The Duke of Renown by Alexa Aston is the first in a new series, the Dukes of Distinction. As always, it is a delightful book by Aston. A different plot with two terrific leading characters making their way to a life of love. Phoebe has been serving tea to her sister and brother-in-law accompanied by the delightful news that she is with child. Her husband and he son, Nathan, have gone to the museum to see dinosaurs and have not returned home yet, surprisingly, when a knock on the door yields a doctor, with the news that both have been killed in a carriage accident. This news sends her into a miscarriage. All of this in just a few moments and her life feel over. After spending a year with her sister and brother-in-law, she feels she needs to get away and so rents a small cottage in Cornwall. She is enjoying her time there, when one day she comes upon a wounded man on the beach. He has been shot and is doing very poorly. She manages to get him to her cottage where he instructs her on how to care for his wound. As the days go by, he recovers and they become more and more drawn to one another. As it turns out, the man is a duke who has been shot by his brother and given up for dead. In the village there is much gossip about him, but he has not revealed himself to Phoebe, enjoying her attraction to him, the man, not him, the duke. Just as he is about to ask for her hand, a carriage comes to take her to her sister, who is very ill. Sadly, he is on the beach, and returns to a note. Neither of them knows the identity of the other.

This is an absolutely lovely book. Aston has drawn two totally sympathetic characters whom the reader will immediately like. Their falling in love seems to take a while, but in reality it is only a couple of weeks. They are both mistaken about the identities of their new loves, but not their characters. Both deserve the love they have found and it is a joy to watch it happen. Some of the supporting characters are so well written that they, too, become sympathetic characters. Aston has a hit with this book. Any who read it will fall in love just as Phoebe and Andrew have. Please read it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Duke of Renown by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #thedukeofrenown

The Countess of Borwick is lost, adrift in grief after suffering a devastating loss. She decides to rent a cottage, under an assumed name, to make decisions regarding the rest of her life. Andrew, the Duke of Windham, has found that he cannot trust his brother, after he shoots him and leaves him for dead. Mrs. Smith finds him and nurses her “smuggler” back to health. He does not correct her assumption, nor does she correct his.
As they fall in love, the Dowager Countess is summoned by her brother in law and disappears. Andrew knows that she is the love of his life and makes all efforts to find her. By happenstance, they meet in London and renew not only their acquaintance, but their love. But, there is one person that does not want Andrew to be happy or to live, and he finds them. Will Phoebe and Andrew have their ever after?

London 1812
Fall in love with this story that will wrap around you with the wonderful words of this amazing author. The start of a new series that will only leave you wanting more!

A heartbroken widow after the loss of her young son and child, Phoebe, Lady Borwick, escaped to a small cottage by the sea so she could draw and heal.

Andrew had been at war when he'd gotten the letter that his brother had died in an accident and his father was on his deathbed. Coming home meant he would be next in line as Duke and with his father very ill, that happened pretty quickly. But there was his his a villain lurking that wanted his title and tried to kill him.

Phoebe meets Andrew when she found a wounded man washed up on the beach and the journey begins! All the emotions come through in this one and looking forward to the next in this series!

Tragedy brings together two souls, but circumstances splits them apart.
Phoebe Smythe, Countess of Borwick finds out the light of her life, her young son is killed in a carriage accident along with his father. The Countess upon hearing the news suffers a early miscarriage which leads her to the countryside of Cornwall.
Captain Andrew Graham is informed of his elder brothers death and his father is on his deathbed. Andrew eventually becomes the new Duke and this is when the problems start to arise. His half-brother attempts to take his life and this is where he is thrown into the company of a Mrs, Smith.
The author writing has so much inflection that one does not have to guess about the feelings that grow even though the two individuals are unaware of each other’s status.
I would recommend any book this author writes because I have truly not come across one I would not either get for myself or for a friend!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

This is the new series by Alexa Aston. It's about 5 Dukes and this is the first one.
Andrew and Phobe make an excellent couple. Phobe doesn't know that Andrew is a Duke, Andrew doesn't know that Phobe is a Lady.
Will this couple find the love that is destined to be.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.5 Stars!

Captain Andrew Graham was never meant to be the Duke of Windham. The Countess of Borwick, Phoebe Smythe, never imagined she would lose her husband and beloved son in an accident. Yet, it is these circumstances that bring the two together to find love through the pain.

Andrew was the second son. When his brother dies, he is called away from the battlefield to spend time with his father during his last days. Now the duke, he takes the reigns and holds them tight so the family legacy will live on. His younger half-brother isn’t keen to have a cap put on his allowance and ends up making a costly decision.

Grief unlike any other comes with the loss of a child. Not only did Phoebe lose her husband and five-year-old son in one day, she lost her unborn child as well. She is determined not to let her grief swallow her whole and sets off to a coastal town and a cottage to spend a few months completely on her own. When Andrew washes up on Phoebe’s beach with a bullet in his chest, life will never be the same.

I find myself incredibly lucky to find Aston’s first in her new series and given the chance to review it. The theme I walked away with of love ebbing the pains caused by death is incredibly touching and heart-warming. The passion and anguish felt by these exquisitely complex characters makes their happily ever after that much sweeter. So much of Andrew and Phoebe’s story can’t be summed up in my review without spoiling the best parts. I will just leave with this, we get a fascinating story, a surprising ending, and a magnificent novel to begin this five duke series. I can’t wait for four more stories of romanced dukes yet to come.

I received Duke of Renown for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Such a tender, sweet love story!

After tragic circumstances completely upend both Phoebe's and Andrew's separate lives, their paths cross at a crucial moment yet neither one is aware of exactly who the other one is. The identity misunderstandings really play well into the development of their relationship as it removes both of them from the baggage of their position in society, freeing them each up to present their true selves to each other for a short but treasured time.

I really appreciated the care and respect for both Andrew and Phoebe throughout the book. The steamy scenes were detailed enough to make the story interesting without being too lurid. There was just enough action and suspense to keep the story lively, all beautifully culminating in a charming HEA that proves dreams can come true. I love the extended epilogue, and am looking forward to reading more about Andrew's friends (and fellow dukes) as they find their own happy endings. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This book is heartbreaking. Both main characters Andrew and Pheobe have suffered tremendously, and as their story unfolds we see them become the best versions of themselves despite all their problems.

Phoebe Smythe is the Dowager Countess of Borwick, and after her father and son die and she loses her unborn baby she turns to the Cornwall coast to find comfort, but she also finds an unlikely companion.

Andrew Graham isn't a captain in the royal army anymore. After the death of his brother and father, he is now the Duke of Windham and while he is trying to take good care of estates he never planned to run his disreputable younger brother just wants money, and he sets out to kill Andrew to get it.

I really liked the main characters and despite how much time we spent with them away from the rules of society I never felt like I saw the moments they shared themselves with each other, not their names, but their hearts.
Andrews insistence that he knows Pheobe is the woman for him was admirable but started to grate on my nerves by the end.

Ultimately they are adorable together and their stories are captivating and sad. Ultimately I enjoyed this regency story of two people who know what they want and aren't afraid to let the hurt of their past stop them.

One of the most romantic stories I have read in a while. This story is not that complicated but the story drags you into the world of Phoebe and Andrew and dares you to push their romance to the side. While I am not usually one for secrets/secret identities, this one was not such that I would say “come on, just tell them”. I could not help but ooh and ahh the entire time. If you need a great pick me up, light read, then grab this book and settle in for a fantastic story.

4.5 stars

This is a new author to me and I will look out for other books. Phoebe has a tragic start. Her son and husband are killed in a carriage accident. She miscarries the baby. Phoebe wasn't too keen on her husband but was devastated on the loss of her son, Nathan. She hides away from the world in a cottage in the West Country. Andrew is a soldier, who's had to return to pick up the responsibily of a Dukedom. His step brother isn't pleased and tries to assasinate him. Phoebe nurses him and tends hom back to health. It's a good story and we meet Andrew's three other friends, who I'm assuming will be heroes in other books. Phoebe is kindly and as a reader I was rooting for her to have a happy ending. Andrew is a swoon worthy hero. I'm looking forward to the other books in this series.

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

A widow takes refuge in Falmouth Cottage by the sea in Cornwall to cope with her grief. Finding an injured man on the beach, she nurses him back to health. They don't reveal their real identities. She thinks he is a smuggler, he thinks she is a widow who lives a simple life. Ahhh, but she's a Dowager Countess and he's a missing Duke. A love blooms between them, but they are separated by circumstances out of their control. When all seems lost, fate steps in and a Duke will not take "No" for an answer.
Very emotional, very passionate and very sweet.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This was a very sweet book. While the plot was there I feel the execution was a tad lacking. It truly could have been an exceptional read right up there with the best sellers of the genre but it just was a little lackluster. All of the pieces were there but yet it was missing something. The buildup may have been the downfall. It was too easy and to just right out there in front. Romance novels tend to be pretty obvious in the plot line but it’s how we get there and the execution of the novel that truly sets books apart, I feel this one needs a little more love to get there. The characters were too loveable, too lacking flaws. Honestly I was more interested in the disreputable dukes than our leading man who was all bright and shiny goodness and a bit boring. The others at least appeared realistic whereas the knight in shining armor was all gilded flawless in a way that feels fake. Our heroine too had the same problem. And the way they talked to each other was so loving so sickeningly sweet at times it read like false words. The loving intones were more what a character we hate would say in false words. I liked the plot and a lot of the writing but this one isn’t going to win any literary awards without some work. Hopefully the author will do so prior to publishing,

I really like Duke of Renown. It was comforting and sweet, which is what I mostly want from a romance novel. The villain was villainous, the main characters had a sweet relationship, and the ending was just perfect. I really felt for the heroine, Phoebe, and thought her meeting and falling in love with Andrew to be quite cute. I liked that there was no misunderstanding once they meet each other again and that we got to see them happy. 4 stars.

3.5 stars

Duke of Renown is a fun start to what I suspect will be a delightful historical romance series.

The concept is great: widowed countess finds a half dead man on the beach outside her cottage and nurses him back to health, all the while not knowing that he is a duke. Having both of them dance around each other and slowly let their walls down was so satisfying and the side characters made it all the more enjoyable.

The book does go on for a bit too long - there were a good 50 or so pages that could have been cut to really get to the heart of the conflict. Although who am I to say no to more swoonworthy scenes?

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This is one of those books that once you start reading, you don't want to put it down. Phoebe's heart was broken when her precious son died in an accident together with her husband. Whilst she deeply mourns the loss of her precious son, her husband's passing does not affect her as much. Taking time out to recover and renew her spirit, Phoebe rents a cottage on the Cornish coast where she learns to be self-sufficient and pours her heart out into her stories and sketches. An afternoon stroll brings a surprise in the form of a man washed up on the beach and thinking him to be a smuggler, she manages to get the gunshot victim to her cottage where she cares for him. The Duke of Windham declines to correct the widow of her mistaken impression especially when he discovers that he has feelings for her. Wanting to be sure that Phoebe is falling in love with the man and not the duke, Andrew hides the truth from her. Just when he determines to reveal his identity, fate intervenes and he loses the one woman he loves. When their paths do cross once again, Andrew does not hold back in making his feelings known. Unfortunately, his nemesis refuses to give up, putting both their lives at risk. The first book in a new series, this novel opens the way for new and exciting stories to be told and I look forward to reading how Andrew's friends find their way to marital bliss. This novel is well written and romantic with some underlying suspense and comes to a joyful conclusion. I received a copy of this book as a gift from Dragonblade and NetGalley as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Phoebe and Andrew's story is lovely. Duke of Renown is sweet and a bit steamy, but mostly sweet (like eating a candy bar and drinking hot chocolate at the same time sweet). I adored the storyline of wanting to be loved for who you are instead of outside factors you can't control. I did have a bit of trouble with some of the dialogue, it seemed stilted and stiff even for 1800's. Even with the dialogue issues it is still a really good book, definitely worth reading!

Phoebe Smythe, Countess of Borwick, suffers a tragic miscarriage when she learns her husband and young son Nathan have been killed in a carriage accident. The grieving widow retreats to an isolated cottage on the coast of Cornwall, where she hopes to grieve in peace. Captain Andrew Graham returns home from the Napoleonic Wars after the death of his older brother, finding his father on his deathbed. Soon he becomes the Duke of Windham and must deal not only with numerous responsibilities but his wayward half-brother, who has amassed a mountain of debt and then shoots Andrew so he can become the new duke. Andrew awakens to an angel of mercy, Mrs. Smith, a middle-class widow who nurses him back to health. She thinks he’s a criminal, which amuses him, but he soon falls in love with her beauty and spirit. On the day he decides to ask for her hand in marriage, she disappears and he has no way to find her—until he spies her across a London ballroom.
This is the start of a new series & what a lovely starter. Strong characters & a lovely story. My heart bled for Phoebe who truly deserved to find love & passion. I loved Andrew too who was also grieving. I adored how their relationship developed, the chemistry was electric. We were also introduced to the other Dukes of Distinction & I can’t wait for their stories. I, sillily, began this engrossing read when I went to bed! 3am & I finished it I couldn’t put it down
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Nice and steamy Regency tale featuring a widow and her duke. Complete with intrigue, mystery and romance, this author delivers.

Phoebe Borwick Had just lost 3 people, her husband Nathan, and the unborn babe. She had to go away nothing was helping. Her brother-in-law rented an adorable cottage in Cornwall for her. She took walks, did the housework, and whatever needed to be done. She decided that she wanted to be a mother and for that she would need a husband.
Major Andrew Grahamsince he was a second son he went to war. His older brother had an accident while racing his Phaeton, he died. When his father found out, He had a heart attack and soon died. lHe had spent five years fighting Boney. He was part of five dukes who became known to each other and hung out. Sebastion went to war with him and three stayed home. It was a truly nice story, It was well written, easy, to read, and it was exciting. The characters were loving and supportive. He had decided he needed to get married and start his nursery. Aunt Helen Was hoping he would, he was getting older. He went to Monkford, it was one of his estates, he just needed time to think. His brother found and shot him, then kicked him off the cliff, and he told everyone the duke was missing. I do recommend this delightful and suspenseful tale.
I received this ARC and voluntarily reviewed it.

This was an overall 3/5 star read for me. I did not see any big issues with this book besides the pacing. I felt that there was a lot of rushed actions and moments with this book. I also thought that the time skipping was a bit unnatural; because the pacing was a bit rushed it also made the time jumps feel rushed. Overall this book was enjoyable and I did like the plot and the characters and plan to read the rest of the series.