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A Royal Match #1
Last Duke Standing
First in a sparkling all-new series by New York Times bestselling author Julia London
When Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, she falls under the tutelage of none other than Queen Victoria herself. Justine’s also in the market for a proper husband—one fit to marry the future queen of Wesloria.
Because he knows simply everyone, William, Lord Douglas (the notoriously rakish heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, and decidedly not husband material), is on hand as an escort of sorts. William has been recruited to keep an eye on the royal matchmaker for the Weslorian prime minister, tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality…and one who will be sympathetic to the prime minister’s views. As William and Justine are forced to scrutinize an endless parade of England’s best bachelors, they become friends. But when the crowd of potential grooms is steadily culled, what if William is the last bachelor standing?
A Royal Match
When Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, she falls under the tutelage of none other than Queen Victoria herself. Justine’s also in the market for a proper husband—one fit to marry the future queen of Wesloria.
Because he knows simply everyone, William, Lord Douglas (the notoriously rakish heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, and decidedly not husband material), is on hand as an escort of sorts. William has been recruited to keep an eye on the royal matchmaker for the Weslorian prime minister, tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality…and one who will be sympathetic to the prime minister’s views. As William and Justine are forced to scrutinize an endless parade of England’s best bachelors, they become friends. But when the crowd of potential grooms is steadily culled, what if William is the last bachelor standing?
A Royal Match
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 22, 2022
366 people are currently reading
1227 people want to read
About the author
Julia London
190 books3,138 followersJulia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
January 18, 2022
ARC provided by Edelweiss and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to both for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.
I found this to be sweet, cute and fun.
The heroine was a little quirky, sweet and adorable.
The hero was a great compliment to the heroine in his responses and ability to keep her "in-line". LOL
Princess Justine is to inherit the throne of Wesloria at some point. But sad news that her Father is ill has expedited her training and refining process for her future role. Princess Justine is just a tad bit quirky and lacks a Little bit of confidence. With those issues looming large it's been decided that it would be best that she be sent to England and Queen Victoria give her some training and guidance on her future role. And to add a little more pressure a husband is also to be found for her as well.
Enter Lord William Douglas, the future Duke of Hamilton. A bit of a rake and well known to all, he would be a perfect candidate to watch over the matchmakers for Justine and help introduce her to a potential husband. He's to help her along with the matchmakers find the "perfect" husband to compliment the Crown of Wesloria.
Well these two were cute together. They had a slow burn romance for sure. But the development of their friendship and the realization that what they felt was much more then that was a fun read and filled with a lot of sweet and funny moments. They realized they had a lot in common and their conversation was easy and enjoyable. When each realized that they felt more there was the realization that most would feel William would not be a good match.
It was a nice romance that was on the lighter side. I liked the two characters and the storyline and plot. But I wasn't drawn or fully engaged in their romance as I would have like to be. I would have preferred the realization of their feelings sooner, in my opinion. It was slow in parts, more towards the middle of the story.
But all and all a fun, light romance.
I found this to be sweet, cute and fun.
The heroine was a little quirky, sweet and adorable.
The hero was a great compliment to the heroine in his responses and ability to keep her "in-line". LOL
Princess Justine is to inherit the throne of Wesloria at some point. But sad news that her Father is ill has expedited her training and refining process for her future role. Princess Justine is just a tad bit quirky and lacks a Little bit of confidence. With those issues looming large it's been decided that it would be best that she be sent to England and Queen Victoria give her some training and guidance on her future role. And to add a little more pressure a husband is also to be found for her as well.
Enter Lord William Douglas, the future Duke of Hamilton. A bit of a rake and well known to all, he would be a perfect candidate to watch over the matchmakers for Justine and help introduce her to a potential husband. He's to help her along with the matchmakers find the "perfect" husband to compliment the Crown of Wesloria.
Well these two were cute together. They had a slow burn romance for sure. But the development of their friendship and the realization that what they felt was much more then that was a fun read and filled with a lot of sweet and funny moments. They realized they had a lot in common and their conversation was easy and enjoyable. When each realized that they felt more there was the realization that most would feel William would not be a good match.
It was a nice romance that was on the lighter side. I liked the two characters and the storyline and plot. But I wasn't drawn or fully engaged in their romance as I would have like to be. I would have preferred the realization of their feelings sooner, in my opinion. It was slow in parts, more towards the middle of the story.
But all and all a fun, light romance.
January 30, 2022
3.5 STARS - Parts were tough to get through with the “scottish” brogue. Really broke the flow of the story. So much frustration for Justine. I felt for her. The best part was the end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can’t help but love a romance with a Princess in it! Especially when said Princess is so misunderstood and continually surrounded by those that discount everything she is or does.
You feel her pain and realize how thankful you are to not be in the same situation. Manipulation is the name of the game in Justine’s life. Sad and quite awful really.
London certainly developed some interesting characters to fill out this story. They are ones you have definite feelings for… good and bad! I know I sure did! Her sister is quite the brat! There are a few other ones I really hated!
But Will, he is a sweetheart and I loved their subtle flirting, their lively banter, and their slow-to-grow love. They were a beautiful balance for each other. London nailed the ending that brought the story together in the most delightful way. It truly made the book for me.
A few tough spots with the way Will spoke made the flow of the book stumble a bit for me. Overall, Last Duke Standing is a Princess of a story that leaves you celebrating the sweet outcome!
* copy received for review consideration
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/last-duke-st...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can’t help but love a romance with a Princess in it! Especially when said Princess is so misunderstood and continually surrounded by those that discount everything she is or does.
You feel her pain and realize how thankful you are to not be in the same situation. Manipulation is the name of the game in Justine’s life. Sad and quite awful really.
London certainly developed some interesting characters to fill out this story. They are ones you have definite feelings for… good and bad! I know I sure did! Her sister is quite the brat! There are a few other ones I really hated!
But Will, he is a sweetheart and I loved their subtle flirting, their lively banter, and their slow-to-grow love. They were a beautiful balance for each other. London nailed the ending that brought the story together in the most delightful way. It truly made the book for me.
A few tough spots with the way Will spoke made the flow of the book stumble a bit for me. Overall, Last Duke Standing is a Princess of a story that leaves you celebrating the sweet outcome!
* copy received for review consideration
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/last-duke-st...
March 2, 2022
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
LAST DUKE STANDING (A Royal Match Book #1) by Julia London is a charming enemies-to-lovers historical romance story start to a new series. I look forward to historical romances by Julia London for the witty dialogue and endearing characters and this one did not disappoint.
Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England with her younger sister to find a suitable husband before her sick father, the king, dies. Justine not only has to put up with a matchmaker, she believes is incompetent, and servants always reporting back to her mother the Queen, but a gentleman from her past she is not happy to see again shows up to be an escort of sorts.
William, Lord Douglas has been recruited to spy on the Crown Princess and her prospects by the Prime Minister of Wesloria to make sure her new Prince Consort will be sympathetic to his views. William met Justine eight years previously, but the Justine he is sent to escort is a woman now and the more he discovers about her, the more intrigued he becomes. As their friendship grows, so do the faults of Justine’s suitors.
