Finally, the Rook! Ultimate pirate with a lost past has been trying to get back to Lorelai. She's sweet, brave and caring of all things broken. This is the story we've been craving. The others have had incredible stories and found their loves, but this was a long time coming. The Rook has been mentioned in passing many times and now we know why. It is not necessary to read the previous books but the characters do tie together and make a more intriguing story.

The Duke with the Dragon tattoo is the sixth instalment in Kerrigan Byrne’s Victorian Rebels series. I have one of the books in this series but it’s not necessary to read them in order. Each stand well on its own.
Lorelei, crippled as a girl by her cruel brother, rescues a man left for dead on the side of the road, while in her early teens. Although many years have passed since she last saw him, Lorelei never forgot “Ash,” who had promised to come back for her.
The Rook, a ruthless pirate, a man with a brutal past, has never forgotten the girl who saved him from a mass grave. When her brother sells her hand in marriage he swoops in and avenges her and takes her away just like her promised all those years ago.
Lorelie cannot believe the change in her childhood friend, can she trust a man touted as a rebel, thief, and killer.
Ms Byrne creates compelling characters who have overcome true adversities and continue to bear the scars both physical and mental. While the story dragged in parts the richness of the characters particularly the heroes in this series more than makes up for it.
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/

After having not enjoyed the previous book in the series as much as I had enjoyed the first four books, I have to say that I LOVED this book, and it brought me back to having this as one of my favorite romance series. There's a dark, dangerous, intense hero who is in need of healing by the caring, nurturing heroine. I really enjoyed the words that were chosen as they evoked very distinct and striking images in my head and at times had a lyrical quality. My favorite part of the book is when the two characters originally meet and the emotions they bring out in each other. The pace was fast, and I read the whole book in one night. The only slight issue I had was the ending starts to drift in terms of intensity and plot, but the little surprises the author sprinkled in made it satisfying. I hope there are many more books in this series!

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

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo was unlike any historical romance that I have read before. Why do I say that? A few reasons. This book was a lot darker than your usual Victorian romance. The author chose to explore themes that were taboo in that era. She also chose to make the book violent. I can count on one hand where I read a Victorian romance that had violence in it. Usually, those types of books are all sunshine and rainbows. Not this one. This one showcased the darker side of the human nature. And guess what, I loved it!!

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo is the story of Lorelei and The Rook (also known as Ash). Ash was left to die on the edge of a road as a teenager. Lorelei, her father, and her brother happened to be riding by in their carriage when Lorelei spots him. He was horrifically injured, lye poured over him. The only thing unmarked was a beautiful dragon tattoo. The stranger, who has no memory of who he is, is renamed Ash by Lorelei. One day he leaves with her older brother, never to return. Instead of saying goodbye, he tells her: "There are only two indisputable facts in this world: The sun will set in the west, and I'll come for you. Always." His leaving means that she is now at the mercy of her abusive older brother, who had crippled her as a child. Ash does come back for Lorelei...20 years later. He is not the same boy that Lorelei fell in love with. He is a man with scars on his soul and no memory of who he was before he met Lorelei. He has done horrible things. He has exacted his revenge on the people who held him captive for 15 years. Can Lorelei help Ash regain his memory and heal? Or will she fail to drive out his demons?

Ash was damaged. He wasn't a good guy by any means. He did some pretty awful things in the 20 years he was separated from Lorelei. Even when they were together. But, the author made me feel pity for him. His reaction to Lorelei wanting to be with him was heartbreaking. As was the nightmares that he had. I wanted to reach into the book, hug him and tell him it was going to be ok. I enjoyed watching his interactions with Lorelei but I did feel frustrated with how he treated her at first. My frustration went away in the middle of the book when his internal monologue showed me how much he loved her. By the end of the book, Ash was still as damaged as he was in the beginning. But he was healing and that made me smile.

I liked Lorelei. Her rescue of Ash and her help in his recovery was excellent. I could see why Ash fell in love with her. An older Lorelei was amazing. She had been shaped by her life with her brother. Instead of turning into this fearful woman, she was someone who stood up to people. She was the one who made her father and brother stop the carriage. She had a hand in Ash's recovery. So, I wasn't that surprised when she discovered that she still had feelings for Ash. She fought for him, which I loved. It wasn't that she had to compete with another person for his affections. Instead, she fought his demons for him.

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo had some pretty hot sex scenes that weren't between the main characters. There was intense sexual tension between Veronica and Moncrieff. That whole scene when she was watching him have sex with another woman was insane. Especially when she was getting turned on. Which is why I was surprised when the storyline took the turn it did. I was expecting something different. 

Speaking of sex, Ash and Lorelei's scenes were insanely hot. Mainly because you could taste the emotions when they were having sex. Everything Ash wouldn't/couldn't say came out when they had sex. The sexual tension between them was insane too. It didn't go away when they had sex. Instead, it was even more turned on, if that makes sense.

I wish the storyline that involved Ash's memory loss had been resolved earlier in the book. I felt that the conclusion to it was rushed. Which leads into the other storyline about the treasure. I didn't like the way it went in the end. There was a twist that I should have seen coming but didn't. A twist that made me go "Shut up" when I read it.

The end of the book was fantastic. I'm not going to go much into it but I will say this. I burst into tears at the last sentence of the epilogue.

What I liked about The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo:

A) How realistic Ash and Lorelei were

B) The storyline. Loved it!!

C) The sex scenes

What I disliked about The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo:

A) Ash's memory loss storyline being resolved when it was

B) Mortimer

C) Moncrieff

I gave The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo a 4-star rating. This is a dark romance with plenty of sex. I was able to connect to both characters. I felt that the memory loss storyline could have been ended sooner. Other than that, this was a book that I enjoyed reading.

I gave The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is graphic violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Paperbacks, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo. 

All opinions stated in this review of The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

We are introduced to our characters at different ages. First, when they are young, then 20 years later. Lorelei is one of those characters you will love instantly. She is sweet, kind, and compassionate. She is also desperate for love because her brother is a mega douche! The story gave me a bit of a Princess Bride vibe (which I love). She the titled daughter, he is a nobody, they fall in love, he disappears only to return years later on the eve of her wedding as a pirate.

Ash/The Rook never forgot about Lorelei and waited 20 years to claim her. But, now Lorelei is pissed as hell at him! For 20 years she was subjected to her horrid brother and Ash broke his only promise to her. Obviously, he has reasons and you, the reader, have to wait with Lorelei to figure out what is going on with him. I loved these two together even after he became the ruthless Rook. They are so different, yet perfect for one another.

I was in love with The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo! Even when The Rook was being a douche, I was rooting for him and Lorelei! These characters are lovable in so many ways. If you are fans of the second chance romance, I think this gives the trope a unique twist. If you love the fairytale type feel of a story, Ash and Lorelei's story will enchant you!

I received an advance copy through #NetGallery. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were unsolicited.

Kerrigan does it again! When I heard she was releasing another book in this series, I was so excited. This book does not disappoint! I was very pleased to get more back story than we've received with any other character. She leaves certain points for us to glean along the way, but it was a great way to captivate me and allow me back into this wonderful world.

This tale is based on The Rook, who has shown up in past books briefly in the series. I hate spoilers, so I won't here. I will say I greatly appreciated the equal parts tension and romance with a great plot that keeps you guessing. The Rook may be my favorite male character out of the entire series. (Yes, I do have a thing for pirates.)

Enjoy the read. I finished so quickly, I might have to read it again. :)

Kerrigan Byrne always writes the darkest, most intense historicals. She reminds me of the OG historical writers I used to read way back when. I like her style. It's almost lyrical at times but I love it ;)

The Rook and Abigail were great (albeit tortured) three dimentional characters. There was a lot of violence in this story, a lot of pain and despair. It's a wonder any romance could grow in the midst of so much pain but it did. The ending was very much an happy one.

