Tuesday, December 12, 2023

My review for Amalie Howard's ANY DUKE IN A STORM

 

ANY DUKE IN A STORM
Historical Romance

 

 

 

AUTHOR:
Amalie Howard

RELEASE DATE:
January 09, 2024

PUBLISHER:
Sourcebooks Casablanca

ISBN/ ASIN NUMBER :
9781728276762

RATING:
4.5

AUTHOR LINK:
https://amaliehoward.com/

 

 

Lady Lisbeth Medford is a British spy on special assignment to the American government. She needs to infiltrate a particular smuggling ring, so she can bring its ringleader to justice. To accomplish this, Lisbeth poses as a bloodthirsty female ship captain. During a reckless escape, she finds Raphael Saint on her frigate. The man vexes her, but Lisbeth knows he is her best chance on capturing the elusive Prince of Smugglers. Can Lisbeth resist the temptation of tossing Raphael overboard? Or will he hinder her mission?

 

Raphael Saint is a discredited French duke turned smuggler. He concocted a plan to catch the one responsible for his father’s disgrace and death. When his shipmates mutiny, Raphael finds himself without a boat and incarcerated in an island prison. To elude his nemesis, he offers to be a sailing master on the only ship leaving port. Raphael suspects there is more to his captain than what she lets on. Will Raphael finally get retribution for his late father? Or is there more at stake?

 

Lisbeth did not disappoint me! She is a hard as nails woman who manages to carve a place for herself in a male-dominated profession. Lisbeth proves continuously that she can hold her own, even against men. And I adore her for that! What I like the most about Lisbeth is her mentality about physical entanglements. She must care or trust a person before being intimate with them, no matter their sex.

 

I now consider Raphael one of my literary husbandoes (yes, I am aware the term is often used for anime). Everything about him made me want to swoon, especially his incorrigible demeanor. He made the story so much fun to read! I adore Raphael’s interactions with Lisbeth/Beth. He purposely provoked her at every turn just to get a rise out of her. What I love the most about Raphael is his ability to see the “true” Lisbeth. He saw the woman beneath the hard-as-nails character she played.

 

ANY DUKE IN A STORM is the third book in Amalie Howard’s historical- romance series, DARING DUKES. Unfortunately, I have not read the first two books in this series. However, the story can easily stand alone for there is no on-going plot. The couples from those books are mentioned. Valentine and Bronwyn, the couple from THE DUKE IN QUESTION, do play a small role near the end. I want Narina to grow up quick, so she can put Thorin in place. She is a little spitfire.

 

I have forgotten how much I love and enjoy stories that take place on the ocean. The pirate/smuggler theme never bores me. I practically devoured every page of this book, even foregoing sleep and other duties to read more.


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