A review by cakt1991
The Duke and the Lady in Red by Lorraine Heath

4.0

 The Duke and the Lady in Red concludes the “original Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James” trilogy, prior to the subsequent additional books that further explored other major characters. This is definitely an intriguing, angsty one, and while it’s not my personal favorite Heath, or even the standout of this particular series, I can see why others enjoy it. 

Both leads are incredibly compelling with a unique dynamic. Avendale did take some time to warm up to, because unless you know his family history and backstory going in (covered in In Bed With the Devil and The Last Wicked Scoundrel), anyone who doesn’t love a closed-off, tortured hero (ie me) would get frustrated with him, as he embodies the hedonistic rakish Duke archetype to a tee, even more than Lovingdon did in his book. While it was frustrating to learn that his mother had kept a pivotal part of her history from him, I acknowledge she was doing what she thought was best, and he in turn responded as any traumatized child might to the events he witnessed, especially given he also had his abusive father whispering lies in his ear for a time.

Rose was also interesting, and I love how her background sort of returns this series and world to its roots by having her be a swindler. And learning about her cause, protecting her disabled and sick brother Henry, warmed my heart too. 

The romance plot did concern me a little, as I’d put down another Heath recently with a similar premise. But the “mistress” plot, with him paying her, never came off as skeevy in the narrative, and Rose maintained her agency throughout. The romance is a delicate dance of them exploring their sexual chemistry, while trying not to acknowledge their growing emotional connection as they spend time together. And the growing “debt” she has to him is also handled in a manner that I felt leveled the playing field as well, so any remaining inequality became inconsequential. 

As for Harry himself, I was a tad worried initially he would just be a side character and a prop, but I was pleasantly surprised. While he does die near the end of the book, I was glad he had an opportunity to experience life like a normal gentleman before that happened. His bond with Avendale was also a pleasant surprise. 

I really enjoyed this one, and I’d recommend it to readers interested in historical romance with tortured heroes.