The Devil's Own Duke is a spicy historical romance. It has a second chance storyline. Tessa has always had feelings for Chase. The problem was, he was previously married to her cousin. The novel begins a few years following the death of Chase's wife and child. He returns home to handle affairs to discover Tessa in the midst of trying to find a husband.

The beginning of the novel starts out quite slow for me. I wish I had been provided more information about Tessa & Chases' prior interactions. It's made clear that Chase did not previously harbor any feelings for Tessa, but upon meeting her again, that's changed. Around half way through the novel, the plot picks up and more details are revealed to drive the story along. I really enjoyed that the author focused on more than one subplot for the couple to address. It was unique to see how Tessa's fathers past could have such an impact upon his children.

As a reader, I was quite invested in the couple's struggles. I was able to feel the yearning and love both of the main characters held for each other. I especially enjoyed Tessa's unwavering belief in Chase's good character. Chase's character development was perfect. I was very drawn into his struggles and desires.

I've been a fan of Anna Harrington's and read some of her past works. I enjoyed this novel, but it wasn't my favorite. I would recommend this novel to friends who enjoy this genre. Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

That’s a wonderful installment of this series! Great standalone, but I also loved seeing the characters of the previous books coming back. The thing I appreciated most is the Gothic vibes. The atmosphere the author created for the castle is really compelling and great. Fabulous writing! I also loved the characters, Tessa in particular, because she’s strong and honest and doesn’t mince words. And she’s just what Chase needed to shake off his self-pity and the darkness in his soul. A magnificent love story, steamy and full of emotions!

When Tessa reluctantly set out to acquire her husband, the one person she was not expecting to stumble across was her cousin’s widower, who had run away to Spain years before. He needs help closing up the castle and getting rid of her cousin’s possessions, so what’s a girl to do but accept.

I love a good historical romance, and this one just hit in all the right places. It was easy to read, and I found myself lost in the world. The side characters were also just enjoyable.

4.25 ★
After finishing the third book in this series, The Duke’s Only Desire, I knew I wanted to pick up the next one, so I was very excited to get my hands on this arc. In this book, we follow Miss Tessa Albright and Chase Maddox, the duke of Greysmere, three years later after a tragedy struck their lives. Chase has his world implode after losing his wife and son, so he left London trying to overcome his grief. Now he’s back trying to sell his state to move far away from his memories, but his plans don’t go smoothly with Tessa back in his life.

My experience reading this one was very similar to the last book in this series, but different in the best way possible. Here I was deeply invested in the couple, they had me in an emotional chokehold and I’m not even kidding. Tessa and Chase won my heart, both as a couple and as individuals. I loved all their interactions and they had me giggling all the time. Chase was a great character, and I was rooting for him the entire journey of him finding a purpose in living and loving. Tessa is a strong character who knows what she wants and goes after it, she’s smart and funny, a perfect pair for Chase and the type of protagonist that I love.

I read this book in a 12-hour period, and it was only because I had to sleep, that’s how addicted I was. The writing style continued to be amazing and the characters delivered the yearning that conquered me in the last book. I will definitely be picking up not only the first two book in the series, but also other books by Anna Harrington.

Similar to the last book I also struggled with the last 30%, but this time it didn’t feel as chaotic or rushed, so it did not impact my enjoyment. I was not expecting that plot twist, but ended enjoying how it was handled.

I finished this wishing for more pages so I could keep following my new favorite couple. This story was heartwarming, funny and everything I ever wanted from a historical romance. I will shout to the world until everyone picks it up.

~
Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for providing this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Chase and Tessa have a history, they met when Chase was courting and consequently married to her cousin. When the cousin and son were killed in a ship wreck, Chase flees the country, only to return a few years later to find Tessa looking for a husband to protect her and her sister’s future. I enjoyed the subsequent romance, between these two friends-to-lovers as they discovered that they needed each other to heal.

I was so excited when I saw this book was coming out! Anna Harrington has such an amazing expressive style - I find it hard to put any of her books down once I start. This one was no exception and finally lets us learn more about Chase Maddox, the Duke of Greysmere, who was an enigmatic character in previous books.

Chase and Tessa are two very real characters and Anna Harrington does a great job describing the intricacies of their personalities, with their flaws and virtues that all lead to where they find themselves. I loved that this wasn’t an insta-love, but a feeling that gradually grew from desire to comfort and console each other. Without introducing any spoilers, I found the main intrigue very compelling and could not put the book down at 2 am before I read to the end. The story is tastefully and delightfully steamy as is usual for this author. This whole Duke series is top-notch and this is a fitting conclusion to it, although I won’t complain about another sequel!

I am grateful to receive an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade publishing. All opinions are my own.

eARC Book Review: Memories of the past leave a scar on the heart and this is exactly what happened to poor Chase. His character is flawed and consumed by grief and pain, yet Tessa brings light to his dark world in this second-chance romance. Tessa was such a beautifully written character, and together with Chase, they created fireworks. A wonderfully written Gothic-trope tale set during Regency England. I look forward to reading more works from Anna Harrington in the future.

A man who would reconcile himself to life in exile because of his sense of guilt and a woman who would reconcile herself into a life of constraint because society deemed her unworthy. Yet together they found each other's peace and strength to forge a future together. Lovely tale, hard to put down and very sympathethic and caring main characters.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

Actual rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Anna Harrington comes back with a gothic romance set in Regency England, more specifically after the Peninsular wars. Chase is a duke who fought in Spain as a mercenary and fell in love with the country especially since the male figure he loves as a father settled there. It’s been three years since a shipwreck in the coast of England took his wife and young son, three years since he moved to Spain, leaving all friends and relatives behind, feeling the guilt and the impression of having been a terrible husband and father. Now Chase is back in England, just for a while, and he intends to sell all of the properties that are not entailed. But he soon finds out that his late wife’s cousin Tessa is now a woman with very little prospects of finding a good husband.

Tessa’s and her sister Winnie’s reputations are dire straits due to their late father being discharged from the Army without honors and retributions. Apparently he ran away from battle although he never spoke of that and he took his truth to the grave. Now Tessa needs to find a husband to support her and young Winnie. Due to their circumstances, not many eligible bachelors will ask for their hands, so the first self made man to ask for her hand, will have to do. The truth is, Tessa has loved Chase since cousin Eleanor married him, the very same duke who now begs for her help classifying and selling his menagerie at the castle. Then he will leave for Spain never to be back again. The problem is that the castle has ghosts…

The first few pages of this book were just ok. I had the impression that I was going to have a good time and that was it. But soon enough Anna Harrington proved me wrong with the direction I never expected she would be taking. Mind you, I never pay much attention to the synopsis of the books before reading them so I never expected this one to be a gothic romance. What a pleasant surprise when they were cleaning here and there in the castle and then, GHOSTS! And when the ghost started to hount our main characters the pace of the book picked up. Or was it perhaps my heart? Also the setting, what a remarkable description of the environment around Chase and Tessa, more than a photography of the castle and its surroundings, it was the feeling of it having its own weather what really made me want to know more and more about their pasts. You know those movies with always stormy castles surrounded by always sunny villages? That was exactly what this book was giving me. I was so excited especially reading at night, try it!

The recipe wouldn’t be complete without Chase’s heavy burden in the shape of years-long guilt, his broodiness, his reluctance to love and being loved despite being desperately in love, the mystery, the reminiscence of old classic gothic novels and most especially Jane Eyre (this might be me, projecting), the forbidden love (or is it?), the pining and the tragic fate added to the investigation of Tessa’s late father’s past, the intrigue and the friendship that come to help last minute, a classic!

I had so much fun reading that I was happy with the book as it was and yet I had unforeseen plot twists that came as a gift. Happiest ending granted for me. This book is part of a series but it can be read as a standalone for it doesn’t give away anything about the stories that came before, just old friends being happy for each other. As it should be.

