I don’t know it was just something about this book that I couldn’t really get into the characters. It was interesting at the beginning but somewhere in the second chapter, it went downhill, and never really recover until I turned the last page. That was back in December. I decided to give the book another go, and maybe just maybe something would change. I found that it was the two main characters.

Colin is blaming the world because of his missing body part and Imogen always the victim. I thought that sooner or later the characters would come to know that you and only you can change your destiny or life as it may. But with the lack of character development comes the lack of knowledge on the characters.

Even though this was part of a series book #4 of Victorian Rebels. The Duke can be read as a stand-alone. I never read any of Kerrigan Byrne other books. I might just have to give this book a third read after reading the other books in this series.

Posted on Les Romantiques - Le forum du site
Reviewed by Rinou
Review Copy from the Publisher

Fourth volume in the Victorian Rebels series from which I already reviewed the previous volume, The Duke follows Imogen and Cole through several years, with a very gripping beginning and a quite dark style.

At the beginning of the novel, Imogen works as a nurse by day and as a serving maid in a tavern by night to pay off her late father’s debts, with a false name and a dark-haired wig. One night a group of soldiers come in the tavern, and among them Cole, who, quite plastered, pay a fortune to the owner to buy one night with her, and the owner forces her to accept by threatening her little sister. One year later, Cole, who disappeared during a mission just after this night, is brought gravely injured in the hospital where Imogen works, and she treats his wrist amputation. When he wakes up from a coma he doesn’t recognize her, he gets angry because she saved his life, and the director takes advantage to fire her. We meet them again two years later, when Imogen has done a good marriage and wants to spend her late husband’s wealth to help the poors, and Cole, her neighbor, has taken a dislike to her and wants to dissuade her from doing it.

Imogen is a strong heroine, decent, kind, ready to do a lot of things to protect her mother and her sister. She was lucky to meet an old patient who took her out of the poverty she was in after being fired from the hospital, and she wants to help those who are in a miserable situation. She tries to put on a brave face while defending her project even facing nobles who look down on her. And facing Cole, who turns out to be so different from the man with whom she fall in love this famous night because of his kindness in spite of the circumstances, she doesn’t get flustered. When he finally discovers her secret and accuses her of concealment and lie, the way she explains herself and puts him in his place is really enjoyable after the mounting tension between them.

Cole is a dark hero, he was tortured in an ottoman jail and suffers from post-traumatic syndrome. He’s angry at the world and very withdrawn to himself, convinced there’s in him a violent monster he must control. He’s also quite snobbish and haughty, he despises Imogen because he believes she’s a gold-digger who took advantage of a sick man to rise in society, and he makes her feel it every time. Since he came back he’s been looking for the woman he spent the last night with before going in mission, because her memory helped him during the months of torture, but when he thinks of her he only has vague memories of physical details and sensations.
He’s annoyed to be attracted to Imogen when he’s obsessed by this woman’s memory. He’s also mad at her because little by little she forces him to come out of the shell of trauma and anger he took refuge in.

There’s a strong attraction between them, and each tries to resist for different reasons, Imogen because she fears he’d ruin her if he learns her secret, Cole because he wants to be faithful to the woman of the past, but there’s also a lot of sensuality when they let their respective walls go down the slightest bit. Their interactions often have lively and biting comebacks. All through the novel we see Imogen discovering her internal force and what she really wants in her life, even if she’s forced to realize her ideal can’t necessarily be reached. We also see Cole struggling with his demons and opening a little to the world, but don’t wait for big changes in his dark personality.

The beginning is very grabbing, we’re immediately hooked by the main characters. However I thought it strange that we don’t see much of Imogen’s family when they’re the basis of a lot of her decisions. There’s a plot with a killer which forces Cole to realize hi protective need for Imogen, and allows to have the couple from the previous volumes intervene more. There’s also an important violence, which seems more realistic for the period than a succession of social events, but could be difficult to read for some people. There are lighter moments, as when the heroine compares the colors of two dresses, one coral and the other apricot, and only receives blank stares from the three men present in front of her.

In the end once again I really liked the author’s style and her ability to create deep characters. Here is a dark and captivating romance that I preferred to the previous volume and that I strongly recommend.

I have to say I absolutely adored this historical romance. The hero was swooney, beautiful and wounded. The heroine was gorgeous, good, and struggling to be independent. The contretemps these two had to go through were heartbreaking, and hearing what really caused the loss of Cole's hand? So terribly sad. It's a lovely story that I really got into and I think anyone that enjoys historicals would as well.

Imogen is working hard at two jobs to pay of her late father's gambling debts and support her mother and her sister--Nurse by day and bartender by night at The Bare Kitten Gin and Dance hall and gaming hell. Neither one is easy, but one night she gets more than she bargained for while working at The Bare Kitten. Mistaken as one of the Kittens, she's sold by the owner for twenty pounds.

Collin Talmage suffered the gravest of losses; his entire family was killed in an terrible accident. He's leaving on one last mission and then he'll return home and take up the reins of his family's estate. One last night just for him. He sees a beautiful woman and wants to bury his despair and grief in a night of passion. Then he's gone, leaving behind a memory.

A year later he ends up in a bed in Imogen's hospital, where she risks her job to save his life. Will he remember her? Will he recognize her?

This is where the story takes a suspenseful turn that keeps the characters spinning--drawn to each other and then crashing apart. Cole and Imogen's scorching chemistry and the indelible storyline kept me reading until the end. Thanks for the great read--I'll be seeking out other books by this author!

Kerrigan Byrne is one of the hottest new names in historical romance and, after racing through her latest novel, The Duke, it is certainly not hard to see why. Passionate, enthralling and scintillating, The Duke is a sparkling tale of danger, daring and desire that should not be missed!

Handsome, debonair and charismatic, Collin ‘Cole’ Talmage was a man with the world at his feet. Envied and resented by men and desired and lusted after by their women, Cole seemed to have been blessed by the gods – until a cruel twist of fate had seen him lose everything which he held dear to his heart. Broken, alone and betrayed, Cole is facing the biggest battle of his life – and he has got nobody to turn to. Desperate to forget all about the pain and anguish that threatens to consume him, Cole is desperate for distraction. He just wants one night where he can forget all about the demons and enemies that threaten to destroy him, so he stumbles into a brothel and spends one unforgettable night with a beautiful woman called Ginny. But Ginny is not all that she seems…

Desperation had driven Imogen ‘Ginny’ Pritchard to seek employment at The Bare Kitten. A nurse who had been faced with crippling debts after the death of her father, Imogen had been forced to spend her nights tending to the whims and desires of men who were prepared to pay for one night of passion with her. But when Cole walks through the doors of The Bare Kitten, she realises that he is not like the other men who usually frequent the brothel and together they spend a night of electrifying passion neither one of them can easily forget.

Years pass and Imogen is now a wealthy widow who is still haunted by the memory of her night of love with Cole. Despite having entered into a marriage of convenience, Imogen has never forgotten Cole – so she is stunned when he turns up at her hospital, injured, wounded and desperate to find and claim for his own the woman he loves…Ginny!

Imogen finds herself in a quandary. Should she tell Cole that she is the woman he has been seeking? Or should she keep her shameful past a secret? Is happiness within both their reach? Or will Imogen and Cole be condemned to a lifetime of heartbreak and sorrow?

A sensuous and thrilling emotional rollercoaster ride, The Duke is a sumptuous tale that sparkles with passion, intrigue and romance I found myself unable to put down! Kerrigan Byrne writes in vivid and striking colours and sweeps the reader along on a breathtaking adventure they will not easily forget!

I absolutely adored Imogen and Cole’s enthralling love story. I laughed, cried and was totally moved by their engrossing and highly enjoyable tale of secrets, deception and romance which is absolutely impossible to resist.

Kerrigan Byrne is well on her way to super-stardom and readers who enjoy intelligent, vibrant and captivating historical romances are sure to want to add her name to their must-buy list!

After the death of his parents and brother, Collin Talmage inherits a dukedom. But before he takes his place among the peerage as the Duke of Trenwyth he must go on one last mission for the crown. On the eve of his secret assignment he and his men visit a tavern and brothel, which is where he meets and beds the woman who will haunt him for years to come. The innocent, vulnerable Ginny. She gives him understanding immediately after the untimely deaths of his family, a light in the dark to hold on to when he is captured, held for ransom and tortured by his enemies, and a ghost who he searches for endlessly while trying to acclimate back into life after living through the worst that life has to offer.

By day Imogen Pritchard works as a nurse at St. Margaret’s Hospital, by night she works off her father’s debt at the Bare Kitten. With a mother and younger sister to support she has no choice but to work around the clock in order to provide for their care. She and the larger than life Duke of Trenwyth seem to crash together again and again. She’s been his lover for a night, his nurse when he is rescued from captivity, and now the neighbor who drives him insane with her desire to open her home to all of those who society has forgotten. He only remembers the desperate, young woman who opened her arms for him that long ago night, he has no idea that the woman he’s been searching for the last two years is the same woman who taunts, tantalizes, and tempts him nearly every day.

Kerrigan Byrne has fast become one of my auto buy romance authors. There is something about her writing that reminds me of those old school paperbacks I used to devour in high school. Her heroes are intense in a way all at once gives me chills in delight, and trepidation about what they might do next. Not easy heroes to love, but I’ve always liked a dark, broody man in my romance. On the other hand, Ms. Byrne’s heroines are strong enough to stand up to them.

The Duke starts out introducing Imogen as woman in terrible circumstances, having to work at a tavern by night to pay off her late father’s debts. This is where she meets Collin for the first time. He’s in a low place after inheriting a dukedom he doesn’t want due to the deaths of a family he still grieves for. He buys her for a night and then takes her innocence. Never knowing her real name or that he is the only man she has ever taken to bed. The second time they meet is when Collin is brought home by the Demon Highlander after a daring rescue. Imogen becomes his nurse, and while she definitely recognizes him, Collin is almost comatose in his feverish, deathly ill state. She nurses him back to health and is rewarded by him basically throwing her out of his hospital room when he wakes. She loses her position and later that night almost loses something more. She resorts to desperate measures which ultimately lead her to the only man who has really shown her any kindness and a new life.

I have to say I was emotionally invested in these characters after all angst and drama of the first eight chapters. I also had no idea what in the hell to expect. Collin is angry and scarred both internally and externally. He has fixated on the woman who offered him comfort immediately before his horrific time spent in an Ottoman prison, and has spent the last two years searching for his Ginny. Almost immediately when he comes face to face with Imogen he is cruel. He says ugly things and threatens her. Imogen on the other hand as always been drawn toward Collin. She gives him chance after chance to show her that he is the same man who took her innocence three years before. Despite her own dark past experiences she has come out the other side determined to give others a helping hand. A step up in life. Her passion is giving the neediest a safe place to start a new life. I liked her almost immediately. Which may be why I wanted so much more for her than a man who constantly made her feel less.

Yes, Collin does become protective toward her as the book progresses and decides to let go of Ginny and embrace his feelings toward Imogen. But, for me, it almost comes too late. The relationship between Imogen and Collin is just so filled with darkness and sorrow that I kind of needed just a few more scenes of them connecting on a lighter level. That’s not to say I didn’t understand where they were both coming from, and why they had such a hard time connecting on a deeper level. I did. But even after Collin finally figures out that the only two women he’s ever really wanted are one and the same person he behaves in a way that set me aback. Once again he acts like a total ass. I kept waiting for him to redeem himself and it wasn’t until the very, very, very end that he finally does. That’s a lot of dark asshole to get through. In my mind I kept thinking that this is the one historical romance that would have benefited from an epilogue. Maybe of Collin acting the dedicated husband or a love scene that wasn’t heaped with angst, anger, or regret. Of them laughing or doing something mundane, yet enjoying themselves because they are together.

I know my review makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy The Duke, which I did. I just wish there had been a little more of Collin and Imogen interacting on a sweeter, happier level toward the end. While not my favorite of the Victorian Rebels series, this is still a good read by an incredibly talented author. I’m looking forward to the next release in the series, which comes out later this year.

Favorite Quote:

“Then I will love the man you have become. And if you live in the shadows, I’ll find you patches of sunlight, and we’ll venture into them together when you are able.”

What’s it About? So a long time ago Collin "Cole" Talmage spent a scandalous night with a girl he can only remember as “Ginny” who is actually Imogen Pritchard. After her night with Cole, Imogen married for convenience and ended up a widow working at a hospital to fulfill her need to help others. Years after she met Cole, Imogen is face to face with him again when he comes in wounded, angry, and with no memory of her. Turns out Cole, now the Duke of Trewyth has lost his entire family, and was betrayed on the battlefield by a man he thought was his friend. Imogen’s dilemma is whether to tell Cole the truth or not.



Describe the hero in five words: Angry. Stubborn. Elitist. Loyal. Dangerous

Did you like him? Sometimes.

Why? I couldn’t help but feel bad for Cole. His entire family was murdered, he shared a strong connection with someone only to lose her, and he was seriously wounded due to a betrayal. It was enough to make anyone a little crazy and he was a little crazy! I was lenient on Cole for about half of the book because he was dealing with a lot but the one thing I couldn’t overlook was how mean he could be towards Imogen. No matter that he didn’t know she was the one he was looking for, he had moments of flat out meanness. I didn’t like the whiplash inducing behavior when it came to Imogen. One moment he was passionate and caring towards her, the next he was verbally attacking her. I get that he was bitter and mistrusting of the world by this point but I wasn’t on board with his actions some of the time. When he was being good to Imogen he was irresistible though. His gruff, attitude and superiority complex more often than not battled one another for dominance and that was another part of what brought on the back and forth with him. I will say Cole stands out as a hero who isn’t quite physically perfect.



Describe the heroine in five words: Kind. Nurturing. Intelligent. Strong. Sassy.

Did you like her? Yes.

Why? Imogen started her life at the very bottom, having to do things that would have tainted weak women but not her. She remained kind, loving, and willing to help anyone who needed help. She was no pushover though and when Cole was putting on airs, she didn’t roll over and take it. No matter how outmatched she was, she fought. I liked that about her and I enjoyed the glimpses into her life before she met up with Cole again. I was nervous that the author would try and balance out Cole’s unpredictable manner with an over the top saintly woman but while Imogen is a good person, she wasn’t perfect and wasn’t trying to be. Imogen was, simply put, doing the best she could to lead a happy, fulfilling life all while making her corner of the world a little better.



How convincing were the main characters as a couple? Cole and Imogen didn’t lack in the physical chemistry department but when it came to the emotional one I felt that it took much too long for anything to happen between them. Their back and forth battle of wills was certainly interesting and entertaining because Cole could be a very intimidating character yet Imogen stood up to him and even put him in his place a time or two. I don’t think these two spent enough time together in ways that would push the romance forward and I don’t recall having that problem with the previous books.



Is there a “Scooby Gang” worth mentioning? Previous characters helped round out The Duke and gave it a feeling of family and brotherhood and with characters as dark as Cole, that was necessary to give the book a balance between dark and light.



How “Lost” did you get in the story? Kerrigan Byrne has a style unlike any other author. Each book gives a darker spin on well known tropes without overwhelming the reader with hopelessness. The Duke was no exception but I will say that I wasn’t as dedicated to this one as I have been with the previous books. To me the pace was slower and dragged in certain places that could have been better spent developing Cole and Imogen’s relationship. However, Byrne didn’t skip out on the very realistic portrayal of life in Victorian England, complete with death, disease, and sexual assault. Believe it or not, these harsh scenes served to highlight how dire Imogen’s circumstances were and cast her in a rather heroic light because she survived and chose to help others instead of retreating so far into herself like Cole did.


Click It or Skip It? Click It. Even though The Duke wasn’t the best out of the series so far, it is still a worthwhile read.

Beautiful love story wrapped in suspense

The Duke is at once simple and complex. It’s simple in that it is a beautiful love story wrapped in suspense and intrigue. It is complex because of our hero and heroine who meet under different circumstances in a brothel where he was simply a soldier going off to war and she was the innocent paid to give him comfort, but later their paths would cross as very different people.

Ms Byrne gives us well defined, complex characters, giving us food for thought on the complexities of human nature. Imogen Pritchard, at the age of 23, is forced to pay off her late father’s gambling debts at the Bare Kitten at nights, and during the day serves as nurse at St. Margaret’s Royal Hospital. She undertakes this enormous task to keep her mother and sister fed and housed. Though she is not a prostitute, but part of the serving staff, that fateful night changes everything for Imogen when Collin Talmage, the new Duke of Trenwyth strides into The Bare Kitten. Only known as “Ginny,” she gifts him her innocence and gives Collin comfort for the tragic loss of his family, and the fact he’s on his way to war.

Several years pass and Imogen and Collin have individually lived through a terrifying ordeal. For Collin, as prisoner of war, he held firmly to the memory of Ginny, an image of hope, to lessen the harsh reality of his captivity. For Imogen, her fragile existence is saved by a dear friend and becomes Lady Anstruther, as champion and protector for women and children made less fortunate by circumstances in life. While Imogen lives next door to the duke, Collin does not recognize the woman Imogen has become. And though she is happy to see Collin, it is important Imogen’s identity remain secret for the sake of her new found reputation. My favorite part is when Imogen reveals all, giving Collin quite a mouthful. And he’s literally stunned to speechlessness.

The Duke is a well-written, deeply emotional love story. It is wonderfully colorful description filled with passion, romance, a headstrong, compassionate heroine, and stubborn, alpha hero. I had no idea who was threatening Imogen until the very end. This story will captivate your heart and make you fall in love all over again. Wonderful job, Ms. Byrne.

I was given an ARC of this book by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. I voluntarily reviewed this book.

I found this book hard to put down. It is the fourth in the series, but I felt it stood alone. Ms. Byrne's style of writing is not the usual historical romance. There are a lot of incidents of despair, violence, grit, but hope grows and shows the way to love. This is Cole's story, and he is battle-hardened with scars inside and out. The only thing keeping him going is the one night he spent with a woman who made him feel. Imogen did not forget that night either, but the outlook for her future became bleak so she took the option to help her step out of the filth. As they come together again, the secrets stay front and center until danger is knocking on Imogen's door. I highly recommend this book and the series, but be prepared for a darker journey toward the light.

I received a copy of this story through Netgalley, and it is a Book Obsessed Chicks Star Review selection. This is my unsolicited review.

Thanks netgalley for this ARC.

Byrne's series has just the right balance of hot and sexy and witty and fun.

He is noble, notorious, and takes no prisoners...

Strong as a Viking. Handsome as Adonis. Rich as Midas. Collin "Cole" Talmage, Duke of Trewyth, is the stuff that legends are made of. He's the English Empire's golden son--until fate has its way with him. Cole's family is killed and his closest comrade betrays him on the battlefield, leaving him gravely injured. But Cole is not one to dwell on misfortune. He is a man of duty, honor--and desire. And now he's ready for the fight of his lifetime...

Imogen Pritchard is a beautiful lass who works in a hospital by day and as a serving maid at night. Years ago, when she was young and penniless, she ended up spending a scandalous night with Cole, whose tormented soul was matched only by his earth-shattering passion. Imogen entered a marriage of convenience―one that left her a wealthy widow―but she never forgot Cole. Now that her long-lost lover has turned up in her hospital, injured and with no memory of her, Imogen is torn: Is it a blessing or a curse that their past remains a secret to Cole, even as his new passion for her leaves him wanting to protect and possess her...at all costs, in The Duke, the next Victorian Rebels novel by Kerrigan Byrne.

Review:

Excellent from the start!

This like the other stories in the series is dark and light, gritty and soft. All those juxtapositions make an interesting and exciting story. The book starts out on the sexy side as Ginny (Imogen) is working in house of ill repute to work off her later father's debt. She is just a waitress, but Cole, Duke of Trewyth does not know this and offers to buy her for the night. This begins the long and tumultuous road to not only each other, but to heal all the scars of the past. Lost memory and secrets keep Cole from remembering Imogen, though all the while the romance builds between the two of them, their passion is incredible and a joy to read. Without giving away important story points. The ending is full of drama, excitement and action. I don't want to give away a ton. Let's just say the story is wonderful combination of action, intrigue, drama, heart and passion. A Perfect addition to the series!

4.5Stars

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

@Kerrigan_Byrne @SMPRomance

I curled up for most of day reading this book and I loved every minute of it. It was just brilliant. Highly recommended. I will definitely be reading the earlier books in the series as soon as I can.

I absolutely love this series. The men are not perfect and the women are not shrinking violets worried about their next ballroom gown. These characters are damaged and real and ready to kick whatever ass is in need of kicking. Cole and Imogene may not have been perfect, but they were definitely perfect for each other.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Collin Talmage, known as Cole, has just inherited the title of Duke of Trenwyth at the very high cost of losing his whole family. While he is hurting and grieving, he is also scheduled to leave on an assignment for the crown tomorrow, so tonight he's seeking out some human comfort. When he walks into the Bare Kitten, a seedy tavern, he immediately focuses on Ginny, one of the barmaids, as the one he wants to spend the night with. What Cole doesn't know is that Ginny is not a lady-for-hire, as the other women working there are. Ginny is really Imogen Pritchard, a nurse, who is supporting her mother and younger sister. Her deceased father owes a substantial debt to the tavern's owner, and she is working in disguise as a barmaid to whittle down the balance. She recognizes who Cole is, as the newspapers have been full of his tragic story, and she can see the grief and sadness in his eyes. Still, she refuses when he attempts to buy her for the night. When she is told that the amount Cole paid is enough to reduce her servitude by a whole year, she agrees, knowing full well what this makes her. Cole treats her with tenderness and courtesy, and they share a special bond and a warm, passionate night. When Ginny leaves him, she realizes that she'll never see him again, in fact, he may not survive his mission, but he's taking a piece of her heart along with him.

A year later, the duke is brought to Imogen's hospital, severely injured, and not expected to survive. Imogen is tasked with nursing him, and ends up saving his life, though it costs her job. Cole doesn't recognize her as Ginny, and in his illness, rejects her and her care. Rescue comes in the form of an elderly earl, a patient at the hospital, who is dying. This earl values Imogen and appreciates all she has done for him, so he proposes marriage. Imogen accepts, and is now a wealthy countess, who lives next door to Cole. When the earl dies months later, Imogen begins working on her new passion, rescuing prostitutes, and other down-on-their-luck people. Cole is infuriated at this activity happening next door to his home, and he is not shy about berating Imogen publicly and privately. He believes she tricked the elderly earl into marriage and considers her nothing more than riffraff and totally beneath him.

Imogen is, of course, hurt by Cole's assumptions and accusations. The man she was a bit in love with is gone, and in his place is a sarcastic, angry, bitter, scarred man. She has no idea of the extreme torture that Cole endured when he was captured, or that the only thing that kept him sane at all was his memory of Ginny and their magical night. Since his return, he has searched endlessly for her, only to keep coming up with a dead end. He feels that she, Ginny, is his only chance at retaining any of his humanity. Without her, he knows he'll fall completely into darkness. Yet, slowly, he begins to see that Imogen is not the awful schemer he imagined. He sees her character, her genuine commitment, and her care for those she rescues. Then he sees her beauty, and begins to desire her. What will happen if he finds out that Imogen is Ginny? Imogen is determined to keep her past hidden, as if it became known, she will be ruined, and all her work will have been for nothing.

Kerrigan Byrne has written another powerful and dark masterpiece. I don't know how she does it, but I was in that prison with Cole, I felt his rage and anguish. I detested the person he had become, but I totally understood it and didn't hate him, just what was done to him to cause it. I admired his search for Ginny, how he never gave up, looking to fight a way out of the darkness that had become his life. I also had to admire Imogen for being strong enough to give up on any chance of a relationship with Cole when he rejected her back in the hospital. Then when his treatment of her should only have earned her rejection, she stayed strong in her beliefs, and yet considered his injuries and treated him with compassion. THE DUKE is not for everyone. It's gritty and dark and in-your-face, and I found it compelling, intense, passionate, and beautiful. The characters are flawed, have done awful things, yet manage to find a measure of redemption through the power of love. The Victorian Rebels series is magnificent, and I recommend THE DUKE most highly. This one will surely be on my favorites list this year. Fasten your seat belt and settle in for a thrilling ride.

I loved this book. There was much tension and chemistry between Imogen and Cole. Cole is a multi-faceted, flawed character and had a great deal to work through. Imogen through being who she was forced Cole to reevaluate his biases and life in general. The interaction between these two characters kept me turning pages along with the events that were happening in the story.

This is the first book I've read by Kerrigan Byrne and I will definitely be reading the other books in this series.

There is a dark element to the books in this series and Kerrigan Byrne writes it to perfection.
The story begins with Imogen (Ginny) Pritchard, working as a serving maid to pay off her late father's debt. She hopes to work off her debt quickly and continue her other job in a hospital.
Cole, The Duke of Trewyth, meets Ginny in her role as the barmaid. The night before he leaves for a secret mission, the two have a one night tryst that leaves them pining for one another years later.

