Book Review: If the Duke Dares by Darcy Burke

Rogue Rules Book 1

Rogue Rules

When a young lady is ruined, her friends vow none of them will ever be ensnared by a scoundrel again. They will resist every gentleman’s charms even—and especially—if it means gaining a reputation for being impossible to woo. It will take extraordinary rogues to break their rules...

From USA Today Bestselling Author Darcy Burke, author of The Untouchables and Phoenix Club series, comes your next Regency romance must-read.

If the Duke Dares

Incorrigible flirt Acton Loxley, Duke of Wellesbourne is in need of a duchess. En route to greet a potential bride, he encounters a most intriguing and captivating widow who completely distracts him from his task. However, she disappears before he can deepen their acquaintance. Acton begrudgingly goes to meet his bride, unaware she and the widow are one and the same.

When Persephone Barclay’s younger sister is compromised, Persephone must wed before the scandal spreads. Her parents scramble to present her to the Duke of Wellesbourne; except he’s precisely the kind of rogue she has now vowed to avoid. Taking flight to avoid a match, Persephone runs straight into her would-be betrothed and pretends to be someone else. But dash it all, the duke proves to be irresistibly charming! If she remains in his company, she’ll end up in the wicked scoundrel’s clutches.

Even worse, her second attempt at escape lands her in increasingly poor circumstances. With nowhere to turn and her safety at risk, she may have to accept help from the one man who threatens her resolve—and her reputation.

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My Review:

Oh my gosh. There are parts of this story that make me so mad for how women were treated during that time period. But, I loved watching the way Persephone and her friends had chosen to exert what control they could over their world. In contrast, I felt sorry for Acton for completely different reasons. Here’s this young man with all this power and influence, but who’s been taught to suppress his emotions and feel nothing for anyone. His epiphanies were probably the most poignant in the book. Though, watching Acton and Persey falling for one another without ever really realizing it filled me with purely evil glee. I can’t wait to discover what the author has up her sleeve for the rest of this cohort of young ladies.

I received a complimentary advance copy of this book through NetGalley.