I absolutely loved this book. I'm so glad Camille got her happy ending after having witnessed her endure abuse from Hereford throughout this series. Jacob needed his story told as well so although the author was going to settle for three books in this series I am so glad she was able to write this last one. Every book in this series is good, but the last two have been phenomenal which proves that Harper St. George just gets better and better. This one draws a lot on the insecurities that stem from Camille's abusive first marriage. Camille and Jacob come together in a fake engagement that's mutually beneficial and evolves organically into something much more fulfilling for them both. It's hot, sexy, and romantic. Harper St. George is one of the best authors in historical romance today and an automatic recommendation for my patrons. 5 stars. Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review. I can't wait to read the first book in her new series!

I am thankful for the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a chance at reading this book.

I have been a fan of / read the other three books in the series, so I was delighted to be given a chance at reading this before it dropped.

I don't know what happened. Did the author run out of steam? Or was this book one huge ... nothing? What I enjoyed about the other three books in the series is that there was a plot. There was something going on with the women and their status in society. While this one had something going on, it just felt very so so and unimportant to the plot of a woman needing to get an orgasm for the first time.

If this is the end of the series let it stop here. Let it not get any worse. The first three books were great, but I think this last one is just the end of road for me.

This was an excellent ending to a very good series. All the books actually deal with real issues and not just first-class victorian problems. St. George's books are always well-researched and written. This one is no different. you are completely immersed and invested in Camille's growth journey.

✨ fake engagement
✨ widow heroine
✨ sex lessons
✨ friends with benefits

❌ CW: domestic violence and abuse
🌶 spice: 3/5

oof y'all, i had higher expectations for this but unfortunately, i didn't feel emotionally invested or connected to the characters so i .. didn't really enjoy the book at all :/

this is the last book in the gilded age heiresses series and one that we've been anticipating and HOPING for as our FMC, Camille, needed her HEA after being in a horribly abusive marriage in the previous stories. for that, i am so glad she finally got the love she deserves :) i enjoy her as a character - her making the first move and asking for ✨sexual lessons✨ from the MMC Jacob was so hawt and i love her for that. those scenes were wonderfully written with both vulnerability and equal parts sensuality.. 🤌🏽 loved it!

other than that, i really felt like there was no driving plot for me to become engaged in and the characters didn't necessarily connect with me so obviously my rating is going to be low. i did enjoy other books in this series, however, and plan to read more from harper st. george!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher Berkley for the e-ARC via Netgalley! Releases May 23, 2023!

I found this book to be a fitting end to the Gilded Heiress series. I found this one to have a lot of heart and tenderness. The book offered a lot of connection to characters from the previous books while still working as a standalone.

Probably my only qualm is that near the end Jacob says that he only wants kids because it’s what Camille wants and he wants to make her happy …which sounded oddly similar to his father’s feelings. I felt like this moment deserved some clarification because surely it wasn’t meant to sound like an ominous parallel. And surely after all he’d experienced and witnessed, he’d be determined to be a compassionate father.

Otherwise,I loved it. Although this book completes the series, some loosely connected American heiresses are mentioned which will hopefully mean we still might get tidbits from Camille,August and Violet in future books.

I was elated to receive this ARC. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing it in exchange for an honest review.

Harper St. George does it again with the perfect blend of a swoon worthy historical romance and a strong feminist heroine. Camille was a tertiary character in the first books of the series so I absolutely loved getting to see a continuation of her story. In particular, her connection to the feminist movement of the time period and her reservations about marriage felt refreshing. Harper St. George always does a great job of addressing sensitive topics in her writing-using them as an element of the character's development without making them their whole personality. Camille is yet another example of a strong female lead who has taken the horrors of her past and grown around them. I heartily enjoyed watching the romance between her and Jacob develop with just the right amount of spice and vulnerability.

I’m so sad to see this series come to an end, but wow, what a perfect book to end it with. I’m so glad we got to see Camille’s story (and HEA) after seeing her in the previous books.

After being forced into a very unhappy arranged marriage, Camille is a widow, with at least a little more freedom. She has joined the Montague club and is testing out her freedom a bit. She’s convinced something is wrong with her after her marriage; and two failed attempts at intimacy so she asks her friend Violet’s brother in law, Jacob, (and the owner of the Montague Club) if he’ll show her how to be intimate. Jacob is attracted to Camille and agrees to their plan as she agrees to be a fake fiancée for him.

Jacob and Camille both stole my heart! I loved how gentle and caring he was with her and how he helped her be comfortable with an intimate relationship. It was clear how quickly they both came to care for each other. I also loved seeing August, Violet and a little bit of Helena and Max.

I’m so glad I had a chance to read this book and even happier I have a copy preordered for my shelf.

A satisfying conclusion to the Gilded Heiresses series, The Duchess Takes a Husband is the story of notorious duchess Camille who has suffered through a miserable marriage and now rejoices in her freedom. She makes a bargain with Jacob, owner of the scandalous Montague social club, which ultimately shows her a path to a much-deserved HEA.

The story got off to a great start, but fizzled out about 2/3 through with its foray into the women’s rights movement which felt forced and a bit boring. I know it should have paired well with a domestic abuse story (which was told with tenderness and care) but it just didn’t. I wanted to like it but I just couldn’t get into it. But I did read through to the end and it was pleasant enough.

I was so intrigued when I heard we were getting Camille's story. The woman who was a cautionary tale to our other heroines finally gets her HEA.

A book that starts as an inquiry for one night of passion becomes a full-fledged beautiful romance. Jacob & Camille tugged at my heart strings. They both have baggage and certain ways that they look at things but their chemistry and that little "something" that draws their eyes to each other across a crowded room... make for sizzling experiments in the bedroom. Camille gets her confidence back and Jacob falls deeply into much more than lust.

I was nervous how this one was going to play out, based on BOTH of their reservations about marriage. But that's the beauty of knowing we are in the hands of a romance author. Because nothing is too big and no obstacles are too high for love to prevail.

I also loved how Camille's involvement with the feminist movement directly correlated with her oppressive marriage. It made sense how she would want to be involved and she found a way to do it that worked best for her. Which I felt was just right.

I look forward to what Harper St. George brings us next!


4.5 stars
2.5 on the spice scale

CW: abusive marriage, neglectful parents

This is a solid series and a solid writer. Like many who have read the previous books I had hoped that Camille would get her happy ever after. This one was a bit darker than the previous. Camille was in an arranged marriage to a much older man who was controlling and verbally abusive. She has been traumatized and is seeking to feel normal, particularly sexually. She approaches her best friends brother-in-law who is a well known ladies man for help.

The chemistry was there from the start between Camille and Jacob but they both had valid reasons to not want a permanent connection. I enjoyed how their relationship developed. This held off being a five star for me for a couple reason. Jacob was a bit of a man whore and him mentally trying to tally his lovers was unnecessary and we and Camille were forced to even witness him walking off with his lovers before they got together.

I did love the suffragette aspect. Reminds me of Courtney Milan. It wrenches a feminist heart to see how far we’ve come and yet how far we still have to go.

Duchess of Hereford, Camille, is a pariah. Though she has technically been accepted to London Society, she lives on the outside as a rebellious widow. When she meets Jacob, she approaches him with a unique proposition. Jacob is used to making deals with club owners, not women. When an opportunity presents to him, where he needs a fiancée, he approaches Camille with a rebuttal proposition. If she promises to pretend to be his fiancée, he’ll share his bedroom experience with her as she asked for. Will she agree to his terms?

The buildup in this book was intense, but then the release was great. I loved how sex positive this book was. I can’t say that when I think of the Victorian Era, I think sex positivity in women, but this book acknowledged that, and the authors note in the beginning explained it beautifully. I love when authors include notes upfront, when something is going to go against what we typically associate with their book – really helps set expectations.

I really enjoyed the main character of this book. She was wonderful and so was Jacob. The way he helped her understand how relationships should work was beautiful. He showed her that she was enough.

Thank you to the publisher Berkley Publishing, @berkleypub, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Social media link will updated on netgalley no sooner than one week prior to publication at the request of the publisher.

Classic skittish heroine meets sexy rake. Camille is a widowed duchess working through the results of an abusive marriage when she convinces notorious rake Jacob to teach her to enjoy sex. They had already noticed each other prior the start of the book, so their relationship builds from Camille approaching Jacob with her scheme. While Camille certainly suffered emotional abuse, it wasn't described in any detail, and she "got over it"/"was cured by Jacob" so swiftly, it painted an overly rosy picture of the consequences of trauma.

I adored this entire Victorian era romance series, and I’m so glad that the author decided to tell Camille’s story. It was an incredibly meaningful and historically relevant one to tell. All her fmcs are headstrong women, and all her mmc’s are progressive, forward-thinking men, which makes my radical feminist heart very happy. This one did not disappoint. I am honestly so excited to see what St. George works on next.

tw: references to past domestic abuse and SA

I LOVED this pairing. I can't speak to the trauma of domestic abuse that Camille has survived, but I think her insecurity, fear, and vulnerability in love and sex is extremely recognizable. It's written with such care that I just lost it, especially because Jacob is the perfect kind of partner to help. Everyone deserves someone like him, someone who can meet anxiety, self-loathing, and sadness with concern, patience, and the willingness to relinquish control so that it can be shared instead of monopolized. It's so romantic.

To this point in the series, there has been one set of really terrible parents (that of the three prior MCs). They were almost too villainous in the first two books and I didn't feel like they fully made things right with their kids in the third. So, I was really happy to see that same scenario presented and resolved very differently between Camille and her mom.

If you're looking for an emotional and super spicy historical romance that *might* keep you up until 3AM, then this is it.

Harper St. George is one of my absolute favorite historical romance writers. Her stories are the perfect blend of fascinating history, engaging and dynamic characters, swoonworthy gestures, sparkling wit and steamy romance. Another brilliant installment in her "Gilded Heiresses" series, this book is the story of Camille, the widowed Duchess of Hereford, and the dashing Jacob Thorne, owner of a London club for gentlemen. The two enter into a fake engagement that benefits them both...but what start as fake becomes very real as passion and feelings flare. Brimming with smart and heartfelt writing, I didn't want this sweet and sexy story to ever end.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley for my copy.

Full review will be published on release date on Forever Young Adult's blog.

First Impressions: Gimme Gimme

This series is a fancy dress trend I can get behind, even if in my heart of hearts I doubt any of these main characters would ever be wearing this dresses in their stories. Green is one of my favorite colors, so this hits for me.

What’s Your Type?

Happy Widows Freed From Abusive Marriages
Sex Lessons
Finally Having Good Sex
Women’s Suffrage
Fake Engagements
Dating Profile

Meet Camille, a young American heiress whose wedding to a fifty-year-old Duke was the impetus for the very first book in the series. This dowager Duchess is newly single and ready to mingle (and will quite possibly never settle down again, because who wants to give up their autonomy in this kind of economy?), and she’s doing scandalous things like seeing her friends as much as she wants and joining a gentlemen’s club, specifically one owned by her BFF’s husband and his half-brother.

That half-brother is Jacob Thorne, the illegitimate son of an Earl and quite the charming ladies’ man. Not wanting to rest on his laurels, he plans on expanding out from the club business to the cabaret business. Pretty former duchesses are off the table, even if one in particular is constantly hanging about playing cards and drinking Scotch at his place of work.

Meet Cute: An Indecent Proposal

Camille believes she has only one lingering issue stemming from her marriage: she doesn’t like sex, and the poor darling thinks that’s her fault. So she goes to Jacob, the only man who’s made her feel anything lately and whose conquests always seem to leave satisfied, and requests a favor: that he teach her how to enjoy sex. After all, if she can’t get off with a man THAT hot, then it obviously means something about her is broken. (That’s…not how that works, Camille, mon petit chou.)

The Lean: I’m A Safety Girl

Camille and Jacob are already harboring secret crushes on one another prior to the start of the novel, so while it’s not “instalove” there certainly isn’t much needed to push these two into “head over heels” territory. So, of course, that means our drama must come from the “but I promised myself I’d be single forever because of my parents’ messy relationship; I CAN’T possibly fall in love and get married!” school of romance tropes. Their love is more sweet heat than spice, as Jacob realizes he needs to go above and beyond to make Camille feel safe and cherished by her partner instead of being used like a 1900th-century blow-up doll (did I mention how much I hate her husband??).

Dirty Talk

You did hear me when I said this book was about sex lessons, right? Harper St. George does a nice balance of sweet romance and sexy moments, but the hottest by far was when Jacob takes Camille to “THAT” room at the club and helps her work through her sex issues in front of a mirror. Now sure how much they could really see through all the steam! *eyebrow waggles*

Ms. Perky’s Prize for Purplest Prose

His lips against her ear, he said, “Watch yourself come all over my fingers.”

Her eyes flew open. When had they fallen shut? She was stretched out like a wanton. His knees were between hers, holding her open, and she half lay on top of him, her head supported on his arm. One hand gripped his forearm so hard she left half-moons in his skin with her fingernails . The other held his hip as she pressed herself very rudely back against him, her hips arching and writhing as she chased his touch.

We Need To Talk: Length

The series’ fans yelled out a battle-cry of “Justice for Camille!”, so even though her abusive shithead of a husband died in the arms of his mistress in the previous book, the author agreed to their terms and tacked on a fourth and final book to her Gilded Age Heiresses series so the beloved friend of the Crenshaw family could get her happy ending. I love that!

I am not quite as enamored with the story itself, even though it was enjoyable and nice to see Camille working through the trauma associated with an emotionally abuse marriage and come out the other side. The first 50% sped by pretty quickly, but somewhere around the middle, as Camille got more into her suffrage meetings and Jacob was constantly denying his feelings, it started to drag a bit and never quite recovered for me. This is one of those times where I think there needs to be a story length somewhere between a novella and a “regular”-length book. (A term for this probably exists, but I don’t feel like going down a Google rabbit-hole. But for fellow fan-fiction readers, I think you know the exact length I’m talking about. (That’s what she said! Ba-dum-dum.))

Was It Good For You? Get It, Girl!

I’m happy Camille found a better life, and if you’re looking for low-drama and high-return on feels, this will be perfect for you. I think this was the right time to close out this series and leave these ladies to their happy endings.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Berkley Books. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. The Duchess Takes a Husband is available now.

5 Bad- S star, I love this series from Book 1. I think i'm among the few people or minority who wasn't that big on Camille's story but i have always been intrigue with Jacob Thorne especially in Book 2 where he kind of played a bit of matchmaking in Book 2. This illegitimate son of an earl, but did not habour any bad feelings or envy at the heir. To my absolute delight & shocked that Harper St George wrote Jacob as the Hero to Camille and of course, it work wonders!
I thought this book will be a banging fest from the get go, but it was a slow burn that absolutely need to happen to make their story one of a kind! In other books, i will be nahhhh, to slow for me. But in this, it so beautiful and seductive. I appreciate that it started with small steps, patience, yearning, tenderness but it definitely went full throttle when they finally did it...THE MIRROR SCENE, it was excellence at core, definitely my favourite mirror scene, tender steaminess 10/10.
What i love most about this series is theres always a female empowerment in every book and Camille's story has got to be the most profound and impact. You have to read to really savour and experience her shine. I love that we managed to see how dreadful this marriage bargain and how evil it was. It was so beautiful and i love that she realized early on that Jacob was the one who has make it possible for her to transform, to heal for this trauma especially her journey when she found her calling.
I was hoping we get to see more or unraveled more layers in Jacob Thorne to be honest but neverthless i love how he was adamant to not be another Halston man brought down by a women. Well, Jacob you've been brought down long time before back when Camille was still unattainable and that scene post mirror coitus in the bathroom, i was laughing so loud cos this is feels!
Thanks for bringing back Violet and Christian, they are still my favourite couple in the series, and i love how invested they are for Camille & Jacob to work.
Thanks Berkley & Harper St George for my ever arc copy, i love this series, a breath of fresh air from the historical romances i usually read and i feel sad i have to say goodbye to these characters.

I am admittedly not very well versed in historical romances. But this series is so good I can't imagine there is much better! I can't tell you which is my favorite, but I can say this one is definitely up there. So glad Camille finally got her story. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Oh no no no. I wanted to love this. I really loved the first two books and enjoyed the third. However I just could not get into this book. I forced myself to read since it was an ARC of a favorite author when normally I would've DNF'd it. I know many readers wanted Camilles story and loved the parts about women's suffrage but there were so many slow parts. It just wasn't for me.