*historical romance
*cozy Christmas romance
*grumpy vs sunshine
*slow burn

A sweet Christmas themed historical romance? Enough said, I’m reading it. And I’m so glad I did, because this was exactly what I needed right now - an engaging, well plotted and written historical romance that was a highly enjoyable read. I loved this one, the romance was excellent. Would easily make for a perfect read on a blustery weekend with a mug of hot cocoa.

The Duke’s Christmas Bride is number three in a series, but could easily be read as a stand alone - I’ve read the second and third titles, and am currently listening to the audiobook of the first because I’ve enjoyed this series so much.

I can’t wait to read more of the author’s works.

A definite recommendation from me.



Thank you to Zebra and NetGalley for the DRC

This is the firs Christmas book I have read this year, a bit early, but I don't think it's ever really too early (or late) to get into the holiday spirit.

In this historical romance a young duke meets his match in a battle for revenge and ownership of his childhood home.

Max arrives at the front door of the home he was forced to abandon to his enemy only to find a young woman living there, and claiming it as her own. Rose has lessons of joy to teach Max, as well as much needed assistance to get rid of the chip on his shoulder.

As she reminds Max to appreciate simple things he falls in love surrounded by the spirit of the season.

I have read books by this author before - some I have loved and others missed the mark for me. I think this one fell somewhere in between. Max is arrogant and a bit unlikeable at the start and Rose comes across as a bit too perfect. I couldn't really connect with the characters but the writing was good enough for me to want to know what happened in the end to these two.

The major misunderstanding in the book really could have been sorted with one quick conversation, but I suppose the book would have lost most of its dramatic tension that way.

This was an ok read but not my favourite by this author.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a perfect historical romance Christmas story. For years Max has vowed to get revenge on Ambrose after he took his family home away. After Ambrose dies, Max returns to take his home again, but after an hilarious encounter with Rose, who happens to be living there, things go awry. Unbeknownst to the both of them, Ambrose left the house to the both of them. Let the games begin. Rose is a sunshine character that takes it upon herself to show Max what he’s missing. Max is a grumpy character that takes it upon himself to show Rose that he’ll do whatever it takes to take what’s his. Loved both of them. I loved how Max behaved before and after Rose. The Christmas setting just gave it more of the feels. It had humor, heart, and love.

This book was just what I needed. A perfect Christmas story, rakes a-raking, maids a-scheming, and a Christmas wedding ring.

"He wasn't a good man, but he'd always drawn the line at lying to his friends." (Just maybe not himself, lol

"For the rest of this dance, and all the dances that came afterward. For this moment, and for all the moments yet to unfold. (Anne Bardley has such a way with words!)

If you're looking for a good holiday read, pick this one.

Set against the delightful backdrop of Regency England, Anna Bradley’s The Duke's Christmas Bride is a charming addition to her witty and sexy trilogy. The story brings us Maxwell Burke, Duke of Grantham, a man driven by revenge and the need to reclaim his family's lost properties. The last piece of his puzzle is Hammond Court, but there’s a twist: it is co-owned by Rose St. Claire, a spirited and determined young woman.

Rose, who recently inherited the property, is shocked when Max bursts into her life, claiming his right to the estate. What follows is a delightful tale of enemies-turned-lovers as the two navigate their shared inheritance. Max's initial plan to marry Rose off to another man backfires as he finds himself drawn to her joyful and genuine nature.

Bradley masterfully balances humor, romance, and the Christmas spirit, making The Duke's Christmas Bride a perfect holiday read. The chemistry between Max and Rose is palpable, their banter sharp and entertaining. Max's transformation from a grumpy duke to a man rediscovering happiness and love is heartwarming, while Rose's unwavering positivity and strength make her a standout heroine.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I would like to thank netgalley and Kensington Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A delightful ending to the trilogy. Engaging writing and a look at the true meaning of home.

A bit slow beginning, I almost put it away but I am glad that I kept going. It gets better and the story was quite enjoyable. The premise is quite unique so I do recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

Such a sweet and cozy grumpy/sunshine! Rose is the sweetest and I love her so much. She was cheerful and lovable but also didn’t take any shit and I love that for her. I’m so glad Max was able to grow up and let himself be happy. I also love that this one didn’t follow the common trope of “popular kids are horrible to the outcast at the party”—while that can still be fun to read, I only wanted happy times for Rose! I love a good Christmas story, it just made me want to curl up in a blanket with a cup of hot choccy (alas it is 100° outside). And I reeeally hope we get to see Dunwitty in a future book!

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

Did He Want Revenge Or Love?

Max wanted his childhood home back, the one he believed had been stolen but what he didn’t want was the infuriating woman called Rose who constantly told him no when no one else would ever dare!

What started off as a plan to gain his estate back soon backfired on him and now he couldn’t live without Rose, she was the love of his life but how to convince her of this when she’d found out his original plans was proving to be difficult.

