Review: Dangerous Duke

Dangerous Duke by Scarlett Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dangerous Duke is the third book in Scarlett Scott’s League of Dukes series, but it works perfectly fine as a standalone novel. I’ve read Her Deceptive Duke, the final book in the Wicked Husbands series, which worked as a prequel to this series, and Nobody’s Duke, the first book in this series. I missed Heartless Duke, the second book in this series, but it did not lessen my enjoyment of this one. You certainly have a better understanding of the world if you’ve read the other books, but you get more than enough information to understand without. I will admit, however, if you plan to go back and read the other books, you will have spoilers. Such is the case for me with Heartless Duke. I love Scarlett Scott’s writing and adore this series, and knowing I missed book two has me desperate to go back and read it. I have knowledge of how certain elements will end, so just be aware of this if you’re planning to read the other books in the series.

Although Dangerous Duke is only my fourth Scarlett Scott read – in addition to the aforementioned books, I’ve also read the author’s Lord of Pirates – I’m going to go out on a limb and say Scarlett Scott is capable of becoming my favourite author in the genre. There’s more to these stories than a simple historical romance, ensuring you’re sucked in beyond the drama of a budding love. In fact, I’m going to say she’s already in my top three historical romance authors. Maybe even in second place. Such is the impact Scarlett Scott’s books have had upon me: I cannot help but fall deeply in love, devouring the book in a single sitting.

Dangerous Duke was no different. In fact, it’s my favourite Scarlett Scott read to date. It’s a four-point-five-star rating, and I came extremely close to giving it a five-star rating. It’s personal preference that had me rounding down, as the mystery element of the story was a bit too obvious for me. I wanted a few more red herrings when it came to who was really the bad guy, but such is just my personal preference. Even with my desire for more red herrings, I found this one to be captivating in the most consuming of ways.

With fabulous writing, a storyline filled with drama, characters you fall in love with, and lots of little things to keep you invested in the series, this story packs a serious punch. The romance within this one is complete within this story, but there are little pieces of the overall storyline left hanging to get you diving into book four of the series. A book I cannot wait for, as I fell in love with the character whose story is going to be told in book four. I need answers, I need more of the characters I’ve fallen in love with, and I’ll be diving into the book as soon as I get my hands on it.

Without a doubt, Scarlett Scott knows how to write a gripping story. Fans of historical romance need to give her books a read – the required steam and drama of the genre can be found in abundance, along with fabulously done light mystery elements to make this stand out from the crowd.

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