The Duke of Deception

The Untouchables, Book 3

By: Darcy Burke

Narrated by: Marian Hussey

After five years on the Marriage Mart, Miss Aquilla Knox is ready for spinsterhood until a benefactress steps in to help her secure a husband. Only Aquilla doesn't actually want to marry - her failure is entirely on purpose. When the earl she's nicknamed the Duke of Deception sets his sights on her, she refuses to be drawn in by her attraction to him. If there's one thing she knows, it's that a gentleman is never what he seems.

Edward Bishop, Earl of Sutton, has a reputation for courting young misses and dropping them without a second thought. This has earned him a reputation for deceit, a description he can't refute because he does in fact, harbor secrets and will do anything - deceive anyone - to ensure they don't come to light. As he comes to know the charming Miss Knox, his resolve is tested. However, trust comes at a price and Ned won't pay with his heart.

©2016 Darcy Burke (P)2017 Darcy Burke

wonderful story

love the narrative and the story. both had secrets. I love the series so far.

Solid book

You get what you want with this when you choose a period romance. It’s sweet and slightly dramatic and overall enjoyable.

This one was not great to me, as the main female lead’s character could have had more depth, and it also bothered me that the entire base of her character changed between the last book and this one and the reader is just told that she’s been hiding her true feelings about marriage for years...but again, her character was pretty flimsy. She could have been anyone.

Other than that, it was fine.

Also Marian Hussey is a goddess and I love her.

More!

I really want to know more about the other characters too. I really like these people.

I LOVED NED AND AQUILLA!!

I really enjoyed reading this light hearted. funny and engaging story. Edward Bishop the 9th Earl of Sutton know as Ned, is keeping a secret and it is not the secret the Ton thinks it is. Ned has been wife hunting and these young ladies he is considering must pass a few test he and his Aunt Susannah has conjured up. So far only one has made it to the final stage all the other young ladies have failed his test. Therefore it appears to the Ton that Ned leads the ladies on and drops them without proposing. Until he meets a young Miss Aquilla Knox who has been locked outside in the pouring rain on a patio at a dinner party they bought are attending.

The sparks fly between Ned and Aquilla and they are a lovely couple. Both of then are kind, compassionate and loving. They were fun to read. They had pretty sensual relationship. The sex scene were well and tastefully done. The secondary characters were lovely too.

I like the way Darcy Burke handle the mental illness of Ned's brother George. It was sad but nicely written.

I just wish that Aquilla's father and brother had gotten some kind of punishment for there cruel treatment of there wives. They were abusive men and this should have been handled in some manner in the storyline.
1 like

Won’t be disappointed

The story line was original and not the repeated version of other stories. The narrator was excellent I her story telling.

Okay Story. Great Narration!

This was an okay story. I liked Ned and Aquilla together, they made a good match and had genuine chemistry. There is a one very long sex scene with a lot of talking during it, but very well written. Not erotica not rated G.

The story line and plot was okay. I think there could have been more with the brother and then the end seemed rushed. Not much else really that happened.

As for the narration, it was brilliant! I love Marian Hussey. She does a superb job on all the voices, and the men sound like men. She reads with emotion and has a great reading voice.

Great read and listen..

Of the three Untouchables books I’ve listened to and read this was my favorite one. Darcy Burke handled the insanity of George very well, and the subject of Bedlam. I liked every character in this book: Aunt Susannah, Lord and Lady Satterfield, and it was nice to visit with Nora, Ivy and Lucy. Lindsell, on the other hand was a drunk and totally insane with his thinking.

I can see why Ned was called the Duke of Deception. Because he had so much to hide and he really did have to find the perfect wife. He had to find a wife that he could tell the truth to and would keep his secrets. Aquilla was the perfect heroine for him. Where she got the caring nature and sweetness from was beyond me. Her family was sooo unfeeling and her father and brother were mean brutes.

There was explicit sex in this book, explicit but not dirty as in some books, definitely NOT erotic. And there was no swearing.

As for the narration: Marian Hussy did a great job with voices and emotions. She has become one of my favorite narrators.

Couldn’t put it down

So often, historical romance novels contain the same scenario. But Duke of Deception is not the norm. This story delves into a family’s struggle with an illness that I have never seen mentioned in any other HR book. It is a story of love and acceptance. Darcy Burke handles the issue with great care as she describes the relationship between 2 brothers and 1 young woman. I highly recommend this book.

Another Great Story in the Series

Would you listen to The Duke of Deception again? Why?

Maybe, the story had highs and lows, but I could not put it down.

Have you listened to any of Marian Hussey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, the performance of Marian Hussey is still great in the series so far.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would have like to read it all in one sitting.