ALC Review: A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke
Pub Date: February 4, 2025
Narrator: Frankie Corzo

Newly minted Duke, Apollo, is struggling to assert his place in society. He needs to find a bride and decides to come to Paris for a multitude of reasons - one of which is Aurora, who he had a one time tryst with and now can't stop thinking about. Aurora has too much going on with her work as a doctor to have time for Apollo's antics, but no one can deny that their chemistry is explosive.

Holy Crap I LOVED this book!!! Apollo is down SO BAD for Aurora and she is so prickly and standoffish. Man I just ate this up with a spoon and would do it again! This book starts out with a bang and the heat level just gets higher and higher as the book goes on. He is just so irrevocably obsessed with her - the literal definition of heart eyes. Their banter is just *chef's kiss* good - I didn't want to stop reading.

One of the things I want to point out here is Adriana's use of language. Both Apollo and Aurora are Afro-Latine and speak Spanish and utilize quite a bit of Spanish with each other, which makes total sense. I don't speak Spanish but never ever did I feel like I was missing out on something. In many cases, Adriana gives us clues to what is being said and in others you just get the context. It helped me be even more immersed in the book even though I don't speak the language. They've both experienced racism and being on the outskirts of society and while Aurora is content with the place she has created for herself, Apollo is fighting for recognition as a Duke. This is the crux of the conflict between the two - even though Aurora may have more feelings than she cares to admit, she knows she could never be the Duchess that Apollo needs.

The author's note regarding reproductive rights today is absolutely worth reading. Aurora helps run an underground clinic for women - providing necessary care (including abortions) in a time that doesn't feel all too different from our own in some ways. I loved how, though Apollo was concerned for her safety, he never suggested she stop her work. In fact he provides the things that she needs (such as a location) to do her job more efficiently and effectively.

The narration by Frankie Corzo was excellent - the Spanish was incredibly well done and I loved her accents - her voice for Apollo was pretty sexy!

This was my first 5 star read in 2025 and I will be thinking about it for a long time! Thank you to Canary Street Press for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This trilogy is amazing. I have been waiting to see these two together. The doctor & the reluctant Duke. Each trying to change the world in their own way. Each having to accept that the family you are born into is not always the best fit.
Aurora is trying to provide health care to women in need. It’s dangerous and exhausting. She does not trust men and has no time for nonsense.
Apollo is now the Duke and as a brown man, the aristocracy is not accepting of him.
They have been sniping at each other for 2 books now and I knew they’d be incendiary.
I loved watching these two circle one another.
It’s sexy and beautifully written and reminds us that todays issues have been issues in the word before.

Adriana wrote a strong and engaging series. All three books were enjoyable and had strong FMCs that found their HEAs. Tropes include enemies to lovers, bedroom lessons, and a third-act breakup. I appreciate that she's able to write a historical romance while covering actual historical events or trends from the period.

Really impressed that a 14-hour book could maintain my interest. I enjoyed A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke. It’s the third in the Las Leonas series, so I was a little lost at the start because it opened on plot points from the previous books which led into Aurora and Apollo’s story, but afterward it read like a standalone .I’ll definitely go back to read the first two.

Aurora was the star of the show for me . I loved her character and how she was so passionate about protecting women and giving them the confidence to have autonomy over their bodies, her ruthless independence (that endangered her more often than not) and how she found her match in Apollo. It was a very hopeful story with themes that are unfortunately still applicable today.

Because I still feel like a visitor instead of a full-time resident of the historical romance genre, I don’t feel qualified enough to give critiques for this (I didn’t have any) . But even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to clearly articulate them like I would for a regular degular contemporary romance.

The narration was fine and suited the characters. Frankie Corzo isn’t my all-time favourite narrator, but she’s always a solid choice that I can depend on like, I know my ears won’t bleed listening to her.

Thanks to Harlequin audio for the ALC!

Listen, it really does take a lot to have me sobbing into my kindle at odd times of the day but this book did that repeatedly. What a damn journey.

Aurora, much like myself, is a “difficult” woman, if the societal ideal of a woman is passive and non-confrontational. She was an angry child, a lonely child, and an unprotected child who built armor around her heart to keep hurt out. She’s snappy, opinionated, and lashes out first so she can be the one to control the hurt. I loved her to bits. I cried for her, her childhood, her refusal to be anything but herself (shabby dresses and all!), and the way she slowly lets Apollo in knowing it’s going to hurt when she crashes.

So much of this story is Aurora and Apollo’s story. Obviously. This is a romance after all. But it’s a fierce love letter to every woman, especially women of color, that fought for something better and for the right to their own bodies. Aurora and Apollo don’t have an easy road to an HEA but it’s not because they don’t match each other perfectly (Apollo is her soft place to land and fiercest champion), but because they have an uphill battle to climb with the aristocracy and a society designed to keep white supremacy at the control panel. Neither of them are welcomed by a society controlled by white men, specifically violent white men, but they carve out a different legacy together. One where the women that birthed them are honored and celebrated (a midwifery!!!) and where they help women take control of their own destiny.

I don’t think Herrera could have written a more poignant or more relevant romance right now with bodily autonomy and the legacy of white supremacy and control at the helm. I wish it wasn’t as relevant as it is, but Herrera took the biggest middle finger in the world, wrapped it in a passionate love story, and gave the angry girl, the prickly girl, the difficult girl the happy ending she deserved. And I can’t thank her enough for writing a difficult woman finding a man that loves and champions her against the world.

All the snaps, Adriana Herrera. All the snaps.

Aurora and Apollo will break your heart and set you on fire, and then put it all back together again! They couldn’t be more wrong for each other on paper… but they can’t deny how together, everything just seems to fit!

You will love Aurora who is a fierce female doctor of color in the Victorian era. She is strong, and determined and principled - but I absolutely love the way that we got to see her soften without losing an ounce of her fire. As the story went on Aurora’s character seemed lighter and more playful as she got more comfortable with Apollo.

Apollo will have you swooning at every turn. My goodness. And he’s so helplessly gone for his little “Fiera” 🫠

I listened to the audiobook and the narration was perfect! 👌🏼

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up! such a great book and you can tell that the author did sooo much research on this subject. aurora who is a latina doctor, runs an underground clinic for women in need, regardless of any and all consequences, and along the way she very reluctantly falls in love with apollo, the first Black duke (afro-latino) that is also trying to find his way in society, and the story is set in paris, in 1889. it was steamy, and the banter and playfulness was there too. definitely a must read!

i listened to the audio and followed along in the ebook and i actually really loved doing this! i thought that frankie corzo was such a great voice actor for this book and her voice fit very well with the characters! definitely going to read the previous 2 books as this was the 3rd in the las leonas trilogy and i’ll likely grab the audio for those as well ☺️

themes:
feminism
women fighting for each other
reproductive rights
heroine run a women’s clinic
hero who fights for her 🥹

thanks so much netgalley and harlequin audio for this alc of a tropical rebel gets the duke!

✅ Aurora Wright, Physician running an underground women’s clinic & Apollo Cèsar Sinclair Robles, Duke of Annan
✅ Aurora & Apollo have a one night stand
✅ Black/Latina FMC & Black MMC
✅ a delightfully feminist book. If you’re in a “f*ck the patriarchy” mood, this is the book you’re going to want to read.
✅ LGBTQ+ rep with the supporting cast
✅ he falls first and falls harder
🌶️: yes, starting in the first 1/3rd. He has a 😈 mouth

The whole Las Leonas series is an absolute blast! This relationship was teased in Book 1 and I’ve been waiting for it to be released!

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke is the third and final book in Herrera's Las Léonas series, which follows two headstrong individuals trying to make their corner of the world a little brighter. Aurora Montalban has her underground physician work giving healthcare to women, and Apollo César Sinclair Robles is wanting to right some wrongs with his new title of duke. Both are not wanting any serious romantic relationships yet can't seem to stay away from each other. When their past catches up with them, they Apollo has to convince Aurora that they can be more.

I was absolutely blown away with this book! (And would definitely recommend the audio!) Not only was the dynamic between Apollo and Aurora explosive from page one, but the way that they complement and build each other up was top notch. Everyone should read this book just based on the tension between these MC's BUT also because of the topics discussed. Aurora runs an undercover women's clinic that provides services that are illegal during the time period, which feels very relevant with the current politics happening in the US right now. Meanwhile, Apollo is dealing with racism as the first Black duke in this society, so various other's are just waiting for him to make a mistake. If you are looking for a romance book with depth and a stunning romance plot, please do yourself a favor and read A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke!

I don’t read much historical romance, but this author came highly recommended so I decided to give it a try.

I’m so glad that I did! A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke is the third and final book in the Las Leonas series. I’ve not read the prior books, so you can absolutely read this on its own and enjoy.

Thought-provoking and captivating, this book blends a scorching romance with political drama.

I primarily listened to this on audio, and I highly recommend this format. The narration was great.

Book Review: Her Majesty The Queen Investigates “A DEATH IN DIAMONDS”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: S.J. Bennet @sophiabennett_writer
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing @harlequinbooks Canary Street Press @canarystreetpress @harlequin_audio
Thank you @netgalley for th ARC and ALC,

It is 1957, in the early days of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, and two of the earliest mysteries are set before the queen. It will be intriguing to observe how she establishes a pattern for her involvement in these mysteries. Her Majesty resolves the mysteries and provides anonymous support to Scotland Yard, accomplished with the assistance of her secretary. The queen encounters the murder of a woman working as an escort, along with the man who hired her. The deceased woman is found wearing a stolen tiara, leading to British tabloid headlines of the 'tart in the tiara.' As the story unfolds, numerous secrets begin to surface about some of society's upper crust. Naturally, any book about the Queen would not be complete without mention of Prince Philip, leaving one to wonder if some of his secrets are involved in this murder. A second mystery occurs during a state visit to France, directed at the Queen. Is someone within her inner circle attempting to hurt and discredit her? She doesn't know who to trust, except for her secretary, Joan. The two of them collaborate to uncover the identity of the person behind this plot and their ultimate endgame. The Queen, still in the early stages of her reign, with the country recovering from the aftermath of World War II, seems somewhat apprehensive at times. This apprehension is understandable, given her responsibilities as a young wife, mother, and monarch. This book was a delight to read, and for this American reader, the late Queen became even more relatable. Although the book fell outside of my typical genre, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

#queenelizabeth #queenelizabeth #deathindiamonds #read #reading #readreadread #readmorebooks #readersgonnaread #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #booklover #bookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #booknerd #bookaddict #bookphotography

I listened to the audio version of this book, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The narrator did an excellent job with both male and female voices in the dual POV of this story. The author did an amazing job on the writing, and I couldn't stop reading. I thought it was historically accurate, well rounded characters, and a story that kept me entertained the entire time. What more could I ask for? I can't wait for more from this author. I highly recommend this to the historical fiction and romance readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Harlequin Audio, and Adriana Herrera

I liked this, I did, I really did. I just think it could have been a lot shorter. There seemed to be a lot of repetitiveness and a few scenes that could have been combined or shortened. Also the one guy showing up at the end with a gun seemed like an afterthought. But, I still liked the story and I liked seeing a heroine going after what she wanted. I also liked the incorporation of a timely subject in a historical setting when it came to the services that Aurora was providing to the women of Paris. This series has been a lot of fun and I hope to see more like this that feature BIPOC characters throughout history.

The audiobook narration was fantastic. Frankie Corzo is one of my favorite narrators and she always does a fantastic job. As with any dual POV though I would have loved to also have a male narrator, but Frankie does a great job with male voices so it's not missed too much.

YOU 👏🏽 GUYS 👏🏽 this might be my new favorite historical romance of all time. Adriana Herrera does it again with swoony romance, FMCs with ironclad resolve, and historic context that both educates and empowers. I found myself tearing up in the author’s note where she talks about the resilience of uterus-bearers in times where bodily autonomy is under attack. It was both humbling and empowering to learn about the historically organized networks of women and people who knew reproductive rights are human rights.

Aurora and Apollo’s romance was something I’ve been looking forward to since book 1, and it lived up to everything I could’ve hoped for and MORE. While we definitely had some “touch her and lose your teeth” moments, I loved how Aurora fully held her own in most instances.

I honestly can’t sing enough praise for this book. Adriana’s writing has fundamentally changed what I expect from historic fiction/romance and I will read anything she writes.

The audiobook was wonderfully performed by Frankie Corzo and they absolutely brought Aurora’s character to life.

The third installment of the Las Leonas series follows Aurora, a fierce doctor advocating for women’s rights in 1889 Paris. The historical accuracy and the social commentary of this novel are right on point. There’s also romance, spice, and pastries, all set in Paris and London. I loved seeing Luz Alana and Manuela (the other two Leonas) in Aurora’s story, but this book can easily be enjoyed as a standalone. I also think the series is great for fans of the Bridgerton TV show who yearn to see a Latina protagonist in the cast!

This audiobook was perfection! The narrator perfectly matched Aurora and was emotional and entertaining to listen to. I will definitely be listening again soon!

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.
Now the good stuff because holy hell this was some GOOD stuff!!! A Tropical Rebel gets the Duke is book 3 in the Las Leonas series but can be read as a stand alone. Not having read the first two, I can confidently say that book 3 definitely has me loading the first two books into my Kindle. This book was the perfect amount of steamy, spicy and swoony! Aurora and Apollo were such a beautiful pairing. In the current political climate that we’re in the relevance of this book is just unreal especially considering this is a historical fiction. Aurora is the character that we need now, she’s a kick butt FMC who advocates for women’s right to basic health care. And Apollo? He is all the touch her and die vibes that make us swoon!!!

Gah! I loved this one!

Historical Fiction with some spice? Loved it so much!
A female doctor and a possessive MMC ? Yes please!

This was everything I wanted it to be and more! I really enjoyed the nuance just went into crafting these characters and their history, and how well Adriana handled it. I’ve heard great things about her work, and I see why it’s so beloved!

Adriana Herrera is writing some of the best romantic tension I've ever read. I fall in love with her characters every time. And Aurora and Apollo in A Topical Rebel Gets the Duke are no exception.

Aurora is a force to be reckoned with. She is strong, determined, and principled. She puts herself in harm's way to help other women. She has never had anyone she can rely on except her two good friends Luz Alana and Manuela. As a result, it's hard to get past the walls she's spent a lifetime building to protect herself. But Apollo is certainly up to the challenge. The way he fights for Aurora had me swooning. This man had the determination to match Aurora's and it was seriously hot. And I can take or leave spice in a book; it is just not what I'm reading for. But the spice in this book is so damn good. Like good Lord 🔥🔥🔥

I really enjoyed the audiobook. It's single narrator but she knocks it out of the park. I was immersed in the story start to finish. And the character voices are very clear, so I never lost track of who was speaking. 1.25x speed was perfect for me.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio, NetGalley, and Adriana Herrera for the ALC!