3.5 stars
I absolutely love second chances in love/life coupled with espionage/murder-mystery plot. But big misunderstandings/miscommunications between the hero&heroine is not my cup of tea, thus, I struck 1.5 star off my rating despite the amazing steamy scenes, and seamless story-telling by Ms Bowman.

A decade of estrangement made altogether awkward between husband & wife Lady Nicole Huntington and General Mark Grimaldi. When fate intercedes and forced them back together again, they agreed on a compromise. Alas, while tip-toeing in each other’s presence to make good on their own promise, a murder was committed, against Mark’s cousin, the Marquess of Coleford.

Mark has nurtured his hatred for the nobility from a tender age. His mother was estranged from her own aristocratic family when her father disapproved of her chosen commoner Italian husband. The death of Mark's cousin necessitated communication with his blue blood family. His whole being protests.

Nicole has left Mark, her mother & grandmother in England and lived in France for the past decade. Their three-month marriage turned Mark from being affectionate to one full of mistrust & disgust, she couldn't live with that.

Mark and Nicole's reconciliation is fraught with uncertainties not to mention a murder they have to resolve together. One thing hasn't dimmed, their mutual sexual attraction for each other still burns bright.

I found it difficult to endear to the main characters. They both suffered during their separation but when fate has thrown them back together, they still harbour a 10-year grudge and still could not be honest with each other!

But I do like the murder-mystery element of the story, Nicole reminds me of Miss Marple.

My review is honest and impartial. I voluntarily read an eGalley copy. All opinions are mine.

What’s it About? Mark Grimaldi and Nichole Huntington married in a flurry of youthful exuberance, passion and young love. But when their love and trust in each other was put to the test, they both failed and their marriage crumbled. Over the course of ten years they have each pursued their own interests and lived as far apart from one another as possible. Mark is now a General in the military and is looking towards being promoted to Home Secretary but there’s only one problem: The position requires that he be married. Luckily he already has one. He just needs to convince her to return to London and play the part of a devoted wife. Easier said than done because Nicole has become even more outspoken, more stubborn and more beautiful since the last time he saw her. What could possibly go wrong with his plans right? Well, quite a lot.



Overall reaction to the story? Second chance romances between two characters who are already married but don’t like each other very much can be tricky. The reason for their estrangement has to be convincing, as does their initial thoughts about the other. A Duke Like No Other really does accomplish that as well as building the road towards a believable reconciliation. I loved how the author created a way for readers to see Mark and Nicole back in the early days of their marriage without resorting to numerous, boring flashbacks. The book was more focused on the present and how these two characters had changed in ten years.


Mark was a bit of a mystery from the beginning, even when he was dominating a scene, I didn’t really feel like I got to know him. He was so closed off and secretive, which I understood given his government work but I wanted to know what moved him besides his career. It wasn’t until about 50% in that he started letting his guard down, at least around Nicole. Mark was a man in love but battling a misconceived feeling of betrayal and anger. I liked his sense of duty but I do think it blinded him to what was really important. I mean, he was known as “the stone man” to some people so what does that say about him? Still, he was a good character, if a little emotionally closed off for most of the book. I enjoyed watching him realize that he never stopped loving Nicole and that he wanted her back. When he was with her he wasn’t the stone man, he was vulnerable and seemed a lot younger than he was. That was a side of him that I liked the most, the one that wasn’t so confident that his wife still cared about him or that he could convince her to give their marriage another chance. Because he was still desperately in love with Nicole but you know how it is with male pride right?


Nicole was a little easier to get to know. She is motivated by her own desire to be an investigator and she’s pretty good at it too. Over the ten years away from Mark she’s managed to carve a little bit of an investigative career for herself. Yay her. I loved her spirit and her ability to look her estranged husband in the eye when she confronts him. She isn’t insipid or useless, she’s the opposite. She’s also in denial about the small part of her that still loves Mark, so stubborn. She’s a perfect match for someone like Mark who could easily steamroller over a lesser woman. She wasn’t shy about her sexuality either. She was a woman that had been married for ten years and in the early days she and Mark couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. I LOVED that Valerie Bowman showed that growth in her character and that Nicole didn’t act like a born again virgin. She was confident and eager to tell Mark what she wanted in bed. A sexually confident woman is an interesting one, especially in historical romance.


