3.75 stars

TW: Rape

I've had this ARC for a while but unfortunately I haven't been in a HR mood for a loooooong time, until this week when I decided to tackle my backlog ARCs - kind of regretted not starting this earlier, but also glad that I didn't because I would've died waiting for book 2.

I love the friendship between Alexandra, Francesca and Cecilia. Nothing says best friends like literally burying a dead man and keeping it a secret. I also love how Alexandra and Piers first met; it just rolled out like a Dramatic Movie Scene in my head. The attraction was instant - but Piers were betrothed to Francesca (some weird white people promise between families when they were kids) which fortunately wasn't the conflict of this story.

I also love the mystery/suspense element of this story. Unbeknownst to her best friends, Alexandra had been paying off a blackmailer for years, and when she found out that her family was going destitute, she panicked. She proposed to Piers (who coincidentally needed a wife, any wife) and then dot dot dot.

It was fun watching Piers and Alexandra together. I'm a sucker for heroes who are resigned to living life alone suddenly get blindsided by a goddess of a woman and spend the rest of the story trying to get his bearings.

The only reason why I didn't give this a full 4 stars is that while I enjoyed the story wholeheartedly, I didn't think it gave me much of an impact iykwim? I'd probably forget about it in a few days but hey, who knows? I might revise my rating in the future.

Oh MY!! Where to begin? The title caught me. I love anything Celtic. I was very impressed that I actually felt for the characters. Each one of them had some substance. I actually cried a few times. The love was tangible. And what anyone (man or woman) could only hope for. I will however put the warning out there for people such as myself...there is a lot of sex. I am not a fan of sex scenes as I feel like they are a waste of time and much like a television commercial. I normally skip past them in a book to get back to the actual story. These scenes are passionate but I also actually felt them to be a beautiful explanation to the bond that the two main characters were nurturing. I still skipped over them but the conversation afterward was deeply felt.

4.5 stars an amazing start to a series. I enjoyed this immensely it was the perfect combination of a toe curling alpha and an amazing intelligent and capable woman and their love was breathtaking. I'm so serious, there were some quotes in here that made me gasp they were so romantic. and some scenes that left me literally gasping.

RATING: 4 STARS
2019; St. Martin's Press

How To Love A Duke in Ten Days may sound like a fluffy fun romance, but it has a bit of a punch to it. While it is a fun read with some steamy sex, it also has an interesting mystery with strong characterizations. While this is a romance, this novel also has a strong storyline of friendships. Alexandra has two best friends that help her through boarding school when they were young girls to now as adults. Alexandra's family is bankrupt, and with someone blackmailing her, she needs money. She looks to seduce and marry Piers Gedrick Atherton as the answer. Piers is looking for revenge, and to get married is step one. Now he has to find someone who will look past his nickname "the Terror of Torcliff". The two find that their dark pasts are more alike than they thought and they will do anything to protect the other. This is my first novel by the author, and I am glad it is a series as I am ready for more by Byrne and the characters in this book.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I adored this book! Kerrigan Bryne's writing and characters are addicting. I love that she doesn't hold back with the steaminess and the angst!

I knew I had this book but it wasn't until I was sent the advanced copy of the next installment that I remembered I had it.

I was actually surprised as I began to read because I was thinking to myself what had happened to Byrne's other series Victorian Rebels which I adore. Was that the last we would see of the dastardly scoundrels or what?

A little quick search and it was found that we are!

Anyhow, this new series really packs a hard as fuck punch. I knew from the prologue that shit was going to be bad and it was, so content warning there is an assault in the very first part of the book, for those that need to be forewarned.

I normally do not like rape being used as a plot in books and I still didn't like it here but I liked how the heroine handled matters. Read the book to find out more on that.

The idea behind this series apparently will revolve around the friends: Alexandra, the heroine of this first book, then followed by Cecilia and finally Francesca.

I like the premise already laid out for the series and the infamous women and their group.

I enjoyed how empowering this book was even in the face of adversity which the women faced. The love story between Alexandra and Piers was an amazing read and I wholeheartedly enjoyed their dialogue and banter. Kerrigan Byrne certainly has a way with words.

The secondary story was just as appealing as the main. I'm most looking forward to diving into that one.

A well written piece of historical fiction that is compelling and enjoyable.

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

This was a great book. It was non-stop action from the first page, and never let up. The hero and heroine are strong characters, each dealing with difficult situations, but having their own voice and personality. They come together in a marriage of convenience, but find love along the way in a believable series of events and actions. The heroine never falls into the victim trap, but uses her strengths to work out the best solution. The hero, a strong, take-charge kind of guy, also doesn’t become overbearing or dictatorial, but continues working things out in his mind and through his actions. A delightful read, that was impossible to put down. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my freely given, honest review.

