Emma loses her journal and Malachi finds it. He wishes that it belongs to the beautiful blonde that he spent the night with.
He doesn't know that it is so
After a debut season plagued by scandal, Lady Emma Hardwick is ready to return to London, now with her young son in tow, and make a match. She's looking for someone respectable. Someone wholly unlike Malachi Harlow, the new Duke of Trenton and former ship captain, whose long hair and tattoos make him decidedly dangerous to her peace of mind.
Malachi would rather be at sea than in a London ballroom. But until he can sort out why the admiralty brought him home, he has to stay landbound. That becomes less of a hardship when he meets the beguiling Lady Emma, whose dimples and easy laughter capture his imagination. When they start receiving threatening notes, they realize that there's more to their connection than chemistry, and they'll have to work together to figure out why someone wants to ruin their lives.
This book is by Bethany Bennett who I am not sure I have read before.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.
This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Bethany Bennett has written another marvelous Regency Romance that keeps you entertained from beginning to end! First, This is third book in the Misfits of Mayfair series. I highly recommend reading these books in order. There is a big reveal in book two, and the characters and events of the previous books play heavily into this story.

The MCs in this story are Lady Emma Hardwick and Captain Malachi Harlow, the new Duke of Trenton, and these two don’t need introductions when they encounter one another, they already had an entangled encounter. 😉 Never fear though because this history allows their story to go from “Hello” to “I must have you” with actual emotion involved and not an insta-love! These two are sexy as hell so bring some extra panties!

This is so much more than a typical historical romance, so many layers and sub-plots, the story keeps you on your toes! I highly recommend this book and the series - you will love this group of characters from beginning to end! ❤️❤️‍🔥

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

📚I received a review copy of this book from the publisher and this is my honest unbiased review. 📚

Bethany Bennett has quickly become one of my favorite romance writers, and Dukes Do It Better was another great read from her! Overall, I would definitely recommend!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I’ve truly enjoyed every book and this one was no different. Quite a bit of the heroine’s backstory plays out in West End Earl so I think that should definitely be read first.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Emma and Malachi! Neither quite thought they’d be in a position to marry or be involved with anyone, Emma is a widow and Malachi has devoted his life to his ship and crew, but they can’t quite seem to stay away from each other after a previous one night stand.

There were quite a few subplots but I thought that kept it interesting and I really wasn’t sure what direction certain things were going to go! I also really enjoyed Emma’s son and the consideration they gave him when making decisions. It was also very sweet to watch Malachi bond with him.

An enjoyable read and end to an enjoyable series!

One thing that I do think is odd is the blurb doesn’t really fit the book very well, Emma is at no point searching for a husband, she’s in town for her nephew’s birthday party.

After a debut season marred by scandal, Lady Emma Hardwick relocated to Olread Cove as a widow to raise her young son away from the gossip of London. Captain Malachi Harlow, the new Duke of Trenton, would rather be at sea than in sipping tea during the season. But he's stuck on land until he can get the Admiralty to reinstate his command. When Emma and Mal reconnect after a one night stand, there's more to their connection than just chemistry.

This is third book in the Misfits of Mayfair series. I highly recommend reading these books in order. There is a big reveal in book two, and the characters and events of the previous books play heavily into this story.

This was an entertaining and engaging read. Bethany Bennett has a strong, fun authorial voice that comes through loud and clear! I love that the heroine was self-aware and calls her past-self a “a spoiled brat who made awful decisions and took advantage of everyone around her.” I didn’t love Emma in the previous books, so I’m glad to see she’s grown up.

I was also happy that Emma and Malachi had already had an encounter when the book began because it let their relationship evolve at a faster pace. Both characters had a lot of baggage with their families and their pasts. At first, I was worried that there were too many plot points with Emma’s baby daddy, Malachi’s commission and family secrets, Emma's seaside house, and a blackmail story involving the first two couples...but Bennett managed to weave them all together in such an interesting manner. The only thing I didn't care for was the side couple, Simon and Adelaide, who I felt took time away from the main romance.

Tropes: Ruined, "Widow," One Night Stand, Single Parent/Child as a Plot Point

Steam: 3

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #DukesDoItBetter #NetGalley

Bethany Bennett can do no wrong. As in her other books, I loved the continuous focus on issues of contraception, consent, and gender performance. This was perfectly paced and I loved the relationships with all the characters!

Dukes Do It Better is such an entertaining and sexy historical romance, and I really enjoyed the layered characters and the swoon-worthy love story!

When Malachi, a sea captain who, through his mother’s meddling, has just become Duke, and Emma, a young widow newly returned to London, had a one-night-stand months ago, they never expected to see each other again. So, when they bump into each other in London, they are both stunned. Neither forgot the wonderous night they spent together, and they can’t deny their feelings. When they receive threatening notes from someone with malicious intent, Malachi and Emma must work together to find out who is targeting them.

Bennett writes such layered and interesting characters, and I became really invested in Emma and Mal’s stories. Emma is such a good mother, and she’ll do anything for her son. She has a great relationship with him, and their tender moments together are some of my favorite scenes. Alton is such a sweetheart, and Emma’s devotion, determination, and strength in a society that judges harshly really stand out and say a lot about her. I feel like she’s matured and grown quite a bit since her first introduction in the series.

I love Malachi and have decided he shall be my new book boyfriend. New to the ton, Malachi is most comfortable at sea, and he has total pirate vibes going on! He’s sexy and funny and so unbelievably charming, and there are so many layers to him. His story is compelling, as he tries to reconcile his desires and his obligations. I also love his growing relationship with Emma’s son. Considering how awful his family is, it’s nice to see him experience more loving and warm relationships.

And the romance between Mal and Emma is filled with so much chemistry and longing! So, when they reconnect, the sparks really fly! Get a fan because the spicy scenes are hot!! Of course, many obstacles stand in the way of Mal and Emma’s happiness, including secrets, blackmail, conniving family members, a connection to a journal, and more. The blackmail situation is intriguing and forces Mal and Emma to face their past and decide what they want in their future., and I enjoyed seeing the pair work together and past their problems.

Bennett writes such fun and entertaining romances with the best love stories! Though it’s the third book in the series, I think this can be read as a standalone. For those that have read the first two books, you’ll see a lot of familiar faces! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

If you've been waiting for all the birds to come home to roost in Bethany Bennett's Misfits of Mayfair series....oh boy, do they ever!

Coming off the action in West End Earl (book 2 in the series), Emma's made a comfy life for herself in Olmstead Cove, away from the scrutiny of London. She's been raising her son as a single mother and taken up baking. But she's still chaotic ol' Emma underneath all that domesticity, having had a fling with Malachi Harlow, a naval officer (with pirate vibes) who becomes Duke of Trenton after the death of his brother.

This is a real bounceback from book 2 which was just ok for me. Along with sizzling romance, Bennett brings the drama this time with a extortion/payback plot that involves the whole crew -- Ethan and Lottie, Cal and Phee, and now Emma and Malachi. My one gripe is that despite Emma and Malachi's falling for each other, neither seem to have any confidence in the other and automatically assume the worst when things go bad.

I always love the modern sensibility in Bennett's brand of historical romance and the single parent plotline will resonate with a wide range of readers. Fans of Sophie Jordan should check this one out.

I have loved Bethany Bennett's previous books and this was no exception. It was fun and fast paced with just the right amount of heat, humor and suspense. Mal was everything I want in a hero and I enjoyed seeing Emma's growth from the previous book. This book is going on my keeper shelf.

I really wanted to like this one, but it just fell a little flat for me.

The one night stand, which is the starting conflict between our MCs is off page. I don’t mind that but it left the rest of the book feeling so off kilter. I would have loved to have seen even a snippet of their night together on page but all we get is inner monologue and retrospective contemplation about it. There were a lot of different plot points going on at once that left me rather confused. I just really struggled with this one. Maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace, but I just didn’t feel the chemistry between Emma and Mal. I got 40% in and kept wondering when their romance was going to pick up.

The writing was clean and I liked the characters and side characters. I just didn’t feel the romance between these two and was left confused about the overarching plot of the book.

