Wow oh wow!! What can I say about this book! It was such an amazing journey in storytelling. I enjoyed the traveling and the adventure. The love story was phenomenal and genuine. Saint is my new favorite hero in this series. Lisbeth was a wonder..

Spicy and Amazing!

I like Howard and love this series and was waiting for this one. Great characters, more global, and as always good steam

What a fun steamy read! Lisbeth/Bonnie Bess was such a badass and I loved Saint! I haven’t read any historical romances with pirates/smugglers before, but I really enjoyed this so I will have to check out similar books and the previous books in this series!

This definitely made me blush and kept me captivated the whole time. Lisbeth and Saint had so many adventures trying to capture Charles Dubois. Women rarely have such strong roles in this time period so it really made Lisbeth stand out to me. I adored every scene with Nari and her desire to be and talk like a pirate.

In this riveting historical romance, that masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and passion. Lady Lisbeth Medford, under the guise of pirate captain Bonnie Bess, embarks on a dangerous mission to dismantle a smuggling ring in the West Indies. The narrative takes an intriguing turn with the arrival of Raphael Saint, the Duc de Viel, whose mysterious past adds complexity to the story. The book excels in its rich storytelling, blending action-packed adventure with a deep, emotive romance. The characters are exquisitely crafted, particularly the strong-willed Lady Lisbeth and the charmingly multifaceted Raphael. The author's thorough research and attention to historical accuracy greatly enrich the narrative. This novel is a captivating blend of suspense, romance, and adventure, making it an unforgettable read.

Pirates and spies, oh my! I love me a good lady pirate and this book fulfilled on it with a ship full of (mostly) women sailors. The relationship between Bonnie Bess and Raphael sucked me from their first agreement. The characters are diverse and gripping. They give lots of enemies to lovers fodder which anyone can enjoy!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book and this is my freely given opinion.

This is book 4 of the series continues Amalie Howard's trend in writing historical romances with bold characters of a wide spectrum of backgrounds/cultures, and you can see her love of her own culture and history in this story, and in her note afterwards. She turns the typical Victorian historical on it's head and being a woman of colour, and in an interracial relationship myself, I love that about this series.

This can be read alone, but if you have read the previous books in the series, you would recognize previous characters and relationships that have occurred in the preceding books. The main female character here, Lisbeth Medford, the Countess of Waterstone, has been a significant secondary character before, as the former wife/spy partner to the Duke of Thornberry, Valentine Medford, from book 3. She was an intriguing character then and this is her story, as she continues her career as an undercover agent for the Queen, working with the Americans to thwart smugglers in the Caribbean. To that end, she has taken on the persona of Bonnie Bess, a notorious female captain of the Syren, and has been living essentially as a pirate for the past couple of years. She is trying to get in close enough to capture noted heads of the smugglers, Charles Dubois and Mr. Madge.

Raphael Saint, the disgraced French Duc de Viel, is also engaged in sea trade and smuggling. But he is not a mere smuggler; he has many depths and motives, including acting as a sea-faring Robin Hood, to help the less fortunate in the region, as well as build his fortune. But a chief motive for him is to also seek revenge against his uncle, Charles Dubois, and vindicate his father, who was stripped of the title of Duc, and his estates when accused of treason against the French emperor. After losing his title, his envious and jealous half brother, Dubois, had him incarcerated in a sanitorium, where he was beaten to death. Dubois appears to have wanted his brother's honours, except that is not how titles work, and Raphael stands in his way.

Dubois, in his furtive efforts to get rid of Raphael, manages to capture and incarcerate him. But Raphael manages to escape and in his efforts to get beyond the reach of Dubois and rally his own resources to fight back, he finds himself getting onto the first ship leaving the island he was held on, which was the Syren.

This Raphael and Lisbeth, aka Bonnie Bess, first meet. He is enthralled by the beautiful, but deadly powerful woman, and she is angered, frustrated, and alarmingly distracted by the handsome, apparently insouciant, carefree drunk, and they butt heads.

This is quite the high seas adventure story with a lot of action and passion, mostly set amongst the islands, and then in New York and France. Lisbeth starts out disgusted and not trusting Raphael. But then she finds out that underneath his facade what a complex but caring man he is. However, she is a spy and not used to trusting or revealing herself to others. She has a duty to the British and American governments, and a mission to complete. As such she has a lot of secrets she is keeping from Raphael, that if revealed, could ruin his regard for her, but if she does reveal them, it could also destroy her ability to complete her mission.

An exciting, vibrant action adventure story, with a fascinating cast of characters beyond Lisbeth and Raphael. I loved the foul mouth character of Narina, and some of the secondary characters.

4.25 stars out of 5

was such a good freaking time omg!! Raphael is definitely on my smoking hot MMC list! Lovvvved it. I cannot stop recommending and gushing about this in my book club server on Discord!

Lisbeth had many identities but the one she was using now was Bonnie Bess the captain of her ship that no one wanted to cross. She is a spy working for the American Treasury trying to capture Dubois. She had been after him for two years. Raphael Saint who has escaped prison to navigate her ship through the reefs to make it around the islands. They fall in love with each other and he is completely honest with her but she is not with him. Their adventures together take them all around the Caribbean and the east coast of America.sing his title as a French duke and hers as a countess. Will they find happiness as a married couple, read the story to find out if their adventures lead them toward or away from each other. Thanks NetGalley for a story that keeps you what will happen next.

This is an adventurous story with spies, smugglers, and pirates. Lady Lisbeth Medford, Countess of Waterstone, better known as Bonnie Bess, is a British agent working with the American Treasury Department. Raphael Saint, Duc de Viel, is a smuggler with an altruistic purpose. They both want to capture Charles Dubois for different reasons. It is Lisbeth’s current assignment. Saint is after him for revenge, a family betrayal. Unexpectedly, they track Dubois from the Caribbean to New York and back. Their adventure is filled with action, intrigue, danger, and a sizzling high-seas romance. Will they succeed in their mission to capture Dubois? Will their sea-going romance lead to something more? The plot is solid and the characters well-developed. The secondary characters are quite interesting, especially an adorable foul-mouth teen who has the hero, the heroine, and the entire ship’s crew wrapped around her little finger.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Omg this book guys… It starts as an exciting sea adventure and then hits you with the best spice almost out of nowhere 🥵🥵🥵 I jumped from book one to book four because I was late with the ARC, and it seems like the steam went from 1 to a 100 between these two books! I am so going back and listening to the other two.

The story features Lisbeth who is a spy/smuggler/famous ship captain, and Raphael Saint — a disgraced French duke turned smuggler. They end up on the same ship and it turns out their goals are very well aligned. Except that Saint doesn’t know that and has no idea Lisbeth is a spy. Cue the tension!

I’ll tell you honestly, I didn’t like Saint that much in the beginning. I’m usually not into cocky guys whose default expression is a smirk. But he grew on me. The boy — nay, the MAN, — falls first and falls deep. I had nothing but love for him after that! See my slides for the proof of the BANTER.

Also the fact that i fell in love with a long-haired hero is a big deal — that literally never happens 😂 If you’re like me, don’t let his haircut put you off, Saint is the best!

Lisbeth is a real hurricane of a woman, which is why it was so impactful to see her discover her vulnerable, submissive, praise-craving side 😉 Yes, this book has some *dynamic* which I can’t precisely describe since I’m not an expert. And let me tell you — there will be some steamy surprises for you along the way! 🌶️🌶️🌶️

The side characters are charming, especially the foul-mouthed pirate girl 😂 The villain is nothing special but I really didn’t care.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Amalie Howard is one of my favored authors, writing diverse and sex-positive characters, even if I sometimes question how historically accurate her representations are. "Any Duke in a Storm" takes place mostly on the high seas as it follows Lisbeth, a deep undercover agent for the Crown, and Raphael. a Robin Hood-esque smuggler. Both are - unknowingly, of course - after the same villain. Despite neither being completely honest about their identities, they fall in lust, and then in love.

It took me a bit to get into this story. The backstory was somewhat complex and I do think there are aspects that do not make nearly as much sense if you haven't read previous books (e.g., Lisbeth's marriage and divorce). As always, Amalie is excellent at integrating spice into the story. Overall, good but not great. 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

This is definitely a historical adventure and romance combined. Pirate ships around the Florida coast, secret agents, and women who are just as dangerous, maybe more so, than most of the men. There is action from the first to last page. The cover of the book doesn't really give you a clue of the content.
It is book part of a series, so you might have met one or more of the characters before, but not enough to spoil this one.
Great fun.

I can’t describe how much I enjoy ladies spy, historical romances. Especially when the spying question starts to fall for her target. This was entertaining from start to finish and even better much of it took place on the high seas. If you are looking for an entertaining on historical romance. This is the book for you.

Romance on the high seas!

Raphael and Lisbeth cross paths and cross each other plenty on their way to recognizing the value of each other's connections and history. This is an exciting tale of pirates, smuggling, and the search for justice.

I adore this author's writing style and loved getting to know Lisbeth, especially after meeting her in the last book. I have to admit she's a little more "femdom" than suits my personal preferences, but that's not a mark against this book. Even with her unusual history, Raphael is more than a competent match for her as he keeps her guessing at every turn.

There's a very satisfying HEA after all the Caribbean adventures, which were written so vibrantly that it seemed I could feel the rocking of the ship myself. So much swashbuckling fun, so much emotional depth, this was a true joy to read. I heartily recommend it for anyone who loves historical romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Another excellent Amalie Howard romance - each one of hers I’ve read has been quite unique but this one is the most unlike the others. It’s a pirate romance (not exactly but basically)!

I had so much fun with this complete change from everything I normally read - other regency and historical romance novels included - and definitely recommend it for anyone else who needs a change as well. So unique, so different from anything else out there in the mainstream right now, and just so enjoyable and refreshing.

Any Duke in a Storm is about Lady Lisbeth, a divorced lady of the Ton who was able to keep her title and friendship with her former husband of convenience and his new wife. She’s taken on a special undercover role as a spy on the high seas but as a lady captain not to cross … trying to chase down the worst pirates and smugglers. She comes across a notorious gentleman who is able to lead her to the worst one, the most wanted man out there - if she can keep her secrets and keep from falling for him…

Such a great ride and loved all the histories she includes - she always has a lot of her own personal background and family and location in it, with full research to the time period the stories are set in. Super well done! Totally recommend this, and all her books!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca, and this is my honest feedback.

Raphael reminded me of Flynn Rider from Tangled or Sinbad in terms of personality and just all the banter retorts, I loved it. Also based on the cover I thought it was just going to be regency, but like.. PIRATES?! BADASS LADY SPY?! HECK YEAH. Also, I found the author’s note so enlightening! I thought it was really cool that some of the characters were either real characters in history or inspired by some; and that the places are real places. A lot of research was put into this book, and it truly paid off! The characters were diverse in this book too, and it was pointed out that people were just as diverse in history as they are now.
And the spice… yes. Also his piercing certainly added another element to it, but I liked that there is a meaningful history behind it too!

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for the early copy!

I love a lot of Howard’s books but this series really isn’t doing it for me. The themes are all great and I love the adventure of it all but they seem almost as though they’re written by another Amalie Howard. I’ll continue to read her books though, many others are faves!

Amalie Howard pits a spy against a swashbuckler in an enemies-to-lovers romance spotlighting systemic oppression in the Caribbean. With her characteristic blend of steamy clashes and historical detail, Howard complicates her pirate romance with a peek into the ways that American and British merchants contributed to the poverty of island nations like the Bahamas and a chance for a multiracial pirate to enforce some Robin Hood-esque justice. The center-stage romance fell short of Howard's usual standard, however, with a patronizing male lead and uneven heroine.

If it’s a historical romance written by Amalie Howard, I’m going to read it. She does them SO WELL. And the characters? Chefs kiss.

In Any Duke in a Storm we are diving into the smuggling trade of the West Indies. It is a new setting for me, being out on the high seas, but I absolutely loved it. It was so different than being in regency England but still being in the same time period.

Our FMC is Lisbeth, a countess who is a spy for the British Government but is working with the Americans to catch smugglers. And our MMC is Raphael, a French/Caribbean man who is quite the charmer.

The chemistry that these two had was insane, and I loved their storylines both individually and together. The humour was top notch. And it even had some action scenes that kept the pace up.

Lisbeth was a badass character who captained her own ship and made a name for herself. And when in that time period would you ever see a powerful woman that strikes fear into the hearts of men for how ruthless she is? Absolutely amazing.

Any Duke in a Storm by Amalie Howard
Daring Dukes series #4. Historical romance, own voices. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Famed spy, Lady Lisbeth Medford is in disguise as a notorious pirate captain, Bonnie Bess. Her mission is to capture the Prince of Smugglers. After quickly leaving Tobago in the British West Indies, she finds her quartermaster has hired a new sailing master. And he’s entirely too confident.
Raphael Saint, the Duc de Viel, has plenty of sailing experience but it’s usually as Captain of his own ships. Family treachery has Saint escaping prison and boarding the first ship leaving Tobago to try find proof of his uncle’s lies. Finding a female captain that can shoot and fight with precision and skill isn’t necessarily a surprise as her reputation has to have some truth behind it. It’s the passion and caring he sees behind the mask that has him intrigued and more than a little enamored.
Bess and Saint find a common goal and it’s drawing them together as neither expected.

Excerpts I had to highlight:
Captain, smuggler, spy or temptress?
“Unlike Bonnie Bess who was made of blades and thorns, Lisbeth seemed to be made of melody and moonlight.”

Duke, pirate or hero?
“Honestly, why don’t all the novels say that being a hero is exhausting? Being a villain is so much easier. No damsel, no demands, no precious virtue to be ruined, no waking up at ungodly hours, and being plied within incessant questions.”

Absorbing and intricate storytelling. This story will leave you breathless. Between the danger on the seas, the pirates, the family betrayals, the heroes trying to do better, and the undeniable passions, it’s a wild ride of adventure.

Be sure to read the Author Notes at the end of the book. The research and details are impressive and tell the background of many of the characters and how they apply in the story and in real life. I also love the intelligence within the writing. I highlighted a half a dozen words such as “jocund” that were new to me.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.