly coincide with the personalities that Ms. Bowen has written for each. Additionally, this distinctiveness of character's voices makes it easy to distinguish the speaker in each dialogue without having to rely on dialogue tags.
Perhaps one of the things that I found the most enjoyable was that Ms. McNab was able to improvise as the book went along. In that regard, the Duke of Ashford occasionally suffers from bouts of stuttering and Ms. McNab was able to seamlessly move from the passages where the Duke's speech was imperial and flawless, to the ones where his nerves caused his speech to suffer, with apparent ease.
All in all, I found a Duke to Remember to be an enjoyable historical romance audiobook. Not only was Ms. Ashford's narration expertly produced, but Ms. Bowen has proved with this memorable story (only her sixth book) that she is a new author that historical romance enthusiasts will undoubtedly want on their radar!
Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
What a pleasant and captivating surprise! I really loved the depth and originality of the characters in A Duke to Remember. The story was well done and kept me hooked throughout. This was my first book by Kelly Bowen, and I will undoubtedly be looking for more. Moreover, I found Ashford McNab's narration pleasing and additive to the allure of this remarkable story. So this audibook is a win/win all around!
If you have a problem you'd like discreetly handled the firm of Chegarre & Associates is your firm to call. Set in London in 1819, A Duke to Remember, takes Elise deVries, one of the Chegarre & Associates, on an interesting assignment to locate a Duke (the Duke of Ashland) long thought dead. Moreover, time is of the essence as the life of his mother may very well depend on it.
Noah Ellery, the true heir and Duke of Ashland has been hiding out in the country for most of his life. Fleeing a life and secrets that his family has long tried to bury, the Duke of Ashland never thought to return to claim his rightful inheritance. But when a spirited woman happens to run in to him in the isolated town where he has been hiding out, he is forced to face feelings he never thought he would feel. Perhaps even worse, when it becomes clear that Elise is hiding more than a sure talent for wielding a weapon and generally being ingeniously resourceful, but instead has also failed to immediately reveal why she has happened to "stumble" upon him, Noah is forced to face the deep dark secrets that he long thought he had left in the past. But can a romance built on secrets ever lead to a true HEA?
Ashford McNab delivers a stunning performance in A Duke to Remember. From her characterization of the independent, strong and clever Elise to the self-made and regal Duke of Ashland, Ms. McNab's voicings of each character perfectly coincide with the personalities that Ms. Bowen has written for each. Additionally, this distinctiveness of character's voices makes it easy to distinguish the speaker in each dialogue without having to rely on dialogue tags.
Perhaps one of the things that I found the most enjoyable was that Ms. McNab was able to improvise as the book went along. In that regard, the Duke of Ashford occasionally suffers from bouts of stuttering and Ms. McNab was able to seamlessly move from the passages where the Duke's speech was imperial and flawless, to the ones where his nerves caused his speech to suffer, with apparent ease.
All in all, I found a Duke to Remember to be an enjoyable historical romance audiobook. Not only was Ms. Ashford's narration expertly produced, but Ms. Bowen has proved with this memorable story (only her sixth book) that she is a new author that historical romance enthusiasts will undoubtedly want on their radar!
Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2016
4.5 stars
I'm reviewing the audiobook version for AudioGals, so I'll write a review for that shortly. But this is a terrific read on all-fronts. A well-written romance between two engaging and intriguing characters.
I'm reviewing the audiobook version for AudioGals, so I'll write a review for that shortly. But this is a terrific read on all-fronts. A well-written romance between two engaging and intriguing characters.
May 14, 2017
This is the second novel in Kelly Bowen’s latest Season of Scandal series and, although I have not read the first book, I don’t think this adversely affected my enjoyment of
A Duke to Remember
. It definitely made me want to read the other books in the series.
The whole idea of Chegarre & Associates, a firm who provide effective solutions to scandals involving members of the ton, struck me as being original and I love the fact that two of the three partners in the business are women who do not conform to the normal roles expected of them.
Strong, confident, perceptive and smart, Elise once served as a tracker for the British Army and is handy with both a knife and a gun, proficiencies she demonstrates later in the book. Her part-time work as an actress enables her to adopt different disguises, useful in her work for Chegarre & Associates, whether she is posing as a moustached, bespectacled doctor or an exotic, masked French countess. Elise has been playing so many roles in her job and in the theatre that she doesn’t really know who she is anymore and I think this insecurity gives her an element of vulnerability making her seem more human.
Between this job and her work as a part-time actress at the Theatre Royal, she barely recognized herself anymore at any given moment. Every day brought a new role and a new deception to play out.
I can understand Noah’s feelings towards his parents He can never forgive the two people who should have loved and cared for him, but chose to abandon him to a hellish existence because he wasn’t perfect (the official blurb is very misleading because he did not leave the glamour of London society). I admire the way he reinvented himself and found a measure of happiness as a simple farmer and never wants to return to the world he was born into.
“I do not have a responsibility to anything,” he growled. “Not to my father, not to my mother. Not to Ashland’s piles of properties and strings of titles and coffers of money.”
Noah is kind, intelligent and sensitive and I could see how much he cares for and is protective of his sister Abigail, who had always championed and defended him. Their reunion scene really tugged at my heartstrings. In contrast, his years on the streets of London have taught him how to take care of himself and that street fighter comes into his own when danger threatens Elise.
I just loved everything about the romance – the heated attraction between them; the witty dialogue (I love how they steal each other’s lines); Noah’s tendency to blush; the way my heart gave a little flip when Noah gives Elise the rose; the raw, passionate love scene; the heartbreak and the joy. Ms Bowen writes with an emotional intensity which pulled me into the story and refused to let go.
A melding of hearts and souls – I think this quote perfectly describes the connection between Elise and Noah. I love how Elise makes Noah believe that he can be anything he wants to be and gives him the strength and courage to take up his true position in society.
She believed in him. Even knowing everything that she did, she believed in him. More than he had ever believed in himself.
I love how Noah sees the real Elise.
“I see you, Elise DeVries. No matter what clothes you might wear or what mask you might assume, I see your courageous heart and I see your beautiful mind. I see your compassion and your hope, your resilience and your strength. If you do not know who you are, know that I do.”
I found so many of the secondary characters intriguing, among them:
Elise’s brother Alex who is a partner in Chegarre & Associates but also owns one of the most exclusive gaming hells in London frequented by some of the most influential and infamous members of the ton. These elite gamblers not only part with their money but also their secrets. (his book, Between the Devil and the Duke, is already on my must-read list).
Ivory Moore, founder of Chegarre & Associates, and her husband, the Duke of Alderidge (I bought their book, Duke of My Heart as soon as I had finished reading this one), who cleverly assist in establishing Noah’s credentials as the true Duke of Ashland. I love the scene at the solicitors where Noah and the duke pretend to be old friends – by the time the scene ended, they had me believing every word!
The mysterious King, described as a man as dangerous and as unpredictable as a pit viper. We learn some intriguing details about him during the course of the story including his connection to Noah, all of which made me hope the Ms Bowen has a book in the pipeline for him.
Francis Ellery is a self-serving villain through and through…a liar, a cheat and a gambler with heavy debts, who will stop at nothing to steal the Ashland title and wealth.
I like the warm-hearted Mrs Pritchard, Noah’s housekeeper, and I’m a have a soft spot for animals in romances. Noah has a dog called Square and if you are thinking that’s a strange name for a dog, then you will have to read the book to discover why he’s so called.
MY VERDICT: This is a wonderful blend of an engaging story, well-drawn characters and delicious sexual tension. Highly recommended.
Season of Scandal series (click on the book cover for more details):
This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:
https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...
The whole idea of Chegarre & Associates, a firm who provide effective solutions to scandals involving members of the ton, struck me as being original and I love the fact that two of the three partners in the business are women who do not conform to the normal roles expected of them.
Strong, confident, perceptive and smart, Elise once served as a tracker for the British Army and is handy with both a knife and a gun, proficiencies she demonstrates later in the book. Her part-time work as an actress enables her to adopt different disguises, useful in her work for Chegarre & Associates, whether she is posing as a moustached, bespectacled doctor or an exotic, masked French countess. Elise has been playing so many roles in her job and in the theatre that she doesn’t really know who she is anymore and I think this insecurity gives her an element of vulnerability making her seem more human.
Between this job and her work as a part-time actress at the Theatre Royal, she barely recognized herself anymore at any given moment. Every day brought a new role and a new deception to play out.
I can understand Noah’s feelings towards his parents He can never forgive the two people who should have loved and cared for him, but chose to abandon him to a hellish existence because he wasn’t perfect (the official blurb is very misleading because he did not leave the glamour of London society). I admire the way he reinvented himself and found a measure of happiness as a simple farmer and never wants to return to the world he was born into.
“I do not have a responsibility to anything,” he growled. “Not to my father, not to my mother. Not to Ashland’s piles of properties and strings of titles and coffers of money.”
Noah is kind, intelligent and sensitive and I could see how much he cares for and is protective of his sister Abigail, who had always championed and defended him. Their reunion scene really tugged at my heartstrings. In contrast, his years on the streets of London have taught him how to take care of himself and that street fighter comes into his own when danger threatens Elise.
I just loved everything about the romance – the heated attraction between them; the witty dialogue (I love how they steal each other’s lines); Noah’s tendency to blush; the way my heart gave a little flip when Noah gives Elise the rose; the raw, passionate love scene; the heartbreak and the joy. Ms Bowen writes with an emotional intensity which pulled me into the story and refused to let go.
A melding of hearts and souls – I think this quote perfectly describes the connection between Elise and Noah. I love how Elise makes Noah believe that he can be anything he wants to be and gives him the strength and courage to take up his true position in society.
She believed in him. Even knowing everything that she did, she believed in him. More than he had ever believed in himself.
I love how Noah sees the real Elise.
“I see you, Elise DeVries. No matter what clothes you might wear or what mask you might assume, I see your courageous heart and I see your beautiful mind. I see your compassion and your hope, your resilience and your strength. If you do not know who you are, know that I do.”
I found so many of the secondary characters intriguing, among them:
Elise’s brother Alex who is a partner in Chegarre & Associates but also owns one of the most exclusive gaming hells in London frequented by some of the most influential and infamous members of the ton. These elite gamblers not only part with their money but also their secrets. (his book, Between the Devil and the Duke, is already on my must-read list).
Ivory Moore, founder of Chegarre & Associates, and her husband, the Duke of Alderidge (I bought their book, Duke of My Heart as soon as I had finished reading this one), who cleverly assist in establishing Noah’s credentials as the true Duke of Ashland. I love the scene at the solicitors where Noah and the duke pretend to be old friends – by the time the scene ended, they had me believing every word!
The mysterious King, described as a man as dangerous and as unpredictable as a pit viper. We learn some intriguing details about him during the course of the story including his connection to Noah, all of which made me hope the Ms Bowen has a book in the pipeline for him.
Francis Ellery is a self-serving villain through and through…a liar, a cheat and a gambler with heavy debts, who will stop at nothing to steal the Ashland title and wealth.
I like the warm-hearted Mrs Pritchard, Noah’s housekeeper, and I’m a have a soft spot for animals in romances. Noah has a dog called Square and if you are thinking that’s a strange name for a dog, then you will have to read the book to discover why he’s so called.
MY VERDICT: This is a wonderful blend of an engaging story, well-drawn characters and delicious sexual tension. Highly recommended.
Season of Scandal series (click on the book cover for more details):
This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:
https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...
July 11, 2024
Review from 2016
B+ for narration; A- for content - 4.5 stars roundedup.
Kelly Bowen has quickly made herself a place on my list of auto-buy authors by virtue of her ability to tell an entertaining and well-paced story with intelligence and humour and to create attractive, well-rounded protagonists and sizzling sexual tension. A Duke to Remember is her fifth book, and while I’ve enjoyed the others I’ve read and listened to, this is a real standout and easily my favourite so far.
Elise de Vries is right-hand woman to Ivory Moore, the proprietor of Chagarre & Associates, a company that specialises in making scandal disappear and fixing the seemingly unfixable. Elise has been approached by Abigail, daughter of the Duchess of Ashland, who is distraught at the discovery that her mother has been committed to Bedlam by her nephew, Francis Ellery. With the duke dead and the heir to the title missing – believed dead – Ellery is bent upon securing the massive Ashland fortune for himself by whatever means necessary. Abigail wants Elise to find a way to obtain the duchess’ release – and on learning that Abigail’s brother is actually still alive, it seems that Elise’s first step must be to find a man who has been missing for the past fifteen years and persuade him to return to London in order to assume the title and responsibilities that are his birthright.
Acting on information received from Abigail, Elise travels to a small Nottinghamshire village where she hopes to find some clues as to the duke’s whereabouts. But just as she arrives, she comes across a group of boys playing near the river and, when one of them falls in, she doesn’t hesitate and dives in to save him. Elise is a strong swimmer and manages to get to the boy and bring him close to the bank when she is hauled out of the water by a pair of strong hands - and looks up into the face of the most handsome man she’s ever seen. The man introduces himself as Noah Lawson, and even though Elise is exhausted and dripping wet, the boy’s clothes she’d worn for travelling all but ruined, she immediately recognises the frisson that rushes through her as one of startlingly strong physical attraction.
Noah Lawson has lived quietly on his small farm of the outskirts of the village for the past fifteen years. He is well liked in the community and is regarded as family by the local blacksmith, John Barr, who took him in as a wary eighteen year old with no questions asked. He is completely astonished at the powerful attraction he feels for this unknown woman, and equally surprised at the way he feels so immediately comfortable with her. As they talk, he finds himself opening up to her more than he has with anyone, and is somewhat floored by her reaction to his confession that he sometimes has trouble keeping words straight in his head and having a simple conversation. Her acceptance is something outside of his experience; and he, in turn, comes to know more about her, sensing that, like him, she has endured great suffering – and worse.
The more Elise learns about Noah Lawson, the more convinced she becomes that he is actually Noah Ellery, Duke of Ashland and the man she has been sent to find. She knows she’s good at what she does and that her ability to locate missing people is second to none, but she can’t help but be amazed at the ease with which she has located her quarry. And so might the listener be – but the author makes it work by having the audience share in Elise’s surprise, making it easier for us to accept the rather fortuitous coincidence. The chemistry between the couple is intense, even in the early stages of their relationship, but Elise knows she must keep her distance and her detachment, no matter how difficult that is in the face of the growing emotional connection between them. Noah is clearly a good, kind man who was treated appallingly by those who were supposed to love and care for him, and she hopes that by appealing to him on behalf of his sister and his mother she will be able persuade him to return to the life he was born to. But Noah is not interested in becoming a duke. It’s not surprising, when the listener learns the devastating truth about his past, that he wishes to have nothing to do with his family, but when he and Elise are targeted by killers sent to dispose of him by his cousin, Noah realises it’s time for him to step up and do what must be done.
A Duke to Remember is a cracking story in terms of the romance –which is superbly written and developed – and the plotline that charts Noah’s struggle to reconcile his past with his future. Both Elise and Noah are strong, immensely likeable characters who have done things they are not proud of in order to survive and who have spent much of their lives playing a part. We know from the previous book ( Duke of My Heart ) that Elise is a talented actress who has a chameleon-like ability to transform herself into the various characters she plays, but she is starting to second guess herself, and to ask herself if she knows who she really is anymore. And Noah, whose backstory is truly heart-breaking, has some serious soul-searching to do, too. They are a pair of survivors, a very well-matched couple who have moved on from tragedy in their pasts, but who don’t spend hours navel-gazing or letting it get in the way of the things they want and need in the present.
I enjoyed the story very much indeed, and am eagerly awaiting the next, which features Elise’s charming brother, Alex a gaming club owner who also assists Chagarre with its many investigations. This story also brings back the enigmatic King, who took a villainous role in Duke of My Heart, but whose past turns out to be unexpectedly and intriguingly bound up with Noah’s and who I am now hoping is going to get a book of his own.
Also returning is Ashford MacNab, and her narration here is one of her very best. (It should be noted that she introduces the audiobook as being narrated by Polly Lee, a pseudonym I’ve been aware of for some time – but it’s definitely her!). I’ve had some issues in the past with her male voices, and there’s no denying that in her portrayal of Noah she uses her standard, somewhat nasal “hero voice”. But there’s a lot more light and shade to her characterisation here than I’ve found with some of the other performances of hers I’ve listened to recently, with the result that Noah sounds like the sexy, kind, protective and, when necessary, deadly man he is on the page. Her interpretation of him is definitely one of the production’s strengths. Her pacing is – as usual – perhaps a little on the slow side, but it doesn’t detract from the listening experience, and has the advantage of allowing her the time to infuse the performance with the appropriate emotional nuance, something I always enjoy about her narrations. The other characters are all clearly delineated according to age and station, and while, in a late scene between Noah and the Duke of Aldridge (hero of Duke of My Heart) the two men sound very similar, there are enough subtle differences and textual indicators for the listener to be able to work out who is speaking.
A Duke to Remember is a wonderful love story about two emotionally bruised but resilient people finding each other and I’m happy to recommend it on the strength of both story and narration.
B+ for narration; A- for content - 4.5 stars roundedup.
Kelly Bowen has quickly made herself a place on my list of auto-buy authors by virtue of her ability to tell an entertaining and well-paced story with intelligence and humour and to create attractive, well-rounded protagonists and sizzling sexual tension. A Duke to Remember is her fifth book, and while I’ve enjoyed the others I’ve read and listened to, this is a real standout and easily my favourite so far.
Elise de Vries is right-hand woman to Ivory Moore, the proprietor of Chagarre & Associates, a company that specialises in making scandal disappear and fixing the seemingly unfixable. Elise has been approached by Abigail, daughter of the Duchess of Ashland, who is distraught at the discovery that her mother has been committed to Bedlam by her nephew, Francis Ellery. With the duke dead and the heir to the title missing – believed dead – Ellery is bent upon securing the massive Ashland fortune for himself by whatever means necessary. Abigail wants Elise to find a way to obtain the duchess’ release – and on learning that Abigail’s brother is actually still alive, it seems that Elise’s first step must be to find a man who has been missing for the past fifteen years and persuade him to return to London in order to assume the title and responsibilities that are his birthright.
Acting on information received from Abigail, Elise travels to a small Nottinghamshire village where she hopes to find some clues as to the duke’s whereabouts. But just as she arrives, she comes across a group of boys playing near the river and, when one of them falls in, she doesn’t hesitate and dives in to save him. Elise is a strong swimmer and manages to get to the boy and bring him close to the bank when she is hauled out of the water by a pair of strong hands - and looks up into the face of the most handsome man she’s ever seen. The man introduces himself as Noah Lawson, and even though Elise is exhausted and dripping wet, the boy’s clothes she’d worn for travelling all but ruined, she immediately recognises the frisson that rushes through her as one of startlingly strong physical attraction.
Noah Lawson has lived quietly on his small farm of the outskirts of the village for the past fifteen years. He is well liked in the community and is regarded as family by the local blacksmith, John Barr, who took him in as a wary eighteen year old with no questions asked. He is completely astonished at the powerful attraction he feels for this unknown woman, and equally surprised at the way he feels so immediately comfortable with her. As they talk, he finds himself opening up to her more than he has with anyone, and is somewhat floored by her reaction to his confession that he sometimes has trouble keeping words straight in his head and having a simple conversation. Her acceptance is something outside of his experience; and he, in turn, comes to know more about her, sensing that, like him, she has endured great suffering – and worse.
The more Elise learns about Noah Lawson, the more convinced she becomes that he is actually Noah Ellery, Duke of Ashland and the man she has been sent to find. She knows she’s good at what she does and that her ability to locate missing people is second to none, but she can’t help but be amazed at the ease with which she has located her quarry. And so might the listener be – but the author makes it work by having the audience share in Elise’s surprise, making it easier for us to accept the rather fortuitous coincidence. The chemistry between the couple is intense, even in the early stages of their relationship, but Elise knows she must keep her distance and her detachment, no matter how difficult that is in the face of the growing emotional connection between them. Noah is clearly a good, kind man who was treated appallingly by those who were supposed to love and care for him, and she hopes that by appealing to him on behalf of his sister and his mother she will be able persuade him to return to the life he was born to. But Noah is not interested in becoming a duke. It’s not surprising, when the listener learns the devastating truth about his past, that he wishes to have nothing to do with his family, but when he and Elise are targeted by killers sent to dispose of him by his cousin, Noah realises it’s time for him to step up and do what must be done.
A Duke to Remember is a cracking story in terms of the romance –which is superbly written and developed – and the plotline that charts Noah’s struggle to reconcile his past with his future. Both Elise and Noah are strong, immensely likeable characters who have done things they are not proud of in order to survive and who have spent much of their lives playing a part. We know from the previous book ( Duke of My Heart ) that Elise is a talented actress who has a chameleon-like ability to transform herself into the various characters she plays, but she is starting to second guess herself, and to ask herself if she knows who she really is anymore. And Noah, whose backstory is truly heart-breaking, has some serious soul-searching to do, too. They are a pair of survivors, a very well-matched couple who have moved on from tragedy in their pasts, but who don’t spend hours navel-gazing or letting it get in the way of the things they want and need in the present.
I enjoyed the story very much indeed, and am eagerly awaiting the next, which features Elise’s charming brother, Alex a gaming club owner who also assists Chagarre with its many investigations. This story also brings back the enigmatic King, who took a villainous role in Duke of My Heart, but whose past turns out to be unexpectedly and intriguingly bound up with Noah’s and who I am now hoping is going to get a book of his own.
Also returning is Ashford MacNab, and her narration here is one of her very best. (It should be noted that she introduces the audiobook as being narrated by Polly Lee, a pseudonym I’ve been aware of for some time – but it’s definitely her!). I’ve had some issues in the past with her male voices, and there’s no denying that in her portrayal of Noah she uses her standard, somewhat nasal “hero voice”. But there’s a lot more light and shade to her characterisation here than I’ve found with some of the other performances of hers I’ve listened to recently, with the result that Noah sounds like the sexy, kind, protective and, when necessary, deadly man he is on the page. Her interpretation of him is definitely one of the production’s strengths. Her pacing is – as usual – perhaps a little on the slow side, but it doesn’t detract from the listening experience, and has the advantage of allowing her the time to infuse the performance with the appropriate emotional nuance, something I always enjoy about her narrations. The other characters are all clearly delineated according to age and station, and while, in a late scene between Noah and the Duke of Aldridge (hero of Duke of My Heart) the two men sound very similar, there are enough subtle differences and textual indicators for the listener to be able to work out who is speaking.
A Duke to Remember is a wonderful love story about two emotionally bruised but resilient people finding each other and I’m happy to recommend it on the strength of both story and narration.
May 25, 2020
Strong heroine and Hero, who genuinely like and respect each other. There were some Cloak and Dagger stuff but I loved how badass the heroine is with a rifle. It took a minute for the hero to get on board with the heroine, but eventually, he realized how awesome the heroine is, and together you get the magic that is Noah and Elise Ellery.
I just wished there was an epilogue and a scene with the snobby Baron and his daughter being put In their place lol.
Now off to read Miss Moore and the Duke of Alderidge story, they seem very interesting.
I just wished there was an epilogue and a scene with the snobby Baron and his daughter being put In their place lol.
Now off to read Miss Moore and the Duke of Alderidge story, they seem very interesting.
July 24, 2017
Loved this. 4.5 stars. I liked this much more than the first in the series.
When the love story works, it can make me overlook most small issues. This book is not without issue, but the love story, the romance, worked. It really worked. In this story, we have Elise, a very independent heroine, who is tasked with finding Noah, heir to a dukedom, who has been missing since he was 10. This is a setup that could have resulted in deception on the part of one or both parties. Thankfully, the truth comes out early, and the honesty and acceptance between these two is very sweet and endearing. Noah is one of the best heroes I have read lately. He just melted my heart. Elise's independence and strength is plausible, IMO, though some may find she has a couple TSTL moments (none that bothered me much, but I may be in the minority here). My only issues are that this American detected some Americanisms, which likely means there are more, and some happenstances were a bit too convenient. I also thought the ending slightly anticlimactic, but that may be just me being sad it was over.
Kelly Bowen's writing is engaging and difficult to set aside. She reminds me of Elizabeth Hoyt or Jennifer Ashley, with somewhat less explicit sex scenes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will seek out more by this author.
Read as a BR w/ Loriidae and Giselle.
When the love story works, it can make me overlook most small issues. This book is not without issue, but the love story, the romance, worked. It really worked. In this story, we have Elise, a very independent heroine, who is tasked with finding Noah, heir to a dukedom, who has been missing since he was 10. This is a setup that could have resulted in deception on the part of one or both parties. Thankfully, the truth comes out early, and the honesty and acceptance between these two is very sweet and endearing. Noah is one of the best heroes I have read lately. He just melted my heart. Elise's independence and strength is plausible, IMO, though some may find she has a couple TSTL moments (none that bothered me much, but I may be in the minority here). My only issues are that this American detected some Americanisms, which likely means there are more, and some happenstances were a bit too convenient. I also thought the ending slightly anticlimactic, but that may be just me being sad it was over.
Kelly Bowen's writing is engaging and difficult to set aside. She reminds me of Elizabeth Hoyt or Jennifer Ashley, with somewhat less explicit sex scenes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will seek out more by this author.
