This book is a good example of why I am a devoted fan of Grace Burrowes. The plot had me on the edge of my seat right from the start and kept me guessing until the end. The characters were complex and I was rooting for their HEA but it wasn't so easily won! Strangely, I didn't mind the wait- anticipation can be a good thing. I highly recommend The Captive Duke.

Ok first of all the character development is so well done. You know something happened to Gilly in the past but I love that it took quite a while to understand what drives her decisions. The chemistry they have is adorable and heart warming. Cannot wait to read the rest of this series!

Give me a good historical romance with a bit of drama and I am in heaven. A serious book following two people with their respective traumas which they overcome for a HEA. Grace Burrowes handles the topics with compassion and draws the reader in. I love the love story she crafted between the characters. ❤️

*This is a rerelease of The Captive.

Regency Romance…This regency book has a sweet quality which pulls at your heart. It will put a smile on your face. It was heartfelt the interaction between wounded vet soldier Duke and a Duchess Widow. Both are trying to cope the the tragedy in their lives and go forward. It is about forgiveness for others and yourself. It pulls at your heart strings. It deals with emotions (good/bad) and expectations of societal roles of men, women, rich, and poor. I like the POV of both H&H. I did enjoy this book. I have read this author before and couldn’t wait to read another book by her. This book is a standalone read but does have a few members of another book from author. I would recommend her book – starting with the Heir. You will not regret it!!!

**I received this book from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I didn't realize until I started reading it, that this book was a rerelease of an earlier book, called The Captive.
That being said this story is about two very damaged souls that come together to help heal each other. He is a victim of the war, being held captive and tortured for over a year. She is a widow and victim of an abusive husband.
Their story is a beautiful one. There is also a few other twists thrown in which keeps you intrigued.
As usual, Grace Burrowes starts out slow and methodical in her stories, hooks you by the middle and you can't put it down by the end.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

When I read the description I thought it sounded familiar and as soon as I started reading I realized I had read this before. I'm not sure why it's being re-published under a slightly different title. I enjoyed it just as much the second time as I had the first. This is a really great story about surviving and overcoming trauma. Both Gilly and Christian suffered their traumas in different ways, but the residual effects were keeping both of them from being able to move on. Their understanding of one another is what bonded them and it was nice to see their love grow from that. I was glad that Gilly was able to direct her anger at Marcus (who really really deserved it) prior to him meeting his end. Although she was shocked by her actions it was something she definitely needed to get out. And I think it helped in her understanding Christian's actions a little more. The only thing missing from this book is an epilogue to let us know how our couple are getting on in the future (I'm a big fan of epilogues). But maybe we get to see them again in a later book in the series.

I love Grace Burrowe’s books and this is the second time I have read The Captive Duke, I am not sure if there have been any changes to the book since the first publication. First of all this book has some triggers and remembrance of violence. The duke was a tortured captive of war while Gillian, the heroine was the captive of a previous awful marriage. The romance, as always, was lovely. The topic of captivity was not. 4 stars.

Grace Burrowes is my favorite historical romance author, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read and review The Captive Duke. Just to be clear, this book was originally published in 2014 under the title The Captive, but is being updated with a new title and cover.

Grace Burrowes writes realistic characters and doesn’t shy away from harsh realities, but her stories are permeated with hope and healing. In The Captive Duke, Christian must deal with the effects of being a prisoner of war and the resulting scars, a consuming desire for revenge, and experience the healing that can only come from sharing the burden with those that understand. Following Christian as he processes his experiences, with the help of friend Devlin St. Just and Gillian, it is clear that the author has done her research on trauma response in regard to military service, domestic abuse, and childhood trauma.

Gillian, cousin to Christian’s late wife, is recently widowed after eight years trapped in a brutal marriage. As she acts as hostess and personal assistant to Christian upon his return home to England, and lovingly providing a female influence to 9 year-old Lucy, Gillian begins to heal as well. Just as it should be in any romance novel, the main characters are perfect partners for each other, shoring up each other's weaknesses, supporting strengths, and providing unconditional love and understanding.

Many of Grace Burrowes novels interconnect with other of her books/series, which is something I love, but know that this book can easily be read as a standalone.

I received an advance reader copy through NetGalley from Sourcebooks Casablanca. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

I didn't realize this was a reissue until I had finished the book. I found the story to be captivating and wonderful. I loved Gilly's persistence in doing what was right. The slow burn led to a wonderful and satisfying ending.

I found the book to very entertaining. The characters actions or reactions fall into line with their motivations or set goals with the plot. These moments are logical to the outcome of the story. From my perception of the story, I thought Chris was very much in conflict with his PTSD. Most of the story Expressed how Chris tries to overcome this hardening medical depression.
The true light to Chris is his daughter Lucy,who is his light. The background story pulled me right in. Having Gillian being the heroine is simply marvelous. She was almost like Mary Poppins floating in and out of each room or some dilemma that’s hard for Chris to cross over. The book is a page turner.
Some of the more elegant or elaborate wording through me off which distracted my attention to the scenes in that part of the story. Keeping the wording simple in the book helps readers like me keeps the engage more in the book. The characters are all awesome. The emotions are very real and felt through the characters dialogue and actions. This is a wonderful story of love and romance.
Until next time my fellow readers… read on! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Gillian and Christian were two wounded soul that healed each other. This is such a beautifully written story. Grace Burrowes develops these characters so throughly that you cannot help but agonize over everything they’ve gone through and cheer them on as they find love and resolution. I cannot wait for the next in this series.

4 Stars! This was the first book in the ‘Captive Hearts’ series and can be read as a standalone. This book was first released back in 2014 and called ‘The Captive’. It was a good book and I enjoyed reading about Christian/Duke of Merica & Gilly/Lady Greendale. They were well written and I liked how they helped each other heal after their separate, yet similar, situations. So glad they got an HEA ending, they really deserved it. I figured out who the bad guy was from day one & couldn’t believe no one else put two & two together! I like how the ‘sexy times’ scenes were short & not overly detailed. I hate when it goes on & on! It gets to the point where I’m like ‘yeaah, okay! ::insert eye roll:: ’, that doesn’t happen in real life! Anyway, I actually feel bad for the British-Frenchman who turned into a Baron after the war ended. His story seems so sad. His book is next in the series and I can’t wait to read that!
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

The Captive Duke by Grace Burrows is a complex and compelling historical romance novel that will leave readers feeling emotionally invested in the fate of its characters. The story is a deep, dark, and multilayered tale that is not for the faint of heart. It follows the Duke of Mercia, Christian, as he is taken prisoner by the French and subjected to months of systematic torture. When Christian is finally released and returns to England, he is severely malnourished and mentally and physically damaged. The devastating news that his wife and infant son have died in his absence only adds to his pain.
Enter Countess Gilly Greendale, newly widowed and the cousin of Christian's departed wife, who takes it upon herself to help Christian reconnect with his daughter and find his place in the world again. Gilly and Christian are two of the most tortured and fascinating characters in the book, and their chemistry is nothing short of soulful. Each has a deep and complex backstory that is woven seamlessly into the narrative.
While the pacing can be slow at times, the secondary characters are expertly interwoven into the story arc, and there are plenty of plot twists and hidden secrets to keep readers engaged. Devlin St. Just, Christian's friend, provides some much-needed comic relief, while Girard, Christian's main guard and torturer, is a dark and complex character in his own right.
Overall, The Captive Duke is a beautifully written and nuanced novel that will leave readers feeling emotionally drained in the best possible way.

This is a reprint of an earlier novel, “The Captive,” about a duke who was captured by the French and tortured during the Peninsular War. Now he’s finally free with some real problems suffering from his time in captivity as well as PTSD. But he comes out of it with the help of his dead wife’s cousin. I enjoyed the interaction between the duke and Gilly, who is suffering from her time in an abusive marriage. They help each other while also working to solve the mystery of who is trying to kill Gilly and why the duke’s daughter refuses to speak. It’s pretty obvious who the bad guy is, but I always enjoy Burrowes’ writing.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Re-release of a wonderful historical
Ms.Burrowes talent for weaving a tale is well known and respected. Her characters are well defined and most are lovable, but in any good story there has to be a villain or two. I loved it just as much the second time as the first.
Two survivors, one of a mean rotten husband and the other a prisoner of war, become each other’s best friends because she has had a glimpse of his torture in her own life. Somehow Ms. Burrowes turns their lives of hell and being deceived by family into a sweet love story. If you haven’t already read it, I recommend you grab it this time as well as the rest of the Captive Heart series.
I requested and received a NetGalley Arc gratis and offer my opinion in the same.

An intriguing, easy to read story, well written, with wonderful characters and attention to detail. A romances full of unexpected turns and twist or two.