One of my all time favorite romances is Meredith Duran’s The Duke of Shadows. I read it, for the first time, a few years after it was published in 2008. The story, that of a half Indian/half Anglo Duke and the English artist he falls in love with, riveted me. The book begins in Delhi in May of 1857 a few days before the Indian Rebellion. From there, it takes the reader through a roiling nation and then leaps forward four years to a London covered in smoke and steam.
I just reread it for what is probably the fourth time while traveling in India. It read as historical fiction–it so perfectly portrays that time and place. I was, in our travels, in Delhi and in Shimla, the summer capital of the Raj, and everywhere I went, I saw the history she brings to life in The Duke of Shadows.
It is a book I think many would shy away from writing today. Julian is sympathetic to the Brits–to a point–and to the Indians. Duran deftly portrays evil on both sides as well. Julian is never a white savior–the reader sees that he could be both British and Indian. It is Duran’s debut novel and she, a young white woman, writes natives and conquerors alike with assurance. (I am still unhappy that the only one of Elizabeth Essex’s original Reckless Bride series she has NOT republished after St. Martin dropped her books is the one set in India. It is my understanding that the book is one she is no longer comfortable claiming.) I am grateful that Duran’s book is still available to all.
I have read every book Duran has published. From 2008 to 2018, she released eleven novels and three novellas, all historical romances. (She has received nine DIKs and four Bs here.) My favorite is The Duke of Shadows although I also adore Luck Be A Lady and Written on Your Skin neither of which we have reviewed. If I had to pick my next fave after those three it would be Bound By Your Touch.
My least liked is probably The Sins of Lord Lockwood which, though superbly written, is a bit too dark for me. (Caz loved it.)
On her new website (thank you Kim for pointing it out!), she writes she’d like to finish a manuscript. Would that it be another extraordinary historical romance!
Are you a Duran reader? If so, which of her works are your favorites?
I absolutely love Meredith Duran and think she’s one of the best HR writers currently. Her characters are complex and the stories are gripping. No 21st century characters in period clothing with Ms Duran, she also does angst very well which is catnip to me. I needed a few days to recover after reading the Duke of Shadows – it was that good and was grinning like the Cheshire Cat after the last page of Luck Be A Lady. I have since re-read both more than once and my enjoyment of them hasn’t diminished a bit. I was sad to learn she’d left HR writing behind but fingers crossed the manuscript she’d like to finish is as you say, another extraordinary historical romance.
I adore Meredith Duran’s books. Duke of Shadows is my favorite too—it’s one of the very few books that ever made me cry (the scene where he sees her and discovers that she’s alive). I think my second favorite may be A Lady’s Guide to Misconduct, though I can’t really say why. Perhaps it’s because I’ve always been a sucker for amnesia plots.
Ha! I hate amnesia plots and I STILL really like A Lady’s Guide to Misconduct.
These are my two 5 star reads by her.
I love Duran and, to this day, ‘The Duke of Shadows’ is still my most favorite by her. She’s one of few authors who did her research properly beyond just historical happenings during the time period of the book. She didn’t just slap a few Indian words and Indian sounding names to her characters and called it good, she actually wrote the speech patterns and choice of words in certain sentences (like English dialogues spoken by Emma’s Indian maid to Emma, for example) correctly as a native Indian would phrase those sentences. I remember marveling at the rarity of it as I was reading the book.
I really miss her!
Yes, I’m a Duran reader and I want to read everything she has written. My problem? The price. Her books are quite expensive for me. I don’t usually pay more that five or six euros (around six US dollars, 4-5 GBP) for an e-book, even if it’s from someone I like. So I’m going little by little with her backlist. There are a couple of her books I have not read yet.
Four of her stories are 4-star readings for me: THE DUKE OF SHADOWS (2008), THAT SCANDALOUS SUMMER (2013), FOOL ME TWICE (2014) and SWEETEST REGRET (2016).
If I have to choose one, it would be THE DUKE OF SHADOWS, I guess, as it’s the one I’ve read more times. But I think that FOOL ME TWICE would be a splendid second option. I love the ‘in disguise’ trope, and the heroine is someone hiding her true identity. The tension between Olivia and Alastair, how they interact, I think is the best thing about the book. What happens in that Victorian mansion is almost like a theatre play of two people poking each other, challenging each other, in order to make the other one react.
And its sexy moments, of course, describing an attraction that both know cannot be.
Yes, I think FOOL ME TWICE would be a certain reread.
On the opposite side, I have recently read LUCK BE A LADY, which was in Kindle Unlimited, and I didn’t like it at all.
Bound By Your Touch was my first Duran, so I have a soft spot for it, but everything of hers I’ve read set an incredibly high standard that few other HR authors could match. And that’s still the case, even several years after she published her last book.
I loved A Lady’s Code of Misconduct
– I would rate it more highly than our reviewer did – and Duke of Shadows is wonderful. But I must put in a word for the deliciously angsty Fool Me Twice, which features one of her most compelling – but morally grey – heroes. And At Your Pleasure has a very unusual setting – England just as the Hanoverian monarchy begins – and the historical background is fascinating.
I remember not being wowed by That Scandalous Summer – not that it was bad, just not as good as her other books.
I love both Fool Me Twice and At Your Pleasure. The history in the latter is prodigious.
I did not like A Scandalous Summer. Excellent writing, strong personalities, but just such a deeply horrible group of mobbing persons, and the trapped heroine. Due to its strengths, I felt it deeply, right down to the smells of summer, and suffered through the addiction of the heroine. I was impressed and I remember the book vividly, I just did not like it.
Fool me Twice was much better for me.
So MD is very much on my radar, but I often avoid reading her because I need to be settled within me to enjoy her books. When I feel weak and lonely, or threatened, her angst hits me in the heart and is too much. And sometimes, I think I am fine, successfully fooling myself, and her books make me realize that I am not. Amazing writer, I handle with care.
That is a real tribute to her writing and so thoughtful. <3
I get that need to be emotionally secure to read Duran’s book. I’ve tried her books twice (one was Duke of Shadows) and stopped part way through because I was getting so sad and anxious. I thought the writing was beautiful, and I wish I had the emotional bandwidth to read books like hers, but so far that’s a nope. 🙂
I am THRILLED by the news that she has a new website. That can only mean good things. (Though, bad things if she decides to write women’s fiction, which an increasing number of writers are doing :()
Like everyone else, I’ve enjoyed all of her books, so it’s difficult picking a favorite. I really liked many of the books the others have listed (The Duke of Shadows, Bound By Your Touch and Fool Me Twice), but if I had to pick my favorites, I think I’d go with A Lady’s Code of Misconduct and Written on Your Skin. This is one author that is consistently good.
Another of her books that nobody has mentioned is A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal. She did such a good job describing working class London that it reminded me of a Dickens’ novel. She does such a good job with her descriptions of the time period without the reader feeling like they’re reading a history book. I’m glad she’s still writing.
Yes! I remembered how much I’d enjoyed that one after I’d posted my comment. Honestly, trying to pick a favourite Duran book is a pretty impossible proposition!
The OTT demonisation of the Brits had me quickly nope out of her most beloved book, Duke of Shadows.
At Your Pleasure was really good with a PROPER conflict between the two and excellent sex scenes. Good enough for me to overlook the forced kiss, and I usually DON’T.
I have read several of Duran’s but only two stand out for me: The Duke of Shadows and The Sins of Lord Lockwood, which are excellent historicals and excellent romances. I have two degrees in history and I was impressed by how much of the history she got right. She does not sugarcoat the violence and brutality of imperial expansion or colonial resistance (The Duke of Shadows). And she does not hesitate to show that sometimes the imperial maw chews and spits out aristocrats too (The Sins of Lord Lockwood).
She is one of my favorite authors, and possibly the one I reread most. I loved The Duke of Shadows, which reminded me a bit of M.M. Kaye’s India novels, but I also loved A Lady’s Code of Misconduct, Fool Me Twice, Luck be a Lady, and Bound by Your Touch. I love how the characters are interconnected and yet preserve their individuality. I really hope she starts publishing again!
I had to join this thread because Meredith Duran is one of my very favorites too. She writes so powerfully of the dark ugliness of the world yet still convinces you there’s hope for happiness— that’s precisely why I love her work. Sending all kinds of positive energy out to the universe that she publishes again.
I am on a re-reading binge of her work. She’s just such a good WRITER. Her books are a gift.
Duran is one of my best author’s her prose is excellent and she’s not afraid to write about real history and write plots that are a bit darker than the average HR.My favorite by her is Luck be a lady,my least is Lady be good.
One of my favourite books by Duran is Bound by your touch. She writes unique plots and flawed characters that I think authors are currently not brave enough to write in fear of offending people
I agree–she was a fearless writer in no small part because she thoroughly researched her plots and characters.
One of my favourite books by her is At Your Pleasure is one of her darker books filled with a lot of angst, and is based in an unique part of history that I didn’t know much about.
She’s one of my favourite writer’s hope she will come out with something new either later this year or early next.And Her new site looks good.
My favourite is Luck be a lady my least is Lady be good i found that the main MC’s had no chemistry and the story was pretty boring.
My first book by her was Written on Your Skin, which was great, but she got a science history detail wrong (very very minor, picky point) and I couldn’t decide if I read too much science history or if she should have had that right. Didn’t really take away with how great the book was though.
What detail?
Just saw this. There is a part where he remembers a tutor explaining magnetism and pole reversal in rocks to him as a child, but that was late 19th century to mid-20th century discoveries. It is part of the evidence that settled the plate tectonics theory. I’m sure I am not quite saying it right so sorry for any errors.
Plate tectonics pre 1911 drives me bonkers and I’ve seen it in a few books.
Yep, seen her new website fingers crossed she will bring something new out soon and hoping that manuscript is a HR.
My favourites in order are-
Luck be a lady
Duke of Shadows -it’s not my favourite no I know it’s the fan favourite.
Bound by your touch
At your pleasure
Written on your skin
Lady be good-one of my least favourite so far least favourites so far.
Sweetest Regret -That I just read recently that I found lighter hearted compared to her other books.
I’ve not read all of them yet.
I wish I hadn’t read them all… several times!
I love Meredith Duran as a author and would read anything she wrote because she’s that good but I don’t feel like it will be an historical maybe women’s fiction or contemporary. Many authors are changing genres and I heard a rumour that Sherry Thomas wrote a manuscript for an HR and the publisher turned it down unfortunately,historical romance is really struggling right now.
I would be horrified to hear that the publisher turned down a historical by Thomas. I’m so ready for her Charlotte Holmes books to end. I miss her straight up historicals so much!
Yep, apparently she told the person that was interviewing her that the publisher wouldn’t accept it they don’t want historical romance.
This is probably my ignorance talking but I just always assumed HR was a guarantee for publishing. A rejected Sherry Thomas HR? What a loss
Especially considering that so much of the HR being currently published is terrible.
We gave 53 historical romances a B or higher in 2024. Just saying.
Long time reader of HR here. I would say at the moment I’m buying less than 5/year because I’m just not enjoying them. Eloisa James and Alice Coldbreath are probably my only autobuys at the moment. Everyone else is very hit and miss or just a plain miss.
I think this is also a different strokes thing. I’ve enjoyed, in the past couple of years, HR by Julie Anne Long, Eloisa James, Caroline Linden, Erin Langston, Julia Bennet, Madeline Hunter, Lindsay Lovise, and Anne Stuart.
I’ve enjoyed HRs from the authors you mentioned as well, with the exception of Erin Langston and Lindsay Lovise – I haven’t read anything of theirs
Erin Langston’s Forever Your Rogue is superb. I enjoyed Lovise’s Never Blow a Kiss–it’s a fun, sexy read.
I will give these ones a go. Thanks for the rec
Yeah a lot of the books I’ve read this year have been terrible not just romance but in most genre’s.
I’ve read and listened to over 250 books this year, almost all of them romances, and I think the majority have been As and Bs. But I curate my reading pretty carefully these days – the bulk of my reading is tried and tested authors whose books I’m fairly sure I’ll enjoy. There are outliers of course and it’s a rare new author who gets it right straight away, so I limit the number of books I pick up by new authors.
Yes I admit there’s only a very small group of romance writers I like I’m a very picky reader in general and rarely find authors I really like. Next year I’m going read quite a lot less and branch out more on different genres.I’ve probably burnt myself out and been in a really bad slump this year ,2023 was a really good year for me as a reader…sigh.
I’ve found mysteries to be very strong this year. Romantasy as well.
I am sorry! I’ve had a great reading year overall. I think it helps I’m a very fast reader.
I have learning difficulties so I’m not a fast reader but I find reading helps with my spelling,grammar and memory.
My husband is a slow reader and it has its charms–he savors. I am a skimmer and have to make myself slow down and pay attention.
Exactly
I have tried to find that interview. I did find an old interview where Sherry Thomas said this happened to her earlier in her career. I’m not sure it’s happened to her recently. If anyone knows differently, please let me know!
