I was really looking forward to this book even though I have not read much by this author. I liked this book but didn't love it, it was really more of 3.5 stars for me. Although I did like Josephine and Napoleon.

4.5 stars This story is unusual in that I've never read this very distinctive trope before. It makes a lot of sense, though, that a former rake would get karma handed to him when he is the one chaperoning his two sisters during the Season. If a former rake can't keep them safe, who can?

Benedict Mercer never imagined he'd be in this position. An unfortunate event in his past has led him to have a very disreputable reputation that he hasn't been able to shake. There are rumors afoot about plans to disrupt his sisters season to get back at him. So now, not only does he have to strenuously vet the men his sisters meet, he's also got to watch out for those who might be trying to exact revenge on him through his sisters.

Luckily, after his aunt falls ill and refuses to chaperone his sisters, he's able to find someone to take over that delicate post. However, will his own attraction to the new chaperone ruin everything?

Esmeralda Swift is in a bad situation. Her fledgling agency for women was almost bankrupt. Her landlord had deceived her about the monthly income that came in so she was stuck, barely able to pay the bills and only seeing worse in the future. She didn't really want to take the position but there was no choice. She desperately needed the income.

Who would realize the consequences of this move? Mix a beautiful, intelligent woman with a man who refuses to marry and see what happens. Oh yes, the girls do well too! Great story with interesting characters. Thanks!

4.5 stars - Wonderful read. Her father was a viscount, but her mother was disowned when she chose a pennyless Irish poet as her second husband. Esmarelda is forced to be a governess and later, the administrator for an agency for chaperones.

The duke is a rake known far and wise. In his younger days, he and two friends carried out a bet that could have ruined the lives of 12 debutantes who were enjoying their first season. Fast forward to present day and the duke has a set of twin sisters to launch into society. The gossip sheets have reminded everyone of the cruel trick the duke and his friends played on those unsuspecting girls, and now someone wants the Dukes sister so suffer a similar fate.

This is good reading folks. Enjoy!

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGallery, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion, Here goes...


Griffin's twin sisters are having their first season. He's afraid that people might have a old grudge with him because he was a mean guy before(or I should say his friends were). Griffin hires a chaperone for the twins, Esmerelda. This is when it gets good. Add two slightly wild sisters, A sexy Chaperone and her younger sister then a dog and you have a funny, cute read. To me this was everything I love about Historical romance. Poor girl falls for unattainable, rich Duke and at last the HEA ending.

What a cute story! The heroine, Esmeralda, runs an employment agency for chaperones, governesses, etc. She doesn't accept jobs herself as she has a younger sister, Josephine, to care for.
Griffin is a duke who needs a chaperone for his twin sisters ASAP as his aunt is ill.. This will be Sara and Vera's first season. When he visit's Esmeralda's agency he decides he wants her to be their chaperone and will let her bring Josephine and her dog if she'll agree. He also offers a very nice wage, including some new dresses for her.
Griffin is hoping Sara and Vera will find husbands quickly. He's worried about an old scandal that involves him and his friends, Hawk and Rath, also Dukes, hurting his sisters' chances of a good match. The season progresses as life does - some ups and some downs, which I will not share and ruin the story for you.
Griffin and Esmeralda eventually get their HEA. Sara also finds love. I wonder if one of the future books in this trilogy will have Hawk or Rath falling for Vera. That would definitely cause some issues with Griffin.
I don't believe there were ever 3 young, handsome, rich Dukes in one season. But this is fiction and as readers we love when the impoverished heroine gets her Duke. I enjoyed this story and can easily recommend it.

Ms Grey has done a wonderful job of giving us a new story in a great historical setting

Writing a review for an uncorrected ARC is tricky - I have no idea if the issues I had with the book will be corrected or not before it is published. I am going to write this review with the assumption that the problems I encountered with incorrect formal address and dangling plotlines were corrected.

I really liked Griffin and Esmerelda, they are both stubborn people, but both extremely loyal and steadfast to the ones they love.

Griffin's twin sisters are ready to begin their first London season, however, some nasty rumors are going around that someone is going to ruin the girls season to payback Griffin for a stunt he and his cronies pulled years ago. To make matters worse, his aunt who is suppose to chaperone the girls is ill and will not be able to attend them. Griffin deeply regrets his childish prank and will do anything to keep his sisters debut from being ruined. Impulsively, he stops at an employment agency to hire a chaperone for the twins and this is were he meets Esmerelda.

Esmerelda is running the employment agency and caring for her younger half-sister. Esmerelda's mother was the disgraced daughter of a viscount, who was disowned when she married a poet after Esmerelda's father passed away. When her mother died, Esmerelda took a position as a governess to help support her step-family. When her stepfather passed, she made a deal with the owner of the agency to run the company in exchange for room and board for herself and Josephine (her sister). When Griffin approaches her about becoming a chaperone for the twins, she is tempted, but refuses. Griffin will not take no for an answer and the two haggle back and forth until Esmerelda finally agrees.

The story that follows is cute, it has some laugh out loud moments, a couple of heated kisses and a sweet HEA. I thought the book was well written, especially the authors representation of the relationship between the twins, in my opinion, it was probably the most accurately described depiction of siblings I have ever read! The book flowed well and was entertaining, but I never really bought the whole rumor of ruin plot - it just didn't pan out and the initial "prank" was not really that awful or revenge worthy in my opinion. I also had a bit of problem with Griffin's intentions towards Esmerelda and his complete change of intentions once he learned about her family.

All in all this was an enjoyable read and I will definitely be looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

I was into this book in the beginning. I loved the chemistry between Griffin and Esmerelda. My problem is that, despite the raw, sexual lust between them, I didn't feel the emotional connection. Griffin was too overbearing, and I felt like he never took responsibility for his actions. He really never acknowledged that the scandal he and his friends were involved in was mean and ruined reputations. Even now that he's older, he still wouldn't simply apologize or say he was wrong. I also didn't like how he restrained himself with Essie until he found out she was his equal (his words, not mine). So she wasn't good enough before, but now that she is, he can't keep it in his pants? I just...would have liked more development in their relationship. I mean, for heaven's sake, he actually fires her over something so petty and then a few pages later, BOOM! He's in love with her. I didn't buy it. It's a shame, because their chemistry lit the pages on fire.

Benedict Mercer, the Duke of Griffin has never lived down his reputation as one of the three Rakes of St. James. Now rumours are swirling around London that his twin sisters Ladies Sara & Vera may bear the brunt of his past follies. His Aunt Lady Evelyn who raised the twins has been taken ill so hiring a competent chaperone is the only thing Griffin has on his mind that is until he meets the lovely and intriguing Miss Esmeralda Swift. In ways he could never have expected, she arouses more than just his curiosity.
Esmeralda Swift considered herself too sensible to ever fall for a scoundrel, but that was before she met the irresistibly seductive Duke of Griffin. His employment offer proves too tempting for her to resist & the money she earns will pay her coal bill & keep herself & her, twelve year old, sister Josephine in funds for some time.
An easy to read well-written book, a little mystery but lots of growing romance. The twins are spoilt but quite endearing, Josephine & Napoleon a breath of fresh air. Both Griffin & Esmeralda are well-rounded likeable characters. The pace of the book was good so that I kept turning the pages. I look forward to Rath & Hawk’s stories.

Great start of a series!! I enjoy a strong female lead. Esse had a great story...can't wait for the next book!

The premise in Last Night With the Duke keeps you guessing of when the ‘shoe will fall’ hurting one or both of the twin sisters of the Duke of Griffin. Griffin was a notorious scoundrel during his younger days. He and two friends, also dukes, tried to best each other with wagers, tricks and games trying to ‘up’ each other. One of their tricks worked so well that it caused a scandal that still lingers over the three dukes years later. That scandals seems to be a threat to his sisters come out.

Griffin’s debutant age twin sisters are ready for their come out in London society. Their aunt has planned for years to help the girls become the toast of the season and to find husbands quickly. It appears someone is out to get even with Griffin and his friends for their scandalous tricks by perpetuating a scandal on one or both of his sisters. Griffin and his friends vow to not let anyone hurt the girls and to keep them safe. Right before the season, his sweet aunt becomes ill with a rash and a couple of other complaints. He needs someone he can entrust to protect his sisters as their chaperone. As he passes by an employment agency, he decides on a whim to go in to hire a chaperone, if possible.

Griffin hears Esmeralda strongly encouraging a female employee and governess to go back and take charge of her charge. Her strength and great advice sound like just what he needs in a chaperone. Griffin is attracted to her right away. Esmeralda has numerous objections and reason she cannot work for him. It takes a while, but he convinces her. Two of her reasons for not joining his employment were her little sister Josephine and Josephine’s dog, Napoleon. They are her responsibility.

As the story develop, Esmeralda, Josephine, Napoleon and the twins, Lady Sara and Lady Vera, become an intimate family, strengthening, bickering and loving one another. Esmeralda has a secret she keeps hidden from Griffin, dreading the day he might possible discover it. Griffin does not live in his home while his sister’s and aunt are in residence.

Griffin and Esmeralda have an instant chemistry that grows and develops, too, even as they both try to fight it. It is a sweet, poignant love that touches your heart. Last Night With the Duke charms you as you read this first in the series. Thank you Net Galley for sharing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Last Night With The Duke is the first book in the The Rakes of St. James trilogy. Amelia Grey gets this new series off in a wonderful direction with a very lovely story about how our past mistakes can sometimes bring something beautiful into our lives. It was a very engaging story and I enjoyed it so very much.

I loved the main couple in this story. A youthful mistake has come back to deliver a painful bite to the Duke of Griffin. His twin sisters have become the subject of a payback scheme so he hires a chaperone to guard protect and guide them during their first season in polite society. A chance meeting has him deciding that Miss Esmeralda Swift is the only woman for the job. He makes her an offer she simply cannot refuse. Lol :) I absolutely adored Griffin. He was a stubborn, arrogant but genuinely good alpha hero. He only had one slight slip up in his shining armor so it was easy to fall in love with him. In case you were wondering that's a good thing. Esmeralda was perfect for him. She had a good reason to mistrust the elitist society but conceded early on that Griffin was special. She was strong, just as stubborn, and a perfect match for the young Duke. Their delightful banter and the escapades of their younger sisters enlivened this story and made it a pleasure to read.
This book had so many superb aspects. The excellent writing, rich plot, vibrant characters, and charming dialogue made it a favorite in the historical romance genre for this happy reader. I can't wait to read the next book in The Rakes of St. James trilogy.

This was an adorably funny, romantic read! I truly enjoyed it.

The Duke of Griffin is in need of a chaperone for his young identical twin sisters. The girls are about to make their debuts and Great Aunt Evie has become ill. He needs a replacement chaperone very quickly.

Griffin stops in at an employment agency and wants to hire Miss Esmeralda Swift. She is the owner of the agency, she has a younger sister, she is responsible for all the people who are employed by the agency, her younger sister has a dog. All of these are very good reasons she cannot take the job.

Griffin tells her to bring her sister, Josephine, along with the dog, Napoleon, when she moves into his home. He also offers her a great deal of money.

Griffin admires Esmeralda because she speaks her mind and is very bright. The conversations between the two are informative and very entertaining.

There is a possible threat against the twins. Gossip has it that because of a prank Griffin perpetrated with two friends years ago there will be retaliation against the twins. Esmeralda and Griffin have become a team of protectors. As they spend more time together, the attraction between them grows.

This is a story of family. At times, families develop where there once were only friends.
The twins take to Esmeralda and Josephine very quickly. Griffin learns to overlook the accidents and damage as a result of Napoleon running through the house. At the same time, he is becoming very fond of Josephine and her enthusiasm. Slowly but surely family routines and relationships develop.

Esmeralda holds her secrets very near because she intends to protect her sister. Griffin is trying to build a more settled life to overcome his reputation. He wants to see his sisters married well with a good life and someone they love.

This is a well written story. Ms Grey has created a plot which draws the reader in as it moves along. There is a mystery but no real danger.

The character development is superb. Esmeralda, Griffin and all the secondary characters are well drawn. Griffin is a good man who makes a very believable hero. Esmeralda is a strong woman who believes her strength must be used to protect others.

I enjoyed this book very much. I am a fan of Ms Grey's and this book is a good example of why I like her writing. She provides good characters, interesting plots and humor.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.