I loved this book, I havent read many of Darcy Burke's books but I will definitely be looking out for more of the titles in this series. I loved that the heroine was a real bluestocking I felt that the geology interest was really well researched, I loved the romance between Beck and Lavinia.
I liked that there was a bit of a theme about not wanting marriage for the sake of marriage, almost a critique of the marriage mart. I like the feminist vein in this book. 

Very entertaining and I believed in the characters :)

Lady Lavinia Gillingham loves science, first and foremost.  If she has to marry, she wants to marry someone who doesn't frown upon her interests.  Lavinia just wants to enjoy her friends and the season in peace.  Unfortunately she catches the eye of the notorious Duke of Seduction, who pens a letter in the paper about her, of all people.  Suddenly, Lavinia is bombarded with unwanted attention, and she is determined to discover who this so-called Duke is. 

William "Beck" Beckett, Marquess of Northam helps women in need, women on the marriage mart who are having a tough time of things.  It is all due to the sister he lost years ago, a sister that suffered at the cruel hands of society.  Beck only means to help Lavinia when he places that letter in the paper, but when he discovers the position he has put Lavinia, Beck feels bad and tries to make amends.  However, the ball is already in motion and Lavinia isn't far from making a match of her own.  Beck has to decide if he is willing to let her go.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars!  Have I mentioned before how much I love author Darcy Burke's novels.  I stumbled upon Ms. Burke years ago, and since then I have been a devoted fan.  Her books have these complex and compelling characters and unforgettable storylines that just grip you and won't let you go.  I have so many of her novels on my keeper shelf.  Her most recent installment in THE UNTOUCHABLES series, THE DUKE OF SEDUCTION, is a masterpiece.  Beck is not your typical hero... he comes from a dark place and has real life struggles with depression.  Luckily, he stumbles on a little bit of heaven when he meets his match, Lavinia.  At first, I thought, these two will never make a couple, they're like oil and water.  But as time goes on, they grow closer and things shift between them.  Lavinia and Beck's love story is beautiful and transcendent.  THE DUKE OF SEDUCTION is sure to be a re-read for me.  I am looking forward to Ms. Burke's next book in her UNTOUCHABLES series.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy this latest Untouchables story, but it didn’t particularly bowl me over either. If you like your Regency Romances to be nice and easy, and don’t really mind how period accurate they are, then this book won’t let you down. Also, if you’re new to this series, don’t be put off by the number 10, it stands alone just fine if you want to jump right in.

It is a pleasant enough read, with a geology-loving heroine (which seems to be the current interesting heroine craze, and which I need to stop being lured in by because it always disappoints!) and a rakish hero. Except her geology stuff isn’t too involved and of course he isn’t really a rake. The poems were cute, the guitars surprising (although apparently guitars of some sort have been around in England since Elizabethan times, but by the Regency period there was a definite difference between English and Spanish guitars, so it might have been nice to have known which were being played), and the romance as expected.

The notions and behaviour of the various young women is very modern, and I was confused by Lavinia’s views on marriage. She’s not against marriage particularly, but she only wants to marry for love. Except she’s not exactly looking for it, she just assumes she can keep living her life as she does until love falls into her lap. There’s no mention of a brother who will inherit her father’s title, so you’d think her precarious position would have been more emphasised. Her parents are incredibly keen to marry her off, but despite expecting some sort of explanation (I was hoping for looming bankruptcy) no reason why is ever given.

Then there’s the mystery, which blows up really fast towards the end and is over just as quickly. I felt, after all the build up and the slow revealing of Beck’s mental health issues, it was all dealt with too fast. I expected something more, which left me feeling a little flat.

So it’s okay. Fun for a light escape for those in love with a Regency feel, but it’s not my favourite from this series and probably won’t stick in my memory for long.

This was a very entertaining read. Lavinia is being pushed towards marrying by her parents but she wants someone who will respect her scientific interests. William Beckett, Marquis of Northam (Beck) tries to help those overlooked by Society by writing and publishing poems about them. The reason why he does this is connected to his sister. However Beck doesn’t realise the effect his poems has on their lives. I enjoyed their growing relationship and also the friendship between Lavinia and her friends. I look forward to reading their stories. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Great story from Darcy again. Love the way she wrote, it's so loving and touching between Lavina and William.

I loved this book. I highly recommend this series. Thanks to Netgalley,  for this free copy. My opinion is my own. ☆☆☆☆☆

I read this as a standalone and have not read any others in this series. That being said, after reading this, I would definitely check out others in the series. 
This historical romance didn't jump right into explicit "steamy" scenes like A LOT of them do. This one waited. It built the sexual tension slowly. Unfortunately, the falling in love part seemed rushed because the lack of time the characters really had together..but that's just my opinion. 
I enjoyed this story though and liked the idea of a Duke of Seduction being an emotional and creative man on the inside and a rake on the outside. I mean who doesn't want that combination? I also super love a good bluestocking! 


 I got this book from netgalley in exchange for an unbiased honest review

Loved it!
Darcy Burke is one of my go-to authors.

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters 
Part of a series: The Untouchables
Standalone 
HEA 
Epilogue 

I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

This book was boring. I tried to make myself finish it to no avail. I have read thousands of books and i always strive to finish each one, even if i have to wait awhile and start over later. This book was cookie cutter. I also think publishers should include all elements in the book's description. It helps customers make informed decisions. Some things people do not want to read about, everyone has a right to their own tastes. I just hate to spend money on something and not know the contents. 

This book was given freely through netgalley from the publisher and views are my own.

This was a really sweet romance, with an intelligent heroine and an open-minded hero, which is exactly what I needed this week.  The author has a knack for creating stories that resonate well with today's issues and draw out emotions from readers they didn't even know they had.  Whenever I pick up a Darcy Burke book, I know I'm about to enjoy unique characters with a complex storyline and a happily-ever-after.  

Lady Lavinia Gillingham would much rather be digging in the dirt for geological discoveries than dancing in a ballroom in search of a husband.  So when she escapes to her host's library to read an interesting book on Cornwall geology, the last thing she needs is to be in the same company as one of London's most notorious rakes, William Beckett, the Marquess of Northam.  Expecting to meet his latest paramour, he is astonished to find a young lady instead, and he is immediately enchanted with her frank demeanor and inquisitive mind.  Their meeting is brief, but the memory of her is something he can't seem to get out of his mind, and he is determined to help her find the man of her dreams.  Writing under his pseudonym, the Duke of Seduction, he writes an ode to her and publishes it in the local paper, never dreaming that it would be the last thing she wants.  They soon strike up a friendship, but when his identity comes to light, will she still want anything to do with him?

Despite the seeming levity of the summary above, this book actually was quite dark as the story progressed.  There were many hidden depths to Beck (the hero), and his inner demons came to the forefront as his relationship with Lavinia became more intimate.  While their relationship appeared lukewarm to me for much of the book, I felt that their strong friendship made their love all the more powerful in the end.  Beck had to work through a lot of his own insecurities, and he wasn't really ready for a relationship with Lavinia until he realized he could lose her if he didn't step up his game.  I appreciated her candid conversations with him, and I felt her character complimented his as he sought a solution to problems he had fought for a long time.  Lavinia had to be the stronger of the two, which, in a historical romance, is quite refreshing.  It takes two to make a relationship work, and their problems weren't solved in a day.  Their relationship grew over time, overcoming many hurdles, and ultimately creating a really strong partnership.  

Darcy Burke creates a strong, engaging story unique to the time period!  Highly recommend to lovers of historical romance.

Lady Lavinia and her friends are truly kind and welcoming of new debutantes to the season.  Lavinia is a bit different from the average young lady on the marriage mart in that she is a blue stocking who loves rocks and the scientific community.  Her unexpected minutes with William Beckett or Beck, the Marquess of Northam, in a library during a ball are an unusual introduction.  His kiss on her neck was intended for a married woman with whom he had an assignation.  For the most part, I appreciate the hero in a romance having ethics in which he does not dally with married women.  But, Ms. Burke did a great job of allowing Beck to redeem his behavior.

Beck’s acceptance and encouragement of Lavinia to wear her spectacles and be herself go along way toward making him exceptional hero material.  Even the way he leaves a ribbon on the fence across from her house so she knows he has left her a note in a hollowed out tree is endearing.  

Lavinia quickly learned, by his own admission, that Beck is the Duke of Seduction.  In some cases, he has helped young ladies to find their husbands quickly, falling in love with said husband.  On the other hand, he has caused some problems with his articles about young ladies, even though the article is flattering to the marriage seeker.  Lavinia and Beck seemed to connect quickly with a huge amount of trust developing between them.  Beck’s sister’s death affected him greatly.  He did not want to marry, but did want honesty in his friendships.  Beck’s dark moods were addressed well, just as his sister’s death was handled respectfully.

Ms. Burke, as always, has great secondary characters to support her romantic couples.  Gage, Beck’s butler, seems to be a genuine friend.  She also, includes previous characters to allow us to stay keep up with what their lives might be like in their future.  I am looking forward to future books is this enjoyable series.  Yes, please give Phoebe a charming husband who will adore her.

It’s such a wonderful series, full of fantastic heroes and heroines.  I love the mix of stories across the various books.

With this one I loved Beck and Lavinia’s friendship,  I adored him as a character, what a hero!  I did feel they moved to lovers a bit too quickly for me but it’s a great story and I was caught up in it.

The snippets with the previous characters was great. I can’t wait fir the next one!

Lady Lavinia Gillingham prefers rocks her passion is science, and she’s determined to marry for love, but now the Duke of Seduction has targeted her for his next wallflower to help in the marriage mart. She doesn’t want to be propelled into the marriage market, why did he chose her! William Beckett, Marquess of Northam possesses the reputation of a rake, but is secretly a romantic as the Duke of Seduction, he uses his skill to help Lavinia not knowing she has no desire for assistance. Beck has a side to him very few people see, he’s a romantic at heart.  For him he just doesn’t want to put his heart on the line again, one heart break was enough for him. Lavinia and Beck develop a friendship that blossoms and has Beck questing whether or not he can fall in love again. Can he stand by and watch other men peruse her without interfering as he prepares to see Lavinia married. A captivating story with a hero who wants love and to be loved, but can he overcome his past and grab is heart’s desire before another man claims her? Lavinia know if she doesn’t chose a husband by the season’s end her father will and she’ll not let that happen; she’ll find someone compatible to marry even if she’s in love with someone else.  This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

Lady Lavinia Gillingham prefers digging around in the dirt and talking about all things geology which is certainly not appropriate things for a young lady on the Marriage Mart to engage in. Lavinia is not in a hurry to marry and prefers to wait until she falls in love, but her parents have different ideas about that. When Lavinia becomes the next young lady to be written about by the Duke of Seduction, her parents are thrilled with her new popularity, but Lavinia is determined to uncover the Duke's identity and give him a piece of her mind. Little does she know that the Duke of Seduction is none other than William Beckett, Marquess of Northam.

I'm a fan of Ms. Burke and this latest book was one of my favorites. I especially enjoyed the snippets of poems to the young ladies at the beginning of each chapter. It was a refreshing change from the angst and drama that most regency romances have. Lavinia and Beck were an enjoyable couple to watch--each with their own insecurities and demons to wrestle before they realize they belonged with each other. Beck wasn't much of a "rake" and I thought Lavinia's parents were over the top in their rush to marry off their daughter. I would have liked to know the reason for this, but it was never explained. Fans of regency romances will enjoy this light and entertaining book.

Beck is the anonymous Duke of Seduction who writes poems that expound on the qualifies of young ladies, who are on the marriage mart but who are often overlooked by the men of the ton during the season.  He writes a poem regarding Lavinia and suddenly she is being paid attention by possible suitors.  Beck, who has sworn never to marry, finds himself slowly falling for Lavinia but refuses to admit it to himself.  The story tells of the vicious gossip that destroyed his sister years ago, her supposed suicide, Beck’s need to find out what really happened, his dark depressive moods, Lavinia’s love of science especially rocks/fossils and the growing feelings between the two of them.  Lavinia has a love for life and her friends that endears her to Beck.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book and all of the characters involved.  It is a great read with a few surprises and I would highly recommend it.

4 very surprised/5 stars. 

I received this book from Netgalley and Darcy Burke Publishing for an honest review. This does not in any way affect my opinion of the book and it's characters. 

When I picked up this book I was quite unsure of what to expect, I know for sure that I did not think I'd enjoy this as much as I have. I read through the book in about two days and could have done it much faster if this pesky thing called my job didn't come in between. This is the 10th book in Darcy Burke's The Untouchables series, and the first I've read. Though I am extremely intrigued to read the previous books now. 

Lavinia is a bluestocking wallflower wishing she could spend her days examining rocks, talking about stratification and reading gealogy books. Instead, she is thrown steadily into the marraige mart - and at one point the author makes a comparision of the marraige mart to a vegetable market, where women are on display for sale like delectable produce, and I couldn't agree more. She has no wish to marry, knowing that a husband who not only appreciates her love for science but also encourages will be near impossible to find. You know where we're going from here. 

William Beckett, fondly known as Beck (because why not?) is rake extraordinaire - and our MC's meet for the first time when he mistakes her for his paramour in the dark and kisses her - but he's a poet and musician at heart. Under the guise of the "Duke of Seduction" he pens beautiful poems about young unmarried misses on the marraige mart, giving them the push they need. Only, in the case of Lavinia, the poem he writes for her is a blit like pushing her off the cliff into tumulous waters. From here builds the love story of our couple. 

You instantly connect to them, and I was definitely down the "kiss-now" rabbit hole by their second interaction. They balance each other out wonderfully. I do believe Beck is shown to have shades of Bi-polar or something of the sort, and personally I'd wish if that was a little more fleshed out. That would perhaps one of the few misgivings I have about the book. 

