Leigh always creates heroines I want to rip from the pages and turn into friends. They're never perfect, but they're genuine, passionate, and driven, people I could get along with for the rest of my life. But this book was special because the heroine (Jess) reminded me so strongly of my friend Jess that I could have sworn Leigh used her as inspiration.

More importantly, Leigh is a major advocate for giving her ladies the reigns of the story, and never more so than with Noel, the submissive duke. Their dynamic is such a push and pull, a true partnership of exchange it was a pleasure to read.

This book was excellent, and I'm not usually one for a mistaken identity trope. I love that the heroine is in disguise in order to further her family's business and not for shallow reasons. The chemistry was on fire in this book.
Full review available on Goodreads at time of publishing.

When I requested this novel I was into the ideal of reading this novel but I discovered that I was unable to provide feedback on this book due to the series being archived prior to download and file/download issues. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience of not being to review and thank you for taking the time to provide me an ARC of this novel.

A historical romance version of Working Girl?! You know I had to read this one and I was not let down. Jess is very smart and very in need of investors to save her family business. So she pretends to be a widowed lady to gain access to a group of people looking for worthy investments and finds herself drawn to a duke who happens to be the type of man who appreciates a woman with a brain. The banter between the two of them was delightful as they each discovered a worthy sparring partner. Noel is a hero who has sown his wild oats but is ready to put those days behind him and as soon as he meets Jess his sweetness is apparent. Usually I am not a fan of books where one character is being deceitful but I understood Jess’s motivations and intentions. Maybe loving the movie helped too because I was not overly bothered by her lies. Lovely introduction to this series and I fully intend to read more.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Leigh writes a compelling love story of a young lady caught in the web of her own making. Jessica McCall is desperate to save her family and their business after a fire. Able to get into the exclusive Bazaar to seek capital to fund the rebuilding of their business, Jessica becomes infatuated with the Duke of Rothesby, one of the most influential men in London. The infatuation is mutual. Instantaneous sexual attraction becomes a slow melting affair that can't help but go up in flames. Secrets have a way of coming out and will be very painful for them both. A page gripping read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Eva Leigh just keeps getting better. I often worry about plots that hinge on a major deception between the main couple—that there will be a deception too easily forgiven, or that a deception goes too far and proves one character to be morally bereft. But Leigh has balanced well Jess’s motivations, her guilt, and her desire to make things right—and Noel deals with it all in a reasonable way. Their relationship is as hot as I’ve come to expect from Leigh, and the relationship development and emotional complexity are both top tier. I also appreciate that characters from the first book feature, but don’t dominate.

The plot has been done before, but this time, there's a feminist twist. Jess doesn't want to dress up as a noblewoman just for a night of fun (not that there's anything wrong with that). Instead, she is looking to secure investors for her family's business, which is failing as a result of a fire. In doing so, she gets up close and personal with Noel. Noel and Jess meet before she sneaks into the Bazaar, a week-long gathering of business-minded nobility to be courted by businesses seeking investors. They bump into one another on the street, where Jess shows off her knowledge of investment, and the two are immediately drawn to one another for reasons beyond their intelligence. 😉

At the Bazaar, the connection between Jess and Noel is apparent, and the two quickly realize that they have real feelings for one another. However, Jess is in disguise, and Noel has no idea about her true identity. One thing he cannot abide is being lied to or used for his position in society, and the thought of someone he loves doing this to him is especially appalling. Of course, Jess truly does love Noel, but he will be devastated if and when he discovers the truth.

What was really special about this book was the sexual dynamic between Noel and Jess. I don't think I have ever seen it in fiction before. Noel always is telling people what to do, which grates on Jess, and she calls him out on it. He appreciates that, and they soon find themselves in a sexual relationship where Jess makes the commands and Noel asks for permission. I've read books where a man is sexually submissive, but this was just so much more than a little bit of kinky fun. It's really gentle and loving and still puts Noel in a sort of "alpha male" role, both in bed and in life, while still being sexually submissive. Their relationship is lovely, refreshing, and relatable.

Luckily, our characters only have to go through a few chapters of angst before they find their HEA. This book was everything I didn't know I wanted and needed from a romance novel. It totally blew my mind and made me think about what is expected in man/woman relationships versus what many of us actually want. Also, the assumed couple for Book 3 promises to be a pairing I really want to see in romance (a woman who I assume is in her 40s+??) - and there's another possible pairing that is already deliciously angsty.

Finally, a THANK YOU (and a major one at that) to HarperCollins/Avon, Eva Leigh, and NetGalley for hooking me up with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020, and I was more than happy to treat myself to a copy for my birthday. (It will be published one day before I turn 30!)

I was looking forward to this second book in the series and liked it even more than the first one! The characters were appealing and it was fun to watch as the imperious duke faced someone who was strong and intelligent. Eva’s books are always sexy and this one did not disappoint!

Delightful! This is a great followup to My Fake Rake. I enjoyed this one even more in fact. I really liked Jess and her family and Noel was wonderful as well. I was rooting for them the whole time which is exactly what I want in a historical romance like this. I also really loved that we got to see the same opening scene from My Fake Rake but from Noel's pov this time. That is a really fun conceit that I hope will continue with more books in the series because I will be reading more in this series for sure.

When I started the book I knew I was going to enjoy it; the plot was interesting, characters were engaging, and was overall very well written. But then it happened, the surprise twist with the relationship dynamic between the main characters, Jessica McGale and Noel the Duke of Rotherby. At first I was a little shocked, this wasn’t what I was expecting but the more I thought about it and read, the more I loved it. If you’re curious about what this was, you’ll have to read the book, which I strongly recommend.
While this book is part of a series, the Union of the Rakes, it can stand alone and doesn’t leave a reader feel like there is holes in the plot that can only be answered in the previous book. But honestly, I cannot wait to see how everything plays out for the rest of the Union of Rakes.

Was the movie Working Girl one of your favorite movies of the 80s? If so - this book is 100% a riff on that movie - down to the character names Jess McGale (Tess McGill) the Marquess of Trask (Trask is the company they are trying to merge in the movie). Jess's sister is even name Cynthia like Tess's bestie in the movie. It goes on from there. With that in mind, I should have loved it. I really should. I adore Working Girl the entire premise of it - everything. I think where this book went wrong for me was the intent of Jess to deceive from the very beginning. She tried to do things the right way - but the hole that was dug was too deep to get out of without a miracle. I also just didn't love Noel. The prologue gives a view into his life that isn't really attractive - and seeing him in action didn't really pull me in either.

Overall - this one just wasn't for me despite all signs pointing otherwise.

Jess McGale is a farmer's daughter. Her family makes a wonderful honey scented soap, using real honey from their farm, and the product is unparalleled. Just when they were on the verge of having a supportive financial venture with it, part of the farm is destroyed. Now she's desperate for investors to help repair the damage and get the business back on its feet. She decides posing as Lady Whitfield will get her in to the doors she needs to make this succeed.

Noel is a charming, wealthy, fun loving duke. He really is a rather unique hero with his personality. Those tired of the brooding man with a scowl in the corner, come hither. Those looking for the ultimate gentleman, the every so sweet beta hero, charming, witty, funny, loving...DUKE, here he is. Yes, he has had his adventures back in the day, but upon meeting Lady Whitfield, he finds himself acting like he never has before.

I think so many people will adore this book. The focus is all on the two of them. There is no murderer, no villain, no mystery. The dialogue is wonderfully funny and witty. The hero is not arrogant, pushy, self serving. He will not make you uncomfortable with his advances, as he has very clearly made sure he is not taking advantage of anyone. The sex is super hot and explicit (those that prefer fade to black will probably be skimming over a bit of this), there's plenty of language used (f*** used sexually and as an expletive (33 times) , c**t (2 times)). While it's not bdsm by any means, there is some level of dominant/submissive entered into their relationship with the heroine being the dominant one. She's very demanding and stating exactly what she wants from the duke and he happily obliges. There's always quite a bit of dirty talk going on in the scenes. Leigh's writing creates a wonderfully inclusive world where women are entrepreneurs and their opinions are actually entertained and respected. She lifts up racially diverse characters.

Sadly, and this is just pure personal preference, this book annoyed me to no end. And obviously I shouldn't read a book titled Would I Lie to the Duke when I really just can't abide liars. I just can't. I ended up not liking the heroine AT ALL for her behavior numerous times. For me though, it was more than the fib. It was her taking a wonderfully charming hero and making him beg forgiveness for being too presumptuous, which I thought was an absolute joke. The character development was great in this book, but also fell heavily on the heroine. I still feel like I don't know the hero that well and I definitely read romance for the heroes. I'm always sad when they are neglected. The heroine was so dominant and sexually aggressive compared the hero and that's also something I'm just not that into. None of these make this a bad story, just for me, it didn't give me the feels I wanted. I didn't love the sex because I couldn't get over the heroine.

In so many ways this story was better to me than the first in the series. I feel like the relationships of the union of rakes was much better established and here I could actually imagine and see the friendship of the members, unlike the first book. But I also disliked it so much more than the first one. The first in the series left me bored, but overall happy with a few things. This one makes me gnash my teeth.

I was so excited to read Rotherby’s story after the first in this series, My Fake Rake, and it did not disappoint! Such a fun, sexy historical romance. Jess and Noel were perfectly matched and each had their own complex backstory that made me invested in their happiness together. The highs were super high and the lows heart wrenching and emotional, with a satisfying HEA to tie it all together. I’m really enjoying the Union of the Rakes series and looking forward to the next!

Jess and Noel have a great story. Eva Leigh knows how to write a romance that makes you understand why the hero/heroine do what they do and the reader is rooting for them the whole time. Jess has a head for business and Noel recognizes that in her. The only problem is, she isn't who he thinks she is. This book had me reading it start to finish in one sitting. Any reader of romance will enjoy this book.

Readers familiar with this series will love Leigh’s latest installment. Excellent character development makes this novel stand out. Would I Lie to the Duke will, or should, become a classic in the genre. Leigh’s storytelling shapes the impersonation trope and turns it into an involving love story with just the right amounts of tension, hard historical fact, and wish fulfillment.
The character development is exceptional. Our heroine, Jess is frustrated with social restrictions of class and gender that could defeat an intelligent woman trying to maintain a family business. For her family’s sake, she’s willing to sacrifice herself by posing as a lady on the lower end of the aristocratic scale to secure funding and the social cachet resulting from acquaintance with Noel, the attractive duke unafraid to sully his hands with business. Yet she yearns for love and acceptance of her true self, as does Noel. Leigh has hinted on her Twitter feed about a submissive hero, and oh my stars and garters, he’s just perfectly written! Tired of sycophants and social climbers, he’s willing to set aside his lofty social status and let the power of his emotional and physical attraction to Jess take over. Here, we have an Alpha with an active mind and empathetic heart that work in tandem with physical needs and desires. Even better, this alpha likes conversing with women he doesn’t intend to sleep with. There aren’t many writers who can achieve such intriguing character development in a genre fiction novel of standard length.
Witty and observant, Noel actually enjoys heroine Jess’s intelligence and drive. Their conversations and nonverbal interactions across crowded rooms convincingly support the development of their relationship.
Noel’s journey towards love with Jess teaches him something: he enjoys submitting to her in intimate situations, something that’s only possible when he sheds his bored, aristocratic, stereotypically masculine facade. The trust and respect that they share leads to some scorching fantastic love scenes.
Jess’ sister, Cynthia is appealingly tough in business negotiations. Her wry sense of humor would make her a delight in her own book. Cynthia’s observations on Bond Street fashion:

“There’s so much. Have you ever seen such hats, Jess?” She stared as a woman in an enormous feathered bonnet glided past. “I think there’s a whole forest of birds on that one. I want to feed her crackers.”

A new golden age of historical romance writing is happening now. A few marvelous authors write novels with an empathetic, historically sound, ethnically inclusive approach to world-building. Leigh’s Black British characters in this series are interesting; among them are a husband-and-wife duo, inventors of a fire suppression system. It’s a neat bit of foreshadowing of forthcoming mass industrialization and the real risks to the working class.
This intelligent approach to the romance novel acknowledges the diversity of readers and purchasers. Speaking for myself, I’m an African American woman history enthusiast who earned an advanced degree, works full time and several freelance side gigs, for which I hold a business license and pay taxes. In other words, I’m not so different from some other romance fiction readers. I delved into the romance genre only as an adult; while I read Austen and Heyer, I was lucky enough to have access to romance novelists who were either Black or did enough research to include ethnically diverse characters in their work and -- this is important -- portray them respectfully. It was also a time when the grittier aspects of women’s experiences -- sexual assault, abuse, chronic illness, workplace discrimination -- were dealt with in both the historicals and contemporaries that I read. As a newcomer to the genre, I admired writers’ ability to make these subjects part of the complex lives of women characters, while maintaining a feeling of escape and a happy ending. Years later, as publishing and reading technologies change, I am still selective about the books I buy.
An observant and thoughtful romance writer crafts vibrant, fulfilling novels leavened with life’s hardships. Leigh acknowledges this with varying subtlety in Would I Lie to the Duke. Examples include veterans and widows seeking employment at McGrath & McGrath, worn and mended dresses frequently seen in public, and the true sign of living on a fixed income: Jess always knows how much money she has, where it came from, and what she can do with it.
Financial precarity is present in this series, but it never overwhelms the emotional complexity, romance, and progress of the characters’ journey. The great Beverly Jenkins handles this balancing act well, as do Courtney Milan, Maya Rodale, and Joanna Shupe. Eva Leigh is among the stars sparkling in this firmament. She is an automatic buy for me as a reader, and an easy recommendation as a librarian.

This first 40% of WOULD I LIE TO THE DUKE was very slow to me, and I really struggled to feel a connection between Noel and Jess. He wanted her for her mind and beauty, which is great, but the investment bazaar wasn’t a romantic backdrop at all. I was so worried the tepid romance would continue, but once Jess and Noel started interacting outside of the business setting the book drastically improved. By the end, I was completely invested in the love story.
It was a little hard to pin down who Noel really was, serious or playful, alpha or submissive, and I think that hindered the getting to know you phase. Not to mention, Jess has to be reserved since she’s guarding a secret. Even though the story picked up, and I got emotionally invested, I do think the sex scenes didn’t fully click. I liked the idea of Noel being submissive but in practice it felt sort of awkward. It was a very minor part of their sexual interactions and felt somewhat forced. I think I needed more or Noel discovering that side of himself or knowing where it came from. Though it acted as a nice flip of their out of bed power dynamics.

This was an ok historical romance. I enjoyed Jess and Noel’s relationship minus the deceit. I like the time period, the banter of the characters and definitely the sexy scenes! I think I would have liked a better beginning and a change in the lies through the story. Overall, pretty good

I absolutely adored the first book in this series. I like this one a lot, but it doesn’t quite do it for me in the same way. I loved the chemistry between the characters. I loved the witty banter. However, the “big deception” trope—quite common in romance—is probably my least favorite. Do I understand why one character deceived the other? Yes. I’m just not a fan of this plot device.

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Leigh and I'm sure whether or not I'll read anymore. Things I liked about the book was Noel's Union friends. The prologue was compelling and showed how 4 unrelated young boys formed a bond that lasted into adulthood. I did like Jess's character--she's smart and determined to save her family's business no matter what the cost. She had no idea it would cost her the one thing she never intended to wager though. The Bazaar was a unique idea, but even though Noel was an important member of this group, I didn't care that much for his character. I didn't get the sense of what made him tick and his motivations weren't cemented before he met Jess. The erotic sex scenes turned me off and I just skipped over those numerous scenes.

Still debating on this one. I think what kept me til the end was the references, since I am an 80's girl I continued. However I dont like relationships that begin and continue with lies, yes I know it is the premise of the story, but knowing that Noel has problems with liars I think the truth should have come out sooner. That being said I get that Jess was willing to do about anything to save her business, well her and family's business. All in all it is an entertaining book to pass the time.