Nevesta pod stromček

Drop Dead Dukes #3

by Anna Bradley

Rose St. Clairová rozhodne nie je krehká kvetinka, a keď sa istej noci do jej domu vláme tajomný cudzinec, neváha na neho namieriť pištoľ. Príťažlivý ničomník však tvrdí, že panstvo Hammond Court patrí jemu a Rosin adoptívny otec Ambrose St. Clair ho pred rokmi ukradol jeho rodine. Ako sa neskôr ukáže, právo na panstvo majú obaja a ani jeden nemôže vysťahovať toho druhého.
Vplyvný a neľútostný Maxwell Burke, desiaty vojvoda z Granthamu, strávil roky získavaním rodinného majetku, o ktorý prišiel jeho otec v stávkach. Chýba mu už len panstvo Hammond Court, no tvrdohlavá Rose sa neplánuje tak ľahko vzdať. Ich spolunažívanie v jednej domácnosti nemôže byť komplikovanejšie. Blížiace sa Vianoce nútia Maxa zorganizovať vianočnú oslavu a Rose je ochotná pomôcť mu s prípravami. A hoci podobné radovánky sú mu cudzie, uvidí v nich príležitosť, ako sa zbaviť Rose raz a navždy. Stačí ju zoznámiť s atraktívnym džentlmenom, ktorý by sa do nej zaľúbil a odviedol si ju na vlastné panstvo. No čo ak sa chytí do vlastnej vianočnej pasce? Rosina príťažlivosť a temperamentná povaha v ňom totiž prebúdzajú radosť zo života a čoraz hlbšie city.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Christmas, Historical, Holiday, Historical Fiction, Regency

352 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2024

About the author

Anna Bradley writes Regency and Georgian historical romance with heat, heart, and happily-ever-afters. Her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, and Library Journal, and her debut novel won the Romantic Times’ award for Best First Historical.

Anna is originally from New England, but now makes her home in Oregon, where she lives with her family, an overgrown English garden and a menagerie of wayward pets. If she isn’t writing, she’s probably hiding in a corner reading, chasing the dog, or herding the cats. Find Anna on the web at www.annabradley.net

Find Anna on the web at www.annabradley.net

Reviews

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers

Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 (There were things I didn’t love about this book, but there were still some scenes that grabbed my heart! I felt the angst and had some heartbreak and longing with the characters)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (While I did get frustrated with the hero, I thought both characters did romantic things for each other and there was a lot of sweet moments in this story!)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I -LOVE- Bradley’s kisses and intimate scenes. Love love love. This book was a bit lighter than some of her others I’ve read, but still had so much I crave in romance scenes)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 ( I love how much time Bradley spends on her kisses and intimate scenes. They get so emotional and I get so wrapped up in them – LOVE!)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I might have missed one??? I only have one in my notes but it’s weird to me there wasn’t a penetration on page...)
Humor: A bit – more if you like that enemies to lovers banter play
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: not too far in, about 3%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: yes, about 2 years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form (thank you!) that I’m a bit late on.
Why I chose this book: I LOVE Anna Bradley. She’s one of my favorite writers so I will always read her books!
(Descriptions found at end of my review)

Should I read in order?
I don’t think it’s necessary. The mains from the other 2 books are at the house party within this book, but the main focus is on the main couple. Maybe you get a better feel for Grantham (the hero) if you read the series in order -I’ll admit I didn’t pay a lot of attention to him in book 2 when I read it haha.

Basic plot:
Maxwell Burke wants Hammond Court back after his father wagered it away – except he isn’t ready for the feisty Rose St. Claire that is within residence.

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1819
- English countryside setting – Gloucestershire
- class difference – hero is a duke, heroine is an adoptive daughter of a gambler
- sunshine (her) and grump (him) vibes
- close proximity – the hero and heroine were each given half of a house and also are together at a house party
- bespectacled hero
- house party
- holiday vibes – this has a winter/snowy country backdrop and includes Twelfth Night and Christmas celebrations – ice skating and sleigh rides too ;)
- bit of a size difference (taller hero)
- rags to riches
- lower steam – I believe there’s a few kisses and one full scene?

Ages:
- hero is around 31, heroine is 21

First line:
He shouldn’t have come here.

My thoughts:
Sadly, I was a bit disappointed in this one – I adored book 2 of this series.

This one, I loved the idea of it – I like revenge plots (this hero was enemies with the heroine’s father), and I love the close proximity of being in a house that both characters want. But, the beginning felt really repetitive to me and I got a bit bored. I struggled with the hero – he was a bit of a jerk, which I can get behind, but he held onto it a bit too long for me.

But still, this one had elements that I loved in it. Some of the scenes gave me those angsty feels I am always chasing in Bradley’s books, and I really appreciated the all is lost ending and make up.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 16
Average rating: 4.19 stars
Favorite book: Maybe Lady Eleanor’s Seventh Suitor (with Way to Win a Wicked Earl a close second)

Quotes - any typos are my own! I also am reviewing an early ARC copy so there may be minor differences from finished publishing

Bradley is one that describes her characters in ways I love!

Whoever was inside felt no urgency to alight, but left his coachman standing on the drive, his greatcoat flapping about in the wind, and snowflakes gathering on his shoulders, until finally, finally, a long leg encased in a pair of fitted, dark gray pantaloons appeared, ending in a shiny black boot with handsome gold tassels.
A large, immaculately gloved hand landed on the top edge of the door, and then the rest of the man unfolded himself from the carriage. He turned to say something to his coachman, then marched up the drive until he was standing directly belowh her window.
Rose sucked in a breath. The man was undoubtedly the owner of the carriage.
He was...goodness, she’d never seen anything like him before. His face was partially obscured by the brim of an elegant beaver hat, but she caught a glimpse of a straight, aristocratic nose and a mass of thick, dark hair. He was exceptionally tall and broad-shouldered as well, perhaps the largest and most ideally formed gentleman she’d ever laid eyes on, the power of his body tightly leashed, like a coiled spring.
---
Especially men the size of the Duke of Grantham, whose sheer magnitude made her perfectly serviceable kitchen feel as if belonged in a doll’s house.
Why, the man’s legs alone seemed to stretch for miles.
---
They stared at each other, the moment going on and on, heavy with the crackling tension between them. He was dimly aware of the room falling silent, of his servants’ curious glances, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the curve of her parted lips. Heat thrummed through his veins, unfurling in his belly. He flexed his fingerings, digging his nails into his palsm to keep from reaching for her, and dragging the back of his knuckles across the soft, warm skin of her cheek.
What would her lips taste like?
Cinnamon and sugar, sweet, dark teacle -
“Your Grace?” She swallowed, her slender throat rippling. “The t-tea cakes?”



Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- father being an alcoholic and wagering family items and property away is a plot point
- parental death/adoptive parent death and grief
- scenes of gun use and firing (no injuries)
Author content warnings? No


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: I don't recall any penetrative sex
Hows the consent? It's good
Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) There’s some minor scenes with a child side character, but pregnancy isn’t talked about and doesn’t occur on page
48% - kiss
64% - kiss
72% - kisses, fingering for her


Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs


Full break down on what my ratings above mean here:
Overall: How I felt about it everything considered!
Readability: How ‘readable’ was the book? Did I fly through it? Did I have to tell myself to pick it back up repeatedly? Were any passages confusing? (I will probably score like (1) is literally unreadable due to formatting/typing errors, etc (2) There were lots of errors that made it difficult to read OR It was extremely confusing and I had to reread passages to make sense of it OR I disliked it so much I had to bribe myself to keep reading (3) I didn’t really want to keep reading and would have preferred to abandon the read and start something else OR some minor continuity issues/confusion (4) I liked it fine, maybe a minor error or 2. I was happy to pick it up when I had time. (5) I never wanted to put this down. I thought about it when I wasn’t reading it. I hid in the bathroom from my kids to read. I threw inappropriate food at my children for dinner so I could read instead.)
Feels: Totally subjective to each person but did the book give me any tingles? Any butterflies? Did it rip my heart out (in a good way?)
Emotional depth: How well do I feel I know the characters at the end? How much did I feel their emotions throughout the story?
Sexual tension: Again, subjective, but how strong was the wanting and longing to me between the characters? A book might have strong sexual tension without a single touch.
Romance: Was there romance? Did romantic things happen? This can be actions/words/thoughts of the characters and again is subjective.
Sensuality: This is how the intimate scenes are written. Kisses and sexual scenes – how sensual were they? Were they on the mechanical side? Was there emotional pull tied in? Were the details explicit or flowery? These are subjective but generally (1) too short to get a good judgement (2) not all what I'm looking for - very vague or flowery prose (3) either not explicit enough or not enough emotional pull (too mechanical/physically descriptive without the emotions) (4) what I love in a scene (5) absolute perfection - perfect balance of emotional longing and explicit descriptions
Sex Scene Length: How long the bedroom scenes are (generally (1) is 1-3 sentences (2) is a few paragraphs to a page-ish (3) is about average, a few pages (4) more well developed scenes, quite a few pages with descriptions (4) the majority of the book takes place in the bedroom. This is always hard to tell for me on audio!
Steam Scale: Generally, each flame is a scene. If scenes are super close together I sometimes combine them. If a scene is super short or so vague I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t count it. There’s some levels of grey but generally the number of flames is how many sex scenes there are (I max out at 5 so I’ll put a + after if there’s more than that)


Find me
Instagram || The Storygraph || Bookbub ||

Book Clubs
The Ton and the Tartans (Historical Romance)
Upturned Petticoats and Undone Cravats (Historical Romance with Steam Requirements)
A Love Less Ordinary (Science Fiction, Paranormal, Monster, Fantasy)
Modern Manuscripts (Contemporary Romance)
Words for the Wicked (Contemporary Romance with Steam Requirements)
Vintage Romance (Old School Romance – published 2000 and prior)

[Zaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je me suis précipitée sur ce roman dès sa sortie tant j'apprécie la plume de cette autrice!
Nous voilà donc au troisième tome, consacré à un nouveau duc, celui de Grantham, connu sous le charmant sobriquet de "Duc de glace". Riche et puissant, il n'hésite pas à collecter les vilains petits secrets des uns et des autres et à s'en servir pour faire pression afin d'arriver à ses fins.

Il n'a jamais pu oublier l'affront subi par sa famille presque vingt ans plus tôt, lorsque son père a perdu une des propriétés familiales aux cartes et est bien décidé à se venger, et à récupérer son bien. Malheureusement pour lui, ses plans vont prendre du plomb dans l'aile, puisqu'il va devoir engager une bataille contre une héritière inattendue ...

Rose est une opposante féroce, astucieuse et pleine de charme, et j'ai particulièrement aimé sa détermination (il n'y a rien qu'à avoir la façon dont elle accueille le héros lors de leur première rencontre ! :D ).

J'ai beaucoup aimé la dynamique entre les deux protagonistes, c'est piquant, tendre et sensuel, on sent que ça crépite entre eux et c'est très bien fait. Ils poursuivent tous deux des objectifs différents, et c'est finalement assez touchant de voir comment, petit à petit, Max dévie de sa trajectoire initiale.

Et puis le petit bonus pour moi, c'est de voir la place que se créé Rose dans le cœur des domestiques du duc, et la façon dont, à toutes petites touches, ceux-ci viennent mettre leur grain de sel.

J'ai vraiment passé un chouette moment, mais mon seul tout petit bémol, c'est que ce roman ne soit pas sorti en décembre, car il se déroule pendant la période de Noël et j'aurais adoré le lire à cette époque-là de l'année !

[Norah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Už to ani nemohlo byť viac vianočné a práve preto som si to strašne užila :D

[Wendy Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the despairing Christmassy beginning as well as his poignant memories of his grandmother's ginger biscuits. The attraction between them is also well done overall.

Still, it eventually felt pretty repetitive and way too long--seriously, no one cares if he learns to ice skate! Chop that, and many other extraneous scenes and language, and the book would have been much stronger and had more of an emotional impact. The set-up is great, but it doesn't quite stick the landing.

I also would like to have seen more humor (there's a bit, but not enough), less absolute perfection from her, and zero borrowed scenes and echoes from Jane Austen books and films.

3.5 stars I did love the snowy setting and the mood, though, and it definitely sets a nice/non-traditional holiday romance mood. And I love the audiobook cover, enough to add it to the GoodReads database myself.

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Duke’s stumped by a fairy child!

Charming story of a glowering tight lipped duke being bested by a fairy child of a young woman
In this enemies to lovers story Rose St. Claire inherits half the house she has lived in for many years, the other half goes to our terse duke, Maxwell Alastair Hammond Burke, the Tenth Duke of Grantham, Viscount Hammond.
Their battle for ownership is a thing of drama, loss and ultimately joy. (Their first introduction when the Duke breaks into the house is hilarious.)
The Duke’s hurts as a young child govern his actions as he grows into his inheritance. A dark and joyless time that reflects in all he does, until he meets Rose. He’d been dubbed the Duke of Ice.
Can he change, can he allow the magic in?

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

[JP · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Duke's Christmas Bride by Anna Bradley was an enemies to lovers trope. It was a fairly clean historical Christmas novel that had sweet moments and holiday traditions. I really enjoyed reading it.
Thanks Kensington Publishing via NetGalley.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect historical romance Christmas story. For years Max has vowed to get revenge on Ambrose after he took his family home away. After Ambrose dies, Max returns to take his home again, but after an hilarious encounter with Rose, who happens to be living there, things go awry. Unbeknownst to the both of them, Ambrose left the house to the both of them. Let the games begin. Rose is a sunshine character that takes it upon herself to show Max what he’s missing. Max is a grumpy character that takes it upon himself to show Rose that he’ll do whatever it takes to take what’s his. Loved both of them. I loved how Max behaved before and after Rose. The Christmas setting just gave it more of the feels. It had humor, heart, and love.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alarmed by the sound of an intruder, Rose St. Claire fetches her pistol. She’s shocked to discover that the trespasser is a handsome gentleman who states that the house, which Rose recently inherited from her late benefactor, was stolen from his father decades ago. He claims it is now his. As it turns out, Hammond Court has been left to them both and neither can evict the other without forfeiting their right to the property. Wealthy and ruthless, Maxwell Burke, Duke of Grantham, has spent years regaining the many properties his father lost to bad wagers. Only Hammond Court remains. But Rose has no intention of leaving. In fact, as Christmas draws near, circumstances force Max to plan a holiday party, and Rose is all too happy to help. Max will forgive the debt of another young duke’s family if the attractive gentleman woos Rose at the party, ultimately marries her and then returns her share of the estate to Max. It’s foolproof or is it?
The third book in the series but it’s easily read on its own & what a thoroughly enjoyable romance it was. A fun, entertaining book with a tad of angst. I really liked both Max & Rose who clashed from the word go, she sees the best in every situation & is a happy, delightful woman, where as Max has been driven by revenge & determined to get back all his father lost. They are definitely chalk & cheese but sparks fly every time they meet. I had a smile on my face for much of the time & recommend this feel good book
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first two but this one felt very different. The dukes in the previous books were very much rakes/rouges and our Duke in this story is not that at all. Max is grumpy, he has been down on his luck in life and clawed his way back to the top of his game by means that are not always honorable. He goes to exact his final act of revenge but is met with a ray of sunshine named Rose. I don’t love grumpy sunshine cause usually the sunshine character is so childish in her sunshine ways. Rose definitely wants to see the good in people and do what is best to bring people joy but she isn’t naïve per say and I appreciate that. I was laughing and giggle between their banter and watching them fall in love. Both in denial of their growing feelings. I do wish he had told her of his revenge plot but other than that, I loved this book. Oh I do think this book was a little less sexy than the previous books in the series but that really fit the plot of this story. I love kissing scenes the most and there were a few in this book that were fantastic. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Anamaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ARC landed on my desk during the peak of summer, so diving into a Christmas story felt a bit like sipping hot cocoa at the beach—oddly out of sync. Bradley's writing is as sharp as ever, but this book, like the rest of the series, didn’t quite capture the magic I was hoping for. I’m still yearning for the high of her Somerset Sisters trilogy. The story has all the makings of a Hallmark movie, which isn’t a bad thing, but I struggled to connect with the main characters. However, it was a pleasant surprise to catch up with some familiar faces from earlier in the series. Perhaps a re-read closer to the holidays will change my perspective, but for now, it just didn't resonate as much as I’d hoped.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxwell Burke, Duke of Grantham, has earned the reputation of being cold hearted and ruthless. His hatred for Ambrose St. Claire stealing his childhood home, Hammond Court, has only increased over time. On notification of St. Claire's death, he wastes no time traveling to Hammond Court, only to find it falling down in disrepair and occupied by Rose St. Claire and her maid. Kind-hearted and full of joy for Christmas, if anyone can melt a duke's heart it's, Rose. An emotional rollercoaster for a duke who's never been in love. Mild descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Faryal · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a connoisseur of Historical Romances, I am ashamed to say I hadn’t read any of Anna Bradley’s book prior to this, and oh how I have been missing out.
This is a cute, warm, and fluffy tale of a grumpy Duke and his sunshine (who he plans to kick out of HIS HOUSE excuse you very much). Max wants Rose out of Hammond Court, Rose wants Max in his holiday spirit, and Father Christmas works his magic and gives them both the gift of love.
I absolutely loved it!
Ps I have to go and read the rest of the series
Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and the Author for the ARC.

[Victoria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical romance will always be my favourite genre and I will not accept any criticism about it. This was a delight.

[Erin Arkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Duke's Christmas Bride by Anna Bradley is the third book in the Drop Dead Dukes series. If you haven't read the other books, don't worry - you can pick this one up and read as a standalone with no problem even though the characters of the other books do make an appearance.

Our main mmc in this book is Maxwell Burke, Duke of Grantham. He's spent years working to regain the properties his father lost and he's down to the last, and most important one - Hammond Court. When Max finds out that the man who he believes stole the property from his family has died, and has invited him to "come collect", he never stops to think it is meant for anything other than the house/property. So when he shows up to claim the house, he quickly finds out that the current inhabitants have no intention of leaving.

Alarmed by the sound of an intruder, Rose St. Claire fetches her pistol. She’s shocked to discover that the trespasser is a handsome gentleman—one who states that the house, which Rose recently inherited from her late benefactor, was stolen from his father decades ago. He claims it is now his. And it is—but not entirely. As it turns out, Hammond Court has been left to them both—and neither can evict the other without forfeiting their right to the property . . .

As Christmas draws near, Max comes up with a plan to get the house back. He's going to throw a holiday party. His plan though includes inviting someone who owes him a debt and offering them the opportunity to wipe out the debt in exchange for them to woo and marry Rose and then return her share of the property to him. What he didn't plan on was spending time with Rose and being drawn to her and wanting to be happy at Hammond Court with her.

I enjoyed the story on this one but the pacing felt a bit slow for me. I thought Max was interesting and there was a bah humbug feel to him with the Christmas angle but for some reason, Rose's character didn't win me over...and I can't pinpoint why. That said, if you're looking for a quick holiday romance read, consider picking this one up. I thought the story was well-written and the plot was well done.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute historical romance. Grumpy/sunshine and enemies to lovers, who could ask for more.

Maxwell, the Duke of Grantham, has waited 20 years to get Hammond court back after it was stolen from him. When he shows up to claim his home, he is surprised to find that it has been left to him and Miss St. Clair. When she refuses his offer to buy her out, he comes up with a different scheme, marry her off.

Rose St. Clair loves Hammond court and is determined to keep it out of the hands of the Duke of Grantham. She is determined to make him love it just as much as she does.

I enjoyed both of the main characters, and it was great to see some of the prior Dukes and their Duchesses from this series. This is one of my favorite tropes. I love a story with a reluctant hero who makes every effort to marry off the heroine while falling in love with her.

This was a great addition to the series. If you love a grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers this is the book for you.

Thank you, Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for this book, for my honest review.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love Anna Bradley’s writing. She is a must buy author for me. And this book didn’t disappoint.

This is the third book in her Drop Dead Dukes series featuring her posse of best friend dukes. I love that they are so independent, yet supportive of each other.

Max and Rose are a lovely couple and I enjoyed watching them fall in love with each other. They are also surrounded by characters who cheer them on from the sidelines.

Anna Bradley has a lovely turn of phrase and this book had lots of laugh out loud moments.

Thank you Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Laura Aase · Rating 2 out of 5]

It went on and on! The Duke hated Roses father since he won his home in a wager with his drunken father. Now Rose and the Duke have inherited a house together. Will they fall in love?

[Nazmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful way to end the series! The Duke’s Christmas Bride is the last instalment in Anna Bradley’s drop Dead Dukes series and it is a heartwarming tale of finding lost joy and the value of forgiveness.
Maxwell Burke, Duke of Grantham has never been able to forget the treachery of the man he saw as a second father figure when he won Max’s beloved childhood home from his father in a gambling wager. He has spent the last twenty years regaining the many properties his father lost but Hammond Court has always been out of his grasp. With a cryptic message asking him to ‘return and claim his treasure’ and the death of Ambrose St Clair, Max is finally near to obtaining the one property he must own again – if only to destroy it and give himself some closure. But in a cruel twist it seems that Ambrose has bequeathed the property to Max to be shared with his adopted daughter Rose St Clair – who is adamant she will not sell her share to Max. Now Max has to employ devious strategies to oust her – even going so far as to arrange a house party and coercing the handsome young Viscount Dunwittyy to woo and wed her so he can get her out of Hammond Court. But the more he spends time with Rose, Max realises that the true treasure might not be the house at all.
I absolutely adored this book. Ms Bradley takes the trope of grumpy sunshine and executes it so well. Max truly was grumpy – his losses early in life made him so determined to regain his standing in society that he became blinded to any joy and kindness. He wasn’t completely dark and ruthless – he had close friendships and was a good employer. He had just lost sight of the tiny pleasures of life. I loved how bewildered he was by the small kindnesses that Rose did naturally and how when he recognised what he was missing, he acknowledged it and acted.
Rose was such a genuinely beautiful person in and out. She was kind and courageous and recognised Max for the lost soul that he was. She determines to help him find joy in his life again before returning the ownership of Hammond Court even though it is the only home and security she has ever known. I loved the scene where she tells Max that to feel joy is a choice. She teaches him that true happiness lies in forgiveness and love.
Max and Rose are such a sweet couple and I loved watching them fall in love gradually. There is little angst and no unnecessary tensions with OM/OW dramas. Even when Rose discovers Max’s initial deception her reaction is believable. The misunderstanding is not drawn out and I love how Max’s friends and their wives helped him in his quest to win her back.
The ensemble characters were lovely – no villains in this (!) – not even Dunwitty/Oxenden whom I hope gets a story of his own someday. The only slight niggle I might have had is that I wish their reconciliation scene was a little longer and would have loved to be a ‘witness’ at their wedding. And it was a bit sad that Max never got a chance to reconcile with Ambrose. I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I read this book in one sitting and finished with a big smile on my face. I loved Max and Rose and definitely recommend the whole series.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara’s rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Drop Dead Dukes #3
Publication Date: 9/24/24
Period: Regency, Gloucestershire, England
Number of Pages: 400

Scrooge meets Pollyanna and they find love, laughter, the Christmas spirit, and their HEA. This was a most delightful, uplifting, feel-good story – even if there was a tad of angst. I loved both main characters immediately even with Max being obsessed with revenge – even against a man who is now deceased. Ah! Poor Max – he has met his match. For every sour note Max plays, Rose plays three happy ones.

At the age of twelve, the bottom finally fell out of Max’s world. His mother had passed away and his father wagered away the only home Max had ever known. The man who won the home was a man Max admired greatly and looked up to almost as a father. Max was never back in his home again and his father never met a bottle he didn’t like. Before he died, his father had lost every farthing and every unentailed property belonging to the Dukedom. Max had grown to hate the vile Ambrose St. Claire to the point he could think of nothing but vengeance. Max, now the tenth Duke of Grantham, has spent the last several years acquiring all of the properties his father lost. He is now one of the richest, most powerful, and reviled peers in the realm – and there is only one property left to acquire. His childhood home, Hammond Court, the crown jewel of the dukedom will be his at last.

Rose St. Claire, is a wonderfully happy and joyful young woman who always chooses to see the happy side of everything and everyone loves her. Even with the only home she has ever known falling down around her ears, she is still joyful. She still sees the best in everything and everyone even though her father, Ambrose St. Claire, the kindest, most loving, best man she’s ever known has just died and left her destitute.

Sparks fly between Rose and Max from the moment he breaks into her house and she almost shoots him, through the surprises at the reading of Ambrose’s will, and right through to the end. Max is brilliant and has schemes within schemes to get his way and Rose is – well – just Rose who blithely goes on about her business. Max never celebrates Christmas and has no clue how to do so, while Rose adores everything about Christmas and wants ALL of the traditions. No cause for clashes there. 😊

If you are looking for a book to make you smile and feel good, this is it. I love the way Rose always foils Max’s schemes without even knowing she is doing so. This is most definitely an entertaining read. Although it is part of a series, you can read it as a standalone.



I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Whitney Theresa June · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a stranger comes and literally kicks in her front door Rose St. Claire grabs her pistol and readies herself for a possible confrontation. Instead of a creditor looking for payment of the debt her late benefactor owes, Rose finds a duke. A man who is willing to stop at nothing to seek revenge and recapture the home that was once his.

Maxwell Burke, Duke of Grantham has done everything to reclaim the properties that his father lost through drink and gambling. The final piece, the home his mother grew up in and the only place he truly felt happy. So when a note arrives from the man he believes stole the house from him, Max races to finally seek the vengeance he has been waiting for.

Having just recently discovered Anna Bradley through a previous book in this series, Give the Devil His Duke, I jumped at the chance to read this one and I wasn't disappointing. I feel like Anna Bradley captured that long lost essence of Christmas that we can find ourselves nostalgic to recapture. And how we often feel like it is a place when it so often is a person/the people we loved. There were so many beautiful moments in this book that nearly brought me to tears and I so wish that I could be more like Rose. That joy, that love and laughter, it had a purity to it that made me love her like every character around her did. And Max. Sweet vengeful Max. There was so much of his loss that I felt a kinship to. Those moments where you wish for a past time and for a memory that can only be brought about by sharing with those you love. The finding of Max's ginger nuts recipe and Rose making sure to make them solely for him made me actually cry. To have found something that he had believed lost and to have given them to him was one of the best gifts I have read in a novel.

I loved the friendships and the characters in this novel from the servants who worked for both Rose and Max to his friends and their wives who came for the impromptu house party. Some of the sly looks and attempts to hide smiles around Max as he fell hard for Rose made my cheeks hurt from smiling. And those moments where his friends were attempting to grill him and Max was doing everything to avoid them. I am not one for a third act breakup but I feel like it was written really well here. Breaking your heart for the steps Max had taken in order to take the house away from Rose and how he did try and stop what he had set in motion when he realised it was not the house that he wanted but Rose.

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

(p.s. I could have used more spice...)

[Krys · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such an adorable read that I had a hard time putting it down! Sure, I enjoyed watching Max and Rose butt heads before starting to fall for each other, but I also enjoyed the way the author managed to bring the holiday spirit to life. You could smell the fresh pine scent of the cut greenery as they decorated the ballroom, and could smell the ginger and cinnamon in the cooking. I feel like the focus of this book was just as much about the traditions of the Christmas season and the memories made during that time as it was about our two main characters. And while that should have been confusing, or one of those things overwhelming the other, that wasn't the case here which is a rare skill for an author to possess.

For anyone worried about this being the third book in the series, it can be read as a complete stand alone, although his friends from the first two books (and their wives) do make an appearance at the house party, their arrivals only add to the story as the wives immediately befriend Rose while their husbands hound Max to no end about his motives.

I only have two complaints about this story. The first one being with two of the side characters.

I wish there had been more where Lady Emily was concerned. It was evident that in her mind, she had a chance of being the next Duchess of Grantham so I would have liked to have seen at least a little bit more of her jealousy at the thought of Rose usurping that position. I was also a little confused as to why Dunwitty admitted the truth to Rose and then turned around and told shown Max in a positive light anyway. Why bother telling her at all if not for his own gain? That was a little odd to me.

The second complaint comes at the very end with the epilogue, as I feel like we didn't need the bit about them in the kitchen together, just showing them on the lake would have been enough to show how blissfully happy they were.

That being said, I do think this book will appeal to not only fans of historical romances, but especially those who are also looking for a cute read either during the holidays, or to get them in the holiday spirit. I will continue to read more stories from this author!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fairford Gloucestershire - December 1819

Rose St. Claire lives in Hammond Court with just her maid. Her father, Ambrose St. Claire, has recently died and many creditors are coming to her wanting to be paid for Ambrose’s debts. The house is crumbling and she doesn’t know what she is going to do.

One morning, a beautiful carriage draws up and a dashing man steps out. He is Maxwell (Max) Alastair, Hammond Burke, the Tenth Duke of Grantham, 31. When he was a young man, Ambrose managed to cheat his father and take Hammond Court from them. Today, Max is wealthy and wants Hammond Court back. It was his mother’s home and while he has another grander home nearby, this place is sentimental to him. But Rose greets him with a pistol in his face. After a chat, he explains the situation to her and also shows her a note from Ambrose telling him to come and get the treasure. He then leaves but returns the next day to meet with Rose and her solicitor. Ambrose’s will shows that Rose and Ambrose own the house equally and one cannot evict the other without losing their right to the property.

When Rose and Max get to know one another better, they realize that they are attracted to one another. Max just wants to help Rose and so he invites her to stay with him at his nearby home Grantham Hall. It is a gorgeous home filled with beautiful things. Rose agrees and is comfortable there. When max learns how much she loves Christmas, he decides to have a house party and invites a number of his friends. He and Rose enjoy sleigh rides and all of the joys of Christmas. When she finds his grandmother’s original recipes for ginger biscuits that he loved as a child, she makes them for him and he is totally smitten. Ah, but there is a fly in the ointment in the form of a man named Dunwitty who tries to destroy their relationship and almost succeeds. Will Rose and Max stand a chance of finding a love that will last forever?

Oh my! What a delicious romance with some great humor thrown in as well. I loved the characters and, as always, this author has knitted some great twists into this story. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna Bradley’s The Duke's Christmas Bride is what happens when a grumpy duke with a tragic past and a fiercely independent heroine get caught up in a festive battle of wills—with a little Regency-era matchmaking and mistletoe mischief thrown in for good measure. Maxwell Burke, the Duke of Grantham, wants one thing for Christmas: to reclaim Hammond Court, the family estate lost in a reckless wager. Unfortunately for him, Rose St. Claire has other plans. As the new co-owner of the estate, she’s not about to let some brooding aristocrat storm in and take over, no matter how unfairly handsome he is. But when Max’s not-so-brilliant plan to marry her off backfires, he finds himself in a reluctant partnership with Rose that starts feeling a little too much like courtship.

The tension between Max and Rose is pure slow-burn perfection, sizzling with sharp banter and just the right amount of holiday charm. Rose is no damsel in distress—she’s smart, stubborn, and fully capable of holding her own, even against a duke with a serious case of Christmas cynicism. Meanwhile, Max’s evolution from closed-off and brooding to completely undone by Rose is deeply satisfying, even if he spends a little too much time wallowing in his grumpiness. Bradley keeps things lively with ballrooms, country estates, and a festive setting that feels like stepping into a Regency Christmas card. That said, while the romance delivers, the plot does lean into some predictable beats—especially if you’re familiar with the enemies-to-lovers with a side of holiday magic formula.

With a solid four out of five stars, The Duke’s Christmas Bride is an easy recommendation for historical romance lovers and those craving a cozy, slightly spicy, Yuletide love story. While it's the third book in Bradley’s Drop Dead Dukes series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone—though, if you’re a fan of scheming dukes and headstrong heroines, you might just find yourself adding the whole series to your TBR. So if you’re in the mood for some Regency-era romance, complete with snow-covered estates, meddling relatives, and enough mistletoe moments to make Jane Austen blush, this one is a perfect addition to your holiday reading list.

[Winnifred D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: enemies to lovers: forced proximity; MMC tries to play matchmaker; Big Secret
Steam level: 2-3 (no full on-page consummation, but still plenty of steam)
Book number 3 in the series, but fine as a standalone.

Admission: I have a soft spot for Christmas-themed HR's, and will read them any time of the year (even if where I live the temps are currently highs of 114 F. Ugh). Some people love Hallmark movies, I love HR's. And I've liked Anna Bradley since her "Swooning Virgins" series. If you're in the mood for romantic holiday escapism, this is a charming choice. Although the characters from the previous two entries in the series play roles here, it's fine if you jump in with this one. It's sweet but has the trademark sharp writing and dry humor of most of this author's books. Although Rose is foolishly stubborn at the beginning, I found myself warming up to her as the storyline moved on. As for Max, he's your typical "tortured soul" MMC, but Bradley adds a undercurrent of canny, wry wit to his scenes, particularly in his interactions with his staff, to humanize him. That takes talent as a writer.

What kept this from being a 4.2.5-5 star read for me (possible spoilers):
--Ambrose's motivations are rather convoluted. When Max discovered why Ambrose had basically abandoned him as a child, the answer didn't make much sense to me.
--Max becomes strangely naive and unassertive toward the end in his dealings with Rose. After he and Dunwitty had the confrontation, what did he expect the man would do? Also, I'm assuming that Dunwitty might feature in a future book, because in a handful of scenes his character moves from blandly charming to arrogant to a good guy (he actually had more of an arc than Max).
--Rose assumed that Max was nearly engaged to Emily, but she still let the physical relationship proceed with Max. That bothered me.

Overall: this book is well written and charming, even if a few details didn't quite add up.

I read an advanced reader copy of his book and this is my honest, voluntary review. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley. Expected publication date is September 24.

[Marion Löw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this delightful enemies to lovers, grumpy-sunshine Christmas romance novel, which is brimming with twists, banter, irony, witty inner monologues, LOL moments, tender emotions, sizzling chemistry and a bit of steam. The author‘s playful storytelling makes it so much fun to read! The main characters are endearing and I loved their battle of will, Rose‘s compassion, her kindness, her joyfulness and her love for Christmas. Max may be a Grinch but he stands no chance resisting Rose‘s zest for life.
I also enjoyed reuniting with the characters from the previous books of the series.

As a child, Maxwell „Max“ Burke, Duke of Grantham had to watch his father gamble away the family fortune, including Hammond Court to his then friend Ambrose St Claire, where he spent many happy moments. After that, his life became a nightmare. Max was teased at school, his father drank himself to death and Max's only thoughts were to get his lost fortune back and take revenge on Ambrose, who he believes robbed him of his childhood.
Now, years later, Max is known as the Duke of Ice for his ruthlessness and coldness. He has managed to get back all his losses except Hammond Court, the last piece of the puzzle to his happiness, which he wants to tear down. When Ambrose dies and Max receives a cryptic message summoning him to Hammond Court, Max expects the property to be returned. To his horror, however, he is confronted with Ambrose's adopted daughter, who has inherited half of Hammond Court and has no intention of leaving the dilapidated estate. Rose loves the estate too much and will not allow herself to be blackmailed or bribed by Max. So he has no choice but to trick her, even if it means hosting a hated Christmas house party and finding a suitor for her. But soon he cannot resist the kindhearted, joyful woman who has made it her mission to drive away his loneliness and make him enjoy life and Christmas again…

If you like heartwarming and humorous opposites attract romances with broken heroes and determined heroines, you will certainly enjoy this book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

Loosely inspired by “A Christmas Carol”, “The Duke’s Christmas Bride” is the story of te very cold, very unfeeling Duke of Grantham whose purpose in life is revenge. When he was a child his mother died of cosumption and his father was an alcoholic who wagered his wife’s birthplace and lost it. Max has ever since seen Ambrose St. Clair as the man who he once loved like a second father until he betrayed him and took ownership of the house. But Ambrose kept a secret and before dying he wrote a letter to Max urging him to come back and claim his treasure.

Hampton Court is now in ruins and Max’s intention is to tear it down as a final act of revenge. But what he doesn’t know is that 17 years ago Ambrose had adopted the four year old daughter of a friend and the man’s will specifies that Rose is entitled to half of the house while the other half now belongs to Max. Since the will also clarifies that none of them can take the other’s half by force, Max invites a few acquaintances to spend Christmas with him, but his real intention is to make someone marry Rose.

Rose of course guessed what Ambrose’s real motives were and she will see his last wish come true… but she never thought love would come knocking on her door, or rather tearing it down.

Even though it is a bit early for Christmas stories, I read this book precisely when I needed it. It was such a sweet and compelling story that it warmed my heart. Rose and Max are two lonely people who find love where they least expect it even though there are other characters in the book, the moments when they are toghether building memories without being aware of doing so are the best. I loved seeing the snow through their eyes, the houses, the decorations, the ginger biscuits, the frozen lake, and how little by little, Rose’s joy and sweetness melts Max’s icy heart. Love changes him and humbles him enough to prevent him from becoming Mr Scrooge forever. If you only read one Christmas romance this year, let it be this one. I adored it.

[Sue Galuska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maxwell Alastair Hammond Burke, the Tenth Duke of Grantham is 31 yrs old and ready to back his father's home. Nineteen years ago Hammond Court had once been his home but his father stupidly lost it to Ambrose St. Claire while gambling. After hearing of Ambrose's death, Max heads to Hammond Court to claim it and is surprise to discover Miss Rosamund "Rose" Elizabeth St. Claire there. He informs her that the house is his and she needs to leave. Problem is is that half of the house belongs to each of them! With the house in such disarray Max tells Rose that she needs to come to his other house where she will be safer. Reluctantly Rose agrees since it is almost Christmas.

Max comes up with an idea to get Rose to leave the house to him....have Viscount Dunwitty woo her. Of course that backfires because Max is starting to have feelings for Rose. When Max gets tricked into having a Christmas ball, the real fun starts. Just when Max thinks he is done with Rose, she goes and does something sweet....she makes ginger biscuit from his grandma's recipe that she found. The walls around Max's heart start to crumble. In a short time Rose starts to show Max all the fun memories that still remain in Hammond Court until he finally realizes the true reason that his family lost the house.

Along with his best friends the Duke of Basingstoke and the Duke of Montford, Max hatches a plan to win Rose for his very own. In the end, Rose was finally able to get Max to love Hammond Court again and they got their happy ever after.

I really enjoyed this sweet, fun, Christmas themed historical romance. Max was so guided by his hat for Ambrose that he was missing out on life. If was great how even in death, Ambrose was still looking out for Rose and Max.

[Darlene Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Zebra Books, Kensington Books, and Anna Bradley for providing this advance reader copy of the book. I'm providing my honest review.

What a romantic tale. I was enchanted by the sleigh ride across the sparkling fresh snow. It's sigh worthy. The run-down manor house limping along due to the love and care of a plucky young lady is classic. Mean wealthy man trying to kick her out of said house had me invested in the outcome. I know romance books must have a happy ending, but the journey should make you wonder if it will happen at all. Max, nicknamed The Duke of Ice, is an anti-hero who 's heart is black and way too small. Luckly, he meets the one woman who can thaw him out. Rose is the kind of person who's
a smiling, singing, happy to greet the day kind of person I couldn't live with. I'm grumpy without coffee and she's a hot chocolate girl. At first Max is irritated by everything she does but bit by bit she gets under his skin and changes his perspective on life and his history. Max is wealthy and unhappy while Rose is happy and broke. He confused by her outlook and stubborn manner. At first Rose sees Max as something to be fixed and saved not realizing that he'll save her too. Max goes to great and romantic lengths to win the heart of his Rose, it's sweet.

An enjoyable read from page one to the epilogue. This is the end of the three Dukes in the Drop Dead Dukes series. I liked them all.

#NetGalley #AnnaBradley #DropDeadDukes #TheDuke'sChristmasBride #KensingtonBooks #ZebraBooks #historicalromance #romance #Christmasromance

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I read another delightful Regency holiday romance. I love @annabradleyauthor’s writing and she’s an auto-read for me. The Duke’s Christmas Bride did not disappoint.

Rose St. Claire’s adoptive father has just died. She’s living with only her former nanny in a derelict house when her father’s self-proclaimed nemesis comes to claim the house. You see, Max’s father, the former Duke of Grantham, lost Hammond Court in a bet with Ambrose St. Claire twenty years ago. Max has been stewing and plotting his revenge for all these years.

When he comes to Hammond Court, he breaks in, not knowing the rundown place is actually inhabited. He soon finds out when Rose greets him with a pistol aimed right at him. What a meet cute!

Rose is pure joy because that’s what she chooses to be and she tells Max he can choose the same. A lot of stuff happens as Max schemes to get Hammond Court back so he can raze it to the ground and never look back. He decides to throw a holiday house party and invite a young viscount he blackmails into courting Rose.

Such narrow vision. How does he think that’s going to work when he can’t stop staring at Rose himself?

This book has all the holiday vibes you want: ice skating, sleigh riding, decking the halls! Plus, a man who falls fast and hard for a radiant woman offering him a life he hasn’t known for decades.

#romance #romancebooks #historicalromance #annabradley #thedukeschristmasbride #libby #libraries #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram

[Tina Ullrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxwell Alastair Hammond Burke, the Tenth Duke of Grantham, Viscount Hammond as a child, would watch as house parties happened in his mother's home where he grew up. His father wagered it and lost. He caught to get back all his father sold of wagered. It took two decades but he only had one item yet.

Hammond Court was won by Ambrose St. Claire, a supposed friend. He was a gamester, cryptic talker, and life of the party. After an accident, he knows he is dying from an infection. His last trick is to get Max back to Hammond Court.

Rosamund Elizabeth St. Claire, daughter of Ambrose cook, Ambrose raised her after her mother died. He hired nursemaid, Abigail Hinde, who is now her companion/ladies maid. She has possession of Hammond Court.

Max gets a cryptic not from Ambrose, come to Hammond Court, claim your treasure. Rose gets a cryptic help him love here. Rose refuses to give up the house, Max wants to tear it down. Then they find out Ambrose has the final laugh by making the co-owners.

Its Christmastide, traditions, grumpy Dukes, schemes, and secrets are what is in store. Find out who ends up with Hammond Court, how they got it, and enjoy a house party thrown at the last minute! This was a fun read. You catch up with some friends, make new ones, and participate in the antics.