A Duke in the Night

By: Kelly Bowen

Narrated by: Ashford McNab

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

2017 RITA award-winning author!

"Where have you been all my life, Kelly Bowen? If Julia Quinn, Sarah MacLean, and Lisa Kleypas were to extract their writing DNA, mix it in a blender, and have a love child, Kelly Bowen would be it." (HeroesandHeartbreakers.com)

The first novel in a new historical romance series from Kelly Bowen.

©2018 Kelly Bowen (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Wonderful! A charming, clever, and engaging storyteller not to be missed." (Sarah MacLean, New York Times best-selling author)

Struggled with this book. Good Narration

Wow I really have enjoyed Kelly Bowen's books in the past, but I had a hard time getting through this one.

August always seemed so angry. All the time. I don't know how anyone could "fall in love" with him. He made it difficult to like him even with the little things he did to help people.

I liked Clara a lot more than August. I really liked Clara and August's sisters. LOL They were fun and smart. So good job on the secondary characters.

For the most part this book was boring........This is my least favorite Kelly Bowen book.

As for the narration, Ashford McNab did a great job as usual and if the intent was for August to sound mean and angry all the time she succeeded 100%. I really enjoy her narrations. She does a good job on all the voices.

Excellent start to a new series!

A Duke in the Night is the first story in Kelly Bowen's brand new The Devils of Dover series and I really liked it a lot. I did a combo of reading an ARC and listening to it. Both I enjoyed immensely. This story revolved around two very complex characters that had brought a lot of baggage into the relationship. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming watching August and Clara work through each others preconceived notions of one another.

To read a story involving strong and smart characters with plenty of flaws, is refreshing and checks that box of "relatable" every time.

I must praise the prose as well in this story. It's another thing that contributed to my enjoyment of it.

"The wide copse of trees and brush in front of August had become a portrait of gilded foliage as the sun began its descent, a low fence running just to the north creating shadows the color of dark amethyst across the tall grasses. The sky was now awash in brilliant, almost blinding color, dotted with crimson-and-topaz-lined clouds."

For all of you out there that have never read this author, I'd urge you to do so and you may as well grab this one to start.

For the fans of this author, I would say it's worth getting the Audible because the narration of Ashford McNab is spot on.

Melanie for b2b

Occasional bursts of laughter, love, and luscious moments

Soooo loved this book! It was very well written and engaging. I really enjoyed the variety of characters and the hot steamy moments, but the spots that made me laugh out loud were such a great surprise. Thanks so much for the enjoyment!

Enjoyed this older love, love story

This was a different story and I enjoyed it much. The love was older amd not innocent. I enjoyed it alot and highly reccomend.

I loved this book!

Kelly Bowen is fast becoming an automatic buy for me. I loved this story. The heroine’s strength, intelligence, and independence was wonderful. I hope that the secondary characters in this book get their own story!

It’s worth the build up

This book starts a little slow and it took a few chapters for the characters to grow on me but the book really gets better as it goes along and their are quite a few humorous scenes! Overall I would recommend.

Narrator needs to work on her male voices

I really enjoyed the story (and like this author). I had a hard time getting past the narrator's male voices (including August's). Mr. Stilton's voice was just a horrible nasal tone. It was hard to get past that. She is a great narrator and her female voices are excellent of course, but she needs some lessons on male voices. Please.

My First Kelly Bowen but not the Last!

This was my first Kelly Bowen, and though I was already determined to binge the entire series, I was enamored of her writing style enough to resolve to add her to my Must Read Author list. Clara and August were such dynamic characters and I loved the second chance romance aspect of their story. I really liked how August is introduced to us as a loving and doting (if not a bit oblivious) brother and how fiercely independent and feminist Clara is. I also really loved how well developed their backstories are - it made them so much more relatable and likable. A Duke in the Night is a great first book in a series, as it introduces us to the other Hayward siblings as well as hints at some of the issues/plot points that will be explored in the following books. Clara and August's HEA is so well earned and well written and I immediately jumped in to book 2...

Enjoyed the story, the narration needs work

I liked this book when I read it, but I wasn't as impressed with the audio book. The narration swung from perfectly fine to creepy. Like several other reviewers, it's my opinion the narrator's male voices left much to be desired. And, the soft whispered voice she used in certain scenes, especially the erotic scenes became really creepy and annoying. She sounded more like she was working for 1-800 sex line than narrating a book. I found myself wanting to scream, "oh for the love of Oreos enough with the creepy whispering, just read the book already". Then she'd go from barely able to hear whispering to overly dramatic almost yelling. When she'd go into the whispered voice, she also would occasionally lose her different voices, especially the male voices. When she was just reading the non-speaking parts of the book she did a good job.

So satisfying

This is a lovely story wth compelling characters. This is the perfect listen if you'rein the mood for a happy romantic escape. The reader was excellent except for some of her voices with strange accents, which sounded off to me but it didn't happen often.

A wonderful and heartwarming story of true love 💘

It is a delight to come across a new author who makes me feel so warm inside again, that I have rushed off to begin #2 in the series! Highly recommended 5*

As a debutante ten years ago, Clara Hayward had all the attributes that should have had numerous suitors but she was a blue stocking. August, by way of a dare, waltzes with her which was to affect them both in years to come!

Clara is an intelligent, strong and confident woman who fully embraces her individuality and has the courage of her own convictions. 10 years later she is headmistress of Haverhall School for Young Ladies.

August Faulkner was never destined to be the Duke of Holloway and through hard work, determination and a keen mind, he has become a wealthy and successful businessman. He also happens to be very handsome, a loving brother and a very caring individual. In fact, quite a delicious hero.

This is their second chance at finding love and having no more regrets. There is wonderful chemistry, tension, angst and humour; and it's a delight to see August and Clara sparking off each other with a great supporting cast of characters.

It is also one of the best endings I have read in a very long time, so much so that it brought tears to my eyes.

My only objection is the narrator makes the male voices sound so wooden!

Very poor narration.

I really enjoyed this book but found the narration painful at times. I did finish the book but only because i was really enjoying the story. In hindsight I wish I had bought the kindle edition.