Review will be published by The Book Queen at her site. I'll come back and post the link when it goes live.

When it comes to romance, I’m just more of a contemporary girl. I think there’s two primary reasons that I struggle with historicals. The first reason is more from the story perspective. Maybe I’m reading the wrong historicals, but it seems to me that the relationship road is always straight, narrow and leading to a single destination: matrimony. The couple’s emotional journey can surprise me, but the details are always circling the drain of the marriage plot: Can, will, should they marry? Who approves or disapproves of the marriage? Who is preventing or what is impeding the marriage? What emotional baggage do they each bring to the marriage? It’s not my favorite thing.

Another thing I really struggle with is how the entire sub-genre is so whitewashed. Smarter people than me have explained this problem, such as Asha Ganesan in this piece from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. To be fair, this isn’t a romance specific problem. For example, last summer, a dude freaked out on twitter because the BBC put a black Roman in a kid’s cartoon. Mary Beard and the rest of twitter completely owned the guy, but there seems to be a persistent belief among white folks that people of color just weren’t a part of history except as slaves or servants. The combination of plot fatigue and wanting to read more inclusively means that I simply don’t read that many historicals. Basically, I’ll reread (Derek Craven forever) and only start new ones from authors that got grandfathered in or that are more inclusive in their approach.

One of those authors that got grandfathered in is Elizabeth Hoyt, and Duke of Desire is the 12th book in the Maiden Lane series. (By the way, I’ve only read installments 1, 2, and 10 of this series, and easily followed the plot.) Duke of Desire has a dramatic beginning. Our heroine Iris Jordan has been kidnapped a group of nefarious and evil aristocrats that call themselves the Lords of Chaos. They intend to rape and kill Iris; however, one of masked men realizes she’s not who they think she is and whisks her away, promising he’ll kill her for them. What a guy. It turns out that Raphael, the Duke of Dyemore is undercover, trying to destroy the Lords of Chaos from the inside. Iris has no idea that Raphael is a bad guy and after finding a pistol hidden in the carriage, she channels her inner Jessica Trent and shoots him. I thought to myself, “Take that, marriage plot!”

Well. Not so fast. Raphael fears that his wound is mortal and knows that even if he dies, his name and status can protect her from the Lords of Chaos. He insists that should marry from what he thinks is his deathbed, and it’s only the middle of the second chapter! The tension in the remaining 90% of the book comes from Iris and Raphael learning who they are and trying to build a future from this unconventional beginning.

I tend to like books with lots of tortured inner conflict. Raphael suffered terrible abuse at the hands of his father. He is determined not to bring a child into the world, fearing that the sins of his father will corrupt the family for generations. Even though this seems silly to me as a modern reader, the author skillfully portrays him as a man torn between his fears and his desires. Iris is a strong woman, determined to make the best of her situation. She wants a real husband and longs for a child. Even though Raphael desperately wants her, admitting that he fell in love with her at first sight, he refuses to sleep with her because he is determined not to father any children. You know that feeling of watching an old movie where all the conflicts would have been solved if only the characters had cell phones!? That’s how I felt about Iris and Raphael. Honestly, this poor man would have been much less tortured if only he had access to reliable birth control! Those wacky historicals.

As a major plot point, this had the potential to be mishandled. I’ve read this plot before where it has devolved into manipulation or even non-consensual sex. In Julia Quinn’s The Duke and I, for example, the heroine takes advantage of her husband when he’s drunk, which is pretty terrible. I was thrilled Elizabeth Hoyt does not fall into this trap. Iris takes his fears seriously. They work towards figuring out their marriage and its conflicts without lies and subterfuge. Of course, there’s still an external conflict: those terrifying Lords of Chaos are stomping around, trying to kill Iris for what she witnessed. Raphael is determined to protect her and bring down their leader.

