Self-made man Geoffrey Brookhouse has unexpectedly inherited the dukedom of Grenwood, but he's hiding a secret that could ruin his family. With the Season approaching, Geoffrey is desperate to find his sister Rosabel a respectable husband who can protect her if the worst should happen, but he needs help to orchestrate her debut. Enter Lady Diana Harper & her two sisters - Elegant Occasions
The three sisters started the business four years earlier when their family was rocked by the scandal of their parents divorcing.
This is the first in a new series & sets up the series very nicely. I enjoyed the book & look forward to the rest of the series but I didn't love either Geoffrey nor Diana as I felt that chemistry was lacking, yes they were attracted to each other but it wasn’t a toe curling romance. I enjoyed their banter & how the sisters transformed Rosabel but it was just so so. There were no edge of the seat moments even the great secret reveal felt a bit of an anticlimax. A light read which would make a good holiday read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I was so excited to get a copy of “A Duke for Diana” from NetGalley, because Sabrina Jeffries was one of the first romance authors I started reading and she holds a special place in my heart as a result.

Geoffrey, a civil engineer who has recently and unexpectedly inherited the dukedom of Gracewood, first comes across Diana and her sisters in needing help with his sister’s debut. Diana and her sisters have a party planning business, Elegant Occasions, that they agree to use in the planning of Geoffrey’s sister’s debut.

But of course misunderstandings ensue between Diana and Geoffrey and at the heart of the misunderstandings is a secret that Geoffrey has been keeping.

Beneath the pining between Diana and Geoffrey there is a lot of talk of understanding each other and they do go out of each others way to help the other. I loved that even when they first didn’t get along, there was a chemistry between them that they couldn’t ignore. 😉

I wasn’t expecting that mental health would be a topic of discussion within this book, but I’m glad it was. Even though mental health during the regency era of the book was minimal or nonexistent, it is important that characters know that someone else’s actions are not their fault.

