Gabriel and Vivienne could not have had more different childhoods. He was raised in a foundling home, and she was raised in polite society to be a lady and marry well. But they cross paths when their lives are both suddenly thrown into flux – she’s weathering a scandal and trying to resolve her brother’s gambling debt, while he’s the gambling hell owner who has just discovered he’s a duke.

Along with the dukedom and estates, Gabriel becomes responsible for his six wild sisters who haven’t been raised in society. This, to me, was where the story really took off. The sisters (especially oldest Olivia, preparing for her debut, and youngest Edwina, who speaks her mind no matter what) make Gabriel a more patient, understanding man. His deal with Vivienne to cancel her brother’s debt in exchange for her teaching his sisters how to be ladylike came a little late in the narrative for me, because I think those lessons and how they bring the lead characters closer were the strongest part of the story. They were funny and heartwarming and brought out the depth of the characters, particularly Gabriel.

Vivienne and Gabriel have great physical chemistry, as any great romance couple needs, but I think the things that actually attract them to each other are kind of wholesome. They’re both capable of ignoring the physical attraction, but it’s seeing Gabriel be sweet to his sisters and be a successful businessman and landowner that gets to Vivienne. It’s her determination and positive outlook despite all the distress her family is continually causing her that draws him in. When they finally get their HEA, despite all the machinations of society and reminders of duty and scandal and proper marriages, you’ll be just as happy. It’s a nice reminder that our fate is up to us, and we shouldn’t let anyone else tell us how to be happy.

Genre: historical romance
London, 1817

Miss Vivienne Tremeer is no stranger to scandal. She’s running from one in Cornwall not of her own making, and she’s trying to protect her wastrel drunken brother from gambling himself into one of his own. But when she approaches Gabriel Cadieux, owner of the gaming hell to which her brother, Will, owes his debts, she finds a cold and uncompromising man. However, Gabriel discovers that he is actually the rightful heir to the Duke of Grantham, and his outlook on life needs to change. Again and again, Vivienne crosses his path, and he decides to help both her and her brother rewrite their own places in society. Of course, Gabriel finds he wants much more from Vivienne.

Dreaming of a Duke Like You is charming and low angst. Even when the stakes should be high - Vivienne needs to save her brother from debt, Gabriel suddenly has six half sisters to care for, an ex-fiance reappears - Bennett keeps the prose charming and sweet, making this a delightfully easy read.

Vivienne and Gabriel are both stubborn in their own ways, and they play well off of one another, helping each other to open up emotionally and to accept their own possible futures. His scandal is a little bigger than hers, only because of his shocking origins, but her scandal unfairly plagues her from Cornwall to London. I did want more showing rather than telling on character backstories and motivations, but that didn’t really stop me from an enjoyable read.

Fair warning to readers, this one is closed door, but that never takes away from the progression of the relationship.

They both have difficult familes...

Gabriel, a club owner, suddenly finds himself a duke with hald a dozen half sisters and a grandmother who has expectations.

Vivienne does everything for her family, so goes to Gabriel to try to have her brother's debt cleared.
Their initial meeting does not go well. I like that Vivienne is fiesty with Gabriel and Gabriel is always trying to do the right thing. They both are to the cost of their relationship. They really are better together and I did like the sleepwalking, as thats not a common affliction in literature.
Recommend.

First off, the cover is gorgeous. I was pulled in by the blurb, gaming hell owner, yes please! So now onto my review of the story. It was okay. I have read Sara before (a long time ago) and remember liking her books. Maybe my tastes have changed. This book just did not have the umph I wanted. There isn’t much interaction between the main characters through half of the book. The angst, yes there is a little, is really low. I really wanted to like this a whole lot more. I think if you prefer low angst and a really slow paced story this is for you.

A fun historical romance, but nothing memorable within the genre. Thank you for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Historical romance is a genre that can lean in hard on the ridiculous. Twins take each other's places all the time, half of the aristocracy seems to be spying on France, and arcane codicils and entailments come to light at the reading of what seems like every will.

Dreaming of a Duke Like You at first feels like it's going to fall into the "bonkers" side of historical romance. Gabriel Cadieux was raised in a foundling home, but he's now the super rich owner of a gambling hell. Vivienne Tremeer is a responsible lady in her twenties whose younger, irresponsible brother has lost more money than he has to said gaming hell. As the book opens, Vivienne approaches Gabriel to try to work out a payment plan. But Gabriel won't forgive the debt and he won't let Vivienne pay it, either. Plus, he's got more important matters on his mind: he's just learned that his mother was married to his father, who just died ... and made Gabriel a duke.

