Elizabeth and her sister are sent to a house party with the express intent that one or both of them will find a husband. Elizabeth would rather spend her time in the manor's extensive library. The Duke is avoiding the ladies of the house party and his sister's goal to get him married off. Elizabeth and Julian forge a friendship that can't go any further for many reasons. Despite what is stacked against them will they find a way? It was a joy to read as Elizabeth and Julian worked out a way to be together with secondary characters that also lit up the pages.

Grace Burrowes’ No Other Duke Will Do is book three in the Windham Brides series. I really wanted to like this story, and for the most part, I really did.

Elizabeth Windham finds herself at a house party for Julian, the Duke of Haverford. She has come along as her little sister’s companion, but over the course of a few days, she forms an attachment to the duke. But Julian doesn’t a need a wife yet, and there are a few other things to take care of first.

So, let me start by saying that there’s a lot going on in this book. I read it as a standalone, but there are a lot of characters at play. I think it would have been better to start at the beginning of the series. As it was, it took me a while to match names with faces.

Julian is a bit of an odd duck, and I loved him for it. He’s got such a unique sense of humor, and I did the snort-laugh through most of it. He's also got TWO awesome libraries (be still my heart!) Elizabeth comes in and shakes up Julian’s determination to side-step matrimony. Elizabeth has a forward nature, and Julian just doesn't see her coming.

I love witty dialogue, and there’s so much of it here! Almost too much. I felt a lot of time was focused on discussion such as this—a repartee back and forth—that I was so focused on the words and less on the feeling evoked from them. I just wasn’t feeling it, and as such, my mind started drifting, and the pacing began to drag.

That, and there’s a bunch of storylines going on. I just wanted to focus on Julian and Elizabeth.
I did greatly enjoy Julian’s brother, Griffin, however. I also liked that the story really gets into the nitty-gritty of the time period. The limitations on the sexes and the limitations of their positions in society.

Those pluses couldn’t outweigh the many side plots for me. But if you like more than one romance going on and like digging into the lives of a well-rounded cast (think Jan Karon), then I think you should definitely give this a try. There’s a lot here to give satisfaction.

3 stars.

Review: Historical romance has a special place in my heart because to me the time period of the 1800’s represents romance to me. I think because of the dresses, petticoats, hats, gloves, and the use of calling cards. To me that signifies an era that will always remain a mystery and is somehow romantic.

With the good comes the bad, as women had no rights, women had to get married or they were deemed “old maids”. Also, if a person were among the wealthy and titled set, they were doing well and they didn’t have to work. If a person was not part of that peerage, then they had to work long hard hours doing manual, menial labor.

The book for this review is the third in the Windham Brides series. I was able to follow the plot of the book without having read the other books, so reading the books prior is not necessary in order to enjoy this book.

The two main protagonists in this book, Julian St. David, and Elizabeth were among the peerage, but they were both very likable characters. They both were lonely and didn’t realize they were looking for their mate, as they were both happy living a single life. They both are reserved and are not outgoing, but possess kind gentle hearts that are willing to help other people. I really liked that they both possessed that quality, as I think it will make them stronger as a couple.

I also liked the secondary characters Lady Glenys and Lord Radnor, and Griffin and Biddy, as they added to the entertainment factor, and they were also characters that are very likable. I found Griffin, and Radnor very charming, and Glenys and Biddy to be sweet, but they have a spine of steel when necessary. Also, I really liked that they got a happy ending as well. They were well developed characters who helped move the story along, and were pleasant to get to know and read about.

I love that Julian and Elizabeth have flaws, are willing to admit their flaws, and love each other anyway. That is realistic and what true love is all about.

If historical romance is something that the reader enjoys, then check this book out.

Reviewed by Lori for Romancing the Book

No Other Duke Will Do is an absolute delight. The hero and heroine, Julian St. David, Duke of Haverford and Elizabeth Windham meet and fall in love at a house party held at Castle Haverford. He is responsible, caring and honorable. He is also deeply in debt left to him by his father and grandfather. He has one of the grandest libraries in the kingdom, also left to him by his father and grandfather. She is the oldest of four sisters who are the nieces of Percival Windham, Duke of Moreland. She and her sister Charlotte are at the party ostensibly to find husbands, although neither will be disappointed if they don’t. She is kind, caring, and loves books. The books provide a common interest and the beginning to a beautiful story, one that starts with friendship and becomes so much more.

While the hero and heroine are a strong engaging couple, they are not alone. Friends and family who love and support them, and make the story entertaining, humorous – complete, surround them. I particularly liked the girls’ Aunt Arabella, Julian’s bother Griffin, and Lord Radnor. They provided more than a touch of wisdom and humor to the story. However, there is a villain. Lucas Sherbourne, whose family has held St. David family notes for several generations, is determined to ruin Julian because doesn’t approve of a mining plan for the area. The story is set in the lush rolling hills of Wales. The descriptions of which make you feel you are there. What Sherbourne needs is a good smack on the back of the head. What Julian needs is a way to appease Sherbourne and relieve his debt. Several solutions are suggested. Which will be chosen?

In the end what we have here is, as the song says, just an old fashion love song, exactly what you expect from Grace Burrowes. She does not disappoint. I am looking forward to the next book.

No Other Duke Will Do is the third book in Grace Burrowes’ Windham Brides series of historical romance novels. This is only the second book of hers that I have read, but she is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

Julian St. David is the Duke of Haverford. The family seat is in Wales, where he is quite content to remain. However, the estate has fallen into financial ruin, mostly because his predecessors cared more about spending money on rare books than maintaining the estate. Despite this- or perhaps because of this- Julian’s sister suggests throwing a lavish house party so that Julian can find a wife.

Elizabeth Windham is not an heiress, nor is she particularly looking for a husband, but she finds herself drawn to Julian. Likewise, Julian realizes that there is no one he would rather spend time with. But is attraction and infatuation enough to sustain them beyond the length of the house party?

This was an adorable book. I love historicals that take place at house parties; there’s something so uniquely charming about being confined to a single location. The house party takes place over the course of several weeks; it’s rather short in the grand scheme of things, but it’s not quite falling in love over the course of a single evening. The house is also big enough for everyone to be spread out, and there are actually a couple of secondary storylines taking place as well. I have already been introduced to the Windham family because I’ve read the second book in the series, so it was very nice to get to meet the St. David family as well.

Julian and Elizabeth are a great pair. They are both resigned to the idea that their relationship is not going to be sustainable, and so they resolve to make the most of their time together during the house party. I found myself really rooting for them to get their happily ever after.

I would absolutely recommend No Other Duke Will Do. The hero and heroine are both likeable, and the secondary characters are lovely too. Burrowes sets up the next book in the series very well, although I must say that she has her work cut out for her because the hero in the next book was a bit of a bounder in this one. I’m already looking forward to the next book- everyone loves a good redemption story!


I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic! A great addition to the Windham Brides series.

I totally enjoyed the interactions of Julian and Elizabeth. He's an impoverished duke, and thinks he must marry for money even though that's distasteful. His sister, Glenys, throws a huge house party and invites many single women as well as single men, as she has to marry soon as well, else be totally on the shelf. The Windham sisters, Elizabeth and Charlotte, are invited. Elizabeth soon attracts the attention of Julian -- and the attention is very much reciprocated. Many ups-and-downs happen before the two decide that no one else will do for either one of them.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley.

Julian St. David, twelfth Duke of Haverford, age 36, is feeling grouchy as he chats with his good friend, the Marquess of Radnor. Julian’s sister, Lady Glenys, has planned a house party at their estate, Haverford Castle, in Wales. Her plan is to find a wife for Julian and he wants nothing to do with that as he is not yet ready to marry. He feels that the Dukedom cannot afford a Duchess as yet. As he has inherited debts from previous Dukes over the years, he needs to earn more money before he can properly support a Duchess. However, he does think that Glenys should find a husband and decides to invite some bachelors to the party for her.

Charlotte Windham is traveling to the house party and moaning about the terrible roads in Wales. The ale she drank at lunch at an inn has caused her to be ill several times. Traveling with her is Elizabeth Windham, her sister, and their aunt, Lady Pembroke. Upon arrival at the castle, Lord Radnor solicitously carries Charlotte to her room.

When Julian greets Elizabeth, they both laugh and assure one another that they are not there to find a spouse. Airing that fact, they both feel more comfortable together. However, Lord Radnor thinks they would be the perfect couple.

