This was a very enjoyable historical romance and one that I started to read before going to sleep. Needless to say that my dreams were quite pleasant for once.

I really must read the previous books in this series. There are many reviews giving one an insight about this book, that i really do not feel that it can add more to what has already been written. I do however recommend this book to all who enjoy a good historical fiction (Regency). I shall look forward to reading more by this author.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my advanced copy. This is my honest review.

I love Valerie Bowman's witty writing style. Her stories are always smart, the tone is humorous and light, with just the right amount of intrigue and the characters are well drawn. I believe this novel to be inferior to the other books I have read of hers, though. The first part is charming, with witty and sharp dialogue, the sparring between Nicole and Mark is such fun to read. But then everything changes, with a much darker turn of events and the plot begins to lose some of its appeal.

After many years in service to the Crown, General Mark Grimaldi has been offered the lofty position of Secretary of the Home Office. The promotion is well-deserved. For years, he has sacrificed everything for his job of master spy. There is a catch, though. To secure the position, he must be married. As it happens, Mark is already married. His estranged wife lives in France, where she has started a branch of the Bow Street Runners and assists the local police with solving crimes. In other words, she is a bounty hunter.

Nicole is an endearing heroine, she is quirky and unconventional, not at all a prim and proper lady. She knows Mark is smart, calculating, reckless and used to being in control. She is afraid to open up old emotions that will make her vulnerable. And yet, she accepts to play along, hoping they will achieve an honest and open relationship. It helps that Mark seems different. He isn’t forthcoming about his family and doesn’t want his family connection to be public knowledge. He is the grand-son of a Duke but the lack of family acceptance has marked his childhood.

Together Mark and Nicole make a wonderful couple whom bring out the best in each other, even when they find themselves investigating the murder of Mark’s cousin.

Overall, this was a nice read. Not my favorite historical romance, but still an endearing story of second chance when everything came together.

I’ve read a few of the previous books in this series and enjoyed them, as I enjoyed this one. My main issue with this book is an issue that I end up having with a good amount of romance novels, lack of communication. It frustrates me to no end when the hero and heroine in a novel waste (usually) years of their lives without their loved ones because of stubbornness and lack of proper communication. I realize it can be scary to make yourself vulnerable, but that whole “no risk, no reward” cliche definitely applies to love. It makes me want to jump into the book and scream at both of them to stop being so stubborn and melodramatic. Other than that piece of frustration I liked this book a good amount. Nicole was funny and very fierce, which is one of the reasons I was so surprised by her lack of courage with expressing her feelings to Mark. Mark was alright I guess, not necessarily my ideal hero but that’s ok. Overall good read though and a good addition to the story – I hope we get to read about Regina and Oakleaf in a future novel!

I actually liked this book. That being said, I'm not sure if I would read it a second time.

I felt several things: the H was hard, arrogant. Yes, he had his reasons when he was younger, but how he handled what he considered her betrayal, unforgivable in my book. His reaction to the events was what created the entire division between them for all those years.

I disliked how he treated her, and how he didn't get it. He redeemed himself in the end, but only because his friend confirmed things.

I loved the heroine. She held her own for me, and she made the book.

They had great intimacy. They actually loved each other. But the ass**** ~ I mean the hero...

In the end, I really liked this book.

A Duke Like No Other is not just another second chance romance. Ms. Bowman has interwoven the search for the murderer of John, cousin to General Mark Grimaldi and heir to a duke with this couple coming together again. She begins this tale with our estranged couple Mark asking his wife Nicole for a favor. He needs her help proving he is a settled family man in order to get a promotion. She wants a child. After a bit of bartering back and forth, they reach an agreement. They have been separated for ten year and were so young when they married.

This romance is presented on two levels, current day and the beginning of their time together when they fell in love and then, when they separated. There are a lot of miscommunication, incorrect perception and wrong assumptions. But, through it all they still love each other. Yet, neither is willing to open up and truly trust the other, except when they are in bed. Then, their communication is everything.

Mark and Nicole have lived separate lives for ten years. There is a lot to overcome between them. Each believe the other may not have been faithful to their wedding vows, when in actuality, both were loyal. This is perhaps the most telling of how much they love each other.

Nicole’s family wanted her to marry a peer. Her mother and grandmother were constantly pushing her to seek a title. Mark is the grandson of a duke, but does not want any one to know. His mother’s family did not accept his Italian born father. The issues of their two families affect their marriage and lives in difficult ways.

Into these frustrating and heartbreaking circumstances, Mark’s cousin is murdered. Mark and Nicole join together in this way, too, to solve his murder. One of the many causes of their early breakup was Nicole’s ‘undercover’ work for Bow Street. Now, her knowledge and training become useful.

