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amberreadsalot's review
3.0
Sarah Mallory's The Night She Met the Duke is a decent enough romance overrun by exclamation points. Multiple exclamation points per page, even per paragraph. So many, they distracted me from the story, interfering with my reading cadence.
Once one gets past the exclamation points (provided one can! See what I did there?), the story is, as I said, decent enough. Pru is acting as companion to a much loved aunt in Bath when Garrick, Duke of Hartland, stumbles drunkenly into her aunt's kitchen late one night. He shares secrets and she provides advice, and both feel they have made a connection, even as Garrick goes off to propose to the woman his family, and hers, have long expected him to wed.
Months later, Pru's aunt has been invited to the London season and Pru has accompanied her, and Pru and Garrick meet again. Garrick has a terrible reputation having almost killed a man in a duel and then crying off the engagement he left Pru to make (or so the gossips say). Pru, however, believes in him and acts as his defender even when he doesn't want her to do so. The duo fall for each other, leading to him proposing out of love without telling her he is in love, which in turn leads her to say no as she believes he asks only out of duty. The typical regency dance. Throw in a mean spirited ex-lover and her wicked husband, and the book proceeds from there.
3 stars. It might have been higher but for the exclamation points. Thank you to Harlequin and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.
Once one gets past the exclamation points (provided one can! See what I did there?), the story is, as I said, decent enough. Pru is acting as companion to a much loved aunt in Bath when Garrick, Duke of Hartland, stumbles drunkenly into her aunt's kitchen late one night. He shares secrets and she provides advice, and both feel they have made a connection, even as Garrick goes off to propose to the woman his family, and hers, have long expected him to wed.
Months later, Pru's aunt has been invited to the London season and Pru has accompanied her, and Pru and Garrick meet again. Garrick has a terrible reputation having almost killed a man in a duel and then crying off the engagement he left Pru to make (or so the gossips say). Pru, however, believes in him and acts as his defender even when he doesn't want her to do so. The duo fall for each other, leading to him proposing out of love without telling her he is in love, which in turn leads her to say no as she believes he asks only out of duty. The typical regency dance. Throw in a mean spirited ex-lover and her wicked husband, and the book proceeds from there.
3 stars. It might have been higher but for the exclamation points. Thank you to Harlequin and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.
andrea_author's review against another edition
4.0
Someone is trying to frame Henry for murder. Suzanne offers to help him prove his innocence in return for his help in getting her book published. She suggests they fake an engagement as a cover—but will a pretend relationship lead to love?
This action-packed book has a lot going on for a short novel. Yet the mystery never overshadows the love story. The characters are a delight (especially Suzanne). I've really enjoyed this series—I look forward to more from this author!
Thanks, Booksprout, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This action-packed book has a lot going on for a short novel. Yet the mystery never overshadows the love story. The characters are a delight (especially Suzanne). I've really enjoyed this series—I look forward to more from this author!
Thanks, Booksprout, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
andrea_author's review
5.0
After a disastrous London season, Prudence goes to stay with her aunt in Bath. An unlikely meeting with a duke convinces her to rehabilitate his roguish reputation. Will he ruin her instead?
This is a witty and entertaining book. I loved the meet cute, and the way Garrick played on Pru's name to warn her about the risks she's taking. Their playful relationship, in contrast to Pru's otherwise ordinary life, made this a fun and heartwarming read.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This is a witty and entertaining book. I loved the meet cute, and the way Garrick played on Pru's name to warn her about the risks she's taking. Their playful relationship, in contrast to Pru's otherwise ordinary life, made this a fun and heartwarming read.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
scoutmomskf's review against another edition
5.0
Terrific conclusion to the series. I've loved these books about three Southern American women who escaped the Civil War privations by going to England. Suzanne's friends found love and are now happily married. Suzanne has no such aspirations. All she wants is to find a publisher for the book she wrote about her experiences during the war and earn enough money to support herself. While living in the London townhome of her friend, Suzanne learns that her next-door neighbor, Henry, Earl of Beaufort, owns a publishing house. Her attempt to get the editor to read her manuscript goes nowhere, so she plans to ask Henry to intervene.
Henry is one of London's most eligible bachelors, but that may not last long. Someone is trying to frame him for murder, and his reputation is on the line. He has taken to sneaking out of various Society functions to investigate on his own before returning to pretend he's been there all along. However, he isn't making any progress, and his absences are being noticed.
