Devoted to the Duke (The St. Clairs Book 1)


HISTORICAL:  Jeremy St. Clair returns from a grand tour of Europe during the late spring of 1806.  He’s learning about managing the estates of his family, since his own father, the Duke of Everton, doesn’t care enough to teach him.  He returns home to see his family, and his grandmother talks him into attending a ball.  Lady Catherine Crawford, daughter of the Earl of Stratham, is attending the same ball.  She feels pressure to marry, but she doesn’t want to settle for anything less than a love match.  She meets Jeremy that night, and they really enjoy each other’s company.  They are comfortable with each other and laugh a lot.  With a promise to call on her tomorrow, Jeremy and Catherine part, not knowing that circumstances are about to change their plans. 

This book includes miscommunications and poor choices, yet it also contains the kind of grand sacrificial love that isn’t often present in historical romances. Keep the tissues handy while listening to this audiobook, as parts of it will burrow deeply into the hearts of listeners.  There is much to enjoy about this story.  Listeners will get swept away by the drama, heartache, beauty, and redemption of these characters.  The protagonists are rendered beautifully, and the pacing proceeds at a steady clip.  The story is believable, and it is told in a smoothly-flowing style.  

Price Waldman does a fantastic job voicing each character!  He doesn’t voice the female characters with a higher pitch; rather, he draws out the syllables and softens the cadence of the words to signify that a female is speaking.  It’s quite effective and seems much more natural to the listener.  There isn’t a huge difference between the various voices, but they are distinct enough.  The production quality is also excellent.

Carey Sullivan