At thirty years of age, Susan Jennings has long been considered a spinster. Exceptionally intelligent, she has little tolerance for London and the dreaded Season—if that’s how one is expected to find love, it’s not for her. But when an invitation arrives that cannot be ignored, Susan leaves her comfortable life in the country and enters the fashion and frivolity she most despises. She quickly discovers, however, that there is more to loathe in London—and his name is George Kendall.
George, Duke of Aylesham, has learned to keep his distance from cloying females chasing the title of duchess. Susan Jennings, however, proves an entirely different challenge—a woman who has pushed him to the limit of his patience with their every encounter. But their simmering hostility is disrupted by a thoughtless slip-up: to avoid a marriage of political strategy, George claims he is already betrothed. And when pressed for the name of the lucky woman, only one name comes to mind: Susan’s. Their forced betrothal proves advantageous, but when their verbal sparring must change in order to be convincing, the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred by something neither expected: love.
Karen Tuft was born with a healthy dose of curiosity about pretty much everything, so as a child she taught herself to read and play the piano. She studied composition at BYU and graduated from the University of Utah in music theory, where she was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda honor societies. In addition to being an author, Karen is a wife, mother, pianist, composer, and arranger. She has spent countless hours backstage and in orchestra pits for theater productions along the Wasatch Front. Among her varied interests, she likes to figure out what makes people tick, wander through museums, and travel whether it's by car, plane, or paperback.
Okay, this book has SO MUCH POTENTIAL Y'ALL! Just ... so much. But it's wasted. I'm not usually the overly critical sort, but I was disappointed by this book.
I downloaded this book (from NetGalley) because of the premise. Even before that, I read the blurb and decided I would read this book when I came out. Imagine my dissatisfaction when little of what we were promised in the blurb actually shows up!
Imagine my shock when the "exceptionally intelligent" Susan Jennings turns up to be just another whiny Regency woman who doesn't want to give up her bluestocking ways and is everlastingly surprised at men for behaving like what they were raised to behave as.
I can't countenance stupid heroines, y'all. Even if they are "exceptionally intelligent."
Then there's this quote from the book: "As an unmarried woman, she was still her own person, not some man's property to do with as he pleased."
Look, y'all. Books like this try to be all feminist and woke and then do history a disfavor. It's simply not true that unmarried women in Regency-era England were "their own person." Women had a bit of a legal identity when widowed in certain very specific circumstances, but more often than not, that freedom was tied up in a way that still allowed the men in the woman's life to come out on top, financially speaking.
If you're going to be offended with the institution of marriage, dear Regency heroines, at least get your facts straight & understand that a lack of marriage, in and of itself, did not "free" a woman in this era. Suffice to say, the heroine annoyed me.
At first, I thought I was going to like the duke, George. But sadly, he couldn't last long. Though he did buckle down and attempt to do the right thing in the end, this bugged me:
"But not only had he been resistant [of marrying to provide the dukedom with an heir]; he'd outright refused. And he *still* refused. He would *not* lower his expectations when it came to marriage ..."
This is all very well and good in the 21st century, Georgie, but in the Regency era, this is basically saying responsibility and all mean nothing to you, especially since YOU KNOW YOUR HEIR IS LITERALLY A CRIMINAL. Do you want a criminal to wield huge amounts of power in this land you so adore, Georgie?
I don't know why Regency people simply refuse to believe they live in the Regency era, but they do, and it's quite frustrating. If you're going to address societal injustices (like women not having a legal entity and so on), please do so in a way that makes sense to the era. And don't ignore the actual facts of the case.
It was not simply marriage (the big bad guy of all romances is marriage, in case you didn't know - despite how little sense that makes!) that made women struggle in the Regency era. Even before they were married, they were reliant on men for ... everything. Whether or not you view that as a good thing, it is true. The truth doesn't need to have an agenda; it just is.
SO, my little historical rant aside, let's talk about the other things that made the book bad.
First, the writing. It was okay, I suppose. But a lot of sections droned on and on in this monotone voice, and it was very frustrating and slow to read.
Second, the unnecessary scenes and characters. About 60% of the book was devoted to things that I didn't care about, that didn't relate to the main plot, and that caused me to skim ... and even when I skimmed, I still could understand everything that was happening.
Third, this unique premise took every predictable path it could, ending in an overblown climax, and didn't even deliver on what it originally promised me - which was a hilarious, awkward marriage of convenience story.
