Amy Jarecki knocked it out of the park with The Highland Duke!  I loved everything about this book, the characters and plot. This book had it all- action, adventure and love.

*3.5 stars*

Oh, those highland games….

I’m always up for a jaunt in the Scottish Highlands and that cover had me right away! Geordie lived up to that smoldering glance as the secrets he held were serious and dangerous. Akira was a healer and when he was in need, she lived up to her calling, following him across the country dodging his foes that were now her own... 

And what a wild ride it was! He was injured but they needed to travel quickly. Geordie’s life was on the line and soon was Akira’s with enemies and friends around each corner. The tension was real and so was the affection that soon grew between them. Nothing like love under fire! Despite their differences, they each seemed to care more about others than themselves. Juggling what they should do, with what they felt they should do, made for a back and forth that smoldered through their whole story…

While I found the story stuttering in spots due to a rehashing of the problems they faced, it was quick to get back on track. With complicated (aka funny, endearing and exasperating) family, these two were surrounded by their enemies but protected by a great many who loved them. The ending was perfect with multiple epilogues that brought a satisfying end to their journey.  A great start to a series that had me, happily, lost in the moors…

http://www.wesonerdy.com/2017/03/28/spotlightgiveaway-the-highland-duke-by-amy-jarecki/

I absolutely love books set in Scotland, for two reasons, my family is from Scotland and it gives me insight into part of who I am and secondly Scotland is so beautiful and such a wonderful setting.

This book was everything I was expecting and hoping for. It was such an intriguing plot, full of action and romance. It also had two amazing characters that were so real and enjoyable. They were both very well-written. The romance was just so amazing because it's between a Duke and a gypsy.

Another thing that I really enjoy in books are gypsies and I just never read much involving them. If you enjoy historical romance or books set in Scotland, I would definitely recommend this book.

Scotland is in turmoil (but then when isn't Scotland in turmoil). Once again Scotland and England are at loggerheads over who is the true ruler of Scotland. Queen Anne claims the throne but many Scots support  the king across the water - James Stuart. Akira, a healer is scouring the Hoord Moor battlefield looking for someone she can he!p. She comes across a man gravely wounded with a musket ball in his thigh. Only he is not supposed to be there, if found by the English captain, his lands and maybe his very life may be forfeit. So Akira and Geordie flee to his lands in the Highlands. What follows is a storyline full of adventure, danger, intrigue, and of course an impossible romance. There were many times during the course of the tale I did not think the characters would ever find their HEA. As with other Amy Jarecki books, this is a very good read. Akira is a very likeable heroine. Geordie is a bit arrogant, has a one track mind (sex), but still a nice laddie. This book does introduce us to two new characters who I am sure will make great heroes. Indeed her next book is about one of them. Looking forward to reading it.

The book opens with healer Akira finding the badly injured Geordie on the battlefield. Unwilling to provide his name because he’s a Duke who just rode against Queen Anne’s army, Geordie is smitten with the wisp-of-a-girl who is like an angel. Due to the determined redcoats hunting him, Geordie must take Akira with him as he escapes. Soon the pair is running for their lives, yet neither is willing to walk away.

The Highland Duke held a lot of promise, and by the conclusion, I was satisfied with the story. However, a slow and rocky start almost made this book a DNF for me. In the end, I enjoyed the pairing of Akira and Geordie, but it took a long time for me to get on board with their romance.

Akira is a young, innocent, poor girl with Romany heritage. This makes her and her family shunned. Yet she remains hopeful and helpful despite those who treat her poorly. She’s a solid character, yet her naivety creates a huge unbalance when matched with the powerful Duke of Gordon.

Geordie is weathered and rough. He’s lived a full life, having divorced, fought, etc. He’s easy around the ladies and just comes off so much older than Akira (he is ten years her senior). She’s SOOOO young and naive. She’s a virgin and never been around any man in an intimate capacity. Not even hugged by her father, as he was never in the picture. It was difficult for me to get into their story, for rather than sexual tension and sparks, I saw an “old man” who is lying to a young girl that he lusts after.

Another concern I had was that Geordie uses his position as an injured soldier to "tease" Akira. But to me it is sexual harassment as he uses his knowledge and power to put her into compromising positions; ones that Akira feel are improper behaviors. It's not cute or fun, to me it's destructive because she is so innocent.

It really isn’t until after 50% mark that the book started working for me. Once Akira started standing up for herself and exerting confidence, she becomes her own person—one strong enough to stand up to and match Geordie. While I continued to struggle with her naivety, which was too much for my tastes, she finally becomes a worthy heroine.

In the end, I enjoyed the historical references and lovely Scottish Highland scenery that is the base for The Highland Duke. And despite the difficulties I had with the first half of the story, I found the action and romance of the second half of the book an enjoyable read.

