Tag: #WaywardDukesAlliance

The Guardian Duke by Jane Charles

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

The Guardian Duke: (Wayward Dukes' Alliance Book 21)The Guardian Duke: by Jane Charles

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Wayward Duke’s Alliance, #21  &  The Vicar’s Daughters, Prequel

Release Date: April 22, 2025

Lady Penelope Johanson and Henry Simpson met years ago when Henry was still the Marquess of Broadridge, and his sister was (unbeknownst to him) blackmailing Penelope’s brother the Marquess of Felding. Needless to say, Penelope was not a fan of the Simpson siblings. She did come to realize that Henry was not aware of his sister’s treachery, but that doesn’t mean she likes him.

Now years later, Henry is now the Duke of Eldridge and the guardian of his five unmarried female cousins. Penelope notices that his cousins, they are lovely young ladies but have become wallflowers and Penelope decides to step in to help them. She takes them under her wing, determined to make them shine. Penelope long ago decided that she would not marry, she is happy with her independence and refuses to give up that freedom without love, something she is sure she will never find, but doesn’t anticipate her attraction to Henry. When they are embroiled in scandal, she may have to decide if she is willing to accept ruin or give up on her dream of true love.

Henry Simpson, the Duke of Eldridge was perfectly happy with his bachelor life, but when he takes responsibility for his orphaned cousins, he puts his rakish ways on hold and sets out to launch his cousins in society – too bad he has no idea how to do that and due to their strict upbringing, neither do they. When Lady Penelope starts to involve herself with his cousins, he can’t help but realize how much he desires her, but life with Penelope would not be calm and he has no desire for a managing wife. He seeks advice from the Duke’s Alliance, but unfortunately, when it comes to love – he will have to figure it out himself and hope he can convince Penelope that they are meant to be.

I enjoyed this installment of the Wayward Duke’s Alliance and was delighted to learn that it is also the prequel to a new series featuring Henry’s cousins! As always, the writing is great, and the story moves along nicely. Henry and Penelope are wonderful characters, and it is clear that they are perfect for each other – but as we know, the road to happily ever after is never a smooth ride and these two will have their fair share of bumps on their journey. I do wish there had been a bit of steam in this story or even an epilogue, but overall, it was a fun read, and I am looking forward to the new series.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Unwrapping the Duke by Jane Charles

On By TracyIn Author Collaboration Series, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Part of a Series, Re-Release / Updated Edition, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Unwrapping the Duke (Wayward Dukes' Alliance #15)Unwrapping the Duke by Jane Charles

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Wayward Dukes Alliance, #15

Release Date: July 9, 2024 (previously published in All I Want for Christmas is a Wayward Duke Anthology)

Once upon a time Leopold Tilson, the Duke of Claybrook fell in love with Lady Bethany Grey – the best friend of Tessa, the woman he was courting. When he and Tessa agreed they would never suit, Leo turned his attention to Bethany and things seemed promising – until she pushed him into the Serpentine. When he demanded to know what he had done, she told him to call on her, but a family emergency prevented him from doing so, and by the time he returned, she refused to see him. Leaving him heartbroken and confused, even two and a half years later. But when a trip to visit family during Christmas ends with Leo wrapped in a rug and left for dead in the middle of the road, it might just be the best thing that ever happened to him.

Lady Bethany Grey has avoided Leo like the plague, especially after he never called on her to find out why she was so upset. She was going to skip Christmas with her family because she learned that he would be there. But she decides at the last minute to close her club and join the family, she will just ignore Leo as she has for the last couple of years. But when she finds him unconscious and wrapped in a rug laying in the middle of road she cannot ignore him. Forced proximity gives them a chance to sort out the past and a call from an old friend makes it impossible to pretend that they can keep their situation secret. It is clear that they will have to marry, but Bethany wonders if her heart can withstand the pain of unrequited love?

This was a well-written, nicely paced sweet second-chance romance novella. Leo and Bethany are a wonderful couple who through misunderstanding almost missed their chance at HEA, thankfully fate saw fit to give these two stubborn people a second chance. The book is filled with witty banter, an underdressed duke, long-sought answers and finally a long-awaited HEA. This was a fun, quick read that is technically a Christmas novella – but really isn’t. I enjoyed this story and would happily recommend it. This story was originally published in the “All I Want for Christmas is a Wayward Duke” anthology and has ties to the Trent Family, the Tilson Family and the Wicked Widows League & the Wayward Dukes Alliance series.
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*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.