Wit and Sin

My review originally posted on Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-reviews/the-tattooed-duke-by-maya-rodale

All of London wants to know more about the mysterious Sebastian Digby, Duke of Wycliff. Eliza Fielding, reporter for The London Weekly, is determined to be the one to provide members of the ton with the salacious details they’re looking for. Eliza has taken a position in the duke’s household and is using her cover to get the dirty details on the duke’s travels. Her undercover assignment goes better than she expected and it’s not long before the duke takes her into his confidence. But while Eliza’s wild reports of Sebastian’s tattoos, visits to harems, and more make her articles the talk of the ton, the scandal is hurting Sebastian’s chances of securing financing for a new expedition. A hardened reporter might not care, but the more time Eliza spends with her employer, the more she’s drawn to him. What will happen when Sebastian discovers the truth about Eliza.

The Tattooed Duke is the best book in The Writing Girls series yet! Maya Rodale’s original characters shine in this lively tale. Sebastian has traveled the world, immersed himself in cultures far different from his native London, has brought back foreign flora for research, et cetera. He’s seductive and not afraid of scandal, sure, but there’s more to this world-travelling duke than his title and prowess in the bedchamber. Sebastian’s was an interesting character and given his broad range of experience, it would definitely take a unique woman to capture his heart. Eliza is that woman. She’s not your average society belle, but the daughter of a playwright and an actress with a scandalous past of her own. Eliza’s also intelligent, a hard worker, and willing to go after what she wants — but not without care to the feelings of others. She’s never selfish or single-minded (a fault which I’ve found in the two previous Writing Girls heroines) and though her actions have negative consequences, she does her best to set things right. With two such interesting protagonists, it’s easy to see why I was taken with The Tattooed Duke. The romance, sexual tension, and obstacles that must be overcome kept me eagerly turning the pages because I wanted Eliza and Sebastian to get that elusive “happily ever after.”

The Tattooed Duke is the third book in Ms. Rodale’s Writing Girls series but you don’t have to have read A Groom of One’s Own or A Tale of Two Lovers to enjoy Eliza and Sebastian’s story. Fans of the series new and old will undoubtedly enjoy seeing more of the other three Writing Girls as well as the previous two heroes and the all-business Mr. Knightly, publisher of The London Weekly. I finished The Tattooed Duke a well-satisfied reader. The only thing I could wish for is for the fourth Writing Girls book to be out soon, for Ms. Rodale has made me more and more eager for Annabelle’s story with each book!