When it appears William may be the perfect match and the last bachelor standing, a scandal from his past may ruin any chance for a Happily Ever After match.
This is a fun and entertaining read with delightful banter between William and Justine and an entertaining plot that has a great twist at the end. William is an endearing hero throughout. Justine was a little more difficult to warm up to until you realize how her whole life has been manipulated and one small mistake in judgement as a young girl has led to constant supervision. All the secondary characters were fully fleshed, and I will be looking forward to meeting some in future books in the series.
I enjoyed this historical romance and I will be looking forward to reading more in this new series.
LAST DUKE STANDING (A Royal Match Book #1) by Julia London is a charming enemies-to-lovers historical romance story start to a new series. I look forward to historical romances by Julia London for the witty dialogue and endearing characters and this one did not disappoint.
Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England with her younger sister to find a suitable husband before her sick father, the king, dies. Justine not only has to put up with a matchmaker, she believes is incompetent, and servants always reporting back to her mother the Queen, but a gentleman from her past she is not happy to see again shows up to be an escort of sorts.
William, Lord Douglas has been recruited to spy on the Crown Princess and her prospects by the Prime Minister of Wesloria to make sure her new Prince Consort will be sympathetic to his views. William met Justine eight years previously, but the Justine he is sent to escort is a woman now and the more he discovers about her, the more intrigued he becomes. As their friendship grows, so do the faults of Justine’s suitors.
When it appears William may be the perfect match and the last bachelor standing, a scandal from his past may ruin any chance for a Happily Ever After match.
This is a fun and entertaining read with delightful banter between William and Justine and an entertaining plot that has a great twist at the end. William is an endearing hero throughout. Justine was a little more difficult to warm up to until you realize how her whole life has been manipulated and one small mistake in judgement as a young girl has led to constant supervision. All the secondary characters were fully fleshed, and I will be looking forward to meeting some in future books in the series.
I enjoyed this historical romance and I will be looking forward to reading more in this new series.
December 17, 2022
Last Duke Standing is the first book in the "A Royal Match" series. I absolutely adored this book here, it was so so delightful. There was such a great level of charm to the story. I did read some of the ebooks and then listened to the audiobook as well. I was really fascinated by this story. This is a royal romance so I am guessing we will be getting another royal series from the author. We did see characters from the other previous royal series that this author wrote. I was intrigued to see how this story would be built. I went into this one blindly, I really didn't know what the blurb or setup was. But I was intrigued by the chemistry between the hero and heroine. And I loved the whole plot device, that was used to bring them together. It was so fun seeing the hero being her chaperone in finding a husband and he ended up being the only one that was her true match in every way. The characters were both delightful and had such solid personalities and once they got over their animosity toward each other, they really built on their connection and so the second half was just amazing for me to read. I am glad that I started this one in audio, and finished it in ebook format though.
March 3, 2022
Their last meeting ended in mutual exasperation and annoyance.
Justine is the heir to the throne. She’s taken all her father’s advice to heart. She can orchestrate everything from a political coup to a battle siege to an export contract. But her calm and her competency haven’t convinced her parents that she will be ready to assume her role when the time comes.
William is the linchpin keeping his family from the brink of financial disaster. All of society is certain he is nothing more than an irresponsible rake and spendthrift. He’s not irresponsible – he’s anything but irresponsible. However, keeping his father’s extravagance in check this time will require a feat of extraordinary skill.
Enter the matchmaker. The matchmaker who has already determined that they are the perfect couple. She just needs to force them to realize it.
I loved watching Justine and William fight their own inevitability.
I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of the title in exchange for an honest review,
Justine is the heir to the throne. She’s taken all her father’s advice to heart. She can orchestrate everything from a political coup to a battle siege to an export contract. But her calm and her competency haven’t convinced her parents that she will be ready to assume her role when the time comes.
William is the linchpin keeping his family from the brink of financial disaster. All of society is certain he is nothing more than an irresponsible rake and spendthrift. He’s not irresponsible – he’s anything but irresponsible. However, keeping his father’s extravagance in check this time will require a feat of extraordinary skill.
Enter the matchmaker. The matchmaker who has already determined that they are the perfect couple. She just needs to force them to realize it.
I loved watching Justine and William fight their own inevitability.
I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of the title in exchange for an honest review,
February 14, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up
With the imminent death of her father looming and a whiff of scandal in her past, Justine Ivanosen, the Crown Princess and heir to the throne of Wesloria it is suggested that Justine would benefit from the advice of Queen Victoria and that she should find a husband as quickly as possible, and for that task, her mother and the prime minister have hired the services of the celebrated matchmaker, Lila Aleksander. So with her younger sister, Princess Amelia in tow, they set out for England. But unbeknownst to Justine, the prime minister has managed to coerce the Scottish Duke of Hamilton and Brandon to have his son and heir William, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale to act as a spy on his behalf, not realizing that William and Justine have a history.
William would rather not have to babysit a spoiled princess, but with a fresh scandal dogging him and a father that is bent on bankrupting the dukedom, he really has no choice. He remembers the princess from her last visit to England eight years ago and is not prepared for the lovely young woman he is introduced to when he calls on her. At first, Justine is annoyed by William’s presence, but as time passes, they form a friendship and she comes to trust him and his insights about her suitors. Suitors that are clearly not right for her, in fact, the only man that is right for her is William, but with her scandal, still fresh in everyone’s minds, she needs a groom with an impeccable reputation and that is not William – or is it?
This was a well-written, fun read that is loosely connected to the previous “A Royal Wedding” series. The book is filled with humor, witty banter, warmish love scenes, wonderful leads, great secondary characters (including Beck from the previous series), secrets, scandals, a bit of heartache, and a truly heartwarming ending, complete with an epilogue. If you follow my reviews then you know that incorrect titles/formal address are my biggest pet peeves and sadly mistakes are abundant in this book, but I liked the story and writing style so much that I have just accepted that this is the way it is going to be in all Ms. London’s books and I can’t let it ruin the story. That said, I am happy to recommend this book, it is a great start to a new series with ties to the previous series and I will enthusiastically be looking forward to Amelia’s story.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
With the imminent death of her father looming and a whiff of scandal in her past, Justine Ivanosen, the Crown Princess and heir to the throne of Wesloria it is suggested that Justine would benefit from the advice of Queen Victoria and that she should find a husband as quickly as possible, and for that task, her mother and the prime minister have hired the services of the celebrated matchmaker, Lila Aleksander. So with her younger sister, Princess Amelia in tow, they set out for England. But unbeknownst to Justine, the prime minister has managed to coerce the Scottish Duke of Hamilton and Brandon to have his son and heir William, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale to act as a spy on his behalf, not realizing that William and Justine have a history.
William would rather not have to babysit a spoiled princess, but with a fresh scandal dogging him and a father that is bent on bankrupting the dukedom, he really has no choice. He remembers the princess from her last visit to England eight years ago and is not prepared for the lovely young woman he is introduced to when he calls on her. At first, Justine is annoyed by William’s presence, but as time passes, they form a friendship and she comes to trust him and his insights about her suitors. Suitors that are clearly not right for her, in fact, the only man that is right for her is William, but with her scandal, still fresh in everyone’s minds, she needs a groom with an impeccable reputation and that is not William – or is it?
This was a well-written, fun read that is loosely connected to the previous “A Royal Wedding” series. The book is filled with humor, witty banter, warmish love scenes, wonderful leads, great secondary characters (including Beck from the previous series), secrets, scandals, a bit of heartache, and a truly heartwarming ending, complete with an epilogue. If you follow my reviews then you know that incorrect titles/formal address are my biggest pet peeves and sadly mistakes are abundant in this book, but I liked the story and writing style so much that I have just accepted that this is the way it is going to be in all Ms. London’s books and I can’t let it ruin the story. That said, I am happy to recommend this book, it is a great start to a new series with ties to the previous series and I will enthusiastically be looking forward to Amelia’s story.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
February 12, 2022
4.5 stars, rounded up
With the imminent death of her father looming and a whiff of scandal in her past, Justine Ivanosen, the Crown Princess and heir to the throne of Wesloria it is suggested that Justine would benefit from the advice of Queen Victoria and that she should find a husband as quickly as possible, and for that task, her mother and the prime minister have hired the services of the celebrated matchmaker, Lila Aleksander. So with her younger sister, Princess Amelia in tow, they set out for England. But unbeknownst to Justine, the prime minister has managed to coerce the Scottish Duke of Hamilton and Brandon to have his son and heir William, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale to act as a spy on his behalf, not realizing that William and Justine have a history.
William would rather not have to babysit a spoiled princess, but with a fresh scandal dogging him and a father that is bent on bankrupting the dukedom, he really has no choice. He remembers the princess from her last visit to England eight years ago and is not prepared for the lovely young woman he is introduced to when he calls on her. At first, Justine is annoyed by William’s presence, but as time passes, they form a friendship and she comes to trust him and his insights about her suitors. Suitors that are clearly not right for her, in fact, the only man that is right for her is William, but with her scandal, still fresh in everyone’s minds, she needs a groom with an impeccable reputation and that is not William – or is it?
This was a well-written, fun read that is loosely connected to the previous “A Royal Wedding” series. The book is filled with humor, witty banter, warmish love scenes, wonderful leads, great secondary characters (including Beck from the previous series), secrets, scandals, a bit of heartache, and a truly heartwarming ending, complete with an epilogue. If you follow my reviews then you know that incorrect titles/formal address are my biggest pet peeves and sadly mistakes are abundant in this book, but I liked the story and writing style so much that I have just accepted that this is the way it is going to be in all Ms. London’s books and I can’t let it ruin the story. That said, I am happy to recommend this book, it is a great start to a new series with ties to the previous series and I will enthusiastically be looking forward to Amelia’s story.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
With the imminent death of her father looming and a whiff of scandal in her past, Justine Ivanosen, the Crown Princess and heir to the throne of Wesloria it is suggested that Justine would benefit from the advice of Queen Victoria and that she should find a husband as quickly as possible, and for that task, her mother and the prime minister have hired the services of the celebrated matchmaker, Lila Aleksander. So with her younger sister, Princess Amelia in tow, they set out for England. But unbeknownst to Justine, the prime minister has managed to coerce the Scottish Duke of Hamilton and Brandon to have his son and heir William, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale to act as a spy on his behalf, not realizing that William and Justine have a history.
William would rather not have to babysit a spoiled princess, but with a fresh scandal dogging him and a father that is bent on bankrupting the dukedom, he really has no choice. He remembers the princess from her last visit to England eight years ago and is not prepared for the lovely young woman he is introduced to when he calls on her. At first, Justine is annoyed by William’s presence, but as time passes, they form a friendship and she comes to trust him and his insights about her suitors. Suitors that are clearly not right for her, in fact, the only man that is right for her is William, but with her scandal, still fresh in everyone’s minds, she needs a groom with an impeccable reputation and that is not William – or is it?
This was a well-written, fun read that is loosely connected to the previous “A Royal Wedding” series. The book is filled with humor, witty banter, warmish love scenes, wonderful leads, great secondary characters (including Beck from the previous series), secrets, scandals, a bit of heartache, and a truly heartwarming ending, complete with an epilogue. If you follow my reviews then you know that incorrect titles/formal address are my biggest pet peeves and sadly mistakes are abundant in this book, but I liked the story and writing style so much that I have just accepted that this is the way it is going to be in all Ms. London’s books and I can’t let it ruin the story. That said, I am happy to recommend this book, it is a great start to a new series with ties to the previous series and I will enthusiastically be looking forward to Amelia’s story.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
January 16, 2022
A Royal Match, with a young future queen in the market for a husband, and the charming—and opinionated—Scottish lord tasked to introduce her to the ton’s most eligible bachelors.
Charming. Cheeky. Cunning.
When Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, she falls under the tutelage of none other than Queen Victoria herself. Justine’s also in the market for a proper husband—one fit to marry the future queen of Wesloria.
Because he knows simply everyone, William, Lord Douglas (the notoriously rakish heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, and decidedly not husband material), is on hand as an escort of sorts. William has been recruited to keep an eye on the royal matchmaker for the Weslorian prime minister, tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality…and one who will be sympathetic to the prime minister’s views.
As William and Justine are forced to scrutinize an endless parade of England’s best bachelors, they become friends. But when the crowd of potential grooms is steadily culled, what if William is the last bachelor standing?
A future Queen, a royal Princess and a Duke who is unsuitable. This is the gist of this comical book by Julia London.
Will this Princess ever make a match? Is her sister bound to be the one to be matched?
Justine and William are just the right match.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Charming. Cheeky. Cunning.
When Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, she falls under the tutelage of none other than Queen Victoria herself. Justine’s also in the market for a proper husband—one fit to marry the future queen of Wesloria.
Because he knows simply everyone, William, Lord Douglas (the notoriously rakish heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, and decidedly not husband material), is on hand as an escort of sorts. William has been recruited to keep an eye on the royal matchmaker for the Weslorian prime minister, tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality…and one who will be sympathetic to the prime minister’s views.
As William and Justine are forced to scrutinize an endless parade of England’s best bachelors, they become friends. But when the crowd of potential grooms is steadily culled, what if William is the last bachelor standing?
A future Queen, a royal Princess and a Duke who is unsuitable. This is the gist of this comical book by Julia London.
Will this Princess ever make a match? Is her sister bound to be the one to be matched?
Justine and William are just the right match.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
February 21, 2022
Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, and to find a proper husband before her father dies and she becomes queen. It is not easy to find someone to fit that bill. The Weslorian prime minister is tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality, as well as someone who agrees with his views. He requests that William, Lord Douglas, the heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, acts as her escort. He has some scandal in his background, so it not husband material. Meanwhile, Justine's mother has hired a matchmaker to find Justine a husband. William seems to know everyone as well as all their secrets and scandals and while protecting Justine from these unsuitable men, he finds himself falling in love with her.
This was a well-written, fun Victorian romance. I really enjoyed the interactions between Justine and William. She tried so hard to be the haughty Crown Princess and give William a hard time, but it just didn't work. He is a bit arrogant and was not going to take anything from her, in fact, he gave as good as she did. As they became friends, I loved their witty banter and humorous conversation. I wasn't impressed with her sister, who was spoiled and impulsive, but Justine was able to keep her in check. The secondary characters including the possible matches and Lila, the matchmaker were also interesting. I loved watching Justine and William fall for each other, as well as how they fought against it. Some of her engagements were hilarious and entertaining. The scandal in William's past plays a role in the story and I enjoyed seeing that situation play out. Last Duke Standing is filled with humor, witty banter, sweet love scenes, great characters, both main and secondary, scandals, some heartache, and a truly heartwarming ending. A fun romance that will have me looking for the next book in "A Royal Match" series. I did a read/listen with this story and enjoyed both formats. Surprisingly, Hill's deep voice, aristocratic-sounding British accent, gives voice not only to the male characters, but the female ones as well. His pace and expression were spot on and added to my enjoyment of the story.
This was a well-written, fun Victorian romance. I really enjoyed the interactions between Justine and William. She tried so hard to be the haughty Crown Princess and give William a hard time, but it just didn't work. He is a bit arrogant and was not going to take anything from her, in fact, he gave as good as she did. As they became friends, I loved their witty banter and humorous conversation. I wasn't impressed with her sister, who was spoiled and impulsive, but Justine was able to keep her in check. The secondary characters including the possible matches and Lila, the matchmaker were also interesting. I loved watching Justine and William fall for each other, as well as how they fought against it. Some of her engagements were hilarious and entertaining. The scandal in William's past plays a role in the story and I enjoyed seeing that situation play out. Last Duke Standing is filled with humor, witty banter, sweet love scenes, great characters, both main and secondary, scandals, some heartache, and a truly heartwarming ending. A fun romance that will have me looking for the next book in "A Royal Match" series. I did a read/listen with this story and enjoyed both formats. Surprisingly, Hill's deep voice, aristocratic-sounding British accent, gives voice not only to the male characters, but the female ones as well. His pace and expression were spot on and added to my enjoyment of the story.
July 10, 2022
A decent idea utterly ruined by
A) having a 25 year old protagonist acting so like a child I'm suprised she didn't stamp her feet and declare she didn't wanna go to bed
B) having a side character that the author clearly thought the hight of wit and admiration...who was exceedingly boring and took up time that very well could have been better spent on the actual main characters
C) a string highly boring and clearly unsuitable suitors that presented no real threat to the main pairing (at least up to the point I grew so bored I just stopped reading. Who knows, maybe there was a decent foil in the last third of the book.)
I don't know, maybe it's the socialist in me, but having a woman about to become queen of a freaking country spend over a hundred pages whinging about how horrible her life is...just makes me about as unsympathetic as I could ever be. Boohoo, you have to marry in order to keep living a life where you are waited on hand and foot. Oh how terible it must be to be you.
This is why it's imperative you not write your rich-as-god characters to be utterly insufferable. Because lots of people had to do a lot worse to keep a roof over their heads...and most of them didn't have the comfort of knowing if they'll eat tomorrow.
She is a grown ass woman. She is going to rule a fucking country...and her main concern seems to be how bored she is.
I don't know, maybe I have lost my ability to care about these kinds of characters. Or maybe enemies-to-lovers is just a trope I find at the very best to be kinda annoying. Or maybe we should just eat the fucking rich.
Dnf'd at some point in which I'm too bored to even look up.
A) having a 25 year old protagonist acting so like a child I'm suprised she didn't stamp her feet and declare she didn't wanna go to bed
B) having a side character that the author clearly thought the hight of wit and admiration...who was exceedingly boring and took up time that very well could have been better spent on the actual main characters
C) a string highly boring and clearly unsuitable suitors that presented no real threat to the main pairing (at least up to the point I grew so bored I just stopped reading. Who knows, maybe there was a decent foil in the last third of the book.)
I don't know, maybe it's the socialist in me, but having a woman about to become queen of a freaking country spend over a hundred pages whinging about how horrible her life is...just makes me about as unsympathetic as I could ever be. Boohoo, you have to marry in order to keep living a life where you are waited on hand and foot. Oh how terible it must be to be you.
This is why it's imperative you not write your rich-as-god characters to be utterly insufferable. Because lots of people had to do a lot worse to keep a roof over their heads...and most of them didn't have the comfort of knowing if they'll eat tomorrow.
She is a grown ass woman. She is going to rule a fucking country...and her main concern seems to be how bored she is.
I don't know, maybe I have lost my ability to care about these kinds of characters. Or maybe enemies-to-lovers is just a trope I find at the very best to be kinda annoying. Or maybe we should just eat the fucking rich.
Dnf'd at some point in which I'm too bored to even look up.
January 20, 2022
Lovely, romantic, sweet (no explicit sex) story of William, Lord Douglas, the heir to the Duke of Hamilton, and Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria. I found this book had a slow start, perhaps because it's the start of a series and needed background, but don't give up. Loved the characters, the story was compelling and very satisfying HEA.
February 28, 2022
Not my bag at all. I didn't connect with this at all. There is a LOT of talk in the book about the white streak in Justine's (our heroine) hair. Yet on the cover....no white streak is seen. That's such a small thing, but details are important.
March 2, 2022
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.🎧︎Last Duke Standing by Julia London is the first book in the Royal Match series. It's been a while since I read a historical romance, but I looked forward to immersing myself between the pages of 🎧︎Last Duke Standing.
The king of Wesloria is ailing and not likely to recover. This means that Crown princess Justine Ivanosen will soon become queen. However, her mother, the prime minister, advisers and other ministers believes she is not ready for the throne. To prepare her for the next journey of her life, she was sent to London to train at the feet of Queen Victoria. While there, it was expected she would find a suitable match for a Prince consort.
Because of her age, twenty- five, finding a husband wouldn’t be easy and so the services of Lila Aleksander, renowned match maker was enlisted. The prime minister, unbeknownst to Justine, persuaded the Scottish Duke of Hamilton to have his son and heir Lord William Douglas to serve as her escort around London. While ensuring the matchmaker made the perfect choice. William, however, was not keen on the task as his encounter with Crown princess eight years ago left him with a poor taste.
Favourite Aspects
1. The Narration: Justin Hill narrated, and he did an excellent job. He impressed me with the way he distinctively captured the voices of all the characters, accents and all. He breathed life into the story, which made for a pleasant listen.
2. The witty and snarky banter between the protagonists had me chuckling a few times.
3. The progression of Justine and William's relationship. They barely tolerated each other in the initial stages. However, throughout the progression of the story they became friends. It took them awhile to recognise that their feelings for each other went beyond friendship.
4.Justine may have been the Crown princess Wesloria, but she was down to earth. She did not have a pretentious bone in her body. She has the citizens of Wesloria interests at heart, but her fears and insecurities presented a stumbling block to her ascension to the throne. Justine made her share of mistakes along the way, which she readily acknowledged. She grew throughout the story and by the end she became a force of nature.
5. William was such a delightful character. He may not have been on the list of potential candidates as a match for the princess, but he turned out to be the perfect match. However, an alleged scandal from his past threatened to destroy his honour and integrity along with his quest for happiness. I found his attempts to discourage the matches recommended by the matchmaker entertaining.
6. I love the humour sprinkled throughout the story. The funniest parts for me involved the many suitors of the princess.
Least Favourite Aspects
1. Justine's sister, princess Amelia annoying and immature behaviour grated on my nerves. A spoilt and entitled brat who used every opportunity to show up her sister. It didn't help that their mother kept putting Justine down.
2. It took me awhile to get into the story and to warm up to the characters. Also, the pacing was fine until midway into the story.
Conclusion
🎧︎Last Duke Standing delivered a slow burn romance with a happily ever after. Perfect for fans of regency romance. This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
The king of Wesloria is ailing and not likely to recover. This means that Crown princess Justine Ivanosen will soon become queen. However, her mother, the prime minister, advisers and other ministers believes she is not ready for the throne. To prepare her for the next journey of her life, she was sent to London to train at the feet of Queen Victoria. While there, it was expected she would find a suitable match for a Prince consort.
Because of her age, twenty- five, finding a husband wouldn’t be easy and so the services of Lila Aleksander, renowned match maker was enlisted. The prime minister, unbeknownst to Justine, persuaded the Scottish Duke of Hamilton to have his son and heir Lord William Douglas to serve as her escort around London. While ensuring the matchmaker made the perfect choice. William, however, was not keen on the task as his encounter with Crown princess eight years ago left him with a poor taste.
Favourite Aspects
1. The Narration: Justin Hill narrated, and he did an excellent job. He impressed me with the way he distinctively captured the voices of all the characters, accents and all. He breathed life into the story, which made for a pleasant listen.
2. The witty and snarky banter between the protagonists had me chuckling a few times.
3. The progression of Justine and William's relationship. They barely tolerated each other in the initial stages. However, throughout the progression of the story they became friends. It took them awhile to recognise that their feelings for each other went beyond friendship.
4.Justine may have been the Crown princess Wesloria, but she was down to earth. She did not have a pretentious bone in her body. She has the citizens of Wesloria interests at heart, but her fears and insecurities presented a stumbling block to her ascension to the throne. Justine made her share of mistakes along the way, which she readily acknowledged. She grew throughout the story and by the end she became a force of nature.
5. William was such a delightful character. He may not have been on the list of potential candidates as a match for the princess, but he turned out to be the perfect match. However, an alleged scandal from his past threatened to destroy his honour and integrity along with his quest for happiness. I found his attempts to discourage the matches recommended by the matchmaker entertaining.
6. I love the humour sprinkled throughout the story. The funniest parts for me involved the many suitors of the princess.
Least Favourite Aspects
1. Justine's sister, princess Amelia annoying and immature behaviour grated on my nerves. A spoilt and entitled brat who used every opportunity to show up her sister. It didn't help that their mother kept putting Justine down.
2. It took me awhile to get into the story and to warm up to the characters. Also, the pacing was fine until midway into the story.
Conclusion
🎧︎Last Duke Standing delivered a slow burn romance with a happily ever after. Perfect for fans of regency romance. This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
May 23, 2023
Crown Princess Justine Ivanosen of Wesloria and her younger sister, Amelia, are sent to England by the Weslorian King. The Queen hires the celebrated matchmaker, Lila Aleksander, to find a match for her daughter. The Weslorian prime minister forces William, Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale, to spy on the Crown Princess and to find a husband who is sympathetic to his views. William met Justine eight years ago and he found her to be a spoiled and privileged princess. He doesn't know about how she has been manipulated, nor does he know about the one indiscretion she committed when she was a youthful girl. William keeps an eye on Justine and the matchmaker. He is a wealth of information concerning the endless parade of England’s best bachelors. He knows each potential match's secrets and scandals. Eventually, Justine and William go from enemies to friends. When she begins to realize that she loves him, Justine wonders "What if William could be her husband?" William knows that despite his growing affection for Justine, he has a scandal in his past which could nullify him being a potential consort to a future queen.
I found this novel funny. I enjoyed the banter between Justine and William. Their romance was a slow burn with one steamy love scene. Justine even gets sage advice from Queen Victoria on how to be a royal. William's growing affection for Justine opens his eyes to the woman she has become. He even likes watching her fence, though he himself avoids the sport. Justine's dog Dodi is a constant companion to the princess, and her sister, Princess Amelia, is her closest friend. I've already read Amelia's novel in the Royal Match series. I will have to wait and see if there is a third book in the offering. HEA. Adult situation.
I found this novel funny. I enjoyed the banter between Justine and William. Their romance was a slow burn with one steamy love scene. Justine even gets sage advice from Queen Victoria on how to be a royal. William's growing affection for Justine opens his eyes to the woman she has become. He even likes watching her fence, though he himself avoids the sport. Justine's dog Dodi is a constant companion to the princess, and her sister, Princess Amelia, is her closest friend. I've already read Amelia's novel in the Royal Match series. I will have to wait and see if there is a third book in the offering. HEA. Adult situation.
September 8, 2023
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
This was my first time reading a book and series by Julia so i wasnt sure what to expect but surprisingly i really loved and enjoyed this one. It reminded me alot of Bridgerton meets Pride and Prejudice in many ways.
The Characters were fun and enjoyable to read about. It was hard to pick just one as my favorite since i seemed to enjoy all the characters.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in Victorian London England while reading, especially when the scenery was described.
Overall a Good Book 1 in this Victorian Historical Fiction Series!! Can't wait to read Book 2 and more by Julia in the near future!!
Review:
This was my first time reading a book and series by Julia so i wasnt sure what to expect but surprisingly i really loved and enjoyed this one. It reminded me alot of Bridgerton meets Pride and Prejudice in many ways.
The Characters were fun and enjoyable to read about. It was hard to pick just one as my favorite since i seemed to enjoy all the characters.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in Victorian London England while reading, especially when the scenery was described.
Overall a Good Book 1 in this Victorian Historical Fiction Series!! Can't wait to read Book 2 and more by Julia in the near future!!
March 3, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
Their last meeting ended in mutual exasperation and annoyance.
Justine is the heir to the throne. She’s taken all her father’s advice to heart. She can orchestrate everything from a political coup to a battle siege to an export contract. But her calm and her competency haven’t convinced her parents that she will be ready to assume her role when the time comes.
William is the linchpin keeping his family from the brink of financial disaster. All of society is certain he is nothing more than an irresponsible rake and spendthrift. He’s not irresponsible – he’s anything but irresponsible. However, keeping his father’s extravagance in check this time will require a feat of extraordinary skill.
Enter the matchmaker. The matchmaker who has already determined that they are the perfect couple. She just needs to force them to realize it.
I loved watching Justine and William fight their own inevitability.
I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of the title in exchange for an honest review,
Their last meeting ended in mutual exasperation and annoyance.
Justine is the heir to the throne. She’s taken all her father’s advice to heart. She can orchestrate everything from a political coup to a battle siege to an export contract. But her calm and her competency haven’t convinced her parents that she will be ready to assume her role when the time comes.
William is the linchpin keeping his family from the brink of financial disaster. All of society is certain he is nothing more than an irresponsible rake and spendthrift. He’s not irresponsible – he’s anything but irresponsible. However, keeping his father’s extravagance in check this time will require a feat of extraordinary skill.
Enter the matchmaker. The matchmaker who has already determined that they are the perfect couple. She just needs to force them to realize it.
I loved watching Justine and William fight their own inevitability.
I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of the title in exchange for an honest review,
February 20, 2022
Last Duke Standing is the story not of a woman deciding to marry the last man in the world available to her, like you might think from the title, but is truly the story of a woman that understands her Duke is the last man she ever imagines would be perfect for her all along. Justine is so sure that she hates William, for past mistakes and offenses that she doesn’t realize he is truly a good man and the one meant to be hers. William has a lot to answer for in order to earn the right to claim a Crown Princess, much less one that truly owns his heart, a good woman that has sacrificed a lot and will continue to do so as Queen of a country, but being by her side is all he wants. Justine has a heavy burden in her future, but once she knows that having a true partner by her side, one like William, will make her life bearable there is no way that she will let a few petty grievances stand in their way. I absolutely loved how these two and their friends came together, again and again, to laugh, love, and find ways to overcome every obstacle in their paths. This series looks like it will be another one filled with wit, laughter, tears, and devotion leaving me with no choice but to strap in and enjoy the ride. London’s newest series, a true continuation of her world, takes us back into the monarchy of the small imaginary country of Wesloria then into Victorian England so that we can learn the one lesson we all need to know—Love conquers all.
For the Full review see the blog @
https://romancewitchreviews.blogspot....
For the Full review see the blog @
https://romancewitchreviews.blogspot....
January 24, 2022
A winning start for Julia London new series A Royal Match. Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to London with spies all around her that are either her Prime Minister or her mother’s. Then there is the matchmaker thrown into the mixed. She must marry and soon, her father the King is gravely ill and hasn’t long to live. William the Marquess of Hamilton also has showed up at the Princess door step, a man she met several years ago and thought fondly of till they had a scene at a house party over a game of musical chairs. Both are very competitive, William claimed he won and Justine claimed he cheated. Having a long memory Justine is not thrilled to see William again, wondering if he is also another spy.
William is blackmailed by his father, who owes the Prime Minister of Wesloria a favor to help guide the Princess in finding a husband. Believing the matchmaker is incompetent he freely gives his opinion whether Justine wants it or not. The interaction between the two is great! A real page turner, with a little scandal, mystery and finding true love.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #LastDukeStanding #JuliaLondon
William is blackmailed by his father, who owes the Prime Minister of Wesloria a favor to help guide the Princess in finding a husband. Believing the matchmaker is incompetent he freely gives his opinion whether Justine wants it or not. The interaction between the two is great! A real page turner, with a little scandal, mystery and finding true love.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #LastDukeStanding #JuliaLondon
February 23, 2022
I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Last Duke Standing is the first book in a new series, A Royal Match by Julia London. It is related to her previous series, The Royal Wedding, as it is set in the same world and shares secondary characters with the first series but takes place later in time. Crown Princess Justine of Westloria has been sent to London to find a match, her father is dying, and the men in her government are not open to her ruling as queen without a suitable consort. Therein lies the conundrum. She needs a partner who is confident enough in himself to understand that she is the queen, and he the consort but still strong enough to support her without trying to rule himself. Lord William Douglas, Marquess of Hamilton and Clydesdale, heir to the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, has spent the last few years trying to repair the damage to his family's fortunes caused by his father, so he is understandably annoyed when he's coerced into reporting back to the prime minister of Westloria the progress of Justine's matchmaking adventures. He soon discovers that the obnoxious teen princess has grown into a woman who may just steal his heart.
Delightful banter, strong supporting characters, and a couple whose HEA will have you cheering are the hallmarks of a Julia London novel, and this story is no exception. I enjoyed reading it very much and do recommend it highly. Steam Level: light side of medium. Publishing Date: February 2, 2022. #LastDukeStanding #JuliaLondon #HQN #HarlequinRomance #HistoricalRomance #RoyalRomance #HistoricalRomanceReader #bookstagram #bookstagrammer
Delightful banter, strong supporting characters, and a couple whose HEA will have you cheering are the hallmarks of a Julia London novel, and this story is no exception. I enjoyed reading it very much and do recommend it highly. Steam Level: light side of medium. Publishing Date: February 2, 2022. #LastDukeStanding #JuliaLondon #HQN #HarlequinRomance #HistoricalRomance #RoyalRomance #HistoricalRomanceReader #bookstagram #bookstagrammer
March 31, 2022
Another winner from Julia London....Full review to come.
February 23, 2022
Deliciously sweet royal romance
Justine is the heir to her father's throne, and it looks like his ailing health is going to require her to step up sooner than she'd expected. Still reeling from trusting the wrong man and igniting a minor scandal, she is advised to tread very carefully in selecting her future husband - a selection she needs to make before she ascends to the throne. Set in Queen Victoria's time, she heads to London to see if a suitable husband can be found among the British nobility.
William is just enough of a rake to be considered entirely unsuitable for the Weslorian princess, but he's a true gentleman nonetheless and I adored his innate sense of honor. He's asked by the Weslorian prime minister to help Justine find a husband that will work as a conduit so the prime minister can expand his control and influence once the princess becomes the queen. Because this is a royal romance, naturally William and Justine start to get very close despite the inappropriateness of any future romance for them.
Just when you think things are going to work out after all, another scandal rears its tawdry head and William and Justine, along with a few of their trusted friends, hatch a plan to bring the truth to light, thus killing the scandal in its tracks. I loved this particular part of the storyline, as it gives us a double dose of romanticism with a separate but equally swoon-worthy HEA.
This is my first book by this author, and I was delightfully impressed with the writing style and the vivid characterizations. The story hit all the right notes and kept me captivated from start to finish. Justine and William's HEA was everything a royal fan could hope for. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Justine is the heir to her father's throne, and it looks like his ailing health is going to require her to step up sooner than she'd expected. Still reeling from trusting the wrong man and igniting a minor scandal, she is advised to tread very carefully in selecting her future husband - a selection she needs to make before she ascends to the throne. Set in Queen Victoria's time, she heads to London to see if a suitable husband can be found among the British nobility.
William is just enough of a rake to be considered entirely unsuitable for the Weslorian princess, but he's a true gentleman nonetheless and I adored his innate sense of honor. He's asked by the Weslorian prime minister to help Justine find a husband that will work as a conduit so the prime minister can expand his control and influence once the princess becomes the queen. Because this is a royal romance, naturally William and Justine start to get very close despite the inappropriateness of any future romance for them.
