This was a good romance read featuring marriage of convenience, some steam, and a happily ever after ending.

The chemistry between Bronwyn and Ash was great! It felt organic and I loved seeing their walls crumble and relationship build. Their bantering and bickering was well-written and really fun.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review Some Dukes Have all the Luck. It gets a 4/5 from me.

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am not usually a fan of historical romances, but once I started this book I could not put it down. Bronwyn was such an amazing character, I loved her awkwardness and her intelligence. It was really interesting reading about her interest in entomology and science, and her desire to share her knowledge with others. Ash was a character you kind of loved to hate, I hated what he was doing to the people in his life, but I also understood why his past made him act the way he did. Ash’s wards were delightful and I loved the joy and levity they brought to this story. This was such a beautiful story about finding love and family and acceptance. My first time reading this author, but it will not be my last. I received an ARC on netgalley and this is my honest review.

Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley, co-owns a gaming hell in London, England. He is responsible for three defiant and rumbunctious wards. When two run away, Ash is forced to chase after them to his mother’s ancestral home. He bumps into the most fascinating bluestocking there. Ash believes that Bronwyn may be the solution to his problems. He just needs to convince her to agree to a marriage of convenience. However, Ash never imagined he would fall in love with Bronwyn or grow close to his wards. Can Ash exorcise the demons of the past? Or will it destroy any possibility of a future?
Miss Bronwyn Pickering is nothing like her social-climbing parents. She prefers her entomology pursuits than interacting with the ton. Her parents demand that Bronwyn must find a titled husband or risk the destruction of her scientific work. She has no other choice than to accept a stranger’s hasty marriage proposal. Bronwyn accepts the conditions Ash insists for their marriage; however, she cannot stop the growing feelings for her new husband. Can Bronwyn help Ash let go of his traumatic past? Will she help him forge a bond with his three wards?
Ash won my heart instantly! He is a man haunted by a dark and traumatic past. Ash refuses to be the monster that his father and his ancestors were. That is why he keeps an emotional distance from others. I understand, and admire, Ash for wanting to protect his three wards from the truth. He means well, but his good intentions rob him and the girls from what they truly need. What I adore the most about Ash is his endless support of Bronwyn’s scientific interests. He openly respects and acknowledges her intelligence. Ash continually encourages Bronwyn to follow her dreams.
I could not help but to adore Bronwyn. She is a lonely soul who has never truly fit in or experienced parental love. I empathize with Bronwyn’s self-confidence issues. She has endured years of ridicule and belittlement from her parents and others because of her interest in entomology. I like that Bronwyn is the total opposite of her parents. She has no interest in the ton or their world. What I liked the most about Bronwyn is how she blossomed under Ash’s care. His support and acceptance helped Bronwyn find the person she was meant to be. It gave her the courage to stand up for herself.
SOME DUKES HAVE ALL THE LUCK is the first book in Christina Britton’s new historical romance series, SYNNEFUL SPINSTERS, a spin-off from her THE ISLE OF SYNNE series. This my first time reading this author. The book’s synopsis is what grabbed my attention. It sounded like something I would enjoy. I flew through the pages, unable to put it down. I found myself immediately immersed in the characters and the plot.
The spin-off can be read separately. I did not feel as if I missed out on anything from the previous series. I do plan to check out THE ISLE OF SYNNE books and the author’s other works.
SOME DUKES HAVE ALL THE LUCK is a sweet and heartwarming tale of two love-weary souls finding where they belong. I hope this series focuses on Bronwyn’s friends in The Oddments. I cannot wait to read the next installment!

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

I have not read any of the previous Isle of Synne series and chose this one as it seems to be an offshoot of that series, and because of the blurb describing the heroine as a bit of an oddball bluestocking - something I love.

Bronwyn is a naturalist with a love for insects. She is studying a tansy beetle on Synne which may be a new species. Her parents moved to Synne after being run out of London as they are social climbing parvenus who were trying to overreach and given a terrible set down by other members of the Ton after trying to use Bronwyn to improve their social status. In that situation, Bronwyn's heart was broken and she learned to not trust men. However, her parents do not understand Bronwyn and in their desire to marry her to a peer to improve their status, they set down rules that stifle her. They take away her research and tools. They limit her social activities since they involved spending time with other ladies of Synne who the parents do not consider worthy - the Oddments - and spending time tromping through meadows and woods searching out beetles and other insects.

Bronwyn is miserable.

Ash Hawkins, the Duke of Buckley, comes to Synne in search of his runaway wards. They are running wild from neglect and have run to Synne after reading his dead mother's journals, as she grew up on Synne. He appears to be a cold, dangerous owner of a gambling den, but has built a hard wall around his heart to hide an overwhelming burden of shame and guilt because of what he perceives to be his own neglect and selfishness and his bad blood. He is a child of a brutish abusive man who's actions lead to the death of his mother and the abuse of countless others. He is determined to bottle that in himself and not to burden others with it. Because of this, he has not connected with his wards and refuses to be involved in relationships with others, other than his partner and friend in the gambling den. But because of his perceived coldness, his wards have run wild, and run away.

Ash determines, when he goes to Synne to get his wards, that he would engage in a marriage of convenience to gain a wife to care for the wards. Bronwyn appears perfect to job as he can offer her freedom, funds for her research, and the girls have connected with her already. Bronwyn thinks otherwise, considering he proposed literally the second time they meet. But her parents push her into an untenable situation, where her choice was a complete loss of freedom, or marriage to Ash.

I really enjoyed this story. This was another story like one I recently read, where the hero was supportive of the heroine's bluestocking ways, appreciating and supporting her uniqueness and intelligence. Ash is a protector and hides a deeply sensitive, caring man behind a high hard wall - he is punishing himself for what happened to his mother and others, but not realizing that he is also hurting those he cares about in his life by keeping himself away from them. I quite like the Oddments too (what a great name) and they are the girl-power group who give Bronwyn more support and love than her own family does. Now I want to go back and read the other Isle of Synne novels.

Her parents though - ugh. What a terrible duo of superficial, neglectful, selfish, toxic people. They seem like caricatures more than anything else, but talk about wanting to cut off limbs off the family tree!

4.25 stars out of 5

Holy Pride and Prejudice vibes, Batman! As a huge P&P fangirl, this book grabbed me and didn’t let go! I laughed, I teared up, and my heart felt like it absolutely grew in size. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!!

A marriage of convenience between a spinster scientist and a duke. He needs a caregiver for his troublesome wards, she needs to escape her parents authority.

A very quick getting together just left me with nothing to desire in finishing it.

What a fantastic, emotional, spicy, romantic beginning to a new series. I could not put this down and all my checks were made on what I want in a perfect historical romance - additionally, I truly cried several times in the book.

Bronwyn Pickering has never been what her parents wanted her to be. She is happily embracing being a spinster and to be able to further her entomology studies and getting her work published but her parents are demanding a marriage. Bronwyn just wishes for a miracle that could see her away from her parents and then she literally runs into the perfect solution, Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley.

Ash, besides being a duke is a partner in a successful London gambling establishment and for the last five years has been trying to raise his three female wards, who are becoming hellions and out of hand for him. He also brings a lot of darkness, secrets, guilt from his past and is afraid to get close to them. So, after literally running into a lady in town and additionally, seeing her interact with the two youngest girls with great rapport, he suggests a marriage of convenience.

The changes, healing, ability to love and be loved came when Ash and Bronwyn both need it most. It was an emotional road, but a HEA was celebrated, and I loved the way the entire family came together with forgiveness, the truth was disclosed to the girls and the one thing each of them wanted was to be loved, which they all got.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley, I voluntarily read/reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book & all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Some Dukes Have All the Luck is the first book in the Synneful Spinsters series by Christina Britton. This was my first experience reading a book by Britton and I was pleasantly surprised.

Bronwyn is firmly on the shelf at age twenty four. Her parents are upset that she spends more time catching insects than catching a husband. Ash Hawkins, the Duke of Buckley is struggling to keep control of this three wards. His tactic of ignoring them so they don't become attached backfires when the two youngest flee to his seaside estate. Ash literally runs into Bronwyn and her beetles on his way to find them . When they meet again at his estate, he proposes a marriage of convenience. Bronwyn will watch after the girls in Synne and he will reside at his London home. Bronwyn agrees to the terms as long as Ash commits to spending two weeks together as a family before heading back to London. It's hard to avoid catching feelings when you spend so much time together.

Bronwyn is a naturalist. She loves studying insects and has the goal of being published for her findings. Her parents are verbally abusive and horrible. They shame her for her body, personality, hobbies, and anything else you can imagine. It's no surprise that she would agree to marry a complete stranger in order to escape her abusive household.

Ash is a tortured hero of his own making. He's feeling guilt over the death of his mother even though he was just a boy when it happened. He keeps his wards at a distance to avoid hurting them with the secret he carries. I loved the little moments of seeing him spend time with the girls. Ash is always supportive of Bronwyn and her hobbies. He praises her intelligence and urges her to continue submitting her work to be published.

This book is fairly low angst. I kind of breezed right through it. I started it last night and by the time I looked I was already seventy percent done. I really wished the "villians" of the book had gotten their comeuppance. Bronwyn's parent and prior suitor deserved a lot more in the end. I'm looking forward to read the other books in the series although none of her friends really wowed me into getting excited for their characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Christina Britton, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a simple romance, low stakes, little depth. It was fine and sometimes you need such a book.

I was ready to return to the Isle of Synne and was excited when Lady Tesh and Mouse made an appearance but alas they barely feature. This had promise but didn't quite deliver for me; Ash and Bronwyn were interesting on their own but together I didn't feel anything. I felt no spark, we're constantly told Ash is tortured but I didn't feel or see it, and we're also told that Bronwyn is strong and brave but we don't see it until one outburst at the end. It took a long time to reach the premise of the book and yet it didn't use that time to establish much other than characters for future books (also not a fan of the name The Oddments).

All the elements are there but didn't come together for me, Britton's last book had more depth and leads with a real connection. Again, fine easy/beach read.

Some Dukes Have All the Luck by Christina Britton is about a marriage of convenience with forced proximity.

I am not a Regency gal but needed a break from contemporary. I very much enjoyed the story and the writing. Christina did a great job and I just might grab the next one in the series. Isn't the cover gorgeous?

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Loved it! Ms. Britton's style of writing and storytelling is lovely. This one was a marriage of convenience between two opposite people who have been sprung by society for different reasons. I saw the plot twist a mile away but was glad to have my theory confirmed and that it was Bronwyn the one to put people in their place. I wish I would have seen more of Ash's kick butt - maybe next book? Also... did I get vibes for the next couple??? Mr. Breecher??

When a book has some of my favorite tropes:
Marriage of Convenience ✔️
Hero left with orphans/wards who need a mother✔️
Bluestocking heroine ✔️
I say sign me up. But when it’s also set on one of my favorite fictional locations called the Isle of Synne I know I’m going to enjoy it.
Some Dukes have all the Luck is book book 1 in a new series called The Synneful Spinsters which is a spin-off of the Isla of Synne series and many of the characters, including the heroine where introduced in the last book A Duke Worth Fighting For and the previous books.
Although you can read this book as a stand alone, I think you get a better appreciation of the world of Synne and an insight into our heroine if you read the book before it.
Bronwyn has truly awful parents. All she wants to do is pursue her epidemiology studies which may include the discovery of a new species of beetles. She does have time for a husband and is certainly not going to get her heart broken (again!)
Ash, Duke of Buckley, owner of the Brimstone gaming hell has no clue how to deal with his 3 wards who seem to go through governess like a young lord goes through his monthly allowance. When the two youngest are found to have runaway to his mother’s maternal home on the Isle of Synne Ash has no choice but to go after them and back to a place that Ash had never hope to go back to again.
When Ash meets Bronwyn and sees how much his young wards like her he decided that maybe they need a mother more then another governess. When Ash proposes a marriage of convenience to Bronwyn she sees it as a way to both please and get away from her awful parents and continue her studies. He sees it as a way to give his wards the mother they need so he can get back to London and his business. But although Bronwyn agrees to a marriage of convenience, she doesn’t want a marriage in name only. She would like to explore the sexual awakening she has felt inside herself as she has pursued her naturalist studies. (Honestly, this is some of the sexiest moments at the beginning of their marriage) and request a 2 week, let’s get to know each other, period on the Isle before he goes back to London.
I love both these characters and they both carry some past baggage with them that needs to be work through.
We also get re-introduced to “The Oddments” who have flitter around the last series and seemed to be our future heroines in this new series, of which I’m very excited for.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley for my unbiased review of this book)

Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley is the owner of a popular gaming hell and in charge of three hoydens that are quite a handful. Ash had a very hard childhood; he was beaten at school, witnessed his mother die at the hands of his abusive father and decided to run away to London, away from his abusive father to start a gaming hell.

Bronwyn Pickering would love nothing more than to become a spinster so she is free to continue her entomology research. But her parents are social climbers and want her to make a way for them to advance in society by making an advantageous match.

When two of the girls run away to his family estate, he follows after they have two chance meetings. At which the second, he proposes a marriage of convenience; she will look after his wards for him in Synne and she can pursue her research.

After a whirlwind two weeks, they married and settled into their new home. Ash had promised her two weeks before he left her and the girls to return to London and his gaming hell. But suddenly, neither thought that was what they wanted anymore. Ash was realizing that he no longer wanted to be alone and that Bronwyn made him happier than he can remember and the peace of the countryside was wonderful. Bronwyn, in turn, realized that Ash truly supported her research and genuinely thought she was a beautiful and amazing woman.

When the girls finally join them after a few days ‘honeymoon’, Ash agrees to Bronwyn’s plan of family outings and time together to get the girls to behave and listen to her. But in spending time together, Ash, Bronwyn and the girls settle into a wonderful family unit, truly enjoying their time together!

But when the bubble of their wonderful time together is burst by the arrival of visitors, Ash is forced to face the fact that he will never get away from the stigma of his father’s legacy and he decides it best to leave for London. Both feel they are unworthy of love, but neither can find happiness apart.

Bronwyn and Ash were so delicious as a couple! He absolutely adored her and poured encouragement and confidence into her broken spirit. These two pulled at my heart strings because they desperately needed each other in their lives and fought it with all their might, but watching them give in was made all the sweeter!

Tropes
Historical Romance, Regency Era, Country Life, Seaside, Titled Hero, Tortured Hero, Damaged Hero, Single Dad, Unworthy Hero, Bluestocking Heroine, Damaged Heroine, Scientist Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Outdoor Steam, Marriage of Convenience/Arranged Marriage

This book has major Pride & Prejudice vibes and contains some of the best tropes: found family, marriage of convenience, and forced proximity.

This was such a heartwarming and emotional read. Our heroine, Bronwyn, is considered a disappointment to her parents because she is more focused on having her entomology work published in a scientific paper than finding a husband. Bronwyn desperately needs to get out from under her parents thumb and the perfect opportunity presents itself in the form of Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley.

Ash, a Duke and co-owner of a gambling hall, is in charge of three wards and is struggling to raise them. For reasons that are revealed at the end of the book, Ash fears getting close to them and decides that a wife is needed to take care of the girls.

Ash and Bronwyn are two souls in need of healing who come together at the perfect time. I loved seeing them become a family and help one another deal with their past trauma. This was my first book from this author and I can’t wait for the others in the series!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This was your quintessential Regency romance romp, and I loved it! It had all the ingredients for a perfect reading escape. A marriage of convenience, a bad-boy Duke, a young lady written off as a spinster, embarrassing families, meddling friends, and meddlesome children. It all came together in a sweet, romantic, spicy, happy, swoonworthy Regency romance. I read this book in two days, I didn't want to put it down!

It was a quick, easy, fun book to read, and I will definitely go back and read more books by this author. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this timeless tale!!

wow.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

I really loved it. Not only does it have one of my favorite tropes (Sex....for science!) this is an absolutely gem of a book. I love Bronwyn and Ash and his wards with my whole heart. I rarely cry at books but I definitely had something in my eye by the end. This was my first Christina Britton I have read and it certainly won't be my last.

“I have realized over the course of my life that we cannot control what other people do; rather, we can only control our own reactions to them.”

An intense yet humorous story of found family.

I enjoyed this book, really I did. But right off the bat you should know it has very real descriptions of and scenes with verbal and physical abuse. Both our main characters have abusive parents. The fallout from that abuse, the trauma it causes, is also realistically described. It was so bad at points (especially the scenes of verbal abuse with Bronwyns narcissistic parents) that I almost stopped reading. Now don’t get me wrong- it was handled beautifully. The mental health of Ash, Bronwyn, and even the three young girls, was respected and by the end of the book was starting to heal. But if you can’t handle those kinds of scenes this may not be for you.
Also, I really felt like the pace of this book was strange. They didn’t actually have their marriage of convenience until almost 40% of the way in, and it was another 20% before we really got to see the girls. It seemed to take forever for the MCs to have any spark between them as well.
Once their romance got going though it was so sweet. The ways Ash showed his love to Bronwyn (building her confidence, making her a research library!, making sure she has time to work) were real and lovely. Also it was fun to see a heroine with short hair in a historical for a change!
The side characters were so dynamic and funny. This is the first book I’ve read by this author so I don’t know if some of these characters were mentioned in other books. But I really hope Regina, Seraphina, and Beecher get their own books soon!
This is an enjoyable read with some very genuine emotion at the heart of it.


CW: Abuse, parental death, domestic violence, bullying, mention of past rape
Tropes: Marriage of convenience, grumpy/sunshine, governess, women’s bluestocking club

I received this book in exchange for an honest review! Opinions are all my own.

I adored this story, I adored Ash, I adore Bronwyn, I adore Ash’s wards, I adore Ash and Bronwyn together. This is a story about a woman, Bronwyn who never feels wanted or accepted except by her group of friends called the Oddments. Ash is a man who loved his mother, who disliked his father, who is torn about guilt from his past, and who is guardian of three girls. This is only the second book I have read by this author, and I just love her writing skills, it is a beautiful written love story. I can not wait to read more stories by her.
I received a copy of this ARC from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

This is the first full length historical romance novel I’ve read and I have to admit I was a bit pre disposed to be critically judgy. That said, I enjoyed the story, the characters and of course the promised lovey bits were cute and although a bit rushed (which is perhaps the style), they were sweet and got my blood pumping just like contemporary romances tend to do too!

I loved the STEM twist to the plot and although I don’t know much of other novels in the genre, don’t expect that many feature female leads who are scientists. I love the idea of this series and have many ideas about where it may be going - I’m excited to see what comes next!

Tropes: fake dating (marriage of convenience), forced proximity (due to the latter) and single dad esque vibes (but not - so read the book to find out more)

This book was mostly about one’s emotions, passions and ways to keep them inside or... not being able to do so. Because of that, you could quickly find yourself reading on. When you read about an emotion for 100 pages or so, you’re bound to do just that, but trust me when I say - stick around for the ending. It was perfect..