The Duke’s Daughter by Jodie Leigh Murray features Evie’s journey to find herself. After her mother Lady Katherine died, her father unleashed his anger on Evie with beatings, locking her in a cellar, and refusing to allow her to sleep indoors. A man in black arrived to take her to a convent. She learned that, instead, Thane planned to make her a prostitute. While on the road, eight men surrounded them, and they took Evie from Thane. Xander’s army invaded Evie’s home in Westerbury. On his deathbed, the Earl told her that she was not his child. There was a rumor about Duke William being related to her family, which caused Evie to become irrational. After losing her virtue to Xander, she sneaked away in Jeffrey’s messenger wagon. The journey was not smooth, and during a fight, Evie had her leg cut. With a severely infected leg, Evie was led to the gallows in front of the Duke.

Jodie Leigh Murray wrote about an independent woman who refused to be weak. I thought that Gareth was admirable for teaching Evie how to defend herself. The punishment he received for helping her made me feel that she was unsympathetic after refusing his offer of marriage. Based on the detailed description of Xander and his men, I envisioned barbaric Vikings plundering villages. The vivid details of the events filled the pages with supporting characters that influenced the plot. I was stunned by what was revealed in London. Evie’s interaction with others proved her stubbornness. Each trial that Evie faced made her mature in several ways. The conclusion tied all the loose ends together. The Duke’s Daughter will appeal to readers of slow-burn romances with a strong heroine and plenty of adventure.

The Duke's Daughter by Jodie Leigh Murray is an appealing historical romance novel following a young woman who discovers true love and that her past is a lie. When Evie was ten, she learned to hide from her tyrant father, the earl, for her own safety. The earl liked to punish her for every little thing and lock her in a cellar. One day, the earl sends her away to a convent, forcing her to leave her sisters and brothers behind. Shortly after, Evie learns that she isn't destined for the life of a nun, as her father hired an assassin to kill her. But when a group of men attacks her and the assassin, she meets a man who learns who she is and promises to protect her. Evie swore never to do any man's bidding and never to marry. Yet ugly family secrets will change everything and even force her to break her vow.

The Duke's Daughter is a compelling and delightful read that dazzles readers with superbly conceived characters. Jodie Leigh Murray writes with a captivating grace that makes you turn the pages fast and devour the superbly constructed plot, spiced with danger and sexual tension, in one sitting. There’s plenty of peril, suspense, cruelty, and sexy scenes, but this story is one of love and triumph. Anyone craving a substantial, charming, sensual love story with a slow-burn romance must read The Duke's Daughter. I dare readers not to fall in love with the protagonist, Evie, who is a woman who speaks her mind and overcomes danger after danger, seeking to survive in a world that belongs entirely to men.