It's complicated, this book is good and honestly it would also work as a modern story but you can see what the author's intention was at the moment she decided to write a HR.

An atypical historical romance -- I was a little bit worried reading the description, but was thankful to see that the two leads actually did know each other and while the castaway nobleman was rough around the edges, he was still a good person who just needed some help adjusting to being around people again. Nice to see how the two cared for each other even before they realized they *cared* for one another.

I didn't know where this book was going at the begining but it was a pretty lovely book that rooted shared grief and connection in a good way.

This is the first of a new series, Victorian Outcasts, and it is off to a great start. Maddie has only one dream, and that is to become an artist and have her work presented to the Royal Academy of Women's Art so that she may have a chance to receive a fellowship to attend the academy. She is so close to realizing her dream, when Lord Hector literally crashed her dreams to pieces. You see, he is a dedicated botanist and was interested in a rare plant that was growing along her home. In an attempt to obtain the specimen, he crashed through her window and ruined her painting as well as injuring her arm. Hector and his family do their best to make it up to her and Hector even offers marriage, but Maddie doesn't want a union based on guilt. But she encourages Hector to pursue his dream and he joins a research expedition to the Amazon. Unfortunately, news of his ship's demise reaches England and he is presumed dead. Fast forward eight years, turns out Hector survived, and has been surviving all these years by hunting, fishing, and foraging for food, while fighting off native primates. Incidentally it is Maddie who saves him and helps him reacclimate himself back into civilization so he can claim back the dukedom that had passed to his cousin after his brother's death. As they spend more time together they become closer and their friendship develops into something so much more.
The character development was well done and the writing was interesting and flowed smoothly. I enjoyed watching the deep friendship strengthen and ultimate feelings of love grow between Maddie and Hector. A well-written story that kept my attention from start to finish. I look forward to continuing the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and Oliver Heber books for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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

This is my first time reading something from this author and I quite enjoyed this book. I liked the interesting characters, how they developed and their relationships with each other. This was a slow burn development of the romance, and there was a lot of development of the background story. But it made for a rich story, that I enjoyed.

The story starts in 1880, when Maddie Debenham, a young debutante, is close to realizing her dream of becoming an artist, through meeting her idol and hopefully future mentor, acclaimed female artist Bridget Blanchet, and showing her Maddie's own art. Her dreams are dashed when Lord Hector Wentworth literally crashes through her window, destroying her canvas and severely injuring her arm. Lord Hector is a socially awkward botanist and younger brother of the Duke of Blackburn. He was seeking to harvest a rare specimen of a plant growing wild against the home of Maddie, but too impatient to go through proper social channels as his brother encouraged him to do. This is a highly damaging and embarrassing meet cute for Hector and Maddie, and not the stuff of romance. Especially considering how severe the damage was to her arm, which subsequently became severely infected, endangering her life. Hector and his family, feeling guilt and responsibility for her injury and illness, become closer to her and her family, repairing what they could, arranging for her health care, and developing a friendship with her. Hector even considers marriage to Maddie, which Maddie refuses, not wanting a marriage based on guilt. Instead, she encourages Hector to pursue his dreams - especially as her own have been dashed. He finally decides to do as she asks, and goes on an adventure, joining a research expedition to the Amazon.

Unfortunately, the news returns to England that his ship is destroyed on the ocean and there were no survivors. Unfortunately the Wentworth family suffers greatly in the years afterwards, with Robert, the Duke, convinced that Hector was still alive, and in his attempts to find him, falling ill and dying, and then their mother dying shortly after both her sons.

Eight years after Hector's failed trip, Maddie and her family are cruising in the Caribbean when she spies a man adrift on a raft. She alerts the sailors to a man overboard and he is saved. After being seen by a doctor on board, the strange man identifies himself as Hector Wentworth and asks to meet the woman who saved him, when he finds out it was his friend, Maddie.

Hector was the only survivor, managing to be washed ashore on an island, and managing to survive for years, foraging for food, and fighting off the native primates. Over time, he sees ships in the distance and figured out their pattern of passage, finally developing a plan and the bravery to set off on a raft to try to intercept one of the ships to be saved. He is shocked to find out how much has changed in the mean time, including the loss of his beloved brother and mother. During those 8 years of being alone and focused solely on his survival, Hector has lost what social manners he had. When he returns and finds that his cousin Quentin has taken over the Dukedom, on the presumption of being the heir, Hector just tries to fit back in and gain back some of himself. However, it comes to light that Quentin is a corrupt, and unjust manager of the Duchy and Hector is encouraged to challenge him and take Hector's rightful place as the heir. But he faces as uphill battle, as he is labeled as being a savage and unfit to be Duke.

Maddie reestablishes her friendship with him, and helps him reacclimate to being in Society, encouraging him. They grow closer, and their friendship becomes attraction and love, as they work against Quentin and his plots to undermine Hector and keep the Dukedom.

This is a very slow burn romance that brews very slowly, but I really enjoyed the back story to Hector and Maddie, and then the reestablishment of their friendship and it's development to more. I felt this was a well told story for the most part with richly developed, interesting characters. I do feel that the ending may have been a bit too short in that it did not really resolve Maddie's dreams, though the HEA and her hopes of meeting her dreams are implied.

3.75 stars out of 5

The love story between artist Maddie and scientist Hector captured my heart completely. Despite their stark differences, both characters shared a striking similarity that made their connection truly special. Their second-chance romance unfolded with a beautifully poignant yet heart-wrenching setup, brimming with hope and heartbreak. I admired their unwavering support for each other's aspirations, even in the face of shifting circumstances and the despicable villains they confronted. Exploring a Victorian historical romance added an extra layer of intrigue, revealing how societal attitudes and norms intricately shaped the characters' decisions and actions. Overall a little spicy, good read.

Maddie is a painter and she never expected a plant and a man to be the cause or the ruin of her early career. Hector, the man that sets her career for ruin, tries to do right by her. However, Maddie a true altruist knows if her career has been destroyed she doesn’t want Hector to miss out on his bright future. But despite all her best efforts he is lost at see until eight years later…

I thought this was going to be a Tarzan and Jane trope. And although it was in ways, it was a very beautifully crafted story. I lived the affection between Maddie and Hector and that she was willing to be his champion and friend while he is experiencing likely hardships returning to society.

This was a very easy well written read and it was also very light hearted. I would rate this a five out of five. And if you like lots of spice you won’t be disappointed with this read. Netgalley provided this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is a very tragic story of Maddie Debenham and Hector Wentworth, who are two idealistic people who have hopes of following their dreams. Maddie is an amateur painter and hopes to be invited to attend the Art Academy for women. She has become pen pals with a famous painter and hopes after she sees her work, she will refer to to the Art Academy for admission. Hector Wentworth is the brother to the current Duke of Blackburn and is interested in botany and wishes to become a member of the botany society and also be asked to join a safari to the Amazon to study the plants there. As Hector is attempting to obtain a sample of a rare plant from outside Maddie's window, he falls into her window and causes an injury to her painting hand while also destroying the painting she was working on. After he proposes marriage to Maddie out of the guilt he felt from destroying her painting and preventing her from being selected to the Art Academy, Hector leaves England on his safari to the Amazon. Fast forward 8 years, Hector is presumed dead via shipwreck and never got to his destination. His brother, Robert, the Duke of Blackburn dies of a tropical fever as he was looking into the disappearance of Hector. Their mother, the dowager duchess of Blackburn, dies under suspicious circumstances after losing both of her sons. Quentin, the brother's cousin assumes to the title of Duke of Blackburn. As Maddie, her sister, Verity and her mother are returning to England from a trip to the Bahamas, Maddie sights a man floating on a raft in the middle of the ocean. The staff aboard the ship rescue the man and bring him aboard and he is later identified as Hector Wentworth, who was presumed dead years ago. Hector returns to England and upon trying to claim the title of Duke of Blackburn, his cousin uses what he thinks is his mental illness against him to prove he is not fit for the title. Maddie is tasked with reacclimating Hector to society and its rules. As they are working together they fall in love and end up with their HEA. While I did enjoy the premise of the story, it was too tragic and fantastical to be believed. Mrs. Russell is a new author for me and I will continue to follow her works to see how well she develops her future characters/storylines.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is the first book in a new series and the author is new to me. I wanted to love the book, which had a castaway feel to it, but the first half of the story was so contrived and unbelievable that I almost quit reading and really struggled. Once they returned to London the story changed and then there was so much going on that I almost lost sight of Maddie and Hector’s romance altogether which isn't great for a story that is supposed to be a romance. Overall it was just OK, not bad, but not one I would read again. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Maddie has a dream which is becoming a reality. She is hoping to gain a fellowship to study art which will grant her six thousand pounds. However, her dreams are shattered when Lord Hector accidentally causes her to injure her hand. Mortified, he promises to make amends when he returns from his studies in the Amazonian forests. Yet his ship sinks and he is believed dead until he is found by an ocean liner that Maddie is sailing on, eight years later. With his brother’s death, Hector is now the Duke of Blackburn except that his cousin who assumed the title in his absence, has no plans for him to be the duke.
This was a fast paced novel with Maddie maturing as a consequence of her injury. It is thus maturity that she brings to assisting Hector. I enjoyed Hector’s free spirit and the dramas that ensured from his behaviour as well as Maddie’s ability to bring about subtle changes in him. They are a great pair who have great chemistry. A good read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Madeline Debenham is just days away from realizing her dream of not only meeting her idol, artist Bridget Blanchet and if Bridget likes her work, she will help Maddie receive a full fellowship to the Royal Women’s Art Academy, which includes a stipend of six thousand pounds per year, which would give her freedom from her domineering mother. But when Lord Hector Wentworth, the younger brother of the Duke of Blackburn, crashes through her bedroom window and ruins her dreams. With her painting destroyed and her hand injured, Maddie is at first angry, but eventually comes to terms with it and even forgives Hector. Hector feels horrible about what happened and offers to help Maddie, he offers marriage, which Maddie declines, and then he promises to help her become independent. She agrees to accept his help and even encourages him to go on the expedition that started this mess. He agrees to go, telling her that when he returns in a year, he will make good on his promises. But sadly, his ship is lost in a storm, just days after leaving and Hector is declared lost. Eight years later, while returning from a visit to the Bahamas with her sister Verity and her mother, Maddie spies a man on a raft in the water and raises the alarm. To her utter shock, it is Hector, and has changed a lot from the sweet, young man she knew. But she can’t help but feel protective of him and promises to help him reacclimate to civilization.

Lord Hector Wentworth’s world has turned upside down, not only has he been shipwrecked on a deserted island for eight long years, where he had to struggle to live, having to find food, and shelter, battle loneliness, and survive against aggressive primates. But being rescued has its own struggles, primarily dealing with the death of his brother and mother, and learning how to function in society. Hector is no longer the starry-eyed young man who was consumed by his love of botany, now he is flinching at noise, feeling chafed by wearing shoes and clothes, and seems to have forgotten even the most basic of manners. So he clings to Maddie like a lifeline, needing her to help him find his way, especially when they return to London and he has to fight to regain his life, title, and sanity.

This was an interesting story with a strong “Castaway” vibe, but thankfully for Hector and Maddie, it has a happier ending. I wanted to love the book, but the first half of the story was so contrived and unbelievable that I almost quit reading, but once they returned to London the story changed and then there was so much going on that I almost lost sight of Maddie and Hector’s romance. The story has great characters, tears, mean mothers, nasty cousins, warmish love scenes, blackmail, racy photos, art thieves, a bit of heartache, and finally a HEA. Overall, the book held my attention and had the makings of a great story, but for me, it was just OK, not bad, but not a keeper. This is the first book in what appears to be a new series, and since this is a new to me author, I will definitely give the next book a try.

3 stars

*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.*

A bit far fetched...

Maddie wants to be an artist, but her dream is literally crushed by Hector.
He goes off to attain his dream of botany, then disappears for years.
Maddie, sees hisb raft and he is rescued.
The author did put Hector and Maddie through the wringer.

