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Big Duke Energy by Amalie Howard, Kerrigan Byrne, Christi Caldwell, Stacy Reid, Janna MacGregor
dianed's review against another edition
4.0
This anthology is written by a group of wonderful authors who all know how to tell a great story. These 5 stories are a great collection.
THE EARL ON THE TRAIN by Kerrigan Byrne: Two enemies meet on a train – she is there to try to get a young woman safely off the train and married and he is there to kill the young woman’s evil father. Can they work together to accomplish their goals and let old feelings bring them together again?
LOVED AND FOUND: Christi Caldwell: A young man is sent away because he is in love with a duke’s daughter. She was married off against her will but now is widowed and her lover has returned from war. Can they find the love they once had?
THE WOLF OF WESTMORE by Amalie Howard: A woman about to be married against her will takes a chance to attend a wild club to experience life before her wedding. This Hatfield and McCoys story has her falling in love with the most inappropriate man. Can they find their way to love against the wishes of her family?
PUT UP YOUR DUKES by Janna MacGregor: The editor of a gossip rag is separated from his wife when she objects to his stories. They live separate lives meeting only one night a week. While still in love, what can Martin do to save his marriage. He’s torn between his love of his wife and his love of his paper – which will win?
DUKE OF EVERY SIN by Stacy Reid: When a baby is left on the Duke’s doorstep he is accosted by the baby’s aunt who wants the baby back. Instead of returning the child to his aunt, he marries her instead. What starts as a marriage of convenience turns into a true love match as they bond over the love of the child.
I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
THE EARL ON THE TRAIN by Kerrigan Byrne: Two enemies meet on a train – she is there to try to get a young woman safely off the train and married and he is there to kill the young woman’s evil father. Can they work together to accomplish their goals and let old feelings bring them together again?
LOVED AND FOUND: Christi Caldwell: A young man is sent away because he is in love with a duke’s daughter. She was married off against her will but now is widowed and her lover has returned from war. Can they find the love they once had?
THE WOLF OF WESTMORE by Amalie Howard: A woman about to be married against her will takes a chance to attend a wild club to experience life before her wedding. This Hatfield and McCoys story has her falling in love with the most inappropriate man. Can they find their way to love against the wishes of her family?
PUT UP YOUR DUKES by Janna MacGregor: The editor of a gossip rag is separated from his wife when she objects to his stories. They live separate lives meeting only one night a week. While still in love, what can Martin do to save his marriage. He’s torn between his love of his wife and his love of his paper – which will win?
DUKE OF EVERY SIN by Stacy Reid: When a baby is left on the Duke’s doorstep he is accosted by the baby’s aunt who wants the baby back. Instead of returning the child to his aunt, he marries her instead. What starts as a marriage of convenience turns into a true love match as they bond over the love of the child.
I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
fdarlene491's review against another edition
3.0
I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.
What an enjoyable treat, an anthology of secondary characters. Five authors have given us 5 stories staring interesting background characters that were worth another look. I have my favorite, it has one of my best loved leading character dukes making an appearance. There are a couple from authors I've never read and it didn't take away from the stories, they worked as stand alones. I'm going to admit that I was a bit disappointed in the writing style of a couple who I will not name here. Just not my cup of tea. There's a 50 shades of grey like story that was an eye opener, never had any idea that Regency upper crust nobs were so bawdy. I spend a nice afternoon on a rainy day and enjoyed catching up. The subtitle of this book is Seasons of Sin Anthology Collection Book 1 so there may be a book 2 coming.
#BigBukeEnergy #netgalley #Oliver Heber Books #KerriganByrne #ChristiCaldwell #AmelieHoward #JannaMacGregor #StacyReid #historicalromance #romance
What an enjoyable treat, an anthology of secondary characters. Five authors have given us 5 stories staring interesting background characters that were worth another look. I have my favorite, it has one of my best loved leading character dukes making an appearance. There are a couple from authors I've never read and it didn't take away from the stories, they worked as stand alones. I'm going to admit that I was a bit disappointed in the writing style of a couple who I will not name here. Just not my cup of tea. There's a 50 shades of grey like story that was an eye opener, never had any idea that Regency upper crust nobs were so bawdy. I spend a nice afternoon on a rainy day and enjoyed catching up. The subtitle of this book is Seasons of Sin Anthology Collection Book 1 so there may be a book 2 coming.
#BigBukeEnergy #netgalley #Oliver Heber Books #KerriganByrne #ChristiCaldwell #AmelieHoward #JannaMacGregor #StacyReid #historicalromance #romance
webbsusa's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun collection. I have read all of these authors in the past and enjoy them all, but in this particular collection, I felt the strongest stories were Howard and Reid—I would have loved full-length books about their characters—with Byrne and Caldwell very close behind. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC!
ontheshelf_romance's review against another edition
5.0
While short stories and novellas aren’t my normal go-to books – the longer the better I believe! – the anthology of stories within Big Duke Energy is just brilliant; I didn’t even realise while reading that the stories were so short, as from page one each individual story gripped me, pulling me into a world that I felt I’d known forever.
The main reason I wanted to read this book was for Sebastian Moncrieff’s story – he had a prominent part in The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo and I was hoping he would get his own story one day, so when Kerrigan Byrne mentioned in an interview he was to be a part of this anthology, I knew I would have to pick up a copy and devour it, even if I didn’t like the other stories. Thankfully this story was just a delicious starter to a delectable main course.
All the other stories in the book were well written by authors I had heard of but I had never actually read their novels before – a mistake on my part that my bank account is now paying heavily for! I read a lot of historical romance and I’m ashamed to say that these authors have passed me by, but I am thankful for the amount of reading material that is now on my kindle.
I wanted to be able to state my favourite story but there is something special in all of them; they kept me riveted from start to finish and that made it too hard to pick an actual favourite. I felt the stories where the characters had a history with each other worked extremely well, as the narrative was already deeply established and that’s why the words were so engaging from page one – I felt like I knew these people from their thoughts and feelings’, and I wanted to know more. Caldwell, Byrne, and especially MacGregor showed this in their writing, and it worked very well, the story flowed and gave their characters more depth.
From what I can gather, each story is a stand-alone but also a part of the authors other works, so while you needn’t have read the other novels in the series, you might like to read them before or after you read this anthology. I know I am!
I had decided before reading the book that I would give a star to each story that I enjoyed, and I’m pleased to say that I give this book 5 stars out of 5. Every story kept me captivated from beginning to end and I felt sad when I’d finished them all that I wanted to read them all over again.
I recommend this book to anyone who already loves these authors as it will not disappoint; the steam, the feels and the love is on a high scale and spills over the pages. I also think it is a brilliant gateway novel into the world of historical romance, if you’ve never read one before but you want to dip your toe in, make sure it is this one!
*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The main reason I wanted to read this book was for Sebastian Moncrieff’s story – he had a prominent part in The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo and I was hoping he would get his own story one day, so when Kerrigan Byrne mentioned in an interview he was to be a part of this anthology, I knew I would have to pick up a copy and devour it, even if I didn’t like the other stories. Thankfully this story was just a delicious starter to a delectable main course.
All the other stories in the book were well written by authors I had heard of but I had never actually read their novels before – a mistake on my part that my bank account is now paying heavily for! I read a lot of historical romance and I’m ashamed to say that these authors have passed me by, but I am thankful for the amount of reading material that is now on my kindle.
I wanted to be able to state my favourite story but there is something special in all of them; they kept me riveted from start to finish and that made it too hard to pick an actual favourite. I felt the stories where the characters had a history with each other worked extremely well, as the narrative was already deeply established and that’s why the words were so engaging from page one – I felt like I knew these people from their thoughts and feelings’, and I wanted to know more. Caldwell, Byrne, and especially MacGregor showed this in their writing, and it worked very well, the story flowed and gave their characters more depth.
From what I can gather, each story is a stand-alone but also a part of the authors other works, so while you needn’t have read the other novels in the series, you might like to read them before or after you read this anthology. I know I am!
I had decided before reading the book that I would give a star to each story that I enjoyed, and I’m pleased to say that I give this book 5 stars out of 5. Every story kept me captivated from beginning to end and I felt sad when I’d finished them all that I wanted to read them all over again.
I recommend this book to anyone who already loves these authors as it will not disappoint; the steam, the feels and the love is on a high scale and spills over the pages. I also think it is a brilliant gateway novel into the world of historical romance, if you’ve never read one before but you want to dip your toe in, make sure it is this one!
*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
melfierro's review against another edition
5.0
This is a delightful collection of sinful historical romance stories. There are five couples and five authors represented in this anthology. As far as anthologies goes, this one is unique to me as the stories are not connected around a particular event. There are, however, several common threads binding these stories together.
The beginning description of the book indicates that all of these stories are about secondary characters in other works by these authors. Reading the stories made me want to read the other works for those authors I had not previously. It also provides satisfaction for those of us who always want to know what has happened to secondary characters who had the beginnings of their own story in another novel.
