I really enjoyed this installment of the 1797 Club - I will admit, second love romance is not my favorite trope and I am rarely satisfied with the "love" between the hero and heroine, but I am pleased to say, I did finish this book feeling like Matthew and Isabel were soulmates and were "meant to be".

Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale has been mourning his late fiancée for the last three years, he has watched his friends find love and is convinced his chance for love died with Angelica. His friend Robert, the Duke of Roseford tells him he needs to start living again and badgers him into accompanying him to the Donville Masquerade - a pleasure club. He agrees to go, but plans to slip out once Robert is occupied. But when he notices a woman being harassed, he steps in and is shocked to feel an immediate attraction - more intense than he has ever had for ANY woman.

Isabel Hayes, is a widow living with her uncle, she has snuck out to the club to feel passion - she is not indulging, just watching. When Matthew saves her from unwanted advances, she is grateful and surprised to admit ~ aroused. They dance and share a kiss, shaken by the feelings, she bolts.


Days later, they both return to the club, neither can forget the connection they felt. This time, they take things further and make love, but when Isabel sees Matthew's face while he is readjusting his mask, she is horrified and again runs. Isabel is stunned, Matthew is her late cousin Angelica's fiancée and the man her uncle is convinced murdered her! She is torn, she cannot believe the gentle, considerate lover she met is capable of murder and decides to return to the club - to investigate him (that's her story and she is sticking to it!). When they meet again and spend another night of passion, she begins to probe him for information. She leaves not sure if he is grieving or guilty. She sneaks back into her uncle's house and is confronted by him, Her uncle Fenton says it is time for her to remarry and they will begin looking for a new husband at the Callis' ball.


At the ball, Isabel's uncle pairs her with a friend of his, a man 25+ years her senior, she is dishearten, she was already married to one older man and was unhappy, she certainly doesn't want to marry another.


Matthew is at the ball and sees Fenton, he is going to leave to avoid an ugly confrontation, but then he sees his mystery lover speaking to him and learns who she is - he confronts her and asks if their meeting was a trap - she swears she didn't know who he was when they met - he kisses her and leaves - angry and aroused. He goes home and tells himself to stay away from her, but his base self urges him to chase her and catch her. Her uncle is out for blood and tells Isabel. She decides that she must warn him and then will stay away.


When they meet again, she tells him to be wary of her uncle, he brushes off her warning, Fenton has been harassing him for years and nothing has ever come from it. When things become heated, they are caught together by her uncle and several other people. Isabel stands up to her uncle in his defense, but Matthew says they will marry.

Her uncle is thrilled that Tyndale is involved in a scandal, he tells Isabel that he had to sacrifice her in order to make everyone see that Matthew is a villain. She is sure her uncle has gone mad from the grief of losing his daughter, but she will not be a party to hurting Matthew, she tells her uncle Matthew is innocent of murder. She will marry Matthew, to protect him.

Matthew's friends are sure Isabel is in cahoots with her uncle and beg Matthew to reconsider marriage, but he is not sure, he knows that he wants her and has never felt anything like the feelings she invokes in him with any other woman, including Angelica. His friends meet her and make it clear that they do not trust her. Personally, I felt that Helena was especially cruel, I understand protecting a friend, but her interaction with Isabel went beyond warning her and charged into just plain mean and hurtful, without true cause.

They marry and at the wedding feast, Fenton becomes unhinged and makes hateful accusations, Isabel again defends Matthew and tells her uncle he is no longer welcome. Over the next few days, Isabel and Matthew forge a relationship, not just hot sex (although, there is plenty of that). Matthew begins to think they could have a true marriage and maybe love. When they are called to Ewan's home for the birth of his child, things change for them. His friends seem to welcome her into their set, Helena apologizes to her and Matthew knows that he wants her with him always.

It seems like they are well on their way to their HEA, when Fenton finally makes his move and Matthew realizes that he loves Isabel and it might just be too late to tell her.


This book is well written, flows nicely, has really HOT love scenes (YES!!) wonderful characters, a lot of emotion, a truly demented villain, an almost too good to be true heroine, cameos with the other dukes and their wives and a truly lovely ending with an epilogue. While I did feel that Matthew loved Isabel completely, I can't like some of the story points involving Angelica.

I would be happy to recommend this book and while I would suggest reading the series in order, this book could be read as a stand alone title.