Master Griffin is Julien’s younger brother who also lives on the estate. A difficult birth left him a bit slow but he is a kind and happy young man. The first night of the house party, Griffin goes missing so a group heads out to look for him where they find him safe. Elizabeth and Julian climb the hill hand in hand which they both enjoy.

The story follows the different conversations that Julian and Elizabeth share, as well as those that Charlotte has with Lord Radnor. We learn how the generations of Haverford dukes have acquired an enormous number of books leaving no monies for other necessities.

I did not really care for this story because the dialogue was simply boring to me. The plot is good but getting the story told seemed to drag. However, I’m sure other readers will enjoy this book by this well-known author.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Julian is a duke but poor as a church mouse. His father, grand-father and great-grandfather had spent the family fortunes on books. Books! He finds himself hating books and all the many libraries in his home! He just wishes they would have invested in something that would have brought in an income instead of throwing them into possible poverty. He is barely hanging on financially and has been cutting costs whenever possible. His sister, not realizing how much a house party costs, nor how dire the family's financial problem are, plans one and invites a ton of eligible ladies and their chaperones. Of course Julian doesn’t want the house party but if his sister’s going to invite eligible ladies then Julian is going to invite eligible bachelors for his sister. In the end the amount of people who show up at Julian’s is astounding. Not only that but the party is three weeks long!

Elizabeth is a spinster who is there for her sister. She never imagines that she’ll meet the duke and actually like him. She does, though, and loves his incredibly stocked libraries as well. Elizabeth has a bit of money in her dowry, but nothing like what Julian needs to save his family. While Julian becomes more entranced by Elizabeth every day, and they soon begin a physical relationship, they both know that Julian must marry for money. It breaks their hearts but those are the facts. They decide to enjoy the time they have together and try to ignore their breaking hearts.

This was a wonderful story. I very much enjoyed reading about Elizabeth and Julian and their relationship. How they got together, where it went, the ease of their friendship – it was lovely. I also thought that the whole book situation with Julian was quite novel (snort) and I enjoyed the premise of the book.

The secondary characters were almost as intriguing as the H/h. The villain, Radnor, was a bit of a bastard and needed someone to teach him some honor. Elizabeth’s sister, Glenys, was a crack up and made me laugh. And then there was Julian’s brother, Griffin, who almost stole the show. He was developmentally delayed but his interactions with Elizabeth as well as those in his household warmed my heart. He was such a good person. Burrowes did a great job writing him.

Overall this was a great book and one I’d recommend. I haven’t read the first two books in this series but this one stands alone so don’t feel you need to read those in order to pick this one up.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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the third book in the windham brides series, no other duke will do, focusses on eldest sister, elizabeth. caught in a compromising position by a fortune hunter, her family has sent her to a house party with the sole objective of marrying her off. but she isn't looking for marriage. she wants her independence, at least she says she does. elizabeth is pretty much an ideal lady. polite, well-bred, intelligent, but mainly she is excellent at navigating social situations in a way that ensures that no one is offended. her cause celebre is lending libraries.

so it is kind of perfect that this house party is being held at the duke of haverford's welsh estate and he has a magnificent library. his forefathers actually spent their lifetimes bankrupting the estate for books and documents and curiosities. but in spite of his precarious financial situation his sister decides it's past time for him to marry so she invites the most eligible prospective wives of the season to the ducal estate for a three-week house party.

from the moment haverford and lady elizabeth meet they are drawn to each other. but julian doesn't have the budget to include a duchess in his life for another eight years. he has no intention of entangling himself the way he does with elizabeth, at least not until she reveals that she's given up her virtue already. this doesn't bother him in the least except for the fact that her experiences left her thinking that she really didn't understand what all the fuss about sex was about.

needless to say once julian and elizabeth get things on, her opinion about sex does a one-eighty. the real source of conflict between these two is the fact that julian is on the brink of penury. but since he also happens to be sitting on an immense library filled with valuable treasures it's only a matter of time before he figures things out. the villain of the piece, his neighbor lucas sherbourne is jerk, but it's pretty clear that he's already being rehabilitated to be the hero in the next book as he has an interesting connection with charlotte, elizabeth's younger sister and the one windham bride who has yet to find a husband.

