Une valse à deux temps

The Devils of Dover #1

by Kelly Bowen, Cécile Desthuilliers (Translator)

August Faulkner, duc de Holloway, envisage pour sa jeune sœur Anne un avenir idéal, c’est-à-dire un brillant mariage. Aussi tombe-t-il des nues lorsqu’il apprend que sa cadette s’est enfuie à Douvres pour suivre les cours d’été de l’institut Haverhall. Toutes affaires cessantes, August se rend là-bas pour faire acte d’autorité. Il va se heurter à la détermination d’Anne et à celle de Mlle Clara Hayward, la directrice de l’établissement. Une érudite qui professe de détestables idées féministes, mais dont la beauté ne cesse de l’obséder…

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Audiobook

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 20, 2018

About the author

Award-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.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read 2 pretty feminist-style bodice ripper romances recently, and this one was my favorite. I actually like the characters in A Duke in the Night waaaay better than I did in the actual feminist romance Bringing Down the Duke.



This one had a woman in it that did her own thing and lived her best life, and a guy who thought she was amazing because of it. He didn't really get her at first, but that's because the way she thought was entirely foreign to what he had been taught about women.
However. He was pretty damn adaptable.



The gist is that she has a finishing school - but in the summer she has special classes for young women who show an interest in being exceptional. <--turns out, his little sister was one of those young women
Now, her family is on the edge of financial ruin, so she had to sell her school and only has ONE last summer to make a difference in the lives of these girls.



Ok. Years ago when out duke was but a randy lad, he and Clara had a scandalous dance together that he's never forgotten. In other words, he has the complete hots for this schoolmistress.
BUT! He has a secret. <--he bought her school and is planning on selling the building!



Yes.
How will they ever work these insurmountable problems out?!



Don't worry. It's a romance, silly.
Recommended!

[OLT · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been fond of Kelly Bowen's work since her 2014 debut HR, I'VE GOT MY DUKE TO KEEP ME WARM. Since that one I've read almost all her stories that followed, but, unfortunately, am becoming a bit less enchanted with each progressive book. The "why" of this is not exactly clear to me. (1) It's not exactly because of her writing. She writes very well. In the top 10% of newer HR writers, I'd venture to say. (2) It's not exactly because of the characters. She gives them backstories to explain their present-day behavior. They are usually not annoying; although flawed, they can be appealing and likeable. (3) It's not exactly because of the anachronistic turns of phrases in her books. That annoys, but an HR reader learns to ignore anachronistic language b/c that's to be found in most books written in the past decade or so. (4) It's not exactly b/c of the heavily feminist themes in many of her books. Romance readers lately tend to want that in their HRs. It's so much more interesting than watching the paint dry on the heroine's latest artistic endeavor as she practices the pianoforte and waits for her parents to decide who she should marry.

So maybe it's all of the above or maybe it's none of the above. All I can do is try to articulate a few reasons, not necessarily related to those points, that this latest Bowen tale, the first in her new Devils of Dover series, is only a 3-star book to me. So here are a few of my problems:

(1) This is first and foremost a romance, but I didn't really feel any warm fuzzies or palpable attraction between this H and h. They met and danced together once a decade ago and found that to be such a profound experience that they still feel "something" as they meet again after so many years. Sorry. Didn't work well for me. I could not figure out why they got so hung up on each other so early on in their reunion. H was even a bit of a jerk.

(2) The feminism in this is rather heavy-handed. For example, the bits about the H's sister and her super hotel management skills that no man could possibly have? She's the only one who has a good idea of what the price of various products such as lye should be? She's the only one who could figure out how to design a better layout for a hotel or a nicer sign over the door? And on a related feminist topic, the sexual equality bit in the story, in which the h is debating with the H about premarital sexual experience for females as well as males. I was cheering her on with a "way to go, sister", up until reading later that she's had only one other sexual partner prior to bedding our hero. Well, that watered down that whole aspect for me.

(3) And oh, how tired I am of dukes. This hero did NOT need to be one. What's wrong with a baron or even a plain old mister every once in a while in a romance? The fact that this guy was so heavily involved in financial enterprises and in making money made his being a duke all the more of a fairy tale. Yes, we learn all about the whys of this obsession with money and I bought into it. What I didn't buy was why the guy had to be a duke.

(4) Oh, that lame, lame villain of the story. Did he have to be there? What on earth did he add to the story? Just a derivative, boring reason for the H to show jealousy and for the story to have an abduction scene? Because what self-respecting romance doesn't have an abduction in it? Although, to give Bowen her dues, we had empowered females saving themselves instead of waiting for a rescue, so there was another place to say "way to go, girls".

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I should stop reading romances. I say this to myself every couple of months, just before reaching for another one. I suppose my romance addiction is better than one to opioids, but I seem to be getting snarkier in my reviews and that's not exactly fair to romance authors, who are just supplying what most people want to read. It's not their fault that I'm such a pain in the neck.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, feminist historical romance.

I adored A Duke in the Night, my first by the very talented Kelly Bowen. I thought it was a powerful story with a female MC who carried the book, something we don't see as often as I'd like in romance.

Okay, I'll admit, the book was probably (most certainly) not historical accurate. Clara is a woman who is almost fully independent and gasp sexually confident, something rare in historical romance and even sometimes in contemporary romance. Now, the extent of Clara's autonomy might not actually fit the era, but if you can look past that (and some modern-sounding speech), you'll find a really special, touching story.

I actually don't love romances where the MCs have a history together as I like to get to know the couple from first meeting to love, all within the story, but Kelly Bowen pulled it off (and we get a flashback to take us there). Clara and August are a strong couple (I keep saying that, but these two are just so strong), and their chemistry just grew and grew. I loved seeing them adapt to each other and figuring out how they worked as a couple.

The story was also a very interesting one, one that focused on how females felt and were treated in the time period of the story (some of which, of course, has echos even today). The story really resonated with me, and I think it will resonate with most romance readers, especially ones that are drawn to female-centric plot-lines in romance. I loved the confidence of ALL the female characters, even the secondary ones (those aunts... amazing), and I was ready to stand up and applaud all of them.

My one issue with the story was that it lacked something intangible that usually keeps me glued to the pages all night long. The book took me a week to read, which is a very long time for me, even though I actually really loved the story. Curious.

However, the ending was 100% swoon-worthy, and I left the story feeling really excited and wanting more. This won't be my last Kelly Bowen, not by a long shot.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*


*~~Check out all of my reviews & my bookstagram at the links below~~*

Instagram
Twitter
Recently read

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A- / 4.5 stars rounded up.

In the years since the publication of her début novel, Kelly Bowen has become an auto-read author and has a few books on my keeper shelf. Her writing is assured and intelligent, she comes up with intriguing, well thought-out plots, and her characters are engaging and often just that bit different to the norm for the genre. In A Duke in the Night, the first book in her new Devils of Dover series, her gift for characterisation is showcased in her heroine, Clara Hayward, the headmistress of the Haverhill School for Young Ladies. In Clara, Ms. Bowen has succeeded where many authors of historical romance have failed; she has created an independent, forward-thinking, proto-feminist heroine who nonetheless operates within the boundaries of the society to which she belongs and feels like a woman of her time. Clara is comfortable in her own skin and knows who she is; she doesn’t feel the need to prove herself all the time or show every man she comes across that she’s just as good (if not better) than he is – she knows she is and doesn’t feel the need to flounce around reminding everyone around her (and the reader) that she is Spirited and Unconventional.

For that alone, Ms. Bowen merits All The Awards.

Of course, Clara deserves a hero who not only understands her but loves her for who she is, and I’m happy to say that in August Faulkner, Duke of Holloway, she finds just that, a man who is willing to listen, evaluate and learn.

August wasn’t born to be a duke. He and his sister spent their childhoods in extreme poverty, and when, by virtue of a keen mind and sheer hard work, he managed to find a way out, his one guiding light has been that his family – his younger sister, Anne – should never know such squalor and privation again. Even his unexpectedly acquired ducal status hasn’t stopped him from continuing with his business interests, although as his empire expanded, he took care to act through intermediaries, so the full extent of his holdings remains a mystery to all but himself and his trusted man of business.

After trying – and failing – several times to purchase the Haverhill School for Young Ladies and its surrounding lands, August’s most recent offer has been accepted and his plans to develop the property are now underway. But seeing Clara Hayward’s name on the deeds has sparked long-buried memories of the one time they danced together, a decade ago, when a much younger – and, he admits, stupider – August had invited the renowned wallflower to dance having been egged on by a group of similarly stupid and thoughtless young bucks. During the dance, August discovered something he had not expected; an intelligence, poise and confidence which completely captivated him and left him somewhat bemused.

Although ten years have passed since then, he still remembers how Clara felt in his arms, how his world had tilted on its axis in the middle of a ballroom floor… and he finds himself wondering why she has finally agreed to sell Haverhall. A few judicious enquiries by his man of business reveal that the Hayward’s shipping company is on the verge of collapse and that the proceeds of the sale of Haverhill will not be enough to save it. Seeing his chance, August decides to purchase the company as quickly and quietly as possible, before anyone else gets wind of the situation and pre-empts him. Learning that Harland Haywood and his sisters are usually to be found at the British Museum on Wednesday afternoons, August plans to ‘accidentally’ bump into the man and try to gauge his receptiveness to a possible buyout – but before he can find him, he sees Clara – and is instantly smitten all over again.

Clara Hayward hopes that once their ships come in (so to speak) she will be able find somewhere else to continue her life’s work of teaching. She is pondering the loss of the school that has been her life’s work on one of her regular visits to the British Museum when a voice she’d never thought to hear again intrudes on her thoughts and she turns to find August Faulkner, the man who’d all but stolen her heart a decade ago, standing by her. She has to struggle to maintain her composure as he rather clumsily apologises for his behaviour ten years earlier and then engages her in a somewhat awkward conversation about the piece of sculpture in front of them. She is puzzled, however, when he asks if he can call upon her the next day; each year, Clara hosts an out-of-town summer school for a hand-picked group of young ladies - and given that Anne Faulkner is one of the party, surely her brother must know that their departure is scheduled for the following day? Before Clara can say something to this effect, however, they are interrupted and part shortly after, but when August discovers, two days later, that Anne has gone to attend the Haverhill Summer School, he immediately assumes that Clara had deliberately kept the knowledge from him and is furious.

Never one to let the grass grow under his feet, August follows, determined to keep an eye on Anne and then take her back home, but also intending to speak to Clara’s brother about the shipping business and to persuade him to sell it... plus he can’t deny that the prospect of seeing Clara again is an extremely enticing one.

August’s arrival shakes Clara’s equanimity. She feels an intense attraction to him and knows it would be all too easy to succumb to it, but she can’t afford to jepoardise her position as an educator of young women - so an affair is out of the question. In any case, her first loyalty must be to her pupils – all of whom are exceptional young women to whom she affords the chance to engage in the study of professions not normally open to them. Her brother – a practicing physician – tutors those interested in medicine; another longs to be a landscape gardener, and Anne Faulkner wants to be an hotelier, but is constantly frustrated by the well-meaning but unwanted interference of her brother who insists she need never bother her head about anything ever again. Clara and August play a sensual game of cat-and-mouse as they dance around their attraction to each other and try (and fail spectacularly) to fight it. As they become closer, Clara patiently challenges him over some of his most deeply entrenched beliefs and encourages him to really think about the way he, as a man, has so many avenues and options open to him that women – and in particular, Anne – do not. He struggles and he makes mistakes, but he is intelligent enough and honest enough to admit the truth of much of what Clara says, and finally to see that by wanting to ensure his sister has the best of everything, he has been stifling her. A prison with golden bars is a prison nonetheless.

Clara and August are a perfectly matched couple; both fiercely intelligent, quick witted and determined – and the sexual chemistry between them is scorching. As I’ve already said, Clara is an exceptionally realised heroine, and August’s journey from ignorance born of male privilege and his almost single-minded drive to protect those he loves is extremely well done.

A Duke in the Night is a fabulous read and a terrific start to this new series. My one, small, quibble is that it’s just a teeny bit difficult to believe that Clara and August are able to connect so passionately and on such a deep emotional level based on just one dance ten years earlier, especially as they haven’t seen each other at all during that time. That said, however, Ms. Bowen imbues their connection with such fervour and obvious sincerity that there is never any question that these two are meant to be.

If you’ve never read one of Kelly Bowen’s books before, then this is a good starting point; and if you have, then be prepared to kick back and enjoy one of what is sure to turn out to be one of the best historical romances of 2018.

[Joanna Loves Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

The two stars does seem harsh, and I am going to stew on this. It will probably get bumped up to three, because there were plenty of aspects of this story I liked. I just can’t say that I enjoyed this much and reading it felt like a chore at times.

Update...several hours later

Ok, I have thought about it and am not making an adjustment on the Stars. I know my opinion is swayed due to the timing of this read for me. Starting a new read while stressed is risky, but Bowen has been a reliable, enjoyable read, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her new release that sounded like another winner. Then, I read the first chapter. It started out well enough with a cute flashback scene of the one and only time the hero and heroine met that had left an impression on both. Then, ten years later we are treated to a severe and domineering Duke, who is dismissive of his sister’s opinions and wants. It is because he wants/needs to care and protect her. As a reader, I can deal with a domineering hero, but I didn’t enjoy the juxtaposition of that hint of more tender feelings with the treatment of his sister. It was jarring and frustrating. Then, later, he says to the heroine:

“I see an intelligent woman, the same one who once put an ignorant buck in his place and taught him that things are rarely as they seem. I wish I had understood that then.”

Despite saying he had been taught to basically be open minded (at least that’s how I read it) by her, he continues to show very little interest in other’s opinions. Again, it’s not so much his character, but the way the romance unfolds that was problematic. What did Clara see in him? That was the big question. He was insufferable. This was not a story suited to insta-lust, in my opinion, and that’s what this story. She does frequently school him, and he begins to see what it is like for his sister, Lady Anne. Like with this great quote:

“Now just for a moment, pretend Lady Anne didn’t approve of what you did.” She pulled her fingers from his and stepped away. “And now, just for the moment, pretend she had the control and the power to stop you from doing what you loved.”

