Lady Myrtle McQuoid has never felt like she truly fits in with her family, and this Christmas season is no different. When she wakes up to a silent house, absent her noisy family, Myrtle realizes they’ve headed out for their seat in Scotland and forgotten her. She just needs to find food and heat until they realize she’s been left behind and return for her.

Valentine Bancroft, the Duke of Aragon, has shut himself away from the world since his wife’s death four years previously. He wants to be left alone, with only his loyal dog for company, and he has no use for his noisy magpie of a neighbor with her incessant chatter and forthright opinions.

But with Myrtle left alone and a potential threat to her father’s house, she has to find the nerve to approach the gruff duke for help and honorable Val can’t refuse a lady in need no matter how much he may want to.

I’m not sure what sort of vortex I’ve fallen into, but somehow almost all of my festive Christmas reads this year have wound up having heavy grief themes. This has been an incredibly difficult year for me with a lot of loss so that makes these books tough to read and I’m trying not to allow that to affect any of my reviews, but I do want to put that caveat out there.

This book was terribly sweet, and I did enjoy how things wrapped up, but it was perhaps a bit too sweet at times. There was a lot of lovely build up between the MCs here and then it all faded out into nothing and that did leave me feeling just a little bit shortchanged. Myrtle is the ultimate golden retriever heroine with Val as her foil, the ultimate broody duke. They are both perhaps just a bit overdrawn in their characters, with some of her behavior being just excessively silly and some of his gruffness going so far as to be comical, perhaps unintendedly so. Her being described as between childhood and womanhood when he’s clearly quite a bit older and much more experienced did feel a bit icky for me, but I don’t remember his age ever being mentioned so I’m not sure of the gap there. This was something I was able to get over when her age and the fact that she was about to have her first season wasn’t being mentioned, though it was mentioned a lot. Myrtle is so sweet and bubbly that at times she came off as a bit of a simpleton and some of her inner monologues grew very repetitive. She was also a bit judgmental and gullible, fully believing when they first met that Val had murdered all his servants and that’s why he was alone. Her character is a bit exaggerated, to the point that it was very easy to sympathize with Val’s wanting her gone, especially as she chattered in a fairly condescending manner at first, hardly allowing him a word edgewise. His story was incredibly tragic and that seemed to cheapen it a bit for me, though I believe it was meant to lighten up the darker theme of the book. We also had the slapstick villains for that lightness, though only briefly, but their threat was pretty vague and there were large stretches in which they did not appear, so I had almost forgotten about them. For this reason, I think some parts of the plot could’ve been shortened a bit without damaging the story. Nonetheless, this author handles darker themes very well, but her dramatic style was a bit less suited to the sweeter parts of the book.

I really liked Val’s growth and seeing him rediscover the joys of life after facing so much pain. Though his transformation happens very quickly, and we don’t get to see very much of the changed Val on the page, it did wrap up the book on a very hopeful note. Given the bittersweetness of this season, that positivity was something I needed, and I only wish we’d had more of it. All in all, I enjoyed this sweet, if a bit slow-paced, read, and, though I did wish for more Christmas festivities and less repetition in the dialogues between Val and Myrtle, his proposal was especially adorable.

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

Val Bancroft Duke of Aragon and Lady Myrtle McQuoid meet in London where he is rattling around in a large mansion as a widower with few servants but one fierce dog Horace. Myrtle's family forgot her when they left for their Scotland estates; she fears thieves intend to steal her father's collection. Val and Myrtle meet over the fierce but friendly Horace who adopts Myrtle. What could go wrong? With thieves encroaching and propriety not observed. Nineteenth century romp.

A grumpy sunshine historical romance set at Christmas time.
Myrtle has accidentally been left home alone without any family or servants for the festive season. But luckily the reclusive and grumpy Duke next door is at hand, no matter how reluctantly, to help her whenever she has problems. The drama surrounding the burglars was short but very entertaining. Myrtle and Val's growing friendship is cute and sweet, made more so by Myrtle's innocence and charming ways. All of their interactions are heavily laced with humour. The grumpy Duke becomes noticeably nicer the more time he spends with her. The only thing I didn't like was the age gap. A childlike Myrtle turns eighteen during the story while Val is thirty and widowed.
I loved Horace, the dog and the way he instantly bonded with Myrtle. It was like he was giving her his seal of approval.
I enjoyed this lighthearted Christmas romance.
I also listened to the audio version of this book and thoroughly enjoyed the narration.

This book charmed me in spite of myself. It's historical romance meets Home Alone (Christmas setting and all) and while I'd never read Christi Caldwell before, I'd definitely heard of her and knew her books tend to be a little more "closed door" than I usually like. But I decided to give it a try and was glad that I did. When Lady Myrtle McQuoid's large family depart for their country home for Christmas, Myrtle is left behind. She isn't surprised - they seem to have totally forgotten about her existence while she's been away at boarding school. But she's not overly concerned, sure that they'll be back for her soon. Meanwhile, she'll need to figure out how to fend for herself in an empty house in winter. Her neighbor, the brooding "duke alone" of the title, becomes a reluctant provider of firewood and other things she needs to make do while she waits. An unlikely friendship is formed and the path to a deeper relationship is forged as the duke's background and the reason for his desire to remain alone is revealed. It's an engaging journey, with enough humor and heart that I didn't much miss the sexy times that happened behind closed doors.
Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I can usually never go wrong with a Christi Caldwell book but for some reason, this one was just ok for me. It could easily have been the fact that I'm a mood reader...or something I can't quite put my finger on but regardless, this one fell slightly short for me.

With that said, I will always pick up Caldwell's books so count this one as an anomaly.

I always love a Christi Caldwell book. I was excited to read this new series. The romance of the book was enjoyable and I loved the plot. They were able to connect to each other due to circumstances in their lives that occurred. Unlike her other series this one had low spice. I

DNF’d at 30%

I tried liking this, I really did. The writing was fine, but both of the MCs were just dreadful. Our, very young, female protagonist reminded me of the character’s teenage create and project upon. She was way too immature and inappropriate. Then our, much older, male protagonist had literally zero likable traits. He’s brooding over his dead wife, supposedly had been absolutely heartbroken for years, but it takes but one giggle from the teenage girl for his icy facade to melt away.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this book.

This was a wonderful story about two quirky characters, It was emotional to read the story of Lady Myrtle and her place in her family and the Duke's sad history as the two end up almost alone over Christmas. And how she is able to break down the walls he'd built after such a terrible loss. I cheered when they ended up together!

Brava!

I always have a special place in my heart for romance and a regency at Christmas time is the ultimate chef’s kiss. A reclusive Duke, a boisterous Lady and a dark winter set the background in this story. I always love a Duke that is quiet and reclusive but ends up having a heart of gold. Also, I simply adore this epilogue and would also love a green cloak.
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Thank you Montlake and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Lady Myrtle McQuoid has always felt a little forgotten, and this season is no exception. When her boisterous family vacates their London townhouse for the country, Myrtle finds she’s been left behind. Next-door neighbors, brooding widower Val Bancroft, the Duke of Aragon, has shut himself off from the world. He craves blessed solitude—a loyal dog, a silent house, and his own company are all he requires.

Obviously, what Val wants is not what he gets. And since all he wants is silence, in walks Myrtle to shake things up. Val and Myrtle are two opposites attract in this book; Myrtle is free-spirited and lives on her own terms, while Val is shut off to the world after his wife's death. When Myrtle gets left behind at home to fend for herself, what's a gentleman to do? Between never used to being alone, no clue how to start a fire, and thieves looking to steal from her house, Myrtle is in need for a man in white shining armor. But she'll have to make so with Val, who seems to want nothing to do with her.

After reading multiple mystery/thriller books, this straight forward romance novel was just what I needed. The book was an easy-to-read romance book that held a tast of Home Alone (with the thieves) mixed in. The ending felt a tad lacking to me and could have offered a bit more. Overall, a book is recommended to those looking for a light romance read, a book that takes place around Christmas, or a book about a Duke.

I rate this book as 3.5 🌟!

I'd like to say a huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

#readingchallenge #reading2022 #fallreading2022 #booklover #bookworm #bookwormlife #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #netgalley #readinggoals #thedukealone #christicaldwell #christicaldwellbooks

Aww, Myrtle and Val were so cute!! And the fact that this was a fun Home Alone retelling with an Austen shout out made it a perfect Christmastime read. And Horace was such a good dog!

This is a story about a duke for Christmas.

This was super cute, and if you’re looking for a nice Christmas romance with a HEA, this is a good choice. The home alone element was comedic & gave it a standout element- but I wish there had been more of a focus on developing that element since it was so unique for a rom com.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Montlake for the eArc!

I had a hard time connecting to this book. I ended up DNFing it. This is a Home Alone retelling, which seems like a cute premise, but it just didn't work for me. Myrtle was too child like to be paired with Val who is older and widowed. The dynamic between them didn't work for me and the attraction between them seemed out of place. Oh well, not every book is a winner.

This book was okay. I usually don't read many historical romance books. The description of the book sounded interesting. This is the first book by this author, that I have read. I had a very difficult time getting into the story. The story also didn't keep me intrigued, until over half way through. I had a difficult time following & understanding the background of the two main characters. I also didn't really like how long the chapters were. I'm use to shorter chapters & more of them. I am grateful for the opportunity to read & review this book. However, I am not sure if I'll read any more books by this author.

There was just something about Myrtle and her tenacity and her very sad and grumpy (but handsome) Duke, Val, that sucked me in from the start.

Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC to read and review.

"The Duke Alone" by: Christi Caldwell tells the story of Lady Myrtle McQuoid and the elusive and brooding Duke of Aragon Val Bancroft. Recently home from Finishing School Mrytle finds her family bustling around their London townhome and packing away their things; it seems as if they will not be spending the Christmas holiday in London as they usually did, instead the family is off to Scottland while their townhome gets some much-needed repairs done to it. Chaos ensues when Mrytle awakens to find that her family has left for Scotland and left her behind...home alone if you will.

I was all in the moment I realized this was "Home Alone" but make it Victorian era. I love historical romances and I love Christmas romances so this had the best of both worlds for me. Mrytle was a great protagonist and I enjoyed all of her quirks and personality traits that were brought forth throughout the course of the novel. While the Duke of Aragon did his best to seem like nothing more than a brute he was delightful in his despondent nature and I felt so sorry for him and his plight as a widower.

The romance was a very very slow burn but I did not mind it as it made the most sense for the time period and the overall story. I would have liked to see more of Val and Mrytle's families but there was unfortunately not enough of them in it for me; especially Val's brother.

The storytelling was good and the novel passed quickly and delightfully. I do wish there had been a few more callbacks to the "Home Alone" film as I think Mrytle could have had a good time getting rid of any of the pesky dangers that lurked in the dark.

This was a quick and delightful read for fans of historical romance.

🌟 3/5 🌟

Myrtle is used to being the forgotten member of her family. Especially after being the only one of her siblings shipped off the boarding school four years. Shes just returned and nothing has changed... as her family forgets her and leaves on their trip to Scotland. Leaving her alone and when she begins to suspect two thieves are casing the place the only person she can turn to is her grumpy 'possible murderer' Val, the Duke of Aragon.

I really loved the idea of a Home Alone inspired Historical romance. And I love a grumpy/sunshine romance... and when I noticed it was an age gap? I was sold.

Unfortunately, it lacked the spark I was expecting. Since it was Home Alone inspired I was hoping for more hijinks especially since Myrtle seemed to be the perfect heroine for this! Prior to boarding school she apparently played pranks... and yet we didn't really see this portrayed with trying to protect her house.

The romance was decent... but the heroine was like young, young. She was 17 for most of the book and only turned 18 around halfway? And she acted very young which made some of the scenes with the older widower romantic lead awkward. And I love age gap usually... but it just didn't work for me.

And then there was a fade fo black which is definitely not my preference especially when the tension keeps building around them. The was a only one bed trope!

By the end I kind of just felt glad it was over. Especially when they met back up with her family... and they try to explain their actions away.

Thanks to Montlake Publishing, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book, I ma leaving this review voluntarily.

This has everything you want in a seasonal historical romance - we have an unconventional heroine, a brooding Duke, a gorgeous dog, only one bed at the inn and a bit of Home Alone and Scrooged thrown in for good measure.

I thought the story was very sweet and the author can always be relied upon to tug at the heartstrings.
A fun read.

I didn't know that I needed a Home Alone inspired regency romance in my life but apparently yes, yes I did. I enjoyed this and found the whole thing quite charming but almost wish that the author leaned even more into her inspiration (more high jinx!). Never the less, a fun, fast, holiday read!

<i>ARC Provided by NetGalley<i>

OMG this book is soooo good!
Lady Myrtle McQuoid has always felt a little forgotten, and this season is no exception. When her boisterous family vacates their London townhouse for the country, Myrtle finds she’s been left behind. But she just needs to stay warm, keep her belly full, and distract herself until her relatives realize their mistake and turn back to collect her. Surely that won’t take long.
Brooding widower Val Bancroft, the Duke of Aragon, has shut himself off from the world. He craves blessed solitude—a loyal dog, a silent house, and his own company are all he requires. Certainly not the nonstop chattering of the joyful, opinionated young woman next door. But with a potential threat lurking in the winter shadows, Myrtle may need to pluck up the nerve to approach the reclusive duke. Amid the silent nights of London, beneath a blanket of snow, could the light of a new, warm love be kindling?
This book is beautiful. I absolutely loved Val (and of course, Horace the wolfy dog). Myrtle is all sunshine, innocence and sweetness and he is broken, grumpy and cold. But when they start spending time together, it’s like the sun has risen again for Val. He suffered a lot with the death of her loving wife and his unborn child, but slowly, she will bring him back to life.
This is a slow-burn romance with little heat and a lot of sweetness and hope. It’s about second chances and broken hearts. About being alone and be seen for the first time. It was a deep, emotional experience, once I highly recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.