This was my first book by this author, so of course I have not read the first two books of the series. I enjoyed the storyline and overall plot, the characters are well fleshed out, there is strong family dynamics at play as well.

To sum up the story we have:
✔️A Duke who never wanted to be Duke,
✔️A Duke who is battle scarred and apparently offensive to polite society,
✔️A Duke who needs to wed and obtain an heir,
✔️A widow who still mourns her husband after 4-years,
✔️A widow who is helping aforementioned Duke find eligible brides,
✔️A widow who is attracted to battle scarred Duke,
✔️A matchmaking grandmother.

Overall a 4 star read.

This story is about Margery, a war widow and Daniel, a war survivor. It’s quite the roller coaster of emotions but so very worth a read. You can’t help but root for the main characters who mistakenly believe that love is not in their future. My one regret is that certain characters didn’t get the comeuppance that I feel that they deserved.

To me the description of A Duke Worth Fighting For sounded fantastic as Beauty and the Beast is my favorite trope. So I tried a new author and was rewarded with a great read.

It is refreshing to see a male MC who is not a rogue or a rake. Daniel, Duke of Carlisle, is a battle-scarred veteran of Waterloo who is socially awkward and romantically inexperienced. He is seeking a wife on the Isle of Synne so he doesn’t have to endure the London social season.

Margery Kitteridge is a widow who is still mourning the loss of her husband to the same battle. She’s being blackmailed by someone accusing her late husband of desertion. In an effort to raise money, she offers her services as a “conjugality coordinator” to help Daniel find a wife.

You can see the drama and climax coming as secrets and lies are revealed, but this is such a well done Regency romance that you will be engaged until the end. A Duke Worth Fighting For was such an enjoyable book to read.

Not a stand alone as it is part of the Isle of Synne series, but it reads like one. I have not read Christina Britton before but she is going on my must read list.

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

A Duke Worth Fighting For is a genuinely refreshing story of two people who have had their worlds drastically changed by war. The Battle of Waterloo stole Margery Kitteridge's husband making her a widow. The battle of Waterloo almost killed Daniel Hayle, Duke of Carlisle, returning him physically and emotionally damaged.

When Margery and Daniel meet , they come to a mutually beneficial agreement to help each other move on in life. What ensues is a hilariously sweet and emotional friendship that surprises them both.

I adored this story. It was so beautiful to watch these characters open up not only to each other, but also to themselves. The book is well written because it drew me in and provided a wonderful escape. The characters and their families are enchanting and full of personality. It was my first experience with a Christina Britton Novel. It will certainly not be my last.

Blackmail, treachery, love... These are the components of this excellent work.
Daniel and Margery are destined for a love that is meant to be.
A scared Duke and a lover that vows to never love again make up this tale.
Christina Britton has written an exciting and an exceptional story.
I have received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

This is such a sweet story! I'm so glad I was able to read this book, it's my first by this author and I am looking forward to her others! While this is technically the third in a series, you can definitely read it as a standalone. I didn't feel like I was missing any major information from not having read the first two. That being said, I am very excited to backtrack and catch up!

A Duke Worth Fighting For follows Margery and Daniel as they both try to move forward from past trauma. Margery is a widow who still grieves the loss of her husband. She plans to stay true to her heart and the memory of her husband by never re-marrying. Daniel is injured from his time fighting in the war and is now battling his own internal demons because of it.

When Daniel and his mother visit the Isle of Synne, he meets Margery and they quickly form a business arrangement. Daniel will pay Margery to introduce him to eligible women on the island so that he might find a bride before leaving for London. As time goes by, Margery and Daniel form a deeper connection. It was so heart-warming to watch these two get closer and fall in love. I was really impressed with how their journey was written. The author seems to be very talented at gradually building things up, without anything feeling forced. I was really impressed with her unique writing style. The only thing I would say is that sometimes it felt like things were moving maybe just a tad too slow. But the overall storyline more than made up for this.

These two characters in particular were just perfectly imperfect. I loved them, I loved their flaws, I loved their relationship. It was just a joy to read. I also liked the unexpected twist that comes up near the end. It added just the right amount of surprise.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to trying other books by this author. I'm curious to see where she will be taking this series next (if this series plans to continue).

I know we all have had a character that we meet early in a series & you just hope that they will get their own story & a HEA they deserve - well, Margery was just that character for me & this story was a perfect vehicle for her own HEA.

Margery Kittredge has vowed never to marry after losing her husband in the war. She is still mourning & staying faithful to his memory - but out of the blue, she receives a threatening blackmail letter accusing her husband of being a deserter. She has no money to pay the blackmailer but needs to do something to save her late husband's reputation & into her life walks the handsome & desirable Daniel Hayle.

Daniel Hayle, Duke of Carlisle has returned from war a hero, & knows he must do his duty & find a wife, but the wounded & scarred, reclusive duke lacks in social skills. He is dreading going to London for the season & hunting for a bride - he needs help & then he meets the lovely widow, Margery.

Daniel & Margery form an alliance - he will give her money to pay the blackmailers & she will help him gain the skills to find a bride. Their partnership works out different than they had planned but so much better.! They both had been through so much in the past & finding such a sweet & touching romance was just perfect for them. I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars

“…what else was she to him but the sun, lighting everything that had, up until then, been dreary and dark and hopeless…”

Returning from war broken and disfigured from his wounds, Daniel Hayle’s trauma doesn’t end there. His older brother has tragically died in an accident, and now Daniel finds himself the new Duke of Carlisle. Wanting to help his mother find peace, he agrees to accompany her to visit her dear friend Lady Tesh on the Isle of Synne. Thinking the fresh sea air and the visit will help lighten her mood, he’s shocked to discover that Lady Tesh has volunteered her granddaughter to be his guide into polite society. One look into Mrs. Kitteridge’s eyes, and Daniel knows he’s lost…or maybe he’s finally found someone who looks beyond his battered body…someone who he can call his own…

Margery Kitteridge lost her husband at the battle of Waterloo. Vowing to never love again, Margery has accepted her lot to be alone. But after meeting the Duke of Carlisle, Margery begins having second thoughts…perhaps there is room in her heart to love another…

Margery and Daniel’s second chance at love is a swoon worthy romance I thoroughly enjoyed! I’m a sucker for any hint of a beauty and the beast theme, and Christina Britton did not disappoint in her third installment to the Isle of Synne series. Highly recommend to fans of this genre!




**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

this is a sweet historical with a bit of intrigue.
Margaery Kitteridge is surprised by a blackmail letter and is desperate to raise the money. She lived on the largesse of her grandmother and had a pleasant existence .. until the threat. Ms. Britton weaves this tale with an imperfectly perfect hero, who has issues of his own. She brings her characters to life with bot good and bad characteristics, humanizing them. This is a page turner that I enjoyed immensely. I requsted and received a Net Galley ARC and offer my opinion freely.

This was my first Christina Britton, and certainly not my last! A Duke Worth Fighting For is the third book in the Isle of Synne series, though I found it easy to read as a standalone. It follows Margery Kitteridge, who is being blackmailed into protecting the legacy of her late husband, and Daniel Hayle, Duke of Carlisle, who is hoping to find a bride on Synne to avoid venturing into the ballrooms of London.

Britton does a fantastic job of showing both the hero and heroine to be characters who are working through their grief and starting to find solace and healing. Slowly they realize how they've closed themselves off from the world and together they help each other to find the path forward. Despite the heavier themes, Britton still infuses the story with humor in the form of Margery's family and friends, as well as some surprising twists and turns.

Fans of historical romance featuring nuanced portrayals of romantic leads finding happiness in each other after tragedy will not want to miss this one. I'm already looking forward to vising Synne again as I go back to read the first two books in the series.

Daniel Hayle, Duke of Carlisle, returned from Waterloo a hero, and he has the wounds and scars to prove it. But he dreads the coming London season as he never did the battlefield, where his lack of social skills is certain to make it difficult to find a wife. What he needs is someone to help him practice socializing with the ton.

Margery Kitteridge is still mourning the loss of her husband. So when she receives a blackmail letter accusing him of desertion, she’s desperate to protect his reputation. The answer to her troubles appears in the form of a damaged, reclusive—and much-too-desirable—duke in need of a wife. She proposes an alliance: she’ll help him find a bride, in return for the money to pay off the blackmailer. But working so closely together awakens passions they never imagined possible, and reveals secrets that might tear them apart.

This is the third book in a series. I haven't read the other books but I have no problems following it. Daniel and Margery are both wonderful characters. The romance is so sweet and touching. Both of them went through so much and they definitely earned their HEA. A terrific book!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC.

This book turned out to be a much more emotional read than I was expecting. It has a fabulous, though emotional storyline that fit these two characters perfectly.

I’ve been waiting for Margery’s HEA since the first book. I really loved that this book touched on finding love again after loss.

And goodness! Daniel is very much a grumpy but swoony hero. And this book has one of my very favorite tropes!

I really enjoyed the ongoing matchmaking of Lady Tesh, she’s been one of my favorite side characters in this series.

I also really appreciated that the author offers content warnings/trigger warnings on her website, for readers.

Lackluster. Dull. Bland. Predictable.

The list of adjectives can go on and on, but to shortly sum this novel up—waste of time. On the whole it felt more like a chore to read since the story moved ever so slowly which also prevented me from being invested in Margery and Daniel. The only positive about this historical romance yawnfest is that it can potentially help readers battle insomnia.

All in all, not worth the hype and I will now be removing ‘A Good Duke Is Hard to Find’ from my TBR pile as I cannot bear another mind-numbing read.

I loved this book! I loved that Daniel grew into the person and duke that he was meant to be upon inheriting the dukedom. This romance begins with Daniel as a former war hero; believes people are going to avoid him due to his scars and bad leg. Unfortunately, at first, he believes the worst of Margery when she looks at him. It does not take long before Daniel realizes he has made a misjudgment of Margery and learns to trust her.

I loved that Margery really is the good-hearted person Daniel needs to help him see that no one should be derogatory toward him, whether a relation or acquaintance. Even Daniel’s valet begins to assist in ‘growing’ Daniel.

Margery is adorable. Yet, it is good to see her reflect on her life and ideals as she grows and strengthens. I loved how she handled Gregory! I loved that she went ‘home’ to face her fears head on. Well, most of her fears.

The elderly ladies are sneaky – loved them! Then, there is Mouse, the huge dog, who has the hilariously, normal canine knack for smelling in the wrong places adding to the silly side of this romance. In addition, other Isle of Synne characters are a huge part of this romance. All brought together, A Duke Worth Fighting For may be the best of the Isle of Synne Series.

Margery Kitteridge is mourning the loss of her husband and receives a blackmail letter saying that her husband was a desserter and the news would be revealed if she does not send 100 pounds. Having been disowned from her father for marrying her deceased husband Margery must find some way to get the money. Daniel Hayle, Duke of Carlisle, is returned from Waterloo, but severely wounded with the battle scars to prove it, so wounded that his fiancee left him because she couldn’t stand to look at him. Now he is in search of a wife who isn’t frightened by his scars. Margery and Daniel are soon introduced by their mothers and Margery offers Daniel a proposition, she will play matchmaker for him and in return he will pay her 100 pounds for her services. The only issue is that they both find that they are starting to fall for one another. Now they must deal with complicated feelings, past secrets, and the ominous blackmailer. This was a really sweet story about two people dealing with grief and trauma, who are healing and learning to start over again. I really enjoyed reading it and found their relationship to be quite sweet.

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This is book 3 in the Isle of Synne series. In this story Margery is tasked to help a duke to find a bride. This story was good but it moved slowly. It did get better but I am not a huge fan of this.

Daniel Hayle, Duke of Carlisle, needs a wife to ensure his incompetent cousin does not inherit his dukedom, so he travels to the Isle of Synne to gird himself for the London season. While there he meets Margery Kitteridge, who is mourning the loss of her husband who was killed at Waterloo. Their friendship slowly blossoms into something more, but everything is threatened altogether when Daniel discovers an unexpected connection between himself and Margery's dead husband.

Some plot synopses are calling this romance a fake relationship story, but that is not the case. Since fake relationships are my favorite trope, I was disappointed as I read to discover this is not the case. That is not the fault of the author at all since publishers handle marketing, but just worth pointing out in case someone else is confused as I was.

My one complaint about this book is that it felt kind of long. I found myself skimming parts of the second half because I just wanted to get to the HEA.

Daniel is a troubled, broody Duke with PTSD who thinks he is undeserving of love, which is basically an historical romance trope in and of itself. Margery is a perky and devoted widow who of course breaks through the walls around his heart, only to find herself troubled at her newfound attraction to a man who isn't her late husband. The longing, the tension, the swoons - they were all here.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Forever for the eARC in exchange for my review.

I loved this book. , I was not sure I could ever like either of the two characters or see them together. Then I got sucked in. The character development was fantastic and the between the two main characters was amazing. I could not put this book down.. I cannot wait for the next book!

I simply LOVED this book! Christina Britton has a talent for making her characters come alive and she used it masterly in this wonderful book. Daniel, the hero, is sweet, awkward, scarred, lovable and very human, the man every woman would like to save from himself, from his struggles and from the world which threatens to crush his spirit. Marjorie, the heroine, is equally sweet, smart, good without being mawkish, and I really enjoyed entering in her head and reading her thoughts and her struggles while finding love for the second time in her life. I actually felt my eyes filling with tears in a particularly poignant moment of the book and it rarely happens with this kind of books.
While reading I also found myself intrigued by the Isle of Synne and the other characters. So I’ll read the previous books and I hope the adorable Miss Darcy will get her story very soon.
To paraphrase the title, a Book Worth Reading!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received "A Duke Worth Fighting For" from Netgalley and voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Christina Britton is a wonderful author. Her newest story is sexy with well developed characters. Mrs. Margery Kitteridge and Daniel Hayle, Duke of Carlisle each have their own problems that they struggle with. Margery is a war widow, and  Daniel never expected the Dukedom as his brother Nathaniel was the heir, but who tragically died. They meet at Margery's grandmother's home, who is Daniel's mother's friend, who is in need of comfort and solace after her eldest son's untimely death. Margery promises to help the awkward, shy and battle scarred Daniel find a wife within a month if he promises to pay her £100 for the job. She, too, unfortunately is in trouble as she is being blackmailed by a stranger claiming that her deceased husband was actually a coward who absconded fromhis duties during the war, and thus needs the money. Together, the alliance they form brings them closer to each other, with sparks flying with major magnetism. A superb must read story!