HOW TO LOVE A DUKE IN TEN DAYS (Devil You Know #1) by KERRIGAN BYRNE

“I cannot – will not – allow you out of my sight into a world where you might be taken from me.”
‘Shame had been her companion for so long. So very long.’

How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne ticked every single box on the list of why we have such a deep love for historical romance. Not only was it brilliantly written, it had a dark, broody and mysterious hero and a heroine who encompassed both innocence and a will forged in steel. We love historical romances that showcase a time of traditions and societal rules; that keep to the time within which it is written yet highlights the strength of women in a time where the man is considered the dominant. Yes, we absolutely love the ruthlessness, the mysterious and almost aloof nature of the romantic ‘historical’ man, but what we love even more is the fierceness of the -anything but- demure heroine.

‘If only he could slay her dragons. He’d stand over her like a lupine sentinel, snarling at whoever might approach. He’d sear the secrets from her eyes. Who could want to hurt someone like her? What could she possibly have done to warrant such violence?’

Kerrigan Byrne perfectly laid out this story in such a way that we were gripped from the first page. The character development was on point and the story line one of great tragedy, intrigue and suspense. The romance was divine and the character connection intense. We inhaled every single word and barely came up for air. Lady Alexandra Lane and Piers Gedrick Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne stole our hearts.

‘In his experience, people often reviled what they feared, or vice versa. So, if she wasn’t repulsed by him, why fear him? Had he been mistaken? Had he read admiration where none existed?’

Alexandra is one of three, in a powerful bond established in childhood. Along with her best friends, Francesca and Cecilia, they form the Red Rogues Society and forged a friendship for life, cemented even more so during a horrific experience which marked Alexandra in such a way, it’s followed her into adulthood. Three friends, each one of them unique and individual yet sharing the burden of a secret which can never be told. We absolutely loved these three friends, their friendship had such strength, and their nature was fun, loyal and protective. The power of three has never been more evident.

“We are eternally bound,” she repeated. “By secrets, blood, and pain.”
“And by trust, passion, and revenge,” Francesca added darkly.
“And be friendship, love and…” Cecilia sniffed, pressing on the hands beneath her, as if she could touch the heart below it. “And hope. For without that, what reason do we have to endure?”

When we meet Piers, it’s under a fierce, angsty and blustery setting, the brooding rogue nicknamed the Terror had such an impact on us we knew instantly that we would fall in love with this man. Piers lives under a dark cloud, with a past that’s made him distrustful of everyone and quite the cynic. Bearing both physical and psychological scars, he’s reluctant to let anyone in but knows he must, in order to fulfill his duties and exert revenge on those who’ve wronged him. When Alexandra is placed in his path everything he thought he knew about himself and women is challenged.

‘She wondered if the world would ever recognise that the Terror of Torcliff had never been a terror at all. But a man. A man possessed of so much wit, skill, charm, intellect and humour, he was forever surprising her. Often delighting her. Enchanting her, even.’

All the characters had their own individuality and exuded a power from their life experiences, bringing great heartbreak, strength as well as vulnerability to a story where lives are entwined stemming from a shared moment in time where actions changed not only three women’s path but a brute of a duke too. If you love historical romance as much as we do or would like to dip your toes into this wonderful genre then this is the perfect place to start! A compelling story of intense sadness, secrets, murder, suspense and of course an enticing love story. How to Love a Duke in Ten Days stole our hearts and whilst it’s a standalone in a series we cannot wait for the next Red Rogue Society sister to tell her story!

He could break her.
He could protect her.
She feared him.
She needed him.
She wanted…this.