The Duke - by Anna Cowan (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"Gorgeously written and desperately hot... Hands down, my favorite romance of the decade." - Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

A sapphic regency romance about the duke who fears nothing... until the woman she never forgot walks through the door and brings her to her knees.

Set in a world of powerful female nobles and the women who love them...

Kate, Duke of Howard, is known throughout Europe as a merciless autocrat not to be crossed. Consumed by a bitter rivalry, she avoids society and has vowed never to trap a woman into marriage with a monster like herself.

The beautiful, ambitious courtesan Celine Genet once threw herself on the mercy of the visiting Duke of Howard. She was desperate to escape the guillotine. But after a night of searing passion, the duke left her to the ravages of Revolutionary Paris and didn't look back. Now Celine is in London and in possession of a dangerous letter that proves the Duke of Howard committed treason as a child - and possibly even murder.

Celine wants a titled husband in return for keeping the duke's secret, leaving Kate no choice but to parade her around the most fashionable ballrooms. But as Celine takes society by storm, Kate finds herself growing fond of the woman set on destroying her. And as their attraction mounts, Kate faces an impossible choice: keep her childhood secret, or win the woman she loves.

Anna Cowan's The Duke is an utterly unforgettable, page-turning romance featuring two women who, separately, are a danger to each other, but together, could be the most powerful duo London has ever seen.

"The Duke is Georgette Heyer quadrupled and queered, flipping the erotic appeal of a cold-hearted alpha into an alternate England in which women can be dukes and marry whom they please. I loved and envied the way it combined the originality of My Lady Jane, the luxury of Bridgerton, and the smutty, fabulous sex of Fingersmith." - Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Viscount in Love

Review Quotes

"Rich with political intrigue, social politics, and gripping sapphic tension, Cowan's The Duke captivates. This exciting 18th century world where women battle in the House of Lords, take wives, and fight for political gain is only surpassed by the twisty, provocative, and gutting romance between Kate, the Duke of Howard, and Celine, the improbable ingenue who's blackmailing her. A truly exquisite read." - Emma R. Alban, bestselling author of Don't Want You Like a Best Friend

"Full of adventure and humor, The Duke turns everyone's favorite historical romance tropes on their head. Delightfully queer, sexy, and joyful." - Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of the Bright Falls series

"Bridgerton with butches? Say less. The Duke is everything I want in a historical romance - it's elegantly woven, it's sexy, it's passionate, and its characters are flawed but deeply human. I absolutely loved it." - C.L. Clark, author of The Unbroken

"Gorgeously written and desperately hot, The Duke is one of those books you don't recommend so much as evangelize. The clever, slantwise way Cowan wields the tropes of the genre! The incisive clarity of her characters! Hands down, my favorite romance of the decade." - Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

"The Duke is Georgette Heyer quadrupled and queered, flipping the erotic appeal of a cold-hearted alpha into an alternate England in which women can be dukes and marry whom they please. I loved and envied the way it combined the originality of My Lady Jane, the luxury of Bridgerton, and the smutty, fabulous sex of Fingersmith." - Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Viscount in Love

"Anna Cowan has pulled off a stupendous magic trick here. She's plunged her hands into the classic historical romances, pulled out their bloodied heart, and shoved it into the chest of something entirely new. Celine and the Duke of Howard deserve to enter the annals of the genre's most compelling protagonists. I'll be rereading this one whenever I want an invigorating reminder of what romance can do when at its dizzying, heightened best." - Freya Marske, author of Sword Crossed

"Cowan has created a complex and twisted alternative history. The Duke offers all the lush, brooding charms of classic historical romance with a sharp modern edge and queer sensuality." - E.E. Ottoman, author of The Companion

"I can't remember the last time I sank into such gorgeous, specific prose. I can't quite express how much of a good time I had--in the truest sense, I was swept away. I was just reading in a state of pure pleasure." - Shelley Parker-Chan, USA Today bestselling author of The Radiant Emperor series

"Riveting! Anna Cowan weaves messy, complex characters into an intricate web of power dynamics. A page-turning, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance with a dramatic, satisfying conclusion." - Erica Ridley, New York Times bestselling author of the Wild Wynchesters series

"The Duke is simply stunning, a completely gorgeous book." - Cat Sebastian, bestselling author of You Should Be So Lucky

"The Duke is sumptuous and seductive. This is the queer romance you've been craving: addictive, lush, darkly glamorous and blisteringly sexy." - Tasha Suri, award-winning author of The Jasmine Throne

About the Author

ANNA COWAN started writing at eight and hasn't stopped yet. After years of travelling (including a quick stop to marry her Scottish sweetheart on the shores of Loch Lomond) she studied Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Her debut novel Untamed was published in 2013. She lives on Wurundjeri land in the hills outside Melbourne with her family.