The last thing Dannie needs is a Victorian gentleman on her ranch, playing cowboy while she’s trying to save her family’s livelihood. Will high stakes and high emotions lead to heartbreak?
Evan Rounsevell, second son to the Marquess of Rothwell, is running as far from his family and responsibilities as he can. His fascination with cowboys takes him from English shores to the Arizona desert, but … from English shores to the Arizona desert, but the days of showdowns are over, and Tombstone, Arizona, is a respectable town. With no funds left, and no desire to call on his affluent family for rescue, Evan seeks a position as a cowboy at a ranch on its last leg.
Daniella Bolton’s fiancé left when the drought of 1893 crippled the KB ranch, but that’s just fine by her. She doesn’t need a man to help her save her family’s land. Especially not an Englishman who looks down on her style of living, like Evan does. She loves her life on the ranch, and no outsider could ever understand what it means to be loyal to the land and her family’s way of life.
Being a cowboy is harder than Evan thought, but as he works to earn his place on the ranch, his heart opens up to the beauty of the desert… as well as that of Dannie Bolton. Watching Evan fight for the ranch she loves makes Dannie realize that not all men are afraid of hard work and troubled times, and loving Evan might be just the salve her wounded heart needs. But when Evan’s family summons him home right when Dannie needs him most, the feelings of betrayal from her former fiancé’s flight return tenfold.
Does Evan dare risk his tenuous relationship with Dannie to fulfill his family responsibilities? Or will leaving Arizona be the worst mistake of his life?
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I was unsure how i would feel about this book. I have loved the other books this author has written, but am not a Western sort of reader. I put off getting this, but was able to secure a copy of the audiobook and was overjoyed.
The story is fun, a Duke’s son who dreams of the wild west in the late 1800. Evan’s character was very fun, trying so hard to learn and to be a good cowboy. Dani was spunky and all that you would expect from a rancher in Arizona. I had to keep on rooting for them, even though the end was looking a little like my happy ending wouldn’t be there.
The narrator was wonderful She did great accents and allowed you to know who was speaking without having to think about it. It flowed very nicely!
Story: 5 stars
Sally Britton is a sure bet when it comes to clean romances. She is writing a new genre (for her) in this series. She normally writes Regency romance, but this is a Victorian Western in Arizona, definitely different than British upper crust in the Regency!
The characters are really wonderful! The main characters AND the side characters. I felt that I learned so much about Arizona, as well. The descriptions of the flora and fauna, the hardships of trying to run a cattle ranch after more than one drought, etc. (Of course, the reader realizes that life on a ranch in Arizona in the Victorian era was much more difficult than our author reveals, but it is an interesting description of Arizona, and that part won’t have changed.)
The arc for our intrepid hero is a steep one: he comes to the American West searching for a “real” cowboy experience and gets one! But he doesn’t complain, he just keeps on working until he has proven his worth to his employers, and to himself.
The arc for our heroine is more subtle. She is wary of men after having been horribly fooled by her former fiancé. So any sweet-talk our hero tries, actually pushes her away…at least until he’s proved that he’s worthy of her interest and care.
Sigh…this was a wonderful book. I can’t wait for the next!
Narration: 5 stars
Marian Hussey is a favorite of mine! I admit that I am surprised that her American accents are so good!
Before this, I’d only ever heard her narrate in her British accent. She is truly multi-talented! She smoothly transitions between accents (this book calls for a Western American, a Southern American, an upper-class British and a lower-class British accent) and her acting is emotional enough to be engaging, but not so much as to be melodramatic. Wonderful narration!
*poor, **ok, ***good, ****very good, *****something special
What a fun idea for a book! I’m usually not a western fiction reader- my usual genre is regency so I was hoping this book would hold my interest and it delivered!
There was plenty of romance, but also lots of fun adventure.
I loved that Dannie was tough and smart but also vulnerable and feminine. She spoke her mind and could take care of herself.
Evans character was so fun to follow. He evolved and grew as time passed instead of trying to change everyone around him to fit his way of life.
Very good book I’m excited for the next one to come out.
I also was able to listen to the Audio of this book and it was fantastic. The narrator did several different accents and had a pretty good male voice as well.
I really enjoyed reading this book! It is about a young man who comes to America from England to experience the lifestyle of a western cowboy. He gets a job on a ranch and works really hard to learn all he can about ranch life. The rancher has a beautiful daughter who more or less runs the ranch since her dad has been sick. To further complicate things they each fall in love with the other. I recommend this book to everyone who likes western romance!