I enjoyed Duke of Desire and was invested in the relationship between Iris and Raphael. I wanted them to find love and happiness in their marriage and felt both characters were well-developed. In fact, I read this book in what I can now tell you is the most unfriendly reading experience I’ve ever had---my ARC from NetGalley was almost entirely in italics. I read this entire book---three hundred and fifty three pages-- in ITALICS just to find out how these two would evade the Lords of Chaos and find their post-marriage happily ever after. Three hundred and fifty three pages of italics!!

In this final installment in the beloved Maiden Lane series, Raphael, the Duke of Dyemore is desperate to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and orchestrate their demise. He manages to work his way into one of their gatherings, where Lady Iris Jordan is an unwilling participant. Iris is not exactly a damsel in distress and takes her escape into her own hands, but its ramifications lead to a quick marriage of safety even more than convenience which evolves into a deeply grounded love story where Iris and Raphael become the best versions of themselves. Simultaneously a standalone novel and a fitting end to a series, Duke of Desire is worth any historical romance fan's time.

Imagine waking up in a room full of naked men wearing animal masks. You’ve been kidnapped and dragged there, and you have absolutely no idea how to get out of there. The men are clearly participating in some ritual and, even more frightening, your death is a key part of the proceedings. What would you do?

Well, when Lady Iris finds herself in that exact circumstance, she grabs a gun and shoots the first dude she could and gets the heck outta Dodge. Unfortunately, she shoots the one masked man who was actually there to help her and not kill her. Minor detail.

Raphael, the Duke of Dyemore, has to be at the gathering of the Lords of Chaos in order to achieve his ultimate goal: the group’s destruction. His father was once their leader and his legacy of destructive debauchery is still known; after a lifetime of being a better man than his father, Raphael’s final plan is to disband the sect. He was close to achieving that goal - until the fool woman shot him.

Iris and Raphael escape to his house, but are being pursued by the other Lords, who still want Iris dead and now need Raphael dead. In the grand scheme of each of their lives, this is clearly not ideal. In a panic, Raphael sees no other alternative than for the two of them to marry.

Clearly.

This all happens in pretty much the first forty-or-so pages, by the way. Once the marriage of convenience/safety is enacted, the book really settles into itself. We’re with the pair as they fall in lust, then in love, then figure out if they’re going to be able to transition from convenience to covenant. It is, in a hallmark of Ms. Hoyt’s writing, both completely bonkers and completely grounded.

While I wouldn’t term this a romantic suspense novel, it certainly flirts with the intersections between the subgenres. A huge portion of the plot centers around the continued need to dismantle the Lords of Chaos, which requires Raphael to learn the identity of the leader, who wears a Dionysus mask. That’s the thing about this secret society - they’re secret even to each other. As Raphael puzzles out who each member is and how that member can help him achieve his ultimate goal, he’s continually forced to deal with memories of his childhood. I wasn’t particularly invested in this portion of the plot, except to the extent that its resolution held the key to Raphael’s character development.

I really enjoyed Iris. She has to put up with a lot from Raphael throughout the book, but takes none of it lying down He’s not used to trusting anyone, nor relying on anyone. As the pair move from, essentially, roommates with benefits to a couple emotionally invested in their marriage, I was consistently impressed by her quick-wittedness and resourcefulness. Now that her life has been determined for her, she’s going to make the most of it and her broody-as-all-get-out husband. Watching them finally fall in love was lovely.

The Maiden Lane series is one I’ve dipped in and out of over the years, through no fault of its own. Grad school and a transatlantic move got in the way, but I remember enjoying the instalments I’ve read. Details of the plots, however, have fallen completely out of my head, so I have no idea how it connects to the larger world of the series. It, therefore, worked for me as a stand-alone. I think anyone who has loved the other books will love Duke of Desire as well, and it has spurred me on to head to my local library and hunt up the previous eleven works.

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The Duke of Desire is book 12 of Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series. In the last book Lady Iris Jordan is kidnapped by the Lords of Chaos because they think she married Duke of Kyle. They plan on a full night of debauchery and then return her to the Duke dead. Unfortunately their information is wrong and Iris is not the Duke of Kyle's new Duchess. One of the revelers takes her for himself. Unknowing to Iris it's a rescue and she shoots The Duke of Dyemore in the shoulder. Raphael knows the only way to save Iris is to marry her so before he passes out from blood loss the local vicar marries them as soon as they reach his house. Raphael thinks he is just as damaged as the rest of the Lords of Chaos, only difference is he wants to tear down the Lords of Chaos and destroy them forever, he just has to figure out who took over as Dionysus. Raphael had no plans to marry ever and even though he has admired Iris from afar for months he can not let himself fall in love with her not with what he has to do.

Iris told herself she would make best of this situation and be the Duchess of Dyemore. Raphael isn't making it any easier she promised herself that after her first marriage of she got married again it would be for love and seeing that not the case here she would atleast want children of her own finally only Raphael does not want to consummate the marriage. The more Iris finds out about Raphael the more she falls in love with him especially after she finds out how he received the hideous scar on his face. Finding out who Dionysus is isn't easy especially since he keeps getting distracted with Iris.

Overall, he should have been the Duke of Dire. Raphael had desire, there were some really good scenes and I enjoyed where she went with the Lords of Chaos but Raphael was just so depressing. What he kept doing to Iris was sad, it really made me wonder why are falling in love with him. He had a traumatic event in his childhood and he never let go of that and I get that, but having something that severe and perverse happen to the main character, I am okay with a whole lot of stuff authors put their characters through but that one touches really close to uncomfortable for me.

In the Duke of Desire we have a lovely continuation that picks off right after Duke of Pleasure (Book 11). Iris Jordan has been kidnapped by the Lord of Chaos, when she is mistaken to be the wife of the Duke of Kyle. They plan on sacrificing her in one of their rituals. Iris can’t believe that out of all the things to be mistaken about this would be it. But then one of the members takes her away and she accidentally shoots him thinking he meant her harm only when he is trying to save her. He offers her a safety net….marriage. Even though it was against her will, her reputation is ruined. So even though it isn’t what she imagined, she finds herself married to the scarred and tortured Duke of Dyemore. Raphael has been wanting to bring down the Lord of Chaos down. His father was once their leader, and through the torments that he inflicted on his son, Raphael was sent to live with his aunt in the islands. Now he has returned, determined more than ever to make sure they don’t commit any more evil especially in the way they harm and kill innocent women and children. Now there is one complication…his wife who is more tempting than he thought she would be, a woman strong and tender enough to reach inside his heart…


What a book….I have to say that this is probably the best that she has written in this series for a while now. Probably ever since book four have I ever had so much fun. I have no clue if there will be more, there did seem to be a more final note to this book than the others previously. So who knows??… I was really swept away in this story. I did like the whole rescue the maiden trope here especially since its so rarely done in HR anymore. Our heroine is strong, but not strong enough to fight off ten strong men. There is quite a level of suspense and mystery to the story as well. And boy the leader of this group totally blew me away, not someone I even suspected at all. The romance that builds between Raphael and Iris isn’t your typical romance but I had a blast seeing things unfold between the two. Its definitely not the most conventional romance that is for sure. We are dealing with a hero that is scarred both physically and emotionally. He still has nightmares of what his father did to him when he was a boy. We see how he refuses to have a child with Iris because he believes evil runs in his veins and doesn’t want any child of his to become like his father. Which definitely puts a damper on Iris’ plans. She wants children but she also wants to share a bed with her husband. The chemistry between them is hot though, and I liked the way that Hoyt wrote this relationship. Seeing the way that Iris slowly works her way into Raphael’s heart.

The Duke of Desire is a romance that will keep you in suspense, on the edge of your seat and is a gripping romantic tale that you won’t ever want to put down!! SPLENDID JOB!

This book had excitement, heartache, devastation, and so much love. My gosh, what a wild ride. My heart was pounding non stop. I know we're getting two novellas, but I really wish this wasn't the last full story. I positively adored this series!

I received an ARC for an honest review.

received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As Hoyt's Maiden Lane books have gone on, they've focused in on the Lords of Chaos, and they're the main plot point in this one. The Duke of Dyemore is a hereditary Lord of Chaos, and dedicated to destroying them. When the Lords kidnap Iris, a young widow, for their obscene bacchanal, Dyemore saves/kidnaps her. In exchange, she shoots him and they end up married. That's the first 10%.

Iris is a widow and an orphan, and Dyemore is suffering from what we would call PTSD. As two shattered souls, they must work together to trust each other and themselves in order to discover the secrets of the Lords of Chaos before someone else is hurt.

What I liked: iris is stubborn and knows her emotions even when Dyemore tries to gaslight her. Dyemore's trauma is painful to read, and his PTSD is realistic.

What I didn't like: the gaslighting. Dyemore's a bit of a jerk. I mean, I'm all for anti-heroes but he wasn't my cup of tea.

What’s it About? After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Lords of Chaos you’d think Iris, Lady Jordan, would be more grateful to her savior right? Wrong. She shoots him out of fear and then realizes her error as Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore spirits her away to his estate to keep her safe. Unfortunately the only way he can hope keep Iris safe is to marry her but what’s worse is that Iris isn’t content to be his wife in name only, she insists on making the best of her circumstances and being a real wife to him. And Raphael can only fight his attraction to her for so long even as their enemies close in on them from all sides.




Overall reaction to the story? Duke of Desire is captivating, passionately raw, and completely original in a way that only Elizabeth Hoyt can pull off. It was a bittersweet feeling reading Duke of Desire given that it is the last book in the Maiden Lane series. It’s fitting though that Raphael and Iris be the last couple in the series since he was so deeply connected to the nefarious Lords of Chaos. I first picked up the series with Thief of Shadows back on its release day and have faithfully followed the series since (And read the first few books since then). I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do without this series and these characters because they’ve become such a big part of my life. I read through this book in two days with both excitement and a bit of sadness. What a fitting end to the series that I’ve always placed on my top five favorite series list.



Describe the hero in five words: Damaged. Vulnerable. Protective. Gruff. Stubborn.

Did you like him? Yes.

Why? I half expected to see Raphael under the definition of “stubborn” because dang he was almost as immovable as a mountain. He was so convinced of his path that it was almost his downfall. As scary and dangerous as he was, Raphael hid a vulnerable side to him that made him impossible not to love and want to protect. Seriously, he was a terrifying character to everyone around him but man I just wanted to swoop in and protect the little boy he once was. I defy anyone to read about his childhood and not be moved. I liked Raphael from the start but as more and more of his personality came out I just fell in love. He has such a blunt way of stating things but that was one of the things I liked about him the most because when he’s tender it’s such a stark contrast to his usual personality.



Describe the heroine in five words: Stubborn. Caring. Intelligent. Courageous. Sassy.

Did you like her? 90% of the time.

Why? Let me just get this out of the way, the one thing about Iris that I definitely did not like was her lack of care over the dangerous situation she in. She wasn’t just being told that the Lords of Chaos were after her, she had been rescued from them and she knew that they would come to kill her sooner or later. Yet she did some pretty silly *coughs* stupid *cough* things like traipsing about town without a care and yup, being discovered by known members of the Lords of Chaos. Pretty foolish right? But at the same time, Iris faced her predicaments head on, including having no choice but to marry Raphael for protection. I loved that she wasn’t a hysterical woman and believe me, she landed in some pretty stressful situations that called for hysterics but she never gave in. Another thing I really enjoyed about Iris was her conviction that Raphael needed to be taken care of even when he was snarling at her and trying to push her away she countered that with a strong resilience mixed with snarky responses.



