At 19, Tess Townsend was the belle of the season and could have had her pick of any man, but instead, she was forced to marry the Duke of Wansford, a man old enough to be her grandfather. Tess is horrified and miserable at the thought of wedding the duke, but what choice does she have, especially when her father locks her up in their home until the day of her wedding? However, fate seems to have a different plan for Tess when her groom dies on their wedding night, leaving her a widow. For the first time in her life, Tess is independent and she makes good use of her freedom, starting by improving the ducal estate while waiting for the solicitors to find the heir. Then along with Ellie Law and Lady Dorothea “Daisy” Hamilton, her two best friends from Miss Honoria Burnett’s Ladies Academy, start an investigation business, King & Co., to avoid scandal, they invent a fictitious man named Charles King and act as his agents. Two years later, she is happy with her life, but longs to experience passion, and decides to attend a scandalous party on her way back to London, in hopes of finding someone to share a kiss with. And she does, sharing a dance and then a toe-curling kiss that would have led to more if they had not been interrupted. Shocked by her behavior, Tess flees without learning the man’s name. She returns to London and is meeting with Ellie and Daisy at their investigation offices when a cloaked woman enters asking to see Mr. King. The woman turns out to be Queen Charlotte and she wants to hire them to catch a blackmailer, a job they are more than happy to accept. Tess and her friends are excited to work on this case, because if they are successful, not only will it pay well, but should bring more business, additionally, Tess is hoping that working the case will keep her mind so busy she will finally be able to forget her mystery lover. But fate isn’t quite done with Tess…

Justin Thornton is a very successful shipping magnate and as it turns out the new Duke of Wansford, after several other heirs died in rapid succession. Justin has no desire to take up the dukedom, but it isn’t a choice, it is his, whether he wants it or not. The solicitor suggests for him to go to London and take up his responsibilities, meet with the widowed Duchess of Wansford, and find a bride. Reluctantly he agrees and is in for the shock of his life, when the duchess turns out to be not only his mysterious Lady in Red, but Tess Townsend, a lovely debutante he saw two years ago who instantly caught his attention, but whom he never approached because he felt he had nothing to offer. Instantly Justin knows that she is the answer to all his duke-related problems, he just needs to set some boundaries to make sure they don’t do anything stupid, like fall in love.

This is a great start to a new series by Kate Bateman, featuring wonderful characters, an investigation agency, and good friends. I liked Tess and Justin, they were both strong leads, but they aren’t perfect, they both have trust issues and will have to work to get their HEA. This story is filled with emotion, secrets, blackmail, assassination attempts, instant attraction, steamy love scenes, cute puppies, good friends, misassumptions, a grand gesture that doesn’t go as planned, and finally a hard-won HEA complete with an epilogue. I enjoyed this story and will be anxiously looking forward to the next installment.

4 stars.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Kate Bateman is a five start author for me, and no one can tell me otherwise! Honestly, there is something magical for me in her writing from her characters to the witty banter to the slight danger elements her in plots which give off a nice mystery vibe along with the romance.

Tess and her friends make quite the impact from page one of the prologue and I absolutely adored the trio. So many times their conversations had me giggling and laughing out loud. I am so looking forward to their novels, Daisy's in particular.

The Marriage of Convenience trope is one of my absolute favourites and I really liked how Kate Bateman wielded it here. I loved the early spice we got with their house party meet cute giving us the perfect amount of heat to propel the story and to provide a convincing argument for how their attraction would at the very least bring passion to their marriage.

I appreciated Justin's upfront statement that he did not have the heart to fall in love (which all of us romance readers roll our eyes at and are like 'sure sure sir'). And the only thing I wanted more of was his POV. I found that the novel was not as balanced between the POVs as Bateman's previous ones, and as a fan of every Kate Bateman MMC, I found I missed that a bit. The novel was very much a focus on Tess and her friendship, business and her wish after dodging a bullet with being forced into her first marriage how she wanted to protect what she had created out of the ashes of her previous husband's death, yet she couldn't help but yearn for love.

All-in-all I adored Second Duke's the Charm. It was one of my most anticipated releases this year and it did not disappoint!

That's bad timing. I hope someone realizes she didn't kill him.

Death of "another"?

Ew! Poor girls. But why did he have to be naked?

Haha, that's genius, Daisy!

Come to work as a CEO, leave as a duke.

Web of lies, indeed.

The queen!!

Ha, Daisy's brothers were evil.

London society really was a small world.

I really enjoy the investigative side.

I wouldn't have thought asparagus would be considered an aphrodisiac.

It took a year-and-a-half for her servants to trust her?

That escalated quickly.

I have never heard of the dog tax.

True that, Colin Firth.

Men are stupid. It looks bad, but still.

The race was very exciting.

Tess Townsend’s repulsive husband dies on their wedding night leaving her the Dowager Duchess. She relishes her independence and starts investigating crimes with her two friends.
Justin Thornton becomes the Duke of Wansford unexpectedly but he’s going to do his duty. He and Tess meet at a masked house party and kiss. When he finds out who it was he kissed he suggests a marriage of convenience to benefit them both.
Tess’s activities leave him wondering what she’s up to but since he doesn’t believe in love he shouldn’t be that concerned. It’s not like he’s in love with her, right?
Great mix and romance and intrigue. I recommend this one.

The most important message In this novel is about friendship. Tess marries a much older man and he dies before he can consumate the marriage. Her best friends Daisy and Ellie come to her rescue and all is not lost.
All three women have a discreet detective business. They help women of means and some times they must infiltrate parties or situations that they otherwise could not attend for fear of ruining their reputations. One such time they are tasked by the Queen herself to retrieve love letters written by a very young princess Charlotte.
Months later, the duke's heir is finally contacted. Justin is a rich shipping magnate and the last thing he needs is a duchy.
The relationship between Tess and Justin is steamy from the beginning. They learn to trust each other and to love one another. Neither has had the best background for a true partnership.
The friendship between these intelligent and witty young women is at times hysterical and always strong.
If I were to complain, there is a typical "break-up" where a simple conversation would suffice. It's a trope that has been used hundreds of times and that theme deserves to be put to rest.
All in all, this is my first Kate Bateman novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I look forward to Daisy's and Ellie's happily ever afters!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for this ARC. Opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Widowed on her wedding night, duchess Tess teams up with her two best friends to investigate scandalous London crimes. Justin, a cynical shipping magnate turned duke, offers Tess a marriage of convenience. However, the sparks between them make for a decidedly inconvenient passion.

This book is so much fun! I enjoyed how the author incorporated the true story of Princess Charlotte’s love letters to a naval officer into the novel. Sometimes I wanted to slap Justin for the assumptions he made about Tess’s romantic experience, but he gets his comeuppance. Tess does a beautiful job of taming him.

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

A fast paced story with delightful characters, the perfect amount of steam. It's a well balanced story with a great plot in both the romance and the rest of the story. There is so much charm in this book, and I really enjoyed the friendships, some light hi-jinks, and the romance.

I do love this author. She has such a way with female friendships, wit, and men who are not ready fit the women who careen into their lives.
Tess had a semi lucky break in her first marriage. She died by plan to wed again. The duchy she married into seems to be very bad luck for those who inherit until it falls to the 8th in line, Justin Thornton.
I enjoyed their meeting and their deal. I did take off a star because the “breakup” seemed a bit much& the accidents were resolved off page . Overall a delightful read.

One of the most engaging books I have read this year! There is steam and romance, a lot of witty banter, great friendships, unusual circumstances, misunderstanding, conflicts, and how to prove one’s love into the mix. Hard to put down and had to finish in one sitting. Lovely characters with an intriguing hint for the next in series. Can’t wait!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

Second Duke’s the Charm is a spicy and fun Regency love story that is hard to put down.

Second Duke’s the Charm is a perfect book for Sarah MacLean’s Bombshell series fans. I loved how addictive this book was. The story was so engaging and spicy that I just couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed all the twists and turns and the dialogue, which went from incredibly witty to very, very steamy. I adored the friendship between Tess, Daisy, and Ellie. These women were all fabulous, and I loved how their different personalities interacted with one another. Daisy is outrageous and fierce, Ellie is that classic bookworm, and Tess is the glue that holds them all together. Their dialogue was sharp and witty and had me laughing at times. You can’t help but want to spend more time with them. This group of women has started their own investigation business to help women get out of difficult situations. It was entertaining watching them work and outsmart awful men. Kate also does a great job setting up the rest of the series for us, and I cannot wait to read the next book.

Tess and Justin are really great historical romance characters. Both are sharp and clever, but when it comes to matters of the heart, they are definitely naïve. I loved the way their relationship progressed. Their first real meeting is very steamy, and neither party thinks they will see each other again, so they decide to have some fun before going their separate ways. But after that initial exchange, they both have a hard time forgetting what happened between them and when they meet again, that attraction only grows. Their relationship has this insta-lust feel to it. There is this physical attraction between them that is hard to ignore. And, of course, as they spend more time together, those surface-level feelings develop into something more meaningful. I like these two as a couple because they come to this relationship as equals (or as equal as you can get in the Regency era). Tess has quite a bit of freedom because she is a widower and is financially secure. She doesn’t need a man in her life to survive. Justin is also quite wealthy and only wants a wife because he thinks it might make his life in high society a bit easier; he won’t be bombarded by mothers trying to marry their daughters off to him. Theirs is a marriage of convenience with a lot of spice thrown in. Tess and Justin are constantly keeping each other on their toes. This inner struggle is also happening in their heads because they know that they have growing feelings for each other, but neither one wants to admit it.

Second Duke’s The Charm is an addictive Regency romp that will have you staying up until the wee hours of the morning.

Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #SecondDukestheCharm by Kate Bateman in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Bateman's Ruthless Rivals series, I was super excited to see she had a new series (Her Majesty's Rebels) and this was a great start to the series. It started out with such a great opening that I knew I was in for a real treat. The friendship between Tess, Daisy, and Ellie is so wonderful and it really set things up for the rest of the series and I truly don't know if I want Ellie or Daisy's story next because they are both going to be great heroines just like Tess is. Justin is your typical "I don't believe in love" type of hero that falls so hard and I enjoyed watching him fall for Tess. And boy was this book hot! My only question is when is the next book being published?

Well this was super fun and swoony! Very much looking forward to the rest of the series. I’ll also be grabbing more Kate Bateman books in the meantime.

This story had moments of predictability and sweetness that occasionally veered into overly sentimental territory. Tess's situation as the Dowager Duchess, still a virgin after her husband's death, is an intriguing premise, but it does have elements of the conventional. The idea of a marriage of convenience between Tess and Justin Thornton is a classic trope in historical romance, and their initial connection at a party, while passionate, could have been more unique.

However, the story does have potential, especially with Tess and her friends investigating scandalous crimes in London. The mystery element adds depth to the narrative, and Queen Charlotte's involvement adds a layer of intrigue. Justin's skepticism about love and his doubts about Tess's motives create an interesting tension.

While this part may have some pedestrian moments and saccharine elements, it still offers promise for those who enjoy historical romance with a dash of mystery and a touch of skepticism about love. Readers looking for a blend of passion and intrigue may find this part of the story enjoyable.

The first book is definitely the charm in this new series from Kate Bateman. Second Duke’s the Charm put me in mind of Sarah MacLean’s fabulous Hell’s Belles, but with Bateman’s own style and twist, which automatically made this one a winner for me.

I love strong, avenging, and independent women, especially in historical romances, and the women of King & Co. are three of the best. Getting introduced to Tess and her two loyal friends, and to Justin, the reluctant Duke and altogether charming titular hero was rewarding and engaging, and I soon found myself so completely immersed in the story, I couldn’t put it down.

Bateman strikes a lovely balance between romance and suspense here—seeing Tess and Justin go from marriage of convenience to true love was delightful, as was watching the women do their jobs skillfully—and creates a set-up for the rest of the series that left me bereft that I couldn’t just dive right into the next book. On the bright side, I see a re-read in my future when future installments are released, and I am not sorry about that. And truly, if you love romance, mystery, bold women, and passionate men, you won’t be sorry to read this one either!

A Fool for Love, Secrets, Mystery:
We are introduced to Tess who has just become a widow by sheer luck, and she certainly isn't upset about it at all.
A couple of years later Justin has been found and is now the new Duke and is on his way to meet Tess, the dower duchess of his estate.
Many surprises are in store for both as they make their way into a contractual agreement and their journey takes us with them through many ups and downs along with strong amount of passion that will bring Justin to admitting he has a heart after all. This is where you take a breath and sigh. HEA
 Plus, not only a romance story but a mystery that is intermingled throughout the story that has Tess, and her friends Ellie and Daisy running an espionage business.
A wonderful romance story that kept my attention until the thrilling end.
Special Mention, to Ellie and Daisy who had me in stiches with their humorous insights and suggestions.
Mature Advisory:

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Kate Bateman returns with a delightful start to a new series. Tess Townsend is sold off by her father to marry an older Duke who dies on their wedding night. As a young Dowager Duchess she enjoys great freedom. She and her two friends have a quiet investigative business for cases beneath Bow Street Runners notice. Her life is upturned when Justin Thornton is declared the new Duke. He is a distant relative never expecting to inherit and has made his fortune in shipping. Meeting Tess he proposes a business type marriage of continence that works to both of their benefits.

Tess and Justin are delightful in their banter. I love their trying to get each other to use their given names. The side friends, who I assume will get their own books, are equally fun. I love them giving her advice on faking her experience, as she is still a virgin. I was less interested in their investigation into a blackmail situation. But it fills out the novel and allows for some distrust between the smitten couple. There is a fun playfulness to Bateman’s writing and characters. The grand gesture is a silly premise and yet heartwarming at the same time. I can’t wait for the next adventure in Her Majesty’s Rebels series. (4.5 Stars)

I enjoyed this book but I didn't love it as much as Bateman's previous books.

The detective agency angle did not work for me: it came about suddenly, did not feel organic, and made the conflict feel very forced. It was difficult to believe she couldn't tell him about the agency and what she was doing so I thought surely there had to be more coming, but no. And for some readers that's fine but I expected more from the story and one of my favorite authors.

I just love Kate Bateman, and this latest was no exception. This marriage of convenience story sizzled with chemistry and had a higher steam level. Tess and Justin were just wonderful together, and I enjoyed the slight mystery and intrigue as well. I can’t wait for more in this series!

I received an ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This was a fun book. I really enjoyed the storyline about King & Co. and I’m SO excited to (hopefully) read Ellie and Daisy’s stories! I love a book with healthy, happy female friendships (especially when they get up to shenanigans!!!).

As always with Kate Bateman, the characters were interesting and the writing was great. The only thing for me that knocked off a star was a bit of a lack of tension/momentum when it came to the romance. It just seemed like Tess and Justin got together pretty early on and there could have been more depth to their relationship. That’s not to say it was bad, it was still definitely a great read and I recommend it! (also had great steamy scenes 🌶️)

A big thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Fabulous new series! I loved the relationship between Tess and her best friends. They were very entertaining while also showing such feelings. Tess and Justin had ups and downs in their relationship and they kept me turning the page to see what was next. I enjoyed it very much and I'm looking forward to more books in the series!