Humorous….no ….it is absolutely hysterical at times. There is sexual tension, hijinks and confusion all adding up to a delightful read. Sebastian knows that the orphaned ward of his tenant farmer, Miranda, is not the woman of society standing that he needs for his Duchess but he can’t seem to help himself in his obsessive lusting after her. Miranda, wants Robert but there is something compelling her toward Sebastian. This is a fun book that is witty without being silly and dramatic without ever being maudlin. Anna Harrington has given us a terrific start to her new series and I can’t wait to read the books about Sebastian’s brothers Quinton and Robert Carlisle. I highly recommend this book.

Wow! This was my first book from this author and all I can say is wow! The plot intrigued me, but I was not prepared for the flood of raw emotion and scintillating passion between Miranda and Sebastian. I couldn't put this book down and I didn't want it to end. The characters draw you in so much so that you can't help but experience the connection with them. Thank you Anna Harrington for such a great work of art. I eagerly look forward to reading more of your talented work.

Sebastian and Miranda’s romance is all about the dance and what a beautiful dance it is that we get to watch and share. There were times when I was frustrated beyond belief at Sebastian for his insistence that he must have the perfect duchess and not love. Poor Miranda thought she was in love with one brother but thankfully realized it was only infatuation. I loved Miranda’s exuberance and her not letting anyone hold her back. The problem she had was the hurt caused by Sebastian’s stubbornness but she still loved him all the same. I loved the back and forth dialog between Sebastian and Miranda. This book was so good that I had a hard time putting it down. A fantastic start to a new series with some old friends thrown in.

I was caught by the blurb--the heroine in love with the brother of the hero, the hero searching for a bride, and they made a pact to help each other get what the other wants? It had all the makings of disaster and bittersweet angst and I wasn't disappointed!

Miranda was a lovely heroine--she has such joy for life that I wish I had. She was also honest in her feelings for the duke, and I can't help but feel how he's sooo not worthy of her. (He got that right when he said so at the end.) Sebastian had the weight of the dukedom on his shoulders, and a promise to his father to do right by his responsibilities, and this means finding the perfect woman to be his duchess, which...does not include Miranda. Okay, I get where he's coming from, and he did tell Miranda he cannot marry her even as she offered herself to him, but-- But. BUT. If he were an honorable man, he wouldn't have taken what she offered, knowing this would ruin her and her prospects. He came across as selfish and self-serving. So, minus points for him.

And that's basically the only negative point about this book for me. I love Sebastian's and Miranda's chemistry, the way they flirt and banter is so organic and realistic that it feels real, and of course, I love the angst and the jealousies and the conflicts.

I do appreciate the author for the refreshing point of "adding" needed scenes to Shakespeare, like the pirate scene in Hamlet and the other scene in Romeo and Juliet, to make her heroine unique and also to add something a bit different to the tired genre of historical romance. Overall, I enjoyed reading IF THE DUKE DEMANDS a lot. Well worth the read!

I absolutely LOVE a good, sexy, sweet historical romance-it is one of my go-to genres whenever I am stumped for something to read or just when I want to read something fun and HEA. I am so glad I read this because I haven't read this author before and now I have a new go-to author in this genre! This had all of the elements of a really good historical romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for a honest review.

After Josie Carlisle gets her happily ever after in Harrington’s Secret Life of Scoundrels series, her brothers get their turn in the new Capturing the Carlisles series.

First up is the Duke of Trent, Sebastian Carlisle. His guilt over his rakish ways before the death of his father have made the Duke amend his ways for several years. When a woman appears in his bed after a ball, he wants to let loose for one night in his life.

Miranda Hodgkins thought she was in second son, Robert Carlisle’s bed. After a few hot, heated moments and slip of the tongue she realizes she’s been dallying with none other than the Duke. She’s mortified, but her skin still burns from every inch Sebastian touched. The two strike a bargin to help one another get their desired spouse during the season, but no one sets their souls a flame like each other.

Harrington made a fabulous decision to sojourn into the exploits of Josie’s brothers. Who wouldn’t swoon over the golden haired, god-like men? I fell for Sebastian from the first moment he entered his bedroom. He’s all starched and stuffy when acting the Duke, but just below the surface lies the heart of a panther with passion and desire only one woman inspires.

Miranda was a little harder to sell me on. At first, I worried about some of her decisions, but as the novel progressed, I began to see her as Sebastian did. She wasn’t flighty, she had a lust for life. She wasn’t irresponsible, she just cared enough about the people around her to put her life and reputation on the line. There were a few times I wanted to smack both of them over the head, but they eventually got their passionate selves together and made it all work.

I thought from here we might be seeing Robert’s story next since he was courting a young woman throughout the novel. With a sneak peek at the end of the novel into book two, When the Scoundrel Sins, it is actually brother Quinton who gets a chance at love. I’m excited to see where Harrington is going with this series and what is in store for the entire Carlisle family.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This is the first book in Anna Harrington's new trilogy about the Carlisle brothers. I will say I am a big fan of Anna Harrington's other series and I am so happy she has started writing another series. I cant wait for book 2 of the series. I really enjoyed Miranda's determination to marry Robert Carlisle and she takes action on her own even if it ended up not working out. Sebastian is fun considering what happened at the beginning. I could not even put the book down I stayed up late to finish.

Miranda a woman who knows who she wants. Or does she? Sebastian a Duke looking for a proper Duchess but who wants Miranda, the niece of his tenant farmer.

A tried and true trope, but with Ms. Harringtons' delightful spin on it! I couldn't put it down

I really LOVED this book for most of it. This is the story of three brothers with this first book about Sebastien, the oldest brother who becomes Duke on his fathers death 2 years before. The night of his fathers death he was with an actress and so he is ashamed that he missed saying goodbye to his father while with a woman he would not approve of. So for the past two years he has tried to live a life his father would be proud off.

Miranda is the niece of a tenant on his land. She also runs the orphanage. She is 24 and Sebestiens mother wants to give her a London season. Meanwhil Miranda is in love with Sebastien's brother, Robert and has a scheme get him to fall for her. But her plan hits a Sebastien snag and she ends up with Seb instead.

Nothing happens except a little touching and a kiss but thats how Seb and Miranda end up attracted to each other. I loved watching those two dance around each other in London. Seb is also there to find a wife, a duchess his father will be proud off.

I mostly LOVED this book. For most of it, it was sexy, sweet and very romantic. BUT I had 3 issues with the book and they were pretty big.

The first issue is Robert. He and Miranda are supposed to be friends. Friends enough that she has a thing for him. But he barely talks to her, and she him and they don't know each other at all. I really couldn't figure out why Miranda liked him and why she picked him. It made zero sense.

My second issue is tied into the third. When Seb takes Miranda's virginity he swears over and over he will NEVER marry her. They are wonderful together but he feels she is way below him in class and his father would never approve and she is in the same class as a bar maid. But he has no problem having lots of sex with her and having her spend the night over and over and yet he does not respect her and refuses to marry her.

My third issue is if she is as good as a barmaid or servant, then why on earth introduce her to society in London. Yes she is a wonderful person, yes you want to help her but to introduce her around when you think she is of the lower class, well that made no sense.

All in all I ended up enjoying the book. But I HATED how Seb treated Miranda and it took away from my love of their romance. In teh end he finally comes to his senses and I really wanted Miranda to punish him and instead she agrees to marry him. UGH! He was such a jerk to her.

What’s it About? A case of mistaken identity lands Miranda Hodgkins in the wrong Carlisle’s bedroom on the night of a masquerade party. All she’s ever wanted was for Robert Carlisle to see her as a woman and not the little girl who used to run wild with him and his brothers. Instead she’s mortified to find out that the man she’s “seducing” is Sebastian Carlisle, the Duke of Trent and Robert’s older brother. Sebastian on the other hand is shocked but quickly makes a deal with Miranda, he will help her win Robert if she helps him find the perfect wife. Of course, the more Sebastian tries to help Miranda, the more he wants to keep her for himself.




Describe the hero in five words: Serious. Passionate. Kind. Selfless. Devoted.

Did you like him? I fell in love with him.

Why? Sebastian was stead fast in his love for his family and loyal to them to the point where he was ready to choose duty over love. Sebastian never minded Miranda being included in his family’s plans nor did he have any problem with her marrying one of his brothers. His objection came from his wanting her, the dukedom, and what he thought were his father’s wishes for him. I couldn’t fault Sebastian’s determination to do what he thought was best for his family at the cost of his happiness. I loved this guy even when he was being a knucklehead.


Describe the heroine in five words: Lively. Passionate. Giving. Sweet. Intelligent.

Did you like her? Yes.

Why? It was her spirit that first got me. Miranda is a spirited character. She was so full of life and had this huge desire to help those who needed help but at the same time she didn’t take anyone’s crap. She didn’t do pity parties and she didn’t do manipulation. I loved how open she was and how she was brave enough to put herself out there so that hopefully she could show the man she wanted who she really was as a person. When she found herself falling for Sebastian she didn’t try and trick or manipulate him, she just showed him who she was. It was her personality that did the rest. I couldn’t help but be “Team Miranda” throughout the whole book. Yes, she had her silly moments but I never felt like she was a character that was trying too hard to be likable. She simply was likable.



