The book follows the story of Fanny and David, two strangers that met one cold December afternoon, shared a magical moment and never thought they meet again.
When fate puts them back together, secrets are revealed, family feuds are discovered and David and Fanny have to overcome challenges and dangers to be together.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It has a good flow, nice supporting characters that were leads in previous books (or the ones following this) and two wonderful main characters. Both Fanny and David are kind human beings and they deserve their happy ending.
The ending seemed a little rushed to me, but sometimes that is the case with the resolution of the main conflict in this book.
Overall, a great reading experience.
*I was given an ARC of this book in NetGalley*

Stour’s Edge, Suffolk England - December 1817

Frances (Fanny) Snowden is meandering through the countryside when she encounters a handsome man. It has just begun to snow and she realizes she might be lost. Fanny has been living with her sister, Ivy, who is married to West, the Duke of Clare.

The man Fanny has met calls himself David. Not ready to identify herself further, Fanny says she’s a housemaid and he says he’s an apprentice to a steward. They chat as he shows her the way back to her sister’s home. They then share a passionate kiss and part their ways.

London - April 1818

David Langley, seventh Earl of Ives, is still trying to settle into his new role as Earl. At Brooks’s, he meets a man named Anthony, heir to a Viscount. Anthony persuades him to attend a ball with him and dance with some of the young ladies. Anthony’s friend, Felix, the Earl of Ware, will be joining them. David realizes he will soon be seeking a young woman to be his Countess, but he cannot stop thinking about Frances, the housemaid he met last Christmas. When Fanny and David meet at the ball, they are both thrilled to see one another again. They had truly become infatuated with one another. As they see one another, it appears that Fanny is a bit of a klutz and trips often.

David’s mother and uncle come to London where the woman reminds him that his father wanted David to marry the daughter of his best friend, Miss Arabella Stoke. Caught in the moment of his father dying, he promised the man he would marry her. Now, he feels trapped. But David loves Fanny and knows in his heart that she is the one for him. Can David leave behind the promise he made to his dying father and seek out the one woman who has stolen his heart?

This is a delightful book with some great twists that will keep the reader turning pages. I enjoyed it very much and am a fan of Darcy Burke. Well done!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: Thanks to her sister who is now a duchess, Frances Snowden has a future that doesn’t involve being forced to marry her parents’ neighbor, all she has to do is decide what she wants. Things get a tad complicated though when she meets and kisses a stranger while out walking and she decides she wants him, only to find out he’s not exactly who she though he was, he’s David Langley, the Earl of St. Ives. Meanwhile David was set to marry the woman his parents chose for him at birth but after kissing Fanny he realizes he wants more out of life. Of course, just as he and Fanny are about to make things official, an old feud between their families comes to light making things complicated and possibly dangerous.




Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? I’ve been waiting for Fanny’s story for what seems like forever and it was definitely worth the wait. The Duke of Kisses is passionate, tender, engaging, and humorous in all the right places, I enjoyed getting to know Fanny and David and revisiting with some previous characters.


Fanny is just a delight, she’s intelligent, she’s compassionate, and even when she thinks she’s out of options she doesn’t give up. She also loves animals so that's a big plus for me too. She's definitely more of an intellectual character than one driven purely by actions. David is very similar to Fanny in that he also has a kind heart. He is the most un-aristocratic aristocrat in the series in my opinion. I could have easily confused him for a working man had other characters not reminded me every time they addressed him by his title. His most admirable trait however has to be his supportive attitude towards Fanny. He isn't condescending, he doesn't go around beating his chest to prove he is the superior man around her, he's just himself and he makes Fanny feel comfortable in her own skin without even trying. As a couple they just worked so well because they had the feeling of knowing the other would be there to catch them if they fell. So romantic.



The one thing that did kind of befuddle me was the conflict between their two families. It was thrown in there in the last third of the book and then quickly wrapped up just in time for the happy ending to happen. It was an interesting conflict but because it was just tossed in all of a sudden it felt more like a desperate attempt to garner some drama and mystery when it would have been better to have been introduced much earlier in the story and build that mystery and suspense until the end. But it really wasn't something that kept me from enjoying David and Fanny's romance.



Click It or Skip It? Click It. David and Fanny are a truly romantic couple that I loved meeting.

I am enjoying this series. So I am hoping you are keeping up, yes that can be read as a standalone because I started with the last book, and am planning to start from beginning. We have Fanny who is a Duke's sister now, but she came from a non titles family. She had met David previously months ago and they shared a kiss that neither of them can forget about. They meet at a ball and realized that they both had lied about who they really were, but were so happy to see each other that they planned to act on their interest. The problem is that David is kind of betrothed to Ms. Stokes, he had promised his dad he would marry her only he does not want to honor that promise, but that is not the only problem, come to find out that their families are enemies...Grab a copy and find out what happens.! Enjoy!

