Duke of My Heart

“You shouldn’t have to be fine, Ivory. You should be free. Protected from things that you survived once and that you shouldn’t have to survive again.” He brushed his lips across her forehead. “I want to do that for you.”

I really enjoyed this book! What I love most about this author is her unconventional and strong-willed heroines, and Ivory did not disappoint.

From the opening scene I was engrossed in this book. Miss Ivory Moore has been summoned to the house of the Duke of Alderidg

“You shouldn’t have to be fine, Ivory. You should be free. Protected from things that you survived once and that you shouldn’t have to survive again.” He brushed his lips across her forehead. “I want to do that for you.”

I really enjoyed this book! What I love most about this author is her unconventional and strong-willed heroines, and Ivory did not disappoint.

From the opening scene I was engrossed in this book. Miss Ivory Moore has been summoned to the house of the Duke of Alderidge, and what she finds is a dead, and naked earl tied to the duke’s sister of eighteen’s bed. Luckily Ivory is in the business of fixing scandals before they become public, and this scene doesn’t faze her. She is cool and calm and very in charge of doing what needs to be done.

Captain Maximus Harcourt, the duke of Alderidge, has just arrived home after his latest voyage. He is used to being in charge of his men and his ship, and he has no idea how to handle the scene he finds in his sister, Beatrice’s bedroom or the bossy woman who is telling him what to do. How can she be so calm when his sister is missing, and a dead man is tied to her bed?? But because he finds himself out of his depth, he has no choice but to do as the infuriating woman demands, while trying to keep his unexpected attraction to her at bay.

Protecting Lady Beatrice from ruination from the scandalous scene was easy, but finding out where she has fled is the mystery. And Max has no choice but to turn to Ivory for assistance, and with every encounter he can’t help but fall further under her spell. Because Ivory is like no woman he has ever met, and finding out her secrets together with his sister has become a must.

I loved the intrigue and mystery surrounding Beatrice’s scandal, and what happened to her. It was extremely captivating, and I enjoyed myself immensely.

“I did a lot of things to survive in my life, things that I cannot apologize for because they have, in the end, brought me here. But I am done surviving that life. I am no longer something to be owned. My destiny is mine to choose, mine to control.”

Ivory is my kind of HR heroine. She has worked hard to get her independence, to ensure the success of Chegarre & Associates. She’s no simpering miss, and she isn’t shy. She’s outspoken and follows her own rules. But she has a big and loyal heart, caring for those down on their luck, and I just loved her. She is an outcast who was forced to work since she was thirteen, taking care of herself however she could.

Max was bossy and so very sexy! In a way he and Ivory had so much in common, because even though he was the son of a duke, he was the youngest son, and had to take care of himself, ensuring his own future. When his parents and older brothers died, he was forced to become the duke, but after years of being his own man, he couldn’t fit in society, and preferred keeping to the life he had made.

“I know who you are. You are Ivory Moore. You are the woman who redressed a corpse to save my sister. The woman who kissed me to save me from myself. You are the only one who understands why I can never be put in a prison that was built for me by fate and circumstance.”

I loved the banter and the chemistry between Ivory and Max. Both of them are so used to being the one in charge, and seeing them fighting for control was so very funny!!! I loved that they were attracted to each other right from the start, and the slow burn of their romance was fantastic! The sexy times only happened later in the book, but the intense build-up of their chemistry worked perfectly for me.

There were so many interesting secondary characters: Ivory’s assistants Elise and her brother Alex, and Gil the owner of the Lion’s Paw were fabulous characters, and I really hope all of them will be getting their own books.

This was a wonderful HR, with a very interesting plot, great characters and a wonderful romance. I love how this author writes, she doesn’t just write about the nobility, but also about the people not part of the society, the outcasts, the ones that had to do anything to survive, and I love that. A definite must read.

“The careful barriers that she had built around herself were crumbling like a wall of sand in the face of a rising tide. Maximus Harcourt was no longer a client, any more than he was an amusement or a distraction. There was no point in pretending anymore, and with that admission a weight seemed to slide away from her. For better or for worse, this man had become something more.”

“The careful barriers that she had built around herself were crumbling like a wall of sand in the face of a rising tide. Maximus Harcourt was no longer a client, any more than he was an amusement or a distraction. There was no point in pretending anymore, and with that admission a weight seemed to slide away from her. For better or for worse, this man had become something more.”

“She had chosen herself. When Max had forced her hand, had acted like every man who simply wanted to own her, to possess her on his own terms, Ivory had chosen Ivory.”

“Here was a man who commanded men, who was used to controlling every aspect of his life. Who was used to taking action to achieve his ends.
And she was asking him to place that control in her hands. She did not underestimate the significance of that.
“I trust you.” He hadn’t looked away from her.
“Thank you,” she said softly.”

“You undo me, Maximus Harcourt.”
“I will always come for you, Ivory Moore.”