The Earl of Martingale died and his daughter Marianne discovered he’s been stealing from his friends. She rightfully called the police and had everything returned to the rightful owners, but she didn’t expect to her or her little sister to be ruined in the eyes of London’s society. She inadvertently finds a hidden item and decides to sneak it back to the owner, Alexander Wittingham, the Duke of Avondale. Alex who was once a rake and a scoundrel has since his sister’s death become a recluse. After finding the delectable Marianne in house stealing sets his desire a flame as never before. He sets out to bargain for one month of her delectable body and he’ll set up her and her sister when the bargain is over. What neither expects to find an unexpected connection growing between them and what it means when the one month is up and their deal is over. I loved this novella it could of easily been a full length novel for me I didn’t want it to end. This my honest opinion and review after I read the book

Who doesn't love a good mystery? Jess Michaels turns love into an intriguing adventure with tons of suspense and a steamy backdrop to light the way to a happy ending. Stealing the Duke is the best of what romance has to offer. There's a twist around ever corner and enough heart to spare.

Whether a full length novel or a novella such as this one, Jess Michaels delivers a complete story that hooks me in every time. Alexander and Marianne were a perfect pair and I look forward to the next in this series.

The first installment of "The Scandal Sheet" was highly entertaining, so I was looking forward to this next chapter. I would have posted a review earlier, but I needed to take an ice bath first. Seriously, Jess Michaels really knows how to write extremely steamy historical romance!

Marianne's father, a kleptomaniac, recently died. After all the stolen items were returned to their owners, she finds a hidden locket belonging to the deceased sister of the Duke of Avondale. Not wanting to bring any more attention to herself or her young sister, she decides to sneak into the Duke's home and leave the locket there. She thought he was not in residence; she was wrong. Alexander, a scarred and emotionally damaged solitary man, caught her in the act. Immediately attracted to Marianne, he agrees to let her and her sister live in a cottage on his property (her cousin, the new Earl of Martingale, is kicking them out of their home) if she agrees to be his mistress for a month. What other choice does she have?

What follows is a lovely erotic version of Beauty and the Beast. Alexander believes his soul is as damaged as his face. Marianne, however, sees the goodness in him and tries to draw it out. They become intense lovers; however, can Marianne bring her duke 's heart back to life? You won't be able to put down this engaging story until you find out.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Stealing the duke is a short novella from Jess Michaels, however unlike most short novellas this book did not feel rushed and in complete. Yes the declarations of love come really fast but the couple is sweet. I started this late at night and could not put it down until I finished it.

Nothing beats a light and short read with an interesting concept and beauty and the beast elements. Sure the romance was rushed and the “I loves you” dropped before you know it, but it was a enjoyable read nevertheless

The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: As if losing her father wasn’t enough, Marianne discovers that the late Earl of Martingale had a habit of stealing things and when she tried to return the items it created a scandal that endangered not only Marianne’s reputation but that of her younger sister. Marianne finds one more of her father’s pilfered items and attempts to return it quietly she’s caught by none other than Alexander Wittingham, the Duke of Avondale. Marianne is desperate to save her sister and the duke takes advantage and makes her an offer that is both scandalous and irresistible.





Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? Stealing the Duke is another bite sized addition to the Scandal Sheet series by Jess Michaels and while enjoyable it definitely feels rushed and left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.



Like in the first novella in the series, this love story also deserved more time to develop and grow, to give the reader a chance to get to know these characters, to decide if they’re likable or not, and to want them to have a happy ending. Alexander and Marianne are both complicated, emotionally driven characters that I wanted to know much more about. For a novella it is best for readers to have uncomplicated characters and little to no drama simply because of the length of the book itself. I felt that there was too much happening and too little time to believably resolve everything PLUS have a viable romance between Alexander and Marianne. Alexander and Marianne are likable on the surface but that’s because that’s really as far as you get to go with them.

