Kate Bateman starts out her new series with a trio of female spies. This first installment Tess and Justin and their marriage of convenience. Bateman's writing is charming and fun, and exactly what I would expect from her. This novel is well plotted and paced. Her characters are interesting and I enjoyed watching their intrigue with the other grow into a relationship with feelings. Bateman does a lovely job of getting this new series on its feet and I found it to be a solid start to what hopes to be an interesting series.

Overall Bateman does a lovely job of balancing the plot and the character's relationship. Sometimes with historical romances with spies I feel like there is not enough development of the romantic relationship, but Bateman does a great job of keeping the relationship present. This novel then becomes a story of the learning to take on the unexpected, discovering of one's self, and opening your heart to another. I loved watching Tess come into her own, experience pleasure, and fall in love. This novel is enjoyable and one that any Bateman Fan is sure to enjoy. And while enjoyable while reading, this is not a new all time favorite of mine by Bateman, but it does leave me curious and interested in seeing where this series will grow.

After her father forced her to marry the aging Duke of Wansford, Tess Townsend could hardly believe her good fortune when the duke decided to drop dead on their wedding night. Suddenly, Tess became the Dowager Countess while only in her twenties, and the search was on for the next Duke. Until then, Tess was free to continue working as a private investigator with her two best friends Ellie and Daisy. Two years later, once an heir was located, Tess was stunned to discover he was the man she had had a minor dalliance with at a wild house party several months earlier.

Justin Thornton, now the ninth Duke of Wansford, was just as startled to learn that the woman he had believed was a “professional” at Careby’s was the Dowager Countess of Wansford. Deciding dispassionately to make the best of the situation, Justin proposes marriage, but tells Tess he can never fall in love because he has no heart. Even though the two make an agreement detailing where they will live, how long they will remain in each other’s company, and not to fall in love, the agreement is almost immediately broken when Tess and Justin fall in love.

I really appreciated the loyalty between the three women, and the deeply held trust they had in one another. Tess, Ellie, and Daisy are strong, determined women doing what they can to help women in difficult situations, in a discreet fashion, so important in Regency England. This was an entertaining read, with plenty of drama, intrigue, and romance.

A cute start to a new series. I didn't even mind the virgin trope in this one, because the FMC is not meek and simpering. Tess and her 2 friends run their own private investigative services. I'll stop here and say that this universe has women acting & speaking more modernly than a typical historical romance, which I personally didn't mind too much. Some aspects were far-fetched, but overall the characters and setting are enjoyable. Justin started as the usual gallivanting manw***e, but it was all over for him when he finally got to know Tess beyond her looks. They made a good team. I will say, the 2nd outside conflict pertaining more to Justin's business didn't really last long enough for me to be invested, but it could have been made more use of. Also enjoyed a kid-free epilogue!

I’m a big fan of the mistaken identity trope (not sure if that’s actually what it’s called, but that’s what I’m going with LOL) and Kate Bateman gave it such a fun twist by adding in the marriage of convenience trope. There’s nothing like a jaded and cynical hero falling head over heels for the heroine who happens to be his wife ;) Justin’s assumptions about Tess and her sexual exploits (and her creative ideas to conceal her level of experience) had me laughing so hard. I loved the reveal about their actual first “meeting” and the build up between them was so good. The steamy scenes definitely left me fanning myself.

As much as I loved the romance between Tess and Justin, it’s the female friendships that stole the show. Tess, Ellie, and Daisy were amazing and everyone needs ride or die friends like these. They also added some wonderful comic relief throughout.

Unfortunately, the story started to derail at the end and the final conflict and resolution just didn’t fully work for me. I actually think the groveling should have gone both ways on this one. Second Duke’s the Charm was still a very enjoyable read though and I’m looking forward to more books in the series. Ellie’s cryptic note has me very intrigued!

CW: forced marriage, financial problems (past), blackmail, theft, drugging, attempted murder, threats to safety

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This is the first book in Kate Bateman's new Her Majesty's Rebels series. I loved Kate's previous series and couldn't wait to jump into this one. Tess is forced into an arranged marriage with a super old duke. On their wedding night, the old duke dies before consummating their wedding night. Tess decides it will be advantageous to continue the ruse that she was a full widow so she can escape her terrible father and live out her life with the opportunities widowhood allows. Justin Thornton is a shipping magnate who never expected to inherit a Dukedom. He returns to England expecting to meet with the Dowager Duchess; only she's nothing like he expected. He proposes a marriage of convenience so he can stop being hounded and she can keep all of the protections the duchy has given her. Tess must keep her detective agency and the secret mission from the queen secret from her new husband. It's hard to keep the marriage of convenience separate when passion and feelings become involved.

