Category: Regency Era (1811-1820)

The Regency in Great Britain was a period when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent. On the death of George III in 1820, the Prince Regent became George IV. The term Regency can refer to various stretches of time; some are longer than the decade of the formal Regency which lasted from 1811–1820.
Preceded by: Georgian era
Followed by: Victorian era
Monarch: George III, George IV, William IV

Not The Duke You Marry by Jess Michaels

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Not the Duke You Marry (The Kent's Row Duchesses #3)Not the Duke You Marry by Jess Michaels

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Kent’s Row Duchesses, #3

Release Date: November 14, 2023

Bernadette “Etta”, the widowed Duchess of Tunbridge is feeling a bit out of sorts after her two dearest friends marry. She is happy for them, but can’t help but feel a little jealous and maybe even sorry for herself. Her marriage was by no means a love match, for the most part, he ignored her, just as her parents had always done, but after his death, she moved to Kent Row and made friends, but now they are married and leaving and she wonders what is her next step. She considers taking a lover and even mentions it to her childhood friend Theodore “Theo” Tinsley, the Duke of Lightmorrow, who by all accounts is a rake of the first order. But that conversation doesn’t go well and she is embarrassed. Later she finds a letter addressed to her late husband from Donville Masquerade, a pleasure club, and her curiosity is piqued. She visits the club and decides to join, hoping to find a lover. But instead of an anonymous lover, it is Theo who finds her. He gives her a taste of pleasure, but immediately takes her home. She presses him and he agrees to engage in an affair but makes it clear that it is only about pleasure, nothing more. She agrees to his terms, but wonders if she will be able to keep her word, as Theo has always held a part of her heart.

Theo is and always has been attracted to Bernadette and considers her a friend, a friend he doesn’t want to lose. They embark on their affair and it is clear that they are perfectly matched in bed. Theo is amazed that her late husband didn’t want her, not only is she passionate, but she is clever, kind, and considerate – what more could a man want? As his feelings deepen, he begins to long for more from their relationship and wonders if Etta feels the same. But before he can declare his love and desire to marry her, a hurtful secret from his past will crush any hope he has of HEA with the woman he now knows he can’t live without.

In my opinion, this is the best book in the series. I loved Bernadette and Theo together, I felt their chemistry right from the beginning of the series and couldn’t wait for their story and it was well worth the wait! This book is filled with emotion, insecurity, friendship, a near-death experience, steamy love scenes, vindictive family members, a little heartache, forgiveness, and finally a lovely declaration scene leading to the start of their HEA and as if that wasn’t enough, there is also a very sweet epilogue featuring all the couples. I liked the previous books, but I LOVED this one and highly recommend it to readers who enjoy steamy friends-to-lovers stories. This is the third and final book in the series, but it could definitely be read as a standalone title.
>
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Rom-Com, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)4 Comments

Never Wager with a Wallflower: A Novel (The Merriwell Sisters Book 3)

Barbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: The Merriwell Sisters #3
Publication Date: 11/7/23
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 316

This final book in the Merriwell Sisters trilogy was a hit – and a miss – for me. I loved the epilogue where we caught up with all of the couples five years later to see how they were doing and what had been going on in their lives. That was a definite HIT. Another HIT in all of this author’s books is the wit and humor – and while this book seemed to have a lot less of that than there usually is, there was enough to bring a smile – and even a giggle on occasion. So, what then is the miss? Venus! I just did not like her. I really disliked her in the first book of the series, but in the second book, I still didn’t like her too well, but I thought there was hope for her. That just didn’t happen for me. Throughout all of the books Venus has been very judgmental and very self-centered and that was certainly true in this book as well.

Venus (Vee) Merriwell and Galahad (Gal) Sinclair have known and disliked each other for four years. They first met when Venus tackled him with the intent to do as much bodily injury as she could – read the second book in the series if you want to know more about that. Galahad Sinclair is Giles Sinclair’s cousin – and Giles is married to Venus’s sister Diana. Since that first meeting, they have either avoided each other totally or they have sniped at each other through whatever time they were forced to be in closer proximity. Is it a case of protesting too much?

Galahad has long wanted to build a club in the area of Covent Garden – a decent club where he could have both ladies and gentlemen attend. He has worked his fingers to the bone, scrimped, and saved until he finally has enough saved to buy a location and renovate it. Now, he just needs to find the perfect location – and miraculously, he does. Then, he learns it is right next door to the orphanage where Venus teaches. OOPS! When Venus learns about it – she is livid – because she thought that building was going to be left to the orphanage. OOPS!

For me, watching them work through to their HEA was a bit of a painful process. Venus was always looking for the worst in everyone – especially Galahad. She looked down her nose and judged him guilty of anything and everything whether he was or not. She was also very self-centered. She thought nothing at all of thinking Galahad should just give up his dream and hand over his building to the orphanage even though he had done absolutely nothing wrong in acquiring it – and had paid good money for it. She thought that because he played cards well, he was a gambler (he wasn’t). She thought that because he wanted to open a club it would be one of those dissolute, disreputable places like the ones she and her sisters had to drag their father from after he’d gambled away the rent money. So, anyway, I just couldn’t get myself to like her or to care whether she got a HEA or not. I really liked Galahad, but he annoyed me as well. He was just too perfect. He never got mad or raised his voice even when the most heinous things happened to him. Also, he was always apologizing to Venus – I mean for everything – all the time!

I am glad to have read the book and to have seen the happy futures for all of the Merriwell sisters, but I wouldn’t read this one a second time. If you have read the other books in the series, don’t skip this one, because it wraps up the series and gives you a glimpse into their futures. One thing it doesn’t do is provide a final resolution to the Merriwell’s father. I know that has nothing to do with them and their accomplishments and that they don’t care – but – I just never like loose ends and he’s a loose end. I would like to have learned that he was captured by Pygmies and covered with honey and then hung upside down over a red ant bed OR maybe he tried to fleece the wrong woman and she captured him and locked him up in her dungeon and used him for a plaything. 😊

Anyway – if you have read the other books in the series, don’t miss this one. I have scanned over some of the other reviews for this book and none seem to mention a dislike for Venus, so perhaps it is just me and you’ll love her. My dislike for Venus has nothing to do with the author’s writing abilities – to me, she is just an unlikable, needy character. Hopefully, you will love Venus.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews