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A Duke in the Night

(The Devils of Dover #1)

Kelly Bowen (Goodreads Author)

3.87 · Rating details · 2,038 ratings · 345 reviews

Duke. Scoundrel. Titan of business. August Faulkner is a man of many talents, not the least of which is enticing women into his bedchamber. He's known-and reviled-for buying and selling companies, accumulating scads of money, and breaking hearts. It's a reputation he wears like a badge of honor, and one he intends to keep.

Clara Hayward, the headmistress of the Haverhall S ...more

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ebook, 368 pages

Published February 20th 2018 by Forever

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Lists with This Book

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2018 Historical Romance

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· 2,038 ratings · 345 reviews

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Start your review of A Duke in the Night (The Devils of Dover #1)

Oct 29, 2020 Anne rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, read-in-2020, trashy-romance-novel

I've read 2 pretty feminist-style bodice ripper romances recently, and this one was my favorite. I actually like the characters in A Duke in the Night waaaay better than I did in the actual feminist romance Bringing Down the Duke.

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This one had a woman in it that did her own thing and lived her best life, and a guy who thought she was amazing because of it. He didn't really get her at first, but that's because the way she thought was entirely foreign to what he had been taught about women.
Howev ...more

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Feb 21, 2018 OLT rated it liked it

I've been fond of Kelly Bowen's work since her 2014 debut HR, I'VE GOT MY DUKE TO KEEP ME WARM. Since that one I've read almost all her stories that followed, but, unfortunately, am becoming a bit less enchanted with each progressive book. The "why" of this is not exactly clear to me. (1) It's not exactly because of her writing. She writes very well. In the top 10% of newer HR writers, I'd venture to say. (2) It's not exactly because of the characters. She gives them backstories to explain their I've been fond of Kelly Bowen's work since her 2014 debut HR, I'VE GOT MY DUKE TO KEEP ME WARM. Since that one I've read almost all her stories that followed, but, unfortunately, am becoming a bit less enchanted with each progressive book. The "why" of this is not exactly clear to me. (1) It's not exactly because of her writing. She writes very well. In the top 10% of newer HR writers, I'd venture to say. (2) It's not exactly because of the characters. She gives them backstories to explain their present-day behavior. They are usually not annoying; although flawed, they can be appealing and likeable. (3) It's not exactly because of the anachronistic turns of phrases in her books. That annoys, but an HR reader learns to ignore anachronistic language b/c that's to be found in most books written in the past decade or so. (4) It's not exactly b/c of the heavily feminist themes in many of her books. Romance readers lately tend to want that in their HRs. It's so much more interesting than watching the paint dry on the heroine's latest artistic endeavor as she practices the pianoforte and waits for her parents to decide who she should marry.

So maybe it's all of the above or maybe it's none of the above. All I can do is try to articulate a few reasons, not necessarily related to those points, that this latest Bowen tale, the first in her new Devils of Dover series, is only a 3-star book to me. So here are a few of my problems:

(1) This is first and foremost a romance, but I didn't really feel any warm fuzzies or palpable attraction between this H and h. They met and danced together once a decade ago and found that to be such a profound experience that they still feel "something" as they meet again after so many years. Sorry. Didn't work well for me. I could not figure out why they got so hung up on each other so early on in their reunion. H was even a bit of a jerk.

(2) The feminism in this is rather heavy-handed. For example, the bits about the H's sister and her super hotel management skills that no man could possibly have? She's the only one who has a good idea of what the price of various products such as lye should be? She's the only one who could figure out how to design a better layout for a hotel or a nicer sign over the door? And on a related feminist topic, the sexual equality bit in the story, in which the h is debating with the H about premarital sexual experience for females as well as males. I was cheering her on with a "way to go, sister", up until reading later that she's had only one other sexual partner prior to bedding our hero. Well, that watered down that whole aspect for me.

(3) And oh, how tired I am of dukes. This hero did NOT need to be one. What's wrong with a baron or even a plain old mister every once in a while in a romance? The fact that this guy was so heavily involved in financial enterprises and in making money made his being a duke all the more of a fairy tale. Yes, we learn all about the whys of this obsession with money and I bought into it. What I didn't buy was why the guy had to be a duke.

(4) Oh, that lame, lame villain of the story. Did he have to be there? What on earth did he add to the story? Just a derivative, boring reason for the H to show jealousy and for the story to have an abduction scene? Because what self-respecting romance doesn't have an abduction in it? Although, to give Bowen her dues, we had empowered females saving themselves instead of waiting for a rescue, so there was another place to say "way to go, girls".

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I should stop reading romances. I say this to myself every couple of months, just before reaching for another one. I suppose my romance addiction is better than one to opioids, but I seem to be getting snarkier in my reviews and that's not exactly fair to romance authors, who are just supplying what most people want to read. It's not their fault that I'm such a pain in the neck. ...more

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Feb 14, 2018 Heather K (dentist in my spare time) rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-to-review-arc, net-galley, historical, romance, m-f, favorites-2018

Lovely, feminist historical romance.

I adored A Duke in the Night, my first by the very talented Kelly Bowen. I thought it was a powerful story with a female MC who carried the book, something we don't see as often as I'd like in romance.

Okay, I'll admit, the book was probably (most certainly) not historical accurate. Clara is a woman who is almost fully independent and gasp sexually confident, something rare in historical romance and even sometimes in contemporary romance. Now, the extent of Cl ...more

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Feb 06, 2018 Caz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance-1800-1850, 4-stars, arc

A- / 4.5 stars rounded up.

In the years since the publication of her début novel, Kelly Bowen has become an auto-read author and has a few books on my keeper shelf. Her writing is assured and intelligent, she comes up with intriguing, well thought-out plots, and her characters are engaging and often just that bit different to the norm for the genre. In A Duke in the Night, the first book in her new Devils of Dover series, her gift for characterisation is showcased in her heroine, Clara Haywa ...more

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Feb 25, 2018 Joanna Loves Reading rated it it was ok

Shelves: hr, i-own-nook, mofo-dukes, reviewed, buddy-read

2.5 Stars

The two stars does seem harsh, and I am going to stew on this. It will probably get bumped up to three, because there were plenty of aspects of this story I liked. I just can’t say that I enjoyed this much and reading it felt like a chore at times.

Update...several hours later

Ok, I have thought about it and am not making an adjustment on the Stars. I know my opinion is swayed due to the timing of this read for me. Starting a new read while stressed is risky, but Bowen has been a reliabl 2.5 Stars

The two stars does seem harsh, and I am going to stew on this. It will probably get bumped up to three, because there were plenty of aspects of this story I liked. I just can’t say that I enjoyed this much and reading it felt like a chore at times.

Update...several hours later

Ok, I have thought about it and am not making an adjustment on the Stars. I know my opinion is swayed due to the timing of this read for me. Starting a new read while stressed is risky, but Bowen has been a reliable, enjoyable read, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her new release that sounded like another winner. Then, I read the first chapter. It started out well enough with a cute flashback scene of the one and only time the hero and heroine met that had left an impression on both. Then, ten years later we are treated to a severe and domineering Duke, who is dismissive of his sister’s opinions and wants. It is because he wants/needs to care and protect her. As a reader, I can deal with a domineering hero, but I didn’t enjoy the juxtaposition of that hint of more tender feelings with the treatment of his sister. It was jarring and frustrating. Then, later, he says to the heroine:

“I see an intelligent woman, the same one who once put an ignorant buck in his place and taught him that things are rarely as they seem. I wish I had understood that then.”

Despite saying he had been taught to basically be open minded (at least that’s how I read it) by her, he continues to show very little interest in other’s opinions. Again, it’s not so much his character, but the way the romance unfolds that was problematic. What did Clara see in him? That was the big question. He was insufferable. This was not a story suited to insta-lust, in my opinion, and that’s what this story. She does frequently school him, and he begins to see what it is like for his sister, Lady Anne. Like with this great quote:

“Now just for a moment, pretend Lady Anne didn’t approve of what you did.” She pulled her fingers from his and stepped away. “And now, just for the moment, pretend she had the control and the power to stop you from doing what you loved.”

