Blew me away! When a Duke Loves a Woman by Lorraine Heath [ARC Review + Giveaway]

[book-info]

Don’t want to read the excerpt?  Click to jump to the Review?

“What are you doing?”

“As I intend to be here through the night, I decided to get comfortable.”

The slow unknotting and unwinding of his neckcloth was next. Then he began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. She’d seen him naked. Why was it the baring of only his forearms was so much more provocative?

Loosening the top two buttons of his shirt, he returned to the bed, sat on its edge, and reached for the tray, picking up a cloth she hadn’t noticed.

“You’re not going to wash me.”

He arched a brow at her. “Do you really want to engage in a battle you can’t possibly win?”

“You shouldn’t assume just because I’m a woman that I would lose.”

“I’m not assuming that at all,” he said, his voice low and raspy, sending warm tingles along her spine even as she recognized the threat of a challenge when it was being delivered. He leaned in until she could almost see her reflection in his dark eyes. “But I am assuming, as much as you pretend otherwise, that there is a measure of feminine vanity in you and you will be in want of a clean face when I kiss you.”

Don’t want to read the whole review?  Click to jump to the Skinny Review.

When a Duke Loves a Women is my first 5-star read this year! I love it even more than Beyond Scandal and Desire!

In When a Duke Loves a Woman, we have an unusual heroine – Gillie. She is very independent and runs her own tavern in Whitechapel! She also had an unusual upbringing since she was raised by Ettie Trewlove along with her brothers. Gillie’s upbringing was unique and it does affect her attitude towards everyone. When she was younger she had to pretend to be a boy, dress like one and even worked like one. Of course, this was to protect her virtue and keep her safe, but it really affected her overall view of the world.

We are introduced by the Duke of Thornley – Thorne – one night while he was mugged in an alley next to Gillie’s tavern. She rescues him and nurses him back to health and they end up falling for each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed When the Duke Loves a Woman! If you’ve been following my reviews, you will know that I love historical romances featuring non-aristocratic characters and not set in a ballroom! Not that ballrooms aren’t great, but I love settings outside the ballroom or a manor! When the Duke Loves a Woman has this in spades!

Majority of the book is set in Gillie’s tavern and it’s called The Unicorn and The Mermaid! I think? But Gillie is such an awesome character! I love how independent she is. What is heartbreaking about her is that she is a romantic at heart but because of how she grew up and she couldn’t help but compare herself to her younger sister.

Thorne is also the perfect man for Gillie! Since it is set mostly in Gillie’s tavern, he doesn’t have a chance to act like an aristocrat. But of course, he also wanted to marry someone appropriate.

When he finally realizes that he loves Gillie, his declaration of love was AMAZING!

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! We also know who the couple would be! Eeep!

[rating-report]

affiliate links below

Beyond Scandal and Desire Review | The Scoundrel in Her Bed Pub Date Feb 26, 2019

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to US shipping addresses only. Three winners will each receive a paperback copy of Beyond Scandal and Desire by Lorraine Heath.  This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance. Giveaway ends 8/31/2018 @ 11:59 pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address.  Duplicates will be deleted.

Click to join the giveaway

Do you love romances featuring characters belonging to different social classes?