This is a gentle slice of life book where there is very little conflict and a lot of 'warm' moments. While the romance is understated, the plot and character felt bland, not much happens, there isn't a lot of depth, and we've probably read this story before. Like an old worn stuffed chair next to a fireplace, the book has its cozy moments but I found myself nodding off too often.

Story: Years ago, Harriet and Lucas fell in love and were to be married. But when Lucas arrived at Harriet's house to ask for her hand in marriage, he discovered she had already been married at her father's behest and against her wishes. Heartbroken, Lucas withdrew and swore off marriage. Now a widow, Harriet is finally freed of the nightmare marriage and sure Lucas has given up on her. When they meet again, family and friends come together to help remind the two that there is always room for a second chance.

The central plot of the book of the two giving up on each other was hard to hold on to considering both were still clearly in love with each other. So there really was no way for the author to sustain some kind of conflict or hurdle for the two to cross other than time and pushy family members. In this way, the book feels like a Christian historical romance full of the typical family values and children who follow their parents' biddings.

There are several subplots that really didn't add to the story and felt like filling since there wasn't much in the way of story between Lucas and Harriet. Lucas has to take care of two young nieces and we get a lot of scenes of him being a loving Uncle to the two girls. Then there are the endless billiard nights where Lucas and his buddies from the previous books get together to talk about their new wives. There is a 'mystery' about why Harriet was forced to marry a reprehensible man but it isn't very interesting and not much time is spent on it. It all felt like window dressing.

The main characters were a bit too idealized to ring true or be interesting. I had a hard time finding nuances and depth in either plot or people. It would have been nicer to have some foibles other than giving up on a good thing and then not going for it again when it is thrown in your face by your relatives.

I ended up not finishing the book at 65%. There are many who love this style of gentle slice-of-life historical romance, where the sun always shines, the women are virtuous, and the men are heroic and upstanding. Admittedly, I need more for a story to really capture my attention. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

I received this book as an ARC. I was drawn to the book's title. This is the first Anna St. Claire book that I've read but I will be finding more now! I love the reunited lovers trope. The Duke of Disorder is a pleasant, lovely book that I really enjoyed reading. I wish we had gotten a little look into Harriet and Lucas' relationship before they were split apart, I think that would be beneficial. The characters' dialogue sometimes was a little stilted and some of it felt unnecessary, but it wasn't anything that took away from the book. I liked the friendships that Lucas had, and also little what I am assuming are updates from previous books' characters. I wish there was more scenes between Lucas and Harriet. The scene description was really good. There was just the right amount of angst for me-- I am not too into a lot of angst and this was a good amount. The wards and machinations of Lucas' mother and Harriet's sister were a fun addition to the book, adding a little of the disorder. Overall, this was a nice, sweet book that I had a good time reading.

The couple in this second chance romance should have been able to reunite much more quickly than they did!
Harriet's father put an end to her relationship with Lucus without any valid explanation. The reason behind this is a mystery throughout the story. Considering that they never actually stopped loving one another during the years that they were apart, this book should have been much shorter.
This book is part of a series and the characters from the earlier books are heavily featured, so I do not recommend reading out of sequence. Out of the blue, Lucas gains two young wards which need female guidance. Perhaps, Harriet could fit the bill? The wards and the secondary characters are amusing but they do seem like filler for a story that should not be very complicated.
The sinister plot that Harriet's father is involved in gets revealed at the end. It is over the top and not at all believable. There is one brief love scene but I would still classify this as a clean romance.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC. This is my honest review.

All of his friends have married and the Duke of Dorman is the last to be single. He has suddenly found himself the guardian of two young ladies. Their parents have died and he has promised to take care of them. The neighbor who he has loved all of his life is now widowed and returned to her parents' home for awhile. Can they find the love they once had? Thank you NetGalley for an interesting read.

Harriet was forced to marry a man she didn’t love by her father instead of the one she did, Lucas. When they meet again Lucas is a Duke and Harriet a widow.

This is a well-written second chance on love romance. Harriet and Lucas had a lot to work through before they get there well deserved happy ending.

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Widowed Lady Harriett Dudley is free at last from the abusive husband. Her father forced her to marry without explaining why.
While visiting the family she had been forbidden to see during her marriage the past raises it head again.
Lucas Pemberton, Duke of Dorman always tries to keep his life organised but has a reputation as the Duke of Disorder because his plans always seem to get complicated.
Our hero is a very nice guy, with great relationships with friends and family. One of his good deeds will bring past heartache back to him.
There are a few giggles in this historical romance and lots of lovable characters. A real feel good story to lighten your day.
Good fun.

London 1818

Of all the people to have saved from a run away horse, he could not believe it was her. She, who had married another five years ago, forced by her father.. it had left him broken hearted, with no thought of ever marrying. Her husband had passed over a year ago and she had not contacted him, although he had not tried to get in touch with her either. Now she was riding in front of him on his horse.. all he could think was "I am in trouble."

She could not believe if was him! He had saved her from the runaway horse... If only she had been able to marry him and not that horrible man. She knew though she had lost him forever....

A wonderful cast of characters, a few determined family and friends and a love that truly never died may just bring these two back together! Another delightful addition to this great series I have enjoyed so much!

THE BEST SO FAR!!! The Duke of Disorder by Anna St. Claire is book 3 The Rakes of Mayhem series and I think this is her best writing so far. Though in a series this book can be read in a standalone. What I loved about this book was that it had my attention from page 1 to the very end. The romance between Lucas and Harriett was so sweet and this story so very original. My heart just went out to poor Harriett and the abuse she suffered. I also enjoyed the little house party of the 3 best friends. I found the descriptions very vivid, the storyline fantastic and so very well written. This story has a long ago love, a forced marriage, abuse, death, 2 new wards, mischief, a scheming mother and sister, a cute puppy named Penelope, a cute kitten named Greyson, friends that are more like brothers, a father who changed due to the forced marriage and falling in love all over again or is it that they never fell out of love. You will have to read this book yourself to find out and I am highly recommending that you do.

***This book was gifted to me and I am voluntarily reviewing.

I found the entertainment not in the romance but between the three male friends. They bantered back and forth, teased each other, fished, played billiards and talked to each other. It seems the romance took a back seat to these other relationships. Also, I liked the younger ward's spirit. She came up with some original pranks. However, I feel more time ought to have been devoted to assisting them deal with their grief over their parents’ death. It feels like it was brushed over and not really dealt with. The most disappointing aspect of the story was the reason the h was forced to marry another and not the man she loved. What a letdown. I feel the h's father did not act according to the reason he forced her to marry a despicable man. The overall story was good. This I feel needs improvement.

I received an Advance Readers Copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋

Very enjoyable book and by an author I don’t read to often, that will have to change.
I’m looking for to more from this series.
It was just a pleasure to follow her characters in their adventures into happiness and love.
Very entertaining and addictive reading.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

Lucas Pemberton, the fourth Duke of Dorman, finds himself face to face with his past love, Lady Harriett Dudley, after he saves her from near death. However, he has no thoughts to expose himself again to the pain of a broken heart. Yet his new role as guardian to two young women, puts him in contact with Harriet as she stays at her family’s country estate, next door to him. As they find themselves together on many occasions, their past feelings are hard to deny. So when it is revealed that Harriet’s father forced her into marriage Lord Dudley, Lucas realises that there was more to the story than either of them were aware of.
Whilst this was an entertaining read and I enjoyed both Lucas and Harriet’s romance, there were some gaps in the story, with aspects that could have been elaborated on. Lucas’ two wards were entertaining as were his friends, whose stories were obviously told in previous books.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lucas and Harriet were young and in love. When Lucas came to ask her father for her hand, he was told that she had married and was gone. Her father had forced her to wed to pay off a debt. He never explained what the debt was and why forcing her to wed Viscount Dudley was the only way to pay it. That was five years ago. The next time they meet, Lucas, now the Duke of Dorman, rescues Harriet, now a widow, from her runaway horse. Their meeting is to say the least uncomfortable. Is it, however, possible that it might be the start to their second chance at happiness?

Lucas is still nursing the hurt of what happened years ago. Harriet even more so, because her forced marriage was to a cruel man who abused her. While Lucas and Harriet seem determined not to reconnect, his mother and her sister have other ideas. Along with Lucas’s two new wards, they come up with plans and activities to put them in the same place at the same time. Just as it appears all the fuss and matchmaking will succeed, some drama and a bit of mystery come along. Why does the new Viscount Dudley want to see Harriet? The story has a little bit of everything - heartache, secrets, mystery, drama, some fun, and finally a long awaited happily ever after. This is a compelling story with a variety of engaging characters. A good read.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Lucas Pemberton, the fourth Duke of Dorman, was still single after he lost the chance to marry the one woman he loved. Lady Harriett’s father decided for reasons, no one understood, to marry her off suddenly to Lord Dudley. Dudley was an older peer; a cruel husband, who made her life with him wretched. Luckily for her, he fell from his horse and broke his neck. Now after five years, Lady Harriett is back home after her mourning period had passed. During an outing, Lucas saved Lady Harriett from a run a-way horse and once again feelings begin to surface for both. I enjoyed the characters that made up this story that filled it with hope and romance. Even the two little wards that come into Lord Lucas’s life were enjoyable. I wish there had been more of a chance to have their characters grow and enlighten the story. Bea and Cat are quite the smart and enjoyable personalities that helped to make the story line flourish.

2.5 stars This is the third in a series about four friends who swore to never marry and be rakes about time. Lucas, the Duke of Dorman, is the only know still single but he’s never even considered marriage since five years ago the woman he was about to propose to was forced to marry another man to pay her father’s debts. While out with his friends he saves a woman on a runaway horse and it turns out to be Lady Dudley, the now-widowed woman who broke his heart.

Harriet was abused by her late husband and even though she’s always loved Lucas, she had such a horrible marriage that she’ll never marry again. She never knew why she was sold to her first husband and never had any closure with her father.

This felt very overwritten. You don’t have to always pen a missive, you can just write a letter, even in 1818. Instead of requesting some sustenance to be readied, you can just order dinner. It was very distracting.

I don’t think the author knows how a sidesaddle works or that you can’t get a woman with a sprained ankle up onto another horse and on a man’s lap. I hoped once we moved on from horses this second chance romance would take off but it never did for me. Too many horses and flat secondary characters and subplots with new wards took a lot of time away from the couple. I never connected with them and wasn’t too sure why they still liked one another.

I received an arc from NetGalley

I did finish this book, but barely. Firstly, I think it is possible there is a decent book in here somewhere. The writing is very difficult to read - the characters are explained rather than allowed to show their personality, and despite this I was none the wiser by the end.

Lady Harriet has escaped a five year horrifically abuse marriage - a fact she's pretty open about, and yet her great love who she was forced away from seems to have nothing but a great big "meh" for the trauma she has suffered. Instead he focuses on how upset he was when she was taken away and that he will never marry... because his fiancee was basically abducted age 18 and abused for 5 years?

Cue some characters from the previous books floating around in one dimension and an out of nowhere reunion with an old friend and things continue to be both baffling, concerning and frankly confusing until this book limps to an underwhelming end.

Ergh. This book was really problematic on many levels and compounded by some truly awful writing.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC but save yourselves!

I love a good historical romance and so when I read about this second chance romance I knew I had to read it. Now me being me, I didn’t realise this was the third book in the series so please keep this in mind when reading my review as things may have been built up in previous books.

Harriet was forced to marry and had to leave Lucas, her childhood sweetheart behind. But when she’s widowed and he rescues her from a wayward horse they have a chance to rekindle the relationship they lost.

The start of this book was amazing and everything I wanted. The initial meet up between the characters after years apart was really well written and gave me high hopes for the rest of the book. However, the book really dipped after that point and the build up of the romance was nonexistent. There was more focus on horses and Harriet reacquainting herself with her sister than anything else. Cat was probably my favourite character and that was because she added a little bit of excitement to the book.

The plot had all of the foundations for an amazing book, but the execution just wasn’t there. The whole mystery of why Harriet was forced to marry wasn’t built up properly and I felt the writing was child-like at times.

The side characters were more like main characters and I really enjoyed their development, but considering this is supposed to be a historical romance I was really missing the romance. Maybe the author could’ve included some flashback scenes of Harriet and Lucas the first time around just to create that connection between the two.

Overall, the book was a quick, easy read but I would suggest starting from the first book and not reading them as standalone’s as things could’ve been developed in other books and you may miss out.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

This is the third book for the Rakes of Mayhem... really, this series and the various titles are a bit of a misnomer in my mind. None of the men in the titles really seem all that rakish, and this duke does not seem very disorderly, all things considered. Regardless this book had a great premise for a plot; boy loves girl, girl loves boy. Boy will be future duke, family loves girl, and boy plans on marrying girl. Goes to home of girl to ask for her hand in marriage... only to find out that father has married daughter off to another man without telling anyone why, despite the wishes of his daughter and wife, and his prior willingness to let the boy court the girl formally.

Move to current day. Boy is Lucas Pemberton, now the fourth Duke of Dorman, and it has taken years for him to get over the heartbreak of losing the woman he loved, now the Lady Harriett Dudley. He has vowed not to marry. One day, he saves a woman on a runaway horse, only to find out it is Harriett, who has come home to visit her family, after 5 years. She is a widow and has just ended her mourning period to the Viscount Dudley, who was an abusive spouse. Neither she nor anyone else ever found out why her father married her to the man who isolated her from her family and friends, but surprisingly left her a well off widow. She has determined that she will relish her independence, and never marry again.

Lucas is hurt that Harriett never contacted him, even after becoming a widow, and does not want a relationship with her, and put his heart at risk. In the meantime, he becomes a guardian to two young orphaned girls and has to figure out how to secure their education and futures, with help from his mother, and the spouses of his fellow Rake friends. But his mother wants him to marry, and the perfect candidate has shown back up. Harriett's sister is visiting with her, and also wants to correct the past, and secure her sister's happiness... the two become co-conspirators in matchmaking, with a bit of help from other characters.

Again, the premise of the story is good. But I found that the story itself was a bit meandering and tedious. There was a lot of unnecessary details that bogged down or detracted from the story line, including a lot of detail of multiple bouts of billiards, and having actual commentary from animals. Anyone who has read some of my reviews knows my appreciation for all things furry and feathered, but really, does the story really need several "Meow", said the cat, or "Neeeigh" said the horse???

Whereas, the ultimate revelation of the mystery of why the Earl married Harriett off to the reviled, abusive Dudley seemed rather like it got short shrift, and there was no real resolution to the strained relationships in that family, considering the number of years that has gone on. If my parents forced a marriage that lead to my abuse by a spouse, his family, and servants, including physical/sexual abuse, isolation, financial abuse, servants spying and tattling, confinement, etc. no matter what my love, with no reasonable explanation and sincere groveling apologies, I likely would not want anything to do with that parent again. But the father continued to refuse any apology, or justification, and also read her missives and accused her of conspiracy with the new Viscount Dudley. For something that was such a pivotal component to their lives, the resolution of this seemed rather abrupt and unfinished.

Also, Lucas - I can understand why he may not want to marry again, when his heart got broken. But he is given a second chance with the woman he loved... and he knows she did not spurn him or trick him, or purposefully break his heart in any way. I could not understand his reticence initially to be friendly with her, if not actively pursue a relationship with her. What did he expect from her, considering the constraints on women at the time, and how the men in her life failed and disappointed her?

There were sweet moments though. I liked the care that Lucas spent in welcoming the orphaned wards, and his connection with the younger Catherine. The brotherly relationship he had with his fellow Rakes was nice as well, since it appeared they were staying with him. The reunion of Romney (the Earl of Excess) with his horse was quite lovely and sentimental. But then his own brothers barely get a mention when there was a lot of attention paid to their childhood haunts and activities - maybe the brothers were too young? Also, not a lot of involvement of the wives, who were also staying with them. They were definitely background characters and it felt like the cats and horses got more attention than the wives.

Anyways, good premise, but I felt that the story definitely got bogged down by frequent small details that did not add to the story.

2.75 stars out of 5. I liked the previous two books in the series more. I wanted to like this one, but felt it fell a bit short for me - bogged down by details.

There were some minor editing issues also (but keep in mind this was an ARC) - such as calling Madame Tussaud's "Madame Trousseau", stating the horse's names was Colton, and he is renaming it Colton, and mixing up Harriett's title a few times (Countess/Viscountess).

Lucas Pemberton, the fourth Duke of Dorman, enjoys the freedom life affords him and has no plans for marriage, having experienced a broken heart years ago. On the way home, a woman’s piercing scream and an out-of-control horse grab his attention. He rescues her, only to discover that she is the woman who broke his heart years ago in favour of another. Unexpectedly, he becomes guardian to two young women—a forgotten promise made long ago. A confirmed bachelor, Lucas finds himself wholly unprepared for the challenges his wards create and force him to seek a solution with the help of his mother. Newly widowed, Lady Harriett Dudley flees her dead husband’s home, and vows to never relinquish her freedom to any man. She stays at her family’s country estate but the only man she’s ever loved is their neighbour.
The third book in the series & it could be read on its own, however characters from the earlier books do feature heavily. I loved both Lucas & Harriet who were in love six years ago but Harriet’s father forced her to marry the despicable Lord Dudley. Whilst they tried to reach out to each other others conspired against them. Now they meet again both are hurt but both are still in love. I enjoyed their road to a HEA but would have liked more time spent with them & for their chemistry to be shown more. I did enjoy the secondary characters especially the delightful Cat, I’d love to read her story (hint). The most touching scene was an unexpected reunion for Matthew. There were also a couple of surprises when everything was revealed. A well written book, which I thoroughly enjoyed, whilst not my favourite of the series I would still recommend it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I have to say I'm a sucker for a marriage of marriage of convenience story it doesn't matter the genre or time period as well as second romances stories and this one is both. I loved this story especially Lady Harriett Dudley and I am looking forward to more by this author.

I liked the storyline of this book, but for some reason, the writing seemed very choppy. I felt like some of the pages were missing, explaining some things, almost like it was the outline that needed to be filled in later. We never get to meet the villain but he is well described and Definitely hateable. I was impressed how the writer was able to keep Dad’s secret until the end. Would have liked to have seen more conversations between Mom and Dad. The “gift” scene between the men kinda fell flat like there wasn’t enough dialogue to understand what was going on until it was over. I guess I enjoy more descriptive words of what is going on and a little more background. Overall a good story,