I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I read the previous book in this series and enjoyed it. I chose this preview expecting the characters to feel more familiar to me than they did. I didn’t re-read the previous book and it made me feel as if I were missing some things. The preview was well-written but I might suggest being familiar with the series would increase your enjoyment.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the chance to read an excerpt!

It's quite indicative of Grace Burrowes's writing style that not very much happens in these first 50-odd pages. I've been reading this author since her original THE HEIR, THE SOLDIER, and THE VIRTUOSO trilogy, and she always has this very distinct style that reminds me of nineteenth-century prose, with lots of description and dialogue and roundabout ways of saying things, and a slower pace that you can sink into. It is very much a style that one has to be in the right mood for, and I do find myself prone to twenty-first-century impatience even as I very much appreciate what Burrowes is doing.

On to specific thoughts on this book: I am intrigued by the idea that our heroine is so lonely and desperate that when her neighbor doesn't answer her letters and other attempts to contact him, she lets her pigs wander onto his land in a ploy to capture his exasperated attention. I am confused about why, with a large family including a new duke, who presumably have friends of their own, this surly neighbor is the only person she feels she can talk to. However, I do enjoy this grumpy duke who likes farming and stomping around the pig sty, and likes letting tall tales about him scare the village children, and has his horse jump over a giant fountain in our heroine's yard out of a daredevil impulse.

I was hoping that the abrupt "I want a baby" would lead to some fun encounters of convenience like in A LADY AWAKENED by Cecilia Grant, and I was also intrigued by the dedication to people who experience chronic but intermittent pain, thinking that perhaps one of the characters suffered such. Maybe the latter will come up later in the book? And since it's a romance we KNOW that these two people get together, maybe there is some compromising scandal that forces them to marry. Though the discussion from both the hero and the hero's mother mentions that they are determined to stop the line of inheritance where it is, which will lead to conflict with the heroine's desire for children....anyway, since I'm speculating about what will happen, clearly I am intrigued. I look forward to reading more of this book and seeing how the romance plays out between these two lonely people, who both feel like impostors in society.

I really haven’t read a book by Grace Burrowes and after reading the first few chapters of this, I’m really not sure why. There were likable characters, a nice sense of time and place and an easy to read writing style. I’m going to get this book to finish reading it then I may have to start reading more by this author.

Review Duke by Any other name by Grace Burrows. "Extended preview"

A reclusive duke Rothmere and a new neighbour Lady Althea Wentworth. He refuses her attempt to meet him so she almost has to play him at his own game .

It drags you in as a must read and the preview really does wet your appetite for a potentially good read but I’ve still to obtain a copy therefore I can’t say for sure. I hate this in a book to review as you only have the first few chapters. Hence my displeasure at reviewing a preview.

The bit I have read is great potential

Hope you enjoy your full read .

A Duke By Any Other Name by Grace Burrowes promises to be an entertaining read for those who enjoy Regency romances. After reading the extended preview the story looked promising, but I was not especially engaged with the characters and wasn't loving the flow of the dialogue.
Many thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

This was an extended preview and as such only contained the first four chapters I enjoy reading books by Grace Burrowes and had read the first in the Rogues to Riches series in which we were introduced to the Wentworth family so I had the backstory.

The preview was intriguing and a good introduction to the main characters. The way Althea forced the Duke to finally pay a call on her after rebuffing her attempts to meet him was funny and the banter between the two was charming and fun.

Definitely enough of a tease to want to read the rest of the story.

Requested the preview through Net Galley.

Good book about two likable people who are victims of their circumstances. Althea is the sister of a duke who chose to live at her estate in Yorkshire rather than subject herself to London society again. Althea and her siblings grew up in poverty with an abusive father. Althea spent her childhood protecting her younger siblings while her older brother worked to put food on the table. Years later, Quinn unexpectedly inherited a dukedom, thrusting the whole family into the limelight. Althea became the target of gossips making her Seasons miserable. Tired of the bullying, Althea decided to seek a husband in Yorkshire, only to find that the local gossips are just as bad. Althea decides that her only hope is to get the local duke on her side.

