3/5 Stars

I have super mixed feelings about this book. It's unique that is for sure. I'm just not sure it was the book for me. I thought it was interesting mixing the paranormal with regency romance. It's something I don't see everyday. I enjoyed the broody and tortured hero. I'm not sure how I feel about Alwyn and Tabitha's relationship. I enjoyed some aspects and disliked others. I just feel like there wasn't enough time together with them. Overall it was an okay read, for sure different than others I've read.

A good book. There’s a lot of characters in it, I want there stories now too. I thought it was fast paced, and overall a good book!

I enjoyed reading this historical romance story mixed with some paranormal This is a newer author for me which I enjoyed her writing style as well as her attention to details that brought life to the story. The author made the story feel realistic and I had no issues connecting with the characters. I enjoyed watching their growth and chemistry throughout the story. I found this book to be well written, hard to put down and fast paced. An engaging story that had me coming back for more. This is one you don't want to miss. I highly recommend this book.

This premise is literally two of my favorite worlds colliding, historical romance and shifters! I think jumping into this series on book 3 did not do it any favors. I did enjoy the story but I do feel like I was missing some information. I plan to go back and read from the beginning to get a better sense of the back story!

This is my first shape-shifter book, but not my first historical romance. I thought I would like it but I couldn't get into it. I should have probably gone back in the series because I did not understand the context or the characters. I would recommend doing that so get a fuller picture. I believe this may be great for folks who like this genre. It's a little heavy for those who like a lighter romance book.

This wasn't my favorite in the series. I felt like there were too many side characters and not enough focus on our couple, Alwyn and Tabitha. Also, the language was overinflated. Lots of big words were used and I'm guessing that was because Tabitha and her brother were smart and that was the author's way of showing us that. It really drew me out of the book since I had to look several of them up. The ending gave us the chance for more in the series. I'll pick up the next one if and when it comes out.

After years as a captive, lion shifter Alwyn, Duke of Llewelyn has secluded himself on an other shifter's estate. Even then he is having trouble connecting with others including his own lion.
Tabitha Barrington has been travelling with her brother and learning healing arts from everywhere they've been. Now they have been summoned back to England by His Highness Prince George. He needs them to fix a problem for him.
Our heroine make a lot of discoveries not the least among them about herself. Our hero has to learn there is a life worth living.
This paranormal romance is the third book in a series. They are all action packed and a little steamy, but absolutely fascinating stories that catch you on the first page until the end. I think they are best read in order, but you can read each one on its own.These are not ordinary shifters. Some are funny others very dangerous. Added to that the particularly ruthless villains and you will have lots of fun reading this.
I loved it.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well written, and the plot was engrossing. I would recommend this to any romance readers.

While the premise of the story was good it unfortunately fell short in execution. The dialogue was flat and the characters didn’t have much in the way of on page chemistry.

This is the 3rd in the Shapeshifters of the Beau Monde. I love historical romance and add paranormal for a nice change. This is different than the last book which was a marriage of convenience and we get to hear about them in this book.

Tabitha is such a unique forward thinking character as an apothecary that is tasked with helping the Duke.

The Duke of Llewellyn is a shapeshifter that won't shift. His trauma over being taken and forced to stay in his lion form is severe. But Tabitha is starting to wear down his defenses and she's different than other humans.

Definitely enjoyed this one! Loved the gender fluidity of the verispellis.

I was excited to read this as I haven't seen many subgenres cross like shifters and historical romance, however this book ultimately fell flat for me. The writing was fine but I felt like there was too much information not explained that could leave the reader confused, especially if you picked this up without reading the other books. Neither of the characters were really that interesting to me which is were a lot of my disappointment is. I really wanted to like this.

Alwyn, Duke of Llewelyn, was held captive in his lion form. Now freed from the menagerie he refuses to change back into his animal form. The longer he stays human, the sicker he becomes. Enter Tabitha, fresh from her travels with her brother around Europe, who has an affinity for healing. She is let in on the secret universe by the Prince and tasked with getting Alwyn better.

I love historical fiction, historical romance, and paranormal romances so theoretically I should really like this book. In reality, not so much. This is the third book in the series and I felt from the onset of the novel that I was missing a lot of the backstory, which never happens in a historical romance series. In my experience, it is very easy to pick and choose which books you want to read without having to commit to the entire series.

Nor am I used to dense prose in a historical romance. I want whimsy, angsty, escapism in my romance reads. I can’t really get any of that when I’m busy constantly using the dictionary function on my Kindle. Talk about a mood killer…

The main character, Tabitha’s entire personality is that she travelled with her brother. She finds an opportunity to mention something about her travels on almost every page. It is literally in every inner monologue, every dialogue, frankly it is in every single scene. She has no other form of identity or personality traits.

I will admit this fact already annoyed me but the real cherry on the cake was when Alwyn comes along and states an observation in his inner monologue that she is so hesitant to talk about her travels. At which point I aggressively (sorry Kindle!) exited this book. Was I being trolled? Are you serious? Do you not listen when she speaks?

This of course was after Tabitha had reflected back on her first real encounter with Alwyn and observing how flirtatious her behaviour was. I nearly spit out my coffee as I exclaimed “Wait. WHAT!? When?”

I have picked up and put down this book on multiple occasions and I just can’t seem to find my rhythm with it and at this point I just think my multiple attempts are making it worse. I have DNF’d at 19%.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an early reading copy.

This Regency paranormal romance, 3rd in Allen’s Beau Monde series, involves an unlikely romantic pair, a duke who is also a shapeshifter lion and Tabitha, a lady apothecary who wishes to remain unwed. The Welsh Duke of Llewelyn after years magically trapped in a circus in his lion form fears transforming even temporarily into his lion “essential self.” Not doing so endangers his life and well-being, just as the long years in his lion form proved debilitating. The Regent, a bear shapeshifter, hires Tabitha to assist Llewelyn in his recovery. She can’t resist this intriguing patient and learning about the secret shapeshifting world. Unfortunately, the danger to the duke and many in this community is not over. Allen’s lighthearted portrayal of the minor characters and, most importantly, the villain adds satirical humor to the tale. This style avoids a sense of real danger, and the rescue scenes read as comic antics as much as heroic acts. Allen’s choice of archaic vocabulary, such as “lave” for “lick,” occasionally goes awry, sounding stilted, but does add to the tone of parody. For example, Tabitha’s conversation is described like this: “The lady ably switched topics like a swallow in a susurration.” Characters from previous books in the series enter the action with little introduction and past events are often referred to as inside knowledge, so readers will lessen confusion by starting with the first series book

A Duke at the Door is a historical paranormal romance about a lion shifter duke and a traveling apothecary. They have to deal with a mysterious enemy, and an unexpected attraction between them.

Tabitha Barrington lived an interesting life before her eyes were opened to the world of shapeshifters. She and her brother Timothy are close; without warmth or affection from their parents, they are each all the other has in the world. For the last decade, Tabitha and Timothy have traveled the continent, she learning herbal treatments from whomever would teach her, he teaching English. When Timothy is offered a steady position and the comfort it affords, he jumps at the chance, and Tabitha finds herself back in England, working for a wolf-shifting Duke. She also finds herself occupied with an order from royalty: to rehabilitate a formerly captured lion-shifter, the Duke of Llewelyn, Alwyn Ap Lewin.

Alwyn just wants to be left alone, but the regent (a shifter in his own right) insists he needs treatment, and has appointed someone for that purpose. After years of being trapped in his lionskin and used as entertainment in a circus, Alwyn is rusty on etiquette. While Tabitha does what she can to make him more comfortable, Alwyn realizes that she might be the mate he has long since given up on finding. However, there is a hidden threat, one that targets both Alwyn and Tabitha, and threatens the freedom of even the most noble-blooded shifters.

This story had a lot of potential! I liked a lot about it – Tabitha being an older heroine, her strong bond with her brother, and the internal conflict Alwyn faces – but ultimately it’s just too flawed to rate well. Alwyn has to deal with unresolved trauma about his captivity, and that really works well for the story. Unfortunately, it’s pretty much the only aspect of the plot that makes sense and feels totally earned.

I really enjoyed the two leads. Alwyn and Tabitha have strong personalities, and their chemistry is excellent, but I would have liked more of them getting to know each other. Their lives both take unexpected turns, and while Tabitha has more control over her fate, I would have liked to know what they both would have wanted, given their options. Tabitha clearly wants to see the world and travel, but where does that desire come from? She is commitment-shy, but why? Alwyn is mostly driven by his loneliness and his trauma, but while he comes into himself in the book, we’re told rather than shown how Tabitha has constricted her life. Her brother says she has trouble expressing her feelings, but they argue as siblings do, and Tabitah is, generally, rather outspoken. Timothy also says Tabitha has spent her child-bearing years traveling with him, but Tabitha doesn’t ever tell him she wants children or indicate a desire for marriage. Her fated mate just happens to her, and while she does choose him back, it feels unresolved.

The world building is also problematic. I haven’t read the previous books in the series, and this one is difficult as a stand-alone. There is a surprising amount of lore, and it’s both too expository and not sufficiently well explained. A new aspect of the mate bond is explained, but it’s vague and I didn’t really understand it. I liked the idea of the shapeshifters having their own culture and worshiping in their own ways, but it feels under-developed.

I did like the supporting characters, particularly the opinionated townspeople. The book is really well-written, which makes the issues I had with plot and characterization more disappointing. The plot, without going into too much detail, is not super intricate. That would have been fine if it made sense, but I found it lackluster. Given how weak the action storyline turned out to be, I’d have preferred the story to have stuck with the internal conflict of the two main characters.

Overall, A Duke at the Door is thoroughly underwhelming. I really liked the premise, and the writing showed a lot of promise, but ultimately the book is just not up to snuff.

A romance that falls short, for me. Perhaps it was because of the shape shifting, or the tepidness of the tale, I could not enjoy it as much.

I have been provided with a review copy of A Duke at the Door from NetGalley for an impartial review. This book was just so easy to get lost in. I completely got lost in the story and I just loved getting to see these new characters come together. I just absolutely love this story and I just didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

I love the found family you find in this book and series! Both characters had very well developed back stories that gave insight to why they were the way they were.

Sometimes, I find the book flow to be a tad confusing but overall I enjoyed it.

I really adore this series! The blending of paranormal with the Regency period with a romance overlay? Chef's kiss!

The elements of "found family" feature strongly in this novel, with a marvelous community being built by the protagonists of the prior two novels. And given that groundwork, I knew from the outset that this outing in the series was likely to be more serious and tender than the previous two novels - Alwyn with his tragic history and Tabitha as well, though I felt she was a bit of an enigma.

I really appreciated that both characters had a strong backstory that understandably made them reluctant to open their hearts to each other - but one of the reasons I really like these novels is the fact that the characters *gasp* actually talked to each other.

Alwyn and Tabitha were more understated characters than either of the leads in the previous novels - or frankly, is common in paranormal romance. But I found that I really enjoyed characters that were more real - Tabitha having needed to fly under the radar the majority of her life (reasons explained in the novel) and Alwyn having experienced a trauma that he felt there was no coming back from.

It also felt like the writer was an intelligent woman writing for other intelligent people, weaving some real historical facts and events into the story (though I'm 99% sure none of the British monarchy have ever been bears ...) which for me only added to the experience.

This was my first Susanna Allen romance but I've gone back and grabbed up the rest of the series already! I loved watching Alwyn find himself again and watching as he begins to learn to trust - and love Tabitha.

Sexy, romantic, wonderful!

Love this story that showed why its important to win the heart of a shapeshifting lion. Alwyn and Tabitha were relatable characters and i enjoyed reading this very much!