Marcus was heir apparent to a dukedom until his father was convicted of treason. Disgraced and penniless, Marcus is determined to rehabilitate his family name by capturing the plot's ringleader. His investigation forces him to team up with courtesan Esme—but he soon learns she's not what she appears. Can they escape danger and find their way to love?

I love these characters! There's a lot going on in this book, and the author handles it all expertly. Sparkling banter, an intricate plot, and a triumphant ending. What a great way to wrap up the series!

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

WOW! What a whizz-bang series ender this was. It has everything you could want in a book and as a series ender. It is fast-paced, exciting, steamy, romantic, and stitches up all of those loose ends we’ve had as the series moved forward. The characters are strong, intelligent, and charmingly delightful – plus – we get to spend a bit of on-page time with the couples from the previous books. Oh! And Queen Victoria gets some on-page time as well. Cool!

We met Marcus Stanwick in the previous books and I, for one, have been anxiously awaiting his book. It was well worth the wait. Marcus was heir to the Duke of Wolfford who was accused, convicted, and hung for an assassination plot against Queen Victoria. His titles were stripped, his property seized, and his family thrown out without a farthing. His father’s actions cost Marcus and his family everything – their home, their income, and most of all, their good, honorable name. It has been Marcus’s mission for the last year to track down the co-conspirators and bring them down. Maybe that will restore a little honor to his name. However, being totally out of leads, he decided to make a last-ditch effort and contact his father’s mistress – a woman he loathes – to see if she has some information he can use. Probably information she doesn’t even know she has.

Esme Lancaster is not what she seems. At the ripe old age of thirty-three, she’s wholly independent, smart, savvy, beautiful, and can take care of herself. She has many secrets, but she also has a vested interest in seeing that the plot to assassinate the Queen is thwarted. Does Marcus hold information she could use in her own investigation? Could he possibly be of help?

Neither Esme nor Marcus trusted the other – not as far as they could see them. Marcus certainly couldn’t trust his father’s mistress and Esme couldn’t trust Marcus because – well – he might have been involved in his father’s plot. Can they work together without trust? What about lust? They definitely have an abundance of that – but, as time passes, it becomes apparent that it is much more than lust.

They face danger in very dark places and save each other’s lives more than once. However, the mastermind behind the assassination plot is hidden deeply in the shadows. Marcus’s father cannot have been the mastermind – he just wasn’t sharp enough for it. So, who can it be and how close are the plotters to carrying out their plan? It takes a daring scheme and a cooperative Queen to finally bring it to an end. And what an exciting end it is!

I can definitely recommend both this book and the series. I think it might be the best book I’ve read so far this year. It absolutely answers all of the questions you’ve had throughout the series and all of the villains get their just punishments. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and am looking forward to this author’s next series – The Chessmen.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was so much fun! I really wanted to hate Esme at the beginning of this book, but you’ll love the twist! It had me cheering!

Marcus and Esme fit together in a way that isn’t perfect, but they really do compliment each other so well. And I am always going to root for a heroine that has the ability to take care of herself.

I have not read the other books in this series, and I do feel you can read this one as a standalone. Make sure you read through the author note, the research that went into this book is so interesting!

Just over a year ago, Marcus Stanwick changed in ways he never could have imagined when his father, the Duke of Wolfford was convicted of plotting to kill the queen and hanged for treason and the Crown stripped him of his titles, and estates, leaving the family homeless, penniless, and shunned by society. Burning for vengeance and hoping to restore the honor to his family name, Marcus loses himself in London’s dark underbelly, looking for answers but after a year with no success he finally seeks out the last person he ever wanted to talk to – his father’s former mistress.

Esme Lancaster is not what she seems, she is not the loose woman she has portrayed, she is actually an agent working for the home office and the queen’s protector. She met the duke while investigating rumors of a plot to assassinate the queen and was ordered to engage with him. Even now she is still looking for answers about the plot to assassinate Queen Victoria and is surprised it has taken Marcus so long to confront her and even more surprised at her immediate attraction to him. He is rude to her and demands to know if his father confided his plans or co-conspirators to her. When she can’t provide him with any new information, he leaves, but they meet again in a few days and she believes his intentions are honorable, so she offers up a name that she says his father mentioned. She is following up on a lead given to her by her superior and isn’t really surprised when her path crosses with Marcus again but realizes her cover is blown when he saves her from being discovered. They escape, but he is injured and she takes him home to tend his wounds. The next morning the truth comes out, she was never his father’s lover, she was investigating him, she suggests they work together to figure out who was the mastermind behind the plot and stop them before they can strike again. So all they have to do is find the killer and try not to fall in love – simple right?

This was such a great read! It was well-written, nicely paced, and tied up all the loose ends from the series perfectly. This book has it all; intrigue, wonderful characters, action, great secondary characters, steamy love scenes, redemption, and finally a lovely HEA complete with an epilogue. I think this might be my favorite book in the trilogy, and while it could be read as a standalone title, I would recommend reading the books in order for the best reader experience.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Return Of The Duke is the third book in Lorraine Heath’s Once Upon a Dukedom and we finally get Marcus’s HEA. Marcus Stanwick’s father was hanged as a traitor for an assassination plot against the Queen a year ago, taking all his wealth and life goals away. Since then he’s been trying to find out who was working with his father. This leads him to his dads mistress, Esme Lancaster, to see if she knows anything.

I really enjoyed books 1 and 2 in this series and had high hopes for this one but I didn’t love it. Don’t mistake me, I enjoyed it but I struggled with a few things. One thing is there is so much spy/ Agent of the Crown/ plot line that the romance seemed to get lost. There was mutual fascination between Marcus and Esme for sure, but actual chemistry, I did not feel. I was trying to figure out who the actual bad guy was and that was pretty easy to determine. Another thing I struggled with was Esme. She’s a total fighter, fences, super secret spy but can’t admit she loves Marcus. My biggest gripe was the epilogue!!

I did like that Esme is an older heroine and slightly younger Marcus. I am always a fan of seeing the Trewlove families, characters from the Sins For All Seasons and the reconciliation of Griff, Althea and Marcus.

Thank you to the publisher (Avon Books) for an e-ARC. All thoughts are my own. The Return of the Duke has a pub date of July 26, 2022.

OH. My. STARS. This book….I can’t say what I would normally say, but dear lord I love this book.

Lorraine Heath is now on my list of auto-buy authors and I can’t wait to take a bite out of her backlist.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It is rare to find a historical romance that defies convention, has an intriguing mystery, and off-the-chart chemistry. The Return Of The Duke delivers this and more.

Marcus Stanwick has been stripped of his title and has lost everything due to his treacherous father. Marcus stays in the shady, criminal areas of society, disenchanted and alone with a vendetta for those complicit in his father’s guilt. Esme Lancaster has a plethora of secrets and a mysterious background. Esme is also after what Marcus seeks. The two are sworn enemies yet find that fire and ice are combustible. The sensuality and physical connection is pure fire. I could feel Marcus’ bitterness and anger towards his situation. I respected Esme and loved the many layers of her personality. Marcus and Esme’s spark is instantaneous and undeniable.

The plot is unique as both characters are outside society, and each has specific burdens that affect their lives. There is a mystery angle that worked splendidly. I didn’t guess the outcome until the end. The book is intricate and intriguing, yet it moved fast and was easy to read. I flew through this novel; I couldn’t put it down. The return of the Duke is the third book in the Once Upon A Dukedom series. Lorraine Heath’s ability to weave captivating, passionate, unique romance is incomparable. I was mesmerized by Marcus and Esme’s journey; they took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. The Return Of The Duke is a crowning jewel in an outstanding series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Return of the Duke was exactly what I needed. I loved the intrigue. I loved the heat and the steam and the tension between Esme and Marcus. I love how Lorraine Heath weaves in characters from her previous books so that the world she has built is full and has depth. Esme and Marcus are neither what people expect. Her history isn't what it seems and his is so much more than people know. Their work to discover the truth behind a plot against the queen makes the conflict external and the "dark moment' so much easier to work through. I loved the connection between these two. I loved how fierce she is and how everything she does is the flip to what we usually see in romance.

When Marcus Stanwick's father is convicted of planning to assassinate Queen Victoria and is executed - his whole life is turned upside down. With his family stripped of their titles, the only thing Marcus can think of is exonerating his father and bring the true culprits to justice.
Esme Lancaster is full of her own secrets and is looking to unearth the other members of the assassination plot. Her relationship with Marcus' father causes strain between her and Marcus but when the truth is uncovered, Marcus is left speechless.

I love a good historical romance with a spy plot and this book definitely scratched that itch for me. The trouble I've encountered in other similar books is that the stakes aren't high enough for the main characters. But I think Heath did a good job showing that Esme is a smart and skilled woman who matches Marcus step for step. I don't think the spy plot works without that equality between the main characters.

If you like your romance with a side of intrigue, you'll like this book.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lorraine Heath. I love historical romance. I love mystery. This book had it all. It basically reminded me of a film noir (set in the Victorian era): beautiful femme fatale who isn't as she appears, a hero trying to uncover a mystery (and he even talks about wanting to be a private detective!!!), murder, gangs, intrigue, corruption, twists, suspense. It was great.

Marcus Stanwick is a disgraced nobleman whose father was implicated in a plot to assassinate Queen Victoria, and his children were thus disinherited and he was put to death. Marcus, meanwhile, is trying to uncover the truth about the plot, who was really involved, in order to regain his family honor. In order to gather information, he goes to Esme Lancaster, his father's supposed mistress to interrogate her. Although he dislikes Esme at first because of her relationship with his father, they share a mutual lust for each other from pretty much the beginning. And after a few more meetings, it is obvious Esme isn't who she appears to be, and they decide to work together in order to stop the plot to murder Victoria.

If you like intrigue and spywork in your historical romance, you'll love this book. Esme is such a strong female character and she's probably my favorite Lorraine Heath heroine. Marcus I liked, but he wasn't my favorite. He could be super sweet at times and I was thankful that his disdain for Esme didn't last long.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a chance to review this book!!

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance readers copy of this story.

As a close to the Once Upon a Dukedom I'm a little underwhelmed. While Marcus and Esme are fully formed characters, I never became invested in their love story. The action parts were interesting and I would have preferred more of that. Working Queen Victoria herself into the story was a great move, her Mr. Brown was thrown in too. Since these are 2 grown, over 30, characters they are sexually active (though not for awhile). The love story was mostly sex scenes. Granted they were hot but the melding of both action & sex didn't work for me.

I'm looking forward to the next series, The Chessmen. Another group of ton titled gentlemen who'll be brought down by love.

#TheReturnoftheDuke #OnceUponaDukedom #Lorraine Heath #Netgalley #historicalromance #romance #Avon

Another great addition to Heath’s catalog. Esme is a fun and interesting heroine and I love her being a spy for the Queen. It was a fun take that played well with the Stanwicks’ stories from the first book. The book is very slow burn until it isn’t. It’s a fun addition to the Once upon a Dukedom series.

This one was interesting to read about Marcus's father is hanged for an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria and he is trying to uncover the truth w/Esme "his father's mistress". I love a good spy romance with the mystery and gadgets. Now I really look forward to Lorraine's new series "The Chessmen."

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Finally the last installment in the Once Upon a Dukedom. I've been waiting for Marcus to get his HEA since this family was introduced at the end of the Sins for All Seasons Books. Marcus lost everything because of his Father's actions. He's searching for anything to stop the people who conspired with his father and help clear his family's name. When his search leads his to his father's former mistress he soon finds out everything he though he know about her is wrong! Esme has her own reasons for needing to find out who is behind the plot to kill the Queen. When they team up, neither one is ready for the secrets they will uncover or the pull toward each other they will experience. A perfect end to this book series!

Marcus Stanwick lost everything when his father, the Duke of Wolford, was convicted of treason and hanged for conspiring to murder Queen Victoria. After picking up the pieces--somewhat--he's on a mission to seek revenge against all those he believed falsely accused and betrayed his father... and that begins with collecting information from Esme Lancast, the Duke's mistress at the time that he died.

Esme has a controversial past, and has plenty of motivation to uncover who betrayed the Duke herself--the trouble is that Marcus's resentment for and attraction to her are well-matched, and they threaten to derail any chance that the two of them have to discover the truth.

SO. This book. Lorraine Heath can take any balls to the wall premise and make it her own, and I absolutely love that about her. And she's full steam ahead from the jump in this one. Less than a chapter in and this man is lusting after his father's mistress in full force, while absolutely hating her and himself for it.

And it's a ride from there. A lot happens in this book. There's fencing, espionage, appearances from Queen Victoria herself, several different plot twists... and it never really takes away from Marcus and Esme's emotional journey. He's a man who was pampered and sheltered from birth, a future duke, who got a harsh reality check when his family lost everything. She's a woman who came into the world with nothing, got dealt some tough hands, and pulled herself up to a position of personal and political power. At points, there's something of a mentor/mentee vibe to their relationship--though Marcus is by no means needy, he is a few years younger than Esme and you can feel that she's the more experienced party in a lot of ways. Yet this doesn't intimidate him, and he rises to the occasion to match her.

(Literally. At points.)

This is one of Lorraine's hottest books that I've read--there's that instant physical pull between Marcus and Esme, and to an extent they prioritize that before finally becoming emotionally intimate and vulnerable with each other... But when they do, there are a LOT of feelings, just as you would hope. Both of these characters have traumatic pasts, but Esme's in particular is... a lot. Not in terms of sexual assault; but she did have health issues in the past that put her through the wringer, so if that's an issue for you I'd recommend skipping this one.

There is one final twist in this one that I loved--and a hint at the next series which I appreciated. I will say that a couple of punches are pulled in this one. I did expect one of them, though it wasn't my favorite move... I get why it was done. The other I wish had been skipped, as I feel it didn't add to the story much. But again, I somewhat understand why it was done.

None of that really takes away from the core love story. I was pulling for Marcus and Esme to be together from the beginning, totally sold on the chemistry, heat, and emotion between the two of them. This one has the drama, sex, and adventure that you want from a romance novel--and something of an old school vibe, which you can always count on Lorraine Heath for.

READ IT!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lorraine Heath never disappoints! Finally we get the 3rd book in the once upon a Dukedom series. Ever since I read the first book in this series, even though I loved the character from books 1 and 2, I just couldnt wait for this third book. I was intrigued with older brother Matthew, the heir to the dukedom, from the beginning. He was mysterious, out on his own, etc and I wanted to know what he was up to! I was not disappointed. What a fun trope to have our heroine be the supposed mistress of his father! Esme was mysterious in her own way. She didnt need any man to take care of her and I loved that.

I cant recommend this series, and especially this book, enough!

So I almost didn't finish this book when I realized Marcus might be interested in his father's former mistress. That's just too much yuck for me. But it resolves in such a way that doesn't make it a problem (spoiler alert - she wasn't actually his mistress). Esme is a dope lady spy and her work was the coolest part of this book. The author's note at the end was so satisfying in explaining so much of Esme's work was inspired by real life. Marcus was just a lusty, angsty emotional mess -- understandable given the circumstances, but still.

Thank you to Avon, Netgalley, and the author for the eARC in exchange for my review.

Another amazing read from the queen of angsty historical romances! I usually walk away with new book boyfriends, but Return of the Duke has added a book GIRLFRIEND to my list!

Marcus is in need of restoring his family honor. After his father is hanged for his involvement in an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria, Marcus and his family are stripped of everything. In an effort to find the others involved, Marcus seeks help from a woman he despises for her reputation and involvement with his father. Esme has reasons of her own to want to seek the others involved in the conspiracy. In working together, Marcus and Esme learn a lot about each other and find themselves in dangerous situations. Together they have a common goal of hunting the criminals but love might be something that gets in the way....

I loved this read so much! A couple of things I loved most about this read: cute dog, younger hero, fake dating. I want to quickly add how Esme was a total Bad A$$! I loved the strong female character with a hard life that is so different than your typical virgin, young, dainty heroine you see in historicals. Don't get me wrong, I love reading those but it was a nice change of pace. This really highlighted the fact that Esme and Marcus were equals and could rely on each other.

A huge than you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

It took a minute for me to get into The Return of the Duke. The opening pages throw a lot of information - and emotion - at the reader, meaning there's a bit of mental organizing that needs to happen. And then there's that tricky issue of Esme being Marcus's father's former mistress, which definitely put me off for the first few chapters, even as I knew that it would be resolved somehow (spoiler alert: they weren't really "involved" in that way).

But once I got past those first few hurdles, I found myself sinking into the lush interior of this book and got swept away. The story is full of passion, yes, but also court intrigue thanks to the central plot on Queen Victoria's life. In a way, The Return of the Duke is part spy novel, meaning that I was turning pages to find out who was behind it all as much as I was to see Esme and Marcus get together.

The two of them are an excellent central couple, both with plenty of baggage but also intense chemistry. The side characters, too, are delightful (particularly Queen Victoria). I did find the grand reveal of who was pulling the strings a bit obvious, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of seeing them brought down.

Overall, The Return of the Duke managed to overcome its rocky start to be a truly enjoyable read!

4/5

Marcus Stanwick lost everything, when his father, the Duke of Wolfford, was tried for treason and hanged for trying to kill the queen. Marcus has spent the last year in poverty trying to survive, but never giving up on finding the truth about his father. In a last-ditch effort to uncover new clues, he lands at the home of Esme Lancaster, his father's last mistress, except Esme is not at all what he expected. Esme is hiding secrets of her own and doesn't trust anyone including the insanely attractive Marcus. She needs to stay focussed but agrees to help Marcus uncover the truth about his father's involvement. Can these two opposites come together long enough to unravel the mystery?

I'm a fan of Ms. Heath and I love a good spy story. This one had a good twist in that Esme is the agent of the Crown. The author does a great job of teasing out each back story while keeping the chemistry between Marcus and Esme simmering in the background. There's many mysteries brewing and with each one they uncover, there seems to be more to be revealed. I did figure out who the villain was, but it was well-done when it was revealed. If you enjoy a good spy story, I recommend this one.