After reading this, the fourth instalment in the Palace of Rogues series, I have to say that this is classic JAL doing what she does best - writing perfect historical romance!

I loved falling back into familiar company with our Palace regulars, but JaAL knows how to give you enough to enjoy them and get that homecoming feeling- but not let them steal the show from the story’s front runners, Marianne and James.

I’m pretty sure JAL has perfected the art of creating the down and out heroine that does what she must without sacrificing herself or her inner worth. Marianne has been torn down by men’s ambitions and pride and she takes what she has left and using her street skills and her aptitude to recreate her career… she also isn’t scared of finding passion again and taking what she wants. Cogliere l'attimo! (Italian for seize the day)

James, the Duke of Valkirk is the embodiment of the cold and passionless personification of honour and valour. This decorated General is lost behind the perception of himself until he is forced to spend time with Marianne… and he sees beyond her public perception and is finally able to open up.

These opposites could not have been more perfect for each other! I finished reading this book with a goofy smile all over my face!!! Perfection!

After Dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long was released November 30th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#AfterDarkWithTheDuke #JulieAnneLong #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

I would like to thank netgalley and Avon for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the class difference and the exploration of morality. I definitely want to read the rest of this series and the rest of the authors work.

This book is amazing! It is witty, romantic, emotional, and so much more! Whenever I picked up “After Dark with the Duke”, I was whisked back in time, and went on quite a journey with this story.

This is the first book I have read by Julie Anne Long, and it certainly will not be my last! This novel is also the fourth book in her “The Palace of Rogues” series, and I so look forward to going back and reading the first three! Ms. Long’s writing style is incredibly visceral and vivid, and her storytelling is spectacular. She brilliantly brings the story she is telling to life before the reader’s eyes, and her characters feel like real people.

Both James, who is the Duke of Valkirk, and Mariana, a talented opera singer, are staying at The Grand Palace on the Thames. James is a well-known general, who has risen in social standing through his time in the military. Mariana is a well-known singer who has unfortunately been blamed for a duel two men fought over her, and is now sadly seen by much of society as a scandal.

(Possible Spoilers!)
What a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance. Though James and Mariana come from varying backgrounds and experiences and are very different, they are similar in some ways too. The more time they spend together, the more palpable their chemistry becomes. They really bring out the best in one another, and watching them slowly fall in love was amazing.

If you enjoy Historical Romance, I highly recommend this book! I found myself turning the pages into the early hours of the morning to see what would happen next, and I look forward to reading what Julie Anne Long writes next!

Thank you so much to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, it is amazing! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

After Dark with the Duke is the fourth book in Julie Anne Long's witty and steamy The Palace of Rogues series. The romance here stands alone, so no worries if you haven't read the previous books. This is one of those books that either had me snickering, laughing out loud, fanning myself or bawling my eyes out. In other words, I LOVED it!

Mariana Wylde, a gifted opera singer, arrives at The Grand Palace on the Thames in the middle of the night. After two lords fought a duel for her favor, she was dubbed the “Harlot of Haywood Street” and chased out of her home and the opera house. She doesn't have the funds to stay at The Grand Palace, but the ladies in charge of the genteel boarding inn come to a compromise with Mariana: The will allow her to stay, and in return she will perform a Night with a Nightingale at the Palace, hoping to restore her reputation while at the same time advertising for the inn. Staying at the Palace at the same time is General James Duncan Blackmore, the Duke of Valkirk, a renowned war hero known for his honor. As a matter of fact, he's there in order to write a book about honor. He appears cold and unfeeling, and inevitably clashes with the fiery diva. After he embarrasses her in front of other guests, the ladies agree to allow him to stay, provided he apologize to Mariana and teach her Italian. This doesn't sound like it will end well!

Living in modern times, it always angers me to read that Regency England women were treated as property or, as in this case, blamed for the stupidity of men. Two lords fought a duel over Mariana, yet she was the one dubbed the Harlot of Haywood Street. She wasn't an innocent, but she was by no means a harlot; the men alone made their bad decisions. Mariana may be one of my favorite romance heroines ever! She was sweet, witty, giving, had a thirst for knowledge and also a wonderful sense of humor. Some of my favorite passages were the letters she imagined writing to her mother but never actually did. Poor Mama probably would have had a heart attack! I was not fond of our hero James for the first third of the book, but I absolutely loved him by the end. Most of his time was spent at war and away from his family; the military and honor were all he knew. He was a 43 year old widower with a 22 year old son. He had not been close to his wife, and he was a loving but distant father. (I loved that James was an older man, though to me he's still a youngster!) He seemed to be a hard and cold man, but Mariana just burrowed her way under his skin and into his heart. And who knew he had a sense of humor?! Try not to burst out laughing when you read about the lobster opera and "Lobster Newgate". Mariana and James were explosive when they began their affair; ice baths are recommended. I really thought that James would muck up their relationship entirely, and he almost did. I did some ugly crying. Thank goodness for HEA's! I must give special props to two of the most wonderful supporting characters ever: Mr. Delacorte the salesman and Dot the maid. These two characters are some of my all-time favorites. You have GOT to read this beautiful romance!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is the fourth book in the Palace of Rogues series. The first two books (haven't read the third one), were romances, but they also gave equal time to the developing friendship between Delilah and Angelique, the owners of the boarding house, the Grand Palace on the Thames, and how they came to be partners. This newest book has a stronger focus on the romance between Mariana Wylde, a 25 YO disgraced opera singer and James Blackmore, the 43 YO upright, universally respected war hero who came from a humble background, but due to his war accomplishments is now the Duke of Valkirk.

If you've ever read a standard Regency that made passing mention of an opera singer, and wondered more about her than you did about the virtuous, respectable heroine, this is the story for you. At the start of the book, there has been a horrible scandal involving a couple of spoiled, entitled young lordlings, a duel that left one of them near death's door, and an opera singer. Of course, as is the way of the world, it's the opera singer, Mariana, a talented and beautiful woman, who gets all the blame, even though all she did was indulge in a bit of mild flirtation. She flees in disgrace and in fear of her life, is given refuge at the Grand Palace, where the two proprietors are no strangers to scandal themselves, and take pity on her, Valkirk has also taken up residence at the Grand Palace, as a quiet place to write his memoirs and get over a pesky case of writers block but once he meets Mariana, he finds himself completely distracted for a different reason.

If you like enemies to lovers, age gap romances with an older hero, or Regencies with unusual settings and/or characters not of the upper classes, you will really enjoy this romance. I love the Grand Palace on the Thames and I hope there are going to be more books in the series.

I have been busy and my reading has suffered but I finally finished "After Dark with the Duke" and have mixed feelings. The story was wonderful, the telling of it was at times wonderful and at times mind numbingly boring and repetitive. The ending was fantastic and the epilogue almost made up for any misgivings I had so it will be 4 Stars since it has an ending I could read multiple times but a bit too much time was spent inside the 2 main characters heads IMHO and did little but add pages

This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers book that I just could not put down. I loved the opera singer heroine with her clever songwriting skills, and the honorable, a bit upright war hero grew on me throughout the book. We get to see them make each other uncomfortable and then slowly fall for each other while they both stay at a very special boarding house. Note that this is also an age-gap romance. He is much older than the heroine, though I think she does a good job holding her own with him.

I will admit that I have not read the series in order, and I do think it would be even more enjoyable if I was more familiar with the rest of the characters, but I still really enjoyed the book. It captured a lot of what I like about Julie Anne Long's writing. Now I need to read the rest of the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

Fleeing an angry mob incited by scandalous headlines, opera diva Mariana takes shelter at the Grand Palace on the Thames. Penniless and unable to find work in London, she has little choice but to sing for her supper until she can secure a new role on the Continent.

Ennobled as a duke for his heroic service during the Napoleonic Wars, James is shocked to find himself sharing quarters with a fallen woman. She meets his veiled insults with barbs of her own. He can't help developing a fascination for the one person who doesn't regard him as the most honorable man in England.

The more time he spends with her, the more he realizes she's a victim, not a temptress. Yet the gulf between their stations is vast, and her reputation could ruin him.

No one does character-driven Regency romance better than Julie Anne Long. This book left me in awe. It's deeply emotional, delving into the richly detailed pasts of the hero and heroine, and presenting them with impossible choices. The dialogue sparkles, and the banter between the main characters is delightful. The secondary characters add humor and heart. Don't miss it!

Tropes: opposites attract, enemies to lovers, age gap, forbidden love, forced proximity

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

JAL is an engrossing writer but there are enough plot inconsistencies and lingering questions that irked me. Recommended for lovers of age-gap romance, haughty dukes struggling with a mid-life crisis, and a down-on-her-luck opera singer refusing to let life defeat her. I particularly liked the found family aspect of the boardinghouse — if that’s the series premise, I’ll definitely check out other books in The Palace of Rogues. Let the maid Dot have a book, please!

I need to start this review off by saying I started this book in October. Yes, it took me over a month to finish it, but I needed to buckle down and try to read it since the release was this week and I needed to type up a review.

Holy crap. As you see, I gave it 4 stars and I honestly thought this was going to be a 1 star/DNF sort of deal. The intro of Mariana and James just did not grab me. It all seemed a bit formulaic and, well, boring. That being said I absolutely blazed throughout this book because Mariana and James aka the Sunshine One and the Grump had absolute fire chemistry. Dude. I loved the little jabs they took at each other because they were so into each other and didn’t realize it and weren’t so great at facing their feelings. That banter is just total Renee Kryptonite. The middle part of the book is definitely the best and let me say, Italian 101 as taught by a duke is extremely effective. Whewwww! Swoon! I think I can proficiently flirt in Italian now.

The ending was wrapped up neatly as romance bows usually are, but I will say the conflict was resolved a bit too quickly for my taste. I think it would have been nice to see an actual conversation between James and his son concerning Mariana, rather than it take place off page as it did. I’ve read and enjoyed other books in this series and by this author and look forward to future stories from Julia Anne!

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not obligated to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

I have tried numerous Julie Anne Long books and her writing style is just not for me. For instance, I’m all for visiting characters from previous books but I don’t want their POV. I might give her another shot if a future plot sounds interesting.

Opera singer Mariana Wylde is in disgrace: two young lords have just fought a duel for her and according to Society, she’s the only one to blame. So when Mariana arrives at the Grand Palace on the Thames she’s desperate and almost penniless. But the ladies of the house see a great potential in her: maybe they could help each other in some way…
James Blackmore, the Duke of Valkirk, is a national hero, a fierce general who won every battle he fought. Statues have been erected in his honor and he has even written a popular book about said honor… Now he’s temporarily staying at the Grand Palace to write his memoirs and a witty and teasing and beautiful opera singer is merely an obstacle in his straightforward and righteous path. Or is she?
Reading this book has been nothing short of a breathtaking experience for me. Just as the love between Mariana and James, it’s been a slow burn, but my wonder grew with every wonderful passage, with every heart-wrenching emotion laid out on the page. Mariana and James have come alive before my eyes, little by little, as their thoughts and desires unfolded and filled my heart. I found myself laughing quite a lot at the beginning and really crying at the end. And the imagery of this book! Julie Ann Long is such a talented writer and I loved her witty dialogues as much as her character building. I didn’t know her before, but from now on I’ll make sure not to miss her new releases!

Julie Anne Long has always written books that jump off the page at me with their fleshed out characters complete with active development and scenes that leave me flipping the page for more late into the night. This book is no different.

For the fourth novel, we find ourselves at the The Grand Palace meeting Mariana, an opera singer who is fleeing from scandal, and James, a duke, risen from the ranks in his military career to win the title. From the looks of these two, they couldn't be any different, which gives us a lovely enemies-to-lovers novel, a personal favorite of mine.

As they snip at each other, they also get to know each other. We discover a large age gap between the two - almost twenty years, might explain some of their misunderstandings. Mariana lives in a world where she is forced to be happy and bright and literally sings for her supper, as a younger woman it's a hard world to navigate and survive in as you're still learning yourself. I appreciated the lessons that James learned about female agency, particularly in this era.

Over the course of the novel, they start to discover things to admire and appreciate which really flips the script. Some well rounded characters from the last novels round out this installment, which are always lovely to see again.

Definitely worth a read as JAL never disappoints!

My opinions are my own and freely given.

This is one of my favorite types of historical romances. Here we have the heroine who has a tarnished reputation who runs into a hero who is universally admired. Mariana is an opera singer whose reputation has been tarnished because of a duel fought in her name. She decides to get away by staying at the grand Palace on the Thames but gets off to a rocky start with another guest the war hero general James Duncan Blackmore who is the duke of Valkirk.

Things do not start off right between Mariana and James but as James gives her Italian lessons they slowly get to know one another. This is a really lovely romance but also deals with class differences and James really has to decide what’s more important to him Marianas love or his reputation. The characters are interesting and three-dimensional and all the secondary characters are entertaining as well. This is a type of historical romance that I truly enjoy in that the love story is one that resonates with me.

I needed one of those questionable silk handkerchiefs the maid Dot bought on a bargain for the last quarter of “After Dark with the Duke” by Julie Anne Long to soak up my tears. In book four of The Palace of Rogues series, a gossip column and a mob forced incredibly talented opera singer Mariana Wylde to escape her building to seek refuge at the exclusive The Grand Palace on the Thames. The proprietresses kindness allowed her to stay in their establishment in exchange for Mariana to perform in their new ballroom in a month. The honorable war hero James, the Duke of Valkirk, escaped from the memories in his townhouse to the TGPOTT to write his memoir. James, being the author of his first book called Honor, did not find honor in the Mariana using her wiles to cause a duel that went south. The well-liked Mariana keeping the truth to herself, “subtly” provoked the straight-laced Duke through song until he retaliated with having her sing a hilarious lyric in Italian. Mariana was utterly embarrassed when the words were translated, and the Duke was faced with eviction or offering her Italian lessons.

