Desire knows no reason…
When Lady Delilah Chambers finds herself stranded at a country inn on a rain-swept evening, she’s forced to fend off a group of ruffians with the help of a handsome gentleman. Irresistibly drawn to each other, Leela and the stranger spend one reckless night in each others’ arms—and then go their separate ways. But the very next day Leela receives the shock of her life when she meets the duke who is set on wedding her beloved stepdaughter.
When it finds two destined hearts…
One night isn’t enough with a woman as fierce, fiery, and brilliant as Leela. Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, cannot believe his good fortune when their chance encounter leads to an unforgettable evening of passion. Yet Hunt’s luck runs out when he is introduced to his prospective mother-in-law. Dowagers aren’t supposed to look like this…
Leela and Hunt are determined to keep each other at arm’s length, which should be easy enough for two intelligent adults with reputations to uphold. The problem is all logic is lost when it comes to a passion that refuses to be ignored.
Her Night with the Duke
By dianaquincy
Quincy has crafted an original story that will grab you from the first page and not let go. The angst level is deliciously high and I had no idea how Leela and Hunt were going to work this out. Leela is feisty and wickedly smart, eager to write about and explore her Middle Eastern roots. I appreciated Quincy (an Arab-American herself) giving us this fresh take on historical romance. This is a book not to be missed!
More of this, please! Unique characters provide a refreshing twist on Regency romance. A sweet, steamy read.
Wonderful book with a saucy Arab heroine and dashing hero!
This book is so good! It is intriguing, romantic, gripping, and so much more. Whenever I picked up “Her Night with the Duke”, I was whisked back in time, and went on an emotional journey with this story.
This is the first book I have read by Diana Quincy, and it certainly will not be my last. Her writing style is visceral, gripping, and hooks the reader from the very first page. I had such a difficult time putting this down, and look forward to reading the next books in her “Clandestine Affairs” series as well.
Leela is such a strong and independent woman who knows what she wants and can take care of herself. She is a widow, stands up for what she believes to be right, and does as she wishes . Upon arriving at an inn, she is treated horribly at the inn due to her skin color and ethnicity. Men make horrific comments to her, and someone physically assaults her. Very quickly, Leela threatens the men, and Elliot, Duke of Huntington jumps in to help make the men stop. As he says that Leela is with him, and they are told no rooms are left at the inn, Leela and Elliot must share a room as it is not safe to travel. Soon, with an invitation to share dinner, it becomes clear these two are very physically attracted to each other. They spend a night together, with no intentions of a future relationship. However, soon, Leela comes to realize, and both are shocked, that Elliot is actually supposed to be marrying her step-daughter. As Elliot and Leela can’t stop thinking about one other, what will happen? I do not want to spoil anything in this review, so, I will simply say, you must read this book. Many moments had me holding my breath, and I truly did not know how things would work out.
I love the insights Leela gives us into her travels, and that she writes book about them!
If you enjoy historical romance, I highly recommend this book! It kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next, and many moments had me wondering if there would be a happily-ever-after. You will just have to read to find out! But, I will say, the “Epilogue” had me simply swooning and squealing out loud!
Thank you so much to Avon for the review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I had much angst although I did believe they would work it out. Enjoyed the book
Couldn’t put it down
It’s Complicated 4 1/2 STARS*
One night of passion connects two strangers, even when their true identities are revealed the next day. A proper Duke, Huntington tries to avoid scandal. All of that thinking starts to change because of the woman he can’t forget. Unfortunately, it turns out she is the step-mother to the young lady he’s picked as his bride. An Arabic mother, her father an English Marquess, married to an Earl then widowed, Leela doesn’t care for English society. She travels and writes the books called Travels In Arabia. Hunt can’t stop thinking about Leela and wants to back out of announcing the engagement. Even though Leela can’t stop her feelings for Hunt, she doesn’t want her step-daughter hurt. She pushes Hunt to go through with the engagement. Unexpectedly, her step-daughter makes her own decision and creates a scandal of the first water.
Soon, Hunt and Leela begin a hot and heavy affair with many obstacles.
Complex and complicated don’t even describe what is going on in this book.
No.