The heroes get more complicated, the heat level rises and the emotions run deep enough to swim in, but the one constant in a Jess Michaels' novel is the heart never lies. Actions may masquerade, but emotion reveals all. Matthew and Isabel have tip-toed around their feelings for years. Matthew gave his heart in the past and that act ended in guilt and tragedy. Isabel will relinquish her body, but refuses to let anyone into her heart. Love never ends well for her. Until a flirtation at a masquerade sets these two broken souls on a course that begins with chance and could end in devastation. Past and present collide when identities are revealed. The bumps are brutal, but salvation is only a heartbreak away. Life is not always a fairytale, but never lose hope and fate might deliver a happy ending.

This is book number 7 in the 1797 club series and I would recommend reading it as part of the series. I had liked the hero, Duke of Tyndale’s character when I had met him in the previous books. The chemistry between the hero and heroine is good but not incendiary. I always thought that his history would be tragic and heartbreaking considering how much he loved his fiancée. Don’t get me wrong, it is definitely tragic but also quite maddening. I had no sympathy for his previous fiancée and thought she was a little silly. The whole death and revenge plot felt a little dull and predictable. This story is definitely not one of my favorite from the series.

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

Publisher's Description:

Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale, once loved a woman, but she died in a tragic accident he felt responsible for. Since then, he’s been playing pretend that he isn’t broken inside, even as he’s seen as London’s most sought after bachelor. He decides to drown his sorrows at the notorious Donville Masquerade where he encounters an alluring stranger who he spends the night with.

Mrs. Isabel Hayes was married once to a man who did not inspire passion and she’s been curious ever since. She has no intention of taking a lover at the Donville Masquerade, but to watch the activities there, just as she has been for weeks. But once the masked stranger pursues her, she is swept away.

Soon Isabel recognizes her lover for who he really is and realizes a terrible truth. She is the cousin of the woman he once loved and lost, and her family blames him for what happened. Driven by the passion they’ve shared, but also repelled by the stories she’s heard, Isabel continues the affair, trying to find the truth. But once Matthew realizes her identity, will he pursue her for what they’ve built, or only because she reminds him of what he lost? And will he survive to share a life with her at all?

My Thoughts:

This has been a wonderfully written series to date. I of course have my favorites among our illustrious crew of Dukes and Michael has just made the list.

Our hero has spent the last three years totally saddened by the loss of his betrothed in an accident that caused her death. Although her drowning was accidental he feels responsible and has not pursued any woman since.
Our heroine was married off by her father to a man who never inspired passion. Now that he is dead she seeks knowledge that was never imparted by him. Having been widowed now for eighteen months she has been attending the scandalous Donville Masquerade just to watch. That is until she happens upon a man who saves her from a lout with dishonorable intentions.

What will happen when Isabel discovers that her hero is none other than her deceased cousin's intended and the man that her uncle holds totally responsible for his daughter's death?

Will her uncle's scheming be the end for them or will it lead to something else?

I gave this newest edition of the 1797 club series 5 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 4.75 of 5 flames. The intimacy between our hero and heroine is scorching hot.
Jess Michaels has hit a home run with this one.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher/author to read for review. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I have read and reviewed voluntarily.

The Duke of Hearts by Jess Michaels
1797 Club #7

Love the series and thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Widowed Isabel Hayes lives with her uncle but after a loveless arranged marriage to an older man and knowing she has the same to look forward to in the future she takes her life into her own hands…at least a little bit…and attends and exclusive club where masks are worn and hedonism thrives. More a voyeur than a participant she is saved from a lecherous lord by Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale. The two meet a few more times and when the masks come off both are surprised and perhaps not in a good way.

Matthew and Isabel definitely feel a spark that grows into a conflagration when they are together but with a huge trust issue hanging over their heads and her uncle bent on revenge it takes calm minds to sort through the issues they face.

I think what I liked the most about this book was the fact that Isabel was not a shrinking violet. She stood up for what she felt was right and was willing to ask for what she needed. It took Matthew a bit of time to come around and embrace his future with both hands but when he did…the two were a match made in heaven.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Passionate Pen for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale, has loved and lost. He has spent three years paying for those sins, and does not know if he'll ever be whole again. Matthew is tired of putting on in society, acting as if everything is fine. When his bachelor friends invite him to the notorious Donville Masquerade, Matthew finds himself agreeing to go. It is there that Matthew meets a rather mysterious beauty that catches his interest.

