2.5 stars.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I wasn’t a fan of the previous book in the Hazards of Dukes series, but I had hope for A Wicked Bargain for the Duke, as I found Thaddeus and his position as reluctant Duke compelling. However, I found myself severely underwhelmed once again.

There are some good points. The heroine, Lavinia, is great. She’s a great sister, watching out for Jane when their parents are both ignorant of both their desires. I also really liked her industriousness, working as a writer. And I also really liked the sex positivity, where she can hold her own in the bedroom after her initial awkward attempts with the Thaddeus.

However, Thaddeus confused me. On the one hand, I liked that he showed genuine care for those working for him, with it even being pointed out how un-ducal that was. But he was also so casually misogynistic to the point of being difficult to like, which trumps any grounds for “historical accuracy.” His desire for a modest wife is not out of the ordinary, but his weird justifications for it and why Lavinia was unsuitable were ridiculous. She reads? She must have interests outside of being a duchess that would occupy her too much! Never mind what the intelligent mind of a reader could bring to the table in that regard. He does apologize at one point for disrespecting her, but it still didn’t make up for it in my eyes.

The romance was also poorly developed. In theory, it works. They’re both practical list-makers who use this device various times throughout the book, and I expected to see some bonding on a deeper level with stuff like that. But most of the book is the sexual stuff at night and ignoring each other during the day, and then being like, “why aren’t they spending time with me?” And instead of just asking and using that as a moment of catharsis, they just continue in their empty union with their assumptions.

It sucks that I didn’t enjoy this one more, because I saw so much potential in this and I’m also aware of the personal health struggles Megan Frampton was going through while working on this book (acknowledged in her dedication), which magnifies the guilt. But I have a feeling, based on the polarizing early reviews of this one, that while I’m not alone in my opinions, there are also others who liked or even loved this one. If this book interests you, I would give it a try.

The third book in the "Hazards of Dukes" series, A Wicked Bargain for the Duke, can also be read as a stand alone. I have not read the previous two books and did well reading this one.

I do have to admit that I wondered in the beginning if I should have had more knowledge ofthe first two books to be able to dive myself in to Thaddeus and Lavinia's story. It was a bit slow to start but once I got a little more comfortable I did well following along.

In this installment we find Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford, planning his future to secure a wife and heir. He has plans that includes what he wants in a wife. He has made up his mind and has selected Lady Jane Capel, Lavinia's sister. For her calm beauty, soft spoken, it is exactly what he needs in his new duchess. What he is not aware of is the Jane already has her heart set on someone else. To rescue her sister from possibly ending up marrying the wrong man Lavinia comes in to the rescue.

Lavinia manages to get herself in a compromising position with Thaddeus, forcing his hand to marry her. Not exactly what she wanted. But Lavinia decides to go on with the marriage so Jane's future in-laws can still approve of Jane.

Lavinia has a bit of a double life. She writes sensual novels. Her half brother pretends that he is the author and reads them out loud at parties and engagements. It's this comfort and knowledge that makes her more sensitive to the marriage bed, which brings up her expectations. Expectations that are a bit let down by Thaddeus rather lacking lovemaking. He is certainly enjoying his part but she is left pretty much wanting for more. I found it very refreshing for her to step forward and voice her concerns. That if he was going to enjoy himself that she was not going to be left behind! That was pretty cheeky!

Once Thaddeus has resigned himself to having Lavinia as his wife, he is still struggling with the expectations that he has set forth. The arrangement that both he and Lavinia came up. Her duty to give him a heir and his expectations to have her move to the country once she born him an heir and spare. He was not prepared for the woman he married. How much she turned his world upside down. How much she made him want other things. How comfortable he felt around her. How much he enjoyed her enthusiasm in bed!

While it dragged a bit towards the end it was a good book. It certainly left me looking forward to Jane's story!

For full disclosure, NetGalley and Avonbook provided me an ARC copy of “A Wicked Bargain for the Duke” to read and provide my unbiased feedback on prior to publication on 4/27/2021.

As a new to Megan Frampton reader, and because this book was the 3rd entry in her ‘A Hazards of Dukes Novel’ series, I proactively sought out copies of the first 2 books in the series and read them first. While “A Wicked Bargain for the Duke” could be read as a standalone novel, I will say it is greatly enhanced by being read as part of the series, as the heroes’ relationships with one another provide a great deal of background into their motivations and behaviors.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book. That had a couple of very unique things happening in it that will have it being put on my shelf to be used as a example of female positive literature (sorry having to look for wording here that will still let me be able to post on reseller sites). First, the heroine asks for improvement in the bedroom, so she gets her O, too, versus just letting the clueless hero think everything is all good and he is a stud in the sack. Second, the hero actually takes this feedback and improves with minimal drama. Third, this book really is a testimony to open communication and adapting and changing expectations (and shockingly it is the guy who learns to be a more flexible person). “A Wicked Bargain...” really is a grumpy/sunshine novel, for those who love the trope.

The one thing that was really quirky in the book and I am not really sure if I liked and if it actually added to the book was the use of ‘Interstitials’ between each chapter. I have seen it once before in a newer book, so I am kind of hoping it isn’t going to become a trend, because while the idea was kind of cute, it takes the reader out of the action of the real storyline constantly. Also, the pages could have been used to tie up the storylines of some of the side characters arcs that were heavily built throughout the book and just left dangling in the mist.

For me this one is a 3.5 star read, that gets rounded up to 4.

I loved A Wicked Bargain for the Duke. It was both romantic and funny. I liked both main characters, though Thaddeus took a little while for me to warm up to as he was so set on his plan. I liked the pacing too. Though the ending was really over-the-top (well, that was the point, but...), I found it charming. I haven't read a lot of Ms. Frampton's books, but I will make an effort to read more of them in the future.
4.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thaddeus, the new Duke of Hasford, is a former military man turned Duke, and he is having trouble adjusting. He thinks the best thing is to settle down, marry, and produce and heir. He wants a woman who will not disrupt his peace, and he decides on Lady Jane. Unfortunately, Lady Jane is in love with someone else so her sister Lavinia tries to persuade the Duke to leave off, but they get caught in a compromising position together. Both their futures are now different than expected, and they have to learn to coexist.

Some things that I liked about this book were that Lavinia took charge in bedroom matters when she felt they were sub par. I'm here for a heroine who says what they want/need. I wish she had done that in their daily lives. I also was invested in Jane's story, and wonder where that is going. Possibly the next book?

I found this book to be slow for the first fifty percent and the hero was such a jerk in his thoughts. Some of the things that he was thinking about Lavinia and her family really grated on me. He says he has trouble being the Duke, but he sure has the "looking down on everyone" attitude perfected. So, we didn't start off the best foot, but I did find that around the 50 percent mark it got better. I just wish it had more moments of them together and teasing because Lavinia has such a jokester nature. I feel like it would have made this book lighter, and more enjoyable. It just seemed really bogged down because of their misunderstandings about their situation, and those could have been easily solved with conversations. It seemed in opposition to Lavinia's character to let that stew for the whole book.

Thaddeus Dutton never wanted or expected to receive his title but now that he is the Duke of Hasford he’s determined to do his duty to the fullest. He’s approaching the task with the same military precision he employed in his former life as an officer and one of the first items on his list is to find a suitably prim, quiet wife. Shy, retiring Lady Jane Capel seems to be the ideal candidate, if only her vibrant sister Lavinia didn’t insist on spoiling his courtship.

Lavinia can acknowledge that the duke is an attractive man, but she’s not interested in him for herself, she’s just determined to keep him away from her reticent sister so Jane can remain free to marry the man she loves. But when Lavinia and Thaddeus accidentally find themselves in a compromising position before many witnesses at a well-attended society soiree, he is forced to propose marriage to the wrong sisters. Theirs is not a love match; they barely even like each other, so he proposes a bargain by which they will both be free to lead separate lives upon conception of an heir. Lavinia agrees to this bargain, albeit reluctantly, but demands passion and patience in the bedroom. Thaddeus acquiesces and soon they both realize their relationship has the potential to become so much more if they’re willing to set their bargain aside and allow it.

This book has so many elements I loved, but also some I wasn’t crazy about. I adored how straightforward our heroine was. No games from her and she forced strait-laced, clueless Thaddeus to broaden his horizons and have some frank and uncomfortable conversations. Thaddeus frustrated me with his ongoing cluelessness and reluctance to communicate and put himself out there, though a lot of this does make sense given how little he’d ever been shown affection or allowed to really express his emotions before. A life of repression isn’t easily undone, and this did make the changes he underwent as a result of his marriage to Lavinia more obvious and meaningful. I wanted to see a bit more of Thaddeus defending Lavinia against her awful mother and would’ve liked a bit more steam between these two as a couple. It made sense that their first awkward scenes were closed door, but I never really felt the spark between them even as things heated up. Otherwise, Thaddeus’ groveling was well done, and the character development exhibited by both Thaddeus and Lavinia was spot on.

I also truly loved the fact that things in the bedroom weren’t an instant success and he had to learn how to please his wife no matter that those conversations were awkward and uncomfortable. This is such a realistic and relatable issue and it’s refreshing and rather charming to find a romance hero who has to learn the ropes as it were. That said, given their ability to have an open discussion about a subject as tension-inducing as bedroom performance, it was frustrating that the conflict of the rest of the book largely stemmed from a lack of communication between these two. They handled the harder subject but not some of the more obvious ones for discussion. This made it seem just a bit like they were merely two lonely people who bonded through lust and proximity and not much else as it took them quite a while to openly communicate and we didn’t get much more time with them after that. I also would’ve loved to see more interactions between them as a couple and the couples from the previous books.

Overall, some of the internal monologues about the conflict got a bit repetitive here, but I enjoyed the story and the tackling of a relationship not having such a stellar start in the bedroom. I find myself much intrigued by developments with the characters of Jane and Percy and wondering if perhaps they’ll get their own stories now.

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

Trigger warnings: Forced marriage
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, forced marriage, outgoing oddball heroine saves her sister, emotional stunted love interest
Rating: 4 Stars

Ah, a tale as old as time. A bubbly, unique older sister saves her younger sister from an arranged marriage to the ravishingly handsome Duke Thaddeus. Our Duke didn’t come to the role by choice, but happenstance, and leaves behind a military history that dictates nearly every facet of how he conducts himself. He set his eyes upon Lavinia Capel’s sister, Jane, and believes that she will make the most appropriate wife. But propriety and high society don’t always dictate the affairs of the heart, and Lavinia and Thaddeus must navigate the treacherous waters of feelings and boundaries if they are both to have what they want.

While the middle began to slow in pace, A Wicked Bargain for the Duke quickened towards the end, turning into an absolute page turner. The plot was light and predictable at times, but that did not take away from the story or the personal enjoyment I gained from reading it.

I would recommend this novel if you’re looking for something light, with early 2000’s era Taylor Swift vibes. All the love, heartbreak, and angst that you can mentally sing your heart out to, while still tying the story up in a nice, happily ever after, bow at the end.

What a cute read! Megan Frampton always writes a funny and enjoyable romance, so it's no surprise that this book continues the tradition. Thaddeus and Livinia are the quintessential grumpy one/sunshine pairing, if that's your catnip. I enjoyed the back and forth between the couple, and of course, the happily-ever-after. The only issue I had is the lack of steam, but that's more of a personal preference.