Just when you think things are going to work out after all, another scandal rears its tawdry head and William and Justine, along with a few of their trusted friends, hatch a plan to bring the truth to light, thus killing the scandal in its tracks. I loved this particular part of the storyline, as it gives us a double dose of romanticism with a separate but equally swoon-worthy HEA.
This is my first book by this author, and I was delightfully impressed with the writing style and the vivid characterizations. The story hit all the right notes and kept me captivated from start to finish. Justine and William's HEA was everything a royal fan could hope for. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
February 19, 2022
*I received a free copy to read and review for Wicked Reads *
Due to her fathers illness , Princess Justine is soon to be crowned queen of Wesloria. (I must say, I appreciate that she is able to become a ruling queen- not just a woman in need of a man to be king, not that she is just a commodity to tie a man to the ruling of this nation.) Of course, she is saddened by the expected passing of her father, but she's also nervous about filling his shoes. She's not good with public speaking, and truly dislikes being the center of attention. Justine has been embroiled in a bit of a scandal and in an attempt to quash these rumors and to gain favor with her subjects it has been decided by her mother [the Queen] and her advisor that Justine needs to find a husband.
To prepare Justine to take the throne, it's been agreed that an apprenticeship with Queen Victoria in London would be advantageous. This will also give Lila Aleksander aka the matchmaker to the stars [royalty] time to work!
This story was cute and sweet. It was light-hearted, yet meaningful. I really liked Justine and her quirkiness, I found myself sympathizing with her often. How does a person live their life constantly in the spotlight? How can she trust anybody when she's just a means to an end?
William Douglas was refreshing, care free, and likeable. He is "normal" and down to earth, and lacking the airs so many people put on. I liked him immediately!
I enjoyed this story, it was the perfect mix of serious and humorous. The slow burn was believable and fitting. I truly enjoyed this and I'm not a traditional historical romance reader, but it didn't feel stuffy or pretentious and I found myself falling into it quickly.
Due to her fathers illness , Princess Justine is soon to be crowned queen of Wesloria. (I must say, I appreciate that she is able to become a ruling queen- not just a woman in need of a man to be king, not that she is just a commodity to tie a man to the ruling of this nation.) Of course, she is saddened by the expected passing of her father, but she's also nervous about filling his shoes. She's not good with public speaking, and truly dislikes being the center of attention. Justine has been embroiled in a bit of a scandal and in an attempt to quash these rumors and to gain favor with her subjects it has been decided by her mother [the Queen] and her advisor that Justine needs to find a husband.
To prepare Justine to take the throne, it's been agreed that an apprenticeship with Queen Victoria in London would be advantageous. This will also give Lila Aleksander aka the matchmaker to the stars [royalty] time to work!
This story was cute and sweet. It was light-hearted, yet meaningful. I really liked Justine and her quirkiness, I found myself sympathizing with her often. How does a person live their life constantly in the spotlight? How can she trust anybody when she's just a means to an end?
William Douglas was refreshing, care free, and likeable. He is "normal" and down to earth, and lacking the airs so many people put on. I liked him immediately!
I enjoyed this story, it was the perfect mix of serious and humorous. The slow burn was believable and fitting. I truly enjoyed this and I'm not a traditional historical romance reader, but it didn't feel stuffy or pretentious and I found myself falling into it quickly.
February 23, 2022
As her father is ailing, Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria will soon be queen. She is in training with Queen Victoria. One thing on her agenda is that she must find a husband, one who will be Crown Prince. However, at the age of five and twenty, she has had no real prospects. Her future husband is sure to be hand-picked, so her prime minister comes up with a plan.
There are two plans in play actually. For starters, William, Lord Douglas, has been assigned as her escort, and hopefully will be a guide as to her choice for a husband. Also, she now has a matchmaker, a woman who has proven quite skilled at bringing the right couples together.
Sophie was a true delight in this lovely story. Also, her sister Amelia was quite a joy. Since Sophie and William knew one another previously, this is sort of a hate-to-love story. What made things fun for this couple is that their likelihood of getting together seemed impossible, but the journey was quite enjoyable.
There is something super special about Justine that comes up later in the story, and I applaud Julia London for giving Justine this extra "thing" as she struggled to settle into her upcoming role as Queen, all while striving to find the right man to marry.
With relatable characters, a lovely story with a slow burn romance and a happy ending, Last Duke Standing was a fabulous first book in the Royal Match series. The second book in the series, The Duke Not Taken, is set for releasse in September. Perhaps Amelia will get her happy ending.
Many thanks to HQN Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
There are two plans in play actually. For starters, William, Lord Douglas, has been assigned as her escort, and hopefully will be a guide as to her choice for a husband. Also, she now has a matchmaker, a woman who has proven quite skilled at bringing the right couples together.
Sophie was a true delight in this lovely story. Also, her sister Amelia was quite a joy. Since Sophie and William knew one another previously, this is sort of a hate-to-love story. What made things fun for this couple is that their likelihood of getting together seemed impossible, but the journey was quite enjoyable.
There is something super special about Justine that comes up later in the story, and I applaud Julia London for giving Justine this extra "thing" as she struggled to settle into her upcoming role as Queen, all while striving to find the right man to marry.
With relatable characters, a lovely story with a slow burn romance and a happy ending, Last Duke Standing was a fabulous first book in the Royal Match series. The second book in the series, The Duke Not Taken, is set for releasse in September. Perhaps Amelia will get her happy ending.
Many thanks to HQN Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
May 13, 2025
The FMC and MMC have great chemistry in this one!
Although the FMC has some rather strong and non-endearing aspects to her personality, I liked her very much. Julia London does an excellent job demonstrating via the art of show-don’t-tell that the FMC and MMC were perfect for each other. In one memorable scene, they unintentionally (but sort of intentionally) cause another character to feel like a third wheel and leave, which is sad because said character is incredibly sweet and gentlemanly, but also kind of hilarious because the FMC and MMC are very obviously in love with each other.
The third act features an unexpected caper, which was a lot of fun, but unfortunately the peak of the action occurs off screen with the resolution relayed after the fact abruptly and anti-climatically.
Some reviewers have commented that the MMC’s Scottish brogue breaks up the flow of the writing; I spared myself the trouble and listened to the audiobook version.
4.5⭐️
Although the FMC has some rather strong and non-endearing aspects to her personality, I liked her very much. Julia London does an excellent job demonstrating via the art of show-don’t-tell that the FMC and MMC were perfect for each other. In one memorable scene, they unintentionally (but sort of intentionally) cause another character to feel like a third wheel and leave, which is sad because said character is incredibly sweet and gentlemanly, but also kind of hilarious because the FMC and MMC are very obviously in love with each other.
The third act features an unexpected caper, which was a lot of fun, but unfortunately the peak of the action occurs off screen with the resolution relayed after the fact abruptly and anti-climatically.
Some reviewers have commented that the MMC’s Scottish brogue breaks up the flow of the writing; I spared myself the trouble and listened to the audiobook version.