This is book three in the Misfits of Mayfair series. While you dont have to read the first two books, to truly enjoy this one, it does add a little to the story to already be interested and invested, in these characters. In this book we finally get Emmas story. She was my favorite of the three misfits and Malachi was a swoon worthy hero! A great conclusion to the series.

Dukes Do It Better by Bethany Bennett
Misfits of Mayfair #3
Historical Romance
Publication Date: May 31, 2022

theobscureboleyngirl's review said there was a sexy pirate (who wasn’t technically a pirate who was also a Duke) and really I didn’t need to know anything more except that I had to read it.

Bethany Bennett is certainly right about one thing, Dukes Do It Better. Mal was one of the best love interests I’ve encountered in a while. A pirate (but not a pirate… this is an important distinction!) who desires just one thing, to be out on the open seas with his crew. Much to his dismay, his mother has pulled some strings following the death of his father and brother resulting in his return home and assuming his title as Duke. Emma has returned to London temporarily with her young son as a widow and encounters Mal, her former but never forgotten one-night stand, in the streets.

Sounds like a simple plot but this book has LAYERS; a lost journal, revenge plots, murder, grave robbing. It is jam packed with content and yet the events never feel forced and unfold at a natural pace. This book is fun but by no means ridiculous.

I do think if you are new to historical fiction or interested in dabbling in the genre, this book might be a good place to start because it kind of reads as a contemporary work if you take away the setting. There is exploration of the importance of family, independent females and for the most part a lack of focus on class distinction.

I have not read the previous Misfits of Mayfair books but I certainly will be now. Although I do think this book hints at previous storylines (more so than just spoiling who ends up together) so if you don’t want to be spoiled you may want to read the books in order of publication. However, I will be sure to report back soon on my findings.

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

This is my first time reading anything by this author, and despite the fact that I am starting this series at book three, I adored it! I didn't realize that I needed a pirate-like hero with tattoos this much, but BoY oH bOy did I ever!!! Malachi was just serving us Will Turner energy... like that part at the end of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End when Will is just about to set sail and him and Elizabeth have their *moment*.

I'll start with where the book lost a star: it was a bit confusing with all the different characters BUT that might just be because I haven't read the first two. However, when I pick up an HR, I like to have even somewhat of an idea as to what is going on with everything, even if I am starting the series smack dab in the middle, you know? Also, with historical romance, I just wanna read about our two main characters' love story, so I'm not necessarily interested in all the other stuff that feels added in for the sake of it, if that makes sense...

HOWEVER! I loved so much about this book. Malachi & Emma were a top tier couple. They really do have the hots for one another and it was absolutely fantastic. She's a single mum with a cute little son named Alton and Malachi is so good to him and it just made my stupid heart explode.

The historical atmosphere was excellent and the attention to historical detail made it so enjoyable to read. I could picture everything and EVERYTHING felt cozy and historical and sensual and oil-burning lamp ambiance-ical.

It's safe to say that I will be purchasing a physical copy of this book when it is released on May 31st! Need to have this beauty on my bookshelf.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC!!!

Utterly readable, utterly fun, Dukes Do It Better is book 3 in the Misfits of Mayfair trilogy, and I adored Emma and Mal and their story ❤️

Though I haven’t read either of the previous titles in this series, I didn’t feel overly lost, but there was enough mystery behind the words to definitely interest me in reading the other two stories.

How have I never come across any of Bethany Bennet’s titles before?? I don’t know, but now that I have, I can’t wait to start reading her back catalog.

Loved it. The best possible bonkers regency plots, with a bold heroine and a great pirate-y hero, and just fabulous chemistry all around.

Basically, our story revolves around two people who both have tons of secrets trying and failing to have an anonymous affair (after a supposed-to-be-one-night stand), because they keep encountering mutual enemies and also catching feelings.

Our heroine is claiming to be a respectable young widow - she actually got pregnant out of wedlock, fled town, fake-married her best friend’s dead brother, and built an entire false elopement history to keep her title and family assets intact for her kid to inherit. She’s badass in a hundred different quiet ways, and is trying to have a no-strings affair with a visiting sailor to blow off some steam.

Our hero is claiming to be a spotless navy veteran fit to inherit his late-brother’s dukedom - he’s actually basically a pirate, hates his family, resented the hell out of his seemingly-perfect brother, is being blackmailed by his own mother, and was all but disowned before that brother dropped dead. He is also, ironically, the moral center of the whole novel. And is trying to have a no-strings affair with the heroine, to blow off some steam.

They are both failing miserably at the whole no-strings thing, because it turns out they have: several mutual enemies, a shared mystery journal problem, a conflicting property claim, and a whole lot of feelings. (The epilogue adds nothing and is dumb and overly trite, but just skip it. You'll miss nothing!)

Bonus points: Great sex. With contraception! And sex toys! All of which are period-accurate!
(Regency romance needs like 100% more sex toys, as a genre. Historical people were so willing to make dildos of out of just about anything, and it's an oversight every time we don't take advantage of that!)

I really, really enjoyed this book. I thought both characters, were so well-drawn, flawed but right for each other. It was super sexy and fun with a little bit of mystery (which I just love), but also with some realism--Emma's parenthood felt most realistic to me, how much balancing she had to do. I think it is really hard to write romances with children but this was done so very well. Malachi is complex and interesting, and again, very sexy. The writing was just superb. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for letting me read early in exchange for an honest review.

I can't decide how I ultimately feel about this book, though overall it's quite readable. Third (I think) in a series, it can stand alone, though I think I would have appreciated it more had I read the previous novels.

Emma has secrets, lots of them, and that's supposed to drive much of the tale. The problem with that is that everyone close to her in her life knows all about them, making them not too secrety to anyone important except Mal, of course, at least initially. His big secret is that he has a journal of Emma's, and once he realizes it belongs to her--a woman he shared a single perfect night with months ago--he not only knows the worst of it, he realizes he can't let her get away again.

So they spend a good part of the book happily engaged in sexy times, and they also learn that they like each other out of the bedroom. Watching that element of their relationship grow was my favorite part. But the rest of the plot is cluttered with misunderstandings, secret codes, and blackmail threats--mostly to secondary characters--and Mal navigating his newly and unexpectedly inherited dukedom. Each on its own is interesting but, when read as part of a single novel, is choppy.

In short, the book is good, but not great, with the highlight being the personal connection between Mal and Emma.

I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

An encounter with a widow, Emma, finds seasoned sailor Malachi fascinated. When Malachi inherits a dukedom he runs into the widow again and decides to pursue her. Fighting off past experiences, they must learn to forgive and accept one another. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Forever for my honest review.

Although I’ve picked up the 3rd novel in what is apparently a series, Dukes Do It Better works well as a stand alone. In fact, this is an anachronistic historical romance that I actually really liked! When I read historical romance I don’t want a modern romance just dropped into a historical setting. Sometimes it takes me out when there are no rules for the women and no scandal or consequences within the ton. This book sort of straddles the line between the two. Honestly if it was less well written the anachronisms would bother me more (like is it POSSIBLE that a lady of the ton would commission her sister in law to make her a wooden dildo, sure. Is it *likely*???), but this was so sweet and I cared so much about the characters that I was able to buy in.

We pick up the story after Emma has already fled the ton and is living on the outskirts of society, so we miss a lot of the censure she must have faced before. Emma is a strong, brazen, well written character that is embracing honesty to make up for dark lies and deceptions in her past. Emma is also a really good mother. My favorite part about Malachi falling in love with Emma is that he falls so hard for her son too. It’s also been ages since I’ve read about a swashbuckling, pirate-type hero, so that was fun. Watching Malachi reconcile his love of the sea and figuring out how he would fit back into society as a duke was engaging.

This must be a great series, and while I’m notoriously bad about going backwards in a series when I accidentally start in the middle, I’ll definitely have Bethany Bennett in my future TBR pile.

I received a free copy of this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Received review copy.

There is a lot to love in this book. A widow whose circumstances are unique. A Captain who must assume the title he never wanted. A mysterious villain that ties the Captain to the widows brother & best friend.
There are several unexpected elements in this book and I enjoyed them immensely.