As always, Jennifer Haymore writes a MMC that I adore. Oh Theo, how he created a haughty demeanour to protect himself because he just wanted to prove himself. To show that he was a better man than his father, but how frustrated he was because Georgiana’s father and the rest of the village wouldn’t give him even the sliver of a chance.

I really enjoyed the strength of Georgiana’s character. How when Theo mentions wanting to be judged on his one merits, she realizes that she has been treating him unjustly and gives him a chance. And later on in the novel when confronted by her parents at the house party she stands up for the person she knows Theo to be and doesn’t waver.

This being said the third act breakup kind of broke me while reading it. Leading up to it I was so proud of Georgiana for her choice. And then with the further revelation by her parents and how Theo too was confronted, how his response had Georgiana making a decision I wish hadn’t have had to happen. I get that it necessitated Theo to action, but I wish it wouldn’t have hurt so much to read it. (Was I too invested in the story, yes. Am I always with Jennifer Haymore’s writing? Also, yes.)

I also loved seeing Charlotte and Finn from the previous story and how, having both known Theo they were supporters of him and staunch allies. It just made me love them even more. (And now I want to reread their book!)

3.5 stars

The only problem with this book was the pacing. The characters were fine, the plot was a little light, but fine, but the whole thing just felt incredibly long and drawn out.

It's an OK read, but I liked the last book I read by this author better, so I will definitely try others.

-- very very enemies to "OH, I understand you now" lovers
-- romance between the heirs of long feuding families
-- healing and mending the mistakes of the past
-- forced proximity over multiple continuous days

TWs - abusive landlord/boss (past), abusive parent (past)

-- ty to the author, the publisher and @turnthepagetours for an advanced copy!

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! I loved this book! Will definitely be recommending it to my friends.

Historical romance is always better when you have a delightful pair of enemies-to-lovers, and Georgina and Theo so perfectly despised one other. They both have reasons for disliking the other, but deep down, the reasons aren’t all that different. Both are held back by reluctance — she doesn’t want to marry for the sake of marriage, he doesn’t want to take on all the responsibilities of being a duke. Both have their own issues to work through, along with sorting out their feelings for one another, and it was a joy watching them push past their struggles to their eventual HEA. ⁣
⁣
This was a perfect balance of witty banter, tension, will-they-or-won’t-they, and swoony romance. This was my first book by this author and I’m delighted to see that she has quite an expansive backlist, which I will now happily devour. Definitely pick this one if you’re a fan of:⁣
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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣➽ Regency romance⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣➽ HEA’s⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣➽ Reluctant heroes ⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣➽ Realistically flawed characters⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣➽ Internal struggles ⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣➽ Witty banter⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣➽ Swoony romance with a bit of heat ⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣➽ Enemies-to-lovers

I found myself quite charmed by Georgiana and Theo's story. I must admit that it took me a bit to hit my stride with this book and begin to feel a connection to these characters but getting over that small bump was well worth it. The banter is witty and the sparks abundant and fiery as these two clash and circle each other. Altogether a fun read with lots of heart.

3.75 rounded up.

A fun quick read that was perfect after seeing all the Bridgerton trailers. The tension and build up for these star-crossed lovers was very sweet.

I loved the character of Theo, Duke of Desborough, he was trying so hard to improve the lives of his tenants, after his father’s ruinous ways had destroyed all he touched. It must have been very frustrating to have everyone think he was like his father. I couldn’t understand Georgiana’s thinking, she was something of a free spirit, yet she allowed her parents to prejudice her against Theo, someone she didn’t really know. I did enjoy the descriptions of the house party games and the way that Theo and Georgiana got to know each other. I found this to be an entertaining read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had such a fun time reading this one! It starts as a softer enemies-to-lovers before there is a slow progression to acquaintanceship to friendship to eventually lovers. I’m not a huge fan of heavy enemies-to-lovers where the main characters deeply despise each other on a fundamental level and go to the extreme of showing zero empathy/compassion to the other human being or outwardly trying to harm the other, so this was a perfect fit for me. They definitely start out as enemies, but it’s more of a misguided assumption on Georgiana’s part. Theo has his irks with her, especially at the beginning, but watching them change slowly over the course of the book was beautiful. I especially enjoyed how they interacted with each other throughout; the bickering and bantering were top notch.

What threw me a little were the scandalous parlor games that I highly doubt would have ever taken place at a time as this, but it works for the sake of the story and entertainment, so I’ll forgive it there. With stories like this, I take the “historical accuracy” aspect with a grain of salt. Some of the games felt silly at times, and nearly gave me second-hand embarrassment, but that’s all part of the fun.

