The third title in the Greycourt series set in Georgian England, No Ordinary Duchess, continues the story of the impact of the cold-blooded machinations of the Duke of Windermere on his relatives and peers. It focuses on the relationship between Julian Greycourt, the duke’s heir apparent, and Elspeth de Moray, the younger sister of Julian’s former friend, Ranulf.

Julian and Elspeth are each searching for a diary. Julian is looking for his mother’s diary, hoping to find evidence that the duke murdered her. This will give him leverage over the duke and aid Julian in his efforts to protect his younger siblings. Elspeth has recently come to London from Scotland and is trying to locate an ancient diary of one of her fellow Wise Women. She hopes it will help to heal the divisions that have recently arisen between the community of Wise Women, and convince the members to return to their roots.

Eventually, their separate searches bring Julian and Elspeth to a library at the same estate, where the heavy rains and bad roads keep them stranded together for several days. Their relationship quickly heats up—a development that feels rather rushed because, even though the two have had some interactions prior to this, they haven’t spend much time together.

Julian is not the most likeable H. In much of the book, he’s cold, rude and arrogant. Even though the there are numerous hints that he’s reacting to underlying forces that are not yet clear to the reader, it’s a challenge to be sympathetic to him. So it’s hard to believe the Elspeth would be so attracted to him and willing to overlook some of his behavior, especially since she’s younger than he is and is very naïve in some ways. In addition, there were some loose ends and abrupt changes, such as Elspeth deciding that it was not really important for her to return to the Wise Women.

While I’ve read many of Elizabeth Hoyt’s books, this was not one of my favorites. I thought the previous entry in the story was much stronger. There were a variety of subplots going on in this one, and although I read the previous two stories in the series, it’s been four years since the second was published, so I couldn’t recall all the details of the backstory. Some brief recaps of the primary relevant points would have been helpful. It’s a good story, but not Hoyt’s best and would be a challenge to follow for anyone who hasn’t recently read the first two books in the series.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC.

The Hoyt heart-smash is back baby! Frick I love everything Elizabeth writes. A little bonkers (complimentary) swoony and full of banter, longing and smutty goodness, No Ordinary Duchess is really THAT girl.

5 / 5 Stars

No Ordinary Duchess is the third book in the Greycourt series, set in 1760 Georgian England. The series is branched out from an event from a few years before the series starts, where Elspeth de Moray's brother was accused of killing Julian Greycourt's sister, and subsequently Elspeth was raised in Scotland with the "Wise Women" who are under a new threat of being hunted as witches (and hey, if you see a connection to some modern day backwards-moving societal issues, who can blame you?). Julian was raised by his (evil mastermind) uncle, the Duke of Windemere, who is threatening to marry off another one of his sisters, this time to an older man known to be violent towards women. To end his uncle's evil machinations, Julian is searching for a book of his mothers, which he has ben told will help bring him down. Elspeth is also searching for a book -- the diary of one of the founding Wise Women, to convince their current leaders to not abandon the women of England out of fear of persecution. There's a lovely bit of forced proximity, which I always enjoy, when they're both stuck at an old family hunting lodge searching for their respective books and the roads are washed out!

I've really loved the Greycourt series, but I can't lie -- I was apprehensive about reading Elspeth's book because I didn't like the brief glimpses we've seen of her in previous books. I can get frustrated when the women in historical romances are very independent but also very, very naïve about the world. Maybe it's just showing how young she is? What I did really like about this book is the way the "alpha hero" narrative gets flipped around a bit. Julian still has all the ducal (ducal heir?) hallmarks of being protective and autocratic and emotionally removed, but in their sexual relationship prefers a submissive role. In other romance novels you definitely see the MMC liking when the FMC uses a "bossy tone", but No Ordinary Duchess takes it a step further and makes it clear that it's a Domme/submissive relationship, although the BDSM stays pretty light (in my opinion, as someone not part of that community). I don't know that it's something I've seen very often in historical romances, and I think it was done well. Even with the epilogue, the ending of the book did feel kind of sudden, as if the last chapter or two had been edited out. I wanted to see a little more of the books they worked so hard to find, but I wonder if that will be in the next book in the series. Overall, it was a quick, fun read and will likely read it again in the future when I do rereads of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was around 3.5 stars, because even when it doesn’t quite work for me, Elizabeth Hoyt is a talented writer.

I went back and reread the first two books in the series before reading this book. There is a lot of background information in the first two that will make this one easier to understand. I would not recommend this book as a standalone. I really loved book 2 and was amazed at the way Hoyt was able to turn Gideon from villain to hero. I think this book was missing a little of that magic. The connection between Elspeth and Julian felt rushed to me. Also, I’m not sure I quite buy that Elspeth took so naturally to their bed sport because she had read a lot of books, but was naïve in every other human dealing because of her upbringing. Apparently the wise woman did not collect any books about regular daily life at that time?

We are left with a lot of unanswered questions, so hopefully there are more Greycourt books in the works.

I have been waiting for this book for about 4 years so I was delighted to be able to read it early.

I think this is my favorite of the three books. It has drama, mystery and, of course, romance that kept me turning the pages. I had to know what was going to happen next. I absolutely devoured this book.

The romance is a bit grumpy x sunshine but also a little forbidden as their families hate each other. I liked the dynamic of Julian & Elspeth. They had great chemistry. I was never bored with these two on the page.

I liked the Regency setting and the side characters too.

A fabulous historical romance!

I love Elizabeth Hoyt and this book did not disappoint. I had only read the Maiden Lane series and I didn't realize she wrote in a similar style in all her books!

TBH this book already got a 5 from me since the heroine has the same name as me, but I loved it just as much after reading it than before.

In this book, Elspeth has been trying to find a hidden diary of one of the "Wise Women", a group of witches/women who she grew up with and was then kicked out of. She is sure if she finds the diary she'll be able to oust the current leadership that has been taking over the group. She thinks it's in one of the Greycourt libraries so she heads to one and when she's there she meets Julian Greycourt.

Julian's family was separated when his parents died and he and his brother went to live with his sociopathic uncle who has treated them horribly, such that Julian becomes very withdrawn and keeps his feelings bottled up. His sisters were sent off to relatives, then married off. His youngest sister Lucretia is about to be married off and he decides that if he can find his mother's diary he might have something to hold over his uncle's head.

Elspeth and Julian meet up again in his family's country estate, where they work together to find the books they're both looking for. Meanwhile Elspeth discovers that Julian is a submissive and she takes over control and their relationship blossoms.

In typical Elizabeth Hoyt fashion, a Regency setting hides a non-standard sexual kink which is explored at length during the story.

I loved Elspeth and Julian and really enjoyed this book about overcoming your history and learning to love. I have to go back and start the series now that I ostensibly started at book 3. Great regency setting, stoic hero, caring heroine and standard mystery/solution with some high spice. Highly recommended.

I received an advanced copy and am giving an honest review.

"No Ordinary Duchess," the third installment in Elizabeth Hoyt’s Greycourt series, delivers a sensual and tension-filled romance wrapped up in family mysteries and feuds. As always, Hoyt gives us strong-willed characters who resist the easy paths laid before them, instead forging their own way through complicated emotional landscapes.

In this story, we meet Julian Greycourt, the brooding heir to the Windemere dukedom, who is laser-focused on avenging his mother’s death, which he believes his uncle orchestrated. Standing in his way? Not only the proof of his uncle’s guilt but also his attraction to Lady Elspeth de Moray, a woman on her own mission. Elspeth’s goal is to find an ancient family text in the Windemere library, but her path keeps crossing with Julian’s—and the growing tension between them becomes impossible to ignore.

Elspeth is a refreshing character—cheerful and optimistic, yet capable and intelligent. Her background as the librarian of the "Wise Women" adds a unique flavor to her personality, especially her modern attitude toward sex. While the chemistry between Julian and Elspeth is spot-on, I did find myself struggling with the pacing in the first third of the book. The setup felt a bit too mechanical, like the story was ticking off necessary plot points before finally allowing the real emotional and romantic fireworks to begin.

One thing to keep in mind is that *No Ordinary Duchess* is deeply tied to the events and characters from previous books in the Greycourt series. Julian’s complicated relationship with his family, especially his uncle and siblings, is part of an ongoing series-long narrative that would benefit from a re-read of the earlier books. However, even with some missing context, the core romance between Julian and Elspeth stands strong on its own.

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

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Elizabeth Hoyt is my favourite historical romance author, no hands down! The moment I saw she had a book on NetGalley, I couldn't click "request" fast enough. Then I was approved! Then I realized this book is the third in a series . . . :(

I sat there feeling kind of left out of the overarching gist of the plot. I should be familiar with these characters and I'm not. Because of this, I felt disconnected from the plot but I came for romance.

Elspeth is such a cheerful, intelligent, and FMC. How can I not root for her? As smart as she is, her upbringing in the Wise Woman has given her a level of naievete when it comes to sex. This is contrasted really nicely with her sex positivity and Julian's reluctance to have a sexual relationship with her. Julian's desire to submit? Delicious!

The tension between the two is delicious and I loved seeing them come together at last!

I can't wait for more books from Elizabeth Hoyt!

No Ordinary Duchess is a story of a sheltered young woman who has just left her isolated childhood home for society and a powerful, older, heir to a Duke.

Clearly this set up had the potential to be a shocking power imbalance. But, and this should come as no surprise, Hoyt doesn’t let her FMCs be controlled by their men.

Elspeth may present as naive and sheltered, but she’s actually fiercely independent and on a mission to save the society that raised her. Julian is indeed powerful but he’s also lonely, terrified of his uncle, and enjoys being submissive, especially to Elspeth.

I loved the series long mystery, the clashing families, the intrigue, the emotional and physical relationships, the found family, and lasting friendships in this read. I can’t wait for more of the series.

Genre: historical romance
England, 1760

Elspeth de Moray, youngest sister to the Duke of Ayr, was raised by her Aunt Hilda in the ways of the Wise Women, who are sometimes thought of as witches in Scotland for their independence and use of healing herbs. Elspeth needs to find the journal of Maighread, which she believes to be in the Greycourt Family’s possessions. But the de Morays and the Greycourts have been at odds for fifteen years since Ran de Moray was charged with killing Aurelia Greycourt when they were seventeen. Julian Greycourt has lived with the burden of his sister’s death and his best friend’s betrayal for all of these years. He’s also lived under the domineering eye of his uncle, Duke of Windemere. For half his life, he hasn’t allowed himself happiness, and his indulgences in the bedroom weigh heavily on his soul.

First, neither the Goodreads blurb nor the NetGalley blurb really match the plot of this book. Second, I could take or leave the plot anyway; you aren’t going to read this book for its plot. The first third of the book feels mechanical plot-wise, and I found myself a little frustrated with it. If you are frustrated early, push through, because, as with all Hoyts, you are rewarded for your patience with incendiary scenes. As soon as Julian and Elspeth are alone at Adders, the book takes off. This book earns a whole extra star for the sex. A 12-year age gap with the MMC as the heir to a dukedom is a recipe for power imbalance, and Hoyt absolutely turns that on its head. She delivers a 21-year-old practical and sunshiney femme dom virgin with a 33-year-old male sub ice cold duke with outstanding character development in every intimate scene. I've always loved the way Hoyt plays with power and grit in her books, and this is next level.

For Hoyt completionists, and people who love an overarching plot line across several books, start with book one in the series. (That’s also got a lot of series set-up, but I promise it’s worth it.) Don’t skip book two, because it’s the Hoyt-est overall. And then gear up for book three because you deserve your reward for waiting four years for a new Hoyt with this hot book.

Julian is broody and Elspeth just wants to look through the libraries of Julian's family. She is looking for a historic written document. Julian wants to find his mother's diary. Together they start looking at every book. But there is also a chemistry between the two that makes for some steamy reading. Isn't that why we read bodice rippers? This one doesn't disappoint. Such yummy scenes!! I do like this author and her way with words.

While I'm a big Elizabeth Hoyt fan, this one didn't quite grab me the way I was hoping, but instead left me curious about what seemed like hints for Ann and Quintus' story, and if that actually happens, I'll be first in line to read it. Julian and Elspeth are a solid match and I enjoyed reading their slow-burn romance. The book definitely takes its time getting the two of them together and the ending feels a little rushed, but the build up to their relationship made a lot of sense for both of them. I wish there was a bit more about the Greycourt family dynamics in this one though. Quintus and Julian were great to see interacting but Lucretia remains a mystery and despite a lot of mentions of her strained relationship dynamic with Julian, it feels abruptly cut off as a plot line.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, another stunning entry from Elizabeth Hoyt.

I did find myself quite confused by some things mentioned, though that's because this is the third in a series I haven't read yet. Because of that, I did have to go back to read the previous entries before reading this book. And doing so made the experience so much better as it made Julian so much more understandable.

TL:DR, This is really an excellent book but it requires you to have recent knowledge of both of the previous books in the series to completely understand what is going on. There is a lot more happening in this book that is tied into the previous books, as well as possible future books (fingers crossed). The hero may seem unlikable but there is a reason, so look at him as a puzzle to be solved.

Review: 5 Stars
OK so it’s been four years between this and the previous book. When I was awarded this ARC, I decided to take a couple days and go back and reread the other books and I’m really glad I did. I feel like a lot of the poor reviews might be from people who have not read the previous books or don’t really remember them from four years ago.

To be completely honest, Maiden Lane, Elizabeth Hoyt’s previous series, is one of my very favorite book series. I would give pretty much every book in that series (except for the last one) a five star review. There are several of them that I reread over and over. Alf and Artemis are my two favorite characters and the love that I have for Winter Makepeace knows no bounds. Elizabeth Hoyt has no problem with giving you characters that don’t have perfect bodies, and dealing with disabilities and infertility.

But back to the Greycourt series. There is a lot going on in this series and that isn’t a bad thing. I really really enjoyed the first book. It sets the stage for the rest of the books and explains the mystery of how three very close families started hating each other. It is absolutely critical to all of the books. The second book in the series was good but it was not my favorite. All of the characters from the previous book are there and I really did like the hero, because if there is one thing that Elizabeth Hoyt does very well, it is transforming a villain into a beloved character. The second book was slow going for me but I needed to finish it because it definitely sets up everything that’s going on in the third book and it’s also where you really learn about Julian. Julian has a secret that is only hinted at in that second book. But you can tell it’s something big and significant.

Here is what I think is throwing so many people in the reviews of THIS BOOK. Julian’s character is really not likable, but you have to understand if there is a reason why he behaves the way he does. If you go into this trying to figure out what’s going on with Julian, I think you will have an easier time accepting him. Julian is broken and it is not just because he flies his freak flag. So I suggest that people begin reading this trying to solve the mystery of why Julian is how he is. The thing is, this is separate from the big Greycourt mystery. Which leads me to the other thing that I think is throwing people off. There is a whole lot going on in this book. I’m going to say one more time, if you have not recently read the previous books you are going to be lost. There also feels like many things go unexplained. I remember when EH’s website was up and she posted that she was doing a three-book series, so logically this would be the last book in the series but there is so much that is not wrapped up that it makes me think there has to be more books coming.

I know this was a lot of words to explain why I think this is a five star book and possibly a jumping point for at least two or three other books. There could actually be more because there are other siblings mentioned who we never even meet. Greycourt could become the next Maiden Lane. If you look at this book in that light, I think you will appreciate it more. I stayed up all night reading it, and I found it very satisfying!

I’ve read several books of Elizabeth Hoyt and I generally enjoyed them especially the Maiden Lane Series but boy! it was a real effort to finish this book. There were numerous plots and secondary characters that I had a hard time connecting who from which! And don’t even start me with the Wise Women Society!

I did not like the H, Julian. He was very uncompromising, cold and broody. At first I thought he was a pervert because just a few minutes with Elspeth and he was sexually lusting after her! But fortunately, his shameful predilections were explained later and Elspeth did understand about them. However, the h, was no better. There were several instances where she is just too much – too intense, too fanciful, too understanding, too comforting!! Likeable but taken with a grain of salt.

This book is mediocre at best and I hope the next books in this series – maybe about Julian’s sisters – will give more angst and more coordination in the plot lines. 2.5* rounded to 3* just because Hoyt has written good ones in the past and this maybe a one-off.

Thank you NetGalley/Grand Central Publishing for this ARC. As always this is my honest review.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all opinions and thoughts expressed are my own. No Ordinary Duchess is the third book in the Greycourt series; it has been 4 years since the prior series title was published so I would recommend reading the two prior books in the series to refresh your memory of characters and events as there are references to them. Ms. Hoyt definitely has her own style and I think fans of the first two books will definitely enjoy this one. This title features Julian, the brother of the heroine of the second book. This book features the proverbial evil uncle, a brooding future duke (unless his uncle manages to sire an heir), and opposites attract vibe. Elspeth is open and friendly, the complete opposite of the brooding Julian who is so self-contained, he doesn't even let his family in. There is a plot around the "Wise Women" and a journal that Elspeth seeks believing she can use it to get the group to abandon their new isolationist policies. Honestly, the wise women plot isn't my favorite (and it has featured in prior stories but I'm still fuzzy on too many specifics), but it does provide a reason for Elspeth and Julian to continue interacting, and I did enjoy their interactions. I've very interested in reading the story about Elspeth's brother who Julian injured many years prior and there are hints of a mystery surrounding another character I want to see play out. I'll continue to read this series, but hope that the next book doesn't take four years.

The little sister of his former best friend is definitely off limits, so why is Elspeth de Moray so intriguing. Julian Greycourt, the heir to the Windemere dukedom, doesn't need another distraction while he tries to find the proof to bring down his malicious uncle, the duke. Elspeth is trying to find a book that is said to be within the Windemere libraries so obviously they never cross paths or anything like that, HA not!
Elspeth and Julian are actually the definition of grumpy/sunshine and it is so perfect. Their relationship grows throughout the book as they spend more time together making it feel real and genuine. Elspeth is such a girl boss and I love her love for books and libraries, she's just like us the readers. She is a women who speaks her mind and sticks to what she believes and I really enjoyed her personality and seeing her interact with Julian who you can tell hasn't dealt with any women like her.
I loved that there was an element of mystery and intrigue within the story I think it always makes that plot so much more interesting.

Dnf @ 47%.

This had such a strong start with a perfect meet-cute. I thought for sure I must be an exception to all the low reviews because the beginning was delightful!

Unfortunately, it gets very convoluted from there. Halfway through and there are so many characters doing so many things that I can’t keep track of anyone’s motivations. I’ve read the first two in the series but it’s been many years, and this book doesn’t provide any clear recaps to help catch me up.

What made me give up is that our MMC and FMC are finally alone, but the MMC is BIG sad eyes that the sex worker he hired didn’t make it his estate. In a bizarre twist of events, the FMC is accidentally there instead. He has already met, kissed, and shown he cares about the FMC, but he’s bounding through this house searching for the sex worker and is just devastated that she’s missing. And then the FMC starts comforting him and taking care of him because he’s so lonely and sad?? It’s so weird. I can feel our MC’s sex scenes looming, but I’m already feeling so gross about this dynamic that I’m peacing out. I just prefer my historical heroes to be totally loyal to the FMC so much that they can’t get it up for other women.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, and I always feel kinda bad when my review is this bad. 😬

Elizabeth Hoyt returns with No Ordinary Duchess, the third installment in her captivating Greycourt Series, offering readers a blend of intense emotions and steamy romance set against a backdrop of family feuds and intrigue. The story introduces us to Lady Elspeth de Moray, the unconventional sister of Julian's childhood best friend, Ran. With a past steeped in tragedy, Elspeth is determined to uncover a manuscript believed to belong to Julian’s family, which sets her on a collision course with Julian Greycourt, the brooding heir to a dukedom.
The chemistry between Elspeth and Julian is electric, enhanced by their contrasting personalities: the sunny, free-spirited Elspeth and the cold, controlled Julian. Their paths continually cross as they pursue their separate quests, leading to moments charged with sexual tension and unexpected intimacy. Hoyt masterfully explores their D/s relationship, showcasing a dynamic that feels both fresh and authentic. It also adds a bit of extra spice.
The novel is rich with subplots, including threats from assassins and Julian's struggle against his malevolent uncle, Augustus. Yet, it is the romance that remains at the forefront, encapsulating the emotional journey from distrust to passionate love. Hoyt's writing shines as she delves into the raw emotions of her characters, making their connection feel genuine and compelling.
With intricate character development and a plot filled with twists, No Ordinary Duchess is a spellbinding read that fans of historical romance will love. The tension and powerful moments throughout the narrative create an immersive experience that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.
For fans who have spent four years waiting for book 3, I can say it does not disappoint. For those who enjoy spicy romance with depth and complexity, this historical romance is a must-read. Dive into the Greycourt Series and lose yourself in this addicting tale!

Elizabeth Hoyt never fails to entertain with her stories and this is no exception. Interesting characters, good storyline, happily ever after makes it a must read.