A good read even though I’ve read better from this author. The plot included both tropes of “overcoming/rising above how you were raised” as well as social class inequalities. Strangely I found myself more sympathetic to Amanda during the first half of the book (while she was straddling the line between two worlds) than I did in the latter half. It almost seemed to me that she underwent a personality change, and I felt less for her rather than more as the story progressed. And I’m not all-together sure of why that is. While I never connected closely with either Gabriel or Amanda, their story was undeniably overflowing with chemistry. 🔥🔥🔥 To be fair, I have not read the first in series, so I’m thinking that might have helped some with my connection to this one. I do intend to go back and read The Most Dangerous Duke in London.

As we reached our teen years, we all probably tried to rebel against our “raisings” and to reinvent ourselves; but not to the degree of Amanda Waverly in A Devil of a Duke.
Amanda was raised and trained by her parents to be a thief of high-end objects. But now, having completely rejected her background; Amanda has been reluctantly forced by circumstance to re-visit her past. She is now the unusual but respected private secretary to Lady Farnsworth by day and a reluctant thief by night.
What Amanda has not counted on is her friendship with her employer Lady Farnsworth and the other women publishing Parnassus, a journal for women. What Amanda has really not counted on is her encounters with Gabriel St. James, the Duke of Langford, a charter member of the Decadent Dukes Club. Never giving her name, using him shamelessly at first to commit a theft and then passionately as her lover, the Duke is lured into her web of deceit and love.
St James is the typical Regency novel man-ho and Waverly is the typical Regency woman who doesn’t care. In spite of this annoying but standard trope, both Amanda and St. James are likeable. Hunter has given St James more depth than usual, shown by his love for his brother, the steadfast friendship with the other two Dukes and his willingness to help Amanda. Aiding Amanda strongly goes against his sense of honor.
The independent Amanda carries off her double life with verve and courage. Many of the other characters are featured in The Most Dangerous Duke in London, and their return is welcome both for their warmth and support of each other and women in general.
It’s easy to see that I think Madeline Hunter writes charming characters, even the rogues and criminals. The writing is smooth and does well evoking a time period that so many writers and readers enjoy visiting. Humor, sadness, and passion are to be found in this book that deftly manages to mix romance and mystery
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

I’m normally a big Madeline Hunter fan, but this one left me cold. Whereas the first book in the series had lots of drama, angst and big personalities in the protagonists, this was much more subdued. I didn’t particularly like either Amanda or Langford and never really believed that their relationship was any deeper than the physical aspects. Amanda seemed to be a promising character early on — a reformed thief forced back into the trade to save her mother — but she seemed to lose her backbone and become whiney as it went on. Langford spends almost the entire story alternately thinking of ways to coerce Amanda, judging her, and trying to get rid of her to satisfy his own moral compass (one that he only recently seemed to develop, I might add).

That said, if you’re looking for an easy read, this would fit the bill.

Thank you to Kensington/Zebra and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

I really enjoyed the slow path to romance for these two. Gabriel fighting it the whole way, Amanda accepting the unacceptableness of it from the beginning. Such a happy return to one another - as always, Ms. Hunter brings me a love story to love.

This was a very compelling story set during the Regency period. It was the second book in the Decadent Dukes Society but just as excellent as book one. Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, was well known for his charming seductions, love of women and a lack of discretion regarding his affairs. He was used to getting any woman he wanted.

When he saw Amanda Waverly, (a secretary,) at a masquerade ball, he was immediately intrigued. She captured his interest so that he pursued her and arranged an assignation. He had not recognized her and didn’t know her name. They met several nights after the ball. He planned to seduce her; instead, he fell asleep while Amanda serenaded him. Her reasons for being in that particular house were great. Read the story to find out why she met him.

She was smart, independent, and resourceful. I loved reading their romance and how her situation was resolved. Cameo appearances by various people from the first book further enhanced this one. Yet, there is no need to read book one to enjoy and understand this one. I hated to see it end and I raced to finish it.
***I received an ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Amanda likes her secretary position to eccentric Lady Farnsworth. She was brought up by two thieves and has been keeping herself far from that lifestyle until she gets a note from her mother. She is being held captive and must steal an artifact for her freedom. Amanda sneaks into a masquerade ball to figure out how to get into the house next door to steal the item needed. She attracts the attention of Gabriel, Duke of Langford. She agrees to meet him the next night in order to carry out her theft . Gabriel soon figures out that she is in trouble, and despite being used by her sets out to help her. Funny, witty with some adventure that hopefully leads to a HEA.

"A Devil of a Duke" by Madeline Hunter
What a great read. Madeline did it again. Another story that kept me turning pages with barely controlled anticipation. Read the blurbs then grab the book and retreat to your favorite reading space.. you are in for a treat. This is a 5-star read. I was gifted a free ARC copy by the publisher via Netgalley for my honest review. Happy Reading !!

A fun romantic romp with a nice mystery added in. Gabriel and Amanda are both interesting and you'll be rooting for them to make their relationship work throughout the book.

Gabriel St. James is a likable rogue, an obviously devoted older brother, and a good friend. He is otherwise a pretty typical hero: a rich nobleman who falls for an unsuitable woman and discovers he'll do anything to help her. While the idea of someone blackmailing our hero (or heroine) is common, Amanda being a skilled cat burglar made for an unusual and interesting twist. With this exception, A Devil of a Duke was a pretty standard story. A bit slow in some places, and disappointing compared to some of Hunter's other books. But the interactions between Langford and Amanda are full of witty banter and heated chemistry, making a book that is otherwise a bit slow and disappointing compared to some of Hunter's other books still worth reading.

Gabriel St. James, Duke of Langford, is a man who know what he wants and what he wants is Amanda, he just doesn't know her name.
Amanda has managed to find herself blackmailed and must decide if she can trust Gabriel with more than her heart. I really liked the way Ms. Hunter brought these two characters together and showed that love does conquer all.

When I requested this ARC, I gave my promise to leave a fair and honest review. A duke and a thieving lady. What could possibly happen? Well written substantial story.

I love a Madeline Hunter book, I can always count on them to have an irresistible H and lovely h. This was no exception, with a couple that finds passion and love despite a difficult situation. Our h was raised as a thief by parents skilled in crime. Our H is a Duke, schooled in the art of lovemaking, and they are drawn together like moths to flame. Out of necessity, she is forto steal some items and turn them over to persons unknown to keep her mother safe. Our Duke discovers her treachery and stops, then helps her. Loved this book, as I did the prior in the series, but this stands well alone. Well developed characters and interesting story. I received a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Devil of a Duke is not your typical historical romance in that the main female character, Amanda, has a not too respectable life that she hides carefully as an assistant to a prominent woman of society. The lead male character, Gabriel, is of course a rake of a Duke. Their relationship, from their chance meeting at a masquerade ball which she obviously crashes, to their working together to save her from ruin is nicely developed by Ms. Hunter. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this installment of The Decadent Dukes Society series, and am looking forward to the next Duke’s story. This can definitely be read on its own.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

A Devil of a Duke was a fantastic romance between two people from vastly different circumstances with a bit of an intriguing mystery thrown in.

Amanda Waverly is simply trying to survive one day to the next while trying to find a way to save her mother from her current circumstances. By day she is an efficient secretary to Lady Farnsworth whereas her nights tend to be a bit more on the illegal side. When Gabriel St. James the Duke of Langford foils one of her plans, she's irritated with the man despite her attraction. After Amanda and Gabriel unexpectedly grow closer, he learns of her criminal undertakings putting a strain on their relationship. As they race to save her mother in time, Gabriel and Amanda will have to decide if their love is worth risking everything for.

Amanda grew up knowing her parents were thieves and that she was expected to join the family business. While she easily accomplished everything her parents trained her in, she found herself questioning the morality of what they were doing and began to refuse to help. Soon after she found herself left at a school for girls to receive an education to become a fine lady. Despite the fact she hasn't seen her mother in ten years, she cannot help but try and save her forcing her to pick up her old skills. Amanda struggles with being forced back into the criminal life and worries how it will change her.

Gabriel inherited his title at the age of twenty-three, earlier than most of his peers, and spent several years shunning his responsibilities. Gabriel is known throughout the ton for the speed at which he goes through women and his lack of discretion. After an unflattering article appears about him, he sets out to take on a larger role in the House of Lords and even sponsors a bill designed to fix the current prison system. While he would deny he's changed, it becomes clear that Gabriel does care about how others view him and he does not want to disparage his title any longer.

Amanda and Gabriel's relationship was a bit unique in that one was a criminal and one was an upstanding member of high society. I thought it was an interesting choice for the heroine to be the criminal and enjoyed the dynamic it created between Amanda and Gabriel. While they both struggle with Amanda's criminal dealings it thankfully never affected their relationship too badly. I appreciated that the author didn't drag out their disagreement and made it clear that they still cared for one another despite the circumstances. Amanda and Gabriel's physical relationship is quite passionate from the start and I enjoyed the buildup to them finally sleeping together. When it does happen, it's incredibly sexy and fits their relationship very well.

The mystery of who is blackmailing Amanda and holding her mother captive was a good one. It takes time for the characters to put everything together and I liked that the answer didn't just come out of nowhere. The resolution to the blackmailing did feel like a bit of a letdown but it logically made sense for things to turn out the way they did. I enjoyed seeing the remaining two Decadent Dukes return to help out Gabriel as their friendship is wonderful. We also see the return of Clara, Althea and the other women of the Parnassus, Clara's women's journal. I enjoyed the friendship Amanda struck up with these women and I particularly enjoyed her relationship with Lady Farnsworth.

A Devil of a Duke was a fun and entertaining read from start to finish and I really enjoyed the romance between Amanda and Gabriel. I would definitely recommend this series and I'm looking forward to the release of the next book in the series.

A Devil of a Duke is not what I was expecting and I love it. The plot and the characters are original down to the supporting characters for a totally pleasurable reading experience. Amanda Waverly has found respectability as a secretary for the Lady Farnsworth. Being raised to be a thief, she has skills off the wall. With her mother under threat, Amanda is forced back into a life of crime. Needing an in into a wealthy lord's home, she sets her sights on Lord Harry, the younger brother of the Duke of Langford. Stalking her prey at a masquerade ball, Amanda is waylaid by the devilish Duke himself. Thus begins a lurid love affair that should not be anything but temporary. The chemistry is hot, the intrigue page-turning, and the end sweet and satisfying. This book delivers the whole package for a memorable historical romance. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley to read in exchange for a fair review. A Devil of a Duke is the second book in Madeline Hunter’s The Decadent Dukes Society Trilogy. This book can be read as a stand-alone but Madeline Hunter’s book are always very enjoyable so I would recommend reading them all. Gabriel St James Duke of Langford starts off as a tiny bit annoying in the hero department, I found him overbearing and smug and perhaps a bit of a misogynist, however he did have a few redeeming qualities in his relationships with both his brother and his fellow Dukes so I decided to wait and see and yes he does change and grow into the perfect hero for Amanda Waverly. I loved the character of Amanda Waverly she is strong and smart and you will find yourself hoping for her HEA even when things look quite bleak for her. Amanda is remarkable for her time in that she earns her living as a secretary. She also posses a number of unusual skills which come from being raised by a pair of thieves, her parents. These skills are called into use when her mother gets caught in one of her schemes and offers up Amanda and her skills in order to evade the consequences. Amanda is forced to steal certain objects in order to secure her mother’s release. The duke being a fairly intelligent fellow realizes that Amanda has used him in order to facilitate one of these thefts sets out to put a stop to her thieving. Lots of witty conversations, quite a bit of steam and a dramatic rescue make for a very enjoyable tale. Publishing Date April 24, 2018 #ADevilOfADuke #NetGalley

This wasn't my first Madeline Hunter book. I've read the whole <i>The Rarest Blooms</i> series and while I liked them, I didn't love them. I'm really glad I got the chance to read this book though because I really liked it. It's the second in the series and since I didn't read the first one I was afraid I'll be missing things but I didn't. This story stands completely on its own.
This book was a cut above most Historical Romance novels (and I've sure read some doozies before!) in having a down to earth, smart female protagonist who didn't jump to weird conclusions or mope around and the story is unique for regency romance, falling outside the typical setup which is a plus. Though the characters could be a bit more passionate in my opinion. I'm not referring to sex scenes, but rather emotional ones. They are just so sedate when those emotional revelations come that it's almost kind of a let down. But overall, this was an easy light book to read quickly and interesting enough to keep you going. Recommended.

*ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

Madeline Hunter is by far one of the best historical romance authors out there and one of my favorites. Her characters are always interesting while the twists and turns of the story will keep you reading.

I love Madeline Hunter’s books, and when I ask myself why the answer is clear; dialogue. Nobody can write dialogue like Hunter. In “The Devil of Duke” we have a heroine that was raised a thief, but she redeems herself well. There is a beautiful romance with just enough heat to make it interesting. There is also a mystery with stolen artifacts to add drama to the story.
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a brilliant and compelling book you won't want to put down.