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.

Wonderfully emotional!

I fell in love with Antonia’s much older first husband Renard when I’ve read the first book of the series “The Noble Satyr”. Their love was so strong and beautiful that I was reluctant to read her second chance at love. I though no one could ever replace Monseigneur.
I was wrong! Or I was partially right because Jonathon did not replace Monseigneur, or ever intended to. He was a fresh start, a total new experience for the Dowager Duchess of Roxton, the adorable and indomitable Antonia.
This book is so good I have no words to express it. In one side a person in deep grief for her much older husband, in the other her family desperate to help her see that life should go on. The conflicts between her and her son are so real, the struggles to understand each other, the complexity of familial relationships. Her relationship with her daughter-in-law, her younger son, her grandkids, everything is emotional and real.
Then comes Jonathon, a person who understands her pain (he is also a widow), a person that reaches for her soul and grabs it in such a wonderful and romantic way. I never though I would say that, but I think Jonathon was her real soulmate. Monseigneur was a little bit of a father figure. With him she was not in equal ground (because of the big age difference). Monseigneur was her savior, her love and her safe place, while Jonathon was her adventure and her equal in all instances. Wonderful read! I recommend reading the books in the series in order and also the book with the letters (have a tissue at hand).
Last, but not least, Alex Wyndham’s narration is a dream. He is my favorite narrator and so very talented. A treat to the ears!

Breathtakingly beautiful!

I listened to the first two books in this series and absolutely looved both. But, when I read the trope for this book I felt a bit upset as I adored Renard so much Oh how glad I am that I read all the glowing reviews first. This is one of those listens that will fulfill all your expectations and then some. If you love audio books, subscribe to Audible Escape and listen to the whole season for free. Also the reading skill of Alex Wyndham will leave you breathless. A brilliant 5-star experience awaits you. Go for it!

So many emotions

I cried with the Dowager Duchess, laughed with Jonathan’s antics, and wanted to smack the Duke of Roxton all over again.