5 helms

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What a decadent romance! My goodness! I loved it! I was so swept up with Amanda and Gabriel I could not stop thinking about them! This was my first Madeline Hunter novel....I've always heard good things but never had a chance to read her till now...very impressed :)

Amanda Waverly is currently leading a double life....By day, a respectable secretary to the eccentric widow, Lady Farnsworth and by night, a thief involved in illegal activity in hopes of freeing her mother. Gabriel St. James, the Duke of Langford is temptation incarnate, reckless, has a wicked reputation around town and is not shy about it.
Amanda encounters Gabriel at a masked ball and realises he is her only way to acquire her next object so she allows herself to indulge in the temptation of Gabriel while she plots her next move. She is entranced by him and he is enraptured by her but he still doesn't know her name or who she is...She is the enigma that plagues him until he figures out who she is and what she means to him.....


Wow what a read....I really am quite impressed by Madeline Hunter's charming H/h and the cast of secondary characters too! Amanda and Gabriel are quite a unique couple as you really have them at opposite ends of the spectrum in their social standing and throughout the entire book I was like HOW ARE THESE TWO GOING TO WORK IT OUT!?! I was quite stressed and emotional actually haha...Luckily for me, as the reader, I knew this was a romance and it would end well, but placing myself in Amanda's shoes, I just couldn't imagine what she was going through! (hahaha see I told you I was really caught up in this :P )

Amanda is clever, quick-witted and quite a lovely heroine. She is also a bit of a mystery at the start even to us as readers, which really increases her appeal. I thoroughly enjoyed Amanda, her personality and her uniqueness...I also really liked how Amanda was always so real about her situation and social standing when it came to Gabriel. She definitely was not a gold digger and never expected anything more than a fleeting friendship from him towards the end. And, when he finally did propose and take her by surprise, I found this scene so touching <sniff>.

Gabriel is very cute too and oh so lovable as a match for Amanda! His stoic acceptance of her reasons for her thieving ways is surprising but commendable...Never once did I feel like this situation sounded absurd...Their relationship and camaraderie with one other were lovely and I really enjoyed seeing their growth and passion as a couple.

If you aren't convinced enough, here are some other points I liked about the book:

1) The heroine is not a virgin (hooray for some variation in the HR genre!)
2) The trio of Decadent Dukes and their friendship is to die for and their hilarious playfulness and banter with each other is just too cute! #frienshipgoals #bromance
3) Madeline Hunter's mastery of the historical genre is spot on really really well done!
4) The banter! Oh, the banter! The H/h, the friends, the secondary characters everyone just had some witty comment or comeback and it just made me grin stupidly most of the time...it was just too good!
5) The menagerie of secondary characters...everyone was charming especially Amanda's employer Lady Farnsworth! She was my absolute favourite...

This can be read as a stand alone as I haven't read the first in series either!

Read it! Read it NOW! Beg, Borrow or Steal <take a page from Amanda's book ;) > hahaha THAT WAS A JOKE! But seriously it's that good! I'm gonna go back and read the first one in the series so that I can wait impatiently for Brentworth's story :D He is soooo mysterious! <fanning self>

*Thank-you Madeline Hunter, Netgalley & Zebra Kensington Books for the ARC.

This is a difficult review to write for me because my feelings towards the book are very tepid; it was a so-so read for me. If something is 1 or 2 stars, I have passionate dislike for it and usually many things to rant about; if something is 4 or 5 stars, I can write essays rhapsodizing over my love for it. But A Devil of a Duke was firmly middle-of-the-road. 

I will say that the author's writing is technically well done and the story flows smoothly, I can visualize the events quite clearly. The central mystery was not wholly engaging, but I did skim through the second half primarily to see how this was resolved. However, even that is half-hearted praise; I wanted to see how it ended, but I wasn't interested enough to read the story properly and skipped large chunks along the way to the ending. 

For me, the main failing was with the lead characters because I didn't develop any affection for them, I didn't feel any chemistry between them so I wasn't rooting for their happily-ever-after, and due to this lack of engagement, reading the story was a bit of a slog. I liked the idea of the cat burglar heroine, that was a unique concept I haven't come across before, but Amanda frustrated me because she was ruled by her hormones. She went to great lengths to make Gabriel give his word as a gentleman that he wouldn't sleep with her, and it was all because she was so swoony over him that she didn't trust herself not to fall at his feet. I mean, the stakes are really high here, it's only her mother's life at stake, but she's so hot & bothered by Gabriel that her loins overrule her head, okay then. 

As for Gabriel, I did appreciate that he did hold his honor in high regard and that even when he had a willing woman in his arms practically begging him to do the deed, he still refrained from fully sealing the deal as she had requested previously. But on the other, it was a bad look that she constantly told him she wanted nothing to do with him, and he kept forcing his presence on her and manipulating the situation to ensure that she had no choice but to meet with him.

The funny thing is that the friendships in this book were more realistic and believable than the romance. I could see glimpses of Gabriel's growing feelings for Amanda, although it did seem to be primarily lust for her and the thrill of the chase, but I'm not convinced at all that she developed affection for him, let alone fell in love. In contrast, the bromance between Gabriel and his fellow Decadent Dukes was fun and witty and solid, and I also liked the fellowship of ladies that reached out to include Amanda and to try and protect and nurture her. But unfortunately, while a perk, that's not what I pick up a romance novel for, so this was a bit of a bust.

Gabriel St. James, in A Devil of a Duke, is playing the watchful big brother to Harry when he sees a lady trying to catch Harry’s eye. In a meekly, self-sacrificing way, Gabriel draws the lady away and into his arms. Thus begins a cat and mouse game between Amanda Waverly, secretary to a ladies magazine, and Gabriel.

This books was a bit slow at first, but stay with it as the intrigue of who has kidnapped Amanda’s mother and blackmailing her to steal items for her mother’s release gets better. The camaraderie between Gabriel, Stratton and Brentworth is an interesting mix of cheerful antagonism and friendship. As Gabriel hunts for the mysterious lady, these gentlemen give him quite the hard time. Later, they are the ones to help him see that he does love and need her.

As Amanda and Gabriel spend more time together, you start to see his care for her develop in a way that has not for any other woman in his life. He stumbles on her ‘secret’ life of stealing while trying to protect her. Even then, he still trusts with his heart, but does not trust her not to run away. Gabriel realizes that when he offers her a home as his mistress, he has messed up.

The way he and his friends rally around Amanda is lovely. These three men of the Decadent Dukes Society are gentleman all the way. Rogues make the best husbands. Such as the example of the honesty with which Stratton communicated with his wife about where he was going with his ducal friends.

Amanda’s mom was a bit disappointing, but fit with the theme of the book and the life Amanda chose to live. A Devil of a Duke is a great stand alone book or read as part of the series.

4.5 Stars

Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford is an unrepentant rake, he revels in his debauchery and could care less what society thinks. But he is more than just a decadent duke, his is also a protective older brother and that is what brings him to his brother Harry's house, Harry is suffering from his first heartbreak and Langford will console him and assure him that women are plentiful and basically interchangeable - no point in being sad if you lose one, especially when there are so many to choose from! Harry wants to retreat to the country and mope in private, but Langford insists that he stay in town and attend the masked ball in three days.

Amanda Waverly is the secretary of the eccentric Lady Farnsworth, she is also the daughter of thieves, a life she thought she left far behind, but with her mother's freedom and possibly her life in the balance, Amanda will have to return to a life she hates to save her. She attends the masked ball for the purpose of meeting Lord Harry, she needs access to his house to achieve her objective. But Harry is not interested in her flirtations and sends a silent plea to his brother to save him from the bold shepherdess who is currently throwing herself at him.

Langford smoothly separates the shepherdess from his brother's side and maneuvers her put into the garden. If she is looking for a tryst - he is better suited to the job. They share a kiss and she finagles an invite to Harry's house. She agrees to meet him there and leaves - he asks her name and she ignores him.

They meet and when he falls asleep, she does what she came to do and slips away. Langford wakes alone and annoyed. He still doesn't know her name! So when he finds her shawl, he uses it to see her again. He is fascinated by her and can't remember the last time (if ever) a woman didn't fall at his feet. He will find her and she will succumb!

Let the games begin! These two are a perfect match but who they are may make that meaningless, especially when Langford learns the whole truth.

This is a well written, entertaining story, with witty banter (especially with the other dukes), steamy love scenes, secrets, lies, a resourceful heroine, a determined hero, schemes and finally a HEA that seemed impossible to attain! I really enjoyed this book and will be impatiently waiting for Brentworth's story!!!