Don’t get me wrong, if you’re looking for a quick read then this is it but if you like to get to know the characters, believe in their romance, and feel connected then this novella isn’t going to rate very high there. Jess Michaels is a talented author but I feel this series of novellas isn’t going to be among my favorites. To really get an idea of how awesome this author is I would recommend her Notorious Flynns series or *sighs* her 1797 Club series.

Click It or Skip It? Click It if you’re into quickie romances but again, this is not the best reflection of this author’s work.

Stealing the Duke by Jess Michaels
The Scandal Sheet #2

What a delightful story! It had a bit of the feel of Beauty and the Beast and seemed a bit of a fairy tale but what a fun adult fairy tale it was! The story sizzled in more ways than one and I hoped, along with Marianne, that Alexander would eventually see her for who she truly was and realize what she had to offer to him if he was only willing to open up a bit and take a chance.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Passionate Pen for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Fabulous. I loved this story. Couldnt put it down. The hero and heroine had good chemistry and the story is well written. As always Jess Michael's captivates and ensures the reader is entertained from beginning to end

Sexy, great, fast paced historical romance book! I loved everything about this book, the only thing I have to criticize is the fact that it is novella and that is for me - too short!

Short, hot, and perfect!

I have to admit to being a big Jess Michaels fan --- she delivers what I am looking for in my HRs every time! This story is no different -- the plot is interesting, the characters engaging, and oh the steamy goodness!

In this installment of her latest novella series, Alexander plays our "beast" -- yes, he has a pretty big scar marring his face, but his demons lurk much deeper. Once known as a rake of the first order, the Duke has become a recluse, and other than tending to his ducal duties, he is a veritable ghost. It isn't until he catches what he believes to be a thief in the night that he finally feels something for the first time in a long time, and he can't pass up the chance to explore that further. Marianne, on the other hand, as the daughter of an Earl wanted to be part of society, but her father's errant ways made that dream virtually impossible. To make matters worse, upon his passing, Marianne discovered numerous items her kleptomaniac father stole, and as she has a strong moral compass, Marianne sought to have all of the items returned. Her repayment for this deed was a loose-lipped policeman who shamed her and all but ruined her in the eyes of society. Though this is bad enough, Marianne cannot fathom allowing it to negatively impact her sweet little sister. And as she does not have any brothers, the estate (what's left of it) falls to a cousin who wants both of the former earl's daughters out of his new home in a month, uncaring of where they do and providing nothing for the two to live on. When Marianne finds one more stolen item as she is going through her father's things, she attempts to the do the right thing and return it to its rightful owner -- a duke long removed from society. She is caught in the process... and the price in return for providing for her and her sister? Her innocence.

I loved this book! It is typically hard for me to rate a novella at 5 stars because that isn't usually enough time to develop the characters to the extent that I care about what happens to them, but Ms. Michaels made it happen! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a juicy, scandalous, "beauty and the beast" HR!

Lady Marianne learns the truth about after his death, now she is ruined and her she and her sister will be homeless. When she is caught returning an item to Alexander, she makes a deal with him, to be his mistress for a month for a home and a dowry for her sister. Will she agree? Fast-paced read with loads of steam and an entertaining historical read. I loved it!

My favorite trope of Beauty and the Beast and Jess Michaels pens it beautifully! A woman desperate to find a place for her and her young sister after her father dies and leaves them nothing. That is except some stolen items from different peers. What? Yes her father had a habit of stealing! Determined to return the last item quietly, she steals into the Duke's house to leave it and get out quickly. Of course he catches her but after finding out her circumstances, proposes a way for her and her sister to have security for one month. He is a man battling demons and is so wounded inside. Can our heroine bring him to the light and show him he is worthy of love? The deeply despondent hero who needs love and healing. The heroine who is so caring and kindhearted. An explosive combination when they get together! This author always makes my heart smile with her stories and I cannot wait for the next in this series! I highly recommend this book and any by this author!

This was such an entertaining read! Two people who both had tragedies in their lives meet through an unusual circumstance. Marianne had to deal with the aftermath of her father’s death and care for her younger sister, Juliet. Alex, Duke of Avondale has a troubled background as well. The way their relationship developed was engaging. Although this is a story that can be read in an afternoon, it was a joy to read. The story moved along at a good pace and kept my interest until the end. I’m looking forward to the next book in this delightful series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Stealing the Duke is the second book in The Scandal Sheet series by Jess Michaels. It's a complete stand-alone and you don't have to have read book one in order to understand even a tiny detail in this story. After a long long time, I finally got the chance to read something angsty and it was a great read. The book falls on the short side, but what we got was enough for me to fall for these characters and the book. Yes, technically Alexander blackmails Marianne to sleep with him, but I didn't get the impression that there was a single time that she didn't want him to do something to her. Slowly ( or not so slowly) they feel for each other, even if Alexander wasn't willing to admit it. Alex comes with baggage and Marianne has to deal with the scandals her father's death brought upon her, so both of them have to work their problems out and I think that they did in this book, so you can add character growth as one of the books good elements.

Would I recommend the book? Yes, I would.

Earl of Martingale's daughter, Lady Marianne, is in dire straits. Her father left her penniless and the scandal of his stealing spread through the ton like wild fire leaving her and her 10 year old sister Juliet in an even worse position especially since her cousin, the new earl, has ordered her out of the house in a month. When Marianne finds one last treasure her father stole, she just wants to return it, but she is caught by the reclusive Duke of Avondale when she broke into his townhome to return it. Instead of calling the Watch, Alex makes a deal with Marianne that she be his mistress for a month and then he'll allow her and her sister to live in a small cottage on his property. With no other options left to her, Marianne reluctantly agrees.

This was a short and steamy novella. If you don't like sex scenes, then this isn't the book for you. As it was, I skipped over some of the scenes. The book was well written, but the character development was a bit lacking. The story is a "The Beauty and the Beast" rendition, but there was no slow build up to their love story. Everything happens very quickly.

There is nothing I like more in my romance novels than a scarred hero, both inside and out! There is just something about a sexy hero with scars who shuts himself away until a strong and full of life heroine brings him back! I loved the interaction with Mari and Alex. I loved the whole premise of Mari's father being a thief, she and her sister given the boot by new heir, and the heroine having to do whatever is necessary to keep them afloat. Highly enjoyable novella! I personally liked the length but I also loved the characters and would be happy to read more about them! Overall I highly enjoyed. It was a very sexy novella!

4.5 stars - Stealing the Duke is a quick, tantalizing read that has a beauty and the beast essence about it. I very much enjoyed it and would recommend it highly. My only caution is for the historical romance purist. This is a historical romance that is pretty light on historical details and descriptions. My enjoyment was not dimmed by the omission. However, if you’re a purist, this may not have the sort of meat you’d like to sink your teeth into.

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

This is quite another storyline ... A young woman's father dies and she finds all the items he has stolen from friends and wants to give them back. Marianne doesn't think that this would end in a huge scandal. One night she steals herself into the house of a Lord, to bring back something that belonged to his sister.
The Duke of Avondale is catching her when she tries to sneak out again the agree on a deal to not reveal what she did. She agrees to become his lover. She has nothing to lose. In return he promises security to her and her sister.

This was a very nice story, lots of erotical moments, not a much of story. I really hoped for a little more storyline though.

When Lady Marianne's father dies, she discovers that he has been stealing. Determined to do the right thing, she calls the constable who makes the scandal very public to further his career. Publicly shamed, her cousin who has inherited the title has cast out Marianne and her younger sister. As she struggles to figure out what to do, Marianne finds one last item stolen by her father. It is a broach that belonged to the sister of Alexander Wittingham, the Duke of Avondale. Avondale catches her attempting to return the broach. He realizes Marianne is in dire straits and makes her a shocking offer that can save her.

Can Alexander accept Marianne as more than his lover?

This book is e-reader melting hot! I loved the story and the characters. It was a delightful read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you!