In the first novel in Christy Carlyle’s sizzling Duke’s Den series, three men, intent on making a fortune, discover irresistible opportunities . . .
Nicholas Lyon gambled his way into a fortune and ownership of the most opulent, notorious gentlemen’s club in England. But when Nick’s cruel brother dies, he inherits a title he never wanted. The sooner Nick is rid of the estate that has always haunted him, the sooner he can return to the life he’s built in London. But there’s one obstacle—the exquisite Thomasina Thorne.
When the new heir to the Tremayne dukedom suddenly appears in Mina Thorne’s life, she’s flustered. Not only is he breathtakingly handsome, but he’s also determined to take away her home and position as steward of the Enderley estate. If Mina learns what makes the enigmatic duke tick, perhaps she can change his mind—as long as she doesn’t get too close to him.
With each day Nick spends with Mina, his resolve weakens as their colliding wills lead to explosive desire. Could she be the one woman who can help him finally bury the ghosts of his past?
About the Book
A Duke Changes Everything by Christy Carlyle
Series: The Duke’s Den (Each story is a standalone.)
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon Books
Publication Date: November 27, 2018
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EXCERPT
Nick looked at the dark drop of honey on her skin and his mouth watered. He licked his lips and looked into her eyes. The heat there made him want more. More moments like this with her. When there was no Enderley boxing them in, no duties that needed their attention. Just Mina and the odd, undeniable spark he’d felt between them from the day he arrived.
“I’d like a taste,” he told her quietly.
Mina bit her lip, and her brows dipped in concentration. She locked her gaze on his mouth and seemed to hold her breath as she slid a honeyed finger across his lower lip.
Nick swept his tongue out to taste and reached for her hand. Flavor burst inside his mouth in a shock of floral sweetness.
“Delicious,” he whispered before leaning closer, flicking his tongue out, and tasting the tip of her finger once more. “But I honestly can’t tell whether it’s you or the honey.”
About Christy Carlyle
Fueled by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British costume drama she can get her hands on, USA Today bestselling author CHRISTY CARLYLE writes sensual historical romance set in the Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds there’s nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a die-hard belief in happy endings.
REVIEW
A Duke Changes Everything by Christy CarlyleMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Title: A Duke Changes Everything
Series: Duke's Den
Author: Christy Carlyle
Release date: November 27, 2018
“You clearly haven’t read many fairy tales, Your Grace.
There’s plenty of tragedy,
and sometimes the creature is actually an enchanted prince.”
What a breath of fresh air! I needed this book so badly, I can't even tell you how much. Lately I've been in such a book funk that I couldn't seem to find a romance that swept me away and gave me that level of excitement that elevates a good book to great. From the moment I cracked open this book, (or tapped open would be more apt) I knew it was going to give me something more. Something that makes you want to speed read and slow it down to make it last all at the same time. Thank you, Avon Romance for putting that absolutely STUNNING cover art on the book. It caught my eye and helped me impulse click this hidden gem. All I can say is, after reading A Duke Changes Everything, I'm firmly hooked on the series, and I cannot wait to read more about Nick's friends in the next installments.
Aidan, Rhys, and Nick are co-owners of the Devil's Den, a gentlemen's club that made them all very wealthy and independent men. Nick makes additional money in the Lyon's Den, the basement of the club where desperate gamblers go to beg for mercy and one last-ditch loan. Nicholas Lyon is the secondborn son of the Duke of Tremayne, but don't let his aristocratic lineage fool you into thinking he's a pampered and privileged lord. It doesn't take long to realize that Nick's frigid coldness and brooding nature are hiding a world of pain that he's kept hidden away for a very long time. The power he wields in his club is something he needs after a childhood of fear and powerlessness. When he unexpectedly inherits the dukedom, he must return to his ancestral home to get his affairs in order.
Nick is a character you can easily empathize with despite his gruff exterior. Abused for being born with Heterochromia (two different colored eyes), the castle he returns to is nothing but a house of horrors with painful memories around every corner. He's suffered unimaginable cruelties by his father, and it's left him deeply scarred, both emotionally and physically. But he doesn't let his fear control him, and bravely faces the place he barely escaped with his life. Because of his facial scar and his unusual eyes, he's prepared for people to recoil at the sight of him. The isolation and loneliness are constant companions, even with Aiden and Rhys' acceptance. He's used to being an outsider, and it's hard for him to warm up to people. But when he encounters a young woman in breeches climbing a tree on the road to Enderley, he's not prepared for the emotions that she immediately begins to stir.
Mina has lived on the property her entire life, and when her father passed away, she took over his job of managing the estate. I loved how unconventional she was, working as a steward, and wearing men's clothing. Her father had raised her to temper her adventurous spirit, and her decidedly "un-ladylike" behaviors, but she failed to hide her true nature from Nick. He saw right through her thin veneer, and spotted the passion and intelligence she exuded so brightly. Mina was one of the best HR heroines I've read in a long time. She had such courage and spirit, and not for a minute was she intimidated by the hero. They had such an instant awareness of each other that makes you melting into a pile of goo from their very first interaction. The author did an amazing job creating an organic attraction in subtle ways that built my anticipation to monumental levels. I wanted to smoosh their faces together and make them kiss so many times!
His head, where he’d convinced himself to value a life unencumbered by personal entanglements, knew she was right to draw a boundary line between them. But his heart, that rarely used thing that thrashed every time Mina was near, didn’t seem to agree.
He was determined to leave as soon as humanly possible, she was equally determined to convince him to let go of his hatred of the property. Unfortunately, she had no idea of the trauma he went through there, and what an impossible task that would be. As she took him through the property to meet the tenants, and show him the beauty hidden under the disrepair, their attachment grew stronger. She may not have been able to make him love his home, but she made him want to be a better person. He doesn't trust anyone easily, but from the moment they saw each other again, there was a mutual understanding and respect that neither had felt before. They were from completely different social classes, but he always sees her as an equal which I adored. There was some trepidation on her part that they could never be together because of the vast differences in their social stations, but he went above and beyond to make her feel comfortable. When he went in, his heart was all in.
Mina didn’t make him feel weak. She made him want to surrender. To give her everything and hold nothing back. Even if it meant she’d see the truth of who he was—the ugliness, inside and out. Somehow, she’d unearthed goodness in him, a vein of decency he’d doubted he still possessed.
I'm SO happy I found Christy Carlyle, and even more thrilled that I have Aidan and Diana's book to stalk next. Book two in the Duke's Den series, Anything But a Duke, is scheduled for publication April 2019
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