The Duke and the Widow

Unlikely Betrothal #5

by Christina Diane

She craves passion, not promises. He seeks solace, not love. But when their hearts collide, can they leave the past behind—or will it destroy them both?

Rosina
Lady Rosina Preston has no intention of falling in love again. After losing her husband, she’s content with fleeting pleasures and stolen moments. But when a country house party leads her into the arms of James, the Duke of St. Albans, she finds herself caught in a whirlwind of desire—and dangerously close to losing her heart.

Can Rosina risk the pain of love a second time, or will her past keep her from embracing the future she deserves?

James
James, the Duke of St. Albans, has spent years hiding behind duty, sacrificing his own happiness to care for his family. But when he meets the enigmatic Rosina, her boldness and beauty awaken a hunger he’s never known.

What begins as a simple affair soon becomes something far more complicated. James must decide: will he guard his heart, or risk it all for the one woman who could change his life forever?

Two hearts scarred by loss. One chance at redemption. A love that could ignite scandal—or heal their deepest wounds.

Note: This is a spicy novella with 5+ explicit scenes and a guaranteed HEA! Content warnings available on author's website.


Tropes: Virgin MMC, Spirited Heroine, Mutual Traumas, Wanton Widow, She Teaches Him, House Party

Unlikely Betrothal Series: Each novella is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order and read in Kindle Unlimited!
Book 1: The Earl and the Vixen
Book 2: The Rake and the Muse
Book 3: The Marquess and the Earl
Book 4: The Viscount and the Wallflower
Book 5: The Duke and the Widow

Genres: Historical Romance, Novella, Historical, Amazon

182 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 29, 2025

About the author

Christina Diane writes Regency romances that are fast-paced, high-heat love stories where the banter bites and the bad boys never behave. An international bestselling author, Christina blends historical settings with modern a modern flair, crafting irresistible tales of spirited heroines, forbidden liaisons, and brooding alphas who’d ruin your reputation and your bedsheets.

If you crave scandal, seduction, and a dash of emotional darkness…welcome to your new obsession.

Reviews

[Imromanticallyinvolved]

All good things must come to an end... This is a bittersweet ending to a wonderful series.

This story begins with heartbreak as we witness Rosina losing her first husband to an unknown illness. Their childhood friendship grew into a young, passionate love. They experienced all their firsts together - first kiss, first loves, first lovers and in Rosina's case, first devastation. After Ry's death, Rosina vowed that he would be her only love.

James experienced his own heartache after losing both his parents. With an estate to run and two young brothers to raise, he needed to put all of his wants and desires aside. ALL of his desires. With his brothers tucked away safely at school, he decided to attend a house party where he hoped to gain some experience with a no strings attached affair.

Two lonely, consenting adults looking to scratch an itch. Their hearts cannot and will not be involved. James has responsibilities and plenty of time to find his duchess. Rosina will never betray the love she had for Ry.

For such a short page count, this one really packed a punch. I loved how open and honest these two were with each other right from the beginning. It was a believable progression from instant attraction to undeniable love. James and Rosina had a few things to work out in their minds and hearts and I appreciated how the author made them both feel heard and respected.

This tale has a whole lotta spice as Rosina introduces James to pleasure. James is a quick study though and has a few tricks of his own!

Highly recommended for those looking for a low angst, low drama, quick read with a perfect blend of patience, caring and passion. It moves along at a steady pace yet still maintains depth of character and an engaging plot.

I was honored to receive an early copy from the author (Thank you!) All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Alexandra G]

Two scarred hearts, an affair and the leap of a lifetime.

Nothing about this romance was accidental. James planned it, finally taking something for himself after losing his beloved loving parents, assuming his father’s title and raising his little brothers until they were ready for school. He’d heard about the beautiful widow – not that he was looking for a wife. He was, however, looking for a little life experience...
Rosina had heard about the reclusive duke coming out of hiding for this house party, and was more than a little curious – not that she would ever allow any man to claim her heart again after losing her childhood love – but sharing pleasure was entirely possible... if he met her requirements.

A wonderful fifth and final sequel in this fabulous series!
This tale was beautiful and touching, no major drama or angst, just two grown-ups coming to terms with their own feelings and breaking their own boundaries – and naturally it was as deliciously spicy as the previous novellas!
I loved how open and honest he was about his inexperience, no fake bravado, and it nestled him firmly under her skin from the very beginning. Actually, they’re both very direct from the get-go – no promises, no obligations, no feelings, only fun – but... they’ve both lost loved-ones, understand each other’s grief, know when to prod and when to comfort, so of course feelings get involved, and it’s scary. Thank heavens for impertinent little urchins, and their perfect timing!