Read as a BR w/ Loriidae and Giselle.
October 5, 2023
Elise deVries has been hired to find the missing Duke of Ashland, aka Noah Ellery. She does! He's hot! They bone! The end.
1. A lot of this book is the audience being told things. Like that Elise is an actress, and that she's not sure who she really is. Like that Noah struggles with his words, and that he's afraid of the memories of London.
All of those are real things! But the text is more interesting in giving us yet another run down of their intense physical attraction and heaving loins. Which is fine—VIVA LA BONERS—but it really detracts from the idea of a love story when what we're really getting is just a lust story.
2. Seriously: I enjoy characters who are horny on main for one another, but this was just excessive.
3. Tied to that: Noah's backstory is a lot: it intersects with themes like neurodivergency, asylums, child abuse, CSA, and homelessness. So I was hoping that the latter half of the book would do some interesting things with Ashland's ... focus? interest? power? as a Duke. But nope! We should be far more concerned about his dick, and how his dick is lonely.
Which: kind of boring??
4. I wanted to like Elise more than I did: she was resilient and stubborn, but also very much a prop for Ashland's Big Bad Backstory. She didn't do anything with who she was other than show up, push buttons, and then be eternally supportive until the end was nigh.
This? Also boring.
5. Finally, I just. Did not care. About the sex. And that is probably one of the most damning things I can say about this particular story. And it felt like there was so much sex.
1. A lot of this book is the audience being told things. Like that Elise is an actress, and that she's not sure who she really is. Like that Noah struggles with his words, and that he's afraid of the memories of London.
All of those are real things! But the text is more interesting in giving us yet another run down of their intense physical attraction and heaving loins. Which is fine—VIVA LA BONERS—but it really detracts from the idea of a love story when what we're really getting is just a lust story.
2. Seriously: I enjoy characters who are horny on main for one another, but this was just excessive.
3. Tied to that: Noah's backstory is a lot: it intersects with themes like neurodivergency, asylums, child abuse, CSA, and homelessness. So I was hoping that the latter half of the book would do some interesting things with Ashland's ... focus? interest? power? as a Duke. But nope! We should be far more concerned about his dick, and how his dick is lonely.
Which: kind of boring??
4. I wanted to like Elise more than I did: she was resilient and stubborn, but also very much a prop for Ashland's Big Bad Backstory. She didn't do anything with who she was other than show up, push buttons, and then be eternally supportive until the end was nigh.
This? Also boring.
5. Finally, I just. Did not care. About the sex. And that is probably one of the most damning things I can say about this particular story. And it felt like there was so much sex.
September 10, 2019
4,5 - "Siete sempre così arrogante?"
"Preferisco definirmi in gamba."
Se già il primo libro mi era parso molto bello, il secondo di questa serie è stato comunque una conferma.
Al centro dell'azione, stavolta, troviamo una collaboratrice dell'agenzia investigativa/risolvi problemi dei nobili di Ivory, Elise (se ve la ricordate, era la graziosa ragazza, che tra una missione e l'altra, lavorava anche come attrice).
Elise non è certo meno all'altezza della titolare: di origine canadese, già ricognitore nella guerra anglo-americana, è infallibile con il fucile e determinata nell'indagare sulle persone scomparse.
Nel nostro caso, un duca, l'unico erede a un titolo, ma dato per morto da anni, e la cui madre giace richiusa nel manicomio di Bedlam per aver invece dichiarato che è vivo.
Elise riesce a seguirne le tracce e a trovarlo, ma c'è un motivo se il duca ha cambiato nome e ha scelto l'anonimato... Oltre ad averlo trovato, la sua missione diventa quello di aiutarlo a ritrovare abbastanza fiducia e coraggio per poter tornare e misurarsi con quanto accaduto in passato.
La Bowen disegna una donna intrepida e piena di risorse, che non si scompone a vestirsi al maschile e a lanciarsi nell'azione.
Accanto a lei, Noah si ritaglia il suo spazio come un uomo che è diventato adulto sopravvivendo a un destino del tutto diverso da quello a cui sarebbe stato destinato per nascita. A mio parere, se vogliamo fare un paragone, Max (che ricompare, siii) vince ai punti, ma pure lui non è male.
Belli anche i personaggi di contorno.
Nel complesso, occorre dire che l'elemento storico è quello meno credibile, perchè l'autrice rimane sempre molto superficiale in questo, però il libro si fa amare per il suo ritmo avvincente/avventuroso.
Adesso non vedo l'ora di vedere chi sarà il prossimo duca a finire nelle indagini delle nostre investigatrici.
Anche se, dopo due duchi, chi vorrei veramente è... il RE!!
"Preferisco definirmi in gamba."
Se già il primo libro mi era parso molto bello, il secondo di questa serie è stato comunque una conferma.
Al centro dell'azione, stavolta, troviamo una collaboratrice dell'agenzia investigativa/risolvi problemi dei nobili di Ivory, Elise (se ve la ricordate, era la graziosa ragazza, che tra una missione e l'altra, lavorava anche come attrice).
Elise non è certo meno all'altezza della titolare: di origine canadese, già ricognitore nella guerra anglo-americana, è infallibile con il fucile e determinata nell'indagare sulle persone scomparse.
Nel nostro caso, un duca, l'unico erede a un titolo, ma dato per morto da anni, e la cui madre giace richiusa nel manicomio di Bedlam per aver invece dichiarato che è vivo.
Elise riesce a seguirne le tracce e a trovarlo, ma c'è un motivo se il duca ha cambiato nome e ha scelto l'anonimato... Oltre ad averlo trovato, la sua missione diventa quello di aiutarlo a ritrovare abbastanza fiducia e coraggio per poter tornare e misurarsi con quanto accaduto in passato.
La Bowen disegna una donna intrepida e piena di risorse, che non si scompone a vestirsi al maschile e a lanciarsi nell'azione.
Accanto a lei, Noah si ritaglia il suo spazio come un uomo che è diventato adulto sopravvivendo a un destino del tutto diverso da quello a cui sarebbe stato destinato per nascita. A mio parere, se vogliamo fare un paragone, Max (che ricompare, siii) vince ai punti, ma pure lui non è male.
Belli anche i personaggi di contorno.
Nel complesso, occorre dire che l'elemento storico è quello meno credibile, perchè l'autrice rimane sempre molto superficiale in questo, però il libro si fa amare per il suo ritmo avvincente/avventuroso.
Adesso non vedo l'ora di vedere chi sarà il prossimo duca a finire nelle indagini delle nostre investigatrici.
Anche se, dopo due duchi, chi vorrei veramente è... il RE!!
August 22, 2016
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bBiT7o
Oh my. Bowen totally rocked this one. From start to finish I was seriously smitten with A Duke to Remember.
The quick of it is that a duke has died and his heir? Well, most think him long dead since he disappeared as a child. Everyone but his sister and his mother who are being made out to look crazy. So it's come to Elsie and her team to hunt down the long lost heir and help him claim his title from a cousin who will stop at nothing to claim it himself.
Ahhh! Yall! Elsie was one of the most awesome heroines I've read in a long time. This lady was kick ass! She was a tracker for the British army, is a crack shot, throws herself into danger (but knows how to handle herself, no TSTL heroine here!), she's a master of disguise and maybe a wee bit diabolical. She says it like it is and does what needs doing. Kicks ass and takes names and does it all without breaking a sweat. I freaking loved Elsie. Yes. I totally have a girl-crush. lol And Noah. Gah. I liked him too! He's a quiet sort and tends to avoid most people. Gets his words mixed up and blushes when he's nervous or flustered. And he's a survivor. Went through hell and pulled himself out of it and made something of his life. I was totally in his corner.
They were amazing together, too. They each had things going on that others would judge them for--her unladylike behaviors and his troubles with speech--but to each other it was nothing. Not detractors but just what made them them and no big deal. I loved that. There's some nice chemistry and a little bit of sheet time as she tries to convince him to come back home and claim his title.
Other than the romance I really loved the people in both of their lives. His friends and housekeeper and the people she worked with. They added a nice additional little element and I'd be lying if I said they all didn't peak my interest. It's an interesting group of people with very interesting talents.
All in all... I'm impressed. Bowen put together a riveting tale that just sizzled with excitement and intrigue.
November 18, 2016
If you enjoyed Duke of My Heart, you’ll definitely enjoy this second story in the Season for Scandal series. It’s almost just like the first one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s got its own particulars; it’s not a carbon copy. But it features a chameleon of a fixer and a duke who needs her help; a pair that falls in love as she works to save his family. Like the first book, I enjoyed it. It’s quick and engaging, with a romance that’s easy to root for. And it holds up just fine as a standalone.
Elise de Vries uses her skill as an actress and her past as a wartime tracker to excel at her job at Chegarre and Associates. Her latest case involves a duchess who has wrongly been institutionalized for daring to claim her son is alive. The woman’s daughter hires Elise to find the missing duke to save the duchess and foil her cousin’s scheme to take the duchy for herself. The man has been presumed dead for years, and the only clue she has to help find him is a brooch he sent his sister when she got married.
Elise is very good at her job. That, combined with a bit of luck, lands her right in Noah Ellery’s path. The two have an instant connection, one that’s almost thwarted when he realizes she knows his true identity. There’s a reason he’s in hiding, and he wants no part of his title. Elise must convince him, while keeping him safe from the assassins his cousin has sent for him. She knows there’s no place for her in the life of a duke, but she can’t help falling for the kind, simple man Noah has become.
The romance actually moves pretty fast, which usually bothers me. But I liked these two so much, I found it easy to set that aside and enjoy their connection. I have to say I was a tiny bit disappointed by how easily Noah could talk, when his muteness destroyed his life as a child. He’s a really likeable hero, though. He’s been through so much, and it would be so easy for him to be bitter or hard, but he’s not. He saves people. He cares. And then there is Elise, who you’d think would be jaded or untouchable emotionally, but she falls so completely for Noah, it’s hard to think of her as the cold pretender you know she has to be to do her job.
The book really flew by and I think I would have liked a little bit more. I definitely want to know more about King. Some of his secrets are revealed here, and clearly, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. I look forward to unraveling the mystery.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
Elise de Vries uses her skill as an actress and her past as a wartime tracker to excel at her job at Chegarre and Associates. Her latest case involves a duchess who has wrongly been institutionalized for daring to claim her son is alive. The woman’s daughter hires Elise to find the missing duke to save the duchess and foil her cousin’s scheme to take the duchy for herself. The man has been presumed dead for years, and the only clue she has to help find him is a brooch he sent his sister when she got married.
Elise is very good at her job. That, combined with a bit of luck, lands her right in Noah Ellery’s path. The two have an instant connection, one that’s almost thwarted when he realizes she knows his true identity. There’s a reason he’s in hiding, and he wants no part of his title. Elise must convince him, while keeping him safe from the assassins his cousin has sent for him. She knows there’s no place for her in the life of a duke, but she can’t help falling for the kind, simple man Noah has become.
The romance actually moves pretty fast, which usually bothers me. But I liked these two so much, I found it easy to set that aside and enjoy their connection. I have to say I was a tiny bit disappointed by how easily Noah could talk, when his muteness destroyed his life as a child. He’s a really likeable hero, though. He’s been through so much, and it would be so easy for him to be bitter or hard, but he’s not. He saves people. He cares. And then there is Elise, who you’d think would be jaded or untouchable emotionally, but she falls so completely for Noah, it’s hard to think of her as the cold pretender you know she has to be to do her job.
The book really flew by and I think I would have liked a little bit more. I definitely want to know more about King. Some of his secrets are revealed here, and clearly, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. I look forward to unraveling the mystery.
Rating: B
*ARC provided by publisher
January 5, 2018
If you like traditional historical romance, you probably won't like this story much.
But I LOVE IT!!
Kind of Ms. Instead of Mr. Holmes:)
But of course the storyline won't as complicated and heavy in romance.
This one is better than the first book and there is sadness in it which made you wonder why those aristocrats behaved like that towards their own children? If there is one thing which made me disappointed, we didn't get Noah's mum excuses why she behave like she did.
Anyway, I really love this book and I know the next book will be Alex's but please please Ms. Bowen give us King's story too....
But I LOVE IT!!
Kind of Ms. Instead of Mr. Holmes:)
But of course the storyline won't as complicated and heavy in romance.
This one is better than the first book and there is sadness in it which made you wonder why those aristocrats behaved like that towards their own children? If there is one thing which made me disappointed, we didn't get Noah's mum excuses why she behave like she did.
Anyway, I really love this book and I know the next book will be Alex's but please please Ms. Bowen give us King's story too....
October 26, 2017
Don Quixote and I have read way too many romance novels. It made him very romantically impulsive, emotionally unhinged and unbalanced, tilting at windmills and idealizing prostitutes. As for me, I hope I'm not unhinged, but I have become too critical of and unsatisfied with most HRs I read nowadays. Case in point is this book. If I hadn't read Nancy Butler's THE DISCARDED DUKE some years ago (2002), perhaps this Bowen novel about a similarly discarded duke would have impressed me more. But Butler's book got to me first and is, to my admittedly faulty memory, superior. But the plot is a good idea and Bowen's book is not exactly a copycat of Butler's.
This is the second book of Bowen's Chegarre and Associates series, about a scandal clean-up agency headed by Ivory Moore, former opera singer, widow of a duke and now new bride of another duke. (Read the first book, DUKE OF MY HEART, to get her story.) This second of the series is about Elise deVries, actress and also employee of Chegarre as an undercover agent. Elise is hired by the sister of Noah Ellery, the long disappeared (since the age of 10) and believed-to-be-dead heir to the Duke of Ashton, to find Noah after the recent death of his father, the duke.
Since Noah is not around to claim the duchy, his Unscrupulous and Evil Cousin believes himself to be the presumptive heir and will do all he can to make sure that he inherits. One thing he has already done is to have the Duchess of Ashton committed to Bedlam hospital, claiming she is not in her right mind since she believes that Noah is still alive. Another thing he is not averse to is murdering Noah if it becomes necessary.
So off Elise goes to see if she can find Noah. Now, Elise has the bones to be a very interesting character. She had moved to England from Canada, where she had worked as a tracker for the British Army in their struggles against the rebellious American colonists. She's a sharpshooter, excellent horsewoman, outdoorswoman par excellence, and quite able to take care of herself. Yeah, that's all true, but once she gets a whiff and a glimpse of handsome Noah, that's all we seem to read about. How sexy he is. How attracted she is to him. And he's as bad. There's a lot of tenting activity in his trouser when around her, from the moment they meet and onward.
I really wanted more development of the romance and more backstory about H and h, instead of all that instant attraction that pretty quickly turned into several too-long intimate bedroom scenes. I found myself skipping over the sex. It bored me. I didn't really feel the lust or the love. And another thing I really wanted was a more complex and interesting development of the plot to get Noah back into society. It was all too easy. Bad guys dispatched in no time. Gullible sheeple of the ton easily fooled into accepting Noah into their fold. There should have been more pages on the conflict and less pages of bedroom activity.
One other problem I have is one that is always present in a Bowen book but which I tend to ignore when I'm truly engaged in the story and touched by the romance. What is that problem? It's Bowen's excessive use of anachronistic dialogue. I forgot to bookmark examples and can only remember one, but it's enough to give you an idea: At one moment in the story Elise is mentioned as "channeling her inner Robin Hood". There are plenty more of these modernisms but, you know, that faulty memory of mine isn't coming up with more at the moment.
However, the idea of this book is good and it's different from the usual HR plots. Unfortunately for me, the Nancy Butler book impressed me long ago and is stuck in my mind to the detriment of this Bowen story. BTW, I see that many reviewers here are looking forward to underworld criminal lord King's story. He's a character who has played an important part in both books of the series so far and is an interesting person but is another of those damaged, flawed, almost sociopath types that are becoming popular lately. (For example, Hoyt's DUKE OF SIN, K. Byrne's THE HIGHWAYMAN and THE HUNTER). Those types tend to make my skin crawl a little but I'll check out King's story if Bowen writes it.
This is the second book of Bowen's Chegarre and Associates series, about a scandal clean-up agency headed by Ivory Moore, former opera singer, widow of a duke and now new bride of another duke. (Read the first book, DUKE OF MY HEART, to get her story.) This second of the series is about Elise deVries, actress and also employee of Chegarre as an undercover agent. Elise is hired by the sister of Noah Ellery, the long disappeared (since the age of 10) and believed-to-be-dead heir to the Duke of Ashton, to find Noah after the recent death of his father, the duke.
Since Noah is not around to claim the duchy, his Unscrupulous and Evil Cousin believes himself to be the presumptive heir and will do all he can to make sure that he inherits. One thing he has already done is to have the Duchess of Ashton committed to Bedlam hospital, claiming she is not in her right mind since she believes that Noah is still alive. Another thing he is not averse to is murdering Noah if it becomes necessary.