It was on a private chat allegedly I think it was a reader that was talking to her so I’d take it with a pinch of salt.Maybe she did mean years ago not recently.
I found this info from Instagram from someone that reads Thomas.
Now Sherry’s writing cozy mysteries…..
That link doesn’t seem to work outside the US – it takes me to a Prime Video page for the Doris Day Show!! If it doesn’t work for others, here’s a Goodreads link to The Librarians, first book out in Sept 2025. Here’s the blurb:
Murder disrupts the peaceful, predictable daily routine of life for four quirky librarians who must protect their life-altering secrets in the first contemporary mystery from USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas.
Sometimes a workplace isn’t just a workplace but a place of safety, understanding, and acceptance. And sometimes murder threatens the sanctity of that beloved refuge….
In the leafy suburbs of Austin, Texas, a small branch library welcomes the public every day of the week. But the patrons who love the helpful, unobtrusive staff and leave rave reviews on Yelp don’t always realize that their librarians are human, too.
Hazel flees halfway across the world for what she hopes will be a new beginning. Jonathan, a six-foot-four former college football player, has never fit in anywhere else. Astrid tries to forget her heartbreak by immersing herself in work, but the man who ghosted her six months ago is back, promising trouble. And Sophie, who has the most to lose, maintains a careful and respectful distance from her coworkers, but soon that won’t be enough anymore.
When two patrons turn up dead after the library’s inaugural murder mystery–themed game night, the librarians’ quiet routines come crashing down. Something sinister has stirred, something that threatens every single one of them. And the only way the librarians can save the library—and themselves—is to let go of their secrets, trust one another, and band together….
I’m afraid this just doesn’t interest me at all 🙁 All power to ST for getting to write what she wants to write. But I think it’s time she and I parted ways.
I gave up on ST’s Charlotte Holmes series after the 2nd or 3rd book – keeping track of the characters and the mysteries got too confusing for me and there didn’t seem to be any tangible headway in the romance. I don’t read anything in the contemporary genre so like you, I’ll be staying away from this series. Perhaps some day in the not too distant future, she’ll write another HR but until then, I guess it’s re-reads of her previous HRs for me
Dabney and I have stuck with it through to book 8, but I think we’ve both had enough of waiting for something to actually happen. I’m reading Greg Ashe’s current cosy mystery series because they’ve been short, fun and angsty and he’s such a terrific writer, but it’s not a genre I’m otherwise drawn to. And as the Lady Sherlick series has been disappointing, I’m not inclined to read another mystery series from ST. I’d be interested to know how many of her HR fans are still reading Lady Sherlock and how many of the LS readers will follow ST into contemporaries.
Mysteries aren’t my cup of tea either, but I would have continued with the series if the romance had actually been there instead of the one step forward two steps backwards dance, the protagonists were constantly engaged in. The series is up to what, the 10th book now?
8 was the last one released, and I believe the series is to be 10 books in total. The romance has progressed somewhat – but at a snail’s pace. I suspect part of the problem is that while the events in the books take place over a few months, for readers, it’s been eight years, and it’s just too drawn out.
Exactly
I think much of art suffers from sequelitis. Nine of the the top ten English language films in 2024 were sequels and the tenth was Wicked. Authors now write book after book featuring the same town, the same families, the same crimes. And while that is not inherently the hallmark of weak writing, it is something that can easily fall into repetitiveness and offer a comfort that bores.
I haven’t read any of the Rules for the Reckless series. I’ve read her earlier books though and while I couldn’t tell you the plot of any of them, I know I really enjoyed them as I read 7 in a short span of time.
My very favourite book by Duran is Luck be a lady my least favourite is Lady be good.
I too don’t love Lady Be Good–not really sure why but it just didn’t resonate for me.
I think it was Christian I didn’t like very much as a character,and even though I liked Lilah aka Lily I didn’t really see them as a couple I felt like they didn’t have much chemistry in my opinion.The story as well was meh.
I also love At your Pleasure, very angsty dark. I doubt a book like that today would get published.
I think that about so many books I love!
That’s one of my favourites of hers – it’s set in a period of English history I don’t know much about (or didn’t until she sent me down a rabbit-hole to find out more!) and her research into it is truly impressive.
I always struggle with Nora–she’s such a stubborn heroine. But I love the book.
True, but that’s what I like about Meredith Durans writing some of her characters are very difficult to like and sympathise with at times. And Adrian wasn’t exactly the nicest person in the world he was pretty cruel to Nora.
That’s what I love about her writing some of her characters are difficult to like and sympathise with but you always end up rooting for them in the end.
That’s what I love about her writing sometimes the characters are difficult to like sympathise with at times, they feel more authentic I guess.
True and I think AYP is a bit of a throw back to the Bodice rippers of the 80s and 90s when Historical Romance was more daring.
A Lady’s Code of Misconduct is my favourite. Perhaps because it doesn’t have the Duke/Earl as a hero. And the fact that the “making” of the old Crispin Burke was because of his family’s behaviour which the heroine pointed out. The fact that a family like his is a double edged sword. All of Duran’s heroines are strongly written and I think that makes as root for them more.
Agree about the leads. I struggle with amnesia plots so I’m not quite as fond of this one but it’s still a winner.
My favourites by Duran are –
Luck be a lady,The duke of Shadows, Bound by your touch and At your pleasure.
I used to like Meredith Durans books but I tried to re-read Bound by your touch recently and oh boy it was a slog.Im not sure if it’s me and my reading tastes have changed.
Interesting. Too slow?
Could be just down to reading burnout and needing to change up the genre I’m reading.
I hear you. I’ve been reading a lot of thrillers lately and I’ve noticed my intolerance for flaws rises with each book I read!
Yes,I hope it’s just down to a burnout because I used to really love her book’s.
I picked up on flaws I didn’t notice the first time reading it. The pace felt off and the dialogue at times was odd and didn’t make sense maybe this is due to me being dyslexic not sure?
My favourite book by Duran is Luck be a lady .And I think I am afraid my least favourite was her last published the Sins of lord Lockwood I found the book more about Liam than Anna more male centric book that’s unusual for an HR.
I’m not wild about TSoLL either!
Yes,I think she struggled writing that book.She had to start again ,she threw out three hundred pages.
So many historical romance authors have quit writing, I miss her writing..
One of my favourites of her book’s is AYP and one of my favourite heroes in historical romance is Adrian.
He’s a great hero although he has more patience than do I.
I don’t think MD has ever written a bad book, but I liked some more than others. My favorite is At Your Pleasure (wish it had a less generic title,) followed closely by The Duke of Shadows and The Sins of Lord Lockwood (aka the first and last published work as of now). I know it’s not everyone’s cuppa, but I enjoyed a rare early Georgian setting and a second-chance romance. Was Nora too frustratingly stubborn? Yes, but that’s actually one of the reasons Adrian is attracted to her: he wants that loyalty for himself, not realizing he may never break her existing ties until it’s almost too late. I’m also a sucker for a hero who would do anything for the woman he loves even against his best interests.
Does anyone know what happened to Meredith Duran? And why she stopped writing? I’ve been wondering for a while why she disappeared.
She has, I believe, switched careers.
This might come across entitled but I wish authors gave readers closure.
I agree that it would be nice to know when an author decides to hang up their pen (or keyboard), but I suppose it’s hard to say “I will never write another book again.” Or something along those lines.
Yes AND one could say: “For the time being, I’m am pursuing other paths. Thank you for all the love and support.”
Agreed. It would be nice to know not to keep hoping for another book from them – and a massively nice surprise if they do write one!
I gave up on Meredith Duran for future book’s along time ago. And accepted she would never write again ,as sad as that sounds.
I think that it is a sane way to stave off disappointment. She, Sherry Thomas, Julie James–sometimes great authors just move on.
Same, really. I think that someimes an author has said all they have to say, and I’d rather they quit while they’re on a high than slog along churning out sub-standard work. It’s a great loss to the genre, although I can’t help wondering, based on some recent discussions here, if her brand of complex, thought-provoking romance would fit what seems to be today’s demand for simple and upbeat.
I think the generations that came after millennials tend to be a lot less optimistic about life and, in some ways, more comfortable with very clear dichotomies in art. They are, in general, less likely to believe in true love, happy marriages, and that it is safe to rely on others. They have good reasons for this AND, in romance, I wonder if that is part of why so much that is published today, especially traditionally, has leads and storylines that don’t require leaps of faith or even patience. Now, obviously this is a gross generalization but all publishing needs to know is that those sort of books sell with the younger generations who are the ones buying physical books which then hit the best seller lists.