Just no. A few pages in, we meet said duke, who already has a mistress that he visits three times a week, is thinking about being between her thighs when he meets Delilah and immediately has sex with her. Delilah just so happens to be the stepmother of his betrothed who he’s on his way to see and meet her family (Delilah). It’s so icky and gross, that I can’t get the foul taste out of my eyes. This is supposed to be a starchy duke? Nope. He’s just disgusting. Not a hero at all.
Disappointing.
I really, really enjoyed this story; the romance and the characters were truly well-written. The story line was interesting and the forbidden romance added to it. The romance was steamy, sweet, and swoonworthy and was angsty. The characters had great personalities and off the charts chemistry and they grew throughout the story. I really liked Leela’s spirit, and both she and Hunt were stubborn but great. I really enjoyed their love story and can’t wait for more from this author.
Her Night with the Duke by Diana Quincy is the First book in the Clandestine Affairs Series. This is the story of Elliot ‘Hunt’ Townsend, Duke of Huntington and Delilah ‘Leela’ Chambers. Hunt thinks he is ready to settle down which leads him to travel to meet the women he beleives might be the women for him. On the trip he ends up saving a women who was about to be attacked and the sparks start between the two. Leela is half Arab and white so even though her father married for love her mother who is full Arab was never excepted by society. When her parents pass away for security she marries a very much older man, but now in her present day she is a widower heading towards the family home to help her step-daughter who is to meet the man she to marry. Leela and Hunt had planned on it being a one hot encounter that leads no where but they soon find that they are heading to the same place and person. Can these two now pretend that the night never happened or will their feelings become to much to hide? Enjoyed their story.
Her Night with the Duke is the first book in Diana Quincy’s Clandestine Affairs series. If this volume is any indication, it’s going to be a fantastic series! I’ve read one previous book by Ms. Quincy and I loved it. I’m glad to know it wasn’t a fluke; this is definitely an author to follow.
Lady Delilah “Leela” Chambers is stranded at an inn one dark and stormy night. There was no room at the inn. (Sorry, I’ll stop with the cliches now.) When some disreputable patrons begin to harrass her, she is aided by an extremely handsome gentleman. The two are beyond attracted to each other, and they spend an unbelievably steamy night together. When she awakens in the morning, he is gone. The next day at her deceased husband’s estate she meets the Duke of Huntington, who is going to wed her beloved stepdaughter – and it’s the same man Leela spent that passionate night with. AWKWARD! They try to stay apart, but cannot fight their feelings for each other. How can this end in anything but heartache?
This was an extremely fun premise, but it was the characters who made this a wonderful story. Leela was a dowager duchess who was both English and Arabic. That was a different touch for a historical romance. She wasn’t your typical English rose; Leela had golden skin, dark eyes and beautifully wild hair, she had a knife and knew how to use it, and she traveled in Arabia and was a best-selling author of travel books. No, not the typical English miss! Hunt was totally different; he wanted things perfectly in order and wished for no scandal. His brother lived a dissipate lifestyle, and Hunt just wanted to run his duchy as best he could. Yet these people who were polar opposites were perfect for each other, though they didn’t think there was any way things could work out happily for them. If you like your intimacy behind closed doors, move along. But if steamy encounters are your thing (with true feelings, though, just not the physical), you’ve picked up the right book! I’m keeping fingers and toes crossed that Hunt’s friend Griff is the hero in the second book of this series.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
This was the first romance I’ve read by this author, and I enjoyed it so much!
Lady Delilah Chambers is a widow, who has been traveling on her own and successfully writing about her adventures. She’s the daughter of a Marquess, and the widow of an Earl, but her mother was the daughter of an Arab cotton merchant. Neither Leela’s mother, brother, nor herself, ever quite fit into English society. At least not well enough to avoid the wagging tongues. She’s on her way back to her late husband’s estate for the first time in 2 years, at the request of her stepdaughter, Tori. Due to bad weather, she stops at an inn, and is forced to protect herself from some rabble, when a man comes to her defense. They share a magical night together, then they each go their own way. But, she’s shocked to find out the next day that the man she spent the night with is not only a Duke, he is about to become betrothed to her stepdaughter!
Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, is set to marry a nice, quiet lady that will fit into his perfect, rule-following life. His older brother was a wastrel, and a drunk, and he died in a boating accident a few years before, leaving Elliot with the title. There’s a string of similar characters in his family tree, and he refuses to be like them. One night of passion in a roadside inn won’t change that, even if he feels changed inside afterward. He doesn’t expect to ever see the woman again, and is shocked when the next day he meets her, as his soon-to-be-intended’s stepmother! How can they keep their attraction to each other under wraps? How can he go through with his meticulously crafted plans when they now feel like a trap?
