I had read and enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was pretty excited to get to Fiona’s story.

I’ve loved Fiona since she first walked onto the page. She’s smart, self sufficient, and goes after what she wants. Edward is stoic, well meaning, and so very straight laced. Together they have history and a load of chemistry.

Plot wise, it was good. I loved Edward’s siblings and could have read a million more pages of the four of them together. At times, the story did lag a bit, but the characters more than made up for it. And while I wanted just a bit more from the epilogue, it was a good enough future take.

Overall, this was a fun and quick read and I can’t wait for Charlotte’s story.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

4.5 stars

In Samara Parish’s follow up novel she brings back two characters we have already met and dives into their history and corresponding animosity towards each other. Hint: it revolves around unrequited love and broken promises!

Fiona McTavish is a scientist with a breakthrough idea - friction matches! She is in London to find investors… the only problem is that she’s a woman, whom men do not want to work with and she has also been mistaken as a treasonous activist!

That’s ok- because she goes way back with the Duke of Wildeford. A duke can solve any problem! But… she has a history with him and doesn’t actually want anything to do with him… she’ll accept his help with her legal issues, but Fiona insists on letting her invention and work speak for itself.

Oh boy! This book was a wild ride! I loved the intelligent and motivated Fiona, but the strong willed, idealistic and naive Fiona drove me crazy! I was literally yelling at my book! But a character that captures that much emotion from a reader is a good one! As for Edward, the Duke of Wildforde extreme devotion to his family honour and perception rankled me, but his care and attention he gave to Fiona and her wishes and ideas made me root for him! Needless to saw there were many highs and low, with plenty of angst as these two interacted!

I loved the class difference reversal in this book compared to the last and appreciated the increase in steamy interactions- these two were definitely an explosive pairing!

How To Deceive a Duke by Samara Parish is scheduled to release January 25th, 2022.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Forever Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley and the audiobook from Hachette Audio. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#HowtoDeceiveaDuke #SamaraParish #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

How To Deceive A Duke is a delightful class difference romance. The clever dialogue and complex characters were exceptional. The writing was direct and honest, and the romance enchanting.

Edward Stirling, the Duke of Wildeforde, has spent his entire life repairing his family’s reputation that his father destroyed. Edward falls for Fiona, who is below his station in every way. Fiona is a scientist and is independent and opinionated. After a tragedy and his horrible mother’s threats, Edward leaves Fiona. Years later, the two are thrown back together. Edward is obsessed with his reputation, which is all I saw at first. I had a hard time warming to Edward until I discovered how deep his love and passion were for Fiona. Fiona is almost too strong-willed at times. Her thoughtlessness and selfishness nearly destroy Edward’s entire family. I had more empathy for Edward, he was misdirected, but his heart was right. At times I felt Fiona was unlikable because of her all-encompassing selfishness.

The couple’s journey is rocky and complicated. However, their love and passion were evident. The push and pull between Edward and Fiona kept the story exciting and pushed their boundaries. I would have liked more resolution between Edward and all his family members. Edward allowed atrocities from some family members and made tyrannical decisions concerning others. The story was well written, and the characters were vivid. I did feel the plot was unbelievable at times. The impossible situations the characters found themselves in were resolved too quickly.

How To Deceive A Duke is the second book in the Rebels With A Cause series. Samara Parish creates a promising romantic series with plenty of conflict and passion. I look forward to Charlotte’s story. I struggled a little; however, in the end, this is a beautifully written romance. Edward and Fiona’s romance is worth the time, and I recommend this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Second chance romance lovers, rejoice! Samara Parish has a book for you. The rebellious engineer and scientist Fiona McTavish had a whirlwind romance with Edward Stirling, the Duke of Wildeforde. Though he’s rather strait-laced and proper, Edward couldn’t resist Fiona, a girl prone to wearing breeches and rebelling against the norm. Within a matter of weeks, he proposed. But after doubts are planted in his head, Edward broke off the relationship, leaving Fiona brokenhearted and more than a little bitter.

That is, until she’s arrested and the only person able to vouch for her character is Edward. This results in her having to await her court date in his custody, bringing the two of them back into close contact and forced to face their true feelings for each other.

This is a very classic “wild meets haughty” book, and ideal for a quick fix. Parish is an engaging writer, and I did truly believe that Edward and Fiona had that past romance, that the wounds were truly there, that they had a lot to recover from together. And the chemistry is great. I loved the tension between Fiona and Edward.

