This is fabulous!!!
Kelly Bowen is a new to me author and one that I will be reading again, the story is an engaging fabulously written and very romantic work or art. I love how the characters banter, their romance develope's in a very natural way, the plot is fast and engrossing and keeps you hooked, perfectly written and very recommended.

An exciting and fun read! I love rags to riches stories, especially when it involves a damsel in distress and a dashing rogue! Though, I have to say that this heroine took matters into her own hands and made moves to help secure her future. And the hero, offered his help…and something much more. 

Dangerous…maybe. A rogue…for sure. Rich as sin…absolutely! Alexander Lavoie plays the sly and calculating hero, so that he may get what he wants from Angelique Archer. Her perilous situation can’t go on for much longer and so she’s grasping the deal that the sinful Lavoie is dangling in front of her. But when things start to get too steamy, Angelique isn’t sure whether to get caught in the passion that is Lavoie or find another, less passionate way out. 

A truly entertaining story to read and I can’t wait to continue this series. I recommend to those readers who believe in a little luck and taking chances.

I LOVED Alexander and Angelique's story!!!

Angelique is willing to do anything to save her family, including working in a gaming den. She didn't count on being attracted to the disreputable owner of the club. Alexander is much more than what is said about him by the gossips, but he doesn't let many people see that side of him. He doesn't understand why he is showing it to a lady of the ton??

Bowen is one of my absolutely favorite authors! This series has been one of the best I have read! I'm excited to see what she comes up with for the next book in the series!

Review: This is the third book in the A Season for Scandal series, by Ms. Bowen. I don’t feel the reader needs to read the other stories as the author provides enough information throughout the book for the reader to understand the gist of what happened previously, to understand what is happening in the present moment.

Regency romance is so wonderful. I love reading about the Haute Ton, the Lords and Ladies, the grand balls and parties that they attend, and the beautiful gowns that the ladies got to wear. I like thinking about all that stuff, and not any unpleasant things that took place back then, not to mention the fact that deodorant and toothpaste wasn’t invented yet. Oh my.

I found this book really entertaining, light, easy to read and a very enjoyable way to spend my free time. I really liked both Lady Angelique and Alexander, as well as the secondary characters that were introduced. I even found myself feeling sorry for Lady Angelique’s brother. I won’t say much else, other than he’s a real bone head and has no idea what reality is. Poor guy.

Lady Angelique is not like the typical ladies of the Ton. She’s intelligent and she can’t hide her intelligence no matter hard she tries. She’s not afraid of facing adversaries and doing what she needs to do to take care of herself and her family.

Alexander is not a Lord, but he is ever the gentleman none the less. He treats ladies with respect, he’s kind, and he knows how to take care of himself in any situation.

These two characters have a lot of similarities between them. They both don’t want others to see who they really are on the inside so they try and keep people at a distance. They each see in each other their vulnerabilities, fears, and secrets. They both think quickly on their feet and can improvise when needed to get themselves out of trouble.

If you’re a fan of historical romance, this series is something the reader could curl up with for a few hours. I don’t think the readers will be disappointed.

Lady Angelique’s opponents were all drunk she had made sure of it. Drunk card players were foolish card players. Lady Angelique had a mask on as all the ladies who came to this club and it itched but she had to leave it on as a fortnight from now she had to do this all again. There were not many places in London where a lady could gamble. At least the sort that went beyond pin money, But Lady Angelique could go to Lavoie’s and it was exclusive, catering to individuals that possessed titles and wealth, power, or a combination of the three. Angelique was desperate. Angelique has a brain and uses it to keep her family afloat. Alexander/Alec Lavoie watched the lady in the gold gown she had been here twice before and it wasn’t to socialize, not to indulge in the extra’s Alexander made available for his patrons: liquor, tobacco, exotic sweets, or fine foods. What Alec did know was the lady was all business. Alec was fairly sure she was in fact a lady. If she went by her two previous times being at Lavoie's she would be leaving soon as she never stayed longer than three hours. Angelique’s winning had became her family’s only source of income. Alec came to the table Angelique was at when the Baron being crude and not letting go of her wrist and had grabbed her left breast. Alec is not a Lord but he does have a lot power. Angelique’s parents are dead, her father had recently been killed in a carriage accident. With her father’s death went the secret to where their vast fortune had disappeared. Angelique’s brother Gerald the Marquis now is useless and going through what money they did have. Angelique has to make enough money to keep her twelve year old twin brothers in school. Her place in society as a Lady she is not suppose to work. Alec and Angelique are attracted to each other but would society let them be together without becoming a scandal?
I liked this book. I liked that Angelique had a brain and used it to help her family. This story had a good pace. This kept my attention through the whole book. I didn’t like Gerald especially when he stole the money Angelique had for the school tuition for the twins. I loved the romance. I liked how Alex gave Angelique a job I am not sure why he did but was glad he did. I would have liked more background on Alec. I liked the characters and the ins and outs of this story and I recommend.

I enjoyed reading Alex's story.
"Your ability to answer a question with a question is astounding, Mr. Lavoie."
The characters were witty, interesting and captivating. I've become an avid fan of this series. More plot than balls, titles and weak drama, this book was fascinating. I enjoy historicals because they break up the monotony of contemporary romances for me. It's enthralling to lose myself into these worlds of the past with romantic speech and intriguing drama.

This series has sneakily gotten to be one of my favorite finds of the last year! After reading the first book I wasn’t that certain, but the different appeal of the storylines was the one thing that hooked me then. With every installment after that, Kelly Bowen has cemented herself as a historical romance author I’ll be on the lookout for more. BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DUKE delivered on everything I’ve been anxiously awaiting for since the hero first made his mysterious appearance in book one.

With a good dose of intrigue and mystery, and cover ups of society’s unwanted gossip, this series is a breath of fresh air to the genre. I find myself looking for this more and more and this is one of the authors that I think delivers. Alexander Lavoie is the club owner of the town’s gambling establishment. He’s rumored to be a spy, an assassin, ruthless. But what is actually truth and what is fiction? His character is a scarred larger than life, alpha, protective man. The kind that makes your heart beat a little faster because of his good looks, the power that oozes off of him and the air of danger that surrounds him. To go toe to toe with him we needed a special heroine.

Here’s the next thing I love… SMART heroines. Angelique Archer has fallen down on her luck. Her family’s fortune has mysteriously vanished before the death of her father. Now she’s trying to use her wits and brain to earn enough money to keep her family fed while her irresponsible brother is only out to get in trouble. Strong, feisty, independent and determined. All are qualities that make Angelique stand out. But what I loved the most about her was the fearless way in which she faced Alexander at every step of the way. She stands on her own two feet, even assisting him when needed, instead of cowering behind him.

I loved these two together. The romance was hot, the chemistry was palpable, the story was engaging. It’s my favorite yet in this series and I can’t wait for more.

I liked the characters in the book. Angelique isn't the sitting in the drawing room miss. She is out at a gambling club counting cards! Alexander is the owner of the club. He spots Angelique and realizes something is different about her. I loved Angelique's backbone.

This was a great read.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

I absolutely loved this book! I haven't read any of the previous books in the series so didn't have any background for Alexander Lavoie. That didn't stop me from adoring him - a definite man of mystery. I also loved to see that Angelique was a strong and capable woman with a capacity for numbers that would put most men to shame. I thought I had figured out the twist, but was totally surprised by the ending. Can absolutely recommend this book to fans of historical romance.

Riveting!

Swept away! Yes, I was utterly swept away and caught up in the story of the Marble Maiden, Angelique Archer, doing what she can to save her family. An honest and brave woman, intelligent and gifted--in the way that sets this masterful historical romance in motion.
Exclusive club owner Alexander Lavoie had noticed the masked woman who came to play, purchased a bottle of brandy, won at vingt a and left with her winnings in hand. When one of her opponents became too presumptive, he intervened--and was lost!
Murder, mystery and mayhem along with fierce gathering emotions strew the pages like the fine diamonds Angelique will wear around her neck!
Totally engrossing! I didn't lift my head from the moment I began reading.
Some wonderful vignettes, humorous and yet so-o dangerous! I loved the way words were exchanged between Alex and Angelique. 'Persuasive' put forward by Angelique about Alex's reaction rather than 'threatening'. Something that Alex catches and acknowledges. Very droll asides in charged situations abound. Delicious!
Questions enlarge the storyline. Many, many questions, including those surrounding the disappearance of the Hutton Fortune!

A NetGalley ARC
(January 2017)

Loved it! A fresh plot line for a historical romance, plenty of intrigue and suspense, and their relationship developed at a steady and believable pace.

Trying to keep her family afloat after losing her parents and discovering she and her brothers were destitute, Angelique Archer uses her math prowess to win money at a vingt-et-un table. Club owner, Alexander Lavoie, is immediately onto Angelique's ploy but is so intrigued he offers her a job instead of throwing her out. The new job becomes even more of a necessity when her witless and degenerate of a older brother gets into hot water and needs to be rescued, badly. Working so closely together, Alex and Angelique have just as hard of a battle on their hands trying to fight off their quickly growing feelings for one another.

It was refreshing to have a couple so quick to trust and rely on one another. This duo formed a true partnership from their first meeting all the way through to the end. They had no pretenses and were honest with each other. Alex was protective of Angelique and I liked that she let him offer her support. More than by her beauty, Alex was compelled and drawn in by Angelique's intelligence which evident in many of their encounters with his business associates. The mystery was well written and kept me reading to find out how it would unravel. As always, an epilogue would have been the icing on the cake to an engaging story.

Alex is so freaking hot!! Angelique is one heck of a woman. Spine of steel, knows how to be a lady and....knows how NOT to be a lady ;). Alex is so gone for her the moment she corrects his ledgers. Loved this one!! thanks for another enjoyable read, Ms. Bowen! Can we get the Harris brothers next? Kings and Gils story maybe?

I have enjoyed every single book in the Season for Scandal series by Kelly Bowen. In fact, I think this one was my favorite. It features Alex Lavoie, the male member of the Chagarre and Associates team. He’s also a spy of sorts and owner of a gaming hell. That is where he meets our heroine, Angelique.

She is something of a card shark. Brilliant with math. And it’s that skill she hopes to use to save her family from complete destitution. Both of her parents are dead and her brother, though a peer of the realm, is young and stupid. He drinks and parties and cares nothing for the fact that they don’t have enough money to run their household. So Angelique tries quietly to earn it at the card tables. She stays under the radar for the most part, but Alex has a sharp eye, and he is intrigued by her.

Instead of being angry that she keeps winning, he hires her for his club to help make him money. That’s how he gets wrapped up in her family drama. It’s drama that only gets worse when her brother gets accused of a crime he did not commit, and she has to turn to Alex and his special skills to figure out what’s going on and save her idiot sibling. In the meantime, of course, they fall in love.

I really enjoyed Angelique as the female lead. I liked that she uses her brain to solve her problems. She is very smart and she never whines or simpers about her dire straights. I liked unraveling the mysteries of Alex. I liked that there is nothing too huge and dark in his background for a change. Yes, he’s had some life changing circumstances that are worth exploring, but I’ve almost gotten to a point where in every book I read, there is a huge deep dark secret in the hero’s past and well, Alex’s backstory works quite nicely. I also enjoyed that while he fought against falling for Angelique, he didn’t fight all that hard. It was sweet to see him head over heels for this woman who society had rejected. He saw the beauty that so many others missed.

One other thing that I thought was cool, without giving away too much, was the fact that I did not figure out who the villains were right away. It completely made sense, but it’s fun when the mystery isn’t too obvious. There was one big clue as to why Angelique’s family was targeted, and that was enough to let you figure out just enough to feel smart and still be surprised at the same time.

The plot move quickly, the romance with satisfying, and the sex was good. Now all I need is a happy ever after for King. If you aren’t reading this series, it’s totally worth checking out.

Rating: B+

I have chosen not to finish this title. I was not really able to engage with either of the characters and this made it difficult for me to enjoy the book. Thank you, anyway, for the opportunity.

I look forward to the next title through your publisher!

Laura

Publisher's Description:

Their love was always in the cards.
He should have thrown her out. But when club owner Alexander Lavoie catches a mysterious blonde counting cards at his vingt-et-un table, he's more intrigued than angry. He has to see more of this beauty-in his club, in his office, in his bed. But first he'll have to devise a proposition she can't turn down.

Gossip said he was an assassin. Common sense told her to stay away. But Angelique Archer was desperate, and Lavoie's club offered a surefire way to make quick money-until she got caught. Instead of throwing her out though, the devil offers her a deal: come work for him. Refusing him means facing starvation, but with a man so sinfully handsome and fiercely protective, keeping things professional might prove impossible . . .

My Thoughts:

Hang onto your hats ladies. This book is one for the ages.
I had never read a Kelly Bowen book before this one, but even though it is apparently book #3 in a series I have no problem recommending it as a standalone title. I will be certain to look into other titles by this new to me author.
The characters are so very interesting and well thought out and the storyline keeps you on your toes. You just have to keep reading to discover what happens next.
The cover is a nice touch and drew me to requesting it as an ARC at NetGalley. The title of the book, however is a bit confusing because the only Dukes involved are really secondary characters in this wonderfully written tale.
I gave this book 4.75 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization and 4 of 5 stars for heat. The underlying physical interest between our hero and heroine are necessary to complete this great book.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
This in no way affected my opinion of this book.

Between the Devil and the Duke is a really engaging story. I was hooked right away and was surprised that this book had way more depth to it than I had assumed. Historical romances tend to get repetitive but this was a fresh and sexy story. Angelique's fierce personality was perfectly suited for Alex. I really enjoyed the back and forth between them; it created delicious tension. Some of the steamiest parts of the story weren't even the sex scenes which were hot but not excessive and overdone. The mystery in the story is really what kept me engaged overall. It wasn't predictable and had me guessing right up until the big reveal. Beautiful and well-written with a satisfying HEA. I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.