If it had just been the incongruity of the romance, I think that I would have overcome most of my reservations. Unfortunately, there was a big secret kept late in the game and a stupid villain. The villain’s actions and character did not add up. And while, I tried to give it a chance, that is part of the problem, I shouldn’t have to try to like a book.

I can say I DID like secondary characters and series premise, and I am interested in the continuing series. Every author has a dud every once in a while, and I am not giving up on Bowen with this one. The writing was still strong. It just didn’t work for me.

Thanks to Loriidae and Geri for the buddy read!

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know that many of my friends didn’t enjoy this one, but I did.

Yes, I’m the cat here…LOL

I know, I know… if this was a CR probably people would have enjoyed it more…

Still, I like my heroines to be strong and smart even if they’re anachronistic! And Clara was as anachronistic as they come! LOL

I enjoyed how she managed to instruct the stick-in-the-a** duke in a very polite, very smart way! He just didn’t saw it coming!

I loved that she was very aware that her views of the world were not what the people were expecting, but instead of going against them like a tank, she was very clever and just went around them! As I said, I appreciate clever women!

Obviously, since we’re in Romancelandia, she’s attracted to her complete opposite! August is the quintessential duke: stiff, strict, arrogant. But, at the same time, his upbringing has molded him in the man he is – for better or worse!
Since he started as a starving boy, now that he’s rich and powerful, he behaves in a much stricter way.

His desire to protect his sister, Anne, is over the top. Anne is suffocating. She cannot make him understand that she’s slowly dying inside. He doesn’t want to listen.

So, Anne orchestrates for herself to pass the summer in Clara’s class.

When August discovers that he’s furious and think that Clara is involved too.

And so he rushes after Anne and confronts Clara in his overbearing and arrogant way. And Clara brings him down in her very polite way! LOL

As much as I liked Clara and August, I also liked Anne and her dry humor.

“My name is Anne. And I have a brother who drives me crazy.”
“Your brother is a duke,” Lydia whispered, looking just a little scandalized.
“And he still puts his trousers on one leg at a time.”

What I liked in August is the fact that he listened to Clara’s reasoning without prejudice and slowly learned from that.

I know that many people thought that he didn’t need to be a duke, but I think that it was essential. He wouldn’t be believable otherwise, Such a great change from his miserable childhood, where he didn’t have literally anything to his rising to dukedom is what made him. Yes, I know that lately there’re an awful lot of dukes running around, but here, IMHO, it was necessary.

Also, there're complaints about the abduction and here I agree: it wasn't necessary for the overall story. I accepted it because it showed to August that his sister was not a weak and fearful, delicate flower, but a responsible and resourceful young girl.

Well, what can I say? I liked it and liked it a lot! :)

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars - Historical Romance

This was my first read from this author and I really enjoyed it. It's a unique, refreshing, feminist historical romance with a strong, admirable heroine who keeps a tortured, powerful, wealthy duke unwittingly besotted and befuddled.

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since reading and loving her Seasons for Scandal series, Kelly Bowen has joined my list of auto-read authors and I have been looking forward to A DUKE IN THE NIGHT, the first book in her new The Devils of Dover series. Once again, she captivated me with an innovative story, interesting characters and a sensual romance.

As a debutante ten years ago, Clara Hayward had all the attributes that should have had numerous suitors falling at her feet – beauty, poise and family wealth. But she had one fatal flaw – her extensive education. No husband wanted a wife whose intelligence and education was superior to his own. This gave Clara the freedom to pursue her ambition of becoming a teacher and, for many years, she has been headmistress of the most expensive and prestigious finishing school in London – Haverhall School for Young Ladies, which she inherited from her mother. Secretly, Clara runs exclusive summer school programmes at Avondale in Dover, leased from the Earl of Rivers, for those young women who have ambitions beyond society’s expectations and the courage to defy convention.

However, after their parents died two years ago, Clara, her younger sister, Rose, and her brother, Harland, now Baron Strathmore, were shocked to discover that their father had left large debts. They had all done whatever they could to keep their heads above water but with Strathmore Shipping, the family business, in jeopardy, Clara takes the decision to sell her beloved school, but is still determined to continue with her summer schools.

Kelly Bowen always writes great heroines and Clara is no exception. She is intelligent, strong and confident – a woman who fully embraces her individuality and has the courage of her own convictions. She is a natural teacher and I admire her progressive and unique teaching methods. I love how she nurtures her students and offers them practical experience in their chosen fields even though it might only be for a short time.

August Faulkner was never destined to be the Duke of Holloway. At the age of fifteen, he was fending for himself on the dangerous streets of London after his inveterate gambler of a father was thrown into debtors’ prison, where August’s younger sister, Anne, had lived too. His driving force was to pay off his father’s debts, have his family released and restore their fortunes and their family reputation.

Over the next fifteen years, through hard work, determination and a keen business mind, August had clawed his way up to become a wealthy and successful self-made man. In his business of buying up failing companies and turning them around into profitable concerns, he had a reputation for being ruthless and determined. Even his unexpected rise to the peerage five years ago has done nothing to curb his ambitions, other than working anonymously through intermediaries to make his purchases.

I understood how those years of struggle and deprivation had shaped August into the man he has become. He is determined to safeguard both himself and his sister from ever having to endure such hardship again, and no amount of money is ever going to be enough.

August understood survival. He had done and continued to do what he needed to so that he would never have to go back. Back to a time when hunger and cold had been enemies.

It is obvious how much he loves his sister and will do anything to make her happy, but stubbornly fails to see that Anne has ambitions of her own beyond just the material things in life.

It’s improbable that, after only one dance together ten years ago, August and Clara would have been so affected that they had never forgotten each other. But Ms. Bowen develops such a tangible chemistry between the two that I never once felt that they were not meant to be together. August sees what a fascinating and extraordinary woman Clara is and respects and admires her. Clara constantly challenges his opinions and I love that he is willing to listen and question his own motives and ambitions as he has never done before.

The truth of the matter was that he didn’t recognize himself any longer. Every vow he’d made to himself, every driving ambition he’d pursued with a single-minded determination sat uncomfortably on his skin now. His old self didn’t seem to fit quite right.

With all the pent-up longing and desire, it is inevitable that they will eventually succumb and it’s refreshing to see the heroine taking the lead and seducing the hero.

His heart might have stopped momentarily before it resumed, thundering in his ears with the same rhythm that was pulsing through the rest of him. The sound obliterated everything around him, his eyes riveted on her fingers, which were now trailing over the slope of her left breast, coming to circle her dark nipple, hard and pebbled under her touch. She was watching him watching her, and he had never been as aroused as he was then.

It is patently obvious that they love each other but I knew that Clara would eventually find out that August had bought Haverhall and his proposals for it. I could feel her pain and heartbreak, believing that she had meant nothing to him and was simply a means to an end. It is only through her sister Rose’s intervention that Clara discovers just how wrong she is about August and how much he loves her. For once, I did not even miss an Epilogue because the ending was so beautifully done, and August’s gift to Clara and its significance just bought tears to my eyes.

“You asked me once when enough is enough. You are my enough. You are my everything.”

