Snowfall and the Duke

The Silver Dukes #4

by Meara Platt

Can ten kisses heal a wounded heart?

Jonas Langford, Duke of Ramsdale, knows he is a beast and no one can possibly love him. He was the ton’s most eligible and desired bachelor before the Napoleonic War left him horribly scarred and had him retreating to Langford Hall in the quiet Yorkshire village of Broadmoor to live out his life in solitude. That is, until one Miss Ailis Temple, the beautiful spinster he thinks of as Miss Temple of Virtue, tumbles off her horse in front of his home and dislocates her shoulder. What else is a duke to do with a snowstorm approaching but take her in and tend to her wounds? She came to him seeking charity contributions for the local vicarage, however he strikes a bargain with her. She is to give him ten kisses, a hundred pounds a kiss, he says, never believing she will accept his terms. But she does, and Jonas realizes his life may never be the same again. Although Ailis is the one with the injured shoulder, is it possible he is the one who will be healed by her love?

Ten kisses, this is the bargain Ailis Temple, a beautiful spinster who has never dipped a toe out of line, strikes with the dangerously daunting Duke of Ramsdale in exchange for his charity donation. Dear heaven, what has she done? The duke is big and muscled, built like a warrior, and never smiles. But he has the sinful look of a man who knows how to kiss, and she, having never been kissed, is not about to pass up the opportunity. However, neither of them expected her to fall off her horse and be injured in front of his home, nor did they plan on the impending snowstorm to trap her with him for days. Will their ten kisses lead to her ruin? Or open their hearts to love?

The Silver Dukes is a charming Regency historical romance series where you’ll find heroes with a dash of silver in their hair and heroines who are spinsters believed to be firmly on the shelf.

Tropes/Story
✔ Grumpy, scarred hero
✔ Beauty and the Beast
✔ Snowed-in / forced proximity
✔ Bargain turned romance
✔ Spinster heroine
✔ Virgin heroine
✔ Emotional healing through love
✔ Regency small village setting

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

The Silver Dukes
Book 1 - Cherish and the Duke
Book 2 - Moonlight and the Duke
Book 3 - Two Nights with the Duke
Book 4 - Snowfall and the Duke
Book 5 - Starlight and the Duke
Book 6 - Crash Landing on the Duke

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Christmas, Christmas Romance, Fairy Tales

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 29, 2025

About the author

Meara Platt is happily married to her Russell Crowe look-alike husband, and they have two terrific children. She lives in one of the many great towns on Long Island, New York, and loves it, except for the traffic. She has traveled extensively, occasionally lectures and finds time to write. Her favorite place in all the world is England’s Lake District, which may not come as a surprise since many of her stories are set in that idyllic landscape, including her Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award winning story.

Reviews

[Maria]

FREE today (January 24, 2026) on Amazon.

[Jessica Grogan]

Don’t tell me you’re giving me a Beauty and the Beast retelling unless the hero is going to actually be a beast. Thanks, byyyyyeeeee.

[Maureen]

KU. December Reads. Christmas 2025. New author for me. Tropes: Christmas Romance, Regency Romance, RomCom, Mature Romance (H 40+ h.30) Disabled MC, Grumpy/Sunshine, Spinster, Class Difference, Matchmaker (his mother, brother, his silver Duke friends and his staff)

MC's h. Ailis Temple, 30, spinster helps her Uncle the Vicar Temple with duties for his parish. She fundraises for the parish and the village of Broadmoor's poor. Her brothers died in the war with Boney and her parents never got over it and died six years ago.

H. Duke of Ramsdale, Jonas Longford, 40+, considered a silver Duke. His mother and brother Edward are coming to visit him at Christmas and bringing young deb's and their families. His mother wants him to get married. He has two younger sisters that are married with families of their own. He was in the war with Napoleon and imprisoned twice. He was burned in prison all over his back, arms and legs. He suffered physically and mentally for 6 years. He was a wounded beast, a monster (his thoughts). He vowed never to marry.

This was a humerous well written Christmas story. The characters were richly portrayed with quirky characteristics and there some interesting slang words used throughout the tale. It was a sweet romance that brewed over several years of friendship, trust and respect between Jonas and Ailis. It took a snowstorm and a dislocated collarbone after a fall off a horse (Ailis) and 10 kisses (a side bargain to raise a $1000 for the parish fundraiser) and his mother bringing the worst deb's to suit him. His mother and brother knew he really loved Ailis and they set the trap for him. There was a good mix of curmudeonly behavior on the Duke's part as well as romance and protective instincts as well. Ailis was an honest and forthright woman with a big heart. She was beautiful and didn't know it. It was a sweet Christmas romance like Beauty and the Beast. I gave this 4 stars.

[pat]

no complaints, no criticism, that’s the standard of historical romance

I was a bit worried the kisses deal would turn out to be too transactional for my liking, but it was written great!

a pathetic /pos man with scars that thinks is tough and cold but it’s the warmest sweetheart 😩😩😩😮‍💨

thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Now I need to check all the other books in the series

[dessie*₊⊹]

A little rambley but the positives outweigh any critiques. This series taps into old(er… ish….. I’m not expert,okay.) school historical romance vibes and does them really well.
Points for :
• a 30 year old fmc
• having her involved in the church yet not a cliche naive prude
• having the big strong duke being the insecure one who needed reassurance was an interesting change

[Toni Krogh]

Wonderful story!

I always love the grumpy duke/sweet lady trope, so much fun! Ailis and Jonas make wonderful couple, she is just right for him. And during the Christmas season, perfect setting!

[gabby]

Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing & NetGalley for this ARC!

This was totally middle-of-the-road "fine" - I'd probably give this a 3.25-3.5 (I'm still torn!). This was a sweet, low-angst "snowed in" story. While I did enjoy it overall, I think there's room for improvement.

I think this book could've leaned way more heavily into the Beauty & The Beast trope; as it is now, I'm not really buying it. Jonas has scars from the war (which make him beastly? I guess??) and lives isolated from town. That's where similarities end, because other than that he's very charming, women want him (well, they mainly want his money), and is apparently super hot.

I would have LOVED to read more about Ailis & Jonas's friendship prior to the events in the book. We're told that they've known each other for years, but we never get to see the friendship build between them, which I think makes the romance between them feel a bit flat. We're immediately thrown into the "ten kisses" scene on page 1, which I think would've been so much more satisfying if we saw some other interactions between the MCs first!

I'm also not totally convinced Jonas is in love by the end, but maybe I'm just being a negative Nancy. Not my favorite Meara Platt, but still okay overall!

[Carissa]

I got to 30% and stopped. It lost interest for me.

[Kati]

Snowfall and the Duke is book 4 in The Silver Dukes, but can be read as a standalone. I have not read any of the prior books, and Platt dropping the reader into an established universe with two characters that already know each other fairly well, might be jarring to some, but I just rolled with it. The opening scenes with Jonas and Ailis bantering over him being a curmudgeon and her really needing him to apply some of his mighty wealth to the poor tenants set the pace and style for the rest of the story. I did enjoy these two very much and the story really flowed along like a warm hug. But there were some niggling details that were annoying.

The plot revolves around The Silver Dukes getting married. Jonas is described as early 40s and has silver in his hair. Ailis is about 30 so right away I was already predisposed to liking these two, simply because they were older adults. The book was tagged as Beauty and the Beast, but while Jonas is scarred from the Napoleonic wars and Ailis is caught up in a snowstorm (forced proximity!), that's really the end of the likeness. These two get along and when Jonas proposes kisses in exchange for charitable donations, Ailis is ready to play his game. She knows he's not looking for marriage despite the betting books or his mother descending upon him with his younger brother and a gaggle of what they all call diamonds. And this is where the book just started annoying me. I googled it and I can't find where women were all called diamonds by the ton during the regency period as a matter of regular discourse. I only saw it as related to Georgette Heyer who I've never read, but she was certainly not writing during the actual period. It just seemed really dumb. Also, Platt made a show of how different these women were from virginal, vicar's niece, Ailis (although the Temple of Virtue jokes were pretty funny). I thought the female rival plotlines where the other woman is portrayed as whorish went out with the 80s.

Luckily this being a historical romance, all's well that ends well, but these two details really kept this from being a 4 star read for me.

Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley for the arc for review purposes.

[Sven]

A scarred duke, an injured vicars daughter, snow bound, and an exchange made this book full of tropes.

Ailis and the duke have good vibes, banter, and over time, you can kind of believe that they fall in love.

The silver duke series has been fairly interesting thus far, with older but still handsome and rich dukes succumbing to love.

# netgalley #SnowfallandtheDuke

[Lori Foster]

This is the 3rd book I've read by the author and each one has been amazing. I love how the romance unfolded and how wonderfully intuitive Ailis was throughout. The Duke was strong, wounded, sometimes surly but also caring. Just an all around beautiful story.
*Somehow I read book 1, 2, and then 4... and I missed 3, so I'll be going back to read it. I'm sure I'll enjoy it, too.

[Janet]

Jonas Langford, Duke of Ramsdale, was the ton’s most eligible and desired bachelor before the Napoleonic War left him horribly scarred and had him retreating to Langford Hall in the quiet Yorkshire village of Broadmoor to live out his life in solitude. That is, until one Miss Ailis Temple, the beautiful spinster he thinks of as Miss Temple of Virtue, tumbles off her horse in front of his home and dislocates her shoulder. She came to him seeking charity contributions for the local vicarage, however he strikes a bargain with her. She is to give him ten kisses, a hundred pounds a kiss, he says, never believing she will accept his terms. But she does, and Jonas realizes his life may never be the same again.
A mature couple who will melt your heart. I loved Jonas & Ailis, he’s closed himself off after being captured & scarred in the war a decade before, she’s a ray of sunshine who treats him as a man & not a title plus she makes him smile. Thrown together when she is thrown from her horse in icy conditions & then marooned when they are snowed in, it gives them an opportunity not only to get to know each other but to start to share their ten kisses. A heart warming story, beautifully written with a great cast of characters & two people finding love
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Kelly]

Snowfall and the Duke is the fourth book in the "Silver Duke" series, the first of the series I've read and the first by this author too. While it mentions the characters from the other series, I do not feel it detracts from this story. There is enough content and it's very well written to be a stand alone tale.

Jonas Langford, the Duke of Ramsgate, has been named as the remaining Silver Duke and he would like to chuck that title as far from him as he could get. He has no use for the ton, and does not want to be subjected to the Marriage Mart. With the physical and emotional scars Jonas suffered in the Napoleonic War he feels it's unlikely he'd ever find a wife who would accept him unconditionally. He's lost confidence that he's worthy of love. Instead, Jonas holes up for most of the year in Langford Hall in Broadmoor except for the brief periods when Parliament is in session. He prefers his solitude, and can be quite salty when his peace is interrupted.

Ailis Temple, the niece of Broadmoor's vicar, is that very person who has been regularly interrupting the duke's peace and solitude for around six years. She doesn't wilt in the face of his grumpiness, Ailis is stalwart and firm until Jonas caves to her requests for whatever is currently needed for the people of Broadmoor. They seem to get a lot of fun out of sparring with each other. The banter between them is very entertaining. This time Jonas ups the ante and tells Ailis he will donate $1000 pounds to the latest cause but only if Ailis gives him 10 separate kisses. Shocking! But he's such a charming mischievous rake about it Ailis doesn't mind. She decides she'd like to know what kisses are like anyway since at almost 30 she'll be unlikely to marry. Plus, she's carried a tiny torch for Jonas for a while, perhaps kissing him will get it out of her system.

The snow and ice have really picked up by the time Ailis has left Langford Hall. Her horse slips on the ice just outside the manor and Ailis falls, causing a dislocated shoulder and minor concussion. Ailis wants to get home as soon as she's stable, but Jonas won't hear of it. He insists on treating her at his home and have her recuperate there too so that she doesn't suffer further injury. As soon as the blizzard stops Jonas will ensure that Ailis will be safely home with her uncle and her reputation will be protected. It will all work out perfectly, right?

What follows is a charming and funny story of Ailis & Jonas becoming ever closer and more in love with each other, his mother, brother, and some truly awful house guests arriving to celebrate the holidays. Queue sneaky plans by the dowager duchess to help get Ailis out of Langford Hall and back home before the guests realize she's been staying there unchaperoned. The "diamonds" that Dowager Duchess Ramsgate brought to socialize and possibly marry Jonas, oh my stars. Calling them horrible just scrapes the surface. They should have been tossed in a snowfall and left there until the Spring thaw.

Yet even the shenanigans by the diamonds were not able to do a deep amount of damage. One was extremely unpleasant, but her ugly behavior was resolved quickly. It was heartwarming to see the strength of the love between Ailis & Jonas come through. I enjoyed Snowfall and the Duke, I think it's a great choice of book when you need something to make you smile.

Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing & NetGalley for this ARC

[Bok Choy Nomad (Cat-Dan)]

When I saw this ARC on my dashboard, I immediately nabbed it because...Regency-era historic romance? Beauty and the Beast vibes? Snowed-in plot? Bargaining kisses via a vicar's niece for the community Christmas charity ball? Hello there, my reader's heart was already thumping madly. And what a delightful read it was that delivered on all fronts.

We quickly learn that the 'Beast' is Jonas Langford, the reclusive Duke of Ramsdale, who has been approached by our undaunted Miss Ailis Temple for several years now in her pursuit of deep-pocketed donations on behalf of their village community. Their rapport is witty and reveals that they have been at this for several years now as her charitable approaches have become regular enough for him to expect them. As the wintry weather looms outdoors, Jonas comes up with the outlandish proposal that Ailis accepts ten kisses per 100 quid (pounds to the non-Brits). Queue the nasty storm and Ailis being chucked off her horse that delays her return and forces her to remain and recuperate...right in the Duke's bed.

All this makes for a great setting for our heroine and hero to get nice and cozy...and not just with the sizzling kissing, but to delve into the more intimate side of their pasts that they begin to reveal to one another. I enjoyed these elements as they slowly let their walls down and began to trust one another...and thus, become more protective of one another. The arrival of unexpected guests in the form of the duke's mother, brother and a house party full of the ton's most beautiful adds some urgency to the rest of the story as 'real life' avalanches upon them suddenly. I love how loyal and protective Jonas' staff are of him and Ailis as well when the outsiders descend, which reflects their good characters.

I'm giving this three stars because as much as I enjoyed it, I felt some of their relationship became a bit rushed and that someone like Ailis wouldn't be giving in to the kisses as readily for a modest spinster of this time (I know, I know, this is part of the allure of the story). I also felt that the so called 'diamonds' that the duke's mother brings are almost too outlandish and forward in their attempts to entrap and seduce their way to becoming prospective duchesses (also, I believe there was always only one chosen 'diamond' per season, not multiple ones). I'm a wide reader of Regency genre and felt their behaviour was too modern, and that most young ladies, especially from the cream of the crop would not have acted so brazenly because a young woman's virtue was everything during this time period. It just felt too unbelievable, especially with the two sisters bed hopping constantly, perhaps in a way to contrast to Ailis' glowing virtues (hence Jonas' fond nickname for her 'Miss Temple of Virtue', which also became rather repetitive. This behaviour was often overlooked by widows, but not by the unmarried women, so it didn't ring true on that historic sense, but if you're not looking for historic accuracy, then it shouldn't bother you.

Overall though, if you're looking for an easy read with some great tropes, witticisms and romance within a northern England village (and Christmas time!) then I think you'll enjoy this. I may even go back and read more about the other Silver Dukes as I became intrigued by their brief appearance in the story.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade publishing for this advanced copy!

[Anne]

Snowfall and the Duke by Meara Platt is the fourth of her Silver Dukes series. He was not one of the original Sliver Dukes, but the Duke of Ramsdale is a worthy addition. He doesn’t live anywhere near London, but rather has a residence in Yorkshire, where he lives by himself and likes it. He has irregular visitors, one of which is Miss Temple, the vicar’s niece, as always, fundraising. He’s not sure what got into him but he offered her one thousand pounds to care for the poor through the winter, one hundred for each kiss they share. She is startled, but agrees immediately, and not simply for the donation. As she is leaving at the start of a blizzard, he stands at the window where he sees her horse slip and dump her to the ground. He and several servants rush to her rescue and bring her back to the house as a servant is sent to fetch the doctor. Since no other rooms are made up, he has her put in his bed. Totally inappropriate, but necessary. She has dislocated her shoulder and has a cut on her head, as well as general bruising. He is struck by the fact that had he not been standing by the window, no one might have discovered her in time.

Thus starts an amusing story of a man who has good, but foolish, reasons for not marrying. Ones she dispenses with as soon as she discovered them. She is not of a station appropriate for a duke, but no one in Yorkshire cares about that sort of thing. The story progresses, through some amusing scenes of his mother and brother arriving with several eligible ton beauties, all intent upon trapping him. That didn’t work, and they eventually left, disgruntled. One can always count on Meara Platt for an entertaining book. This was one of many. The main characters were well-rounded an interesting, the plot was predictable, but getting to the ultimate conclusion was extremely entertaining, and it was a definite happily-ever-after, even after they traveled to London and he had to put up with the ribbing of his friends.

I was invited to read Snowfall and the Duke by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #MearaPlatt #SnowfallAndTheDuke

[Cerian]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ⭐️

Ailis is the village vicar’s niece and visits the Duke of Ramsdale to ask him for funds to support the needy in the community, because so far he’s not been very forthcoming. Once there, Jonas (the Duke) offers her a scandalous bargain - he’ll give her £1,000, the full sum they’re hoping to raise, if she’ll give him 10 kisses in return. Ailis doesn’t take long to decide to accept the bargain because she’s long found the Duke attractive and she seizes the opportunity to have her first kiss with him. Jonas is shocked that this paragon of virtue actually accepted his bargain (he does try to back out and give her the money without the kisses), but when an accident means that Ailis is forced to recuperate at his home during a snowstorm, he’s going to be awfully tempted to turn those 10 kisses into something more.

Both Ailis and Jonas were enjoyable characters. Ailis is a bit of a do-gooder but she’s not self-righteous about it, she’s kind and wants to help the community. She’s honest and forthright with Jonas, and I really enjoyed the way she teased him. Jonas needs someone who sees beyond his title and treats him like a fallible man.
Jonas fought in the war with the French and was a POW for a years before making an escape. His time in the war has left him scarred and surly, and he hides away in his country estate. There’s definitely strong grumpy x sunshine vibes at the start of the book, but being around Ailis slowly lets light back into Jonas’s life and shows him what he’s been missing out on.

Ailis and Jonas dance around each other, engaging in some increasingly passionate kisses (for charity of course), before they succumb to their feelings.
Chuck in a meddling brother and mother, and Jonas doesn’t stand a chance of being left to hide away. I enjoyed the relationship between them and Jonas, particularly with his brother, and the plotting to push Jonas and Ailis together.

This was an enjoyable (if predictable), low angst read that would be perfect to read around Christmas time when you’re in the mood for some fun banter, steamy kisses, and just cute vibes.

*I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Wendy Tavenner]

Taming his heart

I absolutely loved the 4th Silver Duke installment! Jonas is mad that his friends the other Silver Dukes names him as one after they all found love and married! The betting books are opened and wagers are mounting up. Jonas said when he came home after being a prisoner of war, he vowed he would never marry. He closed his heart off to love.
Ailis is the vicars niece, she came to live with him 6 yrs ago after her parents died. She engrossed herself in the church and the community and is loved by all. It was that time a year, the Christmas Holidays and she needs donations for the poor and the Christmas Ball. She has asked year after year for a donation from the Duke but he just never participated. She knew the weather was bad but she needs his cooperation.
She was lead into the Dukes study, and again he was not in the mood but he makes a deal with Ailis. He will give her 100 pounds for every kiss she gives him up to 10. He calls her Ms. Temple of the virtue and that just irks her. She agrees and the cat and mouse game commences. As she leaves she is thrown from her horse and dislocates her shoulder.
The Duke rushes out and carries her to his bed chamber and twists her shoulder back into the socket. Because of her injury and the bad weather she is required to stay until the Duke says it’s safe. This will give him a chance to give her more kisses.
This is such a wonderful read but becomes hilarious when he finds out his mother is enroute with Diamonds of the season and their parents to try and marry him off.
Love the book and such a beautiful ending.

[Karen J]

This is the fourth book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. At the end of the first 3 books, the original 3 Silver Dukes and their wives come up with 4 people they would like to see find their perfect match. The Dukes all picked the same person, Jonas Langford, Duke of Ramsdale. Jonas has been a recluse since returning from the Napoleonic wars where he spent time as a prisoner of war and conducted a daring escape which lead to severe injuries. Jonas believes he is better off alone and no woman will be able to see him for the man he is, only for his money and title. Ailis is the local vicars niece who lost her entire family due to the wars. Since coming to live with her uncle, she has become a bright spot in the entire village. She has even managed to coax a smile out of Jonas in her never ending efforts to raise charity funds. She makes a crazy deal with Jonas - 10 kisses for 100 pounds for each kiss. As she is leaving Langford Manor at the start of a snowstorm, her horse slips and she falls, dislocating her shoulder. Jonas, who set many shoulders during the war, carries her inside and sets her shoulder. He is reluctant to send her home immediately and the snowstorm worsens to a terrible blizzard, trapping them together for several days. As the snow storm ends, Jonas's mother and brother show up with a group of highly eligible ladies in an effort to push him into marriage. Will he survive the Christmas house party that he dreads. Will he finally figure out that Ailis is the one for him?

[JS]

3/5

I was really put off in the beginning because the MMC’s behavior did not match my expectations based on the blurb. It was advertised as a beauty and the beast retelling with a grumpy, scarred, and reclusive duke. But in the first chapter he is smiling and grinning at FMC, casually touching her, and being kind of teasing and flirtatious.

This turned out to be a cute enough story once I got past the fact that it wasn’t what I thought it would be. There were over the top and unrealistic moments for sure though.

The most OTT were the so called diamonds of the season. The way they were blatantly propositioning the duke and inviting him to their beds in front of others felt especially unrealistic. Trying to sneak around and maybe trap the duke in a compromising situation might have made sense, but there was literally a pair of sisters bed hopping together and not seeming at all secretive about it. I doubt these would be considered cream of the crop “diamonds” when so much emphasis was placed on virtue and gossip was rife in that time period.

Also, these women were obviously never going to be a good match for the duke, so it seemed excessive to have them be so OTT off putting. They could have just been portrayed as silly young girls compared to a more mature man approaching forty who preferred the peace of a small village over all the rules and games of the ton. Instead they’re basically monsters or villains.

Overall- decent way to pass the time despite the cringe. But not likely to reread

[Colleen]

Snowfall and the Duke is the fourth book in The Silver Dukes series.

Jonas Langford, Duke of Ramsdale, has the reputation of being a beast. After the Napoleonic War left him scarred, he believes no one can possibly love him. He retreats to his country home to avoid being ton’s attention, to live out his life in solitude.

Miss Ailis Temple rides her horse out to ask the Duke, for a donation for the people that needs his help. When the Duke seems reluctant, Ailis make a bargain for 10 kisses in exchange for the donation. The two come to agreement and Miss Temple leaves only to fall off her horse in a snowstorm on his property. Feeling responsible Jonas brings her inside to care for her. But who will receive the most care between these two.

This was wonderful. It is refreshing to see a book about characters that are older than the typical debutantes. Ailis is not your average character. She is thirty, opinionated, and caring. She manages to hold her own with Jonas. The characters were well written as well as entertaining. The snowstorm adds to the story by holding them hostage, so to speak, to 'heal' one another. It was a quick afternoon read, but I was disappointed when it over all too soon. I am looking forward to the two remaining books and hope to read the three previous one.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Cheryl McTyre]

4th in the series from Meara Platt and it just may be my favorite so far. Deemed the next "Silver Duke" by his friends, Jonas Langford, Duke of Ramsdale is not happy. He was held prisoner during the war and was badly burned and feels no one will love a man covered in scars.. So, he likes being alone, but he doesn't figure out he's lonely until Miss Temple comes to call and a snowfall keeps her close. Ailis Temple, is the Vicar's niece, and is loved by everyone. She comes to see the Duke for funds to help the people that live on or near his estate. Jonas throws a challenge: 10 kisses for 1000 pounds, she accepts. Why not, almost 30 and never been kissed. This may be her only chance since she is firmly on the shelf.. While they've been arguing, the snow starts to fall.

The meddling mother and younger brother Edward bring levity to these two main characters. She wants a house party at Christmas to find Jonas a wife and Edward brings friends that bet against Jonas marrying, And they'll assist in anyway they can, including marrying the competition.

Through manipulation and humor these two are brought together. A lovely story of believing in love, opening yourself up and sharing your heart
I'd love a story for his younger brother Edward, he deserves his on HEA.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[Monie_11]

Snowfall And The Duke is a cozy, feel-good Regency romance. Jonas Langford, the Duke of Ramsdale, is scarred from war and perfectly content hiding away from society—until Ailis Temple literally crashes into his life (and onto his property) during a snowstorm.

What starts as a cheeky bargain—ten kisses in exchange for a donation—turns into something much more meaningful. Jonas might seem gruff, but he’s never cruel. He doesn’t mock Ailis; in fact, he admires her for her strength, conviction, and compassion. Ailis, for her part, couldn’t care less about his title, wealth, or scars—she sees the man underneath, and that’s who she falls for.

I think the two of them are more alike than they realize—both carrying quiet pain from the war, just in different ways. Adding warmth and wit to the story is Jonas’s mother—an absolute gem of a character and a master schemer in the best way. Her subtle matchmaking and loving interference add delightful moments throughout the book.

If you like snowed-in romances, slow burns, and characters with real emotional depth, this one’s a winner. It’s sweet, a little cheeky, and full of heart.

Huge thank you to Meara Platt, NetGalley, and Dragonblade Publishing for the e-ARC.

#NetGalley #MearaPlatt #SnowfallAndTheDuke #DragonbladePublishing #eARCreview

[Anonymous 5]

This is a beautifully tender and emotionally rich Regency romance that tugs at the heartstrings and delivers all the swoon-worthy moments I look forward to in a historical romance. With a “beauty and the beast” flair, this story pairs a scarred, reclusive duke with a spinster heroine who’s braver than she knows—and the result is pure magic.

Jonas Langford, once the ton's golden boy, now hides from society, convinced no woman could ever love the man he’s become. Enter Ailis Temple: self-possessed, quietly daring, and determined to secure a charitable donation—even if it means bargaining kisses with a brooding duke. Their deal is outrageous, scandalous... and undeniably compelling.

From their very first interaction, the chemistry sizzles beneath layers of emotional restraint. The snowy forced proximity, the heart-healing slow burn, and the clever banter make this a thoroughly engrossing read.

As part of The Silver Dukes series, the novel has a more mature tone. It leans into stories of second chances, overlooked heroines, and silver-streaked heroes with devastating pasts. This isn’t just a romance, it’s a journey toward healing, self-worth, and unexpected joy.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Caitlin Coska]

Genre: Historical Romance - Christmas
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️
Spice: 1/5 🌶️

Summary: Ailis is on a mission to raise funds for those in need in their community. She turns to the Duke of Ramsdale who seems to always enjoy riling her up. This time he agrees to make the donation if she will allow him 10 kisses, knowing how innocent she is. She agrees and when the weather worsens, she’s forced to stay with him and they both discover feelings they didn’t expect.

Thoughts: Oh my gosh, I LOVED this book.
It gave me subtle Beauty and the Beast vibes, but in a way that felt completely fresh and original, nothing recycled. The pacing was spot-on, and the way the characters worked through their feelings was just… impeccable. I felt so connected to them.

I haven’t cried reading a book in a long time, but this one got me. It pulled at my heart in the most beautiful, unexpected ways.

The Christmas + winter vibes weren’t even needed but also everything I needed. The snowed-in setting added even more to the story.

I absolutely loved all of the characters, the main and background ones. I didn’t want to put it down because I just enjoyed reading their stories.

This book was such a joy to read. Warm, emotional, layered, and just one of those stories that reminds you why you love reading in the first place.

[Charmaine Fernando]

Jonas Langford, Duke of Ramsdale is a man few dares approach as he scares most of them. However, Miss Ailis Temple (or Temple of Virtue as Jonas calls her) is the exception to the rule! Having lost both her parents while still young, she was adopted and raised by her uncle who is the local vicar in the village. She is always doing good and caring for those in need.

While trying to secure funding for the upcoming village Christmas party, Ailis approaches the Duke of Ramsdale for the umpteenth time in the hope of getting a contribution from him. Jonas is very intrigued and attracted to Ailis and proposes to give her £1,000 for ten kisses! Ailis, who has never been kissed, decides to take him up on the offer / challenge. Unfortunately, while they were negotiating the deal, the weather becomes decidedly worse and when the meeting concludes and she makes her way back to the village, Ailis falls from her horse and dislocates her shoulder. With the worsening of the weather, she has no choice but to remain in his home until the snow abates, and her shoulder improves.

Liked reading it and other books from Meara Platt but found it a little slow at times. I received an ARC from the publishers and NetGalley and submit my honest review voluntarily.

