4.5
The Return of the Disappearing Duke
ByPublisher Description
A scarred mercenary . . . Or the Disappearing Duke of Greybourne?
Rafe has spent years running from his true identity. He's a lone wolf, living far from aristocratic England and his violent father. Then unconventional Cleopatra Osbourne requests his protection as she crosses the Egyptian desert. In Cleo he discovers a fellow outcast—and a fierce desire! Cleo must return to London, and here lies Rafe's dilemma—because following his heart means claiming the title he's avoided for so long!
Download the free Fable app
Stay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
Rate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
Curate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesStay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building toolRate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tagsCurate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesThe Return of the Disappearing Duke Reviews
4.5
“This was my second book by this author, and I can see many similarities in her writing formula with the first. Like the plot being only act one and the rest is the main characters learning how to trust. It was a nice book, and I have a feeling most of her books are going to be, but with this same formula.”
“As soon as I started reading this book I knew I would love it! Everything worked so well for me. From the setting in Egypt to the characters themselves. The Return of the Disappearing Duke really was the perfect escape. Lara Temple wrote this book in such a way that made me feel as if I was right there with Rafe and Cleo. Let’s just say that they go on quite an adventure, one that captured my attention from start to finish. From a memorable first meeting between this pair to their travels across the desert. Cleo and Rafe had a wonderful sizzling chemistry and I loved that there was an instant connection between the pair even though they tried to ignore it. Their interactions were very entertaining from the playful barbs to the smiles they shared. Their friendship builds in a way that felt natural but the hint of something more is always there. Let’s just say that the chemistry between Cleo and Rafe burns brightly. Did it get hot in here?!”
“I loved this book!
The Return of the Disappearing Duke follows Cleopatra who was residing in Egypt and had become separated from her brother. Under the disguise of a boy she sets out to try and find him while being pursued by some unsavory characters. She tries to leave him a trail so they can both return to the safety of London. We also follow Rafe who is in Egypt after escaping his violent Duke father when he was a teenager. He joined the army and became the 'Disappearing Duke' as his familys estate is now left to him but he has no plans to return to the aristocratic society he hates.
After meeting Cleo he agrees to help her discover the whereabouts of her brother and return to London. There is also Birdie, Rafes friend who he met while in the army. Together they set out across Egypt leaving a trail for Dash (Cleos brother) to hopefully understand and get him to return to London. Rafe has no desire to return but wants to follow through on his promise to return Cleo home.
I really enjoyed this story. I haven't read many historical romance fiction that is set in another country but this was done so well. The descriptions of the places and its people was very well done and I could imagine where each character was and what their travels looked like even though I have not been there myself. Although there was a lot of good description it was not too descriptive where it bogged you down. It was a perfect amount where you had everything you needed to feel this story but not too much where it may have felt like a drag. This book was not a drag at all and I thoroughly enjoyed it start to finish.
A book full of travel, friendship, passion, love, excitement, and a few villains on the way! what more could you want?
Although Cleos aim is to return safely to London we can feel the passion she has for Egypt and everything it contains. She clearly loves the country and we feel that sorrow with her when she has to leave. Her father was an antiques collector and his line of work led him to some questionable people but we hear about all of that from Cleos point of view and we can imagine what some of those items must have been like.
Rafe, the new duke, wants to avoid England as much as possible as his return means he would have to face his Dukedom and family. A family that sent him away as a boy for trying to protect a servant. We see Rafe as a big strong mercenery who has no problem confronting these unsavory characters that are after them. We also see a softer side to Rafe, the one who could have easily ignored Cleopatras problem and sent her on her way. He begins to open up and let his walls down, even if he tries to rebuild some of those walls again sometimes. Dispite him not wanting to return to England he choses to see Cleo all the way home, again, he could have put her on a boat and remained in egypt. But something was calling him home too.
A tale of friendship, travel, family, love and wonder. A great book.”
“4.5 stars. I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own.
The Return of the Disappearing Duke is my first official introduction to Lara Temple’s work (although I did read a short from her previously in an anthology), and I can’t wait to read more. Her clear enthusiasm for the period shines through in this book, with its merging of the typical Regency tropes with an exploration of Egypt at this point in history that is very respectful, especially considering the modern re-examining of the imperialistic tendencies of the British during the Regency, including their behavior toward Egyptian artifacts.
Rafe is exactly the type of duke I like…the reluctant sort. The baggage associated with his past and why he is both reluctant to take on the mantle and chooses to hide it from Cleo is well-explored, and while sometimes deception plots can be a bit hit-or-miss, this wasn’t one of those for me.
Cleo is a great match for him as they share the same outward demonstration of strength that masks a deeper vulnerability. But they also have a conflict that keeps them apart once his secret comes to light. She has had an unconventional upbringing that has led to the need for her to fend for herself, rendering her unsuited toward aristocratic life, and I was anxious to find out how it would be resolved.
I did feel like the story could have been fleshed out somewhat more if it had not been limited by the standards of Harlequin/Mills & Boon, whether it be word count or formatting, but it’s otherwise fairly solid.
If you love historical romance, especially if you love road trips around exotic, history-laden locales, then you’ll love this book.”
Start a Book Club
Start a public or private book club with this book on the Fable app today!FAQ
Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?
Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?
How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?
Do you sell physical books too?
Are book clubs free to join on Fable?
How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?
