What do you think?
Rate this book
Renegade Dukes #1
Cinderella and the Duke
Miss Julia Beaumont has exactly one night to find herself a husband…
The Weatherford Ball is the last chance Julia Beaumont has to escape the clutches of her horrid stepmother. Any potential husband will do—rich, poor, even a reasonably well-groomed walrus. But all of Julia’s matrimonial chances are completely obliterated…thanks to the actions of an infuriating and utterly rakish duke.
Gregory Carter, Duke of Ashworth, would never risk his cherished bachelorhood by flirting with marriage-starved debutantes. But one look at the luscious and refreshingly clever Julia, and he simply can’t resist a stolen kiss—scandal be damned. Then just as things start getting deliciously interesting, the lady flees…leaving only a slipper behind.
And it must have been one dandy of a kiss. Because now Julia has proposed to him. After all, the lady needs a husband, and this roguish duke will certainly do. It’s simply a matter of making him the perfect scandalous offer…
The Weatherford Ball is the last chance Julia Beaumont has to escape the clutches of her horrid stepmother. Any potential husband will do—rich, poor, even a reasonably well-groomed walrus. But all of Julia’s matrimonial chances are completely obliterated…thanks to the actions of an infuriating and utterly rakish duke.
Gregory Carter, Duke of Ashworth, would never risk his cherished bachelorhood by flirting with marriage-starved debutantes. But one look at the luscious and refreshingly clever Julia, and he simply can’t resist a stolen kiss—scandal be damned. Then just as things start getting deliciously interesting, the lady flees…leaving only a slipper behind.
And it must have been one dandy of a kiss. Because now Julia has proposed to him. After all, the lady needs a husband, and this roguish duke will certainly do. It’s simply a matter of making him the perfect scandalous offer…
Audible Audio
First published December 27, 2022
204 people are currently reading
4945 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
January 20, 2023
Read: 1/20/23
3 stars
An okay story! The characters meet at a ball and fall instantly in lust. Since the H ruined the spinster h's chance at marriage, he decides to marry her himself. Doesn't make that much sense! Of course, the H can't allow the h to get too close (emotionally baggage).
It's the sex scenes that makes the story really stand out. The author is creative and uses foul language in the right spots. Best part of the book!
This book was just your typical, okay plot. Nothing special!
Sidenote: I am willing to read the next book for the characters and the lovemaking scenes.
3 stars
An okay story! The characters meet at a ball and fall instantly in lust. Since the H ruined the spinster h's chance at marriage, he decides to marry her himself. Doesn't make that much sense! Of course, the H can't allow the h to get too close (emotionally baggage).
It's the sex scenes that makes the story really stand out. The author is creative and uses foul language in the right spots. Best part of the book!
This book was just your typical, okay plot. Nothing special!
Sidenote: I am willing to read the next book for the characters and the lovemaking scenes.
October 18, 2022
This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy historical romance novel. It has likable, engaging characters, wit, humor, family and relationship drama, sizzling chemistry, a heart warming romance, the perfect Cinderella moment, and a happily ever after ending.
Entangled Publishing, LLC, Lydia Drake, and NetGalley kindly provided me with an ARC of this wonderful novel and this is my honest opinion.
Entangled Publishing, LLC, Lydia Drake, and NetGalley kindly provided me with an ARC of this wonderful novel and this is my honest opinion.
May 31, 2023
The beginning of this was so good, especially when they agreed to a marriage of convenience, but then it quickly became boring and I couldn't even tell you everything that happened for the next 70% of the book. There was a lot of sitting around and talking and I just didn't wasn't into the story. It was an okay romance, but the rest of the plot was missing for me.
January 14, 2023
Authors get so brave with Chekhov’s sex acts I TELL YOU. Don’t have this man talk about tying her up like he tied up a widow, have the widow tell the wife that it was REAL GOOD, and then just…not tie her up? I mean this guy was supposed to be so sexually skilled but it was all very surface level.
I also hate when consummation is a part of a bargain or something and then it takes AGES for it to happen. This is part of the reason marriages of convenience get on my nerves. Like y’all are already married just go forth and be happy already.
The third act was frustrating and shallow yet again. I just wasn’t a fan of the hero making all of the decisions and “leaving because I love you and that’s the best decision for you.” He had that mindset so long at the end it was quite tedious. I skipped over the villainous monologue because it was random and comical in it’s unnecessariness. The two already had so much miscommunication as it was like please let me have some peace.
I just honestly wanted the book to be over. The narrator was a bit to wispy for me and not my favorite. I think the premise would have to be very good for me to want to pick this author up again.
Based on reviews, I had thought the normal pitfalls of the Cinderella trope wouldn’t play a huge role in this one, but I still found the heroine to be a bit too meek when it came to the stepmother. I thought she’d read her to filth but I never walked away from one of their arguments thinking she was a bad ass.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5*/5
*the only thing I remember about the sex is that he didn’t tie her up
I also hate when consummation is a part of a bargain or something and then it takes AGES for it to happen. This is part of the reason marriages of convenience get on my nerves. Like y’all are already married just go forth and be happy already.
The third act was frustrating and shallow yet again. I just wasn’t a fan of the hero making all of the decisions and “leaving because I love you and that’s the best decision for you.” He had that mindset so long at the end it was quite tedious. I skipped over the villainous monologue because it was random and comical in it’s unnecessariness. The two already had so much miscommunication as it was like please let me have some peace.
I just honestly wanted the book to be over. The narrator was a bit to wispy for me and not my favorite. I think the premise would have to be very good for me to want to pick this author up again.
Based on reviews, I had thought the normal pitfalls of the Cinderella trope wouldn’t play a huge role in this one, but I still found the heroine to be a bit too meek when it came to the stepmother. I thought she’d read her to filth but I never walked away from one of their arguments thinking she was a bad ass.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5*/5
*the only thing I remember about the sex is that he didn’t tie her up
December 8, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is definitely one of the better ones of the Cinderella re-tellings that littered the market. I believe this is Ms Drake's debut novel, and she clearly has the talent. This book doesn't feel like a debut novel. It is well-written and engaging. I loved the witty banters between our main protagonists, Julia and Gregory. The book also has more than a few funny moments. The writing reminds me of Tessa Dare's so, this book is excellent for those who enjoyed Ms Dare's books (not another reference to Bridgerton, please! That series isn't the only series in the land of historical romance. I appreciate that it pushes the historical romance genre into prominence but still...).
Julia wants to escape her selfish stepmother's clutches from being her drudge for the rest of her life. A lucky meeting with Price Charming aka Gregory Carter, The Duke of Ashworth, at a ball in which they share a kiss tilts her fate in a different direction. A slipper was left behind, prompting Gregory to call on Julia to return it. And a marriage bargain was sealed as each has something to gain. Can the marriage of convenience turn into a marriage of love?
3% in, and I was absolutely in love with Julia. She is my kind of heroine. She took charge of her fate. She didn't wait around for things to happen to her. She made things happen. Gregory is an out-and-out rake. The husbands around town kept accusing him of having an affair with their wives, resulting in lots of duels (in some cases, it's not true). It was the wives who kept throwing themselves at him. He was deathly tired of it all. So, when Julia proposed, he decided to accept it to keep the wives in the ton from him.
Both of them grappled with self-esteem issues. An event that happened ten years ago made Julia question her self-worth. Gregory felt unlovable due to his upbringing. I appreciate the fact that Ms Drake didn't make him melancholy. A duke with ennui is one too many in the land of historical romance.
The premise isn't exactly original or groundbreaking with it being a fairy tale retelling. The humour makes it stand out, though. My only complaint is that the story somewhat fizzles in the middle. However, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
A worthy debut from Ms Drake, and I'm looking forward to her next book!
This book is definitely one of the better ones of the Cinderella re-tellings that littered the market. I believe this is Ms Drake's debut novel, and she clearly has the talent. This book doesn't feel like a debut novel. It is well-written and engaging. I loved the witty banters between our main protagonists, Julia and Gregory. The book also has more than a few funny moments. The writing reminds me of Tessa Dare's so, this book is excellent for those who enjoyed Ms Dare's books (not another reference to Bridgerton, please! That series isn't the only series in the land of historical romance. I appreciate that it pushes the historical romance genre into prominence but still...).
Julia wants to escape her selfish stepmother's clutches from being her drudge for the rest of her life. A lucky meeting with Price Charming aka Gregory Carter, The Duke of Ashworth, at a ball in which they share a kiss tilts her fate in a different direction. A slipper was left behind, prompting Gregory to call on Julia to return it. And a marriage bargain was sealed as each has something to gain. Can the marriage of convenience turn into a marriage of love?
3% in, and I was absolutely in love with Julia. She is my kind of heroine. She took charge of her fate. She didn't wait around for things to happen to her. She made things happen. Gregory is an out-and-out rake. The husbands around town kept accusing him of having an affair with their wives, resulting in lots of duels (in some cases, it's not true). It was the wives who kept throwing themselves at him. He was deathly tired of it all. So, when Julia proposed, he decided to accept it to keep the wives in the ton from him.
Both of them grappled with self-esteem issues. An event that happened ten years ago made Julia question her self-worth. Gregory felt unlovable due to his upbringing. I appreciate the fact that Ms Drake didn't make him melancholy. A duke with ennui is one too many in the land of historical romance.
The premise isn't exactly original or groundbreaking with it being a fairy tale retelling. The humour makes it stand out, though. My only complaint is that the story somewhat fizzles in the middle. However, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
A worthy debut from Ms Drake, and I'm looking forward to her next book!
April 22, 2025
This was a cute story and I liked it - probably because I stumbled onto it by accident. I had lined up the second book in this series "The Governess and the Duke" for a reading challenge and decided at the last minute to read its predecessor first. (Because sometimes it helps to read the books in order.) Low and behold, this book also satisfied a requirement in the same challenge!
The book is a retelling of "Cinderella" but with a few minor differences. The FMC is Julia Beaumont, a 27 year old woman who has an atrociously awful step-mother named Constance. Julia is convinced (and rightly so) that her step mother is determined to keep Julia from marrying so she can be at Constance's beck and call every minute of the day or night. Julia though, is desperate to marry so she can leave the confines of a home that has felt like a prison since her father died. Now that she's older and her step mother is ill with a cold, Julia will chaperone her only step sister Susannah, who she adores, to the Weatherford ball. So instead of three hateful step sisters per the actual fairy tale, there's only one and she's very kind and devoted to Julia.
The MMC is Gregory Carter, Duke of Ashworth. He's tall, extremely handsome and very fit. (Please note book jacket model.) He's loved by a LOT of women who are either married or widowed. His bedroom skills are legendary and the main reason the "Carter Club" was formed. A bit unbelievable for that time period if you ask me. Also unbelievable is that he's literally chased by a married woman desperate for his "attentions" at the Weatherford ball. (It's important to note here that he's good friends with the Weatherford's. Viscountess Weatherford or Laura, is also one of Julia's oldest friends.)
At the ball, Laura tells Julia about Ashworth's reputation, but despite that, deep down he also has a good heart. After Julia saves the Duke from his stalker, he thanks her in a deserted corridor like the notorious rake that he is. Not wanting her reputation ruined in the eyes of the other attendees, she quickly flees the party with her step sister. Minus a shoe with a broken heel. (Regular slipper, nothing shiny or fancy.)
Julia is quick witted, outspoken, intelligent, tall, and attractive. All qualities the Duke finds stimulating and prompts him to get to know her better. They eventually agree to a marriage of convenience. One that will keep married women from hounding him and allow Julia to escape her step mother's prison.
Throughout the rest of the book, the reader learns of both main character's pasts and the reasons they don't want to fall in love. To help guard herself from becoming too romantically attached to the Duke, Julia agrees to consummate the marriage but tells him it will be the only time they're intimate. He though, has other plans. And those plans are thwarted by one interruption after another for the first few days of their marriage. It gets to be ridiculous after a while.
Moving on. Throw in a disgusting ex who resurfaces after ten years from Julia's past, a third act breakup, and a "fairy tale" themed ball thrown by the Queen in the Duke and Duchess' honor to end the "Season," and you have the makings for a good ending. Glass slipper and all.
One of the reasons I didn't rate this book higher is that a lot of their issues could have been resolved with better communication. Also, there were instances when the Duke sounded less than 'noble' while being intimate with his Duchess. Their speech and conversations didn't sound historically accurate - it seemed far too modern. After reading Mary Balogh, Georgette Heyer, and Lisa Kleypas, I think I'm turning into a HR snob. To borrow (or rather plagiarize) my GR friend Jan, this book is basically "modern women in long frocks."
Overall though, I did enjoy it.
🪁 - Square #23 - A book that is a Fairytale Retelling.
🪁 - 2.5 rounded up to three stars.
🪁 - 27/100 (I think.)
🪁 - Foul language.
The book is a retelling of "Cinderella" but with a few minor differences. The FMC is Julia Beaumont, a 27 year old woman who has an atrociously awful step-mother named Constance. Julia is convinced (and rightly so) that her step mother is determined to keep Julia from marrying so she can be at Constance's beck and call every minute of the day or night. Julia though, is desperate to marry so she can leave the confines of a home that has felt like a prison since her father died. Now that she's older and her step mother is ill with a cold, Julia will chaperone her only step sister Susannah, who she adores, to the Weatherford ball. So instead of three hateful step sisters per the actual fairy tale, there's only one and she's very kind and devoted to Julia.
The MMC is Gregory Carter, Duke of Ashworth. He's tall, extremely handsome and very fit. (Please note book jacket model.) He's loved by a LOT of women who are either married or widowed. His bedroom skills are legendary and the main reason the "Carter Club" was formed. A bit unbelievable for that time period if you ask me. Also unbelievable is that he's literally chased by a married woman desperate for his "attentions" at the Weatherford ball. (It's important to note here that he's good friends with the Weatherford's. Viscountess Weatherford or Laura, is also one of Julia's oldest friends.)
At the ball, Laura tells Julia about Ashworth's reputation, but despite that, deep down he also has a good heart. After Julia saves the Duke from his stalker, he thanks her in a deserted corridor like the notorious rake that he is. Not wanting her reputation ruined in the eyes of the other attendees, she quickly flees the party with her step sister. Minus a shoe with a broken heel. (Regular slipper, nothing shiny or fancy.)
Julia is quick witted, outspoken, intelligent, tall, and attractive. All qualities the Duke finds stimulating and prompts him to get to know her better. They eventually agree to a marriage of convenience. One that will keep married women from hounding him and allow Julia to escape her step mother's prison.
Throughout the rest of the book, the reader learns of both main character's pasts and the reasons they don't want to fall in love. To help guard herself from becoming too romantically attached to the Duke, Julia agrees to consummate the marriage but tells him it will be the only time they're intimate. He though, has other plans. And those plans are thwarted by one interruption after another for the first few days of their marriage. It gets to be ridiculous after a while.
Moving on. Throw in a disgusting ex who resurfaces after ten years from Julia's past, a third act breakup, and a "fairy tale" themed ball thrown by the Queen in the Duke and Duchess' honor to end the "Season," and you have the makings for a good ending. Glass slipper and all.
One of the reasons I didn't rate this book higher is that a lot of their issues could have been resolved with better communication. Also, there were instances when the Duke sounded less than 'noble' while being intimate with his Duchess. Their speech and conversations didn't sound historically accurate - it seemed far too modern. After reading Mary Balogh, Georgette Heyer, and Lisa Kleypas, I think I'm turning into a HR snob. To borrow (or rather plagiarize) my GR friend Jan, this book is basically "modern women in long frocks."
Overall though, I did enjoy it.
🪁 - Square #23 - A book that is a Fairytale Retelling.
🪁 - 2.5 rounded up to three stars.
🪁 - 27/100 (I think.)
🪁 - Foul language.
February 27, 2025
Possibly 1.5. I think the narrator ruined the audiobook for me. She’s a new-to-me narrator and didn’t have many distinct voices.
The story dragged. It took them way too long to consummate the marriage. They’re both afraid to get emotionally involved with the other due to past experiences, which put a damper on the romance.
The story dragged. It took them way too long to consummate the marriage. They’re both afraid to get emotionally involved with the other due to past experiences, which put a damper on the romance.
January 1, 2023
Fairy tale retellings are a staple of historical romance. In Cinderella and the Duke, we get a story with obvious parallels to Cinderella (duh): Julia has been forced to spend the past ten years since her father's death as what amounts to an unpaid servant to her stepmother. She finally gets one chance to attend a ball, chaperoning her (non-wicked, non-ugly) stepsister for one night only. There, she meets Gregory (who does NOT go by Ash, regardless of his title as Duke of Ashworth). They share a searing kiss and then she flees, leaving behind only a shoe.
But then, in a little twist, the pair decide to embrace their fairy tale meet-cute by mutually deciding to enter into a marriage of convenience. They'll use the storybook overtones to convince everyone that they're madly in love, which will help keep Gregory's admirers off his back (that's why he's marrying).
The move from friendly acquaintances to friends-with-benefits-who-happen-to-be-married takes a little bit of time, but Lydia Drake pulls it off without a misstep. They're so good at communicating, in fact, that the reader starts to wonder where the conflict comes in. Don't worry: the final act - from married FWB to madly-in-love couple - doesn't detract too much from the compatibility from the first part of the book. This is an enjoyable romance, and we especially recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good Cinderella story.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
But then, in a little twist, the pair decide to embrace their fairy tale meet-cute by mutually deciding to enter into a marriage of convenience. They'll use the storybook overtones to convince everyone that they're madly in love, which will help keep Gregory's admirers off his back (that's why he's marrying).
The move from friendly acquaintances to friends-with-benefits-who-happen-to-be-married takes a little bit of time, but Lydia Drake pulls it off without a misstep. They're so good at communicating, in fact, that the reader starts to wonder where the conflict comes in. Don't worry: the final act - from married FWB to madly-in-love couple - doesn't detract too much from the compatibility from the first part of the book. This is an enjoyable romance, and we especially recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good Cinderella story.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
December 6, 2022
DNFing at 25%
I didn't hate it, there were some really great parts, Julia and Gregory were very cute together and some of the parts had me squealing
But it's also failing to hold my interest and Julia's "not like other girls" just makes me very meh. Don't get me wrong, I love Julia, but I'm not sure why we need to pit her against all the other girls. It feels very much like Gregory likes her because she's ✨special✨ unlike all the other girls he's ever met who are apparently plain and boring. He could just like her and appreciate her—and even appreciate the way she's under by others—without all the "not like other girls" nonsense
I didn't hate what I read and I might revisit it in the future. But for now, it feels more like an obligation than anything else to read it, so I'm freeing myself of that
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance ebook copy. No review was required and all thoughts are my own
I didn't hate it, there were some really great parts, Julia and Gregory were very cute together and some of the parts had me squealing
But it's also failing to hold my interest and Julia's "not like other girls" just makes me very meh. Don't get me wrong, I love Julia, but I'm not sure why we need to pit her against all the other girls. It feels very much like Gregory likes her because she's ✨special✨ unlike all the other girls he's ever met who are apparently plain and boring. He could just like her and appreciate her—and even appreciate the way she's under by others—without all the "not like other girls" nonsense
I didn't hate what I read and I might revisit it in the future. But for now, it feels more like an obligation than anything else to read it, so I'm freeing myself of that
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance ebook copy. No review was required and all thoughts are my own
November 5, 2022
Miss Julia Beaumont has one chance to get out from under the thumb of her controlling stepmother, and any potential husband will do. She does not expect it to be Gregory Carter, Duke of Ashworth, the biggest rake of all. But Gregory is sick of being chased by every bored wife of the ton and a marriage of convenience to the intriguing Julia suddenly becomes a society sensation.
This is the debut novel for author Lydia Drake, featuring a Cinderella retelling. I had mixed feelings as the beginning felt a bit forced, but I thought the book hit its stride in the middle. I didn't really connect to either character, and I needed more "show" than "tell" with their chemistry. There were a handful of intimate scenes, but they were all pretty short and underdeveloped. I did, however, like the author's writing style. It was a quick, easy read and I would give her books another chance in the future.
Tropes: Spinster, Cinderella, Reform-a-Rake, Marriage of Convenience
Steam: 2-ish
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #CinderellaAndTheDuke #NetGalley
This is the debut novel for author Lydia Drake, featuring a Cinderella retelling. I had mixed feelings as the beginning felt a bit forced, but I thought the book hit its stride in the middle. I didn't really connect to either character, and I needed more "show" than "tell" with their chemistry. There were a handful of intimate scenes, but they were all pretty short and underdeveloped. I did, however, like the author's writing style. It was a quick, easy read and I would give her books another chance in the future.
Tropes: Spinster, Cinderella, Reform-a-Rake, Marriage of Convenience
Steam: 2-ish
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #CinderellaAndTheDuke #NetGalley
August 25, 2023
I understand that this a debut novel for this author and was a happy book for the most part.
Highlights
- I loved the writing as it was very witty and sarcastic.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the Cinderella spin
- Great chemistry, open conversation (mostly), zero misunderstanding
- Best of all, they became friends!
*The only problems were the same as every debutante author suffers from, and this is over-plotting & repetition. And the sexual tension was pulled too long.
I will definitely read more from this author...
Highlights
- I loved the writing as it was very witty and sarcastic.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the Cinderella spin
- Great chemistry, open conversation (mostly), zero misunderstanding
- Best of all, they became friends!
*The only problems were the same as every debutante author suffers from, and this is over-plotting & repetition. And the sexual tension was pulled too long.
I will definitely read more from this author...
October 16, 2022
tl;dr: It was very much a 'Mary Sue meets Gary Stu but in a sassy "I'm not like other girls/boys"' style, but if you just let the book be what it is, it's okay. There's little to no character depth, and the lusting and conflict feels too dragged out and surface level. There were no technical errors though and the writing was otherwise well done, just wish there was more substance.
I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Not tl;dr:
(My notes as I read the book.)
I'm not in love with the central plot, mostly of the male lead, but I understand that without it, you'd have a very different story. But a Gary Stu of insane sexual prowess, money, looks, empathy, and everything--just was a bit much for me. (Later on we learn him having sex with women fixed all of their marriages and led them to realize and chase their dreams. Like damn, what kind of dick does he have? xD It was just...too much Gary Stu for me.)
The main leads' voices were not very distinct, so there were several times I had to double check who was talking. Both of them are 'perfect', sassy, and self-loathing, so it was easy to mix them up.
I will note this book has insta-lust, which I'm not a fan of, but I do realize it is quite central to the entire plot happening lol.
It did feel quite repetitive after a while, to have both main characters continuously negative self-talk about themselves and how the other person deserves better, how one is a rake/spinster, or what-not. I wish we could've explored a little more deeper or dove into something else so that didn't feel so surface level. You don't really feel like you get to know the characters.
I almost wish more time had been taken at the start to build up the characters before having them meet. We could've seen more of the 'evil step mother' and her interactions with our heroine. Instead, quite a bit of their history is told, not shown. I think that could've strengthened the first meeting between our main leads, added to the urgency of the situation, and given more depth to our characters.
Another area of repetition was their lust and attraction to each other. Instead of him always finding her as 'a goddess', what about her was so goddess-like? Her hair? Her eyes? Her mannerisms? Her speech? Most of what was described was her breasts, thighs, or curves, and rarely how the sun reflecting in her golden hair.
Again, this doesn't feel earned. Much of this book has telling and not showing. Of people impactful to her life, she mentions two, one is only told (her original fiance), and the other half-told (her step-mother). And even then, we aren't told in depth of the ex-fiance, so we don't know what it was she was 'used' for. The same can be said for our hero, who 'fears Julia finding out about all his wretched qualities', when it's like...what wretched qualities? He's literally a Gary Stu, he has no flaws. This book is well written, and it's all right for the most part, but lacks character depth. I feel like this book could've been so much stronger.
Really, if you remove internal thoughts about wanting sex and finding the other character hot, you'd probably get only a chapter of content. :/ I'm not big on the idea of the story, but the author does make you like it, even if it's absurdly unrealistic, which is a shame that it's so surface level.
The plot is fairly repetitive as well. The beginning, though rushed, was still entertaining since it felt like we were making progress, getting to know characters (even if they are standard tropes), etc. Then things slowed down with the 'will they won't they have sex', and the 'is he a bad person because I found/heard/saw this--surprise, he's not', etc. Those two things make up the bulk (and I do mean bulk) of the book. Why not show more of other characters? Of Julia's work at the school in Lynton?
It's a shame I started to grow a bit jaded while reading, as the author is clearly familiar with the genre (though it has a more feminist take, which did feel a little too blunt/in your face at times), the writing itself is great, I didn't find any mistakes, but...well, like I said above. I appreciate the author using the Oxford Comma though. :)
As a nit-pick, it's 2022, I wish more authors would bother to describe white characters, instead of continuing to leave it as the default if there are no descriptors. :/ I know they're white on the cover, but I still think they should be described, and no other character's skin tone/race is either.
I think due to lacking character depth, beyond their self-loathing, the conflict three-quarters of the way in felt...a bit forced? Unearned? He saw Julia with her ex-fiance, and there was a quick note of him upset, and then that was it. No deeper explanation, no exploration of his trauma, just him feeling justified in his previous fears, and wanting to avoid Julia. There wasn't any time taken to go into what he felt in that moment, everything felt rushed and, again, surface level. (Especially since it clashed so heavily with his complete and utter confidence of their relationship two seconds before. Trauma can certainly crash down on you like that, but it wasn't written in that way. It felt more written because...the book needed conflict for the third act. And I was certainly dreading this conflict coming, since I knew it wasn't going to pay off. And I was right :/)
It feels like a mix of pacing in this novel. The parts where things are happening and plot is progressing, things move very quickly, like the author was rushing to get to the next scene. Then when plot isn't happening, and the characters are ruminating about sex, there's...a lot of text there. Like a good chunk of the novel. And it slows things down and gets so repetitive. I feel like I'm just repeating myself in this review, but this is honestly how the book felt.
A great example of missed opportunity for character depth and exploration was the reveal of Julia's ex-fiance to her best friend. She had never told anyone except Gregory, her new husband, and that was made to be a big deal. Her biggest trauma...revealed off screen?? I feel like we could've had value of seeing her friend's initial reactions and how they interacted in the retelling of Julia's story. How Julia could've gotten support from her friend and build their connection even deeper. Instead we get repeated moping from Gregory, of how much he 'knows' things won't work out, but yet how much he loves and wants to be with his wife. (If we're going to see from his perspective, maybe give us something more than the same thing over and over? What /else/ is there? It's like he has one thought on repeat.)
