“A sensible man guards his heart; a smart man knows when to yield it.”

Regarding the Duke by Grace Callaway was my very first book from this author, and what an introduction it turned out to be. The third installment in the Game of Dukes series that features protagonists who blur the lines when it comes to the “right” side of the law, this is a book (as evidenced by my sheer enjoyment), that can be read as a standalone. This is a sweeping, emotional, and evocative romance that had me laughing out loud one minute and crying the next, the kind of story that lingers long after the final page.

The book begins with Gabriella Billings, who at the age of twenty-two marries Adam Garrity, the infamous Duke of the City. On the surface, he is a wealthy, powerful man whose fortune and shadowy empire makes him both feared and respected. She marries him for love, but Adam, hardened by his past and intent on revenge, marries her for reasons entirely different.

By the time the story continues eight years later, Gabby is thirty, the mother of two children, and still deeply in love with her husband. Adam, now forty-three, is every bit as enigmatic and controlled as he was the day he wed her. Their seemingly perfect marriage unravels in the wake of an accident that leaves Adam with amnesia and Gabby with shattering revelations about the truth of their relationship.

Adam is the sort of hero that I cannot help but swoon over. Scarred inside and out, his childhood was one of abuse, betrayal, and even being sold by his own father into horrors no child should endure. Everything about the man he became is tied to that past, his drive for vengeance and his obsession with control born from trauma. When amnesia forces him to relearn everything, it also gives him the rare chance to see his life without the filter of bitterness. It is here that his relationship with Gabby transforms, as he finds himself falling deeply and passionately in love with the wife he had kept at arm’s length for years.

Gabby is a heroine who resonated deeply with me. She struggles with anxiety, self-image, and the kind of constant overthinking that makes her feel wholly human. Sweet, feminine, and unassuming, she is exactly the kind of woman who makes a man like Adam whole, not by changing him, but by balancing his darkness with her quiet strength. She adores him even when she fears she was never truly loved in return, and it is her unwavering heart that grounds their marriage through the upheaval of secrets, betrayals, and rediscovery.

The steamy scenes of passion were a delightful surprise, written with sheer eroticism that lives rent free in my head. Since my first foray into Ms. Callaway’s stories, I have come to identify Adam Garrity as one of a kind. He is the man who smolders and delivers so spectacularly, every single time.

What I loved most about this book was how brilliantly this is written. Ms. Callaway has a gift for weaving in humor at just the right moments, lightening up scenes that are otherwise weighted with pain and longing. The emotional depth of Adam’s journey, paired with Gabby’s quiet courage, made for a romance that was both heartbreaking and healing. And the cover? Absolutely glorious, perfectly capturing the passion and beauty of this story.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy historical romances with antiheroes, self-made men, long marriages tested by secrets, and heroines whose strength lies in their femininity.

Final Verdict: Evocative, emotional, scorching hot, and utterly unforgettable; Regarding the Duke is everything I want in a historical romance.

Favorite Quotes

With a wave of his hand, Mr. Garrity sent the guards and widow retreating back to a discreet distance. Then he offered Gabby his arm. “You have my word that this will be a short, perfectly respectable interlude. Shall we?”
“You think of everything, don’t you?” Gabby asked, bemused.
“I want you to know that your reputation is safe with me.” The stars reflected in his eyes, which were darker than the sky and so deep that she had the sensation of losing herself in everlasting midnight. “That you, Miss Billings, will always be safe with me.”

“You need hide nothing from me, Miss Billings,” he said. “If we are to further our acquaintance, it would be best for us to be honest with one another.”
Stunned, she came to a halt. “You wish to further your acquaintance with me?”
His brows lifted. “Why does that surprise you?”
“Because you’re…” Handsome as a prince. And rich and powerful. Why would you want to get to know me? “You’re my father’s business associate,” she finished lamely.
He studied her. “Do you find me old, Miss Billings? Too old to be your friend?”
The idea was laughable. He radiated virile energy, the essence of a man in his prime.
“No,” she blurted. “Definitely not.”
His lips gave a faint twitch.

“You’re mine. You belong to me,” he growled. “Say it.”
“I…belong to you,” she moaned.
“Then take me. All of me.”

“I want all of you.” The words welled up, unstoppable as her tears. “I want a marriage of hearts and minds and bodies, too. I want nothing between us. Nothing.”
“Then we are in accord, my sweet wife.” In a lightning-fast move, he was by her side, thumbing away her tears. Then he scooped her up in his arms. Her hands landing on his rock-hard chest, she was captivated by the ferocity of his expression. “Because when it comes to our marriage, I won’t settle for less than everything.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple