Never Seduce a Duke by Vivienne Lorret

My first book by this author and, I have to say, it was absolutely bonkers! I don’t even know where to start with this review, the novel was silly and dispended disbelieve all the way through the read.

From the recipes the aunts were trying to steal to the duke following the heroine all over Europe because he thought she was someone else, and that someon, had stolen his ancient cookbook. Honestly, I’m not even sure how the author came up with the plot, but it took me an age to read because it was just so unrealistic. And that’s before we get to the secret baby trope… That’s always a big no-no for me.

However, I did enjoy the characters of the duke, his quirkiness that could, today, be attributed to something like Autism. It was interesting to read how his family just brushed aside his quirks but how our heroine Meg, loved him for who he was.

I’m not sure I’d go back and read the others in the series, although I have heard great things about them and that was one of the reasons, I wanted to read this book, but I would try another book by this author.

3 stars.

Thank you to the publisher (Avon Books) for an ARC copy of the book. All reviews and opinions are my own.

This is the next installment in mating habits of scoundrels and can be read as a standalone. Overall, this series has been really fun and this book definitely doesn't disappoint.

Margaret Stredwick is on holiday with the recipe-loving aunts when they decide to go to the Duke of Merleton's house to steal one of his family's famous recipes from King Author. In an attempt to curb their mischief, Margaret runs into Lucien, the duke, and its sort of lust/love at first site. The Stredwick's have a family credo to only marry for love and Margaret believes her love has married another so doesn't recognize her attraction for the duke.

After she leaves, Lucien finds the family book of recipes stolen and believes that Margaret is Lady Avalon, the thief. When he later follows her to Italy to retrieve it, she pretends to be Lady Avalon to have fun on her holiday.

There's a lot to unpack in this book and the story takes a lot of twists and turns. There is a villain at the end and I thought it was really well done. I really loved Margaret and Lucien as a couple, my stomach dropped from the two-year separation that happens in the middle of the book, but this one made sense and further enriched the story. Which doesn't always happen. I think it's really hard to have that and not lose momentum. But Vivienne Loret knows how to write a beautiful love story which is why she is one of my favorite historical romance writers.

Anyways, I really hope there are more books in the series and this definitely made me want to go back and read the others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. It's told in alternating POV's which I always enjoy because you can really get to know the characters. The two main characters are Lucien and Meg but also there are some entertaining secondary characters included as well. I felt Lucien's personality was a little different and quirky for the main guy. The story starts out with Meg visiting Lucien's house with her two aunts who are always in search of famous recipes. Lucien's family has a famous book of recipes that ends up getting stolen. He thinks that Meg is behind it and so the tale begins. While I really liked Meg's character which was a head-strong female, I felt like Lucien had to grow on me a little. He was very methodical and had to explain everything.

The book can almost be split into two parts in which the second half takes part a few years after they meet. I didn't think this time lapse detracted from the story and felt Ms. Lorret did a great job in keeping the flow of the story. Personally I enjoyed the second half of the book more as the missing book became more secondary as a main theme and the book instead focused on the characters more. I really enjoyed the writing and would recommend this book for others that enjoy historical romance.

The Mating Habits of Scoundrels is one of my favorite series. I LOVED the previous four books in this series, and I highly recommend them to historical romance lovers! I always have a grin plastered on my face when I read them. Vivienne Lorret has spoiled me with this delightful series. Hence, my expectation for this book was sky-high! Regrettably, it fell short despite containing few of my favorite tropes. The prolonged miscommunication and deception dampened my enjoyment of this book. I liked Meg even though she made choices that annoyed me. As for Lucien, I admired aspects of his character, and I loved the spectacles. However, his continued suspicion of Meg left me frustrated and dismayed. Having said that, it is still a good book and a worthy addition to the series. Vivienne Lorret is one of my favorite historical romance authors. I love her rich, lyrical prose. I’m eager and excited to see what she has in store for us next.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with an e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You don’t often think of a historical romance as bonkers, but this definitely qualifies. It’s funny and wild, and a captivating read. If you like enemies to lovers, secret/mistaken identities, and surprise babies, you’re going to like this.

"Never Seduce a Duke" by Vivienne Lorret
The Mating Habits of Scoundrels Book #5
This the first book I have ready by Vivienne Lorret and it certainly did not disappoint. I enjoyed the main characters, Meg and Lucien, and the adventure, as well as the romance kept me intrigued through the very end. I will be looking for more books by this author and recommend this book to fans of historical romance.

3 Stars!! This is the 5th book in ‘The Mating Habits of Scoundrels‘ series and can be read as a standalone book. This is the first book in said series that I’ve read. I wanted to love this but I couldn’t get past how all the problems they seemed to have was because of their lack of communication. The bad guy was kinda easy for me to pick out and I kept getting frustrated that nobody else seemed to notice. For such a smart guy, Lucien, the main male character, seemed to be kinda dumb, or oblivious. And Meg was getting on my last nerve with always keeping important information to herself. All in all an entertaining book that did tick me off enough to vent to my Mom about it. However I love when just reading a book stirs up emotions, good or bad.
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

Oh how I love a Vivienne Lorret romance! Especially one with a smart man in spectacles!

"Never Seduce A Duke" is the fourth in Lorret's "Mating Habits of Scoundrels" series and was a page-turner! It's the story of Elodie's sister-in-law Meg and Lucien, the elusive Duke of Merleton. Lucien has a family heirloom - a recipe book fabled to hold magic recipes used by King Arthur - and it's been stolen! Meg, has two sticky-fingered middle-aged travel companions (Elodie's endearing Aunts) who just happen to stop at Merleton's home before their European tour. Convinced that Meg has stolen his book (and possibly his heart), Lucien stalks the ladies around Europe. Then, there's a heart-breaking TWO YEAR time jump and you're turning the pages even faster to see if, how and when these two will be reunited!

The chemistry is off the charts between these two! At times I thought, is Lucien on the spectrum? He gives me a little Sheldon Cooper vibe sometimes in the way he processes his thoughts. I loved the sweet way she cleans his glasses for him and the endearing nicknames they have. SWOON! Those are the kinds of little details that really make the chemistry of romance characters believable.

Pick up this book if you like - Second-Chances, Mistaken Identity, Time Jumping, Nerd Love, and a Steam Level of about a 6 out of 10!

I practically inhaled the first four books in the series. This series was my first experience reading something from Vivienne Lorret and each book impressed me more than the last. You could read Never Seduce a Duke as a standalone, but I think it works better if you have at least read the previous two books. I couldn't wait to read Meg's story after the last chapter in How to Steal a Scoundrel's Heart. For some reason though, I'm having such a hard time writing a review. The book seems so different from any other historicals and I'm not sure if that's a plus for me.

The first half of the book is a romp all over Europe with Lucian and Meg playing a cat and mouse game regarding one of Lucian's family heirlooms. I was delighted to see that Ellie's aunts once again make an appearance. Then came the time jump... I had such a hard time after that point. I felt the miscommunications and the time apart caused some of the chemistry to wane. Meg is such a fun heroine. She was so relatable. Her goal during this European holiday was to have her first (and last) "grand flirtation" before retiring to a life as a doting aunt. She only wanted to marry if she could find her soulmate. I had a much harder time with Lucian. He is extremely analytical and literal in his thinking. I loved the times where his analytical façade would slip around Meg; like when he couldn't stop thinking about how she would taste like cinnamon buns or the scene in the attic. Their meet cute was top notch and Meg's obsession with his spectacles is basically from page one. I could see the "villian" coming from a mile away.

I think overall, it was the least strong book in the series but that's not to say that it wasn't a good book. Overall, this book was kinda kooky and felt like two different books at times. Lorret is a beautiful storyteller and writes interesting main and secondary characters. I can see rereading the other books in the series but would probably skip this one on a reread because it didn't grab me the way the rest of the stories did. I'm hoping Pell gets his own story next!

Tropes Include: Arthurian legends, European romp, time jump, spectacles, brooding hero, soul mates, never wanted to marry until I found you, mistaken identity, grumpy/sunshine, secret baby, second chance

3.5 Stars rounded to 4

#netgalley #neverseduceaduke #avonharpervoyager

The Quest of Merleton

This book was rife with Arthurian legend references woven through with a reclusive duke (Merleton), and romance with a young woman (Meg) ready for a flirtatious adventure. I loved the 2 maiden aunts who went on the continental tour with Meg. They reminded me of the aunts in one of my favorite movies, Arsenic and Old Lace. Instead of sending lonely men to their maker, Myrtle and Maeve were on a quest for ancient recipes—and a husband for Meg.

Merleton (a la Merlin) is searching for his family’s stolen ancient book of recipes held dear encrusted with precious stones. Chasing after Meg because he thinks she’s the thief, he unwittingly falls in love with her. His half-sister Morgana has other ideas.

The book was light-hearted with a spot of serious evil intent and violence.

I received a free copy of the book and I am leaving a review voluntarily.

I adore Vivienne Lorret and her writing. This book at times frustrated me deeply. The first part is all mistaken identity and witty banter as the MMC tries to get a family heirloom book back from the woman who he believes stole it. The FMC pretends to be the woman who stole it in order to have a grand summer flirtation before retiring into spinsterhood. I thought the whole mistaken identity thing just went on too long.

Things happen and Meg and Lucien are separated for 2 years. Meg has tried to contact Lucien many times by letter but he had never replied. When he shows up at her home he still believes she is a thief. More banter and sexy times. Secrets are revealed and the real thief is found out.

Don't get me started on the Aunts. So annoying.

You would think I didn't like this book. You would be right. And wrong. I have super mixed feelings but overall the authors superb storytelling keeps this at 5 stars.

**Contains Spoilers**

I read this book in once sitting. Honestly, I forgot about the teaser we got at the end of How to Steal a Scoundrel’s Heart until I actually reread that part in the book, so the surprise baby was definitely a surprise (I also didn’t read the description– I trust Vivienne Lorret implicitly at this point).

I will say I preferred the first half to the second and while I overall loved the book, I didn’t like the time jump. I was anticipating the return journey to be this cat-and-mouse game between the Meg and Lucien because they already have such great banter and chemistry, but then finding that it just skipped to her being home and then two years felt jarring. The first half was this wild European roadtrip and adventure, but then the second half was far less exciting (action wise). But don’t worry, there is still plenty of plot and conflict to keep your eyes glued to the page.

Overall I really liked it, but it isn’t my favorite in the series, and now I wish I did have a book that is just a wild cat-and-mouse chance between a stingy duke and a debutante just trying to have a flirtation before being on the shelf. They’re both so stubborn and I love their dynamic, I didn’t want it to end.

Also could have done with more groveling from Lucien. Never enough groveling.

SIDE NOTE: I will say, even just within the first chapter I noticed some spelling/grammar issues which I hope will be resolved before final print. Just to name 2 in Chapter 1:
“Hoorah” instead of “hurrah”
“She’d pictured a sparse, utilitarian military ruins hidden behind the ramparts”-- “a” is singular, then “ruins” is plural so it just reads weird. Shouldn’t it be “she’d pictured sparse, utilitarian military ruins” or “she pictued a sparse utilitarian military ruin”??

After her first romantic entanglement ends with marriage (to someone else), Margaret Stedwick decides to go on one last holiday before she hangs up her dancing shoes and settles into life on the shelf. With the mischievous Myrtle and Maeve Parrish on the hunt to acquire the best recipes, Meg tags along.
Lucien Ambrose, Duke of Merleton, has lived a solitary life. His analytical and skeptical mind is focused on recreating recipes from a family book that are supposed to imbue certain characteristics upon the eater. When Meg is caught in his home during one of his experiments, he thinks the food he consumed is the reason behind his desire for her. But when she escapes and Lucien find the book to be missing - a great chase ensues.
Lucien thinks Meg is Lady Avalon, a notorious thief who he believes has stolen his precious family recipe book and Meg is only interested in one last great flirtation before she becomes a doting aunt to her brother's children.

I truly enjoyed this book. The miscommunication/misunderstanding trope is handled so expertly. Lucien and Meg talk so much but rarely do they actually communicate effectively. Their interactions are funny and you want them to get together so bad by the end (and even the middle if we're being honest). If you're into sexy glasses-related foreplay - this book is perfect for you.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a little mystery in their romance.

Mistaken identities, lady thieves, family secrets and myths, secret pregnancies, villains, and fated love. What more could you want from a historical romance?

I picked up my copy of Never Seduce a Duke, expecting to read a chapter before starting my weekend chores. Several hours later--with the laundry unwashed and the floors unswept--I finally put the book down; it gripped me right from the get-go, and I found myself stuck in "one more chapter" mode until the very end.

Meg and Lucien meet on his estate: she, having finagled her way in with her aunts-by-marriage (the Parrishes, who readers will remember from The Wrong Marquess), who were looking to steal a few recipes; and he, fresh from his homemade lab where he was working with a priceless family heirloom. When said heirloom is discovered missing shortly thereafter, Lucien immediately suspects Meg of being the thief and sets off after her and her aunts on a European tour. Meg figures out the mistake, but realizing that telling him will also send him out of her orbit just as they are developing feelings for one another, she decides to play the part of lady thief/seductress in this one last grand adventure before putting herself on the shelf. Of course, it's never that simple--she discovers she's pregnant after they part--so the question becomes: can they overcome suspicions, broken trust, and villains with hidden agendas in order to seize love and their soul's counterpart?

Lucien was a bit too single-minded in his hunt for the heirloom, but it does make sense given its backstory and his family history. The villain is obvious from early on, but really, the villain is only able to successfully drive a wedge between them because Lucien is so focused on the purpose of the pursuit--the heirloom--and not its object, Meg. I had a few moments of wanting to smack Lucien to get him to open his eyes and pay attention to what matters, but he more than redeems himself throughout the plot.

It seems like this one will wrap up the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series, and it is a fine and fitting conclusion to a series that got better as it went. It's an engaging read you won't want to miss.

This was my first Lorret book (I know it's weird to start five books into a series, but here we are!), and I absolutely loved it. The chemistry between the characters was delightful, and I was having so much fun with the first half of the book! Then around the 50ish% mark, it became a surprise pregnancy/secret baby/time jump situation, which was not ideal for me. But I continued because I was already so attached to the characters, and I'm so, so glad I did. The ending of this book was so sweet! I love Lucien and Meg, and I cried at a few points from overwhelming feelings!! Recommend!

This book ticked all the boxes if you are looking for romance, intrigue, and a liberal dash of Arthurian myth and magic. Margaret Strewick believes in fate, when she perceives her true soulmate has married someone else, she decides she should have a grand adventure before becoming a spinster.
However, as part of her grand adventure, her aunts finagle a tour of the Duke of Merleton’s castle. Lucian is the keeper of the legendary recipe book that fed King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
He runs into Meg as she is lost in the twist and turns of Caliburn Keep after the aunts pilfer a recipe. Lucian believes she is up to something but sends her on her way only to find that the prized recipe book is missing. This is when the true adventure for Lucian and Meg begins. In place of the book is a note from the thief who calls herself Lady Avalon. Lucian is convinced that Meg is Lady Avalon and sets out to track her down.

Not Eva Leigh’s best. But despite this, I enjoyed my reading experience, even though I know that the author has definitely written better, with prose that just jumps off the page. I think that if it was better executed, this could have been an easy five star read, since it has some of my favorite character types and tropes, but the execution was a bit of a let down.

I think my main issue is I expected more of the second half going in, just based on the description. This is because, due to the general premise presented, it’s already understood that there’s going to have a secret baby trope—a trope that I actually ADORE when done right. Due to Leigh’s previous books in the series, which I loved across the board, I expected more.

Unfortunately, while I loved the main characters and their dynamic (every time Meg cleaned Lucien’s glasses? My heart sang), there wasn’t just enough internals that made the rest of the Mating Habits of Scoundrels really great. Instead, it read as dialogue after dialogue, without it being grounded in the character’s pov, which Leigh is usually better with.

I would have loved more of the second half precisely because there’s a lot of potential there when it comes to the emotional toll and discovery of the pregnancy and then the connection later on when Guinevere is found out. Instead, there’s no real angst or anguish from either of the characters—in fact, the discovery of it felt like it didn’t even matter to the plot when…with the way it was laid out, it was supposed to be important to Meg’s character arc. I so wanted to see those months of her standing up to her brother, of not giving up Lucien’s name, of coming into her own. But we didn’t because instead, to mark the second half of the book, we get a two year time skip.

Instead, a lot of time was spent on the book that is supposedly from King Arthur himself. And because this then supplanted Meg’s character arc, there could have been more dimensionality to the conflict. Instead, it was quite repetitive. Also, Morgan was such an obvious villain it bordered on cringey.

Vivienne Lorret never disappoints with her storytelling and romance! Vivacious Margaret and stern Lucien are opposites who attract and when Margaret steps foot into the duke’s home, shenanigans ensue and in the process, both learn that the other is more than their facade. This series has been hilarious and sweet, and this latest installment is no exception.

Okay where can I find my own Lucien?? Wow, did I LOVE him! Meg was his perfect match. I truly believed in their romance. Such a fun book.

I adore Vivienne Lorret and a secret baby trope is one of my favorites, so I really enjoyed this book. MFC Meg is on an extended journey seeking to leave behind what she thinks is heartbreak. She is traveling with the recipe stealing aunts of her sister-in-law, characters I loved in prior books. The sisters steer their tour to the estate of the reclusive Duke of Merleton, aka Lucien. Through a series of rib-tickling events, Meg and Lucien end up meeting in a dark hallway. He has been experimenting with family recipes and his reaction to Meg leads him to think one is working (clue - he is just really turned on by Meg), and runs off to test it on someone else.

Meanwhile his family's recipe book is stolen and Lucien becomes convinced that Meg stole it. Thus he begins to follow her across the continent, seeking return of his book but ending up falling for Meg, who falls for him, too. Through another series of less funny events, the two end up separated. The latter half of the book follows their journey back to one another.

I loved both Meg and Lucien. Lucien's logical mind is extraordinary and amusing. Meg is a secure young woman who knows what she wants, and what she doesn't. The love scenes were steamy, the sexual tension intense, and the contrast between familial love and familial hate is well done. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are entirely my own.