One Duke Down

January 13, 2023

Poppy Summers has found some interesting things in her fishing nets, but nothing as exciting as the unconscious man she finds--half-clothed, injured, and still gorgeously handsome. She brings him clothes and food, tends to his wounds, and drags him to her secret shelter where he can recover. The man, Andrew Keane the Duke of Hawking, awakens to the knowledge that someone wants him dead, has tried to kill him, in fact, and that the woman caring for him is most intriguing--and beautiful. Keane finds himself drawn to her auburn curls and quick smile and sets out to make Poppy his--despite the difference in their stations. But Bellehaven Bay doesn't hold secrets for long, and the missing Duke must reappear, leaving him wondering if they can overcome the divide of his title and more importantly, find his foe before he strikes again. The latest in Bennett's "Rogues to Lovers" series, after Girls Before Earls, is a welcome addition to this Regency series, complete with dashing dukes, forbidden passion, and murderous subplots. Fans of the series will enjoy another trip to Bellehaven Bay.--Judy Garner

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November 7, 2022
Bennett’s tantalizing second Rogues to Lovers Regency romance (after Girls Before Earls) gets off to a memorable start: fisherwoman Poppy Summers catches a man in her net. He’s Andrew Keane, Duke of Hawking, and a mysterious attacker tried to drown him. Poppy saves his life and tries to run for help, but Keane reasons he’ll have better luck sussing out his would-be killer if whoever it is believes he’s dead, and offers Poppy an exorbitant sum to hide him instead. Poppy’s distrustful of the nobility due to a painful family history, but she reluctantly accepts. She’s certainly not expecting the duke to prove charming, kind, and intelligent—or for him to treat her with such remarkable respect and care. Keane, for his part, is instantly smitten with Poppy and recruits her help in finding his enemy. As they work through Keane’s list of possibilities, mutual attraction gives way to tender sex scenes—but Poppy’s still wary of risking her heart. The mystery itself feels a bit half-baked; the characters take a somewhat nonsensical approach to the investigation and the twist is easily guessed. Bennett makes up for this, however, with the genuine feeling of connection between her leads and the vivid seaside scene setting. Readers will be swept away.