Mrs. Isabel Hayes just wants to experience passion once. She was married to a man twice her age, and passion was definitely something her marriage lacked. That is why Isabe; has been secretly going to the Donville Masquerade... to witness the scandalous goings-on. When a handsome stranger saves her from being assaulted, Isabel is intrigued by the new arrival. Suddenly, Isabel finds herself agreeing to the unthinkable, spending a night in said stranger's embrace.

Isabel soon discovers who her masked man is and begins to feel conflicted. For as long as she has heard, Isabel's uncle has claimed Matthew murdered her cousin, his daughter, which was Matthew's betrothed at the time. Isabel does not want to believe it of Matthew, the man she is slowly but surely falling for. She sets out to uncover the truth. What will Matthew do when he learns who Isabel really is?

Author Jess Michaels's 1797 CLUB series just keeps getting better and better. I have only read three novels in the series to date, but I will definitely be going back and reading the others. The 1797 CLUB series currently consists of seven novels to date, THE DARING DUKE, HER FAVORITE DUKE, THE BROKEN DUKE, THE SILENT DUKE, THE DUKE OF NOTHING, THE UNDERCOVER DUKE, and THE DUKE OF HEARTS. You might have guessed from the titles that each book has to do with a duke, LOL.

The most recent, THE DUKE OF HEARTS, gets a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. This story has it all... romance, mystery, passion, adventure, heartbreak, and the characters have so much depth. Matthew is a man nearly broken by his past. He blames himself for the accident his fiancé suffered and has never gotten over it. It is not until years later when Matthew meets Isabel that he begins to feel like he is healing and starting anew. Unfortunately, secrets and lies cause a wall to go up between them. Will Isabel and Matthew be able to patch things up before it's too late or will their newfound relationship fall apart? Find out in THE DUKE OF HEARTS.

The Duke of Hearts is the seventh book in the 1797 club from one of my favourite authors Jess Michaels. While part of a series, the author has crafted a story that stands perfectly well on its own.
Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale, continues to grieve for his fiancée, three years after her death. Brought to the notorious Donville Masquerade by his well-meaning friend, he is shocked to find himself drawn to a mysterious woman.
Isabel Hayes was married to a man who did not inspire passion. She attends the Donville Masquerade to watch the carnal delights on offer but has no intention to partake. Rescued by a masked man, she is unable to resist him. When his identity is revealed she is dismayed to discover he is the man her cousin was engaged to. The man her uncle believes killed his daughter.
Isabel unwittingly becomes a pawn in her uncle’s revenge plot, her alliances are tested, and she is trapped into marriage to prevent a scandal. Can Matthew trust the woman he has been forced to marry?
This was not one of my favourites in this series. I was not drawn to the characters as I have been in previous entries. While still an enjoyable read, the author has delivered better. I look forward to the next book which from teasers would appear to be Hugh’s.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. For more reviews please visit my blog:
http://www.wonderfullyweird88.com/

I really have to say that it is another book by Jess Michaels I love. Yes, it took me longer to read thru to a heavy workload but I loved it. I highly recommend this historical romance novel - if you start with one novel by Jess, you will probably love each and every other one too because they are all stand alones but also connected to each other.

Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale, was engaged to Angelica Winter, but she died in a tragic accident he felt responsible for. For three years he’s been pretending that he isn’t broken inside, even as he’s seen as London’s most sought after bachelor. He’s persuaded by Robert Smithton, Duke of Roseford to go tot the notorious Donville Masquerade where he encounters an alluring stranger who is being accosted. Mrs. Isabel Hayes was married once to a man who did not inspire passion and she’s been curious ever since. She has no intention of taking a lover at the Donville Masquerade, but wants to watch the activities there. Then one night she’s accosted & a gorgeous stranger rescues her. Soon Isabel recognizes her lover for who he really is and realizes a terrible truth. She is Angelica’s, cousin and her family blames Matthew for what happened then Matthew recognises her.
This is the seventh book in the series & whilst it could be read by itself to fully appreciate the 1797 Club I’d recommend reading in order, you won’t be disappointed. This is yet another engrossing, captivating, riveting book, I was totally lost in it. The characters are wonderful Matthew has featured in earlier books but his true nature is highlighted in his own story & he is everything you want from a hero. Isabel is strong, loyal & hopelessly drawn to Matthew. The attraction between the pair sizzles from their first meeting & even though they have to endure some trials & tribulations their passion never wavers. I also loved that the other Dukes feature which builds the world of the club & enjoy catching up with them. I now have to wait a few months for Hugh’s story & from the teasers throughout this book I await with bated breath. This is another brilliant book in the series that goes from strength to strength.

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale, once loved a woman, but she died in a tragic accident he felt responsible for. Since then, he’s been playing pretend that he isn’t broken inside, even as he’s seen as London’s most sought after bachelor. He decides to drown his sorrows at the notorious Donville Masquerade where he encounters an alluring stranger who he spends the night with.Mrs. Isabel Hayes was married once to a man who did not inspire passion and she’s been curious ever since. She has no intention of taking a lover at the Donville Masquerade, but to watch the activities there, just as she has been for weeks. But once the masked stranger pursues her, she is swept away.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 there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.

The Duke of Hearts is a beautiful and sad love story. Matthew, the Duke of Tyndale meets widowed, shy, but curious Isabel Hayes. Isabel is cousin to Matthew’s former betrothed, Angelica. Angelica drowned in an accident, but her father, Isabel’s uncle, believes Matthew caused the accident. Isabel’s uncle, years later, still blames him for her ‘murder.’

Unfortunately, Isabel is dependent on her uncle. Once her older husband passed, his heirs kicked her out. Isabel’s curiosity has her a member of an unusual club where members go to be anonymous and connect with other anonymous people. Isabel has only just watched until she met Matthew that fateful night, not knowing who he was, at first. They connected quite quickly and hotly. He only went there because one of his friends insisted on it. Matthew never thought he would meet anyone again.

Your heart breaks for Isabel’s uncle as he slips more and more into the depths of his grief. Although you are elated for Isabel and Matthew to have found each other, you realize their road to happiness is going to be extremely difficult. Matthew’s friends, other members of the 1797 Duke’s club, do not trust her. They think she is a part of her uncle’s schemes to ruin Matthew.

What struck me about Isabel and Matthew is the strong trust and communication that developed so quickly between them. They both seemed willing to give the other the benefit of the doubt. Isabel is all that is kind, caring and honest, in addition to being a strong female character. Matthew is just as kind and caring. He is loyal and his friends are loyal to him. Thus, their uncertainty with Isabel. Ms. Michaels is great about bringing back characters from previous books in the series. There are people in this world who are able to have that close connection and who support each other. Ms. Michaels brings that out in her characters. We get to see how their lives have progressed once their book has ended.

I will say the 1797 Club series is very sensual and naughty. I believe I would like Ms. Michaels’s books even if they were a little more tame. I just do not want to walk away from a great series due to the highly sensual nature. I guess I am hooked. The Duke of Hearts could be a standalone, but I have enjoyed reading these books in sequence. Each one is unique and very different.

This series just gets better and better. I have always wanted to know more about Matthew and his story since the series began. We have revenge, love, loss, guilt – you name it. The story, as always, is excellently written, well plotted and the characters are so likable and relatable that you’d love to have a nice chat with them over dinner.

Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale, has only been going through the motions of living for the last four years – since his fiancé died. All of his friends in the 1797 club are more and more worried about him because he just can’t seem to come back from his grief. Finally, one night, his friend Robert drags Matthew to the Donville Masquerade, which is a club where basically anything goes. Robert hopes Matthew will find someone to share a few hours of pleasure with and Matthew intends to stand against a wall until he can leave. How surprised is he when he rescues a damsel in distress and is intrigued by her. When she runs away after he kisses her, he knows he has to see her again and find out more about her. Since both of them are masked, he has no way of recognizing her. What if he knows her? What if she is the wayward wife of an acquaintance? Is she a servant? Surely not, she spoke too well and was dressed in fine clothing.

Mrs. Isabel Hayes was in an arranged, loveless and uncaring marriage and at the end of it, she was basically destitute – except for the good graces of her uncle. He took her in and supported her. He’s becoming more and more determined to find another match for her as he sinks further and further into his madness from grief. His only and much-loved daughter died four years ago. Isabel has done all she can to bring him out of his grief, but he just sinks further and further into it. She has heard nothing for four years except how much her uncle hates Tyndale because he murdered his beloved daughter. Isabel doesn’t know any of the facts, but she has to think her uncle must have some basis for his beliefs. So, she panics when she discovers that the masked man she has just been intimate with (at their second meeting) is none other than Tyndale himself.

As Isabel unwittingly becomes a pawn in her uncle’s revenge plot, Matthew doesn’t know what to believe. Isabel has deceived him – and she admitted it – but now – she wants him to believe her when she tells him that she isn’t a part of her uncle’s plot. Can he believe her? His friends say no. He is just so drawn to her.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I definitely hope you will as well. There is also a good set-up for Hugh – who I assume will be the next book. Then – there is the wonderful introduction to Ewan’s new baby – that is such a wonderfully loving and heartwarming scene – just sigh worthy!

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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."

I had been looking forward to Matthew's story for a while and I wasn't disappointed. I really enjoyed the connection between him and Isabel. I also like how sensible he was about the problems Isabel's uncle made. I thought Isabel was a strong, sensible heroine and I loved her bravery. This book was super steamy, but also sweet and sensual. I can't wait to see what duke is going to fall next!

I received an ARC of this book to read from NetGalley in exchange for for a fair review. The Duke of Hearts is the 7th book in Jess Michaels’s 1797 club series. It can be read as a stand-alone but it’s a very good series so I would recommend reading them all. This book sizzles from the first moment that Matthew Cornwallis, Duke of Tyndale meets the widowed Mrs. Isabel Hayes at the infamous Donville Masquerade. Both arrive at the masquerade searching for something that is missing from their lives and the passion that arcs between them sets them on a collision course with danger because when the masks come off the secrets revealed could prove deadly. Steam level super steamy, Publishing Date May 22, 2018
#TheDukeOfHearts. #NetGalley

I've been following all the books in this 1797 Club series by Jess Michaels and have loved them all. The Duke of Hearts in no different. The Duke of Tyndale meets Isabel at a masquerade where she has been watching the activities there to inspire a passion in her that she did not get with her late husband. Tyndale has been brokenhearted since his fiance had passed away in a tragic accident years ago. Little does he know that the woman he meets is the cousin to is past fiance. What's more, she is staying with her uncle who feels that Tyndale is responsible for the death of his daughter. Her uncle has been crazed since the death of his daughter and is determined to make Tyndale suffer. Needless to say, this will only complicate matters. Overall, The Duke or Hearts is an thrilling and exciting quite read that keeps your pulse racing as you watch the pair overcome obstacles that are thrown their way. Loved also seeing appearances by other Dukes in the 1797 club. While you don't have to read the other books in the series to follow this one, I'd recommend them because they are enjoyable.

Omgoodness yes please. Another Duke that you can't help but fall in love with. A heroine that is delightful and kind the 1797 Club members make appearance throughout the story and fills you in on their lives too since their stories. In this story there is grief, mystery, lies, love and new life. You will laugh and cry, rants and rave and be terrified throughout the entire book. It will keep you entranced for hours. Love it. Can't wait for Hughs story next.

I loved this book. It has been awhile since I've read a Jess Michaels book. Now I want to go back and read all of the books in this series. You definitely could read this as a standalone. It probably is better if you read the other books because there are a lot of secondary characters from the series, but it is not necessary. Jess Michaels does a great job of bringing the characters to life and making you feel for them. I didn't want to put it down once I started reading.

Jess Michaels always writes a satisfying regency. Our patrons adore her, we always buy her for our library.

Wow what a story!
My favorite Duke so far in this amazing series by Jess Michaels is The Silent Duke (Ewan Hoffstead, Duke of Donburrow) but Matthew Duke of Tyndale gave him such a run for his money in this book The Duke of Hearts!
This is the story of Matthew Cornwallis Duke of Tyndale who meets Mrs Isabel Hayes who are both incognito at the Domville Masquerade. After both of them having suffered a great loss in their past lives they find a connection and comfort in each other that leads them to start a steamy love affair, this only becomes complicated once Isabel discovers exactly who Matthew is. It's a very daring book by all standards with regards to the storyline and of the time period of with it's set. It's got everything you want from an historical romance but includes so very much more. There's drama and intrigue in abundance and not to mention a tangled web of deceit that becomes the very heart of the story that almost damages the growing affection and trust between Matthew and Isabel.
The writing was exceptionally good and I just couldn't put this book down. The story kept me utterly captivated throughout and I just loved the way the story ended. This is an amazing addition to this already brilliant series. Well deserved 5 Stars!

This is a hot AND lovely story of Isabel, a widow from an unhappy marriage, and Matthew, a duke mired in grief. The two meet in a club, a dark masquerade club where those who have unrequited desires see to their resolution. It is because of this meeting that these two are drawn together, although because of their families’ histories, they are the LAST two who should be together. A twist in the story forces their hands, and danger in the form of unhinged revenge could pull them apart.
The plot is filled with heat and a bit of intrigue and the characters are interesting. I read this from start to finish and found it thoroughly entertaining. I recommend this and the entire series to readers of historical romance who enjoy a little mystery and a lot of heat with their hea.