The Duke Who Despised Christmas

Christmas Dukes, Book 1

By: Scarlett Scott

Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle

From USA Today bestselling author Scarlett Scott comes a new holiday romance about a brooding, scarred duke hiding from the pain of the past and the unexpected woman who heals his heart…

Quint, the Duke of Sedgewick, is a recluse by choice. Ever since the fire that claimed his wife’s life and left much of his body brutally scarred, he has retreated from polite society. He’s content to keep to his country estate with no one for company, save a handful of servants, everyone else be damned. But when a new housekeeper arrives at Blackwell Abbey before Christmas, his self-imposed solitude is disrupted by a raven-haired menace who turns his world upside down with holly boughs, fir trees, and sinful temptation.

Joceline Yorke has spent the last few years of her life in service, sending her earnings home to her mother and siblings. When she accepts an unusually high-paying position as a housekeeper, she finds herself journeying north to a duke who dismisses her upon sight. But Sedgewick is no match for her sunny determination to earn the veritable fortune she stands to collect if she can convince him to keep her on as his housekeeper. She begins a campaign to melt his ice with Yuletide decorations, bright smiles, and Christmas cheer.

To his dismay, Quint finds himself increasingly drawn to the spirited Joceline, despite the guilt and bitterness that are never far. And the more time she spends in the surly duke’s maddening presence, the more Joceline realizes there’s tenderness hiding beneath his stern facade. But a duke doesn’t marry his housekeeper, and when Sedgewick’s mother arrives with a prospective bride in tow, the impossibility of their situation has never been clearer… unless they follow their hearts on Christmas Eve.

Heat level: Scorching hot! Don't say you weren't warned.

©2024 Scarlett Scott (P)2025 Dreamscape Media

I did not see that coming!!!

As always, Scarlett delivers!!! With a twist, a very naughty twist and one by one the
Barriers, no matter how difficult are knocked down! Love prevails ~ again,, ahhhhhh

Good story, mediocre narrator

This narrator had two of a elderly voice for the 25 year old housekeeper character. Her elderly voice threw the whole story off.

NOVELLA

AUDIBLE EDITION!! EXCELLENT NARRATION!!
The story is about a young housekeeper who comes to melt the heart of a Duke. I really enjoyed it!
It's a short story/Novella so it's a quick read.

Quint and Joceline

This a period story, unique, The Duke of Sedqwick, exiled himself to live as a recluse mourning the death of his wife and baby in a fire that he himself had been scarred badly trying to save her His meddling mother kept sending him housekeepers to make the old home more habitable but he kept firing and sending them away until she sent Joceline, his mother had her own ideas why, but they didn't count on the two of them Falling for each other. There is more to the story to get the full picture but it was an enjoyable one.