So Gabriel is both a self-made man/gambling hell owner AND a duke. But if you were expecting more bonkers stuff to go down, you'd be wrong. Instead, it turns into slow burn romance where the biggest conflict is whether Gabriel should marry someone who has a bit of a past. He's already scandalous, and Vivienne is slightly scandalous (she spent the night in an inn with a man, but literally nothing happened - they didn't even go up to the bedroom). Now that he's the duke, he has six younger half-sisters to marry off and doesn't want to ruin their prospects more than their sudden illegitimacy has.

We both enjoyed it: the writing is solid, and although it's not particularly progressive it's not problematic, either. We just needed a little something extra for it to be a new favorite.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Enjoyable, fun and captivating enemies to lovers romance. Gabriel, a game hell owner come heir to a dukedom and Vivienne, proper spinster and trying to keep her reputation intact fall head over heels in chaos and a forever love. This is going to be a cracker of a new series, looking forward to reading more.

This book was totally not worth my time. A very slow paced book with too many characters.

Gabriel is found to be a duke. After running a successful business he inherits a dukedom and 6 bastard sisters. For someone who has made his way from an orphanage to running a business he is very wishy washy when it comes to his emotions and is bullied a lot by his grandmother. He does have some forgiving features though, his love and delight for his sisters, his business savyness.

Vivienne is a ruined miss staying with her aunt and trying to save her brother from ruin. She trades tutoring the dukes sisters in social etiquette for a pardon on her brother's debts at Gabriel's gambling business.

The couple falls in love, but ofcourse cannot get together. Why not, you ask?? Because the author needed to write something.

Honestly did a lot of quick page turning.

Gabriel Cadieux was raised in a foundling home. He never knew who his family was. With his two best friends, Charles and Freddie, he now owned a very successful gambling club, Cadieux . He won the club five years ago in a game. Life is good and he is proud of what he has. He is not welcomed by polite society even if a good number of the ton men come to his club. Then in one visit his life changed forever. He is heir to a dukedom! Now he not only has estates that are in debt, but also has not one but six rebellious sisters and a one very up tight stern grandmother who he does remember coming to the home once. She cares a great deal about what society thinks and makes sure he will too. Viviene Treneer has had a hard life, with an odd mother, a nasty stepfather and an aunt who hates her and her brother after a misunderstanding ruined her reputation. She loves and cares most about her younger brother and her cousin. She is shocked to find Will has fallen in with the wrong crowd and ran up a lot of debt to the club Cadieux! She goes to the club hoping she can talk the owner into forgiving his debt, none other them Gabriel. He is fascinated by her and that she would come there to plead for her brother. Oh, my these two have much to get thought for any kind of happiness. Gabriel makes a deal with Vivienne to teach his sisters to be ladies and he will wipe out Wills debts. What a special story this is. Gabriel has to try and learn all the dos and don’ts of society. When he doesn’t really care except for his sisters now. Vivienne is very attracted to Gabriel but knows nothing can come of it due to her past. With lots of twists and turns, help from friends and family these two will have a lot of growing and learning. Such a great read you don’t want to miss it. So much is going on. I really wanted to slap her aunt and mother what a pair. Also, Grandmother really got on my nerves too. As a grandmother and great grandmother, we are supposed to help our kids not make them do what we think is right. I received an ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars
🔥🔥- (2 spicy scenes, mild details)

[ thank you @readforeverpub for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own! ]

PUB DATE: October 10, 2023

THOUGHTS:

I don’t read a lot of historical romance but guys, I really liked this one!! Every time I picked it up to read, I was hooked.

Gabriel & Vivienne’s relationship was so good. The tension with those almost kisses in the beginning-middle of the book.. I was dying!! It definitely was a slow burn love story for them. ❤️

Gabriel was swoon worthy. I loved that he stepped up for his half-sisters. I loved the bit of found family going on. Vivienne was great. She was protective of her brother & tried to help him get rid of his gambling debts. They both had that fierce love for their family and I really liked that!!

Overall, great start to a new series! I’ll definitely be on the look out for the next book. 😍

Dreaming of a Duke Like You had a lot to offer from unexpected inheritance, to found family to enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. There were times when I felt drawn in and other times when not all the elements seemed to fit together as cohesively as I would have liked/a lot was going on at times plot wise. I loved Gabriel and his relationship with his best friends Charles and Freddie as well as the relationships he was creating with his half-sisters. From the frank talk from his friends to his sister's looking out for him when he started sleep walking. Gabriel was definitely an MMC worthy of book boyfriend status. I valued Vivienne's strength and how important it was for Gabriel to be the one person who might be able to take care of her instead of her feeling alone and doing everything she could to take care of everyone else. I loved how no matter what, Vivienne was kind and thoughtful even after all she had been through and how she had been treated by those who were supposed to be there to protect her. Her fortitude despite all of it was admirable. How she could be so in love with someone and let them go because it might be best for them and their family nearly broke my heart and made me want her to have her HEA all the more.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This cover is SO great, but the book inside of it wasn't really. I really wonder why sometimes I take an ARC of an author that I've never read because the cover is pretty. It's pretty much burned me over and over again. I don't even know why I keep doing it to myself.

I disliked just about all of this book. I didn't like the hero or the heroine. I didn't like the plot. I absolutely despised the end. I am being extra generous giving this two stars because by the end of it I was so ready to throw my kindle. The worst part about it all is the hero is going to court someone else at the END for whatever reason, because the heroine and their love is not worth anything to him, and then he gets hit over the head by this epiphany that he should marry for love, so he chases after her.

After that I didn't even care. I was speed reading to the end because the end couldn't come fast enough for me. I now hope to move on from the bad taste this one left in my mouth.

Vivienne is the sister of a young baronet who has gotten himself into a load of gambling debt after the bad influence of his friends. She tries to appeal to the gambling hell owner Gabriel for a reprieve, since they’re really very poor and unable to pay the debts. He’s a shrewd businessman and refuses, leaving her to worry over her brother’s financial situation. Gabriel soon learns that he is actually the legitimate son and heir to a duke, despite being abandoned at an orphanage after his mother’s death. He has inherited an impoverished estate, a dragon of a grandmother, and six unruly sisters. He and his sisters all need polishing in order to fit in with London society. Vivienne and her brother are still worrying over their debts to Gabriel with their stepfather’s treachery looming over them, but Gabriel hasn’t had the time to deal with that yet. Eventually, Gabriel comes to an arrangement with Vivienne where he will forgive the debt completely, if she will assist in tutoring his sisters for society. This book had a bit of a slow start as Gabriel and Vivienne deal with their circumstances separately for awhile. Their bargain and proximity to each other doesn’t really begin until halfway through the book. However, once Vivienne starts to see how Gabriel interacts with his many sisters, it’s clear that she’s falling in love with him.

Raised in a foundling home, club owner Gabriel is shocked to discover he's inherited a dukedom. He makes a deal with vexing yet alluring noblewoman Vivienne—he'll forgive her brother's gambling debts if she tames his six rebellious half-sisters. However, falling for the duke could ruin her reputation. Can they overcome his scandalous past for a chance at love?

Vivienne and Gabriel are a fun couple with strong chemistry between them. I also enjoyed the relationships with their siblings. This is a low-angst, entertaining story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is a fun, entertaining, good read. Gabriel and Vivienne are entertaining, intriguing, relatable, fun characters. I enjoyed their on-page interactions and their romance. The growth of the characters throughout the course of the story is fun to read. I loved whenever Gabriel interacted with his sisters – it was entertaining and fun. The same with Vivienne and her brother Will. Vivienne’s mother is something else and I’m glad she had limited page time. These secondary characters as well as other added to the fabric of the story and showing other sides of our main characters.

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

This was a sweet story. The book begins with Vivienne visiting a gaming hell to try to convince the owner to help her brother who has fallen into debt. The owner Gabriel is not interested in her pleas and turns her away. As is often the case in a book like this, the two keep crossing paths and are drawn to each other. When Gabriel suddenly finds he is a Duke with six sisters to care for, the two strike a bargain which will help them both. This was a sweet, yet slow paced story with a great HEA. I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

A half dressed man on a novel cover is an instant draw to this reader.
Both Gabriel and Vivienne have had their reputations shattered. Gabriel’s life suddenly includes a peerage and a passel of sisters.
Vivienne’s gullible brother has made her beg to release the debt, but Gabriel has an idea……
Both hearts yearning to be loved and needed. I thought the dowager duchess was an old dragon and what she did to Gabriel when he was a young child was unforgivable.
My Favorite character was Jem, because he was a gem!
To hell with the ton and their silly rules and requirements.

The idea of this book is really cute....enemies to lovers, both in a position they need help getting out of...but the pacing of the story held me back from being invested. It took so long for them to be on page together and even longer for them to have any sort of chemistry. I needed more romance and less set up and description.

DNF at 30% - this wasn't bad by any means but it was taking so long for the actual plot to get started - 30% in and we still haven't had more than 2 scenes of the main characters together and the main plot of the FMC teaching the MMC's sisters about society had not even started. I have too many ARCs to continue to read something that I'm really not connecting with.

The writing was good!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The bones of this story were very good, but I felt like it was bogged down in the details and constant reminders of the storylines. We were told so many times about the impediments to the lovers being together that after a while it just became repetitive.
I think if some of these repetitions were removed, the book would have been very fun, and great for fans of Sabrina Jeffries and Julie Anne Long.