4 Fantastic Stars!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Review of "How to Love a Duke in Ten Days (Devil You Know #1)" by Kerrigan Byrne

ARC kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

----TRIGGER WARNING---- Please be aware the story starts off dealing with rape and sexual abuse.

----SPOILERS AHEAD!-----
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
I have been an avid fan of Kerrigan Byrne's romance novels since her Victorian Rebels series, and when I learnt she was embarking on a new historical series, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the first book.

The series is about three childhood friends - The Red Rogues - Alexandra (Book 1), Cecelia (Book 2), and Francesca (Book 3) - so named because of the colour of their hair.

Alex, our h of this book, is dealing with the emotional trauma of being raped as a teen while our H, Piers, has also undergone trauma of a very different kind, and this story uses one of my all-time favourite tropes, a marriage of convenience, to bring these two broken, imperfect human beings together, who end up being perfect for each other. Where two lost souls, are no longer lost when with each other.

But as always, it's not just the romance that draws you in, but the intrigue and mystery - a quintessential part of books by the author - the highlights of which include blackmail and murder attempts, weaves its magic as well.

As with all other books by this author, I found the romance to be lush and passionate and heart-wrenching, and characters that will linger in my memory.

The next book in the series about Cecil and Ramsay - All Scot and Bothered - is now another HEA I am really looking forward to.

Another win from Kerrigan Byrne! I've been a huge fan of her books ever since discovering her Victorian Rebels series, and now I can't get enough of her stories. I just love her yummy alpha heroes, and while Piers is dark and broody, he also had his charming and funning moments, which I loved. He's not quite the antihero that I'm used to in her previous series, but I was perfectly okay with that. Alexandra was an incredible, strong, admirable heroine I couldn't help but root for. I was also a big fan of the strong bond between Alexandra and her two best friends. I already can't wait for their stories!

TW: Rape in the prologue.

From the first page I was hooked. I have been longing for a book like this since I last read Johanna Lindsey. Or maybe Maya Banks with her Scots series. It was so good. I was never bored. It took me forever to read because I wanted uninterrupted pleasure when reading, so consequently I could only read at night. The ending was great. The sexual tension was what kept me going. I cannot wait to read the next in this series.

I love this author books! Every one read up to date was a delight. This one also! From plot to a wonderful character development this book will make you imagine, feel with the heroes and love the romance in it.
So, please sit down and enjoy the ride! It is a book that will delight you!

I received an ARC of this novel shortly after I received it from NG. I didn't realize I already had it downloaded from this site when I started reading.

Suffice it to say, I didn't finish reading it because...LIFE.

I will be returning to it - I love Kerrigan Byrne and am a big booster of her novels. But I cannot, in good faith, provide a proper review for it now. I'm marking it 4 stars and will revise upon completion.

A book with romance and mystery together is a great combination. This book is very enjoyable, well written and with a good plot.

What an opening, not for the faint of heart or those that need trigger warnings.

Reading the dedication and knowing this was a #metoo movement book did not prepare me to jump right into Lady Alexandra Lane's worst night ever. After the horrific events unfold a friendship started between three schoolgirls is further solidified as a pact for life is made.

We quickly move to ten years later when secrets are being threatened to come out. Alexandra's family can no longer support her, or her blackmailer and her friend sends a desperate and urgent plea for her help at the Duke of Redmaynes. The start and end of this was fast paced and highly entertaining where the middle slowed down a lot.

An easy read and entertaining I loved this!

I knew that I was in for an emotional rollercoaster and gripping tale when I saw #metoo in the author's dedication - that was swiftly confirmed in the prologue and it was truly off to the races from there. I could not put this book down (which came as no surprise considering how much I enjoyed the author's first series). And while the Victorian Rebels books dealt with some fairly serious issues, I found How to Love a Duke in Ten Days to be a bit weightier. Kerrigan Byrne handled the subject matter masterfully - she did not shy away from depicting a graphic and harrowing incident that shaped the lives of several characters, but at no time did the story come off as gratuitous or exploitive. All of the characters were developed so well and it truly made me look forward to continuing the series (with hope that it will extend beyond the main group of friends). Also, Piers is the "beastly" hero of my dreams. It is a testament to the author's talent and skill that she was able to tell a story of such tragic betrayal and violation and yet still make it at turns sexy, funny, joyful, and hopeful. How to Love A Duke in Ten Days is a survival story set in a historical setting that has real relevancy and meaning for our time. 5 out of 5 wine glasses.

