Thanks to NetGalley for this book to review. Unfortunately, it was a DNF for me. I couldn't stand Lady Faith and her putting Nicholas in danger because she needed his attention. I couldn't care less about whether or not they had their HEA. I don't like manipulative people, especially women.

Misleading a Duke (The Wallflowers of West Lane 2) By A.S. Fenichel 4 Stars!
An entertaining and intriguing spy novel! Great characters including a handsome Duke and his fiancé who is an intelligent and feisty member of the Wallflower club. Her intelligence and feistiness comes in handy when she finds herself caught in the middle of enraged spies set on getting information and revenge. The storyline is engaging and loaded with intrigue, spys, duplicity, danger, revenge, kidnapping, torture, angsts, and topped off with a steamy romance! I enjoyed and recommend this book.
Happy Reading♥️
Content: Adult content. Some explicit steamy romance descriptions 3-4 out of 5 flames.

West Lane Wallflowers--a step too far?

I really wanted to like this next in the Wallflowers series. Unexpectedly I found myself not at all in sympatico with Lady Faith Landon, even though she's found herself betrothed to a man she's hardly ever met Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge.
Of course she wants her fellow Wallflowers to help her investigate the mysterious Duke. The problem is that Nicholas is a secret agent and has been on a dangerous mission in France. Faith and her sister Wallflowers' actions put him in peril. Nicholas is furious. Hoping to mend the situation they lure Nicholas to an isolated castle in order to give Faith the time and space to make amends. Of course that goes pear shaped faster than you can take a breath.
I tried several times to come to grips with the situation. I just ended up losing patience with Faith putting herself and others in danger. That I found hard to forgive. And she admitted that. Really? I know it all ended up ok but this title was not for me.
Faith annoyed me immensely. Personally I felt Nicholas should've moved on.
I must say that the cover of this Wallflower title is once again both attractive and interesting.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

One... I absolutely love the beautiful covers of this series. Two... this title was delightfully crafted and I enjoyed it.. The cover was actually deceptive and in this title, I don't feel like you got the warm romp you might have perhaps been expecting. It was a delicious Regency romance, but it also had high doses of action and daring along the way - it wasn't as cutesy, perhaps as one might expect. As always, I refuse to comment on the pragmatic, idealistic, is it historically-accurate side of things because I honestly don't know and more honestly, don't care. I read a historical romance for a brief, immersive escape from my everyday life and this fit the bill while remaining fast-paced and charming.

by A.S. Fenichel (Goodreads Author)
835919
Amy Alvis's reviewSep 21, 2020 · edit
it was amazing

Faith's mother has arranged a marriage for her with the Duke of Breckenridge. But because of what happened to her friend in her marriage, she is leery to marry a man that she knows nothing about. The duke won't open up to Faith about his past, so she arranges to have him meet her at a secluded home so that they might learn about one another without other interfering.

Nicholas is shocked to find himself alone with Faith and isn't about to stay alone with her. As far as he is concerned, their betrothal is over and she just needs to make that announcement. But he didn't count on men from his past coming after him. Now they must work together to survive.

Can they survive this with the help of one another? Maybe this was what they needed for each of the to finally open up and give the other their heart.

I absolutely adored Faith and Nicholas's story! I loved that Faith did something a little reckless to try to get to know her betrothed, although it didn't quite turn out as she planned, LOL! I can understand why Nicholas wanted to keep his past from her, but as we know, our pasts have a way to making themselves known. They showed up her in a spectacular fashion! This was a great addition to The Wallflowers of West Lane series and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!

Misleading the Duke by A.S. Fenichel has a beautiful, original cover and a fun premise. It’s the second book in the Wallflowers of West Lane Regency Romance series based on four strong women who rebelled against society and authority and who were sent to Wormbattle finishing school by their frustrated parents. There, they bonded, taking on the name of the Wallflowers.

This book works as a standalone, but I do think reading book one first would have helped me get my bearings. Backstory was provided, but it seemed that whatever it was that set the protagonists off on the wrong foot had been presented in the first book even though it belonged more to this story. As it is, they enter this novel behaving badly toward one another and it takes awhile to get to like them as characters.

Nicholas Ellsworth is a duke and a spy. His past is dark and murky, but now he wants to retire and settle into the dukedom he has inherited. He knows he needs to marry and is content with the arrangement made to wed Lady Faith Landon, one of the Wallflowers. She, however, is less content to marry a man she’s never met; apparently, the previous book had to do with the lengths she went to in order to find out what kind of man he was. He was not happy to be spied upon, and decided he didn’t want to marry her. Being a gentleman, he apparently was waiting for her to “cry off.”

As this book opens, he’s still waiting and she still wants to get to know him. He’s grumpy and she’s devious, arranging to capture him alone for a week in a friend’s country home. (This bit of plotting was rather farfetched, but it set the rest in motion.)

Nick’s past comes back to haunt him, threatening not just the budding relationship but also their lives. The book is heavily weighted with graphic violence, more so than sex, which is unusual for a Romance. This allows Faith to show what she’s made of. (Nick, too.) Love comes quickly to the pair, but it takes them a while to believe that the other feels the same way.

The friendship between the four women is one of the strongest parts of the book, and it will be interesting to see how the other three fare in the world of Romance. I suspect this will end up not being my favorite book in the series.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. Misleading A Duke is the second book in A.S. Fenichel’s Wallflowers of West Lane Series. I enjoyed this book more than I did the first one (the heroine in the first one has some really annoying verbal tics) but I do think you should read the first book as the heroine and hero of this book meet in the first book and it will help you understand why they are in conflict at the beginning of this book although I have to say I really don’t understand why the hero reacted as he did because goose/gander? Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge became betrothed to Lady Faith Landon with out even having met her. Faith was understandably shocked to find out that her parents had arranged for her to marry a stranger and so she and her friends sought to investigate Nicholas to ensure that he would be a good husband. Nicholas has spent the last number of years undercover as a spy and he was incensed to have the tables turned on him and wished to end the betrothal just as Faith began to feel something for him. Wanting to see if their relationship can be salvaged Faith arranges for them to spend some time alone together only things go horribly wrong when Nicholas’s past comes back to haunt them and they must learn to trust each other if they are to survive. Medium Steam. Publishing Date: September 29, 2020. #MisleadingADuke #ASFenichel #HistoricalRomane #RegencyRomance #KensingtonBooks #LyricalPress #bookstagram #bookstagrammer

Misleading a Duke was a fast-paced and well written regency romance with more action and steam than I believe the description hints at. This book focuses on Lady Faith Landon who is currently betrothed to Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge. Faith barely knows Nicholas and resorts to trying to uncover his secrets with her the best friends (the remaining members of the self proclaimed "Wallflowers") to help discover if he would be a good match for her. While they are successful, to an extent, this creates a rift between the pair that Faith must repair if she would like to go forward with the wedding. Nicholas, however taken aback by the actions of the "Wallflowers," does have a secret that will loom over how close he may allow Faith to grow to him due to his role as a secret agent for the English Crown that knows his fair share of trouble.

Fenichel creates interesting characters and I was left wanting to know more about each of them. Despite loving the characters things moved a little bit too quickly for me in some areas which made the "steamy" parts and the moments where the tension shifted less impactfully. For example, I do wish that we would have had a little bit more time trapped in the two dangerous predicaments we see Faith and Nick her faced with (from both perspectives), just evoke more of an emotional response and really make you want them to stick together.

I do really enjoy that each book of the series has a different "Wallflower" as the main character as it helps build connects with all of the Wallflower characters and the world Fenichel created in the first Wallflowers of West Lane book. I also LOVE the covers featured in this series. Overall, I would recommend this if you like regency romance with a contemporary writing style.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I am voluntarily providing an honest review.

Title: Misleading a Duke
Author: A.S. Fenichel
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Betrothed to a man she has barely met, Lady Faith Landon calls upon her three best friends—the self-proclaimed Wallflowers of West Lane—to help uncover the secrets of her mysterious fiancé. Her suspicions are aroused when she learns that he has recently returned from France. Is he a traitor to his country? The truth is quite the opposite. Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge, is a secret agent for the English Crown who has just completed a risky mission to infiltrate Napoleon’s spy network.

After his adventures, Nicholas craves the peace and quiet of the country and settling into domestic bliss with his bride. Until he discovers Faith’s deceptive investigation. How can he wed a woman who doesn’t trust him? But a powerful spark has ignited between Nicholas and Faith that could bring about a change of heart. Faith seizes her second chance to prove to Nicholas that they are a true love match but his past catches up with them when three French spies come to exact revenge. Surviving rather than wooing has become the order of the day.

I enjoy reading linked standalones because you get to see bits of “what happened next” for characters that were the focus in another book. Misleading a Duke is one of those, so the reader got to see a bit more of what happened with Poppy and Rhys but having read that first book wasn’t necessary to enjoy this one.

I liked Faith. She’s unconventional, inquisitive, and truly has a good heart. She’s also not afraid to apologize for her mistakes—like spying on her fiancé. Nicholas overacted a bit to Faith’s spying—I mean, he was a spy and lies all the time, who can blame her being curious about the man she’s going to marry—but at least he admits he was out of line. Eventually.

The chemistry between them is solid and both their personalities mesh well to make this a fun, quick read. I’m looking forward to the next book int series!

A.S. Fenichel lives in Missouri. Misleading a Duke is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.)

When Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge agreed to marry Faith sight unseen, he never counted on her level of conniving. He wanted an unconventional wife, but she and her friends have gone too far. Thinking he’d left espionage behind in France, he wants a quiet life in England with a woman who he might come to admire. Faith and her Wallflowers of West Lane have fooled and thwarted him for the last time.

Having made a terrible mistake by spying on Nicholas, Faith doesn’t know what to do to win back his good opinion. Her mother won’t speak to her and Nicholas is furious. Desperate to apologize for making a fool of him, she stoops to trickery once again. Enlisting the help of the Wallflowers, they lure him to a remote castle in order to give Faith time to make up for her folly. The elaborate plan includes fancy meals, games of chance, and the saddest puppy in all of England. She may be devious, but Nicholas may not be able to resist Faith’s charms.

I loved this book as much as the first book in the series. You can read this as a stand alone but I would highly recommend reading The Earl Not Taken as it sets down the plot for this book.

I loved the characters in this story especially Nicholas who has a great back story of spying for his crown and country.

This book was fast paced and full of action due to Nicholas life of espionage, definitely not your average historical romance.

This story concerns Lady Faith Landon and Nicholas, Duke of Breckenridge. Their marriage had been arranged by Faith’s mother and naturally Faith wanted to know more about the man she was to marry. Nicholas can’t seem to decide if he wants to marry, he is attracted to her but doesn’t know if he can trust her. This is an action packed story with some very tense moments and some were a little too graphic for me, (I am quite squeamish!) so they will probably be fine for other readers. I was surprised that Faith and Nicholas seemed to still have doubts about their relationship after all they had been through together. The ending seemed a little quick but overall I found this story to be an entertaining read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book. A new to me author, engaging characters (can't wait to read the next title) the start of a series about Wallflowers - one of my favorite themes. In this one, though quirky the heroine is anything but a wallflower - clever, resilient, a true friend, fair-minded in the end. I did want to shake some sense into both the hero and the heroine in the beginning of the book but that quickly past and I was more interested in their developing relationship, and the hero's past and how it came back to haunt him. It was a little brutal in one particular scene but also convincing. You see the relationship develop as well as learn a little about the other wallflowers in the group. I almost felt like it could have been longer - just so I could enjoy it longer myself. A worthwhile read that I will reread in the future.

If you haven't read the first book, please do yourself a huge favor and read it first. This is the second book in the series and builds on the first book.

The Wallflowers are a group of young women who were sent to a School for Young Ladies because they didn't fit society's or their parents expectations. Faith didn't like that she was engaged to Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge without knowing him. The Wallflowers do a little espionage and discover who he is.

I liked the fast paced, rom com / suspense feel to the book. The Wallflowers are great characters. I like the bond they created.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington. Thank you very much!

This was a well-written, entertaining book. Lady Faith Landon has been betrothed to Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge, who she barely knows. Her friends help her investigate him, but he is upset when he finds out. The book was fast-paced and hard to put down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for an e-ARC!

Misleading the Duke by A.S. Fenichel is the second book in the series “The Wallflowers of West Lane”. I definitely recommend reading the first one, The Earl Not Taken as Nicholas and Faith’s story actually begins there. Faith is a member of the wallflowers of West Lane, however I would hardly call this group of women wallflowers. Faith and Nicholas were engaged to be married in the previous book. Faith was concerned about who she would be marrying, so she and her fellow wallflowers spied on Nicholas. And of course, Nicholas found out and this has strained his and Faith’s relationship.

Personally, I completely understand why Faith would do that because marrying someone you don’t know is frightening and especially after what happened to Aurora.. Faith and her friends are definitely my favorite part of the book because they are so delightful. This is a good book and fun to read, especially when you’re in the mood for an adventure. I was surprised by how much action was in the plot. I think my expectation for this book may have been skewed because I thought this would have been more along the lines of Faith and Nicholas trying to form a relationship and some light-hearted hijinks. However, it was a book that was more action-packed than what I was used to in historical romance novels. I think if you’re interested in a combination of action/adventure and spy stories, this is definitely the book for you!

The Wallflowers are great, especially when they go up against a French spy. Faith just wanted to know the real person behind the facade. Nick just won't talk about what he has been doing for the past few years. So she resorts to tricking him into talking to her. Nick has wanted Faith since the first time he saw her. But he won't talk about his life as a spy to anyone, especially Faith. She doesn't need to know any of that. He just wants to settle down and have a family. When he is called to the country to meet a friend, he doesn't realize that Faith will be there waiting for him. When some French spies appear to get some information from Nick, he finds that Faith is probably the brave woman he knows. Will she still want him when all of this is over? How can she still want him when he has put her life in danger?

4.5 Stars
Lady Faith Landon is one of the self-proclaimed four Wallflowers of West Lane & has found herself engaged to the Duke of Breckenridge through her mother’s machinations. So the Wallflowers investigate Nick. Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge, is a secret agent for the English Crown who has just completed a risky mission to infiltrate Napoleon’s spy network. After his adventures, Nicholas craves the peace and quiet of the country and settling into domestic bliss with his bride. Until he discovers Faith’s investigation & trust flies out of the window. However a powerful spark has ignited between Nicholas and Faith that could bring about a change of heart.
This is the second book in the series & does follow on from the first one, I’m not sure if it could be read as a stand alone. I loved this fast paced read, which had spies, revenge, torture & of course romance. I loved both Nick & Faith , the chemistry between the pair started off lukewarm but increased & increased throughout the book the more they got to know each other. Faith is unconventional feisty but also lacking in self esteem, Nick starts out as an enigma but as he gradually reveals more of himself the more I loved him. The book had me often at the edge of my seat but the pages flew by & I read it in a couple of sittings. My only quibble was that the ending seemed rushed & there wasn’t an epilogue & I do so love an epilogue even for books that are part of a series. Overall a well written book that flowed extremely well & had me engrossed from cover to cover
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This fast-paced and suspenseful Regency romance had me sitting on the edge of my chair for most of the book. Having insulted her fiancé, the Duke of Breckenridge, by investigating his role in the war against Napoleon, Lady Faith Landon not only offends Nicholas but is in danger of having her betrothal dissolved. She and her close friends devise a plan to get Nicholas away from London to force him into speaking openly with her. She succeeds to some extent, but just when she starts to make headway in opening the lines of communication, her plan takes on a life of its own as Nicholas' enemies from France catch up with him. Caught up in their machinations, Nicholas and Faith are forced to depend on one another and Nicholas discovers that Faith has far more strength of character and gumption than he would have anticipated. Apart from the danger to himself, Faith's life is also under threat and Nicholas realises that there are some things far more important than winning a war. Although this novel is a standalone, it does help to read The Earl Not Taken first, as it lays the groundwork for the plot of this story. The main characters and their friends are all enjoyable personalities and their contribution to the storyline is essential. The villains of the plot are truly awful and I found difficulty in reading some of the descriptive passages. The book is well written with interesting characters and comes to a good conclusion. I received a copy of this book as a gift from NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

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*Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book fire review, all opinions are my own*

Trigger warning for descriptive physical torture.

The first part of this book was so well written and electrifying to read that I devoured.
The second part was slower but I was already so invested in the characters that I didn't care.
The final part of the book still manages to bring a lot of action to the story and leaves it interesting until the end.
This is a book where I can see a lot of how liking the characters makes all the difference when liking a story.
I loved Faith and Nick, their story was very well written and both were very well developed.
This is a book very fast to read and I highly recommend it.

2.5 stars

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. When I requested the ARC, there was no indication that this had to be read as part of a series. Although the first book in this series is about a different couple, we start this book half way into Nick and Faith's story. It took me until 20% to figure out who everyone was, how they knew each other, how Nick and Faith ended up engaged, and why Nick was mad at her.

The other major issue I had was that the book was much darker and more suspenseful than I expected based on 1) the synopsis and 2) the cover. In fairness the synopsis on Goodreads has now changed to reflect the spy plot, but originally it mentioned Faith luring Nick to a castle and "fancy meals, games of chance, and the saddest puppy in all of England." I just wasn't expecting well over half of the book to involve two separate hostage situations, torture scenes, and an overseas spy mission.

The romance in this book was decent and one of the things I actually enjoyed about this, but it could have been so much better if we knew the whole context of their relationship to begin with. I also enjoyed the friendship dynamic between Faith and her 'wallflower' friends (their little society was sweet and I liked the story of how they all met), but it also suffered from not knowing who the heck these people were for the first 20%.

I do think the writing was pretty good and I enjoyed the romance for the most part, so I wouldn't rule out reading more from this author in the future, but I think there's some serious issues with how the book was marketed (as a light, fluffy standalone) that left me feeling disappointed overall.

*Thank you to the author, publishing team and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review*