If it had just been the incongruity of the romance, I think that I would have overcome most of my reservations. Unfortunately, there was a big secret kept late in the game and a stupid villain. The villain’s actions and character did not add up. And while, I tried to give it a chance, that is part of the problem, I shouldn’t have to try to like a book.

I can say I DID like secondary characters and series premise, and I am interested in the continuing series. Every author has a dud every once in a while, and I am not giving up on Bowen with this one. The writing was still strong. It just didn’t work for me.

Thanks to Loriidae and Geri for the buddy read! ...more

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Feb 26, 2018 Mei rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical

I know that many of my friends didn’t enjoy this one, but I did.

Yes, I’m the cat here…LOL

I know, I know… if this was a CR probably people would have enjoyed it more…

Still, I like my heroines to be strong and smart even if they’re anachronistic! And Clara was as anachronistic as they come! LOL

I enjoyed how she managed to instruct the stick-in-the-a** duke in a very polite, very smart way! He just didn’t saw it coming!

I loved that she was very aware that her views of the world were not what the ...more

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May 14, 2018 Shawna rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, 4-to-5-stars, hero-protective, i-read-library, all-work-no-play-on-the-job-romance, hero-business-owner, hero-stoic, best-wittiest-banter-dialogue, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, format-source-library

4.5 stars - Historical Romance

This was my first read from this author and I really enjoyed it. It's a unique, refreshing, feminist historical romance with a strong, admirable heroine who keeps a tortured, powerful, wealthy duke unwittingly besotted and befuddled. ...more

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May 08, 2019 Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-books, purchased

Since reading and loving her Seasons for Scandal series, Kelly Bowen has joined my list of auto-read authors and I have been looking forward to A DUKE IN THE NIGHT, the first book in her new The Devils of Dover series. Once again, she captivated me with an innovative story, interesting characters and a sensual romance.

As a debutante ten years ago, Clara Hayward had all the attributes that should have had numerous suitors falling at her feet – beauty, poise and family wealth. But she had one fata ...more

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Jan 10, 2018 Beth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical, romance, contemporary, netgalley, historical-fiction, own, favorite, kindle, woman-s-lit, grand-central-publishing

Bowen masterfully captures the essence of the historical romance while bringing us a heroine that we would adore and expect from a contemporary romance. Emotionally connecting the reader with heartfelt circumstances, scarred and realistic characters and Bowen's ability to create a world with words, I have to admit its one of my favorite historical romances I read so far.

I received this ARC copy of A DUKE IN THE NIGHT from Forever - Grand Central Publishing. This is my honest and voluntary review ...more

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Dec 10, 2019 WhiskeyintheJar rated it liked it

Shelves: historical, regency, series

3.3 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

August might be a duke now, but he spent two years surviving on the streets while his father was in debtor's prison. He now can't make enough money and after he acquires a prime location that has a girl's school on it, he wants to buy Strathmore Shipping. The family is in dire straits, so he doesn't foresee a problem of them wanting to sell.
Clara is use ...more

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Jul 02, 2018 Christie«SHBBblogger» rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, set-in-england, advanced-copy

Title: A Duke in the Night
Series: The Devils of Dover #1
Author: Kelly Bowen
Release date: February 20, 2018
Cliffhanger: Yes

“You asked me once when enough is enough. You are my enough. You are my everything.”

This was a great introduction to Kelly Bowen's work for me! There were a lot of elements and themes I enjoyed, particularly the focus on gender inequality during the time, and how utterly powerless women felt because of it. A Duke in the Night also explored the age old question of the impor ...more

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Jul 18, 2019 Laurie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, romance

This is not a real review because I am lazy and I read this for myownself. I took a mini-break away from all of the horror and dread and backstabbing I typically read and I am not sorry. This was a delightful historical romance with a smart, independent heroine who had the backbone to stand up for her beliefs. August was a decent hero who was hellbent on protecting his future for himself and his family at the cost of everything else. The conflict bit was a little "meh" and dragged out too long f ...more

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Feb 20, 2018 Ira rated it really liked it

Shelves: strong-heroine, historical

If this contemporary romance, I bet the title will change to ‘a billionaire and a teacher hot weeks’ or something like that! Lol.

I wanted to read Clara’s story since The Lady in Red and I wasn’t disappointing with her story and August not a bad hero either:)

To be a female teacher or a businessman in early 19th century? Especially when you are one of those aristocratic families? Well, that’s almost an impossible task. But of course that word wouldn’t associate with these two.

The story more than t ...more

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Feb 19, 2018 Mandi rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical

Favorite Quote: "I am not going to accept less of you, Clara Hayward. I will have you, and you will have me."

August Faulkner is not only a man with a keen sense of business. Not only a man whose father was in debtor's prison for years. He is also a duke. An inherited title, but a self-made man of wealth. August finds businesses that are crumbling, buys them, breaks them down and rebuilds. He leaves the former business owners angry but he buys them fairly and has no remorse for what he leaves be Favorite Quote: "I am not going to accept less of you, Clara Hayward. I will have you, and you will have me."

August Faulkner is not only a man with a keen sense of business. Not only a man whose father was in debtor's prison for years. He is also a duke. An inherited title, but a self-made man of wealth. August finds businesses that are crumbling, buys them, breaks them down and rebuilds. He leaves the former business owners angry but he buys them fairly and has no remorse for what he leaves behind. When he hears that the Hayward shipping business is in trouble, he starts to sniff out a new venture. But he needs to get close to the Hayward brother who is now in charge of the shipping since his parents have died. And in order to get close to the brother, he decides to get close to the sister.

Clara Hayward first met August ten years ago when he dared to ask her to waltz. Clara never fit in with society - wealthy, and a lady - but extremely intellectual and considered a wallflower. More so, the men were too scared of her intelligence to deem her worthy of their attention. But that waltz with August that night found two souls who dared each other for more. But when the waltz ended, so did that few minutes of intense chemistry and they went their separate ways. Clara is now the headmistress for Haverhall School for Young Ladies, a school where the best of the best fight to get in. Unfortunately for Clara, she must sell the school to help her brother finance the family's failing shipping business. And guess who buys it?

When August's sister leaves a note saying she is leaving for the summer to attend Haverhall, August rushes to Dover to find out what in the world his sister is doing, and to get close to Clara, so he can woo her brother's shipping business. When he sees Clara again, that passion comes back but he is also entering into her world - where woman can learn to make their own choices and August is up for quite the life lesson.

August is a flawed hero - at least if you compare him to a modern man. He thinks women need to be cared and protected against anything in the outside world. He doesn't understand why his sister, who has great ambitions for running hotels, doesn't appreciate it when he buys her the finest dress or the best necklace. He doesn't understand why she wants to care about business or anything outside the home. Clara is all too familiar with the frustrations of being a woman and staying in the good graces of society, which is why she opened her school. She teaches the girls painting, and dancing, and all of the things a woman needs to learn to stay in society. But in the summer, she picks select girls to really live out their fantasies. They shadow physicians, and landscape gardeners - and as in August's sister's case - hoteliers. August continually bumps heads with his sister and Clara over the fact that a woman would want anything more than being protected by a man. His journey to come out of this mindset is very well done and not rushed.

The romance in this one made me smile. From that one dance all those years ago - where Clara knew he was dancing with her on a dare from his friends, and she stared directly in his eyes and gave him the dance of his life - he has been searching for that passion from a woman ever since. Their banter and sexual tension is delightful in this one.

"You have that many abominably asinine requests?" Clara knew she should simply nod and smile politely, but somehow he was drawing her into this...banter that she has no business participating in. And it was exhilarating.

“You might be surprised.” He grinned, and her pulse immediately skipped.

“You know,” she said, returning his grin, “I don’t think I would.”

Something shifted in his eyes. Something hot and possessive. Something that made her knees weaken and an ache settle low in her belly and her breasts. “There she is,” he murmured almost inaudibly.

Clara doesn't let August get away with anything in this book, and I really enjoyed her. She is also not afraid to show him that she is attracted to him and to admit they have something good together.

“Do not put words in my mouth, Miss Hayward. Because that’s not who I see when I look at you.” The force of his words made her eyes widen. “I see an intelligent woman, the same one who once put an ignorant buck in his place and taught him that things are rarely as they seem. I wish I had understood that then.”

“And what would you have done differently if you had?” she asked quietly.

“I would have asked you to dance again.” August reached for her hand and caught it, bringing it up between them, his thumb sliding over her bare knuckles. “I wish I had asked you to dance again.”

She was silent for a long minute, a gut-wrenching, electrifying mix of desire and longing flitting across her usually unreadable features.

Her fingers tightened on his. “I wish you had too,” she said, and August felt the breath leave his lungs.

A great balance between the romance and Clara's life at the school along with some family drama. It's sexy and fun. A delightful romance! Very much looking forward to the next book.

Grade: B+ ...more

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May 15, 2018 Sara Reads (mostly) Romance rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-romance

2- bored and disappointed stars- stars

I think this was the it's not you, it's me type of situation. I found the hero to be just exhausting. The whole book, he did not change one bit, and was just an unfeeling, cold businessman. He was also stuffy, and as his sister Anne described, kept himself in a small box. I usually don't mind, but he never changed. There was a back and forth between, wow I'm so attracted to Clara versus I can't be attracted to her just because I am a businessman and have no ...more

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Feb 08, 2018 Maria Rose rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sexy-as-all-get-out, best-of-2018, second-chance-or-reunion-romance, historical-romance, 5-star-reads

A Duke in the Night by Kelly Bowen is the first story in The Devils of Dover series. In The Lady in Red novella, the reader is first introduced to Miss Clara Hayward, the enterprising Headmistress of the Haverhall School for Young Ladies. A Duke in the Night gives Clara a chance to find her own happy ever after with a most unlikely match – scoundrel, Duke, and ruthless businessman August Faulkner.

Clara prides herself on her school for young ladies, a chance for women to throw aside family and ge A Duke in the Night by Kelly Bowen is the first story in The Devils of Dover series. In The Lady in Red novella, the reader is first introduced to Miss Clara Hayward, the enterprising Headmistress of the Haverhall School for Young Ladies. A Duke in the Night gives Clara a chance to find her own happy ever after with a most unlikely match – scoundrel, Duke, and ruthless businessman August Faulkner.

Clara prides herself on her school for young ladies, a chance for women to throw aside family and gender expectations and pursue their dreams, if only for a short while. Due to financial difficulties her family has had to sell the school to an unknown buyer but she is still able to hold her summer classes in Dover where her sister helps with the classes and her brother, a doctor, is seeing local patients. One of the talented young ladies in her charge is Lady Anne Faulkner. The trouble is that she’s signed up for the school without informing her brother.

August can’t believe his younger sister has hightailed it off to Dover to attend summer classes and quickly follows her there. He’s just bought the school in London with the intention of redeveloping the land and shutting down the school for good. He’s also interested in the Hayward family’s shipping business and figures that while he’s in Dover under the pretense of inspecting a friend’s land (the same friend who is lending out his property for the summer school), he can convince Clara and her siblings to sell him a stake in the company.

He and Clara have a history of sorts, a dance at a social event ten years before that had never left his mind, even if he’d become a much different man since then. A businessman through and through, his goal in life is to acquire enough money and assets to provide for his sister, making up for the years that she spent in debtor’s prison as a child when his father was imprisoned. As he spends time in Dover, Clara makes him see that there is more to life than money. But when she finds out he’s behind the purchase of her life’s work, will it be the end of their fledgling romance?

What a delightful story! I found everything about it thoroughly entertaining. The characters are wonderfully written, with cynical and money hungry August finding himself challenged at every turn by the intelligent and confident Clara. She makes him question things he’s always assumed about himself, about his sister, and about his expectations for the future. Determined to provide for his sister, he’s envisioned a life for her without really listening to her wants and desires. Clara gently but firmly makes him see that his sister yearns for something more than material things and the right marriage match.

August regretted not contacting Clara after their dance together so long ago and isn’t going to let this second chance to be around her come to nothing. He’s fiercely attracted to her and isn’t above using her mutual feelings to seduce her into his bed. Unlike other unmarried women of her time, Clara is not a virgin, nor is she ashamed of this fact. She had a lover who introduced her to the finer arts of lovemaking and she can appreciate August’s skill and devotion to her pleasure. They share some sexy scenes together that intensify their emotional connection. August comes to appreciate Clara’s point of view and desire to educate young women for their own benefit and I really enjoyed seeing him broaden his own views.

The relationships really make this story shine, whether it’s Clara and her siblings, August and his sister (and some interesting scenes with his trusted man of business Mr. Down), or Clara and August bantering back and forth as they get to know each other. Combined with the lovely background of rural England, A Duke in the Night is a sexy, smart and thoroughly entertaining romance. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series!

This review also appears at Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-a-d...

A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. ...more

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Feb 23, 2018 Saly rated it really liked it

Shelves: rom-historical, single-titles, read-in-2018

This book was totally the heroine show and I lapped it up! She was smart, clever, independent and definitely didn't fit into the time she was born in. She caught the hero unawares everytime, when she caught him in his lies, when she was so confident in her sexuality (which weirdly I liked and I am normally one who prefers inexperienced heroines because it fits into the whole "historical" context), when she calls him out on his and the society's hypocrisy towards women. She makes him see her poin ...more

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Oct 11, 2018 Sometime rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, kindle

I really liked this book about a couple who danced one waltz 10 years earlier and made an impact on each other. They meet up again under dubious circumstances but find that they have a real attraction.

I loved how Clara was a feisty and independent woman but not written as a shrew who acts against her own interests to prove her independence. She behaved like a woman of her era (with some very modern ideals). When August comes to her school to find his runaway sister, she asks him some very hard q I really liked this book about a couple who danced one waltz 10 years earlier and made an impact on each other. They meet up again under dubious circumstances but find that they have a real attraction.

I loved how Clara was a feisty and independent woman but not written as a shrew who acts against her own interests to prove her independence. She behaved like a woman of her era (with some very modern ideals). When August comes to her school to find his runaway sister, she asks him some very hard questions. And he actually thinks about what she says and questions his own male entitlement and considers his sister's feelings. I loved their romance.

I'm a big fan of Kelly Bowen. I love the way she writes her characters. They are very well fleshed out and real. This book is no exception. Within the first few pages I felt like I understood who August Faulkner was and what made him tick. The secondary characters are just as charming and real.

There were a few missteps. A heroine who tells the Hero she won't settle for just a temporary tryst, she has her reputation as a school headmistress to consider after all. Who then, pages later, does that very thing.?!? A villain who was lame, and came out of nowhere, and served no purpose. An attempt to portray the h as sexually liberated only to discover that (view spoiler)

Overall, I enjoyed this book and any complaints are inconsequential. This was a fun story with a smart h, a great H, a load of wonderful secondary characters and a terrific romance.

Safety (view spoiler) ...more

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Feb 10, 2018 Barbara Rogers rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, iblog

Series: The Devils of Dover #1
Publication Date: 2/20/18

I believe this was my first book by Kelly Bowen and I did enjoy it. However, all-in-all, I wouldn’t really class it as a Regency – it ‘feels’ much too modern. It is more like a modern story dressed up like a Regency. I’m giving it 4-stars because I really did enjoy the story. The heroine, Clara Hayward, is very much a contemporary woman, forward-thinking, ‘experienced’, etc. and all of the people surrounding her are very 'modern'.

August Faul ...more

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Dec 28, 2017 FV Angela rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-romance, reviewed-for-fiction-vixen, read-in-2017, read-in-2018, 2018-faves

I loved every single thing about this book. Every. Single. Thing.

Review originally posted at http://fictionvixen.com/review-duke-n...

I’m going to try to write a review to do this book justice, because it deserves that, but dang it I’m not sure I can. A Duke in the Night left me completely surprised, partly at how wonderful it was, but also because at about halfway through I realized this is the first Kelly Bowen book I’ve ever read. And how did I let that happen?

August Faulkner, the Duke of Holl ...more

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Jul 21, 2019 Lady Wesley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: listened, rita-2019

Well-deserved winner of a 2019 RITA Award.

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Dec 22, 2017 Anna's Herding Cats rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, teacher, known-each-other-forever, for-review, kelly-bowen, duke, 2017-new-to-me, 2017-pick-your-genre, 2017, 2018-reviews

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup. (posts to blog 2/21/18)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2CfrnC6

Well hello yummy cover!

The Gist: When his sister sneaks away in the middle of the night August figures he can just kill two birds with one stone-- hunt down his handful of a sister and suss out a new business opportunity. The school for young ladies where he finds her? Way more than meets the eye and quite possibly something that will change both of their lives forever.

August and Clara, well, neither is really what you'd expect. A once homeless duke with a knack for reviving failing businesses and a headmistress who's pupils are schooled in oh so scandalous endeavors.

I quite liked August. He's no nonsense, all about business and creating security for his family. He's not perfect and could be a bit obsessive with his work but I understood where he was coming from. Years living on the street and fighting to survive did a number on him.

Clara, though, we would not be each other's people. lol She's strong, independent and opinionated...almost to a fault. She jumps to conclusions, sees the worst in others (namely August) and constantly got her dander up. Which is exhausting as all hell. We eventually got along but it was a trial. lol

I think my main issue--other than the historical having a very very modern feel to it-- was that the heroine was constantly judging the hero for trying to change his sister into a proper young lady while at the same time she was trying to turn him into someone he wasn't. She was just so hypocritical. So I had a hard time with their romance. I didn't hate them together but had a hard time seeing the spark between them or why they'd want to be with each other..other than all those lusty endeavors.

All in all, A Duke in the Night wasn't a perfect read for me but it was one that kept me reading. I enjoyed it overall-- the hero and setting and seeing both of them in their elements doing business and teaching. I loved seeing his hidden facets and in the end I did want them together and happy. So a win. ...more

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May 21, 2019 Romancebooksandmore rated it it was amazing

This is the first Kelly Bowen book I have read, I wasn't sure what to expect but the premise seemed interesting. Miss Clara Haywood the daughter of a baron who ruins a school and whose family is secretly (or not so secretly) in debt, August Faulkner a duke who wasn't raised to be one but who fought the tough London streets to keep his sister alive and now doesn't know how to let her go.

two strong willed people, two passionate people, two people that will butt heads over and over and yet always ...more

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Apr 07, 2018 Bj rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, 4-and-a-half-stars, audiobooks, historical-romance, 2018

4.5 "A Duke Who Has Known Poverty & Finds Riches in Loves" Stars for the book and narration! Review coming soon to AudioGals. ...more

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Dec 08, 2017 Jess rated it it was amazing

Looooooved this story so much. Everything worked from the characters to the story, I was hooked from the start and so excited to read more in the series.

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Apr 04, 2018 Minx rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2018, romance-historical, historical-fiction

True Rating 3.5 stars!

A Duke in the Night is a historical romance that has a modern edge to it. The main protagonist, Clara Hayward, is by all appearances a straight and narrow headmistress. She runs the Haverhall School for Young Ladies, a school that she had inherited from her mother when she had passed away. Clara had always been on the outskirts of society because she was a very educated woman with a mind of her own. Not a quality that most wanted as a friend or lover but her strengths were True Rating 3.5 stars!

A Duke in the Night is a historical romance that has a modern edge to it. The main protagonist, Clara Hayward, is by all appearances a straight and narrow headmistress. She runs the Haverhall School for Young Ladies, a school that she had inherited from her mother when she had passed away. Clara had always been on the outskirts of society because she was a very educated woman with a mind of her own. Not a quality that most wanted as a friend or lover but her strengths were desired for teaching young ladies how to behave in society.

What very few knew was that there was another side to Clara, a side that showed a sexually confident woman who knew what she wanted and asked permission from no one. Not very common in the setting she found herself in but I, of course, liked that very much about her. I liked that she was a well-rounded individual and that she was doing the best she could to give young ladies a view of the world outside what they themselves had been given permission to imagine. There was much to love with the female characters in this book.

In this story, Clara goes head to head with August Faulkner over his treatment and overprotectiveness of his sister. August was not a bad guy, he just had a rough start in life and things were equally hard for his sister. He worked so hard so that she could move on from her past but he had blinders on when it came to what his sister actually wanted for herself. When his sister signed up for a summer session with Clara’s company, August was none too pleased. Except that August saw his sister’s actions as an opportunity to bring his sister back to reality and hopefully get to discuss business with Clara’s bother. Too bad for August that nothing would work out the way he planned it to be.

Not only was A Duke in the Night both swoony and romantic but it also had endearing characters, times of suspense, and many humorous moments. I liked what developed between Clara and August, even though it was a bit on the “insta” side. Even though August has his ideas of how women should act, he is not boorish in his behavior, he also listens and considers what he is dealing with before reacting. I really enjoyed his character and found the pairing between him and Clara to be a nice mix. If you are interested in reading a historical romance with a modern twist to it, then I would recommend A Duke in the Night to you.

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from Forever. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

Find this review and more at The Genre Minx Book Reviews ...more

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Feb 02, 2018 Jane rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, series, regency

If you are looking for a thoroughly modern romance wearing Regency era attire, you may enjoy this book. I did not find anything about it believable - not the characters, not the dialog, not the plot. Meh.

Also, this line from the description? "August Faulkner is a man of many talents, not the least of which is enticing women into his bedchamber." Turns out, (view spoiler) ...more

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Nov 08, 2018 Sher❤ The Fabulous BookLover rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-read

Not sure why, but I couldn’t get into this one. I could not feel the attraction between the H/h at all. They danced once together 10 years ago and there’s still a spark there? He’s still never forgotten her?? And the heroine was a bit too much of a feminist for that era. It just didn’t ring true at times. I stopped about 30% in simply because I was bored.

This is a first time author for me and I may try this authors books but I’m tapping out of this one.

But the cover is 🔥🔥🔥🔥!

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Feb 15, 2019 Jess rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, romance-historical, 2019-all, 2019-new, own-ebook

I liked this enough to want to read more Kelly Bowen, but I didn't love it. It definitely had something to do with the fact that the hero was keeping secrets from the heroine most of the book and that the secrets directly impacted her livelihood and vocation. Which, THAT I was super into. I loved the concept of her summer term and just, her entire existence.

Definitely have to figure out a way to read more. ...more

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Mar 05, 2018 eyes.2c rated it liked it

Shelves: library, regency-romance

Have to say I was disappointed in this. Kelly Bowen is one of my 'go to' reads. I love her writing. This latest novel was just 'so so'. The sparks aren't there in the same way. It took me 2 days rather than 2 hours to read. Perhaps next time. As others have said, it is just too modern with the feminism touches, although interesting. ...more

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About Kelly Bowen

Kelly Bowen

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Award-winning author Kelly Bowen attended the University of Manitoba, earning a BSc & MSc in veterinary studies. She worked as a research scientist before realizing her dream to write historical fiction. Currently, Kelly lives with her family in Winnipeg, Canada.

Other books in the series

The Devils of Dover (3 books)

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I've Got My Duke to Keep Me Warm (The Lords of Worth, #1)

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Quotes from A Duke in the Night

“August understood survival. He had done and continued to do what he needed to so that he would never have to go back. Back to a time when hunger and cold had been enemies, stalking him with a promise of death just as surely as the wraiths armed with knives and desperation had. Back to a time when he had lacked the power and ability to truly protect and take care of those he loved.” — 0 likes

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