Sally Britton delivers another smashing success with her unique Victorian England/American Western mash-up! Silver Dollar Duke is a sweet romance with its fair share of adventure on a ranch in the American West. Evan is a second son of an English Lord that comes to the West to find purpose and live out his dreams as a cowboy on a ranch before returning to his family obligations in England. He is such a loveable and swoon-worthy hero that is understanding, patient, gentlemanly, and hardworking. Our heroine Daniella, the rancher’s daughter, is the one who undergoes the most change in this story, and I love her character arc. Honestly, I disliked her at the beginning because she was so harsh towards the inexperienced and high-born Evan, but as the story progressed past the first few chapters, we learn her motivations and see her in a different light. She softens towards our hero and by the end I connected with her so well and was totally invested in her happy ending. FYI, I do not get teary eyed when reading very often, so well-done Sally Britton! I also loved this story because the scene was set extremely well, and I felt like I had disappeared through the pages of a book to a cattle ranch in the American West. I also loved this book and basically devoured it in one day because the plot kept moving forward so well, and I was totally glued to it until the very last page. I had a severe book hangover after reading this story, because after so many plot twists, the happy ending brought such joy! I highly recommend Silver Dollar Duke to anyone who loves a sweet romance with a good dose of adventure, and I am so excited for the next installment in the series!
** potential spoiler alert ** Another favorite from Sally! Oh my goodness I loved this book! The premise itself was just so unique. I love a good Victorian and I love a good Western, so to have both paired in one was a dream come true. These characters just came alive on the page. Despite knowing Dannie and Duke would end up together, I couldn’t see it happening in a natural way for the first quarter of the book. But then… slowly they warmed up to each other. Slowly Duke fell in love with AZ. And slowly everything came together perfectly. It was brilliant. I expected the plot to go one way and it totally surprised me by going another. And I just loved all of it. I’m waiting on the edge of my seat (well, bed, because honestly that’s the best place to read a book) waiting for the next book in the series!
A fun western story with an English twist.
The characters are well developed and fun to immerse yourself with. I was so involved I was so sorry to have it end but satisfied with how the characters are settled.
The author creates a compelling story of the struggles of life on the frontier and allows the reader to “be there” with the characters.
The author also does a wonderful job of describing the area the location of the book takes place.
I recommend this book highly as well as anything written by this author!
I look forward to reading more of this series as well as others by her!
I’m always excited to see a new Sally Britton book coming into the world! Sally’s writing is always so smooth and the flow of her novels are always enjoyable. I had double the excitement to find out this story was set in Arizona. As someone who has spent many years in Arizona it’s always fun to feel a little bit of home come into a book you’re reading. I loved the Victorian era meets the Wild West combo! Evan and Dannie were fun characters to follow and have a double point of view. The characters are lovable, the side characters are excellent… I need a Ruthie in my life. She was so calm and wise throughout this book and an amazing guiding light to Dannie. This was a very relaxing read and I can’t wait to see where this new series will lead!
Thanks to the author for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Silver Dollar Duke by Sally Britton
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REVIEW:
Have you ever had one of those books that you didn’t want to end? That’s the way I am with every Sally Britton book. This one was no different. I completely fell in love with the storyline and the characters. I found myself smiling and enjoying myself throughout the entire book. Through compelling characters, a sweet storyline, and a delightful romance, Sally Britton has written the perfect book. She has such a phenomenal way of capturing history. Dannie and Evan’s story was one of my absolute favorites that I have read. Their story was sweet and beautiful. The story follows Evan Rounsevell, second son to the Marquess of Rothwell. He has always dreamed of going out west. Evan finds himself in Arizona. Soon after his arrival, he starts working for the Bolton family. Though they are from different social classes, Evan and Daniella can’t help their growing affection for each other. Even though they know Evan can not stay forever. He must return to England. I can honestly say this is going on my favorite book list. This is definitely a must read! This was definitely a five star read. I cannot wait to see more historical westerns by Sally!
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Evan Rounsevell, second son to the Marquess of Rothwell, is running as far from his family and responsibilities as he can. His fascination with cowboys takes him from English shores to the Arizona desert, but the days of showdowns are over, and Tombstone, Arizona, is a respectable town. With no funds left, and no desire to call on his affluent family for rescue, Evan seeks a position as a cowboy at a ranch on its last leg.
Daniella Bolton’s fiancé left when the drought of 1893 crippled the KB ranch, but that’s just fine by her. She doesn’t need a man to help her save her family’s land. Especially not an Englishman who looks down on her style of living, like Evan does. She loves her life on the ranch, and no outsider could ever understand what it means to be loyal to the land and her family’s way of life.
Being a cowboy is harder than Evan thought, but as he works to earn his place on the ranch, his heart opens up to the beauty of the desert… as well as that of Dannie Bolton. Watching Evan fight for the ranch she loves makes Dannie realize that not all men are afraid of hard work and troubled times, and loving Evan might be just the salve her wounded heart needs. But when Evan’s family summons him home right when Dannie needs him most, the feelings of betrayal from her former fiancé’s flight return tenfold.
Does Evan dare risk his tenuous relationship with Dannie to fulfill his family responsibilities? Or will leaving Arizona be the worst mistake of his life?
Another great read by Sally Britton. I really enjoyed it and found the hero wonderful throughout the whole book, not just toward the end like some romance novels
I have never read a Sally Britton book I didn’t love, including this one. This one I truly loved! Through it all, I had the privilege of experiencing life on a ranch, in Arizona, in the desert, in the late 1800’s. What a ride! This book was character driven but the beautiful descriptions of the sunsets, sunrises, the dust, the dirt, the cowboys, life on a ranch, the romance, all of it pulled me in to the story and wouldn’t let go. I was right there living it for myself. I could totally relate with Dannie and sympathize with her and her losses. I fell in love with Evan right along with Dannie. I loved the fantastic way he used his inheritance. And I rejoiced with the happy ever after. I highly recommend this book.
Loved this storyline, it’s not every day you come across an English Lord turned cowboy but it works! Sweet historical romance I would definitely recommend!
Sally Britton delivers another fantastic book, breaking out from Regency Romances into a new genre: Victorian Westerns. A second son from England journeys to Arizona to live out his dreams of ranches and cattle drives before he has to return home to his family responsibilities. The life is just amazing as he thought it would be, but he didn’t count on falling in love with the owner’s daughter, leaving him torn between love and duty.
The best part of Britton’s storytelling is her believable, endearing characters. Evan (called “Duke” on the ranch) is admirable: willing to work hard at whatever is asked of him, patient with Dannie and her hang-ups, and cognizant of the fact his time in Arizona is limited. Dannie is a strong woman working to make her family ranch profitable, despite the droughts of recent years. She was a little frustrating in her determination to think ill of Evan no matter what he did, but she had her reasons.
There’s something for everyone:wild-west action, bullying Pinkertons, a sweet romance, and a fun peek into daily ranch life more than a hundred years ago. I can’t wait for the next in the series.
Such a delightful story about following your dreams in the best kind of way. Evan is the perfect kind of book boyfriend that is charming in every way. Really enjoyed this story and looking forward to the next one in the series!
This reminded me of fairy-tale but Wild West Style with an Englishman in the mix. It was such a great story that left me feeling and wanting more.
Excellent story! I love the connection to Victorian England and the “Wild West”. Ms Britton did an amazing job writing a western mixed with an English nobility. Loved the story-the growth and friendship. A must read!
**Added: I have how listened to the audiobook as well. The narration is superb. The story is just as good being read aloud.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
For her first western historical, Sally Britton wrote a really good story. Of course, being familiar with her Regencies I expected that. I love that the person out of their element was the English lord. Stories usually tend to have Americans be in out of place in England. This book has romance, humor, strong characters and problems to be solved. I am impatient for her next western historical and hate that there will be months to wait.
I love it when authors branch out and try something different! A Victorian gentleman on an Arizona ranch is definitely unique but Sally hits it out of the park! This is such a fantastic story about finding your own path instead of living the one chosen for you. The novel was a little bit slower paced than some of other Sally’s books, especially toward the beginning, but I did not mind at all. The romance is sweet, the story is an adventure, and the epilogue is perfection!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but a positive review was not required.
I was so excited when Sally Britton announced she was going to be writing a western romance novel. As a fan of her Regency books, her writing has always been really well done and I had high hopes for her new adventure into this new genre. The Silver Dollar Duke did not disappoint. The characters are charming and the set up for a new series, where I really hope we see more of these charming cowboys, definitely left me wanting more from these Arizona ranchers. The romance built up really nicely with a good mix of back story and emotion to move things along. I particularly enjoyed the last third of the book where things seemed to get particularly exciting.
This is a clean romance, with some sweet kisses. I also love the cover and how it mixes Victorian era historical fiction with the American west. I look forward to more westerns by this author.
4.5 stars I received an advance reader copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I read this because I read all the books written by this author. I trust her to deliver interesting settings, complex characters, unique conflicts, and a journey through historical settings that never disappoints. This may be a new genre for her, but the core of her writing is still great.
The Western setting made the external conflicts with nature as much of a struggle as the internal conflicts. It is one of the things that sets Westerns apart from historical a written in England, where the weather is… less extreme.
I liked both main characters, and the side characters are well developed, as well.
Clean, with some kissing.
Pick this one up, and you won’t be disappointed, either.