As someone who reads a lot, I always love when an author takes a beloved trope and changes it up ever so slightly. That is definitely what this book provides. Frampton has matched up Jane and Thomas, but instead of her being the one who needs to secure a marriage to save a family, he does. Thomas needs a wife and fast. He’s having a harder time than expected despite his good looks and charm and Jane is willing to step in and find him a wife for the price of his showing her the hidden secrets of town. Seduction is also a part of the bargain.

What I love most about this one is the best friend’s little sister trope. It’s done well here and with all the expected tension and chemistry. It was fun to see quiet Jane, who had appeared in a previous book, come out of her shell and go for what she wants. The side characters were a blast and the various locales out of the ballroom refreshing. All in all, I really enjoyed this one!!

Megan Frampton flips a classic trope in “Gentleman Seeks Bride” and it is adventurous and steamy! In book four of the Hazards of Dukes series, very charming and extremely handsome Mr. Thomas Sharpe decided to seek a wealthy bride to save his parents and his sister from utter poverty after his father’s bad investment two years ago. Gorgeous bookworm Lady Jane Capel was jilted and was cut-off from her parents financially when she decided to move in with her beloved half-brother, Percy, two years ago. A fortuitous meeting between Thomas and his best friend’s sister, Jane, at a gambling club turned into a business agreement. Jane would help Thomas find a wealthy bride, and he would bring her to places not meant for a debutante and educate her in intimacy.

I loved the characters in this book. Thomas had honorable intentions yet he felt gutted for feeling selfish for many reasons. He was also kind towards wallflowers, and he was generous in bed (wink)! Jane made a decision to live the way she needed to and experienced what she wanted to. Percy knew the least scandalous part of the agreement and had them promise not to fall in love with each other. Their sister Lavinia knew the most scandalous part and was excited for Jane.

In case you get excited yourself, prepare yourselves before reading. Frampton gave us steamy scenes such as the hot hot-air balloon ride, self-loving, and experiencing “The Center for Delightful and Unusual Events.” Wow!

If you enjoy reading about intimacy lessons, my best friend’s sister, my brother’s best friend, breached contracts, and choosing love then this book is for you!

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon, and Harper Voyager US for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

While this is a part of a series, you do not have to read the prior stories to enjoy this one. Prior characters and situations arise from them but the author did a great job of keeping the story interesting and flowing. I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not reading the prior stories.

Now let me just say that you will need a tall cold drink to cool you off during some scenes. This story is scintillating! The author did such a fabulous job in crafting the plot, that I was glued to my hot e-reader! My emotions were all over the place here. There were some hilariously funny scenes, HOT sexy scenes and very poignant scenes. I was turning pages faster and faster to see what these two were going to do next. Unfortunately the consequence of that is the book eventually ended. Now I am depressed as I feel like I have lost two good friends!

I adored the story being written in my favorite dual POV format. Getting that glimpse into both of the characters' thoughts really helped me to connect and fully feel for them. I really felt like I was right there next to them during the scenes.

I will definitely have to go back and read this series as I have not done so.

Gentleman Seeks Bride is the fourth book in the Hazards of Dukes series by Megan Frampton. A historical romance that is full of drama and heated romance with undeniable chemistry. While this is the fourth book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. However, once you read Gentleman Seeks Bride, you will want to read the previous books in the Hazards of Dukes series.

Megan has wrote a great fourth book in her A Hazards of Dukes series. I really enjoyed this book. Love her writing style. Thomas comes from a good family, but due to bad investments by his father need a wealthy bride. Jane is living with her half brother after being dumped by her fiancé, Jane is settling into her own life after the scandal, but want to experience real intimacy between a man and a women. Thomas will help her experience this and in a arrangement she will help him find a wife.. I love how they got to know each other and found love.

