Review: Jilting the Duke (The Muses' Salon #1) by Rachael Miles

Print Length: 352 pages

Publisher: Zebra (January 26, 2016)

From Goodreads.com: BROKEN PROMISE, BROKEN HEART

Aidan Somerville, Duke of Forster, is a rake, a spy, and a soldier, richer than sin and twice as handsome. Now he is also guardian to his deceased best friend’s young son. The choice makes perfect sense—except that the child’s mother is the lovely Sophia Gardiner, to whom Aidan was engaged before he went off to war. When the news reached him that she had married another, his ship had not yet even left the dock.

Sophia does not expect Aidan to understand or forgive her. But she cannot allow him to stay her enemy. She’s prepared for coldness, even vengeance—but not for the return of the heedless lust she and Aidan tumbled into ten years ago. She knows the risks of succumbing to this dangerous desire. Still, with Aidan so near, it’s impossible not to dream about a second chance…

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My Rating: 4 stars out of 5
As I read this story, I found it hard to believe that this is a debut novel from a brand new author. Everything about this story was engaging and amazingly well written - something I would have expected from a seasoned author instead of one just getting started. Not only were the characters complex, and the story engaging, but the attention to detail was simply fantastic. You could easily visualize the story as it was happening, even when you weren't entirely sure which side to root for! 

One final thing - I was so excited to learn that this is only book one of a new series! At first I was disappointed that there seemed to be no real conclusion to the overall plot (aside from the romance), which tends to be a turn off for me as I like stand alone novels even when they are part of a series. However - this story was so good that I didn't mind. In fact, it only enticed me to read the rest of this series as it becomes available. Hopefully by the end all of the secrets have been revealed (and we see more of these two delightful characters). 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. 

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 Jilting the Duke (The Muses' Salon #1)  will soon be available from Amazon.com. The link will be forthcoming.