This has all the necessary ingredients for a thoroughly enjoyable romance: handsome, unmarried duke; lovely damsel in distress; a roller coaster of emotions as they each try to figure out their own and the other's feelings; scoundrels waiting to spoil the happiness; catty women; and a happy ending.

I enjoyed this book it was full of twist and turns which for me is a great thing. The two main characters are childhood friends of a sort and in love with each other but neither knows it. The Duke Andrew loves Lady Clara and will do anything to protect her. You will love this story and it’s HEA. I received this book for review via NetGalley.

This had a great setup, a promising story, and I really thought I would like this book. However, there were too many things that were off about the book that kept me from enjoying it. There was little to no explanation of the history between Andrew and Clara, which leaves the reader extremely confused. They kept giving subtle hints, when we really needed a paragraph or two of explanation. Then Clara kept saying how he broke her heart all those years ago - huh?? And if he did break her heart, how could she not know how his parents died? If you love someone and have supposedly known them a long time, this seems like something you would know. This coupled with the odd personality of Clara, and I was turned off. There was one innuendo which was just so weird and out of character - mounting, and I'll say no more - that ruined many scenes. She kept thinking he was just like her brother, based on him yelling at his siblings for trying to ROB a man at GUNPOINT, as if that is some how equivalent to her brother knocking her unconscious after she went to a ball without permission. Girl, please. HAVE some sense.

Well written book with great storyline and plot. A sweet book that has a great romance. The story is true to it's time period and the language is also. I like when an author has made research about the time period they want to write the story in. Sometimes it was a very heavy read because it lacks depth in some parts but absolutely worth the time.

There is drama, family issues, passion, emotions and some twists. I like the supporting characters. It has a slow start but it gets better within the first 3-4 chapters. The epilogue is most welcomed.

Nice chemistry and passion. I like the main characters and how they develop. The story flows nicely and it is very captivating from first to last chapter. The author has delivered a story that is worth the read!

I voluntarily reviewed this Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

A new author for me. I must say I truly enjoyed this story. It kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. The characters (there are a bunch..more on that later) are entertaing and lively. The plot line is full of mystery, intrigue, and shocking surprises. There was definitely quite a bit going on with this story and I must say it didn't bother me at all. With every twist and every turn, the author always kept every thing in sync, She does an excellent job keeping the flow going and every character seemed perfectly placed. The hero and heroine are descriptive and fun. And ALL of the secondary characters become just as intimate to the reader as the main due. I am thoroughly looking forward to reading the next book and more by This author.

First, I would like to say I love the Macalister family and the way each of them stand out in their own way. I can't tell you how many times I thought I would love to read so and so's story (Luke!). Andrew and Clara's relationship was a bit whiplash like. I understand she had issues with trust but she really seemed strong one second and then wimpy the next over it. The book received a three rating from me because of the length. It could have been a bit shorter and it would have helped with the flow of the story. The pace would be going very steady and then we get a bit of narrative that just seemed drawn out. I received an ebook at no charge for which I voluntarily provided an honest review.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley.

Yay, a new historical romance! Or not...

This story is overly dramatic enough to cause multiple eye rolls. There is shocking domestic violence. I finished this but have no desire to read it again. I had high expectations from the cover.

I thought that there was a confusing amount of characters. The treatment of the heroine wasn't consistent.

She sneaks to a ball (no details as to how she arrived), dances, yet is given the cut direct by most. Then she is verbally attacked by a young lady by being called a prostitute to her face (why wasn't it harlot or whore instead?). The duke comes over and backs her up. I had issues with that whole scene and it goes similarly through the story. Drama ensues and I just wanted it to end. Then the hero's motives are revealed and I was done.

This book is a good read for when you want something simple but intriguing to read. This is the type of book I would recommend to customers who say they are going on vacation and want something to read along the way. The plot is simple but engaging enough that you want to continue reading.

I enjoy reading historical romances and this one was one of the best ones I had read in a while. I absolutely fell in love with the story.

Duke of Dreams

So I was offer the chance to read this book first, through NetGalley
It’s actually my first book by this author and I was not deceived
This is a Historical Romance Novel Based out of London in the high society of the time.
This Story is about Andrew Macalister and Clara Masson

Andrew Macalister, often regarded as the Stone Duke of Bradstone. He dislikes facing those around him who only see him for his title, and has given up on a chance to live a normal life. That is, until he spots Lady Clara Masson across the ballroom. Clara's twin sister is the woman who infamously jilted Andrew at the altar five years ago, but little does Clara know, Andrew had been smitten with her since childhood, and he finds her presence a ray of sunshine in a dreary dukedom.

When Clara's life is threatened by her evil brother, Johnathan, Andrew must do the only thing he can think of to save her: propose marriage. Between Clara's trust issues and Andrew's battle with societal norms, two find romance under dangerous circumstances.
All in all this Story is great and awesome. Nice Plot which even though I tried, I did not find out what it was before the end. I hadn’t red historical books in a long time and this one reminded me why I love those so Much. I will be sure to keep an eye out on that author. I really would love to read more about those Macalister

So a big 4 Stars :)

This is a lovely little romance about a young woman, Lady Clara, whose life isn’t as wonderful as all that. She lives with her ogre of a brother and isn’t invited many places as she has a slightly tarnished reputation, although not as a result of anything she has ACTUALLY done. Clara attends a huge party one evening, against her older brother’s wishes, and runs into the party’s host, Andrew, who is now a Duke, but as children, he was her friend.
This meeting turns into an evening that is filled with dancing, and banter, and simple pleasures. It also sets off a chain of events that involve intrigue, action, danger, and changes Clara’s future.
This is a terrific story, with a host of colorful well written characters who I do believe have future stories of their own. ( I certainly HOPE so!) The two main characters have longing and heat between them, and the HEA is sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book to romance readers who enjoy a bit of excitement with their romance.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

About: Andrew Macalister, oft regarded as the Stone Duke of Bradstone, hates his annual birthday ball tradition. He dislikes facing those around him who only see him for his title, and has given up on a chance to live a normal life. That is, until he spots Lady Clara Masson across the ballroom. Clara's twin sister is the woman who infamously jilted Andrew at the altar five years ago, but little does Clara know, Andrew had been smitten with her since childhood, and he finds her presence a ray of sunshine in a dreary dukedom.

When Clara's life is threatened by her evil brother, Johnathan, Andrew must do the only thing he can think of to save her: propose marriage. Between Clara's trust issues and Andrew's battle with societal norms, two find romance under dangerous circumstances.

Review: At the beginning of this book, I thought to myself "Wow this is a fast paced book I love it!!" then once I read more it slowed down a lot. I liked that the book started out quickly, but I didn't like how much it slowed down, I almost lost interest a couple of times. In the end the book was a treat to read.

I loved both main characters, Clara seemed like a very strong independent woman that had been hurt all through her life. The way she dealt with people and their hurtful remarks surprised me, most people would have crumbled but she stayed as strong as ever. Andrew irritated me at the beginning, he acted like he would marry Clara no matter what she wanted. The farther I read into the book the more I started to realize Andrew had just had a hard time in his life, that is why he was "The Stone Duke". I loved all of Andrew's siblings however Norah did irritate me just a little, I know she was raised to be in polite society but her attitude was still terrible.

The story line itself was really good, I loved the plot and how everything worked into the story. Like I said at the beginning the only thing that I hated was how the book went fast in the beginning and then slowed down so much I almost couldn't finish it. I think the author did great with this story, I didn't really notice any grammar or spelling errors. I would recommend this book to friends for sure.

I gave the book 4 stars due to the reasons posted above.

The Perfect Duchess follows the story of Andrew, a Duke who dislikes anything that has to do with social gatherings, especially the ball that is organized every year for his birthday. Nobody sees him for who he truly is and he must do what is expected of him, in order to keep up appearances. So, when he is seen courting Clara, a social pariah, rumors start circulating about their history. Because, ladies and gentlemen, Clara's twin sister left Andrew waiting at the altar five years ago and of course, never showed up to marry him. When Clara's life is obviously in danger because of her psycho brother who used to be friends with Andrew, he makes a proposition that Clara cannot resist. Because it's everything she'd been dreaming of since the first time she saw him. And it's the only thing that can help them both and keep her safe.

I'm a sucker for Historical Romance and I genuinely expected to love The Perfect Duchess. Don't get me wrong. The premise had a lot of potential and I immensely enjoyed the beginning and ending of the novel. The middle part though felt a bit all over the place and the characters went along with it, as did their development. The first couple of chapters promised a lot, which was not met by the rest, even halfway through. (Way of thinking in Greek, fingers crossed it'll actually make sense translated)Which basically means that, after being introduced to the story, I had relatively high expectation for what would follow.