Let’s talk about the romance: Raphael and Iris’ first meeting was memorable to say the least but their connection was undeniable. I loved that Raphael saw Iris as a light in his life of darkness because without knowing it, that’s what she became. It was more than just their physical attraction, it was her giving him a chance to see what he could become instead of what he had resigned himself to being. Their relationship was built on a forced trust, she had to trust that he would protect her and he had to trust that she would keep his secrets. I loved their relationship that was a combination of sexual chemistry, friendship, trust, and reluctant affection.



How about that supporting cast? Raphael and Iris are mostly alone in their fight against the Lords of Chaos but with Iris being close friends with Hugh, the Duke of Kyle, I was expecting to see him again and of course I was thrilled to see Alf too.


Click It or Skip It? Click It. Duke of Desire does the Maiden Lane series justice and as sad as I am that it’s over, I’m glad it ended with Raphael and Iris.

Another 5 star book for this Maiden Lane junkie!

I adore Elizabeth Hoyt and all of this series. It's actually what got me started reading historicals after a very, very long hiatus.

This review will end up being short so I don't spoil any parts of the storyline but everything about this worked for me. Raphael is a tortured soul who needs redemption (in his eyes, not mine) and Iris is the first bit of light he's had in his world in a long time.

There is a tiny bit of insta-love but it doesn't get physical for quite some time. I really liked the build up to these characters being able to admit to each other their love and actually act on it. The suspense is perfect, the element of mystery blends well with the romantic aspects.

Now for the hard part to explain to new readers of this series. Is this a stand alone? My answer is sort of but not really. This book builds on plot lines from the last couple books. So while I think you can technically not read every single book in the series, this probably isn't the one to start with. At least read the Duke of Pleasure before this if not the previous 2-3 books. However, this series is so awesome, you really should read them all. In order. :)

As the twelfth book in the Maiden Lane series, a lot has happened even before the DUKE OF DESIRE begins. I do believe it’s necessary to read the other books in the series. Not only will you get a better understanding of who the villains, the Lords of Chaos, are by doing so, but you’ll also get the first half of the hero and heroine’s meeting in the other books.

I was very much looking forward to this book. The Maiden Lane series is one of those series that continues to get better with each book. The unique thing that sets this series apart from other Historical Romance is that it has a touch of darkness running throughout. There’s more action, scandal, and masked men who hold mysterious pasts. It’s a very intriguing world that continues to evolve with each book.

The heroine of this book, Iris Jordan, has already been through so much by the start of the book. She has been kidnapped and her captors are going to sacrifice her for their weird cult-like society. Another masked man is there to save her though, but she doesn’t trust him that easily.

While I really enjoyed Raphael through this whole book, I was going back and forth between liking and being annoyed by Iris. I think she has a lot of courage for a woman and I definitely sympathized with her. However, I did feel like she could have been more understanding and grateful to Raphael for what he’d done for her. After all, he saved her from being gang raped and murdered. Yet she still has this bit of attitude to her, which I wasn’t a fan of. I think the author intended her to be hardy and headstrong, but it can sometimes come across as ungrateful when she bickers with Raphael.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the rushed marriage either but that’s simply because I don’t like that particular trope in general. I can understand why it was necessary in this case though. It just wasn’t my favorite.

A lot of things happen in this book. Some scenes are more rushed than others. In those scenes, I would have loved to see things slow down so we can really get to know the character. Other than that though, I enjoyed this book. Hoyt pens a very engaging read.

