BR: Duke of Shadows

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Sam (AMNReader) wrote: "At 53%/ chapter 12 and cringing....
ETA : Finished chapter 12 and ...I'll spoiler
Got a little heavy for me, if the fact that after I finished I started making a 'Missed Connections' post for Juli..."

I am not this far yet, but I definitely get where this is coming from. Not an easy part of the book.

[Lauren]

I'm on chapter 16. I had to put it down last night to get some sleep, lol!

It so sad that Emma and Julian (view spoiler)[lost all that time because of Marcus (hide spoiler)]. I am, however, glad that Duran did not (view spoiler)[draw out the misunderstanding. There is nothing I hate more in romance than lack of communication (hide spoiler)]

So, I think that (view spoiler)[Marcus is trying to kill Emma. He is thehero who benefitted from the Urdu letters and he doesn't want it coming out that he had a hand in the massacres and such. (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

I'm done and I loved it!

Does Liam Lockwood have a book as I'm dying to know what was going on between him and his wife?

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Lauren wrote: "I'm done and I loved it!

Does Liam Lockwood have a book as I'm dying to know what was going on between him and his wife?"

Oh awesome! Glad you loved it! So, Lord Lockwood is really the reason this Buddy Read was started. I was wanting to read due to his book coming out February 27th. I do think you should read A Lady's Code of Misconduct as it leads into The Sins of Lord Lockwood. They are books 5&6 of the Rules for the Reckless series, but I don’t think books 1-4 need to be read first. I don’t recall that they tie-in to these stories. It seems to be a series of duologies. Books 1&2 directly relate, as do Books 3&4, but maybe I am just wrong on that and didn’t pick up on the connections.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Joanna wrote: "Bubu wrote: "Chapter 8: Again no references to future developments

I just reread my original review and saw that I had mentioned that there were many moments I could have quoted.

As much as I can..."

I have finished Chapter 8 now.

So many sighs. I love how Emma is questioning everything. She’s examining recent events and trying to piece it together and see where she fits in and Julian fits in. Where do their loyalties lie? By the end, the best answer is with each other.


“Emma, I’m here with you now. Listen to me: I will always be here.”

Always, she thought. He said “always,” but he had forgotten to say finally. Finally you are here. Thank God, finally at last.

*no future info spoiler* (view spoiler)[ Normally for a love scene like that, I would probably roll my eyes a little. They are on the run. It can’t be comfortable. But it really works here, I think. I just love these two. (hide spoiler)]

[Bubu]

@ Sam: Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[Incredibly powerful scene when they see each other again, and then totally soul crushing when they realise that she'd been waiting for him and he had been searching for her. (hide spoiler)]

I don't know how far you got in the end, but over the past 2.5 years, since I first read the book, I came to see that there are 2-3 other scenes following now that are even more devastating, imo, when the realisation actually settles in and both have no clue how to overcome all of this.

@ Lauren: I don't mind The Big Misunderstanding trope as much, as miscommunication or non-communication are a daily occurrence in real life, so why not in novels? As long as it's well executed, and that's where most author's make their mistakes. They don't explore the reasons for staying quiet or not saying what's really on their characters' minds well enough. Usually that trope is used to draw out the 'tension', the author not realising that she turned it into a plot device, not a character study.

But I digress.

Again, spoiler tag for those who aren't as far. Chapter 12 and beyond. (view spoiler)[I appreciated that MD killed off the Big Misunderstanding right away when they first meet again and went straight ahead with the question 'where do we go from here?' Julian is great here. How much he tries to reach her but at the same time knowing that if he pushes too hard, he'll lose her for good. That scene in his study is a brilliant example. Emma can always leave, but it's his 'you've already told me what you want and you can do what you want' attitude that makes her stay, although we know he's not as composed as he presents himself there. (hide spoiler)]

@ Joanna: I reread this right after it was made known that the next one would be about Lockwood. I saw that I had missed the finer hints at Lockwood's character and the darkness that surrounds him when he speaks to Emma about her paintings. What was on my mind was always the encounter with his wife.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

It’s been 4+ years since I read it, so details are fuzzy for me. I was trying to figure out when I bought it, but all I know is it was before joining GR, and my ebook has an excerpt from Fool Me Twice, coming March 25, 2014.

