Undercover Duke

He is in the boxing ring, undercover to catch a traitor and avenge his brother's death. A woman who should not be watching boxers turns his world on its ear, but would she distract him from his mission? Julia is a noblewoman, and women like her never mix with commoners and watch boxing; it is simply not done. However, Julia is quite unconventional. She is falling in love with a boxer. Convention says that she must marry a nobleman, and her mother is quite persistent. Little does she know that her boxer is a duke in hiding. Will the duke catch his traitor? What will happen when Julia finds out that her Lawrence, the boxer, is, in fact, the Duke of Penshaw? I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like Regency romance with intrigue.

This was a great intro to this series. Lawrence is a Duke but he's masquerading in a illegal boxing ring but it's very distracted by Julia who is sneaking to the boxing matches. I thought what Lawrence was doing was very honorable to avengers brother but also not typical for Duke. I feel like Julia was naive at times but overall I like their story. I look forward to reading the rest of the series

I would like to thank Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not really a fan of aristocrats in disguise but this was enjoyable.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Losing his brother to a traitor, Lawrence, Duke of Penshaw, agrees to go undercover to discover who the murderer was. Fighting at an illegal boxing ring by night, Lawrence is shocked to discover a society lady at his matches, especially when she returns night after night. Julia Dryden knows she is risking a lot to watch Lawrence, but after her parents decree she must marry by Easter, she is ready for one last hurrah before she is forced to settle down.

When I saw that Emily had a new series coming out, I jumped to download my eARC, and dove straight in. I liked the banter and camaraderie between Julia and Lawrence, especially as Julia believed they were from different classes in society. They had an easy relationship with one another, and it was clear that though the sparks flying were full of lust, there were real feelings growing underneath. The mystery aspect of the story perhaps could've been developed further, but the danger the pair were in was real, and the ending came with a bang. A great start to a new series, though, definitely setting the stage for future books!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.

This is book one of a new series by Emily E. K. Murdoch. It follows the story of Lawrence, Duke of Penshaw. He was a second son who unexpected gained the title following the death of his brother. He has suspicions on how his brother died and has gone undercover in the seedier side of London, as a fighter in illegal boxing matches, hoping to catch the suspect in his brother's murder.

Julia Dryden is a spirited, privileged young Society miss who seems to enjoy pushing the boundaries, and wants to live life as fully as possible before submitting to her promise to her mother. If she does not endeavour to find a husband by Easter, her mother would pick one for her. However, in the mean time, she sneaks out of the house following her young brother to seek adventure. She ends up where no lady should, at ringside at an illegal boxing match. She and Lawrence catch each others eyes and he is distracted enough to lose the match... and ends up waking up in her arms.

Julia believes Lawrence is a working class man making his way through fighting, but cannot help but fall in love with him. She knows they are of two different classes. And they are, just not the way she thinks. Lawrence, despite his connection with Julia, cannot give up his quest to bring his brother's murderer to justice, and thus cannot tell her the truth.

This was a fun story with a twist on the class theme, and the entire time I was reading it, I kept hearing the Eye of the Tiger in my head, because I kept connecting Julia and Lawrence to Rocky and Adrienne... and his trainer to Burgess Meredith's character and Julia's brother to Pauly... if only Lawrence had two pet rats called Cuff and Link...

Julia's character was a bit over the top for me in how bold and free to roam around in the seedier parts of London without coming to harm, or being found out by her mother, or being seen. But it was a fun, entertaining little story to read.

3.5 stars out of 5

This is the first installment of what looks to be a delightful series! I always love picking up a book by Ms Murdoch, and this one definitely did not disappoint! Lawrence is the Duke of Penshaw. He is working undercover as a boxer to find the murderer who killed his brother and who is also a traitor to the Crown. Julia is looking for some excitement and adventure and convinces her brother to escort her to the boxing ring. She is enthralled by Lawrence and fascinated by him and her attraction is strong. They both easily fall for each other, and disguised as he is as a commoner, he can't believe Julia has fallen so hard for him. He has fallen equally as hard for her. He wants her to love him for the man he is and not his title, so he keeps his true identity a secret. Julia does not care that he does not have a title, or so she is lead to believe. She falls in love with this man who seems to be making a hard, honest living.
The love story between these two was wonderful and I was completely pulled into it. The story was well-written and entertaining and the characters were well-developed and endearing. I enjoyed the story and look forward to continuing the series.
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Duke turned boxer undercover to find a traitor and his brother's murderer. Julia thinks she's falling in love with a boxer, not a duke, and promises to marry soon to appease her mother.

Emily Murdoch always writes the most interesting story, and they are also so steamy. This doesn't disappoint; not as much intrigue as the synopsis suggests (though I didn't read it for that), romance, and secrets. I didn't really care much about the traitor plot, so it wasn't a big deal to me that it wasn't a huge plotline. I was here for the secrets and hidden identities and loved Julia and Lawrence.

Lawrence, the Duke of Penshaw, is working undercover as a boxer in the Almonry Den. He hopes to draw out the murderer of his brother and a traitor to the Crown. Julia Dryden wants adventure and persuades her brother to escort her to the Almonry Den. The man who catches her eye is the boxer, Lawrence Madgwick. Mesmerized by the man she comes to know, she accepts him through the eyes of love. Lawrence can't believe this young woman doesn't care if he is from a different class. A total distraction, is it any wonder he falls for her, too!.When his mission is over will she still love the man behind the duke? This is strictly a romance with obstacles of class and secrets. Julia is very sweet, open and independent. Not just any woman can grab the attention of this duke!
Heat level 3.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I enjoyed the free humor between Julia and Lawrence. The romance was sweet and charming. I loved the easy pace of the book. It’s a good page turner that focuses in on Lawrence and his hunt for answers to the questions that weighs on him heavily. It’s happen stance that Julia and Lawrence Cross paths in the most peculiar way that starts the beginning of their romance. My favorite character has to be Julia. She has Lawerence chasing after her mostly to keep her from getting into trouble. Mainly in the ring. I enjoyed that the story took place out of the ton and in the streets of England.

“Don’t Judge a Duke by His Cover” is the first book in Emily E.K. Murdoch’s newest series - Dukes in Danger. This series has definitely started off strong with a plot that kept me entertained and engrossed from the first page. I thought the characters were well rounded with unique personalities. The two MCs are Lawrence, Duke of Penshaw, and Julia Dryden - each had unique ambitions and were brought together during risqué situations - their meeting could have gone wrong in so many ways. A relationship that begins in a dangerous situation and involves mystery, deadlines, and a few punches; two excel at witty banter and this mixture leads to passionate relationship. This is a light, easy to read romance, the characters battle society norms and there is a “who done it” mystery added in.

What Drew Me To This Book:
I was initially drawn to this story by its gorgeous cover and intriguing title then I noticed it was a new series by Emily E.K. Murdoch and I had to grab it!

The Blurb:
“Lawrence, Duke of Penshaw, is undercover and getting punched on a daily basis.
Devastated by the murder of his brother by a traitor to the Crown, Lawrence agrees to leave his identity as Duke behind to go undercover at an illegal boxing ring in London. He’s waiting for the killer to return from France, and absolutely must not get distracted. Especially by a beauty from Society who absolutely should not be here.

Julia Dryden knows her mother would be scandalized by her presence at the boxing matches—it flies in the face of their agreement for her to choose a husband by Easter. After all, she isn’t getting any younger. But her eye is caught by a tall, handsome man who gives everything in the ring and seems to have no fear of danger.

From two different worlds—but not the ones she thinks—Julia has no idea the man she’s falling in love with is not a common rogue. And Lawrence has to keep it that way for if he loses focus, just for a moment, he may lose everything. The chance to catch a killer, put a traitor behind bars, revenge his brother…and Julia’s heart.”


What I Liked:
A fun romance with a HEA. Intriguing plot. Some unique interactions between the MCs 🥊

What I didn’t Like:
The female MC behaves way out of expected standards for the timeframe. The mystery aspect was not very in-depth and I thought it could have been expanded.

Overall 3.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ | 2.5 Flames 🔥🔥 - I will be on the lookout for the next book in this series.

📚Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, comments, and interpretations of the story are my own and bias free. I did not receive any money in exchange for this review. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review. 🦄

Please let me first say that I really like this author and buy the majority of her books. I also will be posting some spoilers so read carefully and avert your eyes if you dont want to read them.
I enjoyed this book from start to finish..I enjoyed the ages of the characters, older, but not too much of an age gap. I liked how one of the characters is usually from the gentry instead of the noble class. I like the fact that the story moves from lower class situations to parties and balls. I like how the story seems to try to catch a photo of daily life, both of the upper and working classes.
This story started out in a boxing ring. The hero is looking for the murderer of his brother, who was a duke and an agent for the crown. The hero is not an agent; he just asked one of the agents to help him go undercover so he could find his brother's murderer and extract justice and revenge. The hero became a duke after his brother's death and he had to train for months to be able.to talk in a coarse manner and dress like a working man. The hero's undercover is a boxer who goes from fight to fight because that is how he will catch his prey. The hero has a dark side to him that allows him to do this undercover work without it affecting him.
The heroine is a woman who is a year over her majority that bullied her younger brother into taking her to fights and other entertainments before she has to give up her life and enter a marriage. She is not doing anything to compromise her reputation, but she wants to see life a little. She sees a fight with the hero and is concerned that she distracted him. She becomes friends with him, which is one her freedoms before she gets married. She is able.to walk next to a man without having numerous maids, footmen or chaperones watching her every step and word. With the hero, she feels her life is full and she is prepared to give up the wealth of her family to follow the boxer.
This was such a good romance! It had some action and adventure, but I really liked it when the two hearts recognized each other and it moved into love. The way I am able.to read and immerse myself into the stories is not something that is found in every book. This author has a singular way of telling a story and making it fresh and wonderful. I give this book 5 stars and recommend reading.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a romance with plenty of intrigue, this is not the book. Though the romance was fun and sweet, with a little spice, the intrigue is not really there. His being undercover for the crown was barely mentioned, and was almost a throwaway few lines. I feel like I learned more about him in the blurb than in the book. The same could be said for his sister, for apparently he has one, but we knew nothing else about her. I did generally like the story and the happy ending, but if you’re going to talk about being a spy or undercover for the crown, I’d like that in more than a line or two in the book, other than to say, “I wish I could tell her, but….” Overall, if you’re interested in historical romance, this is still a fun book, but don’t expect a madcap adventure, just some sweet romance with a little tension.

Lawrence, Duke of Penshaw, is working undercover as a boxer to find and capture the traitor who murdered his brother. It’s not the life he’s used to, but he hasn’t done badly in the ring. Until…Miss Julia Dryden distracts him. Julia is rebelling against the rules of society and her mother’s ultimatum that she wed by Easter. One trip to the boxing matches with her brother and she is hooked, on Lawrence, and boxing of course. The attraction is mutual. The problem is that she distracts him while he is in the ring – ouch. The plotline is serious and dangerous, and interactions between Lawrence and Julia humorous and annoying (on Julia’s part). The first book in a new series has love at first sight, lessons in trust, surprises and a happy ending. I look forward more stories.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

Lawrence is living undercover to catch the traitor who killed his brother. Nobody from the ton would dream a Duke could be living on just the money he makes in the boxing ring.

Our hero is putting his life in danger every time he gets in the ring, especially when there is a distraction.

Julia Dryden is a rebellious young lady bored with the restrictions allowed her. Luckily her brother is easily bullied by her to take her places she shouldn't go to. Who knew how attractive a common man could be?.

This is the first book in a new historical romance series that I will definitely be following. Lots of fun with wonderful characters. A strange conclusion to the reason he is undercover though.

Great fun.

I enjoyed Julia and Lawrence's journey to happily ever after. Julia was a refreshing heroine, and Lawrence was a perfect match for her.

I received a copy of this book from Metcalfe in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the chance to read Don't Judge a Duke by His Cover by Emily EK Murdoch!

This isn't the first book by the author that I've read. She's a prolific writer with close to 90 titles under her belt! Don't Judge a Due by His Cover is her first book in the Dukes in Danger series. It's 242 pages long and came out today! This book, like all her others (I think) is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers, and available for purchase for $0.99 as an ebook.

Weirdly enough, despite all the stupid things our heroine does in the book I enjoyed reading it. Yes, of course, as a member of the ton you wouldn't be ashamed of who you are. She doesn't register for one moment when Lawrence comes over dressed up and able to understand Latin and use the 4 different spoons that he may be hiding something. She's a bit too caught up in her own feelings and head to understand that. She also accepts every possible explanation he gives her and honestly reminds me a lot of some people who saw massive red flags and were like that's just pretty.

Which leads to my biggest concern in the book; there was just far too much rebellion, and stupid rebellion, to be believable. You've attended one boxing match with your brother, but how are you able to, as a woman in those times, sneak out this much and never be caught or seen? How is there absolutely no danger until that one last time when we need a scene for reconciliation? How does Julia think that Lawrence is punching a man and not telling her why because her brother told him to stay away from her and Lawrence thinks this is the best strategy? Lastly, perhaps this was explained but for the life of me I cannot remember why John Mortimor killed Lawrence's brother and why he's a traitor to the crown. There was also no active search on Lawrence's part to find the man, unless you count boxing. One would imagine that they'd be some other search going on, trying to build up a network or friends to find the man, but no.

That being said, I liked Lawrence who was doing his best to cover up his identity (while slipping up with her) and also boxing and adapting to the new circumstances. I enjoyed reading his point of view. I was a bit worried about how Julia's mom wasn't able to recognise him; he is a duke and she surely must've scoped him out as a potential for Julia.

3.25 Stars
by the murder of his brother by a traitor to the Crown, Lawrence agrees to leave his identity as Duke behind to go undercover at an illegal boxing ring in London. He’s waiting for the killer to return from France. Julia Dryden knows her mother would be scandalized by her presence at the boxing matches. But her eye is caught by a tall, handsome man who gives everything in the ring and seems to have no fear of danger. From two different worlds—but not the ones she thinks—Julia has no idea the man she’s falling in love with is not a common rogue.
The start of a new series & I’m a bit on the fence about it. I liked both Lawrence & Julia & thoroughly enjoyed how their romance grew, I enjoyed their banter & liked the chemistry between them. However Lawrence was undercover to find his brother’s killer & I expected this part of the book to be more developed but it was lacklustre. I also couldn’t believe that a young lady of the ton would wander around London without a chaperone nor would her brother take her to a boxing match. It was well written but my views about it are conflicted.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Great story and characters in this new Dukes in Danger series. I enjoyed the plot and Lawrence and Julia bring a good amount of chemistry and passion. Lots at stake and love most of all.

2.5 stars

This story would have been awesome if the mystery/espionage plot was involved or shown more. Don't get me wrong, the beginning sucked me in, but as I when I got to 10 mins left in the book, I'm like OMG really this is going to be it?! By the very end I can't help but wonder if these characters would carry over into the next book (according to the title this is #1). Things sorta moved too fast and honestly I felt like I was missing some points.

This was my first read by Emily, however I'm willing to try out other books she has written. I also love this cover.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.5 stars
I loved the premise of the story – a Duke going undercover to find his brother’s killer. The main characters – Lawrence and Julia are interesting and I enjoyed many of their interactions. The mystery part of the didn’t play out the way that I was hoping – I wanted it to be more of a story line than what we got. The romance was interesting and a fun play given that the heroine didn’t know that the hero was actually higher ranking than herself, instead of lower ranking.

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