A fun, witty slow build to love with lots of wonderful characters to make this an entertaining not to be missed read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️

Spice: 3
Characters: Rose and Grantham. Power imbalance. Rose had no agency and Grantham was manipulating her by trying to get her married so he could buy her portion of the house from her future husband.
Chemistry: Missing. Grantham’s behavior was outrageous during their first encounter. He kicked and broke her door lock and barged into her home. It was a pointless lack of civility.
Plot: Grantham is holding a grudge against the man who won his mother’s house in a card game from his father the previous Duke. He makes it his life’s mission to get the house back since all his good childhood memories were made in that house. The man has recently passed away and left the house to Grantham and his adopted daughter Rose. One has to suspend disbelief that a man who has wealth, power, and prestige is so obsessed with this house.
Overall: The writing is good. However, this one fell a little flat. I loved Townsend for being the voice of reason. I loved the first two books in these series.

Thank you to the publisher for providing the ARC.

I always start these reviews by stating that historical romance is really not my style, but considering how many I've enjoyed in the recent past, perhaps that's starting to change!

Rose and Maxwell were such enjoyable characters to read. Their first encounter is pretty hilarious, considering she wields a pistol on him. And while this story has several elements for the enemies-to-lovers trope, theirs is one of the most entertaining dynamics that I've ever read.

The best character arc of the story happens to be that of Max. His transformation begins almost immediately after meeting Rose (even though he might not fully understand it yet). He is drawn in by her humility and spunk, and slowly learns that it is exactly what he needs in his life.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, you definitely want to give this one a shot!

4 ⭐️

the dukes christmas bride was a phenomenally delicious book with a slow burn to end all slow burns- but in the best way! i loved rose and really identified with her as a heroine. while i was aching for the romance to hurry up a bit, i was not disappointed once we got there. i loved!

What a delightful story! Rose was such an enchanting heroine--so pure, so good. Then there's Max--definitely a grumpy, unhappy duke out for revenge. Funny thing about revenge--you don't always get what you think you want. Watching these two resist falling in love was very enjoyable. Max is determined to remain grumpy and Rose cannot help but spread sunshine and joy wherever she goes. The addition of Max's friends who happen to be dukes added a punch to the story. My only criticism was that nothing was ever mentioned again about the other young lady that Max invited to the Christmas party. A few short lines about how she took his rejection would have tied up the story line perfectly. There were no real villains in the story, but it was more about the growth of Max's character. All in all, it was an enjoyable read.

THIS IS A SLLLLOOOOWWWW BURN!!

Maxwell Burke, Duke of Grantham, returns home with full intention of finally getting revenge against Ambrose St.Clair's estate. Max discovered that Rose St.Clair, the daughter of Ambrose, is standing in his way, and he is not about to let her stop him from getting his revenge.
In his plan for revenge, he has the idea of 'befriending' Rose and getting her married off to a suiter who owes a debt to Max, and therefore, getting his revenge.
Only along the way, things starts changing and Max's ideas aren't the same. His feelings are no longer for revenge, but for love.
Does Rose return those feelings like he does? You have to read to find out.

Thank you Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for sending this book for my review. All typos and opinions are mine.

What a wonderful way to end the series! The Duke’s Christmas Bride is the last instalment in Anna Bradley’s drop Dead Dukes series and it is a heartwarming tale of finding lost joy and the value of forgiveness.
Maxwell Burke, Duke of Grantham has never been able to forget the treachery of the man he saw as a second father figure when he won Max’s beloved childhood home from his father in a gambling wager. He has spent the last twenty years regaining the many properties his father lost but Hammond Court has always been out of his grasp. With a cryptic message asking him to ‘return and claim his treasure’ and the death of Ambrose St Clair, Max is finally near to obtaining the one property he must own again – if only to destroy it and give himself some closure. But in a cruel twist it seems that Ambrose has bequeathed the property to Max to be shared with his adopted daughter Rose St Clair – who is adamant she will not sell her share to Max. Now Max has to employ devious strategies to oust her – even going so far as to arrange a house party and coercing the handsome young Viscount Dunwitty to woo and wed her so he can get her out of Hammond Court. But the more he spends time with Rose, Max realises that the true treasure might not be the house at all.
I absolutely adored this book. Ms Bradley takes the trope of grumpy sunshine and executes it so well. Max truly was grumpy – his losses early in life made him so determined to regain his standing in society that he became blinded to any joy and kindness. He wasn’t completely dark and ruthless – he had close friendships and was a good employer. He had just lost sight of the tiny pleasures of life. I loved how bewildered he was by the small kindnesses that Rose did naturally and how when he recognised what he was missing, he acknowledged it and acted.
Rose was such a genuinely beautiful person in and out. She was kind and courageous and recognised Max for the lost soul that he was. She determines to help him find joy in his life again before returning the ownership of Hammond Court even though it is the only home and security she has ever known. I loved the scene where she tells Max that to feel joy is a choice. She teaches him that true happiness lies in forgiveness and love.
Max and Rose are such a sweet couple and I loved watching them fall in love gradually. There is little angst and no unnecessary tensions with OM/OW dramas. Even when Rose discovers Max’s initial deception her reaction is believable. The misunderstanding is not drawn out and I love how Max’s friends and their wives helped him in his quest to win her back.
The ensemble characters were lovely – no villains in this (!) – not even Dunwittyy/Oxenden whom I hope gets a story of his own someday. The only slight niggle I might have had is that I wish their reconciliation scene was a little longer and would have loved to be a ‘witness’ at their wedding. And it was a bit sad that Max never got a chance to reconcile with Ambrose. I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I read this book in one sitting and finished with a big smile on my face. I loved Max and Rose and definitely recommend the whole series.

I loved the first two but this one felt very different. The dukes in the previous books were very much rakes/rouges and our Duke in this story is not that at all. Max is grumpy, he has been down on his luck in life and clawed his way back to the top of his game by means that are not always honorable. He goes to exact his final act of revenge but is met with a ray of sunshine named Rose. I don’t love grumpy sunshine cause usually the sunshine character is so childish in her sunshine ways. Rose definitely wants to see the good in people and do what is best to bring people joy but she isn’t naïve per say and I appreciate that. I was laughing and giggle between their banter and watching them fall in love. Both in denial of their growing feelings. I do wish he had told her of his revenge plot but other than that, I loved this book. Oh I do think this book was a little less sexy than the previous books in the series but that really fit the plot of this story. I love kissing scenes the most and there were a few in this book that were fantastic.

Fun holiday regency romance! Will be perfect for readers looking to get their post-Bridgerton fix.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for providing a DRC of this title for review.

Hero who wants revenge ✔️
Grumpy dude ✔️
Trying to get heroine married ✔️
Falls in love deeply and desperately ✔️

Heroine with a backbone made of steel ✔️
Trying to cohabit with grumpy duke ✔️
Is all sunshine and joy ✔️
Falls in love deeply and desperately ✔️

Rose and Max bring so much animation and energy to this book. Lots of banter and characters from book 1 and 2 standing in the sideline observing & cheering the protagonists on. Love how Max's view changed over time

The Duke's Christmas Bride by Anna Bradley is a historical fiction book where Maxwell Burke, the Duke of Grantham or Duke of Ice, as he was known for his cold heart, is finally going to get his revenge after Ambrose St. Claire, his father's friend, took Hammond Court, his mother's inheritance, away from his father, right after his mother's demise. This left his father desperate to such an extent that he turned into a drunk and later lost his life out of that despair. Now Ambrose St. Claire is dead but before that, he invites the duke to get his treasure. So the Duke immediately goes to Hammond Court to release a past that has been tormenting him since the incident happened, only to find out that it has a new occupant, no other than Rosamund Elizabeth, who is more than ready to defend it even from a Duke. Rose is an adopted daughter to Ambrose St. Claire and he had warned her that the Duke might give him trouble. She decides to fight for what she has learned to call home, but there is one problem, that home is in dire need of repair. Still, she doesn't have a dime to do it so the roof collapses due to a snowstorm, and she is given shelter by none other than the Duke of Grantham, who has a skim to destroy Hammond Court, but before that, he has to marry off Rose. So he makes quick plans to get her a bridegroom, but unfortunately, things are not going as planned, as she is proving to be an extraordinary lady and things are taking a different turn.

I like this particular author's casual writing style, which is the major positive aspect of this book. One thing that stuck with me was how the plot is well narrated with enough twists and turns, the consistency is perfect and the story is captivating. The book gave me a wonderful experience. I like the way the conversations are made hilarious by the sarcasm more so where the main characters are concerned especially Max, his sarcasm, and arrogance added some form of humor to this book, an example is p. 165 "You, Miss St. Claire, have managed to hit upon the one activity I detest above all others. I commend you on your fertile imagination. Now, run along, and find something useful with which to occupy yourself.” Additionally, I have read Damned if I Duke by the same author, and I would not like to miss any of her other books as I have found her to display a rare talent.

But, towards the end, the story was kind of abrupt as the author did not write about how the series of events happened and so there seems to be a gap that readers would have appreciated if it had been included.

I rate this book, The Duke's Christmas Bride by Anna Bradley, 5 out of 5 stars. That author remains one of my favorites; her writing style is extraordinary.

I recommend this book to those who love engaging historical fiction books. I also recommend it to those readers who love books that give valuable lessons. This particular one will teach them that a heart can turn cold due to bad experiences that life throws our way but love can turn that heart around and make it the warmest for the world to see.

Maxwell, Duke of Grantham, always wanted revenge. Rose comes into his life and disrupts it. Rose is the daughter of his sworn enemy, along the way they fall in love with each other. It is a wonderful story full of love and redemption.