A Duet with the Siren Duke

De: Elise Kova

Narrado por: Elizabeth Evans

A ship’s captain has always braved the sea’s dangers, thanks to borrowed magic from a siren duke. But now the debt has come due and she’ll pay . . . with her soul and her heart.

Fall in love with the Siren Duke in this enthralling installment of the Married to Magic fantasy romance novels—swoonworthy, escapist standalone reads that combine wondrous fantasy worlds with slow-burn romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Arcana Academy

She sold her soul to a siren and now he’s come to collect.

Victoria risks everything to leave a dangerous marriage and gain a second chance at life. But when her escape goes awry, she finds herself caught in the strong embrace of a mysterious siren, forced to choose: temporary salvation or immediate death.

And so, a cursed deal is struck.

Five years later, Victoria is alive—and the world’s finest ship captain. But her debt to the siren looms while her conniving ex has demanded a king’s ransom as the final price of her freedom. Victoria refuses to cause her family to suffer any more on her behalf, and is determined to make things right before her time is up. But that time is cut short.

The siren comes for her. Six months early.

Taken to the magical and deadly Eversea, home of the sirens, Victoria discovers she’s the sacrifice upon which all sirens pin their hopes. If they want to appease an angry god and save a world on the brink of destruction, then they need her. Which gives her the perfect leverage.

Victoria strikes a new bargain: the Siren Duke will help save her family, and she’ll fulfill his demands. It’s a good bargain until a flicker of passion ignites in the scarred remnants of Victoria's heart, threatening all she's worked for. As the sacrifice for the God of Death, she’s meant to give up everything that draws her to the world of the living. But that’s impossible when all she can think about is how this handsome siren’s song, and his hands, make her feel very much alive.

In a realm of ancient magic, submerged secrets, and forgotten gods, can love find a place among shattered hearts as they race against time and the blossoming of forbidden desires? Or will the delicate songs of their hearts be silenced once and for all?

A Married to Magic Novel

Don’t miss any of the enchanting Married to Magic novels. Linked standalones to be read in any order!
A DANCE WITH THE FAE PRINCE • A DUEL WITH THE VAMPIRE LORD • A DUET WITH THE SIREN KING • A DAWN WITH THE WOLF KNIGHT

The world building

Everything about this audiobook was amazing from the characters to the world building. The story had me completely enthralled as if I myself was dragged to the seas with a siren call. I was saddened toward the end it was bittersweet. The whole story was amazing and the narrator did a spectacular job with the characters both male and female. It all was amazing!

This is much different than other Married to Magic

A Duet with the Siren Duke pulls the reader back into a beautifully diverse word of magic and mystery. I feel that this standalone novel in Elise’s Married to Magic series is elevated and stands out from the other books. I appreciate the layering of more mature themes. I think Elise did a really great job touching on more potentially sensitive matters while allowing the characters to grow and mature together gradually. Their forbidden love is sweet and definitely pulled on my heartstrings as it progressed.

This is not my favorite book, however. I personally wasn’t connected to Victoria or her background, so my opinions are purely my own. I feel confident that these character will touch the right people and offer an enjoyable reading experience.

Elise continues to nail her world building and even sprinkles in at the end a small connection to one of her other Married to Magic books! This got me super excited, and I am looking forward to listening to that book (not specified to not spoil anything) even though it’s already been released. I was a little late getting into this series, so I didn’t read the books in publication order. I imagine the Eversea is stunning, and filled to the brim with unique sirens of all shapes and colors.

A Duet with the Diren Duke is again quite different but is no less well written. Fans of sirens, magic, forbidden lovers, and the story of Orpheus and Eurydice will love this stand alone novel.

wow

with each book in this collection I think wow it can't be topped but I was once again proved wrong. well written and narrated it just sucks you in.

not my style

it just wasn't what I was hoping for. I finally just stopped with about 5 hours left.

Duet

I enjoyed the series as a whole. Narrator never disappoints.

SPOILERS**
I liked the story over all, but I didn’t like how they ended up replacing the Gods. I was hoping they would find freedom to be together. Not just come out every now and again to be together. I wonder if they could have found an item as an anchor like the Vampire.

A Thoughtful but Mixed Reading Experience

I recently listened to the audiobook version of “A Duet with the Siren Duke” by Elise Kova, and I must say that the audiobook performance was outstanding. The narrator brought depth and emotion to the story, making it an enjoyable listening experience.

