By Andreina Rodriguez
The Las Leonas series by USA Today bestselling author Adriana Herrera has consistently introduced us to heroines who challenge the patriarchy in their own bold, unique ways. For Luz Alana, it was through her entrepreneurial spirit, and for Manuela, it was through her art and her unrelenting pursuit of freedom.
After getting glimpses of Aurora Montalban Wright throughout the series, we get to see the Dominican-Mexican physician take center stage in A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke, out February 4 by Canary Street Press.
Aurora is dedicated to providing care for women who are overlooked by society. She runs an underground clinic in Paris, risking her safety and reputation to ensure women’s autonomy in a world determined to silence her. Fiercely independent, Aurora refuses to let anything — or anyone — distract her from her mission. But when Apollo Sinclair, Duke of Annan, enters her life, their undeniable connection threatens to upend everything, pulling Aurora into a whirlwind of passion, danger, and impossible choices.
Throughout the series, we always got the sense that Aurora was someone who teetered on the edge of cautiousness. She’d express concern when confronted with danger, whimper in shock during a live sexual performance on a night out, and blush at the sight of the risqué art Manuela was so fond of. Aurora often came across as someone hesitant to take risks, yet she was always there to encourage her friends to take leaps of faith. She always urged them to embrace their true selves and pursue what they deserved without compromise.
But little did we know, Aurora was hiding her own secrets.
“No one would label Aurora a carefree sort, and that was fine by her,” Herrera writes. “ Because what she’d learned early in life was that rebellions cost blood, sweat, and tears, and she had none of those to spare. This, of course, did not mean she was above bending a rule — or five — if the situations called for it.”
While we knew Aurora as a healer dedicated to helping patients with passion and care, we didn’t realize her work involved breaking the law. Beneath her composed and cautious exterior is a woman living on the edge, running an underground clinic and protecting her friends from the weight of her dangerous truth.
In this installment, Herrera doesn’t shy away from diving right into Aurora’s truth. The story opens with a prologue where Aurora, known for her cautious demeanor, makes a bold decision to pursue satisfaction with none other than Apollo, a man she seemingly loathes. But despite her disdain, any romance reader could sense the undeniable sparks between them from the very beginning.
What truly stands out in this book is the dynamic between them. Both are rebels in their own right: Aurora, who risks everything to provide health services to women society has cast aside, and Apollo, a newly minted duke who navigates the complexities of the ton while pushing forward his own agenda. As Black individuals in 19th-century Paris, both face unique challenges – even Apollo, whose title doesn’t shield him from prejudice. But despite their different lives, they share a profound connection rooted in a history of rejection and isolation, which fuels their struggles with belonging.
Aurora’s background from the day she was born was one of rejection and hardship, constantly paying for the actions of men, carrying the disgrace thrust upon her by society. She was driven to help women because she knew firsthand how easily a woman could be discarded and overlooked. Her compassion is not just about redemption but about understanding the deep need for women to support each other. This sense of belonging, the shared struggles between her and Apollo, makes their relationship even more powerful — two people who know what it means to feel like outsiders, yet in each other, find solace and understanding.
Their relationship feels special because it’s a balance of fire and vulnerability. Aurora, fierce and unapologetic, refuses to accept even the faintest trace of control over her life, earning her the nickname "Fiera" from Apollo.
As he tells her, “I find you a great many things, Fiera. But boring is not one of them.”
Meanwhile, Apollo, a man skilled at wielding power after dismantling his father’s tyranny in revenge for his mother, finds himself learning to adjust — to temper his control and to make room for Aurora’s strength. It’s a relationship that blossoms out of respect, trust, and a shared understanding of what it means to fight for one’s right to exist without apology.
A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke offers important commentary on the fight for women’s health, mirroring the real-world struggles for women’s autonomy and the ongoing battles over reproductive rights. Herrera’s portrayal of Aurora’s underground clinic serves as a stark reminder of the lengths women will go to for autonomy in a world that often seeks to silence them. The novel touches on the harsh reality that women still face today in making choices about their bodies and their lives.
Aurora’s mission to provide care to those in need is not just about healing; it’s about reclaiming agency. She understands, as we all should, that when women support each other, they rise together. This novel is a powerful tribute to that message and the strength that lies in sisterhood, making A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke not only a romance to savor but a story that resonates with what’s happening in the world today.
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Visit our Bookshop to pre-order a copy of A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke.
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About the Author: USA Today Best Selling and Audie winning author Adriana Herrera was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last fifteen years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings. The New York Times once called her book "sweet, thoughtful, and delightfully filthy too."
When she’s not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a trauma therapist in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
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Andreina Rodriguez is a journalist from Queens, New York. Her work appears on all 12 NBC local websites, Refinery29, CNBC, Latino Rebels, The Mujerista, #WeAllGrow Latina, and Modern Brown Girl.
You can follow her on Instagram @andreina_rod or @readwithandreina, and follow her work through andreinarodriguez.com.
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