Thursday, March 9, 2017

Last Night with the Duke by Amelia Grey


Could finding love be his greatest scandal of all?

The Duke of Griffin has never lived down his reputation as one of the Rakes of St. James. Now rumors are swirling around London that his twin sisters may bear the brunt of his past follies. Hiring a competent chaperone is the only thing Griffin has on his mind--until he meets the lovely and intriguing Miss Esmeralda Swift. In ways he could never have expected, she arouses more than just his curiosity.

Esmeralda Swift considered herself too sensible to ever fall for a scoundrel, but that was before she met the irresistibly seductive Duke of Griffin. His employment offer proves too tempting for her to resist. She can’t afford to be distracted by his devilish charms because the stakes are so high for his sisters’ debut Season... unless one of London’s most notorious rakes has had a change of heart and is ready to make Esmeralda his bride in Last Night with the Duke, the first novel in the brand-new Regency Rakes of St. James series by New York Times bestselling author Amelia Grey.


Add to Goodreads –


Book 1
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica☆☆☆
3.5 stars

I need to preface this review by stating my current mood wasn't favorable for this genre. Explanation: you know how when you read a bunch of books back-to-back and they all start sounding similar? While the first few, you were in deep love with the genre, the premise, eager for more of the same, but then you get burnt out on the same tropes. That's how I felt reading Last Night with the Duke. This doesn't mean it's a bad book. If this had been the first in a string of historical romances, I would be raving about it. That's not fair to the book or the author. So I'm going to state what's within the book, and leave my skewed personal opinion out of it.

What's in the book: Esmeralda is the granddaughter of a viscount, but after the actions of her mother, their branch of the family was disowned, so she has to work her way through life. She oversees a governess and chaperone business.

Griffin is a Duke who is seeking a chaperone to help pave the way for his sister's debut – this sets up how the two love interests meet. He has a past, and he fears it tainting his sister's future.

If you're looking for a book featuring a scoundrel (our duke) who butts heads with his sister's chaperone, one who doesn't want to marry a commoner, where we discover Esmeralda (being the granddaughter of a viscount) is exactly what he's looking for, which leads to a happily ever after between the pair.

Last Night with the Duke was written well, the flow fluid, as Amelia Grey is a good writer. The characters were engaging, with mystery, closed-door-fade-to-black romance, and added banter/humor. The pacing was on the slow side, without much occurring until the final climax.

As I stated at the start of this review – this is on me. The book was a solid historical romance, with all the elements needed, but I couldn't help feeling as if I've read this all before, many times over. Maybe I'm burnt out on the genre. Maybe I'm looking for an original take on historical romance.

Recommended to fans of Amelia Grey and historical romance, especially those who love the tropes that have stood the test of time. This is a clean romance, solid writing, with a guaranteed happily ever after.

For those looking for a book that stands out from the crowd, has a different take on the culture in historical romances, more heat, I'd suggest you download the sample.



New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Amelia Grey read her first romance book when she was thirteen and she’s been a devoted reader of love stories ever since. Her awards include the Booksellers Best, Aspen Gold, and the Golden Quill. Writing as Gloria Dale Skinner, she won the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter and the prestigious Maggie Award. Her books have sold to many countries in Europe, Indonesia, Turkey, Russia, and most recently to Japan. Several of her books have also been featured in Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs. Amelia is the author of twenty-five books. She’s been happily married to her high school sweetheart for over thirty-five years and she lives on the beautiful gulf coast of Northwest Florida.

Connect with Amelia

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http://www.stmartins.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Last Night with the Duke (The Rakes of St. James #1) by Amelia Grey to read and review.

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