A Most
Unlikely Duke
Diamonds In the Rough #1
Diamonds In the Rough #1
By: Sophie Barnes
Releasing June
27, 2017
Avon Books
Avon Books
Blurb
He never thought he’d become a duke, or that the secrets of his past will cost him his greatest love...
He never thought he’d become a duke, or that the secrets of his past will cost him his greatest love...
Raphe Matthews
hasn’t stepped foot in polite circles since a tragedy left his once-noble
family impoverished and in debt. The bare-knuckle boxer has spent the last
fifteen years eking out an existence for himself and his two sisters. But when
a stunning reversal of fortunes lands Raphe the title of Duke of Huntley, he’s
determined to make a go of becoming a proper lord, but he’ll need a little help
and his captivating neighbor might be just the woman for the job…
After her sister’s
scandalous match, Lady Gabriella knows the ton’s eyes are on her. Agreeing to
tutor the brutish new duke can only lead to ruin. Although she tries to control
her irresistible attraction to Raphe, every day she spends with him only
deepens her realization that this may be the one man she cannot do without. And
as scandal threatens to envelope them both, she must decide if she can risk
everything for love with a most unlikely duke.
My Thoughts:
Many times you don't find an unconventional Duke, usually find them pompous, arrogant, or they are the polar opposite and you find them a cad, rake, not willing to settle down. In Sophie's latest book you meet Raphe Matthews. Totally unconventional, especially when he's working on the docks and boxes to pay off his father's debt. So, when he finds out that he's the heir to the dukedom, he's willing to become the Duke of Huntley to give his sisters a better chance in life. Not an easy change. It's an uphill battle to try to prove to the ton that his family belongs, but on his terms. He's pretty awesome.
Then we meet Lady Gabriella and I wasn't sure how felt about her, because when she first Raphe she kind of turns her nose up at him. I was thinking, "Wow! What a snob!" However, she's the furthest thing from a snob. Now her parents are snobs, and they tried to fix what happened to their oldest daughter and rectify the situation. All they were trying to do was save face with the perfect candidate to fix all their problems. Yet, there is a problem with the golden boy, he's not a good fit for Gabriella. You know it's not a good fit when a couple of people close to you start to say, "He'll crush your spirit." So, Gabriella is stuck in the middle of following her parents edict and following her heart. Not an easy task. I like that Gabriella was different from most heroine's you read. Yes, you find some that bookish, but I don't think I have even come across a lady who was interested in entomology. I like how Raphe embraces all of Gabriella's quirks.
An Unlikely Duke is a pretty good read. I enjoyed how Gabriella actually got to know Raphe and his family. She was willing to do what she could to help them prepare for the societal pitfalls that lay ahead. They were willing to challenge what was the norm in An Unlikely Duke. I can't wait to read more about Raphe's sisters. They sound like they can be a handful. A pretty good start to a new series. Definitely refreshing change from the normal regency. So, if you are in need of a unconventional Duke who grew up on the rougher side of town, you might find this your kind of story.
Copy provided by Avon via Edelweiss
Excerpt:
It was past eleven
o’clock in the evening by the time
Raphe returned
home, his knuckles tender and his body still sore from the fight. Glad to get
out of the cold, he closed the door on the rain that now poured from a
thunderous sky, shrugged out of his coat and hung it on a hook behind the door
just as his sister Amelia entered from an adjoining room that served as a small
parlor.
“Good evenin’.” She
yawned, leaning against the door frame. Squinting through the darkness, Raphe
echoed her salutation. “I thought ye would be asleep by now.”
Stepping past her,
he entered their tiny kitchen and snatched up the tinder box.
“I was,” Amelia
said, following him into the chilly room. A threadbare shawl was draped across
her shoulders, and as she pulled it tighter with pale and trembling fingers,
Raphe felt his heart lurch. This wasn’t right. His sister did not deserve to
live like this. None of them did. Pushing aside such fruitless ponderings, he
found a candle, struck a flint and held it to the wick until a flame began to
bloom, driving the darkness toward the walls where it struggled against the
light.
“If it makes any
difference, Juliette’s safely tucked into bed.” Amelia said, referring to their
younger sister, whose weaker disposition was a constant cause for unease. When
Raphe lifted the lid of a nearby pot and peered inside, Amelia added, “I made
soup for dinner.”
“Smells delicious,”
he dutifully told her.
“We both know ‘ow
untrue that is, bu’ I appreciate yer optimism.”
Meeting her gaze,
Raphe made a deliberate effort to smile. “Per’aps I can manage some meat for us
tomorrow.” It would certainly be a welcome change from the potatoes and turnips
they’d been eating for what seemed like forever. Christ, he was so tired of
having a sore belly all the time, and his sisters . . . they never complained,
but he knew they needed better nourishment than what they were getting.
“That’d be nice,”
Amelia said. Her tone, however, suggested that she doubted his ability to
manage such a feat. Bothered by her lack of faith in him, he grabbed a chunk of
bread and tore off a large piece. “A chicken ought to be possible. If we make
it last a few days.”
Amelia simply
nodded. Grabbing a cup, she filled it with water and placed it before him. “I
miss the smell of a bustlin’ kitchen.”
The comment threw
him for a second. “Wha’?”
“Meat roastin’ on
the fire, bread bakin’ in the oven.” She shook her head wistfully. “It’s funny.
I
can’t picture Mama,
but I remember Cook—plump cheeks an’ a kind smile. I remember bein’ ‘appy in
the kitchen back ‘ome.”
The sentimental
thought made Raphe weary. He didn’t bother to point out that she’d only been
seven when they’d lost their parents and there’d been nothing left for Raphe to
do but turn his back on the house in which they’d spent the early years of
their childhoods and walk away, taking his siblings with him. He’d been no more
than eight years old and with a mighty burden weighing on his shoulders. “I
know this isn’t the sor’ of life that any of us ever imagined.”
Feeling his temper
begin to rise at the memory of what their parents had done to them all, he
added, “Hopefully, in time, things’ll get better.”
“I’m sure ye’re
right.” Could she possibly sound any more unconvinced?
He ate a spoonful
of soup, the bland flavor just a touch better than plain hot water. Amelia took
a step forward. “The reason I didn’t retire with Juliette earlier is ’cause of
this letter.” She waved a piece of paper in his direction. “It arrived for ye
today while ye were out.”
Frowning, Raphe
stared at her. “Do ye know who sent it?” He couldn’t even recall the last time
he’d received a letter. Nobody ever wrote to him or his sisters.
“The sender’s
name’s smudged. So’s the address. It’s a miracle it arrived here at all.”
Handing the letter to Raphe, she watched as he turned it over and studied the
penmanship. Sure enough, the only legible part of the address, which even appeared
to have been altered once or twice, was his name: Mister Raphael Matthews.
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Author Info
When she's not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.
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