Dukes, Actually by Erica Ridley Series: 12 Dukes of Christmas #5
on October 22, 2019
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 200
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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he Duke of Azureford isn’t the arrogant, aloof lord his peers perceive him to be. Yes, he’s awkward, but he has a plan to fix it. In order to woo a respectable lady, he must learn how to flirt. The completely inappropriate girl next door would make a perfect instructor, but a terrible duchess. So why can’t he walk away?
Incorrigible hoyden Miss Carole Quincy likes fast carriages, carom billiards, and the beautiful, buttoned-up Duke of Azureford. She’d be delighted to help him out of his shell and into her arms. Who cares if they’re just pretending to flirt? The heady, breath-taking, soul-consuming feeling inside her runaway heart surely can’t be love…
Miss Carole Quincy has a problem. Her private sketchbook full of her dreamy architectural ideas was dropped in the Duke of Azureford’s cottage when she attended his party. She was unable to recover it when it tumbled into the library. Six months later, she is desperate to retrieve it before the duke returns to his holiday residence next door. If there were only her private ideas on architecture design… each scene has a lady doing unladylike activities and if someone saw this? Utter ruin!
Dukes Actually is the fifth of the light and fun standalone 12 Dukes of Christmas series. They are definitely standalone stories, particularly this one, though past characters breeze through and the world building of the series was explained best in book one.
As I said, this was fun. Carole is a single young lady who has never lived outside the beautiful and quaint Christmas village in the far north of England. She has had her chance at debuting in London society, but after her mother passed and her father took it so hard, she remains at home. She doesn’t pine and is the heart of the village in many ways. But, she does have a few hoydenish quirks. She’s killer at billiards and she likes to depict ladies enjoying the same pleasures as men- smoking, drinking, and relaxing at clubs and card games- within the private pages of her sketchbook.
In the effort to recover her sketchbook, she has to get close to the duke when he arrives at his cottage for some time to rest and relax away from his heavy duties in Parliament’s House of Lords. The first time they met, he was tongue-tied and came off as stiff and arrogant. Azureford is painfully shy and she figures this out when she gets close to him. I loved seeing her help him with his plan to get past his shyness all so he can eventually court a worthy lady- who is a lot like Carole, he realizes. If only she weren’t set on never marrying.
I love this holiday romance series of fun pairings and situations and Duke Actually was no exception. Those who want a light, mostly sweet historical romance for the holidays should give Erica Ridley’s series a try.
Kindle freebie on April 4, 2022 (currently $3.99 on Amazon and Barnes & Noble as of writing this post)
Overall rating 4.17 with 961 ratings and 257 reviews
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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I don’t think I’ve tried this author but maybe I should try, it looks good
Her historicals are such light and fun ones, Melliane. 🙂
Great review Sophia Rose, while I love historical fiction its been quite a while since I read a historical romance. Thanks
I don’t read as many as I used to, but I really have a good time with hers for their entertainment value. So fun!
I have collected so many of this author’s books over the years but haven’t picked one up yet. This sounds fun and I love the name of the character 🙂
Yeah, that was me, collecting to my Kindle. LOL But, I’ve had a fun time working through them for Anne’s freebie challenge and for some of the holiday readalongs.
That sounds so sweet. I love that she is helping him with his shyness.
I thought that was sweet of her, too, Mary. He is helpful getting her to realize she doesn’t have to be responsible for her widowed dad and can have her own life, too.
This sounds like a fun one. Erica Ridley does come up with some fun scenarios in her stories. Looks like some great character growth in this one.
Great review darling!
Thanks, Renee! You’re right, she does have some fun plots.
I’m glad you liked it. I love Erica Ridley.
I’ve had a good time with several of her books and look forward to more. 🙂
I do really like this author
She writes some fun ones. 🙂
This sounds like so much fun! I’ll be on the watch to see if it becomes a freebie again. Thanks!
Yes, any of these Dukes of Christmas ones are light and fluffy holiday themed novellas so watch for them. I’ve caught them at various times throughout the year and not just during the season.
It sounds like another great addition to the series! Nothing like a light and fun story done right. It’s all you could ask for! Great review, Sophia. 🙂
For sure!