I really admired August’s sister, Anne, who might have become a beautiful and poised lady but the time spent in debtors’ prison had given her a core of pure steel. A potential romance between Anne and her brother’s man of business, Duncan Down, is hinted at and I hope to see more of them in later books.

Clara’s siblings are both intriguing; Rose is a gifted artist who has been hurt in the past and Hartland, although a baron, is also a practising doctor and obviously has a few secrets. I am definitely looking forward to reading their stories.

Ms. Bowen manages to imbue the story with some delightful humour such as the scene where August is spying on Clara and her pupils from behind a wall, only to be discovered by Lady Tabitha (Tabby) and Lady Theodosia (Theo), the Earl of Rivers’ sisters, who obviously know exactly what he is doing!

“He might have been an apothecary,” Lady Theo suggested to her sister. “Collecting plants and herbs and whatnot.”
“True. Or a biologist,” Tabby mused. “Looking for crickets.”
“Or fossils.”
“Or perhaps examining animal leavings.”

or the scene in the studio where August enters without knocking, to discover…I won’t spoil it for you!

MY VERDICT: A great start to what promises to be an excellent series. Definitely recommended.


The Devils of Dover series so far (click on the book covers for more details):


This review was first posted on the Rakrs and Rascals blog:

https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bowen masterfully captures the essence of the historical romance while bringing us a heroine that we would adore and expect from a contemporary romance. Emotionally connecting the reader with heartfelt circumstances, scarred and realistic characters and Bowen's ability to create a world with words, I have to admit its one of my favorite historical romances I read so far.

I received this ARC copy of A DUKE IN THE NIGHT from Forever - Grand Central Publishing. This is my honest and voluntary review. A DUKE IN THE NIGHT is set for publication Feb. 20, 2018.

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

August might be a duke now, but he spent two years surviving on the streets while his father was in debtor's prison. He now can't make enough money and after he acquires a prime location that has a girl's school on it, he wants to buy Strathmore Shipping. The family is in dire straits, so he doesn't foresee a problem of them wanting to sell.
Clara is used to feeling ostracized, deemed a bluestocking and therefore of ridicule, she's ran the Haverhall School for Girls. Her family's money issues have forced her to sell and now the one man to ever catch her eye, is starting to show her attention again.

He had danced with her on a dare.

A Duke in the Night starts off showing the readers how a young, trying to fit in August asked Clara to dance on a dare. The dance and conversation they share ends up leaving quite an impression on both Clara and August and many years later they both still think about it. While this one waltz was a sparking way to start the story and their relationship, hinging so much of their initial feelings for one another on it created a lack of other emotional building moments. Our leads do a good job of talking and listening to one another, August especially has great growth moments, but they didn't crackle and jump off the pages as much as I would have liked.

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he grinned at her, and Clara felt rivulets of longing run down her spine. No man had the right to look that handsome when he smiled.

Clara was a great heroine, she's a bluestocking and experiences some of the consequences (shunned for friendship and romantic relationships) of her choosing to follow her heart and teach. In order to keep her school running, she must also keep her reputation in good standing. I thought the author did a great job giving us a strong-willed, intelligent, and courageous heroine that felt true to the times and honored her with also showing the difficulties. I would have liked more scenes with her siblings to get some emotional impact from those relationships, they seemed like such a wonderful supportive family. I did think her closed off actions and emotions toward August in the middle and end lasted too long and gave a bit of a dragged on feeling.

“I don't want the woman you're supposed to be,” he said, his voice low. “I never have. I want the woman you are, and everything that that encompasses. I wanted her ten years ago, and I want her now.” He stepped closer to her, his hand coming up to toy with the ribbon at the front of her bodice. “A woman who knows her own mind. A woman who can make a man lose his. Make him do reckless things.”

The details of August's character were compelling but his background of having to survive on the streets just didn't completely emotionally come through to me; his supposed ruthlessness wasn't felt. His growth arc felt more centered on allowing his sister her agency and realizing she didn't want a quiet life of glitz and glamour. I thought his excuse for not wanting to marry, his parent's had a horrible marriage and he doesn't want to marry someone he “thinks” he loves. I think concentrating on his years of trying to survive and build his empire (workaholic) would have better served his character makeup; the whole not marrying for love theme fades away so much I almost forgot about at the end when he was still struggling with his feelings.

August and Clara were both intrigued by each other and I thought it was cute how the author showed them liking the other and having moments of feeling stupid because they thought they said the wrong thing, sweet beginning relationship stages of insecurity. Angst is brewing under the surface because the reader knows August bought Clara's school and that he wants to buy her family's shipping company, the school plot I liked simmering under the surface but the resolution was left to the very end and kind of emotionally dealt with quickly. The shipping company felt more clogging up as the predictability of Clara ending up thinking August was only paying attention to her for the company.

This was a good start to the Devils of Dover series, Clara's siblings are showcased enough to entice readers to want to know more about their storylines. August was a great hero in that he actually listened to Clara and took her thoughts to heart and Clara trying to help woman in the capacity she could was lovely to read. There were some arcs that I thought clogged up more than adding, especially the villain of a man felt he was done wrong by August and we get a whole kidnapping danger but oh wait, everyone is fine. A Duke in the Night had two characters that even years later were intrigued by each other, the power of one waltz.

[Ira · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this contemporary romance, I bet the title will change to ‘a billionaire and a teacher hot weeks’ or something like that! Lol.

I wanted to read Clara’s story since The Lady in Red and I wasn’t disappointing with her story and August not a bad hero either:)

To be a female teacher or a businessman in early 19th century? Especially when you are one of those aristocratic families? Well, that’s almost an impossible task. But of course that word wouldn’t associate with these two.

The story more than that and in a way this is kind of second chance romance which usually I avoided. But the idea of our heroine had an Italian Stud as a lover before meet with the hero again is very refreshing 😂😂😂.

I can’t wait Rose’s story now:)

[Christie«SHBBblogger» · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: A Duke in the Night
Series: The Devils of Dover #1
Author: Kelly Bowen
Release date: February 20, 2018
Cliffhanger: Yes

“You asked me once when enough is enough. You are my enough. You are my everything.”

This was a great introduction to Kelly Bowen's work for me! There were a lot of elements and themes I enjoyed, particularly the focus on gender inequality during the time, and how utterly powerless women felt because of it. A Duke in the Night also explored the age old question of the importance of love over money, or vice versa.

August Faulkner, the Duke of Holloway, is a shrewd and unmerciful businessman. Most aristocrats like to live a life of leisure, but he is no ordinary duke. At the age of fifteen, his father was thrown in debtor's prison, and he experienced homelessness and poverty, forcing him to make impossible sacrifices. Far from being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, his childhood lacked basic human necessities. As a result, August is now hellbent on making money, whatever the cost. He now believes that financial security is the only thing that matters. For himself, but most importantly for his family.

There is a lot of guilt carried over from his youth, guilt that makes him feel responsible for things beyond his control when he was so completely helpless. Even when he's at his most coldhearted, you can't help but feel for him, and understand his total obsession and ruthlessness. For a character of his type, it's imperative that the author gives you a deeper understanding of why they are that way. To get inside their head and understand their motivations and emotions. Kelly Bowen accomplished that perfectly. As a result, I was rooting for him to learn how to stack his priorities in life and open himself up to love. Discovering a potentially lucrative business opportunity will bring him straight into Clara Hayward's orbit, resulting in a lot of uncomfortable feelings he's not prepared for.

The Haywards' shipping company is now in his predatory sights, and he's not above using deceit in order to accomplish his goal. It doesn't cause more than a moment's hesitation with his conscience as he makes his plans to integrate himself at the Haverhall school for women. Making a trip will serve a dual purpose as it's where his sister has snuck off to, and Clara conveniently presides as headmistress.

August is blind, deaf, and dumb to what his sister Anne needs from him at first. His inability to simply listen to what she spells out to him is a huge hindrance to their relationship. There's a certain irony that his quest for money is mainly to keep her secure and happy, in fact it has the opposite effect. The things she wants most is freedom, respect, and fulfillment through working. Showering her with things and pressuring her to marry a "suitable" husband are pushing her away farther than he realizes. There is quite a conflict built from years of bad communication, and he finds that he's ill equipped to bridge the distance that's yawned between them.

Clara Hayward has a reputation for many things, and none of them good. At least by Victorian standards, that is. Bluestocking. Wallflower. On the shelf. None of that fazes her a bit as long as she's able to plant seeds with her students, steering them towards a higher education and their most secret dreams. Her family's floundering shipping business has her entire future hanging by a thin thread, and she has no idea where he will go next should they lose their heritage completely. She faces all of the uncertainty like everything else in her life. With resolve and courage. You can do nothing but admire her for her unique ability to throw conventions out the window and live her very best life, regardless of the reaction she receives. Not only does she help her students see the world through a whole new lens, but she nudges the Duke to examine things in ways he never thought of before as well.

Their romance was based in deception, however, August pushed down his feelings of guilt for the quite a while. He stubbornly refused to look too closely at how his actions could possibly hurt Clara, and time after time drowned out the voice in his head telling him that he was wrong. He had a reputation of a scoundrel because of his disinterest in serious relationships or marriage, but with her there was always something more between them that scared him a little. They seemed to be doomed from the start: he had no room in his life for romance, and she wasn't willing to sacrifice her independence or unsullied reputation to be his mistress. They eventually came to a crossroads, and August would have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was willing to make a lot of changes in his life for the woman he had grown to love.

This kiss, more than any of their kisses, tasted bittersweet. Tasted of what-ifs and lost opportunities and desire realized too late. Standing in a ruined lighthouse, the sky blazing above their heads, it tasted of goodbye. “Tell me what I am to you, Clara,” August whispered against her mouth. Everything, she wanted to cry.

One thing I didn't understand how their brief dance years before could have such a monumental impact on both of them. It was one part of their romance that didn't feel that realistic in my eyes. They spent minutes in each other's company, then were obsessed at the memory of each other for ten long years. The story did drag in spots through the middle for me, but fortunately it picked up once again in the end, and I left the book on a happy note.

This was an intriguing start to The Devils of Dover series, and I'll be very interested to read Rose's story in Last Night With the Earl. Publication is set for September 25, so now is the perfect time to introduce yourself to this new set of characters by Ms. Bowen!

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a real review because I am lazy and I read this for myownself. I took a mini-break away from all of the horror and dread and backstabbing I typically read and I am not sorry. This was a delightful historical romance with a smart, independent heroine who had the backbone to stand up for her beliefs. August was a decent hero who was hellbent on protecting his future for himself and his family at the cost of everything else. The conflict bit was a little "meh" and dragged out too long for my impatient self but overall I had a good time listening and will grab the next in the series on audio.

[Luana ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if it is because lately I have read so many books of stubborn that wants to be independent heroines and that is why they don't want to marry that I am tired of it.

Maybe I would have appreciated this book more if that was not a factor. I don't like books with talks of feminism, I often find them going too much to the extreme and repetitive, but I liked this one because there is a balance, they way the family goes around to help woman was special and I think that is a strong reason why this book was a success to many.

The romance was interesting, and I was instantly caught up in the story. From first page I was laughing and intrigued. The hero is a typical man of that time that thinks the woman of his like don't need to fret about anything cuz he can take care of it all. And slowly the heroine shows him that a woman can and want to be more than that.

What grasped most my attention though was the hero's past. The reason why he is so obsessed with security and my heart broke for him more then once.

So yeah, if the heroine was not so typical the stubborn and independent to the extreme type, I would have given this book 5 stars. As it is, I would say 3.5.

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: "I am not going to accept less of you, Clara Hayward. I will have you, and you will have me."

August Faulkner  is not only a man with a keen sense of business. Not only a man whose father was in debtor's prison for years. He is also a duke. An inherited title, but a self-made man of wealth. August finds businesses that are crumbling, buys them, breaks them down and rebuilds. He leaves the former business owners angry but he buys them fairly and has no remorse for what he leaves behind. When he hears that the Hayward shipping business is in trouble, he starts to sniff out a new venture. But he needs to get close to the Hayward brother who is now in charge of the shipping since his parents have died. And in order to get close to the brother, he decides to get close to the sister.

Clara Hayward first met August ten years ago when he dared to ask her to waltz. Clara never fit in with society - wealthy, and a lady - but extremely intellectual and considered a wallflower. More so, the men were too scared of her intelligence to deem her worthy of their attention. But that waltz with August that night found two souls who dared each other for more. But when the waltz ended, so did that few minutes of intense chemistry and they went their separate ways. Clara is now the headmistress for Haverhall School for Young Ladies, a school where the best of the best fight to get in. Unfortunately for Clara, she must sell the school to help her brother finance the family's failing shipping business. And guess who buys it?

When August's sister leaves a note saying she is leaving for the summer to attend Haverhall, August rushes to Dover to find out what in the world his sister is doing, and to get close to Clara, so he can woo her brother's shipping business. When he sees Clara again, that passion comes back but he is also entering into her world - where woman can learn to make their own choices and August is up for quite the life lesson.

August is a flawed hero - at least if you compare him to a modern man. He thinks women need to be cared and protected against anything in the outside world. He doesn't understand why his sister, who has great ambitions for running hotels, doesn't appreciate it when he buys her the finest dress or the best necklace. He doesn't understand why she wants to care about business or anything outside the home. Clara is all too familiar with the frustrations of being a woman and staying in the good graces of society, which is why she opened her school. She teaches the girls painting, and dancing, and all of the things a woman needs to learn to stay in society. But in the summer, she picks select girls to really live out their fantasies. They shadow physicians, and landscape gardeners - and as in August's sister's case - hoteliers. August continually bumps heads with his sister and Clara over the fact that a woman would want anything more than being protected by a man. His journey to come out of this mindset is very well done and not rushed.

The romance in this one made me smile. From that one dance all those years ago - where Clara knew he was dancing with her on a dare from his friends, and she stared directly in his eyes and gave him the dance of his life - he has been searching for that passion from a woman ever since. Their banter  and sexual tension is delightful in this one.

"You have that many abominably asinine requests?" Clara knew she should simply nod and smile politely, but somehow he was drawing her into this...banter that she has no business participating in. And it was exhilarating.

“You might be surprised.” He grinned, and her pulse immediately skipped.

“You know,” she said, returning his grin, “I don’t think I would.”

Something shifted in his eyes. Something hot and possessive. Something that made her knees weaken and an ache settle low in her belly and her breasts. “There she is,” he murmured almost inaudibly.

Clara doesn't let August get away with anything in this book, and I really enjoyed her. She is also not afraid to show him that she is attracted to him and to admit they have something good together.

“Do not put words in my mouth, Miss Hayward. Because that’s not who I see when I look at you.” The force of his words made her eyes widen. “I see an intelligent woman, the same one who once put an ignorant buck in his place and taught him that things are rarely as they seem. I wish I had understood that then.”

“And what would you have done differently if you had?” she asked quietly.

“I would have asked you to dance again.” August reached for her hand and caught it, bringing it up between them, his thumb sliding over her bare knuckles. “I wish I had asked you to dance again.”

She was silent for a long minute, a gut-wrenching, electrifying mix of desire and longing flitting across her usually unreadable features.

Her fingers tightened on his. “I wish you had too,” she said, and August felt the breath leave his lungs.

A great balance between the romance and Clara's life at the school along with some family drama. It's sexy and fun. A delightful romance! Very much looking forward to the  next book.

Grade: B+

[Sara Reads (mostly) Romance · Rating 2 out of 5]

2- bored and disappointed stars- stars

I think this was the it's not you, it's me type of situation. I found the hero to be just exhausting. The whole book, he did not change one bit, and was just an unfeeling, cold businessman. He was also stuffy, and as his sister Anne described, kept himself in a small box. I usually don't mind, but he never changed. There was a back and forth between, wow I'm so attracted to Clara versus I can't be attracted to her just because I am a businessman and have no feelings.



What rot.

I didn't feel his chemistry with Clara. I was annoyed at how he never redeemed himself from being an asshole, in my opinion. He was just so booooring. And Clara was wonderful. Until somewhere in the novel she just didn't do it for me anymore. I loved her personality and character and drive, but I lost admiration for her because she fell in love with him, for no reason. The romance just lacked.

Stars are for, the pace and good writing, and the heroine, who, at least for the first half of the novel, was likable. Otherwise, just plain old boring. I might try another book by this author, but if it has the same feels, I won't anymore

[Maria Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Duke in the Night by Kelly Bowen is the first story in The Devils of Dover series. In The Lady in Red novella, the reader is first introduced to Miss Clara Hayward, the enterprising Headmistress of the Haverhall School for Young Ladies. A Duke in the Night gives Clara a chance to find her own happy ever after with a most unlikely match – scoundrel, Duke, and ruthless businessman August Faulkner.

Clara prides herself on her school for young ladies, a chance for women to throw aside family and gender expectations and pursue their dreams, if only for a short while. Due to financial difficulties her family has had to sell the school to an unknown buyer but she is still able to hold her summer classes in Dover where her sister helps with the classes and her brother, a doctor, is seeing local patients. One of the talented young ladies in her charge is Lady Anne Faulkner. The trouble is that she’s signed up for the school without informing her brother.

August can’t believe his younger sister has hightailed it off to Dover to attend summer classes and quickly follows her there. He’s just bought the school in London with the intention of redeveloping the land and shutting down the school for good. He’s also interested in the Hayward family’s shipping business and figures that while he’s in Dover under the pretense of inspecting a friend’s land (the same friend who is lending out his property for the summer school), he can convince Clara and her siblings to sell him a stake in the company.

He and Clara have a history of sorts, a dance at a social event ten years before that had never left his mind, even if he’d become a much different man since then. A businessman through and through, his goal in life is to acquire enough money and assets to provide for his sister, making up for the years that she spent in debtor’s prison as a child when his father was imprisoned. As he spends time in Dover, Clara makes him see that there is more to life than money. But when she finds out he’s behind the purchase of her life’s work, will it be the end of their fledgling romance?

What a delightful story! I found everything about it thoroughly entertaining. The characters are wonderfully written, with cynical and money hungry August finding himself challenged at every turn by the intelligent and confident Clara. She makes him question things he’s always assumed about himself, about his sister, and about his expectations for the future. Determined to provide for his sister, he’s envisioned a life for her without really listening to her wants and desires. Clara gently but firmly makes him see that his sister yearns for something more than material things and the right marriage match.

August regretted not contacting Clara after their dance together so long ago and isn’t going to let this second chance to be around her come to nothing. He’s fiercely attracted to her and isn’t above using her mutual feelings to seduce her into his bed. Unlike other unmarried women of her time, Clara is not a virgin, nor is she ashamed of this fact. She had a lover who introduced her to the finer arts of lovemaking and she can appreciate August’s skill and devotion to her pleasure. They share some sexy scenes together that intensify their emotional connection. August comes to appreciate Clara’s point of view and desire to educate young women for their own benefit and I really enjoyed seeing him broaden his own views.

The relationships really make this story shine, whether it’s Clara and her siblings, August and his sister (and some interesting scenes with his trusted man of business Mr. Down), or Clara and August bantering back and forth as they get to know each other. Combined with the lovely background of rural England, A Duke in the Night is a sexy, smart and thoroughly entertaining romance. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series!

This review also appears at Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-a-d...

A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Love, LOVED this book!

I loved everything about this book. Seriously, everything. I loved the romance and the relationship between the two main characters but to be honest, what I loved most was the focus on women's rights and women's independence.

Sometimes I can see the message of women's rights integrated into historical romance through the main heroine but it often is cast off or explained as being one of the character's "quirks". However, this novel placed a heavy focus on this message and I really love how the author handled it.

This was an entertaining story with an incredible message. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.

***Thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.***

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was totally the heroine show and I lapped it up! She was smart, clever, independent and definitely didn't fit into the time she was born in. She caught the hero unawares everytime, when she caught him in his lies, when she was so confident in her sexuality (which weirdly I liked and I am normally one who prefers inexperienced heroines because it fits into the whole "historical" context), when she calls him out on his and the society's hypocrisy towards women. She makes him see her point of view and where his sister is coming from. The hero is this smart businessman who had a horrible childhood and wants his sister to have everything but his understanding of what that is and his sister's is different. The heroine baffles him and challenges him at every turn. Do I wish it the book had been more romantic? Yes, but these two weren't some teens, the heroine was 30 and so was the hero and they knew reality. I absolutely loved this and even the heroine's siblings. Both the hero/heroine showed maturity in handling conflict and didn't want to change one another but build a life together and I truly believed in their HEA.

[Cheesecake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duke August the Austere, and clever Clara.
I gotta say I was not impressed with August and his micromanaging stifling ways for the first while. But I loved Clara and how she could talk circles around him. And he knew she was doing it, and enjoyed the challenge.

Clara is a teacher, and every summer she runs a summer school for young women who think outside of the box, including the Duke's sister. But 10 years earlier she and the Duke met at a ball. He was kind of a jerk at the time and she called him out about it back then too. They shared a 'moment' back then and neither of them ever forgot it. But unfortunately it never occurred to August before this, to seek her out again. Instead she became a spinster who runs a girls school.

They meet again and August arranges to be near her over the summer. He tells himself that he wants to gain a foothold in her family's shipping company, and he tells himself that he is concerned for his sister who pretty much ran away to be in Clara's summer school. But really I think he just wanted to be near Clara.

I loved how strong Clara was. And August may come across as a manipulative business man but there's more to him than that. His history is actually quite dark. And Clara's family business isn't what it used to be. There's also a ridiculous villain who adds a bit of danger.

I liked how strong the characters were and how they changed and learned from each other.

Safety is good. He's bedded widows but never had a relationship. He's never married and only has vague plans to marry and create and heir someday. Clara is not a virgin thank goodness. She only had one lover who was an Italian instructor she had. They had fun but deeper emotions were not engaged. One of the widows August bedded in the past shows up as a client of Clara's sister. But it was no big deal. Clara asked him about her and August is straight forward about it, and that was that.
I found it odd that August never mentions marriage as an option with Clara until the very end. They start an affair and never talk about it possibly going anywhere. It just felt odd. But the ending was quite romantic!

[kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

August Faulkner, Duke of Holloway, is a Very Important Business Man with Very Important Business. When he gets the chance to buy up Haverhall, an estate he's had his eye on for a long time, he jumps on it—and decides he'd like the rest of the Hayward family business(es), too. So on his way to locate the male Hayward, he instead runs into Clara Hayward, the woman he danced with once ten years ago and fell madly into lust with (or something). Due to August's Very Important Business, he keeps crossing paths with Clara until they're also crossing genitals! And feelings!

1. There are too many places / people / etc. with names starting with H, just saying.

2. This was perfectly competent even if it didn't set my metaphorical skirts aflame. Like: August is an autocratic man who has gotten used believing he can (and should) control the world around him. And Clara has intentionally chosen a path that is independent, living in the thin margin between respectability and eccentricity. And they bounce off one another in mostly engaging ways—maybe slightly too focused on resetting August's conceptions of self and society, but they do make sense as they find common ground in standing slightly apart. Eventually.

3. The subplot involving August's dictatorial approach to his sister was pretty difficult to reconcile, however, especially because so much of it seemed to hinge on August hearing the things his sister had already told him from the mouth of the woman he wanted to bang. So that soured pretty quickly, although there are a few spots in the latter narrative where the text seems to set up some conversations between Anne and August that could have invalidated my entire argument—except they're not present in the book at all so WHO KNOWS.

4. The ending is pretty superficial, and a public waltz/love confession/make out session/proposal was very off-putting. Kind of left things on a sad trombone note.

5. I will be checking out more Kelly Bowen, however, at some point!

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series: The Devils of Dover #1
Publication Date: 2/20/18

I believe this was my first book by Kelly Bowen and I did enjoy it. However, all-in-all, I wouldn’t really class it as a Regency – it ‘feels’ much too modern. It is more like a modern story dressed up like a Regency. I’m giving it 4-stars because I really did enjoy the story. The heroine, Clara Hayward, is very much a contemporary woman, forward-thinking, ‘experienced’, etc. and all of the people surrounding her are very 'modern'.

August Faulkner, Duke of Holloway, never expected to be a Duke. His father was in debtors prison and August, as a boy of fifteen, spent two years living on the streets. That experience hardened him and he was determined to provide for his sister – not just provide for her, but assure, beyond all measure, that she would never, ever be in reduced circumstances again. August learned to make money and became ruthless in buying businesses and making them successful. He has no room for anything in his life other than the acquisition of money and property. He’s not a bad man, he just has no time in his life for relationships.

Clara’s family is now in reduced circumstances, but they have managed to keep it quiet. The ton still thinks that they are enormously rich. Clara owns and is headmistress of, Haverhall School for Young Ladies. She treasures the school because it was left to her by her mother – but – in order to keep their shipping line afloat, she has to sell it. She doesn’t know that August is the one who has bought it.

Buying the school just whets August’s appetite. He always does a thorough check on the people and businesses he’s planning to buy and when he was checking on the school, he also learned that the Hayward's were in financial difficulties and thought he’d buy a share of their shipping line. He’s totally shocked when they turn him down.

When August’s sister sneaks off in the middle of the night to attend a summer school in Dover, August takes off after her. He wanted to go to Dover anyway to meet up with the Hayward's. August definitely gets his eyes opened as he learns more and more about what this school is teaching. Definitely NOT what you’d find in the Regency era!

August and Clara are definitely attracted to each other and have been since they first met ten years ago. They go through a lot of slips and slides before they get their relationship off the ground. Lots of excitement with soldiers, kidnappings, misunderstandings, etc. before they finally get their HEA.

One thing that seemed to be left hanging was – what happened with August’s sister and his man-of-business? They were in love – but no resolution in this book.

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

[Sometime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book about a couple who danced one waltz 10 years earlier and made an impact on each other. They meet up again under dubious circumstances but find that they have a real attraction.

I loved how Clara was a feisty and independent woman but not written as a shrew who acts against her own interests to prove her independence. She behaved like a woman of her era (with some very modern ideals). When August comes to her school to find his runaway sister, she asks him some very hard questions. And he actually thinks about what she says and questions his own male entitlement and considers his sister's feelings. I loved their romance.

I'm a big fan of Kelly Bowen. I love the way she writes her characters. They are very well fleshed out and real. This book is no exception. Within the first few pages I felt like I understood who August Faulkner was and what made him tick. The secondary characters are just as charming and real.

There were a few missteps. A heroine who tells the Hero she won't settle for just a temporary tryst, she has her reputation as a school headmistress to consider after all. Who then, pages later, does that very thing.?!? A villain who was lame, and came out of nowhere, and served no purpose. An attempt to portray the h as sexually liberated only to discover that she'd only had one previous lover compared to his countless widows and bored wives of London. Maybe I'm cynical, but this whole plot thread (h isn't a virgin and is open to sex before marriage) just felt like an easy way for the author to give us some steamy sex scenes before any commitment and before the book goes on too long.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and any complaints are inconsequential. This was a fun story with a smart h, a great H, a load of wonderful secondary characters and a terrific romance.

Safety The H was a man-whore (The h's sister calls him The Duke of Doxies) but he is so focused on his business that it's easy to see that he was never involved or interested in anything more than the sex. There are a few small mentions of his past, and he bumps into a former OW at the school who is there to get her portrait done. But there is no drama. The h has had one previous lover, and she doesn't seem to mind his past one bit.

Once he meets the h again, there is no one else but her. No cheating.

[FV Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every single thing about this book. Every. Single. Thing.

Review originally posted at http://fictionvixen.com/review-duke-n...

I’m going to try to write a review to do this book justice, because it deserves that, but dang it I’m not sure I can. A Duke in the Night left me completely surprised, partly at how wonderful it was, but also because at about halfway through I realized this is the first Kelly Bowen book I’ve ever read. And how did I let that happen?

August Faulkner, the Duke of Holloway, is a talented businessman. He buys out failing companies and then turns them around to make them profitable. Sometimes by making them more than they were before, and sometimes by breaking them apart and turning them into something new. He wasn’t always a duke, he was once a lonely boy on the streets trying to get his family out of debtor’s prison and back to respectability. He has never forgotten what that feels like, which is why no amount of money or power will ever be enough to satisfy him. His purchase of a school owned by the Hayward family, sets his mind to also remembering the night he danced on a dare with a young wallflower named Clara Hayward. And was absolutely enchanted. When August discovers the reason the family is selling off the school, he sees yet another business opportunity, but when he talks to Clara again he soon discovers there might be something he wants more than money.