I loved the forced proximity between the main characters. This was a slow burn romance between a cobbler’s daughter and a farmer’s son who was given a dukedom. There was an age gap between the enemies turned lovers, however their temperament fit.

I loved the secondary characters in this book and I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series. Each were distinct and hilarious, especially Dot who I wish will become a secondary love story in a future book.

For those who love to cry because of a romance, get ready. Mariana told James the story behind the duel and he saw her differently, however his future duchess should be scandal free. His external and internal conflict was well thought out and I loved that it was Mariana who reminded him what he was first and foremost, which goes well with where they met up again. From the heartbreak to his actions before his country trip, to his declaration of love and beyond was perfect, like a beautiful day at the beach.

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon, and Harper Voyager US for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

A starchy duke meets his match in this opera singer...

I quite rather enjoyed the crafty Mariana. She's theatrical, loves sparkly things and has a flair for the dramatic. She knows her weaknesses but also knows her worth. At 25, she has a voice of an angel and an angry mob hot on her heels. With nothing but a pound to her name, she is already plotting her survival. That's at the Grand Palace on the Thames.

James is the older, starchy duke with a tactical mind and icy reserve. He just needs everything in his life to be ruffled by the vastly interesting Mariana. He definitely needs her to spice up his orderly life.

Recommend.

The hero and the heroine met at auspicious circumstances. Both have reputations that brings misunderstandings to the true persons behind them, which is uncovered by each other as they become closer throughout the story. How will they get their happy ending as obstacles are thrown their way?

I liked the new addition to The Palace of Rogues series. I enjoyed the main couple as they explored their burgeoning relationship while finding out more about themselves in this book. I definitely liked the supportive secondary characters that surrounded the couple. There were some parts that required more details in my view but it didn't detract my enjoyment in the book. Overall, a solid Julie Anne Long book.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

I received an eARC of After Dark with the Duke through the Avon Historical Romance Readers group on Facebook. I was taken in by the gorgeous cover (that luxurious green “pelisse”! the cozy fire! it looks kind of holiday-ish!), and didn’t really pay much attention that this is the fourth book in a series (The Palace of Rogues) that I haven’t read. I didn’t have time to read the other books in the series, so I dove right into this one. Admittedly, I was a little confused in the beginning, as I was getting used to characters that readers of the series are likely familiar with, and getting used to the writing style of a new-to-me author. Once Mariana Wylde and General James Duncan Blackmore, Duke of Valkirk, met, however, I was all in.

Mariana is an opera singer seeking refuge in the wake of a scandal involving a duel of two of her (purported) lovers. (We all know how the lords get a little crazy when it comes to opera singers… AHEM, Anthony Bridgerton…) She finds a safe place at the Grande Palace on the Thames. This is the very place that the Duke of Valkirk is staying to write his memoirs in peace. The duke is likely the most honorable and looked-up-to man in England (in part due to his first book, Honor), and holds himself to incredibly high standards as such. When these two -- from such different backgrounds and social standings -- meet, whew! Slow, simmering, judgmental ire turns into all sorts of steamy!

I loved the character development for both Mariana and the duke. Mariana comes across as confident, unapologetic, and fiery, but in light of a scandal and other things, finds herself questioning her own character as a woman very in touch with her sexuality and emotions. The duke’s character would never be in question, and he feels it’s his duty to keep it that way. But has he ever truly been happy or felt loved? It seemed improbable, if not impossible to me that an opera singer and a duke could or would have their HEA, but I was not disappointed. I thought the cast of side characters in this book were hilarious, all with hearts of gold.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @Avonbooks for the eARC.

Mariana Wylde, a young opera singer known as the “Harlot of Haywood Street” since 2 would-be suitors fought over her in a duel, escapes her home late at night and seeks refuge at The Grand Palace on the Thames. To pay for her room and board, she agrees to put on a fundraising concert for the unusual inn but is not sure tickets will sell. Also staying at the inn is a retired general, the Duke of Valkirk, who has written a book on honor and is working on his memoirs.

I had high hopes for this book—who doesn’t love an opera singer and a daring escape from a mob?—but much of the first third of the book is spent with the guests, staff, and proprietors of the inn, who must have been featured in the earlier books in the series. Since I had not read those books, I was not that invested in these interactions.

The book picked up for me at the 31% mark (according to my kindle), when the duke starts giving Mariana daily Italian lessons so she can understand what she’s singing and also put a firm stop to unwanted advances from suitors in the theater. As they spend time together, their relationship progresses. Mariana was an unusual character, and both she and the duke were well drawn. There was plenty of banter later in the book and the writing was good. However, after the slow start, I had a hard time getting into the story. I also struggled with the age difference, mainly because the 40-something duke is visited by his 22-year-old son, who is just a few years younger than Mariana.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3, because I think readers who have read earlier books in the series will enjoy this entry, but those who have not should be prepared for the slow start (or read earlier books first). Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. My opinion is my own.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

CW: Sexual assualt; sexual harassament

Once again, Julie Anne Long knocks it out of the park with the fourth installment in The Palace of Rogues series. If you like age gap romances and slow burns that turn super fiery, After Dark with the Duke is for you! I’m usually not an age gap fan, but this one works incredibly well as Long once again manages to write characters with incredible emotional depth and takes you on a journey you can only experience at the Grand Palace on the Thames.

After up and coming opera star Mariana Wylde is branded the ‘Harlot of Haywood Street’ by the gossip columns and run out of her own home by a mob out for her blood, she has nowhere else to turn by the Grand Palace on the Thames. With little money to her name, she works out a deal with Angelique and Delilah to be the starring act for the musicales they hope to host in their new ballroom at the Grand Palace on the Thames. Meanwhile, General James Duncan Blackmore, the Duke of Valkirk, seeks out the Grand Palace on the Thames for quiet and solace needed to write his memoirs. The last thing he needs is the bold and fiery Mariana to cross his path, capture his attention and steal his heart.

Long manages to craft such richly compelling and complex romantic leads with Mariana and the Duke. James is cold and closed off; he’s got a pristine reputation for honor and service and was granted a Dukedom for his military service. He comes off as incredibly arrogant and superior, but beneath that, he’s a conflicted man who protects those he cares about. Yet no one knows the true him. With Mariana, we get his opposite. Her reputation is in tatters thanks to the dumb actions of two men who have ruined her ability to support herself. Society has judged her by the actions of others, with no one willing to see her side. She’s bold, outspoken and not afraid to push the Duke’s buttons. Underneath that, she’s incredibly vulnerable and worried about her future and how she’ll support herself. Yet, she has a fire and a drive to do whatever she can to make things work.

Mariana and the Duke work well together, despite outward appearances making it seem like they’re a mismatch. They both are defined by the opinions of others yet struggle to have people see them for their true selves. I loved the romantic journey Long takes these characters on. They start out not getting along – she thinks he’s cold, he thinks she’s a harlot. After he embarrasses her, his penance is to teach her Italian lessons. I loved the Italian lessons as it forced the two of them to get to know each other one on one. Through these lessons, they slowly learn more about what the other has faced, especially as Mariana wants to learn key Italian phrases she’s heard from those she worked with. I truly enjoyed watching their preconceived notions fall away as they got to know each other better – it reminded me a bit of Pride and Prejudice.

The romance is a slow, simmering burn…until it turns into something fiery. We don’t get much action until the second half of the novel, but once they give in to the growing attraction, boy, do things heat up! This is probably the sexiest book thus far in the Palace of Rogues series as they engage in an affair with a set end date. Both have deeper feelings brewing under the surface and regret that their time at the Grand Palace on the Thames is ending. But then the Duke has to muck things up a bit, leaving their parting on shaky ground. However, I loved how Long resolved the conflict in their relationship. Long is a master at having her characters make the grandest of gestures that reveal just how well the romance leads know each other, and this book is no exception. I love how the Duke makes it up to Mariana, and I love that she was going to turn her pain into something beautiful. It worked so well and made my heart squeeze!

Outside of our central romance, I again have to admire Long for the world she’s crafted at the Grand Palace on the Thames. Each book I read in this series makes me long to stay at this unlikely boarding house near the docks in London. Angelique and Delilah’s mission with TGPOTT (as they come to abbreviate it) was to make it feel warm and welcoming – as if you’re staying with family – and Long has accomplished that. The secondary characters who reside in the TGPOTT imbue it with such life and personality. Everyone from Mr. Delacorte to Dot is a fully realized character. I’ve loved watching their growth over the stories and have come to care for these secondary characters who could easily fade into the background but don’t.

With her signature wit, humor and emotional depth, Long has managed to craft another engaging romantic entry in the Palace of Rogues series! If you haven’t picked this series up, I highly recommend it. I devoured all the available books within less than two weeks, and I look forward to returning to the Grand Palace on the Thames for the next entry in the series coming in summer 2022.