4/5 ⭐️

Planning a debutante’s ball, making a first presentation before the Queen; how badly lit rooms really were with just candles or argand lamps, or my very favorite, chalking the floor also know as dancing out the chalk are all from scenes containing the fascinating historical details celebrated historical romance author Sabrina Jeffries is famous for including in her books.
Jeffries is the author of a number of outstanding historical Regency romances. A Duke for Diana (Designing Debutants #1) is the start of a new series featuring three aristocratic sisters who are the victims of a series of unfortunate events. Actually, the unfortunate events are the disgraceful choices and behavior their parents made, resulting in a rare divorce. Talk about the sins of the father (and mother) being laid upon the children. The ton quickly turn the sisters, Diana Harper, Verity and Eliza into persona non grata with invites drying up or the sisters being ignored at the few social events they attend.
Disgusted by the whole situation the sisters decide to take advantage of an opportunity presented to them and open their own consulting business, Elegant Occasions. Each sister shows particular flair and knowledge of a separate aspect of entertaining or rules of aristocratic behavior making them the perfect choice to throw a ball or turn a shy girl into a diamond of the first water… The aristocracy won’t welcome them to their social events but it seems as if there are a number of people who are willing to take advantage of their knowledge.
Civil engineer Geoffrey Brookhouse inherits a dukedom he didn’t not even know he was in line to inherit, that he had no wish to inherit. He travels to London from his home in Newcastle with his widowed mother and shy sister Rosalie, determined to give Rosalie at least one London season.
The ladies of Elegant Occasion agree to take on Lady Rosalie, but Diana insists Geoffrey learn to behave closer to his new position in life.
A Duke for Diana doesn’t really plow any new ground. The sparks fly, the duke has a dark secret, Lady Rosalie seems to fall for the wrong man. Not a problem, Jeffries can probably make a shopping list sound fresh, fun and funny.
The sisters are strong, daring women who decide to grab hold of their lives. They purposely set themselves outside of society by opening their consulting business, but they now mostly live by their rules.
The duke, and his little family are still in shock by the death of the Brookhouse father and husband and their ascension to the highest realm of the aristocracy.
A Duke for Diana truly is a love story. The love between family members; the romantic love between men and women.
Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC for review purposes.
PS Regency ballroom floors were originally chalked at balls for safety reasons. Then the Aristos started hiring chalk artists to chalk beautiful, whimsical designs. Dancing out the chalk was another way of indicating a ball’s success. There, don’t you feel smarter; with a fun tidbit to add to the conversation at your next dinner party.
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This must be a bad month for authors because this is the 4rth of my favorite read authors that did not meet up to their norm.
The heroine was one of a trio of sisters whose mother had eloped with her true love and their father divorced her. Divorce is extremely rare and causes the sisters to lose their suitors. The oldest had her husband go to war, the youngest had her almost fiance' cry off. The middle sister had been in her second season. After numerous snubs and cut directs, they were overheard critiquing the decorations, fashions and refreshments at a ball. A lady new to society overheard them, then asked to hire them to plan her ball in two weeks. The sisters were shocked at first, then realized this was their salvation, independence and future. Their father married another woman, but cut off their allowance when they all moved in with the married sister because her husband went off to war. They kept some of their exclusive fees for themselves, but had an orphanage and home for fallen woman to subsidize.
The hero is a civil engineer that had a duke in his father's family. The same father's family that cut him off when his father fell in love with and married his wife whose father was an ironmonger. The ironmonger grandfather raised him to take over the business even though his father said he needed to be a gentleman. His father passed away and a few years later, he was told he was the duke. So him and his sister and mother came to London for the Season, but they are so lost. So he hires the sisters to guide his sisiter and plan their clothing and entertainment until the sister has suitors. The sisters take the job on, but the middle sisiter, the heroine, takes on the challenge of the duke.
I liked the age gap of the characters, they were about 6 years apart. I liked the story and the way it read. But I did not get the spark between the main characters. It just felt too lackluster and a little trite. Like the hero gets mad because the sisters aren't waiting when he arrives at 10am because they are supposed to have business hours. He said he had an appointment for that day, so he just thinks he can walk in whenever he wants? And an appointment means date and time. Who says, hey I want an appointment for Friday, and I am just going to pop in, but I dont know when?. If he is a business man, he knows to set a date and time or let them know, I am arriving that day, what time is good for you? That didnt make any sense and I felt the whole premise was not very solid.
And I did not like the hero. He was an arse. He was beyond rude and condescending, and his self talk did not justify his actions.
I give this book 4 stars and recommend to read.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. This is the first book in a new series and I am already looking forward to more. I love the premise behind this book that three sisters through no fault of their own were ostrasized from the elite and decided to turn their knowledge into something useful. Not often you read about enterprising women start their own business in those days and making a success of it as well. I loved the chemistry between the three sisters, able to poke fun at one another, share inside jokes and at the same time totally have each other's backs. I also loved the dynamic between Geoffrey and Diana. Their push and pull with each other was entertaining throughout the book. I also enjoyed how Geoffrey had to learn how to navigate being part of the peerage having not grown up that way. This book was an entertaining read from start to finish for those who love historical romances and as I said above I am looking very forward to reading book 2 when it is released.

A Duke for Diana is the first book in the new series Designing Debutantes by Sabrina Jeffries. She brings you into height of the season in England.
We have the forward thinking sisters when finding themselves thrust into Scandal through no fault of their own they decide to thin their nose at normal rules relegated to a Lady to open Elegant Occasions. They provide their clients with services to navigate the social season, from fashion, food and decor. They chose to work with those they want to help.

Geoffrey Brookhouse, the well known civil engineer has unexpectedly inherited the dukedom of Grenwood. He is focused on launching his sister Rosy into society and securing her with a great match. He needs this to be a success and hopes to avoid secrets from the past that could cause everything to crumble to the ground. He engaged the services of Elegant Occasions and he has an immediate attraction to Lady Diana Harper. She is determined to make a success of Rosy and mold him into a more presentable Duke. Yet as they spend more time together or become more difficult to keep their attraction under control. And really what is all the bother about marriage, is passion really with all the trouble?

This is the first book by a new series with a very interesting premise. Three sisters whose lives are in a turmoil because their parents have their affairs and scandals are being shunned from society. Only one of the sisters is married, the other two are debutantes and will never have marriage proposals after the debacle. Not wanting to become governesses or become paid company for some old lady, they decide to unite their talents and fund a business together. The eldest sister is very good at arranging music sets, ballrooms and gardens. The second one, our Diana, is the fashion and style expert, and the youngest sister is a gourmet. This is how their “Elegant Occasions” consulting company is born. They’re no longer considered members of the ton but they will become very much needed as exclusive party and event organizers.

Three years later, the new duke of Grenwood, Geoffrey Brookhouse, hires the very successful Harper sisters to help his own sister, who is 19, have her debut. Geoffrey is a civil engineer whose father was cut off by his aristocratic family after marrying the daughter of a very successful iron master up north in Newcastle. Several relatives died and now Geoffrey needs to not only present his very shy sister into society but also learn not navigate London highest spheres himself. He wants to find a suitable husband for Rosy before the family secret gets revealed.

Geoffrey and Diana become very much attached to each other while she and her sisters help the Brookhouses find their place in society. Both the Harpers and the Brookhouses come from very broken families and, of course, Diana and Geoffrey are both reluctant to get married but in the end their attraction is so strong and their feelings so solid that they even become better people, better sister, better brother and better son. They help each other mend their hearts and their relationships with their family, especially Geoffrey who wants to protect his mother and his sister at all cost, but never warning them of the threat. Diana will be the bridge that will link three very separate relatives who actually do everything for love.

There’s a subplot in which Diana becomes the fourth member of the Brookhouse family. She is not only a fashion and style advisor to Rosy but also helps her mature, become a woman, find her self confidence and her own voice. The friendship between the Harper sisters and Rosy and her mother is as beautiful as the love story. This is how they become a family, and the way Sabrina Jeffries develops that subplot is magnificent, and feels even more natural than the love story.

Geoffrey is a fantastic hero. He’s very confident in his own environment but when he’s out of his pond (in a manner of speaking) he’s completely lost and insecure, but he’s not afraid of showing it. He accepts Diana’s advice readily. He’s very dark and masculine in appearance, big, broody and mainly silent. But he’s so sweet with his sister and mother… I love the little details like one scene in which his cravat is a bit crooked and Diana rearranges it inadvertently like a wife would do to a husband. There are many little moments like that and it makes everything wholesome.

If I had one complaint that would be that in the steamy moments it feels like they start a bit off. They come from the cold and then they skyrocket somehow, from 0 to 100 in 1 second. It felt a bit unnatural. This feeling doesn’t destroy those scenes at all, they just seem weird for a second and then it’s fine. But it happens every time they have a moment.

I enjoyed this book very much. It has a very modern premise, a lot of sorority, a lot of respect between the main couple, an interesting story about fashion, food, elegance, society rules. And the writing is really refreshing.

Lady Diana Harper, her sister, Verity and their widowed sister Elza Pierce, decide to make their own way in society by starting their own business, Elegant Occasions. Not to mention they need the money to live away from their controling father and the scandal of his divorcing their mother. They become very successful in society by organizing balls, social events and come outs for new debutantes. Their newest client is Lady Rosabel Brookhouse, sister of the new Duke of Grenwood. It becomes obvious that he has no idea how to play the part of a duke. Rough around the edges he has a bad habit of cursing, Diana makes it her job to make him more presentable, so he doesn't embaress his sister. Flirting leads to kisses and more. Diana knows he has secrets, but he doesn't trust her enough to confess. Very detailed on the proper clothing and rules of London society in the Regency period. Many of them totally ridiculous. The first book in the series. I'm interested in what happens to Eliza in the next book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Heat level 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥

I really enjoyed Diana and Geoffrey's story! It was fun watching these two go toe to toe with one another and watching their love blossom. This was a great start to what I sure will be an amazing new series!

While reading this book, the old tv show Designing Women (about a female interior design company in Atlanta that aired 80-90’s) came to mind. And much like the show, the book was entertaining with a bit of humor and commentary to be enjoy spending a bit time with it but not so much as to be come fully engrossed or feel the need to binge it all in one (or two) sittings. This was a nice change up from the usual regency period story taking place around high society. In fact, a fair portion of the story actually takes place “behind the scenes” – away from the balls and afternoon calls, promenades and parties that occur in many stories. Also, the fact that Geoffrey, the new duke, grew up outside of society without any expectations that he would ever be a part of it, much less the top levels of it, adds to the sense of reading something a little different. Diana and Geoffrey balance each other out nicely and you can see the mutual attraction as well as understand the mutual hesitancy. The sense of time passing sometimes seems unclear and a suspension of some of the usual “rules” for regency period is needed. The story did however make for relaxing breaks during the busy week and I’m curious to see what will befall Eliza in the next episode.

Civil engineer Geoffrey is hiding a secret. When he unexpectedly inherits a dukedom, he's determined to marry off his sister before the family is ruined. He hires Diana, an earl's daughter who's fallen from grace, to train his sister to make her debut. Despite Geoffrey's lack of polish, Diana can't resist her growing attraction to him. What will she do when she learns the dark truth?

Sabrina Jeffries' books are clever, witty, and innovative, and this one is no exception. I love Diana. She's a mix of pragmatism and idealism, navigating a sometimes ruthless society and making a place for herself in it. Geoffrey is similarly on the edge, learning how to walk the tightrope between outsider and insider. His frankness is refreshing, and I love how unrepentant he is about swearing in front of ladies. He knows he'll have to regulate himself better if he wants to fit in, yet he also recognizes the rules for the nonsense they are.

This is a fun, satisfying read from one of the best in the business. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

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

I wish I had liked this book and these characters more, but I don't think I"ll remember this book in a week.

After their parent's divorce causes a scandal in London society, three sisters band together to start their own consulting/party planning company. Diana is the middle sister and this is her story, the first of this new series.

The new Duke of Grenwood, Geoffrey Brookhouse is in over his head. He's just been given a title out of the blue, inherited all the debts that come with it and is trying to manage his own civil engineering company. Plus, his sister Rosy needs to be debuted and find a suitable husband before certain unsavory family secrets come to light. So, they hire Diana and her sisters to teach them how to blend in with the ton and get Rosy introduced to society.

A rivals-to-lovers romance blooms between Geoffrey and Diana who both have to overcome the sins of their parents and learn to trust others before they can be together. It was a good read. I just think the other romances I'm reading now have more dynamic characters, more humor, more interesting plots that this one fell short for me. Check it out if you're a fan of Jeffries' other books. Skip it, if you're only luke warm for her other books.

This book was an absolute delight!
Lady Diana Harper and her sisters, young Verity and widowed Eliza, are social outcasts due to their scandalous parents’ many infidelities, they’re able to put their knowledge of fashion and the aristocracy to use running Elegant Occasions, a party planning company that helps clients navigate the intricate and high stakes world of London society. Geoffrey Brookhouse is a very successful civil engineer in New Market and the new unlikely Duke of Grenwood who curses like a sailor! He inherits a dukedom he never expected and certainly doesn’t want it. Geoffrey wants to launch his young sister into a ton who doesn’t want them and he’s going to see that she gets the future she deserves. Since he has no clue how to do any of that, he hires Elegant Occasions to assure Rosy’s success.

I enjoyed their banter, the chemistry, and the deep feelings that gradually, continued to grow between the duke and Diana. Geoffrey is a fish out of water in polite society, he is unfashionably dressed and he actually speaks of money. Diana thinks they may have more trouble launching the duke than his sister because he didn't want to change who he is because he inherited a title. The central conflict is really both the MCs being reluctant to marry, for their own stupid reasons. It was fun to watch him evolve with Diana's guidance without losing the essence of the humble, pragmatic, hard-working man he's always been and to watch Diana, a woman certain of herself in business, blossom romantically in the process.

I loved the sisterly dynamic among Diana, Eliza, and Verity. They each have a unique talent to bring to the business, which made each event they planned very special. The secondary characters were a delightful bunch with their humour and emotions, Rosy, Geoffrey's sister, their mother, all keeping the same secret from each other, they all and Diana's butler who has it out for Geoffrey when he first called on the sisters and woke them at an ungodly hour.

A Duke for Diana is a promising start to what looks to be a fun new series, the way it was set up, I'm excited to read the next book in the series!!

CW: Suicide, depression, grief, loss of parent, divorce, narcissistic family members

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine (pretty evenly split)

Should I read in order?
As far as I can tell, this doesn’t tie in with any of her prior series, so this is a great place to start!

Basic plot:
Diana, knowing society thinks of her more as a “wall-weed” than a wallflower, decides to thumb her nose at them all and begin a family business. Her sisters all have different talents and together they form Elegant Occasions. Geoffrey, the newly titled Duke of Grenwood, desperately needs help launching his younger sister into society and seeks the assistance of Elegant Occasions.

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period (1811)
- London setting
- Both characters I took to be a touch on the heavier/larger side – Diana is described as tall and plump and Geoffrey is repeatedly described as “robust” and is worried chairs won’t hold him.
- Engineer hero, fashion loving, event creator heroine
- Mid steam – if you’ve read Jeffries before, you know what you’re going to get! 3 full scenes and some kisses
- A bit of enemies to lovers feel in the very beginning – just the lightest bit of stubbornness and bickering but it’s quickly resolved into a partnership

Ages:
- Heroine is 24, hero is 30

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this novel! Sometimes first books in a series can feel heavy with characters all over, or page time given to others and taken from the main couple. I didn’t find that here at all. I really loved the development of all the family members while still having Diana and Geoffrey be center stage.

Many of Jeffries’ novels have a mystery in them, sometimes running throughout the entire series – I didn’t find that here either and I loved that! (again, I love my focus on the mains haha) There was a bit of intrigue but it wasn’t constantly focused on and wondered about throughout the book and was fully resolved by the end. I wasn’t a fan of her prior series much so my expectations were pretty low for this one (plus I’ll admit the cover didn’t really draw me in!) and I think it helped this novel just take me pleasantly by surprise.

Geoffrey is an engineer and I just found him adorable. He’s got a bit of a chip on his shoulder against the nobility, but now he is one and he’s trying to adjust. Sometimes he does things that just made me shake my head, but when you get to know him you see how much he carries on his shoulders. He really is trying to provide for this family the best he can. He is protecting them from toxic relations and trying to prevent scandal. He wants the best for his young sister. He’s not my usual type of hero, but I really ended up enjoying him.

Diana I loved. She’s such a lady! She’s very interested in fashion and I love the time Jeffries spent on showing us the clothing of the time without any boring information dumps. She was pleasant, smart, and resourceful and I found myself wanting to be her friend. I appreciated her attachment to Geoffrey’s younger sister and the family dynamic between the sisters.

Jeffries included a lot of fun historical facts in this novel including chalking the floor, terms used socially like what it meant to be called a mushroom, and the cure for being cropsick (eww). I like how it was woven within the characters and it felt very natural. (some authors try to include a bit too much research into paragraphs of descriptions – this flowed really nicely)

So yeah, overall I really liked this one. I found myself wanting to read it when I was pulled away. I was eager to pick it back up. I found myself smiling sometimes at the characters. It was just cute!

This book was an absolute delight, one of my favorites by Jeffries in quite some time. While I enjoyed her last series, the tone in A Duke for Diana is different. Lighter. More effervescent, if you will. First of all, I loved the sisterly dynamic among Diana, Eliza, and Verity. While each is uniquely original (I enjoyed getting to know them a bit in this book), they're tightly bonded by their family circumstances and how they've worked together to overcome them. I genuinely liked all three of them and am excited to cheer them on in the next two books.

I love a fish out of water and that is definitely Geoffrey at the start of his story. It was fun to watch him evolve with Diana's guidance without losing the essence of the humble, pragmatic, hard-working man he's always been and to watch Diana, a woman certain of herself in business, blossom romantically in the process. These two together were so much fun to watch. I enjoyed their banter, the sizzle, and the deep feelings that gradually, almost reluctantly at times, continued to grow between them. I liked that Jeffries made them a team in the face of Geoffrey's troubles and that Diana was instrumental in helping him solve them (but not doing it for him). It gives me confidence in a couple's longevity when I see them working together to solve a problem.

The secondary cast in this book is richly depicted, with Geoffrey's sister, Rosy taking the lead but also including their mother, Diana's butler, and others. All lend humor, conflict, and emotion to the story without detracting from our hero and heroine. I'm hoping we'll see at least some of them in the next two books as well.

A Duke for Diana is a promising start to what looks to be a fun new series from Sabrina Jeffries. I recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

4.5 Stars
ARC received for fair and unbiased review

A disgruntled, handsome, never expected to become a Duke, Geoffrey Brookhouse is in need of some Ton polish for his sister Rosy. He hires Elegant Occasions, three Lady sisters that have their own tarnished past. Lady Diana Harper and her sisters have for the last four years weathered the gossip surrounding their divorced parents. Vowing never to marry, but when the secretive Duke hires them for his sister presentation to the Queen and her debutant ball, Diana can’t help but wonder at the mystery of the handsome man.
As always the story will keep you turning pages, plus I did learn something new……never heard of ballroom chalking. Great start to a new series.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and Kensington Publishing for a copy of this book. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #ADukeforDiana #SabrinaJefferies #KensingtonPublishing

Diana and Geoffrey definitely know how to push eachothers buttons and that was evident from the start!

I liked the realness of the characters in this book. It is about introducing Rosy to society, but was interesting because those helping her were scandalized from society. I felt the characters were more relatable and down to Earth. Geoffrey was my favorite due to being flustered by the frivolous details of hosting events and outfits, but having that engineering detailed mind.

The romance part was nice since the characters really pushed eachother a bit which created more of a plot. The only thing I wished was that the secrets wouldn't have taken so long to get to. I would have been nice to give the reader a sneak peak, but do a full reveal to other characters later. I think that may have brought more suspense instead of wondering randomly what could the big secret be.

I liked this book overall because the characters didn't give off a snooty society vibe and the plot kept me engaged.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

REVIEWED ON BEHALF OF VERVE ROMANCE

There's not much I can say about A Duke for Diana that can’t be summed up in one word: wonderful. Sabrina Jeffries was one of the first historical romance authors I “discovered” on my own after my induction into the subgenre, and boy, am I glad I found her!
This book quickly and easily won me over, helped by the brash, crass, and occasionally “boorish” behavior of Geoffrey Brookhouse, the titular Duke of Grenwood. I often love my heroes a little rough around the edges, and His Grace is undoubtedly that.
Yet, he is also charmingly kind to and protective of his sister and a good man who sees beyond scandal and into Diana’s depths. (Surprisingly, this is not innuendo.)
I love the concept of the Designing Debutantes series and how Jeffries managed to weave into this story the seeds for Eliza and her Earl--and what I can only assume will be Verity and a Viscount--without detracting from the romance building between Diana and her Duke.
In the simplest terms, A Duke for Diana is a lovely read from start to finish. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how this series plays out.

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC

A Duke for Diana is the first in a new series for author Sabrina Jeffries. A Duke for Diana was a mediocre regency romance. The Duke, Geoffrey, was just boring and NOT swoon-worthy. While he had his funny moments, the reader need more to be invested in this love story to make it believable.

This book does set-up the series so here's hoping the next installment creates more of a connection with the reader and the romance. I'd totally LOVE to work for Elegant Occasions.

I am glad that Geoffrey is not some perfect Duke. He's flawed just like the rest of us. Diana does a great job of putting his fears at ease. Geoffrey falls madly in love with Diana knowing the scandal that surrounded her family. A Duke for Diana, is a great regency romance novel.