It’s very easy to see why these two characters fell in love and married so quickly, they complement each other even as they clash with their strong personalities and pride. As a couple their chemistry is explosive, just like in almost every other aspect of their relationship. They love fiercely and fight fiercely but they also make one heck of a team. Bowman created an almost perfect rhythm between them that made me fall in love with their second chance romance. I felt that Nicole could easily keep up with Mark as a partner and as a wife. I had so much fun with these two and I won’t lie, it had to do a lot with how Nicole was as a character.


Click It or Skip It? Click It. The whole series is a delight but A Duke Like No Other is one of the stand out ones in the series.

Grim and Nicole are perfectly matched. Both are strong, independent characters with the same hubris: pride. Both characters use pride to mask their vulnerabilities and destroy their marriage in just a few months. After 10 years, circumstances force Grim to seek out Nicole and return to London. Nicole has her own goal, and agrees to return as Grim's loving wife. As they pretend to be happily reunited, they have the opportunity to break down the walls surrounding their hearts.

A Duke Like No Other is part of the Playful Brides series, but it works exceptionally well as a stand alone. It is well written and crafted with humor, romance and sassy characters.

This is one of my favorites in Ms. Bowman's Playful Brides series.

I really enjoyed this tale, General Mark Grimaldi has been in the military for a very long time. He had goals and intended to climb as high as he could. when he was offered a promotion a condition came along with it. He had to be settled and with a wife. He already had one, he had not seen her in ten years. Nicole Grimaldi had been deserted by her husband, because of his profession. He was a spy and a military man. She moved to France and got involved with Bow Street Runners and a little spying herself.
I enjoyed the banter between the two of them. He wanted a marriage that looked like it was really so he could get his promotion and she had a condition or no go. They went thru a lot of obstacles and the plot became complicated as you went along. Valerie Bowman always writes an enticing story and manages to keep your interest. I highly recommend her book and look forward to the next one.
I received this ARC from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.

I really enjoyed this installment of the Playful Brides series.

General Mark Grimaldi wants nothing more than to be Home Secretary and it appears that he is a shoe in for the position, but there might be a snag - Lord Tottenham, the man making the decision wants a family man for the position. Good thing Mark has a wife - he just needs to go to France and convince her to come back to England and play at being his loving wife until he gets his promotion.

Lady Nicole Grimaldi has been in France for the last ten years, ever since her marriage fell apart. Now Mark is here asking her to return and help him. She will, but she wants something in return - a baby.

They come to an agreement and return to England. But the first night back, Mark is summoned to his uncle's home. His uncle is the Duke of Colchester, a connection that Mark keeps hidden, a connection that ruined his marriage. He and Nicole arrive and learn that John, the Marquess of Coleford, the duke's son is dead and Mark is the new heir. Mark refuses to accept this - he says he will renounce the title, but he agrees to look into John's death.

He soon learns that John was murdered and with the help of Daffin Oakleaf, Bow Street Runner (and former colleague of Nicole's) he sets out to find the murderer. They form a plan and set out for the duke's country estate. While they are there, Nicole and Mark finally get to work on her condition.

Mark and Oakleaf interview the suspects and narrow down the list down to a couple of names, but it is Nicole and his cousin Lady Regina who break the case!

Nicole and Mark have gotten along and she is falling in love again, but they never address the past and when she overhears Mark speaking to his uncle, she knows she will have to leave.

This is a fast paced story, it is not perfect, but it is very entertaining. If you love reunited / second chance romance stories and are willing to overlook historical errors - this is the book for you. The author utilizes flashbacks to give the reader the backstory of Mark and Nicole, but they are very well done and blend seamlessly into the story, much to my surprise and delight (I am not a flashback fan), the love scenes are steamy, the mystery is good, the secondary characters are wonderful and the ending is sigh worthy.

This is the ninth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title. I would happily recommend this book, but if you are stickler for accuracy, you might have some issues with this book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

I don't typically love the estranged husband and wife set-up, but wanted to give this book a try because the cover is pretty. (I know, I know, I'm so shallow...) I just couldn't get into the writing style on this one, and that coupled with the estranged husband and wife reunited for personal gain set up I just didn't connect with this book. While it wasn't for me, It wasn't terrible or anything, and while I didn't connect with it I'm sure people who go for second chance romances would like this.

Nine books into this series and it is still as amazing as the first!

You may remember General Mark Grimaldi as a friend of the Cavendish brothers and their wives. Mark has been a spymaster for years all the while holding several secrets of his own. One is that he has been married for a decade, yet his wife has lived in France since their disastrous fight three months after the I do’s. Now, to get the promotion he wants, he’ll need to bring her back to England to play the part.

Nicole Huntington Grimaldi fell in love with a man she never really knew and after three months, it all fell apart. Since she was also somewhat of a crimefighter/female spy, she took an assignment in France and never returned. Even though she was surprised when her husband found her, she honestly never thought it would happen. Mark needs a wife. Nicole wants a baby. Simple, right? Not in the least.

Valerie Bowman takes us on another adventure from the lavender fields of France to the richest homes in London. Mark and Nicole are a unique in the sense that they’ve been married for a decade and aren’t in the fresh blooms of youth. Yet, they are still hold on to old wounds and jealousies like two adults that should know better. I still loved them both to pieces! Mark can be stubborn, but he’s incredibly intelligent and a voracious lover. Nicole wants to guard her heart, but with a husband like Mark, a woman can only enjoy every moment of their intimacies. Both of them have their attitude problems, but Bowman has a way of making the most difficult puzzle pieces fit together perfectly.

I came into this series at book seven and didn’t feel at all lost. Don’t be scared away because this is the ninth book in the series. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone novel. I can’t promise you that you won’t want to go back and devour the other eight novels until the tenth, Kiss Me at Christmas, hits shelves later this year.

If you want your Historical Romance with shocking secrets, a deadly dose of mayhem, and love scenes that singe the pages, A Duke Like No Other is your next must read novel!

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

Publisher's Description:

First comes love, then comes marriage. Unless it’s the other way around. . .

General Mark Grimaldi has sacrificed everything for his military career, working his way through the ranks without the benefit of a nobleman’s title. Now, his years of dedication are about to pay off—with an offer for a prestigious promotion to Home Secretary. There’s only one condition: Mark must be married. Aside from the small matter of not actually wanting to be wed, Mark faces another troubling problem: he already has a wife.

Nicole Huntington Grimaldi has spent ten contented years in France without her husband—and without regret. When Mark asks her to return to London and play the part of his beloved wife, she sees her chance. But neither of them is prepared for news that will throw Mark’s future into chaos…nor the undeniable desire they’ve rekindled. Maybe happily-ever-after can happen the second time around in A Duke Like No Other, the next Regency romance from Valerie Bowman.

My Thoughts:
This newest Playful Brides book has more mystery and angst rather than the humorous nature of the previous titles in this series. The others I have read seem to have ties that make them better if read in order, but this one works well as a standalone.
Mark Grimaldi is seeking a high position in the Home Office. For this to happen he needs a wife. Unbeknownst to his superiors he already has one.
Mark and Nicole married quite young. They were apparently head over heels in love with each other. They were both keeping secrets from each other.
Their secrets proved an end to their marriage.
Nicole left for France and Mark carried on with his career as a spy.
Now ten years later Mark needs Nicole to achieve his wants.
The underlying mystery of his cousin, a Dukes son proves a stumbling block that they must solve.
Will their mutual need to find a murderer renew their love. Will their newly renewed love survive?
Valerie Bowman never disappoints me and this newest addition to this series is no exception.
I gave this book 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 4 of 5 flames. The intimacy between these two really heats up the pages.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher to read and review. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

4.5 stars 0 It’s a wonderful tale about the damage that secrets can create, second chances, and the power of love.

This is a tale about feuding spouses who separated for 10 years after a secret was revealed and their prides collide. He needs to show that he's a family man in order to secure his promotion and she wants a baby. They strike a deal and despite their best laid plans, they’ve always loved each other and the idea of letting go a second time is harder than they think.

It’s a real treat!

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

General Mark Grimaldi has sacrificed everything for his military career, his wife and almost his life protecting England as a spymaster. He’s up for a promotion the greatest achievement to be Home Secretary, and he’s advised all he needs is a wife to secure the position. Nicole Huntington Grimaldi has spent ten contented years in France without any contact from her husband so when he comes calling she knows he wants something. When Mark asks her to return to London and play the part of his beloved wife, she sees her chance and asks for one condition before she agrees. What neither of them expect is the undeniable desire they both feel and neither of them is prepared for news that will throw Mark's future into chaos. I love this story of two fiercely independent, strong willed people who are both too stubborn and too prideful to admit to one another that they are in love and need each other. This story has romance, mystery and a second chance at love if they only take the chance on love again. This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review

Book # 2 Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon April 2018.

Nicole and Mark Grimaldi are very different. He’s ambitious and is fighting for a position in the Home Office. She’s more open and relaxed than he is and they are estranged.

10 years have passed since they last saw eachorher and he brings her back to England from France where she has been living all this time. At various points throughout the book, Mark, despite his half-Italian heritage, is described as “like stone” in his actions and reactions. Mark fought in the war and sold all their wedding gifts to old war veterans.

He likes to try and be in control. There are conflicts in the book between him and Nicole, especially over who will be his heir and when (or if) they will have children. There are other issues throughout the story but I won’t spoil things.

The book is incredibly detailed and the plot moves along quickly. However, there is a lack of romance between the two MCs that is made up for by excellent amd vivid descriptions of everything in the story. There is a lack of communication between Nicole and Mark and an awkwardness which is consistent with an experience of estrangement. I was a bit irrritated by the arguments and tension between them and was hoping they’d put aside their differences.

The romance did not really grab me as being romantic enough and some plot points were repetitive. There was quite a lot of guesswork involved in what each character was feeling and even between Nicole and Mark. There were other characters who I found hard to keep track of.

The spy/ murder plot was well weaved in, and created a good dose of tension that complimented the ins and outs of trying to figure Mark out. Much of the book is the investigation but it kept my interest.

This is my first Valerie Bowman book. I thonk it will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical novels or spy/ crime novels. I have read many historical novels, amd the mysterious aspects of the investigation and Nicole’s secrets kept from her mother kept the tension going, but I felt that the romance between Mark and Nicole was too sparsely spread throughout the book. But then, that could be intentional on the part of the author to highlight the awkwardness of them being together again after so long. If this was the intention, then that seems realistic. I was looking for more romance, though.

I think after reading this that I feel curious enough to read the earlier books in the series and especially the first one to see how the story begins. The investigation is riveting in parts.

Thanks to Valerie Bowman and St Martin’s Press for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review as well as an opportunity to participate in the blog tour for this title.

3-3.5 stars

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ out of 5
This book was everything I didn’t know I needed it to be in an historical romance! It was light and airy (did I just go there?) and a breath of fresh air. It has two plot lines that are woven together that mix a classic case of who killed the heir and love together.
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Our hero is a General (and a spy) who has worked his way up to the position with his eye on becoming the next Home Secretary. The only glitch? They want a family man for the position so he needs a wife stat. Guess what? He already has one and they have been estranged for the past 10 years. He travels to France to offer her a proposal of sorts where she would pretend to be his loving wife for the next couple of months until the promotion is sorted. Our heroine- his wife, however, has a condition of her own- she wants a baby (queue the 😱😱). What follows from this is them both getting caught up in a classic case of whodunnit that they have to solve.
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I love how ambitious the hero is- he will stop at nothing to get what he wants and has earned the moniker “stone man” for a reason- although he is anything other than that for his wife, more like a big gooey (and attractive) marshmallow. Our heroine is kick-ass being a spy herself and I love how she inserts herself into his case. One of the things I love most though is her vulnerability, yes she can be kick ass and a spy but at the heart of it she loves her husband, is lonely and longs for a child. The cover ruined the book a bit because he isn’t a duke- at least to start off with! But I got over it pretty quickly with my love of everything else. The murder investigation is pretty simple but really what I actually expect for this time period so I liked for a change it not being so complicated! If you want a light feel good historical romance go no further.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiRsFkGBpzX/

I will freely admit that I always look forward to the newest release from Valerie Bowman. She gives us a view of Historical Romance that is unique, at times funny and other times so serious that you’ll cry. The adventure of falling in love, even when that trip is rather rocky, is always entertaining when seen through Ms Bowman’s eyes and words. So, it’s probably no surprise that I completely loved A Duke Like No Other. If falling in love and then losing everything wasn’t enough for this couple, now they’re going to be put to another test one of pretending, and maybe falling all over again. But time will tell on that part.

Mark is looking at a major promotion, and his chances of getting it are increased if he is a “settled, married man”. Well, the settled is questionable but the married part he can provide. Unfortunately, that will require that he come face to face with Nicole after ten years apart. There were so many reasons that they should never be in the same place with each other again. Pride, mistrust and unanswered questions are among those reasons. Yet in order to pull off this pretend real marriage Mark and Nicole will need to spend considerable time together again… especially as Nicole’s requirement for this show needs a bit more intimate time together to reach her goal. As if the deck wasn’t stacked enough against this couple add in a mystery with deadly intent and you’ll watch some sparks fly during A Duke Like No Other.

I had such fun with this story. It’s obvious, even beneath their tensions around each other, that Nicole and Mark did share a true love at one time, a love that hasn’t conveniently faded away. Through flashbacks we get a glimpse of what drew them together the first time. Watching two extremely stubborn people begin to soften toward each other again was an emotional journey. Second chances don’t always come around, and it’s up to this couple to decide what matters more – their pride or their love for each other.

If you’re in the mood for a really good, fun, emotional, steamy Regency Romance then you’ll want to get your hands on A Duke Like No Other. Like all the stories in the Playful Brides series you’ll find a couple to root for, even when it seems that luck is just not on their side. I loved this romance and would not hesitate to recommend it to any Regency or Historical Romance reader.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

General Mark Grimaldi is devoted to his service for the Crown, risking his life and giving up everything for his career. The political promotion he's always wanted is now within his reach, but he needs to convince his estranged wife to return to England and play the role of happy bride in order for him to get the position. Nicole Huntington Grimaldi has spent the past ten years in France, not having seen her husband since she left England. But now he's on her doorstep, asking her to return with him, and Nicole sees the opportunity to get something out of this deal. She agrees, on one condition: she wants a baby.
On returning to England they become involved in the investigation of a suspicious family death that brings changes to both their lives and unearths bitter memories of past mistakes. Will they solve the mystery and find each other in the process? Another great regency romance from Valerie Bowman. Mark is the ultimate independently successful regency man, and Nicole is deliciously rebellious of her place in society. I loved both characters and with a well written and mysterious storyline what more could you want from a historical romance.

Mark Grimaldi wants the promotion to be the Secretary of the Home Office. He can have it on one condition, he must get married. The problem is he is already married. So Mark heads to France to get his estranged wife to play his loving wife for a few months, so he can get the promotion. She agrees if he gives her a child. Nicole and Mark head for London to begin the charade of loving couple. Once in London Marks cousin and heir to a Dukedom is murdered and he must embark on finding the killer.
As Nicole and Mark try to find a killer they rekindle the love they had when they married. They also realize that they didn’t listen to each other. Pride may have cost them ten years of marriage and Mark a Dukedom. Mark has to come to terms with his mother’s family who rejected his father and him. He made a promise to his father not to use his mother’s family status ever or acknowledge them. When he learns his mother reunited with her family and made sure Mark is able to inherit the Dukedom, he is torn between his promise to his father and his mother’s wish for him to accept her family and the Dukedom.
I loved this story, I would recommend it .

General Mark Grimaldi is devoted to his work for the crown. First as a soldier in the Napoleonic wars, then working for the war office. His ambition to reach the top is finally in reach. The home office is searching for a new home secretary and believe Mark would be perfect. They encourage him to marry to secure the position. There’s only one problem, Mark is already married, and his wife wants nothing to do with him.
Nicole Huntington Grimaldi, moved to France ten years ago and has not seen her husband since she left English soil. Surprised to find her husband on her doorstep after all these years. Reluctantly agreeing to her husband’s plan, Nicole has one caveat. She wants a baby in exchange for playing the dutiful wife.
The characters were well matched. Both are strong-willed, intelligent, passionate people with similar interests and unfortunately both share the inability to communicate properly.
A large portion of this book is spent either reliving the past or trying to solve a murder. While it is well written I would have preferred if more time had been spent on developing the romance. The title is also a bit of a misnomer as Mark does not have a title for much of the book.
I do enjoy a second-chance romance, particularly where the couple are married but estranged. While not the best I’ve read recently (it seems to be a popular theme now) I did find this enjoyable read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. For more reviews please visit my blog:
http://www.wonderfullyweird88.com/

"I need you to return to England with me for a few months and pretend to be my loving wife."

FINAL DECISION: I loved this second chance at love story uses the heat and pride of the two main characters to weave a story about two people who loved one another but were too stubborn to fix things between them.

THE STORY: General Mark Grimaldi has devoted and sacrificed most of his life to protecting England as a spymaster. Now that the wars have ended, he's about ready to achieve his greatest professional goal -- to be named Home Secretary. There is only one problem for Mark. The job is basically his, but those making the decision prefer having a married man in the position and suggest that he find a wife. The problem is that Mark already has a wife, but one he has been estranged from for 10 years. Nicole has spent the last decade in France when he husband returns to ask her assistance in pretending to be a devoted wife. Nicole, however, has a demand of her own that threatens the emotional distance that the two have kept between them.

OPINION: I loved this book because Mark and Nicole are such a compelling couple. They are both too stubborn and prideful to admit to one another that they are in love. Instead, they have allowed the distance between them to fester and keep them apart for years. Yet, each yearns to be with the other.

The story is written such that the past is interwoven with the present and this allows readers to understand what divided these two. As with most real life relationships, mistakes, keeping secrets, pride and stubborness dooms these two. These two want to be together and Mark's promotion gives them the opportunity to breach the gulf between them.

Mark is a man who's love for his parents and being placed in their dramas with their own families has led him to stubbornly cling to the promises he made to his father. This despite the problems it created in his marriage. His job has also kept him apart and made it difficult to connect to other people who might have questioned his choices. The solitary nature has allowed him to cling to pride rather than recognizing it as his fault.

Nicole was young when she married and her uncertainty allowed her to accept her husband's anger rather than fight for her marriage. She is capable and unconventional, but she is waiting for Mark to show that he values her above everything else.

Just when I thought that the book was going to have to go deeply in a dark emotional journey, a mystery arises which allows Mark and Nicole to work together. The two do respect one another and just need to make themselves vulnerable to one another.

I really liked this couple and enjoyed their journey.

WORTH MENTIONING: There is another possible couple introduced and I hope we get their story before the series ends.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A DUKE LIKE NO OTHER is the ninth book in the Playful Brides series. This book can certainly be read as a standalone with the caveat that there are some small appearances by characters from other books. This romance is self-contained.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

Mark Grimaldi needs a wife to secure a position, the only problem--he already has a wife he hasn't seen in years--Nicole. Deciding to seek her out and make a deal for her to play the good wife for a short while, he finds her in France. Only, she wants something in return--a child.

They love each other, but both are too stubborn to admit it. Each feels betrayed in the marriage, but a mysterious death requires them to work together as it also gives them a higher status in the peerage. The mission is dangerous, but love might be the one thing to give their marriage a second chance and help them solve the crime before it's too late. I highly recommend this story, a wonderful addition to the series.

**received an ARC from netgalley**

WELL.

A Duke Like No Other is my first Valerie Bowman and it definitely won't be my last. The estranged spouses trope is what intrigued me about this book and I immediately jumped at the chance to review it.

General Mark Grimaldi has dedicated his whole life to the Crown for years. He is ambitious and ruthlessly so, and he has been eyeing for the Home Secretary position for his whole career. Just when he thought that his longtime service will finally pay off, he is told that the job is his, on one condition: Mark has to be married. Well, lucky for him that he IS married, isn't it?

The only problem: Mark and his wife, Nicole, are separated, and he hasn't seen her in ten years.

