Jess Michaels is a smooth operator. She tempts with romance and delivers so much more. The Undercover Duke begins with a mystery. Lucas has many secrets that just might get him killed. When his double life leaves him at his most vulnerable, he finds an angel in Diana. Diana is a fearless woman with a healing hand and her own baggage to bear. Diana and Lucas walk a fine line between love and lust as they try to stay a step ahead of the danger that stalks them. Ms. Michaels stories are alluring tales of courage that never get old.

The Undercover Duke by Jess Michaels
1797 Club #6

Ten teens at boarding school form a club to assist one another as they grow into their positions of being dukes one day - The 1797 Club - this series is already plotted out to have ten volumes starring the ten original members of the club. Over the years a bond stronger and closer, in some ways, than that of blood brothers is formed. In each book of the series we find out what has become of the members of the club and who they will find their HEA with.

In book six we meet Lucas Vincent, Duke of Willowby, the youngest member of the 1797 club. After learning something that rocked his world he left for the military, became a spy and avoided family and friends for around a decade. As the story begins he is spying, wounded and is not healing as he should so is sent to Diana Oakford, daughter of the recently deceased Spymaster’s main surgeon, to see if she can work some magic and make him well.

Lucas is in pain and not the nicest person to be around but in spite of that he is a gentleman, wants to get better so he agrees to let Diana treat his wounds for a month. Of course Lucas and Diana are attracted to one another and feel some sizzle so with eyes open wide they agree to engage in a tryst. As is so often true, trysts can engender feelings, sharing and caring. Eventually they begin to work together to uncover who the traitor in the midst of the spies might be and in so doing expose...more than they might have wished to.

So many secrets! So many twists and turns! So much fun to read! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. It is not your common garden variety of historical romance but instead has interesting and intriguing main characters that really made an impact on me. I am eager to read what comes next and have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and am glad there are several more books to read before it finishes.

Thank you to the author who bequeathed me an ARC through NetGalley – This is my honest review.

4 – 5 Stars

Lucas Vincent may be the Duke of Willowby but he’s never acted as such. He’s been too busy working for the War Department as a spy. But years of dangerous work has finally caught up to him and he was involved in a violent attack that nearly killed him. Forced home, his angry, aggressive desire to get back in the field and find out to who betrayed him is keeping him from healing.When I started reading I couldn't put it down I read the book in one day.Jess is magnifysent writer.I cannot wait to read more of her books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.

I totally enjoy all Jess Michaels stories. This one was more suspenseful then past books. The betrayal both main characters felt was so real. I am glad I was allowed to read an advanced copy for my honest opinion.

This is the 6th in the series of the 1797 Club by Jess Michaels and it's just as good as the rest of the series while having a different story line than the others. You don't need to have read the others in the series but I'd recommend you do that anyways because they are just that good.
This story revolves around Lucas Vincent who is one of the Dukes in this long time club of dukes but has since broken away from the group a bit and has been a spy for the crown. An injury while on a mission throws him into the pathway of Diana Oakford who is a healer. She also happens to be the daughter of a man who was killed on the same mission where Lucas was injured. As they get to know each other better while Lucas is recovering, he is still trying to find out who tried to kill him and who is the mole in their organization. Both Lucas and Diana are engaging characters that clearly have chemistry which leads to some steamy interactions. However, nothing is easy in the relationship when trust is so difficult for someone like a spy. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it to be a quick and fun read. Would definitely recommend it!

Lucas Vincent, Duke of Willowby is the youngest of the 1797 Club dukes and the most reclusive. He has not been a character in the previous books and has only been mentioned in passing by the other dukes. This book opens with Lucas being gravely injured along and his dear friend and surgeon for the war department, George Oakford being killed.

Six months later, Spymaster, Lord Stalwood comes to see Diana Oakford, George's daughter. He needs her help, Lucas is still alive, but his wounds have not healed and none of the doctors who have treated him have been able to help him. Stalwood is hoping that Diana can work a miracle. Diana has lost so much, but she knows that her father cared for Lucas and agrees to help him.

Lucas is not the easiest patient, and when he learns who she is, he apologizes, he blames himself for her father's death. Diana refuses to let him take the blame and tells him they will begin his treatment, she asks for a month and he agrees and gives into the temptation, and kisses her.

In short order, these two become lovers and the love scenes fairly scorched my kindle! But soon they are sharing more than their bodies, secrets are exchanged and plans are made to find her father's killer. Lucas reconnects with the dukes and hopes to draw out the traitor, but he has suspicions that he will not share and when Diana learns of them - the truth may rip them apart before they ever really came together.

This book is well written, flows well, has smoking hot love scenes, several appearances by the other dukes and their wives, lots of secrets, some betrayal and a twist that changes everything! I liked this book, but for me, I didn't feel the connection between Lucas and Diana like I did for the previous characters and the ending left me with more questions than answers, but I still enjoyed the story and would be happy to recommend the book.

This is the sixth book in the series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title without any problem.

Strong,handsome hero, beautiful feisty heroine and a fast paced spy mystery with a big surprise at the end.

Lucas Vincent, Duke of Willowby, has been injured during a mission and has almost died. It has been six months and he still hasn't healed. Diana Oakford has been trained by her father, who is a doctor for the War Dept. She is asked to step in and see if she can help Lucas.
What great characters, they are so believable and vivacious. The plot is complicated, there are all kinds of twists to this story. There is danger, intrigue, and lies. I really enjoyed their first kiss and how it affected both of them. Lucas, she finds him very masculine, sexy and hard to keep her eyes off him. I am so glad I got a chance to read this book and look forward to more of the author's work.

The Undercover Duke is the next book in Jess Michaels 1797 club. Each one is as good as the last and this has become one of my favorite series. Lucas Vincent, the Duke of Willowby , has secrets. Only one of them is his being a spy for the crown. On his most recent mission, he is wounded and left for dead. Along with a man he admired Dr. Oakley. Now Dr. Oakley’s daughter, Diana, is enlisted to try and heal him. Diana has secrets of her own. Can these to lonely people find out who killed her father and who is the traitor killing agents for the crown.? Together, they heal each other and find that love can conquer all. I highly recommend this book and the other 1797 club books. I was gifted with an arc copy.

Quick, entertaining story. Though I must say, several authors have “Duke” clubs and I tend to get confused by there being so many! Maybe it’s time to find a different contrivance. This story involves a Duke who has been a spy for the last ten years, now injured, requiring further care. A dear friend was killed in the same operation. The daughter of that same friend is an herbalist healer, and she accepts the assignment to assist in his care. A relationship develops between them, and together they agree it is only physical, not romance.
Eventually, it becomes necessary for him to return to his public life in order to solve the mystery of who killed her father and injured him. This puts them both in danger, but also changes their relationship.
There’s more to their individual stories, and as they become closer, these stories are revealed and add depth to their individual stories. And I have to have my HEA, which the story did.

FINAL DECISION: I enjoyed this book because of the relationship between Lucas and Diana. Some of the historical reality was lacking, but the cautious and slow unfolding of these characters made this book an enjoyable journey.

THE STORY: Lucas Vincent, Duke of Willowby, has been a spy for the crown for years. Grievously injured in his last assignment, Lucas is sent to Diana Oakford to recover. Diana is the daughter of one of the men killed in the mission where Lucas was injured. Having been burned by the spies who surrounded her father before, Diana knows better than to give her heart to such a man. The attraction between her and Lucas, however, burns from the beginning. And as they agree to an affair, each believes that they can keep the relationship on a physical level, but things get complicated (on many levels) as they work together to find the traitor who almost killed Lucas.

OPINION: I have really been enjoying this series. The stories, while serious in tone, are not particularly deep or disturbing. They are a nice read that I can finish in a day and which don't haunt me for days after. The books emphasize the relationship between the characters and the plot really works in service of that relationship.

Diana and Lucas are similar characters. Pain in their lives has taught them to keep their distance. As they start their relationship, there is plenty of sex but little relationship. Usually I dislike these instant sex books, but it really works here. The sex begins to allow these characters to open up to one another. Then there are small moments of revelation and caring that draw them out of their self-protective shells.

Because much of the book takes place solely between these two characters, the relationship really worked for me. There are hot encounters but also moments of tenderness.

Then there is the spy plot. Some of the resolution seemed obvious, but there were some interesting surprises. There isn't a lot of "story" in the plot, but I also enjoyed that because while I certainly like deep plot filled books, I really prefer books where the relationship is the focus and gets the primary focus in the story.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book is front loaded with the sexual encounters which lessen as the plot picks up.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE UNDERCOVER DUKE is the sixth book in the 1797 Club series. There are overlapping characters, but this book can be read completely as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

When I read the excerpt of this novel, I had thought it was going to be an amazing book especially as it was written by one of my favorite historical romance authors. But the chemistry between the characters of the hero and heroine was almost flat and contained just sex without the romance. Even as the story progressed, I thought the hero was just using the heroine. The only saving grace was meeting some characters from previous books in this series. I adored the previous books and really enjoyed reading about the characters from those books. I really wished for more romance between the hero and the heroine.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

Jess Michales is brilliant. She always draws you in and captivates you with her stories. Her characters come to life and make you feel as if they are living breathing people. Her plots and twists and turns leaves you at the edge of your seat and wanting more.

The Undercover Duke

Jess Michaels weaves yet another tale in her Duke Club series. The storyline focuses on the Duke of Willowby and the daughter of the surgeon for the network of spies. Although there are twists and turns aplenty, the plot is fairly easy to unravel. Even so, the story contains enough romance and intrigue to keep one entertained.

Another winning read in Jess Michael’s 1797 Club series. This one is slightly different simply because we have never met this particular member of the club before and the members of the club don’t show up at all until we’re about half-way through the book. That was kind of nice because we got the opportunity to know the main characters before we started interacting with the other members of the club. That said, I think I would have enjoyed a bit more active participation from the club rather than them playing a pretty passive role.

Lucas Vincent, Duke of Willowby, had a very unhappy life. Both of his parents hated him and he had no idea why until he was about sixteen. Then, everything blew apart. Luckily for him, he had made friends with a number of other future dukes when he started school. Almost all of them have horrible parents and they banded together to help each other through life. When Lucas was eighteen, his father died and Lucas became the duke. Lucas wanted no part of the duchy and he started to work for the Crown as a spy. He had determined that it was his destiny to die in the field and he cut all ties with his friends in order to protect them – from enemies who wanted to harm him and from any grief they might suffer on his demise.

Diana Oakford lost her mother when she was very young and had only her father left in her life. He was a gifted physician who was tasked with taking care of her country’s spies. When her father dies on a mission, she is heartbroken beyond belief. She is a gorgeous woman with dark hair and full lips and the most spectacular jade colored eyes and she is also a healer like her father

Lucas was on a very, very secret mission trying to capture a traitor who had caused the deaths of several spies and had also stolen secrets and sold them to the enemy. The worst part – that traitor is one of their very own spies. When Lucas sees George Oakford (Diana’s father) peeking from behind some shrubbery, he is surprised, but pleased to have some aid. Then, as Lucas is beginning to climb up the trellis to enter the house and capture the spy, shots ring out. Lucas is hit in the leg, loses his balance and falls, then another shot – and another. Lucas stirs to consciousness for a second and sees the dead body of George Oakford beside him. Grief! Then blackness.

Lucas’ injuries were grave and he wasn’t recovering well after six months. His wounds were not healing up as they should and his pain was almost unbearable. The Earl of Stalwood, Lucas’ boss, and head spymaster, needed Lucas back in action and he wanted to help his friend, so he approached Diana Oakford to take over Lucas’ treatment. Stalwood seemed to think that it might give both of them a chance to heal – Lucas from his injuries and guilt over the death of George and Diana from the loss of her father.

The attraction between Lucas and Diana is instant and it doesn’t take them long to get down to business – like rabbits. I thought that all happened a bit too quickly but I liked them as a couple. They complimented each other very well. Once they shared their deepest and darkest secrets they became even more invested in each other. Diana doesn’t trust men though and when she feels Lucas has betrayed secrets, she leaves him.

For me personally, I would have liked for the book to be just a bit longer and to include more action by the club members. The addition of an epilogue would have been good – maybe to be six months or so after the wedding and maybe show some development between Lucas and his mother. Another thing I would have liked to have seen is what happened to the family of Boyd Caldwell. I know what happened to George and would have liked to know if a similar fate befell Boyd’s family since it befell Diana.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the series is wonderful. I can highly recommend it.

The other books in the series are:
The Daring Duke #1
Her Favorite Duke #2
The Broken Duke #3
The Silent Duke #4
The Duke of Nothing #5

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

This is the third book that I’ve read in the 1797 Club series by Jess Michaels and I did enjoy the story very much, but I found it lacking somewhat of the emotional content of the previous books, this utterly surprised me as this story touched on some very deep and emotional subjects such as loss, death and betrayal which I thought should have had more depth in how they were dealt with. The story however had an interesting potline and kept me intrigued as to who the traitor would be.
The interaction between Lucas and Diana was sometimes sweet and heartfelt and at other times they both totally drove me nuts with their stubborn stupidity. They had great chemistry between them that was sort of an insta love that they were both in denial about. The story does have its merits of being full of suspense and mystery that thrilled and excited me and it does have a good ending that was very realistic and true to life of the time period that the book is set.
I will definitely be reading more in the future from this author as I do like this series very much.

I liked the story of the spy between the men of the 1797 club, I was waiting for it and enjoyed also because Diane is also a very nice character and I appreciate being both "out of the ton" so to say. The dialogue were well done and there were some steamy scenes. As usual Jess Michaels remains one of my favorite regency author.

Mi è piaciuta la storia della spia che si nasconde tra gli uomini del club 1797, l'aspettavo e non mi ha deluso, anche perché Diane è un personaggio ben riuscito e, in qualche modo, entrambi si muovono al di fuori del Ton. I dialoghi erano ben scritti e c'erano scene particolarmente bollenti. Come al solito Jess Michaels rimane una delle mie autrici regency preferite.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

Such a great read. Kept you guessing who the spy was til the end. Great romance.

There's intrigue, secrets, alliances renewed, danger, dalliances and surprise twists. You will not be disappointed with the sixth installment in the series. We are following the recovery of The Duke of Wellington and his healer, Diana. They both have secrets and find trust hard to give. And they are both healing from different wounds.

Lucas, the “Undercover Duke”, has been shot in the line of duty and after 6 months is still recovering. His superior asks Diana, a healer, to help with Lucas’ recovery. She’s also the daughter of a doctor who was killed during the same mission Lucas was injured. The set up was interesting: Lucas is gruff, miserable due to his physical weakness and in pain. Diana is a kind woman who is grieving for her father. They both have secrets from their past which weigh heavily on them. With a few herbs, Diana gets Lucas on the road to recovery and within days they are lovers.

I’ve read other Jess Michaels’ books and have really enjoyed them. This is the second book I’ve read in the 1797 Club series and I found both books very formulaic and predictable. I do enjoy these types of books too - they can be an escape for a few hours and easily forgotten when the last page is turned.

I had one pet peeve. The main characters, especially Diana, seem to be suffering from laringitis. The word “whispered” appears over 80 times in the book.

*Thanks to Netgalley/publisher for the advanced copy of this book.