Early Review of The Earl (Devil's Duke #2 / Falcon Club #5) by Katharine Ashe

Title: The Earl: A Devil's Duke Novel

Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Devil's Duke (Book 2) /  Falcon Club (Book 5)
Format: Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Avon (October 25, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0062412752
ISBN-13: 978-0062412751
Author's Website: http://katharineashe.com/
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I am also an Avon Addict which means I love the books that Avon publishes enough to volunteer to read as many ARCs and books as they can send my way. So you'll be seeing a lot of books reviewed by me from this publisher. Please note, however, that if I don't like a book, it will be truthfully reflected by a low rating.

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Zenobia is a modern girl living in a world that isn't quite ready for her. She's a Women's and Human's Rights activist who champions the underdog, and her lack of position as a women in the world has never been more clear. Her sister, Amarantha, has gone missing and she doesn't have the means to find her. Oh, she has accumulated a significant little nest egg over the years as the pamphleteer known as Lady Justice, but she doesn't have the skills or connections to find her. Desperate, she contacts a man whom she never saw herself going to for help--Peregrine, a member of the now defunct Falcon Club. Over the years Zenobia, under the guise of  the Lady Justice, has publicly argued against many of the club's political views and policies which tended to favor the upper class alone. Now she needs their help because what they excel at is finding missing people. She's even desperate enough to agree to a meeting with the man. You see, the identity of Lady Justice is a secret, but she's desperate enough to reveal it in order to find her sister. That decision, will change everything because when she'll find out who the mysterious Peregrine is, she realizes it's someone she knows.,,

This is the second book in the Devil's Duke series and the fifth book in the Falcon Club series. You can read it as a standalone, but I recommend you read one or two of the earlier books in the Falcon Club series to know how all the secondary characters relate to one another. It will make things more enjoyable to see how the Falcon Club and Lady Justice interacted with one another, and how Falcon Club met its demise.

I liked the situation Ms, Ashe created by having two very headstrong individuals face-off with one another. I also adored Colin even though there were moments when I shook my head at his backwards views on women, He really came through in the end, however, and I enjoyed that Zenobia was able to change his mind about matters. Additionally, there was a very touching and moving scene at the end that I loved. I did, however, have a hard time warming up to Zenobia, There were moments in the book when I really didn't like her very much. While she is a smart and strong individual, at times she appeared to be a tad bit too cold, calculating, and set in her ways. There was a love scene where I just wasn't feeling the love, the heat, or the chemistry between these two. She kind of took on the role usually reserved for male rogues. Eventually she won me over because I came to the realization her indifferent/frosty attitude towards Colin was a coping mechanism to protect her heart.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It was fun and reminds us just how far women have come in the world. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public.

Order of the Devil's Duke series:

Order of the Falcon Club series (according to Katharine Ashe's website):


Please note that 'How to Marry a Highlander' and 'The Scoundrel and I' are both Novellas.