Not terribly memorable, with not-terribly believable or real characters. The writing was fine, but didn't really grab me.

Named for the heather in her native Ireland, botanist Erica Burke dreams of travel—somewhere she won’t be scorned for her scientific interests. Instead, a storm strands her with cool and commanding Major Tristan Laurens, the Duke of Raynham. An unexpected heir, Tristan is torn between his duties as an intelligence officer and his responsibilities as a duke. A brief return to England to set his affairs in order is extended by bad weather and worse news—someone is after the military secrets he keeps. Could the culprit be his unconventional Irish guest? He needs to see her journal to be sure, and he’ll do what he must to get his hands on it . . . even indulge in a dangerous intimacy with a woman he has no business wanting. Erica guards her journal as fiercely as she guards her heart, fearing to reveal a side of herself a man like Tristan could never understand. But though she makes Tristan’s task infernally difficult, falling in love may be all too easy .
This was an ok book. The characters were ok. The plot gets a little muddled.Just not for me.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

A delightful book for the ages! I love how with each chapter, the plot thickens and the main characters continue to fall under each other’s spell. The suspensfullness kept me turning the pages and the dialogue was perfectly said. I recommend.

This book is the second in series and first I have tried by Susanna Craig. It worked reasonably well as a stand-alone, but I did find myself curious about the heroine Erica’s sister and family, which I imagine the first book explores more. I intend to read it at some point. Overall, there was aspects of this book that stir interest for me to check out more by this author, but I thought the plot messy and weak and the chemistry lacking spark.

The HR genre is very uneven in its coverage. A very large portion of the genre covers a very small spot in time and geographic footprint, and Irish history is often forgotten. This story doesn’t get into much details, but I thought it refreshing to have an Irish heroine with ties to Irish Rebels.

This story starts with Erica making a dash to retrieve a forgotten item, causing her to get left behind by her traveling party. Mother Nature intervenes to ensure that separation is prolonged, with downpour and flooding that isolates Erica from her party. Thankfully she comes across a traveler, Major Lord Tristan Laurens, who is returning home after ascending to the title of Duke. He is a younger son, who had joined the military, and did not expect to inherit the title.

He brings Erica with him to his homecoming, which happens to be a house party of sorts, with the guests stranded due to the weather. At this house party, there are several characters who want something from the new Duke. There is an officer friend who warns the Duke of a spy in their midst (at the house). Tristan’s brother’s former betrothed is in attendance with parents who now expect him to fill his brother’s place in marriage. There is a too-clever pre-adolescent sister, who wants to spend time with her brother. These three threads are followed, and it ultimately was too much plot and not enough character and romance development. The spy plot seemed unnecessary. The betrothal plot didn’t make sense. The sister, however, was a good character and worked to bring together the hero and heroine (who could relate considering her own studious pursuits in Botany).

In the end, I thought this had some interesting characters, but the plot was messy and felt contrived in many ways.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

~Reviewed by Bonnie~~

Major Tristan Laurens finds his career as an intelligence officer in the military fulfilling and rewarding. As the spare, he never expected or wanted to inherit the title of Duke of Raynham, but when his brother dies, that’s exactly what happens. As he reluctantly returns home, he stops to stay at the old gardener’s cottage on the property, trying to delay the inevitable for as long as possible. A fierce rainstorm finds a soaked and bedraggled young lady seeking shelter in the same cottage.

Erica Burke was traveling with her newlywed sister when she managed to get left behind at an inn after a stop during their journey. Not knowing what else to do, Erica trudges along on foot, when a torrential rain causes her to seek shelter in the first place she sees, which turns out to be the cottage where Tristan is staying. When they are able to leave, he takes her to his home, intending to notify her relatives of her location. The bad weather, however, has washed out the roads, making travel impossible. In fact, his stepmother has been hosting a party, and none of the guests are able to leave.

Tristan has been made aware that some confidential information about his activities has leaked out, and it’s suspected that someone in his household or circle may be a traitor. He’s naturally suspicious of the young Irish lady who unexpectedly shows up and acts very oddly. Also in the house is his best friend, David, who’s also an agent, his deceased brother’s fiancée, Caroline, and her parents, who seem determined that he assume his brother’s betrothal. No one is above suspicion, and Tristan wants to ferret out the informant as soon as possible so that his secret activities aren’t compromised. He still holds out hope that he can continue as an agent while holding a title.

