Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for the egalley!

I need all the pirate romances immediately!

I am SWOONING over Amalie Howard’s Any Duke in a Storm. In this historical romance, we get a badass lady spy, pirates, smugglling, explosions, a funny preteen, and the swooniest hero. For real. Raphael Saint made my heart flutter with his long locks, TATTOOS AND PIERCINGS. Yeah that was plural (you gotta read to find out 😏 ).

I didn’t realize until after I started that this is the fourth in a series called The Daring Dukes. They can be read as standalones and I am very happy I started with this one because it was fun and full of adventure with a lot of chemistry. I will def be going back for more from this series and the author!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

THIS is the kind of book that makes me rave about historical romances to everyone I know. Don’t let the cover fool you, the majority of Any Duke in a Storm doesn’t take place in a ballroom, but on the high seas of the Caribbean instead. My first “pirate” novel, Amalie Howard has set the bar so high, it’s going to a tough one to top. If you’re looking for a novel with great storytelling, that’s fast-paced, and full of adventure, look no further. This book not only has character development, but is plot driven as well (unfortunately lacking in many romances).

Countess Lisbeth Medford is a spy for the American Treasury with her most recent mission resulting in her being undercover for years as Bonnie Bess, using piracy as a plot to get close to the most well known smuggler, Charles Dubois. Raphael Saint, Duc de Viel is a man seeking revenge on his uncle, Charles Dubois, for the death of his father and ruination of his father’s title. As a pirate, he has been chasing Dubois hoping for the right time to bring him to justice, a difficult feat in offshore waters. The story begins with Raphael escaping from a trap and landing himself on Bonnie Bess’s pirate ship as the new sailing master. The interactions between Raphael and Lisbeth are entertaining as he goads her with his loose language and overt sexuality, attempting to get a rise out of the pirate queen. The banter is fantastic and even from the first moments the sexual tension vibrates between these two. Lisbeth and Raphael are initially untrusting of one another, but when Lisbeth’s life becomes endangered, it doesn’t take much for Raphael to quickly come to her aid.
I couldn’t get enough of these two. Raphael oozes sex and swagger and Lisbeth is smart, beautiful , and an alpha female. You know immediately that these two will bang, and that it’ll be explosive, but the way Howard builds up the charged tension between them is masterful. Physical intercourse doesn’t even occur until seventy percent of the way through, but the sexual acts leading up to it are unbelievably hot and kinky and just as scorching. By no means is this a slowburn. (As a note, I LOVE it when I learn something new from a book and I was looking up terms left and right in regards to piercings, slang words, etc.—Don’t skip the Author’s note!)

The side characters are just as intriguing as Lisbeth and Raphael, and help provide depth to the world-building. As the fourth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone even though characters are mentioned from previous books. I definitely want to go back and read some of the earlier stories if they’re even half as intriguing as this one!

So if you like naughty sexual scenes, multicultural heroes, praise kink, street fights, “touch her and die” vibes, Demi/pansexual rep, pirates, smugglers, espionage, and kick ass female leads, you will undoubtedly fall hard for Any Duke in a Storm like I did. I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca. All opinions are my own.

CWs: alcohol use, physical injury by stabbing, gunshot wound, jeering, death of a parent (off page), kidnapping.

I had just finished saying to a friend that good pirate romance books, or at least to me, don’t exist. They either fall too hard on the swashbuckling side and lack any romance or vice-versa. A perfect balance is barely struck. Little did I know that I was about to be humbled because waiting for me on my Kindle was this dynamite of a novel.

Lady Lisbeth Medford is a countess and spy. She’s hell-bent on tacking down a smuggling ring in the Caribbean. Raphael Saint finds himself once again at odds with his uncle, determined to get his revenge once and for all. He breaks himself out of prison and takes up on the first ship he finds, only to be captured by the most fearsome and notorious lady pirate.

Yes, this book was fun, sexy, smutty, romantic and quick. Howard knows just how to craft a believable romance. The tension is there from the onset, and then the intrigue starts after a little respect is earned and trust is demonstrated. Then they are forced to share a room and see each other undressed and who can blame them for having little restraint, particularly Lisbeth because I’ve honestly never been so intrigued by the prospects nor the logistics of a Prometheus tattoo…

What really stands out to me about this novel, and really this entire series, is Howard’s focus on a slice of history we don’t always find in historical romances. They are still members of The Ton but the setting is different and it’s rich with local Caribbean and Florida history. It highlights the plight of individuals we don’t often find in historical romances. It’s just a breath of fresh air in an overly saturated market of British Dukes (that’s not a slight because I’m the first person to pick up a book when I see Duke on the cover). As a start, I hope more books in the future take us outside of England.

Cheers to a read so good and so early on in the year, setting unreasonable expectations for the rest!

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an early review copy. All opinions are my own.

Love a good pirate queen who actually a double agent spy for the crown. You know the usual. Lady Lisbeth is definitely a strong character and Saint is intrigued. They had such spicy chemistry but so many secrets.
Loved how this wrapped up and the diversity of the characters! There is ships, smuggling and double crossing and that's just the beginning. Will always love an Amalie Howard historical! #besties #bff

Thank you sourcebookscasa
Rating 4.5

Any Duke in a Storm was a highly anticipated book for me. I absolutely adored A Duke in Question (the previous book) and couldn't wait to read this.

Lisbeth was introduced briefly in the last installment and she seemed to be an intriguing character. I'm glad this book focused on her. She was fierce yet had her insecurities. I also loved that she was a spy undercover as a famous female pirate. That was super cool! Raphael was an okay character for me. I had a bit of a hard time warming up to him at first since he came off performative, but once he and Lisbeth begin to get closer his true nature emerged and he became lovable. The romance between them is hot. These two had insane chemistry. I loved it, especially since they are both on the queer spectrum.

I think my main issue with the story was the plot. I was unclear for most of the beginning what the deal was with Raphael and his uncle. It just wasn't well explained. I also thought the beginning was slow moving because of that. It created a bit of confusion for me.

The main couple from the previous book do play a role in this book so if you haven't read that one you may be a bit confused. However, I would say you could read this as a standalone if you choose to do so.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable read if you like pirate and spy romances. Especially if you're a Pirates of the Caribbean and Black Sails fan.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me through NetGalley. This book was just absolutely wonderful. It was just so easy to get lost in and I just couldn’t put it down. I just lost myself within this amazing story. I most definitely will read more by this author.

She had me at high seas romance...then followed up with much, much more. I was ripe for a good pirate romance - it's been a long time since one crossed my desk - and this one ticked my happy reader boxes.
Lisbeth is definitely her own woman: daring, capable, and fierce. She's a respected, and feared, sea captain with a secret identity and a secret mission. Saint's actions show him to be much more than a sailing master but he's keeping secrets too. The sparks fly between them from the get-go and only get hotter. The verbal banter is fast, snappy, and on point. The respect grows slowly but is absolute. The chemistry darn near burns the ship down. And the tender, protective caring within Saint's heart had me ready to follow him anywhere, even if that ended up in the heart of a smuggler's den. The storyline twists and turns through the Caribbean, keeping me on my toes the entire way. I honestly did not know how these two were going to end up together, and at least one of them out of jail, until the very end. I love that!
This book is my favorite of what has been a really good series from Amalie Howard. I read it in one day - these characters refused to let me walk away from them - then went back to the beginning and took the journey all over again, more slowly this time to savor each word and nuance. It's filled with danger, adventure, betrayal, vengeance, secrets, and set-the-sheets-on-fire chemistry. It also has a fair amount of humor. A young island girl with the mouth of a hardened sailor, in particular, both had me laughing out loud and wanting to hug her close. I loved the path her journey took and the impact she had on both Lisbeth and Saint.
The characters are diverse, both racially and sexually, with intriguing characteristics (tattoos, piercings, and such) that are backed up with fascinating historical research. Be sure to read the author's notes at the end. I enjoyed their complexity, the many layers that make up the whole of who they are, the journey they traversed, and the love, and happiness, they found. This is a book I'll be revisiting again.

*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley. Fair and unbiased review.

Tattoos, piercings and praise kink oh my!

Any Duke in a Storm definitely takes the reader on the high seas with an intricate plot, great characters and enough steam to have us in need of a very strong wind. (I'm looking at you chapter 12, 19 & 20!)

There is something about the hidden/secret identity trope that always draws me in as a reader and I really love how Howard uses it here. How Lisbeth's identity is so entangled with who she is as a spy that during the story she can't help but question her mission. Never one to allow anyone too close, she finds that her crew becomes her family, and as Raphael manages to infiltrate her defenses Lisbeth finds herself at war over how much the who she is pretending to be is closer to who she really is. Oh and I can't forget to mention the salty banter between Raphael and Lisbeth from their nicknames for one another Viking and Pirate to the oh so delicious 'good girl(s)' and even a 'good boy' *fans self* Oh and I can't forget to mention how much I adore Lisbeth's kick butt character - the fact that we get sword fights and other scuffles where she showcases her amazing fighting talents makes me love her character so much!

I have loved this series in how Amalie Howard writes an amazing inclusive historical romance, giving the reader a glimpse into her own multicultural culture and heritage. She showcases the marginalized communities in historical eras and gives voice and love to everyone in her stories.

This is a fun high-seas historical romance with tons of swoon-worthy chemistry! Lisbeth is a total badass, and I have been really intrigued by her character since she was introduced earlier in the series. She did not disappoint! 

Raphael is fantastic, too. He’s so charming, smooth, and confident, and he’s really kind and funny. He definitely provides comic relief to the story. He’s a pirate with a conscience and a moral code, which Lisbeth soon learns. I also enjoyed the banter between Lisbeth and Raphael and the way they teased and tormented each other. Their relationship is a bit insta-lovey, especially on Raphael’s part, but I love that he falls first. I find it hard to resist a charming, honorable, and smitten pirate, and so does Lisbeth. Plus, the piercings (IYKYK)! And with Raphael, Lisbeth puts her guard down, which I liked because you get to see a more vulnerable side to her.  Get a fan because their sexy times are spicy!

The story has some great secondary characters. Shout-out to the funny and foul-mouth stowaway. She’s twelve, and she’s hysterical! I also liked the diversity and inclusivity in the story and the Author’s note at the end of the book, which is definitely worth checking out. It’s so interesting to learn what kind of research, inspiration, and history went into the creation of the novel, and Howard’s insights are fascinating.  

A fun and steamy high-seas adventure with action, intrigue, spies, danger, and a spicy love story, Any Duke in a Storm is a great addition to the series! Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Any Duke in a Storm was such a good time! Lady Lisbeth is undercover as captain of the Syren. Raphael escapes jail and finds himself on her ship. Both of them are working to take down Raphael’s uncle - the kingpin of the smugglers.

I loved Lisbeth and Raphael together - they had great chemistry and banter. He fell for her and then crawled under her skin with his charm and sarcastic comments. Her strong feelings of loathing really was desire….obviously!

This book had us sailing on the high seas from the Caribbean to New York. And we got to revisit with Bronwyn and the Duke of Thornbury from book 3. That said, even though this is book 4 in the Daring Duke series, it can be read as a stand alone. And I really need to go back and read books 1 and 2 in this series.

If you are looking for a book to diversify your shelves, this one has characters that are queer and BIPOC. Raphael is part Caribbean and Lisbeth is demiromantic and pansexual.

Any Duke in a Storm is out on January 8. I recommend this if you enjoy:

💛 Historical romance on the high seas
💛 Pirates and smugglers
💛 He falls first
💛 Good girl
💛 Open door romance

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance readers copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

A pierced and tattooed sailor with a bit of a praise kink and a demiromantic and pansexual heroine? Count me in. This story was a bit slow to start for me, but it really started to draw me in around the 35% mark. I love the diversity and representation that Amalie Howard brings to historical romance, and I’d love to see more of it. I got a little bogged down in the details of Lizbeth’s mission, but ultimately I really enjoyed this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Raphael and Lisbeth challenge each other from the beginning.
A fast paced story with intrigue and deception.
It has pirates, government officials, and corruption not to mention difficult family interactions.
Hard fought voyage to a HEA.

So exciting! Everything I wanted out of a pirate spy romance. Tension, dueling, fist fights, daggers, cursing…. I could go on. Lots of representation here, varied races and sexuality. The world felt so real, it’s clear the author did her research. I love all of her books. It was a slower start than I prefer, but the plot picked up soon enough. I would recommend this to anyone, it was so great.

✨The call of the sea doesn’t necessarily speak to me but a giant tattooed pirate with *multiple* body piercings and a praising kink absolutely does. And so does a pirate queen who castrates a man on page.✨

I quite literally devoured this book in about 24 hours. I read several amazing pirate romances last year, and I’m so happy that this one doesn’t break my streak of pirate BANGERS I was reading. The main characters were a bit morally grey, there were intense action sequences, and a tween with the mouth of a sailor to add some humor.

The hero, Raphael, definitely fell first—maybe willingly walked the plank first is more apt?—and I loved that he just accepted it. Lisbeth aka Bonnie Bess was such a capable woman and incredible badass. Their chemistry in the bedroom was absolutely explosive. Literally it exploded everywhere.

Like the other books in this series—all bangers, I might add—this book also offers a diverse cast of characters. Raphael was Caribbean/French (roots in Trinidad and Tobago) and Lisbeth was demiromantic and pansexual. While we still need more more MORE diverse historical romances, this one is an excellent addition to the genre.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5


Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley and to the author for an ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Pirates, spies and dukes....

Lisbeth was fake married and then fake divorced from the Duke of Thornbury (when he had a lesser ttile). They were lovers and he got his story in The Duke in Question, so I've been waiting for Lisbeth's story since then. It was set up so Lisbeth was enjoying the company of ladies, so I was surprised that she got another duke of her own. Raphael Saint, is a disgraced French duc on the run from his uncle and who just broke out of jail. He's burning with vengeance to clear his family name and take down his uncle. They end up on a ship in the Carribean. Pirates, mutiny abound and plenty of steamy times ensue. Lisbeth is working for the American Treasury this time to take down a smuggling ring (she was previously a spy for England's home office).

So buckle up for lady spies, pirates, smugglers, and of course, a duke.
Recommend (but you could read up on The Duke in Question where we get a decent glimpse of Lisbeth).
Purchased

Lady Lisbeth Medford, the Countess of Waterstone is an international spy who is determined to infiltrate a notorious smuggling ring in the West Indies while on a covert mission as a ship's captain. It is on this mission that she takes on Raphael Saint, the Duc de Viel, as her sailing master. Whilst she is uncertain of his true identity to begin with, she begins to think he might be part of the smuggling ring that she is trying to break. Yet when her identity is compromised and she flees, she finds that Raphael is the person she might just have to trust. Meanwhile, Raphael is chasing his uncle, the man who was planning to kill him to gain his wealth.
Being a pirate romance, there is plenty of action and it happens from the first chapter and doesn’t let up until the very end. Raphael is a change from the English lord and Lisbeth is definitely not an English miss. From the very start, it is clear that Lisbeth is not submissive and she takes control of the relationship, with the tables turned for Raphael. He admits to his feelings early on, falling in love with her first, and allows her the freedom to do as she thinks best. This romance is definitely steamy and quite intense.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“Provoking her had become his favorite pastime.”

Alternate title for this book, The Viking and the Pirate! This is an adventure on the high seas as promised, but it’s not as stellar as the other books in this series (especially the third book!). Something about this book just felt hollow.
Raphael is so much fun and he is a great character. Lisbeth was harder for me to like. She has such a hard time trusting Raphael (or anyone) and she hurts the people around her often because of her fear of committing. In itself, this isn’t horrible, but I wanted to get to the heart of this problem and it never felt like we did. Some more of her backstory could have helped this.
And is she wearing a skirt or trousers? In chapters 10 and 22 Lisbeth is described as wearing trousers and then in the middle of the scene suddenly she has on a skirt. I reread both several times to see if I missed something, and I did not. I just found it hilarious that it happened twice. I did read the eARC so maybe that will be corrected in the final draft.
The story is action packed, which I adored! However there were a few story beats or endings that felt kind of convoluted to me or didn’t make much sense.
Overall, if you just want a good time with pirate-y vibes, this is the book for you!

Star Rating: 2.5/5
Tropes: Pirate, spy
CW: Death, violence, attempted SA, toxic family

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pirates, yes please. Salty/dirty talking main characters, double yes please. I should have been over the moon for this story but wah, wah, wah, I was not. I love this series and was so excited for this book. I found it boring. I can’t believe I am saying that. I skimmed through the last 35% of the story. The ending was very nice though.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC of this!

I love Amalie Howard’s other diverse romances and this was no exception! Pirates, spies, kick-ass women, and lots of consent, with what seemed like pansexual & demisexual rep (although the character wouldn’t have used those words) and BIPOC rep? It was ridiculously fun and steamy!

"Historical romance takes to the high seas. Famed spy Lady Lisbeth Medford is on a ship bound for the West Indies, but the only thing more dangerous than her mission is the elusive Duke she's trying to capture."
This is a good romance. Lisbeth dresses as a man but she is every ounce a woman. The Duke "Raphael" is dis inherited.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.