The Duke
“Gorgeously written and desperately hot… Hands down, my favorite romance of the decade.” – Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House
Set in a world of powerful female nobles and the women who love them…
Kate, Duke of Howard, is known throughout Europe as a merciless autocrat not to be crossed. Consumed by a bitter rivalry, she avoids society and has vowed never to trap a woman into marriage with a monster like herself.
The beautiful, ambitious courtesan Celine Genet once threw herself on the mercy of the visiting Duke of Howard. She was desperate to escape the guillotine. But after a night of searing passion, the duke left her to the ravages of Revolutionary Paris and didn’t look back. Now Celine is in London and in possession of a dangerous letter that proves the Duke of Howard committed treason as a child – and possibly even murder.
Celine wants a titled husband in return for keeping the duke’s secret, leaving Kate no choice but to parade her around the most fashionable ballrooms. But as Celine takes society by storm, Kate finds herself growing fond of the woman set on destroying her. And as their attraction mounts, Kate faces an impossible choice: keep her childhood secret, or win the woman she loves.
Anna Cowan’s The Duke is an utterly unforgettable, page-turning romance featuring two women who, separately, are a danger to each other, but together, could be the most powerful duo London has ever seen.
“The Duke is Georgette Heyer quadrupled and queered, flipping the erotic appeal of a cold-hearted alpha into an alternate England in which women can be dukes and marry whom they please. I loved and envied the way it combined the originality of My Lady Jane , the luxury of Bridgerton, and the smutty, fabulous sex of Fingersmith .” – Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Viscount in Love
On sale April 28, 2026
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Author Q&A
The Duke Trailer
"Gorgeously written and desperately hot... Hands down, my favorite romance of the decade."
- Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House
“Delightfully queer, sexy, and joyful.”
- Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of the Bright Falls series
“A truly exquisite read.”
- Emma R. Alban, bestselling author of Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend
"The Duke is simply stunning, a completely gorgeous book."
- Cat Sebastian, bestselling author of You Should Be So Lucky
"The Duke is Georgette Heyer quadrupled and queered."
- Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Viscount in Love
“Riveting! A page-turning, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance with a dramatic, satisfying conclusion.”
- Erica Ridley, New York Times bestselling author of the Wild Wynchesters series
"An invigorating reminder of what romance can do when at its dizzying, heightened best."
- Freya Marske, author of Swordcrossed
"In the truest sense, I was swept away. I was just reading in a state of pure pleasure."
- Shelley Parker-Chan, USA Today bestselling author of the The Radiant Emperor series
"The Duke offers all the lush, brooding charms of classic historical romance with a sharp modern edge and queer sensuality."
- E.E. Ottoman, author of The Companion
"Bridgerton with butches? Say less. The Duke is everything I want in a historical romance. I absolutely loved it."
- C.L. Clark, author of The Unbroken
"The Duke is sumptuous and seductive. This is the queer romance you've been craving: addictive, lush, darkly glamorous, and blisteringly sexy."
- Tasha Suri, award-winning author of The Jasmine Throne