The Duke of Desire (The 1797 Club, #9) by Jess Michaels  
She's working to live down her reputation. He's intent on living up to his. The world seems to have them all figured out, but not everything is as it seems. The Duke of Desire is a tale of redemption for two misunderstood hearts. Robert and Katherine are victims of circumstance. Prisoners of their own past hurts. Yet for some reason fate refuses to give up on these broken souls. Jess Michaels proves that even the most jaded of hearts is worth saving in the end. How can you not love a reformed rake? ( )

I've read all the books in this series. I really enjoyed some, and others were more of a miss with me, especially the last few. With The Duke of Desire, Ms. Michaels is back to form with a sexy romance that's a really good read.
Robert, Duke of Roseford, is one of the last Dukes in the 1797 club who is still unmarried and very happy to be single. He's a rake of the highest order. When the widowed Countess of Gainsworth is the subject of a bet - her husband died in her bed and all the roues in London want her now that she's back in society -Robert is determined to win.
Katherine has been belittled by her father and husband who call her a wanton. She and Roseford have had some misunderstandings in the past (though he doesn't remember), and she's determined to steer clear of him to win back a place in good society. Unfortunately, they're both invited to the same house party by mistake.
The sex between the two is sizzling. More importantly, Katherine and Robert are two strong personalities that match each other very well. I liked how the romance gradually built, and they revealed their secrets to one another. And of course, we get to see how most of the the others in the 1797 club are doing as they make appearances.
I'm a little sad that only one book is left in the series. All in all, it's been a good read, and I'm happy it's finishing on this high note. ( )

I have been waiting for Robert’s book with excitement and trepidation. I am not a fan of man ho’s and Robert is a prolific one – so I wondered how Jess Michaels was going to manage to redeem him for me. This book is well plotted and well written – and I was surprised to find that I had more issues with the heroine than I did with the hero. I enjoyed the book, but I can say that it was my least favorite of the series so far.

Your heart just has to bleed for the misery that was the life of Miss Katherine Montague. Her father was a cruel and vindictive man who constantly berated her, caused scenes, called her a whore, etc. Her father saw sin in everything she did – and then punished her for it. Then, he married her off to a man twenty-five years her senior who was just as cruel, hateful, and vindictive. So, she blamed Robert for all of that. What? Katherine is an intelligent woman so I don’t understand her blaming Robert rather than her father for ruining her life. Yes, Robert was on the balcony with her when her father found them. However, Robert was already there when she came out, he didn’t seek her out. To me, that just isn’t enough for the deep hatred she felt for Robert and she hung onto it way too long. Actually, she didn’t ever have a grand epiphany and realize that it was her father she should hate and not Robert who was both oblivious and innocent.

Robert Smithton, Duke of Roseford, presented a mask of himself to the world. His seductions and debaucheries knew no bounds. He’d never force a woman to do anything, but with his handsome looks, wit, and charm he’d never have to. All of that masks a deep hurt that he has never shared with anyone – not even his brothers in the 1797 club. He loves pleasure, but he never allows a woman to get close. He was feeling more and more like he was losing his friends in the 1797 Club because they were all marrying and didn’t approve of some of his scandalous actions. “Once upon a time, he would have said those men had thrown away their freedom. But it was hard to feel that way now when their joy was so clear. So sharp. Like a knife to the gut.”

I enjoyed the book and really felt for both of the characters and wanted them to find their HEA. However, I did find that I thought her reasons for ‘hating’ Robert were totally unfounded and without merit and thus took away from the story.

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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher." ( )

The Duke of Desire by Jess Michaels
The 1797 Club #9

You know that series that you have on your bookshelf or stored in your ereader that you would not part with and that you tend to reread from time to time? I do believe this is one of those for me. I am hoping it will end up in a boxed set so that I can download all ten books at one time and then take them out to savor over and over again. Why? Because these stories are just that good! The boys, now men, who form the 1797 Club as youth while away at boarding school have become friends for life and are there for one another no matter what. Sometimes they may argue or not see eye to eye BUT they are closer than brothers that share the same blood and highly regarded as a force to be reckoned with.

Robert Smithton, Duke or Roseford is a self-proclaimed and publically known libertine and a hedonist to the core. His friends in the 1797 Club know there is a heart of gold hiding inside of him but so far they have been unable to bring it forth except periodically. He is there for his friends but can’t see himself being other than what he is and really has no desire to change even though all but he and another in the club are now happily married with families of their own.

Katherine, Countess of Gainesworth, was once Miss Montague and out for her second season when her father determined that it was in her best interest to marry someone older and pious rather than being allowed the liberty of falling in love and with a man of her own choice – a man she could love and be happy with. A few years later she is suddenly widowed in a scandalous way. She does her time of mourning and then takes her first step into society only to find that the scandal surrounding her husband’s death may preclude her from really socializing with and being part of the group she has wanted to rejoin for such a long time.

The first time she is out for the evening the whispers begin, sordid stories are shared about, noses are looked down, women hiss and some men make wagers hoping to win the prize for bedding Katherine first. One of those men is Robert – a man Katherine has demonized for years – a man she blames for her father’s decision to marry the man she did not want.

This is the story of the woman who managed not to be broken despite a father and husband trying to mold her to their beliefs about what a “good woman” should be like and it is also the story of a man who always thought that love was not for him for reasons he has not previously shared with anyone. The two end up at a ten-day house party in the country and find that perhaps they might have a reason not to avoid one another. As they spend time in one another’s company Katherine sees more of the “true” Robert and Robert begins to feel the ice around his heart thawing. There are of course ups and downs, problems to overcome and truths to seek within themselves before Katherine and Robert arrive at their so deserved happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Passionate Pen for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars ( )

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Duke of Desire is the ninth book in Jess Michaels The 1797 Club series. I think it’s a good series and that you will enjoy this book more is you have read the other books as you will understand the friendships and interactions in this book better. Katharine Countess Of Gainsworth has just re-entered society after her year of mourning her husband. As a widow she is something of a scandal because her husband met his demise in her bed. Robert Smithton, Duke of Roseford bon vivant and libertine catches sight of her across a crowded ballroom and foolishly makes a bet that he will be her lover. Both of these characters had hellishly awful fathers and they are damaged by that. Robert uses humour and licentiousness to keep people away but somehow Katharine is able to see past that. Katharine has been shamed as a wanton by both her father and her husband and Robert is able to make her understand that desire is not abnormal. I very much enjoyed enjoyed reading this book and do recommend it. Quite Steamy. Publishing Date September 18, 2018 #TheDukeOfDesire #NetGalley ( )