Don't Judge a Duke by His Cover
Series: Dukes in Danger #1
Author: Emily E.K. Murdoch
Published January 5th 2023 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
Lawrence, Duke of Penshaw, is undercover and getting punched on a daily basis.

Devastated by the murder of his brother by a traitor to the Crown, Lawrence agrees to leave his identity as Duke behind to go undercover at an illegal boxing ring in London. He’s waiting for the killer to return from France, and absolutely must not get distracted. Especially by a beauty from Society who absolutely should not be here.

Julia Dryden knows her mother would be scandalized by her presence at the boxing matches—it flies in the face of their agreement for her to choose a husband by Easter. After all, she isn’t getting any younger.

But her eye is caught by a tall, handsome man who gives everything in the ring and seems to have no fear of danger.

From two different worlds—but not the ones she thinks—Julia has no idea the man she’s falling in love with is not a common rogue.

And Lawrence has to keep it that way for if he loses focus, just for a moment, he may lose everything.

The chance to catch a killer, put a traitor behind bars, revenge his brother…and Julia’s heart.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Losing his brother to a traitor, Lawrence, Duke of Penshaw, agrees to go undercover to discover who the murderer was. Fighting at an illegal boxing ring by night, Lawrence is shocked to discover a society lady at his matches, especially when she returns night after night. Julia Dryden knows she is risking a lot to watch Lawrence, but after her parents decree she must marry by Easter, she is ready for one last hurrah before she is forced to settle down.

When I saw that Emily had a new series coming out, I jumped to download my eARC, and dove straight in. I liked the banter and camaraderie between Julia and Lawrence, especially as Julia believed they were from different classes in society. They had an easy relationship with one another, and it was clear that though the sparks flying were full of lust, there were real feelings growing underneath. The mystery aspect of the story perhaps could've been developed further, but the danger the pair were in was real, and the ending came with a bang. A great start to a new series, though, definitely setting the stage for future books!

Dates Read:
February 19, 2023

Rating
3 Stars