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The Bachelor #1

The Bachelor Duke

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The Bachelor Duke meets a beautiful, curvaceous lady.

Remington Warren, The Duke of Karrington, lives his life by the name society has thrust upon him. Having witnessed cruelty against the fairer sex with his own eyes, he vows never to marry to prevent himself from becoming like the monster who raised him. After ten years of being The Bachelor Duke, his life is irrevocably changed when he sees Lady Olivia St. John across the ballroom floor.

Having lived a sheltered, pampered life, surrounded by her loving family, Lady Olivia St. John longs to know passion and love. She is beautiful, bold, and has a rather large dowry. According to society, she would be a diamond in the first water of this season if it wasn’t for her one flaw.

Will she find all she longs for and more in the arms of The Bachelor Duke, or will heartbreak be her demise?

Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2020

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About the author

Cecilia Rene

17 books387 followers

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5 stars
197 (45%)
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147 (33%)
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60 (13%)
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21 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
December 6, 2025
I didn't like this book

I got this book during a Kindle sale. I'm always apprehensive with new authors and the up side to this is when I don't like a book I'm never too disappointed.



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Profile Image for ChasingLeslie.
470 reviews108 followers
February 26, 2021
Remington Warren, Duke of Karrington, has been dubbed the "Bachelor Duke" by ton gossips. He's sworn off marriage because he doesn't want to become a terrible husband or father, like his father was. But then he meets the charming Lady Olivia St. John and his best laid plans go out the window.

I was seduced by the gorgeous cover, but sadly I didn't love the story inside. The story begins with a predictable "I'll never marry" hero and an introduction to too many characters all at once. Remington is determined to avoid Livie, despite his attraction, until his villainous ex-friend tries to force Livie into a marriage for her dowry. Their courtship takes off from there and didn't do much to build the romantic tension and FEELINGS that I needed.

Without revealing spoilers, I will say that I speed-read through the last 25% of the book because I was just done. The conflict had me rolling my eyes and the aftermath was unnecessarily overdramatic. 2.5 stars rounded to three because I'm feeling generous.

Tropes: Full Figured Heroine, Compromised (sort of)
Profile Image for CB.
464 reviews19 followers
September 21, 2025
REVIEW


Rating: 2/5
POV: 3rd; dual
Tropes: Insta-love; Plus Size FMC;
Heat Level: 2.5/5
Kinks: N/A

Likes:
* the first 25% kept my interest. The story started off developing the characters well

Dislikes:
* The story and dialogue was so boring
* so many moments happened where I just rolled my eyes.
* The author stole a line from P&P the 2005 movie (not sure if Mr. Darcy actually says the line in the book). I did not like that. It’s a very famous line so it just stood out to me in a negative way
* this book has literally one of my biggest book pet leaves… we have a curvaceous FMC… the cover model doesn’t depict that even remotely.


Conclusion:
I don’t have much to say about this story because I really didn’t enjoy it. It was mostly just boring.

I knew this about myself already but this story just solidified it even more that I do not enjoy HRs were it’s all about the courtship of the couple and then they get married at the very end of the book. I much prefer HRs where they basically court once they’re married.

The book was very insta-love, it had everyone related to everyone so I was very confused regarding that, and it had so much unnecessary filler drama.

Unfortunately the story was just not for me.

2/5
Profile Image for Pam  Bereznak.
1,814 reviews136 followers
September 9, 2021
Ya’ll know I suck at reviews. I read a lot of really good books and a lot of really good authors so I want to recommend those reads to others. :)

Just so you know, I thoroughly research every book and every author I read. I don't care for the sweet and nice stories. Some are great reads but a bit too boring for my tastes. I like a little suspense, intrigue, excitement, cussing (for you Southern folks) and cursing for all others, and definitely must have sex. I also always love a happy ending...How they get there is all part of the fun.