My Rating:  C+ Liked It, but I had issues

She'll put her life on the line for him . . .
When Akira Ayres finds the brawny Scot with a musket ball in his thigh, the healer has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to save his life. Even if it means fleeing with him across the Highlands to tend to his wounds while English redcoats are closing in. Though Akira is as fierce and brave as any of her clansmen, even she's intimidated by the fearsome, brutally handsome Highlander who refuses to reveal his name. 


Yet she can never learn his true identity.
Geordie knows if Akira ever discovers he's the Duke of Gordon, both her life and his will be forfeit in a heartbeat. The only way to keep the lass safe is to ensure she's by his side day and night. But the longer he's with her, the harder it becomes to think of letting her go. Despite all their differences, despite the danger-he will face death itself to make her his . . .

 
* * * * *
 
When you are in the mood for historical romance, nothing scratches that itch quite like a Highlander in a kilt. And Geordie is definitely that.  Now if only I didn't have to read his thoughts on how gorgeous Akira is.  It's almost like he is stuck in a grove.  I mean there are so many times that I can read about the color of her eyes without wanting to throw the book across the room.
 
Akira is almost as bad but I did enjoy her character more. She's from tinker stock which means that almost everyone checks their belongings after she is invited in to save a life.   It has hardened her but being a healer, she cares a lot about others.  

The setting is gorgeous!  And Ms. Jarecki has a way of painting the scenery with her words.  I just wish that the pacing had moved along at a faster clip.  I did find it difficult to finish because my mind kept wandering away from the story.

THE HIGHLANDER DUKE was an okay read but not one that I would recommend to my readers.  It's too wordy and the pacing needed a shot of adrenaline.  

*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions expressed within are my own.

Very dramatic, lots of suspense and intrigue. I've not read a Scottish/Highland novel with a gypsy type character in it, so I enjoyed that different twist on a common romance trope. Akira was feisty and interesting, and Geordie played his cards close to his vest, and watching them open up to each other and fall in love was wonderful.

I am a fan of Ms. Jarecki and THE HIGHLAND DUKE is a rousing adventure full of adventure, danger, betrayal and prejudice. Akira is a Gypsy healer who happens upon a wounded George Gordon, the Duke of Gordon on a Jacobite battlefield. He hasn't marched under his own flag because it's treason to defy Government troops. Finding Gordon in the forest surrounding the battlefield, she employs her best healing techniques trying to save his life. It's a decision that will change the course of her life.

The book was full of one surprise after another. Just when you think Gordon and Akira might have a chance at happiness, something else happens. Gordon's character could be a bit of a jerk, but his love and devotion to Akira was never in doubt. Akira was a sweet and loving innocent who offers assistance to everyone who needs it. She has no idea of the ins and outs of the aristocracy and she pushes Gordon away. How will he win her love? He must dig deep, not only to prove to Akira that being a commoner does not matter to him, but also prove himself to her mother.

I was engaged with this book from page one all the way to end. Fans of Scottish romances will absolutely adore this story.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Highland Duke was a great 5 star read.
I love historical romance and was excited to read this book.

Akira is a healer and happens to come across Geordie, who is injured and unable to help himself. 
George (Geordie) is the first Duke of Gordon and is keeping his identity from Akira. He convinces her to help him. 

Things take a dangerous twist when they are discovered by the red coats. They take off and George becomes the protector. As they spend time together their attraction grows. However Akira is a commoner so there can never be anything more than a mistress. Will they be able to make things work? What will happen when Akira finds out who he really is?

I promise I will not take your innocence. 

There is so much more to this great read. We learn a lot more about George and his family. 
I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was coming next. And the twist was definitely one I didn’t see coming. I really liked George he was a Duke through and through, very strong, dominating and had honor when it came to Akira. Akira was a very innocent woman but strong. Amy Jarecki does a great job of pulling you in with her writing. I look forward to reading more from this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. Reviewed by MAustin from Alpha Book Club

I loved this book, as I do all of Amy Jarecki books. Her stories are interesting and very detailed.

From the first sentence, “ The dead Highland soldier stared vacantly at the thick low-hanging clouds” the author had already snared me. It’s a hook which had me question how can a dead Highlander stare at anything?

I find myself on a battlefield, just outside the village Dunkeld. The story is riveting, suspenseful and yet humorous.

Geordie crawls into the brush after being wounded. When he meets Akira, he is none other than Geordie, a man wounded in battle, and vulnerable. He shouldn’t even have been at the battle and if the Queen Ann were to find out, his head would be rolling. Geordie is a complex man, a man of secrets and secrets they must remain.

Every so often his dukeliness comes out. Dukeliness encompasses his pompous, self-absorbed, domineering nobleman traits, which raises Akira's hackles.

At one point she is entirely exasperated with him when he doesn't listen to her and demands to do things his way, thereby injuring himself further.

