The Most Dangerous Duke In London is a wonderful series starter book from Madeline Hunter. I adore this author's storytelling and as usual this one was a delightful page turner.

Adam and Clara had a tumultuous relationship from the very beginning. They were caught in the middle of a family feud but even from their first meeting they wanted each other. Before too long they both found themselves torn between family loyalties and their growing feelings for one another. I got a definite Romeo and Juliette vibe from this romantic tale. It was loaded with passion and emotion that played out amidst secrets and betrayals on both sides.

I really loved this first story in the Decadent Dukes trilogy and can't wait to read the next one, A DEVIL OF A DUKE.

ARC Kindle Copy for Review

Their families have been enemies since their grandfathers’ time.

The Duke of Stratton returns to London after years in France and the mysterious death of his father who appeared to commit suicide. Rumors had it that his father was helping to support Napoleon’s army due to that his wife was French did not help. Adam returns home wanting to know the truth after all.

But to his surprise he is summon by the Dowager of his family enemy who wants a truce between the families and using her youngest granddaughter Emilia, as marriage bait. But it is Clara the o;dest which catches his eyes.

Clara does not want anything to do with him and does not understand why her deceased father would want her sister to marry the enemy. She tries to snub him but he continues to woe her.

Along the way, she slowly weakens against him as she fights the idea of marriage to him. A sweeping tale of romance and intrigue,

Madeline Hunter is a tough one for me. She is a very skilled writer, and her way with prose (and the historical romance genre) keeps her at the top of the pile. HOWEVER...as I have with the last few of her books, I really struggled to like the Hero.

Don't get me wrong: I love me a strong, arrogant, even jerk of an alpha...however Adam really takes the cake. Ruthless to the enth, especially in the first half of the book I just kept wanting to tell Clara "YOU CAN DO SO MUCH BETTER THAN HIM! Even the single life would be better than him!!"

Clara on the other hand is awesome. Super independent, prickly, interesting, intelligent; she loves her family despite their obvious flaws, and single-mindedly pursues her passion for publishing a women's journal. Dude, I loved her. (Except for how quickly she fell under Adam's spell...)

3 stars.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

I loved The Most Dangerous Duke in London. For being only book one of a series, I was surprised by how smoothly it flowed. I can't wait to see what it's in store for our other two Decadent Dukes.

I have read some of Madeline Hunter's novels and I have enjoyed them. This book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the plot of the story and the characters. This novel contains romance, mystery, and revenge.
Clara Cheswick is a member of the family whom is Adam Penrose, Duke of Stratton's enemy. He blames her father for the demise and death of his father. He returns from France, seeking revenge.
Clara is a bluestocking and is publishing a woman's journal. She keeps the journal a secret from everyone, except for those who write for the journal. Clara enjoys horseback riding and other activities that could be considered unladylike for this time period.
When Clara's grandmother and half-brother decide Stratton should marry Clara's half-sister, Clara disagrees. Stratton sees the intelligence and trouble in Clara and desires her from the moment she turned her back on him. He has a motive for spending time with Clara, but that changes as he spends more time with her. Clara tries to avoid Adam, but he is very persistent. Clara finds herself falling in love with him, even though she has no desire to marry. Clara does not want to lose her independence. Both Adam and Clara are keeping secrets from each other.
Adam wants to discover the truth and will do whatever it takes to discover it, even if it means using Clara. However, sometimes the price you pay for the truth is not worth losing the thing you care the most for. In Adam's quest for revenge, will he destroy the family of the woman he has come to love? Part of the mystery is trying to figure out exactly happened between the two families all those years ago and the author does a great job of keeping you guessing until the truth is revealed.