This was a miss for me. It was a book that seemed as though it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a romance or a mystery & so both parts suffered because of it.
The romance was far too insta-love for my tastes. Lots of the romances I read have the couples fall in love very quickly but the heroine's suggestion to the hero seemed very out of character & his instant acquiescence also seemed out of character. There had to be another way to get these two people together without the machinations the author used.
The mystery (when finally solved at the end of the book) left so many things unanswered as to how things had been accomplished. It was all just too implausible.
The writing was fine, but the concept didn't work.
What a shame.
If it sounds like I'm being vague in this review I am as I don't wish to give away any spoilers. The things I had problems with may not bother another reader.

Thanks to netgalley & the publisher for an advance copy of this title.

"The Duke and Lady Scandal" by Christy Carlyle
I really enjoyed the romance that bloomed in this first of a new series, but the mystery was even more entertaining to uncover.
A great choice!

The Duke and Lady Scandal by Christy Carlyle is a captivating return to everything that makes historical romance so enchanting. Amid the growing shift to sci-fi love stories, this novel holds fast to the sweeping themes of passion, honor, and vulnerability that define the genre. Carlyle masterfully weaves scandal and intrigue with a tender love story that will resonate with readers who adore the timelessness of historical romance. This is undoubtedly one of the best books of 2025, a true testament to enduring love stories.

Sweet Allie seems to have been left behind by her siblings. She wants adventure and fun but instead she is the one who stays home to take care of the family’s shop while her siblings travel. Allie is at the right place at the right time to overhear a possible plot to steal the crown jewels. Adventure finds her. Sharing this information with Scotland Yard detective Benedict Drake, is a fantastic beginning.

I loved their romance and journey of self-discovery. Drake enjoys and appreciates Allie’s forthrightness and love of life. He does not tire of her and how she stays involved in the investigation until it becomes dangerous. This book does seem to have some of what I think of as modern-day conveniences. For example, from the issue of the family shop being next door to a Starbucks-like coffee shop to let’s go to dinner and talk. Regardless, this is a great read and beginning to A Prince’s of London series.

This book was nuts. Christy I apologize, I was unfamiliar with your game. Alexandra and Drake were such a fun couple to read about. Their chemistry was CHEMISTRY-ING; by the time they got together I was gnawing at the bit waiting for one of them to make a move. I love a historical with a ~mystery~, so reading about why Alexandra was being targeted (and how Drake was protecting her, swoon) added a great element to the novel. It added a level of stakes that I love in these kinds of books, and the threat of violence was real! I was so invested in every character's safety! The scene at the end where Alexandra is like "oh yeah this hot man is my betrothed" to her family was hysterical. The bluestocking x catch of a man trope works for me every time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

Refreshing to read a historical romance with middle class characters at the center, loved that!
Fast paced and fun romp, would like to read more from this author.

Christy Carlyle is one of my favorite historical romance authors and I'm so excited she's back with a new series! This first book introduces us to the Prince family and getting to read Alexandria's story was such a pleasure. Alexandria is daring and intrepid and speaks without giving much thought first and that's what makes her so lovable. I loved Ben and his story as a working class hero; we don't get too many of those in historical romance, Overall a very sweet romance -though I wish we had held out the tension just a little. The couple is pretty much together by the 50% mark but Christy Carlyle's writing is so good you still can't put the book down!

This was a fast paced and interesting story. The characters were relatable and had a lot of heart. I would definitely look forward to more books by this author.

Victorian times! Middle class characters! This was a fun one.

Allie (Alexandra) Pierce comes from a family of adventurous antique dealers. She was sick as a child and never traveled the way her siblings got to. Ashley an adult, she runs the family shop while her older brother and sister hunt for antiquities. For once, though, she’s going to have an adventure of her own.

Benedict Drake (jokingly called Duke at work) is a police inspector who has been working exhaustively to get a promotion that never seems to get closer.

