The Forgiven Duke, by Jamie Carie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not only is this historical romance, but this is a tale of unraveling mysteries. Even though The Forgiven Duke is the second book of a series, I was able to glean most of what happened and catch on quickly to the plot.

A young lady placed under the guardianship of a rich, handsome duke refuses to believe that her parents are dead and runs away from his protective custody. Her vow to do whatever it takes to find her missing parents leads her into danger, bad decisions, and ugly consequences. Can she learn to trust God and His timing rather than taking matters into her own hands? Will the secrets she and the duke accumulate along the way keep them from the future they could have together?

The duke is a powerful man used to breezing through life on his terms. Now that he's deaf, he must learn to adjust to a life he can't totally control. He must overcome his handicap and find the runaway he's fallen in love with and sworn to protect. He grows in his relationship with God through the hardships he endures to complete the mandates of the king and of his heart. The imagery of this man reaching out to God without being able to hear is beautiful.

Throughout the story, the characters are faced with choices that demonstrate the level of trust they have in God. As they lean on Him, He comes to the rescue in His time, in His way. I liked that their mistakes were portrayed realistically, however, in that the characteers still had to face the consequences to their decisions.

This book strayed a little from your average Christian romance in going past the typical chivalry, social parties, and mild heroic rescues. We see a bit of that, but there are also murders, torture, battles, and--oops, I almost spoiled it for you! You'll have to see for yourself what else happens.

The ending gave enough resolution to satisfy some major questions but enough loose ends to leave room for the third book in the series, due out in September of 2012.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the netGalley.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.