How convincing were the main characters as a couple? Anna Harrington has a talent for creating dashing heroes who also have good hearts and heroines with iron wills and the smarts to keep the heroes guessing. Sebastian and Miranda didn’t seem like the obvious couple given that he was so serious and duty minded and she was more exuberant and fun. I loved that there wasn’t a romantic history between the two and that it was a case of mistaken identity that made them take notice of each other. The gradual build up of the chemistry between them felt natural and real to me which made the romance believable and most importantly, they had me cheering for them. In the end these two balanced each other out beautifully.



Is there a “Scooby Gang” worth mentioning? Sebastian’s brothers Robert and Quinn pop out here and there but they weren’t really around much. Most of the attention was placed on Sebastian and Miranda and their growing attraction to one another. I thought I would mind not having them around more but with the romance being so good I didn’t notice until the end that the brothers didn’t have much page time. Their sister Josie has some page time and so does Emily Grey, the heroine of Along Came a Rogue.



How “Lost” did you get in the story? I got totally lost in If the Duke Demands. From the very first page I felt like I was being personally invited to peek into the lives of the Carlisle family and by the end I felt like a lifelong friend of the family. If the Duke Demands is the kind of book I want to lose myself in and get a book hangover from.


Click It or Skip It? Click It. Click It for you. For your friends. For a stranger… This is a sigh worthy romance with a reluctant duke and a lively young lady that will leave romance fans more than satisfied.

A LESSON IN SEDUCTION . . .

Miranda Hodgkins has only ever wanted one thing: to marry Robert Carlisle. And she simply can't wait a moment longer. During the Carlisle family masquerade ball, Miranda boldly sneaks into his bedchamber with seduction on her mind. Soon she's swept into rock-hard arms for the most breathtaking kiss of her life. But when the masks come off, she's horrified to find herself face-to-face with Sebastian, the Duke of Trent-Robert's formidable older brother.

Shocked to find Miranda in his bed, Sebastian quickly offers her a deal to avoid scandal: He'll help her win his brother's heart if she'll find him the perfect wife. But what begins as a simple negotiation soon spirals out of control. For the longer this reformed rake tries to make a match for Miranda, the more he wants to keep her all to himself.

Miranda believes herself in love with Robert Carlisle. He kissed her when she was 14 years old and she’s been completely infatuated with him ever since. The night of a masquerade ball at the Carlisle home she asks a footman to tell her which room belongs to the man dressed as a panther. She heads to his room when the ball is over and when he comes in it’s all she dreamed it would be – until she finds out that the masked man isn’t Robert but his older brother, Sebastian. She’s mortified and can’t figure out how she could have made a mistake until she realizes that by a twist of fate Sebastian and Robert had decided to switch costumes.

The Carlisle family decides to sponsor Miranda for a season. When Sebastian’s father died 2 years prior she had been such a great help and had continued to that day. Despite Sebastian’s misgivings he agrees but when he tells Miranda this info she comes up with a plan (not Sebastian as it says in the blurb). She can help Sebastian find a wife (as she’s privy to info in the retiring rooms) and he can help put her close to Robert so that she can finally get him to notice her as a woman, and not just a pesky neighbor girl.

The plan woks to a point but unfortunately Robert doesn’t notice her at all and she finally realizes that he probably never will. Sebastian has a list of women that are proper but try as he might he can’t quite get excited about any of them. He finds himself thinking about Miranda much too often and when he finally lets himself act on his desires he finds himself a happy, happy man. Unfortunately no matter how he thinks and feels about Miranda he can never marry her as he promised his father before he died that he’d find a proper wife and a farm girl doesn’t qualify.

This was my first time reading one of Anna Harrington’s books and I’m glad I took the chance. I found If the Duke Demands to be fun, touching, emotional and sexy.

Miranda’s character was written so that we were led to believe that she was a bit of a clutz. A person who gets herself into trouble – mostly unwittingly – but trouble nonetheless. Despite being told these things I didn’t actually find her to be either trouble or a clutz. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. She’d had a crush on Robert and when she realized that he might offer for another woman took it upon herself to prove to him that she was all woman. It really wasn’t her fault that Sebastian and Robert changed costumes and she pointed out the wrong man. Miranda proved to have a strength of character that I admired. She spoke her mind and had fun with life which was awesome and obviously attracted Sebastian.

Sebastian was a good man who was stuck in what he thought was a horrible quandary. He fell in love with Miranda, body and soul, but no matter how much he wanted her he couldn’t let his father down and marry someone that wasn’t a member of the ton. I thought he was a bit of a bastard at times – mostly when he was acting the part of the stuffy Duke - but he was always honest with Miranda – it was she who seemed to read things into his comments and actions and I couldn’t fault Sebastian for that. I was happy that someone finally sat down and made him see that his thinking was a bit skewed so that the H/h got their HEA.

I very much enjoyed Harrington’s writing. She pulled me and had me turning page after page wanting to know what was going to happen next. I didn’t particularly care for the other Carlisle brothers, Robert and Quinton but as this book was so good I’ll definitely pick their books up when they are released.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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