AAnother great read. Darcy Burke is amazing. Her books are engrossing and keeps you riveted from page 1!!! Love, lies, passion, betrayal. She has it all!

Lady Lavinia would prefer to be in libraries rather than in balls, reading about geology because it rocks. There she meets William Beckett as he had arranged a rendezvous with his paramour. Although, Beck is a rogue he is also a secret romantic. After his sister fell into loneliness and despair after failing to find a husband in the marriage mart, he pens poems lavishing praises on ladies that are going through what his sister went through signed as the Duke of Seduction. A few successes where ladies managed to make matches and wanting to make up for his misbehavior he pens a poem for Lavinia. Lavinia however is less than happy, she wants a love match, and all of a sudden she is the center of attention, most of it unwanted. I loved Beck and Lavinia together, their connection, and their witty conversation. I can’t wait to read more, hopefully, Miss Lennox gets a novel. I would like to know what happens to her.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

Lavinia is on the marriage market, but she does not really want to get married as she prefers her geology studies over small talk in the society.
When an anonymous poet sees her and tries to help her in finding a husband by publishing a romantic poem about her in a paper, she is less than thrilled.
Meanwhile she befriends a lord who is unsuitable for marriage, but may be able to help her in other venues. Not knowing that he is, indeed, also the anonymous poet "Duke of Seduction".

This was an easy, entertaining read with a strong female, quite enjoyable and I would definitely read other books of the same author.

What a read! I mean I loved it! You have the story of lovely, but wallflower like Lady Lavinia Gillingham, and sexy rake William Beckett, Marquess of Northam. Unknown to lady Lavinia the Duke of Seduction plans to help her get noticed so that she can have her pick of the eligible men in society, it all goes terrible wrong with the fact that she doesn't want to be noticed by the men of society. The twists and turns, laughs and yes the sex all make this a fun read. I will definitely be reading the rest in this series!

Another great story in this series. I can’t stop wanting more from this author. As soon as I finish I look forward to when her next book comes out.
This is part of a series but could definitely be read as a stand-alone book.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

* review is scheduled for 9-12


The Story in a Nutshell: Appearances can be deceiving, take William Beckett, Marquess of Northam. He has the reputation for being a rake but he’s actually a romantic and spends his time penning anonymous letters in order to help overlooked women find good matches in society as the Duke of Seduction. When he meets Lady Lavinia Gillingham he thinks she is in need of his help but she isn’t, she’s content to go her own way studying rocks and dirt. Little by little they get under each other’s skin and Beck has to decide to let her go or to step up and let Lavinia into his life for good.




Overall reaction to the book? Imagine minding your own business, doing your science thing and then some mysterious author writes a poem praising your intelligence, beauty, and suitability as a wife. How mad would you be?


I thought the set up for this book was cute in a different sort of way. A mysterious romantic helping women find good matches? I’ve never read a historical romance like that! Beck was definitely NOT your typical nobleman. He has a broken heart from being spurned when he was younger and losing his sister to the viciousness of society but that doesn’t stop him from trying to help women who would ordinarily go unnoticed. To me that was a detail that told me so much about him. He had a gentle heart underneath all that sadness and stubbornness. And he seemed to suffer from bouts of depression which I can totally relate to. I enjoyed him as a character because he was so different to what readers usually get from a male protagonist.


Lavinia was delightful too and just as stubborn as Beck was, plus she was one of the very few people who could keep up with the witty man. Of course, a woman of her time was expected to be pretty, stupid, and silent none of which Lavinia was. She was most practical and thankfully not prone to swooning or an overwhelming amount of blushing. I liked her determination to pursue knowledge in a subject she was passionate about. I think at times she could come across as a tad too stubborn about her choices but I could forgive her that because she had overbearing and conniving parents who wanted to control her future.


I will say that as much as I enjoyed the plot of The Duke of Seduction I couldn’t shake the feeling that Beck and Lavinia could have used a little more time to grow and mature a bit before taking on the lead roles in their own romance. There were times I felt these two were mentally too young with their reactions to certain situations, or maybe it was that their interactions felt too modern in thought and expression. I’m all for feisty women and the men who love them because I’m sure they existed back then, if not, we wouldn’t be where we are today BUT there is such thing as taking too modern of a view in a historical romance.


Click It or Skip It? Overall though I enjoyed The Duke of Seduction and in fact, the whole series is something I am hoping to catch up on since I’ve read a few other books and loved them.

I loved the premise of this book and thought the character of Beck was so romantic and charming. Their story is so sweet until it takes a little random turn on the history of Beck’s sister. I thought that whole part of the book was abrupt and didn’t quite make sense with the rest of the story, starting with Beck penning anonymous letters to his sister's bullies until the duel. I really wish that the author would have focused on Beck and Lavinia's story as it had so much potential, especially with Beck writing such romantic prose about her. This is book ten in the Untouchables series but can be read as a standalone. I have really liked some of the previous books in this series and this current book was a bit of a downer for me, more so because I really liked Beck and Lavinia and would have been a four or five star if not for the tangent in the plot.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

I received a copy from the author and NetGalley; this is my honest review. #TheDukeOfSeduction #NetGalley
-Great character development, good description of clothing and such items, good pace for the story to involve.
-Great chemistry between Beck and Lavinia.
-It's interesting to see people, even briefly, from the previous books.
-It's funny, it's maddening, it's sad and depressing. It's also poignant and emotional, especially at the end.
-There is a bit of a mystery in the back story, which is resolved satisfactorily. No cliffhanger.
-I liked her parents; they were so "in" for their time. Completely terrible!

This is William Beckett aka Beck and Lady Lavinia Gillingham’s love story, 10th book in The Untouchables Series. This is a standalone HEA historical romance filled with poetry, romance, intrigue, forgiveness and plenty of sizzle.
This is a well written love story between a lady with a love of Geology and a gentleman who is a romantic at heart, though outwardly he is a rogue. I love the characters, the storyline and the build of the romance between Beck and Lavinia.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I knew Lavinia would be an incredible heroine when she was introduced in the 'Duke of Ice' and I was so glad when she found her own untouchable in Beck.
Beck is the self-proclaimed 'Duke of Seduction'.
After a case of mistaken identity, Beck felt inclined to lend a boost to Lavinia's stock by making her his newest prose (or victim) to gain her more notoriety on the Marriage Mart.
They find themselves striking up an unconventional friendship, as opposites attract.
Burke ventured into mental health in a way she had never touched on before giving this installment a darker feel than any of the previous untouchables. She left you knowing that darkness will inevitably be there, but light is worth finding and holding onto.

This novel was provided through netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Overall the book was good, but the hero was a little too beta male for my tastes. He is a wine drinker while I want my man to drink beer. I could see him walking around with no shoes, sleeves pulled over and a button or two undone. He will seduce you by singing while playing his acoustic guitar. I don't want to be offensive to anyone, but that's how I picture him. Maybe his poetry is at fault here. He just didn't do it for me. Lavinia is closer to my taste as a heroine and I liked her. She didn't like that the Duke of seduction wrote a poem for her and she did her best to find him and tell him to stop. She is supposed to be into geology, but we don't really see her doing something that would indicate that she is overly active in the geology department, other than reading books about it. The book wasn't perfect and I felt like the quality wasn't as good as the first books in the series, but it wasn't that bad it I believe that 3.5 stars are fair for this book.

I am so sorry to say that I was really disappointed with this book as I have loved the series so far. I just could not connect with the characters or the story.

Lavinia is looking to avoid a loveless marriage and Beck was the Duke of Seduction writing poems to help wallflowers find their match. It all felt a bit contrived.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

Loved the story of Lavinia and Beck! Her penchant for sneaking into libraries at balls led to her introduction to Beck. He thankfully told her the truth about his writing pretty quick off the bad. I liked that in the story there wasn't any misinformation that came between them to cause the problems. The only protagonist in the story was the hero himself with his own fears and personal battles. I always like H/h from past books showing up and wasn't disappointed this time! I do hope Fanny and Sarah get their own story and that Lennox gets her HEA as well! Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

I really liked this historical read. Lady Lavinia prefers rocks and dirt to the marriage mart but when the Duke of Seduction decides to help you out, things happen. This read has plenty of drama, suspense and lots of emotion. I loved Lavinia and Beck, great characters and have great chemistry. An entertaining read.

The Duke of Seduction is the tenth instalment in Darcy Burke’s The Untouchables series. I have read some of the books in this series but it’s not necessary to read them in order. Each stand well on its own.
Lady Lavinia Gillingham prefers to study geology than partake in the marriage mart. Quite content to remain a spinster if she can’t find the right man, she is disconcerted when the Duke of Seduction begins publishing poetry about her. The last three women that the Duke has written about have found themselves elevated in society and soon make appropriate matches. Lavinia has no intention of following along, she won’t marry until she finds a man who allows her to follow her passion.
William Beckett, Marquess of Northam is a renowned rake, no one would ever guess he is the man behind the Duke of Seduction, a chance meeting with Lavinia and he seeks to see her happily settled. Unfortunately, he finds himself caught in his own net and finds himself falling for Lavinia when he has sworn off love.
I enjoyed this book and its characters. Its beautifully written and paced well. It’s an enjoyable book to while away a lazy afternoon. Lavinia is not your typical bluestocking. She actually wants to marry but only if the man supports her studies. Beckett is a romantic who suffers bout of depression where he loses himself in music and poetry and is a rake who secretly wants to help wallflowers finds love and appreciation.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. For more reviews please visit my blog:
http://www.wonderfullyweird88.com/

Thanks to Darcy Burke the author for Kindly Providing me with an ARC of The Duke of Seduction!! and Netgalley!!

I loved this story from the first page to the very last page. This is a great Romance story between William Beckett/Beck The Marquis of Northam and Lady Lavinia Gillingham only daughter of the Earl of Balcombe.

Beck writes poetry that is published in the newspaper about Wallflowers and Spinster, with hope that these will garner young men to notice these lovely young ladies. Beck has a sad and personal reason for helping them. But sometimes his help goes array. Lady Lavinia isn't keen on being married off to just any sort of peer or gentlemen. She wants a man of intellect who would love her for her intelligence. These two H/H paths collide. Leading them into a wonderfully written friendship, courtship and finally a Great Love.


This is a real feel good story that leaves you feeling happy and smiling inside. The readers will love Beck and Lavinia. They also, have a lively cast of secondary characters with there own stories too come. I can't wait for November to read Fanny's story The Duke of Wishes!!


I Highly Recommend The Duke of Seduction to all lovers of Historical Romance you won't be disappointed!!

The Duke of Presumption!!

I really liked both lead characters in this addition to the Untouchables. But then I adore those women who are somewhat different to the empty headed Marriage Mart parade. Lady Lavinia Gillingham is a foreword thinking, intelligent woman who apart from being enamoured by the geological, wants to govern her own life. So far she has been able to eschew the Marriage Mart.
William Beckett (Beck), Marquess of Northam, rake at large, hides the pain of a sister scorned by society, by taking up the cause of such wallflowers and derided young woman. He anonymously writes poems about them, catapulting them into the eyes of society. And the fickle ton, being the rapacious and untrustworthy construct it is, rushes towards the light shining on these young woman. They instantly become marriageable. Grr!
So when this attention is turned on Lavinia she is NOT HAPPY!
As she espouses to a rather shocked and chagrined Beck,
"He writes poems about ladies he seems to think require assistance on the Marriage Mart. It’s incredibly presumptuous. And pompous. And many other words that end in ‘ous,’ I’m sure.” "
She becomes determined to expose the culprit just as she is reacquainted with Beck, long a friend of her brother's. Beck of course has not even considered that some young woman mightn't want to be forced into an eligible marriage. That they might want something more, or even different.
The premise that Duke would write poems to aid a woman's marriageability was to my mind slim but worked for this story, given what I've already said about the 'ton'. And of course the tension rises as Beck and Lavinia become attracted to each other whilst the chasm of Beck's alter ego yawns between them.

I received an ARC of this book to read from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Duke of Seduction by Darcy Burke is the tenth book in her The Untouchables series. You could read this book as a stand-alone but many of the supporting characters appeared in the previous books and it’s a good series so I recommend reading them all. William Beckett, (Beck) The Marquess of Northam has a secret ... he writes and publishes poetry under the name The Duke of Seduction. His poetry has the purpose of drawing attention to young ladies he feels are for no good reason overlooked on the marriage mart. He has been having some success and most of the young ladies he has drawn attention to have made matches which pleases him even though he himself has vowed never to wed. Beck meets Lady Lavinia Gillingham in a library when he mistakes her for his current paramour. He finds her charming and decides to write a poem about her. Lavinia is perfectly happy being ignored and is quite infuriated when the poem is published and she has to put up with a raft of boorish suitors as she plans to marry only for love. A mystery to solve, a little blackmail and some thoroughly nasty characters make for an enjoyable read. Fairly Steamy. Publishing Date August 21, 2018. #TheDukeOfSeduction #NetGalley

I loved this book, I havent read many of Darcy Burke's books but I will definitely be looking out for more of the titles in this series. I loved that the heroine was a real bluestocking I felt that the geology interest was really well researched, I loved the romance between Beck and Lavinia.
I liked that there was a bit of a theme about not wanting marriage for the sake of marriage, almost a critique of the marriage mart. I like the feminist vein in this book.

Very entertaining and I believed in the characters :)

Lady Lavinia Gillingham loves science, first and foremost. If she has to marry, she wants to marry someone who doesn't frown upon her interests. Lavinia just wants to enjoy her friends and the season in peace. Unfortunately she catches the eye of the notorious Duke of Seduction, who pens a letter in the paper about her, of all people. Suddenly, Lavinia is bombarded with unwanted attention, and she is determined to discover who this so-called Duke is.

William "Beck" Beckett, Marquess of Northam helps women in need, women on the marriage mart who are having a tough time of things. It is all due to the sister he lost years ago, a sister that suffered at the cruel hands of society. Beck only means to help Lavinia when he places that letter in the paper, but when he discovers the position he has put Lavinia, Beck feels bad and tries to make amends. However, the ball is already in motion and Lavinia isn't far from making a match of her own. Beck has to decide if he is willing to let her go.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars! Have I mentioned before how much I love author Darcy Burke's novels. I stumbled upon Ms. Burke years ago, and since then I have been a devoted fan. Her books have these complex and compelling characters and unforgettable storylines that just grip you and won't let you go. I have so many of her novels on my keeper shelf. Her most recent installment in THE UNTOUCHABLES series, THE DUKE OF SEDUCTION, is a masterpiece. Beck is not your typical hero... he comes from a dark place and has real life struggles with depression. Luckily, he stumbles on a little bit of heaven when he meets his match, Lavinia. At first, I thought, these two will never make a couple, they're like oil and water. But as time goes on, they grow closer and things shift between them. Lavinia and Beck's love story is beautiful and transcendent. THE DUKE OF SEDUCTION is sure to be a re-read for me. I am looking forward to Ms. Burke's next book in her UNTOUCHABLES series.