Book 3 in the exciting new Soldiers and Soulmates series has arrived. A soldier returning from war. A war widow who’s created a new life for herself. An attraction that brings them together . . .Forced to marry a stranger after one chaste kiss, Lady Ashlyn Clarke spends a single night with her new husband before his regiment ships off to war. She gives birth to a son and loses the boy four years … son and loses the boy four years later in a tragic accident, only to learn she’s also a war widow. Ashlyn invests her settlement and what’s left of her shattered heart in Dunwood Academy, a school for troubled boys. When a devastatingly handsome duke begs her to take on his wayward half-brothers as pupils, Ashlyn is up for the challenge—but finds herself fighting her attraction to the arrogant nobleman.
Colonel Reid Baker arrives home from the Peninsular War and finds himself the Duke of Gilford, assuming his new responsibilities and placing his rebellious half-brothers at a local academy. Knowing he’ll need an heir, he sets his sights on the headstrong, confident Lady Dunwood, who claims she’ll never wed again. Convincing the dowager countess to marry him becomes Reid’s mission, as he jumps every hurdle Ashlyn places in his way—and along that way, the cool-headed former army officer loses his heart to the intelligent beauty.
Will Reid break through the walls Ashlyn has erected around her and teach her to live—and love?
Find the answer in bestselling author Alexa Aston’s third book of Soldiers and Soulmates, To Trust a Duke.
Each book in Soldiers and Soulmates is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Soldiers and Soulmates
Book #1: To Heal an Earl
Book #2: To Tame a Rogue
Book #3: To Trust a Duke
more
After Lady Ashlyn tragically lost her son, then her husband shortly after, she decides to never remarry or have kids, but rather to open up a school for troubled boys. I think, since she lost her son in a tragic accident (a girl was at fault with this), it would have made more sense to have the cause of the accident be a boy, since then it would have been logical to then open up a school for troubled boys.
She meets Colonel Reid, who needs to set his step-siblings on the right path. However, he wants more from her than just help with his siblings. He actually wants her.
I really liked the way Ashlyn handled the boys, very thoughtful, attending to each of their unique needs.
Ashlyn soon realizes that Reid actually knew her husband before he passed. She then decides to stay away from him, but can’t resist him (I loved the way he asked her what her first name was after he kissed her, what a sign of the times!).
Great book! Worth reading.
Lady Ashlyn Dunwood is forced to marry and husband heads off to war after only one night of marriage. Tragedy strikes and she loses her son and Colonel Reid Baker sends a letter informing her of her husband’s death. With as shattered heart she invests her money in a Dunwood Academy, a school for troubled boys. Colonel Reid Baker, now the Duke of Gilford after the death of his father, has returned from war responsible for his two unruly half-brothers. He knows he needs to do something and immediately seeks out to dowager Countess of Dunwood, Ashlyn to see if she will take them in as students. Reid has never met anyone like Ashlyn and knows she would make the perfect duchess. His mission quickly becomes convincing the dowager countess to marry him. Ashlyn loves her independent life, she went from her father’s house to being forced to marry and a mother all without a London season, but she would not be opposed to a one night of passion with the duke. A truly enchanting book as the duke meets his match in Ashlyn, they’re attraction is instant and romance is in the air. An excellent book I voluntarily read and reviewed.
Lady Ashlyn Clarke had made a new life for herself. After the heartbreaking passing of her young son and then her husband, she had found herself with funds from a settlement to establish Dunwood Academy, a school for troubled boys. That was her focus as she still missed her son so much.
Colonel Reid Baker, now the Duke of Gilford after the death of his father, had just returned home after serving in the war. He was now responsible for his step mother and his two unruly step brothers and immediately went to Ashlyn to she is she would take them in as students.
What neither expects to find is an attraction that has a life of it’s own! But she is determined never to marry and to even think about having another child is painful.
He is determined to win her… I simply adored Reid and could not wait to see how these two would work out! Ashlyn had been through a lot and she deserved to be happy.
After the last book in this series that literally gripped me by the heart, almost painfully for the hero, I really enjoyed this story. Alex Aston always holds me spellbound by her stories and characters that become alive. This has been one of my favorite series and you truly do not want to miss it!!
To Trust a Duke by Alexa Aston is the third on the Soldiers and Soulmates series wherein three friends since the age of 7 are finally settled, in love, and married. Reid Baker arrives home to find his father’s funeral finished in all by the actual burial. He races to the cemetery and settles quietly beside his friends Gray and Burke. He returns to the house after meeting his two very unpleasant younger stepbrothers, to greet his guests, and to thank them individually for coming. Amongst those he meets is Lady Dunwood, a very attractive woman who he learns is the head mistress of school for boys a mere few miles away. He determines then and there to get to know her better. After visiting the school he determines it is the best place for Arthur and Harry and in a few days he and the Dowager Duchess, his stepmother, deliver the boys into Lady Dunwood’s care where she begins the boys’ education right in front of them. He determines then and there that he must see more of this woman. As a new Duke, home from more than 10 years at war, he is the target for every parent who has a marriageable daughter, and so it begins. Ashlyn, Lady Dunmore, is immediately attracted to the Duke. Who wouldn’t be? But, she has vowed to herself she will never marry again, nor will she ever bare another child. Time will tell.
Ashlyn comes with a very interesting back-story, laid out beautifully by Aston who helps the read relive her traumas. Reid, himself, is determined not to love anyone, but that doesn’t preclude marriage. He hopes to find a woman to be his friend and his lover. Aston has included characters from the previous two novels in this series as well as some interesting new ones, including Lady Eden Martin, who may have inherited her mother’s mental illness. This is not a simple romance, although there is a foregone conclusion. Along the way, interesting things happen, and they are all put in danger. Through it all, Harry and Arthur become the young men they were meant to be. There are fun flirtations and love stories that linger from earlier. It is a thoroughly enjoyable book. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of To Trust a Duke from Dragonblade in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own.
Lady Ashlyn Dunwood was forced to marry her husband who then left for war the next day. After the tragic death of her young son she also finds out she’s now a war widow. That just fires up her independent spirit and her love for children. So she opens her own academy for boys.
Colonel Reid Baker returns home from ten years in the army to find himself now the Duke of Gilford. His two younger half brothers are sullen and disrespectful. There are many things that need to be done but he finds he is distracted.
A wonderful story with lots of mischievous boys and a heroine who can control them all. Even our hero has to be shown how to behave. There is one dangerous person who tries to cause havoc.
This book can be read on its own, but is part of a fabulous series.
Each one is a great read read.
I loved it.