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Not Quite A Duchess
Tess Murray, once a maid in a fashionable London townhouse, traded her apron for breeches to become a spy--a decision that cost her the man she loved. Determined to command her own team, Tess is hunting a traitor smuggling muskets to France.
Sebastian Moore, Duke of Northfield, spent 10 years fighting to save his family's reputation. When he finds Tess in his warehouse, he realizes everything he has worked for is at stake.
He might be a suspect and she might be a spy, but passion has no rules.
Sebastian Moore, Duke of Northfield, spent 10 years fighting to save his family's reputation. When he finds Tess in his warehouse, he realizes everything he has worked for is at stake.
He might be a suspect and she might be a spy, but passion has no rules.
Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2023
2 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Alexander
8 books252 followersHistorical romantic suspense writer with an addiction to good food, good books, sleep and yoga.
Not necessarily in that order.
Not necessarily in that order.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 10, 2023
I feel so lucky to be able to say that this is the first ARC I have ever received, and it was truly so much more phenomenal than I could have ever expected!
The romance (and spice!) was so so good. The TENSION! The way they fell for each other, the 'rivals' to lovers trope, it was all so fantastically done. I loved all the back and forth, the way they opened up to each other, and began to protect each other.
As for the characters, our Tess from the get go is a brilliantly strong female lead, and of course our male lead North begins as a mysterious and brave gentleman. He's strong, and fierce, yet tender, and he and Tess match each other perfectly. The character descriptions - both face and personality wise - felt so real, I pictured them so vividly, down the minute expressions on their faces, or the way the lighting hit them.
Then there's the plot, which I found so exciting and engaging at every step. It was such a fast read for me as I was enjoying it so much, I had to slow myself down in order to savour it!
This is an absolute must read for anybody that loves historical romance novels! The pacing and flow is perfection, the characters are amazingly developed, and the setting is so atmospheric, homely, and fun! You will be immersed into the story from page one!
I truly just loved everything that came out of North's mouth, but one of my favourite quotes is actually something the author wrote in the end note, it reads : 'But love is love, right? However you choose to celebrate it.' It resonated deeply with me, and was really heartwarming to read after finishing the book. ❤️
🗡🥿
* Thank you so much Alyssa for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review *
It was an absolute pleasure to be able to read this and I ran to write down all my thoughts as soon as I was done!
The romance (and spice!) was so so good. The TENSION! The way they fell for each other, the 'rivals' to lovers trope, it was all so fantastically done. I loved all the back and forth, the way they opened up to each other, and began to protect each other.
As for the characters, our Tess from the get go is a brilliantly strong female lead, and of course our male lead North begins as a mysterious and brave gentleman. He's strong, and fierce, yet tender, and he and Tess match each other perfectly. The character descriptions - both face and personality wise - felt so real, I pictured them so vividly, down the minute expressions on their faces, or the way the lighting hit them.
Then there's the plot, which I found so exciting and engaging at every step. It was such a fast read for me as I was enjoying it so much, I had to slow myself down in order to savour it!
This is an absolute must read for anybody that loves historical romance novels! The pacing and flow is perfection, the characters are amazingly developed, and the setting is so atmospheric, homely, and fun! You will be immersed into the story from page one!
I truly just loved everything that came out of North's mouth, but one of my favourite quotes is actually something the author wrote in the end note, it reads : 'But love is love, right? However you choose to celebrate it.' It resonated deeply with me, and was really heartwarming to read after finishing the book. ❤️
🗡🥿
* Thank you so much Alyssa for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review *
It was an absolute pleasure to be able to read this and I ran to write down all my thoughts as soon as I was done!
June 17, 2023
Loved Tess! What an entertaining read.
May 20, 2023
A thoroughly enjoyable tale of equally matched hero, Sebastian Moore "North", and heroine, Tess Murray!
What I loved most is how tall Tess was, she was of the same height as North. It made for a fun "woman in disguise." Plus she was a well trained fighter - use of her fists, as well as, with weapons. And she is a very compassionate spy, aiding the citizens of France escape the guillotine.
Both main characters had well crafted backstories, which formed their decisions in the present. It seemed that both wouldn't be able to obtain their goal, but with a little bending on both sides they were able to reach an HEA!
What I loved most is how tall Tess was, she was of the same height as North. It made for a fun "woman in disguise." Plus she was a well trained fighter - use of her fists, as well as, with weapons. And she is a very compassionate spy, aiding the citizens of France escape the guillotine.
Both main characters had well crafted backstories, which formed their decisions in the present. It seemed that both wouldn't be able to obtain their goal, but with a little bending on both sides they were able to reach an HEA!
June 8, 2023
Tess Murphy was born to be a spy. She has exactly the right mindset and quickness for the job. She has been trying to stop the carnage in France, but weapons are still getting through. She tracks the smuggling to Northfield Shipping. She and the Duke of Northfield have the opposite of a meet cute in the warehouse, but she disappears. The duke had no idea his business was being used for smuggling and makes a point of getting to the bottom of the situation and finding Tess. The rest of the book is how they puzzle out the culprits and fall in love. I found it pretty compelling.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews