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The Duke

Catherine Coulter

First published 1995 · 404 pages

A spirited romp through the Scottish Highlands featuring a fiery heroine, a dashing English lord, and a dash of deadly intrigue.

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What it feels like

Reading this classic historical romance feels like wrapping yourself in a tartan blanket while a storm rages outside. It delivers a brisk, spirited romp through the Scottish Highlands, balancing the sweeping passion of a forbidden attraction with the cozy thrill of a manor-house murder mystery. The narrative crackles with lively, often humorous dialogue, leaning into the beloved tropes of the era featuring a headstrong heroine clashing with a proud but secretly tender English lord. The atmosphere is thick with cultural tension and family secrets, keeping the pages turning as the emotional stakes rise. It is a perfect, nostalgic escape for readers who crave the melodramatic charm, sweeping romance, and suspenseful twists of vintage historical fiction.

Mood
  • passionate
  • atmospheric
  • suspenseful
  • cozy
Tone
  • playful
  • melodramatic
  • spirited
  • romantic
Pace
brisk
Themes
cultural clash · forbidden attraction · family loyalty · hidden dangers · enemies to lovers
The writing
Lively and dialogue-heavy, leaning into classic romance tropes with a touch of vintage historical flair.
The arc
Moves from suspicious hostility and forbidden longing to passionate surrender and hard-won trust.
Who it's for
Fans of vintage historical romance who love a fiery Scottish setting, a murder mystery subplot, and a dashing, slightly arrogant hero.
Content notes
  • attempted murder
  • period-typical sexism
  • mild violence

About the book

THE DUKE is a rewritten historical version of the originally Regency entitled THE GENEROUS EARL....

So come back to the beginning of the nineteenth century to Scotland, to Penderleigh Castle, home of the Robertsons, who have just been dealt a terrible blow. Their new master, already an English duke, has just been named the Scottish earl of Penderleigh.

Ian Carmichael, Duke of Portmaine, is proud, aristocratic, handsome as the devil's right hand, and kinder than any grousing Robertson has a right to expect. Brandy Robertson -- the old earl's granddaughter -- takes one look at the duke and her heart goes ballistic.

The problem is, the duke is already engaged, and if that isn't bad enough, someone wants to kill him. One of the embittered Robertsons? There are lots of juicy suspects to choose from...

Description from Open Library.

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