Duke’s Den Historical Romance Book Series by Christy Carlyle

A Duke Changes Everything by Christy Carlyle (2018)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 1 of the Duke’s Den series. Second son of a duke, Nick, was treated cruelly by his father and believed to be a result of his mother’s indiscretion, except for the fact that he looks just like his father. After making his way alone and being a co-owner of a gambling den, he’s suddenly the duke after his brother’s death. His only goal is to clear out the estate and rent it out to a tenant and never visit again. He finds an adversary in Mina, the estate steward who wants him to take his duties seriously and restore the estate and assist the tenants. She’s lived at the estate all her life, learning everything from her father (the former steward) and is reluctant to leave for any reason. It was fun seeing these two argue over what to do with the estate and then slowly come to an accord. Definitely a fun romance to read, with Nick being impressed by Mina’s competence, rather than put off that she’s a woman in a man’s role.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Anything But a Duke by Christy Carlyle (2019)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Duke’s Den series. Diana is an inventor who needs financial investment in her cleaning device so that she can support herself and not need to subject herself to the marriage mart. Aidan is one of the investors at the Duke’s Den, where Diana presents her invention for potential funding. Diana and Aidan end up making a separate sort of deal where Aidan will help find buyers for her machine in exchange for her finding him a noblewoman to marry. He seeks entrance into polite society and thinks that a wife will be the ideal route. We get to see Diana playing matchmaker and Aidan’s fumbling attempts at meeting her friends, when really they’re just attracted to each other. Each of these people needs to expand their current goals to include love and companionship if they’re going to make this thing work. I loved seeing how supportive Aidan was of Diana’s work and intellect.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Nothing Compares to the Duke by Christy Carlyle (2020)

Historical romance. Victorian-era England. Book 3 of the Duke’s Den series. We start with a prologue showcasing our idyllic childhood friends and neighbors Bella and Rhys at her birthday party. The party ends in heartbreak for Bella though and these two friends part ways for the foreseeable future. Five years later, Rhys has cultivated a scandalous reputation for throwing debauched parties and frivolities, but that sort of life has grown a bit wearisome, especially as he’s recently inherited his father’s indebted dukedom. When he returns to his country estate, he realizes his ledgers are a mess and his steward has gone missing, so he goes to ask his clever neighbor and former friend Bella for help. He’s definitely got some apologizing to do though, and she’s reluctant to reconnect with him. Clearly her childhood crush on him was unrealized and she’s protecting herself from suffering heartbreak again. Except this time, her parents are throwing atrocious suitors at her and pressuring her to marry, and so she somehow gets Rhys to agree to a fake engagement in exchange for her help with his estate. I enjoyed seeing these two reconnect and Rhys realize what he had been missing for all these years.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.