The Lady and Her Duke

The Ladies of Sommer by the Sea #3

by Ruth A. Casie

Could she use her skills as a lockpick to crack open the secrets to the murder as well as unlock his heart?

Lady Katherine Thornton has no interest in men after an indiscretion at her disastrous Season in London. No man can be trusted. Instead, she indulges in her fascination for gears and all things mechanical. Her unique drafting skill is an asset to her uncle Bennett Sutton, who is automating his textile factory. She doesn't need anything else.

Lord Ian Wallace, the 4th Duke of Blackhall, is a retired military officer. An accidental duke after the deaths of his father and brother, he retreats from society and the clawing mothers and debutantes who stalk him. He’s focused all his energy on his partnership with Sutton. He’s satisfied and needs nothing else.

An oath to marry, a family legend to preserve, an uprising of the factory workers, and Sutton’s murder, throw Katherine and Wallace together to find a blackmailer and murderer.

They also will find two things neither knew they were missing…each other and their happily ever after.

Read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

The Ladies of Sommer by the Sea
The Lady and her Quill
The Lady and the Spy
The Lady and Her Duke

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2022

About the author

Hi! I'm Ruth A Casie. I write historical adventures from the shores of medieval Scotland to the cobblestone streets of Regency London. My stories embrace strong woman and the men who deserve them. Within the pages you’ll discover ‘edge-of-your-seat suspense, mind boggling drama, and heart melting emotions. Grab your favorite cup of tea, or an ale if you prefer, and join my heroes and heroines as they race across the pages to find their happily ever after. I hopes her stories are your next favorite adventures!

Here are five things you probably don’t know about me.
1. I filled my passport up in one year.
2. I have three series. The Druid Knight stories are a historical time travel series. The Stelton Legacy is historical fantasy about the seven sons of a seventh son. The Ladies of Sommer-by-the-Sea, a regency romance about ladies who all graduated from the same women's seminary. I also write stories in the Pirates of Britannia Connected World.
3. I did a rap to “How Many Trucks Can a Tow Truck Tow If a Tow Truck Could Tow Trucks.”
4. When I cook I dance.
5. My Sudoku book is in the bathroom. I’m not saying anything else about that.
My stories feature strong women and the men who deserve them, endearing flaws and all. Their stories will keep you turning the pages until the end. I hope my stories become your favorite adventures.
I’m a USA Today bestselling author.
My hobbies:
* counted cross stitch
* ballroom dancing - not just between the fridge and stove
* reading almost anything
* Sudoko - I'm still staying quiet about that

Reviews

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

A regency romantic adventure that will simply captivate a vast audience. This book is so well written, it grips the reader right off. It isn't too long before you start trying to fit in reading while doing other things. I was waiting one minute for a counter to count down and managed to get a page or two read in the sixty seconds. This book is addictive to the reader.

Character development is deep and rich. The make up of this story is enough to fill several books. There is romance, intrigue, suspense, mystery, and mythology. Whatever you want out of a great book, this book will provide. The suspense part of the book was strong enough to make this book a winner. Add in a great romantic story and wow.

Recommended to all fans of regency romance. Recommended to fans of Ruth's work. This has to be one of Ruth's best works yet. That is high praise for an award-winning author, but this book deserves high praise.

Disclaimer: I read this on Kindle Unlimited.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Mr. N

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery, legends, and romance are the key factors in this engrossing novel, as Lord Ian Wallace sets out to discover who murdered his business partner and to placate the young girl he has promised to protect. Only the young girl is not as young as he thought, bringing a lighthearted aspect to the plot. In a time of change, unrest abounds as factions fight against the introduction of machinery in factories and workers fear for their livelihood. Ian has to find a way to explain the promises he made to Kate's uncle, but Kate has some explaining of her own to do. They are both living with secrets and it is only when the truth is revealed, that they can find a way forward. Crimes have been committed and the tension mounts as the book comes to a conclusion, bringing justice for more than one crime. I received a copy of this intriguing book as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This plot has a lot going on. Competitive businesses, a duel, poison, an oath, murder, a sacred sword, a fire, a brawl that's almost a riot and most important, protecting Ivy-Rose. It gets a little confusing. As far as romance between Katherine and Wallace, only brief moments for a hug and a kiss and it's on again, off again gaining trust between them. There are a couple of crazies for villains that are disturbing, but overall it felt a little anticlimactic at the end. If you enjoy murder mysteries, this may be more your cup of tea.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lady and Her Duke is the third book in The Ladies of Sommer by the Sea, but it can be read as a standalone. I don't know why anyone would not want to read the full series though, as they are all great stories. Lord Ian Wallace has made a vow to his partner and friend Bennett Sutton to marry his niece and take care of her. He agrees, assuming that he will be her guardian until she is of age and -make sure she marries well. What he doesn't know is that Ivy-Rose is a beautiful, intelligent woman who has no desire to marry after her disastrous season in London. When it is determined that Sutton was murdered, poisoned with snake venom, Wallace returns to Sommer by the Sea with his body. Lady Katherine Thornton, Ivy-Rose to her uncle, knows nothing of the vow and does not trust Lord Wallace, at least not at first. Will they find out who murdered Bennett Sutton? Will Lady Katherine and Lord Wallace be able to find romance?

This was such a great story. It had a mystery, adventure, some folklore, romance and more. Katherine was an amazing character. She was extremely intelligent, especially when it came to the mechanicals that were being used to industrialize the textile factory owned by Wallace and now her. She was also brave, plucky and was not afraid to wield a sledge hammer if she needed to. She was loyal and loved by everyone in Sommer by the Sea. Wallace was a soldier that ended up a duke when his father and brother were killed. He wanted to do good with his money and was working to make sure the factory workers had a good life. He was also intelligent, strong, handsome, loyal and a great fighter, which came in handy more than once. The secondary characters were all fleshed out as well and played important parts in the story. Of course there was a villain and I did not figure it out until almost the end. I enjoyed the romance between Ian and Kate. It had constant ups and downs, but the chemistry was there from the start. During this time in history women were still considered chattel by many and needed to be kept in their place, but I loved that Ian was so enlightened and this allowed Katherine/Kate to show the amazing skills she had. I am thoroughly enjoying this series and each book amazes me. This book is well-written, has great characters and an interesting plot. Each of the main female characters has a gift or talent that plays an important part in the plot and I am looking forward to seeing who Ruth A. Casie features in the next book and what their talent is. If you enjoy a good historical romance with intrigue, then I definitely recommend you pick this book up, it is a wonderfully entertaining story.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Katherine Thornton has no interest in men after an indiscretion at her disastrous Season in London. No man can be trusted. Instead, she indulges in her fascination for gears and all things mechanical. Her unique drafting skill is an asset to her uncle Bennett Sutton, who is automating his textile factory. She doesn't need anything else. Lord Ian Wallace, the fourth Duke of Blackhall, is a retired military officer. An accidental duke after the deaths of his father and brother, he retreats from society and the mothers and debutantes who stalk him. He’s focused all his energy on his partnership with Sutton. He’s satisfied and needs nothing else. An oath to marry, a family legend to preserve, an uprising of the factory workers, and Sutton’s murder, throw Katherine and Wallace together to find a blackmailer and murderer.
The third book in the series & by far more a mystery than romance. A well written but there’s a lot happening so much so that I was confused at times & had to reread parts several times. I did like both Katherine & Ian but I didn’t feel much sexual chemistry between them. I did enjoy the mystery & became invested in it but wanted a but more romance to balance
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was ok though I did think it was a bit confusing. I think it is because there is just so much going on. The romance angle just didn’t keep my interest.
The murder mystery part of the story was intriguing.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Petula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord Ian Wallace,  Duke of Blackhall retired from the army became a partner in a textile factory.  Some factories of that time are hot beds of unrest from the workers.  The death of his partner leads our hero to unlock many mysteries.  

Lady Katherine Thornton has no interest in society or marriage she is much happier working with her uncle at the textile factory.  She has many skills, some that nobody knows.  

This historical romance is full of dangerous people and we have a murder mystery to solve.  Our hero is much more enlightened than most men of his time and our heroine is fearless and brave.  

A very exciting story.  I loved it.  

[Texastwang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord Ian Wallace has made a vow that he is not sure if the other party will be willing.  Lady Katherine Thornton, however knows nothing of the vow and does everything she knows to show how independent she is.
This was not a typical romance. Instead its filled with intrigue and soft glimpses. This is a clean clean read I thoroughly enjoyed. I didnt realize it until I was leaving my review that I had read the first two books of this series. So all that to say enjoy this book then purchase the others to enjoy also! :)

I recieved a free copy so that I can tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

[Avril Hemingway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this but unfortunately, it did not live up my expectations. There didn't seem much romance at all and the mystery of who killed Bennet didn't seem to be solved so much as finding the answer by accident. There were no clue following as such and most could have been solved if there were not so many lies and secrets between Ian and Katherine kept. I found there were too many side characters to keep track of that detracted from the story. It was the worst of the 3 stories and not the best ending to the series. My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5.0

“The Lady and Her Duke” is full of everything anyone could imagine with chemistry igniting off the pages, mystery lurking in the shadows, and action that takes one’s breath away.

Read full review in the 2022 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lady and Her Duke by Ruth A Casie is another of the series, Ladies of Sommer-by-the-Sea. Lord Ian Wallace is in attendance when his partner, Bennett Sutton, took his last breath. They had been dueling but Ian had not fired a shot. But then, he did not die from a shot. Before he died Bennett made him promise to marry his niece, Ivy-Rose, which he did, reluctantly. The doctor said Bennett would recover from his wound, but who had shot him? When they went later to check on him they, found him dead with blood seeping from all his orifices. The doctor diagnosed poisoning, from a poisonous snake found in South America. Now Ian had to go tell his young niece, as well as see a lawyer to undo the IOU for half of his house, that Ian had reluctantly accepted from an ill-fated card game with Bennet the night before. Imagine his surprise when he saw the announcement of his betrothal in the newspaper and again when he discovered that Ivy-Rose was not a schoolgirl, but a beautiful young woman.

They were partners in a cloth mill and factory. It was unique in that it was dependent on machinery, rather than human labor. There was plenty of that, too, and the employees were happy: well-paid and well taken care of. Katherine (Ivy-Rose) was brilliant and beautiful, both, and it actually didn’t take much time for Ian to fall in love. Probably longer for Katherine, but they had a fight on their hands and they didn’t know with whom they were fighting. It made it hard. It was a good plot with a plethora of twists and turns and other good characters, may of whom we’ve met in earlier books. It was the dawn of the industrial revolution and people were frightened, and of course, greedy. Very interesting read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Lady and Her Duke by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #dragonblade #ruthacasie #theladyandherduke

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Casie has penned yet another intriguing novel with this third installment of The Ladies of Sommer by the Sea. Filled with mystery, romance, and suspense, this is one story I could not put down. It captured my attention from the start and kept me engrossed till the end. Katherine was a lovely and intelligent character. She was brave and loyal and everyone at Sommer by the Sea adored her. Wallace was a soldier, and with his brother and father both gone, has been thrust into dukedom. Katherine's uncle, Bennett, asks Wallace to marry his niece. He agrees but has no idea Katherine has no intention of marrying. Bennett is later murdered by use of snake venom, and when Wallace returns to Sommer by the Sea with his body, Katherine does not trust him let alone want to marry him. It is not until they must work together to find out who murdered her uncle that trust develops and feelings begin to blossom. The characters were well-developed and intriguing and the story was well-crafted with an interesting plotline. This was a great story and a wonderful addition to the series.
Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reason for Actions

Ian is a Duke and partner in a Textile plant. His partner lost at cards and went just off kilter! There seemed to be no reason for a dual with Ian and Bennett lost his life. He made Ian swear before witnesses to wed Ivy-Rose and keep her safe.
Ian thought she was a child and was prepared to wait. He journeys to Sommer by the sea to tell her of the passing of her uncle Bennett! Ian finds a beautiful adult intelligent woman and they both are smitten!
But there are way to many secrets between them! Kate aka Ivy-Rose more than anyone. Her secrets almost get Ian and others killed!!! When she won't let Ian tell her the truth! I didn't? I didn't like her as Ian is a proud man and her secrets were involving a madman!
This is non-stop action with arson, celebration, diabolical villains and murder. The 4.5 stars are more Ian I still was not clear on the level of physical involvement Kate had with Whitaker and what was the evidence he had against her???

[Marti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! loved this book!!

What an intriguing murder mystery and romance! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Lady Katherine and Ian, the Duke of Blackhall, as they work together to identify a blackmailer and murderer. Each is a strong character, focusing on applying their individual strengths to keep busy and believing their lives are fulfilled by doing so. As they butt heads and struggle to share important details, Katherine and Ian eventually find they overlooked something essential to their happiness - each other. Ms Casie has a gift for not only developing a good page-turning mystery, she gives you characters that seem so real you feel like you are right there with them, feeling every one of their emotions. I strongly recommend this book to those looking for a great read with a mystery and romance.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of The Lady and her Duke

This was truly an enjoyable and engaging book. The story of Wallace and Kate was intriguing as they worked to improve the mechanicals and the textile mill, as well as solve the poisoning death of Bennett. Wallace and Kate go thru so many degrees of anger, lack of trust and danger that Bennett instigated by the oathe he made Wallace take to secure the mill and marry Kate to protect her. Loved Kates "Special" skill. Oh, then there is the mystery surrounding the Legendary Sword "Invincible" said to hold mega power. There is a lot happening in this story. Take the time to read it, it was worth it!

[Jocelyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in The Ladies of Sommer by the Sea series, a Regency Romance. You can read it as a standalone. I love this series. Lady Katherine Thornton (Ivy-Rose) and Lord Ian Wallace's story is well written and captivating. Ian, a retired military officer, is very handsome and protective. Katherine is beautiful, smart, and independent. I loved to follow them in this intriguing journey. The storyline is filled with mystery, danger, and twists and turns. There is a lot going on in this story. I enjoyed it.

[Lori D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder, a mystery, angst, a hero who made a promise to a dying man and the heroine who has no idea! A lot happening in the third installment in this entertaining series!

When his business partner lays dying, he promises to take take care, ie marry his niece. He does not realize she is a grown, beautiful woman.

But a lot is hidden and the truth needs to come out, but it seems there are a lot of secrets!

A complicated mystery that will keep you trying to figure out the ending!!

[Mary Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

stars

A good story. Interesting murder mystery at the start with the hero promising to marry his business partners niece. He thinks she is a child instead she is a beautiful intelligent engineer,

It takes them some time to sort out the culprit and then sort out both the murder and the romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Barbara Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an adventure this has been. First a strange murder, a duke’s promise to care for a child, and then a wonderful tale of the Knight Templars. All of this rolled into a superb, exciting adventure that places Lady Katherine Thornton and Lord Ian Wallace, the 4th Duke of Blackhall together to solve a mystery. I found this to be a page turning escapade and enjoyed it to its conclusion. Thank you for a wonderful tale for us to enjoy.

[Ronnie Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story.

This was a little hard for me to follow, but I persevered. The era, places, names and titles of many characters kept me referring to my notes. I suggest you keep notes of every one by their name, title, and position as well as locations. This is a VERY good story with mystery, compassion, love, and devotion. You will not be disappointed as you follow Lady Katherine and Duke Ian battle secrets and fears trying to figure "who did it and why."

[Shelby Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trust no one!

A very interesting book, Duke Wallace loses his business partner, poisoned and promised to wed his niece! He expected her to a young girl and is surprised, not only is she beautiful Lady but is knowledgeable about the textile business! Their journey is a pleasure to read!

[Caryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bravo! I so enjoyed this novel. I was immediately immersed into the drama. Twists and turns kept me turning the pages. I read this novel in one sitting.

Recommend to readers who enjoy historical fiction.

I borrowed a copy from KU. I've expressed my honest opinion.

[Shirley Hamlod · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super book and last in the series. Another great adventure in this seaside town. Lots of interesting elements keep the reader interested in the plot. Katherine and Ian are being targeted but they don’t know by who or why. Solving two murders also forms part of the plot.

[randy g phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book .it was a murder mystery as well as a love story!!

I would recommend it to any one who lives a good mystery and a love story. I think it was excellent and I appreciate that there was a lot of sex.

[Sherry Peaslee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun to read

The books in this series get better and more fun and fulfilling to read!! Mystery, suspense, adventure, strong heroines, handsome, wonderful heroes!