He’s infamous, debaucherous, and known all over town for his complete disregard for scandal, and positively irresistible seductions. Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, is obscenely wealthy, jaw-droppingly handsome, and used to getting exactly what he wants. Until his attention is utterly captured by a woman dressed as a shepherdess at a masquerade who refuses to tell him her name.
Amanda Waverly is living two lives—one respectable existence as secretary to Lady Farnsworth, and one far more dangerous battle of wits and willpower with the devilish Duke. Langford may be the most tempting man she’s ever met, but Amanda’s got her hands full trying to escape the world of high-society crime into which she was born.
This is the second in the Decadent Dukes Society & another well written easy reading, page turning book, it could be read on its own but to fully enjoy I’d recommend reading Adam’s story. I liked both Gabe & Amanda both trying to change their lives. Their attraction was apparent from the start but I felt that lust was the predominant feeling & struggled a little with them actually loving each other. There was plenty of thrills along the way with jewellery thefts & kidnapping. I’m intrigued bu Brentworth & look forward to his story

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The Devil of a Duke by Madeline Hunter is the second book in her Decadent Duke series. Madeline Hunter is an auto-buy for me. Her books are always well thought out and well written. While this wasn’t my favorite book of hers, it was still well worth the read.

The hero, Gabriel, is a handsome and wealthy Duke. He’s also a bit of a womanizer. One night he meets a mysterious shepardess at a masked ball and is intrigued. Thus begins a series of late nightlight interludes between Gabriel and Amanda. Gabriel is interested in making Amanda a kept woman but she’s harboring secrets and has a mission to accomplish—saving her mother.

The reason that this was a 4 star read for me instead of a five star is that there was more intrigue and action than I prefer. We could have used a little more romance! That being said, the book was still really well written. There was great character development and chemistry between the main characters. I also liked how the Duke’s friends played a primary role in the story.

DNF so I will not be rating or reviewing. Thank you for the opportunity to read this title.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Devil of a Duke is the second title in the Decadent Duke trilogy featuring three men who formed a bond in school when they realized only other ducal heirs wouldn't have ulterior motives in their friendships. This title works well as a stand alone although events from the previous book are referenced. Raised by parents who made a living as thieves and taught her skills useful for the trade, Amanda Waverly has worked to make a life for herself free that is untainted by her past. She is currently employed as a secretary to the eccentric Lady Farnsworth, but recent letters demanding the theft of certain objects to keep her mother alive threatens to expose her past. Determined to obtain the latest object, Amanda finds herself with Gabriel, the Duke of Langford. Known for scandalous behavior, Gabriel is intrigued by the costumed lady he intercepts from attempting to seduce his younger brother and convinces her to meet him the next night at his brother's home. Amanda manages to avoid Gabriel's seduction, steal the object needed to keep her mother safe, and keep her identity secret.

Bothered by his failure to seduce his mystery woman, Gabriel looks everywhere to try and determine her identity. When unable to do so, he takes steps to try and lure Amanda out of the shadows and into a second meeting. Amanda soon finds herself drawn to Gabriel and wanting to trust him despite her instincts. For his part Gabriel is unable to let Amanda slip away despite what his head tells him is logical. Amanda and Gabriel team up together to unravel the situation she unwittingly found herself drawn into and find the writer of the letters.
Madeline Hunter's prose is so elegant and her writing style distinctive and this book is no exception. Every word seems carefully selected to serve a purpose in the story. All characters including Amanda and Gabriel are will drawn and their actions are always understandable. I can't recommend this book highly enough for anyone looking for a well written sensual story featuring two adults who know who they are and learn that they are better together.

Madeline Hunter is a must-read for me. Her “Rarest Blooms” series is one of my all-time faves. One of the things she does really well is her writing about the lifestyle of the Regency aristocracy. I always feel immersed in the time and place when I read a Hunter novel. "A Devil of a Duke” exposes a seamier side of the period, with a fast-moving story that has falling a little bit in love with Amanda and her Duke as they fall in love with each other.

Publisher's Description:

From New York Times bestselling author Madeline Hunter comes the latest sexy tale of three untamable dukes and the women who ignite their decadent desires . . .

HE MAY BE A DEVIL
He’s infamous, debaucherous, and known all over town for his complete disregard for scandal, and positively irresistible seductions. Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, is obscenely wealthy, jaw-droppingly handsome, and used to getting exactly what he wants. Until his attention is utterly captured by a woman who refuses to tell him her name, but can’t help surrendering to his touch . . .

BUT SHE’S NO ANGEL EITHER . . .
Amanda Waverly is living two lives—one respectable existence as secretary to an upstanding lady, and one far more dangerous battle of wits—and willpower—with the devilish Duke. Langford may be the most tempting man she’s ever met, but Amanda’s got her hands full trying to escape the world of high-society crime into which she was born. And if he figures out who she really is, their sizzling passion will suddenly boil over into a much higher stakes affair . . .

My Thoughts:

This is the second installment in this trilogy, Decadent Dukes Society and as well written and compelling as the first one.
Gabriel is an obscenely wealthy Duke with good looks thrown in for good measure.
Amanda Waverly is hiding her past behind a façade as a secretary. A blackmailer is forcing her hand to resort to thievery. He is holding her mother captive and the ransom is items she must steal for him.
Will Gabriel be able to help Amanda once he learns of her deception?
Will his attraction to Amanda overrule the fact that she is a thief?
I enjoyed this book with it's twists and turns never knowing what will happen next.
I gave this book 4.5 of 5.0 stars foe storyline and character development and a sensual rating of 3.5 of 5.0 flames. There are some very intimate scenes but they can't override the underlying mystery of this book.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book by invitation from the publisher to read and review.
This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I'm a fan of Madeline Hunter's work and read everything she's published. While I definitely enjoyed this story, it wasn't my favorite Hunter novel. I think, however, that this is not the fault of Hunter. One of the main characters in this novel is the daughter of a grifter. Frankly, I don't have any real life experience with grifters; what I know of them I gained from the television show *Leverage*, which is, I think, not an accurate portrayal of grifters. In any case, I think my lack of experience and knowledge in this area made it difficult for me to suspend feelings of disbelief.

I enjoyed the adventure of the two main characters. The thief took the duke to task and I enjoyed how she turned his world upside down.  He was so stubborn and a great fit for her.  Their banter back and forth made for an entertaining story. It had the highs and lows and emotional tension that makes for good romance.  At times you truly think he is going to put her on a ship for America once they get the stolen items back, which built up the tension and sadness when she truly felt she was slowly losing him as the time drew near to end things. I also think this walk on the criminal side was exactly what he needed to break his rakish ways and force him to see the value of friendship and freshness that she brought to his life.  I don’t think a woman of his ilk would ever have satisfied him or caught him. It truly took someone like her to get him out of blind rut and show him how to truly live.  Their adventure and plot were great and I like that she kept him on his toes and continuously kept surprising him with her reactions and responses to things.  They were perfect together and the story was great.

Amanda is trying to keep her two very different lives separate. She could lose a lot if her secrets are revealed. Temptation comes in the form of Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford.

I am a huge fan of historical romances. I have been reading them for over thirty years. While some can seem pretty standard in terms of their characters and romances, there are authors who know how to make their stories always entertain the reader.

This is the second book in the series called the Decadent Dukes Society. The Society consists of three dukes that became friends at school and have all developed wicked reputations. As they grow older, they begin to want more and find women that call to them.

It is well written and their attraction between the two really grows as the story continues. It is a story that will draw you in from the beginning.

Amanda is living a hard life and now is under the gun so to speak and being pushed back into a life she doesn't want to live. She needs the support of the Duke but her secrets are likely to tear them apart. I respected her for standing up for what she believes is right and trying so hard to do the right thing.

Langford has a notorious reputation but she brings out something special in him. Her secretive nature draws him to her and he is not the type to give up on what he wants. When he discovers her secrets, he has to make a tough choice about taking a risk on love.

A Devil of A Duke is a book that stood out to me as a great choice for a fan of this genre. You don't often get a Duke falling for a woman born into a life of crime.

I voluntarily read a copy of this book through Netgalley. Amanda, who has been blackmailed to save her mother, has stolen two medieval objects and is now required to steal a third. Along the way she works as a personal secretary and enjoys the new life she has made for herself. Along the way Gabriel, a Duke, gets involved with her but because of their different stations in life, he wants her as a mistress. Their sexual encounters are almost vanilla in the story. There is a HEA but it occurs in the very last few pages of the book.

“A Devil of a Duke”, the second book in the Decadent Dukes Society, was beautifully written from the beginning until the last sentence. The story follows Amanda Waverly, who is secretary to Lady Farnsworth, and appears to be a respectable woman until she attends a masquerade ball and tries to flirt with the Duke of Langford’s brother. Langford (Gabriel) quickly intercedes to separate the two, and from then on, finds himself captivated by Amanda. He believes that no woman could every reject him, but Amanda does just that, but not for the reasons that Gabriel perceives. In fact, Amanda is a thief, and has one last job to undertake.
The story is compelling, highlighting both the decadence of the ton but also the hardship of others. The many characters, some new and some from the previous book, help to further develop the characters of Amanda and Gabriel. Through these secondary characters, I came to appreciate how Amanda came to her present state and how Gabriel, was the honourable man that Amanda fell in love with. I look forward to reading about the last of the decadent dukes, in part to see how the characters have all progressed.
This is a book to be savoured!
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was lucky enough to be chosen to receive an ARC of A Devil of A Duke by Madeline Hunter. This is the 2nd in the series of the Decadent Dukes Society. The Society consists of three dukes that became friends as boys at school. This book is about Gabriel, the Duke of Langford, and Amanda Waverly, who was trained to be a thief by her parents, but is trying to stay on the straight and narrow. Langford is in the upper echelons of society, and Amanda is making her way in the world as a secretary to a society Original when her former life calls. I enjoyed reading about Langford and Amanda's developing relationship and how they overcome the obstacles facing them. I did think there were a few points at which Amanda gave in to Langford a little too easily where it concerned the intrigues she was involved in. I thought the wrapping up of that part of the story line was a little anticlimactic. I was thinking there would be a little more drama. However, I thought that the ultimate conclusion of that was very clever with property being returned to its rightful place.

I read romances for enjoyment and entertainment, and this book fit the bill, as do most of Madeline Hunter's books. I would recommend this book to other romance fans. You don't have to read The Most Dangerous Duke in London (Book 1) first, but I think it makes the passages about the three dukes more entertaining if you know more of their backstory. And I am very much looking forward to the next installment of the Decadent Dukes Society.

I absolutely loved Gabriel and Amanda's story!!

The chemistry between these two was read hot from the very beginning!! Gabriel was so intrigued by the mystery woman (I think the mystery was half of the appeal), but as he got to know her as a person, it became so much more! When Gabriel found out who she was, he became a little high handed, but Amanda didn't let him run all over her! I loved her spirit and independent nature.

This was a great addition to the Decadent Dukes Society series and I can't wait to read the last story in the series!!

4.5 stars - This one was a lot of fun! The heroine is smart, feisty and trained as a thief. The hero, a scandalous Duke, is working on reforming after he saw himself reflected in an article written by an older Lady of the ton. Together the two two main characters make quite a fearsome pair and people with this much passion are bound to be potent when together. They go on an adventure together, one that could find her shipped off to America and his political reputation quite battered. It’s an engrossing ride.

This story has all the goods —love, adventure and honest to goodness friendship. It’s a great read.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGallery, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the second book in The Decadent Duke Society Trilogy. Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford is an unapologetic hedonist. Handsome, charming and has never been told no by any woman. That is until he meets Miss Amanda Waverly.

Gabriel spots a woman at a masquerade ball flirting with his younger brother, who is doing everything in his power, which isn't much to get away, he steps in to warn the woman off. He doesn't count on the instant attraction he feels in her presence. He can tell she is also attracted to him but she is going to play hard to get, which for him is a challenge since he never happens. The woman usually fall over each other to get to him. He is intrigued.

Amanda Waverly is a reluctant thief. She has to get into a house that happens to be right next to the Duke of Langford's younger brothers house. She is hoping by flirting with him at the masquerade ball she can get him to invite him back to his house so she can get to an item in the house next store. She doesn't want to steal but she is being blackmailed, someone is holding her mother captive and the only way to help her is to get the item the blackmailer wants. Only she does not count on the Duke stepping in and putting a stop to her plan.

So starts a complicated affair that will test everything that they both believe in. Amanda finally has a legitimate job and friends, something that she hasn't ever had. Gabriel has never been enthralled by a woman before, he cannot get enough of Amanda. He doesn't want to let her go, but he doesn't see how he can keep her. She is smart, independent and so different from any woman he has ever known.

This is a compelling story of two people who should never have met and how they try to justify their feelings for each other. Can they thumb their noses at Society and stay together. Or does Gabriel have to give up the only woman he has ever loved?

Madeline writes a wonderful story with complex characters and the situations that make this book an amazingly good read. The witty dialogue, steamy sensual scenes, and her solution to the sticky moral dilemmas are inspiring. I cannot wait for the third book. I really enjoyed this book and recommend her books whole heartily.

Ms. Hunter’s books are fun reads, she interjects humor and naughtiness and the words just fly by when reading. The Decadent Dukes Society is no different. Gabriel, what can I say, he is fantastic. I love his character, his whole attitude, his handsomeness, his loyalty and his caring (especially towards his brother and the other dukes). The camaraderie of the dukes is special and seeing their loyalty to each other is a joy to read. At the beginning of the story I really liked Amanda and her independence and bravado but as the story continued I did not care for her as much. I think Gabriel deserved someone better than her. My biggest problem with her was the way she gave herself up to Gabriel which I am usually okay with (Wicked book 2) but not in this one (I think she was using him. I know, shocker seeing it was Gabriel). Overall, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it.

I am hoping that Brentworth’s book is a-m-a-z-i-n-g, with all his little secrets.