Yours Truly, The Duke is a delightful first novel in the new Say I Do trilogy by author Amelia Grey. Grey is a go-to author for me who never disappoints and this book is no exception. I love Regency romance, with its rigid rules and instant attractions, roadblocks that must be overcome before the much-anticipated HEA, and characters who often don’t even believe they are in love. Yours Truly, The Duke has all this and much, much more.

Neither Fredericka nor Wyatt wants to be married, but they stand to lose if they aren’t. As a single woman, maintaining custody of her orphaned nieces and nephew is unlikely in light of her married, well-to-do cousin’s challenge. Wyatt will lose an inheritance from his grandmother’s estate unless he meets the condition that he is now a husband. A marriage of convenience seems the perfect solution. Fredericka can stay in the countryside she loves, the children secure. Wyatt can continue his wild bachelor life until he needs an heir. Except . . .

Fredericka’s cousin Jane is childless and determined to have those children, not because of an overwhelming love for them but because that’s the way it should be. Jane and Fredericka’s sister were close and excluded her and treated her cruelly. So when Jane intensifies the custody battle Fredericka worries that she will lose if she and Wyatt don’t appear to be a genuine loving couple, a family, and she therefore shows up unannounced with the children at Wyatt’s London home. This interferes with his daily, nightly, weekly, constant gaming and once again Fredericka feels unwanted and unwelcome, and wonders how Wyatt can be so selfish and greedy. But she knows nothing about his life - is there more below the surface?

The attraction between Fredericka and Wyatt was instant and undeniable, right from the start of the decidedly unromantic proposal. And although real marriage isn’t on the agenda for either of them, as the children settle in and they all fall into certain routines family life slowly begins to seem real.

Yours Truly, The Duke is a sweet story, with tender moments, steamy moments, and scary moments when the custody battle and secrets people in position of high authority don’t want revealed enter their lives. Fredericka and Wyatt become closer and closer, initially clumsily and reluctantly, with misunderstandings and humor and tears, but when they begin to genuinely appreciate and value each other they are formidable and no one can stop them.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press SMP Romance for providing an advance copy of Yours Truly, The Duke via NetGalley for my enjoyment and honest opinion. Very, very enjoyable indeed. I highly recommend it and cannot wait for this next book in this wonderful trilogy. All opinions are my own

"Fredericka Hale needs a husband, and fast. She’s been caring for her deceased sister’s three young children, and now a childless cousin has petitioned the court for custody. Fredericka is powerless to stop her, but having a husband might sway the ruling. The last thing Fredericka wants is a hurried-up marriage to a man she doesn’t know—much less love, but she’ll do it for the children. So when the handsome Duke of Wyatthaven shows up with a proposal, she accepts. He'll help her, and in return, they’ll lead separate lives. But distance cannot keep them from their powerful attraction."
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Yours Truly, The Duke is the first book of the new Say I Do series by Amelia Grey, featuring one of my favorite tropes, a marriage of convenience. Fredricka needs a husband or she might lose her sister’s children. Wyatt needs a wife or he will definitely loose his grandmother’s inheritance. It seems like an ideal situation; they will marry, each will get what they need and sometime later they will figure out when to get back together to produce the needed heir. Both should have been able to go on with their lives independently but fate had other things in store for them.

Like I mentioned, this is one of my favorite tropes in any genre but especially so in historical romance. When Fredricka’s sister died tragically, she took over the care of her sister’s children. Being an orphan herself, she wants them to know how loved they are, but three children under the age of 10 are a lot to handle. Jane was her sister’s best friend and a member of the peerage. Jane cannot have children of her own and has decided she can be a better mother to the children and is attempting to get custody. When Fredricka married Wyatt she assumed that with his title she would not be at risk, but Jane is still pushing her suit and Fredricka needs Wyatt to play dutiful husband or she may loose the children she loves so much.

Wyatt thought he could run off, get married and then go back to living his life just the way he had always done. He wasn’t planning on marrying for years yet, so when Fredricka shows up at his door, children in tow, to play the perfect family he was not prepared. While he didn’t want to play family quite yet, he did make a promise to help Fredricka keep the children. Spending time with her is starting to get to him. There is something about his little wife that is crawling under his skin and the more time he spends with her the more he wants to spend with her, even if most of what they do is fight.

I enjoyed this story. The children are dealing with some traumatic feelings after the death of two parents. Fredricka was doing a really good, if not strict, job at being their caretaker but when Wyatt enters the picture she gets a glimpse of what being in a real family would be like with him and part of her longs for that more than anything. She also sees that it can be fun, not measured out fun like she has been doing, but real unplanned fun. Fredricka and Wyatt are a great match as they both see life in very different ways. I enjoyed the sexual tension between them and hoped they’d figure it all out sooner, rather than later. It was fun watching the friction between them build, until it finally ignited.

Overall, I enjoyed the entire story. Fredricka has some serious self worth issues and doesn’t think anyone could want her since she has been neglected most of her life. Those parts might have got a little tedious since I felt the author reminded us too much. Still it was an enjoyable story and I look forward to other books to the series.

A needed marriage of convenience brings a poetry lover and poetry hater together in “Yours Truly, the Duke” by Amelia Grey, the first in the Say I Do trilogy!!

Miss Fredericka Hale marries for a better chance of guardianship for her nephew and nieces. The Duke of Wyatthaven marries by a deadline to keep his inheritance from his grandmother. Although the attraction is mutual, they decide to live separately. However, she arrives in London one night with the children while he is living it up.

You will shake with fury because of the villain in this story! They are so good at twisting things, it will make you appreciate the writing. However, they do redeem themselves and you will appreciate their growth.

I enjoyed the growth between Fredericka and Wyatt. They have similarities and differences that help them heal and develop into better people individually and as a partnership. She is definitely an amazing force who we all would want fighting for us. He is definitely a cinnamon roll and who does not want one?!

This is such a sweet book with middling angst and chemistry leading to many kissing sessions. I highly recommend his book!!

Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Wyatt Duke of Wyatthaven is in need of a wife in order to keep his grandmother's inheritance. Fredericka Hale needs a husband in order to maintain custody of her sister's children. Wyatt is always making the society gossips pages. He doesn't plan on changing that in order to marry. Fredericka plans to stay at the children's estate to raise the kids. Marriage is the perfect solution for both of them. The children have other ideas. They make Wyatt more human and involved in their lives. They also like who Fredericka is becoming. In the background is Jane Tompkins, the kids aunt. She wants the kids and will stop at nothing to get them. When push comes to shove, the past is laid bare. With help of three precocious children, ghosts are laid to rest and Aunt Jane is learning to soften her stance.

The Duke of Wyatthaven, 'Wyatt', needs a wife. Not in a year from now but in a mere seven days or he will lose his fortune. He's composing a letter to Fredericka Hale proposing marriage. She's a suitable match and guardian of her sisters three children, who prefers the country to London. In his mind the perfect arrangement so he can continue his gambling and basically his bachelor life in peace.

Fredericka Hale is hoping that if she marries she can thwart her cousin's petition to take her sister's children from her. Her solicitor has stated that a husband would definitely turn the tide in her favor. As such she's been 'interviewing' potential candidates. However, the Duke of Wyatthaven is not one of them, and when he arrives, she's expecting a Mr Maywaring not the Duke.

As chagrined as she is that he mentions marriage in front of the children she listens to what he has to say and the things he would provide for her and the children and agrees to his proposal. The paperwork with the solicitors is handled and the wedding occurs in time to prevent him losing his grandmother's fortune. However, after the wedding and a delightful exchange in the garden that cumulated in an interesting kiss, he departs to London and a tournament.

The scandal sheets were having a field day over the absence of Wyatt's wife. Fredericka pays it no mind until her cousin Jane arrives with even more threats to take the children from her. It's then she decides to go to London and prove that the talk of her marriage is wrong.

What Fredericka didn't expect was to find her husband not only hosting a ball but to be dancing with a young lady when she arrives. It's quite the interesting scene.

Wyatt scares the children when he reaches to hug Fredericka, but then he does manage, with Fredericka's help, to console them enough to be sent off with their governess. There's still much to settle between them but that would be put off until morning.

Things are going to radically change for Wyatt and he's really not sure he's ready for any of it. Fredericka can't lose the children and he's going to do everything in his power to prevent it.

I love the way this story plays out, from visits to the park to the children relaxing in his presence, to the political intrigue, to more drama with Jane, to the growing attraction between Wyatt and Fredericka this is a page turning read.

It's a quick marriage for Wyatt, the Duke of Wyatthaven, to meet the terms of his grandmother's will, a codicil made twenty years ago. He definitely doesn't want the property in London's fashionable downtown to go to The London Society Of Poetry. Miss Fredericka Hale needs to marry to keep custody of her sister's three children. Her cousin Jane has been married for several years, has no children and wants custody. Wyatt's offer for a marriage of convenience seems a good idea. She will stay in the country, he will continue to live his life as if a bachelor in London. But there is that spark, especially after that first kiss. Drawn to each other, the children become the center of their arguments and making up. Hilarious antics of children being children and Wyatt always saying the wrong thing by not completing his thoughts. But he definitely has a way with children. An absolute must read. A clean romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This is a new series, and I enjoyed getting to know the various players. The characters were interesting and the story intriguing - I am really enjoying this new trend of the hero being a cinnamon roll Alpha who understands consent.

While they initially want very different things out of this marriage of convenience, Fredericka & Wyatt learn to listen to one another, and fall in love. Along the way they grow as people, and reconnect with friends and family they'd pulled away from. Overall this story was a very enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance.

I'm the first to say - I LOVE some historical romances. A nice "marriage of convenience" trope, an interesting story line. However, I did have trouble connecting with the characters, specifically looking at Jane and Fredericka. I did enjoy the story as a whole, but these were my major complaints.

If you like a fade-to-black romance and a not entirely likable heroine, this is for you. However, I will say I plan on reading the next book in the series!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this book for my honest opinion.

This one started out well, but as the story progressed, Fredericka became more annoying, and whilst Wyatt was largely misunderstood/there were miscommunications between them, he also was not always that good a guy either.

I found myself more and more frustrated as I read on. I wanted to talk some sense into her, tell him to think before he spoke, and just really scream at them both. Still right to the end there is miscommunications and nt talking things out.

I did like Rick and Hurst a lot more than our leading couple. I would come back for their books.

The Duke of Wyatthaven (Wyatt) has had a stipulation placed upon him from his deceased grandmother. He must marry in order to keep the Dukedom and he must do it quickly. Thinking of plausible women to be his wife, in paper only, he sets his sights on Fredericka Hale, knowing that she too is in desperate need to hastily marry.

Fredericka Hale has inherited her three nephew and nieces after a terrible accident leaves them orphaned. Needing to marry to ward off her cousin’s advances of coming to take the children, Fredericka is at a loss on how to maintain guardianship but marrying a Duke might be just what she needs.

I really liked the storyline of these two and their preconceived notions of marriage. Watching them grow and working together, turning their marriage into one that is real instead of convenience. You should definitely one-click this, you won’t be disappointed.

The Duke of Wyatthaven, Wyatt to his friends, 28, has just learned that a codicil from his grandmother’s will means that he will lose her significant inheritance unless he is married in a week. He is a carefree man whose friends, the Duke of Stonerick, Rick to his friends, and the Duke of Hurstbourne, Hurst to his friends, participate in endeavors to raise money to help men who have returned from wars and need money. Wyatt has heard that a young woman, Miss Fredericka Hale, 20, would make him a great duchess so he is off to propose to her.

Fredericka’s sister and husband died not long ago leaving behind 3 young children: Charles, 7, Bella, 5, and Elise, 9. Frederica immediately became their guardian and loves them dearly. However, her cousin who is unable to have children wants to have the courts force Frederica to turn the children over to her. So, Frederica is frightened that she may lose them.

When Wyatt approaches Fredericka and asks for her hand, she is shocked. But she knows she needs a husband to help her to be able to keep the children and a duke is even more secure. She accepts, they immediately wed and he returns to London. He promises to see that she and the children have everything they need and he will work hard to see that she keeps them. But a visit from her cousin vowing to get the children frightens Frederica and she decides to journey to London and talk to Wyatt. She arrives in London on the same evening Wyatt is having a dance for his friend’s young sister for her debut. Awkward.

I can’t say that I ever liked Fredericka as she was just too stiff. Her relationship with Wyatt seemed to lack passion. The children are all delightful and Fredericka’s cousin is a true shrew. The story is quite different from the typical historical romance though, so for that reason, I have given the book 4 stars.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Miss Fredericka Hale needs to get married, and it needs to be fast. Being unmarried, she stands to lose custody of her sister’s three orphaned children to her married cousin. Wyatt, the Duke of Wyatthaven, is the answer to her prayers. Like her, he needs to be married as soon as possible to claim a sizable inheritance left to him by his late grandmother. They planned to marry and never see each other again, a marriage in name only. But the best-laid plans often don’t go their course. When Fredericka’s cousin threatens her, Fredericka does the only thing that comes to mind: go to her husband. But will Wyatt and Fredericka be able to overcome her cousin’s schemes? And will they be able to keep their distant but friendly relationship? Or will they fall in love?

I was super happy seeing that Amelia Grey had another series starting. Historical romances are one of my favorite genres to read. Having read her books previously, I knew what type of romance I would get. So, yes, I was thrilled that this book was out.

Before I get deeper into the review, I want to mention this book’s trigger warnings. They are domestic violence (off-page and alluded to), parental death (off-page and remembered), remembering of abuse by a school teacher, and a custody battle. The most graphic of the trigger warnings is the abuse that Wyatt remembers his schoolmates enduring (the teacher never touched him because of his status). If any of these triggers you, I recommend not reading this book.

Surprisingly, the love story between Fredericka and Wyatt was not the book’s main focus until maybe the last few chapters. Instead, the book focused on the children and who should have custody. I found it fascinating how custody worked back in Regency England. Unmarried women were not considered ideal guardians unless there was a male figure in the picture or said unmarried women had money/a title. But, if another relative (a married couple or an unmarried man) pursued custody, the magistrate gave it to them. Marriage or being a man always trumped the woman. Surprisingly, if titles were involved in the custody dispute, the magistrate always deferred to the person with the higher title. So a marquis challenging a duke would not have a chance in court unless it could be proven that the children were being harmed. So, I understood why Fredericka was wound up so tight for 90% of the book. Those children could be taken away from her because of that, and when Wyatt showed up to propose (out of the blue), it was an answer to her prayers.

I agree with the consensus that Fredericka was too controlling during the book. But, saying that, I understand why (see above). She also dwelled too much on the past. She was insanely jealous of Jane and her sister’s relationship and let it color every interaction. I seriously wanted to grab Fredericka, shake her, and say (in the words of Elsa): “Let. It. GO!!!”

I thought that Wyatt was the complete opposite of Fredericka. He was too easygoing. At one point, I thought Wyatt would have made a perfect modern-day surfer. He had the Regency “brah” attitude down pat. There was a reason why Wyatt was that way, and when the author revealed why, I wanted to swoop in and hug him. The guilt that he lived with was almost too much for me to read, and the scene with his friend who had the misshapen hand broke my heart.

The children were a massive part of this book, and I loved them. But, they were damaged by the domestic violence they saw and their parents’ deaths. I had tears when the oldest girl yelled at Wyatt not to hit Fredericka and the pain Wyatt had when Fredericka explained why she said that. But they also made me laugh. There is a significant scene with Jane and Fredericka when they walk in on the kids drinking brandy and smoking cheroots (like they saw Wyatt and his friends doing). I know I shouldn’t have, but I laughed. Why? Because it was a typical thing, a kid would do (excluding the smokes and booze). All they wanted was to act like Mr. Lord Duke (as the youngest called him); at the time, it seemed fun.

While Fredericka and Wyatt had sexual tension, the author chose to have them build their relationship. There were a few (well, more than a few) stolen kisses sprinkled throughout the book. I was disturbed that Fredericka could get utterly bamboozled by his kisses. What magic was Wyatt doing with his lips, and where can I find a man like that?

I also liked that this was a clean romance, and when Fredericka and Wyatt finally had sex, it was a fade-to-black scene. Listen, I like explicit sex scenes as much as the next woman, but they get boring (yes, I said it). Sometimes, you must let your imagination do what it does best and imagine things.

The end of Yours Truly, The Duke was cute, but I found certain things unbelievable. I thought having Jane and Fredericka talk, and the past was laid to rest was not believable. Jane was such a dink to Fredericka throughout the book; people do not change like that.

I would recommend Yours Truly, The Duke, to anyone over 21. There is no language and mild violence. There are also very mild sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warning paragraph.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Amelia Grey for allowing me to read and review Yours Truly, The Duke. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I enjoyed Wyatt and Fredericka’s story in Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey, book one in the Say I Do series, a charming and entertaining marriage of convenience. Each chapter begins with a poem from The Lady’s Book of Flowers and Poetry, a lovely touch which plays a part of story.

Wyatt and Fredericka enter into a marriage of convenience: he, to gain an inheritance, and she to retain custody of her orphaned nieces and nephew, Elise, Charles, and Belle. Watching their feelings for each other grow was a lot of fun, but the growing affection for the children added an extra layer of tenderness and depth to the story. Fredericka and Wyatt were delightful together as they bickered over misunderstandings and child rearing establishing their slow burn romance. My only complaint was that cousin Jane was not held responsible for her horrible and demeaning actions.

Ms. Grey wrote a charming, clever, entertaining and amusing story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with humorous escapades, amusing banter, magnetic chemistry and endearing characters giving Wyatt and Fredericka a chance to have a true love. I highly recommend Yours Truly, The Duke to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I love historical romance novels, and this book by Amelia Grey, did not disappoint! I loved the storyline which brought the two main characters together. It was unique and the characters were well written so we understood their motivations for all their actions. Fredericka's upbringing and relationship with both her sister and cousin, and Wyatt's experience growing up as the son of a duke and what he saw and experienced especially at Eton. Even the children in this story were given depth to their characters and was always a joy when Bella's character came on the scene. I truly enjoyed this story and plan to read the other books in this series. (I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for my opinion, but would have gladly paid to read it!)

“In reality, the duke’s proposal sounded so cold. An impersonal business arrangement. Not even the pretense that it was anything more. Nothing like she imagined it would be should she ever have anyone offer for her hand. But really, what had she ever imagined about courting, romance, and marriage other than a young girl’s fancy to think about a young man who loved poetry as much as she did.”
Fredericka Hale needs a husband, and she needs one fast to prevent her cousin from taking guardianship of her nieces and nephew. She has been interviewing candidates when the Duke of Wyatthaven unexpectedly shows up at her home asking for her hand in marriage. He is also in dire need of a wife and believes that Fredericka is the answer to all his problems.

I will preface this review by saying that there is domestic violence mentioned in this book, it is not on page, but it is a part of the storyline. Fredericka gains guardianship of her young nieces and nephew when her sister and brother-in-law pass away, and for this reason, I do admire her. She takes on something very difficult in the name of love, and I know many of us would do the same. However, that is the only thing that I enjoyed in this book. Fredericka comes off exceedingly proper all the time, even to the point of being cold. I wonder if this is a type that Amelia Grey likes to write because some of her other heroines are the same. She scolds her nieces and nephews every chance she gets, and there really aren’t any fun interactions between them. It felt unnatural and not the way I expect an aunt to act.

Now, onto Wyatt. He was rude to Fredericka on multiple occasions. They could not communicate with each other without having a communication breakdown that devolved into an argument, and then it’s never solved with actual communication but with kisses. These two stubborn characters never let down their walls or tried to put any amount of effort into their relationship, and then at the end, we are supposed to believe they love each other. In my opinion, this book has some red flags. We should not normalize an unhealthy relationship with our partner, and that’s exactly what this book does.

If you’re a fan of lower-steam authors like Ella Quinn and Lisa Berne, this may work better for you than it did for me.

~ Michelle

This is a slow burn romantic story of Fredericka Hale, who is taking care of her orphaned nieces and nephew and the Duke of Wyatthaven, who propositions her to a marriage of convenience that will benefit them both. At the current time Fredericka is interviewing gentlemen to see if they will make a proper husband for her so that she can keep custody of her sister, Angela's children. Wyatt is in need of a wife to satisfy a codicil in her grandmother's will. The couple agree to live separate lives until the time they need to produce an heir. Circumstances with her cousin Jane, cause Fredericka to go to the Duke's residence prior to their agreed upon time so that they could spend time together as a couple. There are lots of ups and downs in the story as Wyatt and Fredericka try parenting the children together. Will they get their relationship on track so that they can prevent a united front to the powers that be in order to prevent her cousin Jane from getting custody of her sister's children? They will have to come to terms with events that occurred in their past which causes them to be who they are today. The story is well written and I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between the H/h.

I received this story as an ARC from Netgalley and I am leaving my honest review

The Duke of Wyatthaven just found out that to get his inheritance from his grandmother, he has to marry by the end of the week or forfeit it to a Poetry Society. He is told about Fredericka Hale needing a husband as she is currently raising her deceased sister’s children (2 girls and a boy) and Jane who seems to be barren is trying to take them away from her. Fredericka and her sister were raised by Jane’s family, and I have to say Jane is definitely a bully. Anyway, they marry by Friday and go their separate ways. The children being children, you have to laugh at the devilment they get into, the only problem, it happens at the wrong time. Wyatt is so sweet with the children, and he really tries to do right by all of them. The more he is with Fredericka, the more he wants to spend time with her.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a complimentary copy.

Yours Truly, The DukeSay I Do by Amelia Grey. This is the first book in the Say I Do Series. This is the story of Fredericka Hale and “Wyatt”, the Duke of Wyatthaven. Wyatt is a happy bachelor but soon learns that he will need to marry quickly to get his inheritance from his grandmother. In addition to possibly loosing Real estate that would be giving to his much hate man named Percvial Buslingthorpe who treated Wyatt very badly when he was a student at Eton. So his solicitor points him to Fredericka. Fredericka has been raising her niece and nephew after loosing her. But now her cousin Jane feels she is the better guardian and wants them. So Fredericka needs a husband fast and that leads her to Waytt. Enjoyed their story.

Wyatt and Fredericka are interesting and relatable characters. From the start we got to see these characters at their core – which is one of the things I loved about this books. The characters growth for both main characters was fitting for them. Their romance is sweet and fitting. I enjoyed the secondary characters – especially Wyatt’s best friends and the children. Both added much to the fabric of the story. I hope that we get to see more of these characters in other books.

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