The Duke's Mistress

by Lois Stewart

City-educated teacher Hilary Vane opens a school for young ladies in Wycombe Valley, despite the objections of the mysterious, handsome Jonathan Rayner, Duke of Alverly. Original. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0821743007
• ISBN13: 9780821743003
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Zebra Books
• Length: 348 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

highly readable clash of wills Regency.....

I must agree with the other reviewer. This longer (350 page) Regency Romance was unique and different than most. The Duke was a brooding, shabbily dressed loner, who was written as a very complex hero. A nice change from the standard Rake, Corinthian, or Dandy. The heroine was an "on the shelf" schoolmistress, who joins her brother, a disabled veteran doctor, in the wilds of rural Northumberland to open her open girls finishing school, in his newly inherited manor home. From their first meeting, upon learning of the heroine's plans, the couple do not see eye to eye, starting a very dramatic clash of wills storyline. The verbal sparring between the two, along with the attraction they are both trying to fight, reminded me a lot of the clash between Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. The hero and heroine were both strong willed, intelligent and three dimensional characters. The rural setting was a nice change of pace. The sensual tension between the two was more passionate than many Regencies, and the idea that the hero wanted to make the heroine his mistress, and her refusal to become such, was unique as well. This was one of those well written romances than, regardless of some of the characters bad behavior, they are so well written that you forgive them as you know there's a reason behind their actions. highly recommend for Regency fan looking for more mature characters and an unusual storyline. 4.5 stars.

Different; very good reading

Very interesting story of a "border lord" and the schoolmistress he desires. Hilary Vane gave up her teaching position to open a finishing school of her own in Wycomb Valley. Wycomb Valley was rather remote, on the Scottish border, and she was there with her brother Matt a doctor. Enter Johnathan Rayner, Duke of Alverly. A shaggy duke in his shabby clothes, Johnathan was arrogant and overbearing at times. A true "border lord" as Hilary liked to call him - and right to his face. They get off on the wrong foot when he pooh-poohs her idea for a school and talks the farmers out of sending their daughters to it. But after the doctor and Hilary care for his injured sister, he changes his mind about the school and with just a few words brings the pupils she needs. Eventually Hilary must fight a powerful attraction to Johnathan. He offers several times to enter a discreet affair but Hilary stands firm in not wanting to be just the duke's mistress. The tension is very thick. Other characters and the side romance (though very subtle) between Matt and the duke's sister Belinda are developed quite well. Also there are several interesting situations presented such as a foiled attempt at the duke's life, scenes of a mine and the mining "shack-town," a farmer's daughter rebelling against an arranged marriage, bearing witness at a trial and various medical situations among them. The story flows wonderfully. I thought Johnathon's excuse for avoiding marriage was a little weak. A very worthwhile read!