Last month I read Girls Before Earls in preparation for One Duke Down, and they were both perfectly pleasant reading experiences. Anna Bennett has mastered the sweet, slow-burn romance in her Rogues to Lovers series. I hadn’t previously read this author before this collection and I was surprised by her appealing writing style. The magnetic chemistry and tender courtship were present in Poppy’s romance, just as they were in her predecessor, Hazel. My critique regarding the first book still remains for the sequel: these books are sweet as pie, but the overlong chapters end up burning the crust when it should have been removed from the proverbial oven much sooner.

One Duke Down had a great premise where a poor fisherwoman finds an unconscious duke tangled up in her nets like a wayward sea bass. Keane slowly recovers on the isolated beach and Poppy visits him periodically with necessary supplies. This was a great plot point and it provided a natural setting for our couple to develop their relationship. I thought they were so sweet together and I was truly rooting for them to end up together. The author continues to deliver on ooey gooey courtships and I’ve come to grow fond of the tenderness between her characters. I kept getting bombarded with mental images of Ariel serenading Prince Eric on the beach whenever I pictured Poppy and Keane’s relationship. Who else would you imagine with a nautically-inclined redhead and an unconscious member of the gentry along the shoreline?

One Duke Down featured a charming, tender romance, even if I wish it ended a few chapters sooner. The side plot of Poppy’s deadbeat brother and Keane’s assassination attempt were unnecessary buffers because I selfishly just wanted to focus on the romance. I do plan on continuing both this series and other publications from Anna Bennett. The big cheesy grins on the cover easily translate the happiness I felt while reading One Duke Down. We may have secured the duke’s affections in the second installment, but the identity of the rogue who transitions to eventual lover still remains a mystery!

I absolutely loved One Duke Down!!! I love Anna Bennett's books, and loved the first in this series, and was eagerly awaiting the next book! I was super excited to get One Duke Down.
One Duke Down does not disappoint!!! At first, I thought the first couple of chapters started a little slow. Not slow enough where I'd lose interest,-- maybe because of the great detail? Or perhaps because the reader is getting a lot of detail about Keane getting dragged on the beach? Anyway, I was happy to check in on the heroine of the previous book and see how everything is going with her so the slowness is a minor quibble. it did take a couple of chapters to pick up but once it did, I was in! I love Poppy, and I love Keane! I loved their dialogue and their chemistry was fantastic.
I keep saying detail but I can't help it, One Duke Down is so well-detailed that I could picture Poppy's hideaway, the beach and the sweet town Bellhaven that this series takes place in. The dialogue is fun, poignant and so many highlightable lines!
The story is great-- if you're into HR, this is a can't-miss. Anna Bennett crafts really sweet books and this is another great read!

**Thank you to Anna Bennett, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to receive an ARC of One Duke Down in exchange for an honest review!** This book was so romantic. I am not a huge fan of historical romances and this was one of my absolute favorite books that I've read in the past year. I truly enjoyed the way that this relationship between the two characters progressed and I really understood Poppy's struggle to connect with Keane. One Duke Down is such an enjoyable read. There is enough mystery to keep you entertained without it becoming the whole plotline or taking away too much focus from the romance. I also just barely looked close at the cover and it fits their personalities so well :'). This was a book I will definitely read again and I will encourage my friends to read it as well! I thought this was a fun read and I really loved reading it! I am really looking forward to reading Anna Bennett's backlist!!

Will their differences of status be the end of what could be …

With this second book in this series, the author offers us a lovely tale of an unconventional romance.
Poppy and Keane should never have crossed path.
Both living at one edge of the society’s ladder, yet a murder attempt erased everything as it literally landed Keane at Poppy’s feet.
They are both very likable characters, each with their secrets, failings and flaws.
Poppy is holding by a thread, trying to save her family from starving now she is the only one stand able to continue in her father’s shoes.
But she is uncertain she will be able to continue on this path, it is exhausting and frustrating at time.
Keane is on a reprieve from city’s gossips-mongers, having escaped one more scandal but everything is not it appears to be as someone has dark designs about him. So now he has barely alive escaped the worst, he seeks to find who is behind the attack. And what better way to unearth the truth than to make the villain believe he has won.

This is an lively sort of fairytale chase of the real culprit, with a fisherwoman who is more than what she presents to the world, well educated, acknowledged and aware of the differences of classes. And a duke who sees beyond rank and falls for a woman who should be all wrong for so a lofty title.
A true Cinderella story with a young woman working for her living who finds her own Prince Charming.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Delightful return to Bellehaven and those Belles!

Poppy Summers has taken on the tasks of the family fishing business since her father’s illness, and her brother Dane’s forays into town seeking riches (often via gambling). Poppy is working in her particular cove when she comes upon a stranger, unconscious and sprawled out on the edge of the surf, a nasty gash over one eye.
She drags him up the beach and ensconces him in the beach shack she uses as an escape from her cares.
The stranger turns out to be Andrew Keane, Duke of Hawking. Someone has tried to kill him. (I had my suspicions as to who from the get go) Keane decides to hide out in Poppy's retreat to try to smoke out the would be murderer. Of course one thing leads to another for a HEA, but the getting there is provocatively drawn with some side high jinx like the trip to the Ascot races, which was close to a Pretty Woman delight. Diggins, Keane’s able valet is superb. The unmasking of the villain is both fraught and highly eventful.
A very pleasant read.

A St Martin’s Press ARC invitation via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

He offers her a bit of adventure when trying to solve his attempted murder. It’s a tale of unwavering love and faith amidst the bonds and support of friendships, relatives and employees as well as jealousy and envy that drives evil deeds. Entertaining and engaging book of adventure and romance.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

A book that succeeds on all counts with believable characters, tense plotting, a duo united to discern another’s secret animus, excitement galore, and a relationship that grows realistically through each interaction and conversation. Both hero and heroine are plucky survivors reaching for true love and surrendering prejudices to achieve it.

Poppy Summers is struggling to keep her father’s fishing business alive and has no time for much of anything else. She certainly doesn’t want the complication that is sure to come when she finds a man washed up on the beach, tangled in one of her fishing nets. Even more troublesome is the man’s headwound and his assurances that he’s a duke.

Andrew Keane truly is the Duke of Hawking, even if his prickly rescuer doesn’t believe him. He came to the seaside resort town of Bellehaven Bay hoping to escape a potential scandal in London, only to have someone try to kill him. Keane is determined to find out who wants him dead by pretending the blackguard succeeded, but he’ll need Poppy’s help to stay hidden while he investigates. Poppy isn’t interested in the scheme, but she can’t turn down the money he offers to pay for food and the use of her seaside shelter. As Poppy tends Keane’s injuries and they work together to find his enemy, Keane begins to chip away the walls around Poppy’s heart. The connection between them is real, but it leaves Poppy torn between her dreams and her loyalties to her family and their way of life.

I’ll be the first to admit that I was unsure about this book at first. Poppy initially came off as very judgmental and prickly, quick to assume and tiresome in her fatalism. For a while she wouldn’t even tell Keane her name. All that said, this just paved the way for a ton of truly lovely character development for Poppy as she and Keane came to know one another, and their connection grew. I loved seeing how she gradually came to trust and confide in him and he in her. Perhaps the single best part of Poppy’s journey for me was how she followed her heart and decided to trust in Keane and her feelings for him and take a chance on building a real relationship with him despite her fears about the obstacles they were sure to face given the differences in their social stations. Keane’s ardent, steadfast pursuit of Poppy and his patience in convincing her that his feelings for her, and therefore their relationship, were real was utterly charming. After her being so used to taking care of everything and only being able to rely on herself, he showed her that she could lean on him and believe in the connection they had. I loved how he kept reassuring her of his feelings and intentions and in return, she always had faith and never doubted him. These two kept lines of communication open and there was never any unnecessary angst or miscommunication trope deployment and I loved that. Keane’s demonstration of his feelings for Poppy, and in turn, hers for him, made this one of the most romantic, swoonworthy books I’ve read in some time.

The ultimate goal for me in reading romance is to be swept away by a hero who is determined to be with his heroine no matter what and who has those feelings reciprocated by a heroine who is just as set on building a real relationship with him. We truly got that here. Though Keane was the one doing most of the pursuing, Poppy was pursuing him as well in her own, more subtle way, sometimes in ways she didn’t even fully acknowledge to herself. I loved that depth that was established with these two and how their feelings and fears were explored through communication and used to build a solid foundation for their relationship. The pacing of this one did feel just a bit slow at times, but the mystery of who attacked Keane kept things going and I loved that Keane and Poppy were working together to address this external issue. This was a delightfully romantic story with plenty of the swoonworthy dialogue that just melts me, and I loved it.

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

One Duke Down is the second standalone in the Rogues to Lovers series by author Anna Bennett.

Poppy Summers spends her days on a fishing boat and taking care of her ailing father. One morning, she finds a man washed up on her shores. She wants nothing to do with him, especially when he claims to be the Duke of Hawking. She does not have a good history with those of the upper class. Duke Andrew Keane convinces her to help him lie low while he uncovers who tried to murder him. While going on adventures to help him cross off suspects and long nights talking, Poppy starts to fall for the Duke. She decides to give into her attraction, even though she knows there could never be a future between them. Keane doesn't care about their class differences and is not the man she thinks he is, but will he be able to prove he's committed to building a future for them.

I really enjoyed this one much more than the first book in the series. Poppy and Keane are both very entertaining characters. Poppy is a capable, headstrong woman which is always my favorite. She takes care of her family even though her older brother should be pulling his weight. I loved her yearning for adventure and the way she held her own verbally against Keane. She also took charge when it came to their relationship, from the information she gave him about herself to the passion between them. Keane is your classic historical hero that comes across as a rogue but is painted that way by rumors and misunderstanding. He is kind-hearted and would do anything to make Poppy happy. He commits to convincing Poppy of his feelings and their future, and never gives up.

The story arc was strong from the beginning with Keane washing up on Poppy's shore and continues to entertain with mystery, banter and sleuthing adventures. The intimacy between Poppy and Keane has a slow burn to it that finally ignites when Poppy takes the reigns.

Over all, One Duke Down was a great historical fiction romance by Anna Bennett. A love story between classes filled with mystery, masquerade balls, family, friendship, steam, midnight swims, sand, sea glass and happy endings. I'm excited for Kitty's book and to find out who her nemesis is!

I always enjoy a story where one of our main characters finds the other washed ashore. And this one was cute, sweet, and had low angst.
In this case, while out fishing, Poppy finds a man washed up on her beach, he's unconscious with a head wound,
When Andrew wakes up, he decides that the best way to figure out who would want him dead is to stay out of sight and let the person who conked him over the head think they succeeded in killing him. He and a reluctant Poppy.. at least at first.. team up to figure out who could have done this.

They are an unlikely pair, but soon enough feelings are developing between them. Poppy has needed some fun in her life, and to have someone take care of her for a change, and Andrew is just the man to do it.

I loved their dynamic, at first Poppy is a bit hostile and a lot untrusting, but Andrew is ready to trust Poppy basically at the first meeting. This story does have a good mystery, and a lot of the action and the big reveal came at the end to wrap everything up nicely. I will continue on with this series and I can't wait to see who the next couple is!

One Duke Down is the story of an unlikely love affair between a fisherwoman from a small town in England and a Duke who finds himself washed up on her beach after being attacked and tossed in the water. They are an unlikely duo when they first meet but quickly discover that people aren't what they appear but instead are complex and capable of surprising you. Can the convince the rest of the world that they are a love match and show be together forever? Will they find the bad guy in time to keep the duke from harm?

This is a delightful love story that doesn't waste a lot of time rehashing events or even on giving details of every meeting of the main characters. Poppy works hard to keep her family afloat after the untimely death of her mother and her father falling ill. She manages to keep an upbeat attitude even though she is convinced that many other people look down upon her. She even has to deal with the disappointment that her brother has moved to London claiming he is working to help support the family. When Poppy finds Keane washed up on her beach, she doubts his story of being a Duke for good reason. Over time, they get to know each other and even work together on Keane's hairbrained planned to learn who attacked him and why. Keane realizes pretty quickly that that he is developing feeling for Poppy, but he knows that telling her might make her run away from him. He is a complex character with a sad background. He grows a lot during the course of the story because he realizes it's time for him to grow up and act as the duke.

I did have an issue with the initial set up of the story. Keane got clobbered on the head and tossed into the water where he floated for some period of time at night. By the time Poppy found him, He has memories of floating out of control because his arms and legs didn't work. But he was found face down in the water and Poppy had to reel him in because he was caught in her fishing nets. So, how long was he in the water? Did he sustain any damage beyond the scar on his head? Did he get any water in his lungs? I probably shouldn't think about this aspect of the story too hard but it bugged me a lot.