Another very readable book from Anna Harrington. This is one in a series about best friends Lucien, Shay, Devlin, and Chase. You don't need to have read the other books to follow along in this one, but I do like that I know this world already, and trust it. The thing about an Anna Harrington novel is that you know you are going to get a quality MMC: probably too stoic for his own good, funny, maybe rough-seeming but deeply kind and full of integrity. And the FMC is always smart and fiery. Harrington really understands how to employ a Romantic formula.

In this novel, Chase has returned from three years away since his wife and son drowned. He left feeling a lot of guilt because his marriage never had any love in it, and he blames himself for their deaths. He spends a bit too long blaming himself (this part is overwrought for me), but I understand that the tension had to build. He returns to England in order to sell his estates and move to Spain, and he enlists his wife's cousin Tessa to help him. Tessa has always thought Chase was the ideal man. She and Chase had a warm friendship when he was married to her cousin Eleanor. It's easy to see that Tessa and Chase are the ones that really belong together.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.

Genre: Historical Fiction Romance
Setting: Victorian England in the English countryside

I give this a casual shrug; it’s okay. If you have time, you can read this reasonably quickly.

Weaknesses: The ending felt a little disjointed and flat. Some scenes switch perspectives in the same chapter, which is a big no-no for me. This jolts me out of the story, and I am forced to reread sections to follow along.

The greatest strengths: The author created a flawed yet endearing couple. I love me a second-chance romance. There is lots of spice and a decent storyline. HEA makes life complete.

3.5/5 stars, which bumps it up to a 4 in Goodreads, etc.

This was a sponsored ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Miss Tessa Albright has to find a husband; but the only man she wanted, married (and mourned) her cousin. Chase Maddox, Duke of Greysmere, abandoned England when his wife and young son died. Now, three years later, he’s come home to sell the estates and leave for good. Perhaps Tessa and Chase can help each other before embarking on an uncertain future.

This is the fourth book in The Dukes of Darkness series. The previous heroes show up briefly, but this story can stand alone.

I've really enjoyed this series, but I had a harder time connecting with this story and characters than the previous ones. Harrington's writing is solid, but I felt like *something* was missing. I did think it got better as the story went on...3.5 rounded to 4.

Tropes: Widower, Forced Proximity, Friends to Lovers

Steam: 4

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

I just finished reading chases story. Omg it was so good, these are the kinds of stories that stay with you, a man who had never known love or affection to be guided by a wonderful carrying woman as Tessa, dealing with her own sorrows. They guided each other to find the love and redemption they deserved.

Another gem from Anna Harrington! The Devil’s Own Duke is a must read HEA.. I never skip an Anna Harrington read, and this one did not disappoint.

Thank you, Net Galley. I enjoyed this book. Chase left the day his wife and son's funerals were held. He didn't return for three years. Eleanor and Thomas were shipwrecked and the bodies not recovered. Her cousin Tessa was at the ball he showed up at and not too happy to see him. He wants Tessa to help him pack up the castle as he is going to sell everything and return to Spain. She is looking for a husband to take care of her and her little sister. Lady Bentley is there to help her. Chase and Eleanor were not a good match, and he feels guilty for what happened to her. He misses his son. Tessa loved him, thought he was a better man than he thought of himself. As they work together Chase is dependent on Tessa but still plans to leave. There are several interesting things going on that I don't want to give away. You must read it and enjoy for yourself.

<b> 3.5 stars

I haven’t read a historical romance in years, and this was the perfect book to ease me back into the genre! </b>

This story follows Tessa, a young woman who dreams of building a family of her own, and Chase Maddox, a Duke who lost his wife and son in a tragic accident years ago. Tessa, being the cousin of Chase’s late wife, shared a past friendship with him. When Chase returns after years away and reconnects with Tessa, their relationship slowly evolves into something more than just friendship.

I really enjoyed this book! It was fast-paced, which I appreciated, and the writing style kept me engaged throughout. Normally, I steer clear of the <i> dead wife </i> trope, but in this case, I found the story well-executed and compelling.

That said, I did struggle a bit at the beginning. The early conversations between Chase and Tessa felt somewhat forced, as if the author was trying to condense all the necessary backstory into their first few exchanges. While it makes sense narratively, it came across as a bit stiff. Another small annoyance was the overuse of the word <i> cajole </i> in the kissing scenes—after a few mentions, it started feeling repetitive.

I also didn’t quite understand Chase’s constant references to himself as *the devil.* His self-loathing was a major theme, but as a reader, I never fully grasped why he felt that way—especially when he dramatically states that he *was born a devil* (loosely quoted). A bit more depth or explanation would have helped make this aspect of his character more compelling.

The ending was predictable, but honestly, I didn’t mind. Let’s be real—no one reads romance expecting a shocking plot twist, right?

Overall, this was a sweet, fast-paced historical romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. My complaints were minor, and I had a great time reading it. If you love this genre, I’d definitely recommend giving it a try!

This is actually not bad at all for a regency romance! Interesting main characters, compelling tension between the two love interests; etc. however I really didn’t get chase’s whole “I’m the devil itself” thing that he kept repeating and that was irritating. That’s a trope I really enjoy but this MMC is so vanilla and mischaracterized!

If you are looking for a little bit of escapism via Regency England, the forth book in The Dukes of Darkness series from Anna Harrington, The Devil’s Own Duke is the perfect solution as Chase, Duke of Greysmere and Tessa Albright, spinster in search of a husband, come together to right a huge wrong.
Chase Maddox is deep in grief; the drowning of his wife and young son, rendering him incapable of being able to function, to cope with the massive loss. He is closing Cullin Castle and returning to Spain, back to the harsh, unforgiving life of a soldier.
Tessa Albright is in a terrible fix. He beloved father, accused of a terrible injustice, had passed away, leaving her with little income, no dowry and a young sister to raise. She has been sponsored for a season by Lady Bentley who is determined to find Tessa a husband.
Attending yet another dreary ball, she is feeling pressured to at least pay attention to a suitor, Mr Renslow who wants to pay his address. Tessa is over the entire marriage market and only wants to go home and be peaceful until a deep voice, speaking her name, has her stunned. Chase Maddox has returned.
It is the third year since his wife Eleanor, her cousin, and his son Thomas drowned and once she is over the shock she demands to know what he is doing, returned at such a sad time.
As the days and weeks pass both Chase and Tessa’s long-time friendship begins to form into a lot more, making the choice Tessa needs to make in regard to Mr Renslow, somewhat difficult.
Chase is also facing a very difficult decision, as he has only returned to sell off his estate, pay out all debt and return to Spain permanently, but as with the best laid plans, they find nothing is going as they both desire.
A quirk of fate sees an occurrence that will make them both take a change of direction and bring a thoroughly enjoyable time spent in Regency England to a heart-warming close.

I always appreciate the opportunity to read an ARC, especially from an author whose work I’ve enjoyed before. That said, The Devil’s Own Duke landed squarely in the “good but not great” category for me.

Tessa and Chase’s second-chance romance had all the right ingredients—angst, longing, and a hero tormented by his past. Chase’s grief and self-imposed exile added depth to his character, while Tessa’s determination to fight for her own happiness made her easy to root for. Their chemistry was there, but I never fully felt the emotional pull that makes a romance unforgettable.

While the writing was solid and the premise promising, the story didn’t leave a lasting impact. It lacked that extra spark that made me fall in love with the author’s previous series. Enjoyable? Yes. Memorable? Not quite.

A solid historical romance, but one that won’t stay with me long. 3⭐️

The Devil's Own Duke was a great addition to the series. Chase was a complex character who was very simple at heart. Anna Harrington weaves a story that is always beautiful/ Free ARC from NetGalley for honest review.