A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby

Rogues and Remarkable Women, Book 1

By: Vanessa Riley

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin

Created by a shrewd countess, The Widow's Grace is a secret society with a mission: to help ill-treated widows regain their status, their families, and even find true love again - or perhaps for the very first time....

When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband's mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune - and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child - until The Widow's Grace gets her hired as her own son's nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor - and unexpected passion....

A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin's dangerous financial dealings for Lionel's sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she's breaking his rules and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust - but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

©2020 Vanessa Riley (P)2020 Tantor

Delightful Historical Series

Riley’s historical fiction novels are a delight. The captivating stories allow me to embark on a frivolous journey at the end of my busy days and the intriguing characters provide my mind an escape from daily stresses. A must read for anyone who requires a momentary respite.

Realistic plot

Oh no! Not another new favorite author. This was a cannot -put -down story. It has mixed races, war injuries, trencheryl, fear, evil, everything you want in a story. Try it, you might like it.

I loved this so much

I absolutely loved this book. The heroine was never annoying nor was the hero overbearing. They fell for each other in a way that was completely believable and entertaining. The best part was that the heroine was not the standard blonde fair beauty that we get over and over in historical romances. She was a woman of color and she was strong and fearless. Wonderful progression of the story and a very satisfying happily ever after. I loved every minute of this book. The cover says this is book one of a series and I know I will be reading every single one that follows.

This was a delightful experience and well worth the credit. The narrator was enchanting and her accent added a little bit more to the story. Even her men's voices were great.

No overt sex scenes in this one ladies so if you like a good romance without all the descriptions then this is definitely your scene. I feel comfortable letting my teenage daughters enjoy this one.

Do yourself a favor and get this one. You won't regret it.

Freaking adorable

This isn’t your average dull sappy regency romance. It was fun and exciting. Can’t wait to read book 2.

Saved by the narrator

I’m always excited to see people of color as main characters in romance especially in historical fiction where there are only a handful of authors writing them. This one interested me but I delayed reading it because of the cutesy title and the illustrated cover. I knew they wouldn't reflect the seriousness of the story within and sadly, I was right. The plot is convoluted with deaths, deception, and an irredeemable villain. The chemistry between the main characters was lacking, their conversations were stilted, and the POV shifts (first-person for her third for him) were confusing. I’m glad I listened to it rather than read my paperback copy because the narrator’s accent for Patience made it clear whose head we’re in at the moment. This book would have benefited from better editing and proofreading.

Content notes: low heat and on-page death

interest clean read.

At first I didn't like the narrator but as the story went on I decided she is really quite talented! The story was good but not really my style. I'm glad to find another clean author and I look forward to listening to the next book in the series!

Lovely in every way

This was amazing from start to finish. The characters are unique, avoiding so many of the stereotypes found in historical romances. I highly recommend this because of the stellar writing and flawless narration.

The accent killed it for me!

Good story but had multiple plot holes. I felt like I started in the middle of a series instead of the beginning. Zero heat.