The Duke's Secret Heir (Harlequin, #445)

by Sarah Mallory

'This, madam, changes everything.'

Years ago, in the Egyptian desert, Ellen Tatham fell wildly in love and exchanged vows with Max Colnebrooke. But, when made to believe Max could not be trusted, she fled…

Now, Max is back in England to take up the reins as Duke of Rossenhall. And when he spies Ellen at a ball, the sparks are hard to contain! Little does Max know, though, that Ellen has a secret… And soon, he must learn to embrace an unexpected heir, and an unexpected – and disconcertingly defiant – duchess!

• ISBN13: 9780263925586
• Publish Date: 26 January 2017 (first published 17 January 2017)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 18 August 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Mills & Boon
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 368
• Language: English
• URL: https://millsandboon.co.uk

Reviews

[wyvernfriend]

Blame and a little gaslighting There have been a few books I've read where I honestly wanted to take the hero out and beat some sense into him, this is one.  Yes talking is good but it took several people telling him for him to pay attention.  A trip behind the stables with a cricket bat could have speeded things up.
 
In the Egyptian desert Ellen Tatham falls in love and marries Max Colnebrooke, working under secret orders with the army. When she arrives at the English Representative in Cairo he tells her that it's all a lie and refuses to help her.  She resorts to a friend of her companion to help her escape and hides under a false name, pretending to be a widow, to hide her shame.  She has written twice to Max to try to contact him but she has received only nasty letters back from his family.
 
Then he comes back to her life and he blames her for everything, for betraying him, for "making" him be reckless with himself and his men, putting his friend in the line for a bullet. Basically blaming her for it all, instead of trying to see her point, what happened to her, how she has managed to avoid scandal and other connections. How loyal she has been.  Nope, she's evil and bad and the only reason he's tolerating her is because they have a son.
 
Yeah, a great starter for a relationship. Even when she cries, terribly upset by everything while she is organising a party for him, he rebuffs her.  This guy isn't a prize.
 
It's all resolved at the end, of course, but if I was her I wouldn't trust that he wouldn't have another irrational moment and heap misery on me again. I wanted to knee him at one stage and would have cheered her on if she had.  Cold drink to the head would have been a useful retort too.
 
Romance has a problem with problem relationships and this is a prime example.