I adored Sara and Ian's story! I loved watching these two fall in love after they were forced to get married. I also loved watching Sara with Ian's wards. She was so good with them!!

Never Marry a Scandalous Duke by Renee Ann Miller

Lady Sara Elsmere is not interested in marriage. She is firmly a bluestocking studying butterflies and wishes only to continue her studies. However, she is being forced into going out into the public to find and marry a man. Ian McAllister, being a duke, is expected to marry, but he is not in a hurry. He does need someone who can help control his two wards before they scare off any other help. Sara and Ian get caught in a strange but unexpected trap and a marriage of convenience is accepted, but really what does that mean for them? Sara is determined to continue her work while Ian can not stop thinking about her. Ian has been betrayed before and is determined not to let a woman - any woman derail him again from his path.

What a fun fast read this book was! I enjoyed the characters and the storyline had a couple of more unique elements. Never Marry a Scandalous Duke by Renee Ann Miller is a great read.

I enjoyed reading Sara and Ian’s amazing story in Never Marry a Scandalous Duke by Renee Ann Miller, book six in her the Infamous Lords series where a stolen kiss at a ball and mistaken identities leads to a marriage of convenience. Featuring a unconventional, scientist, spinster heroine and a deliciously dashing duke, with a reputation as a rouge, determined to remain a bachelor.

Lady Sara Elsmere is far more interested in studying butterflies than society’s expectations. Embarrassed at her debut and usually avoided by men, there is only one frustrating man who by chance interests her; Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorchester. Ian is happy with his bachelor life, but could use a hand with his two precocious wards. When Ian finds himself kissing the wrong woman at a costume ball, a marriage of convenience is the only solution. Ian might be a Duke but he is also a businessman. Ian might be a rake but he is committed to his wife and marriage vows. Sara is the perfect blend of scientist, passionate, witty, and smart. She sees humor in situations and loves with all of her heart. The way she deals with Ian’s young wards is perfect. Ian, is the perfect combination of scandalous duke yet redeemable. He is intelligent and few things get by his notice. He appreciated Sara for more than being his wife. The attraction between these two is strong and the chemistry is off the charts. Young, naïve, Sara is a quick learner as Ian is an excellent teacher. When trouble arrives at their door in the form of a former flame of Ian’s, it takes Sara’s curiosity, gut feeling, and knowledge to prevent a murder from occurring.

Ms. Miller wrote an emotional, love story that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with emotions, sizzling chemistry, secrets, wonderful dialogue, and engaging characters giving Sara and Ian a chance to have a happy and loving forever. I highly recommend Never Marry a Scandalous Duke to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Sarah elsmere is a blue stocking, and entomologist, a spinster, age 27, a wallflower.
Ian McAllister is a Duke, a womanizer, a businessman and guardian to two young boys ages 5 and 7.
These two are caught in a compromising position when Sarah, who's dress is a shepherdess, is mistaken by Ian for his Paramore who was dressed the same way.
They decide to make a marriage of convenience. He needs someone to help with the children and she needs her dowry to continue her studies.
What I loved about this book is the way you see the relationship with them develop. There is a physical attraction and the chemistry is there. But Sarah takes time to get to know Ian and the boys.
As a result, you get a wonderful romance and get to see the family relationship develop. But most of all you get to see the blossoming of Sarah just like a beautiful butterfly.
I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Delicious!

I think I smiled most of the way through this fun read. Marriage of convenience trope melds with a wicked stepmother, and some very naughty boys. Miss Trunchbull would not be amused. And let’s not forget the kitten. Wallflower entomologist and butterfly enthusiast, Lady Sara Elsmere just wants to be free to pursue her passion. But when the cold hearted Duke of Dorchester, Ian McAllister mistakes her for one of his lady dalliances, and they’re discovered in the library KISSING, it’s marriage or worse for Sara. Ian has an important business deal hovering, and a couple of rambunctious wards that needed car. Marriage just might prove the answer, and after all, it has to happen sometime!
Sara negotiates her own settlement with the Duke but she didn’t quite negotiate her heart.
Fun read that heartedly entertained!

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I absolutely adore a heroine who is STEM focused and I love a historical romance heroine who has these interests. I will alway gravitate and pick up a book with a wallflower heroine who has more important things on her mind than who the most eligible bachelor is. Renee Ann Miller's sixth book in the Infamous Lord series has one such heroine! Miller crafts a fun, well paced romance between a heroine who is an entomologist and a roguish nobleman. Miller's writing is easily accessible and her characters are interesting and compelling which quickly drew me into this romance and kept me rooting for the hero and heroine to find their happily ever after.

Lady Sarah is considered a spinster firmly on the shelf, but this does not concern her in the least, she has more important pursuits in her studies of butterflies. But when she is mistakenly kissed at a masquerade ball and passions are ignited in her, she finds herself in a marriage of convenience with Ian, a duke, who has two wards in need of maternal care.

This opposites attract, slow burn romance does a lovely job of building a respectful relationship between Sarah and Ian. I love Sarah as a heroine, she is smart, quirky and fun. She is able to think outside of the box when it comes to managing her new family and this really helps the boys learn to respect her and see her as a trustworthy adult with their best interests at heart. I really loved the way that Miller was able to slowly build the chemistry between Ian and Sarah, it is done with care and understanding. Miller takes the time for their feelings to organically grow in a way that creates a deeper understanding and respect for the other. I love that Ian sees Sarah for the smart, independent and beautiful woman she is and has been overlooked for. I love that Ian and Sarah are able to build a friendship and family with each other and their wards.

This is a sweet and heartwarming romance that is just a really lovely story about two people building a life with each other that is build on the foundation of respect and care. I think this is a delightful series that is definitely worth checking out!

Lady Sara Elsmere is twenty-eight years old and never been kissed. A bluestocking that studies butterflies. To ask her to dance is to get laughed at. Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorchester, is known for his very menacing glare and is a rake. Accidently kissing Sara, the wrong shepherdess at a masquerade ball, he offers a marriage of convenience. It may help seal the deal on a business arrangement. Ian has no intention of falling in love, but his wife is like no other woman he's ever known. She just might save his life.
Funny and charming, Sara always seems to come out on top!
Heat Level 5
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Lady Sara Elsmere can do nothing to escape her status as a spinster. Her fascination with butterflies has led her to becoming an entomologist and her nervousness on the dance floor, finds her giggling. Yet when she is found in a passionate embrace with Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorcester, she is forced into marriage. Ian had mistakenly kissed Sara, when they were at a masked ball and in an attempt to avoid ruining his business ventures, he agrees to marry Sara. He consoles himself with needing a wife to provide some maternal influence on his two wards. When he agrees to fund Sara’s studies and she agrees to care for his wards, they soon find themselves spending together. Yet they unexpectedly discover an attraction that cannot be destroyed by those around them, until Ian’s past comes back into his life.
This romance built slowly through friendship and attraction. The way that Sara and Ian slowly reveal themselves, giving details of their past, made this romance all the more believable. Whilst Sara is initially portrayed as ‘on the shelf’, it was great to see that she was a mature woman and that Ian, made her feel better in her own skin, and not as the ton had portrayed her. This was an enjoyable read with a twist at the end, that kept me entertained.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was clever, romantic and held my interest. I wanted to find out what would happen next. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Never Marry a Scandalous Duke by Renee Ann Miller is the sixth book in her Infamous Lords series. I think this one might be my favourite of the series. You don't have to have read the other books in the series to enjoy this one, but if you do enjoy it as much as I did, isn't it wonderful to know there are five more books? Lepidopterist Lady Sarah Elsmere is so firmly on the shelf that she doesn't realize that people who visit libraries during balls are there for assignations, not books. She's accused of being a peeping tom by Ian McAllister, Duke of Dorchester, when she inadvertently catches him with his lover in a library, and it's not until afterwards that she realizes that, surprisingly, the Duke who is most certainly a rake and a rogue does not make her nervous. Their subsequent encounter is hardly better as he mistakes her for someone else at a mascarade and drags her into a sinfully eye-opening kiss that, unfortunately, is witnessed by all the wrong people. Ian has never considered marriage before, but then, his doing the right thing may ease the way in a business negotiation he and his partners are having and will provide a solution to the problem of his ungovernable wards and as well ... that kiss... When Ian promises to allow her to use her dowry to further her research and marrying him will get her out of her brother's plans for her future, she accepts his plan for a marriage of convenience, which of course, grows into more than either of them ever expected. I do love a good marriage of convenience story, and this is one of the better ones. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: July 22. 2022. #NeverMarryAScandalousDuke #ReneeAnnMiller #KensingtonBooks #NetGalley #MarriageOfConvenience #HistorialRomance #HistoricalRomanceSeries #HistoricalRomanceReader #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Never Marry A Scandalous Duke is full of sparkling ambiance and delightful characters! Lady Sara Elsmere is a spinster who would rather study butterflies than attends balls. There is also the embarrassing habit she has of laughing when asked to dance. Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorchester, is a cold, shrewd businessman and a scandalous womanizer. Ian has also acquired two young wards closer to devils than little boys. Ian and Sara are caught in a compromising situation and settle on a businesslike marriage arrangement.

Ian is your typical gorgeous, aloof, self-important duke. I love how Ian has buried his emotions, yet Sara brings them out. Some of my favorite scenes are when Sara gets Ian to laugh and have fun. Sara is a character I couldn’t help but love. Sara is more comfortable with bugs than people; with Ian’s assistance, Sara learns how to be comfortable with herself without being nervous.

I can’t write my review without mentioning the ornery, lonesome, comical young wards. The boy’s antics left me with a smile. From their first encounter, I felt the spark between Ian and Sara. I loved how the couple’s romance was allowed to breathe and grow organically between sensual, passionate scenes.

This was a clever page-turner, and it moved rapidly. I was always connected to the characters, and the storyline kept me intrigued. This is a character-driven story, and each character was carefully and meticulously crafted, from Ian to the butler. Never Marry A Scandalous Lord is the sixth book in The Infamous Lords series. I was delighted with this intelligent, seductive entertaining romance!

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

Butterflies and rakes...

I so wanted to like the duke, but i did not care for Ian. When we first meet him a year prior to the start, he's having a tryst with a widow in the library where Sara happens to accidentally see him going down. Yuck. Just now. A year later, he has another widow he uses for gratification. Yes, yes, wah, he was burned by his father and Isabella.

Sara is into butterflies, a bluestocking firmly and happily on the shelf. But to solve the duke's problems (his two wards), she ends having to marry him after the twit mistakes her for his current paramour and her brother catches her. Oh, her brother wants to marry her off post haste, as well. Sigh.
Sara deserves better from her brother and Ian.

In the eyes of the ton, Lady Sara Elsmere is so firmly on the shelf, not that Sara minds. She is far more concerned about her study of butterflies than society’s gossip, she has a nervous laughter that ruined her debut & every social event thereafter. Afterall men are quite nerve-wracking. Except for one: the rake who pulls her into a dark room during a costume ball and kisses her senseless. He doesn’t make her titter, he makes her burn. Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorchester, is perfectly satisfied to remain a rogue for the rest of his days. But when he finds he has kissed the wrong shepherdess, albeit a decidedly luscious one, he’s faced with a dilemma. His indiscretion with an innocent may cost him a lucrative business arrangement and his two scapegrace wards need a maternal influence they can’t scare away. Promising Sara the use of her dowry to fund her studies seals the pair’s businesslike deal.
The sixth book in the series & it could easily be read on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed this fun, entertaining, light hearted read. The characters were well portrayed & had depth, I really liked both Ian & Sara, he was a Duke who was also a business man, She’s a butterfly loving wallflower. There were plenty of tropes to keep everyone happy. I enjoyed the banter between the couple & also felt their chemistry grew throughout the book. An entertaining read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I liked this book a lot. Ian and Sara's story held my interest well and kept me entertained. Honestly, there is nothing groundbreaking here but in my opinion that is sometimes a good thing. This book delivers a solid romance filled with ample amounts of emotions, feels and swoon. It has a satisfying blend of fun, cute and lightheartedness that reads smoothly and easily. And its characters are quite likable, and easy to root for as a couple. All in all, I thought it was a very good book.

This was a really entertaining read about a bluestocking and a rake. Sara, the heroine, is happy to be a wallflower. After a nervous laugh and an extensive knowledge about entomology ensures most eligible bachelors stay well away from her, Sara is resigned to stay unmarried, a development she's very much at peace with if it means she can continue her studies and love of butterflies. Being put into constant embarrassing and awkward situations by her father and brother who are desperate to see her wed doesn't help matters so when she's accidentally mistaken by the Duke of Dorchester as his paramour, her sibling jumps at the chance to see her walk down the isle. Ian, the Duke in question, has no desire to marry. Having been raised by a cruel and cold father, being family-minded is the last thing on his agenda, putting all of his energy into his businesses and growing his wealth instead. When one of his more lucrative business ventures is put at risk by his accidental indiscretion with Lady Sara, he offers her a proposition: marry him in name only and care for his two hellion wards and she may retain her dowry to keep her independence and continue her studies. Sounds simple, right?

This was a sweet story of opposites attract. While this trope generally doesn't have too many surprises, Sara's entomological interests put a refreshing breath of air into a familiar story line. I really liked both of the main characters, from Sara's no-nonsense point of view and Ian's logical approach to life in general. While he was obviously a rake, I love that the author had him ready to be an honorable husband who was honest with Sara and treated her well - a welcome change from the sometimes jerk-like arrogant Dukes that are way too common. As the story progressed, so did their interest in each other and as the song from Beauty and Beast goes, 'There may be something there that wasn't there before'. Their relationship developed beautifully and while I found the premise of Sara's nervous laugh a bit silly at times, the author more than made up for it by adding a bit of danger to the storyline by a predictable but entertaining threat to our happy couple. I haven't read anything by this author before but I'll be sure to pick up another one in the future. I loved the cover as well.

3 1/2 stars. A good-enough-on-a-rainy-Saturday book. You have the "awkward bluestocking forced to wed the rake due to being caught in a compromising situation" trope at the fore, plus "single father figure needing a wife to keep everyone in check," and there's even some skulduggery worked in at the end involving attempted murder. This is a quick read, it never drags--but it never breaks from the mold, either. Most of the characters are cookie cutter, although I enjoyed the young boys, and the butler was amusing. As far as the main characters' chemistry goes, a spicy shower scene stands out, but there's a bit of a spark missing that would have boosted this to 4 stars. There is a rather cute scene where the h saves the H at the end, but I would have enjoyed it more if it had been more plausible. The writing throughout is a bit rushed and perfunctory. But the HEA and epilogue are sweet, at least.

Overall: decent book if you're looking to relax and you're done binge-watching Bridgerton.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. My opinions are my own. Thanks to the author, Kensington Books, and Net Galley for this opportunity. Reviews left on Goodreads and Bookbub. Will post to Amazon on the date of publication.

A fairly standard opposite's attract story with a Duke and a blue stocking. Nothing wrong with it there was light hearted bit's and some banter but overall the character's were just a bit forgettable for me until right at the end when we get a bit of drama. I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

I did enjoy this entertaining read very much. I liked the main characters of Ian, Duke of Dorchester and Lady Sarah Elsinore. I enjoyed the way that although Sarah was shy in company, she could be determined and she had no intention of giving up her study of butterflies. This was a marriage of convenience, with no great expectations of love on either side. I liked their interaction and the way that they got to know each other better. I loved the way Sarah was with Simon’s wards, Edward and Joseph. She gave them the love they needed without letting them get away with their mischievous pranks. This story moved along at a good pace and kept my interest until the end. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an exciting book by one of my favorite authors. Ms Miller knows how to write a funny and very witty story of two opposites that attract. The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own. You will be enthralled in the story at first page and never let go.
Lady Sara Elsmere is on the shelf of the marriage mart and likes it that way. She is a lady who loves butterflies and studies them. She also laughs out loud whenever she gets nervous and the ton in London remark on it with relish. She was a failure at her come out and wants no part of the party scene. When she attends a costume ball dressed as a shepherdess, she is pulled into a dark room and kissed senseless by a rogue who makes her so "hot".
When Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorchester pulls the lovely woman who he was looking into the room, he can't remember being so hot into kissing. The woman he was to meet isn't the one he was kissing. Now, what does he do, being the lady is an innocent? You got it, marry the woman and see if she will agree. Loads of fun with Ian's two wards who scare off every woman who has run for their lives.
When Ian and Sara combine their efforts to get along, they discover a love worth keeping.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

Can they let his past wound and her present fear behind …

Oh my!
I just loved this book, of the whole set I had to read for this Tuesday’s publishing day, it is so far one of my favorites.
I even had doubt about myself as I struggled to enter some of these books’ narrative, but when one finally dragged forcefully into its characters’ journey, it was because this one really talked to me.
I just wondered about the period in the Victorian era it is set.

As I am a sucker for any scholar story, it is not surprising Sara’s caught my attention.
As she might be a bluestocking, not much interested in fashion but she is also not shy, just nervous when repeatedly told to not do this or that or she will fail.
So overlooked by everyone, even her kin, often disparaged for her stressful laugh, she is not who they decided she must be. Why it does not stop her to chastise a man when she believes he goes beyond his privileges.
Yet it also does not protect her when she finds herself unwillingly marrying a duke.
But in entering this marriage of convenience, she finally finds there is power she can wield, all due to her new spouse’s renown.
She is not one to misuse it, she much prefers to employ her time studying what she loves and slowly building a lasting relationship with her husband’s wards, while she explores also the many facets of a marriage of convenience with a man who awakens a passion she never really expected to feel.

Ian was never really expected by his peers to marry, a cruel and abusive sire led him to his actual way of life, long days of work, rewarded with success and wealth, the pursuit of a rogue’s existence in private, so no room for a spouse and no real need of a heir. But a sad trick of fate made him the guardian of his cousin’s offsprings.
And with it, he finds himself at loss, he wants to offer his wards what he never had, a loving and secure home, but the two uprooted brothers test everyone’s patience and resilience with their tricks.
So when faced with an unexpected choice, he tries his hand at it and presents a difficult-to-reject offer to a woman who stands with little other options than to agree or face worth than a life with an aloof profligate.

I loved how they came from total strangers with few to nothing in common to two persons who feel a pull toward the other then people who come to admire the other, then care for the latter.
Sara by winning Ian’s wards respect then affection dug unexpectedly her way through his heart, a woman who hides her thoughtfulness, gentleness and sensuous passion behind spectacles and practical drab clothes.. Ian is like a skittish colt, too many times hurt and betrayed to open himself easily to others, even more to his mousy wife, until he comprehends behind her forgettable garbs there is a heart ready for him, one not afraid to face the unknown, him nor to accept wounded little souls like his wards.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.