Nicole has been living in France for the past ten years quite happily, thank you. When her estranged husband reappears in her life and asks her for a favour, she sees this as a chance to finally get what she's secretly wanted: a baby.

Both of them think their arrangement is a simple one. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for them.

*cue sirens*

Hmm, Mark Grimaldi, what can I say about Mark Grimaldi? He is definitely my type (no surprises there!). He's intelligent and strong, and he is also one-track minded about his quest to become Home Secretary, a tenacity that I admire. Nicole Huntington Grimaldi is now added to my list of favourite heroines. I love, love, love her sense of independence: here's a woman who has been living alone in a foreign country, working for the War Office, and in her spare time dons breeches, wears her hair down, and rides her horse into the sunset. #goals

Also did I mention that Nicole used to do a stint with the Bow Street Runners before she married Mark? AN ICON.

Separation aside, I can totally see why Mark and Nicole fell in love with each other and got married. They had chemistry in spades, and a ten-year separation did nothing to lessen that. The attraction between them is intense, even after reuniting. I love that Nicole didn't take any shit from Mark, and gave it as good as she got. They're both smart and eloquent, so the banter between them was full of wit and really fun to read. Valerie wrote awesome dialogues! By the end of the story, I was so invested in Mark and Nicole's reconciling relationship. The HEA was everything I've wanted.

Overall, A Duke Like No Other is a fun read. I went to Goodreads and discovered that it's the NINTH book in the series???? Boy I'm going to have a blast starting this series, there are so many books out already.

Also, I'm stoked that Nicole's Bow Street runner friend Daffin Oakleaf and Mark's cousin Regina are going to have their own book called Kiss Me at Christmas, coming out this October. They almost stole the spotlight from Mark and Nicole in this book, so I have high hopes that I will enjoy their book.

A Duke Like No Other was an absolute delight from start to finish with amazing characters and a wonderful romance.

With the promotion General Mark Grimaldi has been working towards his entire life finally within reach, he will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Even if that means he must go to France and convince his estranged wife to return to England and play the happy bride for a few months. What Mark didn't count on though was Nicole having conditions of her own. Nicole Huntington Grimaldi has built a good life for herself in France during the last ten years but is willing to play along with Mark's schemes if he'll give her the one thing she's been missing out on; a baby.

Nicole has always had interests that lay outside of what was expected of her as a young lady but she never let that stop her from pursuing what she was passionate about. Nicole's work with the Bow Street Runners was very unique for a heroine and I loved watching her analyze situations and conducting investigations. Despite carving out a good life for herself in France, Nicole is lonely and longs to have someone who accepts her for who she is.

Mark has dedicated his life to his country and has spent his entire adult life working his way up the ranks towards becoming Home Secretary. Mark is understandably frustrated that the position he has worked for is in jeopardy due to the man in charge preferring a family man get the job. Mark has distanced himself from his family and after learning about his early life, I found that to be reasonable. Mark dislikes the aristocracy due to his mother's family's treatment of them when he was young.

Nicole and Mark's relationship at the start of the book is quite rocky which I guess was to be expected as they were separated for ten years. Throughout the book we get flashbacks to when Nicole and Mark first met and got married. I enjoyed these little snippets of their early life together and seeing how much they both grew as individuals. In the present both Nicole and Mark are still wary of one another and not willing to fully trust each other. One area though that they do not have problems is in the bedroom. Nicole and Mark have amazing chemistry and their physical scenes are quite steamy and very well done. The only aspect of their relationship that lacked a bit for me was communication between the two. While I understand why they don't open up with each other, it did get frustrating at times.

While A Duke Like No Other mainly focuses on the relationship between the two main characters, there was an intriguing side plot about the murder of Mark's cousin who was heir to a duke. Mark is tasked with investigating his death wherein he is paired with a man from the Bow Street Runners who had worked with Nicole in the past. The investigation was really interesting with several clever twists thrown in and I enjoyed how it concluded. I really liked that Nicole was running a parallel investigation with Mark's cousin Regina and that they were the ones to break the case.

A Duke Like No Other was a really fun read and I plan to read more of the books in this series in the future. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for new historical romance books to pick up.