Darcy Burke „The Duke of Ice“ (The Untouchables 7) – 5 stars

„The Duke of Ice“ is the 7th novel in the „Untouchable“ series by Darcy Burke. I have read all the others and enjoyed this series from the first book on. I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First of all it is not important to have read the previous six novels but it gives kind of an insight into the circle of Dukes we are playing with.

This novel kind of starts with a house party the Duke of Ruin wants to attend because even though his nick name is not really positive he wants and needs to find a wive because he is in need of an heir sooner or later. The Duke of Ice, Nicholas Bateman, on the other side is famous because the rumour say, he murdered his wife. But he did not only lose his wife but also his child. He does not care about the ton or society, what everybody else thinks of him, nevertheless he is the Duke of Ice – as cold as Ice. Because of his friend he attends this house party and when he enters, he sees a familiar face – Lady Violet Pendleton.

Violet is a young widow and the best friend of the hostess. She did not know that HE is the Duke of Ice, that he is a duke at all. In their youth they knew each other and fell in love while she stayed with relatives in Bath. They wanted to run away together – a happily ever after. But as soon as her father knew she was married of to Pendleton, whom she could not give an heir. Not even a child. She was pregnant several times but no babe survived.

To see each other again is not easy for either of them because of what happened years ago. Violet had informed Nicholas but he never got the letter, for him she simply vanished though they had those big plans. He is angry with her because later on he lost his brother in the war, inherited a title he never wanted, lost his wife and child – what more could happen? And all because she married a man with a title back then. She does not know about what he has been through because she does not listen to rumours at all.

Nevertheless there is this tension between them. Anger, hope, want. But he is the Duke of Ice and if he gets married again, it should be an unemotional relationship. Nobody he could lose his heart to again. The question is if Violet will be able to melt the ice heart of Nicholas or not.

Darcy did a great job – AGAIN! Those characters are so well developed, the dialogues witty and you can feel Nicholas‘ pain.

Rating: 5 stars!

Anna Bradley „More or Less a Marchioness“ (Sumerset Sisters 1) – 4 Stars

„More or Less a Marchioness“ by Anna Bradley is the first novel in her new series „The Sumerset Sisters“. I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First of all this is not my first Anna Bradley novel, I already enjoyed „The Sutherland Sisters“ so I already mixed those up in the beginning.

It took me quite long to get into this story because I really felt no connection towards Iris, the female lead, in the beginning. I think it took me more than 15 percent of the novel but I did not want to put it away though I was shortly before.

Lord Huntington and his friends wager over cards and he loses, so he cannot court his first choice but has to court and wed Iris, one of the three headstrong Sumerset sisters. In the beginning she seems dull and boring and it took me quite long to get behind her facade. She plays the boring and dull lady to hide her rebellious streak.
It is not like Lord Huntington is really into her but he is a man of his word, so he courted her, asked for her hand in marriage, she agreed to it and they kind of set a date for the marriage already when she finally jilts him because … well because of a few reasons. Without going into too many spoilers: there is a frivolous mistress involved, a kiss, the wagering …

As soon as I got over the initial boring first 15 percent I really enjoyed the story and I fell for Huntington, I did not really connect with Iris though. She is a nice character, well developed but not my cup of tee.
But my favourite character was Lady Annabel, the wicked widow. She is the connection between those two strong headed adults, who really enjoys paring those two off. She is not shy to introduce Iris to erotic literature and that is one of the aspects I really enjoyed about the novel, those references to existing erotic novels and the missing education. Women had no clue about the amorous activities. They knew little about their body and their pleasures, respectively taking their pleasure.
Another part of the story I really enjoyed is „Chaos“, the huge horse. This strand of the plot was different from the usual involvements of animals in Regency novels.

All in all – a 4 Star Rating.

Renee Ann Miller „Never Dare a Wicked Earl“ (Infamous Lords 1) – 5 stars

„Never Dare a Wicked Earl“ by Renee Ann Miller is the first Book in the „Infamous Lords“ series and my first by this writer. I got this ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well I had not heard from Renee Ann Miller and the cover of the preview was not, honestly said, very intriguing, it is cheap and far away from a book I usually would buy. Nevertheless the synopsis sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try and started it last night. I immediately fell in love with the main protagonists and Lady Olivia, the huge dog. I could not put the book aside and read it through all the skiing races, ski jumping, tour the ski etc. – I have not really a clue about the sport results at all.

It`s not one of those completely unrealistic stories because I already wondered over the last year how so many innocent young 19th Century ladies can have sex before their wedding and never ever fall pregnant. How realistic.
In this story it is finally different. But the whole story is a little different from the novels I have read lately. Both have a backpack from their past they carry around, both have a past, are older and wiser but they fall for each other immediately but do not want to give in – in the beginning. The story turns quickly into a passionate story, lots of passion between two adults and a progressing love story. It is not easy to give in, to allow to love because of their past. Both have secrets they do not want to share and the ways they come behind things are not always honest.

Many would say that Sofia, the female lead, should have resisted him longer because she wanted to become a physician, wanted to be a strong female in a world of men. But honestly said, when the heart is engaged in something most of the time the head is too. Nevertheless she stays passionate about her independence and fights for it.
Hayden, the Earl of Westfield, could also have resisted her for a longer period but on the one hand he had the wrong image of her after some news from a private investigator and on the other hand he is a passionate man who fell for her.

The sex scenes are tastefully written, the characters well portrait and developed and the story is different. You know from the beginning that those two belong together but you understand that they have to find a way to grow, grow to overcome their past and grow to be the person they want to be for each other.

Very well done, Renee Ann!

Rating: 5 stars