I hate when you have a review where the reader practically rewrites the whole synopsis. That is not what I am looking for in a review. The synopsis sometimes gives away things when describing the book so truthfully, unless it’s a new author, I don’t even read them anymore. I like to be surprised about what I’m getting into. I also don’t read the excerpts of a next book in a series either. 😊 If you are a person looking at a review, especially mine. I would say if you normally read a book synopsis, go read it and then read my review. That will give you all you need. You’ll know the basis of the story and my thoughts and opinion of the book. Simple.

I met Cecilia Rene awhile back in a FB group that I’m in talking about her book(s). It sounded interesting and just the type I like. I’m sorry it took me so long to read it but glad I did.

I loved the storyline and the characters. It has suspense, danger, a little heartbreak, love and sex and even an aww, I’m sad moment. What’s not to love about it. She only has this book and the 2nd one in this series. But I would definitely recommend giving her a try.
Profile Image for Rainelle.
2,196 reviews124 followers
October 8, 2022
Quotes from the book-
1) “You can be rather naughty when you want to, can’t you?”
“I-I want to be naughty,” she whispered.
2) “Because you will be mine.”
3) “I’m leaving my heart and soul with you, look after them,”
4) “You came for me?”…
5) “Always. I’ll always come for you … I love you, Livie.”
The Bachelor Duke, by Cecilia Rene. Oh my God… yes. Yes and yes! I am fan girling all over this book, and the writer. Picture this, from out of the darkness, author Cecilia Rene has restored my belief in the beauty of a wonderfully written historical romance novel.
Just by a few simple words in a book. How did she do that I ask you?! How?! My mind and my heart is singing the praises over, The Bachelor Duke. Don’t you just love it when a book comes together?
At first the book started off as a, I don’t know for me. I was getting nervous, but hot dog, in rides in Remington and his closet friends, Heartford and Windchester! From that point on the story within the book took flight. Remington spots Lady Olivia (Livie) to others, in her family’s ball room, and the love affair blooms instantly. Be damned what Remington stated moments prior.
He vowed that he will have this voluptuous lady with all the curves in the right place. It’s not the size of the woman that controls the man in the bedroom, it’s what she can do with those hips in the bedroom, for him. Yes. Speak it Remington say it and spread it sir! I don’t know how Olivia hooked Remington on her fishing line, but she certainly reeled him in with her seductress eyes.
Everybody say Amen! Amen! I enjoyed reading Olivia’s character. She moved through the book with strength and determination regarding her feelings of marriage, and who she would marry. Olivia thought that confronting her father on this issue was hard… who the heck is Bromswell?
You will need to read the book to find out. He and Josephine have become quite the pair in the mystery and revenge part of the book. Remington vows to protect Livie from all the gossip that surrounds them, but is he to late on a story that hits to close to home? Mother Di and Hempstead to the rescue. The love and support from family on both sides will have you sighing.
I believe that this story will be an easy read for you. I found the wording and the narrative simple and to the point on each topic. The story was easy to understand and follow along with. The details of the scenery, the clothing, descriptions of the food, drinks and the characters emotions was very clear. I could easily visualize these while reading.
The book is a page turner that you will not want it to end. All the characters were fantastic. Their engagement in the story was so real while reading. This love story was very exciting and entertaining. I for one can not wait to read the next story.
I recommend this book with two snaps and a, Dayton! Bring my walking stick. Until next time my fellow readers… read on!
Facebook: @authorceciliarene
https://www.ceciliareneauthor.com/

#goodreads
Profile Image for Militantly Romantic.
32 reviews4 followers
July 6, 2021
Let me say that I did find some positives about this book. The heroine is plus-sized, and I didn't feel that was fetishized by the male lead, just appreciated. There's a woman character who has an interesting background and could have made for a very intriguing lead later on. There are family dynamics that I find enjoyable in the abstract.

There are basically three main problems with this book, and those problems are...significant.

