When Fate throws tinker’s daughter Fancy Sheridan into the arms of Severin Knight, the Duke of Knighton, neither are prepared for the consequences. Fancy, who has always dreamed of a passionate fairy tale love, finds herself wed to a stoic nobleman whose heart belongs to another. Knighton, who needs a high-born lady to shepherd his illegitimate half-siblings through the ton, now has a wife who … knows nothing of society and cares even less about its rules.Fancy and Knighton’s marriage of convenience is further complicated by the attraction that smolders between them. By day, Fancy works to transform herself into a proper lady, but by night her powerful duke seduces her senses. Knighton, in turn, is captivated by his plucky and resourceful duchess, whose sweetness unleashes his deepest desires and slowly forces him to confront the truth of his own heart.As the slow burn of the Knightons’ marriage reaches a fever pitch, dangerous secrets rise from their pasts to threaten their happiness. To survive, Fancy and Knighton must lay bare their hearts and vanquish their darkest demons. Will they risk everything to win their happily ever after?
more
Grace Callaway is an auto-buy author for me, and I’ve been waiting on The Return of the Duke all year. And she did not disappoint! A guarded duke seeks a lady to marry and corral the unruly half-siblings he inherited along with his title. He finds an innocent and utterly charming tinker’s daughter who melts his resolve and his hardened heart. LOVED this book!! It was steamy, romantic, with moments of humor, had a wonderful story line and a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming! A beautiful romance with a mystery running through it, The Return of the Duke only has me covertly stalking Grace Callaway’s website for the next book. Lose yourself in this opposite attract, Cinderella fairy tale!
Always enjoy grace’s books she is a favorite
Severin Knight needs a wife. When his father died and he became the Duke of Knighton, he also inherited the responsibility of raising his half-siblings. Having not grown up in society himself, he needs a high-born woman to help introduce them to the ton and help get them under control. He chooses Lady Bea Wodehouse. It is too bad that when he arrives, he finds the woman he wants to wed being wooed by someone else and that he finds himself attracted to a woman who is the opposite of what he needs.
Fancy was attracted to Knight the first time she saw him, but being the daughter of tinker, she knows that nothing can come of it. But when she and Knight get caught up in the danger that comes to Bea’s doorstep, they find themselves wed. Fancy, who knows nothing about society, is thrown into one of the highest positions within it. Having always dreamed of finding her prince charming, she now must make the most of her situation.
Can this unlikely duo make the most of their marriage and find their HEA together?
I loved Knight and Fancy’s story. We first meet them in book 4 of the Game of Dukes series, The Duke Redemption. I definitely recommend reading that one before this one. These two were just perfect together!! Knight, not having grown up as the heir to a duke, wasn’t your typical peer. He was a self made man before he inherited and that made him have a different outlook on life. I think that is what made him so likable and such a good fit for Fancy. He didn’t look down on her for her upbringing and accepted her for who she was.
If you are a historical romance fan, you are going to want to pick this one up!!
What a wonderful conclusion to a great series!! This is the fairy tale story of Fancy Sheridan, a tinker’s daughter, and Severin Knight, Duke of Knighton as well as the underworld “duke of silk”. Fancy was introduced in last book, bosom friend of Lady Bea. Knight travels to Bea’s home in the hope of a marriage of convenience. When it is obvious Bea is in love with another, Knight is drawn to Fancy – but he knows that attraction can never amount to anything. Fancy is unlike any one he has met – she is beautiful, innocent, loving, kind, gentle and loyal. When fate hurls Fancy into danger, Knight is the one who rescues her. Her father and brothers are determined to continue their travels as tinkers and Knight accompanies them to safeguard Fancy till they arrive at their destination. But the two are caught in a compromising situation and Knight does the honorable action by offering marriage – but with the understanding that his heart belongs to another. Fancy already half in love with her champion accepts hoping they can built a marriage on fidelity and trust. But the danger is not over as the two travel to London. Knight for his business and the care of his 4 illegitimate half-siblings and Fancy to try to transform herself into a duchess! Knight is a private man, haunted by demons of his appalling childhood – his father abandoned his wife and son to gain his family’s approval after his disastrous marriage and Knight’s childhood infatuation for another. Love for him equals pain and suffering. Both of these characters have gone from rags to riches – but Knight had to climb his way out of poverty emerging rich and powerful, but wounded in spirit, while Fancy, a foundling, has always known the love of family.
The mystery of Fancy’s birth, the danger she faces, the friends she makes (the heroes from previous books were an enchanting and funny addition) and the path of her marriage to her happily-ever-after are the parts of a cherished romance and life’s lesson – all that remains is Love, the greatest gift of all!! Thank you Ms. Callaway for another treasure!!
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1fz
Severin Knight grew up in the Rookery, having to scramble to survive. His father abandoned his mother before he was even born, causing her to resort to selling her body, then becoming an alcoholic, then drifting into madness. Severin’s life changed when he saved the life of a young lady when he was a teenager. His love for Imogen inspired him to work hard to transform himself into a gentleman and to become a wealthy man. Even so, he still wasn’t good enough for Imogen, and she married an earl to please her family, though she professed to love Severin. Having resolved himself to a future devoid of the love of his life, Severin, now known as Knight, resolves to continue being a true gentleman and focuses on his business interests. At the age of thirty, he is summoned by the dying Duke of Knighton, only to be told that he is, in fact, the legitimate heir. He inherits a dukedom, as well as the guardianship of four illegitimate half siblings he never knew existed. His aunt encourages him to quickly find a suitable duchess, one who has enough social consequence to prepare his unruly family for society, as well as manage them. Thus, Knight sets off to court Lady Beatrice, only to find himself strangely intrigued by her best friend.
