I would definitely give this book 4.5 stars! Duke Gone Rogue by Christy Caryle was a first for me and I really loved her writing style! I am excited to read more of her books.

The main characters are William Hart, Duke of Ashmore and Madeline Ravenwood. Their first run is when William is being dumped by his betrothed. A few months later William is sent to Cornwell on a mandatory vacation that he runs into Madeline. Maddie is a young businesswomen who took over her family's gardening business and is preparing the town from a visit from the royal Princess. In order to make the visit a success she must convince William to improve his eyesore property. They start to develop an easy rapport that quickly develops into friendship and attraction.

I definitely appreciated there was lots of courting, time spent together in the blossoming romance in this story. In fact, this is probably the most two well developed characters that I have read in a long time. It drives me nuts when authors don't develop the chemistry between the two characters, I hate when the relationship is only based on sex. There should be more depth between characters in my opinion. Although, there is some steamy parts in this book which I loved!!

The story is set mostly in Cornwell during Victorian time period. I also appreciated it not being in London like every other book. What I loved about this book it also wrote from different view points, you don't see that very often. I also appreciated, Maddie being able to speak her mind and there was no whining in the book.

I will definitely read more from this author and cannot wait until the second book.

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!

A slow read for me, this book didn’t gain a lot of heat until much later in the book. I liked Maddie’s character but it didn’t stick with me long enough for her to be memorable. Yes, she did a lot of things and kept busy but there wasn’t anything about her character that made me just love her. It was an ok read for me and even though I really tried to like Maddie, I just didn’t. Will on the other hand was quite kind even though he was supposed to be this stick-in-mud kind of person.

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

I am a big fan of Romance books and I found this one to be a very enjoyable read. I will be looking for more books from this author.

In this sweet holiday romance, a grumpy duke meets his match with a botanist when he goes to Cornwall to seek rest and rejuvenation after years of attempting to right his deceased father's messy affairs. The hero and heroine have a very sweet chemistry with each other and their affection grows naturally and realistically, if over the course of a short time. They each have things pulling them in different directions but the love they have for each other pulls them more strongly together. Overall, the novel could have featured a bit more angst for me, but the lightness and sweetness is very nice.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical romance novels and I have read a lot of them. So I had high expectations for this book going into reading it. And there ended up being a lot about this book to like. I loved how independent Madeline was. And I loved watching the relationship unfold.

In this historical romance, a duke is bullied by his sisters into taking a much needed seaside vacation. The story is so light and pleasant that reading it became a much needed vacation for me, too. It follows Will, Duke of Ashmore, and Maddie, the owner of a nursery who is passionate about rose hybridization, as she prepares for a royal visit that could put her creations on the map.

The book serves up the cold, grumpy duke trope done right. Will's never cruel or careless with his words, nor is he haughty and too sure of himself. He's just overworked and has little capability in terms of fun and relaxation, which can be offputting to others. The fact that he is tracking down his late father's past wrongdoings doesn't sit well with the other aristocrats, either, making him unwelcome in society. Maddie's burdened by the family business she inherited and the many commitments she takes on to keep herself busy. Both Will and Maddie need a reminder of how to slow down, enjoy life, and seek something for themselves that rejuvenates their energy rather than draining it. It made for a sweet, sunny romance rather than a stormy one.

Sometimes a light romance passes me by without leaving a mark, but this one was just the carefree read I needed, a balm to my weary, jaded disposition. The author so perfectly summons that feeling of a giddy crush as the two feel drawn to one another, simply reveling in each other's company. Whether it was an idyllic scene in a rowboat out in the cove or a zestful day trip to a May fair celebration, I cherished being a party to it all. If you're in the mood for a Victorian romance that will clear away the cobwebs and provide a happy escape, I recommend this getaway, the first in what promises to be a joyous series.

What a fun story this was. Will Hart, the Duke of Ashmore, is a grumpy Duke. Madeline Ravenwood is all sunshine and happy. She owns her family’s gardening business. They met briefly in London and meet again in Cornell where Madeline lives, and Will has a run-down property. Even though they seemed to be opposites, they were a good couple together. They brought out each other’s good qualities. The only issue is he’s a Duke and she’s a commoner. Will this hamper their budding relationship or bring them closer together?

I would recommend this story to others. The author did a wonderful job in letting us get to know Will and Madeline. And you could see the relationship grow as we got to know each of them. Very well done.

This was a perfectly lovely historical romance. I like historical romances featuring women with interesting jobs, and and I like the Cornwall setting. This had some of the same elements as A Duke Changes Everything, by the same author-- woman running her father's business, man with resentments for his own father. But for whatever reason this one simply did not have the emotional hook for me that the other book did.

This is a very adorable romance between William Hart, Duke of Ashmore and Maddie Ravenwood, a nursey owner out in Cornwall. The two have a chance meeting at a party and catch each other's eye immediately. Maddie witnesses the Duke break things off with his fiancé, with is an auspicious start to a relationship. When the Duke goes to check on a property in Cornwell left to him by his father, they meet again and slowly fall in love.

I really liked the Cornwall setting, It was different than the usual London fare. The side characters were flushed out and added a lot to the story. William is doing his best to recover his tarnished name as his father was a terrible person who cared little for his properties and staff and was more interested in throwing crazy parties and spending money. Maddie is doing her best to run the small nursery left to her by her parents. She loves to design gardens and create hybrid roses. The conflict between their lives isn't contrived and makes sense. Overall a great book with a sweet romance and no too much angst. I hope the next book is about William's sister.

I had a really hard time getting through this book. I don't think it's necessarily the author's fault. There's nothing wrong with this story. It's about a Duke on holiday who falls in love with a lady who owns a nursery.

It was a very adult romance between Will and Maddie, they both were keenly aware of their responsibilities but found themselves connecting and understanding the other. I loved the love at first sight element. Will and Maddie were also likable, but I think the element that was missing for me was the tension. There's was nothing that happened that drove the story along other than preparation for Princess Beatrice's visit to the town. Readers who love steady romances will love this book but I think when I picked this up I was hoping for something different.

The problem for me is that this is probably the 4th book I have read in 4 months and 2nd in that 2 weeks about a heroine who loves roses or gardening. So I have had to, unfortunately, read a lot of backstory into that. And for me, that took away from the story. I just didn't care about Maddie's business or her love of creating hybrid roses.

I did however love the ending and how they both eventually realized they needed each other. And I can see why some people gave this 4 or 5 stars, but I think the reader's love of this book is going to come down to personal taste or what they are looking for when picking it up. At least it did for me.

✨✨✨Thank you to Net Galley for the copy of this book! ✨✨✨

This book was a sweet and sexy ride that I enjoyed. This was the first Christy Carlyle I’ve ever read.

In Duke Gone Rogue we meet Will (Duke of Ashmore) and Madeline. Will is single-handedly trying to right all of the wrongs of his father, who was a horrible swindler and lover of debauchery. Maddie is trying to keep her parents’ gardening business going, but has dreams of her own.

Their meet cute takes place at a party being thrown by a Countess who has hired Maddie to design her gardens. Maddie accidentally overhears a private conversation of Will’s and things get awkward and… interesting between them.

The pacing and tension in this novel were pretty good, I thought. Will and Maddie both want to be together, but it seems their lives are pulling them in opposite directions. The tension between them was palpable and I was definitely rooting for them to figure things out.

I thought the ending was satisfying, too! Everything came together in a believable way that didn’t feel over the top.

All-in-all, an enjoyable read and I definitely enjoyed the time I spent with these characters.

Serendipity in “Duke Gone Rogue” by Christy Carlyle, book one from her Love on Holiday series! William Hart, the new Duke of Ashmore, locked eyes with businessperson Miss Madeline Ravenwood as from behind a plant while trying to get a glimpse of her client’s ballroom. Then Maddie witnessed his angry betrothed call the duke cruel and joyless, and break their engagement in the conservatory. The duke had been working to prove to the ton that he was the opposite of his late father so he asked for her discretion to keep any scandals at bay. After being close enough to pick a leaf from each other’s person, Maddie told the duke she would be discreet plus they will never see each other again. Disappointment came over the duke as he learned that Maddie will leave London the next day. However, months later, Will’s sisters needed him away from London and sent him on a holiday to Cornwall. On arrival day, rain forced him to walk to the first cottage his saw on the way to his estate, and who walked into the cottage to find him resting but Maddie.

I felt the anticipation the hero and heroine had when they could see each other again. They both led completely different lives and practically knew whatever they had needed to end when his holiday was over, so I felt their desire to both hold back on their feelings and to let go by having fun with each other.

I love Maddie and that she did what she wanted! She wanted to win a flower show, she worked on her hybrid. She wanted to kiss Will, she did. As a woman, she could not afford any scandal, but she was beloved by her community and they would look out for her best interests, even if that meant matchmaking.

I love a starchy hero, but twist, Will was unliked for having good intentions. I love finding out he was once carefree. This book goes to show you that the right person will help you grow and become a better version of your best self.

This is a lovely and sweet book. If you love a serendipitous encounter, a small town romance, and hand holding moments 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.

William Hart, Duke of Ashmore, is considered a grump and too focused on reestablishing his family's good name. When his betrothed breaks off the engagement, his sister Cora arranges for him to go on holiday in Cornwall, to the estate where their father held his bacchamalian parties. Madeline Ravenwood continues working her father's nursery business in Cornwall. Meeting Will again, the spark grows, until the attraction turns to passion. When Will must return to London, he doesn't think Maddy would leave her business. A gentle nudge from a friend forces Will to make a decision.
The romance happens very quickly, but the angst seems to follow at the same time. Love this couple! Steamy.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I liked this book a lot. This book read smoothly and maintained my interest easily. The story was fun, and I found the characters delightful. Maddie and Will quickly captured my heart, and I loved their banter. Their tale is slow burning and fairly sweet. An intriguing cast of secondary characters leaves me very eager to enjoy future entries in this new series.

There is nothing better then when a brooding hero meets his match and that is what I thought I was getting in the Duke Gone Rogue but while the Duke was able to come out of his doldrums, the storyline did not.

Will Hart, the Duke of Ashmore and Madeline Ravenwood meet early on in the story but neither know who the other is. After an engaging conversation, they each go their separate way until meeting again months later when Will is highly encouraged to take a holiday by his sister.

Will and Maddie immediately have a wonderful repore. Like any good story, there seemed to be some good elements setting up a great climax. First we are introduced to a likely villain set on making Maddie's life difficult but that didn't go anywhere. The potential blackmail plot, well that never came to be. Will's investigation into his scandalous father's past completely fizzeled. To sum it up, as the Duke quickly warmed up, the tone of the book cooled down.

Sadly, this story was high on potential but remained stagnant throughout.

An uptight grumpy stick-in-the-mud Duke gets banished to Cornwall by his sisters for a holiday, and he encounters a headstrong gardener and businesswoman who wants him to help her make the impending visit of Princess Beatrice a success.

Duke Gone Rogue is a charming start to Christy Carlyle’s new Love on Holiday series! The romance between Maddie and Will, the Duke of Ashmore, was sweet with relatively no angst. While lower on the sexy scale, I still found myself really enjoying this one as it was just so stinking cute how much these two characters came to care for each other.

Will, the Duke of Ashmore, is trying to be the antithesis of his dishonest, scandalous father, which makes him a bit of a stick in the mud to be around. Following a broken engagement, his sisters suggest (well, actually force) a vacation on him out to their notorious and run-down estate Carnwyth in Cornwall, and Will reluctantly goes. Meanwhile, Madeline Ravenwood’s passion is for flowers and garden design, but she’s working hard to keep her family’s nursery afloat while Ravenwood’spreparing for Princess Beatrice’s visit to Haven Cove. As part of her preparation for the Princess’s visit, she needs to convince Will to restore the eyesore of Carnwyth, which he agrees to if she shows him Cornwall. As they spend more time together, they cannot imagine being apart but will their positions in life make that impossible?

From Will and Maddie’s first meeting, the chemistry was electric. The bulk of the story takes place over two weeks, and the reason the romance works so well is because these characters have a great connection. I loved that the romance wasn’t based solely on lust either. While there is an attraction between them, their romantic connection goes deeper than that. Both value and respect each other for who they are and what they care about. The romance is not super steamy, though we do get a sexy bathtub scene towards the end. The fact that the story was not so focused on sex actually helped the relationship feel incredibly genuine and heartwarming. The romance was also relatively low on the angst scale as Maddie and Will knew how to communicate with each other so well. Honestly, it was refreshing to see that in a historical romance.

Outside of the romance, our leads were also fantastic characters. I loved that Maddie was an independent woman, but it wasn’t an overtly in-your-face kind of independent. She’s incredibly hardworking and always willing to lend a hand – she’s earned the respect of her community and peers through her work and generosity. I appreciated that she worked hard to run her family business even though it wasn’t necessarily what she wanted to do with her life. She feels conflicted about her family business, but she is also determined to make it succeed to honor her parents’ legacy. Meanwhile, Will is trying to escape his father’s legacy and redeem the family title. While being a Duke might not be his passion, he’s determined to do right by the title and those who rely on him. He’s got a bit of a gruff exterior, particularly at first, but being in Haven Cove and with Maddie does a world of good for him. He loosens up and becomes more carefree throughout the novel. Watching him fall for Maddie was sweet as when he’s with her as I felt like you see the true Will, not the ducal persona he puts on in society.

The plot was relatively straightforward but incredibly cute. I’m a sucker for stories that take place in charming seaside towns (hence why the Spindle Cove series is one of my all-time favorite series), and Haven Cove is utterly lovely. It’s an idyllic retreat that feels like an escape. The actions and consequences of society back in London feel like it can’t reach there. Even with the royal family visiting, it still feels like a world unto itself. I really hope we get to return to Haven Cove in future books in the series.

If you’re looking for a light, heartwarming romance, Duke Gone Rogue is perfect for you! This was the perfect change of pace from all the Immortals After Dark books I’ve been reading. I found myself closing this book with a smile on my face as it was so stinking cute, and I’m looking forward to checking out future books in the Love on Holiday series.

Thank you to Avon/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was my first book by Christy Carlyle and it was such a joy to read. Will and Maddie were the sweetest couple I've had the pleasure of reading about in a long time. I loved Will the grumpy Duke and Maddie the intrepid business woman finding their way to a happy ending. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/5 stars!

The hero changed from a carefree person to a grumpy one after he inherited the dukedom from his late father. Due to the deceased parent's debauchery, the hero ended up with a huge responsibility of taking care of the neglect and debts that were left for him to take care of. When his sisters asked him to visit a Cornwall property, the hero agreed and met the heroine. The heroine inherited a gardening business from her late father and went to visit the hero to repair his Cornwall home. They met and they're attracted to each other. As the pair becomes closer, they face obstacles and personal struggles. How will they get their happy ending?

I enjoyed reading this first book in the Love on Holiday series. I liked the couple together and as individuals who are facing changes in their lives. Some of the secondary characters were definitely likable while there were a few that are tolerable but necessary to the story. The story may also drag a bit in certain parts, and it really needed more details in other parts of the story. But overall, it's a nice beginning to the series and I look forward to reading more Christy Carlyle books in the future.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

Duke Gone Rogue is the first book in the Love on Holiday series by Christy Carlyle. I really enjoyed this story, and it gave me Bridgerton vibes.