In return for any and every ARC I am given, I promised I would give a fair and honest review. Wow, this one was quite different! Kept me reading for sure! Good tale.

The notorious pirate known as the Rook is a man without a past, without a name, and no memory to accompany either. After waking up in a grave, left for dead, he's rescued and subsequently nursed back to health by Lorelei Weatherstoke. Their love was young and just blossoming when he was suddenly gone as quickly as he came into her life.

Now, many years later, the Rook has returned for the only woman he's ever wanted to claim as his. But with the vastness of years and experiences between them, can they ever get back to that young love they once had?

It was the title that first caught my attention. I was hesitant to read this one, however, because I had tried to read the previous book in the Victorian Rebels series, The Scot Beds His Wife, and I just couldn't get into it. Ultimately, it was the blurb that drew me in and pretty much made my decision for me. I'm glad it did because I found The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo to be quite the enjoyable read.

I was surprised by the path the story took. Starting out with our hero and heroine younger than I would have expected and then skipping ahead quite a number of years I think was an interesting choice. Typically my historical romances have involved people in their twenties (sometimes very early thirties) but I liked the change that, for the time period, we're pretty much reading about people in middle age.

I did want to feel more out of the initial meeting / building up of the relationship between Lorelei and Rook because when he left and then later came back, I just didn't feel that gut-punch of how it must have been for Lorelei to see her love once again.

I thought filling in the blanks in regards to where he had been and everything he had to endure in their years apart was better represented. Although I do subtract a star for how long it took for him to give her the full story of why he left. I think we could have avoided much angst and confusion if they would have had that talk early on, and instead were able to focus on one of the big plot points of the story: Rook's missing memories.

I really liked how his past kind of collides with his present and eventually pieces are put in place of who he used to be to who he is now.

Obviously, being part of a series, Kerrigan Byrne takes the opportunity to include some previous couples. I'll admit I've not read the other books in this series at all. But I found no problems with understanding who these supporting characters were and how they particularly fit into this story (and just maybe how Rook and / or Lorelei conversely fits into their stories). I am very interested now in going back and getting caught up. Hopefully, this will solve my problem of not being able to get into the previous book in the series.

Kerrigan Byrne also, somewhat subtly, includes some interesting moments for a couple of secondary characters which were honestly quite delicious and makes me think they might be the next couple featured (especially given that epilogue). I'll definitely been keeping an eye out for the next book to see if I'm correct in my guess.

Overall, there are pirates, amnesia, and second-chance love, all that adds up to an enjoyable read. Even if you're not caught up with the series, you'll enjoy this one.

The Story in a Nutshell: Known only as The Rook, he is a man with no name, past, or memories but the ones of the girl who found him and saved him from death when he was younger. He promised Lorelei he would come back for her and twenty years later he does in a big way. Lorelei doesn’t know if she should trust the man who looks like her lost love but acts like a man possessed, but the more time she’s around him the more she starts to see the truth of his actions.




Overall reaction to the book? The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo is a richly woven story that had me on the edge of my seat with every turn of the page! I devoured each scene with an enthusiasm I haven’t felt in a very long time.


The thing about Byrne’s characters, particularly the men is that they’re nobody’s heroes. These are thieves, killers, blackmailers… Unscrupulous characters more at home in the darkness than in the light. But you know what? As dangerous as they are there is something to love about them and that’s their resilient strength to survive and thrive no matter what. The Rook is a perfect example of that. At the beginning of The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo, he is a young man who was beaten so badly that he doesn’t remember who he is. He knows he’s a killer for sure but other than that, he doesn’t even remember his name, yet he displays a brash tenderness for the young, crippled Lorelei that seems out of place in his character. Byrne took the time to build an actual relationship between two battered souls that would resonate with readers before ripping them apart for almost twenty years.


The Rook and Lorelei’s reunion packs a wallop and before she knows it, she’s at the mercy of a man who looks familiar but acts like a total stranger. Another thing I adore about this series is that any number of authors would create heroines who are weak and powerless against these uber alpha males but not Kerrigan Byrne. Heroines like Lorelei may be small and seem defenseless against a seasoned manipulator like The Rook but she turns out to be the stronger of the two. Her strength, actually the strength of each of these books lies in the emotional journey of both characters. I love, love, LOVE how The Rook and Lorelei start off their reunion wary and suspicious of the other and they are very much singular units used to depending on themselves and being in their own orbit. But as the circumstances change throughout the book, readers start to see them shift towards each other and their relationship turns into one based on mutual respect, affection, and desire rather than one based on power.


The magic of The Rook and Lorelei’s love story is that she brings him back to life and offers him a sort of salvation with her love and he offers her the freedom of being completely herself, comfortable in the knowledge that he will always love her for who she is. That ready acceptance and encouragement from them both had me falling in love with them as a couple.


Whereas the previous couple of books in the series dealt with highlanders, The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo takes readers to the sea and introduces a few characters while bringing the series back to the beginning with a tearjerker of a revelation about The Rook. I could go on and on about this story but I don’t want to spoil anyone’s enjoyment of it.



Click It or Skip It? Click It. I can’t recommend The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo enough. However I would start at the beginning of the series so that you can understand the significance of the reveal towards the end.

* Review will go live on 8/29 as part of the blog tour

This is my first book by Kerrigan Byrne and OH. MY. GOSH! I am officially a fan! I can't wait to go back and read the rest of this series. Saying that leads me to saying that this is definitely a standalone within the series. I didn't feel lost or confused at any time in my reading. Yes, especially when certain characters come into play it is obvious that this is the 6th book in a series, but it doesn't at all take away from the enjoyment of reading this one out of order. It simply makes me more curious than ever to go back and meet all the characters.

I flew through this book, it is a total sit down and lose yourself in a new world for a few hours only to realize you have finished the book and its 3 am, but you couldn't care less because it was that good kind of read. Your only disappointment will be that it is over. The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo will pull you in from the very first pages. The descriptions of the world, the brutality, the danger, the love...everything, right there so by chapter 2 you are completely besotted with and invested in the characters. This was an emotional read for me, the amount of pain and suffering will have your heart aching for these characters, the joy of friendship, the sweetness of new love, the volitive nature of rekindled romance, and the steaminess of rekindled love is everything and this book has it all.

There is so much of this story that you just have to experience as you read so I won't go into detail about the plot or the romance, just know that it is all there. That it is both heartbreaking, redemptive, and heart warming. If this is your first read in the Victorian Rebels series, like me, you will be craving to meet the characters of the previous 5 books asap, if you have been an avid fan of this series from day one, I have to believe that this will be another hit for you. The Rook will have you crying for him and swooning even when he is being his most dangerous and irritating. Lorelei will have your heart aching for her and championing her as she navigates a world that cares little for her thoughts or feelings. She does her best to take charge of her destiny and watching her come into her own as a strong and independent woman as she 'battles' The Rook will have you rooting for her over and over again. Together The Rook and Lorelei are a powerful couple that I honestly just can't get enough of, and I am so looking forward to seeing more of them in the future, because oh yes, those secondary characters, I want ALL their books!

I think that one thing that Historical Romance fans will really appreciate about this book (and I am assuming this entire series) is that Kerrigan Byrne doesn't hold back when it comes to the realities of life in the 1800's. She doesn't give her female characters more power than they should have, she doesn't mince words about class and society's expectations. Yes there is an element of fantasy within this book, yes people raise themselves up above their station, but there is never any 'prettying up' of 1800's society. It wasn't a place 'friendly' to women or the lower classes. It could be brutal and it could be unfair, you will get that from this book and it's honestly a wonderful thing. I love reading Historical Romances where the women are strong and doing what ever the F they want to do as much as I like reading Historical Romances that portray society mostly accurately, they both have their place in my reading pleasure, but I have found I haven't read as many of the later type lately so that was a true joy to see in this book, even if it was dark and brutal.

