Mariana, a notorious (for some unfortunate turns of fate) opera singer, is forced to seek refuge at the same boarding house as a duke (notorious for being unfailingly honorable) who is working on writing his memoirs. At first, the two cannot get along for the life of them and the duke tends to look down his nose at Mariana because of the reasons for her notoriety but the longer they get to know each other over Italian lessons, feelings grow and change.

I absolutely adored this book! It had absolutely everything that a romance should: great build up, compelling conflict that made sense to keep the main characters apart, and one of the better happily ever afters that I've read.

This was my first Julie Ann Long romance and I'm definitely going to add more of her novels to the shelf.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read this last year and because I got mired down in personal health issues, I never got around to reviewing this wonderful book. It is an emotional tour de force. Julie Anne Long brings these characters to living breathing life and we think they actually are real people. The entire Palace of Rogues Series is terrific, and I encourage you to start at the beginning (even though each is a standalone novel) with Lady Derring Takes a Lover, book #1. Each subsequent book in the series adds some new characters but also keeps many from the previous books. The side characters are as well drawn as the protagonists. I look forward to more Palace books in the series.

Julie Anne Long has been a little bit of a hit or miss author for me, but this was definitely a HIT in every sense of the word.

Oh my GOD literally everything about this was PERFECTION. I LOVED how different these 2 main characters are. James is a 43 year old widower who earned his dukedom from his service to England, and Mariana is a 25 year old opera singer who has found herself disgraced due to 2 idiots fighting a duel over her. The way James and Mariana’s relationship started as verbal sparring between the two of them (James judges Mariana at first for the gossip about her in the papers and Mariana believes him to just be a cold duke) and turns into a slow burn and tender romance filled with vulnerability and passion is simply exquisite.

Y’all….I cried SO MUCH at the ending. I can’t get over James showed Mariana how much he truly loves her. The grand gestures were EVERYTHING!! GAH so beautiful 😭😭😭😭😭

PS I really appreciate how the age gap wasn’t ever brought up as a reason they couldn’t be together! How refreshing.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

Maybe this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I don't like A), when the heroine is lesser class than the hero, and B), when the third act breakup is resolved by the man changing. Mariana just kind of cruised through life and I don't think that she learned much, once we started to get to know James, and I was disappointed by the end.

FINAL DECISION: Oh, I loved this one! Emotional with lots of longing and (not too dark) angst. This combined with the beautiful lyricism of Long's writing makes this an example of the reason I'm a big fan of Julie Anne Long's books.

THE STORY: Fleeing to the Palace on the Thames, Mariana Wylde is considered a harlot as an opera singer who had a duel fought by two men for her favor. Almost penniless and desperate to hide from gossip and those who want her to pay for her part in the duel. The proprietresses of the Palace see an opportunity to promote the Palace and also to help Mariana's reputation. At the Palace is also General James Duncan Blackmore, the Duke of Valkirk, honorable and deeply respected. A self-made man who gained his own title, Valkirk initially scorns the scandalous opera singer but finds himself drawn to a woman he finds to be intelligent and deeply vulnerable.

OPINION: In the story of Mariana and James, the series gets a fantastic emotional story. What is not to love about the self-made Duke who always does what is right and proper and the woman who has found herself on the seedy side of society's judgment. The slow entanglement of these two was deeply satisfying.

The Duke is almost twenty years older than Mariana and is a widower with a son who is already an adult. He has structured his life as being proper and above reproach. Now he has reached a midlife crisis of a sort and is having trouble writing his memoirs. His meeting of Mariana changes his life. He finds a new purpose and a threat to his perfectly organized life. The gentle way in which Long demonstrates how James changes throughout the story is what makes her such a great writer.

Mariana's past is something that she doesn't apologize for. She recognizes her mistakes but doesn't enter into society's condemnation of herself -- and neither do the owners of the Palace. Her story is one of self-acceptance and accepting her mistakes.

One thing I really enjoy about this book is that the story is concentrated between these two characters. By centering both of these characters in the Palace, there is an ability for them to spend time together and grapple with their relationship. This is a great device that allows Long to avoid many of the expected interactions between a stuffy proper Duke and the opera singer. The domestic setting allows the book to avoid the setups for Mariana and James to meet and instead allows the story to focus intently on their relationship.

I loved this book because of the emotional resonance of the characters and how deeply invested I became in their relationship.

WORTH MENTIONING: One thing I love about this series is following the development of the Palace itself. I'm rooting for it to succeed as the Palace itself is a central character in this series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: AFTER DARK WITH THE DUKE is the fourth book in the Palace of Rogues series. This book can be read as a standalone although there are characters that appear in other books.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

I haven't read a Julie Anne Long book in a while and boy was I missing out! Even though this is book 4 in the Palace of Rogues series, I can attest that this can easily be read as a standalone. JAL can write emotions like no other.

Marianne, a 25 year old singer, is introduced in a fantastic way, fleeing in the middle of the night from a mob. She's at the center of a scandal involving a duel. I loved Marianne, especially her many attempts to write to her mother. She's funny, accomplished, a bit desperate, but still hopeful. She meets her match in the Duke of Valkirk, a national hero, 17 years her senior. He's upright, noble, and horribly judgmental. But this is more that an opposites attract trope because even though they are of different status, they are each trapped by societal expectations. Their love story was wonderful and HEA was well earned. I teared at the inevitable falling out and swooned at the final grand gesture!

Thank you Avon for an arc of After Dark with the Duke. This is my first book by Julie Anne Long, but I can't wait to read more of her back list!

This was such a great read. Mariana ends up in a terrible situation and is blamed for men dueling and almost dying over her. She has to escape her home and ends up at the Grand Palace on the Thames. They kindly take her in and she agrees to put on a show since she can't currently pay them for her room and board. The legendary Duke of Valkirk is also a current tenant, hiding out while he works on his manuscript. One of the Palace's rules is that all guests dine together and spend some time together at night. Mariana and the Duke are antagonistic and banter with each other until the Duke is accused of taking it too far. It's decided that he'll apologize and offer Mariana Italian lessons as an apology. They already have chemistry and are unable to deny it as they're thrown together multiple times a day.
I really enjoyed Mariana's character and how she's not the typical lead in historical romance. I loved how the Duke apologized when he messed up by making sure her concert was well attended. Their feelings for each other were sweet and I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read more.
I will update with the link when I share to my bookstagram account.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Mariana is a great character - I loved her resilience and her strong sense of self, even after it had been battered by so many others, and I loved her professionalism as a musician. It took me longer to warm to James, who had a tendency to rush to judgment. But I really liked the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and the Italian lessons were such a perfect masterclass in the different worlds Mariana and James lived in. Beautifully done.

I won a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own. After Dark with the Duke is another wonderful title from Julie Anne Long. It features her trademark wit and beautiful writing style. This title continues the trend of this series (I've read all but the previous title) of featuring characters that are not all titled or part of the ton. Mariana is an opera singer, who is facing public scorn after two titled young men use her as an excuse to fight a duel. Fleeing from an angry mob, she finds herself at the Palace on the Thames and finagles a room. In return for her room and board, she will sing at an event The Duke of Valkirk has taken up residence in the Palace to work on his memoirs with limited distractions. Valkirk gained his title as a reward for service during the Napoleonic war, he grew up in modest surroundings. Valkirk is held up as an ideal to young men and finds himself struggling to live up to that image. Mariana and Valkirk of course have instant chemistry, but both try to ignore it. When he agrees to teach her Italian as penance for an incident, the two slowly give in to their desire. I loved these two together and enjoyed their journey to happily ever after.

Great book of you like age difference..Big gap between H and h ..started off pretty good but didn't keep me captivated like others in this series . Low on the steam scale

This was my first Julie Anne Long book, but it won’t be my last.

The romance was more of a slow burn than I expected, but I loved the banter between the duke and Mariana. I was really laughing out loud. Opposites attract at The Grand Palace on The Thames. The duke has a statue honoring him; Mariana has been dishonored in the gossip pages. These enemies are forced to spend time together after the duke publicly humiliates Mariana and his “punishment” is giving her Italian lessons. Through these lessons they form a friendship that leads to more…

Recommended if you enjoy:
- enemies-to-lovers
- forced proximity
- age gap romances
- the Italian language

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. After Dark with the Duke is out now.

In this latest adventure at The Grand Palace on the Thames, I enjoyed the shift towards a heroine who is rebellious and subversive. While all our previous leading ladies have tested boundaries in their own ways, Mariana feels the least willing to be hemmed in by arbitrary social rules. Down with the damned epithet jar, honestly. I love the team-ups between her and Delacorte or her and Dot because Mariana doesn't feel she's above them. Where many previous leads look on our comedic side characters with a degree of long-suffering benevolence, Mariana dives in with them. She and Dot play chess with a flair for the dramatic and teach each other fancy new words, and with Delacorte, there are no holds barred on the types of jokes they might tell. The banter is perfection, as always.

James, Duke of Valkirk has a very Darcy energy. He's firmly on the moral high ground and makes immediate and incorrect assumptions about Mariana from the beginning. I liked getting to know him and became less irritated with him over time. I do wish his privilege was interrogated a bit more since his role as a white man (and a duke, specifically) allows him to take that position as the defender of honor and good behavior.

While I enjoyed the romance at face value and found this to be the swoony/steamiest entry in the series so far, some lingering background concerns kept me from full, immersive enjoyment. For one, the story flirts with the idea of deconstructing the virgin/whore dichotomy without fully engaging. Mariana's internal struggle with her own categorization comes to an end because of true love, etc. rather than reaching any real kind of resolution about how society has treated her or even better, women in general.

Also, there is so much unnecessary gendering, starting with referring to generic character traits as either masculine or feminine. I most love historical fiction that challenges gender norms and practices, but in this series, the men go off to the smoking room after communal time in the sitting room so they can fully be men or whatever. They're never gross about their discussion, but it still follows strict gender lines. In addition, the civilizing power of women is a big theme of the series, and I find it completely unromantic (but maybe realistic?) that all these men can't function as kind, empathetic beings without a woman's interference.

Mixed feelings overall for this reviewer. The romance itself is maybe my favorite of the series, but my other concerns have been steadily growing throughout. Regardless, thanks to Avon for my copy to read and review!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 Q: if you were staying at a genteel boardinghouse, what would you drink at social hour & what game would you play with your boardinghouse mates? I’d drink a glass of champagne or a margarita & play Rook 🤩.

A disgraced opera singer & a national hero General-turned-Duke meet at the Grand Palace on the Thames—a genteel boardinghouse by the docks—& it is *not* love at first sight.

After all, one of them, Mariana, is being harangued in the papers for causing two men—both, supposedly her lovers—to duel over her & the other, James, is a man who can do no wrong for most of his countrypersons; he’s roundly viewed as the prime example of a gentleman.

In After Dark with the Duke, the latest scintillating installment in Julie Anne Long’s Palace of Rogues series, the delicious enemies to lovers vibes between the leads are turned into something more heated & sweet by forced proximity & when it finally turns physical I was awed by how fantastically it’s written.

Ask me one of my fave communities found in the pages of a romance novel & one of them will be Julie Anne Long’s Grand Palace. With this book, too, I loved returning to a world that’s warm & loving & true—I feel like I can see scenes before the drawing room fire during social hour play out before my eyes.

Add to that a thrilling relationship arc between main characters, sex scenes that feel raw & epic, & some funny & crushing moments that pull at my emotions & you’ve got a historical that ticks so many of my boxes.

The Duke comes a long way in this way & his gesture at the end is meaningful, his speech is stirring, but I wanted even more. Like for maybe him to say I HAVE BEEN AN IDIOT, You are worth more than 1,000,000 of them etc.

But mostly everything is so well done in this book, including the emotional terrain both leads have to traverse, & the whole thing is just splendid.

5 ⭐️. Out now!

CWs: Mariana is vilified, called a harlot, & basically chased out of her home. She’s assaulted by a colleague who doesn’t take no for an answer until James gets involved.

[ID: a copy of the book rests on a white faux fur blanket. On the left is a sprig of red berries & on the right are two green & gold coin purses .]

I really wanted to like this book because I love a story of a Duke that falls in love with someone he shouldn't, in this case, an actress/singer and having their happy ending. However, this book was was SO slowburn and kind of fell flat at some point.
I loved the end and that was what saved the book, also, I love when a though grumpy man is soft for his love interest.

After Dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long is the fourth book of the Palace of Rogues. It follows Mariana Wylde, an opera singer who has been dubbed the ”Harlot of Haywood Street” because two men fought in a duel for her favor. Mariana escapes the scandalous gossip by going to the Grand Palace on the Thames. The ladies there believe they can help restore Mariana’s reputation.

The Duke of Valkirk is a fierce and honorable war hero. He is also a guest at the Grand Palace on the Thames. He and Mariana do not get along. But soon enough, the two realize their real feelings for each other.

I couldn’t get enough of this book. The chemistry between James and Mariana is extremely palpable. I simply must read the other books in this series!

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Mariana Wylde is on the run from her reputation when she finds a room at the Palace on the Thames. After the Duke of Valkirk embarrasses her publicly, he apologizes and offers to tutor her in Italian. James learns there is more to Mariana than meets the eye, and she learns he might not be as cold as he seems.

I really do love Julie Anne Long's writing and her stories, but if I'm being completely honest this one did not work for me so much. I don't like age gap romance, and sometimes it feels ick to me especially one this big. This just kept me from really connecting to their romance because it bothered me so much. I liked James, and he is the sort of hero I like. Closed off, cold, and stuffy, but I had such a hard time believing Mariana was good for him because she acted mildly childish in parts of this story.

Like I said before, I love Julie Anne Long's writing and it's apparent she is a good writer, but I'm still waiting for another story to touch me the way It Happened One Midnight or How the Marquess Was Won did. This one isn't her best nor is it the worst. It's kind of just hanging out in the middle.

Overall: 2.5 stars

Long's After Dark with the Duke features a military-hero-turned-Duke and a recently disgraced opera singer who both end up at a boarding house to hide (the Duke to write a book and the heroine to ride out recent scandal). The Duke slights the heroine in Italian and agrees to give her Italian lessons to apologize. The two fall in love.

Pros:
--Some secondary characters were enjoyable
--I learned some Italian along the way.
--The story ends in a happy (albeit unrealistic) way.

Cons:
--It's probably just me, but I much more enjoy books with dialogue. The bulk of this story is descriptors and internal monologue. I found myself skipping pages at a time.
--Very light on plot
--I didn't buy the love story. The MCs went from dislike to lust to love in a very short amount of time
--It took too long into the book to get the MCs to meet
--I haven't read the other books in the series so reading from their POV didn't interest me.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. This did not impact my opinion of the book in any way.

Driven from her home by a scandal-crazed mob, opera singer Mariana Wylde arrives late at night and nearly penniless at the Grand Palace on the Thames. To the ladies who run the Grand Palace, Mariana’s tarnished reputation is no matter, they’re confident they can repair the damage and earn some much-needed patronage for their establishment in the process, as long as they can keep her from scrapping with their other esteemed guest.

General James Duncan Blackmore, the Duke of Valkirk, is famed for being the most honorable man in England. Granted a dukedom for his exemplary military service, he is lauded on an untouchable pedestal by society, but not truly known by anyone. He immediately clashes with Mariana, as she stands for everything he loathes, but she renders him all too vulnerable. The desire between them is as palpable as it is irresistible, but any happiness they find together can only be fleeting. Soon Valkirk will do anything for Mariana, but if he hopes to keep her, he’ll have to change everything he’s ever believed in for this final battle for his future happiness.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect of this book when I first started reading it, especially as it takes Mariana and James a while to even appear on the page together and quite a while longer for their sniping banter to evolve into something more cordial. I wasn’t sure I would like it given that initial animosity and James’ judgmental tendencies, but I surprised myself with how much I loved this story. The romance between Mariana and James has a gradual build up in friendship with an undercurrent of lust and the progression from those things to full blown love was very believable and a delight to read. James’ grand romantic gesture was everything I want to read in a romance, and I loved that Mariana was able to render such a strong and self-assured man into a bumbling idiot as he tried to express himself. This made his one faux pas, one that would normally be a total turn off for me, something bearable and even a little endearing. Mariana challenged James when no one had done so for some time and that was so fun to read. I was skeptical at first of their age difference, but now I understand why so many readers love the stern older hero. It also must be said that this book was sexy, and I adored the beauty and purity of the intimate scenes between Mariana and James as they truly showed the deepening of their feelings for one another. In sum, this was an excellent book, and I can’t wait to see what Long comes up with next.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

❤️❤️❤️❤️ out of 5
Age gap, opera singer heroine, Duke hero (who’s also more than a bit stuck up), enemies to lovers and forced proximity- what a fantastic combination! I have to admit opera singer heroine tropes really aren’t my favourite but this one was very enjoyable and I genuinely believed in their opposites attract relationship.

Our opera singer heroine has landed smack bang in the middle of scandal, and to escape takes refunded in an esteemed boarding house run by two ladies (who are fabulous secondary characters). Our hero has also rented rooms in the boarding house while his townhouse is under renovation and expects peace and quiet. He does not expect a scandalous opera singer to ruin his peace and he makes it known…….. only to end up having to make up his rudeness to her in private Italian lessons that include some very forced proximity 😉😉.

I loved exactly how different both main characters were and how they had to work through a lot to get from enemies to lovers, but even once lovers they still had to work towards love. But boy oh boy was it rewarding! A great read to warm you up at night.

I read this in one day because it simply could not be put down. The depth of this story has me wanting to binge-read all the other works by this author. Strong lead characters, lovely description, and engaging.