The second book of the Debutante Diaries, “ The Duke Is But A Dream” is just as delightful, passionate and seductive as the first book. This time we follow the rebellious, sassy and passionate Lily Hartley as she finds the man that makes her toes curl.

Lily Hartley is the secret author of the Debutante’s Revenge, a weekly column which guides young debutantes in their pursuit of love and independence. A favourite among the debutantes of the ton, it equally has many haters. But nothing can stop the free willed debutante from pursuing what her heart desires- even if she’s lost her memory and has no recollection of who she is. And what her heart desires seems to be a stone hearted duke.

Eric Nash, Duke of Stonebridge, has built a wall around his heart. Now his only goal in life is to protect his younger sister from rakes and to make sure that he never falls in love. That is until he discovers that the boy he’s trying to save in a tavern brawl is an enchanting woman. But there’s a problem, she has lost her memory and with every single day that she stays in his house it seems that he is in danger of losing his heart to her. With so many questions and unknowns between them, it seems that a future for them is impossible, or is it?

A sensual, seductive and equally addictive romance by Anna Bennett. Can’t wait for the third book of the series which I’m guessing will be about Sophie.

This was a great premise for a story. Nowadays we'd have the media or even social media to help identify someone. What would we have done back then? Imagine his surprise to find a girl in boy's clothing. Sometimes fate gets tired of waiting and shoves you in the right direction!

Lily Hartley likes to stretch the rules and push the limits. She writes the Debutante's Revenge, an advice column where she champions all the shy debutantes and meek wallflowers. and all of society wants to know who writes it. She is a woman before her time, but she can't let anyone know!

In The Duke is But a Dream, the second book in Anna Bennett's Debutante Diaries series, Lily is left home alone, each side of her family having assumed she would be looked after by the other. She takes the opportunity to explore on her own and goes to a tavern masquerading as a chimney sweep.

When a brawl breaks out in the tavern, she is knocked out, and Eric Nash, Duke of Stonebridge discovers the "lad" is actually a woman. You need to suspend belief as Eric takes this "beautiful stranger" with amnesia who makes him "feel things" into his home, takes care of her, and introduces her to his sister.

Bennett's writing will keep you turning the pages, as a steamy relationship develops between Eric, who had scorned the notion of love and was known as Duke of "Stoneheart" and "Caroline", the name amnesiac Lily gives herself. Their relationship is not without obstacles and surprises, as they deal with Lily's past and Eric's sister, Delilah.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just OK for me. I liked the amnesia part of the story, which I wasn't sure if I would at the start of the book. Actually, that was the most interesting part of the story for me. I liked the friendship that happened between Lily and the Duke's sister, while Lily had amnesia. Not much else really worked for me though. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

The Duke is But a Dream is an enjoyable novel by Anna Bennett. Lily Hartley is the anonymous author of an advice column for young women of the ton, who delivers the columns to the paper in a scandalous fashion...dressed as a boy! When she has a mishap, she loses her memory and winds up in the care of one Eric Nash, the Duke of Stonebridge, who discovers to his dismay that she is not actually a boy, but a beautiful young woman in disguise. As Lily recovers her health, she tries to remember who she is, all to no avail. The Duke is not ready to give her up and as their affection blooms, is not sure he wants to find out. A wonderful story, I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I couldn't get past the complete lack of historical accuracy. Even though a time period isn't specifically given, from the cover and the blurb one assumes this is set around the Regency period. Except the characters act more like people from 2019 than from 1820. Part of why I love historical romance, and Regency romances in particular, is for the intricate dance of manners, which is just sadly so absent from this book.

Just missing something for me, wasn't my cup of tea at all. The characters didn't catch my attention. This is a heart warming romance for some, just not me.

The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: Lily Hartley secretly pens an advice column for young ladies by disguising herself as a boy to deliver her articles to the paper. But then she’s inadvertently involved in a tavern fight where she promptly receives a blow to the head, is rescued by Eric Nash, Duke of Stonebride, and has forgotten who she is. Nash promises to help her find out who she is but while she’s recuperating in his home he starts to fall for her and when the truth of her identity comes out, it could destroy what Lily and Nash have begun to build.






Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? The amnesia trope isn’t my favorite and can be difficult to pull off to begin with but I feel like that’s not where The Duke is but a Dream fell a little short for me.

It’s not that Anna Bennett isn’t a talented writer, she is, and I’ve enjoyed her earlier books immensely. However the trend of historical-but-really-modern romance is glaringly obvious here, and you don’t have to be a history genius to find the evidence.

I do concede that taking small liberties with things like dialogue and events help keep the book from becoming a historical fact finding snooze fest. I mean, as much as I love Pride and Prejudice I don’t want every historical romance I read written with that much accuracy. It would drive me nuts and slow down the pace of the story considerably. Not to mention make the reader feel like they’re in history class rather than just relaxing with a fun, steamy book. But at the same time, I do want the story to feel real even if it is fiction.

There wasn’t anything about Lily I disliked outward, but had she been a heroine in a contemporary romance instead, she would have been better received. But it’s not just Lily that didn’t fit the time period, Nash had his flaws to that had nothing to do with personality.


The amnesia plot didn’t exactly impress here either. It didn’t work in favor of the couple because while there was an attraction between them, Nash and Lily didn’t really click for me as anything more than a fling. I didn’t feel a deep emotional attachment, let alone a true growth in their relationship. It just didn’t work for me.

In some cases, I can and have overlooked historical flubs, and/or modern dialogue in favor of a solid plot, good characters, and if the aforementioned flubs and dialogue are only minor and few and far between.

I think in this case, Nash and Lily would have been better suited as contemporary characters and the amnesia plot done away with.

Click It or Skip It? Skip It. Historical romance as a whole is become way too modern and I can’t decide if my ability to understand a more historically accurate setting is being insulted or not.

This is the second in the series, and I liked this one just as much as the first! The heroine secretly writes a scandalous column for ladies and after dropping of her columns disguised as a boy, goes to a pub to see what it's like. While there she gets involved in a fight and hits her head. This results in amnesia. Nash rescues her and brings her back to his home to recuperate.

I will admit that the reading of this book requires you to suspend disbelief on several points. 1 - that a repected, single, Duke in London would allow a total stranger to live in his home with his sister. 2 - that this total stranger (who is obviously educated and of a certain social standing based on her accent) would a. be so willing to perform sexual acts on a man she doesn't know and b. be very knowledgeable about them when she is clearly a virgin.

That being said, the love story was good, the writing enjoyable and the characters all likeable. A very readable book!

Crystal's Thoughts:
Anna Bennett's Debutante Diaries is a rollicking good time!

Lily Hartley is one of London's debutantes, and while she may not be titled, her family is extremely wealthy. When Lily isn't attending soiree's, visiting with her sister and new husband, or dreaming about meeting mister right, she secretly pen's The Debutante Diaries, a column for young women looking for love in London's society. When she find's herself alone and unchaperoned for two weeks, Lily decides to see how the other half (men) live by dressing as a boy and entering a tavern. Her mission of freedom soon turns to folly though when she is robbed and struck on her head, causing her to loose all memory of herself. Enter Eric Nash, the Duke of Stonebridge.
Brooding and melancholy, Nash wants nothing but to reminisce on his failures in peace. His plans are quickly thwarted though when he comes to the defense of a seemingly young boy about to get robbed and beat. Maybe a good brawl is exactly what he needs though. When the boy is knocked unconscious, Nash is shocked to find a young woman instead. A beautiful young woman. Knowing how improper it would be for her to be found out in such a public setting, Nash quickly brings the her to his townhouse to recover.
As Lily tries to recall her past she can't help but become fascinated by the handsome duke that came to her rescue. But what if she is merely a kitchen made instead of a peer? That road can only lead to heartache and Nash has already warned her that he is incapable of love. Can a woman with no past and a man with no future find love in the present?

The Duke Is But a Dream was a sweet romance. While fairly improbable, I liked Lily's forward thinking character. She was ahead of her time in her thinking and her independence. Somewhat naive, yes, but it lead to an entertaining story-line. I also really enjoyed the building of Lily and Nash's romance. There was an attraction, as is understandable with two good-looking people who have charming personalities. But there was also a good amount of getting to know you, and in Lily's case, getting to know herself. Nash had his moments. I appreciated his need to protect his sister, and sympathized with the scars from his past. He was quite bullheaded though, which was frustrating at times. Nash's sister Delilah was a delight. She added lightness and humor to the plot while Lily's identity and that of the The Debutante Diaries added intrigue. There was also the side plot of Lily's true parentage, since she was adopted by the Hartley's as a baby, which gave her character some nice closure at the end.

That all being said, The Duke Is But a Dream was slow moving and not as exciting as the first book in the series, First Earl I See Tonight. Overall, I enjoyed the read though and look forward to the next book in the series. On a side note that I mentioned in my review of the first book; I don't care for how the women in these stories only use the men's surnames when addressing them. It's not as intimate in my mind as if they were to use their given names, such as Eric in this case.

🍷🍷🍷 #Review of The Duke Is But a Dream by Anna Bennett

A charming story that really pulls you in. I was enamored by the characters and the story itself.



**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review**

Miss Lily Hartley is the secret columnist behind The Debutante's Revenge. The column offers advice for young women seeking to marry. One night, when delivering her column, Lily is injured in a barroom brawl. She is saved by a handsome stranger, who is the Duke of Stonebridge, Eric Nash. Nash thinks he is saving a boy from being beaten. He quickly realize that it is actually a woman, but not before she is hurt.

He takes her home to the protection of his family, but she begins to panic. She has no idea who she is. Nash does everything he can to help her discover her identity, all while offering her his protection. Lily calls herself Caroline for the duration, and she endears herself to Nash and his sister Delilah.

Just before Lily left home the night she was hurt, her family had gone away, so they have no idea that she is missing. While Nash tries to locate them, they find that they cannot resist one another. This is something really, because Nash has a very good reason for never thinking he could actually find love. Also, Lily and Delilah's friendship is just so touching.

I enjoyed this book and the characters grew on me rather quickly. Lily's need for her memory to return kept my interest and I felt for Gray and his deep sadness. It was a delight to watch Lily warm his heart.

This is the second book in a series and it reads well as a standalone. The other books in the series are First Earl I See Tonight and the upcoming When You Wish Upon a Rogue. That book will be Lily's friend and fellow columnist Sophie's story.

Many thanks to St. Martin's and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.

This is really my first book in this genre- Dukes, Ladies, etc. and I have to say I enjoyed it. This qualifies as being a bodice ripper with steamy scenes and dramatic longing gazes, but also has the added bonus of amnesia and a woman going against conventional society. I truly enjoyed it.

This story is full of kindness , love and a little adventure. Lily and Nash were made for each other. She helped him loosen up his fears of love and life. He was still stuck in the past from a family tragedy. And he not only helped her get her memory back but also have her freedom to keep doing what was her life's passion.

This story was heartfelt as well as memorable. The Debutantes revenge was fun story inside the story. I enjoyed the story line as well as the characters

While dressed like a boy, Lily gets caught up in a tavern brawl. Lucky for her, the Duke of Stonebridge steps in and rescues her after she is knocked out.

Eric is shocked when he finds out that the person he accidentally knocks out is a woman. He immediately takes her back to his home and calls for a doctor. Unfortunately the knock on the head, has left the woman with amnesia.

As Eric and Lily spend time together, they grow closer and start to fall for the other. But what will happen when Lily gets her memory back? Will it put a stop to their budding romance?

I loved Eric and Lily story! With Lily being a a proper young miss, she often puts a hold on her impulses. But with her memory loss, she doesn't know her background, so goes ahead and does what she wants. It sure made for interesting reading!! This was a great addition to the Debutante Diaries series and I can't wait for the next one to come out!

Lily Hartley and Eric Nash have immediate chemistry. She's the main writer behind the latest column for young women, often encouraging them to be independent. When she gets injured and loses her memory, the Duke of Stonebridge saves her and takes her to his home to recover.

I loved it - a fun and refreshing Regency romance with complex characters and so well written I was completely immersed in all that was happening from beginning to end. This is a must-read for any Regency romance lover.

I had a hard time with this novel. It is a Historical Romance, yet there is no set time period for the book. It kind of left the book floundering.

Lily Hartley writes an anonymous tell-all advice column for young ladies of the ton. She delivers her column dressed as a boy. When she decides to explore her freedom, she ends up in a tavern. During a brawl, she is hit in the head. Eric Nash, Duke of Stonebridge is in the tavern and realizes the lad is really a young woman. When she is injured, he takes her to his house to recover.

Lily is left with amnesia and has no idea of who she is. The only thing she knows is her attraction to Nash grows stronger each day. As Lily and Nash attempt to find her true identity, their attraction grows to the point they may just lose their hearts to each other.

What bothered me was Lily had no idea if she was married, betrothed, or single. Yet, within two days of being in Nash's house, they are engaging in some serious action. It was much too quick.

On the flip side, I did enjoy the book once I ignored my personal issues. It was well written and Lily was a strong character.

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

Really enjoyed The Duke is but a dream by Anna Bennett. I am a sucker for amnesia stories so this one fit the bill. Lots of romance and humor. Would read another by this author! I received an ARC for my honest review.

Lily Hartley isn't a typical debutante. She has a mind of her own and isn't a blind follower of society's rules. I liked her attitude and spirit. She wants to help educate other young women by writing a column called The Debutante's Revenge. However, it must be a secret to protect her reputation. She meets the Duke of Stonebridge in a bar brawl. Unfortunately she's injured and as a result lost her memory. Nash may want to keep a low profile but he can't leave her. It showed that he's really a caring man. Why did he hide his true nature? Lily bonds with Nash. Their chemistry is so powerful. They are drawn to each other. Their attraction pulled me into their romance. I wondered if Nash would open his heart. I knew his past made him wary of loving anyone. I understood why. It bothered me how protective he was of his sister, Delilah. This story has well written characters, a passionate romance as well as secrets and heartbreak. I enjoyed the writing of Anna Bennett. It's an exciting read. This is the second book in the Debutante Dairies series.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.