The Broken Duke is a delicious, emotion filled, passionate romance between a duke, Graham, and Lady Adelaide. Each of the two main characters have secrets, and the revelation of those closeted skeletons could bring harm to them both. They are brought together by chance in more than one respect and their attraction to each other is not only physical, which is a scorching desire, but also emotional, as they've both experienced a pain filled past. The plot has an interesting set of twists, and some colorful characters from other books in this series, that made this story thoroughly enjoyable! I would recommend this to readers of romance who like a bit of intrigue and some serious heat with their HEA! This is the first book I have read in this series, as each can be read on its own. I am not only looking forward to the next- but plan to read the ones I've missed!

This is the story of Graham Everly, Duke of Northfield and Lady Adelaide aka Lydia Ford. If you have been following the series, you know that Graham was jilted in the previous book and that Lady Adelaide is dear friends with Emma, Duchess of Abernathe.

In the two months since Graham was jilted and lost his best friend in the process, he has been sulking. He didn't love Meg, but his pride was hurt and he was angry at both Simon and Meg for their betrayal. He has been drinking and brooding ever since. His fellow dukes have decided that he has sulked long enough and convince him to go out with them to see a play. Grudgingly he agrees and is immediately captivated by the actress Lydia Ford. After the play, he meets her backstage and they share a passionate kiss.

Lydia Ford is not who she seems, she is in reality Lady Adelaide, daughter of the late Earl of Longford. When she hears the Duke of Northfield wants to meet her, she is terrified that he will recognize her and she will be ruined. She started acting to escape her unhappy home life and has been successful in keeping her true identity a secret. By day, she is the dutiful niece to the abusive, unstable Lady Opal. She is a wallflower, who wears spectacles and dowdy gowns. But by night, she is the bold and talented actress Lydia Ford. She meets with Graham and is relieved that he doesn't seem to recognize her - but why would he? He is gorgeous, rich and popular and Lady Adelaide is a wallflower.

Graham feels lighter and happier after meeting Lydia and decides to stop hiding and return to society. To avoid a confrontation with Meg and Simon, Graham asks Lady Adelaide to dance and is surprised and delighted by her. The encounter causes Graham a bit of turmoil, how can he be attracted to two women at the same time? It isn't exactly easy for Adelaide either, she is attracted to Graham, but can't tell him her secrets.

Things between Graham and Lydia heat up and they share a passionate night together, but strangely, Graham feels out of sorts. He keeps crossing paths with Adelaide and they have formed a friendship. He has begun to care for Lydia, but he also has begun to care for Adelaide and his affair with Lydia makes him feel like he is betraying Adelaide. Adelaide is also having problems, the least of which is she is jealous.....of herself.

When a villain from the past attacks Lydia, Graham beats the man senseless and Lydia saves him from himself. They share another night together and Graham shares his deepest, darkest secrets with her. Adelaide is horrified by the pain and suffering Graham endured as a child and admits to herself that she is falling in love with this broken man. She knows that she will have to tell him her secrets and soon, as their night together might have complications. Graham awakens to find Lydia gone and he is more confused than ever - he wants both women and has no idea what to do. He turns to his friend James, Duke of Abernathe (Meg's brother & Emma's husband) for advice.

When Adelaide returns home, her aunt loses control and attacks her, she is saved when her friend Emma arrives and takes her to her home. Graham is also at Emma's house and James tells him to let Adelaide go. He accepts this advice with a heavy heart, but when he goes to leave, he finds Adelaide in the library. When he sees her, he is confused, she looks more like Lydia and when she confesses the truth, he is overjoyed. They share another passionate encounter and he makes a decision.

The next day, he arrives to see Adelaide and tell her of his plans, but they are interrupted by her aunt and then by an agent from the home office with the news that Graham is the prime suspect in a murder. To save Graham, Adelaide confesses her affair with Graham. Her aunt goes crazy and attacks Adelaide again. Once she is taken out of the house, Adelaide and Graham decide to find out who the true killer is. Once they do, Graham tells Adelaide that they will marry.

The truth of the murder and his acceptance of his feelings for Adelaide, lead Graham to reconcile with Simon and Meg. It also lead Adelaide to try and make amends with her aunt.

This book is so good! It is well written, flows perfectly, has steamy love scenes, great secondary characters, a lot of secrets, nasty villains, some heart stopping moments, reconciliations and finally a sigh worthy HEA.

I would highly recommend this book, it is the third in the series and could be read as a stand alone title, but I think you would have a great understanding of the character's motivations if you read the series in order.

Graham Everly, Duke of Northfield, was engaged to his best friend’s sister for nearly a decade. He was betrayed by both his fiancee and a man he though of as a brother when the pair were found in a compromising position. Graham doesn’t know how to forgive or forget until he sets eyes on actress Lydia Ford.

Lydia walks the boards by night, but by day she is blends in with the walls in ballrooms all over London as Adelaide Longford. Since her parent’s deaths, Adelaide has lived with her stern and at times cruel aunt, Lady Opal. Her only outlet as Adelaide is her friendship with Emma, the new Duchess of Abernathe. Lydia gives her the freedom to be someone else, if even for only a few hours at a time.

In the previous two novels, I found Graham to be very stiff and off putting. I was excited to see what kind of woman would take him over, body and soul. For a majority of the novel, Graham is obsessed and torn between what he feels for both Lydia and Adelaide. When Michaels describes the different looks of the two lady personas, I understand how Graham could not tell the two ladies were the same woman. Graham is transformed from the broken, betrayed Duke into a lusty and loyal man he was always meant to be.

Adelaide’s upbringing by her maiden aunt was borderline brutal. Her accidental introduction to the theater a few years before opened a whole new world to her. Not only did she find something she loved and was utterly fulfilling, it brought her to her destiny, the Duke of Northfields.

I loved the unusual way Michaels brought this duo together and the reintroduction of the villain from the first novel of the series, Sir Archibald. Not only do we get a complex and fascinating love story, we get two villains in Archibald and Opal who cause more than enough havoc for an entire lifetime.

It is with absolute honesty that I convey to you that I devoured this novel in one day. I could not stop reading as every page had something worthwhile to absorb. There is not a single paragraph that needs to be skimmed. I had my doubts about Graham’s story, but Michaels blew me away once again. She gave Graham lessons I never thought he would learn and brought forgiveness to his heart and soul. With the discovery of unconditional love, Graham and Adelaide were able to leave the heartless past behind and create a blissful future together.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I've read the other books in this series, as well as several others by this author.. The book is interesting and passionate, but not really true to the era. Nevertheless, it is a fun read, as all her books are, with a dynamic and interesting H, he's been depressed since the end of his betrothal, which was the subject of the last book. The h is a Lady, who sneaks out to act in plays, of course against societal norms. He finds himself arrtacted to the actress, but also the Lady. Having disguised herself somewhat, he doesn't realize they are the same woman, and she's jealous of herself. It was a quick, fun read. Recommend for a quick read.

Def would reccomend this book!! Awesome read , believable and lovable characters

To thoroughly understand the relationships and the background behind the characters , reading the two previous books would be of benefit ..... but this book can still be enjoyed as a standalone .

Adelaide Longford is considered a wallflower in London's ballrooms BUT she has a passion for the Theater , and is receiving outstanding reviews under a pseudonym , Lydia Ford . She knows she is risking everything if she is discovered but her life , devoid of excitement , is swiftly passing by .

Graham Everly, Duke of Northfield, was betrayed by his best friend and former fiancee , humiliated and drinking to excess to hides his pain , avoiding all his friends , he reluctantly accepts an invitation to the Theater .
He is intrigued by Lydia , drawn to her spirited repartee he sets out to seduce her and their affair begins . But his life takes another turn when at a ball he meets Adelaide , whose best friend is married to another of his friends from the 1797 Club . He is confused by his attraction to both women , passionate Lydia and prickly Adelaide .... torn between which future to take .

When Graham discovers Adelaide's deception will he be able to forgive her and will he be able to protect her from a danger that both have yet to realise is near .

An enjoyable Historical Romance with a touch of danger that keeps the reader enthralled .

Hope is believing that all it takes is the right person to come along. No, Graham was not looking for that but he got it anyway. Graham is broken and holds onto the notion that he is not good enough to give anyone the love that they need. Adelaide/Lydia will have none of that kind of foolishness. She is strong and nothing will convince her that Graham is not the man she knows him to be. I loved this story. I know there have only been three books in this series, but Graham definitely ranks as my favorite of the series.

Ms. Michaels' continues her 1797 club series with the next duke to encounter love. I have read the first two novels and Ms. Michaels' continues to keep me entertained with her writing. I look forward to the next novel in the series. I read the second novel in the series, so I understood the background for the Duke of Northfield. It is not necessary, but to understand some of the plot in this novel, you should read "Her Favorite Duke".
Adelaide Longford is a wallflower in London's ballrooms and the actress Lydia Ford in the theater. She keeps her secret identity of Lydia to herself, since Lydia represent everything she could not be as Adelaide. Adelaide speaks her mind though, but hides herself with her attire. Her home life is not ideal either. Men has pursued Lydia, but she rejects them all, until Graham Everly, Duke of Northfield, enters.
Graham was betrayed by his friend and former fiancee. He has been drinking and angry with them. He has avoided them for months and is rarely seen at society functions. When he sees Lydia perform, he is instantly attracted to her and wants her. However, he meets Adelaide and is intrigued by her. Graham wants both woman, but how could he want two different women?
Adelaide helps Graham to get out of his "funk" and makes him see a different perspective on the outcome of his friends' "betrayal". Graham pursues both Lydia and Adelaide, but knows he cannot have them both. He needs to let one of them go, but which one and who would accept the darkness that lingers inside him? Adelaide and Graham both have their secrets and letting someone in could impact their lives in ways they did not know possible. But when you factor in love, all bets are off.

What a great read. Adelaide has been living with a secret few know about and Graham starts showing an interest in her that could reveal her secrets. Graham has been hiding from society since he ended his engagement with Meg now he meets actress Lydia and Adelaide and he suddenly finds himself wanting two women.