In the first 10% of this book, it was mentioned that the main couple are somehow distantly related....sorry that's a no from me dawg....

Thank you to Entangled for my review copy!

I was expecting to love this one. This is my 5th Eva Devon book this year, but unfortunately I think it was my least favorite one. I may have liked it more if I had waited for the audiobook to become available.

The Duke and the Dressmaker felt really boring to me because conflicts kept being resolved too easily. There was no tension, and no reason to turn the page. While I read romances because I like cozy books, this was too cozy even for me.

I look forward to reading more books by this author, and would recommend this if you need a palette cleanser that will give you zero stress.

I'm giving this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first book in the series. It was a sweet and short read. The only issue I had was that I felt like I didn't get to know the characters well enough. Despite that, they were very likable characters. Lily and James were good together, and I loved seeing how their relationship played out.

Overall, this was a simply lovely romance, and I look forward to continuing with the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I have been provided with a review copy of The Duke and the Dressmaker from NetGalley for an impartial review. I was just drawn into this wonderful story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It was just so easy to get lost in this great story. I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

A lovely Regency romance. American ship captain James Blakefield has recently inherited the title of Duke of Ashbridge, and has temporarily come to London to set his affairs in order. Along with the wealth and estate, he has inherited a ward, the former Duke's granddaughter, Violet. James has no plans to stay in London. He just wants to locate Violet and see to her care before using his newfound status to improve his shipping company. But all his plans are upended when he meets Violet's older sister, Lily. Lily works as a seamstress and longs to open her own shop, where the working conditions will actually be bearable, unlike what she has had to endure. James has the power to make her dreams come true. They strike up an arrangement beneficial to them both, until feelings get in the way. Can they open their hearts to love, or will this arrangement lead only to ruin?

This sweet historical romance was a highly enjoyable read. Neither James nor Lily are looking for love. From what they've seen, it only leads to sadness. So it is nice to watch as they slowly fall for each other. They have a lot in common, and make a great match. Of course it's always frustrating when characters won't accept their own feelings, but it makes the ending all the sweeter. I'm now interested in picking up the first novel in this series and reading Lily's friend Elizabeth's story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a cute story with a very ridged James, who is new to the Dukedom. Lily has been abandoned on purpose and by circumstances.

She has done the best she could to save herself and her sister. Dressmaking has been what has kept them afloat for years.

James has now shown up with a new marriage proposition, which she can't pass up. While James and Lily are forced together, they realize they love being together.

The journey to that end goal is beautiful to read between these two.

The Duke and the Dressmaking isn't a long romance, which made it a great read between those more extensive books

4.5 Stars This is a charming and witty historical romance that features a spirited heroine and a reluctant hero who find love in the most unexpected way. Lily Martin is a talented dressmaker who dreams of opening her own shop, but her plans are jeopardized when she owes money to a ruthless loan shark. James Blakefield is a sea captain who inherits the title of Duke of Ashbridge, but he has no interest in the responsibilities or the society that comes with it. He only wants to return to his ship and his freedom. When he learns that he is the legal guardian of Lily’s younger sister, Violet, he offers them a deal: they can stay in his house for six weeks until he settles his affairs, and he will protect them from the loan shark. But what he doesn’t expect is to fall for Lily’s fiery spirit, creative flair, and generous heart.

This was a delightful read that will make you laugh, swoon, and cheer for Lily and James as they overcome their differences and their pasts. The romance between Lily and James is sweet and steamy, with plenty of chemistry and banter. They are both strong and independent characters who challenge each other and grow together. I loved how Lily inspired James to embrace his new role as a duke, and how James supported Lily’s ambitions as a dressmaker. They are a perfect match for each other, and their happy ending is well-deserved. The secondary characters are likable, and I hope Violet will get a story of her own down the road.

The Duke and the Dressmaker is the second book in the Once Upon a Wallflower series, but it can be read as a standalone. However, fans of the first book, The Beast and the Bookseller, will enjoy seeing Elizabeth and Garrett make an appearance in this story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical romance with humor, heart, and heat. It is a fun and satisfying read that will leave you with a smile on your face. I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

A lovely historical romance with an unconventional heroine and hero. Lily and James are very endearing right from the beginning. I felt protective of Lily as James did in the opening scenes and was impressed with her ability to weather the hardships she faced in life.
James and Lily made a great team and it was enjoyable watching the pair make their own way in society as the new duke and duchess. Their romance was quite sweet and fairytale-like. I liked that their relationship was very harmonious with the conflict being mostly with side characters. The only problem Lily and James had was being able to confess their true feelings for one another.
This was a light and heartwarming read.

I'm reading these books out of order, unfortunately, because I really enjoyed this book and knowing how much less I enjoyed the next book makes me sad. The next book is Derby's book, who is the best friend of James, the main character here, and Derby is such a great character in this book that it makes the storyline of the next book (The Rake and the Rose) that much more frustrating: in the next book Derby gets reconnected with his first love and she consistently sees the worst in him for almost the whole book.

But I digress. In this book, Lily and her sister Violet, had escaped from Paris when their parents died, and Lily has been in a sweat shop since then, in order to take care of her sister.

When James comes to London to assume his dukedom and find his ward, who happens to be Violet, he inadvertently gets Lily in trouble and she and Violet are kicked out of the sweat shop.
James is attracted to Lily and also wants to support Violet, and he invites them to the Ducal mansion, which happens to be the place where her mother grew up and her grandfather had thrown them out of.

James is a sea captain and is planning on doing what he needs to do to sort out his dukedom, then returning to Boston. He discovers that Lily is very organized and project oriented, so he offers to marry her so that she can have the power and money of being the duchess and possibly run his household and estate.

Over the 6 weeks he's there they fall in love, learn to make the Ton love them, and then it's time for James to leave for Boston. That is where the conflict comes - can either of them admit to being in love when they were both alone for most of their life and don't want to get hurt again.

Overall the story was romantic, hopeful and I loved the characters. There were a couple of edits that needed to be made (2 names were written as maybe a previous version of the character?) but otherwise I was happy to see the two of them find each other and use the dukedom to help others.

I received a promotional copy and am giving an honest review.

This book took me a while to finish and it’s because I couldn’t get into Lily’s character. She initially seemed strong and then seemed frightened and then was overall very melodramatic. Also, the timing seemed off throughout the book. I couldn’t figure out how old Violet, Lily’s sister, was because Lily said they’ve been in England for a decade but they left when Violet was 5 but Violet is now 10 years old. And, Lily’s reason for not wanting to fall in love didn’t make any sense at all. I did like James’ character though.

The second book in the Once Upon a Wallflower series,, THE DUKE AND THE DRESSMAKER, can easily be read as a stand-alone. Lily is an aspiring dressmaker, and James is an American who inherited an English dukedom. Lily owes money to a powerful woman in one of the city’s crime circuit, and has no way to pay off her debt, so she must work in the skin trade. James thinks she's in danger, so he beats up the man escorting Lily home. Things go from bad to worse after Lily gets kicked out of her flat, leaving her penniless and homeless with her sister. Then, we find out James is Violet's new guardian, so they move into his manor house. ⁣
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There are instant sparks between James and Lily, as evident in the witty dialogue Eva Devon always delivers!. I liked that James was American and Lily was trying to make a life for herself and her sister. This romance is a bit of a slow burn, but the author uses that time to build their attraction and set the story into motion.

#TheDukeandtheDressmaker #NetGalley

I have read several books by this author and while I finished the book and enjoyed it, it didn't rank on my top from this author / must reread lists. I think the challenge was: the plot developments seemed relatively obvious chapters in advance and I also thought the characters didn't have as much of the depth I am used to from this author. Will definitely read more of her books, this just wasn't a favorite.

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Eva Devon is a new-to-me author, and I thoroughly enjoyed this story about a grumpy American ship captain-turned-reluctant Duke of Ashbridge in England and a talented dressmaker who has been dealt a dismal hand at life.

The FMC, Lily, finds herself in a predicament when she is struggling to make ends meet in order to care for her younger sibling. Along comes the MMC, James, who is absolutely irritated with his newfound title and discovery that he has inherited a ward. After intervening on Lily’s behalf during an altercation, James draws closer to Lily, attracted to her intrinsic strength and determination. He offers her a proposition to better everyone’s situation, and the rest is history as they say!

This is a quick, fun read with a happy ending. I truly enjoyed it and look forward to the next novel.

#Romance #MarriageofConvenience #HistoricalFiction #RegencyRomance #TheDukeandtheDressmaker #EvaDevon #Entangled #NetGalley

I absolutely adored this book (and the prior book in this series). Lily and James are both such wonderful, well developed characters, and I loved how their romance bloomed. This is a captivating historical romance. There are a few twists which of course kept us entertained from beginning to end. Would definitely recommend this book and the other books in the "Once Upon a Wallflower" series.

This is the second in the Once Upon a Wallflower series and I think it is even better than the first one, and the first one was very good! Lily is a seamstress that works long, grueling hours for a slave driving mistress who gives no care that her workers are hungry and exhausted. When she misinterprets Lily coming home with a man she kicks Lily and her sister out, leaving them to forge for themselves on the streets of London. Having no where to go Lily tries to go to her friend's for help but finding her friend has gone to Scotland for an extended visit she is left with only one place to go, to her grandfather's estate, where she was treated so horribly by the man who should have protected her.
On her arrival her knight in shining armor that rescued her the night before once more provides Lily with shelter and food. He is her sister's guardian and therefore he takes Lily as his responsibility also. But James has an ulterior motive, if he can get Lily to take on the running of his estate here in England, he will be free to return to America, where he longs to be. When rumors begin to fly about Lily living in the house of a single man, unchaperoned, James proposes a marriage of convenience, Lily ever grateful for James' rescue and helping with her sister agrees to his proposal. Feelings begin to develop between the two far more than just mutual attraction. What will happen when Lily discovers James is planning to leave for America soon?
I really like this story. James and Lily are both likeable characters and their story even though it is a marriage of convenience story is far from the ordinary. And the secondary characters add depth to the story, I found myself totally immersed in their world.
I give 5 stars and recommend this and the whole series so far. Am looking forward to the next in the series, I can not even guess where the story will go.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

The Duke and the Dressmaker by Eva Devon
Once Upon a Wallflower #2

Surviving childhood was not easy for Lily or James. Their losses were great, their hardships difficult, and their hearts became guarded and protected to avoid further pain. Whether or not they will be able to let go of the past and be open to a future filled with love and happiness is the question.

What I liked:
* James Blakefield, American ship captain, wealthy, Duke of Ashbridge, man of duty, action, and routine, seeks change, difficult childhood, guarded
* Lily Martin: seamstress, caretaker of younger sister, survivor, escaped the French Revolution, abused by the woman she worked for, guarded
* Violet Martin: Lily’s little sister, musical, bright, didn’t have a big part but was James’s ward
* Earl of Derby: good friend who advises both James and Lily
* The Duke and Duchess of Montrose: met in first book and have an impact in this one, too
* That there was a happy ending for the main characters but also for those that they eventually helped
* Wondering who will show up in book three

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about the wide disparity between the classes and how difficult some living was for some in comparison to others

Did I like this book? Yes, it was okay – think I enjoyed book one more but do look forward to reading the next in the series when it comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entagnled Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

This is the second book of the Once Upon a Wallflower series. I have not read the first book of the series, but was still able to enjoy this installement. Lily has been responsible for the care of her younger sister since her parents' passing. She works as dressmaker so she can provide for them both. She had once borrowed money from a moneylender, knowing it was risky. Now the time has come to pay her dues, and she is approached by the lender's thugs to pay up, or she and her sister will face ruin. James Blakefield, an American sea captain and new Duke of Ashbridge, comes to her rescue. As James learns of Lily's dire financial situation, he comes up with a solution to help them both. He will become the legal guardian of her sister, and she will watch over his estate when he returns to America. His plan requires that they stay with him while he is in London for the next six weeks, and during that time, the attraction between Lily and James threatens all propriety between. However, because of their tainted pasts, both seem to be afraid of the feelings developing between them, although they cannot deny them, not to mention they face societal rumors because of their living situation. As a result, James offers her a marriage of convenience to squelch the rumors.
Lily and James were two well-developed characters who were unconventional and delightful. The story was well-written and with an entertaining plot and I really enjoyed reading it. I would definitely recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Okay, this was 3.75 for me. I usually devour what this author writes but I could not connect with the two main characters. I found myself skimming through a good portion of the book.

Lily is an aspiring dressmaker caring for her younger sister following the death of their aunt. She borrowed money from one of the city's most reviled moneylenders when James Blakefield, the newest Duke of Ashbridge stepped in to help her.

It just so happens that he's also been looking for her and her sister because he is technically her sister's guardian. At first, Lily rejects his offer but they are thrown out of their home, she has no choice but to turn to James for help.

He and Lily living under the same roof gets the gossip going and in order to protect them all he offers to marry Lily.

It's supposed to be a marriage in name only until things between Lily and James begin to change. Will he leave London as he originally planned or will he stay?

Thank you so much to the author, Entangled and Netgalley for this ARC to review.

The Duke and the Dressmaker by Eva Devon

Published: September 4, 2023
Entangled: Amara
Pages: 223
Genre: Historical Romance
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Eva Devon, USA Today bestselling author, was raised on literary fiction, but quite accidentally and thankfully, she was introduced to romance one Christmas by Johanna Lindsey's Mallory novella, The Present. A romance addict was born. She devoured every single Lindsey novel within a few months and moved on to contemporary and paranormal with gusto. Now, she loves to write her own roguish dukes, alpha males and the heroines who tame them.

“You are the one I’m looking for.”

Oh, my heart. This was such a fantastic story. I devoured this book in a single sitting. I could not put it down. I am enjoying this series! I love the brooding men and the independent women.

I fell in love with Lily. She was such a beautiful character. I admired her determination, ambition, and bravery. She did what she had to and was willing to do the work.

James was a fantastic opposite to Lily. He was jovial but a bit lost. And together, they blossomed. Their chemistry was intense, their love swift, and their legacy pure.

The way this story was told flowed smoothly. This book is impossible to put down. The action is consistent, and the bits of humor and Alice keep things interesting.

I enjoyed Elizabeth being a character; it was lovely catching up with her. I am excited to see what swoon worthy romance comes next!

The Duke and the Dressmaker. Truly amazing a love story. This love is a strong bond that built itself in the hearts of three people. Their souls became that vessel to fend off all that tries to break through that barrier. I think it was Violet who was the first kind heart to pick up the mantle.
I was transcended to a time where family was the strongest bond that there ever was in the time of need. Lily and violets story was very moving for me. I could feel every emotion that the two came against through the narrative of embracing story. Imagine being told to get out and leave behind what little belongings that you have with no money. To walk the streets.
It was so easy for me to picture this. My heart could go out to these young souls. Lily is a strong willed woman who works very hard to make sure that her sister has a good life. Lily has the dream of a dress shop and she is determined to see that dream come to fruition. However, danger, evil vengeance lurks the well to do streets of the noble homes.
I love that the story keeps you reading to see if the better good will out weigh the bad. Well James is their to lend some support, but it’s the romance of Lily and James that provides the entertainment. Two people who clash together are supposed to come to some middle for Violet. With the help of Derby and Mrs. Mason all will reveal itself in the end. I give this book two snaps and a twist.
Until next my fellow readers. Read on! I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. #TheDukeandtheDressmaker #EvaDevon #Netgally #GoodReads