One of my biggest problems with the book was Andrew's behavior. His hot and cold moments with Clara were extremely tiring and confusing. Add frustrating to the list and there you have it! Clara was a bit better at handling her feelings but, her way of thinking left me completely speechless at times. Also, there were a lot of inconsistencies throughout the book and the plot itself felt very rushed. It was like the author wanted to include a number of topics and somehow, cram them into three hundred and something pages without explanations that made complete sense.

I really liked the plot twists and the fact that they existed in the first place, because they're not really common in Historical Romance novels but, I feel like they were ''quantity over quality''. They were not developed well enough to be considered part of the actual plot and consistent with how it progressed. Too much information is such a small amount of chapters is overwhelming, to say the least and losing sight of the story is inevitable. I really think that if the author had handled them differently and not rushed through them in order to get it done and over it, this book would've been so much more enjoyable than it ended up being. Because they were extremely unpredictable and mind blowing, I just think their poor development ruined the excitement of their existence in the book. As for the action, the majority of it took place towards the last couple of chapters that felt very rushed and underdeveloped as well.

Something that I did enjoy was the representation of society in the book itself, because it gave us a glimpse at how petty people behaved back then. Having Clara upsetting them with the way she stood up for herself and held her head high throughout the book, was truly satisfying! I would've done the same thing myself! Add her happily ever after added to their scorn, which was quite delightful, let's be real. I love the portrayal of strong willed heroines at such setting and this one was definitely no exception!

Overall, the development of the book in general didn't really sit well with me because of how underdeveloped it clearly was. The writing wasn't great either and the romance aspect frustrated me after it started getting inconsistent and confusing. It had a lot of potential as a story but, it wasn't taken advantage of.

I was excited to read this book and was very intrigued by the summary. The story was well written and I loved seeing the Macalister siblings interact. Unfortunately I did not finish the book completely, as the romance did not stay clean. I just couldn't force myself to finish, although the story had my attention. I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first few chapters then skimmed a few. I read to finish just to see how everything and everyone fare in the end.

The vitriol of the despicable secondary character, Jonathan, is staggering. He became the be-all and end-all of the story!

Conflict and resolution are the components of my fictional romance. I appreciate the suspense/mystery element. But utterly loathsome characters which became the focus of the narrative is disconcerting. They exist in other genres but should not be in my romance reads.

This is my honest opinion of the eGalley copy from the publisher.

In the first book, we are given a tease of the Duke and the Duchess, and the second book The Perfect Duchess is their story. Andrew, the Duke, is smitten by the twin sister of the woman who jilted him at the altar. There are too many questions unanswered and the book meanders through a maze trying to unravel secrets. There is intrigue and romance. There is the moment when you know who the villain is, but you want to know more – the why, the how, and the what for’s.

I enjoyed reading both these books; they were quick and easy reads. Just perfect for the holiday weekend! Both, A Suitable Affair and The Perfect Duchess, can be read as a standalone, but you will want to know what happens to the Macalister bunch anyway!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I just love this story. Ms. Taylor has created two really wonderful heroes. Andrew is strong, because he's had to be strong. Clara is strong, because otherwise she would be lost. This story has twists and turns...just when you think you know what's happening, something changes. It has a host of wonderful supporting characters. I hope that Ms. Taylor is going to tell us their stories too. My heart did hurt for Andrew for quite a bit of the story. He is the man everyone depends on. I don't want to tell you their story, you need to read it for yourself. You will cherish it. I was given a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review...and I honestly recommend it!

The Perfect Duchess (The Macalisters, #2)
by Erica Taylor
A definite buy book!
From page one to the end, I laughed, smiled, got irritated and just rooted for the heroine and the hero. At times I became a little too involved and felt like I was standing there with them! One thing I must say about this author, she has a way of getting to my emotions. She is definitely talented and I cannot help but look for more of her writing. I was completely engaged in this story so enjoy! I was given this book in return for an honest review. Anna Swedenmom

I loved this book. I love to read historical romances, and added mystery is even better! The main character, Clara, is relatable and loveable. The dynamics of the hero's family add depth. I had a hard time putting the book down and stayed up way too late reading and rooting for Andrew and Clara!

This book is just not interesting. The characters are not dynamic, the language is too modern, and the entire setup in the first 10% of the story is just annoying. Poorly written and developed from onset.