I wrote a romance starring a quirky bookseller named Claire who adores historical romance. Namely, Regency romances featuring dukes. In the story, you’ll see that she is even a member of a club called the Triple Ds, which stands for the Dashing Duke Diehards. They meet the third Thursday of every month to see their chairwoman read a spicy scene with a real-life male romance cover model. It’s a hoot and everyone has a great time.
Anyway, I digress. That was just one of the many cute and funny moments in my debut romance, HOW TO SURVIVE A MODERN-DAY FAIRY TALE, which came out on November 30th. Claire’s love of historical romance is one of the few things she and I have in common. I began my life-long love affair with romance after picking up a medieval romance by Elizabeth Lowell when I was thirteen years-old. Since then, I’ve read hundreds, but I’ve been particularly smitten with stories about dukes.
So in keeping with this Duke-ish theme, here are Claire’s top 5 favorite historical romances starring Dukes:
THE BEAST OF BESWICK by Amalie Howard
Blurb: Lord Nathaniel Harte, the disagreeable Duke of Beswick, spends his days smashing porcelain, antagonizing his servants, and snarling at anyone who gets too close. With a ruined face like his, it’s hard to like much about the world. Especially smart-mouthed harpies—with lips better suited to kissing than speaking—who brave his castle with indecent proposals.
But Lady Astrid Everleigh will stop at nothing to see her younger sister safe from a notorious scoundrel, even if it means offering herself up on a silver platter to the forbidding Beast of Beswick himself. And by offer, she means what no highborn lady of sound and sensible mind would ever dream of—a tender of marriage with her as his bride.
Why Claire loves this book: There’s just something about scarred and brooding heroes. The Duke of Beswick isn’t classically handsome, but his sheer power and magnetism intensify his sex appeal. The banter and chemistry was also fire.
THE DUKE AND I by Julia Quinn
Blurb: Can there be any greater challenge to London’s Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke?—Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, April 1813
By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend’s sister—the lovely and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it’s all an elaborate ruse to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.
But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it’s hard to remember that their courtship is a sham. Maybe it’s his devilish smile, certainly it’s the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her . . . but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke . . . for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love.
Why Claire loves this book: Fake dating to forced marriage and proximity to spicy scenes to duals to the intrigue of Lady Whistledown? What’s not to love?
DUKE I’D LIKE TO F… by Sierra Simone, Joanna Shupe, Eva Leigh, Nicola Davidson, Adriana Herrera
A spicy anthology of short romance stories by well-loved, popular romance authors. Head to Goodreads for the full description of the stories in this anthology.
What Claire loves about this book: She loved every story in the book, but she particularly adored An Education in Pleasure by Eva Leugh. The love scenes were absolutely incendiary.
THE DUKE by Gaelen Foley
Blurb: Driven to uncover the truth about the mysterious death of his ladylove, the Duke of Hawkscliffe will go to any lengths to unmask a murderer. Even if it means jeopardizing his reputation by engaging in a scandalous affair with London’s most provocative courtesan—the desirable but aloof Belinda Hamilton.
Bel has used her intelligence and wit to charm the city’s titled gentlemen, while struggling to put the pieces of her life back together. She needs a protector, so she accepts Hawk’s invitation to become his mistress in name only. He asks nothing of her body, but seeks her help in snaring the same man who shattered her virtue. Together they tempt the unforgiving wrath of society—until their risky charade turns into a dangerous attraction, and Bel must make a devastating decision that could ruin her last chance at love. . . .
What Claire loves about this book: It was the very first romance book she ever read…at age twelve. She was blown to smithereens by this book. It was scandalizing, hot, and thrilling. She blew through the rest of the series like there was no tomorrow.
DUKE OF SIN by Elizabeth Hoyt
Blurb: A MAN OF SIN
Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans.
A WOMAN OF HONOR
Born a bastard, housekeeper Bridget Crumb is clever, bold, and fiercely loyal. When her aristocratic mother becomes the target of extortion, Bridget joins the Duke of Montgomery’s household to search for the incriminating evidence-and uncovers something far more dangerous.
A SECRET THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY THEM BOTH
Astonished by the deceptively prim-and surprisingly witty-domestic spy in his chambers, Montgomery is intrigued. And try as she might, Bridget can’t resist the slyly charming duke. Now as the two begin their treacherous game of cat and mouse, they soon realize that they both have secrets-and neither may be as nefarious-or as innocent-as they appear . . .
What Claire loves about this book: The writing. No one write quite like the incomparable Ms. Hoyt. Her prose and storytelling ability always had the ability to sweep Claire away into romantic adventures she never wanted to come back from. And she loves the fables that the author seamlessly weaves into the theme of the story. Claire has to physically restrain herself from reading all of Ms. Hoyt’s books because she doesn’t want to suffer from the inevitable book hangover that will ensue.
***
HOW TO SURVIVE A MODERN-DAY FAIRY TALE by Elle Cruz
Claire Ventura is nothing like the poised and perfect heroines she reads about in her favorite romance novels. She’s a quirky, people-pleasing bookworm with a loving yet obliviously intrusive family and a passion for cookie decorating—all rolled into a five-foot-two Filipina American fueled by chamomile tea.
Then she meets Nate, billionaire CEO of a global tech company, the modern-day Prince Charming who sweeps her off her feet. Though he does his best to convince Claire that he’s genuinely head over heels for her, she knows he’ll soon realize she’s more underwhelming Plain Jane than jet-setting socialite. And once he meets her family, if their initial questioning doesn’t scare him off, then their tendency to decide “what’s best for her” certainly will.
Between her whirlwind romance with Nate and her meddlesome family, Claire wishes she had a fairy godmother to guide her. But this is the real world in the twenty-first century, and the only way to get her happily ever after is by grabbing firm hold of what she really wants—and letting her heart be her guide.
Romance Comedy [Entangled: Amara, On Sale: November 30, 2021, Trade Size / e-Book, ISBN: 9781649370815 / eISBN: 9781649371157]
About Elle Cruz
Elle Cruz writes heartfelt, steamy contemporary romance. It all started when she got her hands on a historical romance novel at the tender age of thirteen, and there was no turning back. By day, Elle works in the health-care industry, but at night she’s writing swoon-worthy stories that are passionate and fun all rolled into one. She is married to a sexy city official and is the mother of two gritty goofballs. She lives in Southern California.
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