A wonderful love story and a new favorite author!

Lady Sara Elsmere is accosted by a pirate in the library at a ball. This particular pirate was expecting a certain lovely lady dressed as a shepherdess to join him in the library for an assignation. To his chagrin, the pirate, also known as the Duke of Dorchester, or more familiarly as Ian McAllister, realizes his mistake too late and is forced to consider a marriage of convenience with Lady Sara Elsmere.

Sara is an entomologist and a bluestocking. She is also known as the oldest debutante on the market. Sara just wants to be left alone to her studies and avoid the trappings of marriage. Sara is someone who I found to be extremely kind, intelligent, and loving. Treated horribly by her family, Sara's marriage to Ian and her relationship with his young wards, gave her the opportunity to have a family of her own. A family where people were not scorned and ill-treated, but treasured and respected. Sara was wonderfully intuitive in her observations of people. She was also loving without being demanding. She was everything that Ian needed to begin healing from his traumatic childhood, and to obliterate the wall that he had built around his heart.

The only aspect of this book that felt a tad off was the nefarious plot at the end. It felt a bit disjointed for me as everything between Ian and Sara seemed to be developing without the need of any outside help.

I absolutely fell in love with these characters and their story! I loved Sara's playful pranks on Edward and Jacob. I really liked how Miller gave more depth to the Duke's staff and they played a part in the family shenanigans. And I loved the development of Sara and Ian's journey towards becoming friends, lovers, and lifelong partners.

I would HIGHLY recommend reading this story. It is book six in a series, which I have not read, but it works as a standalone. I cannot wait to read the other books in the series and all of Renee Ann Miller's back list.

I voluntarily read and reviewed and advanced copy of this eARC thanks to Kensington Books via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#NeverMarryaScandalousDuke #NetGalley

Ian and Sara- i love these 2 characters! Fast moving story that kept me engrossed in it from start to finish!

I think that I’ve read all of Renee Ann Miller’s books and so was very excited to read this advanced copy. Never marry a Scandalous Duke did not disappoint! I read it in one sitting. It was such a pleasure watching Lady Sara and Ian McAllister find love in spite of all their obstacles. Now I have to wait for her next book…sigh…

I need to own this book ASAP. Y’all…. This book. Wow. It was beautiful, romantic, sweet…
I need this to be a movie and for Aiden Turner to play the lead male role!!!
What a JOY this book was to read @reneeannmillerauthor—thank you for writing and sharing your gift.

What started as a marriage of convenience for Sara and Ian, turned into the most beautiful book marriage I can remember in a long time. It’s like sometimes I wish Claire and Jamie from Outlander could have this happy of a time in their marriage and not constantly have unspeakable evils thrown their way. 🤣

Sara is firmly on the shelf at the age of 27, Ian is reluctant to marry at the age of 32, but a kiss that was caught led to a marriage of convenience. She is a lover of butterflies and being in nature— a free spirit. He is a hardworking Duke that lacks in all things fun. But she breaks down his barriers and together they build the most beautiful, loving home. Reading their chemistry and kindness to one another…
Love, love, loved it.

Never Marry a Scandalous Duke is a solid story with likeable characters, and while it isn't a book to keep you reading long into the night, is still worth picking up.

Sara is a bluestocking who ended up on the shelf after a silly faux pas when she first came out. More interested in butterflies than boys, she isn't particularly worried. However, after being caught with Ian in a compromising--if accidental--position, she finds herself married to the taciturn duke. The two get on okay but lack chemistry, though that's probably more realistic than instalove in this particular situation.

A few things happen to keep the plot moving: a couple of naughty wards, a fluffy kitten, business issues, and a shifty ex to name a few, but they sort of happen incidentally rather than building to a climax of any kind. Throughout it all, Sara and Ian continue to get on well with each other (and very well in the bedroom). The pace picks up a little in the last few chapters, but overall, it's just a steady, decent book.

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

This was my first experience reading a book by Renee Ann Miller and I couldn't be more excited to discover her. Never Marry a Scandalous Duke is the sixth book in the Infamous Lords series. It read really well as a standalone but I'm excited to go back and read the others in the series. I read this book in just one sitting!

Sara Elsmere is on the shelf. Never having any serious prospects at marriage due to her awkward giggling and bluestocking lepidopterist interests. As a last ditch effort her brother forces her to attend a masquerade to catch a husband. Infamous rake Ian, the Duke of Dorchester, mistakes her for his mistress and has to offer for her hand when they are caught kissing. Sara must decide for herself what type of marriage she wants while staying true to herself and her interests. One thing I really loved about this book was that there was no third act miscommunication. The characters talked everything out when something would arise. They believed and trusted each other pretty much from the beginning, The chemistry between Ian and Sara was so good. They were sarcastic and playful. One of the first times Ian meets Sara, he comments on how she's the only one that gives an attitude back and isn't afraid to challenge him. I just adored the dancing practice scenes. Seeing Sara interact with Ian's wards was sweet. She knew exactly how to win them over and gave them the space to warm to having a new person in their lives. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves witty banter in their historicals!

Tropes include: marriage of convenience, compromised, spinster, bluestocking, bachelor with wards, masquerade, childhood trauma, mistaken identity

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Renee Ann Miller, and Kensington Books (Zebra) for this eArc. All opinions expressed are my own.

A lovely read...

Though the story direction was predictable, it was an awesome read..

Loved Sara and Ian - would love to see more of them 😸😸...

It's a happy book ❤️

Lady Sara Elsmere is firmly on the shelf due to her nervous habit of giggling any time she's been asked to dance and happy that way, as it leaves her time to study butterflies. Her brother forces her hand to marry, lining up a man old enough to be her grandfather. Luckily for Sara, she is found in a compromising situation with Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorchester.

Ian is a rogue and never plans to marry after the first woman who accepted his marriage proposal decided to marry someone else. Details of that fiasco show up later in the plot. When Ian gets caught kissing Sara, dressed in the same costume as one of his lovers, then he decides a marriage of convenience is in order to give his two, young wards a mother figure since they are so mischievous they keep scaring off nannies. Sara agrees to his suggestion after Ian agrees to let her keep the money from her dowry and inheritance to continue her study of butterflies.

There is nothing I love more in tropes than an older heroine, a forced proximity, & marriage of convenience, so this book was a pure delight! I enjoyed every twist and turn of the story. It is in a series of books which I haven't read, but it works perfectly well as a stand-alone. The author was new to me and now I want to read more of her books!

My honest review was given in exchange for receiving an ARC from Netgalley. I just reviewed Never Marry a Scandalous Duke by Renee Ann Miller. #NeverMarryaScandalousDuke #NetGalley
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I was very surprised at how much I liked this book!! It was very enjoyable from start to finish.
It is about a lady who, at the age of 27, is undergoing a Season and her father is forcing her to find a husband. He is an earl and wants her to get married and forces her to wear dresses that are over decorated and do not look good on her. The heroine is doing what her father asks because she is an entomologist and she studies butterflies. But she depends on her father for sponsorship of her studies, experiments and papers. She is sharing the Season with her younger sister who is a very pretty girl and who wants to go to parties and dress up and find a rich husband. The heroine is at a ball and she is hiding in the library when she witnesses a man and woman having sex. Before the couple can go all the way, the man sees her, sends his partner out and he accuses her of being a Peeping Tom. They are arguing and the lady's brother comes in because her father suffered an attack. Unfortunately, her father passed away.
The man the heroine was arguing with was the hero of the story. The heroine disapproves of the hero and the hero just doesn't speak to ladies like the heroine, but they don't hate each other. A year later, the heroine's brother threatens to take away her funding unless she goes to a masquerade ball. She is trying to slink down the hallway to the library, when she is grabbed, dragged into a closet and passionately kissed. Her brother was following her and opens the closet and she is locked in the embrace with the hero.
This book had plenty of comedic moments. The story has many characters and they all work together to make a great story with a satisfying, wonderful ending. I recommend this book for anyone who likes a good story. I give this book 5 stars.

I enjoyed this story of Sara, an entomologist who is accidentally caught in a compromising position with the Duke of Dorchester, and ends up marrying him for both of their benefits. Ian has a history of being mistreated and unloved by his father and former fiancée, but Sara ends up being a good match for him and his wards. There is a lot of discussion of her love of butterflies and entomology which makes her a unique heroine. She also comes into her own throughout the book by emulating Ian's ducal looks to cause others to appreciate her more, and learning to speak up for herself. There is drama that comes up about 75% in so it is kind of rushed, but I appreciate that the drama was less about his former love coming back than your standard inheritance plot. Definitely worth a read.

Did I stay up half the night reading this book? Yes. Do I have any regrets? No.

This sweet quick read by Renee Ann Miller is the sixth novel in the Infamous Lords series. Before this, I had not read any of the other books in this series, however, this story stood alone seamlessly.

Lady Sara Elsmere is a bluestocking entomologist who has felt misunderstood and judged by everyone in her life since her mother's death. Her father and brother attempt to drag her away from her bugs and into the ton by forcing her to attend balls in unfortunate dresses/costumes. Things go horribly wrong when Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorcester, mistakes Sara for the woman he has planned an assignation with in the library. A beautiful love story unfolds from this unfortunate incident. My favorite moments were seeing Sara interact with Ian’s wards and create the family she has always desired.

𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗔 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗦 𝗗𝗨𝗞𝗘 caught my attention the moment I read the blurb. Never having read anything by this author, I went in with high expectations. Renee Ann Miller did not disappoint.

This book is a well written, delicious regency romance that will reel you in and keep you entertained. I enjoyed Sara and Ian both individually and as a couple. She is not your typical heroine and I liked that about her. And he is just the right amount of cocky and sweet. Together they work.

Although forced to marry, they find themselves thrown together but not in a bad way. They fulfill each other’s empty spots and make each other better. Watching them get their happily ever, after along with Jacob and Edward, had me reading this book in one sitting and losing myself in its pages.

I’m giving 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗔 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗦 𝗗𝗨𝗞𝗘 the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!

I loved this book! It was lighthearted, funny and so well written. Miller writes in a way that captivates and maintains your attention. The characters were exceptionally thought out, each one playing an instrumental role within the narrative.

The flow of each chapter was silky smooth, the dialogue witty and humourous. Overall, this was a total winner and I can't wait to read more by Renee Ann Miller!

The publisher kindly provided ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I ended up liking this book so much more than I had expected! The main characters are well developed, and their romance is so sweet. The fact that she was probably the first woman not to swoon over him made their early interactions funny and intriguing. I liked how quickly Ian realized Sara's worth and understood what a gem he had in her. As for Sara, I liked everything about her. She certainly never fed into Ian's ego and never apologized for being different than many women of that era. And as it turned out, that was exactly what made it so easy for her to form a relationship with Edward and Jacob. I mean, how many other women would have played her own pranks on two trouble-making boys? Sara's intellect was also what made her a perfect partner for Ian. This is on display when she finds them the perfect nanny for the boys and when she figures out what Isabelle is really up to. Speaking of Isabelle, her plot at the end added just the right amount of drama without being too over the top.

Plot: I really enjoyed the plot of this one! Marriage of convenience stories are always fun, and I quite liked Sara and Ian's relationship. Sara being an entomologist was nice! And there is a twist in the story towards the end, that I did not expect at all!

Characters: The characters were what made this story for me, from Sara and Ian, to the boys, the butler, and their friends, I liked them all!

The Cover: I really like it, I love how bright the colors are on it!

Overall: This was a great historical romance novel, and I would definitely recommend reading it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Lady Sara Elsmere, spinster lepidopterist and socially awkward, is mistaken for someone else at a costume ball and finds herself entangled with Ian McAllister, the Duke of Dorchester. He is perfectly satisfied to remain a rogue after his would-be fiancée married his father instead. But when Sara’s controlling brother catches them and he finds he has kissed the wrong shepherdess, he thinks a marriage of convenience is the way to go, especially since his two wards need a maternal figure. Sara agrees since Ian promises to let her use her dowry to continue her study of butterflies.

Scientific spinsters, repressed feelings, and a marriage of convenience. This should have been a slam dunk but it was largely forgettable. This is 6th in a series but it reads as a standalone. Sara has the typical overwrought feelings about how she’s supposed to feel about sex. Ian has the typical father issues and stubbornness. This story was fine, but it was nothing that hasn’t been done before and without enough chemistry between Sara and Ian to make it memorable. The plot device at the very end came out of nowhere and was too over the top compared to the rest of the book. It changed nothing at about the characters’ resolution.

There’s no date or specific setting described. The heroine has gone to college, there are gas lights, transatlantic steamships, and House of Worth exists. So 1850s-1910 maybe? If I spent more time researching every sliver of hint I could to narrow it down, that’s probably a clue about how interesting I found this story.

This is one book you defined doesn’t want to see end. The heroine is a smart lady who loves butterflies and wants her independence. The hero has been emotionally and physically abused and doesn’t want to risk his heart so he played the rogue. They find themselves in a compromising position and decide to make a business arrangement. She gets independence and he gets help with his two wards. Slowly they warm up to each other. In the end someone comes to try to separate them, even a murder is planned. This has suspense and a very HEA not even for the couple but for 3 young boys. The author has done a good job making you feel for the main characters. I was given an ARC for an honest review.

I liked Sara and Ian, and the boys were cute too. It was a nice, lightly spicy historical romance. I didn't feel like it brought anything new to the table, but it was a pleasant read. I did like that the third act conflict was written so the characters acted like adults (i.e. they actually talked to each other about their worries and insecurities).

I received an arc of Never Marry a Scandalous Duke by Renee Ann Miller through NetGalley.

Wow!! Absolutely loved this book. The main heroine, Sara, is the perfect blend of scientist, passionate, witty, and smart. I also found this book funny - even laughing out loud sometimes.
Sara's personality is exactly what I hope for when I hear the leading lady is a scientist. Focused on her science, but shows her smarts outside of that. I loved the struggles she went through and the emotions felt real and well rounded.
Our main hot duke, Ian, was a great balance of scandalous duke without pages and pages of how terrible he was. There was just enough to know he's scandalous, but redeemable.
I usually have a few complaints at the end of a regency romance, but honestly I don't have any really. I read this book in two days and have already added every other book in this serious to my TBR list.
If you like strong, smart leading ladies and hard on the outside/mushy on the inside dukes - this is your book!

Although this is part of a series it can very easily be read and enjoyed as a standalone. I’m a sucker for scientific spinsters and marriage of convenience tropes so I was already set to love this book. Sara studies butterflies and is firmly on the shelf at 28. Ian, the emotionally closed off Duke of Dorchester, is quite the rake but now has two young charges/hellions. Ian is caught kissing Sara in the library, a case of mistaken identity- there are two Bo Peeps at the ball, after all. He agrees to marriage to give the boys a mother. In return he will give Sara full charge of her inheritance.

Of course an arrangement is made about conjugal visits: they are to have sex, ‘business’ as she calls it, once every two weeks with a coin that can be exchanged for a visit in between the two weeks. You can imagine how long that stipulation lasts!

The boys are quite perplexed by their new mother figure. They can’t frighten her off by giving her an earthworm or other creepy crawlies. In fact, she teaches them about bugs and other creatures. As she wins the love of the boys she’s also winning the love of the Duke.

Things are going well until the evil stepmother arrives on the scene. The young dowager duchess had agreed to marry the besotted Ian but turned around and married his father instead. What mischief does she have planned now?

I did love the tale but found a few problems that I couldn’t overlook. There were some very odd word choices throughout, there was a reference to rugby before that would have been widespread enough or even a ‘thing’ and the sex scenes were rather mediocre. Still I would think twice before rejecting it as a purchase for the library. Those beloved tropes, and all! I’d give it a 3.5 stars.