"Of all the ungrateful oafs I have ever met, you must be the most boorish. If you dare die in my care, I shall--I shall kill you!"

Akira is of gypsy blood and even the poor look down on her and her family. But the family works hard, the mother has done her best taking care of four children. Akira is sweet, innocent and a lovable character, and quite lovely to look at. Geordie has offered her money to aid him. Granted, the money is very important to Akira. She knows her family could live months on that amount.

Is it true opposites attract? A duke with all the trappings, a young woman with barely enough to eat and living in dismal conditions. What is the catalyst that brings them together?

Captain Roderick Weaver, leader to the Marquis of Atholl’s regiment of Government troops is a thorn in the duke’s side, and a devilish man. Hatred oozes from his pores. You will love to hate this antagonist. He easily is willing to forfeit anyone’s life who may stand in the way of riches. He’s a man who uses circumstances to gain more power.

I enjoy all the foul language Geordie spouts off and laugh at how Akira gives as good as she gets. I'm afraid to write it in my review for fear Amazon will reject the language. But it is funny to listen to him spout off. She eventually tells him,

“If I kent you were going to curse at me like a job from the alehouse, I would have gone home and left you to die!? She rolled to her hip and rubbed her backside."

I'm excited about starting this new series with this author. The second in the series will be out this summer, so you don't have long to wait for the sequel. Great entertainment! Oh, by the way, the audiobook is already out on this one. So if you prefer to listen to this new series, you needn't wait!

Healer, Akira Ayres comes across a man with who has been shot and lay dying after a battle. Not wanting to lose another patient she sees to his wound and then helps him escape the English redcoats. finds the brawny Scot with a musket ball in his thigh, the healer has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to save his life. Even if it means fleeing with him across the Highlands to tend to his wounds while English redcoats are closing in.

The Duke of Gordon knows his healer, Akira's, life will be in danger if she learns his true identity. Thus for a long time Akira only knows the Duke as Geordie. As they come to know each other with no titles or social differences, they fall in love for who they are at their core.

Soon the truth is made known and circumstances could drive them apart unless they can remain true to who they are at heart.

Amy Jarecki has to be one of the best at writing a true Highland romance. I love all the nuances she weaves in of that day and age. Yes, it is fictional but there is enough there to feel you have transported to that era.

The romance was believable and heartfelt and I can't wait for the subsequent books in this series.

I was drawn to The Highland Duke for its promise of a hidden identity story. Once I began reading I discovered it was so much more and was quickly caught up in the adventure, danger and romance all set against the Jacobite uprisings of the early 1700’s.

The battle had been fierce but Akira Ayres had no concern over the political war being fought near her home in Dunkeld. All she knew was that there would be many wounded still left on the field who needed her help as a healer. Searching the grounds of Hoord Moor for survivors, Akira is drawn to a nearby clump of trees by the sound of someone in distress. Following the moaning she finds a man dressed much better than any of the dead or wounded men she’s seen on the field. Before she can question who he is, Akira sees that he’s been shot in the leg and realizes that her skills may not be enough to treat that kind of injury. Her patient seems more concerned about leaving the field of battle than his injury and he commands her to do what she can to remove the musket ball and get him mobile.

George, Duke of Gordon, came to Hoord Moor to support his cousin and the Jacobites who were rising up against the royalist Marquis of Atholl. His wounded leg is nothing compared to the death sentence he will likely face if the Marquis’ guardsmen find him on the field with the other surviving clansmen. His only chance is to retreat from Dunkeld and travel back into his own territory or at least to lands controlled by a clan allied with his own. The beautiful healer might be his only chance at escape but without knowing where her loyalties lie there is no way he can tell her who he really is. Calling himself Geordie, he sends her off to purchase a horse while he continues to hide. Upon her return, Geordie fully intends to leave her behind and make his way alone to a neighboring clan; however the Captain of the guard gets there before he can leave and his wounded leg makes riding almost impossible. Understanding in an instant that he still needs the woman’s healing touch, Geordie pulls her onto the horse and together they ride farther into the Highlands and away from danger.

Akira has never been more than a few miles away from her home but her dedication to her patient keeps her with Geordie during his flight. Their slow progress through the dense forests of the Highlands keeps the pair in close company even while Akira forces herself to remain detached from the handsome man she knows is keeping secrets from her. With Geordie’s health getting worse the longer they ride away from danger, the more important it is for Akira to remain by his side despite the jeopardy he’s put her in. Their journey reveals Geordie to be verydifferent from the overbearing man she first cared for on the battlefield. He is considerate of her comfort, he protects her even at a great cost to himself, and he seems to find her attractive despite her Gypsy heritage.