Thomas Sharpe must find an heiress to marry - and soon - to care for his family after his father made some bad investments. In London, he meets Lady Jane Capel. Cut off from her family after her fiance jilted her, Jane has been living with her half-brother, and Thomas' best friend, and is determined to shed her former life and become more worldly. When they run into each other at Miss Ivy's gambling club, Jane promises to help Thomas find an heiress, if he shows her all the things she wants to experience.

They grow close as they navigate London's ballrooms and underworld (and the bedroom)l despite her overprotective brother and complicated family situation. Throughout it all, Thomas remains determined to marry for money, despite the chemistry (and obvious love) between him and Jane.

It was refreshing that the book did not use a lack of communication as the main conflict, but rather the fact that Thomas needed to marry for money and Jane had none. Although this point was made a little excessively. As it is, it's hard to forget that it's the main reason they can't be together, but it was constantly repeated, especially in Thomas' narrative. It was fun to get a little of the brother's best friend trope too, it was a slightly different spin on it, being in a historical context.

The 4th book in the "Hazards of Dukes' series, "Gentleman Seeks Bride" is a standalone novel. It is helpful to read the previous book, "as it contains Jane's origin story. Without that background, Jane's character can fall a little flat. There is also a side-plot of the conflict between her and her family, which really begins in "A Wicked Bargain for the Duke", and contains another depiction of her mother, which is some additional context for their fracture.

Overall, this is a fun, spicy book to read. It's not my favorite in the series, but it was very satisfying to get a happy ending for Jane. 3.5 stars

He's in wont of a wealthy wife...

I quite rather liked that Thomas was in need of marrying well, ,meaning, in lieu of work, he will marry an heiress to support himself, and his family. He strikes a wicked bargain with Jane, a Lady who is not interested in marriage, but is interested in well, the marriage bed, sans said marriage.

Megan Frampton delivers a fast paced, witty read with well matched lead characters.
Recommend.

Thomas needs to marry a wealthy heiress in order to take care of his family. Jane is Thomas’ best friend’s sister. When he interferes with her adventurous plan to experience things she has been told she shouldn’t do she is angry. So, she convinces him to help her experience new things and in return, she will help him find a wife. Both Thomas and Jane made a pact to not fall in love with the other. As their time together nears the end, they both realize that saying goodbye will be much harder than either anticipated!

Gentleman Takes Bride is such a delightful read and is the perfect combination of sweet and sexy! Jane and Thomas are just swoon worthy for the first part of the book. Just when you think the book is pretty tame, Frampton turns up the heat with one of the best scenes I have read in romance this year - there is a pleasure club scene and it is the perfect progression of their tutor me relationship! I love Thomas and Jane’s relationship, because choosing each other is not the easy choice in their situation. For me, this made their story that much more heart-warming and such an enjoyable read!

Gentleman Seeks Bride
Book 4 in the Hazards of Dukes Series
Rating: 2. 5 stars (rounded up to 3)
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Gentleman Seeks Bride is a story of Thomas Sharpe, a mere mister from a good family, is lacking in funds due to his father's bad management, therefore now needs to marry a nice young woman with lots of money. Though he's been trying for two years, on his own, to find someone to his liking (plus have enough money to help support his family) he has had no luck. It is not until he runs into his best friend's sister, Lady Jane, in a place that is not appropriate to a young lady to be at unchaperoned. Lady Jane is in search of adventure and overall her self. Two years prior she got her heart broken and is now trying to find her true self and make her own choices in life. It is then her who comes up with the plan for Thomas to help her discover life's many pleasures and she'll help him find a nice, respectable (but loaded) wife.
Why the 2. 5 stars?
First of all how many times do we have to hear that Thomas is attractive, beyond handsome and charming? Honestly it got a little too repetitive throughout the story. Every single time he lamented not having money to help his family because he has not able to marry a wealthy woman...I always thought...why can't he get a job? I guess he was hoping his extremely good looks to pay off.
Also, this story for me was a little lacking in the romance part. It was too insta-lust, that their attraction towards each other seemed more physical than that of getting to really know each other and share romantic scenes. I always like to have a balance of romance and physical attraction, but these two were leaned too much towards the latter. Their sexy time scenes were very hot! I never saw them really develop feelings for each other...I didn't realize he had fallen in love with her until he admits it. Usually as a reader you're able to realize it before the MC do, but not with these two.
Unfortunately this has been my least favorite of the series...I hope the next one is better.

This book is... fine? I think it's trying to make A Statement about patriarchy and the way women of the ton were sometimes sort of sold off to the richest contender, but it doesn't really make it all the way there. It's a tenuous premise. Neither Thomas nor Jane is well-off, which is the "will they won't they" here, and the solutions to this issue are several Hail Marys that Frampton throws very late in the game. One of them is something that definitely should have been explored earlier, and the other is simply too convenient.

Stylistically, this not my favorite author. I think the writing is a little unrefined, and she repeatedly does this thing where "Character X completes a task. Completes a task. Completes a task." that I think is meant to provide a sense of immediacy or propulsion to a scene, but it reads more like stuttering, incomplete sentences. It's nitpicky of me to point out and I don't think it's universally bothersome, but I know at some point I'll wonder why I don't love this author, so here it is for me in writing.

Listen, I will say this, though: I see your carriage sex, and I raise you one over-the-clothes heavy petting orgasm in a hot air balloon. That alone would have made me pick up the book.

Book 4 in the “Hazards of Dukes” series. This is my first book by this author, and WOW, she hit this out of the ballpark — I loved it!

In a role reversal, our hero Thomas Sharpe, travels to London in search of a wealthy bride, -there’s high stakes involved, as he needs to find an heiress quick to save his family after his father lost all their money on investments. Thomas Sharpe is tall, handsome and excels at everything, so how hard could it be to find a bride? Well, due to his reputation as a charming rake, after two years, he’s no closer to finding someone that will commit.

Lady Jane Capel and Thomas cross paths at Miss Ivys gambling club. Thomas is her brothers best friend. Jane promises to help Thomas on his heiress hunt, and in exchange, he will teach her about the world (thats off limits to her), and the ins and outs of intimacy.

Unfortunately, Jane was disowned by her parents, and their money, so she’s not a suitable pick for Thomas. Yet both have a strong physical attraction to one another, and are eager for something more. Thomas and Jane’s not-so-innocent kisses, touches, and longing turn into what each were looking for all along — love. It’s a FUN and VERY SPICY romance, where Jane and Thomas finally question themselves; -if they had their own choices to make, would they marry someone for money or love?

*Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for kindly providing this arc for an honest review.

Frampton finds humor hidden within the heartache. Gentleman Seeks Bride is a study of positivity. Lady Jane and Thomas are thrust into circumstances beyond their control but refuse to let that define them. An intriguing journey of courage and heart that will leave you with a smile in the end.

After being jilted by her fiance years prior, Jane has disappeared into the background of the ton. Thomas, on the other hand, is quite well known for his charm and good looks, but has no money to bring to a marriage, and the need to wed an heiress in order to keep his family afloat. The two of them make a Classic Sex Deal, which allows Jane to get a taste of freedom while Thomas gets introduced to eligible young heiresses.

This was my first Frampton read, and I definitely plan on reading more from her. The book had a fun, romcom-y tone, without being too sweet or too comedic. There was a surprising amount of eroticism to the novel; it's not that I didn't think Frampton had it in her, but rather than the tone was so light that I wondered at first if this would be less on the sexy side. Nope--nothing to worry about there! There's an especially interesting scene in a hot air balloon... (And a sex club! I love it when they go to sex clubs in historicals.)

Another thing I really appreciated about the book is that Frampton made an effort to include a queer character, who doesn't suffer and doesn't mope and is generally a great addition. I've seen a lot of discussion of queer characters in historical romances lately, and how "difficult" it apparently is to give them happy storylines. Frampton proved that it can be done, and without difficulty. I would love to see her write a book with a queer romance at its core next time; the one we have in Gentleman Seeks Bride is a subplot, but she could potentially give us more of it in a novella in the future.

If I was going to critique anything, I would say that the book could have delved a bit further in terms of character development. It's a fairly simple, straightforward love story, without a lot at stake. As an angst hound I do kind of miss having a bit more drama happening; but at the same time, this was a nice change of pace. I feel like it would be a perfect palate cleanser if you're in the midst of a reading slump, or perhaps dealing with a particularly sad or angsty read.

Overall, I would wholeheartedly recommend this to historical romcom fans, especially if they're in the mood for a cozy, friends to lovers vibe. I definitely plan on trying more from Frampton in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this! I read and also really enjoyed the first book in this series so I'm happy I enjoyed this one as well. I was a bit worried at the beginning that I wouldn't like this. It starts a bit slow and I thought the reason Thomas and Jane first get together was a bit rushed. However, the later part of this story really brought me around.

I thought the author did a really good job developing the relationship between Jane and Thomas. Except for the oddly rushed initial reason for them getting together, the pacing of the relationship was really well done. I felt like I could actually see why they were falling for each other.

Essentially, Thomas has to marry for money and Jane isn't wealthy enough and that's what is keeping them apart. That conflict is repeated frequently during this story, maybe a bit too frequently. However, I am always impressed with Frampton's ability to keep me engaged with relatively simple plots that don't have a ton of external conflict. I never find her stories dull even though those type of stories tend to bore me.

The sex scenes are also very well written in my opinion. I honestly don't read romance for the sex scenes and I will sometimes skim them if I think there are too many in a book but I really appreciated how well they were written in this book. Frampton does use some language that isn't as sexy that can bring me out of it a bit but otherwise, they're well done. There's one scene in a sex club that was so good, I'll probably re-read that chapter in the future, it was that good (the end chapter 17 through chapter 18, if you're curious).

There were a few things I didn't like as much. As I said, the conflict around Thomas needing to mary for money is repeated a few too many times. The reader doesn't need to be reminded of the central conflict that many times. There is also a bit of a side plot about conflict between Jane and her parents that isn't built up enough to be meaningful when it's resolved. The epilogue also loses some of the voice of the characters and feels very telling-not-showing. The language and attitudes of some of the characters are probably a bit too modern for them times, especially at the end, but personally, that kind of stuff doesn't bother me but may be helpful to know if it does bother you.

I definitely want to go back and read books two and three after reading this. Something about Frampton's storytelling just works really well for me and I really appreciate her work. I would definitely recommend people read this oce it comes out at the end of this month!

Gentleman Seeks Bride is delectable. Megan Frampton is back at it with a steamy romance of two friend who vow never to fall in love. This book is full of fun tropes like Best friends sister. It also includes an exchange for lessons in pleasure, which has been a common theme in 2021 historicals...not tired of it!

Hazards of Dukes is a wonderful series with this installment as the fourth in series. Works as a stand alone but highly recommend the series. I love the characters who stay throughout the series and I am DYING for Octavia to have her own book!

Thomas Sharpe is an honest, attractive and all around good guy. Thomas needs to marry very rich in order to save his family from destitution. His best friend Percy works for the Queen but had a scandalous birth. Percy's sister, Lady Jane Capel, had a jilted engagement. Jane has created her own scandal by moving in with her brother. Jane wants to live and experience life. Jane ventures out to the gaming hell, Miss Ivy's, where she encounters Sharpe and they come up with a plan. Thomas will take Jane out and about to all the places he and Percy go. He will show her all the things she is missing, pleasure included. Jane agrees to help him choose a wife and sway heiresses in his direction. This pact is made with a solemn vow to never fall in love with the other.

Follow Thomas and Jane on adventures to balls, the circus, hot balloons and places where intimacy takes place. This book is super SPICY... dare I say HOT. A stand out in the series and in the new releases for fall!

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced readers copy.. All opinions are my own.
#MeganFrampton #GentlemanSeeksBride #NetGalley

Gentleman Seeks Bride was a fun read, turning a conventional romance trope of an impoverished woman needing a rich man to marry, and instead making the man the impoverished one. In this novel, Thomas Sharpe's family has been narrowly dodging the poorhouse for two years after their patriarch mishandled their finances. Thomas is the family's only chance of securing their future, and the future of Thomas' beloved younger sister, Alice, who has yet to come out into society.

If this sounds like the novel is mostly about Thomas, that's somewhat true, and where my main problem with the book came in. His heroine is Jane, the sister of Thomas' best friend, Percy, a woman who has decided to forgo her family's money in order to live her life by her own terms. One night, after Jane and Thomas meet at a party, they strike up a deal: Jane will help Thomas find a rich wife, and Thomas will show Jane parts of London that she has never experienced before, including seduction.

The change of locales was refreshing for a historical romance, including hot air balloons (more to be said about that would be a spoiler), the circus, and some other parts of society that don't fit into normal romances. Additionally, the secondary characters were great additions to the story, but that almost made me more eager to follow some of them, rather than the two leads, who ultimately just needed to decide to choose each other. I appreciated the forward thinking of both characters, but at times, it made it hard to understand what was truly keeping them apart.

Hopefully, future books will follow some of the tertiary characters like Millie, Alice, or Percy, all of whom seem to deal with somewhat more complex matters than the two leads.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

GENTLEMAN SEEKS BRIDE is a saucy, delicious romance novel starring a devilish, dashing man, Thomas Sharpe, who searches for a rich bride to boost his sad state of affairs with his homestead. He goes to London to woo an heiress. Will he succeed?

Lady Jane Capel is a beautiful lady who is need of lessons from a man. Unfortunately, she was jilted by her betrothed and disowned by her family. Currently, she resides with her half-brother. She is inexperienced in love and needs help. She meets Thomas and they make an agreement to help each other out. Secretly, Thomas makes Jane's heart race. Is it possible she can guard her heart while he teaches her the wiles of men? Just being near him melts her insides. Oh boy, she is in trouble now!

Thomas is enjoying Jane's company. He is helping her overcome her shyness and opening up her world to flirting and come hither looks. Jane's willingness to try new things has captured his heart. Could it be that Jane is perfect for him?

GENTLEMAN SEEKS BRIDE is the fourth book in the Hazards Of Dukes series. It is extremely steamy, exciting and satisfying. Who doesn't love a good romance novel that stars a good looking man seeking a wife? This story could be likened to skinny-dipping in a cool pond on a hot summer day with its risque, quite frisky plot. I was surprised by Ms. Frampton's covert adventures in the male department. This was an eye opener for sure! The sexy advances between Jane and Thomas are delicious. This story is not for the faint hearted! The whole plot is genuinely intriguing and wonderfully empowering. Jane learns how to be a seductive woman with help from a decidedly virile man. I was constantly fanning myself from the hot love scenes. GENTLEMAN SEEKS BRIDE is not to be missed!

Thomas Sharpe is an amazing hero, seeking a wife, because he is in need of her dowry to help care for his ailing parents. Jane is a jilted bride, who is still naive to parts of the world, especially intimacy. When Thomas and Jane make a deal that she finds him a bride, and he teachers her about intimacy, things steam up!
Book 3 is required to be read before this one, just because you get the back story for our heroine in that book. I felt like this book focused mostly on Thomas' story, so if you don't have the perspective on Jane from book 3, she may fall a bit flat for you.
Another great novel! Love this author!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Gentleman Seeks Bride is a fabulous return to form for the Hazards of Dukes series, after a couple books that just did not work for me. And that’s down to a couple reasons. The first being the trope; I think I mentioned recently that the “kissing/intimacy lessons” trope is one I’ve slowly come to love in all its forms, and it’s masterfully executed here. One reason why I feel like it worked so well is because it was paired with an element that helped raise the stakes, in that he needs to marry for money, and she doesn’t have any, which provides a great answer for the “why don’t they just make it official?” conundrum.

Thomas is a great hero, and I love that while he is a bit of a rakish charmer, his defining trait is that he cares for his family, and is willing to sacrifice his own happiness to provide for them. And while he is still an aristocrat, it was nice, after having two privileged Duke heroes, to have one who actually has to make some compromises and tough choices due to his circumstances.

I adore Jane, perhaps even more than Lavinia, who saved the last book for me. I love how the events of the last book have made her into a bit of a rebel, and she comes into that identity more over the course of the book.

And the romance was beautiful. I already mentioned the high stakes, and that made me savor every delicious, forbidden moment between them. And I appreciated the way they ended up resolving their own problems without having to depend on the expected methods of people of their class, making the HEA much more worth it.

I groaned when I saw the setup with Jane’s half-brother, Percy, being Thomas’s friend, given how toxic some “brother’s best friend/best friend’s sister” romances are, but other than cautioning her due to the fact that Thomas needs to marry for money, Percy doesn’t seem too bothered…and it’s stated at least a few times that Jane thinks for herself.

I really liked the supporting cast beyond that, like Percy’s “friend,” Daffy, who really stole the show. I really loved the genuine friendship formed between Jane and Millie, one of the top contenders for Thomas’s hand, and given her fate becomes intertwined with his sister, Alice’s, by the end, I’d love to see more of them.

I adored this book, finding it to be just the right mashup and subversion of tried-and-true historical romance tropes. If you’re a fan of the genre, especially any of the tropes mentioned, I recommend picking this up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I chose to read this novel due to its unique and refreshing plot. I stuck with this novel because it forced me to look deeper than just the essential romance. This was a book with characters that faced difficulties and transformed into better people by the conclusion through their self-discovery and tenacity. Gentleman Seeks Bride is a fascinating love story that dives deep into societal expectations and feelings of self-worth.

In a role reversal, Thomas Sharpe is desperately seeking a wealthy heiress to save his family from financial ruin with the only attributes he has – his good looks and his charm. Thomas and Lady Jane Capel strike a bargain that Jane will help Thomas find a wealthy bride, and in return, Thomas will show Jane about parts of the world and intimacy she has never experienced.

Thomas knows he is handsome and charismatic. I was concerned he would seem vapid, yet he had many insecurities and good qualities. Thomas was quietly intelligent and emotionally raw. As the character matured throughout the story, my investment and appreciation for Thomas grew. Jane takes scandal and turns it into freedom, as much as a single lady can. Disowned by her mother, she lives with her half-brother. She has always been the epitome of a well-bred young lady. Jane decides to change all that. Jane’s ability to decimate the boundaries society placed on her was enthralling. Jane was mature in her emotions and sure in her expectations. Jane’s unabashed joy in everything she experiences is contagious.

Thomas is selling his looks and charms as a way to save his family financially. This plot turned a well-worn trope upside down. I felt the inner battle Thomas forged between feeling degraded and humbled simultaneously. Jane’s fierceness and indomitable spirit were the perfect balance for Thomas.

The couple’s push and pull between their sensual connection and their burgeoning feelings kept me turning the page. The couple’s intimate and romantic journey was fraught with Thomas’s guilt and Jane’s battle with her emotions. Thomas and Jane’s connection was insanely passionate, and their encounters seared the page. Thomas and Jane complemented one another. Together, the couple brings forth the best qualities in each other. The physicality of their story was authentic, and their love felt genuine. Both of these qualities create a complicated, angsty romance that ensnares and enchants the reader.

Gentleman Seeks Bride is the fourth book in the Hazards Of Dukes series. This novel stood out due to its uncompromising, visceral plot and vivid, intimate, and relatable main characters. Megan Frampton has the uncanny ability to create an engaging, relevant story that still feels fundamentally like a beautiful, sexy romance. This book hooked me in the first chapter and kept my attention. This novel is thought-provoking, scorching hot, and tenderly romantic.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.