Our countdown to HOW TO TAME A WILD ROGUE (here July 25th!) continues this week with AFTER DARK WITH THE DUKE, the fourth book in the Palace of Rogues series—in which Delilah and Angelique welcome England’s revered war hero, the starchy, formidable Duke of Valkirk, who is hiding out at The Grand Palace on the Thames to write his (overdue to his publisher *cough*) memoirs, and Mariana Wylde, a scandalous opera singer on the run from a mob out for her blood. The crackling enmity between these two (seeming) opposites reaches a crescendo when Mariana leads the guests in a sing-along she’s composed on the spot in the sitting room….which just happens to be a a thinly veiled ode to the the duke’s alleged impotency. His retribution is swift and ruthless (and pretty funny). To get these two to behave, Delilah and Angelique decide the duke ought to give Mariana Italian lessons.
You’ve probably already guessed they’re both about to get schooled in more ways than one.
I loved this one! Here’s a bit of my review (you can read the whole thing here):
After Dark with the Duke was a delightful not-quite-enemies-to-OMG-the-very-bestest-of-lovers romance. It was while reading this that I discovered the only real benefit to the ‘zon purchasing GR: when I read an actual Kindle book I purchased, my (good grief, there were so many in this one) highlights show up on GR for me to giggle and sigh over again…and copy to put in my review. So obviously, I’m obligated to show you the progression of Mariana’s feelings toward James here in her own words, from:
Rooms. Plural. Because of course a single room could never possibly contain his big, fat duke head.
and
Had the Duke of Valkirk learned words like “bewitched” and “beautiful” and used them to seduce women? It seemed nearly impossible to imagine him in the throes of anything other than self-importance.
to
“How are you today?” he asked.
A little sore from locking my legs around your naked back so I could take you deeper, thank you for asking. “Very well,” she said, politely. “And you?”
“Never better.”
I honestly don’t know how Ms Long does it. I couldn’t even begin to count how many times this book made me laugh–from semi-quiet giggles to full-volume LOLs (thankfully, these were mostly in the privacy of my own home. But my cat is still annoyed with me). Yet near the end? I was full-on sobbing. Twice. I almost never give 5 *actual* stars, but if ever a book earned it, it was this one.
