What I absolutely loved about this book was Camille's storyline in wanting to feel more comfortable as a sexual being. And Harper St. George showing all the starts and stops there are there.

I think there was a throughline here that was so good and compelling, but there was just some extra plotlines happening around the core that took away from everything else a bit.

Also, I personally felt there wasn't nearly enough danger to this story. Like I thought Jacob was gonna be so edgy and different, but he ended up just being a bit boring and nice. I think he was supposed to give "golden retriever" energy, but idk he kinda felt bland to me.

I didn't feel like Camille and Jacob had enough time with each other to fall in love here, but they definitely did have something! Just needed more scenes.

4 1/2 stars. Tropes: widow wants to know what passion is, fake engagement.

This book is the third in a series but works fine on its own.

I need to give this author huge kudos for not writing just another romance novel where a woman has been assaulted or abused (physically, sexually, and/or mentally) and she promptly sleeps with the hot hero and he immediately cures her of what ails her. If you're looking for a plot-driven book with MC's who hop in the sack at the 25% mark, this may not be the book for you. What this is, though, is an almost completely emotionally satisfying HR with a cinnamon roll MMC who behaves as a fully dimensional, caring man would with a woman who has had a rough past. Harper St. George is a talented writer regardless, but I'm glad she has enough faith in her audience to write a romantic relationship this nuanced. The love scenes here are beautiful, some of the best I've read in a long time.

Also, it's so easy to root for Camille, and I love how she finally reclaimed her confidence and sense of agency by the end of the book. The female secondary characters around her are supportive, not catty.

Yet another plus: don't worry, this is not your typical cold, distant mother who has no character arc and never has closure with her daughter. I found myself cheering on the woman at the end.

That said, I have a couple caveats: the fake engagement trope usually leads to some turmoil once secondary characters find out about it, but this surprisingly never surfaces. Also, as much as I loved Jacob earlier in the book, why is he so dense at the end? He was all set to become my new book boyfriend, but I couldn't get on board with his lack of proactiveness regarding the villain. All the signs were there early on that the guy was bad news. (And forget Paris, anyway, you bacon brain.)

Overall, though, the first 83% and last 90% go down like a hot toddy in front of a fire on a cold winter evening. I rewrote the couple of scenes in between in my mind.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my voluntary review. Thank you to Harper St. George, Berkley publishing, and Net Galley.

Unlike Harper St. George’s other three novels in this series, in The Duchess Takes a Husband, feels more like a character study of our main character, Camille, Duchess of Hereford. Where George focuses on the neglect and verbal abuse Camille suffers during her marriage. The novel is more of a reflection, or the aftermath rather of what Camille suffered since her husband, the Duke, is now dead. We see the effects of trauma and how Camille struggles with intimacy.

Though, now that she’s free from the constraints of a verbally abusive husband, Camille takes a risk in helping her understand her own wants and needs with the delicious Jacob Thorne.

And after their bargain is struck both Jacob and Camille begin to slowly realize they may be more invested in one another than they originally proposed.

This is the fourth and reader requested addition to Harper St. George's "The Gilded Age Heiresses" series. It's the happily ever after for the catalyst who started those Crenshaw girls on their quest for love and nothing less with her disastrous tear-filled wedding. The poor wretch who was forced to marry a mean older man for his title and suffer his abuse, Duchess Camille. Apparently, St. George made such a sad example of her marriage the romance readers just wouldn't stand for it and requested she fix this sad lady's life.

Well, I'm here to tell you, anything Camille suffered was worth it if it led her to the sensitive SNACK that is Mr. Jacob Thorne. God works in mysterious ways and so does Harper St. George. She more than made up for Camille's heartbreak and dead domineering hubby by pairing her with Christian's bastard brother who is a bit of a rake and believes love is a curse until he falls completely for Camille.

It starts with a deal. She'll pretend to be his fiancée to appease his business partners if he gives her lessons in making love. She believes something may be wrong with her because her other sexual partners have been taking their pleasure and leaving her feeling used instead of cherished. Jacob is MOST eager to worship her like she deserves. First, he finds out the details about her ex-husband from his sister-in-law so he can figure out how to lead her through lovemaking so that's a healing experience instead of panic-inducing.

He's tender, thoughtful, and Camille is falling hard for all his charms. Will she be able to convince him that love isn't a curse and that it's okay to be vulnerable with her as well? I was turning pages as quick as I could to find out! There isn't a bad book in this entire series. All the characters from the first three books make cameos in this one and you get to see them as parents, etc. I especially liked that Camille was able to reconcile with her mother in this one and that Mama B stood up for her baby girl at last. Hurrah!

4.5 stars! The Duchess Takes a Husband is the fourth book in the Gilded Age Heiresses series that I’ve been loving from Harper St. George! This series is set in the Gilded Age and features “Dollar Princesses”, a term coined for American heiresses who married into British aristocracy between 1870-1910.

We saw Camille forced into a marriage in the prologue of book 1 and how she became a precautionary tale to the heroines of the series. Camille is loosely based on real life Dollar Princess, Consuelo Vanderbilt who was forced into a marriage by her parents to a Duke. Now at 23, Camille is a dowager duchess (aka a widow), with no plans to ever remarry (regardless what her parents say), and ready to take control of her own life! She sets out to the Montague Club to see co-owner Jacob Thorne and asks him for
lessons in pleasure (because she doesn’t think she’s able to enjoy sensual acts)! 👀🔥

At first Jacob turns her down, but when his reputation as a “ladies man” puts a future business investment at risk, Jacob asks if the news of his engagement would help ease their minds…now he just needs a fiancée! Which leads him back to Camille, he asks for her help in posing as his fiancée and she says she’ll do it, if he helps with those lesson requests. I really loved how much emotion and depth these lessons gave, it was more than Camille just having a good time in the bedroom. She had things from her past to work through and she gets vulnerable with Jacob. Their romance was really sweet to see play out and I loved seeing how two people who were against marriage came together. I also liked seeing Camille’s complicated relationship with her parents play out. This was just another solid addition to the series and I’m so glad the author decided to write Camille’s HEA, since there were originally no plans to do so.

“My life was laid out in two distinct paths. The one I was on was lonely but familiar. It was safe but cold and I had grown accustomed to it. Then you came along. You were the other path. The one that frightened me. The one that required me to live with my heart outside of my body.”—Jacob

CW: domestic violence and forced marriage (in the past), abusive/toxic parents

Thank you to the publisher (Berkley Romance) and the author for an ARC. All thoughts in this review are my own. The Duchess Takes a Husband releases May 23, 2023.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

After being forced to marry a duke against her wishes, Camille, Duchess of Hereford, is finally relishing in her freedom of widowhood. She suffered the cruelty of her late husband, and as a young widow, though a notorious American duchess, she uses her title to get what she wants. And she's never been one to back down. Especially not when what she wants only Jacob Thorne, the owner of the infamous Montague Club, can provide. Jacob is used to women, but never one as breathtakingly beautiful as Camille. He's been drawn to her from the beginning, but her bargain shocks him to the core. As they try to work together, through their issues, they realise their attraction is definitely not one sided, and might not be one they can stop.

Well, this was the perfect ending to the series, and absolutely right for Camille. I've been hoping we would get a book for her ever since I first saw the pain and suffering she was under by her husband. Luckily he died, and she was out from under his thumb, but his heir and successor still had some control over Camille, as did her parents. Being a member of the Montague Club, and becoming active in the suffrage movement, was a lifeline to Camille, but she still wanted more. I loved the way her and Jacob's relationship was formed through friendship, and developed into love at a natural pace. They were so careful and loving with each other, to work through their past pains and heartbreak, and though I wish they had talked a little more, I couldn't be much happier with their story. Everything was perfectly tied up, and I'm so looking forward to Harper's next series!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the progression of this series, with each book getting a bit deeper and more emotional, which I absolutely adore.

This is Camille's story, who we've seen in previous books in a VERY unhappy arranged marriage. The classic, wealthy American Heiress with parents who want to buy her a title through marriage. It works, and she weds the Duke, who is well into his 50s. But not only that, he is also abusive to Camille, who isn't even aware she is being abused until Jacob, ever so gently, suggests it.

The Duke dies, leaving Camille widowed, and so she sets out in pursuit of pleasure in the bedroom after she is convinced there is something wrong with her because she has never experienced it.

She finds Jacob, who is reportedly VERY talented at ensuring his female partners have an EXCELLENT time and the two strike a bargain. Through in a fake engagement, and certainly neither one will be catching feelings.

I admit I was a bit disappointed (at first) that the setup was sex lessons. I've read many with that premise and wasn't sure how this author could make that premise fresh and emotional instead of just steamy.

But I'll tell you what... Harper St. George delivered on every aspect.

The way their feelings slowly evolved, the protective care and concern Jacob had for Camille, and Camille own journey of reclaiming her agency was all so beautifully done it took my breath away.

This was utterly beautiful and I loved every page.

I received an ARC for review.

The Gilded Age Heiresses series is simply one of favorites. Camille a constant in the three previous books finally gets her turn at a happily ever after. Camille is widowed after her awful husbands abrupt passing. She's finally in control for the first time in a long time of her life, and is ready to explore all she's missed.

Camille seeks out Jacob, a known rake and entrepreneur, with a proposition. While initially its a NO, Jacob finds himself in need of a fiancee to secure financing for a club in Paris. Together they agree she'll help him if he teaches her the ways of the bedroom. Their consent filled lessons were HOT!

After everything she's endured throughout this series, Camille deserves the love of a man who'll cherish and keep her safe. Witnessing their friends watching them fall in love when both of them were to stubborn to admit it was fun.

Jacob and Camille are the perfect pair.

Thank you Berkley and the author for the complimentary copy.

Here’s to another book where I read the last one first. Oops. I do this way too often and honestly need to stop this. But the great thing about this book is that I didn’t have to read the previous ones to understand what was happening.

One thing that I didn’t like about this book was how Camille handled the deal that she had with Jacob. This deal was that Camille would be fake engaged to Jacob for appearances and Jacob would show Camille how to experience pleasure in bed. Camille wanted this deal and then she was so wishy-washy about it. She would get Jacob in a position where her end of the deal would be upheld and then she would freak out and run away. This happened like 5 times. It was annoying because she wanted Jacob to do this for her and she kept running away from it. I understand that Camille had trauma to overcome from her previous marriage but then she shouldn’t have made the deal with Jacob.

I did think the writing was really good and did a great job at portraying the way they talked in that time period. I’m always impressed when an author can write old-timey speak so well because I know that it took them a lot of hours of research to make sure that it is perfect for their book.

I’m excited to go back and read the other books in the series to see what I’m missing.

I love Harper St. George’s romances, and The Duchess Takes a Husband is no exception to that rule, even if it’s just a hair less compelling than her last book. And yet this one brims with heated romantic tension and a hero and heroine worth rooting for, resulting in a wonderful romance. It’s the conclusion to the Gilded Age Heiresses series and will be a must-read for anyone enchanted by the stories within it thus far.

Camille, Dowager Duchess of Hereford, is a widow at twenty-three. An American by birth, she was basically sold into marriage in exchange for a title, and has lived as something of a cautionary tale to the previous heroines of the series, who managed to enter into marriages that avoided society’s usual pitfalls and money traps. But now Camille’s abusive husband is dead and she uses her status as a duchess to support the suffragette cause, her own experience meaning she understands only too well why a woman would want to be free. But that’s not why she enters the infamous Montague Club, a small private club for the aristocracy with few female members – she’s looking for a way to get over her fear of intimacy and discover if it’s possible for her to enjoy sexual congress with a man.

Jacob Throne has been powerfully attracted to Camille since he first saw her, but he’s her best friend’s brother-in-law. What has he to offer her? He’s a bastard son of the Earl of Leigh (half-brother to Christian, hero of book two, The Devil and the Heiress) and although he runs a private gaming hell, he has never even owned one. And he’s just made his life difficult by telling some potential investors that he has a fiancée! That’s when Camille’s shocking proposal comes into play. She offers him a pretend engagement that will fulfill his claim, improve his social standing and impress backers who will finance his plans to buy the club, and he will teach her the Arts of Sensual Pleasure. Love follows, but will misunderstandings – and danger – arise?

You know your tropes – the widow who has never had an orgasm, the rogue who has never known true love... But St. George makes her story so compelling and an entertaining read though, so I can’t ding The Duchess Takes a Husband too severely.

If you’ve read even one book in this series then you know how badly Camille deserves a happy ending, and the author happily offers it up without ignoring the impact her traumatic marriage has had on Camille sexually, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I was stunned when St. George admits to the fact that she hadn’t planned on telling Camille’s story in her auhor’s note! But I’m so glad she did.

Jacob is wonderful; gentle and patient, in spite of his insistence that nooo he will never fall in love, just never! The romance between him and Camille burns slowly and carefully. He realizes that sex won’t fix Camille’s anxiety and her fear of men, and is patient with his support and affection.

Not that the sex in the story is weak; nah, it’s as bold and lovely as the rest of the novel. This is a beautiful romance and a story about two people discovering themselves and learning how to appreciate true love. The Duchess Takes a Husband is gorgeous and just the right kind of early summer pick-me-up.

I’ve greatly enjoyed this series and Camille and Jacob’s story was no different. I was rooting for them from the get go and loved the way Jacob really saw who Camille was and helped her deal with everything she’d been through. The ending did feel somewhat rushed and some of the side plots underdeveloped but overall another enjoyable read in The Gilded Age Heiresses series.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of The Duchess Takes A Husband. I LOVED this book!

First off, Harper St. George just does a magical job of creating couples with which I fall in love. Jacob and Camille are pure magic in this book, and I was captivated by their dynamics. Their relationship was witty, charming, steamy, engaging, fun...all the things! I also really liked how open and honest they could be with each other. There was not much (if any, IMO) miscommunication between them. They handled things like mature adults, and even when Camille had her issues with her previous trauma, she and Jacob were still open with each other, even if it took some time to get there!

Second, this book does a wonderful job (IMO) of addressing the lasting affects of emotional abuse and manipulation. I think this story will speak to readers because of how it shows the lasting influence of abuse, even when the abuser has never laid a hand on you. This story does loosely mention previous abuses (not physical), so be prepared for that if it's a trigger for you. The majority of the discussion, though, is how to move forward once the abuser is gone but the affects are lingering. I felt for Camille and her struggle, and I couldn't help but fall a little in love with Jacob and his patience.

I'm sad to see this series end, but I think Camille's story was a wonderful end to the characters I've come to know and love in The Gilded Age Heiresses. If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend it!

Rating: 4⭐️

So happy Camille finally gets her book after the last two books with her marriage to an older aristocrat for her money. An American heiress who was too young and naive just trusting her parents to make the decision.

This book was about her self discovery as a widow asking Jacob Thorne for intimacy lessons since she thinks she is broken. They had chemistry in the other books but she was off limits. Also take care since she was verbally abused and berated by her late husband and he used her for his husband duties while he had a mistress that was more his long time love. So at this point Camille is dealing with trauma and trust issues but it's dealt with well. He is so caring and understanding and goes slow with her. He doesn't push her and she is happy with him.