Frances "Fanny" Snowden first met David Langley, Earl of St. Ives under false pretenses. Both were pretending to be something other than what they actually were in order to spend time together on a particularly dreadful day. Since that moment Fanny has known David is the one for her. When Fanny and David meet unexpectedly at a ball, she knows he is her fate.

David made his father a promise on his deathbed, to marry his father's friend's daughter. David is in a conundrum. He doesn't want to disappoint his family, but he's already in love... with Fanny. When David discovers Fanny has left town, he sets out to prove to her that she is the one he wants. He has no idea what obstacles he will have to overcome for them to be together, but David is ready to face any challenge in order to make Fanny his.

THE DUKE OF KISSES is the eleventh addition to THE UNTOUCHABLES series written by author Darcy Burke. I give it a 3.5 star rating. It could be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading from the start of the series to get to know all of the characters. With that being said, THE DUKE OF KISSES is a great way to pass the time. It's not my favorite in the series, but it has its' merits. I didn't fall head over heels for David, but I really enjoyed Fanny as a character. Fanny was strong, brave and resilient. She is more like her sister Ivy than she knows. David just fell a little flat for me. He seemed a little weak and wishy-washy in the beginning. There were a couple instances where he redeemed himself in my eyes toward the end, but I won't say what they are due to spoilers! Overall, I still enjoyed THE DUKE OF KISSES and I look forward to the next installment in THE UNTOUCHABLES series.

***ARC was provided to me for a fair and honest review***

Overall rating: 3/5 This is the 11th installment in this series but can be read as a standalone

Heroine (Fanny): 3/5 Frances Snowden is a 18 year old girl from a working family in a small town whose sister recently married a duke. Her parents had plans to marry her to a neighbor but now she is getting the chance to have a season.

Hero (David): 4/5 David Langley, Earl of St. Ives is a man who recently inherited his title after his father died unexpectedly. His promise to his father on his deathbed follows him for much of the story.

Plot: 3/5 Fanny and David share a christmas kiss and reconnect during the season. The only thing standing in their way is both are promised to others and their families are in a long standing feud. Can their love conquer all?

Personal Review: The characters were enjoyable enough but toward the end I started to lose interest in the story. The big issues were overcome around the 70%, only leaving a few very small issues to deal with. It leaves the story just trailing and meandering at the end just tying up loose ends for 30% of the book.

This read is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone. Fanny’s whole world at her feet now that her sister is married to a Duke. No longer having to marry her parents neighbor she can do anything she wants. David and Fanny have great chemistry and their story has lots of drama and suspense. I really liked the characters and the story really drew me in. A good read.

such a sweet and romantic story. darcy writes such endearing characters in such rustic settings. didn't want to put it down. really enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed Fanny and David’s story of love at first sight. They don’t let anything get in their way! Can’t wait to read the next one in the Untouchable series, The Duke of Distraction coming February of 2019.

Duke of Kisses by Darcy Burke
The Untouchables # 11

Frances Snowden, visiting her newly wed sister, meets and kisses a man while out on a winter afternoon. A fleeting encounter that left them both curious and interested though neither thought anything could come of it. A few months later they meet at a dance and find that the issues that they thought might keep them apart did not exist and they also realized that their interest had not died – not one little bit. Of course there have to be issues that stand in the way of true love and truelove does conquer.

Fanny and David, Earl of St. Ives, were a match of kind souls with much in common. They both have family issues to contend with. There were races, dances, giving, seducing, loving, communicating and in the end the two did achieve their HEA.

I enjoyed this book but enjoyed a few of the previous books in the series slightly more as they evoked more emotion on my part.

Thank you to the author for bequeathing me an ARC of this book through NetGalley – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Fanny and David are both good, loyal people who stand up for themselves and others. I loved their open communication and the banter between them. Part of the end was a little too much of a stretch for me but if you let that go and focus on the romantic portion it is quite a good little read.

Frances Snowden can hardly believe her good fortune she’s going to with her sister the Duchess and be a debutante in London. One day while out walking and chasing rabbits she meets the most mysteriously handsome man who kisses her and she starts day dreaming of her mysterious man and what she desires is him.
David Langley, Earl of St. Ives made a death bed promise to his father to marry the woman his parents chose. He’s off to London to meet her, but he can’t get a mysterious woman he met at home out of his mind. David while attending a ball in London comes across his mysterious housemaid and instantly is drawn to her. Franny and David are sweet together, each has history to overcome in the story, a family murder mystery is solved and especially the woman who thinks the Earl is going to marry her. A great story of love and commitment, standing strong even when family don’t always agree with your decisions. This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

This was a sweet story of two people who fall in love. Outside forces cause them to part! I really love our heroine Fanny. She is determined to have a good life. Her David has a struggle because of a deathbed promise. Read the book.

3.5 stars

I had read and enjoyed a couple of the previous books, so I was all in on this one.

I loved Fanny and David. They’re both good, loyal people who stand up for themselves and others. I loved their open communication and the banter between them. Of course there are glimpses of some of the characters from previous books and some of them were unknown to me. I just might have to go back.

Plot wise, there’s sort of a lot going on and that’s where I struggled. The decades old family feud didn’t translate well for me and the addition of so so so many more family members left me confused. The build up to a somewhat surprising conflict was quick and just as abruptly over. I get the need for a splash of animosity, but this didn’t feel fleshed out.

Overall, it was the characters who carried the story. I could have done with a million more scenes of the two them together, but hopefully I’ll see them in the next book.

**Huge thanks to Darcy Burke for providing the arc free of charge**

While walking through the countryside near her sister and brother-in-law's estate, Frances winds up kissing a mysterious stranger, who introduces himself as David, a steward's apprentice. Frances gives her first name only and claims to be a housemaid. Several months later, neither has forgotten the other or the kiss they shared, but both know nothing could ever be between them due to their differences in station. When David and Frances meet again in a London ballroom, they're each surprised by the other's lies, but the attraction is definitely still alive. The two spend some time together and David becomes even more drawn to her, and even more torn. The problem is that David promised his late father, on his deathbed, that he would marry Miss Arabella Stoke, daughter of his father's best friend. David's father believed this to be a good match and David now feels duty bound to honor his promise; even though no official betrothal has been made, the Stokes certainly expect it to happen soon. David is trying to do the right thing, what his father wanted for him and what his responsibilities as the new earl include, but when he's around Fanny he can relax, be himself, and forget all these stressful new responsibilities that have been thrust upon him.

Unable to stay away from Fanny, David basically winds up leading her on, but she has a loose acquaintance with Miss Stoke, so of course she winds up finding out about his promise to his father. There are several other forces working to keep these two apart, most utterly ridiculous in their reasoning, but nonetheless threatening to their happy ending.

I loved that Fanny was her own person and didn't just pine for David, and I appreciated that David was quicker to fight for her than most heroes in this trope usually are. I really enjoyed this one and will be reading the rest of the series now.

I received a complimentary ARC via NetGalley. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fanny and David, our hero and our heroine are a wonderful couple! I loved to read how David realized what he really needs in his life and that his ideas of the ideal life just don't hold up to the reality of Fanny. Fanny being Fanny, clumsy, daring, racing and simply being fun whenever they meet seems to be just the right kind of woman for him. Well, she would be, if there wasn't this pesky promise made to a dying man and, oh, yeah, that feud.... let's just say that there are some not so minor -or bigger- problems to sort out.
Unfortunately, David doesn't only have to deal with his family opposing his plans but Fanny's, family isn't exactly a case of rainbows and unicorns either. Despite all that, he fights for the woman he wants and, even more important, for the woman he loves.

I really loved this story, which is another wonderful book in the series about The Untouchables. Each of them is unique and I liked each and every one of them. Well-written stories with great plots and amazing characters, all of them are linked but each of them can be read as a stand-alone. If you loved the other books in this series, you'll love this one as well and if you haven't read any of them yet - well, this is as good a place to start as any of them so just read it! You'll love it!

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Duke of Kisses is the Eleventh book in Darcy Burke’s series The Untouchables. It can be read as a stand-alone but I would suggest reading The Duke of Desire first as the heroine in this book is the sister of the heroine in the Duke of Desire. Frances Snowden has come to live with her sister Ivy who is now a duchess because her parents are pressuring her to marry a man she refuses to marry. Franny meets David Langley, Earl of St Ives when she gets lost after following a rabbit she thought needed rescuing. Franny pretends to be a housemaid and David pretends to be a steward and before they part a magical kiss happens. They meet again in London and the magic is still there but there is a death bed promise David made to his father to marry another, his mother’s threats to reveal Ivy’s past as well as bad blood going back 30 years between the families. Medium Steam. Publishing Date November 27, 2018 #NetGalley #TheDukeOfKisses #DarcyBurke

As promised, in return for this ARC, this is my fair and honest review. Darcy Burke is one of my "go to" authors. I believe I have everything she has written. I wish I could say that this story was great but I can't. I found it a bit lackluster when compared to her other books. She is still a fantastic writer and I will always look for her new releases.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Very likable characters, good humor, warmth, and chemistry. Very enjoyable read.

The Duke of Kisses is another book in the Untouchables Series. Frances Snowden has been rescued by her sister to get away from the rest of her family. When Frances is taking a walk while at her sisters', she falls. A very handsome man helps her up. When introduced, they are a housemaid and a steward. When you want a kiss, a lady shouldn't ask. Six months later, they meet at a party, Miss Frances Snowden and Lord St. Ives. The attraction is mutual and the kisses addicting. .There are secrets and another woman. Will this tear them apart? Will the Lord of Kisses find his true happiness? I really love this series and the Duke of Kisses is another great addition to the Untouchables. I received this book from Net Galley and the publisher for a honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.