Jenn (The Book Refuge)'s Reviews > Duke of Rath

If you like a bit of a Beauty and the Beast in your romance, this will hit the spot!

Okay, let's get the obvious out of the way. The names are a *bit* too on point. Yes, all the men are Dukes, which makes up a solid 1/4 of all the total Dukes in England but hey... no worries. Yes, they are all best friends. Yes, they all have some type of seggsual deviancy that requires a club to act out. Sure sure sure. Cool Cool Cool.

Whew! There, I got that off my chest. I just HAD to say it okay?! I'm aware.

But I DID have a good time with this romance. It has a lot of things I love and once I got into the thick of it, I let those criticisms melt away.

Rath enters into a marriage of convenience with the youngest sister of a man he wronged. Hoping to get some small type of redemption and also appease his aging aunt, whom he adores. He is not expecting to find Patience so tempting. She refuses to be cowed by his coldness and that sets him off balance. He definitely doesn't expect her to push his buttons or crave his specific type of discipline.

Patience is a sacrifice on the altar of marriage to save her family from the poor house. Since she lost her older brother, nothing has gone right. She may find her new husband intimidating and alluring but his rules and his temper refuse to let her get close. Good thing she has a will as enduring as her name implies.

Watching them grow closer was beautiful and seeing Dorian grow to trust and love his young wife was just lovely. She challenged him and pushed him. He encouraged her dreams (she loves Botany, who knew?) and makes big changes he never thought possible. They were so sweet together.

Finally, I have to say it... are we *really* gonna have all the heroine's names be the virtue to our hero's vice? Rath & Patience, Luhst & Chastity, will Pryde be with a.. Modesty, perhaps? I don't know.. it's a bit too...much.

Like I said, once I got into it, I was into it, but it's a bit too on the nose at times.

Narrated to perfection by Shane East and Justine Eyre. I can guarantee that I rated this book higher because of this talent. The book was good and I was entertained but it was SOLD to me by this pairing. I'll listen to this whole series because of them.

4 stars
2.5 on the spice scale

CW: SA (not to an MC), duels, violence, anger management issues, self harm

*Thank you to Must Love Audio & the author for an ALC of this title.*