Taking a risk that his feelings for her are sincere, Akira succumbs to her own attraction to Geordie in an incredible moment of sexual release. Unfortunately, however, once she discovers the truth of his identity any future she might have hoped to have with her Highlander are dashed. His position as a duke and her own background as an uneducated “tinker” puts them leagues apart in social class and in expectations. Added to that problem is the fear that the soldiers are still chasing after Geordie to prove he was supporting the Jacobites and her presence on Gordon land is all the evidence they’d need. It is only Geordie’s constant reassurances that his feelings are true that keeps Akira by his side; however the more she tries to be comfortable in the lavish world of the Duke of Gordon the less sure Akira is that her Geordie – the man underneath it all – will remain faithful to her.

The Highland Duke is a rich, romantic story from start to finish. Both Geordie and Akira are fully developed characters who each take a very personal journey of discovery. The labels each of them carry in society mean nothing while they are on the run. Akira is used to fighting against the inherent mistrust people have for her because she is a Gypsy. While traveling with Geordie she is treated as a true Scotswoman and appreciated for her skills and kindness rather than suspected due to her heritage. For Geordie, hiding his title from Akira is initially a way to keep himself safe but an unintentional side effect is that Akira treats him as she would any other man. Her concern for him never comes from what she hopes the exalted Duke of Gordon can do for her but is a heartfelt sentiment he has never felt from a woman before. That sense that he could be himself is freeing and gives Geordie the chance to strip himself of behaviors that were more associated with his title than who he really is.

Ms. Jarecki does an incredible job of weighing everything Geordie does with the politics of the time. The danger constantly nipping at his and Akira’s heels keeps the story from ever slowing down, even when the two have to take a moment to think about their relationship. His position as Duke of Gordon is only by the grace of Her Majesty, Queen Anne, and if it’s learned he is a Jacobite sympathizer it will cost his family everything. Still, when Akira is put at risk because of her association with him, Geordie is willing to sacrifice himself to prove that his loyalty to her is stronger than towards any sitting or deposed monarch.

I loved reading The Highland Duke. The book’s pace moves quickly but I never felt the characters or their emotions were left behind just to keep the plot going. I am eager to read the next book in the Lord of the Highlands series but may find myself revisiting Geordie and Akira’s story a second time just to revel in their perfect romance.

The Highland Duke is a Epic story of a healer that finds a Scotsman with a musket ball in his leg. And she will do anything to save him. Even flee from the Queens guard across the Highlands. She doesn't know who she is helping. She suspects he is a titled land owner. But she doesn't know he is the Duke of Gordon ! Amy has given us a treasure. She has given us a tail about the true Jacobite Duke of Gordon. The duke that was divorced in the 17th century. Something not done. I loved every minute of this story. And was sorry to see it over. I can't wait for the next adventure to come, The Highland Commander. I very highly recommend this book !!!!

As always, Ms Jarecki has written another compelling, addicting highlander novel.. Wonderful, likeable characters & a fast-paced plot! Brilliant!

Good read. Liked the characters and the story flow. Looks into history are a great backdrop for a good story. Entertaining and well done. The interaction between characters was done well. Always interesting to see how a couple from different backgrounds find their way to each other. Recommend reading.

Talk about going to my happy place, we have a scotsman who happens to be a duke. Seriously, you can't go wrong there. Anyway, Amy Jarecki has come out with a new series Lords of the Highlands.  The story takes place early 1700s where you find the Jacobite uprising. Definitely an interesting period. I would definitely recommend reading the author's note's after reading the story. I know this helped me out a lot with so my issues with the story. 

Anyway, George Gordon (aka Geordie) who happens to be the Duke of Gordon. Now he's in an area where he's not suppose to be fighting the good cause, but he's injured. Arika Aryes happens to find him and basically rescues him from death. Basically, they are on the run for most of the book. While trying to escape a perilous death they fall in love. The end. Just kidding. 

Actually, The Highland Duke is pretty good. We have Geordie who  is stuck of the confines of his title and he happens to fall in love with a tinker (gypsy). Gypsy were looked down upon, so to fall in love with her would be pretty bad. Anyway, he sees that she is sweet and kind, so it's easy to fall in love with her. Akira at first sees a stubborn man, but learns more about him and comes to love him. Yes, there love is tested as the story goes on. It's not easy being a duke and falling for someone who is deemed below a commoner. So, there relationship is an interesting dynamics. 

Anyway, I totally enjoyed The Highland Duke and I look forward to read more of this series. I hope to see one of the characters in this story get his own story eventually. 

Copy provided by Forever Romance via NetGalley

This is Amy at her best!! Brilliant!
Step into this powerful romance to find a love that will last forever. This is a beautiful full length novel, a beautifully written story where the H/h come together and have to overcome many obstacles for their HEA. I confess, my initial interest in all things Scottish Highlands started with Outlander, but Amy Jarecki’s books have surpassed that series. I loved this and will read it again.