Altogether this is a sweet second chance romance. Ms. Bowman brings back a few of her previous characters and begins to bring together Oakleaf and Regina. Hopefully, their tale will be next.

After reading several other book genres lately I have to admit that I was in the mood for a good historical romance and this book so did not let me down. As book nine in the series I have gotten hooked on the group of men that we have met in the previous installments and I was very happy to see that Mark finally gets his chance at true love even if it does come with some challenges. As the man in charge he has had to make some very difficult decisions and he has paid the price for that as well. The results have been a ten year estrangement from his wife only now he needs her in order to be eligible for the promotion he wants. The deal they strike is just lighting waiting to strike and it was quite enjoyable to watch these two try to outmaneuver one another. If you are a fan of historical regency romance novels then you really have to try this book/series. I really enjoyed it so I give it 4/5 stars.

A Duke Like No Other was my first time reading Valerie Bowman. Although I enjoyed this book, there were a few things that didn't work for me. I love second chance love stories, but the reason for the separation has to be a good one for it to work for me. In A Duke Like No Other I didn't feel the reason the hero and heroine parted ways was a good one. Especially when it caused them to be apart for 10 long years.
I liked both Nicole and Mark, but I felt they both were very childish in the way they didn't talk about their problems at all. They let a little misunderstanding keep them apart for 10 YEARS! Then even when they made a deal to reunite they didn't work out their problems. I felt their resolution was rushed and took to long to get it. I felt the problems in their marriage were glossed over with hot sex and working on a murder case. Overall the book was cute and I enjoyed it but it wasn't as good as it could have been. Will I read more books by Valerie Bowman? Yes I will.

~~Reviewed by Amy~~

General Mark Grimaldi had given up everything in the name of service to His Majesty. Even relationships. He was eager to be promoted to Home Secretary and that opportunity had finally arrived. But his superiors have one condition. They don’t want a bachelor but someone settled. A family man. Nothing was going to stop Mark from getting this position so he told them he was already married. Which wasn’t a lie. It was a fact. A fact he hadn’t admitted in 10 years.

Nicole Huntington Grimaldi had spent the last 10 years in France. She and Mark had agreed to part ways and hadn’t seen each other since. She’d gone about her life perfectly happy. Happy but lonely. When Mark arrives requesting she return with him to London, Nicole has one condition. She wants a baby.

As I read this book I couldn’t help but think of the old Kenny Rogers and The First Edition song, “Just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in”. It seemed there were lots of “conditions” to the bargaining between Mark and Nicole. The two of them had had a score of problems in the brief time they’d actually been together but attraction had never been one of them. Could they survive this reunion or would it end in heartache like the first time?

Nicole and Mark were perfectly suited for one another but had never really taken the time to get to know one another. They’d rushed into marriage and had only been together 3 months when it all fell apart. All because of lack of communication. Mark jumped to conclusions way too easily and Nicole was too prideful to stand and fight and instead chose to run away. Once they were together again they did what they should have done 10 years ago. They communicated. They were both extremely prideful and stubborn but there was lots of chemistry between them.

I liked the memories of their early relationship interspersed in the story. It made it quite clear why they were in the situation they were in. Their joint efforts to solve the murder in the story brought them together and helped them rediscover the things about each other that had appealed to them so many years ago. There was lots of witty banter between the two which added to their chemistry. I loved their initial bargaining where Mark thought they were discussing divorce when Nicole was actually discussing a baby.

If you’re a fan of reunion romances, you’ll fall in love with this story. Mark and Nicole rediscover each other while they battle a heightened sexual tension and work to solve a murder mystery. This couple was desperately in need of a second chance and I couldn’t resist rooting for them.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers’ copy of this book.

This is entertaining, suspenseful, intriguing and romantic. Mark is an obstinate and unbending man who is quick to judge, and slow to believe that which he doesn't want to. He's unfeeling and selfish, completely career oriented. Nicole was once a carefree, headstrong girl in love. Then her husband wrongly accused her being something she wasn't. They separated soon after marrying and she moved to France to protect her heart. 10 years later Mark tracks her down, but only because he wants something from her. A deal is made between them, but unforeseen circumstances turn their lives upside down. It's a heartbreaking yet sweet romance with wonderful characters. Add this one to your TBR list.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman
Playful Brides #9

Looking for a second chance at love historical romance with spies, strong minded stubborn outspoken characters? This might be for you. If you are looking for a believable story true to the times…probably not this book though it does have a mysterious murder to solve and an interesting group of characters.

Nicole and Mark met and married quickly. She comes from a titled background and his father was without a title though there are titles on his mother’s side of the family. He has been a spy and so has she. When he needs to be “settled” to receive a promotion to a position he’s been working toward he decides to talk his estranged wife of ten years into returning to England with him. With his agreement to her condition they head from Calais to London. Shortly after they arrive a murder occurs that sets in motion changes that can and will impact both of their lives.

I had trouble believing this story though it was well written. The reason they became estranged seemed like an easily remedied one if they had not been so stubborn and taciturn. I wanted to shake them both and have an intervention in which they had to speak truthfully to one another. Solving a problem for another, finding a murderer and time in the bedroom seemed less difficult for this couple than an honest conversation. I did enjoy the story…just had trouble buying into it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for a review. Mark and his wife, Nicole, had a whirlwind romance & marriage. After a disagreement the two separated and have been estranged for 10 years. For a potential job promotion for Mark the two are reunited and now have to solve a mystery along with sorting out the secrets that have kept them apart in order to potentially have a chance to fall in love again. I really enjoyed this book; it was a quick, light read and I found myself easily invested in the characters and hoping that they would get a chance for a happily ever after. The book is the 9th in the series but I didn't feel that I had to read any of the others to understand what was going on and plan on going back to read the series from the start. I would recommend this to any romance lover who likes their romances to be fun, flirty and with some mystery surrounding them.

Mark sacrificed everything for his military career and is ready to be promoted Home Secretary, as long as he is married. Luckily, he already as a wife but unfortunately, they are estranged can he convince her to play the part of his wife at least? This is a fast-paced read with loads of drama and suspense. This romance is also wrapped up in the mystery of who killed Mark’s cousin. I found the story to be entertaining with plenty of twists and turns. I liked the characters as well as the chemistry they share. A good read.

I've read one other book by Valerie Bowman, and now it's two that I've absolutely been in love with.

This is the 9th book in her Playful Brides series. Just like The Right Kind of Rogue, it did not matter that I had not read the entire series. Reading the synopses of the other books, it does not sound like they play off of each other, it just is a series of books with the same type of interesting gals.

In A Duke Like No Other, I have to say, I wanted to smack both of these characters as I read more and more of the reasons behind their separation. Nope, this does not start on good terms at all. They are both bull-headed, but they both need the other to move on.

When Nicole is first introduced she is riding a horse and racing. It's not but three or so sentences in, and I knew I loved her already. She's just delightfully different and apparently has a competitive streak to go along with her stubbornness.

Mark Grimaldi is just as stubborn, and stupidly handsome. She was swooning, even while thinking that she wanted to cut his head off, or kiss him. Mark is the type of man, though, that once he sets his mind on something, he was going to stick with it. And fortunately, or unfortunately in their case, she understands and is going to respect that.

Can I just scream now?

The circumstances which force these two together make the story even more delightful, and horrible. And of course it doesn't stop there.

Even more interesting than these two lovely, frustrating characters, is the plot. This is a mystery of sorts. And while the entire story doesn't evolve around the mystery, but the two main characters, their relationship does revolve around the mystery.

As they try to uncover the whodunit, they also try to figure each other out. What is so frustrating is that they both think they know what the other is thinking, which has been the problem for ten years!

80% into the book though, and I was starting to get a bit worried. While their relationship was getting interesting, it didn't seem to grow beyond those first few steps. I knew a character arc was coming, but I wasn't getting anxious that it wouldn't be wrapped up in time and that there would be a sequel. Instead Valerie pulled out all the stops and the last 20 or so percent was delightfully wonderful.

If you can't tell, I loved the characters. Also the supporting characters were just as fun to read about. There's a budding romance at the end that I'm excited and hope that Valerie Bowman will create a story on those two.

In short: this was a cute romance with a bit of mystery thrown in. Since I've also enjoyed reading mysteries lately, the two together was a pleasant surprise. I can't wait for her next book, until then, I need to get caught up with the other 6 in this series!

This is my first book by the Author and will certainly not be my last ......... an enjoyable historical romance .

General Mark Grimaldi is ambitious and in the running for the position of Home Secretary after years of service for his country . However, the preference is for the incoming Home Secretary to be a settled, married man . How fortunate he is married ...........there is just one thing she lives in France and they have been separated for years .
Nicole Huntington had married Mark withholding the fact the she knew he was an Aristocrat and not just another soldier during the war . Words spoken in anger had driven them apart and Nicole fled to France where she was secretly working as a spy for the British government .
To achieve his new post Mark must travel to France and convince Nicole to return to England as his wife .
The journey is beset which trials , murder and intrigue ........will they manage to finally find love ?
will Mark overcome his suspicions ? will Nicole forgive him ?

