Publishers Weekly
★ 03/20/2017
Leigh’s magnificent Regency-era erotic romantic thriller, the first installment in the London Underground series (which has nothing to do with present-day London’s mass transit system), crosses class boundaries with abandon. Alexander Lewis, Duke of Greyland, believes he’s finally found love, but after one unforgettable night, the object of his affections vanishes without a word. Two years later, he learns that the affair was nothing but the end of a well-practiced ruse by beautiful Cassandra Blair, who’s been forced into a life of crime. When Cassandra is abandoned by her mentor and left to fend off angry investors and jilted employees, she turns to Alex for help. He reluctantly agrees, but insists they work together to retrieve the funds she’s owed. As they brave the unsavory areas of London, Alex’s wild side emerges and he gets to experience life outside of wealthy enclaves, while Cassandra learns that not all “aristos” are selfish and uncaring. With her dedication and loyalty to Alex, Cassandra challenges the old adage of “no honor among thieves,” and Alex breaks free of his ducal shackles to claim his beloved despite her bloodline. A variety of weapons, plenty of riffraff, a couple of wanton and witty friends, and a hint of kink make this a fast-paced and seductive treasure. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (May)
From the Publisher
magnificent... a fast-paced and seductive treasure.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Leigh’s heroines are complex, vivid characters who seem to have stepped out of an enviable time and place, and not just because of all the satisfying, sexy romance they get to have.” — Sarah MacLean for the Washington Post
“Intelligent, romantic, and plays by its own rules [...] I highly recommend this story...” — All About Romance (Desert Isle Keeper)
“Delightful banter and delicious passion... simply divine!” — Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author
“[A] divine blend of depth, wicked heat and sparkling wit. Eva Leigh’s characters leap off the page and linger long after you’ve closed the book. She’s a wonderful writer.” — Julie Anne Long, USA Today bestselling author
“Strong characters—a truly “kissable” hero, a courageous heroine and a couple of witty friends—blend with the unique plotline to create a novel full of passion, adventure, sensuality and seductiveness that’s impossible to put down. Leigh is at the top of her game!” — RT Book Reviews (top pick)
“Ebullient, angsty, romantic, and wise, From Duke till Dawn is a terrific start to Eva Leigh’s new series.” — Heroes & Heartbreakers
“This eminently likeable hero and heroine are complicated and intriguing, as is the fascinating view into the underbelly of Regency England... Readers will eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.” — BookPage
“Leigh’s new series opener casts an eerie glow on the denizens of London’s criminal class, letting one of its own become the answer to a duke’s stolid life of propriety. Strange bedfellows indeed, with heat in abundance. Readers will enjoy watching these two overcome enormous barriers to find happiness.” — Library Journal
Tessa Dare
Delightful banter and delicious passion... simply divine!
All About Romance (Desert Isle Keeper)
Intelligent, romantic, and plays by its own rules [...] I highly recommend this story...
BookPage
This eminently likeable hero and heroine are complicated and intriguing, as is the fascinating view into the underbelly of Regency England... Readers will eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.
Heroes & Heartbreakers
Ebullient, angsty, romantic, and wise, From Duke till Dawn is a terrific start to Eva Leigh’s new series.
Julie Anne Long
[A] divine blend of depth, wicked heat and sparkling wit. Eva Leigh’s characters leap off the page and linger long after you’ve closed the book. She’s a wonderful writer.
Sarah MacLean for the Washington Post
Leigh’s heroines are complex, vivid characters who seem to have stepped out of an enviable time and place, and not just because of all the satisfying, sexy romance they get to have.
RT Book Reviews (top pick)
Strong characters—a truly “kissable” hero, a courageous heroine and a couple of witty friends—blend with the unique plotline to create a novel full of passion, adventure, sensuality and seductiveness that’s impossible to put down. Leigh is at the top of her game!
JULY 2017 - AudioFile
The characters in Eva Leigh’s first London Underground novel span nearly the entire range of London’s social population—from the highest of the aristocracy to the lowest of the criminal underclasses. Narrator Faye Adele voices them all flawlessly. Cassandra Blake has spent almost her entire life as a con artist, so when her current business partner leaves her holding the bag after one of their scams, she must turn to the one man she hoped to never meet again—the duke of Greyland. Together, they must navigate a twisting path of betrayal and deceit in order to see all debts paid. Adele expertly navigates the subtle shifts of emotion between Cassandra and Greyland on their journey from wary allies to passionate lovers. This is sure to please Leigh’s fans and new listeners alike. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2017-04-02
Can love and chemistry transcend lies and class? That's the question a straight-laced aristocrat and a con woman must answer when fate puts them in each other's path a second time in the first of Leigh's (Temptations of a Wallflower, 2016, etc.) London Underground series.Cassandra Blake has been a grifter since being orphaned on the streets of London. Her one regret is fleecing Alexander Lewis, Duke of Greyland, but she's told herself it was just business and no one was hurt. When a legal enterprise brings her back within his radius, he inadvertently learns he was duped—right before he's about to give up a lifetime of caution and declare his love for her. Refusing to grovel before his righteous anger, Cassandra tries to bluff her way out but must beg for his help when her swan-song scheme goes horribly wrong. In the manner of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Leigh puts a flawed, proud heroine at the mercy of an angry hero and a community baying for retribution, but she doesn't sustain the tension. Alex quickly turns protector as the two venture into the unsavory parts of 19th-century London to find Cassandra's missing partner. Visiting a sex club triggers their old attraction, but they tell themselves that it's a short-term affair. Interspersed with these scenes are a kidnapping, foot chases, and fisticuffs. The heroine's back story gives her some three-dimensionality, but despite the deep point-of-view narration provided to Alex, he still seems like a one-note character. The resolution feels unconvincing, with a potential Jane Eyre-like exile never being a real threat. Leigh riffs on Pretty Woman to present a sympathetic portrait of a poor woman surviving through sheer will, but her novel doesn't have the charm of Julie Anne Long's To Love a Thief or the poignancy of Susanne Lord's Discovery of Desire.
