Everyone Nicholas Bateman ever loved has died. Except Violet Caulfield, which must mean he never loved her. Eight years after she threw him over to marry a viscount, Nick is a widowed duke who prefers isolation. When a friend convinces him to leave his lair of self-imposed solitude, he considers taking another wife, provided she agrees to his terms: no emotional attachment of any kind.Now … kind.
Now widowed, Lady Violet Pendleton hopes for a second chance with the man she’s always loved. But she isn’t prepared for the desolation in his soul or the animosity he still bears toward her. Despite those obstacles, it’s clear their passion hasn’t dimmed. However, the heat between them isn’t enough to melt the Duke of Ice, and this time Violet may find herself the jilted party. Can love, once so tragically lost, finally be found?
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This has been and is a wonderful series – I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in the series and anxiously await each new addition. However, I do have to say that this has been my least favorite so far. I tried and tried and tried and just never could warm up to Nick. I know he’s had a lot of pain in his life but his total abdication of responsibilities at the end just kept me from getting that happy glow – it is also why I have given a 4-star rather than a 5-star review. I believe it tells you something about the hero when you feel the real hero of the book is Simon and you fervently wished Simon and the heroine would get together. Both Violet and Simon have much worse issues in their life and yet they are still nice people. Nick seems to use his past as a weapon to be hateful to everyone around him.
This is a book of juxtapositions – fire and ice, love and hate, loyalty and disloyalty, cowardice and heroism – as well as second chances. Can two flawed people find their way back to each other?
Nicholas Bateman was never in line to become the Duke of Kilve. A lot of people had to die before that could happen and Nick mourned each and every one of them – most particularly, he mourned his brother Maurice who died at Badajoz. Then, after inheriting the title he lost his wife and child. He felt everyone he cared about died, so it was better to just not care – therefore, he became the Duke of Ice. He built a wall around himself, never letting anyone in – except his best (and only) friend Simon, the Duke of Romsey (aka Duke of Ruin).
Violet, Lady Pendleton, was forced to marry a Viscount she didn’t love to further her parent’s ambitions. They spirited her off from Bath to London to keep her from marrying the man she truly loved with all her heart. He was a sweet, happy, smiling, charming young man but he had no title. Her parents wouldn’t even let her say goodbye. She endured several years of living with a cruel, philandering husband before he finally sickened and died. Violet returned to Bath to live and has no plans to ever remarry – and she sees her parents as little as possible.
Nicholas and Violet have a history. He was the man she loved and had wanted to marry. She wrote him a letter when she had to leave Bath, but he never got it. So, he has hated her all these years and blamed her for leaving him for a title. Imagine her surprise – and his – when they attend the same house party. Violet was there because the party was given by her best friend and Nick was there because Simon had begged and cajoled him into attending.
Violet and Nicholas do spend some time talking at the party and get to know each other at least a little bit. Enough so that Nick decides to travel to Bath to further renew their acquaintance – to see if anything of their former relationship can be salvaged. Even though they have a physical relationship, he still can’t make up his mind about marriage. Then, when she gets into an accident and almost dies, he shows his true cowardice and takes off for London.
In London, he really gets himself into a mess that, frankly, I would just as soon he didn’t escape. He certainly deserved what he had gotten himself into. Leave it to sweet Simon to clean up Nick’s leavings. When Nick left without cleaning up any of his own mess and left it all to Simon, that was it for me, I was done with him and he was un-redeemable from then on.
Nick and Violet get a sweet epilogue that was one of my favorite parts of the book. You’ll just have to read the book!
The next book is Simon’s story and I am really looking forward to it. However, I’m concerned that I’ll dislike his heroine as much as I disliked Nick in this book. It will be interesting to see how Ms. Burke treats Miss Kingman. I didn’t dislike her and suspect that there are scars under that cool demeanor.
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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.”