Allie and Ben come together when she reports overhearing men plotting to steal the Crown Jewels while at a coffee shop. One of the men also visited her family’s antique shop to ask about having a gem cut. Her shop had a break in as well.

Allie and Ben grow closer as he investigates the jewel theft and its connection to another case. She confesses that she isn’t sure about getting married, but would like to have an affair with Ben.

I love it when there’s a bit of a mystery in a romance! The pace was fast, the characters appealing, and the setting was a nice departure from the regency, which seems to dominate this genre. It’s also refreshing that we have a shopkeeper and a detective (though there are hints that Ben is the illegitimate son of someone important).

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for letting me read the e-arc of The Duke and Lady Scandal! I haven’t read an Christy Carlyle book before and I’m so happy I got the chance to read this! I have really high standards for historical romance novels, my introduction to the genre was Lisa Kleypas and her books are still my gold-standard, and I’m thrilled to say this book was charming, delightful, and cozy! Good sunshine vs grumpy dynamic, enough intrigue to maintain interest in the overall plot, and overall a really cute love story. I’m definitely gonna look into Christy Carlyle’s backlist and I’m interested in following this series as it continues.

Oh, this was a fun time! A masterclass in balancing the Romance with a mystery sub-plot, two well-developed and interesting MCs outside of their romance, and a fantastic start to a new series.

<i>The Duke and Lady Scandal</i> opens up with the hero, Detective Inspector Benedict Drake, trailing a lead in his latest case. From his first appearance on page, I knew Drake was a man driven by his goals above all else. And then he rescued a dog!!! Me = sold.

Our heroine, Alexander Price, has always wished for the adventure her family gallivants off to find, but a childhood sickness and her sex has left her at home and minding the family’s antiques shop more often than not. Allie is another character that I loved upon first glance. When she overhears a plot to steal the crown jewels, there is nothing for her to do but rush to Scotland Yard and report said plot! Which is where she meets Benedict.

When I tell you these two had chemistry from that first interaction, I’m saying it was on from the word go. And blessing upon blessing, we didn’t have to suffer through the hero only being attracted to Allie’s beauty for pages upon pages. No, Benedict was into all of Allie and his inner monologue reflected that.

I really enjoyed watching Allie and Benedict cross paths as the possible jewel heist and their separate needs to prevent it brought them together again and again. Their mutual fight against their mutual attraction felt believable, not drawn out, and worth the little bit of will-they-won’t-they Carlyle gave the reader.

I <i>did</i> feel that the mystery with the jewel heist was wrapped up a bit too neatly and some questions were left unanswered. Also, the villain was the mustache-twirling type. With the tagline <i>inspired by National Treasure</i> I was expecting something a bit more nefarious, I suppose. But when your hero is a detective, one can’t expect him to go off stealing the jewels he swore to protect.

All that to say, I had a really good time with this book. Having never read from Christy Carlyle before, I had no expectations and now I cannot wait to check out her back-list!

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC!

Benedict and Alexandra come together to solve a crime. Alexandra has wanted to live a life full of. adventures all her life. Benedict has goals that he wants to accomplish. They work together and start falling in love. They both learn things about themselves that surprise them. The only aspect that I’m not convinced about is the crime they are trying to solve. I feel like it’s not completely laid out and not too convincing why. Overall, I enjoyed their HEA.

It's a romance novel inspired by National Treasure. Can I make it any more obvious?

What a ride this book was! I'm absolutely delighted by this romp, and would happily recommend it to any of my readerly friends.

Great opener for a new series.

Looking for adventure is what her family is famous for, but Alexandra is left behind again. She overhears a plot to steal the crown jewels and barges into DI Benedict Drake’s office and upends his orderly, ambitious life with distractions that endanger his biggest career making case.

Christy Carlyle delivers consistent romances with intelligent women and dashing men.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 4.75
Alexandra “Allie” Prince manages her family-owned antique shop. She yearns to follow in her illustrious family’s footsteps by going on adventures. Allie overhears a plot to steal the Crown Jewels and rushes to tell the authorities. She is delighted when the handsome and gruff detective takes her seriously. Allie decides to assist him with the case. Can she help Benedict catch the culprit? Or will Allie’s impulsiveness hinder the case?

Benedict “Duke” Drake aims to advance high in Scotland Yard. He exhausts himself in trying to catch the illusive criminal “M” without success. When a woman comes to his office about a possible scheme to steal the royal jewels, Benedict must take her seriously. Alexandra Prince is a distraction he does not need in his life. However, Benedict cannot seem to stay away from her. Will Allie derail his plans for advancement?

Alexandra is a young woman living beneath her famous family’s shadow. I understand her frustration of not measuring up to her parents and siblings’ accomplishments. It would weigh on anyone’s mind. I especially like how Allie did not allow that to turn her cynical or jaded. Instead, she thought of ways to stand out on her own merits and achievements.

Benedict is a career-oriented young man. He tends to be obsessed and single-minded when a case falls into his hands. I understand Benedict’s drive to advance. His childhood, plus what happened to his brother, prompted him to his path. What I adore the most about Benedict is how he accepts Allie’s impulsive, straightforward nature. He even admires it since she differs from his seriousness. Benedict listens to everything she says unlike her older siblings.

THE DUKE AND LADY SCANDAL is the first book in Christy Carylyle’s historical romance series, PRINCES OF LONDON. I am new to this author’s works. The premise of the story is what caught my interest. And it did NOT disappoint. I found myself instantly swept up in the characters and the plot. I finished this book in two sittings, even forgoing sleep and watching my C-dramas.

There is one detail that kept me from giving this book a five-star rating. Small little nitpick really. In the story, the author brought up Benedict’s mysterious, titled father. Then nothing. The angle was never explored. Unless, of course, the author plans to save this angle for upcoming books. Then I am cool with it. I already plan on continuing this story! I wonder which sibling Dom and Eve or Helen.

Thank you Avon/Harper Voyager & NetGalley for this ARC!

I really loved this! Super well-paced & interesting, and I LOOOOVED the MCs; they’re perfect together!😭 I’d read 5 more books that just centered around them.

The mystery aspect felt not completely tied up, so I hope to maybe read more about it later in the series?

This is my first Christy Carlyle book & I think she’s a wonderful writer. I’ll absolutely be reading more from her!

This was a first time read for me from Christy Carlyle. It was intriguing and paced well for a mystery. The characters where delightful and the story was well developed. A great first read for a series. Looking forward to the next! Free ARC from net galley for honest review.

Enjoyable romp with mysterious twists and turns.
Inspector Drake is involved in a serious investigation when Allie comes into his office to report a serious threat overheard at a coffee shop.
Allie is the youngest child and is often overlooked, first by her parents then by her siblings.
Allie was left behind on her siblings new exploration to run the Princes antique shop.
Allie’s shop is burglarized and their investigations become entangled.
Drake wants to kiss her, shake her but mostly wants to protect her as he comes to care for her.
Adventure abounds as Allie gains confidence and Drake learns to heal himself.
Special love story.

A cute, fast historical romance with no big misunderstandings. Overall the story was enjoyable, but the romance was a bit too quick for me.

In The Duke and Lady Scandal by Christy Carlyle, Alexandra (Allie) is out on coffee run when she overhears men talking about stealing the Crown jewels, so he goes to report the plot and alert authorities. After her claims are at first dismissed, Allie and Inspector Detective Benedict Drake work together to try and thwart the planned robbery.

Along the way, Allie finally has adventures like the rest of her family, has a romance with Benedict, and the chance to hopefully stop the jewels from being stolen. (No spoilers)

Ms. Carlyle makes her characters fun to read about and to root for. Benedict is working another case that has ties to this one, Allie wants to be her own person in the big personalities in her family and the instant attraction she writes between the main characters is actually believable.

I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more of the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in lieu of an honest review. All opinions are my own.