Erica is genuinely an odd duck, seeming not to fit in anywhere. Her passion is botany, and her dream is to travel the world and sketch plants, something unheard of for a woman. Her mind wanders, she’s disordered, impulsive, and jumpy. She maintains a journal, which is constantly in her possession. In it, she includes her drawings as well as things that have happened to her. She has developed and uses her own code for her writings. I understand how important this journal is to her, but I found her reactions when others touched the journal to be really over the top. She forgets everyday things, even sometimes to eat. This made me suspect she had a mild attention disorder, though she had the ability to remain focused on her drawings for hours. I admit to not warming up to her right away, but I became more sympathetic when I became aware of her feelings of uselessness, unworthiness and not fitting in anywhere. Her passionate feelings for the duke take her by surprise, and she’s quite adamant that she doesn’t have what it takes to be a duchess.

Tristan is the polar opposite of Erica. He’s focused, organized, and controlled, but he feels a longing for Erica that goes beyond anything he’s felt before. He tries his best to be the gentleman, but the passion that springs up between him and Erica is strong enough to overrule his good intentions. It turns out that his ordered and controlling nature is just what Erica needs, while she adds unpredictability and excitement to his life. I love Tristan’s acceptance of all of Erica, and how he had no desire to change her or to care what anyone else thought. His protectiveness and love for Erica finally left her feeling that she truly belonged somewhere, and made for a fantastic romance. Tristan didn’t want to be a duke any more that Erica wants to be a duchess, but what they do want is to be together. I greatly enjoyed reading THE DUKE’S SUSPICION, which had a bit of intrigue to go along with two lost characters who find all the love and acceptance they need in each other.

Book #2 in the series Rogues and Rebels, The Duke's Suspicion can be read without knowledge of the previous books (my case), although I got very curious about the series and I'm planning to catch up with book #1.
Erika Burke can't live without her journal, where she writes down her ideas and sketches all kinds of plants. But she keeps forgetting her journal and the last time she did it and came back to retrieve "her precious", she is left behind by her newly wed sister. Trying to find her sister, she ends up meeting Major Tristan, now Duke of Rayhna, during a storm. Erika doesn't want to have anything to do with a "red coat", still Tristan is the only help nearby.
Tristan, torn between going on as an officer (a spy for his Majesty) or accepting the responsibilities of becoming a duke - a duty he wasn't raised to. To make matters worse, not only is he forced to take Erika to his home, but he also comes to know that she might be an Irish spy, due to her family's dealings with the Irish rebellion.
I enjoyed reading the book, despite some minor problems, for example: it took too much to solve the problem about the spy's identity. Plus, I wish Tristan and Erika had more time together before the end of the book.
All in all, I'll look for Ms. Craig's next instalment.

With the untimely deaths of his father and brother Major Tristan Laurens is the now Duke of Raynham. He’s an intelligence officer and his responsibilities as a duke come as quite a surprise. Erica Burke meets the dashing English war hero Major Tristan Laurens when they’re both stranded in a rain storm and take shelter together. He ends up inviting her into his home when he finds out she’s stranded from the rest of her party. Tristan learns someone has secret information about his latest mission and he can’t but be suspicious of his unconventional guest. Unfortunately Erica’s Irish background puts her squarely on the suspect list of his investigation. A good story with strong characters, I loved the witty banter and romance. This my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Duke’s Suspicion by Susanna Craig is the second book in her Rogues and Rebels Series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I enjoyed it so much I am definitely going to go back and read the first one. About to continue her journey to the Lake District Irish botanist Erica Burke realizes that she forgot her precious journal at the inn. She runs back in to recover it and discovers that her family thinking she was in one of the carriages has left her behind. She decides to set out on foot and ends up taking shelter from a severe rain storm in an abandoned cottage where she meets Major Tristan Laurens also taking shelter. Tristan doesn’t tell her that he recently became the Duke of Raynham after the deaths of his father and older brother in a carriage accident, a role he never expected to occupy. Tristan invites her to stay at his estate until her sister can be located and they find themselves part of a house party with the guests his stepmother invited to welcome him home. With the land flooded and bridges washed out because of storms things get rather tense because there may be a traitor amongst the guests and everyone is under suspicion. Quite steamy with a hint of spice. Publishing Date December 18, 2018 #NetGalley #TheDukesSuspicion #SusannaCraig #Kensington Books #Lyrical Press

A second son, Tristan Laurens neither expected nor wanted to become the Duke of Raynham, instead finding both his purpose and joy in service to his country as a Major in the English Army. It's a life that fits his need for control and order well. He's reluctantly returning home to put the dukedom in capable hands then plans to return to his duties in France.

The younger sister of Irish rebels, Erica Burke dreams of having the freedom to become a respected botanist. As someone who lives with what today would be known as ADHD, order and control are concepts with which she struggles and becoming entangled with a reluctant duke was never in her plans. But fate has other plans for both of them.

I adored these two. They pulled me into their world from the beginning pages, securing my interest and my emotions. I love that Craig allows the story - and the characters - to slowly unfold, giving readers the opportunity to experience the journey, as well as the evolution of the characters, through their actions. She excels at show, not tell, and with Erica, in particular, showing was critical to give readers the opportunity to fully understand - and appreciate - this atypical character. She's one of my favorite heroines I've read this year. Tristan has hurdles to overcome as well. I enjoyed his growth over the course of the book. I especially appreciated how he supports and encourages Erica, even when he isn't sure if she's actually an Irish spy. The surrounding cast is richly portrayed as well, playing pivotal roles in the growing relationship between Tristan and Erica as well as the mystery of a possible spy in their midst. Craig kept me guessing on that end right up until the reveal.

A new Susanna Craig novel is always cause for excitement with this romance-loving reader. Her historical detail, wonderful characters, created with depth and complexity, and the journeys upon which she guides them never fail to engage both my mind and my heart.

4.5 stars

Tristan Laurens is an intelligence officer with a love of order and precision and a reputation for cool detachment. He is the spare who becomes the Duke of Raynham after the deaths of his father and elder brother. Erica Burke is an Irish botanist traveling with her family who inadvertently gets left at an inn - a "Home Alone" situation fraught with danger for an unprotected woman. When they both seek shelter in an abandoned cottage during a thunderstorm, it's the beginning of an attraction that changes the trajectory of their lives.

Tristan has always been the straight arrow, and Erica blows into his life and tugs him off balance. Everything she says or does is unexpected and unpredictable, and he is drawn to that element of surprise.

The Duke's Suspicion is the second book in Susanna Craig's Rogues and Rebels series, but reads well as a stand-alone. It was well-written and enjoyable with engaging characters, including Tristan's sister Vivi, who is as unconventional as Erica.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

It’s a nice read with a bit or intrigue, a hero who learns to love himself and others and a heroine who learns the same. They’re pretty perfect for one another. The HEA takes some work, but even that is engaging to read. I enjoyed it.

I received an ARC of this book, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

They say opposites attract and that was certainly the case with Tristan and Erica. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these two fascinating characters and watching them discover the real versions of each other. The Duke's Suspicion was a captivating read and I couldn't put it down.

The Duke's Suspicion by Susanna Craig is book Two in the Rogues and Rebels series. This is the story of Tristan Laurens, the Duke of Rayhnam and Erica Burke. I have read the previous books, but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Erica dream is to be a botanist and travel to far off locations for her research. But she hasn't made it to far yet. Tristan is a war hero who has inherited a title that he didn't want but trying to settle things he up her learns that some information has been leaked about a mission he is on. Tristan is out to find that person and he thinks Erica is a good place to start.
This was a joy to read.

This was a highly charged story with fantastic, compelling characters that held me spellbound until the last page. Erica, a lovely Irish botanist, was traveling with her sister and brother law to their estate in England. in her absent mindedness, she realized she left her beloved journal containing her botany studies, inside the Inn. Turning from the coach and going back to get it, she wound up being left. So she set off on foot for the long walk to her sister's estate.
But as often happens, it started pouring rain and she took shelter in a deserted cabin on her way. Major Tristan Laurens, an intelligence officer, was on the way to his estate to straighten out his affairs, haven recently inherited a dukedom. He had taken shelter as well and was surprised when beautiful Erica barged in!
This is when everything starts to get interesting! Tristan is has been given instructions to find a spy who has been stealing military secrets and that carries around a journal! Could it be that easy? She carries a journal that she is guarding with her life!
These two were really a pair! A brooding Duke and an almost scatterbrain lady ( really due to her intelligence!) bring humor to the story as well as a almost palatable spark alighting between them!
This tale had a little of all that a romance should. A mystery, intrigue, humor and of course a budding romance. This is the first book I have read by this author and I truly cannot wait to read more. Her prose is delightful and the plot and detail shows her imagination is amazing. I have not read the first book in this series so this can be read as a standalone, but I hope to remedy that post haste!

I absolutely adored The Companion’s Secret, the first in this Rogues and Rebels series, and I’ve been eagerly looking forward to reading The Duke’s Secret, wondering what Susanna Craig would delight me with this time.

And she gave me (drum roll…)

An ADHD heroine.

Of course, since the book is set in 1799, Erica’s condition isn’t diagnosed, but the descriptions of her actions, feelings and the way she thinks and talks about herself make it very obvious to someone with ADHD exactly what the author was describing.

The hero is a duke who didn’t expect to be; Tristan was more than happy serving his country as a major in the army, a spy to be precise, but the untimely deaths of his father and brother mean he’s now Duke of Raynham. Delaying in his journey home, he encounters Erica quite by chance as they both take shelter from a rainstorm, and ends up inviting her to his home because she’s separated from the rest of her party and stranded.

It’s strongly implied that Tristan’s sister Lady Viviane, a precocious 12-year-old, is more than a little on the ADHD side herself, and Erica with her scientific mind is able to relate to Viviane far better than the conventional governesses the girl has been terrorizing with her antics. This alone would probably endear her to Tristan, but he’s a rather OCD type who’s fascinated with Erica’s quick mind and her unconventional approach to, well, just about everything. The fact that she’s a beautiful Irish redhead probably doesn’t hurt, either.

There’s something of a comedy of errors going on as Tristan is playing host to a number of houseguests, including a young lady his brother was supposed to marry, and there’s also suspicion of a traitor in the house who could unmask Tristan as a spy. Unfortunately, Erica’s Irish background puts her squarely in the crosshairs of that investigation, and when Tristan breaches her trust things get very, very awkward.

Erica, however, takes control of the situation admirably. She’s the opposite of passive, refusing to let things happen without her consent, and indeed she’s the one who instigates intimacy with Tristan, leading to a very hot sex scene followed by the two of them proving what a good team they are as they combine to unmask the real traitor.

Susanna Craig writes amazingly well-rounded characters in beautifully researched scenarios, and this book is no exception. Five stars for a story I didn’t want to end.

This is my first time reading this author. I have to admit that I really enjoyed this book. I don't say that often about authors I haven't read before. This is a wonderful read!

After reading the first book in the series - A Companion's Secret and absolutely loving it, I couldn't wait to read this installment of the Rogues and Rebels series. This book features Cami's younger sister Erica Burke, an aspiring botanist and Major Tristin Laurens, the new Duke of Raynham.

Erica is traveling with Cami and her new husband on their wedding trip, Erica left Ireland after the failed rebellion that killed her betrothed and came to England to start anew. She is studying the flora she has seen and tracking her findings in her journal. Her most prized possession. But when she enters the carriage after a quick stop at an inn, she realizes she left the book in the dining room. Without a word to anyone, she races back into the inn and gets her journal - when she returns to the yard, she learns that they left without her. She sets out on foot and is caught in a storm, she manages to make her way to an abandoned cottage - but it isn't really abandoned, Tristian is there waiting out the storm.

Tristian never imagined he would be the duke, his life is in the military and he works covertly collecting information (AKA a spy). He has delayed returning home as long as he can and now he is mere miles from his home, he could have pushed on but he needed a little more time before facing his new life - one he doesn't plan on keeping, he wants to return to his work in France as soon as possible. When Erica bursts in the cottage, he is surprised and a little suspicious, but he offers to help her reunite with her sister. The next morning, they walk to his home, she is shocked to learn he is a duke. His stepmother, is gracious and kind to Erica, especially when she learns that she will have to stay for awhile, the bridge has been washed out. But Erica is not the only guest, several local gentry have been visiting to welcome Tristian home, including his late brother's assumed bride (they were never formally betrothed).

Tristian gets several shocks, first he learns that the Pilkington's expect him to marry Caroline in his brother's place and then he learns from his friend Capt. David Whitby that there might be a spy in their midst, as several rumors concerning Tristian have been circulating.

Whitby plants a seed in Tristian's mind that Erica might actually be a spy and he becomes obsessed with finding out what is in her journal. When he is caught trying to take it in the middle of the night, he proposes. She of course declines, but wants to know why he wanted it. When Whitby confronts her, she decides it is time to set things straight with Tristian and catch the real spy.

I did not enjoy this book nearly as much as I did the first book. Erica was flighty, immature and impetuous, the author did try and explain her actions and personality to the reader, but for me, it wasn't enough and I really never warmed up to her. I also never really "felt" a connection between Erica and Tristian, when Erica reveals to herself that she loved him, I was surprised and when he thinks the same, I couldn't believe it - I have no idea when or more importantly why they fell in love, it seemed completely random and out of the blue. The writing was good, the mystery of the spy was interesting and surprising and the love scenes were steamy, but the romance fell completely flat for me. This book is the second in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

An enjoyable, if rather predictable, romance! I liked the heroine, Erica, a lot - it's so great to see female characters who are interested in scientific research. Here, Erica is a botanist (as was somewhat predetermined by her name), and her passion for her subject makes her far more interesting than a normal heroine. It made me laugh that she had invented a sort of proto bullet-journal! I wasn't quite as taken by Tristan, the hero, as I found him a little bit vague and aloof, and thought he could have been drawn a little more sharply. The male lead needs a little more personality than 'used to be a soldier' for me to fall for him

I really liked Erica, and the romance aspect was perfectly well done, but one thing didn't quite click for me, and that was the find-the-spy subplot (the 'suspicion' of the title). Given that we started with Erica's viewpoint, Tristan's concern over her being the spy seemed a little repetitive - surely if she had been doing anything suspicious, the reader would have been aware of it. This tension, therefore, wasn't quite as high-stakes as it seemed. If this was intended to be something of the 'mystery at a houseparty' genre, then we didn't spend nearly enough time with the other guests to make the reveal exciting. I felt like shrugging, 'oh, it was that person,' and then just getting back to the main romance plot.

Overall, though, this is a sweet and fluffy read with an interesting heroine. My three stars is 'I liked it' - not a negative.

Erica Burke’s journal writing has certainly gotten her in to difficulty. She accidently leaves it behind at an inn, whilst travelling with her sister and brother-in-law. On returning to retrieve the journal, she is separated from them, only to find herself seeking shelter in an abandoned cottage, with Tristan Laurens, which she later discovers is the Duke of Rayhnam. With the rain preventing Erica from returning to her sister’s home, she agrees to stay with Tristan and his home. On arrival, they discover that other guests are also stranded at his home. Soon after, it becomes apparent, that there is a spy in the house and Erica’s Irish background casts her as the likely suspect.
Erica is an intriguing character, with a passionate interest in botany, yet her almost absentmindedness makes her quite endearing. A former army man, explains Tristan’s manner, and yet what initially appears to be two characters with little in common, the writer ensures that they are so well suited. The book is filled with witty dialogue, a captivating romance and enough suspense to keep me reading this in one sitting!
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher's Description
An English war hero must unlock the secrets of an Irish beauty’s heart . . .

Named for the heather in her native Ireland, botanist Erica Burke dreams of travel—somewhere she won’t be scorned for her scientific interests. Instead, a storm strands her with cool and commanding Major Tristan Laurens, the Duke of Raynham.

An unexpected heir, Tristan is torn between his duties as an intelligence officer and his responsibilities as a duke. A brief return to England to set his affairs in order is extended by bad weather and worse news—someone is after the military secrets he keeps. Could the culprit be his unconventional Irish guest? He needs to see her journal to be sure, and he’ll do what he must to get his hands on it . . . even indulge in a dangerous intimacy with a woman he has no business wanting.
Erica guards her journal as fiercely as she guards her heart, fearing to reveal a side of herself a man like Tristan could never understand. But though she makes Tristan’s task infernally difficult, falling in love may be all too easy . . .

My Thoughts:

I was very impressed by the writing style of this relatively new to me author. Historical romance is my favorite genre but I must say that the Irish slant is not my usual read.
Erica is an interesting heroine. Her journal leads Tristan to believe that she must be a spy although this is far from the truth.
Her secretive nature and protective nature also hints at something to be hidden.
Can put hero and heroine get past their misconceptions and follow their hearts rather than their heads.
I have this title 4.75 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization a mild sensual rating.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.