I adore this book so much! This is a friends-to-lovers trope and as Max and Dani get to know each other, I fell in love with both of them. I adored how Dani was open and honest with Max and the way their relationship develops over time. This book is definitely a slow burn and what a treat it is when they both finally come together. The only thing I didn't like especially because of the beautiful and close relationship that Max and Dani had as friends a lot longer before they became lovers was how Dani reacted to Max's proposal and just flounced away. It didn't seem in character with the kind of open and honest relationship between them. Other than that I just plain adored the book and the characters and this is definitely going to be one of the re-read romances that I go back to when I am in a reading slump.

This is the second book in the A Princess for Christmas series. Although it could be read as a stand-alone book as I haven't read the previous book to enjoy this one, I would recommend reading it as part of the series. I am going to go and get the first book, A Princess for Christmas right away and start reading.

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

Duke, Actually was a cute, slow-burn royal romance. Dani and Max were both fun characters and I enjoyed their friendship phase before they realized their feelings. I wish I would’ve read A Princess for Christmas first to get to know their friends who fell in love. Overall it was a cute mostly Christmasy romance! I am here for the Love, Actually slander 🤷🏻‍♀️

This book was a fun Christmas adjacent romance. It's set over a span of time, but rings true with holiday love stories as you could infer from the title. I enjoyed that the heroine was a faculty member, navigating academic life. The budding relationship was fun to vicariously live through. I'll highly recommend it to my academic friends.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. The growing relationship between a widowed father and his daughter touches my heart. Reading others Christmas traditions gives me ideas of new things I would love to do with my family

This story involves two characters introduced in A Princess for Christmas.

Max, heir to the Duke of Aquilla and former fiancé to Marie, is determined to remain unmarried despite pressure from his horrible parents. But to keep up the ruse, he flies to New York to meet a possible match but ends up spending time with Dani Martinez, the no-nonsense professor he met in Eldovia. And thus begins their friendship.

Dani is dealing with her own pain after her husband ran off with a much younger student. She has sworn off relationships and is guided by her "Things I Will Never Do for a Man" list.

In the slowest of slow burns, these two strike up a really great friendship that finally turns to love. I am usually not a fan of a slow burn but this book does it beautifully. Their friendship is such a great part of this book and Max's growth from a "good time playboy" to a man ready for real responsibilities and a relationship was so good.

Their is such great emotion in this book too. I laughed out loud and cried!

Five big stars!

Duke, Actually is a "friends to lovers" romance centered around a royal wedding near the holidays. Dani is the best woman, while Max is the man of honor. The two form a friendship and that was basically it. Somehow it becomes more...

It wasn't until the 75%-80% mark that anything even happened between the two... Under the circumstances of a slow burn, I can handle this, but this holiday romance... Nope, too close to the end.

Now there was some steam, hallelujah.

But the last quarter of the book felt rushed. Their relationship felt rushed.

But that being said, it is a light-hearted holiday romance that is perfect for the season.

I was drawn to this book because of the cute cover and holiday setting, and it definitely delivered on the cute christmassy vibes! I haven’t read the first book in the series yet but definitely added it to my TBR after this. If you enjoy movies like “A Christmas Prince” and slow burn friends-to-lovers stories with a quintessential grand gesture, this is the book for you!

Jenny Holiday can really do no wrong in my book and I was so excited to read her second holiday romance! I was already half in love with Max, and reading this book fully cemented his status as top tier book boyfriend. I love how his and Dani's relationship is truly rooted in a strong friendship. It felt so realistic and grounded and I really enjoyed watching them find their feelings for each other. This one didn't feel as holiday oriented as A Princess for Christmas, but it still gave me Hallmark movie with banging vibes, which is basically what I'm here for!

The sequel to A Princess for Christmas, is the love story of Leo and Marie’s man of honor (Max) and best woman (Dani). Dani is going through a divorce and Max begins to help her get over her ex in a strictly platonic way.

But as their friendship grows, their feelings for each other deepen. The beginning and end of the story feature lots of Christmas scenes in NYC and Eldovia. Plus we get to see Leo and Marie’s wedding!