I've read and loved every book in this series! I did not realize until almost the end that this was the last book. I can't believe it's over! This series has been an auto buy for me and is going to leave a hole in my "series I read as soon as they come out" list.
There are going to be those who don't like this book because it is definitely darker and grittier than any of the others and it goes a bit more into detail of The Lords of Chaos's (childhood sexual abuse) history. You need this to get a complete understanding of what the other characters have been fighting for over the course of this series.
I did feel though that Iris wasn't as fleshed out as I would have liked. There wasn't as much romance in this book as in the previous ones. And I so loved the romances in this series. I also would have liked to have touched base more with the earlier couples from the series. That said, the book comes to a most satisfying ending and allows you a glimpse at Raphael's and Iris's future. All in all despite the darker storyline, I feel this book achieved a great series' ending!

I found this book very dark and gritty as it tackled horrific childhood trauma in the hero, Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore. The abuse has scarred Raphael to the point that he avoids any type of physical and intimate relationships with women. When Lady Iris Jordan is kidnapped by the Lord of Chaos, Raphael rescues her in a daring plot and to keep her safe, he quickly marries her. Thinking their marriage will be in name only, Raphael must learn to deal with Iris as she wants a true marriage with him.

With the dark elements explored in this book, I couldn't really get into the romance of Iris and Raphael. There's nothing romantic about their relationship as they both deal with the circumstances of their hasty marriage. Ms. Hoyt is a talented author and tackles the serious subjects well, but for me this book focussed too much on the abuse although I understand that was central to Raphael's character. Iris's character wasn't fleshed out much--focusing more of how she was dealing with Raphael's obsession to destroy the Lords of Chaos.

Kidnapped and brought as an offering to the Lords of Chaos, Iris improbably finds herself rescued by the towering Wolf.
Now a man and ready to take on the insidious Lords of Chaos, Raphael, finds himself saving a woman he can't forget a shared waltz with.
Raphael's scars run deeper than just the surface but Iris is determined to show him he's worthy of love.
With the Lords of Chaos looming over them, Raphael and Iris will show that love is the greater strength.
 
The twelfth installment in the Maiden Lane series brings us to a resurgence of the Lords of Chaos. Previously thought snuffed out in the last book, a new Dionysius leader has emerged and stronger than ever. You actually wouldn't need to read any other books in the series, maybe just the previous one as you get an introduction to the Lords of Chaos. As this is placed in the Maiden Lane series, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get any previous characters to check up on; the Duke of Kyle from the previous book makes an appearance but that is all.
 
"You need to marry me."
 
If you read the previous book, you'll remember the Duke of Dyemore, Raphael, introduced as a hulking scarred beast who waltzes with Iris. Here he rescues her and in order to keep her safe from the Lords of Chaos, he marries her. Iris was a bit dull as heroine but with the focus so heavily on Raphael's past with the Lords of Chaos, she didn't get a fully rounded out story. We know she didn't have a loving marriage and she cares for Raphael, but I didn't feel why she cared for him so soon. Iris ended up being a ghost on the pages to me.
 
Raphael's childhood trauma dominated the story and was extremely heavy. Frankly, that's all it felt like his character was, I didn't learn anything else about him. His attraction to Iris seemed to be based on one waltz and because she seemed like a golden light to him. A lot of their relationship was Raphael wanting to keep Iris on some sort of pedestal, away from his defiling hands, but this also creates a blank spot of him never really knowing and connecting with her.
 
After a darkly adventurous start, the story took a bit of a slow turn. The first half was basically Iris wandering around Raphael's gloomy Abbey, trying to learn his servants’ names, and disregarding Raphael's warnings of danger. Iris' lack of understanding or listening to Raphael about the danger ended up making her feel pretty vacuous at times, too.
 
With the focus so much on childhood pain (childhood sexual abuse is discussed prominently here), it made it extremely hard to switch gears and follow along to a sex scene, no matter how it was handled. In fact, the whole heavier tone of this one had a very uneven feeling with the usual Hoyt naughty sexual scenes.
 
The romance was lacking for me here with Iris not showing up completely and Raphael dealing with extremely traumatizing pain. Their lack of romantic connection kept me from feeling them and the Lords of Chaos brought such a heavy disturbing emotional toll, this ended up not being a very fun read. Hoyt's atmospheric writing can't be denied but after following along with the Maiden Lane series for so long, I guess I was personally looking for a more uplifting, sigh, and smile ending.

