When the Duke Loved Me (The Rake Chronicles, #1)

When the Duke Loved Me (The Rake Chronicles, #1)

Lydia Lloyd

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They are both pretending to be someone else for the night... When Catherine Forster asks a handsome stranger to lead her out of the ballroom and into the Tremberley gardens, she hopes to glimpse its renowned Roman ruins…and maybe steal a kiss. But when she and her delectable escort are discovered in a scandalous embrace, Catherine is horrified to learn that she has been kissing John Breminster, heir to the man who ruined her family. Given that the Forsters are his sworn enemies, John had no choice but to walk away from Catherine that night. But he has never been able to forget their close encounter—and, even years later, still longs for her touch. Worse, when his father dies, John, now the Duke of Edington, finds himself with a problem that only Catherine can help him solve. Catherine agrees to aid him in his quest…for a price. On their journey, they soon begin to give into temptation, even as they uncover troubling revelations about the past. Will John and Catherine overcome this shared history? Or will its secrets tear them apart forever?


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  • Apr 06, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    I heard about this series from the Fated Mates podcast because Sarah MacLean described the plot of the second book as a brother’s best friend who comes to the defense of a ruined lady only to discover that the rumors of her lost virtue are actually true! 
    This first book concerns that brother himself, who is on a mission to find his father’s former mistress in order to save his sister’s dowry. Turns out, the best person to help with the job is the mistress’s niece, who just so happens to be the woman John had not stopped thinking about since their rendezvous in a garden under secret identities. The two rivals—divided by history of family scandal—travel through England to find the mistress and fall deeply in love along the way. 

    🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

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  • clinchcoverlover
    Apr 08, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    REVIEW
    Score: 3/5
    POV: Dual
    Heat Level: 2/5
    Tropes: Enemies to Lovers; Neighbors; Just One Bed in the Inn; Road Trip

    Overall this was cute but it wasn't as spicy as I was expecting based on the authors posts from her instagram page. It was full of good drama and good side characters however it still felt like it was missing something? I still haven't figure out what it is. I don't feel like it's a book I would reread though. It was just purely an average story. I will definitely still read the next book in the series.
    3/5

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  • bettsgin
    Apr 13, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    This was a great debut novel and the love that the author has for the romance genre is palpable in every sentence.
    When the duke loved me, was one of my most anticipated of the year and it did not disappoint, it was super fun and it hooks you since the first chapter. I loved all the tropes and also that it was really steamy!
    Can't wait for the second book in the series.

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