Published October 10th, 2024 by Aria
Historical Romance, Regency Romance, New Adult Fiction
Welcome to my thoughts on this sexy and suspenseful historical romance. Thank you to Aria for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
‘Perfectly balancing romance and intrigue, this is a true page-turner’ Publishers Weekly
HE IS THE ICE-COLD DUKE
Julian, the Duke of Hastings, is known for being aloof and utterly in control. For nine years, he’s kept his distance from the only woman who ever cracked his icy exterior, burying himself in work as a top-secret government code-breaker. But when his latest assignment ensnares him in a lethal aristocratic plot, Julian has no choice but to enlist the help of his estranged wife.
SHE IS THE PRIM DUCHESS
To all of society, Caroline Hastings is the perfect duchess. For years she’s masked her pain over her husband’s abandonment behind a poised facade. But when Julian unexpectedly returns and sweeps them into a dangerous, covert mission, Caroline discovers her frozen duke isn’t quite so indifferent in the bedroom after all.
Now, locked in a dangerous chase through London’s glittering ballrooms and dark back alleys, Julian and Caroline must catch a killer-before he catches them first.
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MY REVIEW:
Steamy, tense, twisty and engaging, The Wayward Duke is a gripping amalgamation of romance, sex, danger, angst and intrigue.
London, Julian, Duke of Hastings, and his wife, Caroline, have been estranged for eight years when he surprisingly returns, sparking a flame of desire in them that they thought long-dead. Society is ablaze with talk of their reunion, but can they overcome the hurt they’ve caused each other to really reunite? Meanwhile, Julian’s work for the home office embroils them in a dangerous hunt for a terrorist. Can they learn to work together to catch them before he kills them first?
Though this book is the fifth in the series, it was actually my introduction to both the series and author. Despite this, I never felt confused about what was happening and think this was easy to read as a standalone. I was very much in the mood to read a romance when I started this book, but I was unprepared for the turns it would take and was surprised by how steamy it was from the start. The sexual tension is evident and I was relieved not to be reading this in public. But this is more than just a spicy book. Katrina Kendrick expertly moved between the shifts in tone of this book, making me blush with the sex scenes, almost cry with the emotional ones, and keeping me on the edge of my seat as they are caught up in espionage. We don’t initially know why they have been estranged, but their heartbreak and grief is palpable, and you can feel their fear of again trusting the person who broke them to pieces from the inside. As we learned more about the reasons their relationship broke down, Kendrick’s writing flourished, expertly conveying their loss, devastation, and Caroline’s mental health struggles in a real and relatable way.
I liked that this couple weren’t your average Duke and Duchess and that there was more to them than meets the eye. Caroline is a linguist and Julian a code-breaker, the latter working with the home office to secretly decipher codes and hunt terrorists. I loved this aspect of the book. The danger escalated, adding an extra layer of tension to the story that had me on the edge of my seat. I have to admit that although I enjoyed both characters, I did favour Caroline a little. I felt like I really understood her and loved that she was someone who didn’t need a man to rescue her. And very different from what you’d expect of a woman in her position in society at that time.
So if you’re looking for a historical romance that will make your heart race, your cheeks blush, and keep you guessing, then this steamy and suspenseful book is the one for you.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Katrina Kendrick is the pseudonym for Sunday Times bestselling science fiction and fantasy author Elizabeth May. She is Californian by birth and Scottish by choice, and holds a Ph.D. from the University of St Andrews. She currently resides on an 18th-century farm in the Scottish countryside with her husband, three cats, and a lively hive of honeybees that live in the wall of her old farmhouse.
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BUY THE BOOOK:
Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx
Emma's Biblio Treasures 