The writing is very easy to read, and flows smoothly. It has a very light tone to it, and while I enjoy my deep, gritty books, once in a while I want a light, fun, swoon-y read. And Darcy Burke's combination of drama and humor made for a perfect read. The book was much wittier than I expected, and I could sense undertones of a Julia Quinn-esque style. There are some points however where I did cringe at a line or two (Like when Beck tell Lavinia that "he feels deeply) but it didn't puncture the experience one bit. I even managed to laugh it off. 

What I did however truly, truly, truly truly admire was the absolute lack of melodrama or theatrics from either of the characters. There weren't any unnecessary plot points simply for the sake of drama, neither did we get a typical roadblock in the HEA. Whatever conflicts that arose were because of the characters as individuals, and not interfering third parties. I do truly enjoy that reprieve from the dramatics. Also, another thing I admired is the departure from cliche tropes. The author has gone from straight up emotion and character driven romance, and I admire that. It might feel a bit campy at times, but it definitely did not deter me from enjoying this book. 

Also, the small little back story mystery had such a plot twist that I was shocked. Shocked, I tell you. 

If you're looking for a sweet, heartwarming HR to curl up with then this will definitely be a good choice.

Wonderful! Loved this book. As i have i have loved the whole series, Beck is probably one of the best hero's. Loved him. Cannot wait till the next one.

William Beckett, Marquess of Northam, “Beck” to his friends, is an unrepentant rake, he is also a poet and a musician. He has endeavoured to use his literary skills to help the young women of the ton, so they don’t suffer as his late sister Helen did. His poems praising the largely ignored young ladies on the Marriage Mart appear anonymously in the Morning Chronicle under the pen name of THE DUKE OF SEDUCTION. Lady Lavinia Gillingham is one of those wallflowers; she is captivated by rocks and fossils, and she will only marry a man who will allow her to pursue her interest, or else she will remain a spinster. Until the day when a poem about her shows up in the newspaper and Lavinia suddenly becomes the toast of the ton. Lavinia’s mother is overjoyed, Lavinia infinitely less so.

What a gorgeous, lovely, tender, beautiful romance! If all rakes were like Beck, reading about them would be so much more pleasant. He is charming, a bit mercurial, and he really respects women, even more so after meeting Lavinia. It was nice to see a male protagonist, and a rake to boot, who truly understood the plight of women. Lavinia, for once, in her scientific endeavours is entirely credible; her intellectual pursuits are not exaggerated, and I loved her for being a sunny – yet sensible – presence. The romance that blooms between her and Beck and something to behold: unrushed, sweet, and initially based on mutual respect and a common cause. It’s rare to see a romance that feels so genuine; there was no doubt that Lavinia and Beck belonged together, and to watch them realise it in a realistic timeframe. 

There is a subplot about Helen, it is superbly done, very exciting; it includes some startling plot twists, and also leads to tremendous character development. However, I could have done without yet another sex-against-the-wall episode: this is a particular pet peeve of mine, as I never see it as romantic; I simply don’t see the appeal, and I felt it was superfluous. THE DUKE OF SEDUCTION is a story that unfolds in a mostly quiet tone, the writing is gorgeous, and Lavinia and Beck’s chemistry is palpable from the very first time they meet. It is a very beautiful story, and probably the most romantic in this magnificent series, which even at book #10 has lost none of its charm, potency, and relevance. Long live The Untouchables!

Darcy Burke’s The Duke of Seduction is the tenth book in The Untouchables series and the characters of Lavinia and Beck are so very likeable. I particularly thought that Beck’s character was so genuine in his desire to help others, including Lavinia. However, his simple act of kindness in trying to make her more appealing and marriageable, is seen by Lavinia as meddling. What ensues are several interesting and entertaining dialogues between the couple. 
The characters in this story helped develop the story as did the story of Beck’s sister. I must admit that I would have liked more time between the couple before they realised their feelings for each other. I am also still puzzled as how Beck’s identity was revealed which in many ways, was the turning point for this couple.
Another great addition to this series and I hope to see more of Lavinia’s friends in the next book. 
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a nice read with minimal conflict. I liked Beck and his he tried to improve the lives of women who were overlooked and how he backed off when he realized that not all the women wanted his help. Sometimes the road to hell is paved with good deeds. I mostly liked Lavinia, although there were times I was annoyed by her. I didn't really know what to make of her parents. At times their actions seemed loving and at other times, they were manipulative and cruel. These two sides were not blended well together. But overall, I enjoyed the romance as it was sweet and went at a good pace.