I keep trying and failing to enjoy romances. The characters in this story are endearing, but the writing style wasn’t for me. I wanted to try it because it sounded like a great story, but I’m not the right reader for it.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved the whole Las Leonas series, and this was a perfect ending to the trilogy! Finally we get to see the love story of our dear Doctora, after her two compatriots have been paired off with their perfect matches. I really enjoyed this one because Herrera clearly did so much research into the era and feminism and women's issues of the time (and ours) but it came across as romance first, and preachy advocacy in a distant second. I always love enemies to lovers, and this had heat and fun mixed in with serious topics. I really recommend it, but read the other two books first- they do not have to be read in order, but I do think this story benefits from the world-building of the other Leonas books.

I can't wait to see what Herrera writes next- she's now an auto-buy author for me!

Omgggggg! Aurora and Apollo are everything to me! their love, their banter, their complete love for one another fits their journey perfectly. Our girl is the ultimate girls girl and doctor at that! Her love interest is rich, handsome, and smart mouthed. I love everything about this book and getting to see Aurora learn to allow herself the love she deserves was healing. A 5 star story across the board!

The love these two experienced was everything a true supportive love should be. Also, broaching the topic of women’s health care in its history and reflection of present day was fearless. Thank you, Adriana Herrera, for this absolute gem of a witty, sexy, healing, once in a lifetime love story.

I really enjoyed Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, especially the pacing and the engaging dialogue between the Duke and Aurora. Their interactions were sharp, witty, and full of chemistry, making their relationship one of the highlights of the story. This was such a fun and exciting historical romance that I have been needing! The pacing kept things moving smoothly, with just the right balance of action and character development. Overall, it's a fun read with great character dynamics that kept me engaged until the very end. I will be adding the previous two Leona’s books to my TBR.

I loved this book. The way the relationship grew slowly, despite the spice scene early in the book, was wonderful and it was great to really feel them both fall in love. I also really appreciated how much time and research Herrera put into women’s medical treatment of the time and how, rather than a third act breakup, there was drama that felt both realistic and important to the character’s growth. It was a great balance of heartache and humor. I’ll read anything this author writes forever.

Thank you to Adriana Herrera and NetGalley for the ARC.

I just recently started the Las Leonas series and this entry the best one yet! If you love a strong female lead and an historical setting overseas, you have to read these. I've been recommending them to many non-romance readers too, but I warn them - it can get pretty steamy!

Aurora Montalban Wright runs an underground women's clinic in 1889 Paris and begrudgingly accepts protection from the new Duke of Annan. Apollo César Sinclair Robles is new to the aristocracy, and at least half of them are waiting for him to make a mistake. He feels Aurora would be his perfect Duchess, but she doesn't agree. Apollo brings Aurora to the French Riviera when they're threatened, and hopes that he can convince her what they have is real.

This is the third book of the Las Leonas series, but you don't have to read those first. Apollo recently became the Duke of Annan, but society doesn't like it because he's Black and an outsider. His half-siblings love him, and it helps that his half-brother has fallen in love with a Caribbean woman. He is trying to rectify the financial ties his family has and do good work for the people, another thing society doesn't value. Aurora has her own drive to help women, who are subject to the whims of men in their lives. Childbirth, pregnancy, and even a fistula are subject to husbands directing care, so Aurora goes behind their backs to do it. This gets the police and those husbands angry with her. Apollo, already intrigued by her vicious remarks in his direction, wants to ensure her safety. This means teaching her self-defense and getting a clinic location where she can practice.

The dynamic between Aurora and Apollo is one of prickliness as well as admiration and respect. Aurora has her secrets regarding her past that we discover before Apollo does, but she's certain that their revelation would either repulse him or ruin him if the wider world discovers them. Apollo isn't concerned about it, given that he wants to change everything about those same expectations that he can. His aunt wants to conform to those rigid societal rules, giving weight to Aurora's worst fears. The figure haunting Aurora's past that helped drive her from her family and into medicine appears in Paris, and one of the main lords trying to drive Apollo out of the aristocracy also comes into play as a symbol of the wider world of racism and misogyny. There are many aspects of this book that were pulled from historical fact, including the medical practices and thought leaders of the time. I found that as fascinating as the dynamic between Aurora and Apollo. They have loving friends and family, who make great appearances throughout the text. I thoroughly enjoyed this romance and seeing them get together.

5/5 stars
3/5 spice

Tropes:
Hate to Friends to lovers
Afro-Latinx MCs
Close proximity
Obsessed MMC
Curvy FMC
Spanish nickname and phrases
He takes care of her
Feminism and Activism
Dual POV
Last in series

First off...I will not accept any criticism in regards to this book. If you don't like women unapologetically indulging in their sexual desires... don't read this book. If you don't like feminist messages and diverse characters... don't read this book. If you don't think politics should be in romance... DON'T READ THIS BOOK.

But if you're a fan of ALL THAT and more... then please read this book and the other two in the series.

This book is real and in your face about the historical impact misogyny played(and still plays) in women's healthcare. We have two MCs that disregard the risks in fighting for what is right despite facing backlash, racism, and classism. And in the midst of all this, they are each other's safe space to let go and truly be themselves free from judgment.

"Una Leona, esta mujer. He thought he might never tire of her, if she was his."

I just knew this final installment of Las Leonas was going to be a banger (figuratively and literally). The way Apollo appreciated and took care of Aurora (despite her hating being coddled) was just perfection. He might have deserved her vitriol every now and then, but he was truly enthralled by her passion and convictions. And when your partner can love you in your worst moments... OMG swoon. No matter how hard she tried to push him away, he just became more obsessed.

"Aurora Montalban Wright was a firestorm. They could burn each other down to ash."

And Aurora... my goodness, this woman was a warrior. She made her choices and stood by them. I loved her morals and intensity. Was she prickly and stubborn? Hell yeah. But damn she did she earn (and endure) her stripes. I was rooting for her to stick it to the man the entire time. And luckily, she had a partner who wanted to help her do it.

“From the first moment I saw you, I’ve wondered what went into the making of your grit, and now that I know, I want to burn the world down and rebuild it for you.”

I will never stop recommending this book and series. These are the kind of books that I wish I had as a young adult because damn it feels good to feel seen.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke is the knockout finale to Adriana Herrera's Las Leonas series. This series finale follows Aurora, a Black female doctor who routinely bucks societal convention in support of her deeply held convictions, through a season in 1889 Paris. The prior two books in the series, which take place largely concurrently, depict Aurora on the margins, often disappearing from the glittering world of the Exposition Universelle to some mysterious radical undertaking.

Prior to her own book. Aurora is presented lovingly, if somewhat indulgently, by her best friends. They support her unconditionally but perhaps don't fully understand her. A Tropical Rebel is instantly captivating because it suddenly thrusts this enigmatic character into sharp relief. From the first page, I finally understood who this character is and the stakes of her work. We quickly find out Aurora is involved with a clandestine women's health clinic, consulting the marginalized wisdom of midwives and healers to provide care to anyone who needs it, regardless of ability to pay. Aurora is spiky and abrasive because that is how she learned to survive, but we meet her on her way to an assignation with the rogueish Apollo, the first Black man to inherit a dukedom. These characters circle each other as they pursue their causes, finding kindred spirits in their passion for change. That passion also expresses itself in a truly incendiary and swoonworthy romance.

This is exactly the historical romance I needed in 2025. It is the sort of story that shows that we have been here before and can make a way for ourselves, even when social circumstances forces our backs against the wall. I loved every second of this book.

Enjoyed this fun, steamy story so much. Aurora and Apollo are both delightfully rebellious and easy to root for and this was the exactly the kind of escapism I needed this year!

3.5 stars
“I don’t want debutantes,” he told her, with a stubborn set of his jaw. “I want pugnacious physicians who threaten me with scalpels.”

I haven't read the other two books in the series, but this 19th-century romance set in Paris was sizzling. Doctor Aurora Montalban Wright and her friends came from the Caribbean months ago and found love and their purpose. Well, Aurora has certainly found her purpose in helping women in sticky situations. She isn't so clear on the love part. After all, Aurora, at a young age, caused quite a scandal. What type of man would be able to overlook that?

Enter Apollo César Sinclair Robles, a newly appointed duke who cannot deny that the beautiful doctor might just be the perfect duchess for him. But it will take a lot of convincing before these lovers take their relationship public.

Well, the spice was spicy, the banter was entertaining, and I liked both Aurora and Apollo. It's such a relief that we are living in a time where characters in historical romance novels are becoming more diverse. Also, this book gets points for having Apollo be the one who has fallen harder than Aurora. Although the "will they, won't they be together" went on a little too long, that is what the genre is all about.

If I did have a quibble, sometimes the spicy scenes tended to overshadow the important work that Aurora was doing. Her work helping her female patients was quite interesting and quite parallel to issues that exist even today.

Overall, I would be on the lookout to read other titles in the series and/or other books by this author.




Publication Date 04/02/25
Goodreads Review 16/02/25
#ATropicalRebelGetstheDuke #NetGalley.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to The Hive, Harlequin Trade Paperback, and Harlequin Audio for the advance reader and listener copies. These opinions are my own.

This is book three of Las Leonas, an amazing historical romance series by Adriana Herrera. I have been simultaneously eagerly awaiting this and wanting to put it off because it's the end of the series.

I absolutely adore Aurora, our female main character. She took a bad experience as a 15-year-old and used it as motivation to become a doctor focused on helping women. So much of this book highlights women's health and just how essential reproductive healthcare is. Good historical romances always shine a light on current society, and this does so especially well.

And then there's the duke, Apollo. We saw him turn society on his head in previous books (I recommend reading this as a series in order). And somehow he's even hotter in this book?! It might be the shirtless capoeira that does it.

The two of them together are so amazing. There's such depth and character growth. I want to re-read the entire series at a single go now. And having loved the audio format here, I might choose audio for all three on a re-read.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Harlequin for my arc!

I love this spicy and deeply feminist series, and I think this was my favorite of the set. I love when we get to see the whole friend group together at the end of a series!

Be prepared for some feminine rage (and empowerment!) with this one - Dr. Aurora Montalban Wright runs an underground women’s clinic. I love a strong B-plot in a romance book, and this worked so well for me. I’m also passionate about women’s access to healthcare, and I loved how well researched this part was.

I absolutely love to see a down bad Duke who supports his love interest. Apollo and Aurora start as FWB, we can see how much Apollo wants to protect Aurora when he realizes how dangerous her work is. I love how their romance intertwined with Aurora’s work as a physician, it created some delicious romantic tension to balance the darker plot points.

As for why I rated this 4 starts instead of 5, it mostly comes down to personal preference. I tend to feel like a “this is just physical, no feelings!” trope goes on a little long for me. So I really liked it, but isn’t quite at that obsessed, immediately want to reread, 5 star vibe, if that makes sense.

There’s something so bittersweet about getting the third and final book to a series.
While I’m ecstatic to once again be in the pride of the Las Léonas, I am also a little sad that this will be the last time. That being, said Adriana Herrera gave us the most beautiful (and spicy) send off.
🌺 Historical romance
🌺 Powerful and moving FMC
🌺 The banter- soooo good!
🌺 He falls first.. and HARD
🌺 Dislike (not quite enemies) to Lovers
🌺 Lessons ; ]
🌺 spice, Spice, SPICE
In “A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke” we follow Aurora- who we already know from books 1 and 2 is a pretty stern and somewhat serious character. Aurora was one of the first female doctors and she has a reputation to uphold and a point to prove. We find her in our final installment running an underground women’s clinic and campaigning for women’s bodily autonomy.
In walks Apollo. That’s right, we see Apollo again- our surprise half brother from book one who is now trying to navigate his newly appointed dukedom.
🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺
This isn’t your momma’s historical romance. Adriana Herrera really turned up the heat for this final book and it was sooooo good. While this is an historical romance so much of this book is (ALARMINGLY) in tune with the current events.
I love Aurora for being such a strong and powerful FMC. I especially love that our MMC see’s her for exactly who she is, accepts her as she is, and doesn’t try and change her.
I found myself getting frustrated with the “will they or won’t they” but hey that’s what’s longing is all about right?
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

started reading this book and then realized it was part of a series. So I had to stop and go back to the first book in the Las Leonas series. I’m glad that I did. You really need to read the first two books to really get a sense of who the characters in this book are. You need the back story.

Aurora is a doctor. Apollo is a Duke. He was taken with her the moment he met her. She hated him. But her hate was a way to hide her attraction to him. He immediately wants to take care of her and protect her. She is fiercely independent.

Then he decides he wants her as his wife. She doesn’t think that her past allows her to take that role. He doesn’t care. He is ready to give up everything for her.

This was a very good third book in a very good series. I enjoyed the passion that Aurora and Apollo shared. Apollo truly didn’t play about his woman and he wasn’t afraid to let the world know it.

+ I was gifted this arc even though I didn’t read any of the two previous books in this series. And I found as I was reading, I didn’t feel lost. It reads as a standalone. which is nice.

+ I love the romance between Aurora and Apollo. The two of them together are spicy and oh so sensual! I love their chemistry. She’s always slapping his arm or nipping him-I love when characters can do that because I feel like it’s playful and they were so fun together.

+ Aurora is an amazing character because she’s a doctor who is providing women’s health! I love that she’s a strong women in a challenging time. I also love the author’s note in the back explaining her inspiration for the story, the history and challenges of Latina women in the medical field.

Final Thoughts:

I haven’t read a historical romance in a long, long while even though that was my first love that got me into reading books. But this book is exactly how I would want historical romance to be written right now – a strong, female character, and something about history I can learn, plus a spicy, sensual romance! Really enjoyed this one!

I don't know what Adriana puts in her books, but magic must be involved. Every book I read of hers is better than the last and this one is no exception. I laughed and giggled, even kicked my feet a few times, because the chemistry between Aurora and Apollo was INTENSE. Herrera manages to give a HEA while address some hard topics and yet staying within the romance genre. I love how protective Apollo is of Aurora, and even more that she enjoys that. Ugh, all the feels were felt in this book. I need another one by Herrera ASAP.

Historical romance has come so far since I first discovered Beverly Jenkins' Night Song. That original 1994 cover still stops me in my tracks. It changed the way I read those books. It proved that happy endings in historical romance didn't have to be limited by race class or country of origin.

That's why reading A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, the last book in Adriana Herrera's Las Leonas series, feels especially poignant. This series hasn't just pasted diversity onto the usual world of beautiful gowns and betrothals- it's expanded our understanding of what historical romance can be. Through three books, Herrera has crafted a world where Caribbean heiresses move through high society with confidence and agency, where their cultural heritage is celebrated rather than erased.

The series finale delivers everything I expect from Las Leonas: sharp dialogue, sizzling chemistry, and characters who feel entirely themselves. It's the historical romance I dreamed about when I first saw Jenkins' work - one that proves happy endings belong to all of us.

It’s out now! Run and grab a copy. You' won’t regret it.

I truly did enjoy this (don't think there's been a Herrera in which I didn't enjoy...) Aurora and Apollo had chemistry and love to last a life time.

Adriana Herrera is masterful at crafting a gripping historical romance. A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke is the best example of fiction narratives mirroring and providing examples of what happens in the real world. Both the Apollo and the Aurora are dynamic characters that are very relatable and have you rooting for their entire relationship. Even greater than the love story, there is so much reassurance for women and the work that we are capable of accomplishing. Strength continues to guide us, but this story is a reminder that we can depend on others and it does not diminish what we can accomplish.

Our merry cast of Leonas continues to be the most supportive friend group. I'm going to miss this entire series, but Adriana will continue to remain an auto-buy author for me!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.