The Duchess Takes A Husband by Harper St. George – #BlogBlitz

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Book Publicity, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Duchess Takes a Husband (The Gilded Age Heiresses, #4)Barbara’s rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
Series: The Gilded Age Heiresses #4
Publication Date: 2/23/23
Period: Victorian/Gilded Age – 1878 London
Number of Pages: 336

Thank goodness for the book that wasn’t supposed to be! The series was originally supposed to be three books featuring the Crenshaw siblings, but once we and the author met Camille, Duchess of Hereford, we all knew she just had to have her own book. She endured emotional and physical abuse from the duke before he died and I absolutely loved seeing her find herself, her strength, her determination after he died. Then, there was Jacob, who was the perfect mate for her. His gentle, understanding, considerate, and kind ways were just what she needed to heal from the trauma she suffered. Yes, it is a sensitive subject, but I believe the author dealt with it in a way that makes Camille a heroine rather than a victim. This could have been a really angsty, woe-is-me book, but it wasn’t, and I’m so glad Camille was shown as a woman who was strong and working toward healing herself.

Camille was thoroughly controlled by the Duke of Hereford during their marriage, and now that he is gone, she’s showing a bit of rebellion. Her first rebellion was to join the Montague Club – owned by her best friend’s husband and his half-brother. Her next rebellion, though it won’t be made public, is to seek out Jacob, one of the owners of the club, and make a proposition. She wants to know if it is possible for her to enjoy intimacy – because she never has. He has a counter-proposition for her and they strike a deal. Her third rebellion is to embrace the suffragette movement – and that one almost costs her life.

Jacob very much wants to accomplish something on his own. Yes, he is part owner of the Montague Club, but he did that with the backing of his half-brother and a good friend who both hold lauded titles. He wants to do something on his own – without the backing of those titles. He has a business partner and just needs one more investor and he can get the project rolling. The fly in the ointment? The investor is very hesitant to invest because Jacob isn’t a settled, married man. So, what Jacob needs is a fiancé – or at least a pretend fiancé.

It was wonderful to watch Camille and Jacob find that love isn’t such a bad thing after all – especially when it is with the perfect person. Jacob’s tender care causes Camille to blossom and become who she was truly meant to be and Camille’s loving smiles and caring heart taught Jacob that loving someone doesn’t cause you to lose yourself.

This book was excellently written, and excellently plotted, and, for me, the flow was just perfect. I can definitely recommend it.

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

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The Dueling Duchess by Minerva Spencer

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

The Dueling Duchess (Wicked Women of Whitechapel, #2)The Dueling Duchess by Minerva Spencer

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Wicked Women of Whitechapel, #2

Release Date: May 23, 2023

Manon Cecile Blanchet, known to all as Cecile Tremblay, has not had an easy life, at 14 she was forced to flee her home in France during the Reign of Terror. She loses everything, but builds a new life for herself, now at 36 she lives life on her own terms as the co-owner of Farnham’s Fantastical Female Fayre, as well as one of the circus’ star attractions, thanks to her sharpshooting abilities. She meets Gaius “Guy” Darlington, the Marquess of Carlisle when he joins the troupe while on a mission with his best friend to rescue his best friend’s brother. They become lovers, but end things when Guy inherits a dukedom and must marry an heiress, they began the affair knowing this, but when it is time for them to part ways, Guy crosses a line and insults Cecile. A slight she will not forget…

Fast-forward a year, Guy is no longer the Duke of Fairhurst, and his heiress fiancee, Helena will have to jilt him and marry the long-lost cousin who has assumed the title. But in his mind, this change does have a silver lining since he is now free to pursue Cecile – he just needs to earn her forgiveness for his previous insult, but that is going to be easier said than done.

I have mixed feelings about this book as there were a lot of things I liked, but also a lot of things that I didn’t care for. Primarily, Celine, because despite her tragic past, which should have softened her to me, I found her difficult to like, I also thought Guy was a bit dim, with more hair than wit. In addition to that, I found the past/present/past/present timeline confusing and I thought that a good portion of this story dragged yet it wrapped up quickly and perhaps a bit too perfectly. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I read the first book, but I really don’t know if that would have made a difference or not. Overall, it was an interesting read, definitely not your typical historical romance, with strong women determined to live their lives in a way that doesn’t leave them at the mercy of a husband/man. I am not sorry I read this book, but I am not sure if I will read the next book or not, and I think I would recommend reading the first book before diving into this story.

*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.*