[Isabelle]

I received an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

Snowfall and the Duke is the fourth book in Platt's The Silver Dukes series. This was my first time reading a book by Platt so I don't know how this book compares with the other books in the series. The Silver Duke series is a romance series where all of the MMCs are over the age of 40, which was a refreshing change of pace. But I'm going to be honest with you, this book wasn't a good fit for me.

The first page of the book you're already thrown into a conversation with the FMC and the MMC. They've known each other for years, and there's not much tension written into the story. They're not enemies and they're not friends. The romance is very plain white bread, and the spice barely counts as spice. There's minimal pining and not a lot of events occur in the book.

There were also a lot of time while reading the book where the dialogue or character actions felt so out of place with the historical setting. Characters said things like, "[they're] popping babies out." And as someone who has studied history in depth, it just hit me like a bucket of cold water.

I'm rating Snowfall and the Duke 2.5 stars rounded up.

[Renae V]

Now THAT'S A Love Story

Two people who have been acquainted for six years, both secretly attracted to each other, make a very improper deal: 10 kisses at 100 pounds each, to raise money to feed the village poor. There is, of course a snowstorm, and as she is leaving she falls off her horse and dislocates her shoulder. Ever so fortunate for her is His battlefield experience as a medic, and as the snowstorm becomes a raging blizzard, he resets her shoulder and claims his kisses.

So obviously this is fiction, because absolutely no one can flirt when they are in extreme pain and steadfastly refusing laudnam for fear of blurting out how attracted to him she is. Yeah, right. When a person is in that much pain they will glug down whatever pain medication that is on offer, and sleep fitfully. But somehow in this story, she is for the most part in sound mind dispute the pain, and they spend two weeks snowed in, getting to know each other, and falling in love, while both of them, for different reasons refuse to consider marriage, Til his mother comes, with 4 "Diamonds of the Ton", all determined to become the man's duchess.

[Rosie Trzewik]

Think back to Beauty and the Beast and you will see a few similarities. Jonas Langford, Duke of Ramsdale is in hiding. Avoiding London and the ton, but his fellows dukes, those he thought were friends has entered his name at White’s as the next to marry. And his mother and brother has decided to bring a few of the first diamonds to his doorstep for a house party over the Christmas holidays. Bah humbug! The only one who he can tolerate is the victor’s niece.
Miss Ailis Temple is beloved by all. Making it her mission to help her uncle care for his flock this season even if it means going to the grumpy Duke to get a donation. And as the afternoon wears on and the snowflakes start to fall Ailis and the Duke come to an unusual agreement. Ten kisses and for each the Duke will donate 100 pounds.
Fun read with all the antics that occur during the party and the Duke realizing what he truly wants but can he reveal his true self. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful story. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Pat Robinson]

I so love this author’s stories. She brings such a sense of joy, peace and comfort to her characters bedeviled souls. Ailise is the Vicar’s niece, doing all she can to help the poor and needy in the district. Jonas is the grumpy Duke she must get to help. Watching Jonas’s heart and soul change was so exquisite. Seeing him deal with the ton’s “Diamonds” was so funny, I could feel his sense of being hunted. It wasn’t until the end when we get to see what Mother and brother were trying to do and that brought such a sense of awe to the story. The characters were very well written, the snowstorm (my favorite of the seasons) was delightful and seeing Jonas’s walls broken down was wonderfully written. The Vicar’s housekeeper was hilarious and the Duke’s staff were joyful to read. There is nothing NOT to love in this story! I really didn’t want it to end!

I received this story for free and these are my own opinions

[Margaret Watkins]

One should never judge a book by its cover, as Ailis Temple discovered when she challenged Jonas, the Duke of Ramsdale. Both the main characters in this sweet romance have their shields up, preventing anyone from getting too close to them. When Jonas barters ten kisses from Ailis to pay for the parish's charity work, he does not expect her to agree with him. Nervous of the outcome, Ailis's concern for the poor under her uncle's spiritual care outweighs her scruples. An epic snowstorm, an injury, and being confined to Jonas's bed raise all sorts of concerns when his family descends on him for the Christmas season. The novel is witty and entertaining, and as Jonas starts to unravel his past, he discovers that love and trust go a long way to bring healing and new beginnings. I received a copy of this delightful romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.