Set between London and Paris in the mid-1700s, THE RUTHLESS DUKE evokes all the propriety and social graces of the time period. Young Emma, an aristocratic young woman with many uncommon talents, courts and weds the Duke of Bedford, James, entirely in secret for her own protection. James is a spy for the British crown—something Emma’s family is more familiar with than she realizes. But once James goes missing, imprisoned in France during a long mission, Emma endeavors to draw on skills new and old to rescue her dear husband herself—at any cost.
Sandra Gharabaghli’s THE RUTHLESS DUKE is a historical romance that highlights all of the rituals of the social season during its time period. Emma’s knowledge of horses shines through, and the fashions and customs are richly described in particular. Aside from a few modern words that slip through, it’s easy to imagine the balls, grand dinners, and stolen kisses James and Emma sneak while courting.
Although the premise is intriguing, the book unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired in its execution. Uneven pacing doesn’t exactly allow for important moments and character development to reveal themselves in a reasonable timeline. Much of the novel reads like a summary rather than a compelling narrative. There never was a sense that James was as ruthless as the characters claimed. For a book so centered around spycraft, the plot has a noticeable lack of tension, suspense, and conflict. Most of the spying and intrigue happens off-page or is glossed over. Things get resolved too easily, and events that should be harrowing feel a little more like afterthoughts. Emma doesn’t struggle with much of anything, doesn’t even run into any problems learning how to do field work as a spy. Everything seems to come naturally for her, and her endless hidden talents—though interesting—are boringly without flaws.
By the time there’s some real, gripping conflict between Emma and James, the book is nearly over. There is, however, a thoughtful layer with James’s PTSD struggles, as well as a surprising twist at the end that unexpectedly ties up a loose narrative thread. Overall, readers looking for decent genre fare and good historical details should be satisfied by this novel.
Sandra Gharabaghli’s THE RUTHLESS DUKE is well-researched with regards to the courting, fashion, and social aspects of 18th-century London and Paris.
~Jessica Thomas for IndieReader