I also loved the bi-racial relationship portrayed. It was fun to learn about Christmas traditions from Mexico.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for this advanced copy of Duke, Actually. This book was a 4.5 star read for me. It was such a good holiday friends to lovers story. Though I enjoyed the previous story in this world, Dani and Max’s story was just such a standout favorite. Over the course of the book we get to see a beautiful friendship develop between two people who are trying to figure out what they ultimately want out of life. I loved that unlike most friends to lovers stories these two got to know each other over a years time and through phone calls and text. It seemed like they really truly became friends first before they ever saw each other as a possible partner. Great characters and overall storyline that was interesting from all angles. Really enjoyed it.

Thank you @avonbooks and @netgalley for a copy of this book. I loved A Princess for Christmas last year and was excited for Dani and Max’s story. I adored the banter between them and the friendship that was developed. This was a slow burn and I could not wait for them to get together. I love the nod to Love Actually since it’s one of my favorite movies.

Oh my goodness,I adored this book! I really enjoyed A Princes for Christmas and I was excited for Duke, Actually but it far surpassed my expectations. Friends to lovers has been one of my favorite tropes this year and it was executed so well in Duke, Actually.

I loved Dani. She was strong and smart. She was so determined to be post men/love because of her ex-husband even though she had Max around for almost a year.
Max is officially my new favorite book boyfriend, possibly ever. Despite being interested in Dani from the beginning, he accepts her friendship instead. They had a ton of chemistry from the start despite them both ignoring it. I loved their friendship and how they supported each other. They really seemed to bring out the best in each other. Despite Dani's close friendship with Leo, Max quickly surpasses him as the person she tells everything. The set up he arranges for her in Eldovia was so sweet. I loved seeing Marie and Leo as they prepared for their wedding.
As with A Princess for Christmas this was like a sweet Hallmark movie plus some steam. I really cannot recommend it enough!

I will update with the link when I share to my bookstagram account.

I'll start out by being honest and say I didn't read the description for this book. I saw "Jenny Holiday" and because I LOVED A Princess for Christmas SO DANG MUCH, I just requested the arc. When I got it and started reading it I was BEYOND EXCITED to find out it is a companion novel to my favorite holiday book from last year! Duke, Actually had some big footprints to follow and I am so pleased to say it is another winner!!

Duke, Actually isn't quite as sexy/steamy as A Princess for Christmas, but it has all the cheesy, swoony smiling moments that will make you absolutely adore Dani and Max - both the dog Max and human Max!!! I loved their journey to friends and beyond! They are an adorable couple and I also loved getting to check in a little bit with Leo, Marie, and Gabby.

Duke, Actually was a delightful surprise of a novel! It is marketed as "Hallmark but make it steamy", and while that is essentially true, I find that it does a bit of a disservice to how good this novel is. The story is much more compelling and fully fleshed out than a Hallmark movie - and I love a good Christmas Hallmark movie. I'd say what makes it more Hallmark-esque is the need for the reader to suspect their disbelief.

This story is dual POV and about Dani, a Professor of 19th century women's literature on the tenure track and Max, the Baron Laudon in the fictional country of Eldovia. It starts with Dani not really liking Max and then turns into a friends to lovers romance. It is a slow burn where the tension builds throughout most of the book. The pacing is pretty good majority of the time, there was maybe 20 pages where I was getting a little impatient for something to happen, but otherwise great. The banter is exquisite and there is some laugh out loud jokes throughout I could not get enough of.

We also get some fun Love, Actually and Dirty Dancing references. Some will find it cheesy - it is, but I found it really endearing and fun. It's kind of Christmas-y, but mostly takes place between two Christmases. So if you want something that has some holiday vibes, but isn't full on Christmas, this is a great option.

Outside of the romance aspect, there is some compelling side storylines going on. Dani is exploring feelings on her identity being mixed race and whether she's fulfilled in her job (hello relatable). Max's storyline is more focused on purpose and family dynamics. What I liked best was these storylines didn't feel forced and like they were added just for conflict, the really enriched the story and made me care about both characters as individuals as well as a couple.

Overall I had a great time and could not put this book down. It took two days because I had to get some sleep before work, or else I would have stayed up late into the night reading. It's a cozy read as the weather is getting colder and more dreary and I enjoyed it so much, I may re-read in audio form.

I had not realized this takes place in the same world as A Princess for Christmas, but had no issue keeping up. I wish I had read it first since I do love a good romance series and there are some reoccurring characters, but it can be read as a standalone or within the series. I for one will be reading her other story in this world!

CW: toxic parental relationships, physical and mental abuse, alcoholism, death of a parent

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Do you love Hugh Grant Movies? Specifically do you love Love Actually? Do you love royalty romances? Do you love stories that are Christmasy but not full blown Christmas? Friends to lovers? Slow burn? The perceived playboy with the heart of gold? Then you will love Duke, Actually.

Let me start by saying I didn’t even know that this was a companion book to a book that had already been released, so it can in fact be read as a stand-alone.

Max is a Baron, next in line to be the Duke, of the fictional country of Eldovia; he is also known for being a playboy (think the reputation of younger Prince Harry). Dani is an English professor who is self-proclaimed “post-men” as she tries to finalize a divorce. They meet due to the pending nuptials of Dani’s best friend and Max’s almost wife (that’s a whole subplot I will leave for you to discover while reading). Naturally they form a friendship that the book slowly burns to become more. The book has other stories going on as well including family dynamics, Max’s troubled upbringing and his conflict about his impending Dukedom, Max’s brother Sebastien coming to terms with his sexuality, a history lesson, and the social implications of mining. It’s a lot of stories that come together as one… but what more would one expect out of a work inspired by Love Actually?

There was so much I absolutely loved about this book. About 95% of the book was pure joy for me. Dani and Max are both written and developed with care, their dialogue with each other really drives the story. Some romances have a hard time showing us a characters personality beyond their love and feelings for another character, but I truly felt as though I understood and cared about Dani and Max not only in the way they cared for each other, but as individuals as well.

Dani is a character who, while yes is sometimes uplifted by the male characters around her, also is largely independent and able to think and decide for herself. Max, is written as someone who will fiercely defend anyone around him that he loves, no matter the cost, but Dani is able to get him to reassess his history and his status so that he too can begin to think for himself and with himself in mind. Together, these characters just meld. And while yes, you are rooting for them ti get together, their friendship stage is written so well that it doesn’t totally feel like wasted time of a slow burn. Max helps Dani become more carefree (there are numerous scenes of them perfecting the Dirty Dancing lift) and Dani helps Max understand that he too deserves the happiness he grants to people around him. She also introduces him to the glory of the McMuffin which is adorable.

Aside from all the love the book also explore power dynamics of Max’s royal family. His father, the current Duke, is a drunk who has treated Max and his brother poorly their whole lives. The family owns a series of mines, an industry his father has no problem exploiting, but Max and Sebastien want to work to make more ethical. Add to this Max giving Dani his backstory of alway protecting his brother from his father’s wrath and you see beyond Max’s playboy reputation and to his heart of gold.

It is hard to condense all the things that made me love this book into one easy to consume review, but again the same could be said if you tried to summarize Love Actually briefly.

My one point of contention with this book was not even in Dani and Max’s story but in the subplot of his brother Sebastien.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
Sebastien comes out to Max as gay, which is great, all books should have some queer rep. But he comes out after the reader has read Max telling Dani about how their father would get angry when a young Sebastien would do things not deemed “manly” included one detailed encounter of him having a tea party with stuffed animals. So you have this very stereotypical outline of boy who is deemed liking “effeminate” activities as a child and then later is revealed to be gay.

We then have a lot of time discussing their fathers drinking problem and the question of if that will shorten his life and what is his health. This blended with Max not really wanting to become Duke, but also in a way wishing his father would pass to make his and his brothers life easier. The problem lies in that in what felt like a need to rush to get the story to a point where Max has to become Duke, the author has the father die right after Max finally speaks his mind and Sebastien comes out to his parents. The book was already giving the vibe that their dad would pass during the book… but did we have to have it feel like he died at the shock of Sebastien coming out? This was the only point in the book like made me say “ummmm” it just didn’t feel quite right.

Overall though I would not discourage anyone from reading because of that, because the rest of the book is an absolute delight. But just go into knowing to tread lightly and not expect anything too profound or beyond stereotypical tropes when it comes to Sebastien’s story.

But in the end the book, like the movie Love Actually proves one thing… love really is all around.

And if this didn’t make you want to read… then yes, I will tell you that there is a recreation of that iconic Love Actually scene… you know the one (no, not the High Grant dancing montage).

Duke, Actually was such a delight! It surprised me in the best way and the friends to lovers trope was done so well. It's a super sloooooow burn between Dani and Max, but it made perfect sense for their characters. I loved that they had time to really get to know each other and understand the other before things progressed. It made the transition feel very natural and more meaningful. A particular steamy moment involving places to sit still has me blushing ;) I wasn't a huge fan of the late drama/miscommunication and push away, but the epilogue was absolutely wonderful and so cute.

Overall, I really enjoyed the narration by Stacy Gonzalez and she was the perfect Dani. Unfortunately, her Max voice was a bit too nasally and high pitched for me. Eventually it did grow on me, but it took some time to get used to.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 4 stars
Story 4.5 stars

Duke, Actually takes place in the same world as A Princess for Christmas, but I haven't read A Princess for Christmas and had no problem jumping right in. I do think that this book would be most enjoyed though if read after A Princess for Christmas, since the characters are first introduced there and many of the same characters appear in Duke, Actually.

CW: toxic and strained parental relationships, physically abusive and alcoholic parent, death of parent due to heart attack (on page), fears of parental rejection following sexual orientation disclosure

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

I adore this series so much. The description of "Hallmark but make it steamy" is perfectly apt. Dani and Max initially butt heads a lot, but we get to see their friendship grow (with actual, personal conversations) gradually. Truly one of the best romances I've read when it comes to showing us the friendship on the page. This was a delight from start to finish and the perfect way to kick off the minimal "holiday" reading I do. We also got some nice appearances from Leo and Marie (from the previous book).

Right up there with my favorite romances of the year, I may even have to re-read this one closer to the holiday season!

I love Jenny Holiday's books! I finished A Princess for Christmas right before this one. I appreciate how the story continued into the sequel so nicely. I feel Duke, Actually could be standalone, but I would recommend reading A Princess for Christmas first to be more invested in the characters.

Duke, Actually was so fun. I loved all the banter between Dani and Max in this friends-to-lovers romance. I completely lost myself in this story and could not stop listening to the audiobook. It gave all the Hallmark movie feels but much steamier. Dani has a Yorkie, Max, not the namesake of Max the Baron, not the Duke (yet). I love Yorkies! Duke, Actually is one of my top 5 holiday romance books of 2021!

Thank you, Avon and Harper Audio, for my complimentary copies for my honest review.

I really enjoyed Holiday's latest novel, as she did an excellent job building up their friendship before it turned romantic. A delightful holiday themed read.

After Dani's husband leaves her for a younger woman, Dani finds herself newly single. She's finally able to do the things that she wasn't able to when she was married - including spending more time with her family. Dani doesn't want to find herself in a relationship anytime soon and nothing can change that.

Maximillian von Hansburg is known as a ladies man. On the surface, Max is carefree and nothing fazes him. But Max is feeling the pressure from his parents. They want Max to find a suitable wife before he inherits the title of Duke. Max had a perfect thing going with his best friend Marie, but she ended up finding her one true love (in A Princess for Christmas) and now he's back to square one.

When Max finds himself in New York and calls on Dani - a tender friendship forms. Max and Dani already know of each other as both of their best friends are going to marry each other. But Max insists on befriending Dani. Dani isn't quite so sure about the Depraved Duke, but soon finds herself actually liking him. Can they keep their relationship strictly platonic? Or will sparks fly?

I read A Princess for Christmas last year and remember really enjoying Max's character. But I wasn't quite sure what to expect in Duke, Actually. Well, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I absolutely loved this book. I loved the slow progression of friends-to-lovers between Max and Dani. Duke Actually had the slowest of slow burns, but I never felt like the relationship was going too slow.

Both Max and Dani were so sweet with one another and yet I found myself grinning or laughing at their antics. Their relationship felt so real and that made me love this couple even more because of that. They had their own insecurities and vulnerabilities, and yet they completely understood each other and were always there for each other - no matter what.

If you're looking for a sweet, tender, friends-to-lovers romance with Christmas-y vibes, grab your copy of Duke, Actually!

CW: Parental neglect/abuse