4.5 Stars

Elizabeth "Bethan" Windham has been out for ten seasons, and has not found a man she could love or esteem enough to want to marry. Since two of her sisters have recently wed, her parents and other relatives are even more anxious for her to find a suitable spouse and settle down. Elizabeth is just biding her time until she can safely be classified a spinster, and has no plans to marry. She is, however, dutifully attending a house party, along with her remaining single sister, Charlotte, and her aunt, who is acting as chaperone.

Julian St. David, Duke of Haverford, inherited his title and estates along with a mountain of debt and no cash. He has been working tirelessly to provide a fair living for those under his jurisdiction, which has left him unable to reduce his own debt, caused by generations of previous dukes pouring all available funds into purchasing books for the Haverford library. To make matters worse, Julian's sister, Glenys, has planned a large house party, where she hopes Julian will find a wife. Julian is determined he cannot marry any time in the foreseeable future because of his dire financial status.

Julian and Elizabeth share a rapport almost from their initial meeting. Elizabeth candidly tells the duke that she has no designs on him, and he, in turn, lets her know that he is not searching for a bride. With those obstacles out of the way, this couple begins to just enjoy each other's company. In fact, they enjoy being together so much that their liking becomes attraction. At first, there are no strings, but soon they long for strings and for forever, as their passion has led to love. Julian's situation is so bad that even Elizabeth's sizable dowry would not cancel his debts, and he refuses to let her give up her whole future security.

Julian is lonely and longs to marry and start a family, but he's a victim of a situation that's not of his making. He is honorable in trying to protect Elizabeth's future while his own heart is breaking. He's a wonderful man with the burden of the world on his shoulders. It's so sad for Elizabeth, too, who has finally found a man she can love, but they seem destined not to have a future together.

I love the pacing of NO OTHER DUKE WILL DO, and how this couple's relationship develops quickly, but believably. Grace Burrowes includes little everyday details in the story that add so much charm and warmth. There are other characters whose simultaneous stories are captivating, and I guarantee that Julian's brother, Griffin, will steal your heart. There is an odious villain, who reminds me of George Warleggen from the current PBS Poldark series, but apparently he may be on the road to redemption. NO OTHER DUKE WILL DO is my favorite of the Windham Brides series, and has all the qualities I love in a romance. I heartily recommend this engaging and satisfying read.

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't get into it. The pace was too slow for me.

My favorite trait of author Grace Burrowes is that whether dabbling in suspense, bursting with atomic attraction or stepping into the throws of ecstasy, she never takes herself too seriously. There is just enough of the fantasy to captivate and entertain. No Other Duke Will Do spins a tale of friendship and seduction that starts with a relationship of convenience. Elizabeth and Julian are the stars of a cast of characters that look to charm their way into the heart as easily as they set up residence in the mind.

Publisher's Description:

Julian, Duke of Haverford, is barely keeping his handsome head above water amid a sea of inherited debts. His sister, Lady Glenys, decides to throw a house party Julian can ill afford in hopes of finding an heiress for him to marry. Julian tries to turn this disaster into opportunity by inviting every well-heeled bachelor in the realm, because Lady Glenys is also in want of a spouse.

Elizabeth Windham is among the guests at the Haverford house party, though her goal is to elude matchmaking from any quarter. Julian and Elizabeth are attracted, however, despite meddling siblings, financial woes, and gossips lurking behind every potted palm. Just as Julian and Elizabeth realize that they can snatch true love from the jaws of duty, Julian’s difficulties become ruinous. Which will it be? True love or true disaster?

My Thoughts:
I loved this well written and poignant as well as humorous book.
Grace Burrowes has taken tragic circumstances and a handsome, if a bit stodgy Duke and a decidedly on the shelf daughter of a Duke and paired them in spite of their reluctance to find a happily ever after.
With Julian's worry about his younger brother who suffered a brain injury at birth, a castle full to the rafters with a huge collection of books and more inherited debt than anyone could imagine, love and marriage seems hopeless.
Elizabeth has come to this house party to avoid matchmakers. Imagine her surprising attraction to Julian. An attraction that can lead no where.
Will Elizabeth and Julian be able to overcome all odds to make this unexpected love between them work?
I gave this somewhat convoluted story 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development and a sensual rating of 3.5 of 5.0 flames. The intimate scenes are not overtly descriptive but the heat between our hero and heroine is most certainly there none the less.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I liked Grace Burrowes books because they are sweet and the couples talk, a lot. I like that. These couple actually seem to get to know each other. I can believe them falling in love.