I enjoyed the first meeting between Suzanne and Henry. She has little regard for her reputation and follows Henry into a garden to present him with her request for help. Instead, they are caught by one of the ton's worst gossips. I liked Henry's need to protect Suzanne and her desire to help him. After some thought and a few unexpected twists, they agree to fake an engagement to cover their partnership - she'll help with his investigation, and he will ensure that the editor reads her story.
Neither one expects the feelings that stir between them. Henry resists the idea of love and marriage, influenced by his father's infidelity. But he can't deny his fascination with Suzanne, her bravery, outlook on life, and how she charms him with everything she says. Suzanne feels Henry is too far above her for that dream to come true. She is an American with no dowry and a questionable pedigree. She also has trust issues with men because of the aunt who raised her. But the more time they spend together, the closer they become and the deeper their feelings grow. Some terrific scenes between Henry and Suzanne show how right they are for each other. But in the end, can Henry convince Suzanne that she belongs in his life, and can Suzanne overcome the insecurities holding her back?
I also enjoyed the mystery of the murders and who has it in for Henry. The first death was that of his illegitimate half-sister, whom he was hoping to help. Before he could do so, she was murdered, and an incriminating piece of evidence was found near her body. Two more young women are also killed, and Scotland Yard begins to close in on him. An unexpected twist sent his investigation in a different direction. While I wasn't surprised by who was behind it, some details surprised me. The final confrontation was intense, and I loved Suzanne's part.
I liked the secondary characters. Suzanne's friends (the heroines of the first two books) were steadfast in their support of her and determined to find a way to keep her in England. I also liked their husbands and their friendship with Henry. Seeing them talk about their American wives and how they never expected to be so thoroughly besotted was amusing. I loved Henry's sisters and how they took to Suzanne right away. It took me a little longer to like his mother, but in the end, she was terrific.
Henry is one of London's most eligible bachelors, but that may not last long. Someone is trying to frame him for murder, and his reputation is on the line. He has taken to sneaking out of various Society functions to investigate on his own before returning to pretend he's been there all along. However, he isn't making any progress, and his absences are being noticed.
I enjoyed the first meeting between Suzanne and Henry. She has little regard for her reputation and follows Henry into a garden to present him with her request for help. Instead, they are caught by one of the ton's worst gossips. I liked Henry's need to protect Suzanne and her desire to help him. After some thought and a few unexpected twists, they agree to fake an engagement to cover their partnership - she'll help with his investigation, and he will ensure that the editor reads her story.
Neither one expects the feelings that stir between them. Henry resists the idea of love and marriage, influenced by his father's infidelity. But he can't deny his fascination with Suzanne, her bravery, outlook on life, and how she charms him with everything she says. Suzanne feels Henry is too far above her for that dream to come true. She is an American with no dowry and a questionable pedigree. She also has trust issues with men because of the aunt who raised her. But the more time they spend together, the closer they become and the deeper their feelings grow. Some terrific scenes between Henry and Suzanne show how right they are for each other. But in the end, can Henry convince Suzanne that she belongs in his life, and can Suzanne overcome the insecurities holding her back?
I also enjoyed the mystery of the murders and who has it in for Henry. The first death was that of his illegitimate half-sister, whom he was hoping to help. Before he could do so, she was murdered, and an incriminating piece of evidence was found near her body. Two more young women are also killed, and Scotland Yard begins to close in on him. An unexpected twist sent his investigation in a different direction. While I wasn't surprised by who was behind it, some details surprised me. The final confrontation was intense, and I loved Suzanne's part.
I liked the secondary characters. Suzanne's friends (the heroines of the first two books) were steadfast in their support of her and determined to find a way to keep her in England. I also liked their husbands and their friendship with Henry. Seeing them talk about their American wives and how they never expected to be so thoroughly besotted was amusing. I loved Henry's sisters and how they took to Suzanne right away. It took me a little longer to like his mother, but in the end, she was terrific.
scoutmomskf's review
5.0
Terrific book with a very unusual beginning. The book opens as Pru reminisces about how she became her aunt's companion. Tall and shy, her Season in London did not go well. After hearing herself described as "dull as her name," Pru offered to become Aunt Minerva's companion, allowing her younger, prettier, and livelier sisters to make suitable matches. In the four years since then, Pru has been happy with her aunt and working in various charitable organizations. On this night, she is up late reading when she hears a sound from the kitchen and discovers a handsome and inebriated man at her kitchen table.
Garrick, Duke of Harland, has spent the day drinking, working up the courage to fulfill his obligation to propose to a lady promised to him since they were children. Garrick has spent the last ten years out of the country after a scandalous duel sent him fleeing to the continent. His mother told him to stay away, even after his father's death, but recently called him home. Garrick is so drunk that he mistakes Pru's house for one a few doors down, run by a woman of questionable virtue.
I liked the first encounter between Pru and Garrick. Pru is understandably shocked and wary at first, but her caring nature emerges once she realizes he is no threat. I loved watching her fix him food, encourage him to eat, and listen to his troubles. Having someone listen to him makes a huge difference, and he finally leaves her kitchen in a better frame of mind. But this is not the end of their acquaintance.
They meet again a few months later in London. Pru and her aunt are staying with a friend, and Pru is again facing societal events that she dislikes. Garrick went to London after his erstwhile fiancée rejected him, but the rumor mill claims that he jilted her, labeling him a rogue. Other unsavory rumors are circulating about him, and Pru is told to keep away from him. But those rumors contradict what she knows of him, and her sense of fairness is outraged. When she overhears the person spreading the rumors, she insists on telling Garrick about it. The perpetrator is no surprise to him, but he plans to leave London until it all dies down. Unfortunately for his plans, Pru is determined to fight those rumors, and Garrick feels he must remain in London to protect her from herself.
I enjoyed seeing Pru's investigative attempts as she tried to find a way to clear Garrick's name. She unearths some helpful information, but Garrick is determined to keep her out of scandal's way. With the time they spend together, it's no surprise that the connection they felt at their first meeting grows stronger. Though Pru has fallen hard for Garrick, she is convinced she is too far below him for anything to come of it. Meanwhile, Garrick realizes he wants Pru in his life, but his attempts to make her see that are awkward at best.
When Garrick's attempt to follow up on some of Pru's information results in him being badly beaten, Pru is the one who steps in to nurse him. She has no care for her reputation, only that Garrick recovers. I ached for her fears for him and her belief that he only wanted her out of gratitude. It takes some interference from an unexpected source for Pru to believe him when he tells her of his feelings.
The story behind the rumors about Garrick is one of jealousy and revenge, with his misspent youth coming back to haunt him. I loved Pru's instinctive distrust of that couple when she met them and her determination to foil their plans. There were also further rumors about his actions on the continent, fed from the same source. I was unsurprised by the truth, as it was a far better fit for Garrick's personality. Pru's actions put her in danger, and that confrontation kept me glued to the pages until it was resolved.
My favorite secondary characters were Garrick's friend, Jack, and his valet, Stow. Jack knows Garrick well and becomes a critical ally in clearing Garrick's name. I especially enjoyed seeing Jack and Pru stand together against Garrick's stubbornness, and I would love to see Jack get his own story. I loved how Stow immediately took to Pru and conspired with her to help Garrick. They made a terrific team when Garrick was injured.
The only thing that might have improved the book was an epilogue to show how they are doing later.
#netgalley
Garrick, Duke of Harland, has spent the day drinking, working up the courage to fulfill his obligation to propose to a lady promised to him since they were children. Garrick has spent the last ten years out of the country after a scandalous duel sent him fleeing to the continent. His mother told him to stay away, even after his father's death, but recently called him home. Garrick is so drunk that he mistakes Pru's house for one a few doors down, run by a woman of questionable virtue.
I liked the first encounter between Pru and Garrick. Pru is understandably shocked and wary at first, but her caring nature emerges once she realizes he is no threat. I loved watching her fix him food, encourage him to eat, and listen to his troubles. Having someone listen to him makes a huge difference, and he finally leaves her kitchen in a better frame of mind. But this is not the end of their acquaintance.
They meet again a few months later in London. Pru and her aunt are staying with a friend, and Pru is again facing societal events that she dislikes. Garrick went to London after his erstwhile fiancée rejected him, but the rumor mill claims that he jilted her, labeling him a rogue. Other unsavory rumors are circulating about him, and Pru is told to keep away from him. But those rumors contradict what she knows of him, and her sense of fairness is outraged. When she overhears the person spreading the rumors, she insists on telling Garrick about it. The perpetrator is no surprise to him, but he plans to leave London until it all dies down. Unfortunately for his plans, Pru is determined to fight those rumors, and Garrick feels he must remain in London to protect her from herself.
I enjoyed seeing Pru's investigative attempts as she tried to find a way to clear Garrick's name. She unearths some helpful information, but Garrick is determined to keep her out of scandal's way. With the time they spend together, it's no surprise that the connection they felt at their first meeting grows stronger. Though Pru has fallen hard for Garrick, she is convinced she is too far below him for anything to come of it. Meanwhile, Garrick realizes he wants Pru in his life, but his attempts to make her see that are awkward at best.
When Garrick's attempt to follow up on some of Pru's information results in him being badly beaten, Pru is the one who steps in to nurse him. She has no care for her reputation, only that Garrick recovers. I ached for her fears for him and her belief that he only wanted her out of gratitude. It takes some interference from an unexpected source for Pru to believe him when he tells her of his feelings.
The story behind the rumors about Garrick is one of jealousy and revenge, with his misspent youth coming back to haunt him. I loved Pru's instinctive distrust of that couple when she met them and her determination to foil their plans. There were also further rumors about his actions on the continent, fed from the same source. I was unsurprised by the truth, as it was a far better fit for Garrick's personality. Pru's actions put her in danger, and that confrontation kept me glued to the pages until it was resolved.
My favorite secondary characters were Garrick's friend, Jack, and his valet, Stow. Jack knows Garrick well and becomes a critical ally in clearing Garrick's name. I especially enjoyed seeing Jack and Pru stand together against Garrick's stubbornness, and I would love to see Jack get his own story. I loved how Stow immediately took to Pru and conspired with her to help Garrick. They made a terrific team when Garrick was injured.
The only thing that might have improved the book was an epilogue to show how they are doing later.
#netgalley
illreadmyownway's review
5.0
If you're looking for a sweet historical romance with a touch of spice, The Night she Met the Duke by Sarah Mallory is a great choice.
This book tells the story of Prudence Clifford, a young lady who decides to leave London after a disastrous Season and ends up finding unexpected romance in Bath.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Pru. She's a strong and independent woman who is not afraid to stand up for herself and pursue what she wants in life. The Duke, on the other hand, is full of integrity, charming and romantic, making for a perfect match with Pru.
The emotional connection between the two characters is beautifully written, and their unexpected reunion three months later adds an extra layer of excitement to the story. The book is well-paced and kept me engaged throughout.
This was my first Mills and Boon paperback, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The size and feel of the book are lovely, making it a great addition to any bookshelf. I enjoyed this book so much that I have subscribed monthly to the historical romance books.
The Night she Met the Duke is a comforting and enjoyable read, perfect for anyone looking for a sweet historical romance. I highly recommend it!
This book tells the story of Prudence Clifford, a young lady who decides to leave London after a disastrous Season and ends up finding unexpected romance in Bath.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Pru. She's a strong and independent woman who is not afraid to stand up for herself and pursue what she wants in life. The Duke, on the other hand, is full of integrity, charming and romantic, making for a perfect match with Pru.
The emotional connection between the two characters is beautifully written, and their unexpected reunion three months later adds an extra layer of excitement to the story. The book is well-paced and kept me engaged throughout.
This was my first Mills and Boon paperback, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The size and feel of the book are lovely, making it a great addition to any bookshelf. I enjoyed this book so much that I have subscribed monthly to the historical romance books.
The Night she Met the Duke is a comforting and enjoyable read, perfect for anyone looking for a sweet historical romance. I highly recommend it!
grinningcat's review against another edition
4.0
This charming story will please lovers of historical romance. The heroine is intelligent, charming, and independent. She’s also an American. The Hero is kind and very forward thinking. He’s also totally hot. He’s also an Earl. Their relationship builds while they are pretending to be a couple in order to give him time to solve a series of murders and to give her an opportunity to get her book published. Very sweet and entertaining.
Here’s the breakdown:
H/h- Henry and Suzanne
POV- 3rd person
Genre- Harlequin Historical Romance
Era- 1860s
Heat level- mostly euphemistic
Standalone? last book of miniseries
Cliffhanger? N
HEA? Y
Triggers- violence is mild and not graphic, no offensive language, love scene mostly euphemistic
Trope- Fake Relationship
Verdict- recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Here’s the breakdown:
H/h- Henry and Suzanne
POV- 3rd person
Genre- Harlequin Historical Romance
Era- 1860s
Heat level- mostly euphemistic
Standalone? last book of miniseries
Cliffhanger? N
HEA? Y
Triggers- violence is mild and not graphic, no offensive language, love scene mostly euphemistic
Trope- Fake Relationship
Verdict- recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.