4.5 stars

The start of a new series so there's quite a bit at the start explaining Miles's history and introducing some of the other Terrors. Miles is unusual in that he didn't think he would be Duke and was quite happy as a soldier (Latin word for soldier = miles :) Emery is confident in her role as steward helping her father and her housekeeper mother. She doesn't think she's socially acceptable to the Ton but Miles is determined. We eventually find out why Miles's mother was so unpleasant to him and this villain is summarily punished.

A good start with some interesting passionate descriptions. I'll look out for the others in the series especially Finch's story.

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

This is the first book in a new series, and I can't wait to read them all.

The series is going to be about five friends who were second sons, and were sent to a school for boys. They bonded and made a lifelong friendship. This story is about Miles and Emery. Miles is a life long solider, and is kind of lost when he inheritances the title. Emery's family moved to his castle after Miles was sent away, her mom and father both work for the Duke. Emery knows everything about the land/ workings of the castle, and is there to help Miles learn the way.

I fully enjoyed this story, and I can't wait for the stories of the rest of the men.

When this author writes her stories, you can tell she puts her all into them. Miles and Emery's story is such a heartfelt one and it's filled with emotions and upheavals that will keep you wanting to turn the page for more! I very much enjoyed this first book in Alexa Aston's brand new series "Dukes Done Wrong". We learn what these future Dukes have done to be sent from their homes when they were lads and the friendships that are made between them, never to be broken.

When Miles returns home from the war to become the new Duke, he finds out the housekeeper's daughter, Emery, has practically been running the estate by herself. As they get to know each other, he knows one thing....he wants her as his Duchess!! Unfortunately, she's way beneath his class and she doesn't see a future with him. Good thing Miles doesn't care what the ton thinks:)

Beautifully written with loveable characters and now I look forward to the next books in the series.

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The first book in the Dukes Done Wrong series, Discouraging the Duke follows Miles Notley, an army captain who was banished from his home as a young boy after being falsely accused of killing his younger brother. Fourteen years later, Miles must leave his fulfilling military career and return home to take over the dukedom. It is there where he meets Emery Jenson.

Emery’s parents work for the duke, and she spends most of her time dutifully assisting them. When Miles asks for her assistance in learning all about his new responsibilities, Emery readily agrees. The more time they spend together, the more she is drawn to Miles, but she believes their different social statuses will keep them apart. Can Miles convince Emery to be his duchess?

I love Miles. He is such a good and fair man, and he has a generous and loyal heart. His story is quite compelling and a little heartbreaking, especially what happened to him as a child. I like that the story has flashbacks to his childhood. It definitely explains a lot about his family dynamics and how he became one of the “Five Terrors” when he went to Turner Academy. Banished there at ten years old, Miles befriends four other boys who were banished for similar reasons, and the boys form a life-long bond. This found family, which includes the Terrors and teachers at the academy defines Miles.

Honorable, capable, and caring, Miles wants to do a good job which is why he enlists Emery’s help. She knows more about the estate than anyone, and Miles is pleased to be able to spend so much time with her. This gives him more opportunities to show her how well-suited they are. They are instantly attracted to each other, and their chemistry is great!

Emery and Miles might be instantly attracted to each other, but many obstacles stand in their way, the biggest being their social status. But Miles never gives up on Emery. I think the more time Emery spends with Miles, the more she falls in love with him. However, Emery has her own burdens, including a father whose health is deteriorating. Fearful that he might lose his job and home if the duke becomes aware of her father’s failing health, Emery tries to compensate by taking over most of his responsibilities. I like how Emery learns to trust Miles and herself.

This is a great start to Alexa Aston’s Dukes Done Wrong series, and I look forward to finding out more about the four other “Terrors” in future books. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Alexa Aston, and Dragonblade Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I love this new series! Discouraging the Duke is the first book in the Dukes Done Wrong series by Alexa Aston. The story starts with a bang, literally! Alexa has a way of reaching in a grabbing her readers and holding them throughout the series. From the beginning of the book when a frightened, little boy is sent away for something he didn't do you are hooked. Not only do you need to find out what happens in this story but you also want to know what happens in the other stories. Discouraging the Duke is about an accident that changes the life of Miles Knotley when he is sent away to the Turner Academy. At the Turner Academy he befriends four more young men and they become the Turner Terrors. After university and the military, Miles returns home to take his place as the Duke of Winslow. There he meets Emery Jensen, the daughter of his stewart and housekeeper. Miles is determined to marry Emery even though she is beneath his station in life. This is definitely a must read book.

I would like to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the intro to the series by explaining how the "Dukes Done Wrong" started with the first book about Miles and his brothers. How Miles is sent to school and becomes part of the five Terrors where everyone is addressed as Mister and not a Lord. This allows me to better understand how he comes to love Emery. There is a villain that appears near the end of the story that gives more insight into his parents personality. I found it hard to believe that the Duke wanted to marry someone the first day he meets her and I did not feel the chemistry between the couple. I would have preferred the villain to have been woven through the story to explain others actions rather than added at the end. I look forward to reading the next story in the series.

Miles is an army captain who was wrongly accused of a horrible crime and banished from his family's estate as a young boy. Emery has been helping manage the estate along with her parents for nearly a decade. When Miles' father and older brother both pass away within a week of one another (and no one is mourning them, btw) Miles returns to his old home as the new Duke of Winslow.