Though her late husband has an heir that has inherited her wealth and is awful. And her new beau Jacob is illegitimate so that's a problem, maybe. Also there's cabaret!
🌶️🥵Just fyi this is steamy and the lessons and open door. Historical steam ♨️

Thank you berkleyromance and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: abusive relationship (past, briefly recounted on page, emotional abuse, marital rape), moving on from an abusive relationship, family tensions, cheating (past relationship, non-MCs)

The fourth book in the series this can be enjoyed entirely as a standalone, but I do think you appreciate seeing Camille getting her much deserved HEA having read the three previous books

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f historical romance
-sex lessons
-this is just a hookup
-consent, consent, consent

Camille is a character seen in the three pervious books, but she didn't get a HEA with her marriage. Her much older husband is terrible to her before finally dying. In this one Camille is a widow coming to terms with her marriage, her freedom and what she wants now from her life. I loved how the story of her sexual independence, exploration was also mirrored in her work with the woman's suffrage and helping other women fight for their independence both in their own marriages and in society (sadly a fight we're all still fighting today).

Jacob is a bit of a rake and businessman, and already a bit gone on Camille when she comes to him with her proposition for sex lessons. And when he needs a fake relationship for his own means, they're off to the races. Their relationship was so soft and so built on consent. Jacob was the perfect balance for what Camille needed. How soft he was with her, how he wanted to figure out how best to help her and just was in it for her pleasure entirely. Everything was about consent, the slow build as Camille became more confident as they both walked the line of her being a survivor and healing.

Jacob had his own path of independence as well with his business and allowing himself to fall for Camille. I'm always a fan of the rake whose friends and family have all gotten into relationship and now they watch him knowing it's about to happen. These two were just the perfect partnership, with just so much steam. All about finding your independence and demanding what you want from your life.

Steam: 3.75

The Duchess Takes a Husband is the final book in The Gilded Age Heiresses series by Harper St. George and if you haven't picked these books up yet, you definitely should. I'm actually sad to see this series wrap up as I really enjoyed every one of the characters. This is part of a series and while you could read this one as a standalone, I wouldn't recommend it. The main characters in this book are good friends of the main characters in books one and two and it is good to have the background of those books before diving into this one.

Camille was essentially traded off for a title and now that her husband is dead, she is determined to figure out if there is something wrong with her (spoiler alert...it wasn't her). When she decides to proposition Jacob Thorne, the co-owner of London’s infamous Montague Club, she didn't know it would come with a deal of his own. As they agree to help each other accomplish their goals, they weren't planning on falling in love.

I was so excited that Camille was finally getting her HEA and I also love that she forced her mother to see what she and her father did to her. Coming to terms with the abuse her first husband heaped on her was difficult for Camille and the struggle was clearly conveyed on the pages. I loved how gentle Jacob was with her too knowing what she went through was tough on him too but he was always there for her no matter what.

As I mentioned, you should go read this series if you haven't yet. I'll continue to read books by Harper St. George as she continues to publish them.

** 4.5 Stars **

Thank goodness for the book that wasn’t supposed to be! The series was originally supposed to be three books featuring the Crenshaw siblings, but once we and the author met Camille, Duchess of Hereford, we all knew she just had to have her own book. She endured emotional and physical abuse from the duke before he died and I absolutely loved seeing her find herself, her strength, her determination after he died. Then, there was Jacob, who was the perfect mate for her. His gentle, understanding, considerate, and kind ways were just what she needed to heal from the trauma she suffered. Yes, it is a sensitive subject, but I believe the author dealt with it in a way that makes Camille a heroine rather than a victim. This could have been a really angsty, woe-is-me book, but it wasn’t, and I’m so glad Camille was shown as a woman who was strong and working toward healing herself.

Camille was thoroughly controlled by the Duke of Hereford during their marriage, and now that he is gone, she’s showing a bit of rebellion. Her first rebellion was to join the Montague Club – owned by her best friend’s husband and his half-brother. Her next rebellion, though it won’t be made public, is to seek out Jacob, one of the owners of the club, and make a proposition. She wants to know if it is possible for her to enjoy intimacy – because she never has. He has a counter-proposition for her and they strike a deal. Her third rebellion is to embrace the suffragette movement – and that one almost costs her life.

Jacob very much wants to accomplish something on his own. Yes, he is part owner of the Montague Club, but he did that with the backing of his half-brother and a good friend who both hold lauded titles. He wants to do something on his own – without the backing of those titles. He has a business partner and just needs one more investor and he can get the project rolling. The fly in the ointment? The investor is very hesitant to invest because Jacob isn’t a settled, married man. So, what Jacob needs is a fiancé – or at least a pretend fiancé.

It was wonderful to watch Camille and Jacob find that love isn’t such a bad thing after all – especially when it is with the perfect person. Jacob’s tender care causes Camille to blossom and become who she was truly meant to be and Camille’s loving smiles and caring heart taught Jacob that loving someone doesn’t cause you to lose yourself.

This book was excellently written, and excellently plotted, and, for me, the flow was just perfect. I can definitely recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm trying to get back into my historical romance era, and this was the PERFECT choice. The Duchess Takes a Husband had everything I love about historical romances with a modern, fake dating twist. I was sucked into this story immediately and it held my attention until the end! Would definitely recommend this for someone who is looking to get into historical romance!

ARC copy kindly provided by NetGalley though all thoughts are my own.

We've seen Camille in the first book, and I'm so happy she got her HEA in this unplanned book of the series. This may be one of my favorites.

Camille is coming out from under her abusive marriage and has her eyes set on kind, charming Jacob. Jacob and Camille make a deal that in exchange for some light fake dating to secure a business deal, he would help her achieve pleasure in the bedroom. The trauma of Camille's marriage runs deep and Jacob is determined to help her anyway he can.

This was a book about healing from trauma. Camille's husband is emotionally and physically abusive and she is completely traumatized when anything intimate with a man begins because of it. But Jacob's careful and slow compassion for her is really beautiful. He listens, he watches, and he does his best to understand what she needs. I loved how he always made sure she was in control of her person no matter what. And the mirror scene. This was and wasn't a super spicy scene. Nothing particularly wild happens, HOWEVER, the constant watchful eye contact he asks of her and the slow caresses and touches had me MELTING. Camille's overstimulation from that was palpable that's all I gotta say!

What didn't work for me was how quickly Jacob goes from being resistant to iloveyouletsneverbeapart-ville. I felt like it was a bit rushed toward the end.

this book has me realizing I'm a "who did this to you" person because I want to punch the dead ex-husband and everyone else who has ever wronged Camille. Do not hurt my girl! this was wonderful in so many ways I can't express A must read!


CW for domestic abuse and trauma in this book. while not on page it's talked about quite a bit. both emotional and physical (forceful grabbing and of course her being coerced to "do her duty" with a man 3 times her age).

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘏𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

summary: Camille is widowed after a terrible marriage to the Duke of Hereford. at only 23 years old, she’s heavily pressured to marry again, but she has no interest in feeling trapped and used the way she did in her first marriage. instead, she propositions Jacob Thorne to be her lover with no strings attached, and he in turn asks her to pretend to be his fiancée to help him in a business venture. the two quickly realize that their feelings are too strong to just be casual.

I devoured this! this is book 4 in the Gilded Age Heiress series. I read the first book in this series a few years ago but didn’t love it so I never read the rest. I’m glad I gave these another chance! I even went and bought books 2 and 3 already 😅 I usually hate the fake dating trope but this did it really well. some of the spicy scenes in this didn’t totally vibe with me and the dialogue at times felt awkward, but overall I really enjoyed this. I recommend if you’re a fan of the Bringing Down the Duke series or of course Bridgerton! thanks to @netgalley for this gifted digital copy. this will be out for the public on 5/23!

I love the Gilded Age Heiresses series and was so happy to receive an early copy of Camille’s story. The cover is stunning!

After getting glimpses of Camille’s life in the previous three books, I was excited to realize we would finally get her story. Camille is now the Dowager of Hereford, and she is determined to take back her life, with the help of her best friend’s brother (in-law), Jacob Thorne.

The Duchess Takes a Husband, was a lovely conclusion to a beloved series. It might also be the steamiest of the four books. Be sure to check for trigger warnings as Camille’s first marriage was not a pleasant one.