I’ve been deeply enjoying Adriana Herrera’s Las Leonas series of books, and this one, the last, wraps things up with a fiery doctor and a brand-new member of the aristocracy.

Doctora Aurora Montalban Wright has rebelled against the social caste by becoming a physician. Going unrecognized for her medical talents, she runs an above-board general medical clinic during the day and an underground clinic during the night which specifically treats women in need of reproductive assistance. It’s the kind of work that wins her negative attention from nasty people, and soon she finds herself in need of protection. She ultimately accepts an offer of security from a certain gentleman, someone she gets on with like oil and water.

That man happens to be Apollo César Sinclair Robles, the Duke of Annan, and he is definitely intrigued by Auora’s ways. Apollo too is a rebel: he deposed his father to take his title, and is now being frozen out by the House of Lords as a result of his shocking deed. Aurora and Apollo met during the World’s Fair in France and had a brief assignation: he wants more, and she can’t stand his ways. But more time spent together means that she’s intrigued. She tells him she wants sex lessons, and he says yes. Soon, he wants to protect more than her clinic – he wants her as his wife. But Aurora – scarred by previous terrible relationships and wanting to keep her independence – demurs. Tensions arise… can the two find a happy common ground?

Yes! and as always, Herrera does it with aplomb. Aurora is the final member of the Las Leones women to get her man, and she definitely has earned her joy, even if she doesn’t think she deserves it.

Apollo, too, has a hard life after his father cast off his mother, leaving him as a biracial by-blow who had to fight for his title. He is understandably bitter about this, but life with Aurora reintroduces him to joy.

The romance here is complicated and bittersweet in a good way. Aurora has an excellent reason to want to avoid marrying him, he has an excellent reason to want her in his life, in spite of what it’ll do to his chances in the House of Lords. There are real obstacles in their way and it’s a joy watching Herrera’s lovers overcome them. 

As always, Herrera’s research here pops, and the romance goes from cool to hot to romantically gooey in a credible way. I’ve loved this rock-solid series right from the beginning.  A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke is a perfect capstone to the series. It’s a DIK all the way.