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Love in the Time of Typhus

4/8/2021

The Illegitimate Duke (Diamonds in the Rough #3)
by Sophie Barnes

Juliette Matthews grew up in the slums and has little interest in using her newfound position to marry well - not when she could be putting her wealth to good use in funding a hospital. Florian Lowell is an admired physician and set to become a duke, but the secret of his birth makes him feel unworthy - and could endanger anyone he might love. So he definitely has no plans to give in to temptation...

An excellent return to form after the previous book, notably because the villain had a much more commanding presence in this one instead. I am such a sucker for novels with deadly diseases right now (I think it might be my coping mechanism!), so I enjoyed the typhus epidemic in The Illegitimate Duke and how it affected the romance building between the main characters. Florian was a delightfully tortured character and Juliette was perfect for him. Loved it.

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When the Brother is Away...

3/8/2021

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The Duke of Her Desire (Diamonds in the Rough #2)
by Sophie Barnes

Thomas Heathmore has promised to look after his friend's sister, but he can't stop himself seeing her in ways he definitely shouldn't. Amelia Matthews couldn't help falling for the Duke of Coventry, but she knows he will never return her feelings and it smarts whenever he finds something about her that he disapproves of. It's hard to avoid him, however, when she needs his help.

This wasn't bad. I just...wasn't all that invested in the goings on, mainly because there didn't seem to be any conflict. Both the characters liked each other and had no true obstacle stopping them getting together - and the villain of the story had scarcely any presence before going entirely MIA, without any justice being served. This all said, it was a nice enough story...and I really liked Amelia in the previous book so I wanted her to get her HEA.

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Raphe to Riches

2/8/2021

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A Most Unlikely Duke (Diamonds in the Rough #1)
by Sophie Barnes

Raphe has struggled with his sisters in the slums for fifteen years, turning to the punishing sport of boxing to support them. But as fortune would have it, he's now the sole contender for the title of Duke of Huntley (thanks to some deaths in the family!). Lady Gabriella's new neighbours are in desperate need of her help to enter polite society and she's happy to help, though she really should spend more time with the man she's supposed to marry...

Yep, I've got some catching up to so, so I jumped to the beginning of the series. An excellent decision! I instantly adored Raphe and wanted him to one-up the ton. Gabriella was a sympathetic, extremely likeable character who made me want to yell at everyone who had ever derided her hobby. I just find the books in this series so incredibly fascinating, because of the different aspects Barnes chooses to explore. In A Most Unlikely Duke, you get slums, boxing, what happens to a woman without her family's support, and scandal is unavoidable. And really, who can pass up a rags-to-riches story?

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Spirited Away

2/8/2021

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Highland Thief (The Sons of Gregor MacLeod #5)
by Alyson McLayne

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

Kerr MacAlister knows that he belongs to Isobel MacKinnon. And she belongs to him. Their union is inevitable. But she would rather dump him in a pit of manure than accept any of his marriage proposals. Kerr takes the chance to spirit her away to a hunting cabin - where they will either kill each other...or she will finally accept what her heart is telling her head.

Well, I was thrilled with the ending to this series - Highland Thief was such a satisfying conclusion to the dangerous plot against Gregor's sons that has been wending its way through the other books. Not only that, but there was edge-of-your-seat action, great supporting characters (I loved Eirik and Siv!!) and sexy banter. I did find Isobel a littttle irritating to start with (okay, REALLY irritating), but that ebbed as the story wore on.

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Forward>>

Book Reviews

Love in the Time of Typhus

The Illegitimate Duke (Diamonds in the Rough #3)
by Sophie Barnes

When the Brother is Away...

The Duke of Her Desire (Diamonds in the Rough #2)
by Sophie Barnes

Raphe to Riches

A Most Unlikely Duke (Diamonds in the Rough #1)
by Sophie Barnes

Spirited Away

Highland Thief (The Sons of Gregor MacLeod #5)
by Alyson McLayne

About

Archives

Categories

Book Reviews

Love in the Time of Typhus

The Illegitimate Duke (Diamonds in the Rough #3)by Sophie Barnes

When the Brother is Away...

The Duke of Her Desire (Diamonds in the Rough #2)by Sophie Barnes

Raphe to Riches

A Most Unlikely Duke (Diamonds in the Rough #1)by Sophie Barnes

Spirited Away

Highland Thief (The Sons of Gregor MacLeod #5)by Alyson McLayne

About

Archives

Categories

The Illegitimate Duke (Diamonds in the Rough #3)
by Sophie Barnes

The Duke of Her Desire (Diamonds in the Rough #2)
by Sophie Barnes

A Most Unlikely Duke (Diamonds in the Rough #1)
by Sophie Barnes

Highland Thief (The Sons of Gregor MacLeod #5)
by Alyson McLayne