Duke Of Charm by Alexa Aston

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fun, enticing read.  Full of rich characters, vivid backdrops, and edge of your seat storyline.  A heartfelt story of unrequited love and second chance romance.

Samantha Wallace was hopelessly in love with George, the Duke Of Colebourne.  Being spurned leads to bad choices and heartbreak.  The young, innocent Samantha is forged in fires of terror, turning her into a completely different person.  I loved how Samantha changed so dramatically.  She goes from naïve to battle-worn.  The Phoenix that rises is strong and vibrant.  Her strength through her trials was awe-inspiring.  I loved her spirit and grit.

George was betrayed and became an infamous rogue.  In retrospect, he sees his shortcomings when it comes to Samantha.  Although the worse sort of wastrel, I felt George could be redeemed.  He had a gentleness of spirit even through his wayward actions. 

The couple goes through so many trials, but these trials turn them into better individuals.  I could feel the love between the couple.  The steamy passion was tangible.  Their chemistry together set the pages on fire.  The secondary characters were well-formed, from new and old friends to evil villains.

The storyline takes you through several years.  Although a lot was going on simultaneously with different characters, I did not get lost.  It was a page-turner moving at a rapid fire pace.  The love story was complicated and made for excellent reading.  The backdrops, from beautiful balls to terrorizing houses to enchanting house parties, were exquisite in the description.  

I truly enjoyed this book.  It stood out, carving a unique telling of an original storyline.  This author is one to watch!  The book is a solid installment to an enchanting series.  It was tragic at times and inspiring at others.  A rollercoaster of a story!

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing. This is my honest, voluntary review.

This is the second book in the Dukes Of Distinction series. This is my first book by this delightful author. The story was enchanting. I will definitely go back and read the first book and go forward in reading the rest of the series as it comes out. I have been on quite the roll when it comes to reading good books, this one included!