The Bachelor (Duke Dynasty Book 2)

Loved the romance and capers she creates for her characters. I always can’t wait to turn the page every-time I open it

He is a wounded soldier confident no woman can ever love him. She is a lady willing to pay to keep a secret hidden. But when a sinister villain from the past emerges from the shadows to threaten their future, will they learn to trust one another long enough to thwart their betrayer? Or will each of them prove to be their own worst enemy? Find out in Sabrina Jeffries’ second Duke Dynasty novel, THE BACHELOR. Lady Gwyn Drake is resilient and strong willed, and there is little that ruffles her feathers, until an old suitor shows up at Armitage Hall intent on blackmailing her. Unwilling to let a secret from her past threaten her family’s revered standing in the community, she agrees to pay him off until the estate’s gamekeeper, Joshua Wolfe, stumbles upon their clandestine meeting and intervenes on her behalf. Gwyn’s twin brother, Thorn, hires Wolfe to accompany his sister to London for her belated debut to society. At 30, she is nearly an old maid by Regency standards, but a girl has to come out sometime! Wolfe, a wounded war hero with a less than pleasing personality is loathe to accept the commission, but he also can’t stand the thought of the blackmailer getting his grubby paws all over the heiress, or worse yet, kidnapping her altogether. Wolfe’s constant attention proves problematic for Gwyn, who is eager to slip away and deliver payment to her foe undetected so she can be done with the whole matter once and for all, and all without her family becoming any the wiser. The more time Gwyn and Wolfe spend together, the more both realize their mutual attraction. Yet can a gamekeeper and a duke’s sister ever make a life together? To do so means they must both learn to trust the other with well preserved secrets and their own hidden pasts, but only after they figure out how to vanquish the miserable blackmailer once and for all. THE BACHELOR proves once again why I always enjoy reading Jeffries’ work. Although she pens historical romances, she incorporates deeply emotional themes and social issues that are still relevant today. In this case, she addresses how wounded warriors are viewed by society once they return from the front and why men and women are governed by different standards and rules, however unjustly. Gwyn is a strong woman who feels she must keep secrets and succumb to societal norms unless she wants to become a pariah among the ton, even if her twin brother can get away with worse behavior without anyone ever batting an eye. Jeffries pairs her with Joshua, who is powerful in stature, despite a severe leg injury and what we now would call post-traumatic stress disorder, and yet he still yearns to be a viable member of society regardless of his impairments. Watching how these two characters come together and gradually reveal their private fears and emotional burdens is both touching and inspiring. Jeffries shines a light on these characters’ differences, and yet demonstrates that with a little empathy and understanding, we can touch the hearts of others and forge lasting relationships if we are willing to put in the work. If you are going into "Bridgerton" withdrawals after you binged the series’ first season, you will love the Duke Dynasty books. Jeffries’ characters are charismatic, flawed, and authentic. Most of all, she fuels her plots with loads of adventure, suspense, humor, and heart. As such, THE BACHELOR makes for a very pleasurable diversion which I’m sure you’ll enjoy. Although it can be read on its own, I do urge you to begin reading the Duke Dynasty series at the beginning (with PROJECT DUCHESS) because there is a mystery that is woven throughout the books you’ll want to follow. Happy reading!

When threatened, a lady tries to take matter in hand but must do with her assigned bodyguard, a man who stirs sensations she does not want to feel ... I do not know if it plays the same for other readers but each time I read a Sabrina Jeffries book, I feel like I hear a different voice from the other historical romances writers. There are few that have this effect on me and she is. Don’t get me wrong, I love it but still I need a few pages to adjust, so despite the time setting and the characters and their circumstances, they feel more modern than in most reads. I enjoyed the first glimpse I was offered last fall, why I was eager to read the full novel. And entertaining it was. Between the barbs and quips the heroes and siblings throw at each other, the hunt for the villain and the up and down in the romance, I spend quite enjoyable hours. Gwyn is haunted by a mistake she made as a young woman, while it is not openly told until later in the story, it is easily guessed. This lapse of judgement in her past suitor’s character is the cause of herself refusing to marry. It hold her back to accept anyone, why she readily dismisses even Joshua because she sees herself as not worthy. While she is no usual debutante, at thirty, she is well past the age, yet as a Duke’s sister and with the incentive dowry, she enters the marriage mart well provided, but she will have nothing to do with the peers courting herself and her dowry, first her former suitor is lurking in the shadows ready to blackmail her or reveal her past indiscretion if she does not concede to his demands. Plus she is attracted to Joshua but she is very sure he will never be able to forgive her youth mistake. Joshua suffers from PTSD, crippled during a naval ambush, he came close to loose more than his leg, after months of battle for his life, he retired in the countryside, seing himself as worthless because now he needs a walking stick to keep him upright. So even if he is attracted to Gwyn, he can’t see how they might have a future together, he a soldier on half pay and she a Duke’s daughter and sister. Their romance is one of winning each other trust, and there lies the main problem, they are wary of others and they not easily confide in others. Yet trusting the other will have to be followed by having faith in their own value to believe in a future together. 4.5 stars for this fun fast-paced read, I just would have loved the background plot to have a more prominent place in the story, to see Joshua at work. I was granted an advance copy through Netgalley by the publisher Kensington, I had already preordered my own. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Okay.... I actually didn't like Major Joshua Wolfe very much at the opening chapters of this book. He was arrogant and full of self-pity. But the fellow grows on you, as the story of his Iife unfolds. Lady Gwyn is a much more appealing character, although crippled by self doubts. Early in the game. I couldn't see how Ms. Jeffries would get the two of them together without murder and a hanging. But she did, and told a satisfying story that kept me turning pages way past my bedtime. Highly recommend.

Joshua and Gwyn were pure magic. Each with their own brand of stubborn, they were like oil and water. Until they weren’t. I loved their story with a bit of slow burn that flamed white hot. I am also thoroughly enjoying this series with a family that is growing back together bit by bit, while also attempting to solve a bit of intrigue. Makes for great reading.

Lady Gwyn Drake has a history with Lionel Malet that goes back much further than their recent encounter when he tried to abduct a heiress. He is blackmailing her and if she doesn't pay, he says he will tell the press about the affair they had ten years ago and ruin her. Gwyn never told anyone about the one night she spent in his bed or the consequences and will do anything to keep her secrets. Thinking she can intimidate him, she pulls a gun, but is quickly disarmed and would have been in trouble if she wasn't saved from him by Major Joshua Wolfe. A man she has long been attracted to and who clearly doesn't feel the same, or so she thinks. Joshua is the current Duke of Armitage's cousin and acting estate gamekeeper. Joshua was gravely wounded in battle years ago and is desperate to return to active duty. His letters to the War Office have been ignored, so when Gwyn's brother the Duke of Thornstock asks him to act as her bodyguard in London, he agrees and hopes that he can finally get some answers from the War Office and keep his attraction to Gwyn a secret. He feels unworthy of her, even though he is the grandson of a duke and a war hero. He is not sure what is going on with Gwyn and Malet, but he thinks there is more than what Thorn and Gwyn have told him and when there is an attempt to sabotage their coach, he is sure of it. He is determined to get answers and keep Gwyn at arm's length - but she won't make it easy! I thought this was a great addition to the series. Gwyn and Joshua are both a little broken and both have trust issues, they are clearly perfect for each other, but neither is going to make the journey to HEA a smooth ride! The book has some amusing dialogue, a lot of secrets, a bit of intrigue, some steamyish love scenes, a great supporting cast of characters, a nasty villain and finally HEA. I did feel like the book dragged a bit towards the end and I was disappointed that Gwyn never actually says "I love you" to Joshua - it is implied, but for me - it's not the same. This is the second book in the series, but there is also a linked novella in the anthology Seduction on a Snowy Night that is Heywood and Cass's story and the events in that book are closely linked to this story - so while this book is easily read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the novella "A Perfect Match" if you want a bit more backstory. Overall, I am happy to recommend this book and I look forward to the next installment. *I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

The book was a good read. Good Characters, good plot, storyline, and pace and just enough friction to make it interesting. I love Alpha males and women who have gumption...don't swoon about everything. I look forward to the next book.

The bachelor of this novel is a Major Joshua Wolfe, a Marine officer on half pay, who is working as a gatekeeper on the grounds of Armirtage, the family country home of the Duke,whose sister, Gywm, is scheduled to have her debut to choose a husband at age thirty. She really doesn't want to marry because of what happened when she was twenty with a suitor, who tried to ruin her, so he could get control of her inheritance. Luckily, her twin brother Thorn, saw through the man's adverse nature and got him to leave her by paying him. But she never forgave her brother, because he never discussed the issue with her. Plus she hid a secret from her brother of a miscarriage, which also a reason why she didn't want to marry. This same suitor shows up 10 years later and demands a ransom from her, claiming he will announce their discretion from years ago and ruin her character. He is caught threatening her by the Major, who chases him off and then marches her to tell the situation to her brother,Thorn. Because of the threat, the Major is hired to be her bodyguard while she is in London for the Season, where they discover that they, Gywm and Joshua, have mutual feelings towards each other and fall in love and many. Another satisfying book by this author.

Suspense, progressive love, treason, great love scenes and a good ending. Plus, already knowing part of the characters, because the book is part of a series, makes it all the more interesting. It's perfect!

Personagens inteligentes e história interessante, além do romance fofo! E adorei essa família, a interação entre eles. Recomendo ler na ordem, esse é o 2o livro.

Sabrina Jeffries novels always deliver. This novel is packed full of characters that had their own stories in other novels but can definitely be a stand alone book. The characters are wonderful and so is the plot. The Hero is wonderful and the story is truly romantic. I fully intend to read the other books in the series because this one was so enjoyable I was hooked from the first page.

This book was a good continuation of the series. I liked it - I especially liked the characters of Gwyn and Wolfe, but this one wasn't quite a 5 star read for me. I still enjoyed it though, and am looking forward to the next book with Thorne's story.