Clara Hayward at her heart is a teacher. She has been headmistress of her own school for years, but she also teaches a few students during a summer session at a leased property owned by an elderly lord. Since the death of her parents and the discovery that their excesses have led to the possible ruination of the family shipping business, she and her siblings have done everything they could think of to keep it afloat. That includes selling off the beloved school her mother left her. But she still has students whose minds she intends to broaden and whose gifts she wants to see blossom and grow. Her methods might be unconventional, but they benefit the few students she picks every summer. This session will be a bit different though, since she will not only have to guide her students, and worry about her family’s finances, but also try to keep her interest in the newly arrived Duke of Holloway under control.

What can I say about this couple? I absolutely adored every single thing about them. I adored them apart. I adored them together. I just flat-out adored. Clara is so ahead of her time. An independent woman determined to stay independent who offers her students the ability to learn things not acceptable for the time period they are living. She teaches them to look beyond their family’s holdings and money, to see each other and themselves for their own gifts and wants and needs. She offers them the ability to learn in the area of their choice and the opportunity to work in that field in a practical way. Clara is pragmatic, and wise, and progressive. Yet, it’s the way she teaches that I loved, she asks questions and makes inquiries and lets others make their own conclusions and discoveries.

“What is it that gives you the most joy out of life? The thing that gets you out of bed in the morning?”
Ownership. Acquisition. Building something from nothing.
He knew he should probably say something flippant like cards or whiskey or snuff. “Business,” he hedged instead.
She considered him. “Are you good at it?”
The best. “Yes.”
“Now just for a moment, pretend Lady Anne didn’t approve of what you did.” She pulled her fingers from his and stepped away. “And now, just for the moment, pretend she had the control and the power to stop you from doing what you loved.”

August is set up as an alpha male who loves making money, but from the first page I saw a man who was protective and kind and loving. A man who adored his sister and would do whatever it took to see her safe and happy. A man who might have been a tad bit stubborn, but listened when Clara talked and respected her for herself and her wisdom.

“Do not put words in my mouth, Miss Hayward. Because that’s not who I see when I look at you.” The force of his words made her eyes widen. “I see an intelligent woman, the same one who once put an ignorant buck in his place and taught him that things are rarely as they seem. I wish I had understood that then.”
“And what would you have done differently if you had?” she asked quietly.
“I would have asked you to dance again.” August reached for her hand and caught it, bringing it up between them, his thumb sliding over her bare knuckles. “I wish I had asked you to dance again.”

They have a lovely courtship and a lovely romance. They talk to each other. They learn about each other. August listens and broadens this thought processes, mainly about his sister and what would really make her happy in life. Clara learns to trust and that maybe she can be herself and just as independent with the right person. They are incredibly sexy together. There are several very well done love scenes and I kind of wish there were several more. I absolutely, one hundred percent believed this couple’s evolution from acquaintances to friends to lovers to in love. I might have been annoyed at times with each of them, but I also understood the whys and hows of what led them to make certain decisions and what ultimately brought about certain misunderstandings and upsets. In the end I loved their HEA and how it was written. My only complaint would be that I would have loved an epilogue.

If you read one historical romance this year, make sure it’s this one. A Duke in the Night hit all my romance lover buttons. I can not wait to see what comes next in this series. Final Grade-A

Favorite Quote:

“I am not going to accept less of you, Clara Hayward. I will have you, and you will have me. You will show me everything that you have ever learned about pleasure, and then I will show you more. I will be the man who kisses you until you can’t breathe and you can’t think.”

[Lady Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-deserved winner of a 2019 RITA Award.

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup. (posts to blog 2/21/18)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2CfrnC6

Well hello yummy cover!

The Gist: When his sister sneaks away in the middle of the night August figures he can just kill two birds with one stone-- hunt down his handful of a sister and suss out a new business opportunity. The school for young ladies where he finds her? Way more than meets the eye and quite possibly something that will change both of their lives forever.

August and Clara, well, neither is really what you'd expect. A once homeless duke with a knack for reviving failing businesses and a headmistress who's pupils are schooled in oh so scandalous endeavors.

I quite liked August. He's no nonsense, all about business and creating security for his family. He's not perfect and could be a bit obsessive with his work but I understood where he was coming from. Years living on the street and fighting to survive did a number on him.

Clara, though, we would not be each other's people. lol She's strong, independent and opinionated...almost to a fault. She jumps to conclusions, sees the worst in others (namely August) and constantly got her dander up. Which is exhausting as all hell. We eventually got along but it was a trial. lol

I think my main issue--other than the historical having a very very modern feel to it-- was that the heroine was constantly judging the hero for trying to change his sister into a proper young lady while at the same time she was trying to turn him into someone he wasn't. She was just so hypocritical. So I had a hard time with their romance. I didn't hate them together but had a hard time seeing the spark between them or why they'd want to be with each other..other than all those lusty endeavors.

All in all, A Duke in the Night wasn't a perfect read for me but it was one that kept me reading. I enjoyed it overall-- the hero and setting and seeing both of them in their elements doing business and teaching. I loved seeing his hidden facets and in the end I did want them together and happy. So a win.

[Sher❤ The Fabulous BookLover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure why, but I couldn’t get into this one. I could not feel the attraction between the H/h at all. They danced once together 10 years ago and there’s still a spark there? He’s still never forgotten her?? And the heroine was a bit too much of a feminist for that era. It just didn’t ring true at times. I stopped about 30% in simply because I was bored.

This is a first time author for me and I may try this authors books but I’m tapping out of this one.

But the cover is 🔥🔥🔥🔥!

[Romancebooksandmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Kelly Bowen book I have read, I wasn't sure what to expect but the premise seemed interesting. Miss Clara Haywood the daughter of a baron who ruins a school and whose family is secretly (or not so secretly) in debt, August Faulkner a duke who wasn't raised to be one but who fought the tough London streets to keep his sister alive and now doesn't know how to let her go.

two strong willed people, two passionate people, two people that will butt heads over and over and yet always find their way back to each other one way or another, all because of one night ten years before.

August is Ruthless, there is no doubt but Clara is just as cunning if maybe a little more soft then she wants to let onto the world.

I loved the power Clara gave the girls in her care, in a time when girls didn't have power, I loved the way August loved his sister and tried to help others in need even if he wouldn't really admit to helping others, they are a perfect match making the other look inward and see the changes that need to be made.

highly recommend and can't wait to read Rose and Harlan's stories also.

in full disclouser I was sent this book as a backlist from forever publishing and grand Central publish for a honest review all of the thoughts inside are my own. this book is out now as is book 2 with book 3 coming out the 28th.

[Bj · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 "A Duke Who Has Known Poverty & Finds Riches in Loves" Stars for the book and narration! Review coming soon to AudioGals.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looooooved this story so much. Everything worked from the characters to the story, I was hooked from the start and so excited to read more in the series.