The Legendary Duke (Put Up Your Dukes Book 2)

Margaret
Locke
Genre: 
Historical

A young Gavin Knight watches as Bertie Laxton, Earl of Grennet, shoots his father in the face. Bertie is dismayed at having a five-year-old spectator, but tells him he will chop off his and his mother’s heads if he tells anyone what he has seen.  Gavin never tells and in time only remembers that a large green man shot his father. His mother, Anna, Duchess of Cortleon runs off with Gavin and secretes them in Italy, living a demure life in hopes the murderer will not find them. Upon Anna’s death, Gavin returns to England as the Duke of Cortleon with vengeance on his mind. He refuses to wed until he avenges his father’s death. He had not figured on meeting the beautiful Nelle, with whom he instantly falls in love. Will he follow through with his vengeance, or will love conquer all?

“The Legendary Duke” encompasses many pigeonholes amongst its pages: the damsel in distress, a Duke in disguise, jealousy, and deceit. The main characters are full-bodied and are easy to get to know down to their very souls. Secondary people such as Nelle’s parents and Bertie are harder to get to know, as their superficial motives are all the reader is given. This story is the retelling of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” with a regency flair and Ms. Locke is an excellent storyteller. Readers will want to read the notes after the story to clarify any questions they may have. This is a fun rendition of a favorite King Arthur tale and will be enjoyed by anyone enamored of good regency romance.

Belinda Wilson