Speaking of other characters, could we have more with her sister, please? I LOVED their interactions and relationship. It felt so genuine and adorable. Her step-sister is just completely gone after the wedding and for like...all of the book basically after that, until the climax at the end.
(Also, super nit-pick, but wearing actual glass slippers? Oh no.--The queen wishes to see their Cinderella marriage in person, and the book plays it off as being based in realism, so I was surprised to see Julia actually wearing glass shoes. Yikes.)
The ending was...as expected. It is a HEA. (Though I did ship the other duke with the governess. I was secretly hoping the step-sister to be ace, but that's a lot of hope for a cis-het romance novel :') )
I can understand why this book has so many 4 star ratings. If you're just in it for a good time, don't care about the characters, and have minimal expectations, this book can be fun, but I prefer more than just non-stop sexual 'tension' (it didn't really read like tension to me), sex, and brooding.
I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Not tl;dr:
(My notes as I read the book.)
I'm not in love with the central plot, mostly of the male lead, but I understand that without it, you'd have a very different story. But a Gary Stu of insane sexual prowess, money, looks, empathy, and everything--just was a bit much for me. (Later on we learn him having sex with women fixed all of their marriages and led them to realize and chase their dreams. Like damn, what kind of dick does he have? xD It was just...too much Gary Stu for me.)
The main leads' voices were not very distinct, so there were several times I had to double check who was talking. Both of them are 'perfect', sassy, and self-loathing, so it was easy to mix them up.
I will note this book has insta-lust, which I'm not a fan of, but I do realize it is quite central to the entire plot happening lol.
It did feel quite repetitive after a while, to have both main characters continuously negative self-talk about themselves and how the other person deserves better, how one is a rake/spinster, or what-not. I wish we could've explored a little more deeper or dove into something else so that didn't feel so surface level. You don't really feel like you get to know the characters.
I almost wish more time had been taken at the start to build up the characters before having them meet. We could've seen more of the 'evil step mother' and her interactions with our heroine. Instead, quite a bit of their history is told, not shown. I think that could've strengthened the first meeting between our main leads, added to the urgency of the situation, and given more depth to our characters.
Another area of repetition was their lust and attraction to each other. Instead of him always finding her as 'a goddess', what about her was so goddess-like? Her hair? Her eyes? Her mannerisms? Her speech? Most of what was described was her breasts, thighs, or curves, and rarely how the sun reflecting in her golden hair.
People wanted her so long as she could be useful to them. As soon as she wasn't needed, they discarded her, or else treated her badly.
Again, this doesn't feel earned. Much of this book has telling and not showing. Of people impactful to her life, she mentions two, one is only told (her original fiance), and the other half-told (her step-mother). And even then, we aren't told in depth of the ex-fiance, so we don't know what it was she was 'used' for. The same can be said for our hero, who 'fears Julia finding out about all his wretched qualities', when it's like...what wretched qualities? He's literally a Gary Stu, he has no flaws. This book is well written, and it's all right for the most part, but lacks character depth. I feel like this book could've been so much stronger.
Really, if you remove internal thoughts about wanting sex and finding the other character hot, you'd probably get only a chapter of content. :/ I'm not big on the idea of the story, but the author does make you like it, even if it's absurdly unrealistic, which is a shame that it's so surface level.
The plot is fairly repetitive as well. The beginning, though rushed, was still entertaining since it felt like we were making progress, getting to know characters (even if they are standard tropes), etc. Then things slowed down with the 'will they won't they have sex', and the 'is he a bad person because I found/heard/saw this--surprise, he's not', etc. Those two things make up the bulk (and I do mean bulk) of the book. Why not show more of other characters? Of Julia's work at the school in Lynton?
It's a shame I started to grow a bit jaded while reading, as the author is clearly familiar with the genre (though it has a more feminist take, which did feel a little too blunt/in your face at times), the writing itself is great, I didn't find any mistakes, but...well, like I said above. I appreciate the author using the Oxford Comma though. :)
As a nit-pick, it's 2022, I wish more authors would bother to describe white characters, instead of continuing to leave it as the default if there are no descriptors. :/ I know they're white on the cover, but I still think they should be described, and no other character's skin tone/race is either.
I think due to lacking character depth, beyond their self-loathing, the conflict three-quarters of the way in felt...a bit forced? Unearned? He saw Julia with her ex-fiance, and there was a quick note of him upset, and then that was it. No deeper explanation, no exploration of his trauma, just him feeling justified in his previous fears, and wanting to avoid Julia. There wasn't any time taken to go into what he felt in that moment, everything felt rushed and, again, surface level. (Especially since it clashed so heavily with his complete and utter confidence of their relationship two seconds before. Trauma can certainly crash down on you like that, but it wasn't written in that way. It felt more written because...the book needed conflict for the third act. And I was certainly dreading this conflict coming, since I knew it wasn't going to pay off. And I was right :/)
It feels like a mix of pacing in this novel. The parts where things are happening and plot is progressing, things move very quickly, like the author was rushing to get to the next scene. Then when plot isn't happening, and the characters are ruminating about sex, there's...a lot of text there. Like a good chunk of the novel. And it slows things down and gets so repetitive. I feel like I'm just repeating myself in this review, but this is honestly how the book felt.
A great example of missed opportunity for character depth and exploration was the reveal of Julia's ex-fiance to her best friend. She had never told anyone except Gregory, her new husband, and that was made to be a big deal. Her biggest trauma...revealed off screen?? I feel like we could've had value of seeing her friend's initial reactions and how they interacted in the retelling of Julia's story. How Julia could've gotten support from her friend and build their connection even deeper. Instead we get repeated moping from Gregory, of how much he 'knows' things won't work out, but yet how much he loves and wants to be with his wife. (If we're going to see from his perspective, maybe give us something more than the same thing over and over? What /else/ is there? It's like he has one thought on repeat.)
Speaking of other characters, could we have more with her sister, please? I LOVED their interactions and relationship. It felt so genuine and adorable. Her step-sister is just completely gone after the wedding and for like...all of the book basically after that, until the climax at the end.
(Also, super nit-pick, but wearing actual glass slippers? Oh no.--The queen wishes to see their Cinderella marriage in person, and the book plays it off as being based in realism, so I was surprised to see Julia actually wearing glass shoes. Yikes.)
The ending was...as expected. It is a HEA. (Though I did ship the other duke with the governess. I was secretly hoping the step-sister to be ace, but that's a lot of hope for a cis-het romance novel :') )
I can understand why this book has so many 4 star ratings. If you're just in it for a good time, don't care about the characters, and have minimal expectations, this book can be fun, but I prefer more than just non-stop sexual 'tension' (it didn't really read like tension to me), sex, and brooding.
January 12, 2023
Julia Beaumont has one chance to find a husband and escape a life as her stepmother’s unpaid servant. She’s the only option to chaperone her stepsister at a ball and Julia intends to take full advantage. At this point, any husband will do as long as she can escape. Unfortunately, her hopes of meeting a marital prospect are dashed because of a rakish and vexing duke.
Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, has no intention of ever giving up his bachelor status and that means steering clear of fresh-faced debutantes. But when he sees Julia, he can’t resist stealing a kiss, only to have the lady run away just as things are heating up.
When Gregory calls on Julia the next day to return the slipper she left behind, she shocks him by proposing a marriage of convenience. She’ll be able to escape her stepmother and he’ll finally get some relief from the bored ton wives who constantly pursue him. Julia just has to make the offer seem sufficiently enticing.
This was a cute Cinderella retelling with quite a bit of emotional growth and depth demonstrated by the MCs. I liked these two together by the end, but they certainly had quite a bit of rocky road to cover before we got there. There was a lot of other woman drama going on here thanks to the hero’s rakish past that I wasn’t crazy about. There was literally a club of women who had previously been with him, and they all met to discuss things over tea, even inviting his new wife. These women had all had epiphanies and improvements of some sort to their lives or marriages thanks to being with the hero and that was just super cringy to me. This also made Gregory seem like quite the hypocrite since he was angry to learn that Julia had once been engaged to another man who jilted her. Seriously? He had zero room to talk.
I did love the emotion here, but Gregory was too quick to paint Julia with the same brush as other women and his wanting to hurt her before she could hurt him did grow tiresome. After how many husbands he cuckolded before his marriage, it was pretty crazy to think he was so jealous of his wife merely talking to another man.
This plot was a bit up and down and the intimate scenes could use some more development, but I loved the writing style and flawed, multi-faceted characters we got here. This was a new to me author, but I’ll be eager to read her work again.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, has no intention of ever giving up his bachelor status and that means steering clear of fresh-faced debutantes. But when he sees Julia, he can’t resist stealing a kiss, only to have the lady run away just as things are heating up.
When Gregory calls on Julia the next day to return the slipper she left behind, she shocks him by proposing a marriage of convenience. She’ll be able to escape her stepmother and he’ll finally get some relief from the bored ton wives who constantly pursue him. Julia just has to make the offer seem sufficiently enticing.
This was a cute Cinderella retelling with quite a bit of emotional growth and depth demonstrated by the MCs. I liked these two together by the end, but they certainly had quite a bit of rocky road to cover before we got there. There was a lot of other woman drama going on here thanks to the hero’s rakish past that I wasn’t crazy about. There was literally a club of women who had previously been with him, and they all met to discuss things over tea, even inviting his new wife. These women had all had epiphanies and improvements of some sort to their lives or marriages thanks to being with the hero and that was just super cringy to me. This also made Gregory seem like quite the hypocrite since he was angry to learn that Julia had once been engaged to another man who jilted her. Seriously? He had zero room to talk.
I did love the emotion here, but Gregory was too quick to paint Julia with the same brush as other women and his wanting to hurt her before she could hurt him did grow tiresome. After how many husbands he cuckolded before his marriage, it was pretty crazy to think he was so jealous of his wife merely talking to another man.
This plot was a bit up and down and the intimate scenes could use some more development, but I loved the writing style and flawed, multi-faceted characters we got here. This was a new to me author, but I’ll be eager to read her work again.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
October 11, 2022
"One glass slipper would be a most ostentatious and ridiculous object. However, I came to reunite it with its mate. I believe two such ridiculous objects become something quite wonderful when paired together."
4.5 stars!
I cannot believe that this is Lydia Drake's debut novel as I found myself thoroughly enjoying every single word! The writing seemed so effortless and mature, while the chemistry between Gregory and Julia was palpable and so delicious. I absolutely loved all of the witty dialogues between them; their banter was top-notch and Gregory's self-deprecating charm knew no bounds (in the best way). Julia and Gregory were two broken souls who were too afraid to hope for love but found it anyway, and their hesitant courtship was so beautiful to watch. I am so glad I took a chance on this novel, and I look forward to more by the lovely Lydia Drake♡
Tropes: fairytale retelling, reformed rake hero, spinster heroine, marriage of convenience, secret pining, opposites attract, fake relationship, evil stepmother, slight OM drama (no cheating)
*ARC provided by Entangled publishing, and I voluntarily reviewed it*
November 23, 2022
Did I request this book because the protagonists’ names are the same as mine and my husband’s? Why yes, yes I did. And I’m glad I did! It’s an engaging historical romance with some fun Cinderella vibes.
Julia Beaumont needs a husband before she’s trapped as her demanding stepmother’s companion forever. When her stepmother falls ill and cannot attend a ball, Julia sees her chance and offers to chaperone her younger step-sister. Intent on finding her future husband before the night ends, Julia thinks the night is unsuccessful until she meets Gregory, a handsome and notorious rake known for his scandalous affairs.
Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, is sick of being chased by the women of the ton, and when one of these women tries to entrap him, Julia comes to his rescue. Gregory is immediately taken with Julia and is enchanted by her intellect and strong opinions. Though Julia flees the ball, leaving behind only her slipper, she sees Gregory again the next day and proposes to him. They can help each other with this marriage of convenience, and it seems like the perfect solution to both of their problems. However, neither intended for their feelings to get in the way.
This is a great debut novel by Lydia Drake. The characters are interesting and well-developed, and their romance includes a couple of my favorite tropes. It’s a marriage of convenience, and the MMC falls first. Gregory and Julia have chemistry from the moment they meet. She is a spinster, and he is a rake. They don’t seem like they would have much in common, but Gregory falls hard and fast for the intelligent and outspoken Julia. They have a lively, banter-filled romance with tons of chemistry flying between them, and the way he talks about her intellect is super swoon-worthy.
The side characters are interesting too, and I really liked the relationship between Julia and her step-sister. Unlike the fairy tale, this step-sister is nice, and she and Julia have a great sisterly bond. And as much as I loved her and some of the other secondary characters, Julia’s stepmother is as wicked as Cinderella’s. I could totally understand why Julia was so desperate to get away from her.
There are many little references to Cinderella throughout the story. Julia (Cinderella) meets Gregory (Prince Charming) at a ball. Julia loses her slipper as she flees the ball. There’s even a wicked stepmother trying to foil Julia’s plans. They are all fun reminders of the fairy tale but with a unique Regency twist, making it feel fresh and new.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Entangled: Amara for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Julia Beaumont needs a husband before she’s trapped as her demanding stepmother’s companion forever. When her stepmother falls ill and cannot attend a ball, Julia sees her chance and offers to chaperone her younger step-sister. Intent on finding her future husband before the night ends, Julia thinks the night is unsuccessful until she meets Gregory, a handsome and notorious rake known for his scandalous affairs.
Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, is sick of being chased by the women of the ton, and when one of these women tries to entrap him, Julia comes to his rescue. Gregory is immediately taken with Julia and is enchanted by her intellect and strong opinions. Though Julia flees the ball, leaving behind only her slipper, she sees Gregory again the next day and proposes to him. They can help each other with this marriage of convenience, and it seems like the perfect solution to both of their problems. However, neither intended for their feelings to get in the way.
This is a great debut novel by Lydia Drake. The characters are interesting and well-developed, and their romance includes a couple of my favorite tropes. It’s a marriage of convenience, and the MMC falls first. Gregory and Julia have chemistry from the moment they meet. She is a spinster, and he is a rake. They don’t seem like they would have much in common, but Gregory falls hard and fast for the intelligent and outspoken Julia. They have a lively, banter-filled romance with tons of chemistry flying between them, and the way he talks about her intellect is super swoon-worthy.
The side characters are interesting too, and I really liked the relationship between Julia and her step-sister. Unlike the fairy tale, this step-sister is nice, and she and Julia have a great sisterly bond. And as much as I loved her and some of the other secondary characters, Julia’s stepmother is as wicked as Cinderella’s. I could totally understand why Julia was so desperate to get away from her.
There are many little references to Cinderella throughout the story. Julia (Cinderella) meets Gregory (Prince Charming) at a ball. Julia loses her slipper as she flees the ball. There’s even a wicked stepmother trying to foil Julia’s plans. They are all fun reminders of the fairy tale but with a unique Regency twist, making it feel fresh and new.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Entangled: Amara for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
December 28, 2022
4.5 stars, rounded up.
For the last ten years, Julia Beaumont has lived quietly in the country, at the beck and call of her stepmother and she has come to believe that her dreams of love and marriage were nothing more than fairy tales, but when her stepmother is ill and cannot attend a ball with her much younger step-sister, Susannah, Julia jumps at the chance to chaperon her, knowing this may be her last chance to attend a ball and find a husband. But instead of a husband, she finds a potential scandal and if that wasn’t bad enough, she also loses a shoe when she makes her escape!
Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, is bored and tired – being England’s most sought-after rake is exhausting, but he is sick of women trying to slip into his bed and their husbands trying to kill him. So he is both surprised and intrigued when he is rescued from yet another bored wife bent on seduction and her husband bent on shooting Gregory in yet another duel, by a gorgeous woman who is completely unknown to him. His surprise is increased when he learns she is unwed and when she slips away leaving him with nothing but her name and her shoe!
Gregory tracks her down the next day to return her shoe, sure that she won’t be as intriguing in the light of day. But to his delight, she is not only as lovely as he remembered but witty and smart too and when she proposes they marry to save her reputation and to save him from the bored wives looking to join the “Carter Club”, he surprises both of them by agreeing! But Gregory believes that no woman could ever love him and has no desire to fall for Julia and be rejected, so he is firm that this will not be a real marriage and that he will be leaving for Spain within days of the wedding, Julia agrees as there is no way she will let herself feel anything for him when she knows he is a rake and could never love her. But as they say, the best-laid plans…
I loved this book, it was well-written, nicely paced and so much fun to read. Gregory and Julia are wonderful characters, easy to like and delightful to read, they both have experiences in their pasts that have shaped them and led them to believe they are unlovable, they also have a strong sense of self-perseveration and a healthy helping of pride, therefore will never let themselves fall in love thus opening themselves up to rejection – so their road to HEA is definitely not a smooth ride! This book has wonderful characters, witty banter, engaging dialogue, great secondary characters, steamyish love scenes, the “Carter Club”, a dash of heartache and a sweet ending, and a charming epilogue. I highly recommend this story – I am leary of “fairytale” retellings, but this one is outstanding, it is also one of the best debuts I have ever read and I can’t wait to read the next book this author writes!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
For the last ten years, Julia Beaumont has lived quietly in the country, at the beck and call of her stepmother and she has come to believe that her dreams of love and marriage were nothing more than fairy tales, but when her stepmother is ill and cannot attend a ball with her much younger step-sister, Susannah, Julia jumps at the chance to chaperon her, knowing this may be her last chance to attend a ball and find a husband. But instead of a husband, she finds a potential scandal and if that wasn’t bad enough, she also loses a shoe when she makes her escape!
Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, is bored and tired – being England’s most sought-after rake is exhausting, but he is sick of women trying to slip into his bed and their husbands trying to kill him. So he is both surprised and intrigued when he is rescued from yet another bored wife bent on seduction and her husband bent on shooting Gregory in yet another duel, by a gorgeous woman who is completely unknown to him. His surprise is increased when he learns she is unwed and when she slips away leaving him with nothing but her name and her shoe!
Gregory tracks her down the next day to return her shoe, sure that she won’t be as intriguing in the light of day. But to his delight, she is not only as lovely as he remembered but witty and smart too and when she proposes they marry to save her reputation and to save him from the bored wives looking to join the “Carter Club”, he surprises both of them by agreeing! But Gregory believes that no woman could ever love him and has no desire to fall for Julia and be rejected, so he is firm that this will not be a real marriage and that he will be leaving for Spain within days of the wedding, Julia agrees as there is no way she will let herself feel anything for him when she knows he is a rake and could never love her. But as they say, the best-laid plans…
I loved this book, it was well-written, nicely paced and so much fun to read. Gregory and Julia are wonderful characters, easy to like and delightful to read, they both have experiences in their pasts that have shaped them and led them to believe they are unlovable, they also have a strong sense of self-perseveration and a healthy helping of pride, therefore will never let themselves fall in love thus opening themselves up to rejection – so their road to HEA is definitely not a smooth ride! This book has wonderful characters, witty banter, engaging dialogue, great secondary characters, steamyish love scenes, the “Carter Club”, a dash of heartache and a sweet ending, and a charming epilogue. I highly recommend this story – I am leary of “fairytale” retellings, but this one is outstanding, it is also one of the best debuts I have ever read and I can’t wait to read the next book this author writes!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
February 6, 2023
I can always be charmed into reading a fairy tale retelling romance, and what a perfect way to make your writing debut! Lydia Drake as beautifully inserted herself as a must watch and read author with her debut novel Cinderella and the Duke. Drake tone and writing style easily fits in with other top authors of the genre while being unique to herself. This novel had a beautiful ease to in that made the writing accessible and fun, the pacing is very well done and the romance is sweetly and beautiful crafted. I truly applaud Drake's work and I am so excited to watch her writing grow throughout her career! What a wonderful addition to the historical romance community!
Lydia Drake has beautifully used the bones of the Cinderella fairy tale and made her own unique distinctions to weave together Julia and Gregory's love story. Julia as a heroine is smart and strong, I love that she is not some meek heroine, but rather she is growing into herself and learning to become more bold. Gregory as a hero has some past tragedies that have shaped him and make him close off his heart for protection. But these two are willing to take a chance on the other and enter into a marriage of convenience. It was so charming to watch these two people, who are extremely attracted to the other, dance around each other and their wants for their relationship. I love that they both are a bit cautious and protective of themselves but as they slowly get to learn more about the other they grow more open and aware. This novel is really the exploration of two strangers who enter into a relationship based on attraction and then grow to love, respect and trust the other. Their road is not always easy, they both jump to conclusions quickly, they both don't always ask for what they want or need, but watching their journey of trust and understanding is really gratifying and shows how these two are building a solid foundation for them to build a deeper marriage together instead of their initial plan to live separate lives. Drake does a lovely job building up the tension and sensuality between these two and I like that they both want a physical relationship but that they take a little time to fully dive into it, I also love that we see that their physical trust and attraction in the other opens them up to being bolder in their asks of the other.
Cinderella and the Duke is a wonderful debut and definitely worth the read! I can not wait to see what else Lydia Drake gifts us with, I am looking forward to witnessing her growth as an author.
Thank you to Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lydia Drake has beautifully used the bones of the Cinderella fairy tale and made her own unique distinctions to weave together Julia and Gregory's love story. Julia as a heroine is smart and strong, I love that she is not some meek heroine, but rather she is growing into herself and learning to become more bold. Gregory as a hero has some past tragedies that have shaped him and make him close off his heart for protection. But these two are willing to take a chance on the other and enter into a marriage of convenience. It was so charming to watch these two people, who are extremely attracted to the other, dance around each other and their wants for their relationship. I love that they both are a bit cautious and protective of themselves but as they slowly get to learn more about the other they grow more open and aware. This novel is really the exploration of two strangers who enter into a relationship based on attraction and then grow to love, respect and trust the other. Their road is not always easy, they both jump to conclusions quickly, they both don't always ask for what they want or need, but watching their journey of trust and understanding is really gratifying and shows how these two are building a solid foundation for them to build a deeper marriage together instead of their initial plan to live separate lives. Drake does a lovely job building up the tension and sensuality between these two and I like that they both want a physical relationship but that they take a little time to fully dive into it, I also love that we see that their physical trust and attraction in the other opens them up to being bolder in their asks of the other.
Cinderella and the Duke is a wonderful debut and definitely worth the read! I can not wait to see what else Lydia Drake gifts us with, I am looking forward to witnessing her growth as an author.
Thank you to Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 20, 2022
I love fairytale stories they are one of my favorite reads. Cinderella and the Duke is a delightful read I love Cinderella retelling when it's done right 5 Star read 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review
Happy Reading Lisa 📚
Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review
Happy Reading Lisa 📚
December 18, 2022
“Most men are idiots. A troublesome woman makes for a happy home.” - The Duke of Ashworth
Lydia Drake has truly outdone herself with her debut novel. I loved Cinderella and the Duke so much that I pre-ordered it before I finished it, I miss these characters now that the story is over and I have a book hangover that may last the rest of the year.
This Cinderella retelling was so good. From the characters to the banter to the flow of the story, I couldn’t get enough.
Julia is has come to London with her stepmother and stepsister so her stepsister (whom she loves dearly) can have the season that Julia never did. Now that Julia is considered a spinster she can escort her stepsister to her first ball which mean she has one night to find someone for herself and get away from her awful stepmother. And boy does she find someone.
Gregory, the Duke of Ashworth, isn’t simply a rake, he’s a rake that only sleeps with married women and tends to get challenged to duels frequently. Honestly, even Gregory is tired of it. So when a gorgeous woman saves him from having to fight another duel the least he can do is return her lost slipper. A slipper she lost after he kissed her.
I don’t want to give anymore away but I highly, highly recommend this book. It was entertaining, and spicy, and heart racing and spicy! 😏
Lydia Drake has truly outdone herself with her debut novel. I loved Cinderella and the Duke so much that I pre-ordered it before I finished it, I miss these characters now that the story is over and I have a book hangover that may last the rest of the year.
This Cinderella retelling was so good. From the characters to the banter to the flow of the story, I couldn’t get enough.
Julia is has come to London with her stepmother and stepsister so her stepsister (whom she loves dearly) can have the season that Julia never did. Now that Julia is considered a spinster she can escort her stepsister to her first ball which mean she has one night to find someone for herself and get away from her awful stepmother. And boy does she find someone.
Gregory, the Duke of Ashworth, isn’t simply a rake, he’s a rake that only sleeps with married women and tends to get challenged to duels frequently. Honestly, even Gregory is tired of it. So when a gorgeous woman saves him from having to fight another duel the least he can do is return her lost slipper. A slipper she lost after he kissed her.
I don’t want to give anymore away but I highly, highly recommend this book. It was entertaining, and spicy, and heart racing and spicy! 😏
February 4, 2023
The characters and snarky banter were fun, but I wasn't invested in the story as much as I wanted to be.
I especially loved the beginning, but the reason for their marriage of convenience didn't make much sense to me.
However, Julia and Gregory's interactions were pretty entertaining. Especially Julia was a delight.
Gregory is the typical (historical) MMC with a jaded past and ✨emotional damage✨. It was tiresome sometimes, but I like it when MMCs have to make it up to the FMC!
Overall, a solid Historical Romance.
🗂Genre: Historcial Romance
📕Type: Standalone
🏷Tropes:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Rake x Spinster
- loosely Cinderella-inspired
- Banter
- Spice
⚠️Safety: almost assault of a side character
📖Audiobook: 3rd person, dual POV, single narration (Kate Sanders)
I especially loved the beginning, but the reason for their marriage of convenience didn't make much sense to me.
However, Julia and Gregory's interactions were pretty entertaining. Especially Julia was a delight.
Gregory is the typical (historical) MMC with a jaded past and ✨emotional damage✨. It was tiresome sometimes, but I like it when MMCs have to make it up to the FMC!
Overall, a solid Historical Romance.
🗂Genre: Historcial Romance
📕Type: Standalone
🏷Tropes:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Rake x Spinster
- loosely Cinderella-inspired
- Banter
- Spice
⚠️Safety: almost assault of a side character
📖Audiobook: 3rd person, dual POV, single narration (Kate Sanders)
December 24, 2022
What a delightfully sweet retelling of Cinderella! I find it often difficult to find an enjoyable retelling of this particular fairytale, but Lydia Drake pulled it off splendidly. It was a beautiful love story between two people who were never appreciated by their loved ones until they found each other. A hero adored by all? Check. A heroine stuck in a loveless home with an evil stepmother? Check. Glass slipper and a magical ball? Check and check. The writing style kept me engaged throughout, guessing at how the characters would navigate through their trials, and I was pleasantly surprised by the hero in particular. Instead of writing an alpha hero who refuses to admit his feelings for someone, Lydia wrote a hero who is vulnerable, acknowledges his faults (too often at times), and he is more worried about hurting others than he is about himself. It's very refreshing.
Julia Beaumont has one opportunity to marry well and get out of the house in which she's been a hostage for ten years. After a failed elopement, she was sequestered away and kept from society, ensuring that marriage would not be in her future. But when she attends a ball with her stepsister and comes to the rescue of a duke...and well-known rake...she finds herself with a unique opportunity. Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, wants to be left alone by the ladies of the ton whose husbands keep challenging him to duels, and Julia wants to have a peaceful life away from her stepmother. So they come to an arrangement - a marriage of convenience, no expectation of marital bliss and absolutely no chance of falling in love. Except that's now how fairytales typically go, and Cinderella soon has her sights on a happily ever after.
Julia and Gregory were the perfect match, not just in personality or enthusiasm in the bedroom, but also in how they made each other see the other's worth. While everyone had spent years telling them they were not worth much, and their families cared little for them growing up, they were able to see in each other what others had failed to. Julia was compassionate, strong-willed and funny. Gregory was generous, humble and loving. Neither were who they expected to be married to, but they were exactly who they needed. Now my one nitpick in this book, which brought it down to four stars, was the inclusion of the Carter Club. **Here will be some mild spoilers if you want to stop reading.** It was a club of ladies with whom Gregory had had sexual relations with in the past, and they eventually invite Julia to visit them. When she eventually accepts the invitation and meets all the women, they proceed to tell her all about how Gregory's magical peen has saved their lives and marriages. Not literally...but the implication is there. It all felt so out of place and odd that any woman would want to have her husband's past affairs thrown in her face like that. They were all lovely women, but it was weird and wasn't really needed for the story. Although it did lend some comedy to the story, and wow, Lydia Drake writes comedy well. I had quite a bit highlighted in my digital copy to refer back to later for some laughs.
I highly recommend this author for anyone who loves light-hearted romance with mild steam and quirky characters. I will be smiling for a while after now finishing this delightful book.
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
Julia Beaumont has one opportunity to marry well and get out of the house in which she's been a hostage for ten years. After a failed elopement, she was sequestered away and kept from society, ensuring that marriage would not be in her future. But when she attends a ball with her stepsister and comes to the rescue of a duke...and well-known rake...she finds herself with a unique opportunity. Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, wants to be left alone by the ladies of the ton whose husbands keep challenging him to duels, and Julia wants to have a peaceful life away from her stepmother. So they come to an arrangement - a marriage of convenience, no expectation of marital bliss and absolutely no chance of falling in love. Except that's now how fairytales typically go, and Cinderella soon has her sights on a happily ever after.
Julia and Gregory were the perfect match, not just in personality or enthusiasm in the bedroom, but also in how they made each other see the other's worth. While everyone had spent years telling them they were not worth much, and their families cared little for them growing up, they were able to see in each other what others had failed to. Julia was compassionate, strong-willed and funny. Gregory was generous, humble and loving. Neither were who they expected to be married to, but they were exactly who they needed. Now my one nitpick in this book, which brought it down to four stars, was the inclusion of the Carter Club. **Here will be some mild spoilers if you want to stop reading.** It was a club of ladies with whom Gregory had had sexual relations with in the past, and they eventually invite Julia to visit them. When she eventually accepts the invitation and meets all the women, they proceed to tell her all about how Gregory's magical peen has saved their lives and marriages. Not literally...but the implication is there. It all felt so out of place and odd that any woman would want to have her husband's past affairs thrown in her face like that. They were all lovely women, but it was weird and wasn't really needed for the story. Although it did lend some comedy to the story, and wow, Lydia Drake writes comedy well. I had quite a bit highlighted in my digital copy to refer back to later for some laughs.
I highly recommend this author for anyone who loves light-hearted romance with mild steam and quirky characters. I will be smiling for a while after now finishing this delightful book.
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
January 12, 2023
Tropes:
~marriage of convenience
~Cinderella retelling
~rakish Duke hero (he’s a huge man ho before the start of the novel)
~assertive spinster heroine (she’s the one who proposes marriage)
~witty banter
This was a fantastic debut novel! I really enjoyed the heroine, especially that she was a bit older than the typical historical heroine (27). She was quick with the witty comebacks and no longer gives a fuck about society’s expectations for her, so I liked her instantly.
I saw other reviews say it gave “not like other girls” vibes, and while I don’t like that energy when it’s used to make other women look less than, I don’t think that was the case here. The heroine, in fact, didn’t act the way a lot of her female peers do, but it’s in a way that actually makes HER look “worse” in society’s eyes. And it made sense why the hero was intrigued by that, because he wasn’t used to a woman speaking so assertively and not caring if her words were societally acceptable. Single women were meant to be meek and submissive and try to tempt a man into a marriage proposal, not talk back.
Example of an interaction between them:
“You’re a wise chit, I’ll grant you that.”
“Call me a chit again and I’ll grant you a fast, messy death.”
There are plenty of romances where I don’t understand why the hero is instantly enamored with the heroine, but in this book it made perfect sense, especially with the way they first meet (she saves him from being challenged to a duel by a jealous husband by literally bursting onto the scene and causing a distraction).
I’m definitely curious to see what this author writes next (and hope it’ll be a romance for Duke Huntington)!
~marriage of convenience
~Cinderella retelling
~rakish Duke hero (he’s a huge man ho before the start of the novel)
~assertive spinster heroine (she’s the one who proposes marriage)
~witty banter
This was a fantastic debut novel! I really enjoyed the heroine, especially that she was a bit older than the typical historical heroine (27). She was quick with the witty comebacks and no longer gives a fuck about society’s expectations for her, so I liked her instantly.
I saw other reviews say it gave “not like other girls” vibes, and while I don’t like that energy when it’s used to make other women look less than, I don’t think that was the case here. The heroine, in fact, didn’t act the way a lot of her female peers do, but it’s in a way that actually makes HER look “worse” in society’s eyes. And it made sense why the hero was intrigued by that, because he wasn’t used to a woman speaking so assertively and not caring if her words were societally acceptable. Single women were meant to be meek and submissive and try to tempt a man into a marriage proposal, not talk back.
Example of an interaction between them:
“You’re a wise chit, I’ll grant you that.”
“Call me a chit again and I’ll grant you a fast, messy death.”
There are plenty of romances where I don’t understand why the hero is instantly enamored with the heroine, but in this book it made perfect sense, especially with the way they first meet (she saves him from being challenged to a duel by a jealous husband by literally bursting onto the scene and causing a distraction).
I’m definitely curious to see what this author writes next (and hope it’ll be a romance for Duke Huntington)!
October 6, 2022
4 Stars!! Cute book with a Cinderella type theme. I really enjoyed this book, even if I thought the reason the main characters couldn’t have a love match marriage was pretty lame. Basically Gregory was like ‘whaa, my parents didn’t love me so I have to sabotage our love too’. Other than that, he seemed like a great guy that I could see myself falling for, even if he was a giant man-ho. The main female character, Julia, was easy to love and the witty banter between her and Gregory was on point. The stepmother was a major ‘female dog’ and I didn’t like her at all. Plenty of ‘sexy times’, insta-lust and love, spinster woman who wants to have freedom but has been burnt before and a sexy man who is a really good guy though he hides it well, all with an HEA ending. I’d love to read about the secondary characters too since this was a pretty entertaining read.
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*
March 30, 2024
I must say it’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a book so much. It is so obvious that Julia and Gregory had amazing chemistry, with the banter and conversations between them. Julia was not just a spinster, she was an intelligent and outspoken one at that. Gregory likes a challenge and often found himself exchanging barbs with Julia. I enjoyed their interactions.
The amazing banter, chemistry and steamy sex scenes were kinda enough for me to give this book a high rating of four stars. I loved how they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other.
The plot wasn’t overly complicated, nor too dramatic, and I thought the Cinderella and marriage of convenience trope tied together very well. I’m a big fan of marriage of convenience trope, and I’m happy that this one was written very well.
An issue I had was the miscommunication between Gregory and Julia, Gregory had his own traumas which he refused to share with Julia, despite Julia sharing hers with him. I guess that part of not communicating with Julia properly did not sit well with me.
Otherwise, it’s been a nice and entertaining few hours, immersing myself into this book.
The amazing banter, chemistry and steamy sex scenes were kinda enough for me to give this book a high rating of four stars. I loved how they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other.
The plot wasn’t overly complicated, nor too dramatic, and I thought the Cinderella and marriage of convenience trope tied together very well. I’m a big fan of marriage of convenience trope, and I’m happy that this one was written very well.
An issue I had was the miscommunication between Gregory and Julia, Gregory had his own traumas which he refused to share with Julia, despite Julia sharing hers with him. I guess that part of not communicating with Julia properly did not sit well with me.
Otherwise, it’s been a nice and entertaining few hours, immersing myself into this book.
December 21, 2022
Well this had a plot that pretty much revolved around one of my least favorite storylines. I loved the Cinderella comparisons which in reality were not that many but enough to say the author followed the broad outline and I loved the setup that took place eventually and the romance BUT I am SO tired of the "I am not good enough/I must leave because I don't deserve this" crap. Outside of the self flagellation and stupid conclusion to things that happen I did enjoy the story and it did have a very good ending so I gave it 4 Stars but it was a very near thing, more like 3.75 but it does have a setup for some interesting characters in future books and since I know I will look forward to them I can't really claim I did not enjoy it.
December 30, 2022
3.5/5 stars
For a debut novel, this held a lot of promise. I generally liked the characters, and I liked that despite the Cinderella story, Julia had a great relationship with her stepsister (whose story I would gladly read in the future). The relationship progression here did not always go as I would have liked, and the latter half in particular involved a lot of me grumbling that things would not be this complicated if they would just talk to each other, damnit, but there was a lot here that I enjoyed and I would definitely read more from the author in the future.
For a debut novel, this held a lot of promise. I generally liked the characters, and I liked that despite the Cinderella story, Julia had a great relationship with her stepsister (whose story I would gladly read in the future). The relationship progression here did not always go as I would have liked, and the latter half in particular involved a lot of me grumbling that things would not be this complicated if they would just talk to each other, damnit, but there was a lot here that I enjoyed and I would definitely read more from the author in the future.
January 10, 2023
This was only ok. I just couldn't get into story. Gregory getting caught w/the married women and Julia saving him was funny. I don't recommend the audiobook. I really love the cover though.
September 20, 2022
I love fairytale stories they are one of my favorite reads. Cinderella and the Duke is a delightful read I love Cinderella retelling when it's done right 5 Star read 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review
Happy Reading Lisa 📚
Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review
Happy Reading Lisa 📚
October 11, 2022
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.
This was a Regency romance that was a fun twist on Cinderella, with some really humorous tongue in cheek repartee that I found really made this a wonderful read for me.
Julia Beaumont is the eldest daughter of a baron; they lost her mother when she was quite young. Lord Beaumont remarried when Julia was a young teenager, the widow of a wealthy merchant named Constance, who brought her own young daughter, Susannah to the family. Then Lord Beaumont passed away shortly after their marriage. The new stepmother, Lady Beaumont was the epitome of the evil stepmother to Julia, using her as an unpaid companion and drudge and after one unsuccessful season, where Julia had her heart broken, kept her at the country estate hidden from society. After many years, when Susannah is ready for her own debut, and it was thought that Julia is now firmly on the shelf, she is allowed to accompany them to London, but even then, Julia is forced to stay out of Society.
Despite Constance being such a witch of a wicked stepmother, her daughter, Susannah, and Julia do love each other, and Susannah tries to blunt her mothers mistreatment of Julia, and to give Julia some of the love and opportunities her mother denies her.
When Constance becomes ill, she does not want Susannah to miss a ball, and has Julia act as a chaperone. Julia knows this could be her opportunity to get out from under Constance's thumb. She is still attractive enough where she could hope to catch the eye of a gentleman, perhaps a widower or someone like that, who could marry her and take her away, so she does not have to spend the rest of Constance's life catering to her as an unpaid drudge. Even if she has to remake her own mother's out of date gowns and wear her cast off slippers to the ball.
Gregory Carter is the Duke of Ashworth. He has a reputation as arake and lover and is frequently hunted down by married women... and then hunted down by their husbands to defend himself on the field of honour. He is getting tired of the life he leads and his sordid reputation, but is also determined not to marry.
At the ball that night, Julia overhears Ashworth being stalked by a lusty wife, and despite his attempts to escape her, is found with her by the husband and challenged to a duel. Being a kind and just woman, she intervenes to save him from the situation, but is also aware of his rakish reputation, which could sully hers. So she ends up having to leave the ball before achieving her ends. But she makes quite an impression on Ashworth, stunning him with her beauty and intriguing him with her intelligence and humour... and of course, as she escapes, she leaves behind a token.... her crystal covered dancing slipper.
Ashworth finds out who she is and returns the slipper with his thanks. Julia convinces him to engage in a marriage of convenience to her. Doing so would save him from being hunted down by horny Society matrons, and their angry husbands, and she would be able to leave Constance. She promises him that they would lead separate lives. Ashworth comes around and agrees.
But of course, this is a romance. So far, things are lighthearted, with a lot of humour. The prose is amusing and quite engaging. But then things get complicated as they marry and get to know each other. Ashworth has hidden depths and self doubt thanks to his own family life and experiences. Their relationship, which was meant to be a convenience only, develops into more as they get to know each other, becoming friends and lovers. Despite that, they do not confide their deepening feelings for each other, and do not trust that their relationship will be something more durable. Ashworth genuinely seems to feel that he does not deserve Julia; that she is too good for him and he is in love and in awe of her. It becomes a bit sweet and sad for a stretch before they reach their HEA.
I found this to be a very refreshingly funny and sweet story, and enjoyed the twist on the Cinderella story. I enjoyed that Susannah and Julia did not have the fairy tale relationship where the stepsister was evil. I quite enjoyed the sly digs and humorous, and sarcastic dialogue by the characters.
This is the first time I am reading anything by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope there is more to come.
4 stars out of 5.
This was a Regency romance that was a fun twist on Cinderella, with some really humorous tongue in cheek repartee that I found really made this a wonderful read for me.
Julia Beaumont is the eldest daughter of a baron; they lost her mother when she was quite young. Lord Beaumont remarried when Julia was a young teenager, the widow of a wealthy merchant named Constance, who brought her own young daughter, Susannah to the family. Then Lord Beaumont passed away shortly after their marriage. The new stepmother, Lady Beaumont was the epitome of the evil stepmother to Julia, using her as an unpaid companion and drudge and after one unsuccessful season, where Julia had her heart broken, kept her at the country estate hidden from society. After many years, when Susannah is ready for her own debut, and it was thought that Julia is now firmly on the shelf, she is allowed to accompany them to London, but even then, Julia is forced to stay out of Society.
Despite Constance being such a witch of a wicked stepmother, her daughter, Susannah, and Julia do love each other, and Susannah tries to blunt her mothers mistreatment of Julia, and to give Julia some of the love and opportunities her mother denies her.
When Constance becomes ill, she does not want Susannah to miss a ball, and has Julia act as a chaperone. Julia knows this could be her opportunity to get out from under Constance's thumb. She is still attractive enough where she could hope to catch the eye of a gentleman, perhaps a widower or someone like that, who could marry her and take her away, so she does not have to spend the rest of Constance's life catering to her as an unpaid drudge. Even if she has to remake her own mother's out of date gowns and wear her cast off slippers to the ball.
Gregory Carter is the Duke of Ashworth. He has a reputation as arake and lover and is frequently hunted down by married women... and then hunted down by their husbands to defend himself on the field of honour. He is getting tired of the life he leads and his sordid reputation, but is also determined not to marry.
At the ball that night, Julia overhears Ashworth being stalked by a lusty wife, and despite his attempts to escape her, is found with her by the husband and challenged to a duel. Being a kind and just woman, she intervenes to save him from the situation, but is also aware of his rakish reputation, which could sully hers. So she ends up having to leave the ball before achieving her ends. But she makes quite an impression on Ashworth, stunning him with her beauty and intriguing him with her intelligence and humour... and of course, as she escapes, she leaves behind a token.... her crystal covered dancing slipper.
Ashworth finds out who she is and returns the slipper with his thanks. Julia convinces him to engage in a marriage of convenience to her. Doing so would save him from being hunted down by horny Society matrons, and their angry husbands, and she would be able to leave Constance. She promises him that they would lead separate lives. Ashworth comes around and agrees.
But of course, this is a romance. So far, things are lighthearted, with a lot of humour. The prose is amusing and quite engaging. But then things get complicated as they marry and get to know each other. Ashworth has hidden depths and self doubt thanks to his own family life and experiences. Their relationship, which was meant to be a convenience only, develops into more as they get to know each other, becoming friends and lovers. Despite that, they do not confide their deepening feelings for each other, and do not trust that their relationship will be something more durable. Ashworth genuinely seems to feel that he does not deserve Julia; that she is too good for him and he is in love and in awe of her. It becomes a bit sweet and sad for a stretch before they reach their HEA.
I found this to be a very refreshingly funny and sweet story, and enjoyed the twist on the Cinderella story. I enjoyed that Susannah and Julia did not have the fairy tale relationship where the stepsister was evil. I quite enjoyed the sly digs and humorous, and sarcastic dialogue by the characters.
This is the first time I am reading anything by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope there is more to come.
4 stars out of 5.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews