As one of this author's longtime readers, I was surprised by the relatively racy cover. Now, that I'm aware of the emotions involved, it makes much more sense. The cover perfectly reflects the life experience of both characters, and not the contents of the steam.

The plot was quite clever, and I'd love to know how it was developed. I'm not even sure which trope it should be assigned to. Looking back, there were a few red herrings on which I won't elaborate. Due in part to the twisting plot, there was a great deal of interpersonal tension. Then, the story arc took a most pleasing turn.

I was actually able to put away the tissues and enjoy a perfect happy ending!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This is probably my favorite book from The Duke Hunt series solely because of the two protagonists. I had a suspicion that with a cover as hot as this one, that this book would be just as intriguing. Both MCs come from sordid pasts and have found themselves on opposite sides of the class system. Lucian has inherited a Dukedom after having to provide for himself and his two sisters through less than convenient means and Susanna was shunned from her community for a love affair forcing her to seek service as a housekeeper in the Duke’s household. Dual POVs help create the tug and pull dynamic between Susanna and Lucian in regards to their feelings and sexual tension that both try to hide from one another. I really enjoyed the backstory for each MC and found this to be a very unique plot—it is rare to have a hero with Lucian’s past and I loved how he didn’t feel ashamed of it even though he knew it could be problematic for his sisters. Although circumstances and people have tried to shame Susanna for her past, she accepts her course in life as a servant even though there’s a double standard for women vs. men. I thought the backstory for these two was great and would have loved to see a little bit more development in how they connected with each other over their shared histories. For such a quick read, it wouldn’t have hurt to add a bit more into their relationship once they consummated it. This book did not have a third act breakup either! Although there is definitely an evil character, it’s really the MCs that have to figure out if they should be together or not. It doesn’t hurt that the sisters try to help them out in the process 😉 IYKYK. I’d definitely recommend this Sophie Jordan book. It would help to read The Scoundrel Falls Hard just to have the backstory of the fake Duke, but this can still be read as a standalone. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

CW: name-calling, sex work by minor, physical abuse by family member, parental death

4.5 ⭐️

The Duke Starts a Scandal is book four in The Duke Hunt series but I don't think you need to read the first three to enjoy this book.

Our main characters are Lucian, the new Duke of Penning and Susanna, his housekeeper with a past. Lucian never expected to inherit a title, much less one of a Duke so as he finds himself in a position where he needs to be respectable and find a wife for himself and husbands for his sisters, he didn't count on being drawn to his housekeeper. If he were to act on his thoughts, he would be putting them both in a tough position and he refuses to do that to her...until he can't help himself anymore.

Susanna has worked hard to become who she is today. Proper and respected within the Duke's household, she knows she can't do anything to jeopardize that which includes stepping over the line with her employer. But every time she looks at him, she can't help feeling something more and while she knows nothing can ever truly happen between them, she isn't beyond temptation. Plus, with her past, she doesn't really have any place to go if she were to lose her position so she needs to be careful.

I enjoyed how Jordan introduced these characters and built the relationship and the conflict. With Lucian's sisters in the mix, it was great to see how they all came together, as a family and as friends / lovers. If you're looking for a new historical romance, consider checking this one out. I thought the story and the characters were done well and will pick up more from this author in the future.

The Duke Starts a Scandal is the fourth book in The Duke Hunt series.

Susanna Lockhart is the housekeeper the Penning estate. As she is rushing to return to the estate, she is almost over run over by a man on a horse who claims to be the new and rightful duke. But Susanna claims he is lying since she is the housekeeper and has met the duke and his son. Lucian states that he has agents for the estate just behind him in a carriage that will verify and straighten out in order to remove the imposters.

Susanna can't believe her misfortune. Calling the new heir a liar, she is off to a wonderful start. She can only hope she can prove herself to be a good housekeeper to the new duke and his sisters in order to keep her position.

A few comical things happen just before a house party begins. The valet falls and sprains his ankle and needs to stay in bed in order to heal. Susanna is then tasked to fill in as Lucian's valet. She walks in his room only to find him naked and preparing to bathe. Lucien claims he needs no one to help him bathe or dress and her services are not required. Both Lucian and Susanna are embarrassed, but it seems as if they are drawn to one another. Susanna is desperate to keep her job but also needs to keep her distance from Lucian.

When the house party begins a man reveals himself to know Susanna. When she remembers he is a friend of a man she thought she had loved she tries to deny knowing him, that he is mistaken. He tries to corner her and threatens the safety of her job and the secrets of her past she has tried so hard to keep buried.

Lucian also has secrets that he would prefer to keep hidden in order to see his sisters married, safe and secure. Everyone seems to have their own idea of the life they want to live which does not follow Lucian's plans. Will Susanna's past be revealed and threaten her future hopes and dreams.

This was a fast and enjoyable read in spite of being 352 pages long. I prefer books that are more than 300 pages. I think that it helps when the writer takes their time to tell the story instead of wrapping it up rather quickly. The characters of Lucian and Susanna were very different with secrets that society would not have accepted. I liked the plot as it unraveled to tell their story. The writing was easy to read and follow along. There were several spots where I laughed at the antics of the characters. It truly was worth reading. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

The Duke Starts a Scandal
Book 4 in "The Duke Hunt" series
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

The Duke Starts a Scandal was an okay read for me. I felt that something was missing in regards to the romance. I don't see how they fell in love when they barely spent time together and the time they did it was just to read Lucian's inner monologue on how he needed to get rid of her because she was too much of a temptation. They did have an intense physical attraction they fought most of the book against. This is one story that I was wondering when they were finally going to kiss! LOL

I would have liked to see more of his sisters trying to bring Lucian and Susanna together. That one attempt was funny to read.

I am a fan of class differences so I liked that aspect. Some find that triggering so be aware that the h is a servant, but I never felt she was being controlled by her employer or anything like that. The author took a good amount of time building the burn. If anything, I felt there a little too much push and pull. However, in the end I found the two characters enjoyable and endearing. The H did not allow class differences to keep them from their HEA. If you like push and pull, class difference romances you will enjoy this book.

While I enjoyed this title, It wasn't Sophie Jordan's best. And honestly, it didn't really live up to the heat of that cover! If you're looking to binge a historical romance series, The Duke Hunt isn't a bad way to go. It isn't going to make my Best Of list, but I still liked it and will continue to read Sophie's books.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I admit to feeling a lot of reticence when I saw the premise of The Duke Starts a Scandal. Sophie Jordan is a very hit-or-miss author for me anyway, and this series has not been her best in terms of quality. And then there’s the fact that many books involving dukes (or peers in general) and servants are chock-full of problematic power dynamics, which while historically accurate, are not fun to read about in a romance published in the present day. But I was intrigued by the concept, as I tend to look more favorably on fictional dukes who weren’t born and bred for the position.
And it’s like Sophie Jordan took all my notes about these issues into account when crafting the characters. Lucian’s beginnings were not merely humble, but hardscrabble, and he struggles with the repercussions of that as he adjusts to his new role. And I like that, unlike some other stories, which make the heroes hard-edged killers, the secrets of his past expose the complex double standards and hypocrisies of “Polite” Society when it comes to one’s sexual expression.
In this regard, he has a lot in common with Susanna, who also was disgraced for losing her virtue to a youthful infatuation. Both have become cynical, believing romance isn’t for them, although Lucian is much more so, in the way this also extends to his overprotectiveness of his sisters.
Lucian and Susanna have great chemistry together, and while it’s a slower burn than I feel used to in most of Jordan’s work, it absolutely suits their dynamic. The will-they, won’t-they tension is palpable, and I love how determined Lucian is to behave properly, and it’s ultimately Susanna who makes the first move (albeit not out of the most pure intentions), and she retains her agency throughout.
Lucian’s sisters, Mattie and Evie, are fabulous supporting characters, and I loved how they tried to meddle in Lucian and Susanna’s romance. There’s also a side romance between Mattie and Lucian’s valet, but it is very much connected to the conflict of the main romance, given the stakes are so similar, with Lucian simultaneously objecting to both for the same reasons, and him opening his heart to Susanna also enables him to loosen up about his sisters.
This is a wonderful read, redeeming a rather “meh” series overall, as well as being Sophie’s Jordan’s second consecutive 5-star book for me (after The Countess earlier this year).I’d recommend this to historical romance readers, especially if you like the boss/employee trope.

Sophie is like Eloisa James for me, she is either a “I really like this story” or “I really dislike this story”, there doesn’t seem to be any in between. Unfortunately, this one is a miss for me. While I am sure a lot of people will like the story, the scandal (at least the first scandal) was so insignificant and it was made a big deal out of. The second scandal of marrying his housekeeper, yeah, I can see that. I felt that as if not much happened at the beginning of the story. I was very interested in the secondary romance. I wish there were more of that story. It was sweet and a joy to read. The end of the book was a little more interesting but it couldn’t make up for the beginning and middle.

Fabulous! Sophie Jordan hits a home run with this lively couple trying to hide their pasts from the world in which they find themselves, and working hard to deny themselves love as they try to figure out how to survive in the world they find themselves. Thank God the duke takes a pause and seizes the moment to start a scandal! A fast read with captivating characters and a cad who meets his comeuppance!

I generally enjoy Sophie Jordan’s books but this series hasn’t been my favorite. I wasn’t a huge fan of either MC and felt a lot of their thoughts were repetitive. Saw the side story between the sister and valet coming from the beginning but still thought it was cute. I’ll read more from this author because I normally do enjoy her writing.

“You need to go…before I do something we will both regret.”

Well, this book was way different than I expected based on the blurb. Lucien, with all his secrets and his surprising past, and Susanna, so calm and practical, also hiding a scandalous and sad past, were perfect for each other in every way that mattered but I wondered for a long time if they would ever figure it out. I mean seriously, this book takes slow burn to the absolute extreme. The first half the book was back story and setting up the real story that didn’t actually begin until about the sixty percent mark. We didn’t really see any attraction between them until half way through the book and it was three quarters until they even kissed the first time. I also felt like not enough time was given to them as a couple, sharing themselves and their pasts. I think they make a wonderful couple and wish we could have seen more interaction between them. The first half needs to be shorter and condensed while the second half, the actual love story itself, should be expanded and include more details.

I liked the characters and the interesting setup, Lucien especially seemed fascinating, and I wish we could have had more about him. I feel there was way too much internal dialogue and observation with not a lot of action or talking. Sometimes there were scenes with so much thought between each sentence I would forget what the conversation was even about. And while we get the expected HEA at the end, there were a few loose ends that never got wrapped up, which was more surprising as this is the final book in the series.

This is absolutely a standalone book. I didn’t read the other books in the series and yet I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. Plus, I don’t think it provided spoilers for the first three books, either, which doesn’t happen very often with books in a true connected series. I am curious about them though as I found out after I finished reading this book that the first book in the series is the story of the second Duke of Penning, Lucien’s distant cousin, the one who apparently lost his title when it was discovered he was illegitimate. I really must read that book to find out everything that happened.

First off, I love Sophie Jordan. The first three books in the series were amazing and I was very much looking forward to The Duke Starts a Scandal and Susanna’s story. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t work for me, and I found myself mainly skimming it to get to the end quicker.

Susanna is the housekeeper for the newly arrived Duke of Penning, Lucian. Lucian and his sisters have recently inherited the title and all that comes with it after living a difficult life. Susanna is young and beautiful and has been working for the previous Duke for over a decade now, since she came to live with her aunt after a scandal in her hometown. Lucian is immediacy attracted to Susanna, but because of his own past, he was a sex worker in order to provide for his family and secure proper education and housing for his sisters, he is very rigid about society rules and expectations. Everything he has done and will do is to protect his sisters. I wish his past was explored more once he shared everything with Susanna.

The romance felt off beat and rushed. Everything happens for the couple in the last 80% of the book, and I didn’t feel like the build up to it worked. Most of the romance and the side plots of blackmail and sister drama were predictable and, if I’m completely honest, boring.

I did really enjoy Lucian’s sisters and their scheming ways to get Lucien and Susanna together! However, aside from this they aren’t all that relevant to the story and I’d have liked to see more of them considering how important they are to Lucian. I also felt Mattie’s, one of the sisters, side story wasn’t needed and didn’t add much to the plot.

I think this could have been a great romance if the pacing had been better and if some of the themes had been explored in a different manner. I still love Sophie Jordan and look forward to future books, but this one wasn’t for me, sadly.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.

I fell in love with Lucian and Susanna. It's easy to see how they can fall in love with each other. They are very relatable people. I commend Lucian for trying to keep the boundaries between employee and employer. No match for love though. I thought it a little funny that both of them share the same type of scandal. Made it even easier to relate to each other. .

Sophie Jordan used to be a go-to author for me. She seems to be in a writing rut because her last few books are not enjoyable. The lord/servant trope has been done much better by other authors. I felt no connection to either MC and could not really understand how they actually fell in love.

Equal, not equal..

Susanna Lockhart, at 28, is the long time housekeeper to the Dukes of Penning. This is her fourth dule, and the newest Duke of Penning is Lucian. He is handsome, has two sisters and a salacious secret. But he did what he had to do to provide for his mother and sisters when he was a teenager of 17. Susanna, at 17, was ousted from her home after a tragic end to her young love story. She reinvented herself and is now the strong and very capable housekeeper.

Lucian knew she was trouble from the first moment he saw her but he cannot keep away. He's fascinated by her. But, he is her employer and he will not take advantage of someone in his employ. Susanna has her own secret to protect when the duke throws a house party to find a prospective bride. I really liked Lucain and Susanna together. They are both survivors who really see each other as equals and they both respect and like each other, even if they don't start out that way. I do think this is my favorite book in this series and I am sad to see it end. So much so, I read this in one go.
Highly recommend.

Fun story with signature Ms Jordan romance . I Will recommence this book to historical fans however the newer story lines give a modern twist to the period .

I am yet to finish . Full review coming soon

The Duke Has a Lot of Inner Dialogue and Not Much Actually Happens 📖

This book starts of incredibly slow with a crap ton of back story. Mounds and mounds, pages and pages of inner dialogue and back story with nothing happening. I found myself getting lost in the backstory and jarred back to the present thinking, “Omg he is still just standing at the window?!” I was so tempted to DNF but forced my way through because it’s not everyday that a duke loves his housekeeper.

What I appreciated about this book was despite the class difference, these two had similar (ish) upbringings so there wasn’t any, “I can’t marry you because you’re beneath me,” garbage that can be super annoying in HR. Though I do feel like overall the romance was underdeveloped. I believed their love because of their backstories but wanted to believe it more based on their on page interactions…if that makes sense.

Also the housekeeper being the duke’s valet loooool. I was chuckling to myself because why wouldn’t this happen in a romance book? Seemed so silly but I just went along with it.

Thanks to Avon for the ARC, review is my own.

This book gives us all of the backstory right from the beginning. It's a little bit refreshing to not have to wonder about their behavior and choices. However, their inner dialogue and the set up of the romance takes away from them being on page together. They don't connect fully until after the 60% mark so it did leave me wanting more in the first half of the book.

That said, the second half was page turning and filled with connection and heat. Conflict and side stories were all over the pages and wanting them to come together made the last half fly by. I just wish the pacing would have been a little more even.

I liked it. It was cute and the end was great. But the slow start almost made me give up.

This was the weakest of this series. I think Sophie could have just left it with the first three books, & not bothered with this one. I didn’t like either of the main characters. There was A LOT of telling, & not a lot of conversation. I really don’t like when there’s not enough dialogue between characters, but we have to believe they fell in love. Just doesn’t work for me in a romance.