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A review by librovert
Once Upon a Duke by Eva Devon
3.0
I read Once Upon a Duke in the collection [b:My Favorite Rogue: 8 Wicked, Witty, and Swoon-worthy Heroes|28802518|My Favorite Rogue 8 Wicked, Witty, and Swoon-worthy Heroes|Courtney Milan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454105732s/28802518.jpg|49014729], a free collection of historical romances.
Our heroine is Kathryn Darrell, a wealthy widow. Coming out of a loveless and passionless marriage, she has promised herself that she will never give her heart to anyone again. But she will travel from her country home to live with her cousin in London with the intention of causing a scandal.
Ryder Blake is the Duke of Darkwell, a widower who blames himself for the death of his late wife. Consumed by his guilt, he'll take a tumble with anyone who stumbles through his door. But he'll never love again.
In true Historical Romance fashion, it's no secret that these two have to learn to work out their pasts to find a place where they can stand together. The last 10-15% of this book, when Ryder finally starts to let down his walls, was beautiful and definitely up there with some of best romances I've read. There may have been some water in my eyes.
But as much as I grinned myself through the last pages, I put up with a lot of shit to get there. The rest of the book was nowhere near the same standard. The tropes beat you over the head. Darkwell is brooding all over the place. Kate is the most average of average women, but utterly special to Darkwell as soon as he lays eyes on her in Chapter One. There are Bacchanalian orgies, pirates with harems, and the lowest lows of debauched London. The angst is real. They play out a constant game of cat and mouse, going back and forth on who will be pursuing and who will be pursued. Ryder wants nothing to do with the feelings she brings out in him, but he'll also pummel anyone to the ground who so much as looks at her. The line between teenager and grown man is very blurry.
If the rest of the book had lived up to the ending, it would have been an easy 5 stars. And one of my three stars that I'm giving this book is solely for the ending.
Our heroine is Kathryn Darrell, a wealthy widow. Coming out of a loveless and passionless marriage, she has promised herself that she will never give her heart to anyone again. But she will travel from her country home to live with her cousin in London with the intention of causing a scandal.
Ryder Blake is the Duke of Darkwell, a widower who blames himself for the death of his late wife. Consumed by his guilt, he'll take a tumble with anyone who stumbles through his door. But he'll never love again.
In true Historical Romance fashion, it's no secret that these two have to learn to work out their pasts to find a place where they can stand together. The last 10-15% of this book, when Ryder finally starts to let down his walls, was beautiful and definitely up there with some of best romances I've read. There may have been some water in my eyes.
But as much as I grinned myself through the last pages, I put up with a lot of shit to get there. The rest of the book was nowhere near the same standard. The tropes beat you over the head. Darkwell is brooding all over the place. Kate is the most average of average women, but utterly special to Darkwell as soon as he lays eyes on her in Chapter One. There are Bacchanalian orgies, pirates with harems, and the lowest lows of debauched London. The angst is real. They play out a constant game of cat and mouse, going back and forth on who will be pursuing and who will be pursued. Ryder wants nothing to do with the feelings she brings out in him, but he'll also pummel anyone to the ground who so much as looks at her. The line between teenager and grown man is very blurry.
If the rest of the book had lived up to the ending, it would have been an easy 5 stars. And one of my three stars that I'm giving this book is solely for the ending.