The Duke’s Desire by Erica Ridley

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This was a fantastic Christmas gift from Erica Ridley to her readers! The only drawback to it is the fact we have to wait almost a year for the next title in this fabulous series. 

We readers have been waiting for Lucien’s story for a long time, and not only did it NOT disappoint; it was my favorite of the three le Duc siblings’ stories. 

I absolutely loved the idea of the hero needing lessons in another language and that that kept him from socializing with the village around him. I felt it was a very interesting take on a grumpy hero. Meg was certainly not your average historical romance heroine, either! I wasn’t sure I would like her at first but I really did by the end. She was unconventional and a lot of fun. 

The town of Cressmouth is always a pleasure to visit and I can’t wait for the last 4 titles next year!!

*I received an eARC from Erica Ridley in exchange for an honest review. 

A Delicate Deception by Cat Sebastian

Amelia Allenby runs away from a scandal to the countryside where all she seeks is peace and quiet, not a giant of a man who keeps disturbing her daily walks. Sydney would rather be anywhere but Pelham Hall, but he’s waiting after a summons from his friend, the Duke of Hereford. After meeting Amelia on her walks, Sydney is captivated by her but keeps his ownership of Pelham Hall a secret. As they begin getting to know one another, each must decide if they can divulge their secrets. 

The first half of this book was just delightful: there were two socially awkward people learning to be friends and maybe more. The side characters were fun and engaging. I couldn’t wait to see Sydney and Amelia interact more. And then...the complete lack of a plot caught up with the story and it became completely character driven. I am not a fan of stories that have no real plot going on (or several small ones) and it turned into a rather boring read for me. 

I really enjoyed the other title of Cat Sebastian’s that I’ve read and I will give her another try. 

*I received an eARC from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

The Duke’s Embrace by Erica Ridley

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Another very enjoyable story set in the town of Christmas!!

Sébastien le Duc wants nothing more than to help his brother get back to their beloved France. Miss Eve Shelling wants nothing more than to prove to her father what a serious journalist she can be. Together they work to reach their respective goals and begin falling in love along the way. 

This was such a fun read! I’m a big fan of enemies to lovers stories and even though Bastien and Eve didn’t outright dislike each other, they were more antagonistic towards each other to begin with. The progression from  not friends to friends to lovers took time, and I love that. 

I thought Bastien was a lot of fun and liked that there was more to him than being a dandy. I enjoyed discovering his other side right alongside Eve. Every heroine in this series has been fabulous, and Eve is no exception. She grew into her own person more as the story progressed and that is a joy to read. 

Of course, I CANNOT wait for Lucien’s story!!

*I received an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.