I loved the growth of the characters, The Rook going from the boy he was no doubt strong but still a boy to the man he becomes with out Lorelei, fierce, dangerous, determined, single-minded, to the man he now is with his love, still as fierce and determined, but tempered and compassionate. I simply can't get enough of him! Lorelei, she was always compassion and grace, even against all odds, even with the brutality that surrounded her and the pain of her disability, but to see her strength grow as she discovers who she can really be and the determination to save the love of her life....she's beautiful heart, mind, and soul and I adored her.

I think that you will love this book as much as I did. The characters and world will captivate you. The love story will break your heart and then build it back up to beat stronger than ever. You will be mesmerized by the characters and fall deeply in to character love with all of them. grab this book up and put it at the top of your TBR!

~ HAPPY READING ~

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo by Kerigan Byrne
Victorian Rebels #6

At fourteen and eighteen a young woman and young man fall in love and think they will have forever together but nope…they will be separated for nearly two decades and in those years much will happen. The young girl will continue to suffer torment at the hands of her brother and the young man, without a memory, who has suffered much already will suffer even more.

When kindhearted Lorelei Weatherstoke sees a body on the side of the road while traveling with her father and brother she has them stop, see if he still breathes and he is taken to their home to be treated for his horrific wounds. A year they spend together in innocent joy only to find themselves separated by a dastardly hand played by an evil person.

A promise made by the boy now named Ash is one he plans to keep but for years he is unable to keep that promise. When he finally does return he has changed significantly with most of his softness seemingly gone forever.

Whether or not the two will be able to find a way to a happily ever after is up in the air for a while but as with any good romance, and all in this series, it comes right in the end and the two do find a way to a happy ending.

What I liked:
* The overcoming of adversity
* The strength of both lead characters
* Finding out who “the boy” really is
* The pirates with the kittens
* The appearance of “the boy’s” old friends

What I didn’t like:
* Mortimer – evil incarnate – a sadist
* The weak-willed spineless father of Mortimer and Lorelei
* The twenty years endured by H/h
* Poor Veronica’s situation with Mortimer
* The pirate I thought might be good who really wasn’t
* The time between books?

Was it believable? Perhaps
Did I like it? Yes
Will I read more books in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

I didn't know what I was getting into with this book. Naively, I expected Almack's with a dash of amnesia. What I got was so much better.

This book has PIRATES.

Most of the action (and believe me, there is a lot of it) happens at sea or on the coast. There are twists and turns, all neatly foreshadowed. There's a heroine who is swept along for the ride and who never gives up on believing in good. There's a hero who is certain he is no such thing thanks to his terrible past, both forgotten and remembered.

I was initially sceptical of the romance, after a sham of a wedding at sea, but it gets better. A LOT better. I especially enjoyed the sections in Ash's head, because he is so hard to read, at least at the outset. When he does soften, it's with a suitable grovel, which really sealed the deal for me. I'm a sucker for guys who walk in the darkness but can't help but be drawn to the light of a single person.

Which certainly descriptive and action-packed, the book was let down a little by some purple prose, the most florid probably 'two tortured orbs of onyx'. It was a little distracting at times, but not enough to pull me out of the story completely.

I certainly didn't realise that this was book six in a series, but the references to other happy couples should've clued me in. It stands well on its own and has me interested in some of the other stories mentioned as well.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I tried and tried to like this book but couldn't. Not only was it vulgar thru out but just unbelieveable. To much thinking going on between main characters and not enough talking.

This story had me turning pages furiously from the very beginning. So much pain, darkness, and misery could not stand up to the light of Lorelai's innocence, caring, and persistence. Ash/the Rook was such an empty man, but I loved how he knew from the start that Lorelai belonged to him, was his safety, his reason for living, though he was unable to voice it. Their love changed both of them but for the better. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and could not put it down. I highly recommend it.

