Great romantic read with low drama. Fast paced novel with a great build world. Perfect read for an afternoon. Arc provided by Netgalley

THE DUKE WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - Kerrigan Byrne

#6 in the Victorian Rebels historical romance series

INTENSE! - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Lorelei will never forget the night she rescued the broken dark angel in the woods, a devilishly handsome man who haunts her dreams to this day. Crippled as a child, she devoted herself to healing the poor tortured man. And when he left, he took a piece of her heart with him. Now, after all these years, The Rook has returned. But can she trust him? Is the boy she remembered still inside the brutal man?

Writing - 4 stars - This series just keeps getting better. Byrne seems to have settled into a strong, yet easy-to-read style that compels you to keep turning the pages (or, in my case, hitting "play.") The world she has built is brutal and intense, but there are plenty of loving moments that pull you in to root for the characters.

Characters - 4.5 stars - This is where the story shone for me. Lorelei is not beautiful nor particularly noteworthy, but she has stayed in Ash's mind as the angel who saved him. She is kind and sweet, and I like that she's not perfect. She's vulnerable, yet she still knows her own mind and isn't afraid to take care of herself. Ash (The Rook) has faced brutality most of his life, but he holds Lorelei in his heart. He has become an extremely tough pirate, but we all know that there's a softer side to him that we've seen before. They make an odd couple on the surface, but since we know their history, we can all see how they fit together perfectly and want to see them together again.

Title - 3.5 stars - Pretty self-explanatory, although we don't know about the dukedom for much of the story.

Cover - 4 stars - This is not an unusual cover for this genre of book, but the bright color catches the eye and draws the reader to take a second look.

Overall - 4 stars - This was one of my favorites in this series so far. I liked the contrast of the brutal Rook vs. the softer Lorelei. They make an odd couple on the surface, but it only takes a look inside to see that they are a perfect match. It was interesting to learn about The Rook's past, little by little, as we get to know him better. But especially when he meets up with someone who knew him way back when.

Lorelei is a teen who is crippled because of her unmerciful brother, saves a man off the side of a road. He was injured to such extremes, it was hard to imagine he lived. He was clinging to a thread of life when found. Lorelei names him Ash.

Eventually, he recovers just enough to then become a threat to the household. Or rather, Lorelei’s brother. Despite promising he would come back for her, years pass. The family fortune is being swindled away and Lorelei is forced into an arranged marriage. Only, on the day of wedding, alighting from the carriage at the chapel, the very infamous Rook appears and turns her world upside down and removes her from the horrible situation she is in.

Except…is this any better? She realizes the Rook, a man with a horrendous reputation as a treacherous pirate, is Ash. Her Ash. But the sweet and kind young man she saved so many years before isn’t to be found in this man. He lives a life of kill or be killed.

Ash kept his promise. He came back for her, just in the nick of time. She was his hope, his light, through the years of darkness. Slowly, Lorelei begins to see bits of the boy she used to know. He refuses to believe that. It is a bit of a road to travel together for Ash to begin seeing his life differently than what he has lived.

I could not put this book down! I was engrossed in the action, angst, anger, anxiety, and affection. It does take some twists along the way that I was not expecting!

A dark sweeping historical romance that grips your heart as time struggles over and over to bring two very damaged souls together. Superb as usual. Historical romance lovers cannot go wrong with Kerri9an Bryne,.

This book was so entertaining. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was involved until the end. The characters were complex and interesting. I found the story to be well paced and engrossing throughout the whole book. I was invested in the couple throughout the book and felt all the emotions through both the highs and lows of the story.The side characters were such an integral part of this story as well. This is the love story i needed to read at this time. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you

I can’t even describe how anxious I was for this book. Kerrigan Byrne’s entire Victorian Rebels series has been nothing short of spectacular. I swear each book is more phenomenal than the last and this one was absolutely glorious. Lots of tangled connections are revealed in this intricately woven story that I promise, if you’ve read all the series, you’ll be gasping “OMG” several times. I don’t want to give anything away, but, OMG, you will be stunned.
I’d been intrigued by Dorian since the first book, and his and Lorelai’s story did not disappoint. What a tragic tale. But that made their HEA all the more sweet. I fell in love right along with them in their first meeting. Of course, Dorian wasn’t Dorian then. Lorelai found him burned and beaten under an ash tree and thus named him Ash. He had no memory of who he was or what had occurred to place him there. Like the injured animals Lorelai took in, she nursed him back to health. He was a balm for her as well. Lorelai had suffered greatly at the hands of her vile, cruel brother. She was mesmerized with Ash, someone she didn’t have to fear. I loved their budding young romance with its innocent intimacies. How they both craved each other’s nearness and touch. Lorelai’s touches quieted everything within Ash that threatened to become monstrous. For Lorelai, Ash’s touch made her feel safe and cherished.
I ached for them both twenty years later when Ash finally returned for Lorelai. He was no longer Ash. In those 20 years, he’d lost that part of himself and now was the Rook, a notorious, fearsome pirate. Lorelai didn’t recognize the violent man he’d become. She wanted to know what had changed him but was afraid to hear it. Still, she knew Ash was “locked away under the tattoos, the brutal strength, and the emptiness”. In spite of how cold and emotionless he seemed at times, she “wanted him with ferocity and feared him with timidity”. For Ash, Lorelai was his sanctuary but he no longer recognized his feelings as love. For him, love was soft and kind and what he felt for her was obsessive. He truly didn’t know who he was anymore. But Lorelai remembered who he had been and knew who he could be. They both had been broken in life, but “sometimes one must be broken in order to be healed”.
I love a dark, emotionally gripping romance. Emotional darkness and pain are essential elements for a story to be dark to me. And this book definitely had it. Both Ash and Lorelai had terribly haunting emotional pasts. I love the way Kerrigan Byrne brings the reader through that darkness. She does so with a balance of hope and wit that I need to make their HEA believable. Ash and Lorelai were each other’s light and together they were able to not only survive, but thrive.
This story could be read as a stand- alone but I recommend reading the whole series to get a real appreciation for the sheer genius Kerrigan Byrne has in weaving the characters from this series together. Many of the secondary characters come from previous books. I loved being reunited with Trenwyth and Dorian. And Morley! I have loved him since the second book and I learned so much about him in this book. I can’t wait for the rest of his story. I’m also eager to know more about Veronica and Sebastian. They were so captivating in this story and I am practically salivating to know what’s in store for them. This entire series is magnificent, so be forewarned. Once you read one, you’ll be hooked. A Book Obsessed Chicks Review Team Selection

One of my favorites of the series.

I absolutely adore Lorelei and Ash, aka The Rook, and their backstory for when they were kids. I love it especially more, that Ash ends up being a pirate. And a crazy one at that, Pirates are a weakness for me in historical, and it's hard to live up to my own expectations, but he surpassed all of them. He is the perfect blend of danger and romance, despite not being your average romantic hero.

And Loelei, I just love her spirit. She has live under the oppression of an evil sibling that has gone out of his way to attempt to break her time and time again, and yet still stands. Is still an absolute sweetheart. And especially, does not let Ash run roughshod over her.

The steam and romance, and of course, the appearances of our other favorite Victorian Rebels characters, as well as their entwining stories that makes them connected, all of this makes it a 5 star read.

This was an emotional touching book and my favorite of the series. I actually purchased the audible audiobook format and re-read it.

Actual rating 4.5 Stars

I have say that this was highly anticipated for me because The Rook, need I say more?

Such an interesting and intriguing character, he was the equivalent of the blackheart of Ben More to me, but still not as dashing and scoundrel-like. I mean, each rebel is distinctly dastardly and badass in their own right, but the rook came super close as being my new favourite.

Lorelei was a pretty good heroine, in my opinion. She was different but strong and soft at the same time. She was the perfect partner for the rook. She was the light to his dark.

I liked the added element of a character with a disability, especially in that period.

I loved the ruthlessness of the hero and how sometimes being bad is a good thing.

Kerrigan Byrne most certainly knows how to write very compelling and intriguing historical romance. This world that she has created is one that I've become emotionally invested in and enjoy significantly.

I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series or whatever else Byrne puts out if its anything like this.

An advance copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Guest Review by Joann Maggio

I have to preface my review with, this was a phenomenal book. I find it quite difficult to review an author this tuned to the lives shared by her characters. I know this was a strong sometimes horrific read.

When Lorelai finds Ashe beaten almost to death on the road she takes him in their home and cares for him. After months he is fully recuperated. He has no memory of his past of his true name but knows that although Lorelai is above his station he loves her.

Her brother is supposed to see him to an apprenticeship but instead drugs him and sells him into slavery. It is twenty years before Lorelai and Ash meet again. I found myself delighted when he returned to save her from and undesirable marriage and killed her brother.

Being only midway into the book our author has prepared so many twists and turn and revelations your head will spin.Ms Byrne is a gritty writer and I enjoy her style very much.

I am a fan girl when it comes to her books. This is a must read.

Lorelai Weatherstoke is in the carriage with her father and brother she sees a nude man. Lorelai takes the unnamed man close to death to her home. As the man slowly begins to heal, he realizes the goodness and kindness of Lorelai but the cruelness of her brother. The man now known as Ash is taken away from Lorelai, he makes her a promise and that he will come back to her. Twenty years later Lorelai is preparing for her dreaded wedding. As Lorelai and her sister-in-law Veronica get into the coach they both arrive to the church Lorelai witnesses the coachman kill her brother and kidnap her but worst of all, the coachman is the man from her childhood, Ash. This man doesn’t act like Ash and all she plans to do is try to escape. As Lorelai gets to know this man now known as the Rook she begins to trust and slowly falls for him. The Rook has never forgotten Lorelai and he plan to marry her despite her objections.
This is a beautifully written romance filled with plenty of emotion. This Regency love story is harsh and brutal in the beginning with much tragedy with a little bit of brightness injected throughout. There definitely is a lot of horrible things happen not just to the hero who escapes bad things to the caring heroine who suffers in silence. The story is written with much grueling horrid and gritty scenes that most will find appalling and unappealing especially in a romance. Lorelai the lame ever cheerful heroine manages to be the sunny presence in the book making the hero tolerable. The Rook is bitter and cruel making it even hard to really like him or fall for him. Still the story isn’t an altogether bad read but not everyone will enjoy it.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review one of your author’s titles.

I apologize that it has taken me a while to respond, as I should have been more prompt, however I have chosen not to read or review this title as it was not one that I found was able to hold my interest and my review would not have been positive.

As always, thank you for the opportunity.
Laura

In love with this historical romance. Passionate and well written. It has Spice, charming dukes and a romance that will keep you glued to the page. Fans of the genre, this is a good one.

Tried to read this book and just couldn't get into it. Even read the ending to see if I can entice myself to read the parts in between which in a good book, usually does. Just couldn't get into it. Read about 30% of it to give it a chance. Couldn't sympathize with the female character. The male character was tolerable. The story telling felt all over the place. Period authenticity was questionable.
Wouldn't recommend this book.

I don't read a lot of historical romances but with everyone recommending this author, I knew I needed to junk in. I really enjoyed it and want to goi back and read the author's back log. This story was passionate, intense and refreshing, super emotional and sexy. I was riveted!

I wish now I hadn’t waited a year to read this book. I loved it so hard. It has several tropes I adore (young love, love when heroine has an abusive family member). I love that we saw more of Dorian Blackwell. I now want to read his book again. Lorelei and Ash have a beautiful love story and I loved the sass she threw his way. It balanced her seeming too delicate.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 6 in the Victorian rebels series. I have to say I don't really remember the other books but gave this a shot anyway. The story was well done and I enjoyed the growth in the characters. The only problem I had was at times it seemed to drag in some parts. Overall still a good read.

I'm a little bit conflicted over this one. I really enjoyed the romantic aspects of this story and loved seeing Lorelai and the Rook get to know each other. I loved that we got to see their relationship in stages too: having it start with when they met and when they reunited about 20 years later. Their chemistry was fantastic, and I enjoyed seeing their feelings evolve and seeing both of them learn to share their feelings with one another.

The thing that left me conflicted with this story was the level of violence and brutality though. I was surprised by how ruthless the Rook and the other characters in this story were. They were definitely anti-heroes, so if you're a fan of darker heroes, you'll probably like them. I enjoy a compelling bad boy as much as the next mega romance fan, but the heroes in this one were a bit too violent for my tastes. I still loved them in their softer moments, but the brutality kept me from fully loving this story.

Overall, I thought that this romance was sexy and intriguing, but the hero was a bit too brutal for my taste. I still really enjoyed it though, and I'm definitely interested in checking out the earlier books in the series because I'd love to see the backstories for the other characters. If you're a fan of historical romances with tough anti-heroes and the women who calm them down, then this is definitely a perfect book (and series) for you!

Victorian Rebels is one of my favorite historical romance series and yet I found myself skimming much of this book. It wasn't until around the 60% mark that it started feeling like the other books in this series. There is a lot of backstory in this one and while I see the necessity in this story, I wish we could have gotten to the second half sooner. There are some reveals that any Victorian Rebel fan will be happy about, but some of the normal chemistry in this series was missing.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The bravest of heroes. The brashest of rebels. The boldest of lovers. These are the men who risk their hearts and their souls—for the passionate women who dare to love them…

He is known only as The Rook. A man with no name, no past, no memories. He awakens in a mass grave, a magnificent dragon tattoo on his muscled forearm the sole clue to his mysterious origins. His only hope for survival—and salvation—lies in the deep, fiery eyes of the beautiful stranger who finds him. Who nurses him back to health. And who calms the restless demons in his soul…

A LEGENDARY LOVE

Lorelei will never forget the night she rescued the broken dark angel in the woods, a devilishly handsome man who haunts her dreams to this day. Crippled as a child, she devoted herself to healing the poor tortured man. And when he left, he took a piece of her heart with him. Now, after all these years, The Rook has returned. Like a phantom, he sweeps back into her life and avenges those who wronged her. But can she trust a man who’s been branded a rebel, a thief, and a killer? And can she trust herself to resist him when he takes her in his arms?

Book 6 in the Victorian Rebel series does not disappoint and can be read as a stand alone. Not as well liked as her previous books it made for an enjoyable stormy weekend.

I liked being reintroduced to characters from a previous book, how their lives past now intersect again. Looking forward to the next story in the series.

I received this ARC for free in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you NetGalley, Kerrigan Byrne and St. Martins Press