Review: A Heart Devoted by Nichole Van

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

About the Book

Living happily ever after should be easy. After all, Tristan and Isolde Gilbert, the new Duke and Duchess of Kendall, have overcome obstacles, confessed their love, married, and are eager to sail off into the sunset of their glorious future. But, of course, life rarely offers smooth sailing. After their honeymoon tour, an unexpected return to London sends the new couple reeling.

Tristan struggles to balance his new Isolde-loving self with his former role as the autocratic Duke of Kendall. Upstart relatives and scurrilous accusations complicate his efforts to find a purpose and settle into his altered standing within the ton. Worse, the still-scandalous Isolde—who never expected to be at the center of Polite Society—now finds she has to navigate meetings with the Queen, dodge vile rumors, and fend off the jealous attacks of other aristocratic ladies.

For Tristan and Isolde, falling in love was simple. But merging two disparate former lives into one proves more fraught. Can the newlyweds find a way to remain both true to themselves and one another in their new life together?

My Review

What's better than an epilogue? An epilogue novella!!! The story of Tristan and Isolde continues as the unlikely lovers must return to London to prove they are alive, prevent the dukedom's next-in-line and his scheming wife from staging a coup of the household, battle defamatory gossip with a round of social activities, and figure out what Tristan will do with his time now that he's not pursuing a leading role in politics. They both feel conflicted as their time together dwindles, and bowing to the whims of Society doesn't settle well with Isolde. She does her best to be the duchess others expect of her, but I was relieved when Tristan and Isolde choose to be true to themselves and their special (ahem, passionate) relationship with each other. It's a treat to read for fans of the series, and I highly recommend each book, best enjoyed in order.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir series