How to Love a Duke in Ten Days

Devil You Know, Book 1

By: Kerrigan Byrne

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

A Kirkus Reviews 2019 Best Romance Novel, the first in an exciting new series by USA Today best seller Kerrigan Byrne!

These men are dark, bold, and brave. And there is only one woman who can bring them to their knees....

Famed and brilliant, Lady Alexandra Lane has always known how to look out for to herself. But nobody would ever expect that she has darkness in her past - one that she pays a blackmailer to keep buried. Now, with her family nearing bankruptcy, Alexandra strikes upon a solution: Get married to one of the empire’s most wealthy eligible bachelors. Even if he does have the reputation of a devil.

Love takes no prisoners

Piers Gedrick Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne, is seeking revenge and the first step is securing a bride. Winning a lady’s hand is not so easy, however, for a man known as the Terror of Torcliff. Then, Alexandra enters his life like a bolt of lightning. When she proposes marriage, Piers knows that, like him, trouble haunts her footsteps. But her gentleness, sharp wit, independent nature, and incredible beauty awakens every fierce desire within him. He will do whatever it takes to keep her safe in his arms.

“Romantic, lush, and suspenseful.” (New York Times best-selling author Suzanne Enoch)

©2019 Kerrigan Byrne (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

5 I Couldn’t Stop Listening Stars!!!

I read this book when it was released and now I've listened to it too and with the amazing narration of Derek Perkins I was reminded of why I loved this book so much!! It's my first listening experience with this narrator and he brought every character and scene to life I wanted to listen to it from beginning to end!

I’ve been an avid reader for over 40 years and in fact started my “reading journey” with historical novels. I consumed every single one I could get my hands on and as I matured my reading tastes changed and I can honestly say I haven’t read a historical novel in close to 20 years. BUT the minute I read the blurb for this book, that all changed! I was on a mission to get an early copy of this beauty because I was so intrigued by the story. In addition, I’ve heard over and over what a brilliant writer Ms. Byrne is and I needed her in my life…well that is SPOT ON!!!

This book is amazing!! Yes, it takes place in the 1800’s but it’s so relevant to our present that I was gripped by Lady Alexandra Lane and her two best friends Francesca Cavendish and Cecelia Teague and our hero, Piers Atherton. From the Prologue alone I was invested in this book and how her life would play out. These girls have secrets that have life changing consequences and when they’re brought together again ten years later after a fateful night, their friendship is as strong as ever, but someone is out to make them pay for these secrets.

Piers is the Duke of Redmayne and is scarred both inside and out and therefore leads a life that is somewhat solitary until a betrothal brings these girls into his world. The thing is, who he’s betrothed to isn’t who he marries, and I LOVED IT!!! There’s a draw between Piers and Alexandra that neither understands but they can only fight it so long. It’s not an easy acquiescence for our heroine either because of her past, but this man, he’s so gentle with her and tries to make her see that what the could have together could solve problems for both of them!

This book is brilliantly written. While I understand it’s taking place over two hundred years ago, I didn’t really feel like I was reading a historical novel if that makes sense. Ms. Bryne has written a book that is captivating and evocative and gripping in its every little detail. I found myself clutching my kindle so tight during some scenes I had white knuckles. There’s an intensity to some of the scenes that are breath taking in nature. I loved the relationship the girls had with each other and there’s a secondary character or two that play pivotal roles in how this story plays out.

This book moved at a lightening pace which fits the story perfectly. These Aristocrats don’t put up with any shenanigans if it has the chance to affect their bottom line so to speak. This in turn had me reading this book in pretty much one sitting. I just couldn’t find it in me to put it down even when I knew I had to get up at a very early hour the next day…totally worth the exhaustion though!!!

What I can also say with 100% honesty is that this is absolutely a Top Read for 2019 and I’m going to be on a mission to read so many more of Ms. Byrne’s books.

Other reviews pretty much right on

I love the trio of redheads making up this new series.
The early trauma that starts story is tough to read but almost all books, Kerrigan Byrne’s in particular, have some brokenness built into hero or heroine. Sometimes Byrne’s pushes edge of my comfort zone there with detail, but it’s usually brief and then just known as “the trauma” that underlies behaviors or forms characters, without dredging through details again and again.
Despite some oddities in story, the enjoyable interplay between the H/h. Maybe better was the friendship of the three friends. More detail than friendships usually given but it was beautiful.
Several exchanges were quite unique. For instance, how Alexandra reacts when her new husband is almost killed and he makes light of it. Unusual but so authentic somehow.
Have to admit the culmination where evil person/persons revealed was surprise, which is good, but one character just didn’t make sense as evil. Unnecessary as well I thought. But I did enjoy the story.
I love epilogues but this one revealed too much about the next story! Why? I already caught hints from main book. Plus it was just kinda weird.

A new favorite hero!

I think I just found a new favorite hero in Piers! I live the relationship between him and Alexandra! Beautiful story!

Good one

Great narrator. Story had plenty of tension which is good. From beginning to end I was enthralled & I listened to it all in one sitting. I loved the MMC especially.

Lovely historical romance

I loved the story. There is a rape scene on the beginning that some may find offensive. I thought it helped develop the horror of the situation and help us readers bond with the group of girls.

Perfect writer/narrator duo

The writing was good and the narration was perfect. I wish the whole series was out so because clearly we need more of these two.

Page turner

I absolutely loved the story. It was suspenseful, exciting, and the narrator did a great job! The only thing I was not happy about is that there was way too much sex in it, and at times, extremely too graphic. It is fine when there is some, but when it takes up at least 25% of the book, it’s excessive.

My favorite

This one - tops. I like the authors other works, but this one is sexy as can be. You will love Pierce, if only a man existed like him!

great book, TERRIBLE COVER ART

This was an excellent book though I may never have listened to it because the cover art is SO BAD. I didn't realize how much that mattered until this was recommended to me. I waited months to buy it, scoffing at the unappealing cover. It's so bad. Relaunch them, all of them written by this author are heinous. Please, do your books a favor. Otherwise this was a great listen.
Spoiler.... I don't like when a heroine in a book has been ra***. It ruins the sexiness imo but here they handled it pretty well.

Byrne and Perkins have another hit!

Ms KB has a gift for writing gripping stories using beautiful language. Immediately you a drawn into a story and held there until the final word is said. Emotional involvement is impossible to avoid. I can easily picture every detail of the scene created and spellbound. This is a hard story to tell of rape, fear, trust and love. For those who have experienced rape this story may not be for you, for others it will spark your empathy.

Mr. Perkins knocks the story out of the park. In my opinion, he leads the pack on narration. He lives the story he is relating with feeling, anxiety, passion, anger and all of the consuming emotions you are meant to understand. Thank you