ARC Review: Between the Devil and the Duke by Kelly Bowen

Recommended Read!

“…this series is a breath of fresh air to the genre. ”
~ Under the Covers

This series has sneakily gotten to be one of my favorite finds of the last year! After reading the first book I wasn’t that certain, but the different appeal of the storylines was the one thing that hooked me then. With every installment after that, Kelly Bowen has cemented herself as a historical romance author I’ll be on the lookout for more. BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DUKE delivered on everything I’ve been anxiously awaiting for since the hero first made his mysterious appearance in book one.

With a good dose of intrigue and mystery, and cover ups of society’s unwanted gossip, this series is a breath of fresh air to the genre. I find myself looking for this more and more and this is one of the authors that I think delivers. Alexander Lavoie is the club owner of the town’s gambling establishment. He’s rumored to be a spy, an assassin, ruthless. But what is actually truth and what is fiction? His character is a scarred larger than life, alpha, protective man. The kind that makes your heart beat a little faster because of his good looks, the power that oozes off of him and the air of danger that surrounds him. To go toe to toe with him we needed a special heroine.

Here’s the next thing I love… SMART heroines. Angelique Archer has fallen down on her luck. Her family’s fortune has mysteriously vanished before the death of her father. Now she’s trying to use her wits and brain to earn enough money to keep her family fed while her irresponsible brother is only out to get in trouble. Strong, feisty, independent and determined. All are qualities that make Angelique stand out. But what I loved the most about her was the fearless way in which she faced Alexander at every step of the way. She stands on her own two feet, even assisting him when needed, instead of cowering behind him.

I loved these two together. The romance was hot, the chemistry was palpable, the story was engaging. It’s my favorite yet in this series and I can’t wait for more.