So off Elise goes to see if she can find Noah. Now, Elise has the bones to be a very interesting character. She had moved to England from Canada, where she had worked as a tracker for the British Army in their struggles against the rebellious American colonists. She's a sharpshooter, excellent horsewoman, outdoorswoman par excellence, and quite able to take care of herself. Yeah, that's all true, but once she gets a whiff and a glimpse of handsome Noah, that's all we seem to read about. How sexy he is. How attracted she is to him. And he's as bad. There's a lot of tenting activity in his trouser when around her, from the moment they meet and onward.
I really wanted more development of the romance and more backstory about H and h, instead of all that instant attraction that pretty quickly turned into several too-long intimate bedroom scenes. I found myself skipping over the sex. It bored me. I didn't really feel the lust or the love. And another thing I really wanted was a more complex and interesting development of the plot to get Noah back into society. It was all too easy. Bad guys dispatched in no time. Gullible sheeple of the ton easily fooled into accepting Noah into their fold. There should have been more pages on the conflict and less pages of bedroom activity.
One other problem I have is one that is always present in a Bowen book but which I tend to ignore when I'm truly engaged in the story and touched by the romance. What is that problem? It's Bowen's excessive use of anachronistic dialogue. I forgot to bookmark examples and can only remember one, but it's enough to give you an idea: At one moment in the story Elise is mentioned as "channeling her inner Robin Hood". There are plenty more of these modernisms but, you know, that faulty memory of mine isn't coming up with more at the moment.
However, the idea of this book is good and it's different from the usual HR plots. Unfortunately for me, the Nancy Butler book impressed me long ago and is stuck in my mind to the detriment of this Bowen story. BTW, I see that many reviewers here are looking forward to underworld criminal lord King's story. He's a character who has played an important part in both books of the series so far and is an interesting person but is another of those damaged, flawed, almost sociopath types that are becoming popular lately. (For example, Hoyt's DUKE OF SIN, K. Byrne's THE HIGHWAYMAN and THE HUNTER). Those types tend to make my skin crawl a little but I'll check out King's story if Bowen writes it.
February 13, 2017
“This was where she belonged. No matter who she might have been or who she might yet become, she belonged to this man. In her search for Noah Ellery, she had found something she hadn’t even known she’d been looking for. Here, in the security of his arms, she had found a sanctuary, uncluttered by secrets and artifice. Here she’d found only a feeling of rightness and a bittersweet ache in her chest that told her that her heart was no longer hers to give.”
Once again I have to commend Kelly Bowen’s ability to create such likable characters and, as a result, equally likable couples. Elise was an incredible heroine. A take charge lady of action with copious amounts of bravery to boot, she was the main highlight of the book for me without a doubt. Noah’s quiet strength and thoughtful nature offered great balance to Elise’s take no prisoners attitude. And together, Elise and Noah just made sense. They were survivors and in each other they found, not judgement, but a deep trust and mutual understanding. With Elise, Noah didn’t struggle to find the right words and likewise with Noah, Elise could simply be herself. I felt that their connection went beyond the initial physical attraction (more on that in a minute) and grew over time into an emotional and.deeply passionate connection. All that said, I did have issues with the overall execution of their romance, especially in the beginning.
When Elise meets Noah for the first time, there is an instant attraction on both sides. This insta-lust/insta-attraction, of which I’ve never really been a big fan of, almost immediately morphed into that other equally dreaded thing called *shudders* insta-love. Now while the word love wasn’t actually uttered until the very end, thankgod, the instantaneous nature of Elise and Noah’s relationship and the rapid speed in which their super strong feelings for one another developed couldn’t help but make my eye twitch and the cynical realist part of my brain hurt. Now I’ve suspended disbelief before when it comes to plot realism, rarely do I do it in relation to the romance and yet I sort of ended up doing that here, but not completely. I mean sure, I loved all of Elise and Noah’s interactions together, liked them both as individuals and their love scenes were all kinds of hot, but all this did was further make me wonder; WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE INSTA-LOVE AT THE START??? I guess giving Elise and Noah more time to actually fall in love wasn’t convenient for plot reasons but it would’ve been preferable to the BAM! FEELS scenario that was presented, in my opinion. I will say this, Kelly Bowen was somehow able to convince me by the end of the book that these two people belonged together, insta-love be damned! How she managed to do that, I don’t know.
Those first two paragraphs sort of contradict themselves, don’t they? Well, quite obviously I struggled a lot with my feelings regarding the romance and this review reflects that. I also dealt with disappointment stemming from the lack of plot resolution involving Noah and his mother as well as Noah’s past involvement with the ever intriguing King. A scene between Noah and his mother would’ve been greatly appreciated, even if their issues hadn’t been resolved and honestly I doubt one, lone scene could’ve done that anyway, but I still would have liked to have seen it. As far as the King situation goes, perhaps we’ll find out more about it if/when he gets his own book.
June 20, 2017
Novel received courtesy of Goodreads.com First Reads Giveaway
"A Duke to Remember" is a very well-researched novel set in early 1800's England. The novel is set in both the rural community of Nottingham and the ugliness of the city of London. We learn of the horrors of Bedlam and the fickleness of society. Elise Devries is employed by a very secret agency that "cleans up" the messes made by the upper crust of society. Her company is hired to find the Duke of Ashland who has been missing since he was a boy but whose sister knows he's alive somewhere. I found the story very intriguing because it wasn't a run-of-the-mill Regency Romance. I would be inclined to read others in the "A Season for Scandal" series.
"A Duke to Remember" is a very well-researched novel set in early 1800's England. The novel is set in both the rural community of Nottingham and the ugliness of the city of London. We learn of the horrors of Bedlam and the fickleness of society. Elise Devries is employed by a very secret agency that "cleans up" the messes made by the upper crust of society. Her company is hired to find the Duke of Ashland who has been missing since he was a boy but whose sister knows he's alive somewhere. I found the story very intriguing because it wasn't a run-of-the-mill Regency Romance. I would be inclined to read others in the "A Season for Scandal" series.
August 3, 2016
4.5 stars
Finally! A gem of a book after so many duds lately. I loved the witty banter, believable chemistry between these characters, and Bowen gave us a blushing hero! I am a sucker for the slightly shy yet masculine guys (guys like Archer Hale). They are so rare in romance they are a breath of fresh air.
Both characters are full of depth, have interesting backstories but nothing that overwhelms their present.
Noah had a bad childhood, ran away (or escape) actually, but Bowen didn't make him bitter towards people in general. Instead he is honorable, a little reclusive, but he has friends and he loves kids. I also love how the author didn't need to tie up all his loose threads and make him forgive everyone from his past within the story.
Elise is witty, independent and she is not shy about speaking her mind. She's as honorable and full of loyalty as Noah so it's easy to see why these two souls match.
Why not the full 5 stars? Well you have to suspense disbelief a little in an incredible tale. This agency that takes on these cases and uses our heroine repeatedly in different disguises and roles seems the hardest part to accept. But I think readers know what this story isn't going in having read the synopsis. I don't mind it too much as long as the characters and their actions are believable.
Another minor flaw, when Noah
Safety warnings
Finally! A gem of a book after so many duds lately. I loved the witty banter, believable chemistry between these characters, and Bowen gave us a blushing hero! I am a sucker for the slightly shy yet masculine guys (guys like Archer Hale). They are so rare in romance they are a breath of fresh air.
Both characters are full of depth, have interesting backstories but nothing that overwhelms their present.
Noah had a bad childhood, ran away (or escape) actually, but Bowen didn't make him bitter towards people in general. Instead he is honorable, a little reclusive, but he has friends and he loves kids. I also love how the author didn't need to tie up all his loose threads and make him forgive everyone from his past within the story.
Elise is witty, independent and she is not shy about speaking her mind. She's as honorable and full of loyalty as Noah so it's easy to see why these two souls match.
Why not the full 5 stars? Well you have to suspense disbelief a little in an incredible tale. This agency that takes on these cases and uses our heroine repeatedly in different disguises and roles seems the hardest part to accept. But I think readers know what this story isn't going in having read the synopsis. I don't mind it too much as long as the characters and their actions are believable.
Another minor flaw, when Noah
Safety warnings
April 13, 2023
Love Kelly Bowen's writing style and the characters she writes about. Her heroines are unique and fresh in the Tonnish landscape as it were. Elise works for Chegarre and Associates and they have been task to find a lost Duke, before the evil cousin can wreck havoc on the rest of the family. Noah disappeared from society and rumor has it that he was dead. But no one can confirm and the current duke isn't talking.