[Sam I]

@Bubu I finished I couldn't help it...
(view spoiler)[ The globe scene nearly did me in...but so in the best way. Not sure if that's one for you...and his subsequent discussion/break up with Caroline.

And then his act of distance combined with her commitment to remain at a distance. Imagine....he may have looked for her, yet both of their feelings of grief were so real and unavoidable.

Not to mention of course, "it means nothing..." Those are the ones that stand out for me.
(hide spoiler)]
Oh and the Lockwood thing, I was giddy when I realized she probably wouldn't name the book after a character in a prior book by chance...but I'm so bad at reading series out of order!

ETA: I think I might have noticed the Lockwood things because I made the connection, but oh my god the interaction with Anna.
(view spoiler)[
"good god, anna, are you still using that trick?"
"It's no trick...It's my bloody smile!" (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

@Bubu - I also appreciate a misunderstanding when it is done well. Unfortunately, this is a rarity in romance, which is why I dislike the trope. It is usually drawn out to increase the angst and makes the characters appear silly.

I agree with you about Julian's actions with Emma. (view spoiler)[If he had tried too hard, he would have pushed her away. She needed to make the decision to come back to him herself. (hide spoiler)]

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Through Part 1 now

It is so heartbreaking.

[Bubu]

Not surprised :)

(view spoiler)[
- Yes to the globe scene, 'You're not the only one who took the journey.'
- The scene in which he confronts Marcus. “Here is my proposition,” Julian said, and stepped on Lindley’s ankle to forestall a kick. “I will kill you. The drawback: I will be tried for your death.” He put his whole weight into his hand as Lindley began to claw at his fingers. “Benefit: You will be dead.”
- The scene in his study: “And I don’t want to be here,” she said. “But—”
“But here you are. Never say someone forcibly delivered you? I’ll send round for the police.”
Difficult not to feel foolish. “I felt it imperative that I make clear my feelings once more.”
“Good God.” He leaned back. “Have pity on a man’s vanity, Emma. What next, an advertisement in the Times?”
- And the one scene which I thought showed how much he understood Emma:
The anger that settled over him was hot and hard. “Do you want me to fuck you?” he said.
Her head lolled to one side, taking her eyes away from him.
He reached out and pulled her face around by the chin. “Yes or no.”
She stared. She could not say yes, of course. Not and remain on that floating iceberg she’d found for herself.

He knows she could never admit to it, not at this moment anyway. And that's what makes Julian one of the best heroes, in my opinion. From start to finish he has a connection with her and instinctively knows how to get her out of her shell, whether in India or later in England.

I'll stay by what I said earlier: Marcus is the only weak link of the book, but it didn't and still doesn't bother me in the slightest. The angst doesn't matter, nor the mystery of who wants her dead.

It's about Julian and Emma finding each other, then finding each other again.

It's also a signature of MD's. Her characters wonder, doubt themselves, are wary of each other, and all the while gives a good reason for their behaviour.

Ah, I could go on and on Sam lol :) TLDR: She's currently the best HR writer at the moment, in my opinion, and has been for a long time, seeing that some have stopped (Sherry Thomas) writing romances, another is on a trip of her own (Courtney Milan), or simply don't write at all at the moment (Cecilia Grant)

Even the books I would consider as weak are a million miles ahead of others. She's not as swashbuckly dashing as Elizabeth Hoyt, or as funny as Tessa Dare with her constant amusing nudges at the genre itself, but MD writes consistently on a high level.

I'll stop fangirling now :) (hide spoiler)]

[Sam I]

Joanna wrote: "Through Part 1 now

It is so heartbreaking."

It was rough; I definitely was hit harder by the second part though!
@Lauren, and that was so (view spoiler)[ difficult to read for me! The level of love and patience it required (hide spoiler)]

@Bubu (view spoiler)[ I used one of those lines in my review, and I was referencing that scene where they are looking for the painting and use the cover of sex above as well--the "it means nothing" though it meant everything cause yes meant no and no meant yes. Sigh. The carriage ride home was equally undoing. He was frustrated enough to mock, yet gentle enough not to be cruel...when she says she'll open the house and is so lacking (denying?) an understanding of who they are..
(hide spoiler)]
And do go on and on...this is why we read!

[Bubu]

@ Lauren: Totally agree. It is a rarity where the Big Misunderstanding is handled well. But nope, plot device, plot device, plot device. Very tiring.

@ Sam: I'd better not lol :) By the way, I forgot to add that, although the series is called Rules for the Reckless, in this case you only need to go from The Duke of Shadows to A Lady's Code of Misconduct and then The Sins of Lord Lockwood.

The other four don't even take place at the same time period.

[Sam I]

So, you’re saying I could go straight to 4&5 in the series and be ready for 6?

LOVELY if so, I really am intrigued by Anna& Liam

[Sam I]

Oh, no you even say 5 then 6? Even better...sorry for double post. Damn app.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

@Bubu thanks for confirming 1-4 are not connected. I guess it's just a theme series. I don't quite get that. I know the first one is connected to other books of hers. I have gotten confused at some of the cross over characters in her books.

[Lorien]

So when I went to bed last night I was about to start chapter five, when I finished part 1 I turned to my husband and almost screamed. ( He asked me I was reading torture porn after I tried to describe it. )

I agree with the comments above about the BIG misunderstanding troupes, they aren't my favorite. Specially when they are just dragged out, with very little reason. (I think the end of Minx, by Julia Quinn is one where it was badly used I feel. ) I'm glad that was done with quickly and now it seems more about him earning her trust again.
And Julian's reaction to seeing her after 4 years was kind of heart melting. Okay, it was really heart melting.


I don't know why he let Marcus convince him she was dead. (view spoiler)[But I was there for him beating Marcus up in the club. It didn't feel like useless violence to me, an alpha-dude beating up another dude to protect a poor helpless girl he thinks is his. It felt more personal, it felt more like revenge? Justified vengeance maybe? Like it was more about what Marcus had done to Julian. (hide spoiler)]

I agree, Marcus as the bad guy is super convenient, but sometimes a good wholesome selfish ass-hat of a bad guy with no redeeming qualities is fine. Like you don't waste mental energy trying to figure why he did something. He's just an awful person, period.

[Lorien]

And now I have like just 50 pages left and I'm all like "how are they going to wrap this all up in just 50 pages and not have it feel rushed"????

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

That's hilarious what your husband said. I like shocking mine sometimes if possible when reading 😂

Now I need to catch up... start first, finish last..

[Bubu]

Haha Lorien, your husband's reaction was brilliant :) When I talk about the novels that I love (or hate), I can see his eyes glaze over lol :)

I've given up on Julia Quinn years ago. The last one I read was The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever. The only thing I remember is that I was totally confused by the MC's behaviour.

According to Julian, he had been to various places, which comes out in the second part. So when he hears Marcus saying that Emma is most likely dead, I would say it's only natural that he believes him. And yeah (view spoiler)[not being a fan of alpha-males and violence in general, that confrontation between Julian and Marcus at the club had me cheering for Julian. At least, some sort of consequence for Marcus's atrocious behaviour (hide spoiler)]

And I'm finished, too, now. :) Sorry, couldn't resist

[Lauren]

Bubu wrote: "The other four don't even take place at the same time period. "

Thanks for the info!

[Lorien]

Finished, and I am a just a little bit disappointed.
(view spoiler)[ Everything about the romance was great, push that aside no complaints there.
BUT I wanted to know details about what Marcus had done, back in India. I wanted to read the whole letter(s). Like ALL of the details, and who was the guy who attacked Emma in the street. WHO killed Poppet! It's a compliment to the writer that I even cared, but I need more closer on the mystery part!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Lauren]

The impression that I got was that (view spoiler)[the guy who attacked Emma was hired by Marcus and Marcus sent the chocolates that killed Poppet. (hide spoiler)]

[Lorien]

Bubu wrote: "Haha Lorien, your husband's reaction was brilliant :) When I talk about the novels that I love (or hate), I can see his eyes glaze over lol :)

I've given up on Julia Quinn years ago. The last one ..."

My husbands eyes usually glaze over too. :/

I once lied and said it was a fantasy book, not a romance and he paid a little more attention. Which was disappointing.

Julia Quinn is still one of my favorites, but that might be because she is one the authors I found early on that I liked. I really like the book after The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, What Happens in London.

[Lorien]

Lauren wrote: "The impression that I got was that [spoilers removed]"

I guess I'd just like it spelled out? Literally....

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

I think I am the same with Quinn, Lorien. I do think the secret diaries of Miranda (?) is the worst one of hers, and I didn't like it, but I did really like What Happen in London too.

[Bubu]

Lorien wrote: "Finished, and I am a just a little bit disappointed.
Everything about the romance was great, push that aside no complaints there.

I don't know whether there are restrictions in book publication relating to specific genres. I noticed, for example, that the romances of old could be easily 500 pages long, whereas nowadays it's anything between 250-350 pages at most. Throughout the genre. Could be that MD had to keep to a certain page limit and wanted to concentrate on the romance.

Oooor, could be simply laziness. Who knows?

Because I always found Marcus to be an annoying character, it never bothered me.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Chapter 12

So moving. I really appreciate that it was public scene. No opportunity to make a deal to not know each other, extract some promise that goes against inclination & desire, the way so many stories do. It was real and raw and true.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Bubu wrote: "Lorien wrote: "Finished, and I am a just a little bit disappointed.
Everything about the romance was great, push that aside no complaints there.

I don't know whether there are restrictions in b..."

I think it has a lot to do with contacts/publishers. Rushed endings are frequently my biggest complaint. *spoiler not related to this book* (view spoiler)[ That was biggest complaint A Lady's Code of Misconduct and I was really annoyed by it! My biggest concern for Lockwoods. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

i really can't stand Delpinia and Lord Lockwood!

[Lorien]

Joanna wrote: "Bubu wrote: "Lorien wrote: "Finished, and I am a just a little bit disappointed.
Everything about the romance was great, push that aside no complaints there.

I don't know whether there are rest..."

ugg, yeah rushed endings are the worst.

I am just a sucker for murder/crime mysteries, I live for the who dun it moments. Law and Order, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Sherlock Holmes. It's all good.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

@Andrea I assume you were at the beginning of Part 1. They improve as you learn more of them I think.


@Lorien Have you tried Amanda Quick? She seems to have mystery involved in many of her books. Kelly Bowen is another one, who has some really good subplots.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

In the middle of chapter 16. Finally get to see the interaction between Lord Lockwood and his wife. I am really excited for their book. Overall, I am having an easier time with this second part than in my first read. More prepared for the angst, I guess.

[Lorien]

@Joanna, No I have not tried either of those authors. I'll have to keep that in mind.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Just starting the last Chapter

The scene b/w Delphinia and Julian is one that has always stuck with me. I think I appreciate that the 2 people most concerned with Emma’s welfare have a chance to have it out. Delphinia has been Emma’s support for 4 years, and I appreciate there was resolution with her.

@Lorien I agree that the mystery is wrapped up rather abruptly. It goes back to Marcus being too evil of a character. There is not enough balance between how “bad” he is and his being featured in the story. He feels like an afterthought, and it’s primarily because the relationship and connection between the MCs is the focus. They didn’t need this big subplot to make their story interesting, because they and their relationship are interesting.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Finished!