Quick Sips: Daring with a Duke by Lizzie C Koz
Lady Felicity Jenkins is trapped. Trapped in a betrothal to a ducal heir bound to give her an empty marriage and lonely future. While he flaunts his exploits across the ton, he forbids her from seeking happiness elsewhere. Unwilling to surrender to this life, she comes up with The Plan to earn her freedom- seduce his father. Perhaps her willingness to pursue this plan has as much due with her distaste for her fiancé as it does with the yumminess of his father.
Ashley Stuart, the Duke of Devonford, is shocked to find Lady Felicity show up at his door on a rainy night. He lives a quiet life in his country castle, training horses, and raising his daughter. Haunted by his past decisions, he tries to make up for his shortcomings as a father and husband, while simultaneously punishing himself. Despite his innermost needs, he must refuse Felicity’s advances. It’s the honorable thing to do and his atonement.
I must admit, I chose to read this book for all the steamy promises. Maybe it has something to do with my own age, but when a book has an older MMC, it moves up my TBR list. I had just finished a less-spicy book and was looking for a change of pace.
I did not expect to find myself in absolute tears. The romance and character development in this book is surprisingly wholesome. This book made me feel deeply, and I was not prepared. My heart twisted for Ash and his regret over his life choices, choices he made with love, but led his life down a darker path. The way Felicity shares this pain with him while navigating her own oppressive circumstances is a beautiful exploration of the true meaning of partnership.
In addition to Felicity and Ashley, several other fully-formed characters played pivotal roles in the plot. Lady Pandora added much light to the story, and I definitely want to know more about Sam and Felix. While I feel like the son of the Duke's willingness for redemption is too quick, I didn’t care too much for his arc anyway. He’s a prick. The author left enough space for the necessary work the main characters must perform in order to reach their Happily Ever After.
The book begins with a note by the author in which she warns the reader that her tone is modern. I actually didn’t find her tone to be too jarring or out-of-place and probably would never have thought twice about it without her note. Her writing is polished, but not plain, and easy to read. With her commitment to telling unique stories in a contemporary voice, Lizzie is carving out her space in the historical romance genre.
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