The Duke of Ice (The Untouchables #7) by Darcy Burke-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway
THE DUKE OF ICE
The Untouchables #7
by Darcy Burke
Release Date: December 26, 2017
Genre: adult, historical, romance
Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / iBooks / Chapters Indigo /
Everyone Nicholas Bateman ever loved has died. Except Violet Caulfield, which must mean he never loved her. Nine years after she threw him over to marry a viscount, Nick is a widowed duke who prefers isolation. When a friend convinces him to leave his lair of self-imposed solitude, he considers taking another wife, provided she agrees to his terms: no emotional attachment of any kind.
Now widowed, Lady Violet Pendleton hopes for a second chance with the man she’s always loved. But she isn’t prepared for the desolation in his soul or the animosity he still bears toward her. Despite those obstacles, it’s clear their passion hasn’t dimmed. However, the heat between them isn’t enough to melt the Duke of Ice, and this time Violet may find herself the jilted party. Can love, once so tragically lost, finally be found?
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REVIEW:5 out of 5 for this reader folks!
So usually this far into a series one sometimes thinks, “ok 7th book this is getting a little old!” .. NOT THIS SERIES! Each book gets better and better and this novel was no exception. I think this one may be my fave yet!
The Duke of Ice by Darcy Burke is the 7th book of her “The Untouchables” series. A regency romance, this story follows the past and present of two people who once had it all, became jilted and are trying to find their way back to one another without ever thinking there was a possibility of second chances. OR the desire for second chances.
Nicholas Bateman is a Duke, and commonly nicknamed “The Duke of Ice” and for good reason. He use to be a loving kind man but his past has created a recluse, frosty character with so much deep down pain it’s near impossible to break through his defences. He has given up on life, friends, and for certain, given up on love. He is now widowed and he comes across as hateful and soulless, but deep down you know he has the most love of any of the Dukes in this series, and that love is so pure. He is not an easy character to love, but let me tell you if you open up to the possibility of warming to him, you will love him as much as I did. He has been jilted in his past and dealt with trauma. When his one and only friend turns up and tells him to get his rear end out the door and join him for a house party, he doesn’t realize this is an opportunity to face the core of his troubles .. a beautiful woman.
Violet Pendleton is a Lady of her times, beautiful, strong willed when need be, hopeful yet has struggled internally herself. Having fallen madly in love with Nick years ago, her family had serious issue and shipped her away to marry another. Heartbroken, she never forgot the one man she desperately wanted, and after a unhappy marriage, she finds herself widowed and now facing the man of her past at a house party … Nick.
These two have a rough story let me tell you. It’s truely heartbreaking. It turns out when Violet was forced to leave Nick, there was a note of explanation but it never reached Nick. All these years there has been a harboured resentment, one that surfaces when these two cross paths. Through all the discord, there is still a deep love, but both must work through their personal issues and learn to forgive the other for mistakes made. Always does sound easier than it actually is, and these two go through a whole hell of a lot more heartache before they finally decide to get their you know what together and make it work.
Such an emotional read, which is why I liked it so much, but hard to read a book like this when I am feeling the Christmas happy. There were times that Nick came a cross way too harsh but I understood the reason and maybe because I felt connected to these characters did I have more patience for it. Violet is lovely. I found myself feel more sorry for her than anyone else in this series. She strived to be so happy but it was always pushed a little further away everytime she had it in her grasp.
Once again, Darcy writes not just a superb story but gives us vivid imagery and a steady paced story. Loved seeing some old book friends again and I have to say I consider it a treat to be thrown back in time in her books. She writes so well that it makes me want to jump back and test the time out!
Great holiday grab, but please do read the previous books of the series to get the full appreciation. You could read this as a stand alone, but why deprive yourself of more fantastic stories. LOL
HAPPY READING!
Reading order and previous reviews
The Forbidden Duke
The Duke of Daring
The Duke of Deception
The Duke of Desire
The Duke of Defiance
The Duke of Danger
Copy supplied by Netgalley
Reviewed by Rachel T.
Nick snapped his head toward his friend and detected the glimmer of a smile in his gaze. He was enjoying this. He was playing matchmaker. And he had his sights set on Nick and Violet. Bloody hell.
Nick wanted to be angry, but his pull toward Violet was too strong. He’d felt it last night and again today when Simon had asked if it would be odd for him to pursue her. Nick had been jealous. Shockingly, blood-boilingly, desperately jealous.
The realization shook him to the core.
“Who’s to be the crier?” Simon asked.
“Why not Mr. Adair since he won Kiss the Nun?” Seaver suggested.
With everyone in agreement, Violet and Nick moved to the center of the room.
“Is this awkward?” she whispered.
“No.” His pulse quickened. Should he kiss her or should he fail?
His mind screamed the latter. And really, that was for the best. Jealousy aside, he and Violet had no future, not when their past was so painful.
And yet when they knelt with their backs to each other, he caught her scent of rose and an earthy spice. It was wholly feminine yet slightly wild. He hadn’t smelled a rose in the past eight years without thinking of her. His body reacted, heating at her proximity.
“Make ready,” Adair said.
Nick looked over his right shoulder and felt the air move as she looked over her left.
“Present.”
Nick leaned close to her cheek. He could feel her warmth, and his skin tingled.
“Fire.”
He moved closer, but she sprang up. Instinctively, he reached for her, his arm curling about her waist. He pulled her back down. To stop her from hitting the floor, he spun to his back and sprawled, bringing her down on top of him. He cupped the side of her face and kissed her, his lips sliding over hers for a brief but delicious moment.
“The cheek,” she murmured, her gaze locked with his.
He leaned up and brushed his mouth against the soft flesh of her cheek. His lips lingered perhaps a second too long, but he didn’t care. Desire coursed through him, and for the first time in years, he felt alive.
Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, and three Bengal cats. Visit Darcy online at www.darcyburke.com and sign up for her newsletter, follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/darcyburke, or like her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/DarcyBurkeFans.
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