I really enjoyed this book. It is one of the better ones. It's about Philip and Sara who fell in love when they met, but didn't realize it til they admitted to their selves that it was love and then acted upon it.

The Duke of Buckingham dies and leaves the state and the title to a nephew he hasn't seen since he was a child. The only condition Phillip, a man that lost his eye in the war aginst Napoleon, would have to agree to in order to claim his inheritance is to take care of the widow Duchess for the rest of her life. Phillip thinks that Sarah is possibly as elder as his uncle, and he is grateful to him, so he accepts. Great is his surprise when he discovers Sarah is not an elderly aunt... but she is the most beautiful woman he has seen in his life.
Such a great plot! Please, keep writing like this!

An impossible match comes to be with a little help of our favorite matchmaker, Mrs. Dove-Lyon. Phillip comes back home to England after serving time fighting with Wellington. He suffered the loss of an eye, and considers himself lucky as many have lost so much more. Upon his return, he is shocked to learn that he is the new Duke of Buckingham. What's even more shocking is the late duke's widow is a young, vibrant woman who he cannot stop thinking about. Sarah had married young, but had a pleasant marriage with the older duke. She is determined to help the new duke find his way and be supportive in any way that she can. Although she had no expectations of him, she was surprised to see what an intriguing and charming man he was. The two have a strong attraction to each other but know that nothing can come of it. Society would not look well upon the widow of the duke marrying the new heir. But that makes no difference to Mrs. Dove-Lyon, as she easily takes on the challenge of uniting these two.
I enjoyed following the developing relationship between Phillip and Sarah. Both were strong and interesting characters, and the chemistry between them was undeniable. I found myself rooting for them the whole time. The story was well-written and kept my interest from start to finish. Another captivating and delightful addition to the series!
Thanks to Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I had high hopes for this book, but this was hard to get through. All of the pieces of it seem like it would make a good story. Injured war officer comes home to find he has inherited his uncle's estate, and then his uncle's beautiful young widow is living in his new home when he gets there? It sounds GOOD. But it was executed poorly. The writing was cringy. Their dialogue was cringy. Their chemistry was non-existent. Their inability to communicate feelings until the very end was annoying, and they "love" each other after very few interactions, for seemingly no reason other than their attraction for each other (he literally told her he loved her at first sight). It felt like their relationship was built on lust and attraction, and I need more than that in my romance books. Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a delightful story with interesting characters. The dowager duchess of Buckingham, Sarah mourns the loss of her much older husband and waits in trepidation together with her youngest stepdaughter, Lizzie, for the arrival of the new duke. The stipulation included in her late husband’s will is that she assists the new duke with the running of the estate and will stay on for as long as she wants. Sarah is an intelligent woman, able to hold her own in this very masculine world.

Philip, the new duke of Buckingham on his part, is living his life as best he can, following his retirement from the military after having lost an eye. He is surprised when his uncle’s solicitor’s assistance meets him at his home in the dead of night informing him of the change to his status. He proceeds to make plans quickly to enable him to travel to the estate.

I like the author’s mindfulness where the solicitor mentions to Philip he should procure an appropriate wardrobe prior to making his way to the estate - trivial things that will not be of a priority to Philip but would have been essential as a first impression.

Upon his arrival at the estate, he is surprised to meet the dowager duchess – not an elderly woman but a very vibrant, beautiful woman with a mind of her own. Sarah assists him in the running of the estate, which leads to a good, fruitful friendship that later develops into a love for each other.

Nicely written and kept me engaged from start to finish. I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Phillip Villiers finally makes it back to a London where he discovers his uncle has died. He not only has the Dukedom but he needs to support his aunt and cousins. Only to discover its not his aunt.
Finding a comfortable love was blessing but finding something more is surprising and against society.
Engaging and just a bit steamy, well written and hard to put down.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with guidelines.

Good story with minimal involvement of Mrs. Dove-Lyons and the Lyon's Den. The story opens after the funeral of the late Duke of Buckingham, as the Duke's daughters and his second wife, Sarah, console each other. Sarah's backstory is sad, having been orphaned and left destitute by her father's bad choices. However, his friend, the Duke, took her in and eventually married her. It was a marriage of convenience initially, but Sarah and the Duke grew to love and respect each other. Hen ensured that, upon his death, Sarah would be financially secure. He also stipulated that she remain at the estate to continue managing it and to instruct the new duke.

Phillip was a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, where he served as a cavalry officer and did other special assignments. After being injured, including losing an eye, he was discharged from the army. Without the military, Phillip is at a loss about what to do with the rest of his life. With little to his name and no apparent prospects, Phillip spends some of his time at the Lyon's Den gambling. He's stunned one evening when he comes home and finds his uncle's solicitor waiting for him, informing him that he is the new Duke of Buckingham. His father had caused a rift with his uncle, and Phillip had no idea he was the heir. He is grateful to learn that his uncle's widow will help him settle into his new role.

I loved the first meeting between Sarah and Phillip. He expects an older, motherly woman and, instead, gets a young, vibrant, and beautiful one. She stirs up sparks of attraction that he works hard to subdue. Likewise, Sarah thinks about the good-looking new duke far more than she is comfortable with. Each does their best to ignore the attraction over the next several months as they develop a deep friendship working together on estate matters. Then cards arrive, inviting them and Sarah's unmarried stepdaughter, Lizzie, to Mrs. Dove-Lyons's birthday ball.

The sparks of attraction flare up during the ball. Sarah, aware that society would not approve of a relationship between her and Phillip, decides to seek a new husband and a future for herself. She insists that Phillip seek a bride and secure his future and the ducal line. Phillip isn't interested in some vapid debutante and doesn't care about society's opinion. His unhappiness at Sarah's plan is evident as he watches Sarah dance with other men.

Things become more complicated when she discovers a letter from her father to the late duke. The contents stir Sarah's insecurities and add impetus to her need to escape her feelings for Phillip. I was irritated by Sarah's reaction and how she used it as a further barrier between her and Phillip. I liked Phillip's determination to break through her objections. A disaster at the estate brings them together to deal with it, but a near tragedy almost parts them forever. I felt Phillip's fear for Sarah. I loved his emotional declaration and wanted to shake Sarah for her stubbornness. Thank goodness for his persistence. I loved seeing her finally let go of her fears and believe in the possibility of a future together. The ending was terrific, and the epilogue was sweet.

There was a brief foray into a secondary romance between Sarah's stepdaughter, Lizzie, and Phillip's friend, Lucien. Their whole story is told in the anthology Night of the Lyons, in the tale Unmasked by the Lyon.

A Forbidden Love

Phillip inherited a dukedom—something he never, in his wildest dreams, thought would ever happen. His uncle’s widow, a lady he must work with very closely, was not an old widow as he thought. She was young and quite lovely. She would steal his heart. However, because she was his uncle’s widow, their marriage would be considered taboo. Neither one had intended to fall in love, but they had the most cunning and clever Mrs. Dove-Lyon plotting, and she was an excellent matchmaker. Could Sarah and Phillip overcome the obstacles in their way? With Mrs. Dove-Lyon and love on their side, they just might. As to how they might do it, you would have to read this entertaining historical romance to find the answer. It was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it.

Luck of the Lyon is beautifully written and a heart-warming romance. I love the main characters and considering that Phillip never had aspirations of grandeur, he is down-to-earth and considerate of all men and women alike. Inheriting a Dukedom is unsettling, but knowing that his uncle made provision for just such an eventuality, puts his mind at rest. He certainly did not expect Sarah, the widow of his uncle, to be so young and beautiful. A relationship slowly grows out of their close proximity and time spent together Phillip learns the ropes of running an estate, and both Sarah and Phillip struggle with the feelings growing between them. It takes a tragedy to make them realize what is right in front of them, although they did have a little mystic help and Bessie Dove-Lyon added her unique brand of meddling to bring them to that point. The novel comes to a lovely conclusion with all the desires of their heart being met. I received a copy of this lovely romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Luck of the Lyon by Belle Ami is part of the Lyon’s Den Connected World and features a ton widow, Sarah Farnworth Villiers, Dowager Duchess of Buckingham, and the new duke, who was the old Duke’s nephew and retired soldier, Phillip Villiers. It had been a year and Sarah was happy living at Alfred’s estate and carrying on with her life pretty much as she had for the previous ten years. Living with her was the Duke’s youngest daughter, Lizzie, who was too shy to go into society and find a husband. Phillip arrived, believing the duke’s widow to be of his uncle’s age, so was extremely surprised to find her much younger, and very beautiful. They rubbed along well together, as each fell in love, but failed to communicate that fact to the other. Things came to a head when Lizzie, out of the blue, married. Then, obviously they could no longer live in the same house unchaperoned. The scandal would be too much, so early one morning she left the manor and went to the London townhouse. She determined she would be best off married and so approached Bessie Dove-Lyon at the Lyon’s Den. Bessie had the perfect man in mind and set off to make it happen. After a couple of weeks Phillip decided he could no longer live there without Sarah so he also went to London, staying at a hotel so as not to ferment scandal. Mrs. Dove-Lyon had noticed him noticing a young woman who had been present the last time he was there and so she approached him to make a match.

Sarah and Phillip were both interesting characters, much bound by the rules of the times in which they lived. It was going against protocol, indeed viewed as incest, if the two married so neither really considered it, until they did. It was an enjoyable story with all the hallmarks of Regency romance and, of course, Bessie Dove-Lyon. An admirable addition to the World.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Luck of the Lyon by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #BelleAmi #LuckOfTheLyon

Another great Lyon's Den story!
Phillip Villiers became the Duke of Buckingham on the death of his Uncle. The Uncle's widow was Sarah Villiers who was 40 years younger than her husband. Due to his Uncle's will, Phillip was required to seek Sarah's opinion, guidance, and help with the running of the Ducal Estate.
While Phillip and Sarah quickly became friends, they each had trouble admittling their feelings to each other. I loved the characters, and their banter and friendship.
Belle Ami was very subtle in how involved Mrs. Dove-Lyon was in this story. I enjoyed reading about the friendship between Bessie Dove-Lyon and Sarah Villiers! Two widows with a lot in common, which also gave us insight into Bessie.
I received a free ARC from Net Galley and Dragonblade Publishing and this is my honest review.

Philip Villiers was a Calvary officer in the war against Napoleon. He was injured (he lost an eye) at Waterloo. At home now, he wonders what he will do with his life until is informed that he has inherited the title and estates of the Duke of Buckingham. The will states that the duchess is to stay at the estate as long as she wishes, and is to have a say in the management. Philip expects it will do him good to have the advice and guidance of an older woman. Sarah Villiers, Duchess of Buckingham, is not old. She is young, welcoming, and the most beautiful woman he has ever met. She finds him strong, handsome, and charming. Working together is comfortable, but things get a bit touchy when an attraction develops between them. Things change when Sarah finds a letter from her father to the old duke and leaves in the middle of the night. Philip doesn’t know why she left, but he knows he wants her back. Can they put a painful past behind them? Will they find their happy future? This is a delightful addition to the world of the Lyon’s Den. It is a bit different. Phillip and Sarah found each other, the gypsy set the stage, and Bess presented opportunity for another happy ending.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

We starts off with tragedy for both main characters. However, do not despair for it just gives credence to their strong moral fiber.

Roger Farnsworth, farther of Sarah Farnsworth Villiers, noe the Duchess of Buckingham, has taken his own life but not before writing to his friend, Alfred Villiers, the fifth Duke of Buckingham. Having gone to Eton together he believes that it will help combat the error of what he has done. Alfred on the other hand has agreed but finds a great companion in Sarah and weds her.

After Alfred's untimely death, his nephew is now the duke but it takes a year or so to locate him.
Phillip Villiers, was raised by his father, the Duke's younger brother, abroad after a falling out. He does not approve of his father's behavior and wants better for himself so he enlists in the military. With his language background and growing up in France he is an asset that gives him a rank of captain and special assignments. He however gets damaged from the war, with missing an eye caused during a bad battle.

Returning back to England he is tracked down by the solid tor' off from his uncle and told of the inheritance. There are stipulations in the will with regards to the roster duchess, which he is good with.

Between the gypsy fortune teller and Bess Dove-Lyons, the two are given cryptic messages about their future. Choose wisely!

Alfred's daughters, Lady Agnes Villiers Bentwood, Patience Villiers Arthur, and Elizabeth Villiers, are a comfort to Sarah as she and Alfred had no children. Elizabeth or Missy as the family call her is the gardener of the three, Lady Agnes is the comforter, and Patience is the soother as her namesake suggests. These three treat Sarah as a special lady. They help bring her through the funeral and grieving process just as much as she does them.

Phillip meets them and finds they are like sisters for him. Sarah is the exception, she is a friend, confidant, and more. As he gets to know them all Sarah is the one that brings about the most radical change for him.

As tragedy starts our story so does love. So join in the family as the message they were given brings about a story that has just marvellous twists and turns that you just can't help but fall for these people and cheer them on.

I'm a fan of this series. Sarah and Phillip's story was very drawn out. It took most of the book to even get them to consider being a couple. Then it moved to fast through the rest.

Phillip Villiers, an injured Cavalry officer who recently returned from the Napoleonic Wars is contemplating what to do with the rest of his life when he learns he’s inherited the title and estate of the late Duke of Buckingham, who passed away a year ago. Expecting the late duke’s widow to be an amiable and sedate elderly woman, Phillip is doubly shocked to discover the Duchess of Buckingham is young, beautiful, and the most vibrant woman he’s ever met. Duchess Sarah Villiers, a widow of one year is determined to be supportive and welcoming of the new Duke of Buckingham, and that includes teaching him everything there is to know about managing a large and complex estate. Sarah is shocked to discover Phillip Villiers is charming, handsome, and the most compelling man she’s ever met.
Another delightful addition to the connected world of the Lyon’s Den, Bessie does feature but not as the manipulative person she’s been in other books plus she’s not always wearing her veil! I loved both Philip & Sarah, whose attraction was immediate but a letter Sarah finds jeopardises things & it takes a tragedy for them to realise what’s important. The pace is good & I read this romance straight through & thoroughly enjoyed it
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Coming back from the war having lost an eye Phillip did not know what he would do next. He does not realize he is the new Duke of Buckingham. His uncle has died and with only daughters he becomes the next duke. It took them a year to find him. The one stipulation of the will was he was to provide a home for the Duchess and use her help to run the estate. He did not realize she would be young and he would fall in love with her. Bessie helped them realize they could have a life together. Thank you NetGalley for a fun story where the first husband was a caring man who loved his young wife and wanted her taken care of when he was gone.

This book was an interesting addition to the Lyon's Den series. I was wondering how Mrs. Dove-Lyon would be working her magic on this couple because they really should not have needed her. Young widow Sarah had been married to Phillip's late uncle. Due to the conditions of the will, Sarah and Phillip needed to forge a peaceful coexistence. They quickly developed a relationship of friendship and mutual respect. Due to circumstances beyond their control, they constantly struggled to ignore their sizzling chemistry. Neither one of them felt that they were worthy of the other. This was a slow burn and I needed to wipe my eyes several times while I was reading. The happy ending was delightful and worth waiting for.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Phillip Villiers returns to England from the continent having lost an eye fighting with Wellington. At loose ends, he needs to figure out a purpose in life. A fortune teller reads the cards, but it only brings him more confusion. Bessie Dove-Lyon is a friend, but he has no interest in marriage. Surprised to find out he is the new Duke of Buckingham, he erroneously thinks the widow of his uncle is a much older woman. Sarah married young, but was fond of the older Duke and loved his three daughters as if they were her own. Phillip isn't intimidated by Sarah's knowledge of the estate and sees her as an equal partner. She, too, is friends with Bessie. The old lady who read her palm is even more puzzling. They both think the Widow of Whitehall had a hand in bringing them together. Some angst and frustration with Sarah's relationship with Philip. Thank goodness for Mrs. Dove-Lyon. I love reading the books in this series. Each author brings a unique perspective to their books and Bessie Dove-Lyon's involvement in the outcome.
Open bedroom door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Thanks you to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

I really enjoyed ‘Luck of the Lyon’ it was a great read couldn’t recommend more 😊 and I really am looking forward to reading another book in the Lyon's Den universe 💕

Rating: 5 Stars

I don't think there is a Dove-Lyon story that I don't enjoy and this one is no exception! Each story is written by a different author with such different skills that it's always amazing how well they portray Mrs. Dove-Lyon, This story doesn't begin with the famous woman being presented with a matchmaking opportunity. That comes later in the story, causing the reader to engage in the main characters Sarah and Philip first. Unique in it's delivery, stunning in its creativity and full of all the romance and drama you could want. Bravo to the author for the exemplary work!