Member Reviews
Melt-your-Kindle hot and a great romantic story. Loved this one!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.
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3.5 stars...
Ever since I fell in love with Historical Romance, I keep hearing Sabrina Jeffries' name and I've always wanted to try her works. So when I saw this book on Netgalley while browsing for ARCs, I jumped at the chance, thankfully I got approved with a copy right away. And I ended up liking the book so now, I'm surely going to read her other books, especially the first ones in the series, this book is a part of.
This is third in the Duke Dynasty series and even though it can be read as a standalone and I understood the plot enough, still it's better to read the series from book 1. The romance plot is of course, complete but there's a side plot, a mystery about the deaths of the stepsiblings' fathers. By the way, each book in the series features one of the stepsiblings and in this case, it's about Marlowe Drake, the Duke of Thornstock and Miss Olivia Norley, a chemist.
Thorne and Olivia's first interaction led to a blackmail scheme that leave both of them disliking, if not hating, each other. When they see each other again years later, Olivia is helping Thorn's brother proving that his father was poisoned and Thorne is doubting her. I'm a big fan of enemies-to-lovers trope so I enjoyed Thorn and Olivia's romance. I think the pace of it's development is OK, not to fast but also not slowburn. I love their banters andI love it when Thorn acts jealous and protective of Olivia. There are also some steamy scenes, not too steamy but just enough.
Individually, Olivia is very persistent when it comes to her passion. She wantsher work as a chemist published. And Thorn...I liked his secret identity. He's doing something else other than just being a duke. Though not too complex, their depths as characters are enough to be interesting. As for the other characters, their appearances made me want to read the first books. They're the main characters in there.
My main issue is that sometimes, the romance gets overshadowed bythe side plot. Most of the times, the characters are talking about it or doing sommething about it rather than about more personal things that might led me to know them more. The mystery part is a good aspect but still, I'm more interested with the romance.
Despite that, I enjoyed reading this one and I recommend it to people who enjoys mystery in their romance books. Also, I'm now set to read more from Sabrina Jeffries.
After reading the first and second books in this series I was dying to see what Sabrina was going to do next. This is a series that should be read in order because there is a mystery and characters that are entwined in the plot of all the books. It began in The Bachelor and picks up in this book. If you were to pick up this book as a standalone I don’t think there would be a lot of confusion regarding the mystery. However, I don’t recommend it because Sabrina Jeffries has created little glimpses of each character in the previous stories. Also, I hate when I pick up a book and realize there are previous books that give background on the characters.
The series is about a set of siblings. Three of them are dukes hence the series's name Duke’s Dynasty. Their mother married three dukes only for them to die. Now the siblings think someone murdered the three dukes.
In this book set in 1809, we get a look inside the enigmatic Thorn’s head. Marlowe Drake, Duke of Thornstock has been wandering around in the background in the previous two books. He is a mystery to his siblings because he has a secret. He disappears to work at social gatherings and seems an all around rakehell but that is just his disguise.
The heroine, Olivia Norley is a chemist. She wants to do experiments and has no use for the Ton because she doesn’t want a husband. In 1800, Olivia and Thorn met and both strongly dislike each other. Thorn because after meeting her, they were found in a compromising situation which he believes was engineered by Olivia and her mother. Now 9 years later, Thorn’s brother, the Duke of Greycourt, needs her help to prove whether his father was poisoned. Thorn is naturally suspicious of Olivia and her competency. Torn between not wa Netgalley Reviews
nting his brother to be hurt and being intrigued by Olivia, he starts involving himself into her experiments. After an incident that could have left her dead, he whisks her off to a safe place so she can run her experiments. Even with his sister Gwyn as a companion/chaperone both Thorn and Olivia struggle to deny their attraction to each other.
I’ve always loved Sabrina Jeffries’ books and this novel did not disappoint. I adored Olivia who wasn’t an empty-headed ninny only looking for a husband. She was a strong woman who refused to allow her life to be dictated by anyone. She was going to be a chemist whether society and her parents deemed it ridiculous. Thorn on his part was mysterious and standoffish until we learn more about him and understand his motivations for all things. He grew from the Thorn in The Bachelor to the man he is at the end of Who Wants to Marry a Duke. I refuse to spoil his secret but let’s say he is a writer who uses his experiences in Prussia and society to mock society. It is clear from their chemistry that he and Olivia are meant to be together and I can’t wait to see how they both grow into their relationship as the books progress.
I have my theory for who killed the three Dukes and I look forward to seeing where Sabrina Jeffries takes this mystery.
I love Sabrina Jeffries' novels and this was no exception.
I liked: strong female protagonist, a male protagonist who explored a more creative side, a mystery to be solved.
Honestly, a nice little continuation of the series - and now I'll have to wait even longer to see what happens next!
*advance copy via Netgalley*
The highlight for me in this story is Olivia. I loved her forward thinking, her love of chemistry and that she was not dependent on a man. While I liked Thorn, I thought he was lacking in the intensity department. Yes, he was angry with what happened years ago but I wanted his relationship with Olivia to have more oomph and be more intense and sparks flying. The mystery is getting closer to being solved and Olivia is a huge part of finding the solution. While I did like this book, I thought the previous two books in the series were better.
A very good romance from Sabrina Jeffries. Her heroine is smart and funny, and stands up for herself. The Duke, her love interest, is flawed, but most romance leading men are. They have good banter. Their first kiss happens quite quickly, so there isn't the usual buildup. The murder mystery plot in the background keeps things interesting, so it's not all about romance or sex. I liked that about it, and we still don't know what happened. The sex scenes are steamy, and there's a lot of talking during them. Well-written, and very readable. Those you are interested in chemistry (the science) will find this especially interesting.
Sabrina Jeffries brings us another gem. Her characters are fun and have depth. Her writing style is rich and her story takes you along from the first page.
Another great book by Sabrina Jeffries! This is Thorn’s story - years ago he was found in a compromising position with Olivia at a ball and her stepmother forced him to propose, but Olivia refused. Nine years later, Olivia, whose only goal in life is to be a chemist, is hired by Thorn’s brother to test to see if his father had been poisoned when he died years earlier.
Well written blend of romance and mystery. Olivia’s love of chemistry and methods available at this time are intriguing to read. Thorn has secret hobbies of his own and I love how that weaves into the story. The two characters have great chemistry and the romance is equal parts hot and sweet. While this is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone, but the series itself has an ongoing mystery that may finally be heading to conclusion in the next story.
I’m enjoying this series and can’t wait for the next book! Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.
Very quick fast paced historical romance. Interesting unique story line that is compelling me to read the other two novels in the series & anxiously await the 4th installment due out 2021. The heroine has a lot more serious matters on her mind rather than the usual wardrobe concerns in conjunction with finding an eligible husband. The Duke also has a secret profession that is unusual for one of the aristocracy- combine these aspects with a mystery and makes for a compelling read. Will definitely recommend.
Thank you Netgally for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This in no way has affected my opinion.
I immediately fell in love with Olivia and her love of chemistry. Her drive and determination to establish herself as a renowned chemist was greatly portrayed throughout the book. Enters Thorn, a man she finds herself drawn to, but unwilling to give up her chemistry for.
Thorn, still angry from their encounter 9 years earlier is unwilling to trust Olivia. But neither can fight the attraction burning between them. Thorn, eventually learning the truth of Olivia determines not to fight his building desire for her.
This book was definitely a slow burn for me. But I love a good enemies to lovers story. I was sad to see this one end so suddenly.
I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. Thorn and Olivia were really great together.
Thorn believes that Olivia schemed to trap him into marriage but now his family needs her chemistry skills to determine whether his brother's father was murdered.
Olivia's only desire is to be able to work as a chemist and now she has the chance to prove herself, if only she can stand being around the Duke who proposed.
I really liked the fact that Olivia was a smart and capable chemist and the Thorn quickly realized just how great she was at it. The mystery about the murder was fascinating. I think it is possible to have read this without reading the other books in the series however there are references to events that happened in previous books and supporting characters.
Great book can't wait for the next one.
Posted on Les Romantiques - Le forum du site
Reviewed by Fabiola
Review Copy from the Publisher
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Who wants to marry a Duke is the third volume in the Duke dynasty series by Sabrina Jeffries. I didn’t read the previous ones but here is the plot: Lydia Fletcher’s children learn that they father could have been murdered and they investigate to know more about that.
Lydia Fletcher married three different Dukes and she has 5 children (a son with her first husband, a son and a daughter with her second, and two sons with her last one). The series tells these children’s story and that’s why it’s titled Duke dynasty. The previous books are Project Duchess (with her first son) and The bachelor (with her only daughter).
So, I will start this review with the suspense.
And now you know there’s a common thread through all the books and although we can read this one (and probably the others too) as a standalone, I find that there was some lack of information in what brought Fletcher Pryde, Duke of Greycourt and hero in Project Duchess, to hire our actual heroine, Miss Olivia Norley, in order to search arsenic poisoning in his body’s father.
So, when we close the book, the investigation is not resolved and the author only answers to one question: has Greycourt’s father been poisoned? I won’t give any answer here of course LOL
Consequently : either you are very patient and you read the books in the course of their publication (the next volume will hit the shelves next year), or you will do like me and wait the publication of all the volumes to read them in a row.
However, I can say that Sabrina Jeffries knows how to keep the reader on tenterhooks, and I have absolutely no idea about these stories’ ins and outs. Indeed, in this book, the heroine’s laboratory explodes and thanks to a witness, we know it’s a criminal act. When we close the book, we know the name of the culprit. Therefore, we have two investigations: the one about the arsenic poisoning and the one about the destruction of the laboratory. A third question is raised in this book and it’s about the actual hero’s father.
So, back to the plot.
In WWTMAD, the heroine is Miss Olivia Norley and the hero is Marlowe Drake, Duke of Thornstock, and brother of the previous heroine. It’s a reunion story (one of my favorite theme in a romance novel) and the book starts with a long prologue when the heroes meet each other and the scandal which follows. The first chapter reunite them 9 years later and we realize none have forgotten the other. Yet, after this incident, much as the heroine lost herself in her passion in chemistry which is now her occupation, the hero took a different way and became a rake.
When he understands that Olivia has been hired by his brother, Drake decides to keep a close eye on Olivia’s actions because he doesn’t trust her.
As he spends time with her, he realizes that he was completely mistaken about her. However, he will have to make apology several times, first because Olivia understands quickly that he doesn’t respect her work and also because he hides an important secret.
The heroine is deeply honest but she let herself easily unnerved by her feelings for Drake, at least at the beginning of the book.
The attraction is well lead in the book and we don’t doubt their feelings any second. I love that, in the end, each one thinks to make a step forward the other but the hero is definitely the one who has to make it up to Olivia.
As for the secondary characters, Sabrina Jeffries puts Lydia’s family tree at the beginning of the book, which allows us to find our way amongst the different children. I find the characters very likeable on the whole and I am particularly fond of Lady Norley, Olivia’s stepmother. At first we think that she’s too much ambitious but that’s not the case. She just wants to be a good mother for Olivia. I love their relationship.
To conclude, I had an excellent moment with this book although I was frustrated by the suspense side. As I said above, Undercover Duke, the next volume, will be published in 2021. It will tell Sheridan Wolfe’s story, who is Lydia’s second to last son.
This is the the third book in this series, and please read them from the beginning or you wont get the feel or the who is who and why they are how they are. Since I read from the beginning I already had a feel for this cast of characters and have been waiting for this one. Did I love it, maybe not but I didn't hate it. It could be that my favorite is still the first book but all in all I enjoy and will continue to enjoy any book by Ms. Jeffries. Ok so we have Thorn who we wondered why he the wastrel that he is known for. Now I had read a review where someone hated him and couldn't understand why he was so bitter and I think you have to remember this era, if you were duped you had to honorably marry whether you wanted to or not, so yes I could understand why he felt duped. An surprisingly was a little surprised that Olivia didn't have much repercussion but I was happy that she continued on in her life and was doing what she wanted and no matter how much they could deny their feelings or wonder the motivation it was time for these two to deal with everything..And my friends that is all that I shall give you.
First and very important to other readers, this book is best read as part of the series and in order. While the relationship between the characters does conclude in an hea the mystery in the background of this book is carried over in each book. I made the mistake of starting with this book and while I was still able to follow along and thoroughly enjoy this book I believe it would have been better had I read the others first and I did purchase them so I could.
I love the characters in this book. They are different, Drake is the Duke of Thornstock who in his spare time writes plays to be acted out on stage, and Olivia is a spinster bluestocking interested in chemistry. I found the chemistry in this book interesting and the chemistry between the characters believable and was happy they got their hea.
If you are an historical romance fan and you prefer to read a series in order then I recommend this series. The author is an excellent writer who knows how to keep the reader engaged.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Who Wants to Marry a Duke is the third book in the fun Duke Dynasty series. The earlier books in the series were amazing, so I was very excited to read this book. The book flowed smoothly, was fast-paced, and hard to put down once I started reading it. I've loved every book in this series and this book didn't disappoint. Now we must wait for the next book.
This is a series that should be read in order. There is a series long mystery going on that really picks up in this book. If you don't care about the series mystery, or only plan on reading this book then it's probably okay as a stand alone....there's characters from previous stories in this one and the mystery isn't super overwhelming or confusing.
This book takes place in 1809. Some in London and some at Grey's (Thorn's half brother) estate.
Olivia is a chemist. She's not interested in having a season and finding a husband. But when an innocent drink spilled on Thorn leads to her ruined reputation, she's facing a decision she wasn't ready for.
Give this book a try if you're looking for
-enemies to lovers – after their initial encounter, they dislike each other. Olivia thinks Thorn is a scoundrel rogue with zero principles and Thorn thinks Olivia is a scheming liar.
-second chance – these two share a kiss and are compromised and reunite 9 years later.
-working women/bluestocking heroine – while not a stable job, Olivia is a chemist and works to have her studies published
-murder/mystery – it really picks up in this book with the series long murder suspicions
-moderate steam – 2 full scenes with one being decently explicit, multiple short fondling scenes, and 2 kisses.
This has been my favorite book of the series so far I think. The mystery for the series (someone has murdered people close to Grey (book 1), Gwen (book 2), and Thorn's (this book) mother) starts really picking up in this book. I would say most of the plot points revolve around this. Grey has some suspicion about his father being poisoned so Olivia is asked to test his organs for arsenic. This is what brings Thorn and Olivia back together after 9 years apart. I liked that the heroine was a chemist, it was a bit different. I liked the talk about the plays written, those were some of my favorite scenes.
Yet, I just don't seem to be into this series. This book was a decent way to pass the time, it didn't make me angry, but it also didn't inspire any strong feelings either. It was a bit of instalust with the early kiss and the second kiss was pretty early too. I found Thorn as a hero quite similar to a large number of other Jeffries heroes. He just didn't stand out to me. I didn't feel a strong tension between the characters or fully get their pull to each other. And while I'm usually bored or annoyed with mystery plots, I didn't find that here. But I also wasn't super into it.
Possible spoilers – including the kisses and sex scenes and what percentages they are found.
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First kiss – 5%
Second kiss – 19%
Light fondling – 36%
Mutual fondling – 44%
First full sex scene – 61%
Second full sex scene – 90%
I enjoyed Who Wants to Marry a Duke. The whole series has been a real treat - so many handsome, loyal dukes and so many wonderfully strong and confident women, too. This one has a few surprises and the read is all the better for them.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The third book in Sabrina Jeffries' Duke Dynasty series - Who Wants to Marry a Duke is a well-paced, enjoyable story about about the 'chemistry' between two seemingly different people and the 'roles' they are forced into by life and circumstances. Thorn and Olivia show the reader that keeping secrets and making assumptions can lead to mistakes and frustration, but ultimately learning to grow and compromise is the best. Olivia's unwavering belief in herself was refreshing contrasted with Thorn's myriad of feelings about who he was. (I always love a duke who doesn't lord his rank over other people.) I enjoyed the introspective and heart-warming journey Olivia steers Thorn through within the larger mystery that weaves into this tale from the previous books in this series. The characters are well-written and likeable. At times I laughed, giggled, and sighed during the various stages of their relationship. Olivia and Thorn felt real and reading was like watching good friends fall in love. I recommend this book for a light read on cold Saturday in a cozy room or for a relaxing day by the pool.
This was my first book by Jeffries from a series about a family of stepbrothers who are all dukes. Since I hadn't read the rest of the series, I found the relationships a little confusing but it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. In Georgian England, Olivia is a chemist who is trying to establish herself by experimenting with determining whether arsenic is present in bodily organs. Enter Thorn, a duke (also a secret playwright) who is trying to determine whether his mother's previous spouse was murdered years ago. I found the 'traditional careers' being swapped between the h/H interesting and I really loved Olivia. She didn't care about the typical future for a woman of looking for a rich husband, she was just concerned about her career. Part of it may be that I have some background in chemistry myself so I could enjoy and understand her studies. Olivia and Thorn had met before years ago and their meeting had embittered Thorn-I found the strength of his reaction a little odd but it was his quirk.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in return for my honest review.