Review: To Love a Scandalous Duke by Liana De la Rosa

Print Length: 208 pages

Publisher: Entangled Publishing (September 25, 2017)

From Goodreads.com: Driven into exile years earlier, due to family scandal, Declan Sinclair is called home, devastated to discover his brother has been murdered and he’s the new Duke of Darington. When clues point to the man he blames for both his exile and his brother’s death, Declan resolves to ruin the culprit. If only the daughter of the man’s business partner, lovely Lady Alethea Swinton, didn’t tempt his resolve.

Lady Alethea Swinton has cultivated her pristine reputation in the hopes of winning her father’s praise. When her childhood friend returns, Alethea finds she’s willing to court scandal and defy her father to help the handsome Declan uncover the truth behind his brother’s death. Until she realizes Declan’s redemption will mean her family’s ruin. 

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

This was one of those stories that I LIKED. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. There were some points that made me smile, and some parts that made me roll my eyes. 

I very much enjoyed the relationship between Declan and Althea. You could tell that their childhood friendship had bloomed into something more, even after his long absence. The chemistry was obvious and if this were a romance alone, it probably would have been a more enjoyable read (at least for me). 

Now don't get me wrong, when novels expertly weave both romance and mystery, I am in heaven. I love a good author that can do both. However the mystery part of this story is where it went completely wrong. 

To begin with, it seems a trifle odd that Finlay and Althea's mother was able to hide something of such importance for so long. I feel like its finding was a little too convenient. I also began to utterly loathe Althea. For someone who claims to be so smart and independent she certainly comes across as neither. In fact, even when presented with concrete evidence, she still has a hard time believing what is right in front of her. Even the ending is a bit of an issue. Sure there is a resolution to things, but was it satisfying? 

NO. 

In fact, the end "punishment" seems more like a reprieve once you look at the story as a whole. It doesn't seem like the "villain" wasn't inconvenienced at all by what happened. More an all-expenses paid vacation and less of a punishment. 

Overall, I am sure this story may still appeal to those who enjoy historical romance novels that have a dash of mystery in them.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                         To Love a Scandalous Duke is available from Amazon.com