Nicholas Lyon, the younger and estranged son of the formidable Duke of Tremayne, has spent most of his life trying to forget the atrocities that happened to him during his youth. Leaving Enderley, his family's home, as soon as he was able, Nick worked and gambled his way to the top to become the wealthy owner of the most notorious gentlemen's club in London. But when his brother dies, Nick is now the duke and has responsibilities to the servants, tenants, and townspeople of the country ducal estate.

Mina Thorne loves her job as the steward of Enderley, a job she took over from her father. She worries that the new duke will prefer his life in London and sell the house she's come to consider home. Even though she's technically a servant, she loves Enderley and all the people who work in it and on the land. She's surprised when Nick makes his grand debut, and not only is he definitely not enthused about his new position in society, but he's also devastatingly handsome. There's more to Nick than Mina realizes, and she's intrigued...

With her livelihood in jeopardy, Mina sets out to convince Nick that Enderley is worth the effort and upkeep. And while he doesn't want to comply, Nick is endeared by Mina's devotion to his former home, but will her affection be enough to bury his painful past? And when they share a passionate moment that leads to many more, will either be able to face their fears of love and commitment?

A DUKE CHANGES EVERYTHING by Christy Carlyle is a lovely historical romance novel! The attraction between Mina and Nick starts off strong and builds into a trusting and adoring relationship. I thought it was really thoughtful of Nick to recognize that Mina was hardworking and smart, as well as beautiful and vivacious. Mina stands up for herself from the start and proves herself useful to Nick, between knowing everything there is to know about Enderley, but also as an ally with the rest of the town. I'm always concerned when a hero or heroine is the employee of their romantic interest but found that Carlyle handled this aspect of the story with care and made it believable. As the first in a new series, A DUKE CHANGES EVERYTHING gives readers glimpses of the other heroes with books to come soon, and I look forward to reading those as well!