Miles decides he is going to bring a whole attitude adjustment to his estate --- including better pay and more gratitude for the many people that work there. This also apparently includes making his unofficial stewardess Emery his new duchess, who he falls in love with in seconds.

I just couldn't buy a single part of this storyline from the beginning. The couple's relationship develops in record time, even by regency standards. I think I would have enjoyed this one more with a little more character and plot development --- it was a quick read that was just pretty bland throughout.

I am, however, excited to give the rest of this series a try as it will follow the Miles' friends, who I am excited to have back stories for.

He the second son of a Duke was send to a school for aristoctratic families with sons causing troubles . He was acussed for killing his younger brother who he loved very much . He spend 14 years away from his family and home . When his big brother died he became the Duke . She is the daughter of two servants at the Ducal House . With their daily accruals they fall in love . She is very skeptical about what will happen but love always win .
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Full Review coming soon…

Pretty much a love despite society ranks, a Duke who was not the planned heir, some unnecessary conflict between the MCs and an old family acquaintance. Some past behaviors accounted for … and a new Duke who means to treat his Duchess and children with love.. I loved the story a great new start for Alexa Aston’s newest series!!

Give me a Duke from the brain of Alexa Aston any day of the week and twice on Sundays! This is the first book in a new series, Dukes Done Wrong, and as a longtime fan of Aston's Dukes of Distinction series, I was not disappointed by this book!

This series will focus on five boys banished from their homes in disgrace, for crimes they did not commit, to the place where they find the brothers of their heart. Each of these now grown men are described competently throughout the book, and I feel as if I already know their individual personalities just from the carefully chosen descriptions laid out in the book. Because of laying the scene for the series, the hero and heroine did not meet until almost 25% into the book, but I feel that this was necessary to set the stage of this book and the future books in the series.

Miles never expected to be Duke. Emery knows her place is not with a Duke and has quietly taken over as steward of the estate due to her father's dementia. These two tiptoe around each other, but there is a chemistry simmering under the surface.

Miles is not going to let a title change him and is a kind, thoughtful man who still values the friendship of a tenant farmer on his estate who was his friend from childhood. He is kind to servants and just wants to live a quiet life in the country.

I will read every book by Alexa Aston with a Duke in it, because she is such an intrepid writer who has the capability of making each one unique, with their own distinct personalities. Every book I say "this is my favorite hero!"...until the next book comes out.

"Discouraging the Duke" is the first book in a standalone series consisting of five books that will follow five boys who all gets to know each other when they are all being sent to school for aristocrats who are (sometimes wrongly) accused of crimes.

Miles Notley is the first out of "the five Terrors" and I liked seeing how different he is as Duke compared to how his father and brother were. He was nice and welcoming to his people, not just being a decent human being but inviting them to dinner and events of his life to share with all of them. The first chapters focus on him when he was ten and we get to see firsthand how he watches his younger brother die and then gets the blame for it. I think it would have been better with that informative beginning as a prologue instead, since it was quite long and kind of derailed the romance part of the book much longer into the story. Although, it definitely added to a clearer picture of how cruel and unpleasant his father and brother were and made Miles stand out in a much better light as the story proceeded.

The romance between Miles and Emery is fast as lightning. He literally takes one look at her and decides he wants to marry her. I know that historical romance is not the genre if you want to have relationships who grow under a longer period, but this felt way too fast even for a historical romance so it kind of brought down the book a notch. I mean, insta-lust is fine but instalove is 9 times out of 10 a no-no for me.

To sum it all up, it was an okay read and I do want to read the next book of the series (I am always a sucker for books that follow a group of people and I want to give it one more chance), but it was not anything out of the ordinary unfortunately.

This was a pleasant enough story but I had several complaints while reading it. I wish the beginning could have been condensed into a prologue, I didn’t need al the detail about Miles’ childhood. It also took forever for the hero and heroine to meet - 25% into the book.
I also don’t understand why they had to hide the fathers illness, especially after spending time with Miles. And the painting subplot o could take or leave.
I wish there was a little more chemistry on page between the characters in the beginning. They seem to have a mild attraction to each other and after basically a day of knowing each other Miles decided he has to marry her.

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The first in a new series and I definitely want to read every book already.
Miles was sent away to a school for the sons of aristocrats that had done the unimaginable. In Miles' case he was blamed for the death of his younger brother. When he unexpected inherits after the death of his father and brother, he must take on the role he was never prepared for.
Emery has lived on the estate since her parents became the steward and housekeeper. She has always helped them but as her father starts losing his memory she has almost completely taken over as steward.
I loved Miles who could have been come hateful and jaded but instead is sweet, generous, and wants a family of his own. While like all romance novels, the love is near instantaneous it does feel real.
There were a couple of times where the book stood out a repetitive in stating the the youngest was the mothers favorite and the oldest the dukes favorite but it wasn't overwhelming.
The last minute villain was also unnecessary I think but overall this book was great. I hope Finch has his story next.

I like that Miles saw Emery true worth right from the beginning. When Miles sets his mind to something there's no change in it.
I like the idea of the Turner Terrors. The thought that a bunch of ten-year-old boys came up with that is kind of funny. I can't wait to see how the rest of the series will turn out.