The issue I think I ran into was that Fiona was a bit too… good… for me. She was a proto-feminist, an inventory, and really had no responsibility for the breakup. Yes, she could be a little reckless, but that was nothing next to what Edward did in the early days of their romance. It played into a trend I’ve been seeing a lot of in romance–the man is the fuckup, and the woman has done… basically nothing wrong. I’m very much in favor of both of them being fuckups.

But nonetheless, it’s a light, fun read and I would recommend it to fans of second chance romances.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

How to Deceive a Duke is the second book in Rebels with a Cause series by Samara Parish. I didn't read the first book, but it didn't stop me from enjoying How to Deceive a Duke. It has many of the tropes I enjoy: second chance romance, forced proximity, class difference, and woman scientist. I loved the dynamic between the main heroine and the love interest. Fiona is intelligent, outspoken, and a rule-breaker, while Edward is a very proper, buttoned-up, scandal-averse duke.

How to Deceive a Duke is exactly the type of historical romance I enjoy: sensual, feminist, and very well-written. After reading it, I want to read other books in the series. My only complaint is I don't like the cover. The publisher changed the cover style from the first book, which has a more beautiful traditional clench cover, and the current one is just not very attractive.

How to Deceive a Duke by Samara Parish is book Two in the Rebels with a Cause Series. This is the story of Edward Stirling, Duke of Wildeforde and Fiona McTavish. Edward and Fiona at one time where in love with they where younger but Edward broke it off. Edward had become worried about Fiona fitting into his world and also the scandal that his father came into. Now about 5 years later in their present day, Edward is still working to clear the scandal that had happened. Fiona has progressing in being a scientist but happens to be arrest at a women's rally. Fiona only option to turn to was Edward with this put them toward their second chance at love? Enjoyed their story.

True Rating: 3.5 Stars

Now, this book looks great from the description, and it's definitely not a bad book. I just felt like this book fell into every possible stereotype that it could have. Granted, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I like to know what to anticipate from my reads sometimes. As much as I liked the writing and the characters, it just didn't go the distance for me, if you will.
I just felt like there was some "it" factor missing to make it stand out for me. Still, it's a solid historical, and if you like the description, I say go for it.

Edward and Fiona met and fell in love and wanted to get married. Everything seemed like a young person's dream until Edward heard of his cousin's wife's death. His cousin the Viscount who married a shop girl who the ton ate alive and she just couldn't take their insults. Oh yes Edward is a Duke but pretty sure he was pretending to be just a young man and broke it off with Fiona before she could get hurt by his contemporaries. This and a scandal from his father forces his attitude and personality to be very rigid and family first.

Fast forward 5 years and Fiona is attempting to find a manufacturer for her new invention and gets arrested while attending a rally for equality, as you do. Edward is told of it and bails her out then is forced to keep her or him actually since she was dressed as a man paroled at his house until the trial.

What fun can ensue when she is dressing as a man trying to get backers for her project wanting no help from him who she is not happy she is stuck with. His brother and sister are the best as they fall for the ruse, then assist when things get tricky with her father who is getting into all sorts of trouble.

I enjoyed when Edward finally let loose lol. But whatever happened to the Dowager Duchess? Is she off licking her wounds somewhere, she was a nasty bit of fluff. I can't wait to read about Charlotte, Edward's sister's story.

Read If You Like:
🔥 Forbidden romance
🔥 Strong Steminist Women
🔥 Forced proximity 

Thank you @readforeverpub for the gifted copy!

4.5 stars!!

I loved this. I read it all in less than 24 hours and now I’m annoyed I have to wait so long for the next book in the series.

Edward and Fiona were so wonderful together and the peak we get in the epilogue at how their relationship is handled by society is great. I have never wanted a person to have a work-life balance more than I did for Fiona.

I love the big gesture Edward made at the end and his respect for Fiona’s boundaries as they were overcoming their issue.

Read for
- Second chance romance
- Woman in stem
- Cute and Fuzzy siblings relationship
- Forced Proximity
- Grumpy but not for you hero

There was a bit of inaccuracy I think, in the use of the f word and one other thing I can’t remember but overall really great!

I cannot wait to read Charlotte’s book. The only thing I didn’t really like was the way William’s character was handled towards the end— I’m sure it’s setting something up down the line but I was still sad about it.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review! All thoughts are my own!

