The Return of the Duke
Once Upon a Dukedom
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4.2 • 126 Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
In the thrilling third book in New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath’s Once Upon a Dukedom series, the dashing son of a disgraced duke teams up with a sultry beauty to thwart an assassination plot against Queen Victoria.
When his father, the Duke of Wolfford, is hanged for an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria, Marcus Stanwick is stripped of everything. Vowing to return honor to his family, he seeks to expose the others involved in the treasonous plot and bring them to justice. His search forces him to turn to a woman he despises for her unforgiveable betrayal—a woman known as the heartless harlot.
Harboring secrets, Esme Lancaster has her own reasons for wanting to discover who’s behind the conspiracy that’s still afoot. She doesn’t trust Marcus but can’t deny the handsome devil makes her wonder if she does indeed possess a heart, one he could very easily steal.
As their hunt for the truth leads them into danger, Marcus finds Esme isn’t cold and calculating as he’d assumed but fire and brimstone, with courage and determination to match his own. Soon, they’re unable to deny their growing desire for each other. But giving into temptation comes at a cost, and they must decide if love is worth the risk of losing their one chance for redemption.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Heath's brilliant third Victorian-era Once Upon a Dukedom romance (after The Duchess Hunt) follows Marcus Stanwick, heir to the Duke of Wolfford—until his father is stripped of his title and hanged for an assassination attempt against Queen Victoria. Now Marcus is determined to get to the bottom of his father's alleged crimes and restore his family's place in society. Though thoroughly disdainful of his father's former mistress, Esme Lancaster, Marcus hopes she may have information about who else was involved in the assassination plot. Their strained first encounter leads Marcus to dub Esme the "Ice Princess," but he soon learns that the woman he believes to have destroyed his parents' marriage is not the evil vixen he's imagined her to be; Esme is actually an agent for the Crown, and she's also seeking information about Wolford's coconspirators. As the pair join forces to investigate, romantic tension simmers. Heath slowly peels back the layers of her complex protagonists, making their forbidden attraction all the more intense and believable. With just the right blend of romance and mystery, this proves un-put-downable.
Customer Reviews
Unexpected
Coming with the times Heath introduces a woman with independence, intelligence and sexual experience. I love a female lead story but this story of romance is of equal partnership. A gray change to the traditional storyline. V. L. L. Book lover
Highly recommended love story!
Loved reading the entertaining and engaging historical romance story. When Marcus Stanwick's father, the Duke of Wolford, is hanged for treason, Marcus wants find out the other people. involved in the murderous plot to kill the queen which leads him to his father's ex-mistress, Esme Lancaster. Meanwhile, Esme is on her own mission to discover the mastermind of the treachery. As Esme and Marcus work together, danger surrounds them, and their attraction for each other grows. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, full of romance and intrigue, and a must read love story.
A duke returned, if a bit dull
The first half was a fun tease, lots of intrigue and plot. The second half still had some of that, though the characters became a bit silly and mellow.