His Grace The Duke

Well well well… Look who showed up again.

Me.

I have an overwhelming need to just get right into it. Should I fight back a little bit? Fight back the same way James fought against his desire for Rosalie in His Grace, The Duke by Emily Rath.

Oooh, that was smooth. Or at least I hope it was.

I’ll find my way eventually but for now I am stumbling down a dark hallway after teleporting to 1865(ish) with only a candle to light the way. And my nightgown is sheer, and my giant breasts keep getting in the way.

His Grace, The Duke by Emily Rath

This book took me roughly four days to read on kindle. I say roughly because up until now I never noted when I started a book, just when I finished it. 

I’ll get better, I promise. 

This historical ‘why choose’ romance is set in fictional England, following the wayward choices of Lady Rosalie Harrow. The second book in the Second Sons Regency.

Rosalie has already captured Burke, a bastard born son of a duke and his mistress. He calls her a siren and has all the makings of a reformed rake.

And Lieutenant Tom Renley, newly appointed to the role and originally looking for a wife to help him reach the rank of captain until Rosalie stole the very air from his lungs. 

Yet for a woman who does not believe in marriage she has two willing suitors who ended book 1 happy to share her and begin book 2 craving the others touch. 

The story telling of this book had me smiling the whole way through. Anytime the MFC was on page with dialogue, in a public setting, against one of her suitors I was fully invested. The way the characters spoke in proper English terms just added to my love of the story. The entire way through, as I read in my head, there was a lingering English accent. Emily rath did such a wonderful job capturing the tones and architecture of the accent it was more than implied, it was lived!

Now, I did read this story before I made my promise to you dear reader. And I did not take notes throughout the story to share with you. And for that I apologize. My commitment to improving is renewed!

However, I can share that this story has a heavy balance of spice to plot ratio. Nearly every thought of conversation that the characters had circled back to sex.

Whether the characters, Burke and Tom, were coming out to each other and exploring each other’s bodies, and Rosalie’s. To Rosalie deciding if marriage truly was in the cards for her. Even the fight James had internally with his desires to love Rosalie.

They all came back to sex.

The plot was there, but small. A background noise to keep the rest of the book moving forward. 

The MC’s were responsible for getting the Duke down the aisle to his awaiting bride. Though the Duke was hilarious at every turn. He definitely gave off Captain Jack Sparrow vibes, but as a Duke and not a pirate. It really worked for him. And his relationship with Rosalie was platonic and the author did such a wonderful job portraying this. 

Things that I accepted as truth but didn’t really feel in this book were some of the characters deep rooted feelings. I mean, this is a lot of characters to manage in a love ‘square’. Each one needs to be different from the last and stand on their own two feet, I get that. 

But Rosalie and Tom’s relationship felt more like a friendship. There I said it. They talked about it a lot in the book but Tom confronted her and never wanted to be called her ‘friend’ again. But he didn’t burn for her like Burke, she wasn’t the only object in the room, the very air in his lunges. So it fell flat in comparison.

Let alone, James just ran away the whole time. I’m sure being a duke is hard work and all but Rath posed his attraction like something he had to run away from and wouldn’t allow himself to have. It was dragged out maybe a bit too long because when they final did ****, HE GOT UP AND WALKED OUT! MID-SET! BALLS DEEP!

I was shook-ith.

I was jazzed when Rath said there would be MM romance, yet on page it was forced. Tom supposedly had feelings for Burke all along, and Burke just accepted them. No coming out, acceptance, or even shock at the notion. Again this is 1865, a very risky move here.

Then for Burke to do the exact same thing to James right after he walked out on Rosalie felt forced again.

Throughout the story none of the men shared long glances, linger touches, or even side characters commenting on their friendly ways or closeness. 

Yet in the end- and I mean the last 20% of the book. Everything fell to pieces. The Duke denounced his title and handed the dukedom to his younger brother James.

James, who had been running the dukedom anyway for the last 5 years, graciously accepted. 

And the rest of the book centered around the four, James, Tom, Burke, and Rosalie confirming that they do love each other. Each other as in man on man on man, no lines, all give and all receive. A true ‘why-choose’ setting. 

And coming to the understanding that the only way to protect their livelihoods was for James and Rosalie to marry as Duke and Duchess. 

And thus another happy ending was born. 

Yet as I read the last 20% I was under the impression this was the 2nd book of three. Oh no, I was quite wrong. But I kept thinking the other shoe would drop any moment. 

It turns out the ‘book 3’ I was thinking of was a spin-off, Allcot Hall! Different MC’s but same world. This made it all the more worth it to read the third book and accept the HEA from His Grace, The Duke.

In the end the duology of the Second Sons Regency was great. I laughed, I promised myself just one more chapter more than once, and the characters stood on their own. A book I would readily recommend to a fellow reader.

Worldbuilding🗺️🗺️🗺️🗺️

Ick Factor 😇

Fangirl Moments 💖💖💖💖

Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Errors/Plot Holes ❗❗

Tropes: Why Choose, Reverse Harem, Reformed Rake, Childhood Friends, Regency, Family Jewels, Marrying Up,  MM, MFM, MMFM, Secret Romance, Balls and Galas, Carriage Rides, Second Sons, LGBT, Historical, Insta-love, Friends to Lovers

Title: His Grace, The Duke

Author: Emily Rath

Genre: Romance

Series: Second Sons Regency 

Format: Ebook

Length: 560 pages

Published: July 25, 2022 by Emily Rath Books