A Duke at the Door
Grade : C-

A Duke at the Door is a historical paranormal romance about a lion shifter duke and a traveling apothecary. They have to deal with a mysterious enemy, and an unexpected attraction between them.

Tabitha Barrington lived an interesting life before her eyes were opened to the world of shapeshifters. She and her brother Timothy are close; without warmth or affection from their parents, they are each all the other has in the world. For the last decade, Tabitha and Timothy have traveled the continent, she learning herbal treatments from whomever would teach her, he teaching English. When Timothy is offered a steady position and the comfort it affords, he jumps at the chance, and Tabitha finds herself back in England, working for a wolf-shifting Duke. She also finds herself occupied with an order from royalty: to rehabilitate a formerly captured lion-shifter, the Duke of Llewelyn, Alwyn Ap Lewin.

Alwyn just wants to be left alone, but the regent (a shifter in his own right) insists he needs treatment, and has appointed someone for that purpose. After years of being trapped in his lionskin and used as entertainment in a circus, Alwyn is rusty on etiquette. While Tabitha does what she can to make him more comfortable, Alwyn realizes that she might be the mate he has long since given up on finding. However, there is a hidden threat, one that targets both Alwyn and Tabitha, and threatens the freedom of even the most noble-blooded shifters.

This story had a lot of potential! I liked a lot about it - Tabitha being an older heroine, her strong bond with her brother, and the internal conflict Alwyn faces - but ultimately it’s just too flawed to rate well. Alwyn has to deal with unresolved trauma about his captivity, and that really works well for the story. Unfortunately, it’s pretty much the only aspect of the plot that makes sense and feels totally earned.

I really enjoyed the two leads. Alwyn and Tabitha have strong personalities, and their chemistry is excellent, but I would have liked more of them getting to know each other. Their lives both take unexpected turns, and while Tabitha has more control over her fate, I would have liked to know what they both would have wanted, given their options. Tabitha clearly wants to see the world and travel, but where does that desire come from? She is commitment-shy, but why? Alwyn is mostly driven by his loneliness and his trauma, but while he comes into himself in the book, we’re told rather than shown how Tabitha has constricted her life. Her brother says she has trouble expressing her feelings, but they argue as siblings do, and Tabitah is, generally, rather outspoken. Timothy also says Tabitha has spent her child-bearing years traveling with him, but Tabitha doesn’t ever tell him she wants children or indicate a desire for marriage. Her fated mate just happens to her, and while she does choose him back, it feels unresolved.

The world building is also problematic. I haven’t read the previous books in the series, and this one is difficult as a stand-alone. There is a surprising amount of lore, and it’s both too expository and not sufficiently well explained. A new aspect of the mate bond is explained, but it’s vague and I didn’t really understand it. I liked the idea of the shapeshifters having their own culture and worshiping in their own ways, but it feels under-developed.

I did like the supporting characters, particularly the opinionated townspeople. The book is really well-written, which makes the issues I had with plot and characterization more disappointing. The plot, without going into too much detail, is not super intricate. That would have been fine if it made sense, but I found it lackluster. Given how weak the action storyline turned out to be, I’d have preferred the story to have stuck with the internal conflict of the two main characters.

Overall, A Duke at the Door is thoroughly underwhelming. I really liked the premise, and the writing showed a lot of promise, but ultimately the book is just not up to snuff.

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Reviewed by Rachel Finston
Grade : C-

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : September 24, 2022

Publication Date: 08/2022

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