1. The writing is highly simplistic. And while that can be a style choice, if it is, it does not work, here. The dialogue often either falls flat or just plain is not something one human would say to another. The descriptions can feel either trite or uncomfortable. The literal language that guides the narrative doesn't flow the way it needs to.

2. The exterior obstacles often do not make sense. It's not that you can't understand what's happening. It's that it wouldn't happen. I am NOT a stickler for "historical accuracy". I could indeed, give less than negative two f***s. That said, if the premise upon which certain actions rest are so inconceivable in terms of the way British society at that time worked, that's a problem for me. I need to have a mere patina of believability re: what people might have done/thought/etc, but I do need that patina. And it's not here.

3. The characters and their actions are never properly fleshed out. For instance, the heroine is an eighteen year-old (possibly nineteen, I think they waited a year), making her debut. Hero is known as the Bachelor Duke because at the ripe age of thirty he hasn't settled down. Let's put aside that that wouldn't have been terribly remarkable and pretend it would have been. It takes about fifteen seconds for BD to fall in strong lust/have serious interest in the heroine. But like...has this guy never met an attractive woman before? I truly read the whole book and I had no idea what it was about this 18/19 year-old chick that was healing this guy's trauma-based marriage-aversity. My best guess is she had really great breasts. No, I am not kidding.

All of those are enough that the book wouldn't work for me, and until about the last thirty pages I was mostly just feeling like the whole thing was a bit unfortunate. Then we get to those thirty pages. There are two "villains" throughout this book. I put that in quotes because they're not really around much, they show up when needed for plot and both of them are driven by greed and just being bad people. While I do not deny that there are bad people in the world, the one-note level of these two is somewhat egregious.

In any case, said villains decide, for Reasons, to burn down the house--in London--that the heroine and the female character I felt had the most promise in terms of backstory, along with said female character's young child, are all in. Miraculously, the heroine and the child make it out, and no other houses are burnt, which, if you know literally anything about how fire worked in Regency London is, ah, not possible, I shall say lightly. The other woman dies--seemingly silently, not even going to talk about how that's not a thing when one is caught in a burning house--and the heroine and BD are married two days later.

That's not an exaggeration. Nevermind that the woman was the half-sister of BD's bestie, who's having a bit of a rough time. Nobody seems to consider maybe, you know, pushing back the wedding. It's like "aw, sad. Welp, let's get married and bang!"

To say that I was wigged by the wrap up would be something of an understatement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for gwendalyn _books_.
1,039 reviews51 followers
September 10, 2020
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Stunning Regency Era Book

London 1821

Remington, Warren, the seventh Duke of Karrington, has so far been able to retain his unmarried status for the last ten years. His dukedom is counted as being one the most wealthiest. Remington’s swoon worthy, jet-black hair and blues eyes, has given him the nickname amongst the ton, “The Bachelor Duke”

Lady Olivia St.John {Livie } is gorgeous, breathtaking lady with an abundance curves. That seems to draw a lot of attention not only from would be suitors, but certain woman who are probably not as blessed as the vivacious Lady Olivia.

At The Earl of Hempstead’s Ball, Remington notices a grey eyed, blonde-curvaceous lady. After introduction are made and the two are paired in a dance, the sparks fly. As the pair become aware of the insatiable attraction that draws the couple together.

Cecilia Rene, creates fabulous, relatable characters that throughly enjoyed reading about. Her highly accomplished writing ensures that the reader is swept along in fast paced read. The attraction of the two main protagonist was the compelling driving force that had me flipping the pages as fast as I could.

Livie, is the perfect leading lady, one who is a woman many of us can feel drawn to. I love how she is portrayed realistically, and I found myself more invested into the storyline because of her character being a warm and vibrant woman. I was captivated by the couple as you see both Remington’s and Olivia’s characters grow, as the story unfolds. As a couple they bring out the best in each other. There are some external factors that will keep you on your toes, as the plot twist.

Rene writing is something definitely worth noting, since this is her debut novel. It flows perfectly and I was completely engaged all the way through to the satisfying ending. A highly enjoyable experience, and delightful Regency period book

A book I recommend to family and friends that enjoy reading wonderful historical romance. I am hoping the author doesn’t keep us waiting to long for her next book.
Profile Image for Rajiv.
982 reviews72 followers
November 20, 2020

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“The Bachelor Duke” is a delightful romance where the lead pair is fun and share sizzling chemistry.

What I loved about the story were the main characters. Remington and Olivia share excellent chemistry. At first, they are both awkward with each other. But they joke around and humor each other, and it was cute to see them come together. The story is not a new concept, but the author writes the characters in such a charming manner that you cannot help but fall in love with them.

Similarly, Bromswell is a character you love to hate. The supporting characters are also so sweet. I fell in love with Mother Di and the way she supports Remington. Other standout characters were Lord Heartford and Livie.

Moreover, I have to applaud the author for not fat-shaming Olivia. It was refreshing to read about an average-sized woman fall in love with a man without making her sound like a supermodel.

Similarly, the author makes the story interesting with twists and turns. There are moments of angst, intrigue, and suspense. The romance is steamy but written elegantly. Also, the story builds up to an action-packed climax where you wonder how it will turn out. The author has a knack for writing romance, and I am curious to see how the story continues in the next book. As this book ended decently without any cliffhangers, it would be interesting to see how the storylines follow.

Overall, The Bachelor Duke is a lovely book to pick out if you are in the book for well-written historical romance.
Profile Image for The Romantic Type.
10 reviews2 followers
February 15, 2021
There have been a million and one listicles in the past few months about “what to read when you finish watching Bridgerton and your local library won’t have a copy of the next book for you until 2022.” Ok I added that last part, but there are thousands of Regency romances out there with similar themes and characters that can scratch that itch.

A good example of this might be The Bachelor Duke by Cecilia Rene. It hits all of those delicious Regency tropes of balls, inheritances, and rakes, but then adds in actually evil villains and a plot that goes to 11.

Our hero, Remington, Duke of Karrington, (yes, almost every name in this book is a touch over the top) has decided never to marry (lol k). He is bullied into attending a ball where he meets the diamond of the first water, Olivia St. John. Livie is beautiful, charming, etc, and is described as curvaceous but I’m not sure if she’s explicitly plus size. Sparks fly between the two of them but Remington is set on keeping his promise not to marry for a solid, like, three days.

Enter the villain of the story, Baron Bromswell. Unlike your usual Regency novel antagonist who wants only to ruin a lady to steal their inheritance, this dude wants that and to straight up murder people.
Remington and Livie have a pretty standard courtship and I liked how it unfolded as two good people learning how to be in a relationship. I felt the chemistry between the two of them as their relationship progressed. The author is clearly good at what she does and there were a number of lines that stood out to me in a good way. “She loved him; it had come to her like a summer breeze, fleeting, and reassuring.” Whew! 💕
(Here I want to add some content warnings for this book including house fires and a baby in danger.)
To simplify a somewhat convoluted scenario, the climax of the plot involves the sister of a friend of Remington’s who ends up the target of the evil Baron Bromswell. The action, which was almost non existent in the first half, is vivid and tense. Completely not what I expected from the front half of the book. I was a little surprised by how abruptly the story ended but it’s clear there are more books planned for this series.

Overall I enjoyed this book quite a bit! I won my copy through a giveaway on the League of Extraordinary Historical Romance Authors Facebook group.
Profile Image for Nat.
835 reviews56 followers
March 3, 2025
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Okay, so I read the third book in this series and unexpectedly really loved it, so I went back to read the prior books and this… didn’t really live up. But that said, I do think it definitely allowed me to see how Rene has grown as an author. I was pulled in by certain elements of the characters and dramatic backgrounds that intrigued me and kept me reading, although the romance didn’t quite do that.

Remington is an interesting hero with little bits of depth alluded to here and there, with a layer or two finally peeled back later in the story, but I wish we’d have seen more. Same with Livie, there were minor details that would intrigue me, but overall, she felt pretty vanilla as far as heroines go. I did like having a plus-sized heroine and that she wasn’t constantly obsessing over her looks and weight, though it definitely seemed like everyone around her did more than enough to make up for it. There’s a few cute moments with an occasional bit of banter, but all in all, I never was swept away with their relationship. I was never sold by any of their interactions or convinced that they were falling for each other. The timeline also feels so fast and the tropes for the romance didn’t feel utilized to their full potential.

Side characters were flat and dialogue came across rather stiff. So… you’re probably wondering, Nat, why’d you still give this three stars? The ✨drama✨ As I said, there’s mentions to darker things in Remington’s past which gave him an air of mystery and kept me intrigued, plus a minor villain character that would pop up at the most inopportune times and I couldn’t resist finding out what he had planned. The second book is also set up pretty well in this one and though Julia, the next heroine, felt childish and uninteresting for much of this book, I finished this wanting to know what happens next in her story. I’m definitely going to be picking that one up and I’m excited for the fourth book still!!
Profile Image for Denise .
931 reviews9 followers
September 29, 2020
The Bachelor Duke for the most part is a happy, positive story about the transformative effect love can have on a person’s life. Remington, the hero, is a confirmed bachelor because of the behavior of his own father, and other men of his acquaintance. When he meets Olivia, everything about her appeals to him in a way he has never experienced before. Olivia is having her first social season in London, having been somewhat delayed in making her debut. She has a heavier, curvier body type than what is fashionable. The derogatory comments people make about her appearance make her somewhat insecure, but she doesn’t let them get her down too much.

Remington proves to be surprisingly romantic. When some angst arises between the 2 main characters, I thought the heroine handled it rather immaturely. But her character is young and inexperienced with relationships. Remington is really also inexperienced with relationships, so it is understandable that their communications is not seamless. Poor communication compounds the misunderstanding between herself and the hero. In the last 5 or so chapters of the book the stakes get raised dramatically and there are several very surprising developments.

I thought this book was well-written and very easy to read. The main characters were interesting, the secondary characters were vivid, and the villains were incredibly evil. The intimate scenes between Remington and Olivia included a great deal of emotion. I would have liked to know more about what happened to the villains at the end. I also would really love to know more about what happens with Olivia’s cousin Julia. I will definitely be on the lookout for a second book!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and also purchase a copy.
Profile Image for Deborah  Cleaves.
1,332 reviews
December 24, 2020
Promising, but had delivery issues.

There is much promise in the plot, but elemental errors along the way were its undoing. Some are in word choice — using words without knowing their meaning results in disappointment far too often at this crafting error. Routinely using objective pronouns where nominal forms were necessary is an error simple to correct hereafter. The sex was described poorly using trite, archaic, and inaccurate language. The plot was not helped by an inconsiderate horny toad stripping off partially or exposing the heroine’s genitalia the very moment friends, family, or servants leave a main room in her or his parents’ homes. This does not portend love, affection, consideration, or caring. It is just poor manners. The final horror was what was intended to be the pivotal scene. The author’s lack of knowledge of fire, fires, flammability of the clothing of the time, how fires act, how death occurs in a fire was ever present in a disheartening way. Not only is the victim burned to death in an impossible manner [without screaming in pain, for example], her death is so callously dealt with that this reader wanted to slap all the characters who were grinning like fools and happy in love in mere moments and consistently thereafter. This demonstrates a profound lack of knowledge of how tragedy affects people rendering the story unbelievable and the characters themselves repulsive. Mere marriage does not provide an HEA in such a situation. It requires a far more somber and empathetic treatment. Nor do ne’er-do-wells have henchmen willing to come in and kill women and a child just because some titled person wants it done. More thought was required to create believability.
Profile Image for Cassie Ashford.
1,073 reviews10 followers
September 28, 2020
I’m not typically into books from victorian regency eras however this blurb attracted me enough to give it a shot and I’m so glad I did! To the point I’m dying to know if and when there will be another book in the series.

