The Duke in Question

Amalie Howard

Nov 2022 · Daring Dukes Book 3 · Sourcebooks, Inc.

About this ebook

This lady is not at all a paragon of society...

Lady Bronwyn Chase leaves London on her brother's passenger liner bound for America with a packet of secret letters that could get her into trouble. Serious trouble—the kind a duke's sister shouldn't be in; the kind that puts spymaster Valentine Medford, the Duke of Thornbury, on her trail. But as the duke gets closer to Bronwyn and the secrets she's keeping, he'll have to decide between the mysterious woman who calls to him, or his allegiance to the Crown.

Praise for the Daring Dukes series:

"Vivid, sensual and beautifully written... Amalie Howard tells a story with self-assured style, wit, and energy, making the book impossible to put down."—Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author, for The Princess Stakes

"Amalie Howard is the fresh voice historical romance needs right now... I will read every word she writes."—Kerrigan Byrne, USA Today bestselling author

"Adventurous!"—Publishers Weekly for Rules for Heiresses

Ratings and reviews

Amalie Howard’s “The Duke in Question” himself asks the same question to Lady Bronwyn Chase until his intentions change and he gets the answer he wants. Otherwise, Valentine Medford, the Duke of Thornbury, and the lady in question make a great team uncovering plots carried out in multiple countries. I love espionage in historical romance! I love how Howard weaves it with historical events and people. Her author’s note is a must read also!

She's on a mission, he's the retired spy master tasked with finding a rogue agent... Lady Bronwyn "Bee" aka, the Kestrel, is running messages as a spy. She's whip smart, young, brilliant and daring. Bee is trying to live a little, fly a bit, before conforming to society. Valentine Medford, the Duke of Thornbury, is a retired spy master, on board the ship looking for the Kestrel. He's working with his former lover and curent spy, Lisbeth, they had a fake marriage which they fake dissolved.

I loved this spy vs. spy romance! So much fun in one book! I loved how Bronwyn totally had Valentine fooled in the beginning - her diabolically clever acting skills keep her one step ahead of discovery and I loved every interaction as she dodged his attentions! The way she teases him is downright lethal! Valentine doesn't know what to do with the wayward, annoyingly attractive younger sister of his best friend, but he knows he has to protect Bronwyn, regardless of the risks she takes or the distraction from his pursuit of a double agent. I loved how his frustration with her only grew as his knowledge and understanding of her true nature developed. These two have an incendiary chemistry, leading to what the author appropriately labeled "carnal dementia" and such explosive passion as is rarely seen in historical romances. Val is more than enough dom for Bronwyn's bratty side, and I loved every bit of it. I absolutely adored watching her thaw his iceberg demeanor while running from him at every turn, confounding him every chance she gets. This book is exceedingly well researched, with the action spanning the Atlantic, from Philadelphia to Paris to London, and aside from a little timeline glitch it aligns beautifully with the incorporated spy drama taking place during the American Civil War. The mystery of who is behind the treason is exquisitely paced and revealed at the very last possible second, with a very satisfying ending. The epilogue was hilarious as it referenced an earlier scene between them, and it cemented their HEA in glorious fashion. I loved every bit of this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Victorian romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

About the author

AMALIE HOWARD is the author of the Publishers Weekly bestseller, The Beast of Beswick, which Entertainment Weekly touted as "bursting with shrewd banter, inventively sexy interludes, and emotion with a capital E." She is the co-author of the #1 bestsellers in regency romance and Scottish historical romance, My Hellion, My Heart and What A Scot Wants, and has also penned several award-winning young adult novels, critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Kid's INDIE NEXT selection. Of Indo-Caribbean descent, she has written articles on multicultural fiction for The Portland Book Review and Ravishly magazine. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. Visit her at www.amaliehoward.com.