Scarred and hardened by the betrayal of his late wife and his latest mistress, the Duke of Alban decides to withdraw from the depressing swirl of London for a trip to the north, where he can visit his beloved Aunt Eliza and regain the composure that has deserted him. Kittie Douglas is a widow & now companion to Eliza & has long heard about the duke’s upstanding character and has imagined him to be a paragon of male virtue, but meeting the man leaves her with a distinctly different impression.
As a war wages within Alban between his inability to trust Kittie and his overwhelming desire to possess her, she struggles to break through his bitter resolve until a startling revelation from Aunt Eliza shocks them both into realizing what’s at stake.
A tradition romance that was first released in 2004. I love a brooding hero & Alban was certainly brooding. Kittie is feisty very likeable. I found this to be a well written easy to read novel but I found myself saying over & over again – for goodness sake just talk! A novel of how a small misunderstanding can grow out of all proportion from lack of communicating
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The Duke of Alban, close friends of the King and Queen, is devastated to witness His Majesty losing his mind plus hanging out with the aimless Prinny has become such a bore. In need of a change of scenery, he decides to visit his Hunting Box in Swaledale and reconnect with his beloved Aunt Eliza who has a home on his Yorkshire property. The last time he had been with his aunt was to find comfort and heal after the betrayal of his wife who had not only run off with a courtier but drowned in a freak accident off the coast of Italy shortly thereafter.

Since Autumn was a good time for hunting, Alban decides to invite along the down-in-the-dumps Bartholomew Norton, a close boyhood friend who could also use some time away. Suddenly the group grows to four with the pushy Earl of Orkenay and the unfamiliar Sir John Fitzhenry, a young baronet, tagging along ready for a house party.

The Duke is in for a surprise when his discovers his aunt has become blind and Kitty Douglas, her companion, is not some old biddy, but a lovely young widow whose deceased husband had gambled away their funds forcing her to seek gentile employment. There’s an instant attraction, but the class barriers get in the way of any meaningful relationship. That doesn’t mean there can’t be a flirtation. Luckily, the forward thinking Lady Rebecca DeVere Severn and reticent Hannah Billings, two of Kitty’s friends, both widows, are also visiting, which is an extra inducement for the men to spend time at his aunt’s house.

Everyone pairs up, with Kitty having the attention of both the Duke and the Earl. While their compliments are flattering, the Earl’s attempts at seduction leave her cold, but an accidental touch from the Duke gets her juices flowing. From his letters to Aunt Eliza, Kitty has imagined the man of her dreams, but in person the two are at constant odds despite their mutual attraction. Neither gentleman has marriage in mind, but Kitty is not interested in a transient relationship. Misunderstandings and hurt feelings are inevitable before true love is revealed.

The Dukes Secret Seduction by Donna Lea Simpson was originally published in 2004 as The Duke and Mrs Douglas. Too bad the author didn’t take this opportunity to review her work and do some editing. While the story seemed interesting at first, it dragged on too long with too much repetition. There just wasn’t enough plot to sustain a full length novel, but it would have made an excellent novella. This is one your grandmother could read since a deep kiss is as graphic as it gets, although, for a Regency Romance, some of the language used in polite company would have been shocking. While Kitty was a naive, albeit likable character, the Duke was an obnoxious, self absorbed man who, in my mind, never quite earned redemption. His only saving grace was his love and solicitude towards his Aunt Eliza, especially since I wasn’t feeling the romance between him and Kitty. I wish the characters had been fleshed out a bit more to make their intentions (since everyone seemed to have an angle) more relatable. The mystery of their actions is briefly revealed towards the end of the book, almost as a throwaway thought. Too many lost opportunities!

Three stars (barely) and a thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read:
https://ellenk59.wordpress.com/2018/09/07/the-dukes-secret-seduction-by-donna-lea-simpson/

Loved it :) a great story about falling in love and the journey of it. I liked the misunderstandings and situations that the MC's found themselves in and I felt that this was a sweet story. I liked the writing style, the trope and I felt the characters were well written and well rounded. I'll look out for more by this author.

Good story, though I prefer prior books written by this author. Still, a likeable couple with good support characters.

Another delightful read from Miss Simpsons, The Duke’s Secret Seduction is a well written Regency romance. Though the story is hardly original, it is made interesting and entertaining by the cast of characters. Kittie a likable female leads with more than air in her head while Alban is the tortured hero weary of the world. Although it is Lady Eliza who steals the show.

While not a fan of misunderstanding driving the plot forwards, I found these misunderstanding where not shaped by lack of communication but rather from a difference of perception. It was a rather interesting change versus the typical just lack of communication.

A buy book. Definitely a sweet romance that is a good read. I enjoyed each part of this book and must say it was refreshing to go back to a historical that is about romance, misunderstandings as well as characters that have personality. I was happy it was not all about sex but actually about interesting situations. While this book was a re-write. I sincerely enjoyed it. I think making a light read that has so many different but interesting situations in this time is marvelous! This author is nothing but talented no matter her way of expressing her characters. So if you wish for a sweet light read that will keep your interest buy the book and just enjoy! I certainly did! I was given this ARC via NetGalley. I wrote this review from my own opinion of the books so all items expressed here are directly from me. So enjoy your read! Regards, Anna Swedenmom .

Having had such a disastrous time with the loves of his life Alban has become jaded with society and love. He just wanted to rusticate in the country with his aunt whom he hadn’t seen for a very long time. Alban should have known things never worked out the way you wanted it to. Faced with his aunt companion that reawakens his libido he was caught between a rock and a hard place. With his aunt companion testing his mantle for decency and one of his guest trying his faith things was fast getting out of control.

Delightful romance!!! It's fun to read the story of falling in love. Great when the heroine attracts a man way above her station.....even better when it's a duke. Great story.

Decent story. Slow to start, though. Otherwise a good read from this author. Okay characters. Okay storyline. Okay read.

I found this book to be average. I enjoyed The Duke and Kittie, Aunt Eliza and the others, but found that this book kind of dragged a bit.
It felt like I was at the house party for 2 years with nothing happening.
I guess I'm just used to a quicker pace.
It was a good book, but not the greatest.

This was an entertaining read with engaging characters. I liked the character of Kitty Douglas, she was intelligent, forthright and strong. Her relationship with Lady Eliza was engaging, although there is a mystery about Lady Eliza’s past. I had mixed feelings about the Duke of Alban, although he did redeem himself later. There were a number of interesting secondary characters. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a charming book that reminded me how good Regency era stories can be. Heavy on story, without the graphic sex. There was intrigue and villains, romance and humor. This was a delightful read and I hope for more re-prints of Donna Lea Simpson's Traditional Regencies.

Duke of Alban feels somewhat depressed and decides to visit his favorite aunt, Lady Eliza in the country. The widowed, Mrs. Kittie Douglas is Lady Eliza's companion. Kittie has been in love with the Duke of Alban since she first saw his portrait and read his letters to Lady Eliza. Alban brings some friends when he visits and Kittie has friends visiting as well. Kittie is beautiful and Alban is very attracted to her but so is one of his friends. Alban had suffered from the loss of his wife in the past but is he ready for a new relationship? The offers she is getting from the men, want her for a mistress, not a wife. She will accept no less. There is only one man she wants and it is not Alban's friend. Alban and his party leaves and Lady Eliza decides to visit London a few months later. She is surprised to see Alban there. He still wants her but is he willing to give her what she needs? There is a secret that Lady Eliza has kept for many years. Will this change anything? Great story of love and not settling for less than what you want. Loved this book and want to read more by this author. I received this book from Net Galley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an honest review and no compensation otherwise.

I had a hard time caring about the characters in this story. Alban was hurt, so I felt sympathy. Kittie was strong, a woman who had been left on hard times but had moved forward and found an excellent position for herself. They meet up thanks to Alban's Aunt, who is hoping they will fall in love. Well, I don't want to totally spoil the story, so read it for yourself and I hope you enjoy it. It does have some wonderful secondary characters that you will enjoy.

A sweet romance with a slight difference. A gentle tale of love, friendship and family loyalty, with of course the handsome aristocrat and the beautiful heroine. A perfect light read.

Rating: 3

Note: This book, while published in June 2018, is actually a revised and retitled edition of The Duke And Mrs. Douglas (published in 2004). I'm not sure how much it's changed since its original publication, but just be aware in case you've already read the other book.

I find it difficult to review books that are just average to me. Not astounding, not terrible, but somewhere in that middle territory. I don't regret the time spent reading this, and it certainly scratched my regency itch, but it didn't wow me either. The writing was decent, the plot was engaging if predictable, but I'm not going to be rereading this.

The premise is as follows: the Duke of Alban, cynical of life and women after his wife's betrayal, goes to visit his elderly aunt and ends up in a romantic entanglement with Aunt Eliza's companion, the widow Kittie Douglas. The conflict is predictable: the cynical duke, while attracted to Kittie, is tormented by feminine betrayal and is thus unwilling to open his heart to Kittie. Kittie, for reasons that are unknown or not clear to me, is immediately starstruck by the duke and is overcome with longing. Alban wants Kittie as his mistress and is unwilling to consider marriage; Kittie naturally is not impressed by this. The plot plays out pretty much exactly how you'd expect it to.

I'm not against formulaic or predictable storylines (actually, I quite enjoy them and I think formulaic plotlines is a strength in the Romance genre), but the book needs to have interesting/witty dialogue, a vibrant relationship between the protagonists, or incredible writing. What bothered me the most was the relationship (or the lack therefore) between the duke and Kittie. In the beginning, most of their conversations are filled with misunderstandings, antagonism, or some other nonsense (but of course they are filled with longing in their private thoughts). By the end, they are of course madly in love with each other but I'm not quite sure how they got there. I enjoyed reading about them individually, but never got attached or fully understood their relationship with each other.

I know I sound very negative, but the book has positive points as well. I greatly enjoyed the fleshed out secondary characters. Lady Eliza was fantastic and part of the reason that I didn't DNF this book. I also appreciated that Kittie had a support group of female friends to provide emotional support and advice. The Lord Orkenay villain character made me roll my eyes at certain points, but he was mildly entertaining.

All in all, it was an average Regency novel and a decent way to pass a Saturday afternoon.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

I received a free copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The interaction between Alban and Millie seems to be misunderstandings that neither wishes to correct. Alban has been so hurt in the past that he seems to mistrust all women, especially Kittie. His aunt, Lady Eliza believes they belong together if they would talk and listen to each other. The book is full of assumptions, misunderstandings, hurt feelings and lost love. There is another story that could easily be written that involves his aunt. The book is a good read and worth reading.