How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne
Subgenre: historical romance
Release date: 27 Aug 2019
Publisher: St Martin’s Paperbacks
Format: ebook and print
Length: 446 pages
RRP: $8.69 (ebook); $15.99 (print)
Three girls. Three secrets. One pact.
Wow. Just wow. What a start to a story.
After a traumatic experience, Lady Alexandra Lane, studies archaeology at the Sorbonne and then travels the world going to digs and making discoveries. Then she receives a note from her Red Rogue friend and knows she has to go to help. When she arrives, she finds her friend is getting married, but doesn’t necessarily want to. Francesca Cavendish is trying to find who killed her family, all those years ago. Alexandra wants to help. Cecilia Teague, the third member of the Red Rogues, is also there with her sage advice.
What Alexandra does not count on is meeting the duke. Her initial meeting is at the train station, but she thinks he is the stablemaster. There is a definite attraction between Alexandra and Piers Redmayne, but each acknowledges that he may have to marry Francesca due to the contract in place with her family. After a discussion between Francesca and Alexandra, they agree that Alexandra is the best one to marry the duke.
In the ten days they are married, there are several attempts to kill them. Neither can work out who is the actual target. Piers does not understand why she would be a target as he has his own issues with his relationship with Alexandra. While she is very attracted to him and has a set of rules around the ‘marital act’, he thinks it is because she has had a lover. He finds that he was very wrong, and his wife was raped.
The resolution, where we discover who the target actually is, pulls all the threads together and Alexandra and Piers are able to have their happy ever after.
I very much enjoy Ms Byrne’s stories. They are set in the Victorian era, but it is the intense connection between the characters that draws me in. This couple know they want each other and slowly figure out how to resolve their issues to be together despite what is being thrown at them. In some ways I want the story to continue but that means I won’t get Francesca and Cecilia’s stories!
Reviewed by Heather
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Any book by Kerrigan Byrne is pretty much a guaranteed hit for me, and this latest, the first in a new series, is no exception.

Byrne proved in her Victorian Rebels series that she is a master at the tortured hero. This book shows she works the same kind of magic with a tortured heroine.

This seems like a good time to give a content warning. The book opens with a rape scene. It is visceral and heartbreaking, though I do not think it is gratuitous. And it’s absolutely necessary for the story. Because this is about a woman who is overcoming a life altering horror and finding love, despite all she has endured.

Alexandra and her two best friends attended school together as teenagers and took great joy in sneaking around to experience some of the liberties young men took for granted. They called themselves the Red Rogue Society. Unfortunately, the headmaster catches on to their harmless fun and calls Alexandra to task. It is in the dead of night and in his office that the unthinkable happens. And she kills him for it.

The story picks back up years later when one of the women is betrothed to marry a stranger. All three of the ladies had sworn a vow never to marry, but circumstances are forcing Francesca‘s hand. Alexandra, meanwhile, has been paying off a blackmailer all this time and between her impending financial doom and her friends reluctance to wed, she decides to step in and take Francesca's place as the bride.

Our hero, you would think, would not be willing to just replace one potential wife with another, but it doesn’t matter to him who he marries. Piers has been through a lot, himself. His fiancé left him when he was mauled by a jaguar and he has lost all interest or faith in love. He just wants a wife so he can have an heir. If Alexandra wants the job, so be it.

But given her history, this won’t be an easy thing.

Sexual assault is obviously triggering for some readers, but I thought the author handled it with care. And Alexandra’s arc in coming to terms with what happened to her and how to move past it was very well done. Of course, Piers operates in the dark for a long time about his wife’s past, but the scenes where he learns what happened are just devastating. I was so deep in my feels in this book. And though it happens on a pretty quick timeline (see the title) I really connected with these two as they connected with each other.

I loved the friendship drawn between Alexandra and her friends. And I loved the romance and the tentative trust that built between her and Piers. Byrne strikes such a great balance between honoring the events of Alexandra’s past and still making me believe she could feel love and passion.

The blackmail storyline was… kind of meh. But in light of how amazing everything else was about this book, it detracted very little. Would definitely recommend for fans of historical romance if the premise does not drive you away.

Kerrigan Byrne is one of my favorite historical authors. I know that each book I'm going to become completely captivated. How to Love a Duke in Ten Days was fantastic. I couldn't put it down.

This was a well written story with great characters. Piers and Alexandra were wonderful together finding their way through the landmine of both of their pasts. I loved that they found their HEA.

First time that I have ever read a book by this author, and I couldn't put it down. Read until three hours past my bed time just so I could finish it! Plenty of romance to sweep the reader off their feet, darker moments, suspense, and angst to keep them turning the page, and an immersive style of writing to transport the reader through time. I'm already compiling other books from her so I can catch up on all that I missed!