Ophelia is on a mission to save her brother’s reputation and she asks Hurst the Duke to help her.
Hurst already refused to marry her at her dying brother’s request and he is refusing to help her with her madcap schemes.
However Hurst is entranced with her and feels protective so they have multiple encounters.
Lots of banter with character development.
Enjoyable read as they come to terms with each other and the mission.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

When the Duke of Hurstbourne receives a letter from a childhood friend asking him to marry his sister, Ophelia, he declines and goes about his business. Imagine his shock when the young woman in question appears at his home dressed as man. She’s come to request his help in finding a chalice that has been stolen from the vicarage in order to ensure her brother’s name is not tarnished. The Duke isn’t too keen on her plans and proposes a different one instead: a marriage of convenience. When she accepts his offer she doesn’t expect the passion and love that begins to grow. Will they find the chalice before the new vicar takes his place?

I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would. This was a case of a lot of telling and no showing. There was a lot of talk of having to find the chalice and argument over the method in which to go about it, but there weren’t many scenes in which the two were actually in search of it. In fact, Hurst fought Ophelia at every turn. Rather than work with her, he worked against her. Even when they agree to marry, it’s all on his terms. I didn’t like his antiquated ideals of a wife having to obey her husband. I understand that it was truthful to the time period, but I felt that it would’ve been much more effective to have included some modern ideals. It would’ve have been more fun as a reader to see them working together rather than at odds. His controlling behavior made it really hard to root for him and the relationship.

I liked Ophelia as a character. She was bold and strong willed. She has to be in order to save her brother’s reputation and care for her mother. I think her motivation was clear and easy to jump on board with. I wished her and Hurst would’ve worked together to come up with a solid plan rather than be at odds. That would’ve been much more engaging. Hurst’s controlling behavior and Ophelia’s unwillingness to listening to another point of view was really grating.

The marriage of convenience bothered me because it was clear that Hurst was proposing it as a way to control Ophelia. There was a power imbalance that I felt uncomfortable with. I don’t mind the marriage of convenience trope, but usually find that both parties come into the agreement with equal footing.

It wasn’t a bad a book, but it’s probably something I wouldn’t reread.

This was an entertaining book with two very stubborn individuals learning to compromise. Ophelia is dead set on finding a missing chalice to maintain her dead brothers innocence and legacy. Drake a childhood friend is dead set against her methods or even the fact that she needs to find the chalice. There's a lot of back and forth, arguments, stand offs, a even a slap. But beneath is all is a simmering passion and devotion that Drake and Ophelia feel towards each other. An arranged marriage gives way to solving the mystery and realizing a hea.

#netgalley #LovetheDuke

Such a fun historical romance! There’s a marriage of convenience, mystery and great steamy moments.

I enjoyed the characters and plot. I thought the characters’ arcs were well done and believable. The romance was well paced and developed nicely. I loved how romantic this was! Plus the steamy scenes were great too.

I had a lot of fun with the mystery (who doesn’t like a good mystery?). The plot was well executed.

I read this as a standalone and was fine.

Would recommend.

This book is exactly what I needed, a historical romance brimming with charm, passion, and a heroine who refuses to be boxed in. Their chemistry simmers beautifully, building into a romance that feels both authentic and electrifying. The blend of slow burn tension, witty banter, and heart-stopping emotional moments had me glued to the story. What I loved most was how the author balances the stakes of their marriage of convenience with tender, intimate moments that make the romance feel earned. As a finale to the trilogy, it is a standout.

If you love a historical romance with more yearning & pining than spicy content, this might be the book for you. The main characters spend a lot of time talking about how attractive they find each other and how many feelings they each stir in each other and a lot less time engaging in romantic moments. There's a lot of arguing between the main characters in this book, specifically around the FMC's plan to find a missing artifact that was stolen shortly before her brother died. That and the discussions around a wife's obedience to her husband took away from the enjoyment of the overall romance for me. Not poorly written, but not my favorite, either.