A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera ~ a Review

by MK French

Aurora Montalban Wright runs an underground women's clinic in 1889 Paris and begrudgingly accepts protection from the new Duke of Annan. Apollo César Sinclair Robles is new to the aristocracy, and at least half of them are waiting for him to make a mistake. He feels Aurora would be his perfect Duchess, but she doesn't agree. Apollo brings Aurora to the French Riviera when they're threatened, and hopes that he can convince her what they have is real.

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February 2025; Canary Street Press; 978-1335476968
audio, ebook, print (432 pages); historical romance

This is the third book of the Las Leonas series, but you don't have to read those first. Apollo recently became the Duke of Annan, but society doesn't like it because he's Black and an outsider. His half-siblings love him, and it helps that his half-brother has fallen in love with a Caribbean woman. He is trying to rectify the financial ties his family has and do good work for the people, another thing society doesn't value. Aurora has her own drive to help women, who are subject to the whims of men in their lives. Childbirth, pregnancy, and even a fistula are subject to husbands directing care, so Aurora goes behind their backs to do it. This gets the police and those husbands angry with her. Apollo, already intrigued by her vicious remarks in his direction, wants to ensure her safety. This means teaching her self-defense and getting a clinic location where she can practice. 

The dynamic between Aurora and Apollo is one of prickliness as well as admiration and respect. Aurora has her secrets regarding her past that we discover before Apollo does, but she's certain that their revelation would either repulse him or ruin him if the wider world discovers them. Apollo isn't concerned about it, given that he wants to change everything about those same expectations that he can. His aunt wants to conform to those rigid societal rules, giving weight to Aurora's worst fears. The figure haunting Aurora's past that helped drive her from her family and into medicine appears in Paris, and one of the main lords trying to drive Apollo out of the aristocracy also comes into play as a symbol of the wider world of racism and misogyny. There are many aspects of this book that were pulled from historical fact, including the medical practices and thought leaders of the time. I found that as fascinating as the dynamic between Aurora and Apollo. They have loving friends and family, who make great appearances throughout the text. I thoroughly enjoyed this romance and seeing them get together.

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Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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