Hunt and Leela had blazing hot chemistry from their first interaction, and I loved watching their verbal sparring. Their banter was spirited and fun, and watching them fall in love was so many things at once: lovely, painful, worrisome, magical, and scandalous. Mostly, it felt so real. You really felt the conflict in their characters for the feelings they felt, and how following their hearts didn’t seem possible. They each had different reasons for fighting their feelings, but of course there was never any chance that they wouldn’t fall madly in love, even when they thought that might not be enough.
The side characters here were a mixed bag. Leela’s stepson was such a disgusting pig, and I hated everything about him. Leela’s stepdaughter Tori was a delight, and watching her come in to her own was quite something. I really admired her outlook on the world, and how she fought for what she wanted, regardless of the consequences. Both Leela and Hunt should’ve taken a lesson from her sooner! Hunt’s best friend, Viscount Griffin, was a VERY intriguing character, and I hope to see his story in a future book!
These characters really put themselves through the ringer and sometimes it was a struggle watching them do it. They were on a constant push-and-pull with each other and it was hurting my heart to watch them struggle. They both had to come to terms with some truths about themselves, and decide what they were willing, and NOT willing, to live with. I appreciated their open dialogue along the way. For the most part, there weren’t a lot of misunderstandings between them, because of their honesty with each other, and I appreciated that so much. These were two people, broken in different ways, who ended up being the perfect fit for each other, once they got out of their own way. I enjoyed this story, and I would definitely read more in this series!
Her Night with a Duke is a wonderful Regency book by Diana Quincy. It is the first book in her new series, Clandestine Affairs. There were many things to love about it, but the strongest element is that Quincy embraces her own heritage and invites the reader to learn and enjoy.
This is a classic one-night-of-passion story with some interesting twists. The heroine, Lady Delilah (Leela)Chambers, has an unusual past. Her father, the “Mad Marquess,” married her Arab mother for love, but the marriage and children were never accepted by society. After the death of her parents she married an older man in order to be taken care of. After being widowed she is returning to the family estate to assist her stepdaughter (who is only nine years younger than Leela). Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, had decided it was time to marry and was traveling to meet with the girl he has chosen. Leela and Elliot were stranded overnight at an inn where they enjoyed an unforgettable one night stand. When they reached their destination it was, of course, revealed that her stepdaughter and his potential bride are one and the same.
So many things made Her Night with the Duke a winner. Leela was secretly the author of a very popular travelogue about Arabia. I loved watching her bargain to be fairly paid for her work. As Leela embraces her mother’s culture we readers are exposed to language, food, and social practices. Elliot was rigid and principled before the encounter at the inn. Quincy used emotional role reversal as Elliot struggled with his attraction to Leela. Elliot was the highly emotional, sometimes irrational one. And he did some of the best groveling ever. Finally, the book set us up nicely for the next book about Leela’s mysterious brother. A not-to-be-missed book with solid writing and fresh content.
ARC provided through Netgalley.
Leelah, a widow, and Elliot, a duke, traveling incognito are stranded at an inn and have a night of passion. Imagine their shock when a few days later they turn up at the same house party for her stepdaughter, Tori. Elliot is Tori’s soon to be arranged fiancé! Great story! I received an ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for my honest review.
I absolutely loved this book the characters were great! All the setting were brilliant! It made the places seem real. I loved how it turn out in the end!
I look forward to new Diana Quincy stories. This book was a fast read that grabs your attention and won’t let you go for a moment. I love that the heroine is not the typical English miss. She is a go-getter and knows what she wants and what she does not want. Enter the duke. He is kind of staid and stodgy but he yearns for Leela and they explode off the page at the beginning of the story. Then comes reality. Leela only wants what is best for her stepdaughter and sacrifices her own joy so that Tori can obtain it. But things do not always work out. Hunt is diligent and compelling in his arguments but still Leela won’t give. Not everything works out how we like it but it does work out for the best and these two definitely should be together. Ahh, happy endings are so joyous and this was specially lovely.
Okay, so who is next, Viscount Griffin?
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Stuck at a country inn on a stormy night, Lady Delilah Chambers finds herself delivering a well-deserved set down to several rough men, aided by a handsome gentleman. She feels an instant connection with this man and the two spend the night together with no strings attached. A widow is allowed a few pleasures after all, and the man is gone before she wakes. But Leela faces the worst of surprises the next day when she’s introduced to her gentleman at a family house party, only to learn that he is a duke and on the cusp of becoming betrothed to her much-loved stepdaughter, Tori.
Elliot Townsend, the Duke of Huntington, wasn’t satisfied by one night with Leela and finds himself terrified by the feelings he’s already experiencing for her after such a short time, and haunted by the callous way he left her. But he’s in for a rude awakening when he learns just who Leela is.
Leela and Hunt endure the house party they’re attending, giving each other a wide berth. They both know the betrothal talks have gone too far and that to renege now would cause a scandal and ruin Tori. Leela would never do anything to injure Tori. Hunt craves order, abhors scandal, and has spent his life trying to live down the debauched reputation with which his later brother tainted the family name, but he finds his passion for Leela soon overriding his rational mind and his proper marriage seems like a bleak future.
This book wasn’t quite what I expected, but in a good way. I was super nervous reading this description because it sounded like it was dancing close to infidelity, which is a dealbreaker for me, but I don’t think that actually occurred here. I liked Leela but most especially Elliot. He had some excellent groveling and was very sincere in his feelings and earnest in their delivery. If anything, my issue was with Leela and her insistence on martyring herself, and thereby Elliot, even after obstacles between them were cleared. In fact, it almost seemed like she kept grasping for reasons not to be with Elliot even as he removed obstacles and made compromises for her. That said, Leela did recognize this reticence in herself and it made sense given her struggle to figure out where she belonged. Leela’s struggle with her mixed backgrounds and her decision to live for herself and her own happiness made it all the more endearing when things finally worked out for these two just as I was completely losing my patience with her. There was a lot of exhausting back and forth between Elliot and Leela and I kept finding myself just wanting to shake them both when they kept failing to get on the same page. These two were both set in their ways and resistant to change but they made each other better, although the constant angst did leave this one feeling a bit disjointed in places and threw off some of the pacing. Nonetheless, this was an original plot with good writing. This author was new to me and I liked her style and will be continuing this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advanced review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rich in detail, love, and passion. Sooo good!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the very first page, I knew this was going to be something special. The author really made this a unique story with the lead female not being your standard character.
Not only that, but she also made her a Lady as well. She’s unique and hard-core and absolutely is in love with a one night stand. She just doesn’t know it, yet.
The book was just wonderful from the beginning. Quincey has amazing characters and such a fabulous way of telling her story that I simply couldn’t stop reading. I read the whole thing in one sitting and wanted more!
Classic historical romance with the spice and heat that we love today. Rich in detail, love, and passion!
Interesting and highly developed characters with wonderful supporting characters make this a stunning story that leaves you craving so much more! I will definitely look for more books from Quincy!
I read this book within a days time. That’s how good this book is. I was drawn towards the pull between Hunter and Leela. What ever they tried to do in order to avoid each other failed. They loved each other. Leela cared for her stepdaughter so much. Hunter couldn’t get past Leela to marry Tori. The writing by the author was a slow pace, but this helped to explain certain things for better understanding to the readers. This is a good romance book to read. I voluntary reviewed this ARC after receiving a free gifted copy.
ElliotTownsend, the Duke of Huntington, the previous Duke his older brother was a wastrel, drunk, and a womanizer. His brother had died and Hunt was able to bring the estate up to snuff. But he was very conservative, hated scandal, and did not particularly care for the ton. He had chosen Lady Victoria Devon as his bride to be. This was his mindset when on a stormy night in an awful inn he met Leela a beautiful, intelligent, and sensual woman. They had an immediate attraction. Leela was actually Lady Delilah Devon. Her father was a marquess as was her brother.
I Loved this story, watching them go back and forth. Should she marry him but she felt society would make their lives miserable, she could not do it to him. They were so in tune with each other, She was born in England but her
mother was born in the Middle East but the marquess, her father, adored her. A well-written tale that flowed smoothly, easy to read, and keeps on the edge of your seat You never know which one is going to run this time. I
hope there is another novel, this was very entertaining.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.