4.5⭐️
February 23, 2022
This story starts off slow but then gains momentum and has a fantastic, humorous and drama filled ending. I didn’t have an instant connection with either our hero or heroine but as their characters started to mature and their tentative friendship developed into more I started to like them more and more. I think the premise was a good one and mostly worked but I didn’t like the distraction of giving side characters perspectives when it wasn’t necessary. For me the book would have been a lot stronger if we had just focused on Justine and William and not random interjections from other people.
*Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
*Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 31, 2022
3.5 stars
The story started off slow, filled with details that aren’t conducive to snag the reader. Details that can follow a good beginning, one that snags the reader and makes them want to continue.
Justine is the h; she is the princess and soon to be Queen of her country. She is a bit of a snob and very naïve for most of the book. William, lord Douglas, is sent by his father to help her on her path to finding a husband who the royal secretary of her country hopes will help her be a pawn to his will. William is not impressed by the spoiled way she behaves in the least. He tries to help her, to guide her away from the rogues she seems to be attracted to, and he really should have let her learn the lesson that made her act more human a little earlier on.
The princess, and her sister, are staying with a couple who is helping the secretary and her mother try to orchestrate the outcome they want. To make her chose to marry who they want. Thankfully, a matchmaker is hired, one they didn’t know was going to step in a help the girl. Lady Aleksander is a savvy lady, and she sees how the princess is being played so she steps in and tries to help Justine to grow and make her own way. I’m unclear if Lady Aleksander is from a previous book, but it seems as if we were supposed to already know who she is. The sister, Amelia is a party girl type. The dynamics between the two give off a strong Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret vibe.
One thing I dearly hope is fixed before the book is released is the Gaelic because the author uses words that are not at all correct and it’s very off putting.
The story started off slow, filled with details that aren’t conducive to snag the reader. Details that can follow a good beginning, one that snags the reader and makes them want to continue.
Justine is the h; she is the princess and soon to be Queen of her country. She is a bit of a snob and very naïve for most of the book. William, lord Douglas, is sent by his father to help her on her path to finding a husband who the royal secretary of her country hopes will help her be a pawn to his will. William is not impressed by the spoiled way she behaves in the least. He tries to help her, to guide her away from the rogues she seems to be attracted to, and he really should have let her learn the lesson that made her act more human a little earlier on.
The princess, and her sister, are staying with a couple who is helping the secretary and her mother try to orchestrate the outcome they want. To make her chose to marry who they want. Thankfully, a matchmaker is hired, one they didn’t know was going to step in a help the girl. Lady Aleksander is a savvy lady, and she sees how the princess is being played so she steps in and tries to help Justine to grow and make her own way. I’m unclear if Lady Aleksander is from a previous book, but it seems as if we were supposed to already know who she is. The sister, Amelia is a party girl type. The dynamics between the two give off a strong Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret vibe.
One thing I dearly hope is fixed before the book is released is the Gaelic because the author uses words that are not at all correct and it’s very off putting.
January 20, 2022
Last Duke Standing is the first in a new series by Julia London. A few names from her Royal Wedding series are a pleasant surprise. Nice to find out what became of certain favorites from the fictional country of Westloria. Princess Justine of that country is soon to become Queen with her father, the king, so ill. She needs a bit of refining so is shipped off to England along with her sister Princess Amelia to learn from Queen Victoria herself. Justine also needs to find a Prince consort to stand by her side. A matchmaker named Lila is sent to help find just the right partner. Marquess William Douglas is charged with escorting Justine about London as a favor to Westloria’s prime minister. William and Justine have a past when 8 years ago they met in London and had a disagreement over a game of musical chairs. Justine was only 17 at the time but still holds a grudge. William was not happy to be playing nursemaid. Not a good start between them. I absolutely love the banter between the two and the situations they got into were hilarious at times such as when they went to view the Duke of Sutherland’s picture gallery and crowds of people were there to view the princess (crowds being a particular problem for the princess) and several geese started chasing people in the crowd “taking particular liking to the ladies bottoms.” As Justine and William spend more and more time in each other’s company they find that they both like so many of the same things such as books, opera, art and laughing together. They find they both have a love of dogs with William talking of spending time with the shepherds learning how to train sheepdogs and Justine missing her pet dog Bear and becoming fully attached to Dodi, a new little dog given to her by a suitor in London. Justine even uses a test of liking dogs or not to find out if one of her suitors is acceptable. The affection between the two continues to grow as the matchmaker keeps sending unsuitable prospects to Justine and arranging circumstances for William and Justine to find time together. She seems to know what would make a perfect match. There are a few impediments to overcome and they keep us on edge. There is so much fun to this book. I’m sure it will be enjoyed by many. I so look forward to Princess Amelia’s story. Hope that is in the works soon.
Thank you to the author and publisher as well as NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are strictly my own.
Thank you to the author and publisher as well as NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are strictly my own.
January 22, 2022
I absolutely ADORED this book!!! I loved Justine who is a princess, soon to be queen, and has been shipped off to England to be tutored by Queen Victoria while being matched with every eligible party in Europe! For someone who feels overshadowed by her sister and her mother, and has a bit of PTSD in crowds, this is a daunting and lonely experience. And then there is William, who has been sent to spy on her and report back on the potential matches! Is there anything more infuriating?? Except he is honest and funny and kind and likes her dog….
This was such fun, I loved the ridiculous bachelors Justine meets, and even the kind ones. I also cannot WAIT for Amelia to get her own book. Also the delicious governess, Donovan…. A great start to a new series, I can’t wait to read more!!
This was such fun, I loved the ridiculous bachelors Justine meets, and even the kind ones. I also cannot WAIT for Amelia to get her own book. Also the delicious governess, Donovan…. A great start to a new series, I can’t wait to read more!!
January 21, 2022
Last Duke Standing (A Royal Match, #1) by Julia London
This is the first book in a new Julia London series. Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria needs to find a husband before she becomes queen. William, Lord Douglas heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland is tasked with keeping an eye on Justine. He is a rake and not husband material. There is also a little scandal in both their pasts. There are lots of interesting people - Justine's sister Princess Ameila, there is also the matchmaker, and lots of interesting people. It was fun watching them go through all the bachelors to finally realize they are perfect for each other.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Romantic Entertaining Funny Wonderful characters Great word building Happily Ever After
This is the first book in a new Julia London series. Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria needs to find a husband before she becomes queen. William, Lord Douglas heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland is tasked with keeping an eye on Justine. He is a rake and not husband material. There is also a little scandal in both their pasts. There are lots of interesting people - Justine's sister Princess Ameila, there is also the matchmaker, and lots of interesting people. It was fun watching them go through all the bachelors to finally realize they are perfect for each other.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Romantic Entertaining Funny Wonderful characters Great word building Happily Ever After
January 21, 2022
I absolutely love princess stories. Princess Justine is being sent to England to learn how to be royal. Lord William is tasked with being a escort. He is tasked with helping find Justine a husband. This story plot was good. I really enjoyed the characters. I finished reading in one day.
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