A Duke a Dozen by Shana Galen
Publisher & Release: Self Published, September 3, 2019
Time and setting: Regency, London
Genre: Historical Romance
Book Length: 249 Pages
Heat Level: 1 Flame
Rating: 5 Gold Crowns
Book Description:
They call him the Doomed Duke.
Phineas Duncombe, ninth Duke of Mayne, should not be the duke. After all, he had four—count them—four older brothers! Phin never wanted the dukedom, and the suspicious circumstances of the eighth duke’s death lead Phin to question the Countess of Longstowe. The beautiful widow isn’t at all what Phin expected. He’s intrigued by her and determined to seduce her. The countess is not interested in Phin romantically, but when she comes to him with another request, he can’t deny it. A few days in the country with Lady Longstowe reveal two truths to the new duke. One, he cares for the countess much more than any other woman he’s ever known. Two, Phin either has very bad luck or someone is trying to kill him.
They call her the Wanton Widow.
They call her the Wanton Widow.
Annabel was barely eighteen when she was married to the elderly Earl of Longstowe. A harsh, sadistic man, the earl’s death was not something Annabel mourned. Now in her mid-forties, Annabel enjoys her widowhood and has no desire to ever be under a man’s thumb again. Not even a handsome duke like Mayne, who is far too young for her anyway. Annabel’s one desire is to find the daughter who was taken away from her. For that she needs a man with power and status. She needs the Duke of Mayne. When the two are thrust together, Annabel struggles to fight her attraction to the charming Phin. She’s losing the battle. But can she ever trust another man, especially with the one part of herself she’s never given away—her heart?
Buy Links:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-duke-a-dozen-shana-galen
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Vikki’s Musings
As with all of Shana Galen’s historical romances, she has again delivered a tale with sparkling dialogue and an adventure-packed plot. I’m so glad I accepted an invitation from the author, to read and review A Duke a Dozen, book six in the Survivors series. My opinions are my own and are not influence in any way.
Phineas, the Duke of Manne, is thrust into a role he’d never expected, nor wanted. Losing the four brothers who stood between him and the dukedom is beyond his comprehension, leaving him reeling. While dealing with this massive undertaking, the last thing he needs or wants is a widow beseeching him to use his influence to help her find her missing twenty-year-old daughter.
That sets up the need for Phin and Annabel’s daily contact, which creates a perfect storm of emotions and sexual tension. Each knows nothing can come of their attraction for each other. There are just too many obstacles for anything permanent. Nonetheless, their passion cannot be denied. Can they put aside all those reasons, or must duty end their liaison, breaking both of their hearts?
A Duke a Dozenis another fine example of Shana Galen’s talent as an author. Her characters are vibrant and fully fleshed out. The story flows smoothly, and the plot is beyond unique. Most heroes are older than the heroines in Regency romances. Ms. Galen has the heroine many years older! That alone had me eagerly flipping the pages on my Kindle, dying to see how she would pull this off.
At first, I had my doubts that Annabel, fifteen years older than the hero, could ever appeal to me, but I must admit––she’s such an intriguing character, I suspended my skepticism. Her back story is heartbreaking. Not only did she have an abusive marriage with the late earl, the man stole her daughter away when the child was only a toddler. That alone made me want her to finding happiness.
Phin’s character makes an interesting hero. Although he’s dealing with such upheaval in his life, he cannot resist helping Annabel find her daughter. Not only is he a war hero, he has a tender heart as well. That had me immediately falling in love with Phin. His patience and care of Annabel touched me deeply.
Although Phin and Annabel should not fit, they do in a most spectacular way. Annabel believes she’s frigid, and Phin proves she’s not, and he does it in a most deliciously entertaining way. The chemistry between them is amazing, and I truly wanted them to find a way to be together and beat the odds!
If you’re a fan of Regency romances with plenty of emotion and compelling characters, then you will love A Duke a Dozenas much as I. I highly recommend this book and this very talented author. This book is a fantastic addition to her Survivor’sseries. Happy reading!
Author Bio:
Shana Galen is three-time Rita award nominee and the bestselling author of fast-paced, witty, and adventurous Regency romances. Kirkus says of her books, "The road to happily-ever-after is intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun," and RT Bookreviews calls her books "lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making.
Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shanagalen
Amazon Author page: https://smile.amazon.com/Shana-Galen/e/B0034NXF34?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshanagalen
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