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Darcy Burke
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The Duke of Distraction (The Untouchables Book 12) Kindle Edition

by Darcy Burke (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 764 ratings
After witnessing how love embittered his uncle and broke his father, Felix Havers, Earl of Ware vows never to love. He conceals his emotions behind a wall of wit and charm, and is celebrated as the master of entertainments—parties, picnics, races. When his best friend’s wallflower sister needs to find a husband, he promises to make her the toast of London... without losing his heart.

Miss Sarah Colton has given up on the pursuit of marriage. When her parents learn she intends to open a millinery shop, they give her an ultimatum: choose a husband or they’ll do it for her. She accepts Felix’s help, never imagining their scheme will ignite a mutual attraction neither of them dare indulge. But when tragedy strikes, can they heal each other or will the demons of Felix’s past consume them both?
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  1. Book 12 of 12
    The Untouchables
  2. Print length
    285 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    February 26, 2019
  6. File size
    4.6 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Bare chested man embracing red-haired woman in a gold dress in front of a sweeping staircase

✔️ Brooding, reformed rake

✔️ Ruined, spinster heroine

✔️ Second chance romance

He found himself stealing looks at Miss Lockhart, and that simply would not do.

Dark-haired man with open shirt embracing woman in magenta gown on a terrace at night

✔️ Wounded, danger-loving hero

✔️ Cross-dressing, gambling heroine

✔️ Unwanted mutual attraction

He was going silently but fervently mad with desire.

Bare chested blond man clutching dark-haired woman in a teal dress in a moonlit garden

✔️ Brooding hero with a secret

✔️ Witty, wallflower heroine

✔️ Compromising position

"How chivalrous and yet scandalous at the same time,” she murmured.

Dark-haired man embracing red-haired woman in a dark red gown

✔️ Rake hero

✔️ Paid companion heroine with a secret past

✔️ Flirty banter

He’d done many things with many women, but this kiss from Ivy was greater than the sum of everything that had come before.

Light-haired man embracing a dark-haired woman in a pink gown in a moonlit garden

✔️ Neurodivergent hero who doesn't like wearing a lot of clothes

✔️ Widow governess heroine

✔️ Forced proximity

“Sometimes… I speak without realizing how my words might sound.”

“I’ve found that’s a trait shared by most men.”

Blond man clutching a blond woman in a purple gown holding her thigh up to his waist

✔️ Hero kills heroine’s husband in a duel and vows his help

✔️ Heroine seeks hero's help in form of a marriage in name only

✔️ Enemies to lovers

She stared at him as desire blossomed inside of her. This couldn’t be happening. Not with him.

Dark haired man with a bare chest holding a blonde woman in a blue dress while he kisses her temple

✔️ Second chance romance

✔️ Widow + emotionally cold widower duke who were once in love

✔️ Blazing hot chemistry

Desire coursed through him and for the first time in years, he felt alive.

Light-haired man with open shirt perching on a desk almost kissing dark-haired woman in coral gown

✔️ Road trip romance

✔️ Rakish, widower hero with a tormented past

✔️ Heroine fleeing arranged marriage

“Make me forget.” The plea was dark and ragged, like the edges of a heart that had been split in two.

Bare-backed man with light hair embracing dark-haired woman in a yellow gown in a garden

✔️ Horrid husband returns after 7 years and is completely changed

✔️ Heroine resists falling in love with the husband she hated

✔️ Married romance

“A wife should be honored.” He took her hand and kissed the back. “Worshipped.” He turned her hand over and kissed her palm. “Adored.”

Red-haired woman in a blue gown straddles a light-haired man with an open shirt in a candlelit study

✔️ Poet, tormented hero

✔️ Bluestocking heroine

✔️ Enemies to lovers

“You’re flirting. And you’re not good at it.”

“I know. Maybe you can teach me that too.”

Bare-chested man nearly kissing a strawberry-blonde woman in a green dress in a meadow

✔️ Hero unexpectedly becomes a duke

✔️ Family feud

✔️ Star-crossed lovers who meet chasing a bunny

“I will refrain from discussing kissing with you in public. I must also request that you refrain from almost kissing me in public."

Dark-haired man with an open shirt embracing a dark-haired woman in a red gown in a sunny garden

✔️ Hero who has suffered loss

✔️ Heroine is hero’s best friend's sister

✔️ Kissing game gone awry

He didn’t dare look at Anthony. He couldn’t. He’d thoroughly kissed his best friend’s sister, and worse? He’d enjoyed it more than any other kiss in his life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Count on Burke to break a heart as only she can. This couple will get under the skin before they steal your heart."
- Hopeless Romantic

"Author Darcy Burke has done it again! Another thrilling and heart-rending tale of wounded lives being healed by love. And what a tale it is!"
- The Reading Café

"...really entertaining and the chemistry was on point!"
- Aaly and the Books

"Darcy Burke never disappoints, her storytelling is just so magical and filled with passion. You will just fall in love with the characters and the world she creates!"
- Teatime and Books

From the Author

Visit darcyburke.com to sign up for my Reader Group where you'll get free books and exclusive content. Be sure to follow me on Facebook at /DarcyBurkeFans and check out my reader groups: for historical, join /groupsDarcysDuchesses and for contemporary, join /groupsBurkesBookLovers.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07KXZZVMB
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zealous Quill Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 26, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.6 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 285 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1944576431
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 12 of 12 ‏ : ‎ The Untouchables
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 764 ratings

About the author

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Darcy Burke

Darcy Burke

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Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of captivating, compelling historical mystery and romance as well as small-town contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, artist daughter, and imaginative son who will out-write her one day. They’re a crazy cat family with two Bengal cats, a small, fame-seeking cat named after a fruit, a senior rescue Maine Coon with attitude to spare, an adorable former stray who wandered onto their deck and into their hearts, and two bonded boys who used to belong to (separate) neighbors but chose them instead. You can find Darcy at a winery, in her comfy writing chair, folding laundry (which she loves), or having hilarious game night with the family. Visit Darcy online at darcyburke dot com and follow her on Facebook at DarcyBurkeFans and on Instagram at darcyburkeauthor.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
764 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable to read and appreciate its true friend-to-lover romance storyline. The character development receives positive feedback, with one customer noting how the characters support each other. They like the friendships portrayed in the book.

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ReadabilityStorylineCharacter developmentFriendship
17 customers mention "Readability"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, making it an enjoyable time to read.

"...He didn’t want anyone to be there for him. He felt no one cared. Dude was amazing. He was kind, sweet and generous...." Read more

"...A great read!" Read more

"...Still this was a satisfying final installment in an entertaining series." Read more

"It was as good as the first one in this series. My only complaint is this book had the “F” bomb in it...." Read more

15 customers mention "Storyline"15 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of this book, particularly appreciating its true friend-to-lover romance and multiple plot threads, with one customer noting its well-paced narrative.

"...He felt no one cared. Dude was amazing. He was kind, sweet and generous. I loved how he encouraged Sarah to pursue her dreams and supported them...." Read more

"...This is a nicely told story that wraps up the series...." Read more

"...I really adored this one, because it is so simply and fully a romance...." Read more

"...Great story with lots of other Untouchable characters along the way and brief glimpse of the ladies of Cavendish Square, Darcy’s spin-off series..." Read more

8 customers mention "Character development"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer noting how the characters draw together to support one another.

"...He felt no one cared. Dude was amazing. He was kind, sweet and generous. I loved how he encouraged Sarah to pursue her dreams and supported them...." Read more

"...Yes, it has lovely characters and witty banter, but the emotional pull, the depth of feeling, the heartfelt emotion was wonderful...." Read more

"The hero is frustrating as hell but equally lovable. The heroine is great. It was nice to see her as a real person...." Read more

"...that never stops giving the reader hours upon hours of new and exciting characters and storylines in the world of the Untouchables...." Read more

3 customers mention "Friendship"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the friendships in the book, with one noting that the relationship with Felix was not stilted.

"...Sarah and Felix belonged together, as it was the culmination I have a lifelong friendship...." Read more

"...It was nice to see her as a real person. Her relationship with Felix was not stilted because they had known each other so long...." Read more

"I enjoyed the story. Liked the friendships and how the romance bloomed out of it. Would like to hear more about the brother." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Books are love
    5.0 out of 5 stars thoughts on the duke of distraction
    Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I fell in love with Felix. He was very forward for the times. And what he went through as a child and how it affected him just tore at my heart. This was a man that was always loyal and there for others. He didn’t want anyone to be there for him. He felt no one cared. Dude was amazing. He was kind, sweet and generous. I loved how he encouraged Sarah to pursue her dreams and supported them. He even helped her. Watching him fall in love with her and learn what love was was so heart warming and just swoony.

    Sarah was a strong female. You can’t help but admire her gumption. She wanted to please her parents but not at her own happiness. Her and Felix were perfect for each other. They understood each other and were friends before their attraction came about.

    The two didn’t begin thinking of becoming more than friends. They began as two friends from childhood where one was helping the other. Felix was helping Sarah with finding someone to love and her business. This got them to be in a moment where their attraction came through. And once that happened neither could stop falling for the other. I loved how accepting Sarah was of Felix’s feelings but also how as she learned about him she became patient and understood where his views came from. How as she learned about him and who he is, she was patient and kind but also finding a way to show Felix love and what love is. Finding a way for Felix to see he is loved and has love around him.

    When tragedy hit Sarah’s world, Felix was there for her and her brother (his best friend). He helps Sarah explore herself and also get her to live again. To find her way out of the depression and see that she is alive. She can honor her parents but not lose herself is what Felix helped her see. They do have a tense time with her brother and this is what precipitates Felix learning about love. He is such a good guy and even when you wanted to smack sense into him you wanted to hold him and let him know he is loved and wanted.

    A great tale of love and patience. Of acceptance and support. A romance that begins as friendship and becomes more. The drama is minimal and the intimacy is wonderful on many levels. The exploration of finding yourself and the one who supports and accepts you and also encourages you to fulfill your dreams is seen here. We get a fun sweet and wonderful romance between two lovable characters that belong together.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jan G.
    4.0 out of 5 stars A nice conclusion to the series!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Felix Havers, Earl of Ward and Miss Sarah Colton have appeared in previous books in this series. Sarah's brother is Felix's best friend. Neither Sarah not Felix have any plans to marry, though for different reasons. Sarah is a talented hat designer and wants to open a millinery shop. However, her parents have a different opinion and demand she marry. She enlists Felix's help to find a husband, but that also means that they must spend more time together bringing them closer together. Felix is the master of distraction and entertainment. This is very evident when there is a tragedy in the Colton family. Felix will do almost anything to distract Sarah and her brother from their sorrow. Why does Felix feel he needs to entertain everyone? Does he never think of himself and what he needs? What made him this way? Will he and Sarah ever act on their mutual attraction. I really liked these characters when they appeared in the previous books. This is a nicely told story that wraps up the series. In fact the epilogue is a who's who of all the characters from the rest of the books in the series. I really like when an author wraps up a series in this way. It gives the reader another chance to visit with old friends.
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  • tresjax
    5.0 out of 5 stars A true friend to lover romance.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Lord Felix is the man who makes all the fun. He plans all the parties, events, he is the bachelor sworn to never marry. He is the best friend of Lady Sarah ‘s brother Alex. Sarah is rather quiet, but has her friends, and she expects to be a spinster milliner. Her passion is hats, designing and making them, but it’s a secret, as no proper lady would dare to engage in trade.
    While Felix’s parents have passed and he plans to pass his title to his nephew, Sarah has two loving parents who are pushing her towards marriage, rather forcefully. But Sarah wishes to marry for love, not as a mere business arrangement. Felix offers to assist Sarah in the hunt for a suitor of her own choosing, before her parents can choose a groom FOR her. Although they are old friends, Sarah and Felix have begun to notice each other in a different light. At a planned gathering for just that purpose, the two are accidentally paired together with intriguing results. But not everything goes as planned.
    After tragedy strikes, Sarah and her brother Alex have to reassess their lives, and Felix, as their friend, wishes to make them happy. In doing so, Sarah begins to see Felix in a different light, maybe he isn’t as carefree as he wishes all to believe. Maybe demons from Felix’s past affect his present more deeply than he allows others to know. Could Felix need her as well?
    The two spend an increasing amount of time together and each finds they are pulled to the other like a magnet to a lodestone. Is it comfort they seek in each other or have they realized that life is to be lived?
    I really adored this one, because it is so simply and fully a romance. Yes, it has lovely characters and witty banter, but the emotional pull, the depth of feeling, the heartfelt emotion was wonderful. I highly recommend it.
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Sandra W
    5.0 out of 5 stars Witty fun laced with heart-aching despair and shielded by love!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Delightfully packed with engaging characters that are instantly lovable and heart-rendingly relatable.
    A highly captivating read that entangles fun lighthearted merriment with charged mists of sexual tension, forbidden lust and an alluring-awakening to passionate longing with a relationship that's already heavily cemented in friendship and true understanding. Where jollity and witty banter are shadowed by an underlining deep sadness that seems to linger as Sarah and Felix are forced to face deep set insecurities and embedded emotional struggles that have been hidden for so long behide a jovial mask of abundant charm and cheerfulness and only now highlighted by the devastating hurt of loss and besotted attraction.
    I was so emotionally entangled - especially after the lead's heart-pounding connection heats up from chapter 5 - that when it came to the emotionally charged climax I could hardly read for tears.
    A wonderfully heart felt tale that seemlessly blends humour, wit, charm, passion and despair into one alluringly addictive read.
    A fabulous series that Burke rounds off in great style that leads smoothly and with great anticipation onto the next!!!
    Report
  • L T Long
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book was very entertaining, and sad will be looking for other books in this series. And other series. Thanks for such a good read.
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  • MarybytheSea
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable end to the series
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 27, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I enjoyed this book very much as it was an enjoyable romance, had troubled main characters but also tied up loose ends. I hope to read Anthony's HEA in future.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Thoroughly enjoyed this book, although it's light reading,it holds your attention throughout the story. Well written, thoroughly recommend .. .
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  • Kindle Customer Linda Monks
    5.0 out of 5 stars good author
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 15, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Good story
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