As always - love Amalie Howard and love this next book in a wonderful series. This was a fun, quick read. Sweet and very much enjoyable!

I’m generally not much of a fan of historical romance but thought I would give this one a go. I have no doubt this is a solid read for that genre, but the genre isn’t for me. I find it very hard to continuously read about how ignorant certain types of women are, I know it’s going to come around and it turns out the women is incredibly intelligent etc but as a reader I still find it draining. I think perhaps this author relied on that too heavily in the early chapters. It made it hard for me to care about the story.

I have been provided with a review copy of The Duke in Question from NetGalley for an impartial review. I just really enjoyed this story and I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Valentine Medford, the Duke of Thornbury, a semi-retired Crown agent never lost a target and he doesn't plan to now that he's come out of retirement to help his former partner find a rogue agent. His mission requires him to keep his target close and uncover all the secrets that cold keep them apart.

Lady Bronwyn Chase is not the airhead she presents to society. She wants to be much more than society expects of a young lady which is why she's found herself on her brother's passenger ship on the way to America in possession of a packet of information that could get her into serious trouble, the kind that could ruin even a duke's sister and which has set Valentine in pursuit. As he gets closet to Bronwyn and her secrets, Valentine soon realizes that more is going on here than meets the eye and he must find a way to marry his loyalty to the Crown with his desire for more with Bronwyn.

This story sucked me in early on and had me eager to get to the next scene. I loved the spy element and the fact that our characters traveled around to various settings. Valentine brought a lot to the story just by the nature of his experience as a former (now semi-retired) spymaster. He's grumpy and jaded but full of fire underneath that tough exterior. Bronwyn wiggled right under his skin without much effort, having quietly longed for him for years, and despite his reluctance to reveal his entire self to someone else, he couldn't help himself when it came to her. I loved that she acknowledged her feelings for him and refused to settle for less than everything he had to give without being forced into a marriage of convenience. The downside of that for me was that she also was cutting off her nose to spite her face a bit, because much of the time Valentine was viewing this as a rejection. She just needed to give him a little time to catch up and be willing to take the risk of exposing himself to another person. The obvious effort it took Valentine to open himself up to Bronwyn made their relationship really special and made it clear that they weren't just reacting to the adrenaline bonding of having been through several dangerous situations together. I think these two were a good match with Valentine curbing some of Bronwyn's naivete and her bringing him out of his shell a bit and helping him not dwell so much on all he'd seen and done in his espionage career. I also enjoyed seeing Bronwyn challenge her mother a bit, though I definitely wanted to see more of her standing up to that awful woman. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to more of this series.

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

Amalie Howard’s regency romances always give it their all with swoon worthy heroes, personable heroines, spicy scenes and lovely, romantic storylines. The Duke in Question is no exception: Bronwyn and Valentine’s enemies to lovers, spy heavy love story gave me all the feels.

This was such a fun historical romance. I loved the banter between the two main characters and their chemistry was so easily seen on the pages. I also loved the plot line which was more high-stakes then some of the books that I have read. Overall it was such a fun time and I can't wait to read more from this author.

The previous book in this series was alright, but this one took it to the next level. I am absolutely obsessed with the spies-at-odds fast-burn sexual tension slow-burn romance of it all! Admittedly there was a lot going on with the plot that I had trouble keeping track of, but the high drama and international intrigue was totally worth it.

A nice continuation of this series. It was nice to follow some of the same characters from other books and see how they are getting along. I liked the main characters and was able to connect with them quickly. The realationship did not seem fast or forced but progressed as one can imagine a relationship would in such a situation. It was hard to put this book down. The plot moved quickly and the danger kept you on your toes. I will be interested to see what this author brings next.

Having never read an Amalie Howard before I was unsure what to expect, but I was blown away! A fabulous Heroine, a dashing spy hero, and an excellent tale of intrigue and secrets! Not to mention, the STEAM. This book is a piping hot cup of tea that you can't bear to put down. Their chemistry is off the charts and both of them admit their shortcomings (at least internally). I loved this book and am going to have to go find the others in this series.

3.5 stars

I actually really like Amalie Howard's books, but this particular hero felt a little stale and annoying. He gave off the classic misogynistic historical romance hero, which normal I wouldn't care about (fiction is fiction, am i right). But especially compared to the heroine, Bee- who was incredible- he paled in comparison.

5 stars for Bee
-2 stars for the hero
extra .5 star because I'm a sucker for (secret) spy plots

No question about it, Amlie Howard’s The Duke in Question is my favourite so far in the Daring Dukes series!

Lady Bronwyn got a taste for the excitement of espionage while helping her half brother regain his dukedom, so now when the covert opportunity to save lives in America comes up, she is more than eager… that is until she finds her brothers best friend aboard her ship. An ex-spy and a Duke, Thornbury is only going to cause her trouble!

Bound by duty to find a rogue spy named the Kestrel, and honour to protect his friends sister, the Duke of Thornbury is more than flustered to find that his targets are one and the same!

Both Lady Bronwyn and the Duke are highly motivated by their perceived duty to the crown and cause, but the attraction between then adds to the fun as they fight off villains and ruination together!

This spy romance was a lot of fun! I loved seeing how their mutual connection and their belief in what is right wage war on their consciousness. The heat between these two simmerers off the page

✨This book has it all!

🕵️‍♀️🕵️ Spies!
🛳High seas adventure!
👰‍♀️🤵‍♂️Marraige of convenience
✨Forced proximity
💥🔥Explosive chemistry- so hot!

✨This was a fun and exciting read! I highly recommend it to fans of old school romance adventure with a modern RH flair!

This book was tons of fun! It took a little while to get going, but once it started the plot just kept chugging along. There’s a decent level of steam, which is always nice. I liked the clandestine service aspect of the plot. It really allowed the story to move forward in fun and interesting ways. Plus it gave some convenient scenarios for the leads to get full of adrenaline… all in all, an enjoyable read.

Another great book from Amalie Howard! This had everything - spies, intrigue, a strong, kickass heroine, and a buttoned up hero! If you want action with your romance, this is the book for you.

What unique names for our main characters! Valentine and Bronwyn. This whole book was top tier. There were a diverse community 0f representation. Interesting take on history that Amalie Howard truly took her time to develop. I believe this is the first historical spy romance I ever read and I'm hooked. This had action, pacing, and a romance that worked well on the page. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will read another from Amalie Howard.

Oh but this was a delicious story! I love historical romance spy stories. In this one we get two plus a couple of extras. Valentine Medford, Duke of Thornbury was an agent for the Crown before he inherited the dukedom from his great-uncle. He was fake married to Lisbeth, another agent but now they're "divorced". This story starts on an oceanliner owned by Lady Bronwyn Chase's brother, Courtland, Duke of Ashvale. She's become an undercover agent, the Kestrel, to help free blacks and other races. Her brother Courtland is mixed race. This takes place during the American Civil War. She's carrying a message to thwart an attempt on President Lincoln's life. Valentine is helping Lisbeth trying to capture the Kestrel who they don't know works for good and not against the Crown.

Bronwyn is Valentine's best friend's sister so he keeps an eye out for her although he thinks she's pretty vapid and dumb from what he's observed. It's her cover and she's actually quite intelligent and brave. Val and Lisbeth think the Kestrel is male and are looking for someone else. One thing leads to another and the pieces start to fall. Then Bee's contact in Philidelphia goes wrong and she's almost killed. With Val's help she survives. This starts the very convoluted adventure to these two falling in love and finding they're working on the same side of the law. Oh how I enjoyed this story and it's complexities. The surprise as to who's trying to kill her is good too.

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

The Duke of Thornbury is coming out of semi-retirement as an agent of the Crown to assist a friend in tracking down an infamous spy. The last person he suspects to be the individual in question is the frivolous and flirty Lady Bronwyn Chase. Bronwyn loves being a part of something bigger than herself, contributing to bettering the world and fighting for human rights. But with Valentine, the Duke of Thornbury, on her tail, trouble ensues placing more than just her mission at risk!

My second Amalie Howard book, the second that was easily a 5 star read! Although the third book in this series this is the first one I’ve read. Bronwyn was intelligent, a risk taker, and full of idealism. Valentine was a little grumpy, passionate, and a skilled spy. The two together were a Victorian romance match made in heaven! This book took us from an ocean ship to Philadelphia, to France, and back to England. It was adventurous and a ton of fun!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I love historical romance, but with a twist. And that's what this is! Spies, antics, and a great romance. I will definitely be reading more Amalie Howard books after this one!!

The Duke in Question is the third book in the Daring Dukes series and is a wild, romantic and suspenseful ride that I couldn’t put down! I need to delve into the other two books in this series soon....this book could be read as a standalone, though.

I loved how well-written the mystery element of this book was, but honestly, the romance was less than engaging.

3 stars.

THE REVIEW
Lady Bronwyn is desperate to do something important instead of being a simple woman and wife. She wants to help those without a voice, so when she finds an opportunity to deliver secret messages to help with the slave trade in America, she jumps (and excels) at the opportunity! Now she is on her biggest mission yet and finds herself on her brothers boat bound for America! Only she didn’t account for the Duke of Thornbury to be on the same ship! Quickly, her plan becomes complicated when Thornbury decides he needs to ‘protect her.’ Bronwyn has had a crush on the Duke since she was a little girl and, now that she is a woman and sees the way Thornbury looks at her, she turns into a witless, harpy!

The Duke of Thornbury is a starchy undercover spy for England who follows the rule book to a T. He is a close friend of Bronwyn’s brother and feels obligated to look after her when he discovers her on the ship bound for America. He has lived a life built around lies (even his first marriage was not real), so he can’t conceive that he would be good enough for Bronwyn. But…some things are too hard to resist and he skins finds that Bronwyn is one of them!

Sometimes I find reviews really hard to write…I try to make notes and capture my emotions as I’m reading…but some books are SO GOOD that I can’t stop reading long enough to eat let alone make any notes! The Duke is Question was one of those books; I was so engrossed in the story and the characters. I haven’t read the first two books in this series, and while it definitively did not stop by enjoyment AT ALL, I can’t wait to read them now. I’m sure it will make the story even better…I’ll really get a sense of the back relationship between Bronwyn and her mother and her and Thornbury. Also the family dynamics with her brother becoming the Duke to spite her mother.

Thornbury and Bronwyn’s firecracker passion was so so explosive! She took what she wanted and didn’t regret her choices or let anyone make her feel lessor for them. I loved that their was definite angst in their relationship, but it didn’t become tedious.I adored this book. Simply loved it. I am mad that it is over and now I need to immediately go read the others in the series!

TROPES
1865, Historical Romance, Victorian Era, Knife-Wielding Heroine, Damaged/Tortured Heroine, Best Friend Sibling, Unrequited Love, Outdoor Steam, Could Be Caught Steam, Alpha Hero, Grumpy Hero, Protective Hero, Possessive/Jealous Hero, Titled Hero, Bluestocking Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Unexpected Virgin, detective/spy Heroine, Detective/Spy Hero, Forced Proximity, Hidden Identity, Heroine in Danger, Suspense/Danger/Murder, Road Trip Trope, Carriage Steam, Five Star, Four Steam