An amazing story! This is the second book of “Rebels with a Cause” series and Samara Parish has created a breathtaking second chances romance. The MCs are Fiona McTavish and Edward Stirling, Duke of Wildeforde, we were introduced to these characters in How to Survive a Scandal, and now this book allows us to really get to know them. I loved both MCs which is unusual 😉 —

Fiona McTavish is an engineer, a chemist, a rebel—and no one’s idea of a proper lady. She prefers breeches to ballrooms, but her new invention—matches—will surely turn as many heads. There’s just a little matter of her being arrested for a crime she didn’t commit. And the only person she can turn to for help is the man who broke her heart years ago.

Edward Stirling, Duke of Wildeforde, will do anything to restore his family’s name and put his father’s scandalous death behind them. But when Fiona needs his help getting released from prison, he can’t deny her—even though it means she must live with him as a condition of her freedom. With the desire between them rekindling as fast as the gossip about their arrangement is spreading among the ton, Edward will have to choose what matters most to him—his reputation or his heart.

***
With a ruthless mother, the pressure of the dukedom, managing his younger brothers (William) frequent shenanigans, and trying to help his sister find a suitable match, Edward Stirling is pretty miserable as the book begins. He has only loved one woman in his life and yet he gave her up to protect her from the haute ton and to find a bride society would accept as his Duchess. He has given up the thought of happiness and explains his expectations as:

“I’m looking for a wife who is content with managing my house and bearing my children, and won’t desire any more from me.” Someone with no further expectations.”


If only Finley … I mean Fiona hadn’t come back into his life, he may have succeeded in living miserably ever after!

This story is just a perfect feel good romance! I read this book straight through instead of sleeping for work the next day and I didn’t want the book to end!!

I can’t wait for the next books in the series and I really hope we get William’s story — I have a feeling there is much more to him than meets the eye!

Overall rating 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 a high recommendation and definitely a top contender for 2022 ❤️

Five years ago, Edward broke Fiona's heart. But after she's arrested on false charges, he's the only one she knows who can help her. He's a duke, after all, even if she's not duchess material. She's a chemist and an entrepreneur. Scandal would ruin her chances of bringing her product to market. But what will it cost her to place her fate in the hands of a man she once loved?

This is a gritty novel with a tense plot and strong characters. Edward is principled and Fiona fierce—sometimes to the point of foolishness on both their parts. If you like Cinderella stories, this one is a good choice.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

We love a lady scientist + aristocrat pairing as much as the next romance reader, especially when they fall for each other for their ~inner selves~, not the outer trappings of wealth. This one is well-written, sexy, and has an additional overlay of girl-dressed-like-a-gentleman/forced proximity (she has to stay at his place because a judge ordered her to in her male persona, not realizing the impropriety of it all). There are also quite a few nods towards social justice. Fiona's contributions to science are often overlooked because of her gender, while the utility of her inventions is also downplayed because they are only useful to "housemaids" and won't turn a profit.

Note that the conflict relies on miscommunication - and A LOT of it. We were absolutely frustrated and furious at certain points in the book when one party or the other would think, "I need to tell my lover this VERY IMPORTANT FACT, but it can wait until later..." NO, IT NEVER CAN, FIONA! That said, the book was charming enough that the miscommunication didn't ruin the reading experience.

Before starting the book we want to give you a little heads-up about the CW - there is a suicide at the beginning of the novel that influences several characters' choices going forward, in case that has an impact for you.

This is the second book in the Rebels With a Clause series but can fully stand on its own. I have not read the first book in the series and did not feel lost at all. It is a second chance romance between Fiona McTavish and Edward, the duke who left and broke her heart five years ago. When the pair meet again Fiona is in legal trouble and masquerading as a boy. The pair are forced into close proximity and rekindle their romance.

This book did not work for me and I really wanted it to. I kept hoping it would get better and there would be teasing glimpses of something that would have been really good, but it never reached there. There was a distinct lack of strong emotions between Fiona and Edward. The only time their relationship grew and it seemed they were actually attracted to each other were during the intimate scenes. The thing with second chance romances is that we need glimpses into the past and there was nothing. There also needed to be a lot more longing. On top of this the book had some serious plot holes and at times the characters were just painfully stupid. To be honest the best and most interesting characters were Edward’s siblings. I don’t know that I will be returning to this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and Forever for the gifted copy.

Things I loved about this book:
Exceptional grovel by the Hero
Intelligent hard working Heroine
Chemist Heroine
Second chance romance
Edwards siblings - loved them

Fiona McTavish has had a very hard life, but she is one of my favorite kind of heroines. Intelligent, wears breeches, hard working, just wants to be able to support herself financially.

Edward is one of those heroes that you want to shake some sense into. He was more focused on correcting his families image. Definitely made a high handed decision for Fiona and himself in the past, but I can definitely get past it with his reasoning. Communication would have been slightly more acceptable.

I can’t wait to read more in this series. Especially Williams book (oh please let there be a book for him!)

This is the second in the Rebels with a Cause series. I read as a stand alone but characters and relationships were alluded to that must have been in from "How To Survive a Scandal". I would have benefitted from some recapping or reading them in order. Five years earlier Edward Stirling, Duke of Wildeforde wanted to marry Fiona McTavish a common Scottish girl but family duty makes him break off with her. Fiona is a chemist and has created sulphur match sticks. She's come to London to try and finalize her patent and get distributors for her product. Of course her way is blocked because she is a woman. She manages to get arrested at a protest while dressed as a man (it sort of makes sense) and her footman makes his way to the Duke who gets her placed in hopes arrest at his home.

The situation is complicated as she decides to continue to go out as a man to try and market her matches. She meets the Duke's sister Charlotte who insists Finley (Fiona) must accompany them dancing and attending parties. This all should have felt a lot more fun that it was. Edward's fear of scandal because of the unexplained actions of his father is perplexing. As is his fear of his overbearing mother. The romance when it was the focus of the plot is nice but there is too much miscommunication and I didn't get their chemistry other than being told the sparks flew five years ago (they were not intimate then).

Overall I felt the plot was too complex with the duel identities and so many other issues the book. And I really didn't love either of the main characters or their connection. Fiona would have been able to sell her matches if she allowed the Duke to accompany her as a woman but her pride wouldn't have it. The story could have benefitted from some humor. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Samara Parish’s debut novel, How to Survive a Scandal, so when I saw the next book in the series, How to Deceive a Duke, I knew I had to read it. And I’m glad that I did!

How to Deceive a Duke follows Fiona and Edward. Both characters had a secondary role in How to Survive a Scandal, and now it’s their turn to find their happily ever after.

Fiona is a common-born Scottish lass with a passion for chemistry and comes to London to sell her new invention—matches. However, a run-in with the law places her in the path of Edward, the man who broke her heart.

Several years prior, Edward fell in love with Fiona but broke things off because he didn’t think she could survive the pressures of being his duchess. But now that they’ve been thrown back together, the sparks are still there, but they aren’t sure what their future holds.

Edward was your pretty typical historical romance hero. He’s a peer, autocratic when it comes to his family, but he also loves very deeply—even if he doesn’t show it to anyone. His father died in a scandal, so Edward’s determined to keep his family out of the gossip rags. Falling in love and marrying Fiona is just the kind of scandal he wants to avoid, but he also can’t help loving her.

Fiona was the star of the book for me. She was unique, headstrong, independent, but also loyal and loving. I adored that she was a chemist and determined to break gender roles to patent and sell her matches. And even though she came up against roadblocks, she was resolved to make a better life for herself and not depend on a man. She also has flaws, like being reckless running around London masquerading as a man, but she ultimately grows. Her development was so fun to read and kept me turning the pages.

Was the book perfect? No. But I was sucked into the story, and I laughed, and I cried, and I can’t ask for much more in a book. I’d highly recommend How to Deceive a Duke to fans of second chance romance and historical romances in general. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Solid historical romance. I enjoy hr that’s a little unconventional and a stem heroine that dresses up as a man, attends riots, is jailed, and still has time for scientific discoveries is right up my alley!

-Second chance romance
-Stem heroine
-Family dramaaaa omggg
-Heroine in disguise
-Class differences
-Great steam

Thank you, Forever for the ARC of this book!

As soon as I started this book, I just got so scared. I really liked book one and didn’t even read the summary for How to Deceive a Duke. I knew I’d read it no question. So when I started and the tropes were not my tea, I still held hope that I would be surprised. Well… I was surprised alright. Surprised that this book fell into every hole the main tropes leave open, without fail. It even found more to stumble down.

1. I dislike heroes who have to save their family name and are so “honorable.” Family must come first, we must be perfect, yada yada yada. I get familial loyalty to an extent, but Edward took it to an extreme for reasons I’m still not quite sure of.

- We never got a concrete answer as to why the father was so depraved. And why Edward was called depraved at school. Was his father just a cheater and a rake? I don’t know. Because being a cheater and a rake was very common at the time and wouldn’t have made any major waves. There’s one other dates concept I can think of. I don’t know why this book didn’t spell it out. It was a HUGE inciting incident for our hero and it was majorly wishy washy.

2. Since Edward was so “loyal” to his family and self righteous, he majorly hurt Fiona at the beginning of the book and made decisions for her without her knowledge or input. He left her a letter breaking everything off, went back into her life four years later, left without a note that time, and then our story starts at year five. I just hated that he let his mother win, I’m sorry I get he needed to grow but there are so many other tropes and motivations that I enjoy better.

3. What’s worse though, is that his wench of a mother was behind it. She made a refrain about suffocating under the scrutiny of society, referencing how Fiona, a commoner, would not acclimate to life in the ton. (Because her mother and her friends made a shop girl who married up k*** herself.) Why Edward didn’t send her to America to rot is beyond me. He was a duke but she was pulling all of his puppet strings for far too long. He kept repeating the mother’s refrain to justify his actions. But of course he would never tell Fiona that. He was the one choking on those words. It’s also very unbelievable Fiona would not have succumbed to the gossip.

- We all knew that since the mother had written in to the papers about a betrothal he hadn’t committed to once before, she’d do it again. He, being so holy and perfect, couldn't just say no my mother is a gargoyle I won’t be treated like a child. So we wait all book for this to happen because he keeps saying “I won’t let her” but never takes action. So when she does do it, you’re almost on her side because at least she’s smart.

- It is historically proven I do not do well with the terrible mother trope. I really don’t. They never get the proper justice. And by justice I mean punched right in the kisser. At best they get cut off and exiled or die off screen. Most of the time they just get told off once and slink away. Which is exactly what happened here. It was a great verbal lashing, but Fiona wasn’t there to witness it and it didn’t deal truly resolved. I don’t think she was ever on the page after that and the crimes didn’t fit the punishment.

4. When we meet Fiona again, she’s dressed as a man at a riot and throws a tomato that accidentally hits a guard. She is too thick to realize what a stupid and useless thing that was to do (a common theme). She’s surprised when it all goes to shit (a common theme). So she’s in jail on the brink of assault when Edward comes to her rescue. She goes on trial as a man. He doesn’t go in the courtroom to laud his ducal privilege because it would be obviously bad for his reputation. To be fair, he didn’t think she would be found guilty, but don’t you think you’d maybe just… not take any chances? He really kept monologuing about family first. So now Fiona is sentenced to house arrest at his home because his name is still needing to be used. People also know that he rescued her from jail so really, he wasn’t that stealthy.

- I think the implied “solution” to this plot hole is that Fiona wanted to stay as a man to sell the matches. The man who is also on trial and under house arrest but still traipsing about London ah yes. Idk get a different wig. Get a different idea. Get a clue.

5. It is at this point when I realized I just couldn’t believe what I was reading. Fiona McTavish gave the name Finley McTavish when arrested and signed documents F. McTavish. (First of all, give a fake name my GOD.) If she literally would have put her dress back on, she could have walked away squeaky clean back and lain low for a while. How many Finley McTavishes do we think existed? Truck loads. But no, she literally brings this character BACK TO LIFE while on house arrest while ALSO being Fiona in public as well. I’m sorry but people were BOUND to notice.

- All this book talks about is scandal and gossip so they didn’t think people would talk when he carried Fiona into the house after being hurt or Finley traipsing about trying to sell matches because she was too stubborn to admit it was dangerous and impossible? It sucks that a woman doing business was impossible but I’m sorry. It was. It was foolish and made me not care. There were other ways to tackle the giant rather than poke it in the fucking eyeball and scream “you’re ugly come eat me please.” I had zero sympathy for zero character by 50%.

- They were literally saying both of her “names” around London, in public. They lent credence to this Finley character. Or the fact that Fiona was there at all. Either pretend he’s a twin initially or buckle up because people want scandal. Then they had the audacity to be surprised when it all imploded! Royally! It racked on even more drama to the tally and I was… a mess.

6. Then at 50% we get another fun and favorite trope: the scheming woman hell bent on becoming a duchess but is also the perfect ruthless candidate. Miss Luella Whatshername makes her grand appearance with as much nuance as the aforementioned giant. She’s bad, a wench, and obviously going to team up with his mother. Again, I almost rooted for her because she was smart enough to recognize their idiocy. So many things were happening in this book and I simply couldn’t take it. Pick one of the many messed up things we have going on here, not all of them.

7. If that’s not enough, now we throw in Fiona’s terrible father who is just as bad as we know he’ll be. He does stuff that Fiona hides because of course she does. She endangers people and makes even more foolish decisions. She keeps talking about how it’s so hard to keep lying when… she didn’t need to start.

- These characters acted for or because of someone else this entire book. They were never doing what they wanted until it was absolutely too late for me to care.

8. The book tried to go in a fun direction with Fiona teaming up with Will and Charlotte (Edwards younger siblings) but it just sullied an already extremely messy situation. Fiona and Will were supremely ridiculous as a giant screw you to Edward, which in turn severely changes the course of Will’s life. All three of them (Fiona, Will, and Edward) were to blame for the monstrosity that was Edwards reaction. I can’t believe what happened happened on top of everything else already mentioned. I am so tried just remembering it all.

- I also didn’t like how the Scottish accents were written. It reminded me of Bethany Bennet’s first book, where I was so caught up trying to sift through the accent that I fell right out of the story. Maybe it’s a me thing, and I think it would have worked better as an audio, but it just felt so heavy handed. I know she’s Scottish but I also just really struggled reading her dialogue.

9. This really doesn’t function as a stand alone because it continuously references their past relationship, while barely telling let alone showing the chemistry there. I was severely lacking the chemistry beyond the bedroom scenes and a few miscellaneous quotes. I didn’t remember them being cuddly in book one, and a new reader definitely wouldn’t know at all. I needed either more of a refresh or less referring back to the past and relying on that to drive their lust for each other.

10. I will say though, Samara still had the witty humor and touches of what I loved about book one. I enjoyed when it was just Edward and Fiona with no talk of scandal or the past or family or matches or anything besides how they felt about each other. The intimate scenes were very well written and I’m so glad Samara was able to explore a steamier approach to the romance.

- If I could put the bedroom scenes and a few different “sweet nothings that were actually many somethings” into another book with a different plot, characters, motivations, etc. I would eat it up. I liked the romance, when it was able to take center stage in front of all the rest of the convoluted plot (didn’t happen much). The two stars are **only** for the romance developed in the intimate scenes. That being said, he never went down on her which was weird and we still had many teasing allusions to sexual acts that were never done on page.

11. The ending was also very abrupt. They all got knocked with so much sense, I’m not sure why they weren’t running naked down the street screaming about his holy lord and the enlightenment they just received via extraterrestrial probing. I liked what Edward did to “redeem himself” but both characters were irredeemable to me in different ways. Also poor Charlotte. I liked her. I hope I’m brave enough to read book three because I still have hope.

Overall, I like Samara’s writing but this was such a miss for me. I was sad reading and sad writing this review because I really wanted to love it. I could have stopped reading, yes, but the publisher kindly gave me a copy to review, and that’s what I was going to do. I also hoped it would somehow pull me back in, but we were always too far apart. Also why did the cover style change mid series? It is very very very frustrating. Nice cover for a different book.

⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5

CWs: Implied intent to SA main character by person in jail (nothing happened but she was stressed), the taking of one’s life, parental abandonment

How to Deceive a Duke is the second book in Samara Parish’s Rebel With a Cause historical romance series. I really enjoyed How to Survive a Scandal, the first book in the series, and was so excited to receive an advanced copy of this book. It’s a wonderful, angst-filled second-chance romance with layered and compelling characters and thought-provoking messages.

I love Fiona! She is intelligent and adventurous and so determined. She’s very headstrong, even when it’s to her own detriment or could potentially hurt others or herself. Edward devotes his life to his family’s reputation, and he takes his role as duke very seriously, often putting his responsibilities ahead of his desires. Edward is stubborn, and though his heart is in the right place, he makes decisions without consulting those affected, which comes across as bossy and domineering, especially to his siblings. He thinks he knows best, and he tries to protect those he cares for. Unfortunately, they see this behavior as controlling. I think his well-meaning actions and reserved demeanor are very misunderstood. However, he is also reticent to reveal his true feelings and emotions, which makes it difficult to truly know the whole man. The only one who has is Fiona. She sees the man she once knew and the man Edward now is, and even for her, it takes time to see all of Edward’s layers.

Fiona and Edward are both so staunch in their beliefs and feelings about life and each other. Yet, the more time they spend together, the more they begin to see the other’s points of view. He realizes the world isn’t as black and white as he always thought, and she sees his diplomacy and less assuming ways of obtaining similar goals as her. And their relationship is filled with so much swoon-worthy angst! This is a couple that wants to be together, but they know too much stands in their way. Social expectations, family obligations, her desire to be independent, and her lack of desire to be a duchess, and his fears keep them from committing to each other. They are opposites in many ways, and I love how she shakes up his life and brings some happiness into his world. They have such great chemistry, and I think part of it is because she’s the only person that doesn’t immediately listen to and obey him. She does what she wants regardless of the fact that he’s a duke and she is a commoner and a woman, even going as far as posing as a man to get what she wants. And I love how Edward follows along with some of her ruse. Theirs is an interesting dynamic, and Fiona continually challenges the social norms forced upon her. She calls Edward out on his hypocrisy and the hypocrisy of the social elite. I also like that she makes him more aware of the inequity of these norms and how they affect her, and other women’s, livelihood, chance of independence, and voice.

Charlotte and William, Edward’s siblings, are fantastic additions to the story, and I’m eager to see more of them in future books in the series. I believe the next book focuses on Charlotte, and I can’t wait. Like Fiona and Edward, Charlotte is layered and complex, and I love her dynamic personality, optimism, and effervescence. William is a prankster and a bit immature, but he is also fiercely loyal. As much as Edward shows Fiona what love is, Charlotte and William show her what family is, and this is something that has been lacking in her life. They make her feel like she belongs, and they bring her into their fold both as Finley and as Fiona. Their unequivocal acceptance touches Fiona deeply, and I love the powerful bond they forge.

The plot revolves around Fiona trying to get backing for her invention, which leads to some frustrating, disheartening, and sometimes dangerous situations. Edward, his siblings, and Fiona’s business partners support Fiona’s endeavors. However, when she attempts to gain a patent and get backing, she is constantly refused, discouraged, questioned, or not even considered because of her gender. The messages about sexism are really strong and poignant. Though she is brilliant, she is often discredited because she is a woman. It makes you think about all of their women with vast potential who were silenced before they were even able to show the world their capabilities. I love that Fiona forges her own path, rejects tradition and societal norms, and fights to be treated as an equal regardless of her gender, social expectations, and prejudices.

Messages about the inequitable treatment of people depending on their social status are also explored, as are themes of prejudice, revolution, and being true to yourself regardless of what others think. These themes are especially prevalent as Fiona is arrested, imprisoned, and suspected of a crime she didn’t commit. It’s also quite noticeable when introduced to some of the spiteful and elite antagonists of the story. I found all of the themes really thought-provoking and insightful and felt they added a lot of depth to the story.

I enjoyed this addition to the Rebels With a Cause series. The characters are fantastic, the messages are strong, and the romance is angsty and filled with yearning. Plus, the main character is a female inventor with an affinity for science! Though it’s the first book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone, and I would definitely recommend it to readers of historical romance. Special thanks to Forever Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I was lucky enough to read the first book in this series, How to Survive a Scandal, and I loved it so I knew I had to get my hands on the second - and I'm so happy I did! This book really showcased the author's writing style and skill in my opinion. It's centered on Fiona McTavish and Edward Stirling, both of which we met in the first book. It can be read as a standalone, but is also a nice continuation for the series.

Fiona was SUCH a great character. I'm so excited she got her own book as I loved the glimpses we saw of her in How to Survive a Scandal. Fiona is fierce and fearless, intelligent, brave, and resourceful. This book really showcased her talents and I loved getting to know her more. Edward I also ended up loving, but I do have to say he wasn't my favorite at first. I feel like it took so long for him to finally decide to put Fiona first over reputation, but there were many moments between the two that made up for this.

The plot itself was great, with many twists and turns that I never saw coming. It was unique and interesting, and ended up being a quick read. I really liked the Duke's brother and sister and hope to see a book for each of them in the future - would love to know what becomes of them! Overall, another great read by Samara Parish and I'm looking forward to what comes next in the series!