How to Love a Duke in Ten Days (Devil You Know, #1)

by Kerrigan Byrne

[chymerra]

Again, another Kerrigan Byrne has left me destroyed after reading it. I should have known better. The last book I read by her left me an emotional mess, and it took me days to get over it. But, at the same time, I am so glad that I read it.

I included a trigger warning at the beginning of the review (scroll up). How to Love a Duke in Ten Days starts with Alexandra’s rape by Headmaster Maurice de Marchand. The act itself wasn’t graphic, but the aftermath was.

I thought that Alexandra was a strong woman. She was also ahead of her time. In the era that How to Love a Duke in Ten Days takes place, independent women were few. Alexandra earned her doctorate in college, and she traveled the world, which was another rarity. It was refreshing to read. I liked how she refused to let the rape define who she was. She tried so hard to overcome her fear of men touching her. I was in tears during those scenes. I also loved how she was determined to protect her friends, no matter what. That included keeping them in the dark about the blackmailer and volunteering to marry Piers.

I wasn’t sure about Piers for 75% of the book. He didn’t trust Alexandra. He thought that she was going to sleep with everyone that she saw. Which made me roll my eyes. But at the same time, I understood why he felt that way. The explanation is in the book, so I won’t be going into it here. I also thought that he should have had a clue that something was off with Alexandra when she gave him those rules. But, once he found out what happened to her, he turned into a man worthy of her. His reaction was the reaction that every man who loves a woman who was sexually assaulted should be. My opinion of him changed after that.

The storyline involving the rape, Alexandra killing the Headmaster, and the blackmail was well written. I was as surprised as Alexandra when it was revealed who was blackmailing her. Talk about a twist!! I thought it was the same person Alexandra thought it was up until that point.

The storyline involving Piers and the attempts on his life was well written also. I did guess at who was behind the attempts on his life. But it was who carried it out that surprised me. I didn’t see that coming either.

I can’t rate the sex scenes in the book because Alexandra’s rape overshadowed them. I will say that Piers and Alexandra’s sexual attraction and chemistry was there.

The end of How to Love a Duke in Ten Days was explosive. I loved how the author tied the blackmail storyline and the attempts on Piers life together. The epilogue was my favorite part of this book. It showed how far Alexandra had come in two years!!

I would give How to Love a Duke in Ten Days an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread How to Love a Duke in Ten Days. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**