Fourth, the characters MIGHT have had okay chemistry ... except for the fact that their sparring made no sense. Like, if perhaps there had been a bit more, well, SOMETHING ... it would've made sense. But as it was, they just disliked each other for no reason and then liked each other for no reason and then it just faded into nothingness. Uhhh ... good job writing a boring, effortless relationship, I guess?
Also, I'm assuming this book is secular fiction despite the few mentions of God, so I won't make mention of anything that I would generally when critiquing Christian fiction. I believe this book is categorized as Christian fiction by some, but it's not.
I gave this book two stars because the setup could work - except the plot I was promised in the blurb didn't happen, and what did happened happened after such a long introduction with so many unrelated things. It's not good when, 25% through the novel, you still have no idea where the book is going. It's just not good storytelling.
Overall, this book was a disappointment. I would be reluctant to try something by this author again.
Sensitive Readers/Content Warning: this book wasn't too heavy. The two main leads were attracted to each other, but that's a good thing - if they had had any sort of a relationship other than the physical attraction, it'd have been a nice amount. Still, given their lack of other relationship, it did feel like Susan basically just wanted George for the physical side of things (even though she swore she didn't & that was a big plot point) while George continued to take advantage of her.
It might seem like I’m enjoying too much my books lately, but I’m dnfing so hard, I’m not even counting them and what gets me through it are my beloved slowburn HRs 🥺
And this was no exception. I loved the writing style and I loved both main characters. I missed some of the enemies stage angst though, the banter was good but short and I would have loved more encounters between them hating each other. I’m weird like that.
But it was a nice story, with so many historical details and such a cute falling in love stage… And of course, the cover is so pretty!! 😍
This was such a fun book. I love the whole arranged marriage troupe. This was very well done, the enemy to lovers felt natural and not forced. It took a bit to get going but then took off. Lots of fun moments in this. I love how strong and confident yet vulnerable she was. I Love that Lady Wamsley is back! She is so much fun:} You don't need to read these in order but it's fun that way and Tuft is a great author.
'At thirty years of age, Susan Jennings has long been considered a spinster. Exceptionally intelligent, she has little tolerance for London and the dreaded Season—if that’s how one is expected to find love, it’s not for her. But when an invitation arrives that cannot be ignored, Susan leaves her comfortable life in the country and enters the fashion and frivolity she most despises. She quickly discovers, however, that there is more to loathe in London—and his name is George Kendall.
George, Duke of Aylesham, has learned to keep his distance from cloying females chasing the title of duchess. Susan Jennings, however, proves an entirely different challenge—a woman who has pushed him to the limit of his patience with their every encounter. But their simmering hostility is disrupted by a thoughtless slip-up: to avoid a marriage of political strategy, George claims he is already betrothed. And when pressed for the name of the lucky woman, only one name comes to mind: Susan’s. Their forced betrothal proves advantageous, but when their verbal sparring must change in order to be convincing, the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred by something neither expected: love.' ____________________________
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
The Duke Meets His Match is a standalone book by Karen Tuft and is a clean historical romance.
Stemming from a terrible first meeting, George and Susan loathe each other. When Susan comes to London for the season, they're brought back together, not thinking any kinder of the other. The longer they're forced into one another's company and the more they learn of the other, their hard judgements begin to soften. It's a classic enemies to lovers.
This is the first book that I have read by this author and I quite enjoyed it. The book switches back and forth from Susan to George's perspectives to tell the story, which the author did well. Sometimes things will feel choppy or like there's information missing in books with the switching perspectives, but it flowed nicely between the two of them.
My one complaint was that it seemed to me that they flipped very quickly from seeing the good in each other to decalring love. I know that they were growing to care for one another, but it seemed like there was still a little more work that could have been done to be done before it was time for such declarations; it have only been about 6 days. Overall though I enjoyed the book and would read another by this author in the future. _____
I would like to thank NetGalley and Covenant Communications for sharing an eARC of The Duke Meets His Match by Karen Tuft with me. This is my honest review.
I love when I have a book I want to read and I have that inkling that it’s going to be a good one and I probably won’t want to put it down. And it’s even better when I’m able to enjoy it all in one sitting. And let me tell you, that was this book and me yesterday! I enjoyed every minute being immersed in this delightful story.
If you like stories that start with some funny and slightly awkward moments, this one has a pretty great first meeting between the two main characters. Talk about starting off on the wrong foot, a little pride mixed in and bam...awkward! Then flash forward to the next meeting between those two and you’ve got an entertaining start to a relationship.
George and Susan were both great characters and I loved reading about their backstories and seeing their differences and similarities.
The awkward moments and the shake your head moments, and the want to tell a few characters what to do moments, were plentiful. But all those moments combined together wove such a fun story.
The secondary characters added so many fun aspects to the story. I absolutely ADORED Susan’s aunt. Oh my heavens!!! She cracked me up so much! I want to be just like her someday.
With all the humorous and awkward moments there were just as many swoony and heart thumping moments. *Happy Sigh* I seriously loved George and Susan. They didn’t have a perfect relationship and they had to work at making their friendship and more grow and develop. And I loved that. I loved that they talked and that they listened and heard each other. Love, Love, Love!!! And those kisses...super swoony!
If you’re looking for a fun Regency story with sweet romance, some suspense, many laughs and plenty of interactions with the royal family pick up a copy and dive in. But clear your schedules so you can do like I did and read it in one sitting!
Content: Clean.
I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
This book was so enjoyable and entertaining! Susan and George have horrible first impressions of each other, even though I found them to be quite similar. They don't care for society or marrying just because it is expected. When the Prince Regent gets involved however, George is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and he thoughtlessly gets Susan stuck with him. I appreciated the conversations they had that showed how much consideration Susan gave the situation and the repercussions of her choices and his, as well as the advantages to her future. The political intrigue, though light, provided another aspect to the plot and drove Susan and George closer together as they worked as a team to thwart the Prince without losing their heads. I loved the cast of characters, including Susan's protective brother and her delightful "fairy godmother" Lady Wamsley. I enjoyed the details of the era that were woven naturally in the story without being overly descriptive. Susan and George developed a strong romantic chemistry with a foundation of respect for the intelligence and capabilities of one another, and it was especially fun to see Susan solve the hidden motivations behind the Prince's "gift." Highly recommend!
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
People don't always make the best first impressions and this is especially true for Susan and George. They have an awful first meeting and their second isn't much better. It was really fun to watch these two shift their opinions as they got to know each other better. The shifting relationship between George and Susan felt natural and believable. They had to work through misunderstandings and they had to learn how to communicate. I loved when they presented a united front.
I also loved when Susan got her Cinderella moment- a new wardrobe, haircut and styling along with some words that built her up. It was one of my favorite moments in the book.
This was a fun book. I really enjoyed it and ended it feeling satisfied and happy.
Content: kissing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This was a really fun read. I am a sucker for an arranged marriage story and this one had plenty of humour, a dash of action and very sweet characters. I loved that Susan was portrayed as such a smart educated woman and the way she wound up George made me LOL more than once. I really enjoyed this one.
I fell head over heels in love with this book! I'm not a big fan of romance novels and I rarely read them, usually only when the romance is combined with historical fiction. I'm so happy I requested this one though, it had me swooning from the first chapter until the last.
We meet George, a handsome duke who should've gotten married a decade ago but after being scorned by a lover he swore of marriage and women for a long time. A run-in with a health scare and with no heir to present, George realizes he has to turn the tables and find himself a bride. When he meets Susan Jennings sparks fly but not in a good way. Where some fall instantly in love, these two loathe each other from first sight. Susan is a young, clever and beautiful woman who has a hard time finding a man that can be her equal on all parts. When a twist of fate and a surprising turn of events puts these two together, they will have to find a way to turn the loathing into loving.
I picked this book up yesterday evening and I read it in one go, I just couldn't put it down. I loved both characters who are both flawed yet have pure hearts. I loved the contrast between them and what I enjoyed most was that these two sought common ground instead of focusing on differences. The author paints a very adult picture of their relationship and she lets it grow naturally. So many authors nowadays use love at first sight, which has always irked me but not Karen Tuft. She has created two very emotionally mature people who are trying to find their way in life together. The only thing I would've appreciated, is a bit more of an elaboration on both Susan and George's past loves. Other than that I truly adored this story and I might just pick up some of Karen's other books.
I really loved this one by Karen Tuft! I loved the way she showed the reader Prince George or Prinny in a way that no author has. At least that I’ve read. And it helped me to understand a little bit more why he was kind of a laughing stock. I love when books help me understand things better!
The love story in this one is fantastic! I loved the way the author used a woman who would have been considered a spinster. She was given new life by the local dressmaker. And she was one of those characters who always spoke her mind. That always makes me happy. I don’t love characters who don’t stand up for themselves when they need to.
George was also a different kind of hero. He knows he needs to marry. He has no heir, except for a criminal who had been shipped to Australia. That was kind of a fun thing in this book. George is kind of….not personable. People tend to shy away from him a little bit. He’s constantly glaring and seeming grumpy. I loved the way this made the book not your normal love story.
And we got to see Lady Walmsley and Foster again! I love these two in the background. They are so funny together. And they really help to make the book.
This is such a great book! I can’t wait for more.
I was sent a copy of The Duke Meets His Match as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Aaaaaay la sinopsis me había emocionado mucho. Un enemies to lovers Un matrimonio por conveniencia Una solterona Y un DUUUQUEEE
Tenía todo para el éxito, pero el desarrollo no fue lo mejor o no era el que yo quería, es que mi imaginación voló.
Habían muchas descripciones y poco diálogo, en un principio no hubo tanta interacción de ellos dos juntos y NO HUBO ESCENAS SPICY, muy mojigato todo. .
At thirty years of age, Susan Jennings has long been considered a spinster. Exceptionally intelligent, she has little tolerance for London and the dreaded Season—if that’s how one is expected to find love, it’s not for her. But when an invitation arrives that cannot be ignored, Susan leaves her comfortable life in the country and enters the fashion and frivolity she most despises. She quickly discovers, however, that there is more to loathe in London—and his name is George Kendall. George, Duke of Aylesham, has learned to keep his distance from cloying females chasing the title of duchess. Susan Jennings, however, proves an entirely different challenge—a woman who has pushed him to the limit of his patience with their every encounter. But their simmering hostility is disrupted by a thoughtless slipup: to avoid a marriage of political strategy, George claims he is already betrothed. And when pressed for the name of the lucky woman, only one name comes to mind: Susan’s. Their forced betrothal proves advantageous, but when their verbal sparring must change in order to be convincing, the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred by something neither expected: love.
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will his predicament alienate or win her to him forever ...
I am glad I decided to read this book, the author is new to me, and what a fun read it has been. The enemies to lovers trope is introduced in such a humorous way, I loved to observe Susan and George interact, their relationship is one of steps forward then backward, all the while they get to know one another. Susan has left the whirlwind of society’s life behind many years ago after one too many deception. She is quite happy with her life, she does not mind the dust of spinsterhood, it rather suits her. Aylesham has lived a rather solitary life, except for his last living relative until his passing, he was only surrounded by servants. Why he probably embarked in dangerous pursuits to give his life a different meaning, and fulfill a hole inside him. From their first encounter, sparks fly, but none about lust, barbs and quips are thrown at each other until they must work together to extract Aylesham from a dire situation.
How I adored their witty banters, Aylesham’s offer of marriage is definitely one for the age. I had a smile for most of my reading, they are clever and cunning, never letting despair take hold of them. They fight and return blow by blow. It was a pleasure to see them falling for one another, when they began on such a wrong foot. 4.5 stars
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
The Duke Meets His Match intrigued me with it's title. I like sassy heroines. It didn't disappoint me. Miss Susan Jennings was nicknamed "harpy" by the George, the Duke of Aylesham upon their first meeting. She thinks of him as His Loftiness. I like it when they are together and their banters. I wanted more though. It was a sweet moment when they went to church together for the first time. One of my favorite part is at the Carlton House. The clever Susan showed off her knowledge of the German language that helped freed George.
I like Susan's family. I hope there will be a story about her brother, James. The characters are likeable and it's fun to read. It's another regency romance you don't want to miss. 4 stars
Thank you #netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
I loved this book so much more than I anticipated I would
It follows two people...a woman in her late twenties...past the point of being an interest in the London Season....and a Duke....a man who has put off marriage for too many years and finally finds himself in quite the political scheme. Will they find a mutually beneficial match and love along the way?
I loved having a regency woman who was the same age as me and see how she grew into her strengths through the story. She doesn’t let the Duke off easy and their back and forth was so much fun to witness. The Duke very much so had this prideful stern dark and handsome Mr Darcy appeal which obviously is always a good thing in my opinion 😂
Yes this is a kissing book. Yes I was here for it. (Low steam level though)
I read this book in a single day. Im always worried with a shorter book that the love story will feel rushed and under developed but that was NOT the case with this story. It was a slow burn with enough romance and interaction to keep you entertained the length of the book. One of my favorites this year.
It is reassuring to know that first opinions don't have to be the final opinion.
Susan and Aylesham were a fun couple to read about. They both have strong personalities and preferences. Susan is past her prime and has decided that she will be happy in her spinsterhood. She is well educated and not afraid to speak her mind. George is a Duke and is used to people doing what he asks. Susan is not a person to be intimidated by his rank. Sparks fly from the moment that they meet. The dynamic between them was perfect! The best part is that when they came together for a common purpose, they were able to stand up to "Prinny". Sooooo good!
This book was hard to put down. I loved the characters, setting, plot, pacing, etc. The was a Cinderellaesque vibe to the story in the form of Lady Walmsley. She is a hoot. She is also a force to be reckoned with.
If you love a regency romance with enemies to lovers and great banter, this is a book that you would love to pick up.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Romance, clean, period; Series but stand alone read This was definitely a beautifully detailed book, with strong characters. George, the Duke of Aylesham was a wonderful character. Strong, loyal, and determined. Susan, older and well-past a debutante, speaking her mind, not afraid to stand her ground, and I loved her gumption and courage.
This is a bit of a 'My Fair Lady' tale in a way, although not to the extreme of Eliza's poverty, and Susan wasn't taken on by the Duke like Eliza with the Professor, but with Susan getting gowned and coifed after living in the country, getting lessons in Royal protocol, and Aylesham giving her some lessons in courage and determination, after being at odds with her, it reminded me a bit of that storyline.
Susan is such a strong character, sticking to her ground, trying to make a way for herself as she is thrown into this maelstrom that is Prinny and the circumstances of Ayesham asking for her hand. George's (Aylesham) missteps, their moments as they 'see' each other, strong side characters (I loved the scene with the Walmsley butler, and his 'hint' as to how Susan was feeling that day), and of course their sweet moments of attraction, affection, their chemistry, along with really knowing their hearts and who they were, that made for their 'match'.
So beautifully detailed with strong side characters, political machinations, and brief bits of other characters in the previous novels in this series. I rarely give 5's for reviews, but this truly deserved the rating. The character interactions, side characters, setting, and the flow of the novel was so well done. Perfect read for anyone who is a fan of Regency fiction and is looking for strong, well-developed characters, and moments beyond the escape. Hard to put down it was so engaging, and left you wanting more of these characters.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review, my opinions are my own.
At thirty, Susan is considered a spinster, but she's not looking to get married for the sake of it. When she meets the Duke of Aylesham, the meeting doesn't go well and they end up with unfavorable opinions of the other.
A year later they meet again at a house party and their opinions don't improve. They strongly dislike each other and don't want to spend time together. That all changes when George unwittingly tells Prinny he's betrothed to Susan.
I really liked the enemy-to-lovers and marriage of convenience tropes in this story. With the characters' ages and their personalities, the development of their relationship was a treat to read.
I also liked the secondary characters and the characters from other books. So fun to see where they are.
A very good read.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
Sweet Regency romance... While at first it seems like the two main characters are only compatible as sparring partners, once the plot really got going, I appreciated that they functioned well as a team and weren't subject to the usual misunderstandings and miscommunications that plague many plots. The stakes were interesting in this plot, involving the interference of the Prince Regent himself. I did think that the conclusion of the book was a bit too lengthy. Once the major problems had been cleared up, there wasn't quite enough energy left to sustain the story through to its actual ending. But it was easy reading, and the pages fly by in this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for this digital review copy!
A nice read to lose yourself in for a day. The way the two main characters butt heads but then learned to bend to understand the other was entertaining and sweet.
Enemies to lovers and marriage of convenience tropes are a couple of my favorites, so Karen Tuft's new release was right up my alley. At almost 30 years of age, Susan considers herself being "on the shelf for so long as to be completely covered in dust." She's resigned herself to never marrying as she's considered a bluestocking, and dislikes London and its social scene. George, Duke of Aylesham, needs to marry but has yet to find a woman he could tolerate. They all seem to be after his title, but he needs to find a wife and produce an heir or his inheritance will go to the only other relative, a criminal sent to Australia!
George and Susan's first couple of meetings didn't go well at all. Things didn't get much better when George had to tell her that he told "Prinny" they were engaged. What a mess, but it made them work together and they had to learn to communicate. I thought they were perfect for each other.
I loved seeing the characters from previous books, especially Lady Walmsley. She's a sly one, and I simply loved how she was referred to several times as a "fairy godmother". I adored how Susan's attitude about herself changed when she got all the beautiful clothes, and had her cut so that it worked with her curls--she began to see herself in a different light and not as "the dusty spinster on a shelf". I loved that Susan wasn't timid, that she spoke up and said what was on her mind. This is another wonderful book by Karen Tuft that I didn't want to put down.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The duke meets his match – Karen Tuft by @la.biblioteca.de.isa
«A veces el corazón quiere cosas que no puede expresar del todo, y perseguimos innatamente lo que creemos que va a satisfacer ese deseo implícito».
Siempre me veo sorprendida por los libros históricos. Este en particular me pareció toda una joya para aquellas personas que se ven envueltas en la culpabilidad de la soltería. Ya saben, eso que te hacen sentir tus allegados cuando cumples cierta cantidad de años y no hay un futuro con familia ni niños a la vista.
El libro está basado en el tiempo donde la guerra contra Napoleón estaba en su punto culminante. George, el duque de Aylesham, un noble aguerrido que no hace más que hacer sacrificios desinteresados, se ve envuelto en un vil plan para casarse con una princesa que estuvo claramente a favor de Napoleón.
La desesperación puede ser peor que una soga al cuello y eso es algo que descubre George cuando termina por escupir palabras que no hacen más que asegurar la tapa del ataúd: Comprometido… con Susan Jennings.
Él ya había renunciado a casarse, pero de un momento a otro se ve comprometido con una mujer de lengua afilada, no tan agraciada y que hace no hace más que lanzarle pullas cada que tienen algún encuentro incómodo.
«Vulgar», «poco agraciada» y «solterona» son palabras lanzadas hacia Susan debido a que ya tiene 30 años y aún no se ha casado. No es que no haya podido, por favor, la mujer es inteligente y sarcástica, pero hablamos de un corazón roto y muchas veces el tiempo no lo cura todo. Ella nunca pensó en casarse, estaba muy cómoda con el título de tía cariñosa hasta que George aparece frente a ella con una propuesta que desea rechazar, pero que sabe que no sería lo correcto.
Se supone que sería una salida factible para George, pero cuando Susan aparece frente a él, tan hermosa con su nuevo peinado y sus vestidos que resaltan su figura, la animadversión poco disimulada de antes empieza a convertirse poco a poco en sentimientos encontrados. George empieza a ver en Susan a la mujer que siempre había soñado, pero con la cual se había rendido en alcanzar.
Es un libro bastante interesante, con ciertos vestigios de enseñanza gracias a que la autora se esmeró en mantener al pie de la letra algunos personajes que fueron cruciales durante los verdaderos acontecimientos históricos; pero lo que más atrapa, es la forma en como George y Susan empiezan a crear una tregua silenciosa que termina por convertirse en verdadero amor. No es un libro para todo el mundo, el amor es lento, las artimañas son muchas y las escenas eróticas nulas, pero me encantó y la verdad es uno de esos libros con los cuales merece la pena arriesgarse.
I loved this enemies to lovers romance. It had great characters, witty repartee, and a pull-you-in plot to round out this fantastic story. I wish Susan's ex-flame would have gotten his comeuppance and I wish the book could have gone on a bit longer, but other than that, Karen Tuft never fails to deliver a story I can get lost in. I think The Duke Meets His Match is one of my favorite historical romances this year!
Susan Jennings is no debutante, having had her London Season over a decade ago. After rejecting her various suitors and enduring a heartbreak, she is content to live a life of a spinster in the countryside. But when Lady Walmsley invites her younger sister for her first Season, Susan agrees to accompany her as her chaperone. At one of the many Season’s balls, Susan is formally introduced to George Kendall, the Duke of Aylesham. George has avoided marriage for years, seeing none of the ladies present as his potential Duchess. Especially not Susan, who he had previously encountered after discovering her eavesdropping on his private conversation. She had stood up to him and they both had come away with bad first impressions of each other. So then why, when George finds himself trapped in a political scheme by the Regent to marry a German princess, does he claim to be already betrothed...to Susan Jennings of all people? For some reason the blurb led me to believe this was a marriage of convenience romance. But that’s isn’t the case. In actuality, this is was more of a betrothal of convenience, so be forewarned before going into this with different expectations. I don’t like rating books low, especially when I know the efforts authors put into their work, but this book didn’t work for me. I found the pacing to be incredibly slow despite knowing novel takes place over two weeks. The writing style felt very monotonous. Not even the dialogues offered any respite. In fact, I felt like the dialogues did so much telling, it felt unnatural and exhausting to get through. The way the romance is written, it’s intended to be a slowburn enemies to lovers, but I couldn’t see any spark or chemistry between the hero and heroine. They despise each other and then reluctantly agree to help each other, which is fine, but I expected to see some emotional connection occur between them 60% into the novel at least. A moment, an understanding, anything! But they were so indifferent to each other that they barely knew each other. Which is why when they suddenly professed their love for each other, I was confused. I suppose to an extent I could see why George came to admire Susan, but what did Susan see in George to make her fall hopelessly in love with him? Enough to defy the Regent himself on George’s behalf?! I went into this novel expecting more. There was a lot of potential, but the novel never really choose explored the emotional conflicts it had set up, choosing to focus on the conflict with the Regent and the foreign royals instead. I’d say did you’re in the mood for a romance that isn’t romance heavy, this is a book for you.
Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Covenant Communications in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
My favourite thing about this story, that features a number of characters from previous books by Tuft, is the dialogue between Susan & George.
It’s clever, and engaging, and funny at times. There’s nothing I love more than a good bit of banter and this is spot on in The Duke Meets His March.
As the title suggests, there’s a Duke here - in need of a marriage to provide him an heir, and he becomes acquainted with Miss Susan Jennings. The unique elements of this story, are their ages. Susan has had a couple of Seasons in the past, but has spent the large majority of her twenty’s avoiding London completely.
This is no story of a girl experiencing her first come out capturing a wealthy Duke, but a clever, realistic tale of two people discovering there is more than initial first impressions- and a naturally evolving relationship that will keep the pages turning.
I stayed up late into the night to finish this one. Loved it.
I read an early copy, and this is my honest review.
The Duke Meets His Match Standalone book Rating: 4 stars Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.
This is the first book I read by this author and I really liked it. It was a very sweet romance that happens between two people that really dislike each other at the beginning. I enjoyed their bantering and how because of his big mouth when talking to the Prince Regent they end of up being betrothed. I loved how the more time they spent with each other their feelings began to change. The moment they confess the nickname they called each other was amusing. They both realize that their first impression of each other was the wrong one.
I asked my sister for book recommendations, and she picked this one. I was hesitant because all the historical/ Regency novels have seemed the same lately. Nothing was standing out, and I was feeling a slump coming.
Well, I am happy to announce that this one saved me from one.
The characters were new, and that was so refreshing. The writing and the fact the femal lead was 30, making her an "old maid," was different. Really enjoyed this story, the pacing, the chemistry between the leads, and the closed door romance.
I will be looking into more books by this author ❤️📚
I really enjoyed the premise of this book, and Susan and Aylesham were just wonderful characters, as were many of the background characters. I was also delighted with the ending of book as well. It was so sweet! The only issues I had was that the climax seemed overblown in comparison with the rest of the book, and the language was a bit anachronistic in several places. That said, I am intrigued by this new to me author, and would pick up another book by her in a heartbeat.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Susan, who had her heart broken during an early season, has been on the shelf for ten years. Living peacefully in the country with her family and squirreling herself away in libraries and on the outskirts of crowds when compelled to attend large functions.
The Duke of Aylesham has been preoccupied, trying to end England's war with Napolean rather than trying to find himself a wife. At least until recently when he learned that his closest surviving heir is a convict that was sent off to Australia. Even so, he's having a rather difficult time finding a woman with whom he'd risk dancing with twice.
Then Susan gets sent off to London, on her own, after her younger sister meets with an unanticipated accident.
Plus the Prince Regent threatens to marry Aylesham off to the daughter of a pro-Napoleonic traitor.
Suddenly Aylesham's need to find his own wife becomes 100% urgent. And the first name that flies into his head is a woman that once snapped at him for invading her privacy in a library.
Lots of fun. I zipped through this one in 2 1/2 days, despite most of that time being during the work week.
I have read hundreds of regency romances (it's true! that's a bit embarrassing) and none of them hardly even mention Prinny, yet he played a pretty large role in this book which was fun.
I really enjoyed the first two book in these interconnected stand alone's. I was tempted to return this to audible and not finish it. I just wasn't very enthralled but just kept trying. The second half when Prinny was involved was a little more exciting, but I was pretty bored with this book.