After being tortured in war, Cole recuperates at the hospital Imogene works in. Cole does not recognize her as 'his' Ginny. He turns Imogene away and soon begins a search for the barmaid he loved. Now, a weathy widow, Imogene crosses paths with Cole once more and reluctantly Cole starts to develop feelings for her.
I loved the strength of Imogene Prichard and wanted to applaud with her beautiful description to Cole of who she had become after surviving as Ginny for so long. I was highly disappointed in Cole and his hostile treatment toward Imogene. His character is what led me to drop the rating slightly as I felt Imogene deserved much better. The mystery was good and the ending was satisfying although an epilogue would have been a nice wrap up.

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review. Having never read this author in the past, I didn't know what to expect. After reading The Duke, she has been put on my "must read" list of authors. Cole and Imogen were wonderful main characters that I couldn't wait to see have a happy ending. This book had everything and I went through the emotions with the characters, laughter, tears and heartbreak. If you are looking for a good weekend read, this is the book for you!

Publisher's Description:

He's noble. notorious. And takes no prisoners...

Strong as a Viking. Handsome as Adonis. Rich as Midas. Collin "Cole" Talmage, Duke of Trewyth, is the stuff that legends are made of. He's the English Empire's golden son--until fate has its way with him. Cole's family is killed and his closest comrade betrays him on the battlefield, leaving him gravely injured. But Cole is not one to dwell on misfortune. He is a man of duty, honor--and desire. And now he's ready for the fight of his lifetime...
Imogen Pritchard is a beautiful lass who works in a hospital by day and as a serving maid at night. Years ago, when she was young and penniless, she ended up spending a scandalous night with Cole, whose tormented soul was matched only by his earth-shattering passion. Imogen entered a marriage of convenience—one that left her a wealthy widow—but she never forgot Cole. Now that her long-lost lover has turned up in her hospital, injured and with no memory of her, Imogen is torn: Is it a blessing or a curse that their past remains a secret to Cole, even as his new passion for her leaves him wanting to protect and possess her...at all costs, in The Duke, the newest Victorian Rebels novel by Kerrigan Byrne.

My Thoughts:

Kerrigan Byrne continues to entertain and amaze. I didn't think after reading her debut novel "The Highwayman" in 2015 that she could write anything better, but in the case of "The Duke", book number four in this series, she has.

This novel is full of danger and intrigue and brings together two lost souls.

Our couple met originally when our heroine Imogen (Ginny) was working as a serving girl in the tavern of a brothel at night and as a nurse in a hospital by day. She has been promised by the owner of the brothel to never have to serve his patrons in any other manner except for their food and drinks. He goes back on his word when our hero, the newly anointed Duke of Trewyth gives him what was considered to be an exorbitant sum of money to spend his night with Ginny. Several years and a lifetime of circumstances later they meet again but Cole has no memory of Imogen.

This is a surprising mix of love lost, then found and murder mystery.
I found the characters to be engaging and well developed and the storyline to be an excellent mixture of love and intrigue that draws the reader in. This entire series has been fabulous so far and I look forward to The Rogue Takes a Wife coming in October!
I gave this book a lofty 5 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization.
The heat level is very sensual and gets 4 of 5 flames.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book through NetGalley from the publisher to read and review.
This in no way affected me opinion of this title.

Collin Talmage, Duke of Trenwyth has just lost his whole family in a terrible accident. He’s become the English Empire’s golden son and now he’s being sent on another mission. The Duke and his cronies go to celebrate all his good news and he meets “Ginny” Imogen Pritchard. Imogen Pritchard is a nurse by day, but a fallen woman working at the pub to pay for her dead father’s debt. One night of bliss changes their lives forever. Imogen tames the wild beast of the Collin and then he disappears. She’s being living her own hell being attacked, afraid of being caught for murder and losing her job at the hospital, but she cannot forget the one night with Collin. He travels through war and pain and torture, barely making it out alive. The Duke turns up at her hospital and she is chosen to nurse him back to health or lose her job if he dies. Collin cannot escape his nightmares and is constantly fighting against himself as he tries to find his Ginny the one beacon of light in the memories. Imogen is afraid he will remember her and she’ll lose everything. Theirs is sad love story of two people who desperately need someone to care about and love them. Their memories of their one night is all that keep them going. A great book, filled with a longing of two torn and lonely individuals who yearn for happiness and love.
I was received an ARC copy from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Mrs Byrne is one of my favorites authors. The chararaters development and depth, the plot, the writing style, they are all perfeCT and the result is an amazing.book; The Duke !