Nicholas Bateman, the Duke of Kilve and Violet, Lady Pendleton have a past, eight years ago when Nick was merely Mr. Bateman and Violet was Miss. Caulfield, they were madly in love and wanted to marry. Violet was happier than she had ever been and couldn’t wait to tell her parents, but when they learned of her love, they swept her off to London and married her off. She left Nick a letter, but he never received it and just believed that Violet threw him over for a title.
Years pass and Nick has lost everyone in his life who means something to him, save his friend Simon, the Duke of Romsey aka the Duke of Ruin and Violet, the woman who he once loved, but now hates. Nick has shut himself off from the world and (for lack of a better word) wallows in his losses.
Simon shows up at his estate and talks him into attending a house party with him. Simon is also a recluse – but not by choice and he was invited to the party, but the hostess has made it plain that she expects Nick to attend with Simon.
Nick has no desire to go, but he agrees to go as a favor to Simon. They arrive and he is shocked and angry when he sees Violet among the guests.
Now a widow, Violet is stunned to see Nick and can’t believe people call him the Duke of Ice – the Nick she knew was farthest thing from ice she could imagine. Violet has survived a very unhappy marriage and regrets hurting Nick. She still loves him and hopes to make amends. But her hopes are dashed when Nick snubs her and makes it clear that he hates her.
But when Simon is treated poorly, Violet comes to his defense and Nick grudgingly begins to rethink his feeling about her. They talk and he learns what really happened all those years ago, but he steels his heart against deeper feelings for her – Nick has lost everyone he loves and though he has spent years harboring hate for her – he can’t lose her too. They plot together to have the other guests accept Simon and Nick realizes his true feelings for Violet, but he steadfastly refuses to consider her for marriage. But this outing has made him realize that he is lonely and maybe he could find another wife, one who won’t expect love. He finds a candidate at the house party, Diana Kingman, and seriously begins to consider her despite his feeling for Violet. But when Simon is cast in a bad light and leaves an outing, Nick follows him. Simon tells Nick he is a fool to walk away from Violet and leaves.
Nick returns home and after much consideration, travels to Bath to see Violet. He is still not willing to wed her, but he wants to see if they can recapture the past. Things progress between them and they become lovers. Violet hopes that Nick can put the past behind him and look to a future where they can be happy together. And it seems like Nick might be coming around, but when tragedy strikes the nation, Nick is dragged back into darkness and when he learns that Violet has been in an accident and it is not certain if she will live, he rushes to her side. But once it becomes clear that she will survive, he panics and bolts.
Once in London, Nick becomes reacquainted with Diana and though he knows he loves Violet with all his heart, he comes to an agreement with Diana and finds himself engaged to her. Almost immediately he knows he has made a mistake, but there is no way to undo what has been done without ruining Diana.
Violet is hurt when she awakens and learns that Nick has left her and she is heartbroken when she receives his letter telling her he feels they would not suit and of his upcoming marriage to Diana Kingman. Violet doesn’t understand what went wrong, but knows that she loves Nick and will never love another.
When Simon returns to London and learns that Nick is engaged to Miss. Kingman, he confronts Nick. Nick admits that he loves Violet and that after her accident he was terrified that his “curse” was the reason for her accident and left her. Simon tells him he is an idiot and that Nick must make this right. Nick wants to go to Violet, but he is honor bound to Miss. Kingman. Simon tells Nick that he will take care of Miss. Kingman and that Nick should go to Violet.
Nick returns to Bath and hopes to set things right with Violet, but she is having none of it. She loves Nick but she refuses to have her heart crushed by him again. Nick has his work cut out for him convincing Violet that he loves her and that he is ready to face his fears and forge a future with her.
Personally, I think Violet forgave too easily, but Nick did grovel better than most heroes, so I forgive her.
This book was most definitely my favorite in the series (so far), it is a well written, incredibly emotional book that grabs you from the first page and holds you captive until the last word. The love scenes are steamy, the secondary characters are wonderful, and the ending is extremely satisfying. I loved this book and would highly recommend it – it is the seventh book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me*
The Duke of Ice by Darcy Burke is #8 in the Untouchable series. This book is a “second chance ” story. Violet Caulfield and Nicholas Bateman met years ago and fell in love. Her parents objected that he wasn’t titled and whisked her off to be married to Lord Pendleton. It was not a happy marriage.
Fast forward 8 years to a house party. Violet is now a widow. The Duke of Ice and Duke of Ruin are special guests. Everyone in Nicholas Bateman’s family has died –including his wife and child. He became a recluse and shunned society— he earned the name Duke of Ice. Simon was rumored to have pushed his pregnant wife down the stairs. The malicious gossip named him the Duke of Ruin.
Violet has never stopped loving Nicholas and wonders if this is a second chance to rekindle their romance. She survived a brutal marriage. Nicholas blames Violet for the start of chain of tragic events in his life.
As the story unfolds, I saw Violet as a strong independent and reasonable woman. Nicholas – not so much! Violet becomes very ill and he stays by her side. On a trip to London, he makes an idiotic decision. But Simon comes to his rescue — could this be the next book in the Untouchable series??
I won a copy of this book from Darcy Burke. Thank you!
I’ve been meaning to read a Darcy Burke historical for ages now. But for some reason it just hasn’t happened. When the request to review this title came through my email, I jumped on the chance to finally try her work. I’m glad I took the plunge. My only regret is that I picked a book in a middle of a series. That said, the book does stand on its own. I don’t believe that I was really missing anything by starting at this point. But I am curious enough to go back and read earlier books.
This is a second chance story. Nick and Violet met when they were young, before Nick inherited a title. They fell in love and then circumstances broke them apart. They never expected to run into each other at a house party and yet here they are. Trying to figure out what to do when they’re face to face with the one that got away.
Nick, the Duke of Ice, is an interesting character. He’s not had a very good life since he and Violet parted ways. He’s lost many people that are close to him and he feels he’s cursed. He’s determined to block off all feeling and relationships. Yet he starts to thaw when he sees Violet again.
Then there’s Violet. She ends up in a loveless marriage and regrets what happened with Nick. She sees this chance reunion as an opportunity for forgiveness and perhaps reconciliation. But the Nick she meets isn’t the carefree young man she once knew. Violet wasn’t as complex a character, but I do like that she wasn’t some cookie-cutter young miss in a Regency romance.
The romance was well developed and there were enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. I enjoyed the house party aspect of the story. I felt that the story went a little of kilter once the party ended. Attitudes just changed a little too fast for my tastes. I know we need to get to that happily ever after, but it almost seemed too easy.
But all in all, I really did enjoy the book enough to want more in this world. I’m excited to read more about Nick’s best friend, the Duke of Ruin. He was a scene stealer and a great supporting character. Well done, Ms Burke, you have a new fan.
My review originally posted at Romancing the Book.
An Absolutely Wonderful Book by Darcy Burke. I honestly couldn’t put the Book down, I kept turning page after page so enthralled in the Story.
Violet Pendleton & Nicholas Bateman’s Story was Absolutely Wonderful. True Love that was torn apart. Nicholas believes Violet chose another Man & believed he must have never truly loved her since everyone he has loved has passed away.
Thier Journey was rocky to say the least.
Nicholas Bateman is known as the Duke of Ice for good reason. After losing just about everyone he ever loved, he has closed off his emotions. He wasn’t always that way. Nine years ago he fell hard for Violet Caulfield. Although the feelings were mutual, Violet left him to marry other. So began Nick’s descend into being an unfeeling robot, needing no one. Now the Duke of Kilve, he does have one friend, Simon, the Duke of Romsey, otherwise known as Duke of Ruin. Simon is able to convince Nick into attending a house party. Unbeknownst to either of them, the party is hosted by Violet’s best friend, with Violet in attendance to lend a helping hand. Just now cold is that first meeting between them? Can they ever be civil to each other? Will Nick stop running away from his feelings? Although this is not my favorite “Untouchable” story, it is still a rather nice one with several innovative twists in the storyline. Simon is a big part of this book so it is a good thing his story is next.
Read this book recently and it was a good romance about Violet and Nick and their finding each other again after being married to others. Interesting.
I didn’t think I’d like this book. Reading the first chapter the
dialogue between the two men sounded more like women talking.
But after the first chapter I got hooked by the story and characters.
So much so that I had to buy the other books in the series.
This is a story of diehard love. Sometimes this actually comes to pass and i loved reading how they evolved from their heartbreaking beginning. Amazing story of two people coming together for the second time.
One of my favorite authors-begging gets you involved early. Ending inspires you–what happened to his best friend? Now I’ve got to read the next book to find out what happened to his friend(I’m hooked).
Darcy Burke writes another poignant story of loss, love, redemption and the conquering of fears. Nick and Violet had been torn apart for 8 years and during that time suffered soul crushing losses. They were still able to revive the love they had and heal each other for a happy and lasting life together.
Wow, this book just sucked me in from the first sentence! I couldn’t put it down! Burke is truly one of the best authors out there, her writing style is impeccable and very unique. She draws the reader into the characters’ lives right from the get-go and we can’t help but fall in love with them, care for them, and root for them!
Our H of this tale, Nicholas Bateman is a torn soul who has become so cold, stern, and isolated, nobody would want to be in his presence. However, he does open up his home and takes a wife, but she must keep to what he desires and that is absolutely no emotional attachment whatsoever. Well, the lady who becomes his wife isn’t so sure she can do that; Lady Violet has always loved Nicholas but can she accept his terms and keep herself aloof and not allow her love to pour out? Will Nicholas begin to melt and allow his heart to warm and love once again?
A truly fantastic read that I would highly suggest to any historical romance lover! I highly recommend this book as well as the whole series! Dynamite, just dynamite!
I love all of Darcy Burke books. I can’t wait for the next Untouchable, The Duke of Ruin.
I received this book as an ARC and am very happy to give it my review. I enjoy the way Ms Burke creates her characters. In this series The Untouchables, her men are all hurt and it is interesting the way she brings about their healing. In the Duke of Ice, it is all about second chances and that love, even after hurt and pain can win through. I only gave this book 4 stars because I prefer some mystery but I still found it a very enjoyable to read with those heart wrenching moments that keep you reading to see just how these two lonely people will end up together.
I also liked how she has set the setting for her next book The Duke of Ruin which I am very much looking forward to.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I really enjoyed reading The Duke of Ice. The characters (Nick and Violet) were great, as well as, the story. The pace of the story was very good and a really good second chance romance.
The Untouchable “Duke of Ice”, Nicholas Bateman, the tenth Duke of Kilve is a reluctant Duke who has been plagued with death. He achieved his great title because everyone he’d ever loved had died and he was all that was left to inherit. He’s a recluse, afraid to make friends or love others because he’s “cursed” to kill anyone he loves. his beloved brother, his grandfather, his wife and newborn child. Luckily his best, and pretty much only friend, Simon, Duke of Romsey, aka “Duke of Ruin” is a loyal and determined friend. He drags Nick with him to a house party to try to find a way back into English society. Simon is determined to remarry and he thinks Nick should too. After all Dukes must breed an heir to the title if nothing else. Enter Lady Violet Caufield, widow of Clifford Viscount Pendleton. She is the good friend of Hannah Linford, hostess of the house party. Nick and Violet met years ago just before Violet “came out”. They had a torrid affair her parents didn’t approve of and whisked her away to immediately wed Clifton, a titled aristocrat as Nick was only a Mr at the time. Meeting unexpectedly at the house party is uncomfortable and difficult for them both. Luckily Violet likes Simon immediately and they decide to help get Nick’s social feet wet once again.
I love visiting with these Untouchables. They are so damaged and only love will heal their broken hearts. Each one has a story and each one is different. I’m a sucker for second chance at love stories and this did not disappoint. The groveling at the end was perfection! I also enjoyed how she wove the younger women into the story that we will see once again in Simon’s story, The Duke of Ruin. Oh yeah! Thank you Darcy for allowing me to be on your review team. Loved another one!
Book 8 in The Untouchables series, this is the story of Nicholas who fell into his position as duke as a result of a series of tragedies, and Violet, who has had past pain of her own.
Years before, the two were enthralled in each other and the emotion of young love. They had plans for a future together, but plans, as romance readers often find, “are invitation to disappointment”(Derek Landey).
Now, at a house party Nicholas was dragged to in support of a friend he meets Violet again, eight years later. The reintroduction of Violet into his life is not altogether pleasant. He wants Violet, but can he forgive the past and trust in a future? As for Violet, whose love for Nicholas has never waned, can she risk opening herself to him and possible rejection?
This story is filled with emotion and heat, and I read it from start to finish without putting it down. It pulled this reader into each of their hearts and minds and looked to the reasons for their actions. It also had interesting and colorful additional characters that added to the plot. I highly recommend the book and the series to romance readers. Once you start you will be pulled in as well.
Can there be a second chance at love after eight years and two marriages? Nicholas Batemen, the Duke of Kilve, now widowed and monikered the Duke of Ice by the Ton, just wants to be left alone and wallow in his misery of loss and feeling cursed. His first love, Violet, now Lady Pendleton had left him when he thought they would be forever and now widowed after his less than stellar marriage to another, nothing seemed to matter. Now, Nick’s only friend, Simon, Duke of Romsey, pays him a visit and persuades him to go to a house party with him. Simon, having been named the Duke of Ruin, wants to remarry and hopes that his appearance at the party will aid him in finding a wife. There Nick meets Violet again and past resentments as well as passion ignites. Violet has always loved Nick but has a hard time recognizing the cold man he has become. He begins to realize how much his life is vacant and lonely and begins to feel again as another tragedy strikes. Can true love persevere and guide the couple to happiness? Darcy Burke is a master of pulling the reader into the story and strongly feeling the emotions of the characters. As the last page is turned, the only reaction is “when will the next story be published?”
Everyone Nicholas Bateman ever loved has died. Except Violet Caulfield, which must mean he never loved her. Eight years ago she threw him over to marry a viscount, Nick joined the army, inherited a dukedom & became a widower who prefers isolation. When Simon, The Duke of Ruin convinces him to leave his lair of self-imposed solitude, he considers taking another wife, provided she agrees to his terms: no emotional attachment of any kind. Now widowed, Lady Violet Pendleton hopes for a second chance with the man she’s always loved.
This is the seventh book in the series & could be read as a stand alone book but the series is so very very good I’d definitely recommend reading the other books. Nick & Violet are very likeable & both have suffered in the eight years they were apart but it is Nick who has to learn to live again & let go of the past. A lovely read of second chances & learning to live again. There are humorous moments & we meet Simon The Duke of Ruin, I look forward to his story.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
One tragedy after another has made Nicholas Bateman the Duke if Kilve, or as the ton refer to him “Duke of Ice”. He has buried all his emotions as a way to protect himself. After years alone his best friend manages to talk him into attending a house party.
Widowed Lady Violet Pendleton had a very unhappy marriage, but is now getting on with her life.
Both of our main characters have had more than their fair share of loss and heartache. Can they face up to the history they share and put the past where it belongs or have they come too far?
A story that covers the full range of emotions, from laughter to tears. Great characters that you can´t help but fall in love with This is part of a series but easily read as a stand alone. It also teases us with a taste of the next character’s story. I can’t wait to read it.