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A review by lassarina
The Duke of Desire by Darcy Burke
5.0
I definitely wandered into the middle of a series here, where a young lady who completely reinvented herself as a paid companion (having been ruined by a nobleman and subsequently thrown out of her parents' house when she was quite young) is forced into proximity at a house party with a man she and her wallflower friends nicknamed the Duke of Desire. She doesn't like him for being a rake; he finds her intriguing. Commence romance!
I absolutely loved Ivy. She was a fantastic heroine, stubborn and whip-smart and kind and delightful. She thinks marriage is a terrible trap, but her two best friends have recently fallen prey and she's left alone. She has a passionate interest in charity and in matters intellectual, and she really feels like a well-thought-out and well-rounded character.
Sebastian Westgate is a duke known for his enthusiastic affairs, usually with married women. I won't spoil the underlying thing going on there, but I found it delightful and thoroughly unusual and charming, and I really enjoyed it. The other thing I really enjoyed about him is that when Ivy tells him to sod off, he does. He sends a proper note of apology and does not in fact spend all his time stalking her; he endeavors to abide the rules she has set. (Both parties occasionally violate these rules, but I really appreciated that when she told him to back off, he did.)
Overall, I found the relationship and its slow growth between them to be really charming and clever, and I liked the way the romance grew. I liked the way it circled back to both of their pasts and brought them to resolution if not happiness. I loved the tension between these two characters and the whip-smart witty conversations they traded. I am definitely interested in looking up the rest of the series.
I absolutely loved Ivy. She was a fantastic heroine, stubborn and whip-smart and kind and delightful. She thinks marriage is a terrible trap, but her two best friends have recently fallen prey and she's left alone. She has a passionate interest in charity and in matters intellectual, and she really feels like a well-thought-out and well-rounded character.
Sebastian Westgate is a duke known for his enthusiastic affairs, usually with married women. I won't spoil the underlying thing going on there, but I found it delightful and thoroughly unusual and charming, and I really enjoyed it. The other thing I really enjoyed about him is that when Ivy tells him to sod off, he does. He sends a proper note of apology and does not in fact spend all his time stalking her; he endeavors to abide the rules she has set. (Both parties occasionally violate these rules, but I really appreciated that when she told him to back off, he did.)
Overall, I found the relationship and its slow growth between them to be really charming and clever, and I liked the way the romance grew. I liked the way it circled back to both of their pasts and brought them to resolution if not happiness. I loved the tension between these two characters and the whip-smart witty conversations they traded. I am definitely interested in looking up the rest of the series.