About the Book:
Title: Between the Devil and the Duke
Author: Kelly Bowen
Series: Season for Scandal #3
Page Length: 319
Publication Date: Jan. 13, 2017
Publisher: Forever
Synopsis: Their love was always in the cards.
He should have thrown her out. But when club owner Alexander Lavoie catches a mysterious blonde counting cards at his vingt-et-un table, he’s more intrigued than angry. He has to see more of this beauty—in his club, in his office, in his bed. But first he’ll have to devise a proposition she can’t turn down.
Gossip said he was an assassin.
Common sense told her to stay away. But Angelique Archer was desperate, and Lavoie’s club offered a surefire way to make quick money—until she got caught. Instead of throwing her out though, the devil offers her a deal: come work for him. Refusing him means facing starvation, but with a man so sinfully handsome and fiercely protective, keeping things professional might prove impossible.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links.
My Review:
Alexander Lavoie, owner of the most successful gaming club in London, is intrigued when he catches the beautiful Angelique Archer counting cards. When Alex offers her a job, he quickly realizes that trouble follows Angelique. Orphaned and penniless, Angelique doesn’t know where her family’s missing money went, her life is threatened, and her brother is accused of murder and imprisoned. As Angelique and Alex work together and begin to unravel family secrets and treacherous plots, can they resist their growing feelings for each other?
I loved Between the Devil and the Duke! Angelique and Alex are such compelling protagonists, and I loved their character arcs. Angelique is a strong, intelligent, and independent woman. With a selfish, wastrel older brother and two younger brothers in need of tuition money, Angelique is burdened with family responsibilities. She uses her amazing math skills when gambling to make enough money to keep her family afloat. She is such a wonderful person, though she doesn’t see her own worth. I love how she grows more self-assured and confident as the story progresses, and that she never gives up on what she believes in. She is such a dynamic character, and a wonderful complement to Alex, one of the few people who sees her value and appreciates her.
Alex is so swoon-worthy, and there is way more to him than the rumors suggest. Is he a spy? A scoundrel? A villain? A good man? Alex keeps everyone at a distance, so no one really knows, though Angelique is determined to find out. She sees glimpses of the real man underneath his cool and composed exterior, and she’s impressed by what she sees. (So am I! lol)
I love the chemistry between Alex and Angelique, especially how smitten Alex is, though he doesn’t realize it. He loves how sharp and astute she is, and he is as entranced by her skill at numbers as much as he is by her beauty. Alex treats Angelique as an equal, which is something she hasn’t experienced before. I love that he sees her as a partner and that he sees how exceptional Angelique is. Their banter is fabulous, and you can really feel the growing connection between the couple as well as the sexual tension.
Both Alex and Angelique struggle with feelings of worth, and both are certain at the start of the story that love is not in their future. However, neither can deny the irresistible connection they share. I love how their relationship grows and develops and how they slowly come to realize how important they are to each other. There are many little moments where this couple shows how much they care for each other, which I thought was so romantic and charming. They have a swoon-worthy love story made more intense by the danger they are constantly thrust into.
There is so much suspense and intrigue in the story, and I was really invested in finding out who was behind all of Angelique’s misfortune. There are many suspicious characters, including Angelique’s older brother and his friends, debt collectors, and more. Angelique and Alex get in several sticky situations as they try to find the truth and save her brother.
Between the Devil and the Duke is a fantastic addition to the Season for Scandal series with deftly developed characters, a well-layered plot, and a swoon-tastic romance. I highly recommend this book to readers of historical romance, and though it’s the third book in the series, it can totally be read as a standalone. Thanks so much to Forever Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. It was such a great read!
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- THE ROMANCE!!!!!
- The intrigue.
Favorite Lines:
Requiring help from time to time does not make you helpless. It makes you human.
Bad news was bad news whether or not one was planted on one’s backside. A soft pillow did nothing to lessen the impact. She should know. She had been weathering a constant storm of bad news for a long time now.
Recommendations:
This is a fabulous story for readers who enjoy historical romance with unique, well-developed characters, intrigue, and an epic love story!
This sounds excellent!
I loved it!