Fighting lessons YES this is one of my favorite microtropes, a bit like kissing lessons but drawing out the tension in a different way. Frampton writes it beautifully with plenty of humor and fun.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
There’s a bit explained in book 1 about the family dynamics at play in this book – this book’s heroine is the older half sister to book 1’s hero. But I don’t recall these character being in that book too much so I think it’s okay to pick this one up alone.


Basic plot:
Nash is cornered by his grandmother, who he hasn’t spoken to in 10 years. She demands he gets married so she doesn’t have to worry about the dukedom going to his scoundrel cousin. Ana Maria, now a lady instead of her step mother’s endless servant, is out in society and getting into trouble where Nash is always seeming to come to her rescue, though she doesn’t need it.

Give this a try if you want:
- Bargain/lessons – she teaches him about flowers and he teachers her how to fight and fuck
- A bit of unrequited love on both sides
- Cinderella story – heroine was at the mercy of her step mother for 20 years and is finally free to make her own choices
- Hero needs an heir
- Medium steam – 3 scene and some kisses
- Brothers friend – heroine’s half brother and the hero are friendship
- A feisty older lady that stirs up the plot (hero’s grandmother)
- Interior designer heroine/Duke hero


Ages:
- Heroine is 28, hero is mentioned about her own age but I couldn’t find an exact number.

My thoughts:
I ended up really liking this one! I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a fan of the first book in the series much and it was my first Megan Frampton so my expectations were pretty low for this one. It ended up taking me by surprise!

I liked the humor in this one a lot. Some of it was subtle, little one liners the characters would say, or debates in the hero/heroine’s heads about each other and I just really found myself smiling at it.

I can’t say I felt the tension super strongly in this one or that it gave me strong feels. It’s just a story that made me happy. I really loved the Cinderella twist on it and just thought a lot of things in it were really sweet.

Our heroine, Ana Maria, was her step mother’s unpaid servant for over 20 years. After her death, she’s being thrown in the position of Lady, because her step mother’s marriage is not valid due to being the sibling of the dead wife. So she’s feeling very in limbo with being raised belowstairs and doing things for others and now being waited on. She struggles finding balance in that and finds herself stifled by the society world. Her true love lies in interior designing, and designing in general. But what she truly wants is to always make her own choices after having so much choice taken from her before.

Nash is a grunty hero that lacks communication skills and attacks problems with his fists. You learn more about his background towards the end of the story and it can be a little hard going with his monosyllable responses, but I still rather loved him. I loved his relationship with his grandmother and how protective he is.

This story just felt a little off to me. I had to suspend all belief to believe that Lady Ana Maria's life was so terrible at the hands of her stepmother. Also, the Duke did little more than grunt through the entire story.

Tall, Duke and Dangerous (Hazards of Dukes #2). By Megan Frampton. 2020. Avon (ARC eBook).

Nash’s childhood was such that he vowed he would never marry as he worried that he was too much like his abusive father. Gruff and unsociable, Nash is finally persuaded by his grandmother to look for a bride. He knows he shouldn’t entertain the idea of marrying Ana Maria, the half-sister and cousin of his best friends, Sebastian and Thaddeus. But when she implores him for lessons in self-defense, he finds he doesn’t want to remain just friends and that he wants to tear his walls down and be worthy of the positively lively Ana Maria. I enjoyed the balance of Nash and Ana Maria together. It felt like there was some disjointed parts concerning both of their backgrounds. Each of them had a tough go at it, yet with Ana Maria it was surprising that the relatives she had good relations with did not help her and with Nash, he was done even more disservice when his family abandoned him to his father because they assumed the apple did not fall far from the tree. Overall though, this grumpy and sunshine/beast and Cinderella story was sweet and entertaining.

Hmm I really hate to say it but I was a little perturbed by this book. I felt like there were a lot left out. Maybe I needed to read the first book but I would’ve really liked to know how old the hero was. I mean I assume he’s younger if he’s best friends with her brother who was her half brother by her dad and stepmother. But how much younger? Why didn’t her brother help her before her parents died? Anyway I really felt lost to sum it up and started skimming through last part of book. It had a very interesting premise but I guess it’s just not a book I could connect with or get invested in. Also I really didn’t like how long it took for them to get together.

Megan Frampton continues to create stories that will keep locked into your seat and never want to leave for anything other than an emergency. I will always recommend them, always.

WHY DID I LISTEN TO TALL, DUKE, AND DANGEROUS BY MEGAN FRAMPTON?
Tall, Duke And Dangerous is the second book by Megan Frampton that I have recently listened to — although from a different series of Frampton’s. I decided to give this a whirl to listen to as. it was on Libby. Also, I had an eARC that I had not yet gotten to. Plus, I like Frampton’s historical fictions. I like that her characters are imperfect and do have some issues. So, in an effort to get through my Netgalley queue, I listened to Tall, Duke And Dangerous with no regrets.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Tall, Duke And Dangerous is the second book in the Hazards Of Duke series but the first from the series I have listened to. It is about Nash the Duke of Malvern and Ana Maria who is newly a lady now that her stepmother has died. You see, Ana Maria was treated as a servant and now is like Cinderella in that she goes from servant status to lady status. Nash on the other hand is considered a dangerous duke. This is because his father was abusive and so there’s suspicion that he will repeat the family pattern — at least there is that fear on Nash’s end. Ana Maria and Nash cross paths when Ana Maria needs to learn self defense after an incident. Nash teaches her. As it turns out though,they have physical chemistry. Nash resists though, he wants to marry someone who he doesn’t care about in case he has his dad’s tendencies.

WHAT DID I THINK OF TALL, DUKE, AND DANGEROUS?
Megan Frampton’s Tall, Duke, And Dangerous is not a bad read. It is somewhat enjoyable for the most part. I’ll admit that I was not super invested. I think maybe that is because I had recently listened to a romance audiobook with a narrator that I had gelled with more than this one. However, I did like that Nash had his demons but that he ended up fighting them. Also, Ana Maria is humble and kind to those in a lower class than she is which is also something I really liked. To me, it is a big deal that Ana Maria knows how to do things for herself. It is quite admirable. And well, the chemistry between Ana Maria and Nash was fun to read.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook is narrated by Jilly Bond. This is the second audiobook by Megan Frampton narrated by Jilly Bond that I’ve listened to. Overall, I would say this was an okay audiobook. I felt like it was not easy to listen to at a high speed. It was really hard to understand Bond at 2x and even at 1.75x speed. So, I had to slow it down to 1.25x and 1.5x speed. That’s fine and all, just I was sort of in a hurry. Still, I do plan to go back and listen to the first book in the Hazards of Duke series regardless.

I recently read a trilogy out of order by accident: I picked up Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (Avon, $15.99 each) on a whim and fell head over heels in love with Hibbert's writing style and character development. On learning that there was a prequel (Get a Life, Chloe Brown) and a sequel (Act Your Age, Eve Brown), I practically squealed with delight. All three of the Brown sisters books are full of insight and wit, with diverse sets of characters who reflect candidly and openly on matters of mental health, neurodivergence, ability and love--with some steamy romance scenes to boot. (Added bonus for audiophiles: all three boast excellent narration in the audiobook format.)

Because I came to Hibbert's trilogy later than many avid romance readers, I was able to binge-read all three back-to-back. The same was not true of Cat Sebastian's Sedgwick series. I waited with great impatience for the 2020 release of Two Rogues Make a Right, which followed It Takes Two to Tumble and A Gentleman Never Keeps Score (Avon, $5.99 each). This trilogy also follows a trio of siblings, as Sebastian spins stories of each brother's search for love and belonging in a historical era not known for its kindness toward queer men.

Megan Frampton's Hazards of Dukes novels put me back in the same position: I've read the first three of the series and am now eagerly awaiting the fourth (due out this fall). As much as I hate the waiting, I'm confident it will be worth it. Never Kiss a Duke; Tall, Duke, and Dangerous; and A Wicked Bargain for the Duke (Avon, $7.99 each) have all proven to be delightful historical romance reads for those looking for something to pick up while, say, keenly anticipating the next season of Netflix's Bridgerton.

I've long been a fan of Georgette Heyer's Regency romances, but the Bridgerton series on Netflix was my first introduction to the mass market English romances of today. I've been working my way through Julia Quinn's entire backlist, and I saw lots of welcome similarities in Megan Frampton's series, The Hazards of Dukes (not the Bo and Luke kind). Frampton creates appealing characters, and she writes a great steamy interlude. If the historical accuracy is not quite Heyer-esque, then just know that you'll be getting a lot more Bridgerton-worthy romance. If you like this one, the next entry in the series is coming this summer! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Friendship to simmering romance- Nash and Ana Maria were childhood friends but now as adults they are facing the ton and the rigorous rules of the aristocracy. Both are trying to find their matches this season. An uncertain situation leaves Ana believing she could learn to be more independent. Nash is a strong man and wants to support Ana in ensuring she can protect herself. A few combat lessons soon ignite more than just mere curiosity...

I would recommend this for someone who likes a slow build climax. This was a good read that you can start and stop if needed. I would rate this a three out of five, Netgalley provided this ARC for a fair and honest review.

A hero that suppressed every emotion and a heroine with a horrid step mother that wanted to live her life to the fullest in vivid colors. I fell in love with both Nash and Ana Marie right from the first page of the book. He is a strong, taciturn and grunting hero but she understands him. As Nash starts teaching Ana Marie self defense, they get closer to each other and start spending time with each other. The only part I didn't like was so many different characters in the book that I couldn't keep straight. Other than that I really enjoyed their story and cannot wait to read Thad's story next.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

I love Megan Frampton's books. This was absolutely no exception. From the cover to the heat, this book was amazing!

I am a huge fan of historical romance novels. I have read previous novels by Megan Frampton and loved them! Tall, Duke, and Dangerous by Megan Frampton held such high promises. The cover is gorgeous. The characters are interesting. However, in the beginning I couldn't quite understand the background story to the leading female character. It wasn't clear to me and I kept thinking what's up with Ana Marie. Was she a servant going to be a lady or what? But then it gave me some answers. I thought-okay, now, I am following with you. Until it got to that moment I was so confused! I felt frustrated. The character presented were entertaining enough. The dialogue was good. The only issue was the beginning. It dragged and wasn't quick to the point like most historical romance novels should be. In the end, I was a bit disappointed. Overall, this book features a friends-to-lovers theme. It's a good read.

The story of Nash and Ana Maria has a lot of promise, but in the end falls short for me. Nash had an abusive father and Ana Maria was treated poorly by her stepmother. Nash’s grandmother arrives and tells him to marry and Ana Maria is finally having a season though she longs to be independent.

As I said, the romance starts out good, but then drags and drags on. The romance doesn’t take off until about 90-95% through of the book and then the book just ends. The ending was abrupt and a disappointment. I wish there had at least been an epilogue.

I hope Thad’s story moves at a quicker pace and we get a glimpse of how Nash and Ana Maria are doing.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.

I love this author but I could not get into this book. The characters were good on their own but together they just didnt have chemistry or mesh.

What happens when Cinderella becomes more than Cinder-ella?

In the second book in Megan Framton’s Hazards of Dukes series, Tall, Duke, and Dangerous, we meet Ana Maria who has been treated like a servant all her life until the day her father and wicked stepmother die in an accident. She has always known that there is more to her life than what it is, but because of her stepmother, she was never allowed to become the woman she was meant to be.

Enter Nash, the Duke of Malvern, a man whose father has had his life shaped by his father, a man without morals. Nash has made it his goal that he will be NOTHING like his father. He knows his faults and works to gain control of them.

Ana Maria and Nash know each other thru her brother and her cousin. They have complicated feelings for each other and when Nash is asked to teach Ana Maria how to protect herself, they are forced to be physically close to each other. Will they overcome their own obstacles and open their hearts to the possibly of love?

This story reminded me that although some of life’s circumstances shape our future, we can either choose to give in to what is laid out in front of us or we can forge our own path through the weeds and mud and much. Especially right now in the time we live in and that life is unpredictable and stories like Tall, Duke, and Dangerous, which is a predictable, but needed story, helps me get through the day.

I can’t wait to read the third book in this series and get Thaddeus’ story.

This book was so good. It’s one of my favorites I’ve read all year. The main characters are wonderfully written, I love how they love each other. I just wish there would have been more. More details about what happens next, not just how they fell in love but what they were like once they were committed to each other. Nash and Ana Maria are both so sweet. He’s a strong silent type, afraid to express himself because of childhood trauma. She understands him and has known him since he was a child. He’s friends with her younger brother and cousin but otherwise doesn’t have close family member. It was wonderful to see him coming to terms with his emotions.

Steam level was pretty good. Lots of sexual tension. Just could have used a few more detailed scenes. There was lots of making out, a few touches/tastes, 1 full scene and 1 closed door scene. I’m partial to more explicit romances but the tension and the feelings were so good that it made up for it.

Would read again.

I had a hard time getting into this book and getting invested to the characters. I couldn't get behind the H & h and their relationship. These things made the book fall flat for me.

A rough-around-the-edges duke whose conversation consists of grunts and one-syllable answers encounters a feisty young woman who thinks he deserves some joy in his life. His self-defense lessons for her form an opportunity to further their attraction. Can the duke who never wanted to marry change his mind and embrace a happily ever after?

This is not my favorite Megan Frampton book, nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read.

ARC provided by Netgalley

There is so much tropey goodness in this book I don’t even know where to start. If you’re a fan of any of the following, chances are you’re going to be firmly invested in this one: best friend’s sister, grunty duke, hero teaching the heroine to fight (and maybe a few slightly more scandalous things, wink wink). Ana Maria has essentially gone from servant to lady after the death of her father and wicked stepmother, so she’s finding her way in society like never before — but she’s also getting plenty of new attention, and that doesn’t sit all that well with Nash, the Duke of Malvern and best friend of her half-brother. Ana Maria’s spent practically her whole life around Nash and vice versa, but they’ve always had to repress anything more than friendship around one another. But when Ana Maria’s independent spirit puts her in a risky situation, the obvious solution is for the lady to learn some self-defense lessons — and who better to teach her than the duke who has a reputation for knowing how to throw a punch? The one thing that really kept me from being able to confidently give this 5 starts is how long it took the couple to get to some real action (80%!) when I would've enjoyed all of it happening a little sooner.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.