Nathaniel, Duke of Rothaven, is known in the county as an abrasive, unwelcoming recluse. He gallops his horse around the moors during the night, a habit that adds to his fearsome reputation. It becomes evident very quickly that Nathaniel fostered that reputation himself as a way to hide the truth. Far from being the black-hearted villain he portrays, Nathaniel is a kind-hearted man who loves his family and his lands. He plays the part of the duke to protect his older brother, an epileptic, who was sent to an asylum when they were boys. Told by their father that Robbie was dead, Nathaniel didn't discover the truth until after his father's death. It has taken five years for Robbie to recover even partially from the cruel treatment he received, and he still refuses to take his proper place. This leaves Nathaniel caught in a dilemma. He can't reveal the truth, which would put Robbie in danger, and open himself up to accusations of fraud. It also means that he is condemned to live his life alone.

I loved the first meeting between Althea and Nathaniel. She tried traditional methods of making his acquaintance but was turned away. So she purposely set her prize-winning hogs loose in his orchard, hoping to draw him out. Nathaniel's fuming arrival at her door is met with offers of tea, cakes, and conversation. He tries to refuse and is met with an iron-willed refusal to accept his rejection, complete with a gentle lecture on proper behavior. Her request for advice on dealing with local society surprises him, and he gives her a few hints before making his escape.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship. Nathaniel is intrigued by Althea and drawn to her in unexpected ways. She stirs emotions in him that he has locked away for years. He can't court her, he can't marry her - but he can't stay away from her. Althea discovers the truth early on, and her understanding further endears her to Nathaniel. Althea is impressed by the man under the reputation and drawn to his love for and loyalty to his family. A crisis throws them together, and their feelings for each other continue to grow. I ached for Nathaniel, who can't see any way for them to be together. His sadness, loneliness, and frustration are evident, as are his conflicting emotions of love, anger, and guilt toward Robbie. Althea is independent, stronger than she realizes, and also haunted by the events of her childhood. Not only is she protective of her own family, that protectiveness soon extends to Nathaniel and Robbie. Things become more complicated when an outsider makes trouble, and Althea's family gets involved. The situation is resolved brilliantly, and I laughed as the spiteful cat got her comeuppance at the same time Nathaniel receives his heart's desire.

I loved the secondary characters as they were portrayed. Robbie made my heart ache for everything he went through. The descriptions of the treatment of people with epilepsy were vivid and painful. It was surprising that Robbie had come as far as he had. That said, there were times that I felt he was unreasonably obstinate. I liked what I saw of Althea's brother, Stephen. He is another who suffered at the hands of his father in ways that affected his life permanently. He loves his family and is very protective of Althea. I liked seeing him go head-to-head with her as both were evenly matched in stubbornness. There is also a great scene between him and Nathaniel. The staff at Rothaven were also wonderful. They are old and valued retainers working well past when they would typically have retired. They take full advantage of their positions in some surprising ways.

A Duke By Any Other name sets up an intriguing premise. Thea and Nathaniel cross paths when Thea’s prize pigs invade Nathaniel’s orchard. While Nathaniel assumes he will quickly be rid of his annoying neighbor, Thea has other intentions. She needs a guide to make her way successfully in society, but Nathaniel has secrets of his own. Thea seems like a very determined heroine. I would definitely be interested in continuing their story! Thank you to Grace Burrowes, Grand Central Publishing, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

I have to say, Grace Burrowes isn't one of my go-to historical romance authors. But this preview made me rethink that stance! I think I am going to read the whole book and see how it goes. This book snippet intrigued me!

A Duke By Any Other Name by Grace Burrowes
I was given only (4) chapters to review via Netgally.
I have read several books by this author, Grace Burrowes in the past and I have enjoyed them immensely!
However, I found myself having to push myself to get through the four chapters and because I wanted to be absolutely fair to the author and to insure that maybe I could have been distracted or anything is possible! I reread those 4 chapters again a week later in a totally different environment. I am very obstinate in that I try to be as fair and honest that I give an open minded and clear concise review as possible!
Unfortunately, in this particular case for me, I found that I could not connect with her characters, Lady Althea Wentworth or the Duke Nathaniel Rothmere. Lady Althea was looking for acceptance but instead of reaching out to family for help she decided to seek help from the Duke who she felt kept society in their place by showing them disdain at every turn! Her family at one time were the “Black Sheep” until they were financially stable and came into the “Duke “ title! They were no longer social outcasts but were now being treated to an extent with reverence except for Lady Althea because she was only the sister and had no social graces! She was given the cold shoulder and made to feel as though as if she was no better than the lint on a sweater!
Lady Althea wants to fit in and not be a social pariah and she believes that the Duke of Rothmere has the potential to teach her his techniques at putting society in their place with just one frosty glance from him! She honestly believes that he is such a paragon that his knowledge will enhance her to such a success that she will take the country set of society by storm.
The Duke of Rothmere has his own issues. He is a loner not by choice but because he has a secret! His family was very dysfunctional, but whose family can claim that they have a perfect one. His father was extremely emotionally and physically abusive to not only his mother but to him and his siblings. His mother has retreated from the home even though she would like to return, she has such bad anxiety and memories that she doesn’t know if she can, but she would for her sons sake.
The Dukes oldest son is thought to have died, but he is still alive. The father had him placed in a asylum after he suffered a traumatic brain injury from a riding fall. The brother found out after the father was dead that he was alive and went and brought him back home to the ducal estate. He could not allow any lights of any kind in a room so the estate had to be totally dark. He finally got to where he would go into the walled garden, but that was a major ordeal at times. He did not like change or like women. There were very few staff so the Duke never entertained or allowed visitors of any sort. This is how he got the reputation of being the Duke of Disdain or basically someone who did not suffer fools and he had no patience whatsoever for gossiping people! He didn’t want to be bothered and kept people at a arms length, but he ran his estate and was respectful.
Even though this book is geared towards mental deficiencies of both the mind and character I just felt it was still not flowing like her other books. This one felt like it was stretching to get to something so it was just throwing things together.
I believe many people will still love this book and want to purchase it, but for me, this 4 chapters did not entice me to want to purchase the book. I still love this author and will anxiously await her other new books!!! So, this may not be my cup of tea, but it could be yours!
I received these 4 chapters from netgally and these are my words and opinions!

I really enjoyed the part I got to read for the preview of the novel. I checked out the full book from my library. I am really loving it!

Thea is a duke’s sister who is looked down upon by the ton because the family were originally commoners. She longs to be accepted and to marry and have children. Nate has sequestered himself on his estate to hide family secrets. He is torn between duty to his family and happiness for himself. Thea asks Nate to give her pointers in navigating the ton. In helping her, Nate realizes just what he is missing. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Forever for my honest review.

I found this extended preview on Netgalley and enjoyed the first four chapters of this compelling story of a reclusive Duke and his new neighbor, Lady Althea. With wonderful characterizations, sparkling dialogue, and some delightful historical elements, I was disappointed that my preview ended after a few Chapters.

Because it was a limited review, I am not going to go through the heat levels and a star rating. But, I am definitely interested to read when the full book is released at the end of April.

Part of a series, I felt it was working fine as a standalone.

The MCs were both interesting, with some great hooks, and I think the believable start to a friendship.

Burrowes is a new to me author, and definitely something going on my watch list.

I was given an extended preview of this book and the. Went on to buy it. It is funny, with great banter and strong characters. I liked the way the author handled the obstacle to Althea and Nathaniel’s happiness. It was $7 well spent!

I didn't quite understand what the meaning of an 'Extended Preview' was, so i was completely disappointed with how the outcome of my efforts. That being said I was interested enough to possibly buy the complete book.

I loved it! It has the usual Grace Burrowes' book hallmarks - humor (pigs in the orchard), independent women, bromance, mouthwatering teas by the fire, family love and conflict, with the addition of a positively gothic location and the duke racing across the moors in midnight on a black horse. I can hardly wait to read the whole thing! The above review is of an extended ARC from the publisher via Netgalley . I have since then read my own purchased copy and am even more in love with this book. It's just about perfect, in my opinion.

3.5 Stars

Well, that was a nice read. It was my first book from this author, and I quite enjoyed the writing and characters.

The relationship developed in quite a nice pace, they were both likeable characters. I enjoyed how upfront both were regarding their feelings, always acting with maturity in their relationship. Despite the difficulties of their situations, both of them were honest about what was happening instead of being purposely misleading. Even when being secretive about his situation, Nathaniel was very clear about his intentions, and acted as such. I really dislike misunderstandings that drag the narrative, and I did not thought this happened on this book.

My one issue was that it was at times a bit slow for me, and I disliked a bit when they suddenly changed to secondary characters viewpoint. I basically just skipped that to go back to the main story.

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes Historical Romance with two mature and honest characters, with two people who deeply care and support each other

A Duke by Any Other Name by Grace Burrowes offers a premise in historical romance novels held to the code that befits the waspish independent female and the disdainful, ornery male— insofar as I have read as this is only an Extended Preview.
The story got right to the point as soon as you start reading, and while slightly over-the-top in conversational etiquette and rejoinders, the preview does have the ability to whet your reading appetite for more. However, the brazen conversation between strangers made the story lack credibility in the historical genre world, and for this reason, I personally, am turned off from reading further than the preview offered.

I received an ARC of only the Extended Preview from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

. Extended preview- I need to be a little more careful in selecting books to review. I enjoyed the preview but have no way to read the rest of the book. It was just starting to evolve the characters. His brother Robbie, her sister Constance. How with encouragement from Nat's brother he started slipping away to see Althea. He was trying to teach her about "polite society" > So she would not be mocked.
As usual, the writing was exceptional. The characters were wonderful and helped keep it interesting. From what I read it would be worth it.

Althea and her siblings were thrust into society when it was discovered her brother was the last heir to a dukedom. This newfound title as well as their states as “new” money have made Althea the target of bullies and rumors. Nathaniel has spent the several years letting his familial home rot around him as he desperately hid a secret that would ruin his entire family. These two broken souls end up as neighbors and tentative friends, then lovers all while knowing marriage to each other is unlikely.

I must admit I am not usually a fan of books where a character needs the popular or good looking one to assist them in gaining their own popularity. Blame the teen movies of the 90’s for ruining that trope for me. Even though I expected from the blurb to have to endure long scenes of “education”, instead Burrowes gives us an endearing and emotional love story. Between two lost souls and I enjoyed the push/pull of our two main characters much more than I expected.

I am only marking down this book one star because, as Althea is working to break down the reclusive Duke’s walls his secret is revealed. I was surprised at how quickly we as the reader were let in on the secret since it’s so devastating to Nathaniel. It helped to further endear me to Nathaniel’s character, even as it frustrated me. Knowing the secret so soon in the book only further increased the angst for me as I worried how the happily ever after could be delivered.

I was a bit frustrated that much of the last third of the book was spent on conversations with other side characters or in plotting the final resolution. I became frustrated with the society intrigue; however, I think that is mostly due to my preference for action rather than talk. Burrowes tackles subjects of bullying, child abuse, and family responsibilities like a master. Her characters are well developed and endearing. And her resolution of the happily ever after was satisfying for me as a reader.

Overall, I gave this book a 4 because I felt the story was excellent and I enjoyed the honest love story between the main couple. My qualms about the pacing of the end are quite minimal. Fans of Lisa Kleypas’ Hathaway or Ravenel series will enjoy this novel for the strong family bonds. Content warning for descriptions of mental and physical abuse towards adults and children.