In the battle between love and duty, the heart has the most to lose… betrothal to the Duke of Montrose thrills her parents, but as she learns of his unfavorable reputation—and equally untenable behavior—Portia’s happiness is less assured. As is her chance of being loved.
Julian Wade may have lost the battle for Portia’s hand, but her heart has yet to be won. Certainly his old enemy Montrose is unworthy of her affections, and indeed, it seems the dastardly duke is up to his usual unsavory tricks. But Julian has a few tricks of his own, as well as the support of dear friends. Penniless though he may be, should he win Portia’s love once and for all, Julian may yet prove to be the richest gentleman about Town.
A steamy regency romance novel.
Distinguished Rogues Series
Book 1: Chills (Jack and Constance)
Book 2: Broken (Giles and Lillian)
Book 3: Charity (Oscar and Agatha)
Book 4: An Accidental Affair (Merrick and Arabella)
Book 5: Keepsake (Kit and Miranda)
Book 6: An Improper Proposal (Martin and Iris)
Book 7: Reason to Wed (Richard and Esme)
Book 8: The Trouble with Love (Everett and Whitney)
Book 9: Married by Moonlight (Gilbert and Anna)
Book 10: Lord of Sin (Julian and Portia)
Book 11: The Duke’s Heart (Sinclair and Kitty)
Book 12: Romancing the Earl (Price and Lenore)
Book 13: One Enchanted Christmas (Otis and Meg)
Book 14: Desire by Design (Alexander and Sylvia)
Book 15: His Perfect Bride (Harry and Ophelia)
Book 16: Pleasures of the Night
Book 17: Silver Bells
more
Julian is a little too passive waiting for Portia to see him as the man for her. Portia is too clueless to notice his desire. A great friends to lovers story. This is a new to me author and book 10 in the series. I will definitely go back to read the others in the series! I received an ARC for my honest review.
London 1815 Julian, Lord Wade, had relegated himself to the sidelines when it came to Portia Hayes. He had been biding his time, hoping that soon his love would realize he was her best choice for a happy future. They had become friends of a sort and it seemed lately she was feeling an attraction for him. Oh yes, I loved Julian because he really cared about Portia, but he knew with him not having a grand title or small fortune, her parents would push him away as a suitor. He was doing his best to survive with his aunt and a few servants after his father had left them broke.
Portia had many suitors and of course was expected to wed a titled gentleman since her family was not of the peerage, but she did have a handsome dowry. She wants to marry for love but when a Duke out of the blue asked for her hand, she knows she needs to accept because that is what her parents want and it will help her younger sister.
Wait, can you image marrying for a title, someone you do not even know? I have to say, the Duke’s proposal left a lot to be desired and it seemed something was up.. Plus when Julian heard about her engagement it was a hard blow.
Well, people are not always as they appear and the Duke was certainly that. It really got interesting as truths became known. A journey for two people to come together that were meant for each other. This story was very well written and I truly enjoyed it.. Although part of a series, it can be read as a standalone..
Lord of Sin is the tenth book in the Distinguished Rogues series. I haven’t ready any of the other books and this did reference some of the earlier books. It was a little confusing because the book referenced events of a murderous and how Lord Julian Wade had kept Portia Hayes safe and how they had stayed in the house that she had inherited. Julian and Portia knew each other for a while, but Portia thought of Julian was just a friend. When the Duke of Montrose proposed she accepted without knowing the duke. She knew she was supposed to make a good match to satisfy her parents. As she came to know the duke, she realized he was not liked by society and had no wish to be in London after they married. Portia loved society and didn’t realize his plans. Julian and his aunt helped Portia to become as popular as she was, but Portia didn’t realize how much they had helped her until people stopped visiting her. Julian loved Portia and was waiting for her to notice him as something besides a friend. He was devastated when he heard of Portia’s engagement. Portia seemed a little spoiled and seemed to not think things through. Julian seemed to be happy to let her keep thinking of him as a friend. He wasn’t assertive at all and came to regret it after Portia’s engagement. Overall it was a good story, but with all the references to the previous book I don’t think it was a good stand-alone book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I always enjoy a friends to lovers story:) Julian is such a wonderful friend to Portia but what she doesn’t know is that he’s in love with her. I felt so bad for him when he had to watch her with other men and yet he did everything he could to make sure she was safe.
Portia is trying to please her family by getting betrothed to a Duke but she soon discovers that he is not a very nice man!! She also realizes that she always feels safe with Julian and even though he has no money, it’s him she really wants to marry!!
It’s a good thing Julian has patience! It warmed my heart when his dreams finally all come true:) Oh, and I also wanted to feed him, he was much too thin! lol A truly delightful story by Ms. Boyd!!
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
3.75*
Review originally published at Romancing Romances.
I received an eARC at no cost from the author, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
This was the first book I’ve read by Heather Boyd. And it was a great surprise, especially since this book has a “friends to lovers”, which is one of my favourites.
But I feel like I must point out that we don’t actually have a lot of moments when we can actually see Portia Hayes and Julian Wade as friends, because that seemed to mostly happen in the previous books – which I have not read.
Portia is a bit arrogant and is used to getting everything her way. She’s flirty, a good friend, and independent. And she wants to fulfil her family’s wish, which is for her to marry a high ranking gentleman, so that her family – especially her younger sister – have a better position in the ton. But she wishes to marry for love – or at least to have a happy marriage. And then the duke of Montrose proposes. And she can’t say no.
At first, she thinks it might be a dream, that even though they don’t know each other, he can’t be as bad as everyone else says. And then the invitations start to thin up, and she realizes that the dream life her family wanted wasn’t real. And she decides things have to change.
Julian Wade has been in love with Portia for several years. He thinks that after so long, she will realize that he’s in love with her, and she will fall in love with him as well. Things didn’t work out as he had initially planned but, of course, this is a historical romance, so the HEA is guaranteed.
There are several funny moments during the book, and the romance heats up a bit towards the end. And Portia finally takes control of her life, and she sets everything so that the mean, controlling Montrose gets what he deserves, and she gets her happy ending with Julian.
A great start with this author.
Lord Julian Wade has become a dear confidant to Portia Hayes. He’s proven attentive, honourable, clever, and would make many a lady a fine catch. Julian is almost penniless and Portia is expected to make an advantageous match. Her recent betrothal to the Duke of Montrose thrills her parents, but as she learns of his unfavourable reputation—and equally untenable behaviour—Portia’s happiness is less assured.
This book is the tenth in the series & it could easily be read on its own. We met Julian & Portia in the previous book & they were meant to be together. I’d really liked Julian & Portia in ‘Married by Moonlight’ but at the start of this book I didn’t warm to either of them, she came across as a spoilt, self-centred debutante & he as a fortune hunter but the more I read the more I warmed to them again & by the time I was half way through I was routing for Julian to win his lady.A well written well paced entertaining book that I read in under a day
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
3.5 stars rounded up.
Miss Portia Hayes is the eldest daughter of a wealthy but untitled family. To satisfy her parents’ desire for social climbing and the best possible match for her younger sister, she is expected to marry well. When the Duke of Montrose suddenly proposes, she accepts, knowing this will please her family beyond measure. But the more she comes to know her new fiance in the weeks leading up to the wedding, the more she is repulsed by him, especially as she sees how unpopular he is with the rest of the ton.
Lord Julian, Viscount Wade, has become friend and confidant to Portia over the past couple of years as he eased her way into polite society. Unfortunately, with pockets to let he was labeled a fortune hunter by her family and never considered a suitor, despite his love for her. Nonetheless, with the help of his many friends, he’ll do his best to protect Portia from his old enemy’s machinations, and make one last ditch effort to win her heart once and for all.
I rounded my rating up for this one because the writing was good and because I have been rather too lenient lately and wanted to be fair. However, Portia and her naivete were tolerable at first, but the more I read the more unbelievable it was and the less I could deal with her. Julian deserved so much better than someone who was really only concerned with titles and her own feelings and totally oblivious to those around her. That said, I really did enjoy the final few chapters once Portia finally got her head on straight and started trying to be herself instead of the perfect debutante.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A stellar story. Julian has been determined to marry only one woman. The problem is he doesn’t think he deserves her. Portia loves to flirt but wants to do her duty by her family. It takes someone coming between these two for them to realize that they were meant only for each other. The story is filled with witty banter and charming characters. You will enjoy the machinations going on behind the scene as Portia and Julian plot and outwit the Duke she is engaged to. Julian is a character you can’t help falling in love with and rooting for.
You know sometimes you need to take a break from all of the alpha peers and settle down with a good book that features a hero who is good and kind and always a friend. That is this book. Julian is the definitive friend except he does not want to be. His anguish over seeing the woman he loves always looking at him with adoration is resonant throughout the story. If only she would look at him differently. I loved Julian. Portia was a little harder to like. She seemed a bit clueless when it came to Julian but in the end she realized he was right for her. A fantastic love story.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
4.5* I felt the writing in the first few chapters was a bit bumpy, but this was soon overcome. I especially liked Julian’s character, a sort of guardian angel of debutantes and helper of friends in need of a favor.
Portia understood she was to accept such an advantageous match as offered by the Duke of Montrose. However, she was a bit naive in believing the stiff and unfriendly duke she hardly knew would allow her to remain in contact with her male “friends” as she called them.
The forbidding character of the duke brought suspense into the story as the reader wondered how he would react to the developments along the way.
It was nice to revisit with Esme and Richard – though briefly – of Reason to Wed.
I read an advance copy I received via netgalley; the thoughts expressed are my own.
As this is my first read by Heather Boyd and the tenth in a series, I had no clue of who is who but except the murderess talk at the beginning of the book, but slowly it is unraveled along the chapters.
The author has definitively a style of her own, her narrative is very different from what I usually read and it was quite refreshing to be a bit unsettle at the beginning.
At first, I thought the main characters relationship a bit awkward, he hiding his feelings, only playing the friend and protector and she flirting rather shamelessly and always saved from disaster by her said friend.
Then when he thinks it is time he shows his sentiments for her, she decides to follow her family incentive to choose a lofty tittled husband-to-be, not because of some attractions between or a romantic courtship, just because he is a duke.
I do know it was the way things were done in the past, choose wealth and status over affections.
But as Portia is a cheerful personality, I did not liked seing her settle for the basic scheme of the marriage mart.
Sure Julian never expressed the intensity of his passion for her always keeping his emotions in a tight leash.
Julian is a hero as I love them, with a scoundrel side but so caring and kind, all doors are open to him. He makes things do as his family affairs are in dire straits, he keeps his head high and refuses to be bullied. And whatever arises, he always chooses the right path.
Why it was nice to watch Portia discovers who is really the man behind his society’s facade. One she shamelessly used to her own purpose until she understood he is not just a mean to an end. It is up to her so find what she really expect from life and with whom.
I was granted an advance copy through Netgalley by the author, I also purchased my own copy. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
The beginning of this book was quite rough. It mentions events that happened in the previous book (that I didn’t read) that brought the two main characters closer but never fully explains those events. Also, the characters are not very likable at first. Julian comes off as a “nice guy” who is upset the Portia won’t pay him any attention and sees him just as a friend, while Portia comes off as a huge flirt and kind of an airhead. Eventually, you see what the characters are really all about and you grow to like them and their romance. However, her parents are pretty annoying and they never improve though. Also, the plot with her uncle’s house was really interesting and I wish had been explored more!