Member Reviews
I would like to thank Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Enjoyable.
What a wonderful collection of stories from some of my favorite Regency authors. Enjoyable from first book to the last.
Thank you Authors, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.
This anthology is a fun read going in the new trend of regency / Victorian romances. Because they are short stories, the romances develop quickly.
Entertaining Box Set about Dukes and Their Ladies
This collection provides humor, charm, heartwarming moments, and best of all, a whole lot of romance. There are dukes to tame, treasures to find, feuds to end, storms to survive, second chances to have, misunderstandings to clear up, and much more. You can read each story in one sitting—at least, I did. Sometimes, you just need a novella that you can read quickly to forget about the world, and this collection can provide that escape. Many of the stories are connected to series, but they can be read as standalone. They can introduce you to the authors, and you can pick up the series at a later time. These are entertaining tales, and I look forward to reading more by these authors. I recommend this box set to those who like historical romance novellas.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this anthology and this is my freely given opinion.
This is an anthology of 10 short stories with a duke and winter theme, with a Shakespeare theme as well, by 10 generally well known/well published historical romance authors. Some of them seem to be related to other series by the authors, but IMO they all can be read as stand alone. For the most part, they are either clean, or mildly steamy. I read all of them and generally enjoyed almost all of them. My favourites however seem to be the one by Sandra Sookoo, which is about the matriarch of the Storme family, the Dowager Duchess, finding a second chance. He is a duke travelling with his son, and the both are stranded by a storm at her home during family celebrations over Christmas, and the two of them travel the ups and downs of love again, in their 60s. Also the one by C. H. Admirand, about the Duke and Duchess of Wyndmere losing their way in their relationship with each other after the birth of their twins, and other stressors on their relationship causing them to lose their closeness and question each other's love and devotion.
What can I say, I love second chances at love themes, and these two and maybe one or two others really caught my attention in this anthology and kept me reading on. I am not sure that the Shakespearean theme needed to be tossed in there - Dukes and winter were good enough for me. But the Shakespearean aspect was not overly heavy or distracting.
A generally pleasant anthology to pass the time with.
3.75 stars out of 5.
I picked this up because it includes a few of the authors whose books I've enjoyed and I was looking forward to reading more of their stories. But I have to tell you, all of the authors in this collection have put together a delightfully entertaining set of stories. I'm so happy to have found some new authors to follow. This set includes ten novellas, all quick and easy reads, perfect for an evening of cozy reading, especially this time of year. Each author did a fantastic job with providing vivid descriptions and interesting plots and providing the reader with a satisfying and magical romantic treat. The storylines were all enchanting and intriguing and artfully crafted with well-defined characters and kept me hooked until I finished. These heartwarming stories will melt your heart and sweep you away into a world of romance and smiles. This is truly a gem of a collection and I am happy to have had the opportunity to read these books. A charming and delightful anthology! I definitely recommend!
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
This was a sweet collection of novellas. Due to the relatively short length of the stories, they were low-angst and full of love at first sight and happy endings. All of the authors are well-known and the stories are Shakespeare-inspired. Perfect for picking up for a winter evening at home.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Ten delightful Christmas stories from some of the best authors in historical fiction. If you haven't read some of these authors, here is your chance.
Dragonblade Publishing does an outstanding job of offering Historical Romance Collections from a variety of different authors. This is one of the best I have read. There are a variety of stories, some of which introduce you to the different series these authors have written.
I have taken my time reading this Collection, enjoying each story, and thus prolonging my enjoyment.
A delightful collection of steamy stories! Perfect when you're in the mood for a low stakes, high fun easy read
Wonderfully enjoyable, excellent collection of ten stand-alone historical romances 😍
* The Taming of the Duke by Emily Royal
* Once Upon a WInter’s Tale by Anna St. Claire
* Her Tempestuous Duke by Elizabeth Keysian
* The Sixth Henry by Caroline Warfield
* What the False Heart Doth Know by Elizabeth Ellen Carter
* The Duke’s Lost Love by Ruth A. Casie
* The Merry Wife of Wyndmere by C.H. Admirand
* Loving Lysander by Charlotte Wren
* Much Ado About a Storme by Sandra Sookoo
* A Midwinter Night’s Dream by Anna Markland
I love a collection, and this one was so likeable. All of these authors are new to me (last week I read my first Emily Royal story, that I really liked), and I’m so appreciative to have discovered authors I look forward to reading more of.
I appreciated my reading time spent with this near-sparkling clean romance collection (there’s some below the petticoats action in the first story).
There is definitely something here for most royal historical romance readers - a recommendation.
So many stories this was so great. By so many different authors, quite a bit to warm the blood. Some of the authors I had not heard of but will be sure to check out their books.
𝗔 𝗗𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 is a fantastic historical romance anthology.
I enjoyed reading each author’s contribution. The stories were well written, engaging and the perfect short read, between other, heavier reads. I read one story at a time and was sad to see the book end. If you are like me and enjoy shorter romances, this anthology is perfect for you.
I’m giving 𝗔 𝗗𝗨𝗞𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!
A sweet collection of short stories sure to make your heart sing this holiday season. Although I enjoyed MOST of them, I found it difficult to become invested in our characters due to the brevity of the stories and the abrupt nature in which the MCs seemed to fall in love. Although limited in time, I still felt there was an opportunity to develop some of the stories a bit more.
That said, of the stories, my favs are "Loving Lysander"...a second chance novella about a love that would not die despite a heartbreaking betrayal. Also loved "The Taming of the Duke"...a novella about a firmly on the shelf spinster who discovers her happily ever after in the arms of a man she'd least expected.
If you're looking for a way to spend an afternoon without a lot of emotional investment, dive in for stories of loves lost and found, stories of revenge and and stories celebrating second chance romances in "A Duke In Winter".
An expansive collection.
Winter, yes. Historical, yep. Spicy, you bet. There's something for everyone in this anthology. It was fun to read some new to me authors and some that I am familiar with.
Recommend.
I honestly have to say that these stories did not feel like short stories at all. They had world building, character development, and feely flushed out stories. I am adding this to my yearly winter reads, and while some where hit/ miss, more were truly hits for me.
A Duke in Winter is a great collection of historical romances. While I'm still working my way through these wonderful books, from what I've read so far they are absolutely fantastic! Highly recommend if you like a classic story with romance and steam. Can't wait to read more from all of these authors!
A Duke in Winter is a compilation of short stories written by Dragonblade authors: Emily Royal, Anna St. Claire, Elizabeth Keysian, Caroline Warfield, Elizabeth Ellen Carter, Ruth A. Casie, C.H. Admirand, Charlotte Wren, Sandra Sookoo, and Anna Markland. Many are based on characters used in previous novels. It was particularly satisfying to revisit Sandra Sookoo’s Storme family and Persephone and her Duke by CH Admirand. All the stories were romance and all were very satisfying. Short and sweet. Well worth the read. The good news: it is not necessary to read them all in one sitting.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Duke in Winter by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade # EmilyRoyal #AnnaStClaire #ElizabethKeysian #CarolineWarfield #ElizabethEllenCarter #RuthACasie #CHAdmirand #CharlotteWren #SandraSookoo #AnnaMarkland #ADukeInWinter
A Duke in Winter
A Historical Romance Collection
Ten novella length historical romances by ten authors gives the reader the chance to read authors already or yet to be read for the first time. With half of the stories read so far, I eagerly look forward to reading the rest after I post this review.
As with any collection of stories, some will appeal more than others and yet at least one or more will no doubt be just what you needed to read in that moment that you sit down to do so. You can see how others live, what motivates them, how your life differs from theirs, try on a character or two to see if any are ones you could play the part of, and perhaps meet an author that will see you looking for their work again.
Emily Royal’s THE TAMING OF THE DUKE has a side bet instigated that sees a fake courting become real but not without a bit of drama. A spinster will meet her match and so will the duke that begins a fake courtship with her.
Anna St. Claire’s’ ONCE UPON A WINTER’S TALE is a bit darker tale of a love left behind with fear the motivating force but driven also by the desire of one man for an heir.
Sandra sookoo’s MUCH ADO ABOUT A STORME sees the matriarch of the Storme family, now widowed, finding a second chance at love.
Elizabeth Keysian’s THE TEMPESTUOUS DUKE is almost Gothic in feel with a young woman washed ashore after a capsizing faced with two brothers that are at odds with one another due to what happened in the past. A Talking parrot, wonderful canine, and a mystery to solve are only part of the story.
Caroline Warfield’s THE SIXTH HENRY might have been my favorite with a bit of a Capulet’s and Montagues feuding families feel to it but…this couple lands in a better situation than poor Romeo and Juliet. This story made me think about how difficult it would be to step into the shoes of a Duke without having training to do so.
Did I enjoy the stories I read – yes
Will I read the authors again in the future – yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 – 5 stars
Fantastic collection of reads. Well written and each storyline was super fun with plenty to offer. I was hooked. Each one got their HEA.
An amazing collection of holiday stories by ten of the best authors in historical fiction!
From second chances to enemy to lovers, with a lot of others thrown in! Although short, each will make you smile and sigh. What more can you ask for!
Each story may be part of an author's series or as a stand alone. A great chance to get to know the writing of these fabulous writers, which will make you only want to read more by them!!