Fancy Sheridan is the adopted daughter of a traveling tinker, who found her as an abandoned baby twenty two years ago. Fancy received all the love that her adoptive parents had to bestow, and became a true part of the family. During their travels, Fancy became best friends with Bea, a duke’s sister, and stays in a cottage on her land every year as her family passes through. Fancy is content with her traveling life, and has turned down proposals, vowing only to marry for true love, the kind she’s read about. When she sees Knight, it’s like she was struck by a bolt of lightning! Never has she had such an intense and instantaneous attraction to a man.
Though Knight himself had humble origins, and truly doesn’t look down on Fancy, he knows that she will never be the sort of wife he needs. Even when Bea makes it clear that she won’t accept his suit, Knight’s honor won’t let him take advantage of the mutual attraction between him and Fancy. He can’t wed her and he can’t bed her. Knight prepares to return to town, but circumstances have him rescuing Fancy from danger more than once. Finally, their passion overrules them, only to have them caught in a most compromising position. Though Fancy refuses to trap Knight into a marriage he doesn’t want, he is most insistent, and she finally agrees. Just so there is no misunderstanding, Knight is clear that he will honor and share a physical relationship with Fancy, he will never love her. His heart belongs to Imogen forever.
Oh, my goodness, Knight and Fancy! The steam between this couple about melted my kindle, and had me turning on the fan to dispel the smoke coming out of my ears! Aside from the physical chemistry, they had a genuine liking for each other and a wonderful rapport. As they grow closer every day, Fancy gives her all to becoming the kind of woman Knight needs, learning social graces, correct speech, and even charming his siblings. It seems as if love may be brewing, until his past love rears her unwelcome head, and the mystery of Fancy’s birth threatens her very life now.
I love this couple so much. Knight has truly become a gentleman of honor, but his playful and sexy side, as well as his generous care of Fancy make him a genuine hero. Fancy is warm, passionate, caring, and willing to give her all. But can she defeat a ghost from Knight’s past? Grace Callaway has a writing style that’s engrossing and reads as smooth as butter. THE RETURN OF THE DUKE flowed beautifully, making me get out the fan, tugging at my emotions, and leaving me smiling at the fairy tale like ending. I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy an emotional romance with plenty of steam.
Happily Ever After
Fancy is the daughter of a tinker. Severin is the Duke of Knighton. Of all things they meet over a stubborn mule. Severin is looking for a duchess. Fancy is not exactly duchess material, but Severin and Fancy are caught in a compromising position. Severin realizes Fancy is what he wants. Fancy wants him, too. It’s off to Gretna Green. So the adventure begins. But there’s the question of who Fancy really is. Explicit sex between a couple who grow to love each other. Stayed up to read this one.
This is a stellar piece of work and an original book that takes the taste of a faerie tale and weaves it intricately into a dramatic romance. This is a one of a kind story/romance. The story hummed of a faerie tale but actually it was better than that. This story has several storylines. All of them choice and interesting. Each of the plots and subplots flowed seamlessly from one to another and back again. I could not put this book down. The characters had splendid personalities. So diverse and intriguing. The subject matters ranged from abandonment, rough childhoods, growing up on the road, troubled psyches, gaining a title along with a gaggle of troubled siblings, a secret heritage, danger and attempted murder, lust, plenty of sɛxy sɛx, romance and love. I loved reading every page. When I got to the end it was perfect. I could not have asked for more. Such satisfaction from reading from beginning to end. Very satisfying. A must read. You will not be disappointed.
The Return of the Duke by Grace Callaway is the 5th and final book to her Game of Dukes series. This was a bitter sweet ending for me. It was amazingly done but I am not ready for this series to end. I can’t praise this story enough. The writing is wonderful, the story is engaging, the characters and their connection is sizzling! I don’t know who I loved more Fancy or Knighton! I’m having a hard time articulating how much I really loved this book… suffice it to say that it is one of my top 10 favourite books of all time and I could read it (and the entire series) time and time again! I highly recommend this story. 5 incredibly big stars.
We all deserve a fairy tale ending and Fancy gets hers. She totally deserves it. She is kind and loving and her family is the best. For about half of the book I was so annoyed with Severin. Couldn’t he see that Imogen was playing on his knight in shining armor feelings. I wanted to shake him – “dude, you don’t love her, she is using you”. What is wrong with these guys? I was able to forgive his treating Fancy so poorly. He thought he was being generous but he comes to realize that even though he was in lust, his real feelings were of love. Fancy sees the best in everyone and you felt every bit of the hurt she felt watching Severin. She has the ladies of the underworld to pick her up and hold her high. Oh how I love Ransom and yes he and the other men in the Game of Dukes show up in this story along with the loves of their lives. And my favorite male character makes a cameo appearance, Ambrose! This series really did end on a good note.
I received a complimentary copy from the author.