[Rachael]

Since being widowed, Rosina is not looking to give her heart to anyone. She is content with casual encounters and stolen moments until she meets the Duke...

James doesn't have time for love. His duty is to his family, and a relationship would only complicate things.

When James and Rosina come together, sparks fly, and the growing passion between them can not be denied. Can the two lovers let their guards down and open themselves up to true, meaningful love, or will this just be a fling?

I adored this story! It was such a fun and spicy way to wrap up a phenomenal regency era romance series! The banter, the longing, the build-up, the intrigue... I was hooked! If you haven't read the Unlikely Betrothal series by Christina Diane, you ought to!

[Pam Bereznak]

I just started reading Christina Diane. This is only my 6th book by her. I saw book 1 of this series when I was downloading another new author and also ran across her on a FB takeover in one of my steamy book groups. I have liked this series so far.

Lord, three pages in and I was already crying. I loved this book. It was a super quick read but gave me all the feels. It had such great depth. The characters, Rosina and James were wonderful. I loved their story and each of their backstories. Their chemistry was great and the sex was hot. Just a really, really good read.

[Sherley's Reading Corner]

*𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 5.0 ⭐
*𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 3.0 🌶️

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂

I have read books 1-4 of the 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥 series. Since book one, I have been looking forward to reading Lady Rosina Preston’s story. I am so happy I got a chance to read 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰 and getting to know more about Lady Preston.

This was a great read. In 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰, we get a deeper look into the life of Lady Preston. From the time we met her in book 1, we knew she was widowed, strong, independent, and always an encouraging individual to those around her. In this book we get a more vulnerable Rosina. For the past few years, since the passing of her husband, Rosina has been with other men of the ton only to satisfy her carnal needs. She has no desire to find love or remarry because she believes that her first husband was the first and only love of her life.

Well, life may have other plans for her because when she goes to Lord and Lady Ockham’s house party, Rosina meets James Talbot, The Duke of Albans. Though young, James has been through a lot. After losing both of his parents and having to be responsible for his two younger siblings, James has little time for love, marriage or physical intimacy. James is determined to take care of one of those things. At the house party, he seeks out Lady Preston and makes a proposition to her. Since they are both alone, he proposes a no-strings attached sexual affair. After much thought, she accepts his proposal. But just when they thought that their bodies would be the only thing involved in this arrangement, their hearts and emotions start to come into play.

Guilt is not far behind. Rosina doesn’t want to betray her husband who passed, and James does not want a deeper relationship with Rosina to get in the way of his care for his siblings. Will these two be able to let go of their pasts and guilt and give love a try or will this arrangement begin and end at the Ockham estate?

I so enjoyed this read. Rosina’s vulnerability was beautiful to see. She had always been so strong and built a lot of walls around herself but seeing James knocking down those walls was amazing. I was happy to see her be able to let go and trust someone else.

These two had fiery chemistry. They got hot and heavy A LOT (lol) so this one is spicy, spicy, spicy! In addition to their physical chemistry, James and Rosina worked to build trust with one another. I really liked how they shared their painful pasts with each other and were so supportive of each other. Both Rosina and James are likable characters that I found to be relatable.

This was a very fast-paced story, but I did not feel short-changed. The author did a great job with building the world the characters lived in, allowing me, as the reader, the opportunity to completely immerse myself in the story. I felt like I knew and understood the characters and was able to feel their hurts and pain. This was the perfect blend of plot and spice, and the pacing was great.

I was able to read 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰 in one sitting because it was a page-turner that I could not put down.

Overall, I really enjoyed 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰 and would recommend it to all who love regency romances with a modern twist.


✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
🆆🅷🅰🆃 🆃🅾 🅴🆇🅿🅴🅲🆃
⚰️Independent Widow
🌶️No Strings Affair (until it’s not)
💑Age Gap Tension
🫢Powerful Secrets
🙅‍♂️Virgin MMC
❤️‍🔥Passion Meets Unexpected Love
💕Second Chance at Love
🥵🌶️Spicy Open Door Romance
😀💍HEA

🅵🅰🆅🅾🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆀🆄🅾🆃🅴🆂/🆂🅰🆈🅸🅽🅶🆂
🥵 “All I require from you is an orgasm and respect.”
🌶️ “I’m going to taste the sweet honey between your legs, and them I’m going to f**k you.”
💕 “The arrangement was only supposed to be about pleasure, but somehow he had fallen in love with her along the way.”
‍🔥 " ‘Touch me, Duke.’ ‘Where?’ ‘Everywhere.’ "

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

* 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 & 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 5.0 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆

[Readery]

This has to be one of the most steamiest books I’ve ever read! My goodness. But it also had a nice amount of storyline which removed the feeling like I was reading a porno hehe.