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

In her Victorian Rebels series, Kerrigan Byrne brings us heroes that are outside the traditional vein for historical romances. These are men created out of brutal, dark and pain filled childhoods that caused them to toughen and leave childish innocence behind much too young, resulting in hard, dangerous men that others fear, and for good reason. Nor does she leave troubled childhoods to just the hero. The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo is no different in that regard as The Rook is the pirate king feared by all on the seas & land as well. Lorelie grew up in a house subject to the domestic abuse (physical, verbal & emotional) of her older brother. Yet, despite the darkness surrounding the characters past & present, this story still managed to have a sweetness to it. It’s a story of both innocent young first love and 2nd chances. Kerrigan’s story telling enables you to feel for the h/h, mourn their lost childhood and understand their distrust of others even as you cheer them on as they discover that bit inside of each other than they bring to life. While sometimes Lorelie felt very naive, you had to admire her strength of character and inner goodness that leads her to want to help & heal both small animals she finds and the people around her that she determines are “hers”. The Rook is persistent, driven and loyal (if only to a very select handful) as he rediscovers not only his angel, but also the past that was lost to him 20 years earlier. An enjoyable read from start to finish with plenty of action, romance and surprises.

Ever since I knew this book was coming out I was jonesing to read it. When I got an ARC courtesy of NetGalley, it was like I died and went to book heaven. No one does historical romance with tortured heroes and strong women like Kerrigan Byrne. I love that her characters are real adults, not the usual young bucks and debutantes. I did not think any Victorian Rebel could surpass Christopher Argent....but it's possible Ash has done just that.

I'm not going to go through what the story line is; you can read the synopsis for yourself. What I will tell you is that this book is a compelling blend of steamy romance, tortured pasts, young love found and lost, brotherhood, violence, overcoming adversity and pirates. I usually highlight a few passages in a book that I particularly like. Here, however, I swear I must have highlighted a third of the story. There was so much here that really touched me. I ran a gamut of emotions from heartache to humor to happiness. I laughed and cried. Ash so needed his Lorelei. What a strong woman she turned out to be! And Ash......oh, how my heart broke!

Thank you, Ms. Byrne, for giving us such a wonderful story. May I impose on you to write Morley's story? Please?!

I received a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo was my first Kerrigan Byrne novel. The novel takes place in two different times. The first when we first meet "Ash" and Lorelei as young adults. Ash was gravely injured and left for dead. This caused him to loose his memory. Lorelei nursed him back to health and in the mean time falls in love with him. Due to unfortunate events, Lorelei is made to believe Ash's memory has returned and left her.

Twenty years later, Lorelei is taken on her wedding day after her fiancé and brother are killed. She comes to find out, the boy she knew as Ash has grown up to be the infamous pirate.

Ash and Lorelei's relationship is a test of wills. The man she thinks he is, is dead. Lorelei refuses to believe it. She knows he's in there still. The story had heart, action, found identities and betrayal. What I liked is that while there was a lot going on, it continued the story line and character development. A great first read and I'm going back to read "Dorian's" book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for this honest review.

4.25 Stars
Fourteen year old Lorelai notices a naked corpse at the side of the road, the corpse then moves. The young man is taken back to Southbourne where Lorelai nurses him back to health. They share a kiss & then he leaves for an interview to be an apprentice never to return.He took a piece of her heart with him. Now, after twenty years he’s returned. Like a phantom, he sweeps back into her life and avenges those who wronged her.
This is the sixth book in the series but is easily read on its own, however I’d start with book one as this series is so very good. I thoroughly enjoyed the book & read in under a day, the pace of the story is good & the characters well portrayed. I liked both Ash & Lorelai & found their teenage romance very endearing. I’m so glad that Ash has at last had his story There were twists & turns along the road to their HEA, I’d love to read Victoria’s story too. I know the title is out of the author’s hands but personally would have liked a simpler title maybe The Pirate

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo is the sixth book in author Kerrigan Byrne's Victorian Rebel series. She tells an interesting story and her characters are well developed. At times I got lost in all the descriptive passages which took away a little bit from the story. I will have to try reading some more of this author's works.