The Duke's Privateer

Amy Jarecki

Jan 2021 · Oliver-Heber books

About this ebook

When it comes to women, the Duke of Danby is an audacious rake… but when it comes to ridding the kingdom of smugglers, he’s leading the charge. The Prince Regent has bankrupted the country more than once, and Danby isn’t about to go down with a sinking ship.

The Honorable Eleanor Kent hides behind the image of a self-proclaimed spinster… though in truth she’s one of England’s most sought-after privateers.

When their paths cross at a royal dinner… Danby suspects the stunning redheaded woman is more than she seems. He engages her to consult on a chinoiserie remodel and Eleanor gladly accepts. Indeed, she’d rather keep her enemy close where she can watch his every move. Though neither duke nor lady has a clue of how tangled the web they’re spinning will become. As the heat ratchets up, so does their unbidden attraction. Will they get burned before it’s too late to run?

Ratings and reviews

Come into the Dragon's Lair, if you dare! Yummy duke Sherborn is tasked by the crown with ferreting out all smugglers. He suspects things aren't what they seem with the enchanting Eleanor and her father's import company, and it's certainly no hardship for him to start spending time with her and her infirmed father in the off chance he might learn a few secrets. Eleanor doesn't want to be attracted to Sher, but their white-hot chemistry doesn't really give her much choice. She has even fewer choices once her secrets come out, and that's when this romance really takes off. Sher and Eleanor are forced to work together and how they work through balancing their mutual attraction against their mutual mistrust and conflicting goals makes for a thrilling romance that culminates in a very happy HEA. I greatly admired Eleanor for what she was able to accomplish and for how she was able to handle the changes that Sher brought to her life. Throughout it all she remained faithful to her values and to her heart, and I loved her more and more as the story went on. Sher is everything a girl could want in a leading man, proving himself to be compassionate and faithful even when he didn't quite understand why. This is a complex story with two distinct acts; the first takes place in London, then the story changes its focus to Sher's country estate, a castle in Northern England. The supporting characters in each part were vibrantly written and added a lot of depth to the story. I listened to the audiobook version and was instantly captivated by the narrator's gentle British accent. He did a fine job of voicing the various characters, imbuing each with a distinctive sound that greatly enhanced the storytelling. This author always writes fascinating characters with enthralling stories, and this one is one of her best. I highly recommend it for any reader of historical romance. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of the audiobook through NetGalley.