So Abbie, Noah's sister, hires Chegarre to find her brother. Elise is a really different heroine than we are really used to, but well worth your time to get to know. Noah was an awesome guy and I wasn't ready for this to end. I wish that we would have seen the reunion between Noah and his mom though. It would have been a tear jerker for sure.
So Abbie, Noah's sister, hires Chegarre to find her brother. Elise is a really different heroine than we are really used to, but well worth your time to get to know. Noah was an awesome guy and I wasn't ready for this to end. I wish that we would have seen the reunion between Noah and his mom though. It would have been a tear jerker for sure.
July 8, 2023
3.5 stars
July 28, 2017
4 Stars
Kelly Bowen showed that she really knew how to write smart, capable heroines in the first book in this series Duke of My Heart with Ivory Moore, owner of Chegarre & Associates. Now Bowen has turned to another associate, Elise deVries who uses her skills as a professional actress to become one of the company's premier spies/undercover agents. Elise's mission is to find the longtime missing Duke of Ashland at the bequest of his sister who is desperate to save her mother from an insane asylum. What Elise doesn't expect is to find the duke living as a simple farmer. She also doesn't expect to fall in love with him.
Elise was definitely a character that I was intrigued by in the first book. I was super excited to see her take center stage and I think she was as wonderfully developed as I hoped. I loved her resourcefulness and her independence. I also appreciated her sense of humor which helped alleviate the tension in some of the situations she found herself in. Noah was a great character on his own though it was clear that this was Elise's story. He had a difficult childhood and has understandable reasons for rejecting his family and the title. But, despite his treatment, he was able to climb from the streets and make something of himself.
Elise and Noah fell in love with one another in a short amount of time, but I never felt like it was a case of insta-love. I think this is because they were such richly drawn characters and it was obvious that they had an immediate connection. There was a bit of a fallout when Elise's true purpose was revealed, but I thought they both handled the situation in a decent and understandable fashion. Elise and Noah are an example of romantic it can be when a couple actually sits down and talks to one another. I really believed in their happy ending.
I also love the entire premise of this series! Seemingly inspired by Olivia Pope, Chegarre & Associates specializes in minimizing the damage of major scandals...at least to those who can afford their services. There are a multitude of fascinating characters who work for and around the company and I hope to see many of them get their own stories soon. I am especially interested to see what Kelly Bowen does with the mysterious King whose background becomes a little less murky in this book.
The only thing that kept this book from being an all-time favorite was the ending. I felt like it was rushed especially the final confrontation with Noah's scheming cousin. I wish that the payoff had been better. That being said, I still enjoyed reading A Duke to Remember and am really looking forward to the next book in the series. If you are a reader who loves strong, admirable heroines in historical settings, I can't recommend this book or its prequel, Duke of My Heart, enough. Elise and Ivory are fantastic and I'm sure the heroine of Between the Devil and the Duke will be as well.
I received an eARC of this book from Forever Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kelly Bowen showed that she really knew how to write smart, capable heroines in the first book in this series Duke of My Heart with Ivory Moore, owner of Chegarre & Associates. Now Bowen has turned to another associate, Elise deVries who uses her skills as a professional actress to become one of the company's premier spies/undercover agents. Elise's mission is to find the longtime missing Duke of Ashland at the bequest of his sister who is desperate to save her mother from an insane asylum. What Elise doesn't expect is to find the duke living as a simple farmer. She also doesn't expect to fall in love with him.
Elise was definitely a character that I was intrigued by in the first book. I was super excited to see her take center stage and I think she was as wonderfully developed as I hoped. I loved her resourcefulness and her independence. I also appreciated her sense of humor which helped alleviate the tension in some of the situations she found herself in. Noah was a great character on his own though it was clear that this was Elise's story. He had a difficult childhood and has understandable reasons for rejecting his family and the title. But, despite his treatment, he was able to climb from the streets and make something of himself.
Elise and Noah fell in love with one another in a short amount of time, but I never felt like it was a case of insta-love. I think this is because they were such richly drawn characters and it was obvious that they had an immediate connection. There was a bit of a fallout when Elise's true purpose was revealed, but I thought they both handled the situation in a decent and understandable fashion. Elise and Noah are an example of romantic it can be when a couple actually sits down and talks to one another. I really believed in their happy ending.
I also love the entire premise of this series! Seemingly inspired by Olivia Pope, Chegarre & Associates specializes in minimizing the damage of major scandals...at least to those who can afford their services. There are a multitude of fascinating characters who work for and around the company and I hope to see many of them get their own stories soon. I am especially interested to see what Kelly Bowen does with the mysterious King whose background becomes a little less murky in this book.
The only thing that kept this book from being an all-time favorite was the ending. I felt like it was rushed especially the final confrontation with Noah's scheming cousin. I wish that the payoff had been better. That being said, I still enjoyed reading A Duke to Remember and am really looking forward to the next book in the series. If you are a reader who loves strong, admirable heroines in historical settings, I can't recommend this book or its prequel, Duke of My Heart, enough. Elise and Ivory are fantastic and I'm sure the heroine of Between the Devil and the Duke will be as well.
I received an eARC of this book from Forever Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2017
"You're so much more than just a girl with a gun." He said it fiercely and with such a passion that she felt her stomach drop and her pulse race. "I see you, Elise DeVries. No matter what clothes you might wear or what mask you might assume, i see your courageous heart and I see your beautiful mind. I see your compassion and your hope, your resilience and your strength. If you do not know who you are, know that I do."
What a good way to start this new year! I went into this book cold, I hadn't read the synopsis, although I knew this was the second book in the series with Chergarre & Associates, and I loved the first book Duke of My Heart with Ivory Moore so I was hoping this book would match it. And it most certainly did. In fact I think this might be even better.
So the premise is that Elise is the right hand woman of Ivory and she sets off to look for Noah Ellery, the long-lost Duke of Ashland so he may have the authority to rescue his mother from Bedlam. Elise finds Noah quickly but doesn't realize it initially when he pulls her out of the river when she jumps in to save a drowning child who is the son of Noah's good friend. They're quickly attracted to each other, but Elise finds out he is Noah Ellery and quickly reveals her identity to which Noah is furious as he doesn't want to reclaim his title because he still cannot forgive his parents for committing him to Bedlam as a child.
I really liked that Elise came clean with Noah as soon as possible. I've read too many books where heroes usually fuck up by not revealing some hidden agenda/identity they might have for approaching the other person in the relationship and it leads to major drama and communication rifts. It's usually the hero who does this although some heroines also do this.
Elise and Noah had red hot chemistry. They had a good, easy banter too, and Noah was clearly taken with how capable Elise was, which I really liked, other than her beauty. And Elise is hella clever, capable and competent. Similarly, Elise was attracted to Noah's inner goodness (besides his looks), honesty, kindness and protective nature. All the times where they had sex were gr8 and made sense for their relationship.
I like how drama-free Elise and Noah were? I love drama but I appreciated that this book had relatively little unnecessary conflict between both of them, and they were clear with each other's feelings. Only that Elise thought that Noah would no longer want her after he fully integrated into his Duke lifestyle.
There was a small subplot involving the identity of King, who has been this lurking antihero since the first book. Turns out, King is Joshua, a street urchin who Noah saved as a child, and who became his companion. King has been through the ringer, from what we learn from Noah.
My main problem with the book was that I wished King and Noah had more of a reunion and than Noah had to deal with learning about why his mother sent him to Bedlam as a child. I wished we could have explored the emotional potential of both those situations. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book.
What a good way to start this new year! I went into this book cold, I hadn't read the synopsis, although I knew this was the second book in the series with Chergarre & Associates, and I loved the first book Duke of My Heart with Ivory Moore so I was hoping this book would match it. And it most certainly did. In fact I think this might be even better.
So the premise is that Elise is the right hand woman of Ivory and she sets off to look for Noah Ellery, the long-lost Duke of Ashland so he may have the authority to rescue his mother from Bedlam. Elise finds Noah quickly but doesn't realize it initially when he pulls her out of the river when she jumps in to save a drowning child who is the son of Noah's good friend. They're quickly attracted to each other, but Elise finds out he is Noah Ellery and quickly reveals her identity to which Noah is furious as he doesn't want to reclaim his title because he still cannot forgive his parents for committing him to Bedlam as a child.
I really liked that Elise came clean with Noah as soon as possible. I've read too many books where heroes usually fuck up by not revealing some hidden agenda/identity they might have for approaching the other person in the relationship and it leads to major drama and communication rifts. It's usually the hero who does this although some heroines also do this.
