All In with the Duke: A Regency Historical Romance (Gambling on Love Book 1)
£3.70
London, 1822
Max Arrington, the Duke of Pelham, vows to never again let a handsome face blind him to a man’s true intentions. But ten months of celibacy and lonely nights drive him to a decadent brothel, where a beautiful young man arouses his illicit passions as never before.
Tristan Walsh has grown tired of being used for men’s pleasure. But his latest client is different: commanding yet generous, Max makes him feel cared for as well as wanted. Yet Tristan knows he’ll never have the choice to leave the brothel and submit only to Max.
So when Max invites him to be his guest at his country estate, Tristan eagerly agrees to his terms—days to do as he pleases while Max tends to the dukedom, and nights spent together in wicked play. But when the “business arrangement” begins to deepen into something more, Tristan must face the fact that he has no true place in Max’s life—or in Max’s guarded heart…
Gambling on Love:
Book #1: All in with the Duke
Book #2: Sharp Love
Book #3: Viscount’s Wager
Read more
Additional information
| Publisher | Carina Press (11 Nov. 2013) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 558 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 314 pages |
by Kindle Customer
There is no sense of period flavour in this book nor much of place or time. It lack any tension or fire in the main protagonists, nor did not involve me in any of the adventures. It was all too nice and lacked any sexual excitement. I was not aroused by any of the incidents and two thirds of the way had to give it as I kept falling asleep over it. All the rubbing I tried did not stir me up.
by Katrina
I’m a little more conflicted about this book than any other of March’s. Firstly, it’s an actual novel – squee! – it gets a star for that alone.
I liked Tristan and I liked Max, and I loved them as a couple. Yes it’s maybe a little cliched to have the big (in every sense), socially, financially, and politically powerful Duke be the Dom in their relationship, but this story didn’t follow the conventional D/s narrative in that Max, while knowing exactly what turns him on, was once bitten, twice shy about expressing his darker desires. March writes absolutely lovely Doms, men who are utterly smitten by their subs and care as much for their pleasure as their own, and Max was no exception.
However… I can’t help feeling the ending was just too neat and tidy. March is rather fond of the partner who cannot imagine a future between her heroes suddenly having a Big Revelation and all their objections melting away in the space of a couple of paragraphs of Deep Thought, but underlying that overly-convenient conclusion is a carefully considered and realistic way for the two men to be together – something I especially value in an historical romance. In this story… I simply didn’t believe in the solution Max found.
Still, those niggles aside it was an enjoyable book to read, as March’s books always are. It suffered from perhaps (gasp!) a surfeit of sex, but then she writes it so well who can complain about that? Overall it’s a solid 3.5-4* read and if you’re a fan of March’s you’ll love it.
by P J Cook
At first I thought it was going to be a boring book, how wrong I was because it turned out to be a romantic novel that I enjoyed very much Being a fast reader I’ll read this book again as I do with a really good book.
Yes I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes a good romance novel and tell them that it’s a very good romance.
by Mae
I love historical fiction and Ava March tells the story of a privileged Duke, Max, and a lost soul and a male prostitute, Tristan, during the regency period. The author brings both of them to life beautifully and conveys their connection in the bedroom of the upmarket brothel extraordinarily well.
The fine detail of the setting is perfection, and March uses language which fits the era but isn’t so distant that it makes it hard work to read. The pages flow gracefully, and her ability to build up tension between the lovers is second to none. There’s always a bit of kink in her stories but it’s not so strong or odd that more ‘vanilla’ readers wouldn’t enjoy it, and I find it quite endearing. The kink is actually used as a deeper bond of understanding and sharing between Tristan and Max.
All In With The Duke is not without humor, which is subtle but brings the characters to life. I’m going to have to quote my favourite line, spoken during an argument, “Don’t Yes your Grace me, I suck your cock.”
All in all, if you love regency, romance, an intense build up to passion, total page turning, with easily flowing prose that makes you melt, then you need to go; All in With the Duke. Also note March’s books have been finalists in the Rainbow Awards and More Than Magic Contest.
by Sandy N
This is my first book by Ava March and I was looking forward to read it. The beginning of the story was really good until half way through the book when the separation occur (no spoilers) and there was a definite shift between the 2 characters that I didn’t like. Max the Duke became too submissive in a way and Tristan the Commoner just unbearable. I will read the other books in the series with better results.
by Kindle Customer
A different write that I found really enjoyable…set in days gone by with different attitudes to homosexuality…the story within was enjoyable, the characters both good n sexy, nice story I enjoyed!
by JoPublic
Hot erotic romp with reasonable story line to go with it, although I would have liked a little more depth into the background and perceptions of the main characters which are conveniently put into place. As too with the epilogue which is a bit contrived but nonetheless a wishful ending in a romantic novel.