4.5 Stars

What a mystery!!

This story brought two wonderful characters together on a mission that ended with a bigger scandal than their HEA! Lady Rosalind and Ned have a marvelous partnership. They also create a sense of trust very quickly leading them to share parts of their lives with each other never before shared. The listen and value each other which is new for both of them.

The secondary characters, on Ned's side are so charming and eager to meddle, out of a deep sense of love and loyalty. The men in Rosalind's family are arrogant, selfish, self I centered and loathsome and only want to rule over her. Thankfully, we spend the majority of the time with his group. They help with the mystery and aid in the HEA. I especially enjoyed seeing Rosalind give them a dressing down and showing them a deeper appreciation of Ned.

There were family surprises, good and bad, that had me gasping. The good was a long time coming and tender. The bad was epically wonderful in its comeuppance. I enjoyed the journey so very much. There are parts of this series I have missed and I plan to rectify that immediately. Ms. Burrowes has always created deep and thoughtful characters and this is another example of her skill. You will enjoy the journey and celebrate the HEA with a fist pump and little cheer!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Reviewed by Lisa Ringsby for Buried Under Romance

This is the 7th book in a series, but I was able to read it as a stand alone and kept up with the characters and storyline just fine. Lady Rosalind is a lady growing older without any prospects and often looked over because of her intelligence and her audacity to have opinions that she voices. Ned Wentworth is an adopted man with a very questionable background that works at the family bank. Rosalind seeks out Ned at the beginning of the story because two servants go missing and she is worried about them, and hopes that due to his colored past Ned can go places she cannot and can help her find them. As the two work together to solve the mystery of the missing ladies, they find themselves enjoying each other’s company. I enjoyed watching each character struggle to realize they were worthy and deserving of love and someone to care about them. There were some fun surprises at the end that contributed to a great happily ever after for one of the characters that I really enjoyed. This was a quick easy read. I received an ARC from netgalley and this is my honest review.

Grace Burrowes has quickly become a new favorite author for me and this book was just the icing on the cake. I really loved seeing the other members of the family and see what has happened since they had their own books. Especially Stephen as he was a favorite, now he and Ned are holding that spot.

Ned and Rosalind are on the case of a missing young woman. she was Rosalinds maid and seems to have vanished into thin air.. Everytime they meet to discuss what new information he has discovered they grow closer.. They begin to confide in each other, things they haven't ever told anyone else, and it becomes clear that they are falling in love and are ment for each other.. I loved watching them fall in love, and learning about all things they overcame to become the amazing people they are today.
They mystery was very good, I didn't have any idea who was behind what was going on until it was revealed and I like that it didn't overshadow the romance.

I can't wait to see what new things Grace Burrowes will come out with next! In the meantime Ill be rereading this series from the beginning and whatever backlisted book I haven't read yet.

Grace Burrowes is one of my top ten favorite authors. She brings another delightful, witty, and romantic story for her readers to love in Never a Duke. Enjoy!

Never A Duke by Grace Burrowes

I am long time Grace Burrowes fan, she was one of the first authors I tried and connected with for Historical Romance. I still remember stumbling upon her first Wydham novel, and then spending the ensuing weeks reading all of their stories.

I love many things about her writing style – but some of the things I’ve come to count on, and that she has once again delivered, are the historical bits woven into the story world, the great banter, complex family dynamics, a slow building romance, and a great flow to her story that keeps you flipping the pages for more.

This particular read is the 7th and final installment in her standalone Rogues to Riches series – it definitely provides the detail needed and stands as it’s own story, in fact the only other of this series I’ve read so far is the 6th book. This series follows the Wentworth ‘family’ and relations, and I honestly cannot wait to start from the beginning and spend more time with the Wentworths – I was sad to come to the end of the book.

This story revolves around Ned Wentworth, past criminal and adopted by the Duke of Walden into his family, and the spirited and opinionated Lady Rosalind Kinwood. Brought together by the sudden and unexplained disappearance of her lady’s maid – Lady Rosalind seeks out Ned’s assistance given his origins and connections.

The story was an intriguing one, filled with a slow building romance, two relatable and worthy leads, and a mystery that spans the book. I enjoyed the characters, world and the mystery that was woven within. I was very pleased with the progress of the story and with the ultimate outcome – and so happy to see Ned find his HEA. I look forward to starting at book 1 and reading the other Wentworth love stories soon. Fans of the genre and books the like of Manda Collins’ Lady’s Guide will definitely enjoy this new offering.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for an exciting peek at an upcoming new title. All opinions expressed are my own and freely offered.

I am a devoted fan of Grace Burrowes. She writes the characters who are historically accurate - but still entirely relatable. Ned was very young when we first met him - but given what he lived through as a child - he was much older than his years. He's all grown up - but still trying to find his place in society and in his adopted family. Rosalind was born into the aristocracy as the daughter of an Earl - but has also had a difficult family life. After her mother's death she struggled with a speech impediment and feelings of abandonment. Not to mention bullying. When her maid disappears and no one is interested in helping her - she reaches out to Ned to see if he will step in where others can't or won't.

Seeing Ned and Rosalind find each other and understand each other in ways their families just don't is just delightful. Every book in this series has shown that even those closest to us don't always understand us fully and often have trouble reconciling the person we are now vs the person we were as a child. For me the most touching and lovely parts of the book really involved Ned and Quinn - the duke who took Ned out of Newgate with him so long ago. Quinn and his Duchess truly see Ned as a son - and watching him move forward in this stage of life isn't easy for either of them (and particularly not for Quinn) - but watching their unwavering support for him was just wonderful.

I am sad to see this series come to a conclusion - I'll miss this family almost as much as I still miss the Windhams.

I received this as an ARC, but these opinions are all my own,

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review. I am familiar with this author and always enjoyed her books. As a fan of this author, I have reread her books on many occasions – they have a sweet quality to them which pulls at your heart and you become vested in the family. I was exciting about getting this book whereas I have read previous book in this series Rogues to Riches – so I am familiar with the cast of characters. That said – I did enjoy this book. I did like the interaction between Ned and Rosalind. Rosalind asks Ned’s help when another of her maid goes missing. They investigate the disappearances. I think they make a good couple and like the mystery about the maids. Overall, the book was good. But as someone who read this series, I felt it was missing the something and the ending too rushed and tied up quick. It is still a good standalone book and worth getting to know this author. I would recommend this other people because this author is good, and series are enjoyable to read.

I read this having not read any of the previous books in the series and was immediately lost. This book can’t stand on its own, there are too many details and characters from previous books that’s are assumed and never explained. It’s therefore confusing trying to figure out who everyone is amongst Ned’s family. The plot about the abducted ladies moved too slowly and then ending was fairly predictable.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

As a child, Ned Wentworth was lucky enough to find himself pseudo-adopted by the newly titled Duke of Walden, released from Newgate, and with a family. Years later, he's a successful banker at Walden's bank, treated as a member of the family, but the ton will not let him forget his urchin roots. Because of this, he doesn't expect any society lady to want to have anything to do with him, so Lady Rosalind Kinwood, daughter of an earl, turning up on his doorstep, asking for help, is a shock to say the least. Her maid has gone missing, and she knows Ned has the connections to help find her, but neither of them expect to uncover the hidden plot, deep within society, which might even have ties closer to home.

I have loved each and every book in this series, which I picked up on a whim from my local library, and wanted to see if Ned had a happy ending. We met him in book 1, My One and Only Duke, and each meeting since, he has come on leaps and bounds, but always been someone not quite a member of the Wentworth family. I don't think I had ever expected how separate he felt until we saw his own thoughts on the page in Never a Duke. Lady Rosalind was a joy. She was bullied by her family and treated as less simply because of her birth, and with Ned, it was like the first time someone saw the real Rosalind, and didn't dismiss her thoughts or feelings. Meeting the larger Wentworth family helped her gain confidence too, and she really grew over the course of the book. Both of the couple are so self depreciating, and neither felt they were good enough for each other, but I'm glad they realised their self worth, and that they had the love of the Wentworth's, if not Rosalind's own family. I'm not sure if this is the end of the series, but if it is, it was the perfect ending!

Ah, I haven't picked up a Grace Burrowes novel in some time but after reading this, I remember why I absolutely love her writing - the style, the dialogue, the romance, the atmosphere. Never a Duke is a part of a series that I'm woefully behind in, but this title can absolutely be read as a standalone. Once again, we've been handed a sweet and entertaining escape to Regency England and by the end of the book, I'm left with wistfulness and delight.

Feisty Rosalind has never attracted a man who wants to marry her for her personality. When maids go missing, she realizes that something is wrong. She asks the street smart Ned to check into it. Working together to solve the mystery, they find they are very compatible. Though I have read the other prior books in the series I did have trouble trying to remember the other character’s stories. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my honest review.

This was my first Grace Burrowes book and I enjoyed it. Ms. Burrowes is a very good writer. The beginning was a little slow going for me but it definitely picked up at the end. I really liked the romance and mystery combination, it worked well!
I have to say that while I enjoyed the book it would have been better if I read the first 6 books. There were so many characters and I kept getting them confused and I couldn’t remember who was married to whom. If I had read the other books I don’t think this would have been an issue.

This is the 7th in the Rogues to Riches series but it reads as a standalone. I think reading the previous books would help in getting to know the supporting cast, because they okay a large role. Ned’s backstory-currently a banker adopted by a duke’s family who grew up as a street urchin- is established quickly. He meets Lady Rosalind who needs his help to find her second missing maid. She’s hoping Ned’s low connections will come in useful in finding her.

Rosalind has a reputation for being irritable, outspoken, and unlikeable. She can give it as good as she gets it and, to her surprise, Ned can go toe to toe with her. Ned is a beta hero, mild-mannered but competent and confident. They have a rapport but I didn’t feel like they had great chemistry.

The romance needed more build and the mystery progress was too slow for me. Part of the problem is that we were told a lot of what Rosalind was feeling rather than have it shown to us. It was often hard to connect with her and her motivations. Ned’s tragic backstory didn’t come as a surprise, but his family’s resolution seemed completely out of the blue.

It was obvious to me who was behind the abductions, if not the why. By the halfway point I was bored with the slow pace the of mystery. The language is Heyer-esque, with more cant and slang than I enjoy. A few phrases were so off either by fact or feeling and that it drew me out of the story.

“She’s said to be worth ten thousand a year.” Men with an income are worth an amount per year. Women inherit or have a fortune settled on them. If the woman in question here has 10,000 a year, that would mean she has £200,000 invested, earning her %5 a year to get to 10,000 pounds a year. She just has a fortune of 10,000. If this detail is wrong, what else isn’t right?
3.5 stars I received an ARC from NetGalley

I love Grace Burrowes' books because she writes strong, interesting characters. Rosalind and Ned are no exception. This story was witty, fast paced and satisfying.

"Never a Duke" is the seventh book in this series by Ms. Burrowes. This is the story of Ned Wentworth and Lady Rosalind Kinwood. I was delighted to finally get this chance to read his story. Also, I was sort of on the fence with this book as it was a bit different from the others and had more of a romance suspense genre. Ned was orphaned at an early age and after helping the Duke, he was taken in as part of the family and made a Wentworth. This is learned from previous book in this series, and he has always been in the background. He has tried to fit the role of others…making himself known in the banking business owned by the Wentworth family.

In this story, Lady Rosalind has requested the help of Ned, because of his prior life’s struggles and connections in a world that is unfamiliar and not open to her station. The request is assistance with finding a maid in her employ who has gone missing along with other maids. Ned is an honest hero who has integrity despite trying to rise above the sins of his past, but they still linger in rumors among the ton. Although both characters are likable, interesting, and highly intelligent, all romance went out the window early on when they first meet. It was hard trying to piece any chemistry between them and it felt a bit forced in places. They seem more of a conversational pair than having any type of attraction. I could not see her as a woman fitting Ned’s needs although he found her a breath of fresh air…chalking it up to both being opinionated in the views and somehow understanding each other’s wants and needs in life.

In my opinion, I don’t believe either character sees their own worth and this is drawn out in the story. They are honest souls who communicate well with one another about their feelings which I did like about their relationship. There was not a lot of angst and I so was looking for a steamy romance between Ned and Rosalind but alas, it was not there for me. This series delved into the lives of the Wentworth family who all have come from humble beginnings including their adoptee, Ned. This was a wonderfully written story of two people drawn together by a plot that had mystery, twists, and a surprised ending. A story also of broken individuals finding love and a HEA. Recommend the read. 4.5 Stars

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

As I read through the Rogues to Riches series I never thought of Ned getting his HEA. Ned is always loyal, always in the background supporting the Wentworth family, but in Never a Duke, Ned finds himself as the leading man involved in a mystery that brings him the romance he’s always deserved
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Several young maids have come up missing and Lady Rosalind asks Ned to help her find them. He revisits old haunts and uses his extensive informant network to find out who is taking these young women. Old secrets and memories return as well. While working together, Rosalind and Ned build the mutual respect that leads to esteem, that then leads to love.

Great ending for a great series.

There are triggers in this book because it deals with missing young women, poverty and its devastating effects, and human trafficking.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading the other books in the Rogues to Riches series, I was really curious about Ned’s story. Ned was introduced in previous books, and I always liked his character. Of course, I was eager to learn more about him, so I jumped at the chance to read this. In this story, Ned meets Lay Rosalind, who enlists his help finding several missing maids.

Rosalind is so different from the typical women Ned meets, and he finds her refreshing. Smart, self-assured, and willing to share her opinions no matter how unwelcome they are, Rosalind is devoted to many different causes, and Ned’s strong and liberal opinions very much coincide with hers. Ned asks Rosalind her opinions and thinks about what she says, wants, and needs. This is not something she generally experiences with the men in her life. Constantly ridiculed and insulted by her brothers and father, Rosalind has had a difficult childhood. I think this is why she is so taken by Ned’s thoughtful, kind, and supportive nature. The men she cares for have never treated her like a respected equal, and the more time she spends with Ned and his family, the more she sees how wrong her treatment has been.

Ned spends much of his life trying to be the person he thinks others want him to be. Proud and hard-working, he has made a name for himself in the Wentworth banking business. Though part of and wholly loved by the Wentworth family, he is constantly trying to prove himself to them. Ned needs to accept himself, but he struggles with guilt and trauma from the past. Ned is a good and honorable man who doesn’t see his own worth, and I love how Rosalind helps him through his emotional issues.

Ned and Rosalind have a wonderful romance. Something I really like about their love story is how honest they are with each other. They are not playing at anything, and there is no miscommunication. They both are pretty upfront in their feelings, and though there isn’t a lot of angst in their relationship, it progresses nicely and has many romantic moments. Outside obstacles stand in their way, especially Rosalind’s terrible father, Ned’s insecurities, and social expectations, but Ned and Rosalind are always honest and sincere with each other, which I loved!

The story is a romantic suspense, and the mystery behind the missing maids is intriguing with a few surprising twists and turns. This storyline, as well as Ned and Rosalind’s backstories, bring to light many of the issues that plagued England at the time including social disparities, prejudice, sex trafficking, poverty, illiteracy, abuse, and more.

This is the seventh book in the Rogues to Riches series, and though it could be read as a standalone, many of the characters from previous books in the series have prominent roles in this book, so I think readers would benefit from reading the other books first. There is some context provided, but I feel like it would be easy to become confused with the plethora of people and relationships introduced. That being said, this is a great read for people who enjoy historical romances with dynamic characters, a bit of intrigue, and a wonderful love story. Thanks so much to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I have some mixed feelings about this book. I've read a lot of Grace Burrowes, and I truly love some of her books, so I think I go in with high expectations. This one just wasn't for me. That is in part due to the fact that this had a "romantic suspense" element, which one of my least favorite romance subgenres. I enjoyed both of the main characters but the entire "where are the missing women" plot didn't really interest or excite me. Also, I would have liked some more steam. Those scenes might as well have been closed door for how traditional (and I hate to say it, boring) they were. I'm probably being harsh, but there were books in this series that really hooked me, and this just wasn't one of them. That said, if two characters coming together to solve a mystery together is something you typically enjoy, I'd recommend this one. Grace Burrowes is a great writer, and this is a good series; that doesn't change just because this particular book didn't speak to me. You don't necessarily need to read the previous 6 books before this one, but you'll probably benefit from having that backstory.

Our library doesn’t purchase paperbacks but they do receive donations of paperbacks. This is a book that I would purchase for myself to read and would recommend it to others. Story of Ned Wentworth, an orphan left on his own from a very young age. After helping a Duke he was taken into the family. Ned worked at a bank for the Duke’s family and also helped those that weren’t as fortunate. Lady Roslyn Kenwood needed Ned’s help to locate her lady’s maid who suddenly disappeared. As they were investigating they found out that other young ladies had also disappeared. This was a story of two people working together to get a positive solution. I enjoyed the book.

Never a Duke is a historical romance continuing the Wentworth family series, focusing on Ned Wentworth, adopted into the family after helping save head of the family when both were in Newgate. Lady Rosalind has requested his assistance in searching for missing maids, and based on the connection when they meet, he begins to aid her. Ned is introduced in the very first novel of the series, and he's a wonderful hero, and one of my favorite types: a controlled beta full of integrity. Ned is keenly aware of his background, and has spent his adult life trying to be above reproach even as he struggles with what he thinks are sins that he incurred trying to survive as a child, as well as the rumors that surround him despite his surname. Lady Rosalind unfortunately was a bit of a Mary Sue for me: the downtrodden daughter of an earl, treated shabbily by all members of her family. It felt too much as if Grace Burrowes was trying to will the reader into liking her by having Ned lists out all of her qualities instead of showing them. None of her characterization felt as if it held together, as if she would be the type of person to even send Ned a note in the first place. The chemistry felt so forced that the second love scene was really awkward to read. That said, the writing is very crisp and evocative of time and place.

Four stars because Ned was a wonderful character as a child and an excellent protagonist. (Five stars for the relationship between Ned and Walden, because that's the only time I felt my heart engage.)

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.