This is an historical romance set in England. It is a rich man, poor woman story. If you are looking for a simple love story about two people actually getting to know each other then give this a try. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

What a delightful historical romance!
One Duke Down tells the story of Poppy and Keane, a fisherman's daughter and a duke, and their unconventional, endearing love story.
I really enjoyed how Poppy kept herself at arm's length from Keane for a good portion of their "Getting to know you" phase. After all, he is a duke and they are notorious rakes, lol. I loved the seaside setting, their adventures, how they made their relationship work even though they were from different classes. Bellehaven was a village I would gladly visit, and I'd definitely want to pop into Poppy's sanctuary.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy!

This book was enjoyable but I found the pacing difficult to get into, and I nearly didn’t finish it. The characters were a lot of fun, though!

I liked this book. It's a cute, low angst, sweet book. Will it be something I will reread often? Probably not, but was it the *perfect* book to read after a long stressful week of work? 100000% yes. Plus the cover to this book? So freaking adorable.

Loves:
-I really enjoyed how low-angst and happy this book was. Yes, there were several darker moments and some heavier themes throughout this book, but the overall feel to the book was really light.
-The class difference between Poppy and Keane was a nice touch, especially all things considered with the plot. This made for some really good moments with Keane throughout the book.
-Keane, Poppy, and Diggs were so much fun to read. I loved how closed up Poppy was and how caring Keane was. Diggs was probably my favorite character because I always love the valet.

Meh:
-There wasn't a lot of depth to the book. It lacked a lot of the emotional depth and intensity that typically comes from a historical romance. I did enjoy it's lower angst, but I still wish there had more complexity to things.
-Poppy and Keane didn't seem to have a lot of chemistry between them? I don't know what it was or if I was in a weird mood, but their attraction didn't translate well. I kinda was meh about their whole relationship.

Long story short, I do recommend this book if you want a fun historical romance without all of the heaviness. It's cute and fun. If you like Virginia Heath's books or Tessa Dare, I think this would be a great book for you!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Historical romances, I admit, are a bit of a comfort read for me, and certain authors are almost automatic reads for me. I have only read a couple of Anna Bennett's other books, but the description of this book with the main female character finding the main male hurt and washed ashore grabbed my attention - I love a strong lead female.

The book started strong...but unfortunately, to me, it felt like it derailed after the first couple of chapters. Obviously, this is fiction and liberties are taken with the time period and such, but but some parts just seem to jump too fast to make it believable (if that makes sense). I think the trip to London is what threw me off. She barely knew him, no one knew she was going with him except him and his valet, and the stuff that was shoved in the trip (deciding basically on a whim to go to a masquerade ball because main female lead has wanted to go to one, even though male lead is supposed to be hidden/dead??). Here costume only going to her knees?? Was I reading a different time period than I thought? These were not the only instants of being a bit too stretched, but these really stand out.

There were definitely cute elements, but this one wasn't for me. I'd say about 2.5 stars, but I rounded it up to 3.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this genre and gladly started this book by an author who is fairly new to me. The story itself is very good and I really enjoy this author's writing. I liked both Poppy and Keane and found that the author did an exceptional job with the large cast of secondary characters where each was uniquely memorable. The story and the mystery behind the attack on Keane flowed and held my interest. Anna Bennett has penned a delightful story of love crossing strict social divides to bring two beautiful and likable characters to their HEA. I will happily read more by this author.

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (Bennett’s scenes are a touch on the poetic and emotional side versus explicit)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (some are on the lighter side but I counted them all)
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
You’ll get more enjoyment of the series in order, but I don’t think it’s necessary here. There’s some minor mention of Hazel and her husband, the characters from book 1, and Poppy has some minor page time in that book but nothing you would be missing if you picked this one up alone!

Basic plot:
When Poppy finds a man washed up on her beach that thinks he’s a duke, she’s thinking he hit his head a bit too hard. But they strike a bargain and band together to solve a mystery.

Give this a try if you want:
- Beach side country setting in England – Get out of London!
- Fisherwoman heroine
- Duke hero
- Bargain – the hero is willing to pay the heroine an obscene amount of money to shelter him and hide his identity while he tries to figure out who attempted to do him in
- Masquerade
- One bed
- The couple working together to solve a bit of a mystery
- Low angst
- Protective hero that’s all in from the beginning


Ages:
- Heroine is 23, didn’’t see hero but would guess late 20s to early 30s

My thoughts:
This story has so much sweetness in it and I liked it more than the first book in the series.

Our hero, Keane, is very dependable and protective. He’s all in for the heroine basically upon meeting her and I really loved that aspect to it. I enjoyed the two of them working together to solve the mystery of who is trying to hurt Keane.

But, somehow this book was super low on the feels for me. That might be because I love angst and this was lacking that a bit. It also had some villain activity and I’m just bored with villains. I want only romance all the time. Of course this won’t bother most people and is nothing wrong with the book.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up

This was a light, fluffy, low-angst read that was a nice chaser after just having read two dark and very angsty historical romances. Personally, I was hoping for more depth to the story; a little more “meat,” but overall the characters were likeable and the plot kept my interest.

What I Loved

• The MCs had a lot of page time together and the story was very relationship focused
• I really liked Poppy’s character; she was a woman I would love to hang out with in real life
• The setting! Bellehaven Bay, all the time spent on or near the beach, but most especially, Poppy’s secret hideaway:

“She’d built the rustic lean-to a couple of years ago in a clearing between two large trees. Using wooden floorboards from old boats, discarded scraps of canvas, and extra pieces of rope, she’d managed to create a surprisingly sturdy shelter. Mother Nature had embellished her refuge with verdant moss, trailing vines, and colorful wildflowers, giving it the charm of an illustration straight out of Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

Poppy wound her way up the path till she reached the faded blue quilt hanging in the doorway of the shelter, then slipped off her shoes and went inside. She set her lantern on an upside down crate next to a bottle filled with stems of fragrant lavender, sank onto a large pillow, and opened her book. She may not have a closetful of ball gowns or invitations to soirées or box seats at the theater. But she had her refuge, a vivid imagination … and stories.”

What I Liked

• Both MCs were charming, and their playful banter was fun
• Keane’s slow, steady determination to win Poppy’s love
• Keane’s “rakish good looks and stray-puppy eyes” (Poppy’s thoughts)

What Was Missing

• Chemistry and passion between Poppy and Keane. Didn’t feel it, didn’t see it, and it left me very disappointed. Intense chemistry in historical romance is my jam; it’s what I live for in the HRs I read, and when it’s missing from a story I feel a little cheated.
• Consequently the sexy times were lukewarm at best
• It was a story that just sort of skimmed along the surface without much depth and I wanted to be more engaged, more invested in the story.

Overall a worthwhile read if you’re looking for something light and low angst.

There is a very brief enemies-to-lovers trope that the characters are over by 30%. And then the middle dragged quite a bit but still overall an enjoyable read.

She might not have a closetful of ball gowns or invitations to soirees or box seats at the theater. But she had her refuge, a vivid imagination... and stories.

This adventure has everything you could want and leaves you warm and cozy.

I absolutely flew through this book. The main couple, Poppy and Keane, are just completely adorable.
He takes her on adventures, brings her wildflowers and books, and gives her the space she needs to grow into the relationship. They're so funny and silly; it feels like a real couple teasing back and forth. They defend each other, both when they're together and in private. Every day Keane asks Poppy one question. The variety of his questions illustrates his character, his multifaceted appreciation for her. Plus the questions are just plain cute!
There are other great characters throughout. Even side characters, like Keane's valet Diggs, are well rounded and fun to read. The friendship between the Belle's is so adorable and supportive. I cannot wait for Kitty's book, and now I'm going back to read Hazel's book.
The mystery of the book did not go where I expected, but did finish very satisfyingly. The story is adventurous and somehow low stakes at the same time. Small spoiler, but there is not a third act breakup, which was incredibly refreshing. Even when Poppy's brother confronts her and asks her to choose between her family and her love, she does not hesitate to call him out as being stupid. There were no complex misunderstandings filled with plot holes- just a couple slowly growing into love and taking on the world. At the end I was so thrilled to watch their triumph!
I highly recommend this book. It would be a perfect fun beach read for the summertime!

Star Rating: 4/5
Tropes: Class differences, nerdy girls club, opposites attract
CW: Death, kidnapping, classism, chronic illness, injury, pregnancy, alcohol, sexual harassment, toxic friendship, grief

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.