I liked this one. Kate Bateman is such a beautiful writer and makes unique plots in a genre rife with similarities. I don't love a spy/mystery plot because they tend to overshadow the romance. This has a nice balance of the two. At one point, I had completely forgotten their was a detective subplot (which is a positive for me.) Bateman keeps proving over and over to be an auto-buy author.

Tropes Included: widow, virgin heroine, masquerade, marriage of convenience, working heroine, secret crush, detective agency, grand gesture, gaining an unexpected dukedom

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Bateman, and St Martin's Press for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #netgalley #KateBateman #StMartinsPress #SecondDukesACharm #HerMajestysRebels

This was a one-sitting and very enjoyable read for me! I had forgotten how much I enjoyed historical romance, and I'm excited to learn that this book is the first in a series.

Tess and her friends are spunky, intelligent young women who refuse to be limited by society's rules. Their close friendship is heartwarming and provides so many hilarious moments. Combine this with Tess falling for a dashing duke, and it makes for a very entertaining and somewhat steamy read!

Highly recommend!

I really wanted more for this first installment in this new series. Tess is basically sold off to a 70ish year old duke by her father. Well the wedding night doesn’t happen and her two friends were willing to do anything for their friend. Now Tess wanting to keep her freedom has to worry about who the next person will take over the duchy. It’s Justin but he actually doesn’t want the title but ends up in a marriage of convenience with Tess. I liked the beginning a lot more than the rest of the book. It just didn’t hold my attention as much and I just find I wanted more excitement in the story. I’m hoping the next one will be better.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Top Pick!!

“As if sensing Tess’s presence at his side, the stranger raised his head. A shock of something elemental, almost like recognition, flashed through her as their eyes met. If someone had asked her to describe a “dangerous man,” it would be him. Flint-gray eyes, high cheekbones. Lips that looked like they could command- or kiss- with consummate ease. They’d never met in person she was sure, but she knew him: he was every wicked fantasy she’d ever dreamed, come to life. Handsome seemed too weak a word. Shrewd intelligence blazed in his eyes, and Tess had the strangest sensation that he was looking right through her, through dress and skin, to the very heart of her. She felt exposed, all her secrets laid bare.”

This was such a fun one! Kate Bateman is a master of her craft. She never misses, and always delivers a sensational historical romance full of heart, wit, and mind-blowing chemistry.

I was fully immersed in Justin and Tess’s relationship from the beginning, and I loved how everything came full circle with them. Almost as if it was destiny that they ended up together.

Tess was not just beautiful, but brave and bold. She has a secret that she has been carrying that could ruin her, she never consummated her first marriage. She knows she can never take a lover for fear they might spread rumors of her virginal state, but she decides to take matters into her own hands and attend a pleasure party to seduce a man and gain her pleasure. Once Justin fell under her spell, he had it bad for Tess. He had to do anything to have her and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

I do love a hero who knows what he wants. This was full of swoony heart-stopping moments with just enough mystery and intrigue without overwhelming the romance or the relationship development. The next book in this series can’t come soon enough!

If you’re a fan of historical romance authors such as Joanna Shupe and Eva Leigh then you won’t be disappointed.

~ Michelle

Kate Bateman has become a go-to must read author for me. I love her stories!

When the elderly lecher her father forced her to marry dies, Tess Townsend becomes the Dowager Duchess of Wansford, without the horror of having to share a bed with someone old enough to be her grandfather. Since her husband's death left her a wealthy widow, she and her two best friends open an investigation agency that caters especially to women. But, while she treasures her independence, she longs to experience the pleasures she has thus far missed out on. Her wealth and status make her the most desirable catch of the ton, and a target for gold-diggers looking to line their own pockets. Will a masquerade, a red dress, and the most compelling man she's ever met, give her a glimpse of what she's missing out on?

Shipping magnate Justin Thornton never thought he'd inherit a duke's title. He was something like 9th in line, but when all the others die, the title falls to him. Discovering that the woman he kissed at the masquerade is the Dowager Duchess of his own estates, he sees an obvious way to check "find a wife" off of his list of duties. They can marry "for convenience", stay together for 3 months, then go their separate ways to live the lives they really want. But, he didn't count on the passion they share leading to a love he never wanted.

As Tess works on a highly sensitive case for the queen, will her suspicious behavior turn Justin against her?

The characters in this story steamed up the pages from their first interaction with one another to the closing page. Neither had a reason to trust the other, but it was trust or the lack of it that finally put a wedge into their relationship. I enjoyed the intrigue threaded through the story. I also loved Tess' two best friends and business partners, Daisy and Ellie. They were a hoot.

Readers who love historical romance with a substantial amount of heat, will enjoy Second Duke's the Charm. I can hardly wait to read the other two girls' stories!

4 When their Marriage Becomes More than a Convenience Stars!!

I love starting a new series with new characters and romances that keep me captivated from beginning to end. With Second Duke’s the Charm Ms. Bateman has delivered on everything I love about her books.

Tess’ life changes dramatically on her wedding night but not the way she was expecting and dreading if she were being honest. When she becomes a Dowager Duchess before she can take that “final step” into womanhood. As she’s working on an investigation for Queen Charlotte with her two besties, her new husband to be Justin Thornton doesn’t trust her thanks to her being quite evasive when he questions her about what she’s doing.

Even though their marriage is supposed to be convenient, it’s clear that there’s an undeniable chemistry between them, but Ms. Bateman has written the ultimate slow burn as they get to know each other and figure out that not only are they attracted to each other, but they’re falling in love with each other too! This makes the build-up to their coming together that much more delicious!

I loved how this story progressed. As Tess is on her mission to solve a problem for the Queen, Justin begins to wonder if he can trust Tess in every way possible including his heart. Each time they’re in the same room together, it’s a little bit of foreplay! But it’s not smooth sailing for our H/h thanks to her secrets. Can Tess convince Justin that she truly loves him and he can trust her? Will their marriage become more than a convenince? You’ll need to read this one to get all these answers!

I wish I could provide feedback on this novel but I am supporting the St Martins Press boycott, so I'll provide a review once the boycotts demands have been met.

This is one delightful marriage of convenience. These two can’t keep their hands off one another! But it’s only suppose to be for three months and they will part ways. The Duke has promised never to fall in love. But this feisty little investigator has other ideas. And he seems to be falling , hook, line , and sinker! Wonderful characters, delightful banter, a would be assassin , and a sizzling romance. This book has it all! Loved it!

This was a fun book, from that great first chapter to the “Fool for Love” horse race at the end. It kept you interested with the intriguing main characters who married for reasons other than love and the crazy secondary characters. 4 stars

3.5 stars! Second Duke’s the Charm is the start of a new series by Kate Bateman and this is a marriage of convenience historical!

Tess is 19 when the story starts and already a dowager duchess. She also happens to be a virgin since her very-much older husband, that she was forced to marry, ended up dying on their wedding day! We catch up to her two years later and she’s the most wanted lady of the ton. But she’s busy running her investigative agency with her two friends. Around the same time, Justin, who had made a fortune shipping fur from Canada, finds out he has inherited the Dukedom and comes to London to figure out all he needs to know and meet the dowager duchess. But at a house party, Justin and Tess end up meeting without knowing who one another is. She’s wearing a mask and they share a passionate night together before going separate ways.

Shortly after, they meet again at another party and she of course immediately knows who he is since he wasn’t wearing a mask that night and then surprisingly he recognizes her as well too! I did think this would be dragged out a bit more and maybe have some tension added from it, but there really isn’t any. He ends up proposing an arrangement with her, he wants to keep meddling mamas away from him, wants to enjoy himself without needing to find a mistress, and assumes she’s down too. So he proposes a marriage of convenience where they give into their passion for one another, but their marriage is a business arrangement for the next year.

I really liked the premise of this one and enjoyed the first half more. Once they get married it felt like a lot of extra plot bits were thrown in that I wasn’t as interested in. She’s working with her friends at their agency to help Queen Charlotte, who comes to them needing help regarding her granddaughter being blackmailed. I also felt like Tess keeping secrets from him for so long just added to a lot of unnecessary drama between them and them both assuming something wrong about one another for too long.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, all thoughts in this review are my own.

This was such great fun!

Tess is left as a virgin widow when her much older husband dies on their wedding night. Fast forward two years later, she and her two best friends, Daisy and Ellie, run a private investigation office under the name of King & Co., run by the guise of "Charles King." Still a virgin, Tess longs to experience physical pleasure and attends a masked scandalous party. She meets a stranger at the party, experiences her first kiss, and a little bit of ravishing. When Justin turns out to be long awaited heir of the dukedom, a marriage of convenience is proposed.

I absolutely loved the way they met and how it unfolded. The only thing I didn't enjoy as much was the seemingly quick way they fell in love after a week. Plus, the flipped switch that seemed to occur for Justin. I think there could have been better opportunities for the pacing and perhaps more tension/angst to be created with the conflicts brought up. It wrapped up to neatly in a bow and felt just a little bit too rushed.

I still really enjoyed the reading experience, and Kate Bateman's writing has a way of making her books hard to put down.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

After the high of reading, Kate Bateman‘s last series, Ruthless Rivals, I was very eager to start the Her Majesty’s Rebels series with Second Duke’s the Charm, sadly, this one didn’t land as well as the last series.

This one had a lot of potential, but a few main points brought down the enjoyment of this book for me personally. We start out with a young Townsend on her wedding night to her father’s age that she was forced to marry and we are hit right away with the fact that he’s died before consummating their marriage. Not wanting to have to go back to her father’s or be put in the hands of another man, Tess insists that the marriage was consummated and valid, thus giving her all the rights and privileges of a widow.

Fast forward two years and the rightful air to deceased husband, duke arrives and lo and behold, young, and handsome, and looking for a mistress … Assuming the test had been playing the merry widow for the last two years, Justin, the new Duke of Wansford Proposes marriage of convenience/liaison for the next three months. They can slake their attraction, he gets a wife, and she can continue living her lifestyle as the Duchess of Wansford.

This is all well and good, but throat this whole time Justin is insinuating, Tess‘s extreme amount of intimate knowledge, and is shaming her while she pretends to not be innocent. This is very uncomfortable and unnecessary. In my opinion.

All the while, as this romance is playing out, Tess and her two best friends are also running a business as secret investigators and working on a mission from the queen! Adding to her miscommunications with Justin, Tess is running behind his back, doing clandestine affairs with other men, given credence to his suspicions of her merry widowhood.

I had a hard time getting behind the investigation agency, which didn’t feel that well fleshed out and it was difficult to get behind a romance, where they start off with lies and lack of respect.

The series didn’t start out great for me, but I’m excited to see what happens next as the King & Co. agency take on another case and another one of the girls finds romance!

Thanks to SMP Romance for the eBook review copy.

This is my second Kate Bateman series, and I just love her historical romances! The men are always so swoony (and smitten) and the women tend to get a life outside of the home, which is my personal favorite.

We meet Tess Townsend on her wedding night to a much older man that she has been forced to marry. Nothing happens between the two of them though, because he passes away…leaving Tess as the 19 year old widowed Dowager Duchess of Wansford. The real story begins two years later, as lawyers search for the heir to the Dukedom and Tess and her friends have established themselves as a private detective agency.

Her love interest, Justin Thornton, is a wealthy businessman returning from making his fortune in the fur trade in Canada who is - surprise - the next Duke of Wansford!

The two of them have delicious chemistry, and he fully respects the way she has run the properties for the past couple of years. I love a man who respects his partner’s brain as much as her beauty!

I also love when a romance series fully introduces all of the main characters that we’ll see throughout the series, so you’re already invested in them before you get to their love story, so I hope that the series will continue with Tess’s friends and their detective agency!

There are a few aspects of the book that some readers may not love, which I will add to my goodreads under a spoiler tag. (Very mild spoilers.) Neither bothered me, but they might annoy you!

While I overall really enjoyed the book, I do think it lost a bit of momentum in the last third. I find that to often be the case with romance novels, since I trust the author to give me an HEA and if they have done their job well, I understand what the characters need to overcome in order to reach that place!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! Kate Bateman is a must read for me, and this book overall did not disappoint in this new series. Tess is a widow after her first husband, an elderly duke, dies on their wedding night. Her friends and her start a women’s detective agency, and she also decides to enter into a marriage of convenience with the new Duke Justin. So overall this is a romance, combined with a mystery/friendship/adventure plot. I liked this book, but it was not my favorite Kate Bateman novel. The things I liked about it were that it’s swoony, sweet groveling at the end, nice steam between the two main characters, great female friendships, and a fun adventure plot with the female detective agency. My problems with it were that the ending felt rushed, there was a lot of talk about her virginity (not ever a fan of that), the Duke was kind of mean towards Tess and his misconceptions of her, and the grand gesture at the end was sweet, but fell a little flat for me - though the groveling was good. Overall I definitely recommend this for fans of historical romance and Kate Bateman, it just wasn’t my favorite of hers (she has really written some amazing historical romances).

Very fun historical romance. The sismance was topnotch and I found myself laughing out loud at their witty banter and antics. Each character had their own unique personality that added to the charm of the story. The romance was also enjoyable, if a bit fast. I appreciated how direct Thorn was, and Tess was no slouch herself.
I am eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

Huge Thanks to the Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC

A very pleasant sexy read with an independent no-nonsense heroine entirely capable of surviving on her own. Widowed on her wedding night prior to consummation by her elderly groom, she successfully improves his duchy over the next two years until a new duke is finally identified. Shortly after meeting him they wed and sparks and secrets begin to fly creating havoc and clarifying feelings.