The Duke of Deceit by Anna Harrington is the second book in The Dukes of Darkness series and a definite must read if you love historical romances.
Lucien Grenier, Duke of Crewe prides himself on his wicked reputation and the secrets he keeps from society but soon rumors come out that possibly can cause him to lose the dukedom.
Jessamyn St Claire is determined to do everything possible to ruin Lucien Grenier's dark reputation. After eight long months Jessamyn wants retribution for her sister and that means Lucien will marry her or everyone in society will know what Lucien Grenier is really about.
However, they soon realize that their feelings for one another have changed and what they set out to do is not what they want now.
I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

I really enjoyed this book. It had everything you would want in a book. It had a strong male Hero, humor, a mystery, and romance. It even got me a little choked up. I loved the secondary character of Phillip, who has downs syndrome. I thought it was handled tactfully and well written.
My only negative would be I felt the female heroine, Jess, was a little obnoxious. Even when all was revealed, all secrets uncovered, she was still not happy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

"The Duke of Deceit" is the second in The Duke's of Darkness series by Anna Harrington. Starring Lucien Grenier, Duke of Crewe and Jessamyn St Claire. In her quest to ruin the duke's dark reputation, Jessamyn unwittingly puts him in an untenable position. While I enjoyed the story overall, I was not a fan of Jessamyn giving Crewe an ultimatum. After the trouble she caused, while well intentioned in her mind, was rooted in untruths, and it's my opinion that she should have had the grace to support him either way.

I received a copy from the author, and this is my voluntarily given review

I didn't like Jess. Like at all. She accuses him of lying all the time and when he is finally completely honest about his life (which he still never lied to her about) she is dismissive of his feelings and coming up to a solution. <spoiler> He is protecting his brother that has a mental and potential physical disability that is the true heir and instead of helping him come up with a solution just demands that he be honest about the situation. Even when he discusses how he could be tried as a traitor cause the royals don't like him. I can understand her wanting him to be honest about all of it but not helping to find the solution?? </spoiler> And the sub plot with her sister, she was kissing him and still demanding he marries her sister... like woman I don't get that at ALLLL. Lucien, I liked him. He was caring, loyal, committed, and generous. I honestly don't think she deserved him and I hate saying that so much.

A little bit of tortured hero goes a long way in Anna Harrington's Duke of Deceit for an angsty story full of hidden truths and longing!

Lucien Grenier, Duke of Crewe seemingly proudly wore his cloak of depravity as he regularly reinforced his rakish reputation. Yet underneath his disreputable facade lived a hero with many secrets and the weight of his dukedom's sinister legacy on his shoulders.

Jessamyn St Claire was fiercely protective of what family she had. Loyal and resourceful Jess was a woman who could not tolerate injustice especially when the target of the injustice was her own sister.

Lucien and Jess were a couple who fought their attraction even while building it. With extremely charismatic dialog and feisty interactions this pair was captivating. Ms. Harrington expertly contradicted her hero with villainous behavior even in the middle of him performing acts of valor for an immensely intriguing portrayal. Even Jessamyn's misguided outrage was well done ultimately being the catalyst to exposing Lucien's burdensome deception.

This author's adeptness at including the sensibilities of the times she is depicting to show the rationale for her main characters choices and their repercussions was very well executed. Behaviors and decisions that do not make sense in modern times did in the context of this work and became clear by this story's end showing this writer's expertise in the time she was representing.

Anna Harrington continues to show her versatility as a historical romance writer with works showing the timelessness of love in defined eras. Her research is extensive yet is not overbearing allowing her stories to take center stage. Keenly aware of the differences in the times she writes in versus current times Ms. Harrington is able to accurately show the past and bring it into the present without compromising the integrity of history. Of note this author did a sensitive and perceptive job of showing the challenges of a character with Down's Syndrome in an historical setting. Duke of Deceit takes a dark past and brings it into the light for a well deserved happily ever after in the inimitable style of Anna Harrington!

Lucien Grenier, Duke of Crewe is an enigma. He presents a facade of an irredeemable blackguard going from one scandal to another. When, in reality, that persona is a lie. He is actually a decent person doing good works anonymously. Jessamyn St. Claire is on a mission; to make Lucien's reputation as white as snow, unaware that his black reputation is not real and for good reason. At first adversaries, then calling a truce as she learns more of his truth. Occasionally, a book may have a character go back and forth between living in different levels of society, but this tale is unique in that Lucien never leaves his place in society, just lives a different level in addition to it. It makes for very interesting reading. The characters are great especially once Jess lets herself be less prudish. One of the best characters is Philip. It is rare that a person with Down's has an important role in a story. The author does an exception job of capturing his essence, no wonder the other characters want to protect him. Great tale to get lost in. I did not want it to end. Shay Douglass is next.

This is the first that I have read by this author. The story was a little different then the usual story. Good guy wanting to have a bad reputation and be left alone. The young lady trying to right a wrong, but finds the wrong might be a little not what it was told to her as. I like the characters and their interactions with each other.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the Publisher and leaving a review by my own choice.

I love the main characters in this novel, despite their initial antagonism. Jessamyn St Claire is determined to obtain justice for her sister, not realizing she is opening a can of worms. Lucien, the Duke of Crewe, is horrified to discover that someone is attempting to alter public perception of him, going against everything he has done to craft a wicked, dark reputation. The closer Jess comes to knowing Lucien the more she realizes that the situation is not at all what it looks like. As the truth evolves, the attraction between Lucien and Jess sizzles, however, with so many secrets Jess knows that she cannot live a lie. With some help from his friends, Lucien puts the past under the spotlight, and despite the novel closing on an uncertain note, Lucien and Jess hopefully find their way to future happiness. I received a copy of this well-written romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

I loved this book with its very unusual plot in which he tries to maintain a bad reputation and she tries to make him appear good!!! Of course I won’t spoiler anything, but the result is hilarious, especially at the beginning, even if there’s some angst when his real motives are revealed. This is really a wonderful book, well written and with very intriguing characters. I loved how Philip is portrayed (you’ll discover who he is in book) and of course I loved Lucien, who stirred a protective instinct in me. I love misjudged characters very much and Lucien is exactly that, even if it’s his own fault. Highly recommended.

The Duke Of Deceit by Anna Harrington is a delightful book. The premise is simple. Lucien, Duke of Crew, had dallied with her sister and now she was with child. Jessamyn St Claire intended to make sure the wedding took place, no matter what. It was a bumpy road. The Duke of Crewe had a bad reputation and was determined to keep it. Amanda had no idea what she was doing and Jess didn’t intend to tell her. She would deal with this if it took every coin she had. She was going to destroy his evil reputation and make him into a good man who would have no choice but to marry.

This lovely book hit on some major topics, such as Down Syndrome and society’s reaction to it, which actually remained much the same until only fifty or so years ago. It also told the story of a good man trying to navigate society with a huge secret, one that weighed on him heavily. Of course, only Jess could figure it out; maybe she’s the only one who cared to. It was an emotional story, for many reasons. All came right in the end, but not without a lot of heartbreak along the way. Well done!

I was invited to read the Duke of Deceit by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #AnnaHarrington #TheDukeOfDeceit

I completely devoured this story. I am now and forever a big fan of Anna Harrington's writing, and I must make it a goal to read everything she's ever written and will write.

Our two main characters, Lucien and Jessamyn, had sparkling, shiny, sweaty tension from their very first interaction. I looove a good tension/hatred fueled beginning to a relationship in a story like this, not going to lie. The reason for their "war" made for a really good base of them learning about each other and made way for their journey to falling in love, despite how unconventional it was.

Harrington created realistically flawed characters, with various reasons for being that way, but also gave them opportunity to learn and grow. I truly cannot gush more about how much I loved reading her words the entirety of this book.

Another thing I really appreciated about this was the representation of a character with special needs, which I cannot recall ever seeing in a historical romance before. It was explored in an overall very general sense, but the author's note gave some information behind Phillip's character instead of just glossing over it or leaving the reader to wonder what the backstory of him was.

What’s a fellow to do when a determined miss steadily turns his blackened reputation as pure as the driven snow? Declare all-out war!

Lucien Grenier, Duke of Crewe has spent years assuring his reputation was so dark no amount of light could penetrate its depths. He HAS to keep it that way for the sake of his brother and the title. If he’s vile enough, people will stay away and won’t dig into the depths of his family. It doesn’t matter that his reputation is all built upon illusion and role-playing and he’s not the vile creature everyone thinks he is. Everyone must view him as vile, despicable, wicked, and selfish. So, he is aghast to learn that a lady is attributing many good deeds to him and rehabilitating his reputation.

Jessamyn (Jess) St Claire has never had a positive male role model in her life and therefore has a general distrust of them. Therefore, it is easy for her to believe that he ruined her younger sister and refused to marry her. Well! She’ll make him pay and she’ll make him marry her sister. Nothing will get in her way.

Thus, the games begin. Jessamyn against Lucien is a match made in . . . where? Jessamin doesn’t have much money, but she’s willing to spend all of it to see that Lucien is rehabilitated so he can marry her sister. Every day Lucien wakes up to some new ‘good deed’ credited to him. Oh!

I liked both Jess and Lucien but failed to follow their logic – especially Jess’s. If this man’s reputation was so black – as a debaucher of women, gambling, etc. – why would she want to tie her poor sister to him for life? Yes, she was ruined – but nobody knew – and yes, she was going to have to give up the child – but – I fail to see why Jess would campaign to put her sister and the baby in the hands of someone who could be so dangerous to them. Even if she turned his reputation to the good side, that wouldn’t mean she had turned the man to the good side. Jess is too manipulative for my taste, but I did love her relationship with her aunt.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and I am glad to have met Jess and Lucien. Now, I am curious to see the story between Shay (another Dark Duke) and Sophie. There were plenty of ‘hints’ of things in this book to whet my appetite for that story and I assume it will be the next one.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

He's a bad, bad boy....

Or, is he?
The basis for the plot is a pretty tall leap. So just put your blinders on in order to enjoy.
Lucien is hiding a secret that somehow he thinks by being a wicked rake, no one will dig for his secrets. Even more improbable, Jessamine is spending her time and money to rehab his reputation so he will marry her sister, Who she believes Lucien ruined. Its a stretch.
So, just go with the fiction of it all....I did like that Lucien had layers and was way more interesting as not being a rake.

The Duke of Deceit by Anna Harrington is a captivating romance filled with wit, secrets, and redemption. Lucien Grenier, Duke of Crewe, prides himself on his wicked reputation, which keeps others from uncovering his hidden truths. Jessamyn St. Claire, determined to avenge her sister’s ruin, sets out to reform Lucien’s blackened name, only to discover his carefully hidden goodness.
The chemistry between Lucien and Jess is electric, with sharp banter and heartfelt moments. Lucien is a complex character whose layers are skillfully revealed, while Jess’s determination and courage make her an engaging heroine. The story weaves romance, intrigue, and surprising twists seamlessly.
The secondary characters, especially Phillip, add depth and charm to the narrative. Although part of a series, this book can stand alone beautifully. With its delightful blend of humor, emotion, and drama, this is a must-read for fans of historical romance.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

There is nothing like the wrath of a scorned woman. Except the wrath of an overprotective sister when she perceives that her younger sister has been wronged. Anna Harrington weaves an improbable but very real plot in Jessamyn St. Claire’s unrelenting passion to punish and bring to bay the super alpha male, Lucian Grenier, the Duke of Crewe, who has also cornered the market of “Deceit.”
It’s a reminder that the strongest of passions go hand in hand when both hate and love are involved. These emotions, and many more collide as this story unravels into some very tantalizing and steamy scenes. In the beginning, the reader will be perplexed as to why the Duke of Deceit has chosen this path. As the book unfolds, the rationale comes to fruition. Jess is not the only character in the book with a need to protect others. Intriguing read.
I volunteered to read this advanced copy. These opinions are my own.

An engaging and heart-felt story filled with secrets and well committed characters. I adored Jess and Lucien, well matched with undeniable chemistry. There's is a journey towards a deserving happily ever after.

Nothing about this story was believable. I don’t believe that a duke who has a family secret that he wishes to hide decides that the best way to keep that secret hidden is to pretend to be a wicked and cruel lord, even while he’s doing all sorts of good deeds behind the scenes. How does pretending to be despicable keep people from looking closer at anything about him? Then the heroine, believing that the duke had seduced her younger sister, decides that the best way to force him to marry the sister is to spend her last savings to make people think he’s doing good deeds. Yeah, that will make him so angry that he’ll agree to her marital blackmail. Then he figures out that she’s the one making him look saintly and they meet and fall in love.

The whole plot was so stupid that I couldn’t care about anything else.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

*****spoilers ****


I love it when we find out early in the story that the rake actually has a heart. Give me a reformed rake any day!!

A great cast of characters. We've got Jess, who's trying to get justice for her sister Amanda. We've got Lucien, who's trying to keep everyone at arm's length so they don't discover his secrets. Phillip-who's Lucien's sweet older brother.

A great story which has a HEA for more than one couple.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Anna Harrington’s Duke of Deceit may be the best book I’ve read this year. Lucien is cold hearted rake, bad to the core to every one. Or so it seems. No one has bothered to look past it until Jessamine St Clair and she didn’t want to see any goodness in his black heart. Lucien is so finely written that you just know he’s going to find a way to hold on to the peace he finds only with Jess. This book is a true love story and you won’t want to put it down until their story is fully told. And Phillip is a joy. I’m not telling more on that, you’ll need to read the book to find out more. I promise it’s worth it! Just pure sweet love with plenty of steam.

The Duke of Deceit by Anna Harrington is book two in The Dukes of Darkness series. If you haven't read book one, to get the full story you may want to read that one before picking this one up as there are references to characters and backstory in this one. That said, you could pick this one up and probably dive in with only these characters if you don't mind missing out a few minor details.

Lucien Grenier, Duke of Crewe, is our mmc and he presents himself to the public as a selfish, wicked, rake. His reputation is important because that is what will keep society away and keep them from discovering his secrets...of which he has plenty. The problem is that recently, weird things have been happening. Rumors have been going around that he has been sponsoring charities and doing good deeds and he needs to figure out who is spreading them because they could ruin everything he has built. And that could not only ruin his reputation but make him lose his dukedom.

Enter Jessamyn St. Claire. She is determined to make Lucien pay...or well - clean up his reputation. Eight months ago he ruined her sister and Jess is going to make sure that Lucien continues to feel the hit to his reputation unless he agrees to marry her sister. But as she continues to dig deeper into his background, Jess discovers that Lucien's reputation is actually not as bad as he plays it up to be in public. He's actually a pretty good man and the more she learns, the more she finds herself drawn to him. Soon it isn't her sister she wants Lucien to marry but she can't help thinking that maybe he's the man for her.

I thought Harrington did a great job of bringing these two characters together and I enjoyed the back and forth they had. I thought it was interesting that Jess would try to force something like this behind her sister's back and think she wouldn't find out but I also thought that despite her reasons why, her sister should have been honest with Jess about who actually ruined her. So many people making decisions for others...you'd think a little conversation could help. But...I digress. Lucien's secret is a pretty big one and when Jess finds out, I thought the choice she gave him was an interesting approach. I'm not sure how I feel about it and I thought she was pretty harsh.

All that to say, I still enjoyed the book. Admittedly I think I have enjoyed Harrington's prior series more than this one so far but I'll still pick up the next ones as I'm curious about the other Dukes.