About the Book:
Title: If the Duke Dares
Author: Darcy Burke
Series: Rogue Rules #1
Page Length: 321
Publication Date: Jan. 30, 2024
Publisher: Zealous Quill Press
Synopsis: Incorrigible flirt Acton Loxley, Duke of Wellsbourne is in need of a duchess. En route to greet a potential bride, he encounters a most intriguing and captivating widow who completely distracts him from his task. However, she disappears before he can deepen their acquaintance. Acton begrudgingly goes to meet his bride, unaware she and the widow are one and the same.
When Persephone Barclay’s younger sister is compromised, Persephone must wed before the scandal spreads. Her parents scramble to present her to the Duke of Wellsbourne; except he’s precisely the kind of rogue she has now vowed to avoid. Taking flight to avoid a match, Persephone runs straight into her would-be betrothed and pretends to be someone else. But dash it all, the duke proves to be irresistibly charming! If she remains in his company, she’ll end up in the wicked scoundrel’s clutches.
Even worse, her second attempt at escape lands her in increasingly poor circumstances. With nowhere to turn and her safety at risk, she may have to accept help from the one man who threatens her resolve—and her reputation.
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:
When Persephone’s younger sister becomes compromised by a notorious rogue, her parents decide Persephone must marry to save her sister’s and the family’s name before word of the scandal spreads. But her parents want her to marry Acton Loxley, Duke of Wellsbourne, and he is also a rogue. Following the rules she and her friends developed to avoid such men, Persephone flees her parents to return home before she is tied to a man she doesn’t love.
Acton wants to avoid the marriage mart and agrees to meet the daughter of her mother’s friend. He arrives home to only Persephone’s parents, and he recognizes her face in a picture her parents show as the woman who pretended to be a widow and threw wine in his face just the night before. Acton determines to find Persephone and see why she lied when they first met.
Acton and Penelope have so much chemistry, and I loved their grumpy/sunshine love story. Acton is a rogue who starts working toward changing his reputation, and Penelope is a suspicious wallflower who does not trust Acton or any other rogue, especially after what happened to her sister. But Acton slowly breaks down her walls as they spend time together. Both characters faced difficulties in their childhood and still deal with feelings of inadequacy and rejection, and they have way more in common than they think. Their banter is exquisite, and I love how hard Acton works to show Penelope that a rogue can change and that sometimes rules are meant to be broken.
Speaking of rules, at the start of the story, Burke introduces us to a lovely friend group, and I can’t wait to learn more about each of the women in this circle. After Pandora’s scandal, the women write a list of rules they should follow when dealing with a rogue, which is meant to protect them from being hurt again. I love these women. They don’t condemn or judge each other, and they are steadfast and resolute when it comes to supporting each other, which I totally love. This is especially touching with Penelope since she doesn’t get much support from her parents (ugh… they’re the worst!). Acton’s mother is another character I found really interesting, as is his growing relationship with her. It’s interesting to learn what happened when he was a kid, why they spent time apart, and how the reality of his childhood compares with what he was told.
Darcy Burke was one of the first historical romance authors I read when I started my blog, and I became an immediate fan. I just love her swoon-worthy romances, and If the Duke Dares is no exception. It’s a fantastic start to her new series!
Special thanks to Darcy Burke for sending me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The romance.
- The friendships.
Tropes:
- grumpy/sunshine
- reformed rake
- road trip
- he falls first
About the Author:
Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Join her Reader Club at http://www.darcyburke.com/readerclub.
A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. Her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge.
It’s been a hot minute since I read something by Burke but this sounds really good and I adore that cover! 😍 I’m gonna keep an eye out for this one. Great review!