Remington, the Duke of Karrington, has swore to never marry. To be the eternal bachelor. He had no idea that the moment he would set his eyes on Lady Olivia his world would change.

Lady Olivia may have a beautiful face but everyone makes it clear she needs to eat one less sweet if she wants to ever marry instead of be a spinster. So when the Bachelor Duke makes his plans clear to her and her father she is surprised. Finding it hard to understand why he would pick her of all people.

Their first encounter was definitely lacking in conversation but chemistry had everything. Their second meeting went much better and Liv sees Remington for the real man he is. There is no denying him.

There are people who are angry over their upcoming union and try their best to cause drama. They almost succeed. The moments when we see Remington not care about society and do the right thing regardless are the best. You know he is a man of honor.

If there is a second book in the series I have a feeling who it will be about or at least it’s my hope it will be about them because I want them to have their HEA like Remington and Liv. This book has opened my eyes to a world of romance!
Profile Image for shadiedaze.
359 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2020
Remington Warren, the Duke of Karrington, has been dubbed “The Bachelor Duke” by the ton due to his resistance to the eligible single debutantes and their mamas. Remington has decided he will not make the same mistakes of those close to him did when it came to marriage. He has decided Society has given him the perfect excuse to isolate himself and not risk a lifetime of heartbreak and pain.

Lady Olivia St. John, daughter of Earl Hempstead, is making her initial come out. Her and cousin are making their debuts into Society to find husbands and make good marriages. Olivia is hoping to not crumble under the pressure of Society, especially when it comes to her curves, which cause the Bachelor Duke to drift into her heart.

This is the first novel by this author. This is a sweet romance novel. There are many almost kissing attempts. However, Olivia and Remington find time to kiss and do other improper things before the end of the novel. For both, it is “love at first sight” feeling. External factors keep cropping up to intervene in their developing relationship. This novel was beautifully written, good editing, and entertaining. It ends on a HEA with a slight hint of book #2. It was a pleasure to read such a good first novel.
Profile Image for Anne.
831 reviews7 followers
February 14, 2022
Charming and suspenseful debut novel

Add together a curvaceous heroine, a swoon worthy duke who has vowed never to marry, an unscrupulous villain and a cast of appealing supporting characters and you have the makings of a wonderful debut novel. Cecilia Rene has penned a charming historical romance with just the right amount of angst, suspense and emotion to create a very enjoyable read. The twists and turns of the plot kept me engaged in not only the romance but also in the story. I loved the chemistry that developed between Remington Warren, The Duke of Karrington and Lady Olivia St. John - they laughed and they cried with each other and the heat was evident without being scorching. I enjoyed that Olivia, Livie, was portrayed as a curvy woman who is bright, personable and kind. Remington is an Adonis but he is also charming and well liked. As a couple, the two made me smile; the best recommendation for me for a special romance. I so appreciated the inclusion of the epilogue in this tale. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series and definitely hope that there are more books to follow.
Profile Image for Rachel.
741 reviews9 followers
December 1, 2020
This was a very nice story about a damaged man who vows never to marry because his father was a cruel man. He fears becoming like his father. He meets Olivia, who is a curvy girl who is embarrassed by her body due to plenty of shaming by her mother. They fall for each other rapidly. However, there is a villain who wants to hurt them both. Other family members, all very nicely drawn by the writer, have their own storylines. A deep dark secret is behind the villain's motivation. Olivia rejects the Duke, not for what he did, but for not telling her about it. Lots of emphasis on the gossip rags of the time and how strict everyone was about reputation, especially for the women. After what these men did years ago, they should have been shamed, but were not. When someone thinks Olivia is kissed in public, they come down on her full force. After many trials and tribulations, they do get their HEA.
It is a good thing this is the first in a series since there are others whose stories are not finished.
21 reviews
August 17, 2020
Romance with a dash of Drama and a pinch of Angst

Not quite the cookie cutter romance story. For a regency piece the characters are surprisingly modern and nuanced. This is a stand-alone book but I’m definitely looking forward to exploring some of the other characters introduced in this story. The Bachelor Duke, Remington Warren, the Duke of Karrington fell almost instantaneously in love with Lady Olivia St. John. It took awhile to understand what made “Livie” different than all the others who tried and failed to get his attention. As you read through their story, you get the sense that she brought out the sides of Remington that he thought he wasn’t - protective, romantic, gentle and even, social. With him, Livie is more confident, courageous and passionate. They bring out the best in each other but it was a journey to get there. Not all of The Bachelor Duke is biscuits and roses. There are sinister characters woven in.
994 reviews10 followers
February 25, 2021
5 STARS, HISTORICAL REGENCY ERA DRAMA, SEX & VIOLENCE

A fast moving easy reading storyline that this Author has created in Book 1 of this new Series. My first time reading a Cecilia Rene book that I can recall, but her name will be one I will be looking for now & in the future with my other list of favorites. I loved how C.R. was able to show the stress emotionally & physically of the Ton gossips on how it affected Olivia & each member of her family to the Duke & his friends.

The characters are well written and the reader can almost feel how sinister the Baron is with Olivia that gives her that natural inner warning of red flag alert when he touches her. The Duke's varied emotional journey in this book is so amazingly laid out for us the reader to experience it with him .

I felt how Julia , Olivia, the Duke & Olivia' parents did at some stages in this book. I look forward to Book 2.
Recommend
Profile Image for Brenda.
3,485 reviews46 followers
February 3, 2022
Remington Warren, The Duke of Karrington, lives his life by the name society has thrust upon him. Having witnessed cruelty against the fairer sex with his own eyes, he vows never to marry to prevent himself from becoming like the monster who raised him. After ten years of being The Bachelor Duke, his life is irrevocably changed when he sees Lady Olivia St. John across the ballroom floor.
Having lived a sheltered, pampered life, surrounded by her loving family, Lady Olivia St. John longs to know passion and love. She is beautiful, bold, and has a rather large dowry. According to society, she would be a diamond in the first water of this season if it wasn’t for her one flaw.
Will she find all she longs for and more in the arms of The Bachelor Duke, or will heartbreak be her demise?
Violence and love make up the story of Olivia and Remington. A tragic fire set by a couple of treacherous people causing the death of Amelia.
This book is both violent and loving.
546 reviews2 followers
June 13, 2025
An Enjoyable Read


I enjoyed this well-written story. Duke Remington had sworn that he would never marry but when he met Olivia he was immediately smitten. She was regarded as plump by the ton and there was a lot of gossip about her but Remington fell in love. Olivia was hesitant at first but gradually relaxed and agreed to marry him. However, there were several people who wanted Olivia dead so Remington would be free to marry someone else. Widowed Lady Evers had a child. Who was the father? The gossip rags made up various scenarios but none could have guessed the final outcome. The story contained details of arson, assault, bullying about personal weight, an unwed mother, an orphaned child and murder. Despite all of this, Remington and Olivia managed to find happiness. I would have liked to know the reason that Julia rejected Harry. That is only mentioned in The Extended Epilogue. A good story.
50 reviews
September 27, 2020
Hard to believe THIS is a first book, Buy, Read it, follow this rising star

This is an extremely well written mature piece of historical romance fiction. Very hard to believe this is the authors only book at Amazon. I will be adding this author to my list of authors to watch. The author deals well with the common insecurities, shame, evil narcissistic baddies, betrayal, the mandatory misunderstanding with a slight twist, and death defying heroes actions. There are teasers into future books which I hope get written quickly and expect the same quality. I expect to read her books for a long time, if we are fortunate that she becomes as prolific as this first offering portends.
Profile Image for Augusta ⭐️.
64 reviews2 followers
August 24, 2022

Why I Chose This Book 🌷
- Genre

Notes/Review 🌸
- Super cute historical romance with definite Bridgerton vibes with more drama.
- The characters were really good, loved Lady Olivia and Remington's romance with the constant tension.
- The spicy scenes were definitely good, but at the same time they would've had wayyy more repercussions or punishments for doing what they did before they were married.
- My fav type of epilogue!!!
- Overall a great quick historical romance read.

Favourite Part 💓
- When Remington saved Olivia and baby Emily from the house fire and he made up with Olivia.

Recommend?
- Definitely if you're into historical romances!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
725 reviews7 followers
January 25, 2024
This book was eminently average, featuring every staple trope of the genre: FMC and MMC locking eyes over the ballroom for the first time and having an emotionally significant waltz that neither can forget about, a third act breakup, a villain kidnapping and near-miss rescue, a "babies ever after" happy ending. I honestly cannot say any moment of this story surprised me at all. The prose was nothing to write home about. All too often the sentences were short and simple. The dialogue wasn't anachronistic, but it wasn't too complex either, nor was it snappy; there's not a lot of banter here. I can't say I'm interested in the rest of the series.
429 reviews3 followers
September 28, 2020
The story was slow moving and involved some vile people intent on causing trouble. I actually stopped reading a couple of times, because the story was so annoying. The main characters were not truly likeable, based on their foolish actions. There were some good sex scenes, but difficult to say very good, due to the above story problems.


Spoiler Alert:

Another problem with this was that a prominent side character was murdered (not the only murder, but the most bothersome one). Not something I want in a romance book.



305 reviews1 follower
October 11, 2020
I truly enjoyed this book because for starters the h wasn't thin or super beautiful. But instead you have Olivia who happens to be what the ton described (and viciously I must say ) as plump. What she had to face every time she went out and hear people whispering behind her back. Then of course the romance between her and Remington sigh....
Although there were so many unanswered questions in the end like what happened to the villains and Lord Windchester. Unless I skipped a page or something? Maybe I'll have the answers in the following books..
2,022 reviews8 followers
October 2, 2025
Audiobook: This was my first experience with this author's work. I thought the story was entertaining; however, there were times where it was repetitious too. I liked Remington Warren as his character's arc was great. I liked Lady Olivia St. John, but some of her actions didn't make sense to me. I thought Aaron Smith's narration was good, and his performance kept my attention. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.
Profile Image for Alicia.
1,423 reviews17 followers
September 6, 2020
Great introduction to a series

I was a little bored at first to be honest but it definitely got better. The drama was pretty good and so was the angst. I was not expecting two villains but you don't meet the second villain until much later in the book.

Remington is known as the Bachelor Duke, because if his past he has vowed to never marry and of course the moment he sees Lady Olivia that all changes.
Profile Image for Katelynne.
894 reviews12 followers
September 6, 2020
This was a fun, sweet, easy read with some steamy moments. For the most part out hero and heroine have a seamless, blissful romance until the final arc, when things get tense. I do think it was a bit historically inaccurate when it came to courtship customs, but it was still a fun read. My thanks to the author, publisher, and Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours for getting me a copy in exchange for my honest review. Look out for my full review at https://bitchbookshelf.com on September 10.
30 reviews
April 26, 2025
Hold on for a wild read

This story was really good and kept up the pace for the whole book. The characters were really enjoyable and added a lot of dimension to the story. I like it when the main character is a little different and doesn’t seem to fit in with the popular idea of who or what is acceptable. Livie couldn’t believe that anyone would want her, especially the one person in the ton who was perfection. I think even the Duke surprised himself!
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