I voluntarily read Once Upon a Duke and am reviewing a copy of this book provided by the publisher, OrangeSky Audio, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would rate this book 3.5/5⭐
It's a cute Christmas-themed historical romance story following a Duke (Benjamin) and a lady (Noelle).
The storyline is mainly character-focused and introspective in the way we follow the main characters' thoughts and feelings for the most part of the book.

Benjamin and Noelle have a history together and mutual attraction but haven't seen each other for 5 years - until the moment Benjamin is required to go back to the small Christmas-loving town where he lost everything he once loved and face Noelle again. Will they be able to keep their feelings at bay?

Read this book if you like: historical romance, second chance romance, grumpy x sunshine, Christmas-themed story.

I enjoyed the narration by Rosie Ackerman, the accent was sometimes challenging to understand but she enunciated well.

#OnceUponADuke #EricaRidley #NetGalley #audiobook #Romance #OrangeSkyAudio

Cute Christmas book. I enjoyed how the author took names from A Christmas Carrol and used them in the book. I would call this a slow burn but when the romance started it exploded.

You never forget your first love and first betrayal. For the Duke of Silkridge both of these happened at his family home, the first by his grandfather who never forgave him for his mother dying shortly after his birth and the second was by the beautiful Noelle Pratchett who he kissed and then deserted without an explanation.

Five years after meeting Noelle, Benjamin is back to settle his grandfather's estate and finally receive the family heirloom he has been waiting for since his grandfather took it and refused to give it back. Before he can leave; however, his grandfather sets one more obstacle in front of him. Meanwhile, the beautiful and witty Noelle makes leaving and forgetting about her very difficult.

Once Upon A Duke is a clever Christmas tale about love and commitment. It's the story of family and how one person's perception can ruin a beautiful memory. It's the story of the past and the future and not letting the past destroy what the future can bring. Noelle is the perfect Regency character in that she doesn't care what she is supposed to do, she does what she can and is full of joy with everyone she meets.

This is the audio book edition of the story. The narrator, Rosie Ackerman, does a great job, but at times I have times understanding her accent. Still she makes the story very enjoyable.

#OnceUponADuke #EricaRidley #NetGalley #audiobook #ARC #Regency #Romance #RosieAckerman #OrangeSkyAudio #WomensFiction

Once Upon a Duke by Erika Ridley
12 Dukes of Christmas book 1. Historical romance with references to characters from historical Christmas characters. Second chance troupe.
Benjamin returns to his ancestral home for the reading of his Grandfather’s will. He only wants a locket but ends up staying to comply with the terms of the will. Noelle, as bookkeeper helps Ben while also trying to convince him that Christmas in Cressmouth is a wonderful place to live.

It’s a holiday story with references to Christmas characters that Noelle loves and Ben just wants to runaway from. As Ben and Noelle work together, their attraction reignites but Ben is adamant about going back to Parliament. He’s still hurt by the past and also knows that Noelle will never be accepted in society because of her abandoned orphan status.
A sweet holiday romance that all comes together in the epilogue.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version that was narrated by Rosie Ackerman. The performance was rich with humor and joy of the holiday season. Male and female voices were distinct and clear. I found the most conversational speed to be 1.3.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio. I also purchased a copy to keep.

This is a fun Romance to read around the holidays. If you’re into holiday historical romances and looking for something fast and light-hearted, this one is pretty good entertainment with a pretty predictable romance. The story mentions that there are 12 dukes of Christmas so I’m assuming there’s going to be 11 more stories to this series.

Be ready to get immersed into a town so into Christmas that they live and breathe it. A story that’s more about overcoming old family relationships rather than focusing on a couple with status differences (although it’s a reality for them). Overall, a quick read with a happy ending in the land of Christmas.

Ah, Christmas historical romance. Is there anything better? I listened to Once Upon a Duke on audio, and I really enjoyed the narrator. She did a good job bringing the story to life. This book is the first in the 12 Dukes of Christmas Series - It sets up our “always Christmas” town that is the backdrop for the series. For me there wasn’t quite enough Christmas spirit/holiday cheer other than happy townspeople. The story is short and sweet, and a good start to the series. I’ve read others further on and they get better as they go along, but I still enjoyed this one!

I truly wanted to love this one, as my second Erica Ridley novel after the high that was The Perks of Loving a Wallflower. Unfortunately...this just fell flat. I never got a good sense for why the main characters were destined to end up together...as the chemistry did not feel immediate or genuine. Nor did the chemistry seem to develop in any way for me.
I'm not sure if this was due to the book's length, at just 212 pages/just under 5 hours, but the story did not have enough room to grow with the characters or provide enough backstory to help me care about the relationship, town, and side characters. I'm still interested in continuing the series but this is off to a rocky start.

A partridge on a pear tree in Christmas!

I enjoyed this quick Christmas romance. It was a classic return after several years due to the death of a grandfather and reuniting with a love of the past. Even with the typical plot, the outlandish added challenge of having to get a partridge in the aviary was a nice touch.

I listened to the audiobook version and I think that the narrator did a great job at bringing out Benjamin and Noelle's personalities. She was very engaging!

This book was a good choice to get into the Christmas spirit!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.

This is definitely a nice historical Christmas romance. At first, I wasn’t too sure about the book and the story but it got better the further it got. In the end, the story turned out good and I loved the characters. The Christmas feeling was nice and I loved the ending.

The narrator of the book was enjoyable to listen to and I’m glad to have listened to this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy.

I think the narrator really made this book, she was just so delightfully enthusiastic.

I would definitely like to listen to the rest of the series, especially if they have the same narrator.

I think the one thing that bugged me was not knowing how the name of the village is spelled, since it's not included in the blurb! With something like that, that's obviously very similar to "Christmas" but not that, it'd be nice to know what it's actually called.

Overall, a light-hearted Christmas-themed romance.

Once Upon a Duke is a book full of Christmas chaos, in a good way! There are a ton of Christmas references that just make you smile. Benjamin is a cold unfeeling duke who is soft as pudding inside. Noelle is a caring and capable orphan who has found a home and family in her little town. They struggle to overcome the hurts that have been done to them and learn to love again. This is such a sweet Christmas story to get you in the holiday spirit.

The narrator is really good for this story, her voice is perfect to project the sweetness throughout the book.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and delightful read, if a little cheesy. Benjamin, now a duke, returns to his grandfather's mountain home for the reading of that estranged relation's will. Noelle, a beloved member of his grandfather's Christmas themed town, remembers Benjamin from before, and she also remembers his abrupt departure without a goodbye. Through this short story, Benjamin deals with his grandfather's final manipulation and learns to open himself up to the possibility of caring for another person again, while Noelle learns to see outside her narrow little world and believe in her own worthiness. If you're looking for a quick read to get you into the Christmas spirit, this is it.

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

The Duke of Silkridge is back for the reading of his Grandfather’s will and to get a locket that holds a painting of his mother. It was the only item he has of hers because he was blamed for her tragic death shortly after his birth. Noelle works on the estate and they knew each other as kids. They had a connection before he left and became estranged from his Grandfather. This is a fun second chance romance with a bit of enemies to lovers set in a picturesque village that celebrates everything Christmas. It’s an enjoyable and quick holiday read and wonderful narrated in audiobook form.

Thank you @NetGalley and @OrangeSkyAudio for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Erica Ridley writes really swoony, fun, and satisfying stories. I’ve read a number of her titles and have enjoyed each one, this was no different. I love a second chance romance story, and I love a historical royal second chance romance even more. I started this with snow on the ground outside, in my otherwise sleeping (my teens are homeschooled and like to sleep in) house on a quiet mid-November morning. I put two loaves of bread in the oven, made myself some tea, downloaded the audiobook, and settled in to listen.

What I noticed first - Rosie Akerman narrates this book and does a great job of it, giving each voice its own character and cadence, making them easy to differentiate. It’s an easy length and depending on your reading time you could easily finish this one in a day or over the course of a weekend.

Once Upon a Duke is one of Ridley’s older titles, written in 2018. One of the best things about reading books a few years later is a series might have more books, or even be finished. There are now thirteen titles in Ms. Ridley’s 12 Dukes of Christmas series. That’s thirteen royal Christmas tales just begging to be read. A bunch of titles waiting to be read in a series I’ve just begun and enjoyed are one of life’s true gifts.

The Duke of Silkridge is attending his estranged grandfather's funeral for only one reason: to get back the property his grandfather stole from him. But seeing Noelle again warms Silkridge's icy heart. When the terms of the ridiculous will force him to stay in town longer than expected, can the two find a second chance at love?

This book is adorable. I love that Noelle is strong, smart, and independent—and that she's valued for those qualities by the people of the village. Silkridge is a teddy bear underneath his hard exterior. I could relate to how his sense of loss affected his decisions.

The supporting characters are whimsical and delightful. I enjoyed the audio as well. If you're looking for heartwarming holiday romance, the 12 Dukes of Christmas series is a good choice.

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

This was super cute second chance romance with a sprinkle of enemies to lovers included.
This definitely puts you in the Christmas spirit and I enjoyed the town dedicated to all things Christmas.
Will be listening to this again closer to the holiday!

3.5 stars.

I remember reading the book a while back and was a fine read for me.

Was curious about the audio book. The narration was good and clear.

This is a review of the audio version of Once Upon a Duke. The story takes place in a town where all things Christmas are celebrated all year round, so this is clearly for Christmas fans. The pronunciation of the name of the town is very close to the word "Christmas", so the inhabitants have just started calling it Christmas. The reading of a will brings the Duke back to the town where his former paramour still lives, and they find they have both been pining for one another for all these years. The audio narrator was wonderful! She did an excellent job with all of the campy Christmas themes throughout the story and brought all of the characters to life.

A campy Christmas parody

This book was not for me. I can see a niche audience absolutely loving it. Taking out the innumerable Christmas references (like Tiny Tim and the partridge in a pear tree), I still wouldn't have liked it all that much. The entire story could have been maybe 2-3 chapters. It is very repetitive and some scenes are needlessly long.

I listened to the audio version, narrated by Rosie Ackerman. I did not enjoy the narration, either. Some voices were very annoying, most notably when the solicitor was speaking.

Overall, it just wasn't for me.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator for this book is excellent - her accent and intonation are spot on for the period and really brought the book to life. The story itself is festive and enjoyable, with some nice touches of humour. My only wish would be for a little more romance. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series.