Yet another fun, quick, lighthearted historical fiction from Amelia Grey. This is the last in the series, but easily reads as a standalone.
I loved the characters and all their banter. The plot flows quickly and easily and builds the story as it goes.
The background of both Ophelia and Hurst steadily builds, and how in a way their pasts were connected. A must read for fans of this genre.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Title: Love, The Duke  
Author: Amelia Grey         
Genre: Romance   
Rating: 3 out of 5 

When the Duke of Hurstbourne receives a letter from his childhood friend asking him to marry his sister Ophelia, Hurst declines. He’s not adverse to taking a bride, but he believes in love at first sight that stirs his desire―not marriage sight-unseen.

Adhering to society’s strict propriety for ladies, Ophelia Stowe has no choice but to present herself as a man to seek the Duke of Hurstbourne’s favor. If not for the dire situation she finds herself in, she wouldn’t have asked for help from the handsome man who had rebuffed her. When the alluring duke’s response is a plan of his own, Ophelia never dreams it would be a proposal of a marriage of convenience.

But the stakes are high, and the good name of the Stowe family will be damaged if a missing antiquity isn’t found. When she accepts his offer, she quickly finds she isn’t immune to the passion building between her and her new husband―or how real the marriage begins to feel.

This was an okay read, but the two main characters were both needlessly headstrong and stubborn, refusing to see the other’s point of view or bend at all. That didn’t really work for me, in fact, it had me skimming at times just so I could get through the sections I found pointless. This wasn’t bad, I just didn’t really connect with the characters or find the whole scenario believable enough to be invested in.

Amelia Grey lives in Florida. Love, The Duke is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 4/5.)

I love a smart heroine, who isn’t afraid to be courageous and daring. The heroines I love are the smartest people in the room.

Unfortunately, Ophelia, the heroine in Love the Duke is not the type of heroine I love. She is simply reckless, argumentative and intractable. She is not nuanced or cunning, smart or calculated. She is a bull in a China shop - pushing forward before following a thought to its inevitable end. She’s infuriating!

She loves her family, and brother especially, but honestly, she doesn’t have anything else to recommend her for this reader. I almost gave up so many times, but I pushed through, reading until the end. The last few pages do show her slightly more reasonable, but it still didn’t square things with me.

If you decide to give this read a try, know that the heroine is not a round character, her personality is unchanged as the story progresses. If you like her in the sample or first couple of chapters, you’ll enjoy this read. If you don’t, you won’t. I usually LOVE Amelia Grey’s writing. Unfortunately, I did not love this.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first book by this author and it was easy to get into without having read the others. I enjoyed the pairing of a proper yet determined heroine with a protective and sometimes overbearing hero. My favorite scene was when he took a bee sting for her at their wedding to avoid her getting stung! (though I wasn't sure if it was accurate for a wedding to take place outdoors as opposed to in a church? but I guess it's worth it for the vibes)

There were a few inconsistencies (as to be expected with ARCs). There was one scene where a character disappeared halfway through without being mentioned leaving; I even went back and reread because I thought I missed something. The heroine was also mentioned as wearing a chemise over her stays (rather than under) which doesn't make sense.

This story was just ok for me. I honestly didn't care much for one of thevmain characters but that is not a reflection of not liking the author. It just isn't one of my favorite stories by Amelia Grey.

Tropes: enemies to lovers; marriage of convenience; MC's team up to solve a mystery
Steam level: 1
3rd book in the series, fine as a standalone.

2.5 stars rounded up. I made the mistake of choosing to read this based on the sexiness of the cover and the decent-sounding plot, forgetting that I didn't care for the first book in this series and the author's sex scenes are fade to black. I like this book better than the first one due to the mystery element, but the MC's aren't really for me and a lot of the relationship felt fakey and contrived. The Duke is your typical rakish, smarmy, entitled aristo; I probably should have given the book a pass just based on the fact that I'm pretty burned out on that type of character. Ophelia could be likable, but too often she borders on TSTL and judgmental (there's a scene where she slaps the Duke that grated on me). Their banter is meant to create a spark but I just didn't sense it, plus there's an overage of repetition and flowery language at times that slows the pacing.

Overall: not for me; might work for others.

Love, The Duke by Amiela Grey is the final book in her Say I Do series. This one is about Duke of Hurstbourne and Ophelia Stowe.
The duke is the last of his friends waiting for his soul mate. He believes he will recognize her at once. So, when Ophelia shows up at his townhome, he does not think she is his future duchess.
We get to read the story about how the two finally find them forever after.
Good writing, good story, and good ending to the Say I Do series. Thanks for the advance copy.

Inventive story telling
When a path not taken could have ended our story in a mere three chapters, I am delighted that author Amelia Grey was more creative than that in “Love, the Duke,” the final book in her Say I Do series. Instead, Grey gives her readers a delightful romp where long-held beliefs may need to be set aside.
Unlike many noble gentlemen of his time, the Duke of Hurstbourne does believe in love hitting like a lightning bolt. He is convinced that when he meets his future duchess, he will recognize her at once. And only he will recognize here (such arrogance). Thus, when an old friend reaches out for a favor, Hurst eschews that path and continues on his merry way.
When soul mates are fated, however, life will find a way to bring them together. When Ophelia Stowe appears in his home, Hurst does not recognize his future duchess.
Trailing after this pair, learning about their pasts that have led them to their current crossed paths was a delightful journey. I adored Ophelia’s logic and take-charge attitude, especially when it left Hurst a bit bewildered. When Hurst finally shared the deep-rooted reason he resisted playing detective with Ophelia, we were on the road to a satisfying HEA.

You know when you read a series that it will come to an end. This book was such a joy to read. I couldn't put it down , but at the same time didn't want it to end. It was fun and kept you engaged to the end. If you haven't read the series I would definitely recommend it. They were each good alone but so much better as a whole.

This was a cute, thrilling romance. I loved the mystery. Also, I loved the dialogue between the main characters.

The Duke of Hurstbourne is everything you believe a duke should be from the very beginning of Love, The Duke. No one tells him what to do. He is aristocratic and autocratic until he meets his friend’s sister. Then, sparks fly between him and the male dressed Ophelia. His world is turned upside down as Ophelia is determined to protect her deceased brother’s name. Ophelia is a strong willed and brave woman who challenges Hurst at every turn. It’s almost as if she has been sent just to vex him.

You will enjoy Amelia Grey’s final in the Say I Do series. Each of the dukes were taken unaware by love matches with adorable, challenging women and Ophelia is no exception. There is just the right amount of learning to trust as she and Hurst fall in love. Ophelia does not give up on her personal quest and stands her ground on what is right and important.

3.5 Stars
~~~~
No one likes a wallflower, especially in a story, otherwise you wouldn’t have the engagement you need to entice the reader.

So many historical romances include strong, independent women which may or may not be typical of the time. We need that push and pull between the love interest.

Love, The Duke is a perfect example because we have a very headstrong female character it was somewhat difficult for me to really enjoy her character. She never listened to suggestions and would take risks that would be long-lasting should something happen.

To balance her out, we have another stubborn character who seems like he wants to marry her just to control her actions. Although he was much more aware of the fact that he was intrigued by her and truly did try to protect her as he was falling first. A bit overbearing, but at least he learned from his actions and became rather sweet as the story progressed.

The story itself is a clean Romance, but much of the conversation surrounds the missing artifact and not engaging a lot, in getting to know each other or exploring their feelings. I really wanted more in terms of their actual romance.

Overall, Grey delivers a good story with a bit of mystery and intrigue. It was a bit light on the connections for me..

Little did he know how true signing his letter with Love, The duke would become. The struggle to protect and to support is a struggle when the recipient is strong willed and independent. Yet it only takes love, understanding and acceptance to get to their HEA. Excellent read.

I received an ARC of this book and leaving my review voluntarily.

I loved a romance story when the hero falls hard for the heroine, and Hurst, despite his initial rejection, keeps on pursuing and protecting stubborn Ophelia. To clear her brother’s name, Ophelia is determined to find a stolen artefact when his brother was still alive. She asks Hurst for help while disguising herself as a man but he firmly refuses on the first day he meets Ophelia. Yet, Hurst has no idea that the woman who happens to have stirred his heart the moment his laid eye on her is Ophelia.

Despite the prolonged of search for the stolen artefact, I thoroughly enjoyed Ophelia and Hurst’s disagreements and banter. Their chemistry is undeniable, and they are a perfect match. This is massively entertaining love-at-first-sight historical romance.

This is an excellent read! If you are a fan of historical romance, don't hesitate to read Ophelia and Hurst's story. When a childhood friend reaches out for the first time in years, Hurst is not sure what to think and ends up putting the whole situation to the side. Shortly thereafter with limited options and a pressing deadline, Ephesians arrives on the doorstep of his London home looking for help in uncovering a stolen artifact and preserving her family's good name. Hurst has always believed that fate will send the right woman to him someday, is it possible it is Ophelia? With mystery, intrigue, and love, this is an excellent read for fans of historical romance.

This book was fine but not great, I like the two main characters but honestly, a week after I read it, I can honestly tell you nothing about it except that it was pleasant.

IS ANYTHING BETTER THAN A HISTORICAL ROMANCE MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE? I was absolutely devouring this book. ophelia was full of surprises and i was happy to see a man be the one who believes in love at first sight instead of the woman. such a nice change!

This series is so sweet! It is mostly closed door regency romance that still keeps the tension! I didn't love the underlying plot of this story that brings the characters together, but the characters were charming and had great chemistry! It isn't my favorite of this series but I still enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The cover and premise were quite intriguing and immediately drew me in. While the chemistry between Hurst and Ophelia is entertaining, especially when he helps her despite his disapproval, the story pacing could've been tighter. Ophelia's determination to protect her family's reputation, though sometimes questionable in execution, adds charm to this light-hearted historical romance. A fun read despite its slower moments – perfect for readers who enjoy their historical romance with a dash of adventure, even if a man believing love-at-first-sight theme feels a bit modern for the era.
Thank you St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Paperbacks and NetGalley for ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love historical romance but this one wasn't really my cup of tea. I love the cover and the premise, but the story felt drawn out and long, and very little seemed to actually happen throughout. I felt like so many of the same sentiments were constantly reiterated, and I wish we had gotten a chance to see more of a slow burn and their relationship beyond the same main issues. I appreciate the opportunity to read ahead though, and look forward to more from this author!