THE DEVIL'S OWN DUKE - Lenora Bell
Wallflowers vs Rogues - Book 2
Avon
ASIN: B08RDTW9C5
ISBN-10: 0-06299-346-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-06299-346-5
September 28, 2021
Regency Romance

England

Lady Henrietta (Hetty) Prince is a twenty-four-year-old spinster who at the story's start is encouraging her father, the Duke of Granville, to go downstairs and join the ball in their London townhouse. Tonight, he is to choose a new duchess. Once in the ballroom, Hetty meets an extremely handsome uninvited guest, Ash Ellis, who asks her to waltz with him. She learns Ash is also known as the Devil's Own Scoundrel and is the owner of The Devil's Staircase, a gaming hell.

Though beautiful and a duke's daughter, this is only the second ball Hetty has attended. Her mother died seven years ago shortly after Hetty's debut ball. She has remained a reclusive spinster ever since. Due to an unfortunate circumstance, all her father's heirs have died. He needs to marry to produce an heir, or with his death, the estate will go to the crown, the tenants will be disregarded, and Hetty will be left destitute. Plus, all her hard work in developing the vineyard her mother started at Rosehill Park will be wasted. She does all her work in her father's name as no one believes a woman of her status is capable of such work. Her vines produce a wonderful sparkling white wine, although few in England believe its soil can produce a good wine, which is another bias she must overcome.

While giving little away about himself, and although his life has been very hard, Ash knows everything is about to change. He has a witness and documents to prove he is the Granville heir from a generation back. Hetty is suspicious of Ash's claim. Ash doesn't trust anyone, can be devious to achieve his goals, and doesn't believe himself capable of love. While both Hetty and Ash feel a strong mutual attraction, neither trusts the other. Both are strong, independent, hard workers. He proposes a solution to their problem—a marriage deal. He gets the status he wants, and she keeps her estate.

Besides the drama between the couple, which includes many sensual encounters, Ash learns an old enemy believed dead may be back, one who wants revenge. It might be safer for Hetty if he separates from her. The convoluted pasts of these two newly-married strangers make a compelling story in THE DEVIL'S OWN DUKE.

I love Lenora Bell. In this book, we see the return of some old favs! We continue the Wallflowers vs Rogues series, with cameos from 2 heroes from the School for Dukes series. Cross over = Love it!!!
This is the love story of Hetty and Ash. This one was a hot mess, and I was not sure how it would play out to the HEA, I was not disappointed. She is in our Boadicea club from book 1 of the series. I am feeling now that I should go back and re-read the first book. Anyways... she is an English-French heroine on course to fight for success in the wine world. He is a con man/dark-history-having hero who's climbed up from the gutter to success.... on a mission to snare a dukedom. Oh.... a delicious love story awaits you! I am already ready for book 3 in this series... I hope. I want to know what happens with the 3rd Duke... things are up and down hill for him from here. Great book... check out both series to have a complete picture.

Thank you for the ARC book. I really enjoyed this romance. It is part of a series, but may be read by itself. I haven't read any of the other books and it was fine.
I really enjoyed the unconventional female roles, for the time period, in this novel. It was nice to read something different.
It is very hot steamy. I'm going to look for more books by this author.

Lady Henrietta Prince's to-do list includes getting her father married so he can sire a heir thus securing their land and future. After all, at the age of 24 she is practically a spinster and getting married herself is definitely not an option, nor would it save their land and title as she cannot inherit.  That all changes though when Ash Elis, The Devil's Own Scoundrel enters the picture and not only sweeps Hetty off her feet with her first kiss he claims he is a distant heir to her father's dukedom.  Seizing upon the solution to save himself from marriage, Hetty's father welcomes Ash as his heir and even ups the ante for the gambling man by insisting he marry Hetty.  Although there is a physical attraction between the two and Hetty knows the marriage is the only way to secure the family's future and save the vineyards she's worked so hard to build up, she resolves to never trust Ash or give him access to her heart.  However, as a threat from Ash's murky past surfaces, Hetty and Ash will have no choice but to trust each other if they want to survive.

This is a sweet historical romance in which opposites attract and enemies become lovers.  I enjoyed the buildup of tension between Hetty and Ash.  The attraction was instant, but there was a nice long burn. Both characters are non-traditional thinkers for their time-period.  Hetty's lady's club is a really fun element to the story, I would have actually liked to see more of these ladies interacting.  Ash is a great character as well, the relationship he has with his cat Lucy gives away his soft heart pretty early on.  This is book two in Lenora Bell's Wallflowers vs. Rogues series, but can be read as a stand alone novel.

If con artists paired with independent women are your jam, you'll enjoy The Devil's Own Duke. Ash is a gaming hell owner-slash-secret social reformer, and he wants Hetty's father's dukedom so that he can promote progressive labor legislation in the House of Lords, plus use all of the dukedom's ill-gotten gains to support his charity school. Hetty, on the other hand, just wants to build a thriving wine business.

We would have liked to see more time spent with Ash and Hetty falling in love - we could tell they were both attracted to each other (Hetty kisses him the first time she meets him!), but we weren't convinced by the deepening of their relationship. We also would have liked the dialogue to sparkle as much as Hetty's wine, but it fell flat in some places. That said, this is a sexy, fun book that continues the story of the Boadicea Club members. Definitely worth checking out.

Lenora Bell weaves yet another wonderful love story with an "enemies to lovers" theme. Henrietta needs her father to remarry someone wealthy so she can save her father's vineyard. But when he finds out that there is an man claiming to be the long lost heir to his Dukedom, he is thrilled. Only Henrietta is suspicious of this handsome stranger's claims. The chemistry between Henrietta and Ash will keep you reading until the wee hours of the morning.

I get a bit giddy when I see an new upcoming title from Lenora Bell pop up on my radar and when the second story in the Wallflowers vs Rogues series showed up, I won't lie...there were goosebumps!

So imagine the Woo's! down in Wooville, when I received an advanced readers copy of Hetty and Ash's story the other day. My happy dance may have disturbed my neighbors and frightened a few squirrels, but enough about me...

A modern woman, stuck in a world ruled by men, Lady Henrietta Prince is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure the vineyard her mother loved and she has worked so hard to build into a productive winery is not lost, even if it means marrying the handsome stranger who has suddenly come forward as the long-lost heir to her father's title.

Gambling house owner, Ash Ellis is a man with a plan. A plan to claim a dukedom-whether he has a legal leg to stand on or not- and use the title and influence that comes with it to atone for his past and ensure his plans for the future. Gaining a beautiful spitfire for a wife, however, was never part of his plan.

The two reluctantly agree that a marriage of convenience is the best option if they both have a chance of obtaining their goals, but neither can they ignore the fireworks that explode between them whenever they are together.

Sex, lies and lots and lots of sparkling wine, plus a couple of fabulous, feline characters play their parts in creating spice and intrigue for Hetty and Ash's budding romance, but it's discovering that they are each much more than the labels that have been placed on them by society, that really make their story shine and provides fertile soil for love to grow.

With Ms. Bell's knack for witty dialogue and talent for creating multi-dimensional character that take on a life of their own, The Devil's Own is just another fine example of why this author has a permanent, top-spot reserved on my Favorite Authors list.

4.5 stars!! I adore Lenora Bell! If you haven't read any of her previous books, please rectify this ASAP! The Devils Own Duke is another book in her Wallflower vs Rogues series. While there are people from previous books, you do not have to read them in order to enjoy this one. This book features Hetty, our wine producing heroine and Ash, a scoundrel who says he is the heir to her families Dukedom. While the pair both have their own agendas, they are completely drawn to each other, no matter this was not in the plans! It was beautiful, sexy, romantic, fun, all in one. I highly recommend.

I've really enjoyed the heroines of both the School for Dukes and Wallflowers vs. Rogues series--how could you not, when they are so fiercely independent, determined, and capable? Lady Henrietta "Hetty" Prince is no exception.

Lady Hetty, a vintner hoping to elevate the profile of her family's sparkling wine and English wine in general, doesn't believe she needs a partner to accomplish her goals--and on a technical level, she's right. Ash Ellis matches her in ambition and determination, and while they begin at loggerheads, they turn out to be the perfect complements for one another. Neither can achieve their dreams without the other, and their mutual happily-ever-afters come from having a partner that supports them and helps them unlock repressed or ignored dimensions of themselves.

It's a fun journey to go on with them, and there are plenty of cats, wine, Italian opera singers, dukes, ne'er-do-wells, and couples from Lenora Bell books past to make this a delightful read. Hetty and Ash have fantastic chemistry even from their first dance and kiss, and it's lovely, slow burn as they fight their feelings while also leaning into their attraction. The pacing can be a bit uneven at times, and some plot points seem rather convenient, but overall, it's a story to bring a smile to your face.

It was an okay book. I did enjoy reading it; however, I also felt like something was missing throughout the story. I enjoy that the h had strong views and seemed like a strong female character. I just don't know were the disconnect was but overall it was a good book that I would recommend.

I love how romance books are moving towards having our female main character as capable independent women who have interests and lives outside of a need for marriage. In this story Henrietta had a purpose and passion in her life. When Ash came along they clashed and had to work together to find a way for a HEA. I enjoyed this story and found it a delight to read.

Lenora Bell can do no wrong in my eyes. Her heroes and heroines are, without exception, endearing without being smarmy, brave without being annoying, charming without being cloying, and so steamy and sexy. The Devil’s Own Duke is her new addition to a long line of my favorite fictional dukes.

The Devil’s Own Duke (Wallflowers vs. Rogues, #2) was just a wonderful story that kept my attention from start to finish. The pace was on target and I thought this book was better than the first in the series.

I do love opposites of somewhat. Here you have Lady Henrietta Prince a bluestocking winemaker and Ash Ellis, a gaming den owner in line for a dukedom. The heroine is ambitious and is convicted to achieving her goals so much so that she has the hero rethinking his plans. Right from the beginning there is so much strong will between both characters who eventually are in a marriage of convenience. There is an attraction between the two that results in finding compromises for their differences in personalities that lead to a strong and loving relationship.

This is my third book by Lenora Bell and second in this series. I love how she develops her characters throughout the story and especially the heroine in this one where she is strong, ambitious and intelligent. It was well-written and captivated my attention from the start. As stated in most of my reviews, I love a good historical romance that brings a bit of steamy between the H/h and this one did not disappoint… Warning…in fact it was very explicit in content and language. Ms. Bell has made it to my list of fav authors just for her writing on women elevating from the normal gender roles. Just a delightful read with delightful characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchanged for my fair and honest review. All opinions contained in this review are my own.

Good story, kept me hooked with its fast pace and likeable characters. I definitely want to read the stories of the rest of the Boudicea Club, sounds like the place to be. I read Ford and Beatrice's story, recognized the enemies to lovers plot in this one too. It really works well for Ms. Bell.

This book was so much better than the first in the series. I thought the characters were better developed and I cared about them more. Also, I found the romance better written.

This was a fun one! Hetty may be a wallflower but she’s no damsel in distress. She is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Ash is a rogue with a heart of gold. When Ash comes forward as the long lost heir to the dukedom, he enters a marriage of convenience with Hetty. Hetty only cares about her wine and will marry Ash if it will save her vineyards.

The story is fun and all of the characters are fully fleshed out. It was a good read and I highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the ARC to read and review.

Street urchin turned club owner turned duke heir Ash has to keep Hetty, the duke's daughter and inspiring vintner, in line to take over the dukedom. Not sure what exactly was endearing about either of these two. Instant dislike plus instant attraction should always work, but these two are just not.

The Devil’s Own Duke
Ash and Hetty
Lenora Bell
I was not able to relate to this book. The reader is plopped into the story about 10-20 pages too soon without having been introduced to the characters or at least having a glimpse at what would endear them to us. From there they are rather woodenly played. The ‘surprise heir appearing to take over all the heroine has worked for’ is the trope. All the normal elements needed to work are in the plot but it simply wasn’t engaging or likable enough.
I would not recommend this book to my patrons.

This is the second book in the Wallflowers vs. Rogues series about a group of strong, intelligent, talented women who find success in their talents and love.

Lady Henrietta Prince is a duke's daughter and dedicated winemaker on her father's estate. When the duke is left without an heir and forced to find a bride, Ash Ellis, gambling den owner, sees an opportunity to claim a heritage. The duke is all too happy to accept Ash as his distant heir to Hetty's consternation.

From the beginning, this relationship is reminiscent of Pygmalion, but it doesn't take up the entire plot. Convinced into a marriage of convenience, Ash and Hetty remake each other and fall in love. They are both powerful characters and have strong wills. And throughout their relationship and HEA, they don't compromise on that. In the end, their differences end up strengthening their relationship. And the man doesn't need the woman to become subservient to fall in love with her or boost his own ego. In fact, Ash is attracted to Hetty's power.

I really loved that Hetty didn't abandon her ambitions to make the best sparkling wine for Ash. In fact, he ends up abandoning his goals and helping her achieve that and isn't threatened by her success. I also really loved their introduction to each other. You can really picture Ash with his strong cologne and tacky red vests.

If you love Lenora Bell, you will love this book. She writes the most delightful characters, and this book doesn't disappoint. I love this whole series. Women are often written out of history, and as a gender studies major in college - this used to frustrate me to no end. Women are not supporting characters in the history of men, and Lenora's heroines embody that. The next book in this series is about a female composer and a dissolute rake - I am very excited for that.

“Read it to me again,” Hetty said.

“Again?” Ash laughed. “That will be the third time.”

“I'll never tire of hearing it.” Especially read to her in his deep, gruff voice, so tender and proud.

- The Devil's Own Duke by Leonora Bell.
--

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle

If I sat quietly drinking the wine crafted by your hands and amicably watching from my dark corner, dreaming of sweetness I could never obtain. Would I ever have had the change of stolen kisses, encouraging words, and harsh, beautiful eyes staring at me? The happiness you've given me can't ever be taken away. I'm bare in front of you, my love for you is burning most ardently.

Ever yours,
Ash.

That's a letter I hope Ash would have written Hetty out of many. This all as she came to be with their baby. It is strange I want more of them? I'm a hopeless romantic at heart. I'll cave here and tell you all.

The Devil’s Own Duke by Leonora Bell is a fantastic regency story about an intelligent, cunning, beautiful Lady Hetty Prince and brooding kind, and handsome Ash Ellis. It has outstanding storytelling, pace, and characterization. There wasn't much I didn't want to devour every second of the way, I was attentive and needy to know what was happening next.

Any advice for those who are exploring Historical Romance or romance as a genre overall. The Devil's Own Duke is a slow burn romance where we get to meet these characters on their own elements. We're made to fall in love with them. If you enjoy that kind of book content, then this book is for you. Another important fact, this book has explicit sexual content and crass vocabulary. If you're not comfortable with that don't read the book.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a review.