Thaddeus, the Duke of Hasford, is on the hunt for a bride. He has very specific requirements for his bride and expects her to fit perfectly into his incredibly structured life. When he sets his eye on Lavinia’s shy, soft spoken sister Jane, Lavinia has no choice but to interfere as Jane is in love with someone else! After Lavinia and Thaddeus wind up in a compromising position, they have to get married and wind up navigating a relationship neither of them expected!

This is the best Megan Frampton book I have ever read and I loved every second of it! Lavinia is so observant and discovers very quickly how lonely Thaddeus is. She does so much to make his life more lively, but Thaddeus is so walled off she needs a battering ram to get through! Luckily, they have chemistry, and the bedroom is the one place they are completely open with one another. I loved that this book features a couple who are willing to be very honest about what is and is not working in the bedroom! I feel like I am reading this more and more and I am here for it!

I would like to take a minute to talk about how this book is structured. Lavinia is secretly writing some “scandalous” popular novels. Between each chapter, you get to read an excerpt from her current writing project, which is obviously mirroring certain aspects of her life. I loved it and I felt like it really made you wonder what path she would choose for her own relationship! This book is hilarious and at times heart wrenching. I would highly recommend this book (and the entire series) to fans of Sophie Jordan and Julia Quinn. This would also be an excellent book for anyone new to the historical romance scene!

A marriage of convenience trope that is honestly one of my favorite romance tropes basis of this book. Lavinia and Thaddeus are forced into a marriage when they are caught into a compromising position after a comedy of errors. It makes you smile and feel bad for both of them. I adored the way their romance developed and how open and willing Thad was to Lavinia's suggestions. This was such a refreshing change from a lot of the historical romances where the main protagonists just don't communicate. This is the third book in the Hazards of Dukes series and I would recommending reading it as part of the series.

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

A Wicked Bargain For The Duke is the third book in Megan Frampton’s A Hazards of Dukes series. I don’t think you have to read the first two book to enjoy this one.

Military man Thaddeus, the reluctant Duke of Hasford, has decided he needs a wife to run his household and provide him an heir, oh and he’s lonely. He’s determined Lady Jane is the perfect docile young woman. Unfortunately, her sister Lady Livinia tries to stop his courting and ends up being the one to marry him. This unlikely pair try to make a go of the marriage and through lots of communication, sexy times and

Like the previous two books, Livinia is a strong, opinionated woman. She is actually an author but her brother is face of the books. I enjoyed how she was so open with what she wanted sexually from Thaddeus, “Does he even know where the clitoris is?” I was laughing! Thaddeus as the kind but gruff, socially awkward but gorgeous hero was very well done. When she came to him with issues, he listened, adjusted and didn’t dismiss her opinions. Both of them making the lists of what they needed or wanted was adorable.

I would have liked to have seen a bit more from the previous characters. I liked the part where Nash and Sebastian have a heart to heart with Thaddeus about how he is in love. Throughout the book are interstitials that are the story that Livinia is currently writing, while the concept is cute, it took me a bit to figure out what was going on. Those parts felt disjointed for the first half of the book.

This is my first book by Megan Frampton and I adored it. Lavinia and Thaddeus got married after being found in a scandalous situation. He had his eye on her sister, she knew that the sister wasn't a good fit for him. They enter into a marriage of convenience of sorts. I loved the way Frampton wrote their relationship developing. Their growth was so fun to watch and engaging to follow. I LOVED how the author focused and openly discussed how important communication is and how much it matters in life and in a marriage. It was witty and heart warming and just steamy enough to keep me turning pages past my bedtime.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Parts of it were really good, parts of it were insanely boring and a lot of it felt terribly anachronistic. It was as if I was reading contemporary spicy romance only the protagonists were in costume. The premise of it is in the blurb (duke wants to marry the pretty sister but finds himself in a compromising situation with the witty and outspoken sister - hello Bridgerton season 2 - and they end up really liking each other and having lots of fun between the sheets. The naughty parts are well written and quite spicy for historical fiction but not enough to make the story ok. The interstitial didn't do anything for me, it had no point whatsoever. And the secret identity thing - hello Bridgerton season 4 - could have been done a lot better. I liked this a bit more than the previous in the serious but it's still not one I'd recommend around.

Thaddeus is recently titled duke that dutifully sets out to find a wife to give him an heir. He sets his sights on Jane who checks off all the boxes on his list. Unfortunately, her sister Lavinia is having none of it and keeps interrupting his chances of courting Jane who is in love with someone else. When they are found in a compromising situation, Thaddeus is forced to marry Lavinia to protect both of their honors. While neither are particularly thrilled about the situation, they agree to an arrangement that brings them together in bed but no where else.

What I liked:
- The sex positivity! Lavinia demands a more pleasurable sex life and Thaddeus is willing to hear her out and work with her.

- I really enjoyed the relationship between Lavinia and her siblings. They are so open and honest with each other and protect each other.

What needed work:
- The conflict entirely hinges on miscommunication which could have easily been resolved when they were first negotiating. It also felt out of character for Lavinia to not speak up for herself from the beginning when she doesn't have a problem doing that for other issues like sex.

- I really did not feel the love between these two characters. Sure, they had fun in bed and got used to the other being around but that does not equate to love. They barely spent time with each other outside of the bedroom so I didn't really feel that connection. I personally need to feel that emotional connection to really root for and believe that a couple is in love.

- I thought it was really interesting that Lavinia was a writer but it really only came into play at the beginning and at the end. I would have love to see it more throughout the story other than the inserts.

Overall, I liked this book. It was enjoyable as I was reading it but it probably will not take up any real estate in my brain. However, I am definitely interested in picking up more from this author because the sex scenes and sex positivity were great.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read any of the other books in this series and felt fine following along the story, it is completely fine as a standalone.

This book had many of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, grump/sunshine, sex pact. I struggled with it though. Mostly because I was just not a fan of the hero. Love a man who loves lists and is a bit of a grump. But his views on marriage and relationships (especially based on what I've seen his friends found love) were more than strict but honestly not nice and he never seems to rectify other than to say oh I do like this other sister better. He consistently views the other sister as prettier and in more positive ways it made it a struggle. This wasn't a secret struggle because he actually likes Lavinia better as I've seen in this trope before.

I really enjoyed Lavinia, how she asked for what she wanted, especially in the bedroom. But even those scenes felt off. They were closed-door at first and later on once the door was opened they just didn't flow and were a bit awkward. When books rely so heavily on the sexual chemistry and what is happening in the bedroom it was hard to connect with this one, though I did appreciate that the sex wasn't amazing right out of the gate.

Rating: 2.5
Steam: 3

A Wicked Bargain for the Duke is possibly my favorite Megan Frampton book. Thad, or the Duke, is everything that a military man should be. Then, he becomes ‘the Duke.’ But he cannot change who he is overnight. A man of strategies and lists meets secret writer of sensual novels. Lavinia is vivacious, curvaceous, scandalous and loyal to a fault. Definitely not the woman comprising his list of wifely character traits.

I love the way Lavinia gets under Thad’s skin about everything! He seems to think her responses to him are like indulging a child. Ms. Frampton has a special way of sharing Thad’s thoughts and self-talk that give him an endearing personality as you see him realize what he really needs is not at all what he planned.

Lavinia, too, is a person of the written word and uses it to get what she needs from Thad, until her written words cause problems in their marriage. I loved these two together. They have a special ability to communicate without speaking even before they are married. It gets even better after the wedding.

This third in the Hazards of Dukes series is a stand-alone, though probably better if read in sequence. There is a lot of sex, yet that is the purpose for the marriage as you will see when reading. You will love Lavinia’s brother and sister as they play an important part in Thad and Lavinia’s HEA. This series is definitely worth your time!

Thaddeus Dutton became the new Duke of Hasford by chance. He didn't aspire to the role but, as a former military man, he takes his responsibility to the title seriously. He's decided on a perfectly acceptable bride - Lady Jane Capel - but, by another twist of fate, he's found himself married to her sister Lady Lavinia instead.

This is the third book in the Hazards of Dukes series. It can be read as a stand alone. In the first book, Thaddeus's cousin Sebastian finds out that his parents' marriage was invalid and the title transfers to Thaddeus.

Megan Frampton is an auto-read author for me. I find her writing style really enjoyable and easy to read. This story wasn't my favorite, though. It starts out as a marriage of convenience plot, with the "wrong sister" compromised as she's trying to save her sister from Thaddeus's proposal. At first, I liked the awkward dynamic between Lavinia and Thaddeus. It was very natural that they didn't have much in common and had to find a way to coexist. But their relationship was a rollercoaster that never quite hit the right gear for me. Thaddeus is lonely, Lavinia has a secret, and there are plenty of unlikeable family members bringing in additional drama.

Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Compromised, Sibling's Suitor, Secret Job

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #AWickedBargainForTheDuke #NetGalley

First, marriage of convenience. I freaking love this trope. I eat it up. Gimme all the books. A Wicked Bargain for the Duke is a moc story that starts out most promising and ends with an absolutely delightful rain soaked reunion, but sadly the middle is a little lackluster. The beginning has fun little moments of banter and teasing that I thought were going to make this a historical romp throughout which I’d chuckle all the way. The middle just seems about the physical aspect of their relationship and not much else. The teasing vanishes. Precious the dog I thought would play more of a role after his comical introduction, but even he does not so much as pee on the duke’s leg or chew up his favorite boots for the remainder of the book. Sad face. I also thought Lavinia’s writing was going to be more of a focal point which would have been awesome, but sadly we don’t get to see her working at her craft so to speak. I didn’t hate this book, in fact I liked many of the characters and want to read more of her sister, Jane, but this just wasn’t 100% a book for me. That said historical romance readers who enjoy spicy stories and a quick read will enjoy this one.

* I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. I was not obligated to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

I love our main character Lavinia.. She is strong, knows what she wants, and is really loyal to her sister Jane and her half brother Percy.. She will do anything to help her family including making sure Jane gets to marry the man she wants. However their mother has a different idea, and is pushing Jane towards Thaddeus who is a duke..
Jane only has eyes for one man, but she knows that if asked she wont be able to help herself and she will agree to whatever the Duke wants.. So she asks for Lavinias help..

Its Lavinias job to make sure Jane and Thaddeus are never alone long enough for him to propose.. When her plan goes wrong and she ends up having to marry him instead.. While they do have some chemistry, they really had no plans to marry each other and are just hoping to make the best of their current circumstances. However on the bright side now that Lavinia has married a Duke there is an even better chance that Jane will get to marry the man she wants.. as long as his family agrees.
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I loved how Lavinia isn't afraid to ask for what she wants, including what they do in the bedroom.. When she finds herself unsatisfied after their first couple encounters, she decides to make a list for what she wants.. This definitely works in her favor..

Throughout the story Lavinia and Thadd find themselves growing feelings for each other, but neither one willing to admit it to themselves.. When the time comes that they are both wanting to tell each other how they feel..... of course something gets in the way.. When they both get some great advise from their family they realize that they want to be with each other, so they both leave at once, and happen to meet each other on the road, in the pouring rain, and end up pouring their hearts out to each other..

This was a sweet romance that left me with all the feels, and I can't wait to read more of Megan Framptons books.

This romance was cute and fun. Lavinia is a very attractive heroine with her sparkling and charming personality. The duke was a bit of drip until he started coming out of his self-imposed rigidity. Most of it was quite predictable. The unpredictability came from Lavinia doing something out of the ordinary or just being so open and frank about what she wanted, except for her just caving in right away when the Duke sets forth his bargain for their future together. But we all knew that that wasn’t going to last long.

I look forward to reading the stories that are sure to be forthcoming about her siblings finding romance.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.