Book Review: Music for the Duke by Alexa Aston

Alexa Aston is well known for her books with unexpected title heir. Music for the Duke from her latest Suddenly a Duke series is no exception to the rule. But, with the Suddenly a Duke series, she has introduced another key component. So far, each book has featured a working woman who becomes the duchess. So not only is it a surprise as to how the Duke inherits, it is a surprise at which lady he picks to be his duchess. 

Title: Music for the Duke

Author: Alexa Aston

Publication Date: March 17, 2023

Series: Suddenly a Duke (Book 2)

Page Count: 293 pages

ASIN: B0BSSCPHF2

About Music for the Duke

Music for the Duke is the second book in the Suddenly a Duke series. I also read the first one, Portrait for the Duke, and reviewed it. Music for the Duke was an interesting twist on a Regency romance novel. The heroine, Lady Sophia Sawyer, was the daughter of the Earl of Parkhurst. She is affectionately called Fia throughout the book, but her life is not always filled with affection. 

Fia is the only child of the Earl, and his title passes on to her evil cousin. She lives a simple life in the country after her parents die and then is called to town by her cousin, where she works as more or less an indentured servant. She gives music lessons for children of the ton who her cousin schedules classes for. Then he keeps the money from all of the lessons to fund his failing gambling habits. 

Fia meets the heroine from book one, Portrait for the Duke, and is instantly befriended. She is also asked to come to the new Duchesses home, where she is launched into society. Keeping with the series theme, she sets out to work on her own, earning money teaching music lessons and playing at ton events. However, after she plays at one ball, all the people of the ton banish her from their children’s music lessons as she is a “bad influence.” Ladies of the ton do not work, after all. So, all she has left to live on is her income from her performances. 

But that lasts about one ball before she is snatched up by the new Duke of Linberry. If you don’t recognize that name, and you have read the previous book in the series, then maybe you will recognize this one: Lord Henry Vaughn. 

Yep, that’s exactly right. Linberry was featured in book one as the rival hero to the Duke of Westfield for a very short time. He becomes the Duke of Linberry after a tragic accident causes the death of his grandfather and father. 

There are some differences between this book and the first one, though. Music for the Duke tries to mirror Portrait for the Duke with an independent heroine and a generous, compromising hero. However, it is more of a feel-good story with sad moments. In the first book, I had those moments where I thought that Margret, the heroine of book one, could do it on her own. That was not the case with Fia. She had the duke’s love from almost the beginning, but there was very little reciprocated back to the duke until over 3/4 of the way through the book. The romance between the two felt a little rushed or forced, as Fia really didn’t have any better alternatives in her life.

I think the premise of the working duchess throughout this series is interesting. Even though so far the women have had glamorous jobs such as painting and playing instruments, based on a few supporting characters, I think their jobs will get much less glamorous as the series goes on. 

Finally, there were some really tragic parts to this romance novel. It is really best to read as part of the series, as Aston does an excellent job creating a connected world with her series. 

Where can you get this book? 

You can get Music for the Duke on Amazon in ebook and paperback format. You can also get it through the Kindle Unlimited program at the time this review was published. I give this book four stars and four flaming hearts on the clean to steamy Regency romance scale.