I love Anna Harrington’s writing, and I loved Shay and Sophie. The plot is a little wild and could have been too dramatic is anyone else’s hands, but the characters make you love them. For once I understood why a regency hero was holding himself at arm’s length from the world and from love. And Sophie is everything you could want in a histrom heroine- smart, brave, kind, and not okay with living a life that makes her or her husband miserable. They’d do anything for each other, and it was lovely to watch them grow together instead of trying to fix everything but their connection.

When Sophie was twelve, her grandmother contracted her to eventually marry the Duke of Malvern. When the duke dies in a fire the night before the wedding, Sophie considers herself free of the contract. On the night of her engagement ball to another man, Shay, now the duke, shows up to claim her. He is now the Duke of Malvern and considers the marriage contract valid. Scarred from the fire that killed his brother, Shay wants to save her from an unhappy marriage. The two had been writing each other for 10 years as Shay was fighting in the wars so they already had a connection. Their happiness is achieved early in the story so much of the book is the happily married couple thwarting the evil uncle who wants to take the Dukedom for himself. I enjoyed the first two books more than this one, but I recommend the series and am looking forward to the next book.

An enticing and enjoyable romance and a second chance at love. Sophie and Shay are wonderful characters, their connection is strong and their story and love is deserving in every way.

Thank you NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for an ARC of this novel. All opinions are honest and my own.

Wow! Anna Harrington does it again!

This gives you everything you want in a historical romance. Not only do we get a truly Tortured hero (I’m talking tortured with a capital T), but we also get steam, villains, and a plot that keeps you turning the pages long after you should be asleep.

This is the third book in The Dukes of Darkness series - however each focuses on a different couple and can be read as standalone. We do get some cameos from previous (and future) main characters, and I’m so excited to read the next book in this series… and fully prepared for Harrington to rip my heart out with it.

PUB DATE: February 21, 2025

SUGGESTED SNACK PAIRING: breakfast - particularly toast with marmalade, hot chocolate, eggs, bacon and strawberries

“A small breakfast tray had been delivered while she had been soaking, filled with her favorites, too-toast with marmalade, a pot of chocolate, eggs, bacon...someone had even managed to find a handful of precious strawberries in the middle of winter.”

Triggers: sexual content, fire, death, burns/injury detail, kidnapping, sexism, talk of war (off page, in the past)

Rating: 3.25 stars

In this book, we follow Lady Sophie Winter and Shay Douglass, who were in love but torn apart by her engagement to his brother, who died in a tragic fire. Years later, Shay returns to enforce their marriage contract, forcing Sophie to marry the man she once loved but now resents. Once married, they must confront their shared past to find healing—and maybe a second chance at love.

This was my first book by this author, and it was a pleasant surprise. The writing flowed naturally, and I found myself so hooked that I read 74% of the book in one day. The characters felt real, their conversations were genuine, and the love they shared was palpable—I was practically inside the story with them.
My only issue was the last 30%, which led me to lower my rating. Those 80 pages were chaotic and felt rushed. The third-act conflict didn’t work for me; it was both entertaining and overly dramatic at the same time. However, this didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.
In the end, this was a heartwarming story with an amazing couple who took yearning to the next level. I can’t wait to see more of these characters, so I’ll be rushing to read the first two books in the series.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lady Sophie Winter and Seamus Douglass met when she was only twelve. When she was contracted for marriage to his older brother John, and, as a second son, Shay had been destined for a soldier's life. Then a tragic fire changed everything. Shay retreated to his isolated estate a scarred and broken man, determined to live out the rest of his days in self-exile and never see Sophie again. Five years after the fire & on the night that Sophie plans to announce her engagement, Shay returns to enforce the old marriage contract that weds her to the Duke of Malvern...to him.
The third book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. I loved both Shay & Sophie & loved their rocky journey to a HEA, there’s plenty of angst but throughout it all their love is constant even if he fights it. I loved the chemistry between them & how their relationship grew & deepened. A very well written book with strong characters, a well paced story, some adventure & danger, I thoroughly enjoyed it
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

*second chance romance
*Beauty and the Beast

This one was mostly great - really good writing, likeable MC’s, showed - didn’t tell, chemistry between the leads, kept my interest and kept me turning the pages.

The second half didn’t enthrall me as much as the first half, but I still enjoyed this one. This was my first time reading Ms Harrington; I will absolutely read more of her work 🙂



Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC

After a tragedy befalls John Douglass that garners minimal sympathy from the reader, we learn that the substantial scars his brother bares run far deeper emotionally than physically. He and the reader are tormented by his love for his brother’s contracted fiance and the self-inflicted sentence he imposes upon himself. Throw in an Uncle conniving for the kingdom for his own offspring and we have all the tension that one can imagine down to the final chapter. The fiery passion that evolves between the Duke and Duchess is only matched by the fire of the reader to turn the pages as the passion unfolds. Great plot!

Anna does it again. This time it is done subtlety, yes, that is what I said. The love story was slow and grew over time. Can beauty tame the beast – oh yes, she can despite his constant attempts to allow her freedom to leave him. What? Why would she do that, she was strong and would not allow him to drive her away. Sophie was a strong person and I was rooting for her the entire time. There is suspense that we are along for the journey to Shay and Sophie’s HEA.

Quite enjoyed this one - I hadn't read the first two in the series but it was not important to this storyline. We meet Sophie and Seamus (Shay) as young people - Sophie is promised to Shay's older brother, John. There's a slightly muddled backstory about mothers who ran away, besmirched family names and a marriage contract with a HUGE penalty clause. Anyway - all being said, Sophie is promised to John. John is not happy about this and continues life much as usual, carousing and generally not being terribly pleasant. Shay goes off to fight as a mercenary (where he meets the other dukes in this series, I believe... a very duke-heavy mercenary force it seems!). He returns for John's wedding to Sophie, but disaster strikes the day before and everything goes badly wrong - Shay is very badly injured and he cuts off all contact with Sophie.

Later on, Sophie has agreed to marry a chap named James who we are led to understand is Inoffensive. The day before the wedding, Shay (now the Duke) shows up and insists Sophie honours the marriage contract. If not, he will enforce the penalty clause. So they get married and then he tries to make himself as scarce as possible. Guilt about his brother, evil uncle...etc.

There are an unfortunate number of "gottens" in this book. If this sets your teeth on edge, give it a miss. I managed (heroically) and in the end quite enjoyed the story. I may look up another of these dukes.

Read an ARC from Netgalley.

Seamus (Shay) Douglass, the Duke of Malvern was a minor character in the two previous books in this series. His appearances left the reader wondering what his story was. This book is his story. Although Sophie Winter was promised to his brother, they became and maybe a bit more. Shay's brother is killed in the fire that also left Shay with physical and emotional scars. In order to save Sophie, he forces her to marry him. For many chapters as Sophie adapts to her situation, I just wanted to shake the daylights out of Shay and yell - get over yourself! Finally he does but enter the evil uncle to try to destroy their happiness. In my opinion the first two books (& I loved both) just were leading up to this one, the best on in the series. A definite must read!

Another winner from Anna Harrington, Really, I just love this series. Harrington delivers on Historical Romance tropes while somehow making the stories and characters feel fresh, The Duke of Malvern, Shay, feels like he doesn't deserve anything anymore, and especially not love. It's inconvenient for him then that he ends up marrying the woman he has always loved, Sophie Winter. He tells her that he married to protect her (true, but also not the whole story), and that he can't love her. He blames himself for his brother's death, and his body is badly burned as a result of the fire that killed his brother. What I love about this book is Sophie: she's a plucky heroine who is loyal, smart, and unstoppable, She is determined to make her marriage to Shay work. Along the way, it's clear that Sophie and Shay have tons of chemistry, and care for each other. There's also a whole subplot of your typical Historical Romance drama (relative tries to steal the Duke's fortune through nefarious means). Overall, this is a quick and totally satisfying read. I couldn't ask for more.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Anna Harrington's "The Duke’s Only Desire" is a delightful Regency romance that earns a resounding 5 stars. This novel captivates from the very first page with its compelling plot, intricately woven with themes of love, secrets, and passion. Harrington masterfully crafts her characters, particularly the enigmatic Duke and the spirited heroine, whose chemistry ignites the pages.

The narrative flows smoothly with a perfect blend of witty dialogues, emotional depth, and unexpected twists that keep readers eagerly turning pages. Harrington's attention to historical detail immerses you in the Regency era, enhancing the authenticity of the setting and making the story all the more engaging.

"The Duke’s Only Desire" is a testament to Harrington's prowess in the romance genre, beautifully balancing romance with a touch of mystery. It’s a must-read for fans of historical romance who appreciate strong character development and a plot that tugs at the heartstrings. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an enchanting and heartfelt read.

OMG!!!! I love love love Anna Harrington! I’m a huge fan of her books and this one is not an exception!
I devoured this book in less than 12 hours. I couldn’t stop reading! The chemistry, the longing the aghast! Such an emotional roller-coaster! I’ve read all of Anna’s books and this is definitely one of my favorites. It’s sexy, but so sweet at the same time. I adored them. Such a beautiful par!
I highly recommend this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved the first half of this book. She was engaged to his brother, they sent letters to each other instead, it turned into this Beauty and the Beast situation. Lots of pining, lots of yearning. It was melodramatic, in a fun way!

I was even ready for forgive the fact that we never got any of the letters on-page (a crime, tbh). And that our heroine, though extremely likable, was being the “I’m a Cool Mom” version of a duchess (which I was kinda rolling my eyes at).

But then the second half of the book went in an evil uncle, impending court case direction. And I just didn’t care enough about it. A lot of my favourite romance plot elements felt ‘settled’ at that point and the story started to drag, for me. And then, the way things ended with Ruby wasn’t my fav.

A tortured, scarred hero in penance and a sunny heroine feature in “The Duke’s Only Desire”, by Anna Harrington, a story about pain, grief and redemption.
I liked the characters and their relationship and romance: the honest communication between them, the trust, the fondness, passion and sensuality.
The romance has sweet and heartwarming scenes. It developed pretty quickly. There are also a lot of sex scenes.
Initally Shay sees himself as a monster, a beast, and is resigned to a life of loneliness and penance, but with Sophie’s encouragement, empathy and compassion regains some hope and confidence.
I liked that the scars exposure didn’t take that long with Sophie.
I felt Shay’s guilt and the intrigue plotline were a bit repetitive.

The Duke's Only Desire is the third book in The Dukes of Darkness series.

Shay Douglas is the second son of the Duke of Malvern and secretly in love with his brother's betrothed, Lady Sophie Winter. Desperate to stop his brother from marrying Sophie, they get into a fight. John who is drunk passes out on the ground and Shay leaves him lying there. As he walks away, he looks back to he sees the building has caught fire and races back to save his brother only to collapse from the smoke.

Ten years later, Sophie is about to marry a man she believes is a good man. Before the announcement can be made at the party, Shay arrives to claim Sophie as his bride. According to the iron clad contract made by her grandmother, Sophie is to marry the Duke of Malvern. The agreement does name John or Shay, just the title. If she does not go through with it, her family has to pay a large sum to get out of it. Sophie's father does not have the money, so Sophie must marry Shay.

Shay feels guilt over his brother's death and claims this will be a marriage in name only. Sophie will have to find a way to get through to Shay to help him get past his guilt and scars.

This was a fun story to read. The characters were strong and likeable. It is a wonderful addition to the series.

I love this series so much! It's filled with adventure, intrigue and romance that sweeps you off your feet. This time around we have a second chance romance between a scarred MC and a fierce FMC.

Sophie and Shay were perfection. Their romance is filled with angst, mutual pining and an undeniable connection. These two formed a friendship when they were younger and that connection was just as strong when they meet again as adults. I really liked how Sophie fought for Shay and was determined not to let him push her away. If you like a broody hero, Shay fits the bill. These two had great chemistry and I found their romance to be very romantic.

I really enjoyed the mystery/adventure element too. Certainly kept me guessing.

A great read! Can be read as a standalone.

This book was great. I loved both of our lead characters. Our Duke of darkness is created around his own trauma and whispers around his past. But one thing was alway true, Sophie has always loved him. Honestly I wish the previous books had MFC like her I would have enjoyed them so much more, I was not going to read more by this author after this book because of the previous two books in this series but if this is the type of book she is capable of I’m am going to have to dig into her back catalogue. It was angst, romantic, the mystery/drama was good and I loved that their was no third act break up. They dealt with the issue together! The steam was good too but they were just so loving to one another. His denial of his love of her was so sweet. Sir, you kept tabs to keep her safe all these years and still thought that you could love her? Poppycock. And I loved his valet to. I want him to have the happiest of ending. The only thing I wish really ended differently was the ending with Ms. Cole, I wanted her to return. Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sophie and Shay meet when Sophie is 12 and her aunt visits Shay’s father, the duke of Malvern, to broker a marriage agreement between Sophie and the duke’s heir, Shay’s elder brother John. John is a cruel man, insults the young girl but Shay stands up to him to protect her. They start corresponding and develop feelings, but of course they can never marry; she’s promised to John. But at the night before the wedding, John and Shay get into a fight and John eventually dies in a barn fire. Shay blames himself, is overcome with guilt, so he pushes Sophie away and doesn’t want to talk to her anymore. Of course she is hurt but later you understand that he didn’t felt he was deserving of her. Five years later she’s about to get engaged to another man but Shay finds out and lays claim to her and marries her the next day.
Sophie initially is hurt but I liked that she immediately took charge and demanded answers. She didn’t took no for an answer and learns the man she was supposed to marry, is also a horrible man. So she recognizes the old Shay behind his mask of rejection and indifference and guilt; the once who cared for her. I liked that she immediately decides to fight for her marriage. She starts by seducing him but winning his heart is an altogether different battle.
The speed in which these two get physical was a bit off putting to me, especially since Shay was trying to keep Sophie emotionally at arm’s length. And I think the amount of spice was too much.
Both Sophie and Shay slowly grow closer, even more after the arrival of a villain. He makes it even more necessary to close ranks and fight for everything that is dear to them.
I liked that Sophie kept proving to Shay that he was a good guy, kept communicating with him and never gave up on him. Shay really was a good guy; he might have been hurt but he was always taking care of Sophie. This was not only a love story but a big part of the book was their fight against the villain.
This is a fast paced book with a emotionally and physically scarred hero, a fierce and loving heroine, lots of twists, turns and problems to overcome and of course a happily ever after.
Thank you Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for providing an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed it; all thoughts and opinions are my own.