The book was a great read. Touched upon sensitive topics. Great characterization. Great plot. GREAT EVERYTHING!

Another great book by Elizabeth Hoyt. Always well written and enjoyable to read

Lady Iris Jordan is a widow who is on her way back from a friend’s wedding when she is kidnapped by a group called the Lords of Chaos. They kidnapped her because they thought that she had just married the Duke of Kyle and they wanted to use, abuse and then murder her to get back at him for trying to break their group up. Unfortunately for them, she didn’t. Luckily she is saved by the Duke of Dyemore as he claims her for himself. He promises the Lords of Chaos that she’ll be dead by morning just so he can get her away. Not knowing that he’s there to save her Iris takes it upon herself to shoot him.

Despite being shot, Raphael, the Duke of Dyemore, insists on marrying Iris to save her from the Lords. He knows that once they find out that he didn’t kill her that they’ll come after them both. Iris isn’t too willing but knows that it has to happen. She ends up spending her wedding night and more than a few nights after that nursing her new husband back to health. Unfortunately the Lords find out she isn't dead and come after them both.

While Iris and Raphael are hiding out she learns more about her husband. She knows that his father was the leader of the Lords of Chaos until his death. He manages to tell her about what a perverted, sick man his father was and what he had done to Raphael before he was whisked away to Corsica by his aunt in order to save him. Iris starts to fall in love with her broken husband but wants a child. He refuses to continue his tainted bloodline. Raphael’s determined to bring the Lords of Chaos down from the inside out and will stop at nothing to do so. He just didn’t plan for his life or his feelings to change so much once Iris was in his life.

I’ve always enjoyed Hoyt’s writing and this book was another great read. The subject matter was a bit dark and I wish it had been a bit lighter for the last book in the series but it was still good.

Raphael had been molested by his father one night when he was 12. Luckily his aunt took him away to Corsica and kept him from becoming his father. Raphael, however, had been forever changed by that one night and it had directed the course of his life. He never planned on getting married and didn’t actually plan on being a true husband to Iris once he did marry. Things and feelings shift and this happened with Raphael. I was so happy that he finally had a change of heart. I do wish that it hadn’t happened so quickly, however. One minute he was saying, more or less, “I’m outta here” and the next he was all, “I love you!” It was still sweet and lovely but definitely rushed.

Iris was a great heroine and I liked her a lot. She had been through a loveless marriage and though she didn’t really know Raphael she was resolute in having a good and decent marriage with him. One where he didn’t ignore her as her first husband did. She did a lovely job of bringing him out of the dark and I enjoyed reading how she did it.

I’m so sad that the Maiden Lane series has come to an end. It was truly one of my favorite historical romance series and I will miss it greatly. Though this wasn’t my favorite book in the series it was still a great one and definitely one I recommend.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Duke of Desire, by Elizabeth Hoyt is set in the historical regency time period with mythology annotations included throughout the book.

Even though this is a historical romance, it's still a sad and heartbreaking story. Raphael de Chartres is the Duke of Dyemore and his personal goal is to infiltrate (and then destroy) a diabolical group called the Lords of Chaos. However, he encounters and attempts to save Lady Iris Jordan. She becomes the light of his life, despite his dark and painful past.

Due to the background and subject matter, it's a difficult story. This book seemed to be more of a depressing mystery with romance interlaced throughout the story. Since it's the twelfth book in the Maiden Lane series, maybe starting with the first book of the series would place this story in context.

Duke of Desire is geared towards those who enjoy reading dark mysteries mixed with a little romance.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve followed this series from the beginning. What I’ve loved most about it is that it depicts not only the parts of the era we find exciting- the balls, fashion, upper society, but also the darker, grittier elements of the era- poverty, crime, desperation. And #12 in this series, Duke of Desire gives us a duke completely unlike our usual romance hero. In most stories, the hero is usually forceful, protective, and dominant. While the Duke of Dyemore definitely had those qualities, he was also a victim, violated, and vulnerable. That made him an even more complex character for me and especially deserving of someone sympathetic to his pain and worthy of his trust.

Lady Iris Jordan had lived a rather dull life. Refined, kind, and intelligent, she’d lived a calm, uneventful existence. Until the night she’d been abducted on her way home from a wedding, mistaken for the bride. She found herself bound and surrounded by naked, masked, tattooed men bearing torches and intent on destroying her. When her mistaken identity was discovered, one of the masked men claimed her for his own and whisked her away. When his mask was removed, Iris recognized his mutilated face. The Duke of Dyemore. The man who, upon meeting him, she had thought resembled Hades, the god of the underworld.
Raphael de Chartres, Duke of Dyemore, had but one goal, to destroy the Lords of Chaos, a notorious, evil, secret society of aristocrats who enjoyed power and the rape and destruction of women and children. Having been the child of their former leader, Raphael knew the depraved group well and had vowed to infiltrate the group and destroy them all. But years of anguish and planning, and his dreams of revenge collapsed when he looked into the eyes of Lady Iris Jordan.
Raphael had no choice but to rescue Iris and take her away. Knowing that the Lords of Chaos would now not only want to destroy him, but Iris as well, he had no choice but to marry her. Even though Iris knew little of Raphael, he was her only hope and she did feel safe with him. Iris had been married before. Her marriage to her deceased husband had been a loveless one. She had hoped to marry again for love. Or at least affection. And more than anything she longed for a family. Raphael was intent on making sure his stigma never touched Iris. They would share a bed but he wouldn’t touch her. Wouldn’t corrupt her. No matter what it cost him.
Iris had other plans though. She was determined to be a wife to Raphael. To share his life, his secrets, and his bed. She vowed to make this marriage a real one and to try to break down the walls Raphael had built around his heart. Raphael soon realized he’d deceived himself about his ability to resist Iris. The power of her lure and his own desires were dangerous to his life’s mission. In Iris’s arms, “he was in danger of forgetting the real world and all he owed it”.

What a great conclusion to a series that has been nothing short of captivating. We finally get to learn who is behind the Lords of Chaos, but not without a few twists and turns and a lot of suspense. And not without a lot of passion too. Iris and Raphael’s chemistry sizzled on every page.
I liked that we quickly learned of Raphael’s miserable childhood and his feelings of distrust, shame, and self-hate. Otherwise, he might have come across as kind of an ass. But knowing his history helped me understand why he seemed aloof, arrogant, and sometimes even cruel. It led me to understand his need to do the right thing even if it destroyed him. He’d lived a lonely life by choice, not wanting to pass on the evil that ran through his blood. But once he experienced the light that was Iris, he didn’t want to let it go. She was the only light that could lead him out of his despair.
Iris was just what Raphael needed. She was strong, courageous, brave, and hopeful. She knew when to back off and when to push. I loved that she dared to speak up and say what she wanted. To have conversations she’d never been able to have in her first marriage. She was attracted to Raphael. He evoked feelings in her she’d not had before. She cared for him. Saw his physical and emotional pain and wanted to help. She encouraged Raphael to envision a life beyond revenge. She brought him hope.
If you’re looking for more than your typical historical romance, this is the series for you. Fast-paced, intense, dark with lots of steam and suspense, and with a beyond evil villain, you won’t be able to stop with just one book. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.

Duke of Desire is one of the most action packed historical romances I have EVER read. It's an exciting and intoxicating novel that had me hooked. Now I feel the need to read the rest of the series because this author has given me something I wasn't expecting and made it a new favorite!

Horrible book. Should have included that it's not your typical historical romance. Extremely dark.