From a New York Times bestselling author comes a Regency romance featuring a decadent duke and a secretary with a secret. HE MAY BE A DEVILHe’s infamous, debaucherous, and known all over town for his complete disregard for scandal, and positively irresistible seductions. Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, is obscenely wealthy, jaw-droppingly handsome, and used to getting exactly what he wants. … handsome, and used to getting exactly what he wants. Until his attention is utterly captured by a woman who refuses to tell him her name, but can’t help surrendering to his touch…
BUT SHE’S NO ANGEL EITHER…
Amanda Waverly is living two lives—one respectable existence as secretary to an upstanding lady, and one far more dangerous battle of wits—and willpower—with the devilish Duke. Langford may be the most tempting man she’s ever met, but Amanda’s got her hands full trying to escape the world of high-society crime into which she was born. And if he figures out who she really is, their sizzling passion will suddenly boil over into a much higher stakes affair…
“Rich with scandal and sensuality…Scintillating love scenes are plentiful in this page-turning tale, which is enhanced by a cast of memorable characters and smart, witty protagonists.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW, Best Books of Summer 2018
“Another passionate, adventurous, captivating romance from a grand mistress of the genre. Hunter combines a heated love story with a feminist vibe…Readers will find the pace never slows as they try and keep up with a bold thief and a devilish duke engaged in a subtle game of seduction.”—RT Book Reviews, TOP PICK
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I was lucky enough to be chosen to receive an ARC of A Devil of A Duke by Madeline Hunter. This is the 2nd in the series of the Decadent Dukes Society. The Society consists of three dukes that became friends as boys at school. This book is about Gabriel, the Duke of Langford, and Amanda Waverly, who was trained to be a thief by her parents, but is trying to stay on the straight and narrow. Langford is in the upper echelons of society, and Amanda is making her way in the world as a secretary to a society Original when her former life calls. I enjoyed reading about Langford and Amanda’s developing relationship and how they overcome the obstacles facing them. I did think there were a few points at which Amanda gave in to Langford a little too easily where it concerned the intrigues she was involved in. I thought the wrapping up of that part of the story line was a little anticlimactic. I was thinking there would be a little more drama. However, I thought that the ultimate conclusion of that was very clever with property being returned to its rightful place.
4.5 Stars
Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford is an unrepentant rake, he revels in his debauchery and could care less what society thinks. But he is more than just a decadent duke, his is also a protective older brother and that is what brings him to his brother Harry’s house, Harry is suffering from his first heartbreak and Langford will console him and assure him that women are plentiful and basically interchangeable – no point in being sad if you lose one, especially when there are so many to choose from! Harry wants to retreat to the country and mope in private, but Langford insists that he stay in town and attend the masked ball in three days.
Amanda Waverly is the secretary of the eccentric Lady Farnsworth, she is also the daughter of thieves, a life she thought she left far behind, but with her mother’s freedom and possibly her life in the balance, Amanda will have to return to a life she hates to save her. She attends the masked ball for the purpose of meeting Lord Harry, she needs access to his house to achieve her objective. But Harry is not interested in her flirtations and sends a silent plea to his brother to save him from the bold shepherdess who is currently throwing herself at him.
Langford smoothly separates the shepherdess from his brother’s side and maneuvers her put into the garden. If she is looking for a tryst – he is better suited to the job. They share a kiss and she finagles an invite to Harry’s house. She agrees to meet him there and leaves – he asks her name and she ignores him.
They meet and when he falls asleep, she does what she came to do and slips away. Langford wakes alone and annoyed. He still doesn’t know her name! So when he finds her shawl, he uses it to see her again. He is fascinated by her and can’t remember the last time (if ever) a woman didn’t fall at his feet. He will find her and she will succumb!
Let the games begin! These two are a perfect match but who they are may make that meaningless, especially when Langford learns the whole truth.
This is a well written, entertaining story, with witty banter (especially with the other dukes), steamy love scenes, secrets, lies, a resourceful heroine, a determined hero, schemes and finally a HEA that seemed impossible to attain! I really enjoyed this book and will be impatiently waiting for Brentworth’s story!!!
He’s infamous, debaucherous, and known all over town for his complete disregard for scandal, and positively irresistible seductions. Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, is obscenely wealthy, jaw-droppingly handsome, and used to getting exactly what he wants. Until his attention is utterly captured by a woman dressed as a shepherdess at a masquerade who refuses to tell him her name.
Amanda Waverly is living two lives—one respectable existence as secretary to Lady Farnsworth, and one far more dangerous battle of wits and willpower with the devilish Duke. Langford may be the most tempting man she’s ever met, but Amanda’s got her hands full trying to escape the world of high-society crime into which she was born.
This is the second in the Decadent Dukes Society & another well written easy reading, page turning book, it could be read on its own but to fully enjoy I’d recommend reading Adam’s story. I liked both Gabe & Amanda both trying to change their lives. Their attraction was apparent from the start but I felt that lust was the predominant feeling & struggled a little with them actually loving each other. There was plenty of thrills along the way with jewellery thefts & kidnapping. I’m intrigued bu Brentworth & look forward to his story
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
A good read even though I’ve read better from this author. The plot included both tropes of “overcoming/rising above how you were raised” as well as social class inequalities. And while I never connected closely with either Gabriel or Amanda, their story was overflowing with chemistry. To be fair, I have not read the first in series, so I’m thinking that might have helped some with my connection to this one. I do intend to go back and read The Most Dangerous Duke in London.
Madeline Hunter has done it again with a unique storyline involving a wonderful female lead caught in an impossible situation. A great read with a really satisfying ending.
I loved this book, but I love just about everything by Madeline Hunter!
*** 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 ***
The writing in this book is excellent and while it is part of a series, it can totally be read as a stand-alone book. I liked all of the characters in the book, but I especially liked the Decadent Dukes as well as the hero and heroine. The premise of the book is a good one and it is unique – which is a good thing when so many stories are just different versions of the same premise. However, what I couldn’t buy was a marriage between a rich and powerful duke and the daughter of a pair of thieves. I like the idea, but for that period of time, it just isn’t something I could buy. Yes, the author did mention that he’d still be accepted by society but she’d be cut. It doesn’t mention any care and/or concern for their children’s future in society and how they’d be treated. I don’t know – if her parents were still thieves, but she was the granddaughter of an earl or viscount or baron or something, then maybe I could buy it. I guess overall it just felt more like modern mores rather than 1800’s.
Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, is a rake of the first order and he is convinced that he doesn’t care what society thinks of him. However, that isn’t necessarily true because an article was written about him a year ago – and it really rankles. It accused him of not caring about his duties and responsibilities, etc. While it didn’t name him directly, he knew it was definitely about him. So, he had been doing a bit of clean-up in his life – he’d even started attending sessions of Parliament more and there were a couple of bills that he’d even become impassioned about. He was still a rake – but he was doing better – and he probably did care at least a little about what society thought of him.
Amanda Waverly thought she was free from her former life. Her parents were thieves and they had taught her all of those skills as a child– lock-picking, stealth, pick-pocketing, high work, etc., but she had rebelled at a very young age. She wanted no part of that life. Once her mother recognized that she wanted no part of the life and that she would be more of a hindrance than a help, she sent Amanda off to a very good school. Amanda had little contact with her mother from that point (about age twelve) forward. After she was through with school, she worked as a companion to a couple of ladies in the country before coming to London getting a position as secretary (a man’s position) to an eccentric older lady. She was exceedingly successful in her position and her employer introduced her to her ladies society and asked her to take on some secretarial duties for them as well.
Life rarely goes smoothly for a long period of time – and Amanda’s was certainly no exception. Her past stepped in to exact a high price from her. Her mother is being held prisoner and her life is in danger if Amanda doesn’t procure (read that as steal) certain objects and forward them to the person holding her mother hostage. While they haven’t been close – she is Amanda’s mother – so Amanda does as she is told. She’s successfully liberated one item – her next one may be a little trickier.
In order to liberate the second item, she needs access to the house next door to the home where the item resides. Her best option is to seduce (or appear to) the owner of the home, but she is thoroughly thwarted when she tries to do that. The owner’s brother steps in and he is the smooth, seductive, devastatingly handsome Gabriel St. James. He propositions her with an assignation and she creatively gets him to set the assignation at the home of his brother.
That sets up a wild ride of a story. Amanda fascinates Gabriel for so many reasons – most of them centering around the fact that she is totally unimpressed that he is a duke. She sets rules for the assignations that preclude any intimacies – and he can’t believe he agrees to them. He is obsessed with her and he doesn’t even know her name. How can he find her? How can he make her want him as much as he wants her? I like that it takes place over a longer period of time.
I really like that the heroine is strong – definitely NOT a doormat. She takes her future into her own hands and sets her plan in action. The Duke and his buddies interfere, but she still doesn’t end up blubbering – she just amends her plan, includes the Duke and off they go.
I thought the resolution was just a tad too quick and easy – and the bad guys really didn’t get any punishment at all. I always like to see the villains punished.
Overall, I thought the writing was excellent and the story was unique and enjoyable – it just thought it was a bit too far-fetched.
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
A Devil of a Duke is not what I was expecting and I love it. The plot and the characters are original down to the supporting characters for a totally pleasurable reading experience. Amanda Waverly has found respectability as a secretary for the Lady Farnsworth. Being raised to be a thief, she has skills off the wall. With her mother under threat, Amanda is forced back into a life of crime. Needing an in into a wealthy lord’s home, she sets her sights on Lord Harry, the younger brother of the Duke of Langford. Stalking her prey at a masquerade ball, Amanda is waylaid by the devilish Duke himself. Thus begins a lurid love affair that should not be anything but temporary. The chemistry is hot, the intrigue page-turning, and the end sweet and satisfying. This book delivers the whole package for a memorable historical romance. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
This is the second book in the Decadent Dukes Society series by Madeline Hunter. Amanda Waverly is a woman who is haunted by her past as a thief must follow directions from con-artists to release her mother. She meets Gabriel St. James the Duke of Langford who is intrigued by Amanda but Amanda plays hard to get. But soon their relationship blooms and into romance. This historical romance is a great read.
A Devil of a Duke is the 2nd book in the Decadent Dukes Society, it is a historical romance with a opposites attract trope.
Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, is known for his distaste of rules, to be one of the Decadent Dukes and his womanizing ways. He is also extremely handsome, wealthy and used to getting his own way. Until one night a woman dressed as a shepherdess at a ball is trying to capture his brother’s attention so, he intervenes and she in turn captivates him by refusing to tell him her name, but he does draw her into a passionate kiss and she agrees to meet him in a couple of days.
Amanda Waverly is a secretary to a respectable lady but is feeling guilty for hiding a part of her life that could land her in jail. Exchanging verbal banter with Langford is not as dangerous as fighting her willpower to stay away from him. He is definitely tempting but she must execute a crime that will set her mother free and allow her to put her past back in the past. Will Langord figure out her secret and will that knowledge put a stop to the passion that could lead to much more?
Enjoyed the book enough to order the others ib the series.
One of three in the series. All great fast reads
This is the second book in the series, and like the first book, I was initially intrigued with the plot. Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, sees a woman trying to pursue his brother at an masquerade ball and steps in to thwart her pursuit, only to become obsessed with her himself. She refuses to give her name which makes Gabriel all the more insistent on seeing her again. Amanda Waverly is not interested in the duke’s brother, only access to his home so she can carry out a daring theft. She doesn’t want to do it, but her mother is being held prisoner and the only way to free her is to give the man what he wants. What Amanda doesn’t expect is to fall for the handsome and arrogant Duke of Langford.
While the book started out well and was well-written, I was not biting my nails to see what would happen or how the mystery would be solved. The one thing that did keep my interest is how the author would resolve the fact that Amanda was stealing ancient artifacts. I did like the return of the women’s journal and the companionship of the women. Strong female friendships is always a boon for me. I’m really interested in reading the next book in the series about the third duke in the friendship.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review and was not obligated to leave a review.
It is so wonderful when a lothario gets hit by cupid’s arrow. Great read. Amanda is trying her hardest to live a good life, but gets sucked in to her family’s criminal past when she is blackmailed. The duke of Langford kind of figures out what she’s up to when he attempts to seduce her. This leads to a wonderful adventure involving the other dukes and characters from previous books. It has some suprising twists as well as a great romance with lots of passion. I am now reading the next book in the series and would recommend them all. I am an avid follower of this author.