The romance: I honestly loved how their relationship transformed throughout the story, and how they change as individuals. Haymore does such a great job of presenting the reality of courtships and how they are affected by their families and social statuses of this era.

I gave this 4 out of 5 stars because, while I was very entertained, it wasn’t perfect and that’s okay. I still had a great time reading this. I could see how this can be someone’s 5 star read, and that’s great.

I also noticed some horrible formatting errors that I’m hoping were just the version that I was sent: I know sometimes pdfs don’t format well with kindles. The chapters were not blocked out correctly, every once in a while sentences would be broken with paragraphs, and there were some paragraph spacing inconsistencies. This is something that is definitely fixable, and doesn’t affect the reading experience too badly if you’re patient.

In conclusion, if you want a gentle, realistic feeling enemies-to-lovers Regency inspired romance, you are going to want to pick this one up.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Jennifer Haymore is a new writer for me. This may be my first book by her but it definitely won’t be my last. I loved Theo and Georgiana’s story. I’m not always a fan of enemies to lovers but this one is written just right. Both characters are reasonable and don’t hang on to preconceived ideas so long that you wonder if we’re ever getting to the lovers part. Georgiana is an intelligent young woman who understands her worth and is willing to go it alone if no one sees more to her than an inheritance and Theo is working to right the wrongs of his father. I love that they didn’t give up on each other. There were significant issues to work through and some battles had to be fought alone but there was never any doubt that they would get to their HEA. It’s a beautiful story and Theos growth was so well written you won’t be able to stop reading once you get to the last 100 pages. Well done Ms Haymore!

Georgiana Milford is an heiress whose father made his money in trade and she knows that all the men who are interested in marrying her are only doing it to gain access to her dowry. While walking in the park with her friend, Charlotte, she meets the Duke of Desborough, Theo St. Clair. Georgiana's family and Theo's family are arch enemies due to the antics of his deceased father. Charlotte invites Georgiana to a house party they are attending and assures her that Theo will not be there as he parent's would never approve of her attending if he was a guest. At the house party, after Georgiana finds out that Theo was actually invited, she is determined to treat him as she always does until he tells her not to compare him to his father, to judge him on his own merit. As the time of the house party goes on, and Theo and Georgiana are spending more time with each other, they actually develop and attraction and find they actually get along well together. Eventually word gets back to Georgiana's parents that Theo is at the same house party she is attending and they arrive unexpectedly to bring her home. Georgiana has to decide if she loves her family more than her new relationship with Theo. A very cute story of how opposites attract and how your first opinion of someone is usually not correct.

I Received an ARC from Entangled and NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review

If you take Enemies to Lovers and you mix it with the deliciousness that is Regency Era (in the Ton especially), the result of this combination is purely divine. The whole story was written with such a captivating essence, that one can’t help but come back to the story.

The main characters were done beautifully.
Georgie and Theo’s personalities created such a unique dynamic that had you intently waiting for what would happen next. They had natural chemistry that, in the range of emotions that they experienced, never feeling like it was forcefully done.

I loved that Georgie was presented as an independent woman, while still being wholeheartedly proud of her femininity, and embraced everything that made her who she was. Theo was the perfect complimentary love interest, with so many characteristics that balanced Georgie’s natural tendencies.

Ultimately this book was a treat to read and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good enemies to lovers, in a regency era setting. Thank you Jennifer Haymore for creating such a wonderful experience.

I was pleasantly surprised by the unique blend of Regency romance with a touch of Greek mythology. The story revolves around Persephone Honeyfield and Aidon Barrington, whose unexpected alliance transforms from a marriage of convenience into a deeper, more meaningful connection. The character development is a standout, with each protagonist evolving beautifully throughout the story. Although Aidon's secret felt somewhat predictable, it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment. The mix of historical and mythological elements, engaging romance, and intriguing character dynamics made this a delightful read. Kamal's debut has certainly set a promising tone for her future works, and I'm eager to see what she writes next.

Jennifer Haymore is one of the few historical romance authors that I can trust with a true enemies to lovers plot. It takes some serious skill to successfully navigate the complexities in a romance where the two start off absolutely loathing one another, and Jennifer manages to capture and create their perfect romance every single time.

Each and every one of her characters feels authentic and real - from progressive and confident Georgiana, to the truly swoon-worthy gentleman that is Theo. Their growth, vulnerability, and love for one another really manages to shine through the pages of this novel, and pull me into their story.

I love historical romances and this one just jumped into a top-notch spot for me.

How (Not) to Hate a Duke was published on February 19, 2024. Thank you to Entangled Publishing LLC, NetGalley and the author for the digital advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Their families are neighbors who have been at odds for as long as Georgiana Milford can remember. She doesn’t know exactly why, but she knows they hate each other. Theo St. Clair, Seventh Duke of Desborough, is paying in spades for the way his cruel father treated, well, everybody. Theo wants nothing more than to make amends for the mess his father made, but everyone believes he is just like his father, including the Milfords. Attending the same house party forces the two of them to interact. As time passes, Georgiana sees a different side to Theo, or rather she sees the real Theo. They fall in love, but things don’t go well. When Georgiana’s father stops their wedding, she is devastated and Theo finds that what he must do to make things right is prove himself. This is a delightful enemies-to-lovers story. Georgiana and Theo are stubbornly distrusting of each other at first, but as time goes by it is obvious they are perfect for one another. The story has some angst, even a bit of drama, and secrets from the past. There is also fun, witty banter, romance, a chance for reconciliation, and at last a happy ending.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, steamy and sweet. It kept me reading and I wanted to find out how things would get worked out. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I always enjoy Jennifer Haymore’s books so began this one expecting to be right royally entertained. I was not disappointed! Taking a page from The Taming Of The Shrew, this is very definitely an enemies to lovers story in which poor Theo St Clair, Duke of Desborough, is pitted against the daughter of his next door neighbour, who passionately loathes his family. Son of a cruel, debauched profligate, Theo has vowed to repair the damage done by his father and return his estate to a profitable venture for both his family and his tenants. He’s stunningly good looking—of course—and witty and generally just the sort of duke any girl would fall for at once. Sadly for Theo, who is attracted to Georgiana Milford from the start, she is not just any girl. Georgiana is an heiress, who has spent season after season fighting off fortune hunters while working in her father’s office when not attending balls and the like. She has also formed a strong dislike for Theo. To be honest, I wasn’t taken with her at first. She came across as a rude, spoiled and a somewhat childish brat in both her early conversations with her best friend Charlotte and her exchanges with Theo. Thankfully, she mellowed and as the story unfolded I found myself cheering for her and Theo, who face a pretty bumpy ride to true love. Overall, I thought the characters were well drawn, the setting was charming and the story entertaining. This has been a perfect piece of regency escapism and I enjoyed reading it.

Ah, it is so inconvenient to fall in love with your family's sworn enemy, such is the plight of Theo and Gerogianna. A delightful enemy to lovers with a HEA…after some pretty egregious family interfering.

3.5

I can still remember the first Historical Romance book I read, it was Kathleen Woodiwiss's Shanna. Anyone remember her? Back in the day of the ripped notice covers? Showing my age I am sure! I worked in Washington DC at the time and rode the train, the line ( orange ) that I rode seemed to have readers on it and many times when they finished a book they would leave it on the seat for the next reader to pick up ...that is where I found Shanna. I thought what a great way to pass the time while I set there. I found that I enjoyed a bit of romance mixed in with my thrillers and I began sprinkling it into my reading...when I needed a break from what I was reading or I just needed something different. They were, and still are fun, and entertaining, and for the most part light.

How ( Not ) To Hate A Duke, the newest book by Jennifer Haymore was my recovering from surgery book. I wanted something that would keep me entertained, but also something that would not tax my steroid and pain meds brain. I didn't want to have to think about what was going on, or try to figure out a puzzle, and this book was absolutely perfection for that.

The Milford's and The St. Clairs live on adjoining estates, Daughter Georgina ( Milford ) and the new Duke Desborough have grown up hating each other due to a feud between the family. They are thrown together at a country house get away, where they get a chance to know each other.

I loved the characters in How ( Not ) To Hate A Duke, Georgina was sweet but she was also a strong woman. I loved the way that Haymore made her progressive, not a weak whiny lady of the time. Theo was of course a swoon worthy Duke, he was moody and had a quiet demeanor that could come off as aloof or even at times, sad. Haymore knew how to make the sparks fly between the two, you often felt the tension between them, but you could also feel the thaw as it unfolded.

The story was well written and entertaining. It was easy to read and quick paced. It also had everything I needed and want in a Historical Romance ...enemies to lovers, probably one of my favorite romance tropes. The men in waistcoats, tight britches, and tall riding boots, women in fanciful gowns, parlor games...oh could they get steamy, and of course family secrets and drama.

Was How ( Not ) To Hate A Duke predictable? Yep, most, if not all romance books are. I think it is why I love them, they give me some sense of comfort, 90 percent of them give me a happy ending and the rest will rip the soul and heart out of my chest. Even at that, I love them.

So for my romance readers out there..pick up How ( Not ) To Hate A Duke, it is a fun, heartfelt, lightly steamy read, and if you are not a romance reader, it would make a great palette cleanser between your regular reads if needed. I can't wait to go on a search for more Jennifer Haymore books!