The Duke of Defiance

By: Darcy Burke

Narrated by: Marian Hussey

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

Difficult and defiant as a child, Bran Crowther, Earl of Knighton left England as a young man to pursue independence and adventure. He never expected to inherit the title and when duty calls him home, he still finds Society's codes constricting and others' expectations oppressive. Nevertheless, he needs a wife to be a mother to his young daughter, preferably a woman of intelligence and warmth who is, above all, immune to his idiosyncrasies - and to falling in love.

Widow Joanna Shaw isn't interested in a second marriage, not after the loveless, passionless union she endured. She'd much rather dote on her young niece and nephew since they will likely be the only children in her life...until she meets a precocious girl, in desperate need of a mother. But her father, the so-called Duke of Defiance, is as peculiar as he is handsome, and Jo won't take another risk with her heart. Their rules, however, are made to be broken, even when the consequences could destroy them both.

©2017 Darcy Burke (P)2017 Darcy Burke

Great book and awesome narration..

So, book 5, The Duke of Defiance, and I really enjoyed. I liked that Bran not only didn’t like being touched all that much but he absolutely hated his coat, waistcoat and cravat and took them off as often as he could. One gets so used to gentlemen being dressed so stuffily all the time it was nice reading about someone who undressed as much as Bran did.

It was also about Joanna (Jo) who was married to a vicar for 8 years and he blamed everything that was wrong with their sex life on her, even when she caught him in bed with another man Matthias blamed that on Jo too. Anyway, she and Matthias assumed she was barren when he never got her pregnant, but that wasn’t the case.

This was a good story but maybe a little too much sex for me. Three bedroom scenes is really too much, unless it’s a 400 page book.

As to the narration: Marian Hussey was simply incredible. The voices and the emotions with which she read were awesome.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Sweet love story but....

Having left England as a young man, Bran lived a carefree live in Barbados but after the deaths of his brothers and now father he is must return to England with his young daughter as the newly appointed Earl of Knighton. Joanna, a young widow is living with her sister the Duchess of Kendal. The two met when Bran's daughter Evie and the Duchess daughter Becky become fast friends. There is an instant attraction between Bran and Joanna but each keeps it to themselves for a while. This is a sweet love story BUT be warned there are about 3 (if not more) explicit sex scenes. IF that turns you off you have two choices, fast forward to the next chapter or do not buy this audio. The story itself is worth the listening though and fast forwarding those scenes does not take anything away from the story itself.

Came to a very quick end

I've listened to and enjoyed the other books in this series, but this one was very rushed. Also the 5 yr old daughter is given the vocabulary and social/emotional skills of a 10 year old. As a mother I actually found the child's dialogue pulled me out of the story. (Wait, isn't this kid 5?) Lastly the story wraps itself up too quickly. There are deep issues of possible infertility here and prior emotional abuse by the first spouse. Snap answers are not appreciated, especially since the pace went from average to very rapid. As I said, dissatisfying last few chapters sort of ruined an interesting, if slightly off beat, storyline.

Wimpy Unlikable Woman and Predictable Story

I never cared for Joanna, the 28 year old widow of a homosexual vicar. He religiously told her she was a cold fish in bed, barren and useless. She never saw her husband without a shirt on... pa-leeze! It got too ridiculous for me.

Bran was a nice guy, a good dad looking for a nanny/wife and of course Jo comes along to be ignited by his passions.

Skip the first 5 hours and get to the sex. Amen.

AMAZING LOVED THIS STORY!!

I absolutely Love The Duke of Defiance. It was the story of the Bran the New Earl of Knighton and Joanna Shaw widow of a reprobate Vicar and sister to The Duchess of Kendal.

Bran and his 5 year old daughter Evie have left there home in Barbados to come and live in England because his two eldest brothers have died in a boating accident and his father has also died. Living on a island is nothing like living as a Titled Lord In England. Bran and Evie must learn to live by the strict standards of the Aristocracy.

Joanna Shaw is now free after a horrid marriage of 8 years her reprobate husband has been dead for a year and now she can come out of morning. She meets Evie through her 5 year old niece Becky. The two little girls are just marvelous to read through out the story and the best of friends. It seems to me that children make a story more real. Joanna is the sister of Nora The Duchess of Kendal who we met a few books back in her and the Duke of Kendal's story The Forbidden Duke.

The growing romance and family between Bran and Joanna was just beautifully written and the love both of them have for Evie is just frosting on the cake. At times what the couple endured in there past lives was sad there coming together and building a family was just great storytelling. The Duke of the Defiance is one of the best books in The Untouchable series although all of the books have been really great. I am really Happy I decided to continue reading this series.