O’Malley is a member of the Duke’s Guard. He is tasked to protect Baron Summerfield and his family. When the local vicar’s niece goes missing, O’Malley is sent to find her. Caroline has lost her entire family so she must travel to live with her uncle and his family. She finds herself in trouble on the road to her uncle’s home and has to be saved. O’Malley takes Caroline home to her uncle and then they realize that they just might belong together.
I am struggling with reviewing this story because I didn’t enjoy it like I have the prior stories in this series. I like O’Malley. I like the story of the bad guy. I like the story of how the Duke’s Guard outsmarts the bad guy. However, there is a fine line between a woman being spirited and being too stupid to live. At one point in this book, I decided the women in town were too stupid to live and once that happened I struggled to get excited about any of the female characters. Here’s a little clue: there is a very bad man heading to town that you know likes to kidnap woman and doesn’t hesitate to hurt women but there are also a group of men trying to protect you and focus on stopping the bad man, maybe you should listen. In the end, the women listen and the bad guy is thwarted but I kind of didn’t care. I will give the women credit that they finally realize they should be listening to the experts.
This is a story of how the wealthy and connected can get away with terrible crimes. It is also about an innocent woman learning about the dangers in the world. O’Malley is a war hero. You can’t always like every book from an author. I usually enjoy these books a lot so I will read more from this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley. O'Malley and his family is ever faithful to the Duke's family and he is in charge at Summerfield. He is asked to go find the vicar's niece who is on her way to live with her uncle and family. They are struck by how they are attracted to each other. They have Anderson again coming after the girls he kidnapped before. He has sent sharpshooters to get rid of the guards but they get them instead. But O'Malley gets shot and Caroline comes to take care of him.

This new story of the Duke's Gaurd series was an action-packed and well written love story. It was full of drama, action, intrigue, accidents, shootings, and so much more intense twists and turns that kept me highly entertained. The characters were delightful, complex, and strong-willed. I enjoyed watching how a romance began even though it wasn't meant to happen, and the love that was found made the ending beautiful and very happy. I highly recommend reading!

Another fantastic entry into the Duke's Guard series. Just when I think it can't get any better, a new book proves me wrong. This book picks up where The Duke's Mercenary leaves off. Prudence Garahan and the vicar's and blacksmith's daughter have been rescued and returned to their families. But word comes that the perpetrator of their abduction was released because he has friends in very high places. Baron Summerfield and the Guard members believe he will be looking for revenge. When the vicar's niece, Caroline, disappears on her way to stay with her uncle, Thomas O'Malley is sent to find her.

After her mother's death, Caroline is penniless and jilted by her suitor. On the journey to live with her uncle, she runs out of money for the coach and visits a pawnbroker. O'Malley's cousin O'Ghill saves her from the unwanted attention of the shopkeeper and locks her in her room at the inn while he waits for Thomas's arrival. When Thomas arrives and lets her out, something about him speaks to her heart.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Caro and Thomas. After seeing so many of his brothers and cousins fall hard and fast, it doesn't take long for Thomas to recognize his feelings. But he also knows his duty to the baron and must subdue those feelings while carrying out his duties. I enjoyed seeing Caroline and him get to know each other while the sparks of attraction grew with each encounter. Thomas's arguments with himself are amusing, and I laughed out loud at the teasing he endured from his cousins. There is also a terrific scene where Thomas deals with Caro's former suitor.

The story's suspense is intense as Baron Summerfield and the Guard members prepare to protect their loved ones. Matters are complicated by the headstrong actions of the vicar's daughter, who unthinkingly puts herself and others in danger. The tension builds as the danger draws nearer, and Thomas is injured. The conclusion is somewhat anticlimactic but satisfying.

Each book can be read as a standalone, but the backstory and family dynamics are best if you start from the beginning. I love these men and their loyalty, commitment, and support for each other. Their interactions are frequently funny, especially when accompanied by their stubbornness and competitiveness. I also recommend reading the author's Lords of Vice series to understand the relationships of the Duke of Wyndmere and his family.

I love this series. If you haven't read any of the series, please do so as it's always richly engaging and entertaining. O'Malley, one of the Duke's guards is sent on a mission to rescue a damsel in distress. Caroline is a bit feistier than a damsel in distress is supposed to be, which adds spice to an already adventurous story. There of course is a villain, danger and lots of emotion packed pages. Past characters are mixed in as well, so the reader gets to catch up with old friends as well as new ones.

4,5 stars

Every time I read a book in the series, it feels like a long-awaited family reunion. I love the Duke's Guards and the banter, bickering and dynamics between the brothers and cousins. This time it's about Thomas O’Malley, the head of the Duke’s guard at Summerfield Chase who is tasked with rescuing the vicar's niece Caroline Gillingham and protecting her from old and new enemies. Like his family members, he falls head over heels in love with his protégé, but must first tame willful charges and face a number of dangers before he and Caroline find their happy ending.
The well-written plot is filled with romance, humor, action, suspense and a bit of steam. Both main characters are very likeable. I admired Thomas' sense of duty and his patience. Caroline is a bit headstrong, but a very kind person. There was one character I couldn't stand: Caroline's spoiled cousin Melanie, whose behavior was childish, quick-tempered, reckless and willful. I hope she grows up by the time her own story comes round.

The story can be read as a stand-alone, but if you really want to understand the backstory and dynamics, you should start with the books in "The Lords of Vice" series and the previous installments in this series.

All in all, an enjoyable read about family bonds, love, faith, duty and honor that I am happy to recommend!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This historical romance series is linked by a team of bodyguards. The team are all brothers and cousins from Ireland. Because of the storyline behind the series it is better read in order.
Our hero this time needs to find a young lady and make sure a cousin, who is not normally part of the team, hasn't caused trouble.
Our heroine has had more than her share of tragedy in the last few years.
Our characters are strong and always ready for the danger that surrounds them. The men love a good fight. The women don't always like to be locked away from the danger. There is a lot of fun to be had between the pages. Each book will tempt you to buy the next.
Great fun.

Protecting the Duke and his family is the most important thing, until he seems to find a young lady worth protecting also. A good, moving, and romantic book. As with Admirands other books, this one should be be read anytime. At night during the day on the beach just anywhere you need a good read. You will look up after you’ve finished the book and wonder where the time went and that the time was well spent.
I absolutely adore the series with the kin that seems to protect the duke. However now almost all of them are married. I am kinda sad to see the series coming to a close. BUT there is good new there’s always more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with guidelines.

Kidnapping and rescues!

Ah those Duke’s men. This time it’s Thomas O’Malley who rescues the Vicar of Summerfield-On-Eden’s niece, Miss Caroline Gillingham, from an unsavoury pawnbroker.
First look at Caroline and his heart is smashed into his ribs and he never recovers. Cupids arrow has slain him.
Of course there’s pursuit and danger everywhere and off course Caroline is a stubborn woman who goes her own way straight into danger
A satisfying continuation of my guilty pleasure reads.

A Dragonblade ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

As with other books in this series, I found fast-paced adventure, maidens to be rescued, the green-eyed Irishmen and their feisty women. The rapport between the members of the Duke's Guard is as always witty and entertaining, but they have their work cut out for them when the mischievous young ladies go their own way, especially when it leads to disaster. Caroline has lost everything, but in O'Malley, she finds a man who wants her for herself and will go to any lengths to keep her safe. The novel, a copy of which I received as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, comes to a lovely conclusion, although O'Malley finds that his sweet wife still has the upper hand.

The Duke's Rapier is nothing short of inspiring and surprisingly deep for a romance novel. There are a lot of characters but so much camaraderie among the men of the Duke's guard. The men are mature, while women tend to be the opposite. Through this and the hardships that the women face, Admirand shows a good contrast between good and bad men within the story.

The Duke's Rapier features O'Malley, head of the Duke's guard at Summerfield-on-Eden, as the Hero of the story. He starts by being a literal hero as he rescues Caroline Gillingham from a room where his cousin left her so that she wouldn't "get into trouble." In the cousin's defense, she is a little bit headstrong and already has shown a tendency by the book's first few chapters to get herself into trouble. After the rescue, the trio rode through the night back to the vicarage, where Caroline, nicknamed Caro, was going to live with her uncle. Over the course of the story, the villain from The Duke's Saber reappears to seek his revenge after being released from prison. While this action unfolds, the Duke's guard is doing what they do best: coordinate guard duty, guarding, and courting injured lass. Caro gets injured on a small outing with her cousin, and she is confined to the house for some time. O'Malley steps up to cheer her up and eventually seeks to marry her. Over the course of the book, while all this is going on, the story's finer points are unveiled. These include things like Caro's tragic backstory, O'Malley's friendship with the guard, and even the cousin he doesn't really like becoming pretty chummy with him.

Of course, like in many of the Duke's Guard books, the Hero sustains an injury, and O'Malley's is pretty bad. It is touch and go there for a while, and everyone is worried that he will die. However, he pulls through in the end, and they get their happily ever after.

This book fits into Hero's and Bluestocking's trope. There is so much camaraderie between the men of the Duke's guard with their conversations that provide element's of the backstory and showcase their familial history and connections. The entire Duke's guard hails from Ireland, so there are elements of their history in many of the things they do and say. In this book, the men are all mature, manly, sort of men, while the women are more immature. However, many of the women have experienced hardships at the hands of men in the past, such as various mistreatment, intimidation, and abduction. While their fear is shown in the story, so is their strength. Also, the current men in the Duke's Guard stand up for them, which is heartwarming. It shows a good contrast between good and bad men within the story. There is also a touch of prayer and Christianity mixed into the novel. Overall, this book is for anyone who has been keeping up with the series or who likes regency romances about the gentry class.

Just as a disclaimer, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review on Netgalley! However, this is a completely honest review. I read the other books in this series through Kindle Unlimited; some are even featured in various reviews on my blog. I was utterly ecstatic, however, to get the chance to review this book before it hits shelves!

If I had to sum up the Duke's Rapier by C.H.Admirand in just a single word, it would be camaraderie. True to form, it featured Admirands classic headstrong heroes and feisty heroines, in the form of men who knew exactly what they wanted and women who were a little wild and immature at times, really capturing their youth. It offered a powerful image of the contrast between good and bad men. If you enjoy hero and bluestocking tropes in Regency romance, this book is for you!

The Duke’s Rapier by CH Admirand is another story of the duke’s guard. This time it is Thomas O’Malley, head of the guards at Summerfield Chase, the home of the Baron and Lady Phoebe. Garahan is also there, newly married to Prudence. The baron has just gotten word that Lord Anderson has been release, leaving the other members of his gang to face the music for what he has done. Olivia, the blacksmith’s daughter; the vicar’s daughter, Melanie; and Prudence had been abducted by him earlier, but being a member of the ton, punishment was not to be found in the courts. Right now the vicar had come to Summerfield Chase for help. His niece, Miss Carolyn Gilling ham was supposed to be on the mail coach but had not been and he was worried. O’Malley was dispatched to back track the route of the coach and find her. What he found was another cousin, one who was not a member of the duke’s guard, O’Ghill. And he had Miss Gillingham locked in a room in the inn while he spoke to men who had information for him. When O’Malley got the key and unlocked her door, she rushed him, and he fell in love. O’Ghill had obtained a horse for her and they left immediately. She was so exhausted she relaxed too far in her saddle for O’Malley’s liking so he moved her to his lap, where he mightily enjoyed the last hour of their ride.

Thomas O’Malley was tough and he was smart. Caroline was kind and had been through a lot the past few years culminating in the death of her mother. No wonder she was exhausted, and solemn. Melanie and Olivia were a little younger and still wanting to chase fun all the time. That landed them in trouble more than once. But, Anderson and his men were drawing closer and O’Malley had to take care of that before he could court Caroline. They caught him off guard and shot a musket that lodged its ball in O’Malley’s shoulder. The blackguard panted out that there were two more sharpshooters and they were at Summerfield Chase. After that, everything happened fast. Thomas is a terrific character, raised by a strong Irish mother; he knew his duty. Caroline was kinder and gentler, but every bit as strong. Both excellent characters. The plot was not essentially different than any in this series, and yet enthralling in its details. It is a good book. Very full of heart-pounding moments. I recommend it.

I was invited to read The Duke’s Rapier by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #CHAdmirand #TheDukesRapier

Thomas O’Malley doesn’t believe in coincidences, nor that his cousin has somehow managed to stumble upon the missing woman he has been sent to find. He arrives at the inn to discover O'Ghill has locked the vicar's niece Caroline Gillingham in her room at the inn. When O’Malley opens the door, a winsome lass with eyes the colour of morning mist, magnified by her spectacles, wild red curls, and freckles falls into his arms. And O’Malley is lost. Caroline Gillingham has lost everything: her older brother and his best friend, the man she promised to wait for, on the battlefield on the Iberian Peninsula, and her parents, both of whom succumbed to illness. She journeys to Summerfield-on-Eden to stay with her uncle the vicar and his family, but ends up a few hours away stranded at an inn with her mother’s locket, her father’s pocket watch, and three shillings in her reticule.
The tenth book in the series about the sixteen Irish men who form the Duke of Wyndmere’s guard whilst the books can be read on their own there are ongoing issues so I’d recommend reading in order. I loved both O’Malley & Caro both fell hard for each other, he’s loyal, conscientious & fearless, she’s feisty but also lacking in esteem. I thoroughly enjoyed their journey to a HEA & how they were there for each other especially when Caro’s presence helped O’Malley recover from being injured. I did feel the ending was rushed & a bit of a none event.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Having lost her entire family, plus her home and belongings, the last thing Caroline needs is a lascivious pawnbroker trying to steal her last mementoes of her parents. Luckily the Duke’s Guard come to her rescue and escort her safely to her aunt and uncle’s home. Thomas O’Malley falls for the feisty lass but their courtship is overshadowed by the release of a villain and the danger that brings. A headstrong and wilful cousin does not help matters either!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review

This is the second book I’ve read in this series and to be honest I was mostly confused as else rarely actually saw O’Malley and Caro together , and the book seemed more focused on recapping previous books and kidnapping then a love story 🤷🏼‍♀️

Perhaps this series isn’t for me - especially since I didn’t start at the beginning

C.H. Admirand always writes such delightful stories and I must say I'm really loving the Duke's Guard series!! The men are so loyal, honest, protective and stalwart and once they fall in love, watch out:) Being that most of them are brothers and cousins, I just love the camaraderie, the teasing and yes, even the bare knuckle fights!

This is Thomas O'Malley's story and it doesn't take him long to fall hard for Caroline when they first meet. Sent to protect her and bring her home to her uncle's place, he soon learns that she has a mind of her own and although very innocent, she has an inner strength that has helped her overcome the many tragedies in her life. With danger surrounding them, love still finds a way!!

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Family, Kidnappers, Romance
The Irishmen are on another mission. for the Baron. This one is headed by O'Malley and his new mission is to find the lass. The vicar's niece Caro is missing, and O'Malley and some of the men are heading out to discover what has gone wrong.
This is a journey that brings forth a romance between Caro and Thomas. The instant attraction towards each other made this a charming, yet thrilling story before they reach a very happy ending.
This book has all of the emotions I look for in a good solid love story. Lots of comradery, heartache, fear, drama galore, unsavory characters to overcome and an unusual marriage ceremony that grabbed at my heart strings.
The epilogue finished off the story with more than just a happy ending.

The sizzle, the suspense, the banter, the denial of feelings it was all a great recipe. And those intimacy scenes, super romantic and steamy.

What can I say……..I DO. Love this Irish band of cousins! Seeing Thomas fall over Caro was such a delight to read! Awaiting the villain to return to the “scene of the crime” the group does their best to fortify the area- including the Vicar’s house and The Blacksmiths. I adored how Thomas took care of Humboldt…that was hilariously funny! Melanie was quite a pill in this tale and it was good see her someone finally tell her to “grow up”. I was a bit put off by how “anticlimactic” the climax was over the villain, but I have a feeling that was left for another story. It truly is a treat to read this series. I love each and every one of the characters and the story lines are different, yet similar at the same time. Thomas and Caro have a connection and it just bolts off the pages!

I received this story for free and these are my own opinions