The story is of a young duke who enters into a relationship purely based on pleasure, with a young widow who wants no long term commitment or marriage or emotions.

She has suffered a heartbreaking loss of her husband at a young age and has no desire to go through that again. She has since had a few partners for a short term liaisons, and when she spots the duke she wants him.

The Duke is also young, and has decided he does not wish to marry because he saw what loss did to his father when his mother died, plus he is focusing on raising his young traumatised brothers so he feels love has no role to play in his life.

Good plot with some unrealistic surprises I decided to turn a blind eye on
-they are 23. The way they both act made it very hard to believe they were in fact this young! In a way it’s complimentary that the Duke took his responsibilities very seriously for this young young age not having lived or experienced much of life such as university, falling in love etc. but somehow he knew a lot about life and what he didn’t want etc. umm okay. And don’t get me started on the sexually experienced Merry Widow at 23
-Virginal duke (I loved this!) becomes an expert in lovemaking and female pleasure. Wow this really is written by a woman because wow. It’s typically written the other way round in historical romances so I enjoyed this side of things. It’s nice not having a virginal heroine who all of a sudden becomes a daring sexual temptress after one stroke. This was the male version of this.

Despite the above, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was such a sweet spicy story of first AND second love lasting forever and the epilogue was heart melting.

[Ruth]

What a way to end this series. Grab the tissues.

Rosina Preston swore she would never marry again after losing the love of her life Ryan. She didn't want to go thru that heart break again.

James Talbot the Duke of St. Albans, he lost both his parents and has been raising his two younger brothers. His brothers are away at school, and he decided to go Lord and Lady Ockham house party to meet this Lady Preston he heard so much about.

James meets Lady Preston and her friend Lilly. James tells Rosina he is only at the party to meet her.

Rosina tells James what her rules are including not getting emotionally involved. James tells Rosina he wanted to set a good example for his brothers and that's why he is a virgin.

I was so moved by the way Rosina brought James into the lovemaking. The time she took to show him how to make her feel good and also himself.

This was so very heart warming and beautiful tender moments.

I love where James said he didn't want her to forget Ryan as that is who made her the women she is.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole]

Ohh Christina saved the best for last.. The Duke who was quiet and the scandalous widow..

I'm sad to see this series come to an end!!! But all good things come to end so new things can blossom..

These two characters have been through so much tragedy and they both are afraid to let themselves love someone in case they might fall in love and then they end up losing that person as well.. However despite that they only wanted an agreement of passion they find that they have something in common and that's grief understanding and so much more.. Along the road, they lose their hearts to each other despite how much they try to fight it, they can't deny how they feel for each other..

This story was an emotional story from the beginning to the end.. and so was this series..

I cried I laughed and I cried both happy and sad tears..

I can't wait to see what Christina has up her sleeves next for us because I know whatever it is, it's going to be incredible..

I received this book from the author as an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest voluntary review and this is purely based upon my own personal opinion and that of no else.

[Stacie Irwin]

What a beautiful story. Rosina lost the love her life a few years prior. She still missed him and held his memory close. She refused to consider another marriage after she lost the one she cherished. James was a man of honor and respect. After caring for his younger twin brothers for years after his parents both passed, he is ready to find experience with a woman. He has heard of Rosina’s reputation, and he wants to take advantage of her discretion and ability as a widow, so he searches her out.

This book was a fun tale of watching James chase Rosina and then fall hard for her. I loved that even though Rosina was scared and reluctant to give into feelings for James, he wasn’t daunted and he didn’t take her hurt personally. He treated her with love and caring and wanted to truly win her. He gave her space when needed, but he didn’t fully disengage from her. It was so touching.

There were plenty of steamy moments, but the love and caring displayed shined brightest.

[BookishMya]

A fabulous conclusion to a truly memorable series. I loved James & Rosina. Two lonely individuals trapped in the fear of loss. James tragically lost both his parents, thrusting him into his role of Duke early and leaving him to parent his two younger brothers alone. Rosina lost the love her young life due to illness, and chose to live a life solely for her own pleasure ignoring the expectations of society. I love that James knew what he wanted and single-mindedly strove to get it. What he wanted was the scandalous widow to help him embrace his manhood once and for all. With rules firmly in place they embark on a torrid affair with equal parts heat and tenderness. Like any good situation, rules are made to be broken and these two quickly find themselves in a world of feelings. Free of angst, these two are open and honest and simply adorable in their freedom. Christina Diane has created a memorable world of house party extravagance that will entertain and titillate your senses.

[FictionHealsMe]

Lady Rosina Preston has lost the love of her life, her husband. She’s afraid to love again, believing that opening her heart would mean betraying his memory, and she can’t bear the thought of another heartbreak.

The Duke of St. Albans, James, has also known loss. After his parents’ death, he devoted himself to raising his two younger brothers, taking on the role of protector and father figure. Love feels like a dangerous distraction, something he can’t afford.

Both scarred by grief, they seek only physical comfort, never expecting that their connection would come with so much passion and undeniable chemistry. Let’s just say things get quite spicy especially once Rosina takes on a rather unexpected role as James’s… teacher in bed.

Their story is tender, passionate, and surprisingly heartwarming. It’s a lovely mix of emotions and steam, with characters who make you smile and root for their second chance at love. A truly enjoyable read.

[Florence Bliss]

As the final book of the Unlikely Betrothal series, The Duke and the Widow takes us out with a bang! (several bangs actually) Keeping up the high quality, sexy, romantic story, this book was the perfect place to end the story.

Widowed Rosina already had her one great love and when he passed, she swore off such feelings forever. That didn’t mean she swore off men, exactly, just the tender feeling they could cause. But when the innocent Duke of St. Albans, a man too caught up in his responsibilities to consider a wife, seeks Rosina out, primarily for her reputation, the two quickly find that their misgivings about love might cause them some trouble.

This story was sooooooo hot. It also managed to tackle loss and learning to love in an incredibly caring way. It was a great ending to this wonderful series.

Thank you to the author for sharing this ARC with me!

[Nicole]

We’ve come to the end of the Ockham’s house party, and what a ride it has been. The Duke and the Widow is the fifth and final book in the series and was by far my favorite, all because of the main couple. Rosina was feisty, taking charge of her own pleasure especially in a time where discretion is expected, yet still emotionally invested in her deceased husband Ryan. James, the Duke, was single minded in his task of gaining Rosina’s attention, and I loved how he had no qualms about letting her lead in the bedroom.

Their story was short, sweet, intense, spicy and kept me invested until the very last page. It was beautiful witnessing Rosina finally learn it was ok to embrace her feelings for James, and I adored how he didn’t compete with her affections for Ryan.

This was a wonderful conclusion to the series and I highly recommend it.

[Vee - My Little Book Reads]

Sigh... This series is so good, and I'll say it again, this is the house party to be at.

This novella focuses on Lady Rosina and James, the Duke of St. Albans. Rosina is a widow and not looking for anything more than satisfying her needs and that suits James, but of course, it's never that easy once feelings get involved. These two had chemistry, respect and understanding for one another. It's well-written, spicy, captivating and the story drew me in and kept me hooked.

Don’t miss it, you won't regret reading this.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[high.lady.katie]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have loved the Unlikely Betrothal series…this is the fifth and final book - it might be my favorite! I was immediately drawn to Rosina and James, I enjoyed the building tension and pure passion 🔥 It was really fun to read this more experienced FMC play tutor and the MMC was a quick study 🤭
What starts as a no strings affair becomes so much more.

"All I require from you is an orgasm and respect."

“The arrangement was only supposed to be about pleasure, but somehow he had fallen in love with her along the way."

I definitely recommend this to regency romance fans or anyone looking for a spicy novella - it’s hot and heartfelt!

[Madelaine Marie]

The Duke and The Widow by @christinadianeauthor gave me the Bridgeton fills I’ve been missing !

Rating;⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice; 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

This story follows Rosina, a widow in her twenties. She has scorn off all future relationships, as no one could ever fill the whole of her first love. However was more than open for what happens behind the doors of her bedroom.

I love this establishment for the FMC. In an era of rules and order for every young lady. Rosina defines her own rules and order! The independent feminist living her sexual awakening with zero shame.

She heads to a country house party bringing together a few singles from the ton a break. Here she meets James the Duke of Albans.

James finds Rosina right away as he knew the rumours around the ton of her under the moon activities. As young demon flock to him for the status he carries. He has one thing on his mind and it is to make the beast with two backs.

I loved the main characters. Both of them strong willed, determined, and with the same set of goals. This leads them to have a secured and strong understanding of one another.

But can sex come without emotions? I guess you gotta read to find out!

[Rod]

A very steamy story. We have a widow who loved her husband and does not wish to remarry but has liaisons. At a house party we have a duke specifically seeking her out for her ‘experience’. He too does not wish to marry so their stipulations for the liaison align.
At first with her husband being called Ry, and then the overt sex I thought I would not like it. However, I found that as the story progressed it was fine. It is a short story so there is maybe not the depth but that is always hard in a short story, but I think it captured the fears and needs of those who have loved and lost. Didn’t need all the heat - well I think it could have been toned down a bit and not lost anything

[Angela]

The best book in this series, in my opinion. Heartbreaking to the point that I cried, big ole tears. Yeah, got out the tissues. I like when authors don’t make the previous husband to be a tyrant or evil or mean. Rosina loved her husband and she had a hard time getting past that and I get it – doing so might have given her new relationship a strain and she wanted to remember all of the good times. Bonus, James is untried but oh so willing to learn. Falling in love is always such a smile-inducing remedy to anyone’s day. Applause, Christina, applause.

[Laura]

Audiobook: I was entertained by this book as much as the others. I felt for both Rosina and James as both had losses in their pasts which impacted their lives. I was surprised by some of the twists. I liked how the author provided a different story for all the people attending the house party. There were some very steamy descriptions. I enjoyed CC Kline's narration as her performance portrayed the aura of the story. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.

[Sandy]

steamy is very not

Rosina has lost her husband who she truly loved and was determined to never marry again. ThecDuke of Albany’s wants to meets lady Preston. The Dike has never been with a lady and has come to the house party just to meet lady Preston to learn from her. They meet and agree on terms. Each night they meet and she teaches him how to make love. The only problem is that both of them start to fall in love with each other. In the end they do marry

[MARIE MARUCCI]

Enjoyed learning Rosina's full story from the beginning.

I understand her commitment to Ryan, but she was much too young to be without love again.

James' story was also tragic and his dedication to his brothers and their future was admirable. However, he also needed time for himself.

The building of the relationship between James and Rosina was filled with laughs and some tears, but ended happily.

[Ly]

Passionate novella!

This book is a quick read. It grabbed my attention from the beginning. I found the main characters, Rosina and James, lovable and adored their connection. I liked the flow of the story, without much drama. And I found the romance heartwarming, intense and spicy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Abby E.]

Two lonely souls finding each other is a beautiful plot for a romance story. The only small issue personally was the writing. Pov is modern and dialogues are passable for old style English (I don't know what it's called). Other than that, it's fast paced, and an easy read. Thanks for the ARC!

3.8 ⭐
4 🌶️

[Lyn D Rose]

This sixth book in The Unlikely Betrothal series was a steamy, unique historical romance. It was beautifully written, with passion, spice, and strong emotional issues. I enjoyed how they worked through terrible loss in their lives by finding a surprising and strong connection that helped them move forward into a wonderful love. I highly recommend reading!

[Aj]

Passionate and spicy, heartfelt and genuine characters. Beautifully written with a focus on love lost and moving forward. Rosina and James are not seeking love but find a connection that runs deep and turns into an everlasting love.

[Nancy T Vega]

Losses/Friends?/Perhaps Lovers?..

The Duke has one goal in mind for this weekend- and her name is Rosina. She has her eye on him also-
And they make a pack in the dead of night; but somehow something occurs & neither are sure what it may be..

[Meg Williams]

good story, way too short and fast paced

The story had a good plot to start but everything felt like it was on fast forward. Each chapter I felt like I missed something bc the story progressed so quickly. Overall it was a quick and easy read, but not one I would pick up again.

[Rosemary]

Well damn, that was good. I thought it was going to be some unserious piece of erotica, but it was very heartfelt and well done. This was my first by this author, so I’m going to check out the other books. FYI it does end at 85% on Kindle.

[Frances Hughes]

If I am having a bad reading day, it only takes one mistake to put me off a book. On page 2 the heroine’s husband is referred to as Ryan, Marquess Preston. The correct form of address Is Marquess of….

[Constance M.]

Never say Never

She's a widow determined never to love or marry again.
He is a Duke with the responsibility of raising his brothers after the death of his parents.
They agree to an arrangement for pleasure, but nothing else.

Things change and their arrangement shatters.