4.75 Stars
Lieutenant-General Cyrus Cressley is training his men when a stray bullet hits him in the head the wound leaves him blind in one eye and unsuited to lead men into battle. Cy returns to Melrose to find his father long dead and his brother, who is in poor health, the new Duke of Margate. Cy is given use of the hunting lodge on the estate, where he seeks to find his purpose in life. Lady Finola Honeyfield’s come-out was ruined when a very cruel trick was played upon her, leaving her to trust no one but her dogs. She retreats to the country and becomes one of England’s premier trainers of English springer spaniels, having found a way to earn her keep, even as she is lost in loneliness.
Finola has a chance meeting with Cy. Soon, a friendship springs up between them.
The seventh book in this lovely series, it could easily be read on its own. I loved both Cy & Finola the attraction between them was immediate & they both fell hard for each other & a lovely friendship developed, I loved that they fell for the person not the title & both were willing to work. However they both had secrets & of course secrets always are revealed & cause problems. I loved Bertie, Cy’s batman’s son, he was an utter delight, I would have loved for him to have been reunited with his family & for Cy to have found a place for the whole family. I loved how Cy showed how much he loved Finola & how she faced her tormentor. A captivating romance which I devoured in a sitting
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

4.5 stars

It's part of a series so we meet a couple of the previous Dukes. Our hero has had to return from the peninsular because of a stray bullet hitting his head. He's lost the sight in one eye and the other one is hazy. His Batman sends his young son as an aide. They get to Cryus's home to find that his brother, the duke, doesn't want Cy around because he reminds him of their mother. The brother's aren't close. Cy has a cottage near to Lady Finola's land. Finola, once chubby, had a disasterous season and retreated to training dogs with her devoted step father. There's a romance, there's delightful dogs, there are lies that keep everyone apart and then it all comes good.

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

Another good book in this series. I liked that this book started with Cy away at war and coming home due to his injury and blindness instead of coming home to claim the Dukedom.

We see Cy and Finola as more working people that weren't treated well growing up instead of members of society. The dog training is a fun occupation to hear about and who doesn’t like cute puppies. I liked the focus on Bertie and his schooling and dog training learning as a bit of a main story addition.

The romance comes easily and is more down to earth than books during a similar timeperiod. Cy and Finola definitely see the love happen pretty early on.

I liked seeing a few characters from previous books. I hope these characters show up in the next. I am so ready for Miss Slades story. Bring on another strong heroine.

Thank you to Dragonblade and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Finola Honeyfield is not your average maiden. She is smart, kind, and has developed an amazing reputation as a dog breeder among the nobility

Cyrus Cressley, was a loyal and accomplished soldier, until his horrible accident that took his eyesight and sent him home. However, when he returns, he finds his father dead and his brother the duke.

This installment is not your typical regency era romance. It’s based in friendship and occurs away from the social season in London. Overall, it was a good read with lovable witty characters.

Puppies!!!! Alexa, you have written another amazing story. What I loved about this story, and this isn’t unique to this story of yours, is that Cyrus has been injured in war which makes him doubly enticing as a character. Cyrus and Bertie were such a great pair and then add in puppies, love of puppies and Finola and you have a story that will pull at your heart and make you smile a big old smile. There is side story that ends with a come to Jesus meeting which I absolutely loved. I’m telling you this story is such a joy to read.

A strong woman who refuses to be defeated by a devastating experience and a man who is trying to deal with his new reality with thoughtfulness and kindness and who would make things right for her. Add a very bright boy and amazing spaniels into the mix and we get a very engaging and excellent read.

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

Finola was humiliated with a kiss in her season by men who were banded together to destroy a new debutante each season. She returned home to remain in the country training special dogs. Cyrus returns home from the war after being devastatingly injured. Bertie was a young man who came with Cyrus. Together the three of them became friends assisting with the training. Unexpectedly Cyrus is a Duke which threatens his new,y formed relationship with Finola. They find it hard to work through their trials and hidden agendas to a HEA.
Truly an enjoyable read in this series continuation.

Spoiler alert.
I am a little confused by the title. Finola never is shown training Cy how to be a Duke. He doesn't become a Duke until nearing the end of the book and she refuses to speak or see him after finding this out. Finola trains dogs. She is awesome at it. Her passion comes though. Cy's passion for Finola comes through just a strong. Even though she sees it, she chooses not to trust the man that she knows Cy to be. I enjoyed the book up until this time. Maybe this book didn't need this bit of drama. In the end it all worked out with a happily ever after.

A Pledge, Secrets, Trust, Family
This is a story that you can't stop yourself becoming totally engrossed in.
This is a charming fast paced emotional romance between Cy, a wounded war hero and Finola, a dog trainer, 1 young boy and several dogs.
It does have a sad beginning that sets the stage for many sad tears along with a few happy tears throughout their budding romance, so don't forget your tissue box and your lady's fan that will come in handy as their first kiss sent sparks flying.
They each had past experiences to overcome. Some physical and some more on the emotional side which made this a very beautiful and heartfelt love story that I really enjoyed. 
✔5 Stars for the Cover with the Honeyfield springer spaniel. 
✔Mature: 🌶🌶🌶

This is a fun, entertaining, sweet, good read. Cy and Finola are captivating, entertaining, relatable characters. I enjoyed their romance and the overall story. They had my attention from the start and held it until the very end. I enjoyed the secondary characters – especially Bertie and the dogs. They added to the fabric of the story. It’s fun getting to catch up with some of the couples from the previous books in the series. This is another good read in the Suddenly a Duke series.

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

Finola is the daughter of an earl who was orphaned and then neglected by her much older sisters only to be taken in by a lonely baron. In her first Season in London, Finola was publicly humiliated by a viscount who led her to believe he was courting her. After that, she retreated back to the country where she works to train hunting dogs. Many years after that, we meet Cy who has recently left the army after an accident left him blind in one eye. Cy is the younger son of a duke, neglected by his father and older brother. When he returns home, he finds that his father has died and his brother is now the duke. His brother allows Cy to live at the hunting lodge at the edge of the property. One day when Finola is walking her dogs, the dogs discover and befriend Cy and his charge Bertie. Finola’s and the duke’s lands border each other, though Cy does not admit that he is the brother of a duke. We have a quick and easy friendship between Finola and Cy, with Bertie needing the use of Finola’s schoolroom and learning to train dogs with Finola. The romance here builds very naturally and it seems that these two are perfect for each other and will be well-situated at Finola’s home. However, we have Cy’s looming secret and the fact that his brother is quite ill. I enjoyed this book and seeing another woman in an unconventional profession.

"Training the Duke" is the 7th in Alexa Aston's Suddenly a Duke series, but it operates quite well as a standalone book. I really enjoyed Cy and Finola's story. Dog training is not something I have seen come up in a romance before and it is always interesting to see something totally new. This story is a little less instalove than some other entries in this series. Cy is dealing with mental and physical injuries from the war, Finola is dealing with the trauma of humiliation in front of the ton. Cy is great - he broods but not to the extent of shutting people out. He is willing to meet his new but unwanted responsibilities head-on and he is completely unafraid of Finola continuing her work with dogs - he seeks to support, not consume her. A nice love story.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. Thank you to Dragonblade and NetGalley for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

This is the seventh book in this series, and well-written and thought out. Our hero and heroine are comfortable with who they are and ultimately accept each other. I have and will continue to recommend the author, but my one note is that it felt like everything lines up a little too perfectly and there's a lot of focus to dog training, but still an enjoyable read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book by Alexa Aston that I have read, and I loved it! The fact that I could read it as a stand-alone was even better. The relationship between Cy and Finola was sweet and not sexually saturated, and Bertie was such a lovely young man. I felt that Aston captured each character's journey realistically and the justice served at the end was deserved.

I will definitely read more books from this author.

I might be biased because my fav previous couple from this series is in this book but I loved it. I was smiling at the end and just loved Cy and Finola’s story. Finola really over came so for as a woman: mean pranks, losing her parents and her close family, and becoming the best in her profession of choice. Cy’s kindness showed to Bertie and how he cares so much for him. And Cy’s grand gesture, not as good as Pierce’s, but wonderful and helped Finola close that chapter of her life completely. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

This lovely romance is all about friendships, being yourself and accepting people for who they truly are and not their honorifics. A beautiful addition to this engaging series!

What I loved most about this books is the way Finola and Cy form such a precious bond before their titles take over.
She’s a lady without airs or hysterics, trying very hard not to let her past define her future. Simple and down to earth, she gets the job done and she’s not shy about showing how she feels.
For most of the book he’s not a duke, and just a man who’s a bit lost. No entitlement, no misguided pride. And even though he basically raised himself, Cy’s paternal instincts are a thing of beauty. The way he cares for Bertie, the boy who accompanies him home from the peninsular war, is so touching!

Lots of puppies, some sweet revenge and a dash of drama. This is a wonderful feel-good story with a nice sprinkling of wit and steam! I would recommend to everyone who’s looking for an entertaining diversion from the glamour and glitz of high society!

My favourite book so far especially since I have owned English Springer Spaniels for 30 years and also my favourite trope.. It's well written regency romance story as always from this author. that will most definitely keep you turning those pages. All the character's are great and very likeable especially Bertie.

When wounded soldier Cy returns home he finds that his father has died and his brother is now the duke. Cy, living in a small cottage on the edge of the family estate, runs into neighbor Finola who trains hunting dogs for a living. The attraction is instant but they first must conquer their fears to be able to move forward. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

This is probably my favorite book in the series. What sets it apart from the first six books is that these characters come together and fall in love before Cy becomes the duke. I really liked that the focus in this was not him coming to terms with becoming the duke but instead finding his place in the world after leaving the army and the life he fully expected to live. On top of that is the partial loss of his vision which adds another dynamic to his suddenly changing world. Having the romance occur prior to him becoming the duke also allowed for the focus to just be on Finola and Cy falling in love. As readers we know there will be some fallout when Cy's full identity is discovered by Finola but I liked that she didn't stay mad for long because she realized that she had also been keeping her full background from him. I also understood why Finola would feel betrayed even though this situation was very different from the one with Crofton. The appearance of Nalyssa and Pierce didn't feel forced and I liked that she and Finola were both in need of a friend and found that in one another. I loved Bertie and how quickly he took to his new life and working with Finola. The only time in the entire story when I was upset with Finola was when she yelled at him and told him she didn't want to see him again - it was cruel considering he was just a child and she broke his heart. Luckily she came around on him pretty quickly - I would have liked an apology from her. I liked getting to see Miss Slade again - especially since I'm guessing the final book in the series will be about her. Although I did enjoy seeing Cy make Crofton cry and Finola insult him to his face I found that part of the story a little unsatisfactory. I wanted him to suffer a little more and I wanted his buddies to suffer too. We never really got to know if they reformed or not. I also wanted to know how the other women were doing in the years after they were hurt by those men - did they recover and find partners or were they like Finola before she met Cy?

I thoroughly enjoyed this captivating regency romance. Yes there is some steam... but I think it was very tastefully done. But should you not agree, you could easily skim those paragraphs, and still enjoy a well written mystery regency romance story that will most definitely keep you turning those pages. I did fall in love, just a little bit, with the lead characters. I think you will, too . I am happy to say it was a good, fun, attention grabbing read.