Book Review & Excerpt | If the Duke Dares by Darcy Burke (Rogue Rules #1) | #Giveaway #RegencyRomance #HistoricalRomance @GoddessFish @darcyburkeauthor

If the Duke Dares by Darcy Burke (Rogue Rules #1) | #Giveaway #RegencyRomance #HistoricalRomance @GoddessFish @darcyburkeauthor

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.

Goddess Fish Full Logo

Book Details

Book Review & Excerpt | If the Duke Dares by Darcy Burke (Rogue Rules #1) | #Giveaway #RegencyRomance #HistoricalRomance @GoddessFish @darcyburkeauthorIf the Duke Dares by Darcy Burke
Series: Rogue Rules #1
Published by Zealous Quill Press on 01/30/2024
Genres: Fiction, Regency Romance, Historical Romance
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 321

Incorrigible flirt Acton Loxley, Duke of Wellsbourne is in need of a duchess. En route to greet a potential bride, he encounters a most intriguing and captivating widow who completely distracts him from his task. However, she disappears before he can deepen their acquaintance. Acton begrudgingly goes to meet his bride, unaware she and the widow are one and the same.

When Persephone Barclay’s younger sister is compromised, Persephone must wed before the scandal spreads. Her parents scramble to present her to the Duke of Wellsbourne; except he’s precisely the kind of rogue she has now vowed to avoid. Taking flight to avoid a match, Persephone runs straight into her would-be betrothed and pretends to be someone else. But dash it all, the duke proves to be irresistibly charming! If she remains in his company, she’ll end up in the wicked scoundrel’s clutches.

Even worse, her second attempt at escape lands her in increasingly poor circumstances. With nowhere to turn and her safety at risk, she may have to accept help from the one man who threatens her resolve—and her reputation.

four-half-stars
Source: Amazon Purchase

image button for Goodreads linking to If the Duke Dares

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt from If the Duke Dares

“You look terrified. Did you see another rat?” she asked.

“No. Not yet.” He flicked a glance toward his toppled boot. Perhaps the rodents had worked together to knock it down to create a haven.

“Are you…afraid of rats?”

“I didn’t think so. But now I must reassess that assumption.”

“Have you even seen rats before?”

“In London. On the streets—certain streets. But always from a distance. I was not sharing my sleeping space with them. Or my footwear.”

Her brows arched and her eyes widened slightly. “Is there one in your boot?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know. It seems possible. They were both standing upright when I retired.”

“Would you like me to look?” she asked.

He appreciated her lack of teasing. This was mortifying on every level—his fear, his revelation of that to her, his dependence on her bravery. “Would you?” He shook his head sharply. “No, what if it jumps out at you?”

“I am confident it will be more afraid of me than I am of it.” She moved toward his boots. “It’s unlikely there is anything in there, not after the noise we’ve been making.”

“Be careful,” he warned as she bent to pick up the boot. “Perhaps you should just kick it first.”

He couldn’t see what she did next as she blocked the boot from his view with her body. Suddenly, she jumped and shrieked.

Acton did the same. He also moved backward until he met the side of the bed.

Persey turned. She held both his boots. Then she laughed. And laughed. Great guffaws of hilarity.

Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Purchase Links for If the Duke Dares

If the Duke Dares (Rogue Rules Book 1)
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Burke, Darcy (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 326 Pages - 01/30/2024 (Publication Date) - Zealous Quill Press (Publisher)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Thoughts on If the Duke Dares

“If the Duke Dares” by Darcy Burke is a captivating start to the Rogue Rules series, blending humor, drama, and romance in the Regency era.

The story revolves around Persephone Barclay, a determined young woman facing the consequences of her sister’s scandal. Her plans take an unexpected turn when she crosses paths with the incorrigible flirt, Acton Loxley, Duke of Wellesbourne. Acton, in need of a duchess, finds himself drawn to Persephone, unaware of her true identity. As they navigate misunderstandings and societal expectations, their chemistry becomes undeniable.

Persephone shines as a protagonist ahead of her time with her independent spirit and resilience. Acton’s journey from rogue to reform is portrayed with charm as he grapples with his upbringing and societal pressures.

Family dynamics add depth to the narrative, from Persephone’s protective instincts towards her sister to the dastardly Barclay girl’s parents to Acton’s complicated relationship with his mother and deceased father. The vividly described settings enhance the immersive experience for readers, transporting them to the vibrant world of Regency England.

In Conclusion

“If the Duke Dares” delivers a satisfying blend of romance and intrigue, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series. With its delightful characters and heartwarming conclusion, it’s a tale that romance enthusiasts will surely adore.

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

You can find more of my Darcy Burke book reviews HERE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kindle Unlimited book w paper boats image used in

I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About Darcy Burke

Darcy Burke Author Profile image

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, and two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. Her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Easy Amazon Info Link

If the Duke Dares (Rogue Rules Book 1)
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Burke, Darcy (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 326 Pages - 01/30/2024 (Publication Date) - Zealous Quill Press (Publisher)

If the above link does not take you to your country’s Amazon page, please let me know, and I’ll gladly get a link for you.

Using my link does not change the price you pay. Amazon pays me a minimal amount out of their share. Every penny helps to support this blog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giveaway!

Darcy Burke will award a $25 Amazon/BN GC + swag to a randomly drawn winner (swag US/Canada only)

Visit more stops on this Goddess Fish tour for extra chances to win!

Official Tour Page for If the Duke Dares 

Full Tour Schedule:

January 29: Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read
January 30: Two Ends of the Pen – review
January 31: Andi’s Book Reviews

February 1: Literary Gold
February 2: Aubrey Wynne: Timeless Love
February 5: Hope. Dreams.Life… Lov
February 5: Long and Short Reviews
February 6: The Avid Reader
February 7: Readers Roost

February 8: Dawn’s Reading Nook
February 9: Joanne Guidoccio
February 12: Westveil Publishing
February 13: Iron Canuck Reviews & More
February 14: Punya Reviews…

February 15: Teatime and Books
February 16: Maggie Blackbird – review
February 19: Gina Rae MItchell – review
February 20: Fabulous and Brunette
February 21: Kenyan Poet
February 22: travel the ages
February 23: Guatemala Paula Loves to Read

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More purchase opportunities:

Apple

Barnes & Noble

Google Play

Kobo

If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to like, follow, share, and comment!
You can find me on most Social Media sites:

Twitter/X          Facebook

Pinterest            Instagram

Bluesky              Threads (link in Insta Bio)

 

Goddess Fish New 2023 Tour Host Button

If you would like to review books for Goddess Fish Promotions, please click the link below:

Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour Host

Divider

 


Discover more from Gina Rae Mitchell

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Divider

Posted 02/18/2024 by Gina in Blog Tour, Book Promotions, Book Reviews, Books, Fiction, Historical Fiction / 6 Comments

Tags: , , , , ,

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

6 responses to “Book Review & Excerpt | If the Duke Dares by Darcy Burke (Rogue Rules #1) | #Giveaway #RegencyRomance #HistoricalRomance @GoddessFish @darcyburkeauthor