Oh Bella and Rhys! Nothing Compares to the Duke by Christy Carlyle is sensual, witty and playful with a taste of revenge. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a quirky romance.

Nothing Compares to the Duke (The Duke’s Den #3). By Christy Carlyle. 2020. Avon (ARC eBook).

Rhys Forester and Arabella Prescott were childhood friends. But Arabella was in love with Rhys and three years ago, on her birthday, hoped for Rhys to offer marriage to her. Instead their friendship was broken and Bella has since survived three seasons and rejected five proposals; while Rhys embraced the rakish lifestyle. But now Rhys is the new Duke of Claremont and he finds that the estate’s steward has taken off and the ledgers are confounding.

Bella is soon to be twenty-three and her parents decide it’s time for her to marry and she must do so soon. They are hosting a house party and have invited eligible gentleman for her to consider. Still nursing a broken heart, Bella just wants to focus on publishing her book of puzzles. So when Rhys shows up asking for her help with his accounts, Bella sees an opportunity. She’ll help him if he agrees to a fake betrothal. It’ll work, but they’ll just have to ignore the simmering chemistry between them.

Rhys and Arabella’s journey to forgiveness, trust, reconciliation and sense of worth was great. They both balanced the other well and deserve the happiness they found. Nothing Compares to the Duke is the first Christy Carlyle book I’ve read and I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from the author and the other books in this series.

Ok, so this book had two strikes against it, second chance romance and the main character’s carousing ways, but I decided to try it anyways. I really did like Bell and the flow of the story. Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

The story is very trope - impoverished duke, wronged woman in his past - but it's Christy's storytelling that makes all the difference in NOTHING COMPARES TO THE DUKE. I loved the emotional story, their shared past, his bad behavior and I loved watching them circle and then fall in love. Great romance!

Nothing Compares to the Duke is an evening too lovers/ second chance romance. They knew each other years ago and it didn't end well. She needs a fake fiance fast and he needs to get his act together.
This was such a cute story. The characters were lovable and fun. I loved this book!

Christy Carlyle's romances always have great writing and well crafted stories. This isn't my favorite in the series but still enjoyable. The characters are pretty typical for a dukedom romance but they have great chemistry once the former friends come back together and they both work through their issues.

This book hooked me from the first page. This friends to enemies to lovers story was a great read and well-paced. The heroine, Bella was intelligent and she had just the right amount of caution regarding the hero that it was completely believable. Rhys was the perfect rogue who was ready to be transformed by love, and he convinced me that he was deserving of his HEA. I enjoy when the background story doesn't overtake the love story, and this one did not disappoint. This was my 5 star Friday pick on Facebook this week, and I am looking forward to reading more from Ms. Carlyle.

I thought that this book was going to be typical of the genre, but it wasn't. It was a delightful tale of childhood friendship that becomes more. When the heroine turned 18, she had a garden party. Her best friend since childhood, the hero, was 4 years older but he came to her party. She was expecting a marriage proposal and he was expecting a booty call with the local widow. Move up five years and she is having another birthday party. The hero had lead a dissolute life as a duke who does nothing but party. He was not a good student and could barely read, so he had always depended on the heroine to help him in the past. But five years of no stewardship had brought him to the brink. The heroine has had many offers of marriage, but she wants to be in love with her husband, or at least like him. She has always created puzzles and she wants to publish a book of puzzles and she knows she can't do that as a wife. This story just takes off from there. While this is not a story of how a person dedicates their life to the poor, it does showcase the difficulty of living with learning difficulties, and this carries on into todays society. The author successfully explains how a person who is responsible for many tenants and workers lives, can create a mess while dealing with reading problems. I liked this story because it was well written, the characters were likeable and grew with the story. The back characters were supportive to the story and not just thrown in to make the story longer. I read this book almost straight through; it was continuous and has a distinct beginning and end. The were no danglers or ended plot lines. The grammar and spelling has no errors. I highly recommend this book, 5 stars

As the third partner of the Lyon's Den, Rhys Forester lives his life in London much in the same way as his father did, irresponsible and scandalous. When Rhys becomes the Duke of Claremont, responsibility weighs him down. Returning home means facing mounting debt, his sister's first season and apologizing to the one person who always believed in him, Arabella. Five years ago, Rhys broke her heart. Since then Arabella has refused numerous proposals. All she wants is her independence. If her book of puzzles and conundrum is published she can get it. When Arabella and Rhys meet again it's a game of favor vs favor. One step forward and two steps back when you're afraid to trust. All Rhys can hope for is to stay a lucky man. No smooth sailing in this affair.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of this book.

This was a fun book. It had good story, romance, duke that you like and dislike at the same time and some twists and turns. Of course this was a typical romance book, but it was totally enjoyable!

Nothing Compares to the Duke brings us the story of Arabella Prescott and Rhys Forrester.

Our story starts with a young Arabella in the midst or her coming out, young and in love with her childhood friend Rhys. These two have grown up together, shared adventures, it was normal for Arabella to assume the next step may be marriage. What she does not realize is that Rhys is entering a discovery stage in his life. He is discovering women and the joys of being a young buck. Arabella walks in on him with a widow, breaking her heart and setting in motion the future of their relationship.

Fast forward ahead and now we find Rhys as the new Duke of Claremont. The estate that has been passed down to him by his father is experiencing financial difficulties. Things that he was not aware of, and he struggles to understand the family accounts. He searches out his childhood friend, as she is the only one he can trust.

But Bella has still not forgiven him. After many Seasons and turndown proposals she has developed a cool exterior inside and out. Her parents have an opportunity to go to Greece, but will not leave until she is married, so they are turning on the pressure. Bella proposes a fake engagement to Rhys, in exchange with helping him with his accounts and the coming out of his sister.

I’m a little torn on how I feel about their story. The mystery of the financial records kept me interested to continue to read on. I grew a little frustrated with Bella’s supposedly betrayal from Rhys. She was cold and unapproachable. I found it interesting that Rhys never hinted at a possible relationship when they were young, yet having walked in on him grew bitterness and coldness inside her. Their chemistry was not off the charts, but more of a gentle simmer.

Overall it was a nice story to read on a lazy afternoon,

*** I received an advanced copy in exchange of an honest review.

I was hung up by the prologue when sussing our this review. How could two best friends have such a massive misunderstanding and not speak again for 5 years? Why would a seemingly nice boy from an unloving home so disrespect the family next door that was always there for him? What did he really have in his past that made him such a reckless Don Juan? So his dad was a jerk, why try to outdo him?

And the thing that bugged me the most? It’s not giving much away, but the heroine always wore her daisy pendant, given to her on the day her heart was broken publicly. She made it clear it wasn’t eve her favorite flower and she didn’t understand why her best friend and unrequited love gave it to her, yet she wears it everyday. Why wear something that was such a constant painful reminder of a life she’d never get to have?

Sorry, I get caught up in small details and these were too much for me to get over. Otherwise bland.

rabella Prescott has loved being the belle of the ball until her heart was broken by her best friend Rhys Forester, the future Duke of Claremont. Now five years later Belle has not married and Rhys show up at a party uninvited. She’s never forgiven him for his transgression at her sixteenth birthday party, she hoped to one day marry him. Rhys knows he owes Bella an apology, he broke her heart and their friendship was lost five years ago. Bella has several successful seasons with dozens of marriage proposals, but she has never forgotten her first love and childhood friend. The friends are reunited when they discover they both need help and they strike a bargain, Arabella helps to launch his sister debut into society and she helps Rhys with his ledgers. A captivating story of rekindled love and forgiveness. I have voluntarily read and reviewed this amazing story.

I loved this book, I loved Rhys, I loved Bella, I loved their friendship, I loved them together. Christy Carlyle writes a story that is well-written, smooth flowing and I got so into, I had to finish it in one day. This is the 3rd book in the Duke’s Den series, but it is a stand-alone book. Rhys and Bella were best friends when they were younger, until Rhys disappointed Bella during her 18th birthday party and they lost their friendship. Five years go by and they both needed help and they turned to each other. I enjoyed how their friendship turns to a love. I know you will love this book.
I received a free copy from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I have not read the first two books before starting Nothing Compares to the Duke. I did not feel like I had to or that I missed out on anything. The book overall was well-written and well-paced. It follows the story of Arabella Prescott and Rhys Forester. Bella and Rhys have been childhood friends who knew each other so well. Until one day he breaks her heart and Bella vowed to never speak to him again. Fast forward 5 years later, they are thrown back together as he takes ownership of the family estate after his father's death. Their progression from no-longer-friends, to partners in crime, to lovers felt very real and organic. I found Bella to be a very strong female who stuck to her beliefs and trusted that she knew what was in her own best interests without succumbing to the pressures of society. I enjoyed the back and forth banter between Bella and Rhys and the sexual tension was amazing!!

Overall, I do recommend this book for fans of any historical romance. It will not disappoint!

**I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Nothing Compares to the Duke is the third and last book in the Duke’s Den series. The entire series is good, but the books can all be read as a stand-alone. The book was easy to read and flowed smoothly. It was fast-paced and held my attention. The characters were developed and some from the previous books make an appearance to help the hero.

Rhys Forester, the new Duke of Claremont, lived a reckless life with parties and loose women and had earned his reputation as being scandalous. Rhys had made a fortune by investing with his friends in the Duke’s Den, so he gave no attention to finances until his friends told him the investments didn’t get funded. His struggle with reading had made him postpone his duties as the new duke, but he realized he needed to settle his new estates. He struggled with the ledgers and was not able to make any sense of them. The absence of Mr. Radley, the estate steward, lead him to believe that Mr. Radley had been stealing funds from the estate. He knew his childhood companion; Arabella Prescott would be able to sort the accounts. Rhys wasn’t sure if Arabella would talk to him let alone help him. His behavior at her birthday party five years ago was reckless and he hadn’t seen her since she told him to leave.

Arabella Prescott “Bella” had her heartbroken when she found Rhys in the arms of another woman at her birthday party. She was infatuated with him and had hoped he would propose to her that day. Her heart had been broken by his disregard of her feelings and she hadn’t seen him since. She has had several proposals since her first Season, but she rejected them all. She loved solving puzzles and logical problems and was hoping to have a book of her riddles published. She wants to live a comfortable life alone and work on her puzzles, but her parents have decided to have a house party to celebrate her twenty-third birthday. They had invited four gentlemen for her to consider and wanted her to marry before they moved to Athens. She comes up with a plan when Rhys approaches her to ask if she would help him with the estate ledgers. She would help him solve the mystery of the estate loses if he would pretend to a fake engagement until her parents leave for Athens. Their search for Mr. Radley took them on an adventure and made Rhys realize that he was shamelessly following in his father’s footsteps. He slowly came to realize his true feelings for Bella, but his reputation was ruined, and he was afraid it would hurt her reputation. Bella hesitates to trust Rhys again so tries to keep herself emotionally distant. They have several obstacles they must overcome if they want a future together.

This was a great book to finish the series and was enjoyable to read. The characters were great although at first, I didn’t really care for Rhys but he did redeem himself. Bella held on to her anger for some time and she finally was able to let it go when she realizes she is stronger than she was when Rhys first hurt her. She could forgive Rhys and trust him with her heart. Rhys was a better man with Bella and wanted to be worthy of her and her trust. Bella’s cousin Louisa played a large role in helping Bella to realize her dreams and I hope to see her in a future book.

Arabella Prescott has always loved Rhys Forester, but she feels betrayed when she catches him with a willing widow at a party. Years later, Rhys is now the Duke of Claremont and faced with an issue of mismanaged ducal funds. Rhys has always struggled with numbers and clever Bella is the one person he trusts to help him figure it out. But Bella needs a favor in exchange: a fake betrothal to pacify her parents.

This is book three in The Duke’s Den series, but it can be read alone. Fake betrothals are always a fun trope, although this premise seemed very flimsy and poorly thought out by the heroine. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the chemistry between Rhys and Bella. I loved that she was a smart, competent lady and I wish there had been a little more substance to the storyline about her puzzlebook. Rhys was the kind of hero I like: rogue on the surface but marshmallow on the inside.

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #NothingComparesToTheDuke #NetGalley

He's feckless, shallow and spoiled. She's smart and way too good for him.

Rhys is a duke. New at his title and failing at it.
Why? Because instead of preparing for his duty, he was parting and womanizing (very NOT attractive or likable).
I quite disliked him.

But, I did like Arabella "Bella" who had a crush on him which he dashed when she caught him mid seduction with a widow at her own party. He takes off and leaves her for years while he pursues many other women and a life of parties. Its only when he is failing as a duke he shows up back in her life in need of her aid.
Her parents are pressuring her to marry, so she agrees to a fake engagement scheme.

My thoughts are this: Rhys lacks development and maturity or even motivation on why he was such a partier or womanizer, except his father was one.
Bella all to quickly forgives him, and he lack contrition.
But, the writing is strong and well crafted.

This is book 3 in th Duke's Den series. Each book can be read as a stand alone. It's the story of Rhys and Arabella.
This is a story where boy and girl grew up together. Girl has loved boy her entire life. At her 18th birthday party, she is hurt by boy when she finds him in the garden, in a compromising position with a widow. All contact at that point is cut off and boy goes on to become a reprobate.
5 years later, girl is still not married. Boy has inherited his father's Dukedom. He's not good with numbers and is drowning, trying to find out why his father left him with no money. He know whose is good with numbers. The girl next door. The one he has not been able to forget about. The one he knows he hurt badly. Can he go to her and ask for her help? Can she forgive him? Can he change?
It was a delightful story. It kept a good pace in the relationship between Arabella and Rhys and in the secondary plot line of where all his money went.
I gave it 4 1/2:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rounded up to 5.
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

I hadn't read the first two books before starting Nothing Compares to the Duke, and I'm glad to admit I didn't feel like I had missed out, and was able to read without having any confusion.

Bella and Rhys used to be as thick as thieves until Bella, who had a crush on Rhys, found him with another woman. From then on, they never spoke until many years later when Rhys seeks Bella's help.

I greatly enjoyed getting a glimpse of these two being young and carefree, and having that specific scene when the encounter happens told through flashback, rather than from memory. It definitely felt more powerful and brought all the feels for Bella.

I appreciated so much Rhys owning up to what he did and putting his feelings on the table right from the start. He knew it was the only way for Bella to forgive him and move on from the past. Once that happened, I just loved their little banter, and the course of them going on a "detective adventure".

I was slightly surprised by the fake-engagement, but at the same time, I loved it! I'm such a sucker for this trope. When Bella proposed the idea, my heart got so giddy! I respected Rhys so much when he gave his answer to Bella. Rhys is just so perfect. *dreamy sigh* I especially loved all the conversations these two characters had. I will always prefer dialogue because it truly shows the reader that the characters are connecting, at least in my eyes.

Overall, Nothing Compares to the Duke is so lovely, enticing and marvelous! I loved the friends-to-nothing-to-partners-to-lovers trope mixed with fake-engagement trope. I'll be reading more books by this author!