I loved, loved, loved this story. I haven't said that in a very long time.
Maddie, a burgeoning artist, is looking forward to meeting her mentor as well as meeting her mentor. She is also trying to attend an art academy. Her controlling mother is practically emotionally abusive, and tells her no when Maddie asks for the cost to attend. Her mother proceeds to mock her talent, and finds her mother has been reading the correspondence letters she has been sharing with her mentor, Mrs. Blanchet. Maddie goes back to her painting to make final changes to submit to the National Art Gallery.
Hector, the brother to a Duke and a botany enthusiast, spies a rare plant outside her window when he sees her painting. When he tries to get a sample, the Duke tells him he has to follow society's rules, and send a letter of introduction, request an audience, and ask for permission. Unfortunately, Hector is too impatient because he needs the sample to show the society, and leave on an expedition to the Amazon for studying native plants and the like. Unfortunately, he falls through Maddie's window, breaks the window, destroys her painting, and causes serious injury to her hand, her painting hand. After helping repair the window, he visits almost daily to check on her, and spend time with her as well. Out of guilt and feeling responsibility for her, he proposes. She declines, and urges him to go on the expedition.
Eight years later, Maddie, her mother, and her sister are on a ship going back to London from the Bahamas. Noticing a man on a raft, Maddie ensures his rescue. After eight years without seeing another human, he is terrified of anyone except Maddie because he trusted her from their past relationship.
While on the ship, he finds out his brother and mother are both dead. Maddie's mother told him in the most cruel way. Upon his arrival, he is greeted by his cousin, Quentin, who has taken the role of Duke, and refuses to give up the title by any means necessary to keep it. I can only describe him as sleazy in every single way.
Before he left, Hector was kind of cluleless about the rules of society. Having lived alone in the jungle for 8 years, Hector is finding it difficult to acclimate back into society, but is helped by Maddie, the only person he trusts, and with whom he falls deeply in love. (NOT a spoiler. It's quite obvious). He is also helped by his late brother's solicitor and fiancé, Verity, who happens to be Maddie's sister.
Many obstacles are in the way for Hector to become the Duke his brother wanted to be.
This was a very, very enjoyable story. I could feel a real connection between Maddie and Hector. They knew each other on a platonic level before he left on his expedition, and after their experiences over the last eight years they begin to really know each other. They bond because of both their experiences and changes. Their love story grows slowly, and each finds their way to each other's hearts.
I did get a little confused regarding some of the artisitc terms used in the story. As a mere peasant in the art workd, I had to look up the terms. Why wouldn't Maddie still meet Mrs. Blanchet? Was it because Maddie became very ill? She was so important to Maddie, I felt like she just completely dropped out of the book.
Her mother was just awful, and written beautifully to convey that. While she did do one right thing, it was more for herself. I would have to say the same of Quentin.
While I did like the solicitor/fiancé of Maddie's sister, and really liked that he was determined to make things right, he bothered me a little. While considered them friends of a sort, he wasn't very patient or considerate of Hector and what had happened the past eight years.
I was amused there was definitely a "hint" of something that would be very important to the story.
I will definitely, most definitely suggest my friends purchase this. I read it in one sitting. I couldn't stop.
Heat level was an Oooohhh my, and very descriptive. The scenes were well written, and well placed too. This is definitely written for a mature audience.
Have I mentioned how much I loved this story?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Miracles and contrivances!

All Madeline Debenham dreamed of and worked towards was being accepted by the Royal Women’s Academy of the Arts. To be able to paint! An eminent painter Mrs Blanchard was willing to look at her work!
All Hector Wentworth (brother to the Duke of Blackburn), wanted was to become a member of the Royal Botanic Society and join a scientific expedition to South America.
When Maddie’s dream is shattered through an injury caused by Hector she’s left weak and hardly able to hold a brush. That’s a tall tale indeed. Plausible in a strangely earnest way.
By this time I was ropable. Maddie’s dream is dead in the water but she bravely deigns to forgive Hector and send him off to follow his dream! What!! Of course he fails to return. Meanwhile tragedy strikes the Wentworth family and a new heir is waiting in the wings.
Many years later on the way back from a trip to the Bahamas, Maddie sights a raft and sounds the alarm
That’s right, Hector is the raft’s occupant!
What are the odds? Well the situation is being revealed from the pen of the author so all bets are off!
However this is a stretch too far for me.
What with Hector being now shunned by society, and Maddie helping to try to reclaim Hector’s rightful place and inheritance, I found it way too contrived.
There’s so much going on I was dizzy.
And let’s not even talk about Maddie’s mother!!
Still, contrivances aside, suspend all cynicism and this is a pleasing read to while away a couple of hours.

An Oliver-Herber ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

A surprisingly good book, full of plot twists, with two gorgeous main characters and very intriguing side characters. I really ADORED Hector, who’s a breath of fresh air in the stuffy London Society (and he was the same also before his misadventure!). He’s a kind, strong man who doesn’t hide his feelings and has become stronger and more emphatic due to his predicament. I always liked the idea of a castaway who had to survive in dire circumstances and I felt for him when the other people didn’t understand his issues. I also liked Maddie and her strength. This was my first book by Russell and I really enjoyed her writing, her steamy scenes and her character building. I’ll certainly make sure to read more of her books!

Taming the Savage Duke has a *chef's kiss* premise. Like, the first few chapters are SO GOOD and I was shaking my head at how perfectly Russell wove that set up. I liked Maddie's introduction and set up: her passion for painting, her horrible mother, and then the accident that changes everything. Hector's introduction was not as smooth, but he had more obvious growing to do as a character, so it worked. The setup chapters dragged on a little TOO long, but it they worked.

Maddie and Hector's reunion was also pitch-perfectly written. I loved their re-introduction.

But once they all were back in London off the ship...the book floundered. I felt as though Russell lost the thread a bit. There's subplots with stolen paintings and blackmail that feels sort of shoehorned in. The despicable cousin character is hard to take seriously. And the "savage duke" is...hardly savage. Honestly, that's sort of my biggest complaint. Of course different social mores, etc etc, but I never felt the "oh man, is Hector really going to be able to reclaim his title?" anxiety. (also it claims to be steamy and yes there's on-page sex but I didn't really get into any of the sex scenes. I dunno.)

I already downloaded one of Russell's older, paranormal fiction books to see how this one holds up against what is clearly her more prolific genre. If nothing else, I am intrigued!

Thanks to NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

Taming the Savage Duke by Barbara Russell is Tarzan meets Cast Away.

Hector Wentworth is a obsessed botanist who is willing to go to extreme measures in order to apply and be accepted to participate in his dream expedition to the Amazonian forest. When searching for his perfect sample he collided with Maddie in the literally sense, ending her dreams to be a professional painter. From there is tragedy after tragedy that keeps them apart until fate brought them back together again.

This was an enjoyable and lovely easy read story with no suspense but lots of steamy scenes.

In the beginning, there are a few time jumps. And, not gonna lie, I needed some adjusting. But once the story started unfolding for real I was pretty into it.
My main highlight of this book was the chemistry they have. It felt so natural, so unprompted and carefree. Same goes for the sex scenes. I loved seeing how devoted they were to each other. How their main goal was to please the other. And how curious and bold our heroine was. Something we don't see that often in historicals.
And while I enjoyed the plot, I must say there were a few scenes that took me out of the book.
That being said, as a whole it was a pretty enjoyable read. And will try more books by Barbara Russell.

Maddie and Hector meet in a most unusual way. He crashes through her bedroom window trying to get a cutting of a rare plant to introduce to the botanical society. All Maddie wanted to do was get into a famous painting academy and now not only is her painting ruined but also her hand.
Years later, while returning home from a trip the ship encounters a castaway. It turns out to be Hector, who had gone on an expedition years before.
The author did a wonderful job with the mental problems that they both had. Maddie is the only one Hector trusts as she leads him back to a normal life.
The book had a lot of interesting secondary characters, a bit of a mystery, and some very steamy scenes.
It was a very interesting, hard to put down read.

I fell in love with the romance between artist Maddie and scientist Hector. Both of these main characters were so different and yet so similar at the same time. Their second-chance romance had the most perfect but devastating set up full of hope and heartbreak and I adored how supportive they were of each other's dreams, even during changes in circumstances, battling their own villains (who were absolutely awful) and as their relationship evolved. It was super intriguing to read a Victorian historical romance and see how society attitudes and rules affected the characters and their actions and choices.

The level of spice surprised me, but in the best way! I definitely didn't expect such heated moments to also be so tender.

This Barbara Russell book may have been my first, but it won't be my last!