The second installment of this series was a true delight!
I loved the banter and friendship connection built between the two characters before any sort of romance really took place. It was completely endearing and I couldn’t stop cheering for them to have their HEA!

This was a perfect Christmas/winter themed romcom.

Jenny Holiday is one of my favorite authors, and Duke, Actually does not disappoint. I love Dani and Max's slow-burn relationship - they have the purest relationship, and I love their strong support of each other. They pushed the other to consistently be better, and of course, they're also each other's fiercest protector. I was expecting this book to take place during the holidays, and while it does, it also continues on to the next year, so we really see Dani and Max's relationship grow. Overall, a lovely read from start to finish!

I really loved the build up of this relationship and I think the slow burn was done so well. The way the author built the friendship before moving it into a romance centered relationship was so believable and well done! It’s a perfect holiday romance fo5 sure.

Very sweet romance, not strictly a Christmas read since the plot takes place over the course of about a year (I think?), but several important plot points take place around Christmas. I actually prefer A Princess For Christmas, as this one is a tad too slow-burn for me—they spend the majority of the book ignoring their attraction to one another in favor of being friends, so while the payoff with the grand gesture was great, I would've enjoyed seeing them together a bit more. That being said, Dani is a bad*** who deserves everything in the world, and Max is way too perfect for me to "just be friends" with, so. Respect, Dani. Could not be me.

This one's a bit heavier than the first book, especially regarding Max's family struggles, and the character growth was stronger as well.

Pros: Both Max and Max Minimus are absolute delights, you get to see characters from the first book, and Dani is who I want to be when I grow up
Cons: The plot itself wasn't particularly memorable for me, and the slow-burn lasted just a bit too long
CW: Sexual content, alcoholism, emotional & physical abuse, death of a parent, homophobia, infidelity
Recommended for: Hallmark movie lovers

I thought this book was adorable, and a great follow up to the first book. It was definitely much more of a slow burn (and less steamy) compared to the first book, but I loved seeing the relationship between Dani & Max develop. It was a delightful holiday-adjacent read, and was so fun to see all the characters that I loved from the first book intertwined in this story.

This was the perfect Christmas read. I have not read a Princess for Christmas so I was hesitant to read this title but I was able to read the context and figure out the back story without much issue. I think the story line was unique but also had that sweet hallmark charm. I connected with Dani, the main character, so much although our lives could not be more different. She's newly single and says she is done with romance and not looking for love but when her best friends, man of honor, Max declares the that he too is done looking for the romance that makes him happy and fulfills his parents wishes of marrying a royal woman, comes to town there declaration may just lead them to each other is more ways than solidarity. Great read, with great multi level characters and the fun setting. I recommend this to any adult that loves a good love story.

honestly, i did really like the whole friends to lovers aspect of it. like, i think that it was really good and i think that it was honestly pretty good since i'm such a sucker for that trope. like, i feel that it was done really well and i did like to see them kind of fall in love and navigate from being friends than to slowly becoming lovers. but, one thing i didn't really like was that the slow burn. like, i feel like this put the slow in slow burn, and not even in a good way, since it was just so slow and i really didn't like it, since just took forever to have anything happen, which was annoying.

but, i also feel like the chemistry wasn't there all the time. like i feel that they had chemistry, but at the same time it was kind of barely there at the same times. so, i feel like it was just kind of hit or miss, and that it just kind of felt kind of off, and that it just didn't work, since the book was also so choppy, so like the chemistry was there at times, but then it just didn't work, which did get to be annoying. which, i also think the time jumps was kind of a mess, like, i think the chemistry was kind of a plague to the time jumps, and i feel like they were just kind of all over the place, and i wish they just changed it and not that many time jumps.

another thing i didn't like was how they tried to cover to many important topics, and then they just didn't work. like, i feel like that there is a lot of book that do this, but it just doesn't work, and this book was one of them. like, i feel like they just didn't work at all, and it was just half assed. like this book tried to do: abuse plotline, queer plotline, looking down on influencers and people that make money off the internet and social media, this small rape/sexual assault plot line. like, i feel like they just needed to clean it up and not make it so messy.

This is a sweet and romantic story. Dani and Max know each other because their best friends are getting married and they will be standing up for them at the wedding. Dani is an English professor who is in the process of divorcing her cheating husband. Max is the Baron of Landon and while in the US he contacts her and asks to meet up with her. Although resistant at first, Dani accepts when Max agrees to be her date to her department Christmas party where her ex will be flaunting his young girlfriend. Despite the distance and Dani’s determination to guard her heart from hurt, a friendship develops. This is a slow burn friends to lovers trope with lots of chemistry and banter. The friendship is well developed, the main characters are likeable and both show personal growth. A fun, enjoyable romance.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title.

A fun, quick read. I was hoping for more of a Christmas thrill but otherwise I really enjoyed this title.

I didn’t get to read as many holiday books as I had planned over Christmas. BUT. This book. It made up for all of the ones I didn’t get to. I was completely drawn into this delightful book!

Duke Actually was exactly what I wanted in a holiday read… a bit of a fairy tale, enemies-to-friends-to lovers story that referenced Love Actually and Dirty Dancing. Need I say more?

Dani never expected to invite Max into her world. She had sworn off all men, and her focus was on her career. Plus, Max had quite the reputation as a playboy, and Dani had no use for men like that. But after a spur of the moment invite, Dani quickly realized that Max could make a great ally…and maybe even a good friend.

What I loved most about this book was how Dani and Max cultivated such an enviable friendship. First and foremost, they were friends. And when that friendship bloomed into something more, it made that slow build 100% worth it.

The holidays may be over, but I wouldn’t brush this one off just because it’s holiday themed. It’s a story worth reading any time of year. But if you’re determined to keep festive reads in the November-December timeframe, make this book top of your 2022 holiday list!

Thank you Jenny Holiday, Avon, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

"Duke, Actually" is my kind of holiday novel. Chalked full of fun banter, steamy moments and unique characters, this was a seasonal book that felt like a warm hug with a dose of laughter. I adored Dani but Max, human Max? He stole my heart. I have a weakness for fellas that have been "friend zoned" yet stay respectful and supportive.

This was my first Jenny Holiday book and I didn't realize until after I was half way through with the book that this was kind of a sequel to a previous book. I think this book was absolutely adorable, perfect read to read over the holidays. I loved the chemistry between the hero and the heroine. Max was kind of a playboy (which I usually like) and Dani was the brilliant professor from New York, who is currently kind of losing her friend to a princess. I thought this was a really charming book to read and I can see myself reading it over and over again. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Duke, Actually is the sequel to A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday. I did not know it wasn't a standalone before I started reading it! I never read out of order so this was a real event for me.

With their best friends getting married, Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla finds himself in a position to get to know Professor Dani Martinez. They did not hit it off when they first met, but he is visiting New York and reaches out. Dani relents and the two end up in an unlikely friendship that develops as she sets out to have sex with someone and Max tries to find a real job. Eventually Max realizes he wants to be the one Dani is intimate with, while Dani finds she believes in Max and helps him find the strength to push against familial expectations.

Dani's soon-to-be ex-husband who is also tenured colleague in her academic department was a great way to showcase how stuck she was in New York. My only quibble was that there was zero reference to her students/advises and how she would keep up with them during her time away. It was as though students don't exist for a faculty member who is probably also trying to secure funding for her research? I'm nitpicking as someone very familiar with universities and the T&P process. The scenes with the best friend and the faculty parties were my favorites.

The C plot about the Eldovian who hid people in the mine and spent a year in New York felt underdeveloped and frankly like it could have been edited out. Keep Max trying to work on a second life for the mine, and maybe even keep the part about hiding refugees; but the details about the letters and the trip keep itching in my brain as threads that were dropped.

I believe I heard Jenny Holiday in an interview describe this series as "Hallmark, but hotter" and I would honestly just leave it at "Hallmark." That's fine! This is an adorable story about two people with hangups about relationships who learn to let one another into their lives.

I received this ARC as a reward for supporting the Bonkers Romance podcast.

A long overdue mini review on DUKE, ACTUALLY, by Jenny Holiday. A companion novel to A PRINCESS FOR CHRISTMAS.

I appreciate Dani and Max's story, and that while it's promoted as a holiday romance, it's something that takes place over a year.

What really doesn't work for me is the way this story was marketed. I was told, Hallmark Christmas movie but spicy. While there is some chemistry/tension, and I do enjoy slow burns, THE FIRST KISS IS NOT UNTIL 80% OF THE BOOK. Sure, a good portion of the book has them exchanging phone calls, and texts, as Dani is in NYC and Max is in Europe, but when you tell me it's Hallmark but Spicy, I have expectations.

If you want to read a slow burn romance that is built on a new friendship, would recommend. I would have enjoyed this book more if my expectations were different.

Content Notes: divorce, death of parent, parental abuse, misrepresentation by media, Holocaust (mentions)

Thank you to Avon Romance for the eARC via NetGalley I'm exchange for an honest review

This book reminded me of a Hallmark movie, but with sex scenes. Overall, it was a cute and fun read. Having read the prior book was definitely not required, it works fine as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon Publishing for this ARC. This was such a fun and lighthearted Christmas novel. It was the perfect book to get me into the holiday spirit. At the same time it wasn't so Christmas themed that it was overwhelming, just a perfect holiday friendship and romance to get you through the holiday season. I felt that they had enough references to the previous book that it was still enjoyable and it still made sense without personally having read it. I look forward to reading more of this author's books!

I had high hopes when I was seeing this one around and as the sucker that I am with anything royal - ish, I had to try it. Now, I usually love the elements of this book, slow burn and friends to lovers, BUT the problem was that was actually witness the progress of the friendship, so it takes a while to get there and the slow burn is too slow in my opinion. And they had so much chemistry and the frustration had me going nuts over them not kissing already. But it was a sweet, read and it's nice for Christmas. Get ready to fall in love with Max 💛


PS: I didn't get the joke behind the reason of both her dog and the hero sharing the same name. At some point I was so confused that I just thought this wasn't necessary. But then she found a way to separate them, so there's that.

Loved this book. it was the perfect holiday romance. loved the royal backdrop and the friends to lovers trope. i also enjoyed seeing the characters from the first book

I flew through reading “Duke, Actually” while on an overnight flight for a Christmas adventure of my own. If you enjoy slow-burn romances, with not quite enemies-to-lovers plots (Max + Dani very aren’t friends to start) and a dash of fake relationship, then “Duke, Actually” is a perfect holiday vacation book.

Not having read Holiday's “A Princess for Christmas”, I found some of story a little confusing when it came to the larger cast of characters + mentions of previous events, but overall for me this did not take away from my enjoyment of Max + Dani's story. I would probably recommend future readers either plan to read this series in order or find a review of “A Princess for Christmas” to help fill in the gaps.

Slower burn than I was expecting but 😍 I loved getting to know theses characters better. I enjoyed seeing the relationship Dani had with her family and how much Max respected it. Max was an intriguing character who I was delighted to find out had hidden depths and worked to deserve Dani. Loved the journey from begrudging friends to friends to lovers.