This book is now among my favorites. I've always loved enemies to lovers, and this one delivers whole-heartedly! I can't believe I haven't read the others in the Difficult Dukes Series, but I will as soon as I finish writing this. While it is part of a series, you can still read it as a standalone as I did. The next in the series appears to be Alice and Blackwood's story, which I can't wait to check out.

This is my first Loretta Chase in almost two years. I’ve always enjoyed Chase’s characters, her witty banter, and with this latest story she did not let me down.

Ten Things I Hate About the Duke is the second in the Difficult Dukes series. Now, I’ve rarely met a duke book I didn’t want to read, and this one is no exception. We meet our hero, or should we call him a zero, Lucius the Duke of Ashmont deep into his cups, bruised, battered, and in possession of a pistol. Said pistol is fired, into the air, to quell a fight and then it sends Miss Cassandra Pomfret’s barouche crashing. Injuries ensue and Cassandra is reminded of how the boy she once loved has grown into a useless waste of a perfectly good duke.

Taming of the Shrew meets unrequited love in this delicious story. There is banter, there are hijinks, and there is scandal. Ashmont is the king of pranks after all, and Cassandra is always with one foot forward towards disaster simply because she refuses to follow societies rules. I easily slipped into this tale, watching Ashmont fall for Cassandra. I loved how he didn’t know what to do with himself or how to prove to her that he was worthy of her.

Chase rules at characterization with Ashmont, our pranking duke, who has a brain, but doesn’t always use it. He’s used to letting money or his fists do most of the talking. He’s gorgeous so the women flock to him. When challenged by a woman, in this case Cassandra, he finds himself out maneuvered at every turn. Of course, men love a chase. Ashmont is determined not to give up. As he so aptly put it, in his first marriage proposal.

You’re outrageous. I’m outrageous.

Cassandra is a modern woman caught in a horrible time. She hates societies rules and has no clue on how to be soft-spoken. Instead, she speaks her mind, one society honest horrific word after another. They nickname her Medusa because her phrasing can crumble a man’s resolve. She’s fabulous even when she skewers Ashmont verbally and physically (in a non-lethal way). I really loved this heroine and she’s probably one of my favorites for 2020.

My favorite Cassandra thought is about Ashmont of course.

He was a trap, a walking, talking woman-trap.

Outside of the main characters there is an entire secondary cast that adds to the ambience and conflict, from vindictive mothers to a parliament member betwixted by Cassandra’s beauty. With plenty of external issues, and internal demons the hero and heroine must fight, the love story is a winding, twisting path with a resolution I greatly enjoyed. I think a part of me wanted a little more confrontation between the main characters and the villain, but ultimately, I appreciated the honest, forthcoming way the resolution to the HEA came about.

Overall, this is a fabulous historical from a writer I can typically depend on for excellent stories. Also, I loved how Chase made me wonder if another historical hero of hers was going to get shot. You may ask, did he? I’ll recommend you read the book to find out.

~ Landra

Heat Factor: It’s your medium-low-level histrom sexytimes, and it works well in context
Character Chemistry: The way these two processed their relationship - separately and together - was awesomesauce
Plot: Ten Things I Hate About You but more grown up
Overall: I waited a loooooooooooong time for this book, and it was better than I’d hoped for

In case the title of the book didn’t clue you in (maybe you are much younger than me?), this is a spin on the classic movie Ten Things I Hate About You, which of course is a spin on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. So we’ve got it all: The “shrew”, her sweet younger sister, the distressed father, the nice young man, and the only man who sees the shrew (this being a Ten Things I Hate About You interpretation - Shakespeare’s original relationship being hugely problematic).

That said, Chase’s take is really nice, and not just because Cassandra and Ashmont are older than Young Adult/New Adult. As I read, I was constantly thinking that I really like what Chase is doing with this series of Dukes. If you haven’t already read the first book in this series, I’d encourage you to pop over to my review, because you can see that in this series Chase is playing with a lot of ideas about historical social politics and our interpretation of them as modern readers.

There are two big problems that need to be addressed for this relationship to work:
1. Cassandra fell in love with Ashmont when they were both children, and he never noticed her when they became adults.
2. Ashmont spent his whole adulthood being the most selfish, privileged man in the world, making Cassandra believe (for years) that she’d misplaced her faith in her childhood white knight.

So Ashmont has to do most of the heavy lifting in terms of character growth in this book, which I initially struggled with, but ultimately had to acknowledge was right, and Chase makes the effort to get the reader to that point, too.

You see, Cassandra is not like other girls. I put this up front for the “Ugh, not like other girls!” crowd, because - yes, I agree with you. But also, Ashmont doesn’t characterize her this way, she characterizes herself this way, and if the reader makes the smallest effort, it’s easy to understand why from a social standpoint. Cassandra is an activist, but she’s not the sort of activist who’s going to convince people to join her cause by being conciliating and persuasive. She’s combative and lets her personality hang out without apology, so she’s the activist who’s going to get people’s attention and hopefully make them uncomfortable enough to think about issues, but she’s not going to get much love for doing so. When we are dealing with social pressures - pressures that frankly still exist - to be conciliating with others and patient with the status quo, it’s easy to understand why Cassandra doesn’t see herself represented in the greater world. Bonus points to Chase for not just making her a modern feminist in skirts, too.

Cassandra typically enters into situations with basic consideration for propriety. Because she’s a feminist, but she also understands that she lives in the world she lives in and just because she wants things to be different doesn’t mean she can make them that way. It’s just that when things unexpectedly go sideways for her, she ends up in situations that are unfairly problematic to her reputation. It’s one of these situations that finally makes Ashmont finally see her, but it’s also that situation that puts her in the position of possibly needing to marry Ashmont when she does not respect or trust him after all of his bad behavior.

So let’s talk about Ashmont. The book begins on the heels of Ashmont’s duel with his best friend who “stole” Ashmont’s fiancee on the morning of their wedding. You don’t have to read book 1 to read book 2, but I might argue that doing so makes Ashmont more fully 3-dimensional early on.

I really liked Ashmont’s characterization because he’s the epitome of privilege. He’s young, he’s got oodles of money, he’s a duke. Why on earth would he be motivated to concern himself with things that don’t impact his extraordinarily privileged life? He’s spent his adulthood doing whatever he wants, but he’s not the rakish asshole kind of histrom hero. He’s also not the starchy kind. He’s just a guy with immense privilege doing what he wants: playing pranks on people because he finds it entertaining, getting drunk, having sex, fighting, and wash, rinse, repeat. In fact, he reads something like Freddy, from Georgette Heyer’s Cotillion, except that Freddy is a starchy twit while Ashmont is a self-indulgent one.

Ashmont’s similarities to Freddy are greatest when we consider that he has been constantly underestimated for all of his adulthood. In part this is due to his own behavior and personality. But in fact, there were several instances in the first 40% of this book that I thought that Cassandra was unnecessarily unkind to Ashmont. She publicly mocks him a couple of times (as does one of his best friends...this is a behavior I really don’t like to read), and she also leaves him hanging off a railing. Yes, she pushed him because he tried to prevent her from leaving their conversation by grabbing her arm, but also he could have really actually died falling to the cobblestones from a first floor balcony, and she walks off, leaving him hanging by his knees over the edge. He goes on to lament his bad behavior and foolishness, putting his hands on her when he shouldn’t have, which is true and begins his growth arc, but also...manslaughter is not cute.

There’s no malice in Ashmont at all, he’s just extremely self-absorbed and uncaring of how his actions might impact others. Which comes back to bite him when what he really wants is for Cassandra to marry him. Because he likes her. Chase doesn’t really get into this in Ten Things I Hate About the Duke, but the reason Ashmont wooed the fiancee who jilted him in book 1 is because she was nice to him and nobody’s ever just nice to him. Ergo, both protagonists have the same issue, but from different viewpoints. Ashmont is looking for someone who sees him, who chooses him, and who he can count on because he’s kind of emotionally dumped on and written off, including by the people who care about him. For her part Cassandra is worried that Ashmont isn’t sincere when she’s asking the questions “Do you see me? Do you choose me? and Can I count on you?” And based on everything she knows about him, that’s a totally reasonable worry.

At first I wanted Cassandra to realize that her meanness directed at Ashmont, which was based on information she had obtained from secondary sources, wasn’t necessarily that different from the way that people were unkind to or judgemental of her without knowing her. But Chase didn’t go there. Which turned out to be okay because she did some other cool stuff with the narrative. So what really worked for me in the Ashmont/Cassandra dynamic was Cassandra’s realization that she wanted to believe that Ashmont really did see her and appreciate her, but she logically couldn’t rely on days-old information when looking at it in the context of years of his behavior.

But Ashmont didn’t dwell on that (not that he really understood it at first). It all began when they had a self-defense demonstration at Cassandra’s club and Ashmont fought her. She told him to come at her like a ruffian, so he did, and he wasn’t trying to play her or prove anything to her, he was playing with her. He went into it just like he would have with his friends, and he had a great time. And so did she.

We’d had inklings before, but that interaction and what immediately follows it really begins Ashmont’s journey of self-examination. He realizes that he needs to examine his suppositions and his privilege and to really, honestly hear and see Cassandra - not project his desires on her - if he wants her to be with him. Chase makes Ashmont’s progress easier for the reader to see by including another man who has an interaction with Cassandra early on and becomes infatuated with her, but constantly seeks to change or reform her as he tries to woo her. (And Cassandra is great, because she’s all, “Dude, I have less than no interest in you mansplaining to me.”)

A final thought re: Ashmont. I already mentioned that he’s not your typical “rakish asshole” or “starchy prig” hero. He’s a bit of a buffoon. And I think one thing that this characterization does in his favor is that it allows him to examine everything that’s happening not in terms of tragic events of his past that shaped him, but instead in terms of what’s happening right now and what his choices mean in that context. He knows he has to protect Cassandra’s reputation for social reasons, but everything he decides to do is because he wants a future with Cassandra and he wants to be the man who can actually have that future.

I did worry what would happen if he “relapsed” or if he weren’t morally upright enough for Cassandra on a consistent basis, considering that Ashmont went from not concerning himself with anything at all to getting all kinds of progressively political. But I think it worked because Cassandra did seem to meet him where she was when it came to the point of her deciding what to do with her own future.

So anyway, this was a good read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

I love Loretta Chase`s novels and this one is definitely in my top 3! Great characters who showed depth and growth. Fantastic.

Lucius and Cassandra are a joy to read about. They start as such opposites and gradually move towards a relationship. Lucius needs to grow up, and he hasn't had a reason to until he meets Cassandra and decides to marry her. Cassandra isn't going to marry a man who doesn't love her and makes Lucius work to gain her approval. The story kept me reading. It made me smile and laugh, and enjoy how they came together in the end. A very satisfying read..

I am a big fan of Shakespearean adaptations in popular romance (I wrote my dissertation on them), but I get anxious about adaptations of The Taming of the Shrew. I should not have worried This was a wonderful twist on the story and had excellent echoes of the play and my favorite modern take 10 Things I Hate About You. I LOVED it!

The heroine takes on the role of the "shrewish" Shakespearean figure, here called Cassandra. She is an older, bluestocking heroine who speaks her mind and works to help the less fortunate. But she is stymied when her father says her younger sister cannot attend any society functions while she remains unwed. So Chase sets up the Shakespearean premise, and includes fun little references throughout, but I am thrilled to note that the hero is no Petruchio.

Ashmont is an overindulged duke who realized that he finally has something worth reforming for. He never tries to change the heroine. Instead, he tames himself in order to become the man he needs to be to win her love. He is a bit clueless, but tries so hard and learns so much that I found him adorable. I was cheering for the couple the whole time, and cannot wait to read the next story in the series.

You do not have to be a Shakespeare fan to like this book, but it has just the right amount to make it really fun. Trust me, this is worth the read.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review

A new book by Loretta Chase is always a cause for celebration, and this one is a long time coming.

Although inspired by The Taming of the Shrew, it reminded me more of Chase’s own The Last Hellion, especially in terms of the characters. Like Vere, the Duke of Ashmont is a disreputable rakehell (His Grace the Dis-Grace) who is felled by the charms of a strong woman. Cassandra isn’t the crusader Lydia is, but she does have her own causes, particularly helping other women. Ashmont being smitten, he sets out on a course of reform to demonstrate to Cassandra that he’s worthy of her that frequently had me laughing and occasionally sighing with the feels. The ending of the book is just about perfect. Really, how can you not like a romance that concludes with a man reading passages from Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman to his bride on their wedding night?

I need to give a shout-out to some of the secondary characters, too. Keefe, Cassandra’s tiger/bodyguard, is an excellent friend and advisor (and maybe a bit of a matchmaker between her and the duke). Cassandra’s mother gets a star turn demonstrating how veiled threats can be uttered with deadly politeness. And while Cassandra’s friend Alice may be the subject of the next volume in the series, I think her aunt and Ashmont’s uncle need their own book. There seems to be a story brewing there, anyway, and I’d love to see Chase turn her hand to older characters for a change.

I thoroughly enjoyed this romance, and although I wouldn’t put this in the absolute top tier of Chase’s work, it does have exceedingly stiff competition. If you’re a fan of the author or just love historical romances, I highly recommend giving it a read.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Loretta Chase is an instant purchase for me. I love her writing which is fun, witty, and entertaining - just what I need to escape the stress of real life. Book 1 was fantastic (on my all-time favorites list) so I was excited to read Book 2 and was not disappointed. An enjoyable read! Get it!

I was provided with an advance reader copy by NetGalley. My opinions are freely given and are my own.

This book was a delightful return for Loretta Chase. I loved each and every character in the book – well, except for the two nasties – who weren’t the nastiest nasties I’ve ever read. The writing is excellent, the story is tightly developed, and the characters are fully developed and totally relatable. Although the book is part of a series, it can totally be read as a standalone with no problem.

Lucius Wilmot Beckingham, the Duke of Ashmont, leads a totally hedonistic lifestyle. Getting to know other people – really know them – especially women, just never occurred to him. That is how he came to lose his former betrothed – at the altar – when she ran away – that was in the first book of the series, A Duke in Shining Armor. Unfortunately, his best friend, Hugh Ancaster, the Duke of Ripley, ended up with the runaway bride and he and Ashmont fought a duel over it.

Cassandra Pomfret is a very unique young lady – and a sore trial to her parents. She doesn’t mean to be a trial, but she can’t help being who she is. She’s very intelligent, politically savvy, socially aware, and just can’t keep her opinions and thoughts to herself as young ladies are expected to do. She is never partnered for dances at balls and is known as Lord deGriffith’s Gorgon, Cassandra Prophet of Doom, and Medusa. To make matters worse, those opinions she expresses are said very plainly and directly. She knows she’ll never marry, but she will do some good in the world through the Andromeda Society during those times when her father hasn’t banished her to the continent to live with her grandparents.

While attending a meeting where the blowhard Mr. Titus Owsley, a member of the House of Commons, is making a presentation on the Sabbath Laws he is trying to have passed, Cassandra stands up and – Heaven Forbid – questions him. Her father is livid and delivers a strong lecture to her about her actions reflecting on their entire family – especially her sister Hyacinth. Then, he decrees that Hyacinth’s season is now over and she will not be attending any functions at all until Cassandra is wed.

Cassandra needs to get away – at least for a little while – so she heads out toward Putney, driving her own phaeton and accompanied by her groom/tiger Keeffe, and her maid Gosney. Everything was going along swimmingly until they approach the Green Man Inn and she sees two men tumble through the door. The men are in a brawl and all of the other men surge out onto the street as well. They are followed by an obviously drunk man who raises a pistol to the sky and fires. Her horses spook and take off into a field where the phaeton bogs down and throws all of the inhabitants crashing to the ground. Her tiger is badly hurt, but Cassandra and Gosney are only slightly injured.

The idiot with the gun? Well, that was none other than Ashmont. He was absolutely, totally falling down drunk and Cassandra was livid. She let him know it too! She and Ashmont had a history together – from childhood. She’d had such high hopes for the man he could become and he’d turned into one of the Dis-Graces along with his friends, the dukes of Ripley, and Blackwell. Now, he’d not only badly injured her tiger, but he was also causing her total ruination since she was unchaperoned and would have to stay until her tiger recovered enough to travel. Her phaeton is broken beyond repair and her maid took off on the first mail coach to come through the village. So, neither she nor Ashmont was having a good day. You see, he’d just had a duel with his best friend that morning.

Things go from bad to worse and Ashmont asks her to marry him in order to save her reputation. She, of course, refuses, but as more events occur – they end up making a pact that they’ll pretend to be betrothed and she can call it off after the season ends. Ashmont is totally shocked when he eventually realizes that he really wants to marry Cassandra. He decides he’ll do whatever it takes to win her – and – OMGoodness – he does some spectacular things. You are going to love him!

I absolutely adored Ashmont’s transformation. Once he realized what he’d been, he worked so very hard to become better and to win Cassandra. I also absolutely loved Cassandra and her family. It was wonderful to see a loving, supportive family who is actually open and honest with each other. Too often, our books are filled with the other kinds of families.

I thought Cassandra and Ashmont were absolutely perfect for each other. There is witty banter, humor, blackmail, a few love scenes, and an absolutely to-die-for ending. I hope you’ll read it and love it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loretta Chase has a way of writing complex intricate characters. Cassandra Pomfret is bold, intelligent, determined, and quite funny. The story opens with her speaking out at a presentation of a bill by the designer of said bill. Word quickly gets back to her father, (a lord), and he is furious. Hyacinth, her lovely younger sister, is "the" debutante of the season, but their father decides that Hyacinth cannot attend any more balls or fetes until Cassandra agrees to marry someone.

Lord Ashmont, (Lucius), the gorgeous crush of her younger self has reappeared into her life in a not gracious way. The cause of an accident, Ashmont, a drunk, irresponsible Duke, and part of the trio of
Dukes known as the "Dis-Graces" becomes the target of her wrath. She demands his help to aid her groomsman who has been injured and she doesn't allow him the shirk his responsibility. Having just returned from a duel with his best friend, (who ran away with his bride), Lucius is not on his game. When their circumstances change, he tries to do the honorable thing and asks her to marry him, she responds with a teapot thrown at his head.

Cassandra doesn't accept his outrageous behavior. She calls him on everything and bests him a few times. He is enthralled by her, she's a true companion for him. Cassandra isn't willing to have a "ducal" marriage, she wants the real thing, people bound by mutual respect, passion, and in service to those in need, so she fights him at every turn. Lucius changes. His wastrel life isn't working for him anymore.

The side characters are well fleshed out, some evil, some sweet, all memorable.

This was such an enjoyable book that I read it in nearly one sitting. Loretta Chase has a great way with the Victorian dialogue, events, and customs.

This is a ARC through NetGalley, which I appreciate, and all opinions stated are strictly my own.

Ten Things was a delight. I LOVED the wit and banter between Cassandra and Ashmont. They were so fun to watch fall in love. Cassandra is so special and strong and unique and he is really her perfect match in both life and in conflict. I thought the relationship between her family and her groom was heartwarming and entertaining and the conflict was just stressful enough without being too much. I requested this book without realizing it was second in the series and while I think it would be fine to read it as a stand alone, I think there is so much more depth of character to be gained by reading the first book. It is almost a prequel into his story.

After a confrontation with Mr. Titus Owsley, a member of the House of Commons, Miss Cassandra Pomfret’s father lays down the law – he forbids Cassandra’s younger sister Hyacinth to marry or even participate in a season until the outspoken, opinionated Cassandra is wed.

Needing to get away, Cassandra sets out with her groom and maid to visit her former governess, but she never anticipated that the recently jilted Lucius Beckingham, the Duke of Ashmont would be at the coaching inn getting drunk after dueling with the Duke of Ripley, his former best friend turned bride thief! Nor did she think he would try to quiet a restless crowd by shooting into the air and spooking her horse, causing an accident that injured her groom and threatened to ruin her reputation. Nor did she ever expect or want him to insist that she marry him!

Cassandrea will never admit it – but Lucius was her first love and her hero, but over the years she realized that he never noticed her and she closed off her heart. She is content to be a spinster and refuses to wed Lucius, but when they are caught alone together a second time, she hatches a plan, she still won’t marry him but does agree to pretend to agree to marry him – especially since it seems her father is willing to let Hyacinth attend events with them. But she is clear – she can’t trust him and will not marry him.

No one is more surprised than Ashmont when he realizes that he really wants to marry Cassandra and sets out to win her over. It will be a long, uphill battle to win her hand with more than one person set on keeping them apart. But this is a battle Ashmont intends to win and soon winning her hand is not enough, he wants more – he wants to win her heart!

This was a well written, fast paced, fun twist on The Taming of the Shrew. Cassandra and Ashmont are perfect for each other and provide the reader with lots of witty banter and amusing moments without dragging the story into the realm of silly or fluffy. The book has humor, betrayals, great secondary characters, more than one “villain”, warm love scenes, blackmail and a very, very sweet ending. This is the second book in the series, but it can certainly be read as a standalone title. I really loved this book and happily recommend this title!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher. *

We first met Ashcroft in the first book of the series. He did not make a good impression. While not at all a villain, he was immature, careless, and selfish. He enjoyed the benefits of being a Duke without taking any of the responsibilities. It was so much fun to watch him begin to see his own faults and take action to change in this book. Even better was seeing him come to an awareness the realities of life for those less fortunate than him.

The catalyst for the change in Ashcroft was meeting Cassandra. Cassandra follows the current trend of historical romance heroines being “different.” In her case, it is her outspokenness that sets her apart. While many shy away from her because of it, Ashcroft finds her nature challenging. Her set downs bring his current lifestyle into sharp focus. Rather than a case of insta-love, Ashcroft and Cassandra come to appreciate each other slowly. While he begins to see her as an individual instead of a replacement bride, she becomes more aware of his strength of character.

**I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.**
Few authors write a historical like Loretta Chase. After reading A Duke in Shining Armor, I desperately wanted to know what was going to happen to the jilted bridegroom. Ashmont is the epitome of entitlement. He does what he wants with no care for anyone else. He isn’t intentional trying to harm anyone but he’s really not concerned if he does.
Cassandra is well aware that she is not a shining example of an Acceptable lady. She’d be fine with that if it didn’t reflect poorly on her younger sister.
This book was a delight. Poor cluelessly cruel Ashmont really meets his match with Cassandra. She’s not impressed by his money. She’s not scared of his reputation. She just needs him to help her for a little while. I loved the banter and how Ashmont realizes to really get Cassandra, he’s going to have to look at the world differently.
Cassandra has to learn to forgive people and trust in love.
There are seeds for several other stories that I hope she writes soon.

This enemies to lovers romance was truly delightful. I enjoyed the Women's Movement parts as much as the romance. I was rooting for our couple to find happiness, even as they were fighting. The premise of this one was full of some standard historical elements, but put together in a way that made it feel modern and fresh at the same time.
Both Cassandra and Ashmont were really interesting in their own ways. I really enjoyed getting to know them through their romance.

3.5 stars

Cassandra Pomfret’s blunt plain-speaking has gotten her into hot water before, but now she’s gone a bit far and her father is exasperated. Not wanting to risk damage to his political career, Lord deGriffith issues an edict: Cassandra’s beloved younger sister must end her season and may not marry until Cassandra herself does. Now an encounter with a notoriously wild and rakish duke is sure to destroy what’s left of Cassandra’s reputation and take her sister, along with the rest of her family, down along with her.

Lucius Beckingham, the Duke of Ashmont, has the good looks of Adonis, but his bad behavior has made him persona non grata in many of the elite circles of London High Society. He’s at a bit of a low point now, having been jilted by his fiancé and the resulting duel nearly caused the death of his best friend. But even Lucius has a code and he won’t allow damage to a respectable lady’s reputation to stand. The best solution is to marry her, if only he can convince her she doesn’t hate him quite as much as she thinks.

I found this book to be charming, on the whole, but I do have some mixed feelings about it. The duke certainly needed a wakeup call and Cassandra was perfect for him in that regard. However, much of what she says to him is extremely rude and goes a long way towards making her unlikable. The fact that she treats him this way to protect her heart and because of her strong feelings for him is the only thing that made her tolerable for me and had me cheering for them as a couple. Lucius certainly had a lot of growing up to do and it was like he finally woke up when he noticed Cassandra and remembered her from their childhoods. He grew as a character by leaps and bounds and Cassandra did as well, in her own way. I loved the fact that, though it took a while, by the latter chapters of the book Cassandra and Lucius were confiding in each other and she was relying on him to be her partner. When they faced challenges, these two surprised me with their honesty with each other and reliance on each other to get through to the other side of the issue. That aspect made this story work for me, though I did lose some patience at times with the extremely slow pace. I would’ve liked to see a bit more comeuppance for our villain here, rather than this merely being an opportunity to show how Lucius had grown, but nonetheless the scene did still work here. This was my first read from this author and it did take a bit for me to get used to the writing style, especially the way the dialogue is written, but it made the banter a bit snappier and that worked here. My biggest issue is that for all of Cassandra’s self-described pining she did for the duke, I never really felt the depth of her feelings for him, even by the end really. Lucius’ falling for her made more sense and I just wish she hadn’t been so fickle and had given him more of a fair shake sooner. It took a long time for me to actually feel the connection between them and even by the end they still didn’t quite feel like they were on equal ground for me. By the end, Cassandra was a tolerable character I could root for and Lucius wound up being likable as well; I think he just needed someone to believe in him and expect more from him. The thing that most annoyed me in this reading was the near-constant reference to Greek mythology and the only issue I really had there was the use of, for instance, ‘Oh, Juno,” as an exclamatory. This just struck me as super awkward and annoying and pulled me out of the story a bit, but that’s probably just a personal idiosyncrasy of mine. I definitely think I would’ve enjoyed this more if I’d read the first book, which I plan to go back to, but I do look forward to Alice and Blackwood’s story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cassandra Pomfret and Lucius, the Duke of Ashmont collide into each other with Cassandra paying the price for his drunken prank. Her groom was hurt and her vehicle shattered in pieces, Ashmont does what he usually does--throw money at the problem and it usually goes away. Cassandra loathes Ashmont for his recklessness and especially since as a duke he could do so much good in the world. Ashmont starts a long road to sobriety and can't stop thinking about Cassandra. With her groom injured, Cassandra needs a male to help with some of the charity work and she writes to Ashmont. He jumps at the chance to prove himself worthy of her affections. Can he redeem himself enough to win Cassandra's heart?

I started reading this book, then put it down, read a few other stories and then came back to this one. I'm so glad I did because I absolutely loved this book! Ms. Chase weaves a story full of twists and turns and finally a HEA. I especially loved Cassandra--a strong woman willing to do anything to help others even putting herself in danger. Ashmont grew on me, but one of the stars of the book is Cassandra's mother. In her own quiet way, she cleaned up a mess that could derail the happiness of Cassandra and Ashmont. I was sorry to see the book end as I would have loved to see what good these two could do together.

3.5/5 Stars

I liked this book, I just didn't love it. This is the first book I've read by Loretta Chase so I was unsure as to if I would enjoy it. I enjoyed the writing, it kept me engaged in the book. The first part of the book I liked, and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. The middle felt very muddled for me, I found myself wanting to put the book down and not continue. It got a little boring because I felt like there wasn't really anything happening and it just wasn't holding my attention. The end of the book though was great! By the end, I was enjoying the characters and the romance. I grew a new love for the main character's mother ( she was kinda badass). Overall this was a okay read for me. It was a fast and easy read and perfect for what I was in the mood for.

Ten Things I Hate About The Duke is very well written, and I think a lot of readers will love it. Personally, it just didn't grab me.

I was looking forward to reading this book since I'd read and enjoyed the first in the series (Ripley and Olympia's story). This story, about Cassandra and Ashmont, was just a little slow for me. I guess I wanted more of a conflict. I liked the heroine Cassandra a lot, though I do feel like she of her backstory was missing. I also wish the book had a more admirable hero for the reader to root for. Ashmont just lacked substance, although he frequently acknowledged that lack about himself and seemed to want to improve. I suppose I just needed more of a metamorphosis to fall in love with the character.

The story more or less stands on its own, but as there are a lot of characters, reading the first book in the series before this one could be helpful. Even having done that myself though, I still found myself forgetting who knew whom and from where.

In short, it's a decent book that is probably worth reading as long as you don't expect too many plot twists or fireworks.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

4 1/2 stars - Ten Things I Hate About the Duke is the second book in the Difficult dukes series by Loretta Chase. I don't think you have to read the first one in order to enjoy this one. It had been a while, and many many books for me, so I couldn't remember much about the first one and I wasn't lost at all. Loretta Chase is a wonderful storyteller and knows how to give you enough of any needed backstory without overdoing it on unimportant details. I loved the banter and romance between Cassandra and Lucius. Strong females and reformed rakes make an excellent combination. Throw in a childhood crush and you are asking for something wonderful to happen.
You cant go wrong with any Loretta Chase book and this series is no exception. Highly recommend!