Review: A  broken heart finds forgiveness and love
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 19, 2014
Taken by the Duke is a wonderful novel about revenge, and old feuds and above all the power of forgiveness and a determined heart.  These characters really come to life.Christian and Ava’s family have been at war for years and no one even knows the reason why they are at odds but for generations the men of the family are trying to cause havoc and ruin upon the other family.  Christian is filled with rage over his sister’s death and he blames Ava’s brother for it.  To even the score he plans to kidnap Ava and ruin her reputation.Ava is a fine character.  She is tired of the anger between the families; it has affected her entire life.  She has no suitors and realizes she probably never will because what man wants to jump into a family that is in a generations long battle with another prominent ton dynasty.When Christian kidnaps Ava she does not become hysterical, instead she sees her captivity as the perfect opportunity to make peace between the families.  She will willingly go to Christian’s bed if he drops the vendetta against her brother.  Christian agrees and so begins a passionate and sensual romance.Ava is not a double minded miss; she does not try to escape and keep a truce at the same time.  No she is all in and she recognizes that Christian is lonely and hurting over his sister’s death.  She also realizes that she has the power to heal him with her kind heart.  What the reader sees is a visible transformation in Christian.  He is like a lion with a thorn in his paw, roaring and putting up a show of bravado but he desperately needs  a brave woman willing to come close enough to remove a stinging hurt.This is a beautifully written story, a Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending.