Autumn Duchess

A Georgian Historical Romance

By: Lucinda Brant

Narrated by: Alex Wyndham

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

A different kind of happily-ever-after for the incurably romantic....

As Antonia’s world collapses around her, in swaggers a handsome stranger to completely upend her life. Little does she realize, this rugged merchant of mayhem is precisely what she needs.

NOR 5★ Top Pick All Time Keeper Shelf

2012 Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist

B.R.A.G. Medallion® Honoree

©2011, 2014 (2nd edition) Lucinda Brant (P)2015 Lucinda Brant

Superbly written

I absolutely LOVE how cleverly written this book is. I enjoyed every minute of it. I feel book 2 is better than even book 1 and I really liked book 1. The story was gripping, engaging and completely riveting. An older woman and a man 10 years her junior. A couple of very passionate scenes without LB getting verbally descriptive sexually which I feel adds to the story rather than take away. You will not go wrong with this book.

A second book worth its weight in emeralds

Narration was excellent at times it felt like truly different characters were speaking. The plot was unexpected at points (not so much at others). Still the story remained solid with nice details and enough to make you wish for r next book. Audible is wonderful- I spend a decent amount of time on the road and it's truly a blissful getaway to listen.

Amazing everytime

If you did not read Noble Satyr (Book 0 in the series) this book would still be great but would not be truly appreciated. Antonia first marriage with the 5th Duke of Roxton was true love in ever way and when the Duke died you can feel the pain and anguish she felt. I cry every-time. Then to find out that not only her husband of 27 years but her sister and brother in law which were everything to her died with in 12 months it breaks your heart. Since she was 18 she had those 3 people as a constant in her life. Soo happy she found her way out of the darkness with a second husband.

I am rapidly running out of superlatives . . .

. . . to describe the audiobooks produced by author Lucinda Brant and actor Alex Wyndham, but "sublime" comes to mind here.

Everything about this book works: the plot, the characters, the setting. Alex Wyndham's performance is just the icing on the cake.

delightful dialoque

I love the humor in the dialoque. Strong but simple story line. The by play between the two main characters is what makes this book so strong.

Clever and sweet

Autumn Duchess is another great book in the Roxton series. It's interesting to see the continuation of Antonia's story after the death of her beloved duke.

I liked how Brant interweaves the historical context of the American Revolutionary War, that added a cool plot twist.

As for the new hero, Jonathan was a fun character to have introduced. For some reason he wasn't as swoon worthy to me as Julian or the older duke of Roxton. But maybe it's because unlike them, he wears his heart on his sleeve the entire time and is more well-adjusted than they are.

Looking forward to hearing more books in the series!

I loved this love story!!

Every time I listen to a Lucinda Brant book performed by Alex Wyndham I am certain that it was my favorite until I read a new one and I am proven wrong. This is the second book in The Roxton Family Saga and it features Antonia Roxton, Dowager Duchess of Roxton. She lost her beloved husband Renard three years ago. Renard was 20 years older than her when they married, she was 18. Their love for each other was a once in a lifetime love and she misses him desperately. She is still mourning him, wearing blacks and spending hours talking to him each day at the mausoleum where he buried. Julian, the current Duke of Roxton is at his wit's end trying to get his mother to rejoin the living and get on her with her life. The only time she seems happy is when she is with her grandchildren. Roxton decides to deny her their visits until she gives up her blacks and rejoins Society.

Jonathan Strang Leven is a very wealthy merchant who has returned to England from India with his daughter. He is unexpectedly inheriting a Scottish Dukedom and a bankrupt estate in Scotland. While he waits for the ancient Duke in Scotland to die he has decided to launch his daughter in Society. He also plans to get back the estate that was stolen from his family by the 4th Duke of Roxton a century ago. He is a self-made man who has no care for what people think of him. He is handsome, witty, kind, and honest to a fault. When he spots Antonia at a party he is spellbound. She is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and desperately wants to meet her.

Antonia is only at the party because her son insisted. When a tall handsome man walks up to her and asks her to dance she is shocked. She is still wearing her blacks and they have not been introduced. When Julian steps in front of her and tells the stranger that his mother is not dancing, Jonathan steps around the Duke and holds out his hand. To everyone's surprise, Antonia accepts and dances with him. Jonathan is enthralled with Antonia and is determined to see her again. He invites himself to her home to have tea and the campaign to win her heart begins.

Antonia doesn't know what to make of Jonathan and his pursuit of her. She will never marry again. He is also younger than her and doesn't understand what he wants from her. Jonathan can make her laugh like no one has in a long time. Some of the conversations that they have are laugh out loud funny. I also loved the conversations that Jonathan had with himself. He knows that he has to take it slow with Antonia, but his brain, heart and vital organ disagree on the timeline and the arguments he has with them are hysterical. Jonathan knows that he loves Antonia and will do whatever he has to make her his wife. They are both strong-minded people who will test the boundaries of their relationship with each other and with their families. Jonathan is a patient man and will wait as long as he has to to make Antonia his.

I laughed and cried while listening to Alex Wyndham performing all the different characters, I especially loved the children and hope they all get their own stories. When he is performing you forget that the voices you are hearing are all his.

The lesson in this story is that even though you have had the love of your life and will never love anyone like you loved him there is still a chance to have another love in your life. Antonia thought her life was over until a completely different kind of man entered her life and showed her that she could have love again and that Jonathan would never take the place of Renard and the love they had. Their love is new and their life together was going to be wonderful in a completely different way.

Jonathan was an amazing character who knew that he could make Antonia happy. He was gentle while being relentless and he used humor to make her laugh and steal his way into her heart. There are perilous moments in this story that will make you gasp and moments of courage that will make you cheer. This was a beautiful story with heartbreaking despair and life-affirming love.

Do not miss one book in this wonderful series. I have a copy of Renard's and Antonia's story, Noble Satyr and I can't wait to read their love story. Thank You, Lucinda, for an amazing love story.

Amazing story and amazing narrator!!!

Wow...this was one hell of a ride! Autumn Dutchess is my favorite story of the series so far Once again Alex Wyndham brings the characters to life with his many different voices. The intensity he puts in the dialogues makes you feel like you're inside the story feeling all kinds of emotions and losing complete track of time always holding your breath as to what is going to happen next. If you want to spend some hours completely distracted and well entertained you should definitely try these series on audiobook.

Well done!

The story is well written and the performance is wonderful. Highly recommend the audio version.

What a dazzling drama!

I was very delighted to find out more about the Duchess de Roxton. I became fond of her as a character from the first book in the series. I can't tell you how saddened I was to find the 5th Duke had expired prior to this story, since he was such a proud, strong & enigmatic man. Yet, the story intrigued me and Jonathan Strang became a favorite, especially when he saved the Duchess from the hands of a villainous doctor. I was appalled at her son Julian, and wanted to slap him so many times during the story for his sheer stupidity pertaining to human nature and the psyche of a woman (who are good for other things besides breeding). I was so tense during the story, that I realize what an esteemed writer Ms. Bryant is that she could so wrench my emotions so vehemently. The narrator (Alex Wyndham) was beyond brilliant and he is the stimulus for my reading the entire collection. The reason for only four stars was due to the lake scene and the "talking" bodily organ. It was a bit silly, distasteful, and unnecessary in such a masterfully written novel.