Since she was caught up in a devastating tragedy nine years ago, Lady Lila March has hidden away in her family's townhouse and become a mere shadow of her former self. Now, fed up with her own limitations, Lila is determined she'll venture into the dangers of the outside world again. First she must equip herself to defend her family from any would-be attackers and in order to find the best man to train her she must venture to East London in search of the notoriously undefeated street fighter known as the Savage Gentleman.


As an orphan on the streets of London, Hugh Savage learned to fight as a means of survival. He lives on his reputation as an unbeatable fighter, but in truth he has always abhorred that violence and longs to be free of it. Though he's been determined not to teach anyone to fight, he finds himself unable to resist being intrigued by Lila and the challenge she brings, not to mention the secrets she so obviously carries with her.

As their lessons progress, Hugh and Lila develop a deeper relationship and reveal intimate details of their lives that neither has previously discussed with any other person. The more they come to know each other, the more alike they realize they are. It soon becomes apparent that they need each other in order to overcome their painful pasts and strive for a future together.

I have loved this book! Unfortunately I had to move right in the middle of reading it and my reading time has been severely curtailed. I hated having to put this down and attend to all my other responsibilities. I loved this book! This was emotional, like rip your heart out emotional. Both Lila and Hugh had some serious issues to work through but the development of their relationship, though rapid in terms of days, was excellent given how much they came to know each other and the honest conversations they had together. I loved how each was willing to forgive past mistakes and understand each other's growth and development as people, as well as that fact that they fought to be together despite obstacles. Lila and Hugh were fabulous together and now I'm hoping for a story for Sylvia.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. In the Dark with the Duke by Christi Caldwell is the second book in her Lost Lords of London series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I enjoyed the first book and do recommend reading it too.
The premise of the series is that greedy relatives sold off young heirs to a Fagan like crime lord in order to claim the inheritance for themselves. Hugh Savage has no memory of his life before he became a fighter, was kept locked up and forced to fight in increasingly brutal matches with other children until it became a kill or be killed situation. Years later as an undefeated fighter he meets Lady Lila March when she comes to Savages Fight Society looking to learn how to defend herself in violent situations. Lila became a recluse after being caught up in the violence of Peterloo and she feels that learning how to defend herself will help her to reclaim her life. While seemingly opposites these two have much in common and I really enjoyed reading their stories and watching as they found their way to each other. Fairly high on the angst scale. Medium Steam. Publishing Date: June 9, 2020. #NetGalley #ChristiCaldwell #InTheDarkWithTheDuke #HistoricalRomance #MontlakePublishing #bookstagram

Because of the pain of her hid Lila hid herself away from the world but now she is ready to come out of hiding. She decides to learn to protect herself and those she loves so she wants Hugh to teach her how to defend herself. Hugh is a bare-knuckled fighter and is intrigued by Lila’s request. Sparks begin to fly between them but will their pasts come back to haunt them? Fast-paced historical read with great characters, plenty of drama, steam and emotion. I really liked it.

In the Dark with the Duke by Christi Caldwell
Lost Lords of London #2

After years of being a recluse, the idea of being unable to protect herself and those she loves leads Lady Lila March to seek out Hugh Savage for instruction in self-defense. He is less than excited about the idea, but Lila is tenacious and persists till she succeeds in wearing him down. And thus, begins a dance the two will continue throughout the story. Hugh has battle scars from fighting for his life on the streets, in the children’s bare-knuckle boxing ring and later as a soldier while Lila has scars from a horrible day that changed her life significantly. Whether or not the two can find a way to overcome their issues and forge a future together is what this book is about.

What I liked:
* Hugh – a big man in body and spirit – a gentle giant with a lethal punch…and the perfect man for Lila.
* Lila – a woman who is ready to leave her life as a recluse, become stronger and reach out for what she wants – she is perfect for Hugh
* The plot and writing AND that it had me looking up female pugilists and finding they existed in the timeframe of this story.
* The look into life in the rookery and how grim it must have been.
* The back story of Hugh and his friends
* The mystery of what happened to Valerie
* Finding out who the bad guys were and what skullduggery they had been up to.
* Knowing that there is at least one more book in the series

What I did not like:
* Knowing that the men using children as they did in this book no doubt still use children in similar ways today
* That some of the characters in the book were so amoral
* Finishing the story and wondering what the future held in store for more than one character in the book.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Lila has been living at her family's estate and not leaving their home after a tragedy saw her injured. But when she thinks her family might be in danger, she ventures out at night to get the help of the Savage Gentleman, London's best street fighter. Lila wants to learn everything she can in case she needs to defend her family. But can she convince the Savage Gentleman to take her on?

Hugh has done what was necessary to survive. While he grew up bare-knuckle brawling, it wasn't something he enjoys. When Lila comes to him for help, he refuses at first, but soon changes his mind. Events soon turn them on another path. Hugh might finally get his revenge on the man that made him start fighting all those years ago. But what will it cost him to do so?

I absolutely adored Lila and Hugh's story!! Having met Lila previously, it was so nice to see her finally come out of her shell and find her HEA. I rally like Hugh. He was a man that did what he needed to do to survive, even when it was not something he enjoyed. I loved watching these two help one another heal from their pasts. This was a great addition to the Lost Lords of London series and I can't wait for the next one!!

An amazing story from Christi Caldwell. This is the second book in this series, but can easily be read as a stand alone.

What happens when when an ex-fighter/soldier falls in love with a young woman who was injured in a massacre caused by the army; the answer is a phenomenal story of love, passion, loss, and overcoming an overwhelming fear.

Christi Caldwell writes stories with plots that are unique and powerful, characters that are deep and realistic, and settings that are descriptive and true to real life. Her stories bring a wide range of emotions that range from happiness and joy, fear and terror, anger and rage, and love to hate.

I have never read a book written by Christi that I would not recommend a hundred times over and In the Dark with the Duke falls into that category. This story is as close to perfect as a story can get and I totally and completely recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and the publisher and won a copy via Goodreads and am volunteering an honest review.

I truly enjoyed and devoured this fantastic book, I could not put it down.

This book weaves a complex story of a h/h both lost and tortured by the past. Only through their anxiety, their tortured existence is finding each other and themselves as they fall into their happily ever after.

Their are modern themes that are not always explored in historical context. Both the h/h have ptsd from trauma in their past. His for multi reasons hers from an injuries at an event that could be ripped from a modern newspaper today. Lila goes to meet Hugh in order to have him help her take back her power, she feels powerless in her world. I think these storylines made this book even more accessible and meaningful. I truly loved it!

Lila and Hugh had my favorite kind of chemistry, the banter and will they won’t they kind, and I loved every minute of their interaction. This book. Is smart, sexy and meaningful.

Dark with the Duke by Christi Caldwell is book Two in the Lost Lords of London Series. This is the story of Hugh Savage and Lila March. I have read (and LOVED!) the previous book, but I did feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Hugh has had to fight his whole life from a very early age so it is not surprise that he is called the Savage Gentleman and is East London's undefeated street fighter along with being King of the underworld. Hugh fights a internal battle too that he can't seem to get past. Lila had something awful to happen which sent her into a downward spiral into a recluse. But after years living from the world along with being scare of it she is slowly coming out of that thought process. But Lila thinks learning to defend herself along with the people she loves will help her go forward leaving her sad recluse life. So Lila knows she needs the best fighter to teacher her which leads her to Hugh. Hugh of course doesn't want to teach her this but when he see something in her that makes him move forward to help. They both of course have a pull towards the other but the more they work together the more they learn they have something more going on. Love this author's writing and of course this book! Highly recommend it!

In In the Dark with the Duke we are reacquainted with Lady Lila March. A recluse, she was just barely coming out of her shell by taking music lessons. Fear for her family and motivating by her feelings of inadequacy, Lila hires an undefeated bare-knuckle boxer to teach her self-defense. The fighter, Hugh Savage, is the victim of brutal past. He doesn't want to help Lila, but he is intrigued by her. These two very unlikely damaged people form a strong bond.

I love Caldwell's books. They always show great sensitivity and evoke deep emotions. I liked this book very much. The story was very dark at times. It makes us wonder if sins committed by necessity can still deserve forgiveness. Some elements of the story pushed the limits of my credibility. Nevertheless, I read it eagerly and will certainly look for the next book in this series.

ARC provided through Netgalley.

I'm having to give this one 3.5 stars. I've loved the Lost Lords of London so far as the spin off, but this one lacked in parts for me. I liked Lila, but I don't feel like she was using the correct words when she tried to explain to Hugh about what she wanted from him. It wasn't exactly learning to fight, but defend that she wanted to know. That, for me, was the most miscommunication between the H/h. Watching their slow burn as they got to really know each other was really nice to read and the touches of history added in to explain Lila's past were great, it just took a little while to get her history. Thank you for the advanced copy!

In the dark with the duke 5*
4.5 stars.
Hugh and Lila were two engaging characters. They had both suffered a traumatic experience, although Hugh had experienced many such occasions, and were trying to deal with it in their own way, so that they could move on with their lives. As they got to know each other, so their feelings for each other deepened. However, they both have secrets and when discovered could have an affect on their relationship. This is not a lighthearted romance but it will have you gripped until the end, when several discoveries are made. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The flittermouse is no more. Christi knows how to write angst into her characters. I have read several of Christi’s books and my favorites are about the people of the underworld. These characters have all had tragedy in their lives but work through the problems and even though they are not perfect on the other side, they survive and live happy lives. Hugh is one such character as is Lila even though she is of the ton she lived through the horrific Peterloo Massacre. What I really like about this story is that Lila takes back her life. It is hard but she is a survivor. A great love story between Hugh and Lila.

Stolen lives redeemed!

I am so caught up in the Lost Lord series. I love it. This latest novel is another winner. Here we have Hugh Savage, the Savage Gentleman, a ferocious bare knuckled fighter involved in these vicious matches from childhood, starting on the road to salvation. Not through being a reinstated kidnapped child of the peerage, but through the actions of a woman, Lady Lila March, a recluse of eight years, living in the shadows of night, an agoraphobic, who turns to him to help free herself from her fears. Her's has been a stolen life!
I love this trope, the flawed hero, and the damaged heroine, coming together and in the process, despite setbacks, being the agent of healing for each other. And Caldwell has so upped the dramatic ante! Sigh!
That both harbour secrets their ashamed of, that both have crossed paths (even here I'm unsure if this is at a distance, or is there a hint here of something closer--maybe that becomes the reader's privilege) and both are now at a confluence, an intersection that if they allow, will change their lives.
Hugh has survivor's guilt and punishes himself for circumstances that happened during his childhood that were outside of his ability to control. Nevertheless he's trapped in that guilt. His co-owners of the fight club have their own agenda, one that in the end will destroy Hugh unless he breaks free. First however, he has to want to. Lila becomes the light that will guide him out of that dark place, if he can but follow.
Tracking this group of stolen children stories is becoming a must read for me.
A tartly, bitter sweet read!

A Montlake Romance ARC via NetGalley

A Savage Gentleman.

Hugh Savage is a fighter, who abhors fighting. Its part of his contradictory nature.
He's a runner but has been trapped by circumstance all his life.

Lila March is a recluse, a shut in since Peterloo.
But she reaches out to Hugh to give her lessons in fighting and defense.
They are very much alike, with a shared moment in history but on opposite sides and class.

Here's my thoughts: At first, it was hard to get into the story, mainly because of the surface similarities to another Bare-Knuckle series.
Once Lila and Hugh meet, though, the story really got rolling. At times, the story resonates with events going on right now, with a familiar phrase used as well by Lila, about how she can't breathe, which is very relevant.
At times, there's some choppy bits. Overall, a good read and I liked both Lila and Hugh.

A dark fight society is no place for a lady but what this lady needs is exactly a man who would be part of such a society. Lady Lila has lived a very sheltered life the past 8 years due to a traumatic event that left her scarred, in more ways than one. She seeks out a man that is quite possible more damaged than her, Hugh Savage. Hugh turns out to be much more than she expected and exactly what she needed. As both their lives begin to change can they survive each other's deceit, their pasts, and their trauma? Lila and Hugh were almost electric together, a powerful story where their love helped piece their souls back together.

I had a very hard time getting into this book. I like Lily and her courage but thought her interaction with Hugh lacked chemistry. With Hugh being a fighter I felt like he let the other two owners walk all over him. I didn't finish this one.

Lady Lila March has sought out Hugh Savage, as the man who will make her into a stronger person. Yet Hugh is struggling to break free from his world, where the only way to survive and get ahead, is this violence and fighting. When these two meet, they are definitely an odd couple, yet it soon is evident that they have much in common.
This romance was slow to start with both of the two main characters slowly getting to know each other and revealing their inner selves. With Hugh, he gradually softens from a man knowing only violence to someone who is respectful of Lila. Likewise, she is so timid to start with yet, her time spent with Hugh, slowly shows how strong she really is. The fight scenes are incredibly descriptive but don’t overwhelm the story. The reality for young children growing up in East London during this time period, is quite revealing. Whilst this was the second book in the series, it is definitely a standalone story, with glimpses of the first book cleverly integrated. This is another great addition to this series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

It was a good book. More suspense than I generally go for. The hero and heroine had pasts that drew them together and I loved how the author wove their stories.

I wish the ending wasn't so rushed and we actually saw what happened to the villain.

All in all it was enjoyable

I have to start by telling you Christi Caldwell is one of my favorite authors. Her writing style gets you from the beginning of the story to the end. This story is about Lila who had a tragic experience years ago which has affected her actions and how she chooses to live her life. Hugh is a bare-knuckle fighter who lived on the streets for years, and his tragic past has affected how he lives his life. They meet when Lila wants to know how to fight so she can defend herself or the people she loved. This story had a mystery and a start of friendship which turns to love. I felt very bad for Hugh, he had no family and no real friends. I felt bad for Lila for how she has lived her life. I feel bad they were both very lonely and not really happy. Christi Caldwell wrote the story of them finding each other realistic, she did not rush it or force the story. I only wish she would put an epilogue in this book, I would have liked a summed-up chapter so I could know what happed to Hugh partners and Lila’s sister. I guess I will use my imagination and of course give everyone a happy ever after.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Christi Caldwell once again shows she isn’t afraid to delve into the dark side of her characters with In the Dark with the Duke. Both Hugh and Lila are haunted by trauma from their pasts, and Caldwell conveys this beautifully from the opening sentences.

While I don’t always love tortured heroes, I still felt for Hugh, given how those first pages illustrated his past in such poignant detail and shaped him into the man he is today.

As for Lila, I can relate on to being so impacted by tragedy that she would choose to become a recluse and admire her for choosing to take things into her own hands and approach Hugh to teach her how to fight. They see similarities in each other’s struggles and help each other heal in the most beautiful way.

This is one of the most engaging Christi Caldwell books I’ve read (although I still remain lamentably behind on her backlist!) and a new favorite for sure. If you’re a fan of tortured heroes (and heroines) and impeccable character work exploring both trauma and healing, I can’t recommend this one highly enough.