We fair warned, the stories are seriously steamy- the chemistry between these couples is combustible, turn on a fan!
All the stories have a little bit of an opposites attract element to them and/or both halves of the couples think there are in some way inferior to the other. You will want to build their self-confidence as you read. At least two couples have a past of some kind together, the others are connected through family events. Only one couple had never met before. The premise of previous connection or knowledge made for some delicious tension amongst the couples.
I do wish there was an indication by the authors about which book of theirs the characters came from, it would make it easier to find the work. Fans of the authors would surely know.
All in all a very enjoyable read by all these talented authors. I will definitely be checking out some of their other books!
Many thanks to Janna MacGregor and Booksprout for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.
The beginning description of the book indicates that all of these stories are about secondary characters in other works by these authors. Reading the stories made me want to read the other works for those authors I had not previously. It also provides satisfaction for those of us who always want to know what has happened to secondary characters who had the beginnings of their own story in another novel.
We fair warned, the stories are seriously steamy- the chemistry between these couples is combustible, turn on a fan!
All the stories have a little bit of an opposites attract element to them and/or both halves of the couples think there are in some way inferior to the other. You will want to build their self-confidence as you read. At least two couples have a past of some kind together, the others are connected through family events. Only one couple had never met before. The premise of previous connection or knowledge made for some delicious tension amongst the couples.
I do wish there was an indication by the authors about which book of theirs the characters came from, it would make it easier to find the work. Fans of the authors would surely know.
All in all a very enjoyable read by all these talented authors. I will definitely be checking out some of their other books!
Many thanks to Janna MacGregor and Booksprout for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.
tippyloohoo's review against another edition
3.0
THE WOLF OF WESTMORE by Amalie Howard features a character from her Everleigh Sisters series that I have been intrigued by since he first appeared. The Duke of Westmore is an interesting side character in the other two books and I had high hopes for his story. It's a Romeo and Juliet tale and had a lot of elements that I love in Amalie Howard's writing style but it really needed to be a full length book to do the story justice. I was left wanting more backstory about Westmore and his hatred for Jocelyn's father, as well as more of Jocelyn's history as we get very little in the way of her relationship with her parents other than that they majorly suck. Overall it was worth the read.
andrea_author's review against another edition
4.0
This anthology brings together five leading historical romance authors for a collection of high-heat novellas. The writing is top-notch, and the stories are entertaining. If you're a fan of these authors, you may see some familiar characters get their HEA. I especially enjoyed "Loved and Found" by Christi Caldwell and "Put Up Your Dukes" by Janna MacGregor. If you love hot historical romance, this collection is for you.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
mt_books_bravo's review against another edition
4.0
There is something so comforting about a romance anthology. It’s like the perfect amount of reading for one sitting with a good cup of tea. A really good anthology leaves you wanting more and I think all of the stories in Big Duke Energy did that. I would’ve gladly read a full novel for each of these characters but at the same time I’m happy with each of the novellas as they were. Another thing I love about an anthology is they are so easy to dive into for a cozy reread (if you know, you know). Obviously some people are going to have different opinions about novels/novellas they read but that’s part of the beauty of a anthology. We can all have our favorites!
**Stacey Reid’s story was my favorite! I wish there had been a full length novel for this one!
Thank you #Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
**Stacey Reid’s story was my favorite! I wish there had been a full length novel for this one!
Thank you #Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
hookedbythatbook's review against another edition
4.0
You can never go wrong with a collection by such amazing authors.
Big Duke Energy is an anthology collection of five novellas:
The Earl on the Train by Kerrigan Byrne
Loved and Found by Christi Caldwell
The Wolf of Westmore by Amalie Howard
Put up your Dukes by Janna MacGregor
Duke of Every Sin by Stacy Reid
These books are all about second chances. Second chances at love and at life. Each one packed a punch in emotion and chemistry, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of them. I’ve read all of these authors before, except for Stacy Reid, and I’ll be looking for more of her books as well.
I can definitely recommend this if you’re a fan of historical romance.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
fransar94's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC copy from Netgalley. These are my honest reviews:
*The Earl On the Train-Kerrigan Byrne: The reason I requested the anthology. For us that we've read "The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo" it wasn't a surprise Victoria and Sebastian got together. From their first meeting sparks were flying between the too much handsome pirate and the newly widowed Countess. Both of them were pining, especially the hero which I believe everyone likes. The story was fast paced, sexy but also very romantic. I felt Sebastian's POV quite lyrical. 5 stars
*Loved and Found-Christi Caldwell: This is my first time reading Christi, and I enjoyed it. It's a second chance romance between Edie and Thaddeus. Lady Edith, daughter of Duke and Thaddeus when they were kids and formed a friendship and later became lovers. When her family found out they bought Thaddeus a military commission and married Edie of to some older marquess. Now a widow she finds herself with a broken carriage, in the middle of nowhere in winter, with his house being the only place to seek refuge. Both were hurt by their life apart, Edie sacrificed a lot for the people she loved and Thaddeus at the battlefield. They get the HEA they deserve. 4 stars
*The Wolf of Westmore-Amelie Howard: Jocelyn has no power over who will get her hand in marriage , but she can certainly choose who gets her virginity.For that purpose she puts on a wig and a mask, sells her jewellery and goes to the Silver Scythe searching for her family's worst enemy and bids for him. This one was on fire (including a bit of BTSM). 5 stars, I'll be reading more of her books
*Put up your Dukes-Janna MacGregor: In order to save his scandalous paper from being overly taxed Martin asks his estranged wife to come back living with him. His job was the thing that separated Amelia and Martin five years ago and soon he'll have to choice what matters more to him.
I think this one has the most sex scenes due to the fact they were already married. I really liked the epilogue, it was funny. 4 stars
*Duke of every Sin-Stacy Reid: In order to be in her nephew's life Verity has to marry the very sinful Ethan, the Duke of Bainbridge. I love a good marriage of convenience story and this definitely delivered, Verity is a strong woman who left everything and stayed at her ruined sister's side and Ethan was consumed from grief and guilt after his best friend's death, I loved their relationship and even if they hadn't met before the book took place, I didn't feel it rushed or lacking something. 5 stars
5 novelas, 4 of them being from writers I read for the first time. Different tropes, levels of heat, in my opinion there's something in this for everyone.
Overall 4,6 stars.
EDIT: After reading "The Beast of Beswick" and "The Rakehell of Roth" I should add "F*ck you ex-Beaumont"
*The Earl On the Train-Kerrigan Byrne: The reason I requested the anthology. For us that we've read "The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo" it wasn't a surprise Victoria and Sebastian got together. From their first meeting sparks were flying between the too much handsome pirate and the newly widowed Countess. Both of them were pining, especially the hero which I believe everyone likes. The story was fast paced, sexy but also very romantic. I felt Sebastian's POV quite lyrical. 5 stars
*Loved and Found-Christi Caldwell: This is my first time reading Christi, and I enjoyed it. It's a second chance romance between Edie and Thaddeus. Lady Edith, daughter of Duke and Thaddeus when they were kids and formed a friendship and later became lovers. When her family found out they bought Thaddeus a military commission and married Edie of to some older marquess. Now a widow she finds herself with a broken carriage, in the middle of nowhere in winter, with his house being the only place to seek refuge. Both were hurt by their life apart, Edie sacrificed a lot for the people she loved and Thaddeus at the battlefield. They get the HEA they deserve. 4 stars
*The Wolf of Westmore-Amelie Howard: Jocelyn has no power over who will get her hand in marriage , but she can certainly choose who gets her virginity.For that purpose she puts on a wig and a mask, sells her jewellery and goes to the Silver Scythe searching for her family's worst enemy and bids for him. This one was on fire (including a bit of BTSM). 5 stars, I'll be reading more of her books
*Put up your Dukes-Janna MacGregor: In order to save his scandalous paper from being overly taxed Martin asks his estranged wife to come back living with him. His job was the thing that separated Amelia and Martin five years ago and soon he'll have to choice what matters more to him.
I think this one has the most sex scenes due to the fact they were already married. I really liked the epilogue, it was funny. 4 stars
*Duke of every Sin-Stacy Reid: In order to be in her nephew's life Verity has to marry the very sinful Ethan, the Duke of Bainbridge. I love a good marriage of convenience story and this definitely delivered, Verity is a strong woman who left everything and stayed at her ruined sister's side and Ethan was consumed from grief and guilt after his best friend's death, I loved their relationship and even if they hadn't met before the book took place, I didn't feel it rushed or lacking something. 5 stars
5 novelas, 4 of them being from writers I read for the first time. Different tropes, levels of heat, in my opinion there's something in this for everyone.
Overall 4,6 stars.
EDIT: After reading "The Beast of Beswick" and "The Rakehell of Roth" I should add "F*ck you ex-Beaumont"