However, I found myself struggling to fully immerse myself in the book’s narrative. While there were parts of the story that I could connect with, I couldn’t help but feel that the author went on at length about certain aspects, particularly the main character’s thoughts on love. It felt like these themes were repeated excessively, and it detracted from the overall pacing and emotional impact of the story.

As a fan of Elise Kova’s work, I had high expectations, and I couldn’t help but feel that this book didn’t quite meet them. It seemed to lack the depth of feeling and connection that I’ve come to expect from her storytelling. While it had its moments, it’s not what I would consider her best work.

It’s worth noting that I don’t write many reviews, but I wanted to share my honest thoughts on this book. Ultimately, reading preferences are highly subjective, and while this book didn’t resonate with me as much as I had hoped, it may still hold appeal for others who enjoy fantasy romance with a unique blend of elements.

A must read/listen series

I love this series and this narrator. I haven't really been an audiobook person but this book has converted me

I love the Merpuppy that is this man.

Is it the best in the series, probably not, but I'm not mad. This is in no way an inferior book. I love the lore of this book maybe the best thusfar but the book is an unconventional HEA for the series. Just be prepared if you're looking for a more cookie cutter romance.

Read the bonus scene from her website, I think it makes a difference too.

Characters and story.

Love this Victoria. Hope she has children and is able to live life a new story

Meh! It wasn’t my favorite 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I have listened to many of this author’s books, but this one was a bit predictable. I didn’t connect with the characters like in her other books.

A creative and well-written story.

4.5/5 Stars

This review may contain spoilers so read at your own risk.

Elise Kova is one of my favorite fantasy Queens. I took a chance on her very first book years ago and I am so grateful that I did. She always wins me over with my favorite brand of fantasy.

Kova has a knack for grabbing my attention and keeping me engrossed in the story. This book definitely did that right from the start. Kova's writing style is like a warm embrace. I feel so at home in her writing. The flow is perfect and her style just speaks to me. The world-building for this book was fairly massive but was presented in a way that was easy to grasp without feeling overwhelmed. It was so detailed and atmospheric. I was absolutely entranced. The plot of the story was brilliant and it was executed beautifully. If I had any criticism it wouldn't only be that I felt the conflict from the antagonists was a little on the lighter side.

These characters were so relatable. I instantly felt a kinship with the lead female character. She was strong and resilient and only wanted the best for not only the ones she cared about but everyone. The siren Duke was an interesting character that I also took a liking to. It was hard not to. He was bound by duty to his people and he had a lovely soul. Both of them were tortured souls for different reasons and it was easy to empathize with them. There was some very strong character growth that ends on a pretty epic level. The cast of secondary characters made things interesting though I wish we had gotten to know them on a more personal level. I think that it was by design because of Victoria's role in the story that we didn't but I still craved it.

The romance started out with an enemies-to-lovers vibe that quickly changed once all the cards were on the table between them. There was a slow-burn quality to the romance that was perfect for this story and kept me yearning for more. I loved that the Duke saw Victoria as more than just the sacrifice that the rest of his people did. He saw her down to her soul and truly seemed to cherish every moment he had with her. Watching him fall in love with Victoria was so heartwarming and beautiful. I loved the way that the two of them could just talk and find comfort in each other's company. The parallels of their overall romance are so mind-blowing when you consider the ending of the story.

I felt like Kova took a leap with the ending of this book. It really took me by surprise. I remember the author talking about how some people were not very receptive to the ending shortly after the book was released and I can certainly see why. The ending isn't a typical happily ever after. The ending isn't necessarily the absence of a happily ever after but instead a bittersweet one. The ending of this book is reminiscent of Elizabeth and Will from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. This ending felt very much along the same lines. I think that Kova was brave to end the book this way and, all things considered, I feel like it was the ending that made the most sense for this story. Honestly, I kind of liked that it didn't follow the traditional love story formula. It was very refreshing.

Overall, this was a creative and well-written story that surprised me in a lot of ways. Elise Kova is a go-to author for me so I will always read anything that she writes. I loved that she branched out a bit with this book and took the road less traveled so to speak. This series has been such a breath of fresh air for me and this book was a shining addition to the series. I am eager to read the final book of this series and see where Kova takes us next. I can't recommend Kova's books enough! Each one is a treasure.

Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost from the publisher/author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.