Cover of The Duke by Anna Cowan
RomanceScorching

The Duke

by Anna Cowan

2025 · 352 pages

A sapphic regency romance about the duke who fears nothing... until the woman she never forgot walks through the door and brings her to her knees. - Set in a world of powerful female nobles and the women who love them... Kate, Duke of Howard, is known throughout Europe as a merciless autocrat not to be crossed. Consumed by a bitter rivalry, she avoids society and has vowed never to trap a woman into marriage with a monster like herself. The beautiful, ambitious courtesan Celine Genet once threw herself on the mercy of the visiting Duke of Howard. She was desperate to escape the guillotine. But after a night of searing passion, the duke left her to the ravages of Revolutionary Paris and didn’t look back. Now Celine is in London and in possession of a dangerous letter that proves the Duke of Howard committed treason as a child - and possibly even murder. Celine wants a titled husband in return for keeping the duke’s secret, leaving Kate no choice but to parade her around the most fashionable ballrooms. But as Celine takes society by storm, Kate finds herself growing fond of the woman set on destroying her. And as their attraction mounts, Kate faces an impossible choice: keep her childhood secret, or win the woman she loves. Anna Cowan's The Duke is an utterly unforgettable, page-turning romance featuring two women who, separately, are a danger to each other, but together, could be the most powerful duo London has ever seen. "Gorgeously written and desperately hot... Hands down, my favorite romance of the decade." - Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House "The Duke is Georgette Heyer quadrupled and queered, flipping the erotic appeal of a cold-hearted alpha into an alternate England in which women can be dukes and marry whom they please. I loved and envied the way it combined the originality of My Lady Jane, the luxury of Bridgerton, and the smutty, fabulous sex of Fingersmith." - Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Viscount in Love

Second ChanceEnemies to LoversForced Proximity
Editor ReviewedAI-AssistedRomance Profile Available
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About This Book

The Duke is a romance novel by Anna Cowan, first published in 2025 by St. Martin's Press. It runs 352 pages. Readers can expect second chance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity; scorching heat; a emotional and dark tone.

At a glance

Genre
Romance
Trope
Blackmail Romance
Heat
Scorching
Ending
HEA
Mood
Emotional
Published
2025

Where to read or listen

Get The Duke by Anna Cowan

These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Should I read this?

Why You May Love This Book

You may love this if…

  • A merciless female duke is brought to her knees by the ambitious courtesan she abandoned in Revolutionary Paris, who now returns with a blackmail letter and a demand for marriage.
  • Fans of high-stakes historical romance
  • Readers who enjoy 'Ice Queen' protagonists
  • Intense
  • Features Blackmail Romance

This may not be ideal if…

  • Readers who dislike blackmail as a plot device
  • Those seeking a light, low-conflict read
  • Strict historical accuracy enthusiasts (given the female dukes)
Romance Profile

The Romance

Tropes, dynamics, and the chemistry that drives this story.

Tropes

Blackmail RomanceSecond ChanceEnemies to LoversForced ProximityAlternate HistoryClass DifferenceIce Queen

Relationship Dynamics

Blackmailer and BlackmailedRivals to LoversHigh StakesProtective/Possessive

Details

Type: Historical Romance

Pairing: F/F

Power balance: Shifted: Kate holds social and political power, but Celine holds the power of blackmail.

Slow BurnStrong (50 out of 100)
Relationship TensionVery strong (95 out of 100)
Emotional IntimacyVery strong (75 out of 100)
Emotional Experience

How It Feels

The emotional landscape you'll move through while reading.

Mild comfort, high tension, high angst, and a strong emotional payoff.

AngstVery strong (85 out of 100)
ComfortMild (40 out of 100)
HumorLow (20 out of 100)
TensionVery strong (90 out of 100)
DarknessStrong (65 out of 100)
Emotional IntensityVery strong (90 out of 100)
Emotional PayoffVery strong (85 out of 100)
Tear RatingMild (40 out of 100)
Pacing: Fast-paced
Tone:IntenseSultryDramaticAtmosphericOpulent
Heat & Explicitness

Heat Level

Based on available metadata and editorial review.

Heat Level
On-page sexual contentVery strong (85 out of 100)

Very high

Explicitness: Explicit
Sexual content present
Heat information is based on available metadata and editorial review. Reader sensitivities vary.
Reader Fit

Who Is This Book For?

Best for

Fans of high-stakes historical romanceReaders who enjoy 'Ice Queen' protagonistsFans of Bridgerton with a sapphic twistReaders who like second-chance romance with heavy angst

Reading mood

IntenseHigh-stakesRomanticDramatic

May not suit

Readers who dislike blackmail as a plot deviceThose seeking a light, low-conflict readStrict historical accuracy enthusiasts (given the female dukes)

Recommended audience: Adult

Content Guidance

Content Guidance

Story & Themes

The Story

Spoiler-Free Synopsis

Kate, Duke of Howard, has built a life as a merciless autocrat to hide the vulnerabilities of her past. She has vowed never to marry, believing herself a monster. However, her isolation is shattered when Celine Genet arrives in London. Celine, once a desperate woman Kate left to the terrors of the guillotine, now holds a secret that could destroy the Duke. The price for Celine's silence? A titled husband. Kate is forced to sponsor Celine’s social debut, leading to a high-stakes confrontation between a woman who fears nothing and the only woman she ever loved.

Central Conflict

Celine blackmails Kate into social sponsorship to secure a titled husband, forcing Kate to choose between protecting her treasonous childhood secrets and pursuing a genuine reconciliation with the woman she loves.

Setting

London, England (Regency era alternate history) and Revolutionary Paris (flashbacks).

Themes

FingersmithBridgertonMy Lady JaneSecond Chance RomanceSapphic RegencyBlackmailIce QueenSecond ChanceAlternate HistoryHigh Heat

Strengths

  • Unique alternate history premise
  • High emotional and sexual tension
  • Complex, morally grey protagonist
  • Lush, descriptive writing

Consider before reading

  • Blackmail dynamics can be polarizing for romance readers
  • Alternate history elements might require suspension of disbelief
Keep exploring

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Book Club

Discussion Guide

Questions to deepen your reading experience or spark a book club conversation.

  1. 1

    How does the central conflict shape the relationship between the main characters?

  2. 2

    Which theme — Fingersmith — resonated most strongly with you, and why?

  3. 3

    How does the setting influence the characters' decisions and their relationship?

  4. 4

    Did the emotional payoff feel earned by the story's buildup?

  5. 5

    How do the relationship dynamics evolve throughout the story?

  6. 6

    Who would you most want to recommend this book to?

  7. 7

    How did the pacing affect your reading experience?

  8. 8

    Which aspect of the story did you find most compelling?

Questions are generated from approved book intelligence and may not reflect every reader's experience.
Trust & Transparency

How This Profile Was Created

Eikna uses book metadata and AI-assisted analysis to create structured romance profiles. Public profiles are reviewed and approved by an editor before publication.

Editor reviewed:
Yes
Last reviewed:
August 30, 2026
Confidence:
High confidence
Profile version:
eikna-public-book-intelligence-v1
Meet the writer

About the Author

AC

Anna Cowan

1 books
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What Readers Say

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Publication Details

Publisher
St. Martin's Press
Published
2025
Length
352 pages
Language
English
ISBN-13
9781250382856
ISBN-10
1250382858

The Duke: quick answers

Who wrote The Duke?
The Duke was written by Anna Cowan.
When was The Duke published?
The Duke was first published in 2025 by St. Martin's Press.
What genre is The Duke?
The Duke is a romance novel, with second chance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity.
How many pages is The Duke?
The Duke is 352 pages long.
How spicy is The Duke?
EIKNA rates The Duke as scorching heat.

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Where to read or listen

Get The Duke by Anna Cowan

These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

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