Elizabeth is getting closer to spinsterhood, not that she cares. She loves her books and you can still steal a kiss or two without being married. Elizabeth! I am shocked.

Julian may be a Duke, but he is poor as dirt. The only thing he has is books, so many books, so many many books. Dang those books, they ruined his family.

Booklover meet Duke with books (Duke who hates books.) A lovely house party where he and his sister should find love (and a party they can not afford).

There is also the villain, every story needs a villain, and I felt sorry for him the entire book. He was such an idiot and thought of ages old revenge. He needed someone to take him under his her wing and tell him how to behave. I also felt he needed to find love and a woman who can get him to see things. Cos he was not a bad guy, he was just without guidance.

Conclusion:
I enjoyed this story. I always do

Delightfully, refreshingly, deliciously different! I loved this book.

Both lead characters are very nice, very loving, very honorable – just very, very good people. They don’t have any deep, dark secrets. Both are honest and up-front about their issues and don’t try to hide those from the other. They actually talk with each other and even more miraculously – they listen to each other. They both have warm, loving, supportive and caring families. Now, I know some of you are groaning and saying – How boring – but it isn’t. It is a very good story.

I think the book is about actually ‘seeing’ another person. We interact with people every day – our boss, our friend, the clerk at the store, etc. but do we actually see them or just the title and what we ‘think’ they are. One of my favorite characters in this book is Griffin, Julian’s younger brother. In most stories, Griffin would be hidden away and kept secret, but Julian doesn’t do that. Julian and Griffin have a really special relationship that says so much about the person that Julian is.

We also have the required villain of the story. He’s out to ruin Julian because Julian is preventing him from getting something that he wants. We even watch the villain grow and evolve – actually to the point where I think he might just be the hero in the next, and final, book in the series. That book should be out in March of next year.

The one thing I missed was seeing more of the Windham cousins. They are always entertaining and I miss them. There really wasn’t much room for them in the story since it took place at a house party, but it would still have been nice to have a visit. Maybe they could have at least shown up at the auction or something.

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

This is Julian and Elizabeth’s story. It is the nexus one Moreland novel. She is from a noble and well connected family. He is the Duke of Haverland. He has a lot of debt. She is invited to his house party. They spend a lot of time together and fall in love. Can a indebted duke marry into this well connected family? I can’t wait for the next book.

Ms. Burrowes is a talented author and she has written another enjoyable book. I could understand Julian's feelings about the massive book collection that has bankrupted the dukedom. He's so honorable and hard working, it's not hard to love him. When he meets Elizabeth Windham, he's delighted to find a woman who can converse about more topics than the weather and shopping. It was delightful to watch their friendship and the feelings for each other grow. Now if Julian could just figure out how to stay one step ahead of ruin, it might have found his next duchess.

While there must always be a villain, I felt Mr. Sherbourne was someone who had never been taught the art of negotiation. He was bent on an ages-old revenge and couldn't see past it. Elizabeth's sister Charlotte, handled Mr. Sherbourne with deftness. I hope the next book is about them.

Burrowes has a genuine talent for writing romances and the Wyndham’s are the greatest example of her gift. While this installment about the third female cousin doesn’t have the mystery/suspense of the preceding offering, it nailed the genuineness of the characters and their emotions. I enjoyed the hero and heroine, but Griffin, the duke's brother, stole the show for me. Often treated like a child, he has an intellect, awareness and compassion that is actually enhanced because of his innocence. Though this same innocence has caused him to be victimized more than once, he remains kind, open and steadfast in his convictions and goodness.

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

This "Bride" book had some really nice moments, and overall, I did like all the characters. For me, what brought it down was the despair (that's how it felt for me) that the Duke had for his library. He acted like it was such an albatross around his neck. I just thought that was over-dramatic.

**Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.**

Julian is one swoon-worthy Duke!! Burrowes does not disappoint with the newest edition of the Windham Brides! I adored Elizabeth and her very independent personality. The dry wit between Julian and Elizabeth was exciting. Of course, the Duke of Moreland, makes his presence known in the best way possible ( I LOVE that guy!!) I can't wait to read Charlotte's story, her hero, well lets just say I loved to hate him in this one ;) They make the best hero's in their own books :)