Christi Caldwell wows again in this second book, part of her Lost Lords of London series. This book can beb read as a stand-alone, but the first book is equaly amazing.

One thing I love about this author is she continues to right HEA's for characters that feel real. They all have very human problems and noone one has grown up having the perfect life. They each live their day one at a time, one foot in front of the other. I can always feel connected to the hero and heroine and it makes the story that much better.

In the Bed with the Duke is story about two people who are trying to move from their pasts. Lila and Hugh have suffered so much physically and emotionally that it has consumed their lives. When Lila decides she wants to learn how to defend her to protect those she loves she finds Hugh, who is known as the best fighter in London.

Lila wants to find more ways to slowly become the person she once was. She is brave and resilient, honest, and has a no nonsense attitude that I love.
Hugh is a child of the streets. He was forced to fight for years before leaving to join the military. When he got out, he was even more emotionally damaged. He was homeless, begging for food before being rescued by old acquaintances He now feels beholden to them.

From there we get a slow burn romance as these two lost souls learn to put their pasts behind them. Each of their interactions are better as the story progresses.
We have a little bit of a mystery mixed in with their story, but it in no way takes away from their love story. We are left we more characters to love and I hope to see Sylvia and Annalee have stories in the future and for me some questions I can't to be answered.

I can't wait until the next Christi Caldwell release!!!

While the circumstances of hero Hugh's life are saddening, the interaction between him and the heroine keeps the book from dwelling in misery. Instead, we get to see both of our main characters overcome their wounds from the past as they figure out their futures. The way their relationship evolves perfectly reflects their lack of confidence in their ability to be part of a couple. Both broken and not entirely sure they can be fixed, they have a slow burn relationship where they explore the physical, but the emotional ties take longer to build. The pacing of story and character arcs are just right, and the heroine and hero are likable. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Lila is the sister of Henry from Clara and Henry's story in the Wicked Wallflowers series, but you don't need to have read that one to enjoy this one. You also don't need to have read the first Lost Lords book. So if you want to read this one first, go for it!

I read a lot. A lot. Which means I'm rarely running into authors that truly surprise me. Christi Caldwell has done that with this book. It is amazing. In the Dark with the Duke tells the story of Lila and Hugh. Both come from very different worlds and different backgrounds. Towards the beginning of the book it's hard to see how the two will ever be able to work together, let alone find their HEA. Both have been through their own traumas and just don't see eye to eye on much. Caldwell writes characters that are so very raw and real. You cannot but help feel for them and, despite it seeming impossible, hope they find their way through their troubled start. The tension between the two is palpable and kept me from putting this book down. The world of boxing and the rookery that Caldwell portrays is exciting and gritty. I loved every part of it. I loved that everything wasn't easy, perfect and shiny. You're not spending your time in this book in ballrooms. I loved that the writing was just so well done. It's exciting and refreshing. Lila is strong, brave and determined. Hugh is just so dang good. While In the Dark with the Duke is part of a series it works just fine as a standalone. I really really enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone.

In the Dark with the Duke is about Lady Lila who asks the “Savage” to teach her how to fight. Both of them have deep scars that they unravel together. The story was enjoyable, but I just didn’t feel for any of the characters.

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

OMG I loved it, it was different and something that I would not have expected so way to go Christi, I had just finished one of your books about a day ago and this one came bout so I requested and so happy I did. I loved Lila that girl went thru hell but got the gumption of learning how to fight to defend herself and survive, and she is a survivor actually everyone in this book pretty was, from her widowed sister, her brother and her besti however they all had different way to cope. And then we have Hugh, hhhh Hugh (a duke) but you wouldn't know it and neither did anyone one else since he was ripped from his life so long ago and this guy suffered to but he ended up learning to not only live his life but to start enjoying it when Lila comes in with a crazy request. Grab my friends and Enjoy!