Elise and Noah had red hot chemistry. They had a good, easy banter too, and Noah was clearly taken with how capable Elise was, which I really liked, other than her beauty. And Elise is hella clever, capable and competent. Similarly, Elise was attracted to Noah's inner goodness (besides his looks), honesty, kindness and protective nature. All the times where they had sex were gr8 and made sense for their relationship.
I like how drama-free Elise and Noah were? I love drama but I appreciated that this book had relatively little unnecessary conflict between both of them, and they were clear with each other's feelings. Only that Elise thought that Noah would no longer want her after he fully integrated into his Duke lifestyle.
There was a small subplot involving the identity of King, who has been this lurking antihero since the first book. Turns out, King is Joshua, a street urchin who Noah saved as a child, and who became his companion. King has been through the ringer, from what we learn from Noah.
My main problem with the book was that I wished King and Noah had more of a reunion and than Noah had to deal with learning about why his mother sent him to Bedlam as a child. I wished we could have explored the emotional potential of both those situations. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book.
July 12, 2016
Elise deVries, a sometime actress, and her brother Alexander Lavoie are business partners in Chegarre & Associates, which specialises in cleaning up the messes of the Regency’s rich and famous. Lady Abigail Ellery comes to their offices asking for their help in finding her brother Noah who has been missing for nearly two decades, and is presumed dead. Noah should be the rightful heir the Ashland title, since the recent death of the Duke, but it’s imperious that he be found, especially since the Dowager Duchess was sent to Bedlam by Abigail’s cousin Francis a month before; time is of the essence. The Dowager Duchess insists that Noah is still alive, and Abigail has become very suspicious of Francis’ intentions.
Kelly Bowen outdid herself! If the premise for A DUKE TO REMEMBER sounded interesting, the result is spectacular: Ms. Bowen has woven an exceptionally intricate tale in which surprises abound. Noah and Elise have solid and captivating backstories, and both characters are absolutely endearing. I actually fell in love with Noah precisely when Elise met him; I was as dazzled as she was. Both Noah and Elise defy stereotypes in a perfectly convincing way; how many ways can a reviewer say that she loved both lead characters! And secondary ones are just as fabulous: I was completely mesmerised when a certain King made his first appearance, and I cannot help but hope we see more of this fascinating man. I loved Matilda’s forwardness, her bravery, her honesty, and Noah is a hero after my own heart: chivalrous and open-minded, and together they are ever better than separately.
Kelly Bowen’s stellar prose, witty and dazzling dialogue, vivid descriptions, and lively pace make A DUKE TO REMEMBER an unforgettable book. To read this exquisite book is stepping into a world of absolute beauty, where a splendid romance coexists with a fabulously well-crafted and entertaining story. A DUKE TO REMEMBER is a definite must-read for historical romance fans!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Kelly Bowen outdid herself! If the premise for A DUKE TO REMEMBER sounded interesting, the result is spectacular: Ms. Bowen has woven an exceptionally intricate tale in which surprises abound. Noah and Elise have solid and captivating backstories, and both characters are absolutely endearing. I actually fell in love with Noah precisely when Elise met him; I was as dazzled as she was. Both Noah and Elise defy stereotypes in a perfectly convincing way; how many ways can a reviewer say that she loved both lead characters! And secondary ones are just as fabulous: I was completely mesmerised when a certain King made his first appearance, and I cannot help but hope we see more of this fascinating man. I loved Matilda’s forwardness, her bravery, her honesty, and Noah is a hero after my own heart: chivalrous and open-minded, and together they are ever better than separately.
Kelly Bowen’s stellar prose, witty and dazzling dialogue, vivid descriptions, and lively pace make A DUKE TO REMEMBER an unforgettable book. To read this exquisite book is stepping into a world of absolute beauty, where a splendid romance coexists with a fabulously well-crafted and entertaining story. A DUKE TO REMEMBER is a definite must-read for historical romance fans!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2016
A Duke to Remember is the second book of Kelly Bowen’s Season for Scandal series which follows the exploits of the employees of Chegarre & Associates. To say that the women and men of this firm have a unique set of skills would be an understatement. Readers briefly met Elise deVries in the previous book Duke of My Heart as a celebrated actress and chameleon who could impersonate anyone. When she is contracted to find the missing Duke of Ashland, Elise has to slip into the role she is possibly most uncomfortable with; being herself.
Most of London society believes that Noah Ellery, heir to the Ashland dukedom, has been dead for fifteen years and his parents have never denied the rumors. When the old duke dies, his nephew Francis is ready to take on the title and all the wealth that comes with it, but the duke’s daughter Lady Abigail insists that her brother is alive. Desperate to protect the title from her cousin and save her mother – who has been committed to Bedlam against her will – Lady Abigail hires Chegarre & Associates to find her lost brother and return him to London before the House of Lords can decide who will become the next Duke of Ashland.
Please read the full review at Romantic Historical Reviews
Most of London society believes that Noah Ellery, heir to the Ashland dukedom, has been dead for fifteen years and his parents have never denied the rumors. When the old duke dies, his nephew Francis is ready to take on the title and all the wealth that comes with it, but the duke’s daughter Lady Abigail insists that her brother is alive. Desperate to protect the title from her cousin and save her mother – who has been committed to Bedlam against her will – Lady Abigail hires Chegarre & Associates to find her lost brother and return him to London before the House of Lords can decide who will become the next Duke of Ashland.
Please read the full review at Romantic Historical Reviews
August 30, 2016
Scandal and coverup. Delicious!
I've read about about the practice of confining nuscience relatives or those whose demise would be profitable for the less scrupulous relatives to Bedlam in other novels. Obviously in real life it was a not so rare occurence. It certainly makes for a masterful opening scene here.
I find the characters and the situation intriguing.
Elsie DeVries has a longer story hinted at--still deep waters. By night an actress and by day (or other times) she works for an agency that solves potentially scandalous situations surrounding the aristocracy. (I love the invention of such an agency. Doubtless it could have been used in that Downton Abbey episode with the death of the Russian in Lady Mary's bed!)
Noah Ellery is a gift. The air sparks between these two right from the get go.
But Elsie has a job to do for Chegarre & Associates. Find the Duke of Ashland and bring him home before assassins find him
This has it all--Beautiful women, mystery, deception and raw and untrammelled love!
A NetGalley ARC
I've read about about the practice of confining nuscience relatives or those whose demise would be profitable for the less scrupulous relatives to Bedlam in other novels. Obviously in real life it was a not so rare occurence. It certainly makes for a masterful opening scene here.
I find the characters and the situation intriguing.
Elsie DeVries has a longer story hinted at--still deep waters. By night an actress and by day (or other times) she works for an agency that solves potentially scandalous situations surrounding the aristocracy. (I love the invention of such an agency. Doubtless it could have been used in that Downton Abbey episode with the death of the Russian in Lady Mary's bed!)
Noah Ellery is a gift. The air sparks between these two right from the get go.
But Elsie has a job to do for Chegarre & Associates. Find the Duke of Ashland and bring him home before assassins find him
This has it all--Beautiful women, mystery, deception and raw and untrammelled love!
A NetGalley ARC
November 10, 2019
Cette série me faisait déjà de l’œil avant qu'elle ne soit publiée en France. Toutefois, comme le résumé du premier tome ne m'intéressait pas, j'ai commencé directement par le tome 2. Au final, je suis sortie de ma lecture mitigée.
Cette romance historique a beaucoup de points positifs : une héroïne intrépide et débrouillarde (ça manque tellement à la romance que c'est très appréciable !) et un héros atteint d'un trouble du langage. Malheureusement, l'intrigue ne m'a pas vraiment convaincue. On est dans un schéma classique avec un méchant, tout est assez prédictible.
Et ce qui m'intéressait vraiment, à savoir la manière dont était traité le trouble du langage, est au final bâclé par l'auteure : le héros a dû mal à s'exprimer au début de sa rencontre avec l'héroïne puis le problème s'efface complètement !
Bref, je n'y ai pas trop cru. C'est dommage, car il y avait un beau potentiel.
Cette romance historique a beaucoup de points positifs : une héroïne intrépide et débrouillarde (ça manque tellement à la romance que c'est très appréciable !) et un héros atteint d'un trouble du langage. Malheureusement, l'intrigue ne m'a pas vraiment convaincue. On est dans un schéma classique avec un méchant, tout est assez prédictible.
Et ce qui m'intéressait vraiment, à savoir la manière dont était traité le trouble du langage, est au final bâclé par l'auteure : le héros a dû mal à s'exprimer au début de sa rencontre avec l'héroïne puis le problème s'efface complètement !
Bref, je n'y ai pas trop cru. C'est dommage, car il y avait un beau potentiel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews