Guys. If you have any interest in historical romance, do not sleep on this one. I’ve loved the whole Las Leonas series, but Aurora’s story is my favorite.

There’s SO MUCH to adore. First, let’s talk about Doctor Aurora Montalban who serves women in need whether they have money or whether what they need is “legal.” She’s tough as hell and wears blade gloves when she’s out alone at night. She has a hard won medical degree and one of the sharpest tongues in historical romance. She’s smart and wickedly funny and a Dominican-Mexican woman in Paris skirting the law for her patients. The stakes are high for her.

When she met Apollo a few months earlier, they had an immediate antagonistic, and highly attracted, relationship. Now, he’s the newly-titled Duke of Annan. The first Black duke and he wants to do right by his duchy. This means marrying the right kind of duchess. A lawbreaking rebel shouldn’t be the right answer. 😉

Y’all. Apollo is so down bad for his Fiera. Aurora thinks they’ll hook up a few times and get their attraction out of their systems. I love it when the idiots think this will work.

Aurora has more than a few things holding her back. She was treated very poorly by her parents and even more poorly by her first lover. Apollo has some work to do and he does it. He’s an artisan of “if he wanted to, he would.”

Their journey is fraught with run-ins with the law, with family, with the aristocracy in general. But as we all know, love eventually conquers all.

I didn’t even get into how good these two are together. Their sexual chemistry is off the freaking charts. Deliciously spicy.

I absolutely, positively love this story. Netflix needs to give us Las Leonas as a series. For real. We would all be dead with pleasure.

Highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was given the eARC via #netgalley and @harlequinbooks. All thoughts are mine alone.

#booksbooksbooks #historicalromance #romancebooks #readromance #reading #spicybooks #spicyromance #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera
Las Leonas #3

Coming into this series on book three no doubt left me without some of the backstory of both Aurora and Apollo but even so, this book managed to stand alone.

I can remember my first foray into the history of medicine and asking my father, an anesthesiologist and medical historian, for books that I could borrow from his library for a research paper in high school. I was so intrigued that I even contemplated becoming a physician although nursing became my focus instead.

This thought-provoking story had me looking up historical facts, finding out when the first black female doctor graduated in the USA, reading about fistulotomy surgery and the horrors of its research, and thinking about how in this “modern era” we are going backward rather than forward in women’s health care. It was obvious that in-depth research was done, information was shared without being dry, and I was grateful for new information that I would not have otherwise encountered.

This is a story that stars two people of color that are well educated, had difficult backstories to overcome, and who both were admirable people I would have liked to become friends with. Their love story wasn’t smooth and easy, but it was a delight to watch unfold. I also enjoyed the supporting characters, the way some of the odious other characters were routed, and that the focus was on improving lives of women and wondering if this, too, was a fact of the times or just a wished-for possibility.

I admired both Apollo and Aurora for their tenacity, drive and ability to focus on what was best for the two of them without allowing themselves to be forced into society’s expectations. I felt sorry for some of their family members, when not being angry with them, for their need to cling to what they thought would be societally best for themselves and their family members.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing – Canary Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

I love this series and this one was amazing! This book makes me go back and re-read the first one I will be purchasing along with the second one of the series. I pre-ordered this novel from a bookshop that features an art piece.

It is 1957, in the early days of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, and two of the earliest mysteries are set before the queen. It will be intriguing to observe how she establishes a pattern for her involvement in these mysteries. Her Majesty resolves the mysteries and provides anonymous support to Scotland Yard, accomplished with the assistance of her secretary. The queen encounters the murder of a woman working as an escort, along with the man who hired her. The deceased woman is found wearing a stolen tiara, leading to British tabloid headlines of the 'tart in the tiara.' As the story unfolds, numerous secrets begin to surface about some of society's upper crust. Naturally, any book about the Queen would not be complete without mention of Prince Philip, leaving one to wonder if some of his secrets are involved in this murder. A second mystery occurs during a state visit to France, directed at the Queen. Is someone within her inner circle attempting to hurt and discredit her? She doesn't know who to trust, except for her secretary, Joan. The two of them collaborate to uncover the identity of the person behind this plot and their ultimate endgame. The Queen, still in the early stages of her reign, with the country recovering from the aftermath of World War II, seems somewhat apprehensive at times. This apprehension is understandable, given her responsibilities as a young wife, mother, and monarch. This book was a delight to read, and for this American reader, the late Queen became even more relatable. Although the book fell outside of my typical genre, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

From that first meeting, she’d found herself equally appalled and intrigued by him.

Readers of the Las Leonas series have been waiting for this book ever since Aurora and Apollo first sizzled on page. You could start the series here, you'd miss out on a little bit of groundwork laid between our two leads but there was enough here to understand and feel the connection between the friends and their relationships in this one. The prologue gets us going right away when the key Apollo put into Aurora's pocket months ago, finally has her showing up at his door. They have heat between them and they act on it but they're both also emotionally going through it for their own reasons, Apollo's revenge against his father has been meted out, only for him to die and now Apollo finds himself the Duke of Annan, while Aurora's family has cut off her payments from her trust fund. They physically let out some steam but too in their own heads to finally deal with their emotions.

The long and short of it was that the fastidious, forbidding, scrupulous Aurora Montalban was spending her nights committing crimes under everyone’s nose.

After the prologue we jump a few months where Apollo is back in England and learns that Doctora Aurora is working at the Le Bureau (brothel) and uses it as an excuse to go back to Paris to check up on her. Through their friends (main characters from the previous two books in series) they meet back up and we get Apollo and Aurora striking a deal that Apollo will donate a building for Aurora to have a women's clinic in, so she's not in danger running around Paris trying to meet-up with patients, and teach her some self-defense moves (capoeiragem). For Aurora's end, she'll give her advice and expertise on how to run a clinic and she wants sexual lessons from Apollo, mainly help her learn what she likes. These are the reasons for keeping the two in each other's orbit, what is trying to pull them apart is the lingering part of Apollo's revenge, he wants the aristocracy to accept him and gain some feeling of respect through that for his mother who has died, this is pushed a lot by his tia who is trying to set him up with respectable heiresses. There's also an in the wings aristocrat villain that works to discredit Apollo. Aurora's issues are from when she was taken advantage of when she was a teen by an older man, she felt ignored and unloved in her family, and is eventually forced into a decision that has her going against her family and distances her even more emotionally from them. It's what caused her parents to send her to a finishing school, which series readers know is where the Las Leonas meet and form.

Why must you always be so angry?

These two pretty much like each other right off the bat, sure there's some friction from two hard-headed people, but the physical and emotional attraction is baked in. Apollo chases her a good amount, Aurora has a lot on her plate with being a doctor and trying to get around men to best serve her women patients. This is very much a historical romance of the time and I can see future generations centering and pointing to it. There was a lot of passages and lines that I highlighted, ex.: This was a woman of means, and yet in her letter to the clinic she’d indicated her inability to pay for her visit because she could not spend any money that could not be explained to her husband.
The plot and romance are there but what grabbed me the most was the we've had these battles before and we found ways to win vibe and underlining message.

The prickly, censorious doctor who behind closed doors became his Fiera.

I really enjoyed how Luz Alana and Manuela, together with Aurora make up the Las Leonas who the series is about, made many appearances in this. Their friendship is written so beautifully and I enjoyed seeing them together. I did think the ending did get somewhat drawn out, because of the past decision Aurora made and the reason she didn't feel love from her family, she feels she'll only be a hindrance to Apollo's need to fit in with the aristocracy. The whole book felt like a showing by Apollo all the things he was willing and did do because he loved Aurora, even if there was some, feeling like, forced spouting of I need a respectable debutante. I guess I didn't completely still buy into what was keeping them apart around the 70% mark.

“I’m the Duke of Annan, and I’m using my power, my position and my money to give you what you deserve. What about it?”

These two were spicy together and I believed in their emotional connection, but what I really fell for was the historical-ness of this. You'll get setting and atmosphere, 1889 Paris with bonus lavender fields and French Riviera and historical shout-outs, Sarah Loguen Fraser (considering the day I'm writing this review, let me give my own shout-out, Rebecca Lee Crumpler). It was a great series send-off and I definitely spotted some characters that could be spin-off material. If you're looking to get into a new historical romance series, this has been my recent favorite.

"It's about time a woman made you lose your head" (location 473). - Gilberto

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and Adriana Herrera for the opportunity to read and be invited to the Blog Tour for A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke in exchange for an honest review.

Paris, 1889. Aurora is a woman's physician, though her dealings are those that are against the law, helping women in secret under the cover of night and without their husband's knowledge. Aurora doesn't mind if they can't pay, as long as she is offering health services they both need and deserve.

Apollo, the new Duke of Annan, enjoys the strong, fiery side of Aurora, and when she comes to his home seeking pleasure, almost as a means of escape from her regular duties, Apollo wants more. But he is a Duke now. With Aurora having an illegal business as well as being illegitimate, there's no way the two can ever hope to be together. But that doesn't mean they can't have a little fun until the Duke finds a bride...

There is just so much I love about this novel (besides the spice!). There are cultural elements for people of color in the 1880's, which I greatly appreciate, as well as the discrepancies between the lives of men and women, and what women are not allowed to do during this time period.  I enjoyed the European allure throughout. Mostly, I love the characters. Aurora is quippy and head-strong with her beliefs, but Apollo gets to see the side of her she hides from the world, the vulnerability of her past that makes her just as human as he, and even more connected to the Duke. The writing is fun and the characterization is great. All these elements come together to make a most enjoyable historical romance that any female reader is sure to enjoy!

Thank you Canary Street Press and NetGalley for the free advanced e-copy.

Instantly sensual and tension-filled 𝘈 𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘦𝘣𝘦𝘭 𝘎𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦 is both incredibly romantic and a fierce commentary on the place of women in the world.

I read this, the third book in the Las Leonas trilogy as a stand-alone, although I do think reading the first two novels would have added to my enjoyment of this one.

THIS BOOK!! The passion, the Spanish phrases, the capoeira lessons, the caregiving, and the interwoven friendships. So much to obsess over!

Apollo Sinclair has mostly settled into his title of Duke, working to be a kinder ruler than his father despite the aristocracy’s reticence toward a Black duke. He may be an eligible bachelor, but he only has eyes for one woman, and she is fiery.

Aurora Montalban is a fierce advocate for her patients working in an underground network to provide women’s healthcare. She has spent the last decade becoming independent and hesitates to let a man behind her defenses.

I instantly fell for these two. Their push-and-pull is believable, and their dilemmas over maintaining Apollo’s fragile influence as a duke and Aurora’s desire to give comprehensive medical care are fully developed.

Adriana writes a compelling, tension-filled love story, but her representation of women’s health and the hypocrisy of the aristocracy are truly the standouts in this novel.

The level of research into how women took care of women was outstanding. Everything from childbirth complications to the regulation of contraception was accurate to the time period but also mirrors debates in healthcare today.

Adriana made an example of how certain men in power are not held accountable for their actions in the same manner as those traditionally underrepresented.

Her writing is honest and compelling, showing the absolute depth of the historical romance genre. This is a true standout, and I cannot wait to revisit this world in the first two books!

Enjoy!

YES YES HECK YES - this is the book I really needed to read right now. Aurora is a doctor running an underground women's clinic and Apollo is a duke struggling to find his place in the aristocracy as a Black duke. They are fiery together and I really loved how they pushed each other.

I have really enjoyed all of the books in the Las Leonas series and I can't wait to read what Adriana Herrera puts out next.

** I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The narrator did an excellent job with both male and female voices in the dual POV of this story. The author did an amazing job on the writing, and I couldn't stop reading. I thought it was historically accurate, well rounded characters, and a story that kept me entertained the entire time. What more could I ask for? I can't wait for more from this author. I highly recommend this to the historical fiction and romance readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Harlequin, and Adriana Herrera

Captivating Historical Romance and Feminist Fiction

This novel is a captivating and thought-provoking read that will particularly appeal to fans of historical romance, feminism, and women's rights. Readers will be swept away by the passionate and empowering story of a strong-willed doctor and a duke who must navigate the complexities of love, identity, and social justice in 19th-century Paris.

The novel delves into the challenges faced by women in the medical field during that era, highlighting the protagonist's determination to break barriers and pursue her passion for healing. The story explores themes of gender inequality, societal expectations, and the fight for autonomy and respect.

Amidst the backdrop of historical Paris, with its vibrant culture and social unrest, the romance between the doctor and the duke unfolds. Their relationship is challenged by societal norms and their differing social statuses, forcing them to confront their own beliefs and prejudices.

Through vivid historical detail and compelling characters, the novel paints a picture of a transformative era, where social change is brewing and individuals are challenging the status quo. Readers will be immersed in the rich atmosphere of 19th-century Paris, experiencing the sights, sounds, and social dynamics of the time.

This book is not only a love story but also a tale of empowerment and resilience. It celebrates the strength of women who dared to defy expectations and forge their own paths. The novel's exploration of social justice and gender equality resonates with contemporary issues, making it a relevant and impactful read for today's audience.

I have absolutely loved this series and Herrera out did herself with book #3. I could not get enough of Aurora and the duke. I love how this was historical romance with very real and modern themes. 10/10!

The last Leonas books certainly lived up to what it promised to deliver. Reading it post-2024 election hit particularly hard, as it's not that difficult to imagine a similar scenario occurring today, just with less petticoats. I think this was Adriana Herrera's strongest entry in the series, and I fell in love with Aurora and the Duke very quickly. My one complaint is that it felt a little too long and the pacing was a little off in the last 10-15% of the book -- I could have done with more groveling and/or more follow-up with Ackworth. Regardless, I think this was a well-timed and important book in the historical romance canon.

YOU 👏🏽 GUYS 👏🏽 this might be my new favorite historical romance of all time. Adriana Herrera does it again with swoony romance, FMCs with ironclad resolve, and historic context that both educates and empowers. I found myself tearing up in the author’s note where she talks about the resilience of uterus-bearers in times where bodily autonomy is under attack. It was both humbling and empowering to learn about the historically organized networks of women and people who knew reproductive rights are human rights.

Aurora and Apollo’s romance was something I’ve been looking forward to since book 1, and it lived up to everything I could’ve hoped for and MORE. While we definitely had some “touch her and lose your teeth” moments, I loved how Aurora fully held her own in most instances.

I honestly can’t sing enough praise for this book. Adriana’s writing has fundamentally changed what I expect from historic fiction/romance and I will read anything she writes.

In many ways, it simply felt like a book I’ve read several times before in the past few years. Both characters were nice and good people and they didn’t change much from start to finish. I love when a man is a simp, but I just think books right now are making them simp from page one which leaves little to the imagination. I also just wasn’t interested in the villain or waiting for him to show up and cause trouble. I did love the women’s health rep and as always Adriana’s beautiful writing and vivid illustration of how history actually looked. But overall, I spent most of the book bored…even with the sex scenes. Like who am I to be yawning at facesitting?? Somebody fix me.

As far as the series goes, however, I still wholeheartedly recommend it! Especially book two. If you haven’t read a historical romance recently—or aren’t in a slump of recent ones—I do think this will have a different feel for you, so definitely give it a read.

I’ve been deeply enjoying Adriana Herrera’s Las Leonas series of books, and this one, the last, wraps things up with a fiery doctor and a brand-new member of the aristocracy.

Doctora Aurora Montalban Wright has rebelled against the social caste by becoming a physician. Going unrecognized for her medical talents, she runs an above-board general medical clinic during the day and an underground clinic during the night which specifically treats women in need of reproductive assistance. It’s the kind of work that wins her negative attention from nasty people, and soon she finds herself in need of protection. She ultimately accepts an offer of security from a certain gentleman, someone she gets on with like oil and water.

That man happens to be Apollo César Sinclair Robles, the Duke of Annan, and he is definitely intrigued by Auora’s ways. Apollo too is a rebel: he deposed his father to take his title, and is now being frozen out by the House of Lords as a result of his shocking deed. Aurora and Apollo met during the World's Fair in France and had a brief assignation: he wants more, and she can't stand his ways. But more time spent together means that she's intrigued. She tells him she wants sex lessons, and he says yes. Soon, he wants to protect more than her clinic – he wants her as his wife. But Aurora - scarred by previous terrible relationships and wanting to keep her independence - demurs. Tensions arise... can the two find a happy common ground?

Yes! and as always, Herrera does it with aplomb. Aurora is the final member of the Las Leones women to get her man, and she definitely has earned her joy, even if she doesn’t think she deserves it.

Apollo, too, has a hard life after his father cast off his mother, leaving him as a biracial by-blow who had to fight for his title. He is understandably bitter about this, but life with Aurora reintroduces him to joy.

The romance here is complicated and bittersweet in a good way. Aurora has an excellent reason to want to avoid marrying him, he has an excellent reason to want her in his life, in spite of what it'll do to his chances in the House of Lords. There are real obstacles in their way and it's a joy watching Herrera's lovers overcome them. 

As always, Herrera’s research here pops, and the romance goes from cool to hot to romantically gooey in a credible way. I’ve loved this rock-solid series right from the beginning.  A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke is a perfect capstone to the series. It's a DIK all the way.

Adriana Herrera saved the best for last. A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, book three in Herrera's Las Leonas trilogy, is a steamy, compelling, endearing, action-packed, story that I did not want to put down. A Caribbean woman in Paris, fighting for her independence and right to care for other women. A Caribbean man determined to honor his mother's memory by claiming his rightful place in the peerage (fiery Black duke for the win). Adversaries to lovers. Danger around every corner. Found family of the heart. Hard-won happily ever after. This book has everything I love...and then some. If you have yet to discover the excellence of Adriana Herrera, this is a great place to start.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

Aurora and Apollo's story is one that is now, unfortunately, very relevant. Aurora is one of the few women physicians who performs clandestine care and procedures. Apollo is a newly member of the peerage who's trying to find his place in the world. Sparks fly when they meet and they start to recognize that the idea they had of each other is not all that appears. This book made me emotional because of the current state of women's rights to their own body. The romance although spicy, is secondary to her work and his wish to keep her safe.
Adriana gave her characters the perfect humanity to make them relatable. It was a fitting end to the series.

Aurora is used to having to make her own way in the world. Being an illegitimate daughter as well as a female doctor has not made it easy for Aurora. She chooses to risk her life saving women in desperate need of help. What Aurora does not need is the attention and protection of the antagonistic Duke of Annan. Apollo isn’t just physically drawn to Aurora, he truly believes in her work as well as empowering women. Even if Aurora wanted to have a formal relationship with Apollo, the aristocracy would look down on not just her but Apollo as well. Apollo has been fighting his own battles trying to earn the respect of his new title on his own terms. Can the two come together as a strong united front, or will polite society and politics tear them apart?

With a strong feminist at the helm, this historical romance sheds light on uncomfortable truths and the triumphs of a loving and supportive community. What a delight to read!

I absolutely adored this book. I thought the message was extremely relevant to today’s women. Could be very informative to other. As always, this book was very well researched and I enjoyed how much our main characters have grown throughout the series. I enjoyed that Apollo gave Aurora the room to grow into her own while also changing himself. The cameos of characters from the other two books was a welcome experience, and I enjoyed how they were able to give the main characters advice that was both true to their characterization and their books, as well as the growth that they would’ve had in between stories.

There is detailed spice in the story and I didn’t think that it took away from the overall plot.

i actually cant believe it took me so long to read this. it had absolutely everything in it that i love and i feae i will be chasing the high of my first read through for months. is it too soon to start it again?