Review: Not Quite A Duke (The Dukes' Club Book 6) by Eva Devon

           

Print Length:  232 pages

Publisher:  Bard Publishing Inc (June 15, 2016)

From Goodreads.com:  A Rake With A Broken Heart:

Deadly with a rapier and one of the most notorious rakes London has ever known, Lord Charles, twin brother of the Duke of Hunt, is hiding a dark secret. Wine, women, and song can’t drown his pain but when he wins Barrow House in a night of gambling, he finds that he’s also won an entanglement with the owner’s niece, Lady Patience. Prickly, forthright, and clad in black from head to toe, she’s the opposite of every thing he’s ever desired in a woman and yet, Lord Charles is inexplicably drawn to her. When he discovers she has a secret just as serious and scandalous as his own, he knows marriage into his powerful family is the only thing that can rescue her. But can a rake take a chance at marriage and risk losing his heart?

A Lady in Disguise:
Lady Patience has no wish to be rescued but nor is she willing to give up her double life as the extremely successful author P. Auden. When her secret identity is exposed, she has no one to turn to but the rake who won her family house in a card game. But Lord Charles is all that she dislikes in a man. A womanizer and a gambler, she should abhor him. Only Lord Charles is not as simple as he seems. With each day she discovers the hidden depths and pain under his witty and cold exterior. And as she finds that underneath he is a good man nearly destroyed by a terrible secret, she cannot help but lose her heart to the rake who has sacrificed everything for his family’s happiness. Can she save him from his past just as he has saved her? Or will the past claim them both and ruin their chance at love?

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My Rating: 2 stars out of 5 

While there were certainly some cute moments scattered throughout its pages, this was ultimately a fairly forgettable read. Nothing about it was particularly bad, but very little stood out enough to leave a lasting impression either.

The biggest issue for me was the complete lack of tension. At no point did it feel like the characters were facing meaningful obstacles or consequences. Patience's uncle loses the family home in a card game, which sounds like a promising setup for conflict, but that problem is resolved almost immediately when Charles turns out to be perhaps the most agreeable man in existence and happily informs her she can continue living there for as long as she likes.

Likewise, Patience travels to town to continue her "research," which involves attending scandalous events alongside her actress friend. Given the time period, this seems like it should lead to at least a little drama. Yet somehow no one who would spread gossip about her ever discovers what she's actually doing. Instead, the true scandal turns out to be the fact that she's a published author writing under a male pseudonym.

Again, that sounds like it should create genuine conflict. Not only has she deceived society regarding her identity, but the content of her novels is considered controversial enough to raise eyebrows. Yet even this is resolved with surprising ease. Charles's brother happens to be a duke, and his mother happens to be a passionate supporter of authors and the arts, and suddenly any potential fallout disappears before it can really begin.

As a result, there was very little for the characters to actually overcome. The romance progresses smoothly, the obstacles are minimal, and even Charles's struggles with melancholy, which could have added some much-needed emotional depth, are largely glossed over rather than explored in any meaningful way.

The supporting cast didn't help matters much either.

The only secondary character I found myself genuinely enjoying was the Duke of Aston. Everyone else seemed determined to insert themselves into situations where they weren't needed. Rather than adding depth or helping move the story forward, most of the supporting characters felt like obstacles created solely for the sake of giving people something to do. Also, how are there so many Dukes and Duchesses so close in age? Honestly, it seemed a bit like overkill, and only to reiterate the point about a "nobody" like Patience being very well-connected to all the right people of the ton. 

Charles's mother was particularly frustrating, because the Dowager Duchess easily took the prize for most aggravating meddler. She becomes convinced that Patience doesn't know her own true self and appoints herself as the person responsible for "helping" her. Unfortunately, her assistance generally accomplishes the exact opposite, creating problems where none previously existed.

That said, I do think it's worth mentioning that despite being the sixth book in the series, this can absolutely be read as a standalone. I haven't read any of the previous installments and never felt lost or confused about who anyone was or how they fit into the story. The author does a good job of making the book accessible to new readers.

Overall, this was a pleasant enough way to spend a few hours, but it lacked the emotional depth and tension needed to make it memorable. Since the entire series is available through Kindle Unlimited, I may eventually try another installment to see if it resonates with me more than this one did, but we'll see.