The Duke in Denial

Scandal in Sussex, Book 1

By: Alexandra Ainsworth

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

Length: 9 hrs

Publisher's summary

Sebastian Lewis never expected to become a duke. But with the sudden deaths of his cousin and uncle, Sebastian's position changes. He is determined to fulfill his new responsibilities with grace, even if it means remarrying, and even if the attractions of women, so often lauded by poets, fail to interest him.

Captain William Carlisle, newly returned from India, is elated when he meets Sebastian. Nobody knows of his inclinations, but his harrowing experiences in battle have prompted him to reach for the type of companionship he longs for. He thinks Sebastian might feel an attraction as well, but to his dismay, he discovers that Sebastian is courting his sister, Dorothea.

After a semi-arranged engagement and a disconcerting romantic tangle with William, Sebastian escapes London to look after his manor, only to face mysterious thefts, a headless ghost, and the arrival of his fiancée, her brother, and his family. Sebastian's new estate sits on the south coast, England's most vulnerable location, and Napoleon has set his sights on conquering the area. Amid this growing turmoil, Sebastian must sort out his feelings for his fiancée's brother and keep his home safe...and determine if he has the courage to reach for his own happiness in the process.

This is a gay regency historical romance.

©2014 Alexandra Ainsworth (P)2016 Alexandra Ainsworth

Good story

Any additional comments?

I liked this story except for
* not a good narrator, sentence was repeated and I didn’t find the voice pleasant to listen to, but remember that’s my personal opinion.

This is what I liked:
* very good storyline
* well described characters
* feelings were very present and I went through the happenings with the characters.
* sweet love scenes
* some suspense and plot that made it thrilling and kept my interest

It was a good mm romance I recommend if you like historical romances. 4 🌟

Wonderful M/M Regency Romance

If you could sum up The Duke in Denial in three words, what would they be?

Delightful, Interesting, Daring

Who was your favorite character and why?

William - He was wonderful, caring, tender and yet so very strong.

Which scene was your favorite?

The first one when Sebastian's hat flies away and he meets William.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me smile. I have to say that the narration made the story come to life for me. I had read the book before.

Any additional comments?

I loved this story and the narration of it. A good love story works no matter who the characters are that fall in love. This was my first audiobook and I am now hooked on the idea of having more in the future! Thank you to the author for the gift of this audiobook.

Gay Regency Extravaganza

This is a regency gay romance, the period is well drawn, with a really likable cast of characters and a romance I was rooting for very quickly. Within a short time the lead characters had won me over to really liking them and I listened intently to find out what would happen next. There's another book in the series focusing on another couple coming out soon, and I look forward to returning to the beautiful world in this story.

Regency Heat!!

<strong>3.8 Stars!</strong>

I love me a good Regency romance—I’ve read more than my share of MF Regencies before discovering the joys of MM.

This is classic Regency with a bit of gothic thrown in just for fun. What truly made this for me was....

1. The ridiculous UST between the MC’s. One, William, accepted his attraction to men and sought to make himself happy in fulfilling his desire. One, Sebastian, buried his attraction to men so deeply that he denied such a thing could even exist (this was a bit naive, too naive really, for me to accept). Their attraction KILLED ME! Not a lot of sex here, but what there was between the two men was extremely heightened due to their circumstances (read the blurb).

2. The narration by Joel Leslie. He kills it. This man could read an instruction manual for a refrigerator and make a sumptuous feast out of it.

3. I didn’t guess all of the “reveals” by the bad guy or the author’s plot twists. This is a good thing, no? In a mystery-ish, gothic-ish, regency romance.

4. I totally dug the HEA epilogue. Realistic? Ehhhhh...I’m just going to say that this is a ROMANCE and leave it at that.

Some things didn’t work as well for me, such as Sebastian’s COMPLETE awareness of homosexuality or of the existence of Molly houses. This was hard to buy, even for someone so deeply in the closet, he wasn’t aware of the closet. Also, the villain seemed extra dastardly, psychotic in fact. The author’s accounting of his behavior felt hollow. I say he should have been afflicted with syphilis—this could easily account for madness. There. Problem fixed. In addition, the reaction of the family upon learning of William and Sebastian’s “natures” was not what I expected in 1808.

So, a great listen, a solid historical, and a bit of a mystery. I say, go for it!

Frock Coats and Hot Blokes. Hurray!

Thrilled with this one. Wonderful characters and performed with warmth and great variety. If you've ever wanted Sense and Sensibility mashed up with Brokeback Mountain - this is it. The m/m spin on regency is new to me and I adored it. I also liked that this was a fairly clean romance... a little bit of sex...but done with a modesty and class that felt appropriate to the period. Definitely recommended to anyone who likes their m/m romance focused on plot and enjoys the historical genre. Sometimes Sebastian was a little aggravating with all his back and forth 'denial'... but since that's the title of the book, I guess I was forewarned lol... and it all wraps up into a truly heartwarming HEA.

The title should have been a warning

I am so over main characters in gay fiction who feel self-loathing for being gay. There’s denial by obliviousness, which I assumed was the case based on the beginning of the story, and then there is denial because “being gay is bad. BAD! I’m going to HELL! I should be punished!” Yeah, none of us needs that kind of story. Unfortunately, this one is exactly that until the last 20 minutes of the book. I will not be reading any more Alexandra Ainsworth books.

Joel Leslie, on the other hand, was outstanding! His performances are always stellar, and even with this drivel he made me forget that he was the only one performing. He truly makes each character individualized and unique and it’s because of him that I actually finished this audiobook. Kudos Joel!

Overall, don’t bother.

Smoldering and Sexy Historical Hotties.

Where does The Duke in Denial rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I thought the writing was really strong, the characters worthy of rooting for and the performance very skillful.. I would rate it high up on my list of favorite listens.

What other book might you compare The Duke in Denial to and why?

Of all the modern regency romances that I've read (I really enjoy them) I think this is one my favorite. I was very surprised how well the author created a believable m/m romance within this world... The characters are vulnerable and complex. It stole my heart... a perfect pick me up for no more Downton lol.

Which scene was your favorite?

No spoilers but the final scene where the Aunt appears was pure gold. And the performance of it was hilarious.

If you could take any character from The Duke in Denial out to dinner, who would it be and why?

William - I could listen to that accent all day!

Any additional comments?

Sweet, sexy and smart... Give me more!

Historical romance

This book was my first time listening to a mm regency romance and I enjoyed it. It had the intrigue, action and romance I like in historical romance. Plus it’s narrated by Joel Leslie who is an all time favorite of mine and takes any book to the next level

Pecs and Pecadillos - LOVED IT.

Heart fluttering and fabulous this is a serious cut above most of the historical bodice-ripper romances out there PLUS it's an awesome m/m tale to top it off. The writing is warm, witty and full of charm... giving a lovely sense of period without ever sounding didactic in it's detail. I loved the main characters - a dashing wounded soldier, William, home from the war who, in the face of death, vowed no longer to deny his true nature. Sebastian is a Yorkshire nobleman who suddenly has the title of Duke unexpectedly land in his lap. When Sebastian, eager to fulfill his expected societal duties, is matched up with William's sister their flirtatious acquaintance suddenly sets sparks flying.
I found the two heroes wonderfully engaging and was drawn in by their different emotional journeys and heartbreaking inability to communicate and realize their mutual passion.
It has that unmistakeable Jane Austin feel in all the best ways... unspoken desires, ballgowns and breeches, wonderful supporting characters. There is also a marvelously oily villain and an engaging mystery that helps keep the 'boy meets boy' from ever seeming formulaic. The writing is also mostly clean - certainly romance versus erotica and the focus is all on the characters and plot.
I was very impressed with Ainsworth's writing and thought the narration was excellent. Great variety - I really enjoyed the regional specificity that gave a true sense of class and various locales. I will eagerly look for more from both the writer and narrator.

Great performance and good story

I really enjoyed this regency mm romance. It was kind of like Pride and Prejudice with a mystery woven into story. Sebastian, a minor noble, is suddenly thrust into the role of a Duke due the unexpected deaths the of his distant male relations. He is a widower who has also lost his only son. He is in deep denial about his attraction to other men and this becomes a source of annoyance throughout the book for me. He continuously berates himself for his nature, especially after he gives into it, and just runs hot and cold throughout the story until he is forced to confront it. Now William is not exactly "out and proud" considering he could be executed for being gay, but he has come to terms with who he is. Unlike Sebastian, who is continuously "trying to do the right thing and marry" William steadfastly refuses to even entertain the notion of marrying a woman. He has made the British military his career. There is a lot of angst, some tender moments, some "what a bitch" moments with William's sister, and a crime mystery woven into the story.

Joel Leslie once again knocks it out of the park with his performance. I swear, I lost count of the various voices and characterizations. His British accents are spot on in all their variations. From a cockney ruffian to the very upper class Duke. He does a great job on the male and female voices; Aunt Beatrice sound exactly like that woman in Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson.

Overall, a very good listen.