An entertaining historical romance with an expected but implausible conclusion. The other characters in the series were introduced but were not interesting enough to make me seek out the other books.
I’m a fast reader, but couldn’t read this book fast enough. What is going to happen next. Several dropped tummy moments. It was a race to the end, then I was sorry I was there.
Reviewed by Rachel
Book provided by Netgalley
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
Once in a great while you stumble upon a historical romance that hits every single checklist you have for a good romance.
Brooding, clever hero?
Woman you WANT to cheer for because she’s just that funny and intelligent.
Story line that hasn’t been done over and over again.
And fantastic dialogue and plot that has a reader grinning and cheering the entire time.
This book not only intrigued me, but hooked me within the first chapter, which I feel is sometimes rare for a historical romance, the information dump is a very real problem and this author started with information that made me curious, and want to know what was going to happen. She set the story perfectly and had me hook line and sinker.
I think what really pulled me in was Amanda’s clever inner dialogue, you can tell right off the bat that she’s smart and that she’s willing to do anything in order to obey the lady she works for, but that beyond all of that, she’s curious and not immune to anyone’s charms.
Especially Langford.
He was probably one of my top five book boyfriends and that’s saying a lot I mean historical romance? You really need to hit every single angle. Was he smart? Yes. Funny? Yes. And at the same time whenever he did things that irritated me I still found ways to love him, which is huge for a reader.
Even more so, after reading halfway I felt emotionally invested to the point that once the romance started I was like this can’t end, it can’t, how is this going to end? I truly had no idea because the author did such a beautiful job peeling back layers of clever plot.
All in all, I don’t want to give everything away but if you want a beautiful historical about a handsome duke and the thief who steals his heart, this is the book for you!
3.75*
I’ve received an eARC at no cost to the author.
The second book in the Decadent Dukes series brings us the story of Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, and Amanda Waverly, a secretary whose parents were thieves and taught her the trade – until she didn’t want to do it anymore.
Gabriel never really believed in getting married – or actually loving someone. Love for him was just an infatuation that would eventually disappear – until he met Amanda Waverly. As a simple secretary, Amanda was happy with her life, at least in most aspects. That is, until she is blackmailed to do something that could get her in jail…. or worse.
I really liked Gabriel, he was dashing and sweet, more than your regular roguish duke. He was helpful, and always there for Amanda, almost no questions asked. Amanda, on the other hand, wasn’t one of my favourite characters. I liked how she was with the ladies that wrote the Parnassus (a newspaper of sorts) but I didn’t like how she handled the situation that actually got her in danger. At the end of the book, however, she was way more likeable.
It was a pleasure to reunite with the other dukes, both Stratton and Brentworth as such amazing characters, and I can’t wait to read Brentworth’s story – I have a feeling it’s going to be the best of the series.
The plot was interesting, with theft, blackmail, and love all in the mix, but because I couldn’t connect so much with the main female character, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the previous one. But I still recommend it, it’s a book with a good and strong hero, good friends that back up the whole story and keep the plot going by keeping the main characters mostly in line and, in the end, it’s a pleasurable read.
Madeline Hunter
a real terror of a father a girl that got on my nerves a man too in love
I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
This is the second book in the captivating Decadent Duke Society Series. The Society was formed by a small group of boys, all ducal heirs, at school together. In the first book, Adam Penrose, Duke of Stratton finds his duchess. This book is about Gabriel St James, Duke of Langford and how he finds his.
Gabriel has no interest in finding a duchess, but is enchanted with the secretary of Lady Farnsworth, the woman who had insulted him in a essay that appeared in a ladies’ magazine. Amanda Waverly finds the duke to be temptation incarnate, but she has not only her reputation to protect, she is also being blackmailed by her mother’s kidnapper. The more time they spend together, the duke inadvertently interferes with her plans as he seduces her. What will happen when he finds out the truth about her background? Will he help her or throw her in jail? Can a duke find happiness with a women not of the nobility?
As always, well developed characters with an intriguing plot and well researched background of the period. Secrets, danger and villains are all woven into a conflict that makes this book hard to put down.