The book was engaging ........I just wish the main characters had engaged in conversation more, they would have not misunderstood each others motives and perhaps they might have found an easier path to each other .

I received A Duke Like No Other written by Valerie Bowman from NeGalley in exchange of a fair review. It is part of the Playful Brides series but can be read alone. A Duke Like No Other is a second chance romance with Nicole and Mark Grimaldi who have already been married 10 years but living separately.
Mark is ready to advance his career to Home Secretary but, in order to get the promotion, he has to be "happily married." He seeks out his estranged wife Nicole in France and strikes a bargain with her that will test each other's resolve to maintain their distance.
The banter and heat coming off the pages made for a fast read. Delightful to have two strong willed persons struggle with themselves and each other. Both Mark and Nicole are proud and stubborn and neither want to be the first to give in. Add in a murder mystery and secrets and you have a well-rounded book. Plus, I LOVE their last name! #ADukeLikeNoOther #NetGalley

Mark is a self made man. A general working for the English crown as a spymaster. But he has secrets of his own. Nicole is his wife, in name only as she is living in France, alone. The couple, estranged for the previous ten years, is brought back together by a series of events involving politics, intrigue, and murder. The two make a deal so that in the end each may receive something that each truly wants. But, is it enough? Will their temporary rejoining become something more, or will pride send them their separate ways forever?
This book is a page turner, and I read it without putting it down. The chemistry between these two was very well done, and it sizzles. The mystery to be solved had a few twists and the characters added to the tale. I do hope that there is another, possibly for Lady Regina and a certain investigator.
I highly recommend this book and the series for romance readers who enjoy mystery and heat with their hea.

My favourite genre- historical mystery romance.

Valerie Bowman delivers every time.


This is number nine in the series but the story feels as fresh and original as the first book.





In A Duke Like No Other we finally get the much anticipated story featuring Mark Grimaldi.


It is a tale of second chance romance between him and his wife Nicole. I thought it very daring that she would want to be involved in solving crime by helping the Bow Street Runners and the War Office. I really liked her but would have liked the couple to have been a bit more open with each other.


My enjoyment of the romance in this story was secondary to my enjoyment of the mystery and suspense. Good writing and a detailed plot ensured my desire to keep reading and find the solution. The murder mystery definitely kept me intrigued right to the end.

A fine ending to a great series.

A Duke Like No Other (Playful Brides, #9)
by Valerie Bowman

Oh what a tangled web we weave.... Okay this is not a book that has a total happily ever after. So therefore , 4 stars...
I enjoyed the plot and the characters. The writer is very talented , and through out the story it felt like more of a story line in a murder instead of romance. It lacks some communication between the characters that would of elevated it to a five star level along with the total happily ever after. Having said this, it shows that the writer is gifted and the book is interesting. It is a read that makes you want more but irritates you for the ending. A truly interesting book. So it is a buy and enjoy book. I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley
Regards, Anna Swedenmom

This is a fabulous second-chance romance set just after the Napoleonic Wars!

Mark has advanced to the position of General, mostly due to his being unencumbered by family ties. So he's wholly unprepared for the condition for his next coveted promotion - he needs to settle down with a wife. Problem is, his brief marriage blew up in his face ten years earlier and he hasn't seen his wife since.

Mark approaches Nicole in France, asking her to return to England and pretend they're happily married, at least until his promotion is secure. But Nicole has her own reasons for wanting to appear to be reconciled to her husband, a condition that Mark turns on its head when he demands more of her than she wants to give - even though it would fulfill her heart's desire.

And this complicated set up is the easy part - things really get out of hand when, once they're back in England, there's a murder mystery to solve and a whole host of secrets that come spilling out along the way. These two are at the same time working with each other and conspiring against each other, even as they each work towards their original goal while trying to keep their battered and bruised hearts protected from a repeat of the past.

The story is brilliantly told in alternating timelines, mostly present-day but with cleverly-inserted flashbacks to their earlier romance. It was like watching them fall in love twice, at the same time. The characters show their growing maturity in dealing with some of the same problems after so many years, and it was heartwarming to learn just how devoted they've been to each other even while they told themselves the marriage was over. The story was spellbinding, the characters so real and true you expect to find their names in a history book. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book received through NetGalley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I love a novel where the main characters struggle to hide their true feelings from each other (and themselves), due to being unsure how the other person feels toward them. Reading about Mark and Nicole's struggles and missteps made for an interesting and romantic read. The author has given us well-developed characters that we find ourselves, not only liking, but also rooting for their "happily ever after". I love historical novels and was pleasantly surprised to find that this book actually had some factual information that was new to me. (I was given a copy of this book for my honest review. I not only highly recommend this book, but would have gladly paid for a copy as well!)