To the Duke, With Love

3 Stars! This was a good book, not great, but still, good. A lot of what happened seemed to be very unlikely to ever actually happen & the main characters seemed to fall in love super fast. I did enjoy reading this book though. I liked how it was a mix of romance & the other, darker side of life. Usually in romance books, it’s always about the super wealthy & privileged & I liked how this had a bit of the opposite side of life in it, even if it wasn’t how the main characters lived. This is the 2nd book in the trilogy but can be read as a standalone. *I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book. Hawk and Loretta, the hero and heroine of this story, had engaging arguments throughout the book. Hawk wanted to arrange a marriage for his sister and the man he’d chosen was Loretta’s brother. Loretta didn’t want her brother to agree to an arranged marriage with someone he didn’t love. As Loretta seeks reassurance her brother is certain of whatever decision he makes, she finds herself with the duke and having to deal with her own growing attraction to him. I haven’t read the first book and didn’t feel like I was missing any key information while reading this one. The Duke of Rathburne is an interesting secondary character and I’m looking forward to reading his book.

This is the second installment in The Rakes of St. James series by Amelia Grey. The second rake in the series is the Duke of Hawksthorn, “Hawk”. His sister Adele is getting to ready to make her debut this Season. But with the scandal sheet fueling the gossip mongers, all over London, about the scandal from his past, he is desperate to have his sister’s betrothal settled before the season starts. So, Hawk sets out to visit Mammoth House and Paxton Quick to arrange a betrothal between him and his sister Adele. But after a long and terrible journey, Hawk finds that Paxton is not at home . But as luck would have it, Hawk must deal with the unexpected, intriguing, as well as beautiful, and shapely, Loretta Quick. His immediate attraction to her beauty, and her infuriating, wit and intelligence, makes it hard for him to concentrate on the important issue before him. Loretta Quick is Paxton’s sister, who has been confined to Mammoth House as punishment for refusing to go through with an arranged marriage. And with everything that Loretta has been through, she definitely wants her brother to marry for love . What unfolds is a delightful combination of romance and stolen moments as Hawk tries to change Lorettas’ mind regarding her situation, as well as the feelings they have for each other. I was immediately hooked. Their immediate attraction and sizzling awareness, between these two characters jumps off the page. I loved and admired Loretta. She is such a strong, relatable character. She's honest and forthright, not afraid to say what's on her mind, but still respectful. You can't help but cheer her on because she's been dealt a pretty crappy hand in life but never complains about it. Reformed rake, Hawk, is a swoon worthy hero and easy to fall in love with. His tenacity and determination to get exactly what he wants is sexy and it's easy to understand why Loretta is immediately attracted to him. What I loved most about his character is his sense of honor and his intense loyalty to his sister as well to his strong feelings for Loretta. Loretta and Hawk find that whether they are together or apart, all they can think of is the other, and the more they spend time together and get to know each other, the more they want each other. I also really enjoyed getting a different side to this era. Instead of reading about Balls and gowns we were given a glimpse of some real life issues dealing with poverty and child labor. Amelia Grey really developed complex characters that added dimension to the story. Even the secondary characters were well developed. Their little story within the book will definitely tug at your heartstrings. We also get to briefly catch up with the other rakes of St. James and I'm really looking forward to Raths’ story next. I also loved that there was even romance outside the story of our main characters and I love that Overall, this was a really heartwarming, sweet read and I can't wait to see what Amelia Grey gives us next. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Duke of Hawthorne, one of the infamous Rakes of St James, was losing sleep over his sister. Adele was about to have her first season, and Hawke was anxious. There were rumors, that because Hawke had been guilty of tainting a few reputations in the past, that some ill-intentioned gentlemen were planning on paying him back. The last thing Hawke wanted, was for his sweet sister to pay for his mistakes. The Duke decided that finding a husband for his sister and securing an engagement before the season started, was the best way to protect her. Hawke declared to his sister that Paxton Quick would make the perfect husband for her. He was good-looking, even-tempered, and didn’t drink or gamble to excess. Hawke never imagined, however, that his greatest adversary would be Paxton’s sister, Loretta. Hawke was not accustomed to people challenging his requests. As a Duke, Hawke was used to people bending to his will, not the other way around. Loretta was dead-set, against arranged marriages, and was irritated with the Duke for even suggesting one. Loretta didn’t want, her brother missing out on a love-match, just because the Duke was waving his sister’s hefty dowry in front of him. Loretta fought her attraction to Hawke. She had vowed never to marry years ago. She couldn’t allow the handsome Duke’s confident charm, to wiggle itself, into her heart. But, the more time she spent with him; the harder it became. To The Duke With Love is an enjoyable Regency romance. It’s the second book in The Rakes of St. James series. This book wasn’t as riveting as the first book in the series, but it was captivating, just the same. I plan on reading the third novel in this series as soon as it is available. Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.