The Duke of Defiance

Joanna Shaw, sister to one Duchess of Kendal, suffered through an abusive marriage and will not risk the chance of having another loveless marriage. She yearns for the only thing that her fruitless marriage has convinced her that she can never be; a mother. Joanna has been living with her sister and doting on her niece and nephew since the death of her husband. So when she meets Evie, a motherless girl who has returned with her father to England against their wishes, she can’t help but intervene. Bran Crowther, “Duke of Defiance”, returns to England as the Earl of Knighton. As the 3rd son, he’d left England for ports unknown never expecting to return. A series of unfortunate events leads him to inherit the title and he is duty bound to return to the strict society that found him lacking. Not only is he lost to the ways of the ton, he must raise his daughter to be a lady. He needs all the help he can get. The fifth Untouchables book was a delightful read. Bran’s peccadilloes were intriguing and how denizens of the ton reacted to them was vastly amusing. I love the wit and the humor and especially the ingenuity of 5 year old girls. This, and all the books in this series, are a must read. I eagerly await the Duke of Danger. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

After what could only be described as an unhappy childhood, Bran Crowther left England and settled in Barbados where her married, had a daughter, and was happy. Bran does not want to be in England, and he does not want to be the Earl of Knighton, but he is. Following her sister’s scandal, Joanna Shaw accepted the first proposal she received and found herself in a miserable, loveless marriage. She dotes on her niece and nephew, but wants a family of her own and a purpose for her life. These two meet as a result of a friendship between her niece and his daughter. They are drawn to each other, but here are a few problems. Will it be possible to move past these hurdles and find love and a happy life? Two very smart and precocious five-year-old girls think so. They see a spark between Bran and Jo, and do their best to fan the flames. Will it work? The Untouchables is a wonderful series, and The Duke of Defiance is the best book yet. This simple and straightforward story proves once again that our heroes are not untouchable, just in need of the right touch. The new characters are great. Bran is quirky and Evie is intelligent and adorable. Joanna is just what they need, and they are just what she needs

Another fantastic addition to this series! I just love these books. This is the second standalone I've read, and I can't wait to go back and read them all!! In this story, I really enjoyed Jo. I felt she was realistic (for as much as I know about the time period, which isn't a lot, but I really liked her!), and I especially liked how she had a very unfortunate past and she actually told Bran about it. None of this "I'll just have to keep my secret until the end of the book for a big reveal" sort of thing. Bran was awesome! True to his nickname, he did as he pleased. Period. And boy, he did NOT mess around when it came to his daughter. She was his number one priority and it was really endearing to read how he made that principle his life's mission. For as sweet as this book was, HOLY SMOKES was there some hotness in there! Jo and Bran couldn't be together in the public eye, so they had to sneak in their alone time, and boy, was there some steam in those stolen moments! All in all, I love this series and can't wait to read more books by Darcy! (I received a copy of this book in consideration of an honest review)

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. This book is pure romance and is very well written. Joanna, a widow, whose husband was a vile clergyman who accused her of being barren and of her inability as a woman to please her husband caused him to turn to men. He managed to destroy her self-esteem. Into her life comes Bran, new to his Earl title, and his young daughter Evie. He is interested in her and eventually they form a sexual relationship in which he makes Jo realize that she is highly desirable. The sexual encounters in the book are hot and sexy and there are several in the book. They are well written and add a great deal to the book. There is a HEA. I would highly recommend this book.