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Hazards of Dukes #5
Four Weeks of Scandal
If you love the sparkle of Tessa Dare and the wit of Sarah MacLean, then you won’t want to miss this newest historical romance by Megan Frampton, who returns with a delicious story about a will in dispute, a four-week bargain, and a pretend engagement with romantic consequences. It only takes one moment to cause a scandal...and four weeks to live it down! Week Lovely, lively Octavia Holton arrives in the village, determined to claim her inheritance—the home she grew up in with her late father. Surely he meant for his daughter to have the property, and owning it means she could fix it up, sell it, and use the money to pay off her debts. But when she arrives, she discovers the house is also claimed—by one Gabriel Fallon. Week Gabriel claims his father won the property in a bet, but he can’t bring himself to toss Octavia out on her very delightful derrière, so he makes her a four-week Together they’ll pretend to be engaged, all the while seeking out any will, letter, or document that proves who gets the ownership. Weeks three and But that means togetherness...a lot of togetherness, and long days—and evenings—in each other’s company. The pair seems destined to “duke it out,” staking their claims...but it’s all too soon that they realize their rivalry might lead to something much more intimate. And suddenly four weeks seems like a long time. And yet not enough.
359 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 28, 2022
87 people are currently reading
3813 people want to read
About the author
Megan Frampton
41 books1,053 followersMegan Frampton's love affair with books began when her parents moved her to a remote town in New Hampshire where there was only one television station. And then the TV broke. She devoured every book of fiction in her well-read parents' library, finding special joy in Georgette Heyer and the fairy tales collected and translated by Andrew Lang. Megan majored in English literature at Barnard College and worked in the music industry for fifteen years. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband (her former intern) and her kid.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
October 1, 2022
Awwwwwww I loved this so much!!!! It kinda reminded me of Funny Farm but not as cooky. I loved the forced proximity, found family, and puppy love. Megan Frampton is such a fun writer and this was very light and very fluffy. They both had claims to an old house so they made a deal to renovate it in four weeks. They had to pretend to be engaged since the towns people saw them together all the time! He was a mythology scholar and the epitome of hot nerd. Also the beginning scene was her happening upon him naked in a pond. Always a win. There was a moment there for a while where I thought he was going to be a virgin hero (he was very alarmed by a kiss!), but he was actually a little alpha! If spanking is your thing, he’s your hero.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.25/5
I received a gifted finished copy from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.25/5
I received a gifted finished copy from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.
July 5, 2022
A really nice low-angst romance between a straight-laced (but secretly a little alpha) scholar and a spontaneous gambling hell owner who have a shared past. You see, Octavia's father and Gabriel's father were inveterate gamblers who constantly wagered their possessions. Once upon a time, Octavia's father even put her up as the stakes in a bet with Gabriel's father - and the outcome would have been a marriage between the two. Now, years later, Gabriel and Octavia have both lost their fathers. They also both believe that they have a claim on Octavia's father's property.
Since possession is nine tenths of the law, neither is willing to move out of the property, leading to a glorious fake relationship. They pretend to be engaged while they fix up the house and Octavia looks through the rest of her late father's possessions. Of course, fake engagements lend each other to a lot of scandalous encounters (you have to make that chemistry look real, right?), which then lead to emotional revelations and more.
There's not a lot that goes on in this book, but it's a delightful way to spend a couple of hours. It's not quite as steamy as some of Frampton's other books, but the understated love story and the ultimate resolution are both very satisfying.
22-Word Summaries:
Laine: When your deal with the devil comes due, make a bargain with a man who's hotter than sin. Let the cards fall.
Meg: In debt but can’t ask the two dukes in your family for help? Cash in on Daddy’s inheritance … if you can!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Since possession is nine tenths of the law, neither is willing to move out of the property, leading to a glorious fake relationship. They pretend to be engaged while they fix up the house and Octavia looks through the rest of her late father's possessions. Of course, fake engagements lend each other to a lot of scandalous encounters (you have to make that chemistry look real, right?), which then lead to emotional revelations and more.
There's not a lot that goes on in this book, but it's a delightful way to spend a couple of hours. It's not quite as steamy as some of Frampton's other books, but the understated love story and the ultimate resolution are both very satisfying.
22-Word Summaries:
Laine: When your deal with the devil comes due, make a bargain with a man who's hotter than sin. Let the cards fall.
Meg: In debt but can’t ask the two dukes in your family for help? Cash in on Daddy’s inheritance … if you can!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
May 26, 2022
When Miss Octavia Holton's gambler father dies, she's determined to claim an inheritance by selling her childhood home and paying off her debts. When she arrives in the village, she discovers Mr. Gabriel Fallon, who also lays claim to the house. Gabriel has a marker proving his father won the property in a bet, but makes a deal with Octavia: a four-week bargain where they pretend to be engaged and search the house for a will or any document proving the ownership.
This is the fifth book in the Hazards of Dukes series. It can stand alone, but is connected to book one. Octavia is the sister of the first story's heroine, Ivy, and their family history comes up.
Octavia is headstrong and impulsive, often leaping before thinking. She needed money for updates to the family gambling club and borrowed from a loan shark. Selling her father's house will give her the funds for repayment, but a meet-cute with Gabriel spoils her hastily laid plans. Like Octavia, Gabriel's now-deceased father was also a gambler. It's possible that his claim on the house isn't the most recent record, but he's anxious to fix up the house and plant the roots that he never had. Hijinks ensue with villagers moving in as chaperones and chemistry fizzling between the hero and heroine.
This was a fun story and I think fans of other Avon authors such as Eva Leigh and Sophie Jordan will really like it. It thought it dragged a little in the second half, but I'm not sure how much of that was the story vs. me having a busy week and not getting enough uninterrupted reading time. (**3.5 stars**)
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Working Heroine, Fake Relationship
Steam: 4
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #FourWeeksofScandal #NetGalley
This is the fifth book in the Hazards of Dukes series. It can stand alone, but is connected to book one. Octavia is the sister of the first story's heroine, Ivy, and their family history comes up.
Octavia is headstrong and impulsive, often leaping before thinking. She needed money for updates to the family gambling club and borrowed from a loan shark. Selling her father's house will give her the funds for repayment, but a meet-cute with Gabriel spoils her hastily laid plans. Like Octavia, Gabriel's now-deceased father was also a gambler. It's possible that his claim on the house isn't the most recent record, but he's anxious to fix up the house and plant the roots that he never had. Hijinks ensue with villagers moving in as chaperones and chemistry fizzling between the hero and heroine.
This was a fun story and I think fans of other Avon authors such as Eva Leigh and Sophie Jordan will really like it. It thought it dragged a little in the second half, but I'm not sure how much of that was the story vs. me having a busy week and not getting enough uninterrupted reading time. (**3.5 stars**)
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Working Heroine, Fake Relationship
Steam: 4
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #FourWeeksofScandal #NetGalley
December 9, 2021
This was soooo good! Megan's romances always give me the feels, that's a fact. So I was very excited to read this upcoming one. I also did the cover reveal and shared an excerpt of the book a week ago or so, so I was more excited when I saw/read everything. It didn't disappoint.
Octavia is travelling to her estranged father's estate. He just died and she believes he left the estate to her and her sister. She is in need of money AND QUICK because she loaned money from a guy who is expecting his money back, you know, and she doesn't have it yet. So, she's going to sell the house and give him that money so he doesn't k!ll her! But everything complicates when she finds a naked guy inside a pond with his tiny Pomeranian claiming the house is his.
Hilarious moments, swoony scenes, and let's not forget the steam. This book has it all and you should all be adding this to your wishlists and TBRs. Octavia and Gabriel are so funny together and I love that she gives him hell, and he's so enamored by her instantly. Because they cannot deny their attraction, they make a deal: a four weeks sex pact where at the end of the month they part ways. But obviously it doesn't work out because they're perfect together and spending more and more time together will make them realize that fate had a hand on them reuniting.
It has a little bit of Hades and Persephone lore in it because Gabriel studies greek mythology and he has a thing about telling the myths in the evenings to the whole household and it's so cute. But definitely the Hades and Persephone myth is mentioned more, especially because Octavia is bound to go back to London and she can't stay at the estate/little town with everyone. The whole story was so entertaining and I highly enjoyed reading this book!
Octavia is travelling to her estranged father's estate. He just died and she believes he left the estate to her and her sister. She is in need of money AND QUICK because she loaned money from a guy who is expecting his money back, you know, and she doesn't have it yet. So, she's going to sell the house and give him that money so he doesn't k!ll her! But everything complicates when she finds a naked guy inside a pond with his tiny Pomeranian claiming the house is his.
Hilarious moments, swoony scenes, and let's not forget the steam. This book has it all and you should all be adding this to your wishlists and TBRs. Octavia and Gabriel are so funny together and I love that she gives him hell, and he's so enamored by her instantly. Because they cannot deny their attraction, they make a deal: a four weeks sex pact where at the end of the month they part ways. But obviously it doesn't work out because they're perfect together and spending more and more time together will make them realize that fate had a hand on them reuniting.
It has a little bit of Hades and Persephone lore in it because Gabriel studies greek mythology and he has a thing about telling the myths in the evenings to the whole household and it's so cute. But definitely the Hades and Persephone myth is mentioned more, especially because Octavia is bound to go back to London and she can't stay at the estate/little town with everyone. The whole story was so entertaining and I highly enjoyed reading this book!
June 20, 2022
3.5 stars
Octavia is in trouble. She owes a gambling debt with serious consequences if she does not pay in full right away. Co-owner of a gambling hell with her sister Ivy, Octavia did what she felt necessary to try and make their business survive. Word comes that the father who abandoned the sisters has died so Octavia returns to her childhood home hoping to sell the house she assumes her father left her and pay her debts, only to see Gabriel Fallon there claiming the house is his, and that her father signed it over to his father to pay off a debt.
Octavia and Gabriel decide to live in the house together for four weeks to search every part for proof as to who actually owns the house. They then enter into a fake engagement and hire some locals from the town to help clean up the house and hijinks ensue.
I really liked the premise of this romance and the forced proximity trope of it, I also loved the feeling of home and found family with the people from the town hired to help with the house. And I loved Gabriel's character and the fact he was a scholar of Greek mythology.
I didn't love Octavia. She was selfish and that led to unintentional cruelty towards Gabriel and he was such a sweetheart that it kind of broke my heart. He deserved better honestly.
This also had a bit of a forced modernity feel to it. There are moments where Octavia has some rants about women's inequity and while true it felt a bit too on the nose, a bit out of place. I usually love a feminist spin on historicals but I want it to feel organic and not like...a drafted speech.
I received an ARC from the publisher for review.
Octavia is in trouble. She owes a gambling debt with serious consequences if she does not pay in full right away. Co-owner of a gambling hell with her sister Ivy, Octavia did what she felt necessary to try and make their business survive. Word comes that the father who abandoned the sisters has died so Octavia returns to her childhood home hoping to sell the house she assumes her father left her and pay her debts, only to see Gabriel Fallon there claiming the house is his, and that her father signed it over to his father to pay off a debt.
Octavia and Gabriel decide to live in the house together for four weeks to search every part for proof as to who actually owns the house. They then enter into a fake engagement and hire some locals from the town to help clean up the house and hijinks ensue.
I really liked the premise of this romance and the forced proximity trope of it, I also loved the feeling of home and found family with the people from the town hired to help with the house. And I loved Gabriel's character and the fact he was a scholar of Greek mythology.
I didn't love Octavia. She was selfish and that led to unintentional cruelty towards Gabriel and he was such a sweetheart that it kind of broke my heart. He deserved better honestly.
This also had a bit of a forced modernity feel to it. There are moments where Octavia has some rants about women's inequity and while true it felt a bit too on the nose, a bit out of place. I usually love a feminist spin on historicals but I want it to feel organic and not like...a drafted speech.
I received an ARC from the publisher for review.
June 28, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
If I'm being honest, this book didn't work for me at all. I found Octavia to be brash and unlikable. Gabriel was just kind of a boring hero. Nothing happened. Their conversations were awkward or Octavia made them so. She came off extremely immature and without a lot of tact. I wasn't invested in the house plot. Just overall, kind of a letdown for me. I've only read two Megan Frampton, but if the past two are any indicator then she might not be for me. If you're already a fan, you'd probably enjoy this more than I did.
If I'm being honest, this book didn't work for me at all. I found Octavia to be brash and unlikable. Gabriel was just kind of a boring hero. Nothing happened. Their conversations were awkward or Octavia made them so. She came off extremely immature and without a lot of tact. I wasn't invested in the house plot. Just overall, kind of a letdown for me. I've only read two Megan Frampton, but if the past two are any indicator then she might not be for me. If you're already a fan, you'd probably enjoy this more than I did.
July 22, 2023
⭐
1 star.
➕ What I liked :
The main characters dogs.
The main characters are not nobility/aristocrats.
The hero was not a womanizer.
The heroine was not naive/sheltered.
➖ What I disliked:
Unlikable and annoying heroine.
(Too reckless/impulsive and contrary, but also rather insensitive/pushy etc.)
The hero was a little bit too stoic/boring but also kind of a pushover.
The main characters are rather one-dimensional and needed more depth etc.
Repetitive.
Repetitive and unoriginal character descriptions. (especially about how handsome and tall the hero is.)
Anachronistic.
Thin and boring plot.
Formulaic.
The why and how of why the main characters feel in love was lacking and rushed.
Too much miscommunication and misunderstandings.
Dragged.
The romantic build up and chemistry is rather unconvincing and lacking.
(A mismatched couple that are not believable as a couple.)
May 10, 2022
"I was thinking about the story you told. About Persephone and Hades...I thought that the way you told the story, it made it seem as though those two might actually be in love. Like us."
He blinked. "You—you're in love with me, too?"
She huffed out an exasperated breath. "Yes, of course I am. It's all that... with the shoulder and the face and that arse. And how kind you are, and intelligent, and you understand me when I'm difficult, and refuse to let me mow you down."
Four Weeks of Scandal is the fifth book in a series, but I was able to dive in with no context and really enjoy this book!
Octavia is the youngest daughter of a notorious gambler who has recently passed, returning to her childhood home for the first time since she and her sister fled as teenagers to escape the tumultuous environment created by their father's gambling. She arrives at the home without much of a plan—somewhat of a pattern for Octavia—but the one thing her father promised was that they would always have a home. Octavia plans to sell the home to repay a loan she took out slightly spontaneously. Upon her arrival at the house, Octavia is shocked to find a handsome stranger swimming in the pond. Gabriel is a somewhat reserved scholar hoping to settle down, and make a house a home after his turbulent childhood with his father, also a flagrant gambler. Octavia and Gabriel come to an agreement that they have four weeks to track down, compile, and present evidence that they are the rightful owner of the house.
Ultimately they explain away Octavia's presence by telling the townspeople that they are engaged, and make it respectable by hiring a few townspeople as staff. To make it believable, they make an additional agreement to have a sort of FWB dalliance during the time remaining in their agreement.
I loved how Octavia and Gabriel bonded over their tempestuous childhoods, and that both had different goals and dreams and how those transformed throughout the book. Octavia underwent some serious character development and Gabriel was just so compassionate. The side characters were all really amusing, and I found the conclusion of the subplot to simply be flawless! Delectable! No notes!
My first thoughts in my initial review still stand, as well as this bit from my reading update: 'This is so nitpicky but throughout the book the MCs will be mid-conversation and there will all of a sudden be a lengthy inner monologue and then continue conversing to the point I forget what the last thread of the actual conversation was'
I really enjoyed this book and plan to read more of this author, as this was my first book of hers!
INITIAL THOUGHTS: This was fun, had great side characters, a pleasant subplot, and great chemistry between the leads. Both MCs went through some growth as characters, and the steam was titillating! I'm gonna read more of this author for sure.
He blinked. "You—you're in love with me, too?"
She huffed out an exasperated breath. "Yes, of course I am. It's all that... with the shoulder and the face and that arse. And how kind you are, and intelligent, and you understand me when I'm difficult, and refuse to let me mow you down."
Four Weeks of Scandal is the fifth book in a series, but I was able to dive in with no context and really enjoy this book!
Octavia is the youngest daughter of a notorious gambler who has recently passed, returning to her childhood home for the first time since she and her sister fled as teenagers to escape the tumultuous environment created by their father's gambling. She arrives at the home without much of a plan—somewhat of a pattern for Octavia—but the one thing her father promised was that they would always have a home. Octavia plans to sell the home to repay a loan she took out slightly spontaneously. Upon her arrival at the house, Octavia is shocked to find a handsome stranger swimming in the pond. Gabriel is a somewhat reserved scholar hoping to settle down, and make a house a home after his turbulent childhood with his father, also a flagrant gambler. Octavia and Gabriel come to an agreement that they have four weeks to track down, compile, and present evidence that they are the rightful owner of the house.
Ultimately they explain away Octavia's presence by telling the townspeople that they are engaged, and make it respectable by hiring a few townspeople as staff. To make it believable, they make an additional agreement to have a sort of FWB dalliance during the time remaining in their agreement.
I loved how Octavia and Gabriel bonded over their tempestuous childhoods, and that both had different goals and dreams and how those transformed throughout the book. Octavia underwent some serious character development and Gabriel was just so compassionate. The side characters were all really amusing, and I found the conclusion of the subplot to simply be flawless! Delectable! No notes!
My first thoughts in my initial review still stand, as well as this bit from my reading update: 'This is so nitpicky but throughout the book the MCs will be mid-conversation and there will all of a sudden be a lengthy inner monologue and then continue conversing to the point I forget what the last thread of the actual conversation was'
I really enjoyed this book and plan to read more of this author, as this was my first book of hers!
INITIAL THOUGHTS: This was fun, had great side characters, a pleasant subplot, and great chemistry between the leads. Both MCs went through some growth as characters, and the steam was titillating! I'm gonna read more of this author for sure.
February 7, 2022
Four Weeks of Scandal is book 5 in the Hazards of Dukes series. I binged this series just last year and was excited to read the next installment in the series. Octavia, the heroine of this book, we actually met all the way back in book 1 of the series which was her sister Ivy’s book, Never Kiss a Duke.
Octavia fled her home with her older sister Ivy when she was just 14-years-old. Their father was a gambler who put his love for gambling over everything else, including his daughters. Estranged for years, Octavia and Ivy now co-own a gambling house in London and haven’t seen there father since. When Octavia learns of their father’s death she returns to their small village, determined to claim her inheritance—the home she grew up in because surely he left them the house, which she can fix up, sell, and use the money to pay off her own debts. But of course, things don’t go as smoothly as all that when she arrives and finds out Gabriel Fallon is there claiming he is the rightful owner of the house as his father won it in a gamble. Gabriel and Octavia decide, since neither will budge, that they’ll spend one month trying to find proof/paperwork of who rightfully owns the house…and along the way they have to be fake engaged to pull it all off.
This was my least favorite read in the series sadly. I had a hard time with Octavia’s character, she comes across very immature and selfish. The way she talks to Gabriel was annoying, he is a scholar and often uses “big words” which she will just flippantly say she has no idea what he’s talking about like she has zero interest in any thing he has to say. But then the next second she’ll say she loves to learn and is curious, after she just waved off whatever he was talking about like it didn’t matter since she didn’t understand him. I loved Gabriel much more so the handful of times she talked like that just kind of irked me. I just didn’t feel the chemistry between Gabriel and Octavia and wasn’t rooting for them to be together. And I’m all for steamy reads and dirty talk but the way it came off in this book just did not fit. It took me out of the scenes because the way they’d get when it came to their physical relationship (loads of dirty talk and light spanking) just did not fit their characters at all. Moments I liked: fake engagement, takes place outside of London and no one is an aristocrat/in society, a whole crew of villagers coming to stay and work for them on the house, the villagers working at the home becoming like a little found family, their 2 dogs Nyx and Cerberus, he studies Greek mythology and shares stories with everyone in the house, she kisses him/makes the first move, her sister Ivy and Sebastian (from Never Kiss a Duke) make an appearance, their Pomegranate Compromise.
Thank you to the publisher (Avon Books) for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts in this honest review are my own. Four Weeks of Scandal has a publish date of June 28, 2022.
Octavia fled her home with her older sister Ivy when she was just 14-years-old. Their father was a gambler who put his love for gambling over everything else, including his daughters. Estranged for years, Octavia and Ivy now co-own a gambling house in London and haven’t seen there father since. When Octavia learns of their father’s death she returns to their small village, determined to claim her inheritance—the home she grew up in because surely he left them the house, which she can fix up, sell, and use the money to pay off her own debts. But of course, things don’t go as smoothly as all that when she arrives and finds out Gabriel Fallon is there claiming he is the rightful owner of the house as his father won it in a gamble. Gabriel and Octavia decide, since neither will budge, that they’ll spend one month trying to find proof/paperwork of who rightfully owns the house…and along the way they have to be fake engaged to pull it all off.
This was my least favorite read in the series sadly. I had a hard time with Octavia’s character, she comes across very immature and selfish. The way she talks to Gabriel was annoying, he is a scholar and often uses “big words” which she will just flippantly say she has no idea what he’s talking about like she has zero interest in any thing he has to say. But then the next second she’ll say she loves to learn and is curious, after she just waved off whatever he was talking about like it didn’t matter since she didn’t understand him. I loved Gabriel much more so the handful of times she talked like that just kind of irked me. I just didn’t feel the chemistry between Gabriel and Octavia and wasn’t rooting for them to be together. And I’m all for steamy reads and dirty talk but the way it came off in this book just did not fit. It took me out of the scenes because the way they’d get when it came to their physical relationship (loads of dirty talk and light spanking) just did not fit their characters at all. Moments I liked: fake engagement, takes place outside of London and no one is an aristocrat/in society, a whole crew of villagers coming to stay and work for them on the house, the villagers working at the home becoming like a little found family, their 2 dogs Nyx and Cerberus, he studies Greek mythology and shares stories with everyone in the house, she kisses him/makes the first move, her sister Ivy and Sebastian (from Never Kiss a Duke) make an appearance, their Pomegranate Compromise.
Thank you to the publisher (Avon Books) for an e-ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts in this honest review are my own. Four Weeks of Scandal has a publish date of June 28, 2022.
August 31, 2022
Maybe 3.5 stars
When Octavia Holton learns of her father’s death, she thinks it might be the answer to her problems. As the co-owner of “Miss Ivy’s” a gaming hell, she went behind her sister’s back and borrowed money from a moneylender to make improvements to the club, but when business fizzled and she was not able to make the payments, Mr. Higgins began making threats. But now with the passing of their estranged father, Octavia believes her problems are solved, all she has to do is go to her father’s house, find his will, which will surely show that she and Ivy own the house, then sell it, pay off Mr. Higgins and no one will be the wiser. Simple right?
When Gabriel Fallon’s father passed away after burning down their house, Gabriel’s only solace is that in his father’s papers he finds a promissory note between his father and Mr. Holton, his father’s favorite gambling partner, that states that Mr. Fallon won Mr. Holton’s house just days before Mr. Holton died. It is the answer to his problems, he will move into the house and dedicate himself to his research of mythology. Perfect right?
As neither of them counts on anyone challenging their claim to the house, both are shocked to find the other in residence. They make a deal, Octavia will have a month to find proof that the house is actually hers and in the meantime, they will both work on fixing it up. Simply perfect right? Along the way, they will collect a houseful of servants, convince everyone that they are engaged, and try to resist the attraction that is simmering between them. Perfectly simple, right?
I really wanted to love this book, especially since Gabriel is such a wonderful hero who just wants a home and a family, but honestly, I was underwhelmed. The story is a bit bland, although there are several steamy love scenes and quite a bit of humor, in the end, it just didn’t have enough conflict or drama to hold my attention and I found Octavia to be too selfish and self-centered to be a great heroine. Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t hate her, but I didn’t love her either – I basically tolerated her and wondered what it was about her that Gabriel found so desirable. Overall, I liked the book and am glad I read it as it is well written and it was nice to catch up with Ivy and Sebastian, but I don’t think I would read it again. This is the fifth book in the series, but it could easily read as a standalone title.
*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.*
When Octavia Holton learns of her father’s death, she thinks it might be the answer to her problems. As the co-owner of “Miss Ivy’s” a gaming hell, she went behind her sister’s back and borrowed money from a moneylender to make improvements to the club, but when business fizzled and she was not able to make the payments, Mr. Higgins began making threats. But now with the passing of their estranged father, Octavia believes her problems are solved, all she has to do is go to her father’s house, find his will, which will surely show that she and Ivy own the house, then sell it, pay off Mr. Higgins and no one will be the wiser. Simple right?
When Gabriel Fallon’s father passed away after burning down their house, Gabriel’s only solace is that in his father’s papers he finds a promissory note between his father and Mr. Holton, his father’s favorite gambling partner, that states that Mr. Fallon won Mr. Holton’s house just days before Mr. Holton died. It is the answer to his problems, he will move into the house and dedicate himself to his research of mythology. Perfect right?
As neither of them counts on anyone challenging their claim to the house, both are shocked to find the other in residence. They make a deal, Octavia will have a month to find proof that the house is actually hers and in the meantime, they will both work on fixing it up. Simply perfect right? Along the way, they will collect a houseful of servants, convince everyone that they are engaged, and try to resist the attraction that is simmering between them. Perfectly simple, right?
I really wanted to love this book, especially since Gabriel is such a wonderful hero who just wants a home and a family, but honestly, I was underwhelmed. The story is a bit bland, although there are several steamy love scenes and quite a bit of humor, in the end, it just didn’t have enough conflict or drama to hold my attention and I found Octavia to be too selfish and self-centered to be a great heroine. Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t hate her, but I didn’t love her either – I basically tolerated her and wondered what it was about her that Gabriel found so desirable. Overall, I liked the book and am glad I read it as it is well written and it was nice to catch up with Ivy and Sebastian, but I don’t think I would read it again. This is the fifth book in the series, but it could easily read as a standalone title.
*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.*
read-partial
December 17, 2022I'm going to have to start this over from the beginning; nothing wrong at all i just got distracted, and then the union strike is going on, and I'll wait.
PAY YOUR WORKERS A FAIR WAGE HARPER
PAY YOUR WORKERS A FAIR WAGE HARPER
June 25, 2022
Book #5 in the Hazards of Dukes series.
Fake engagement, forced proximity and friends-to-lovers tropes.
Our heroine (gambling club co-owner) Octavia Holton is IN OVER HER HEAD owing a large financial debt but is planning to use her inheritance to pay off the loan. Only her (recently passed) father owed a gambling debt losing their home to Mr Fallon our hero’s father (who’s also recently deceased).
Our hero Gabriel Fallon moves into his newly acquired Holton home after his father’s burns down. Octavia and Gabriel get into a disagreement over who owns the house with both refusing to leave so they both agree to stay until it’s resolved.. within four weeks time.. all the while repairing the much neglected house. 🏚🐕🐩 But of course, who would show up at the house but Octavia’s moneylender and his henchmen! She quickly thinks to host a gambling event to satisfy her debt.. or suffer the consequences of not paying up.. her bones broken, etc.. yikes! 😳🩼
With Octavia being very independent, and with an intense attraction and mutual pining between her and Gabriel.. they do agree on one thing.. she proposes a mutual benefits relationship. 🔥🔥🔥
This is a fun, steamy HEA, with found family and a hero that is completely besotted by our heroine. There was quite a bit of one-sidedness between them with our hero giving more of himself.. than the heroine was willing to give back (from trust issues due to her father’s neglect?) I really loved how they formed a close friendship from having lived through similar/relatable circumstances.
A fast-paced, enjoyable read!! ❥
Read as an ARC thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books. All opinions are my own. Publish date June 28, 2022.
Fake engagement, forced proximity and friends-to-lovers tropes.
Our heroine (gambling club co-owner) Octavia Holton is IN OVER HER HEAD owing a large financial debt but is planning to use her inheritance to pay off the loan. Only her (recently passed) father owed a gambling debt losing their home to Mr Fallon our hero’s father (who’s also recently deceased).
Our hero Gabriel Fallon moves into his newly acquired Holton home after his father’s burns down. Octavia and Gabriel get into a disagreement over who owns the house with both refusing to leave so they both agree to stay until it’s resolved.. within four weeks time.. all the while repairing the much neglected house. 🏚🐕🐩 But of course, who would show up at the house but Octavia’s moneylender and his henchmen! She quickly thinks to host a gambling event to satisfy her debt.. or suffer the consequences of not paying up.. her bones broken, etc.. yikes! 😳🩼
With Octavia being very independent, and with an intense attraction and mutual pining between her and Gabriel.. they do agree on one thing.. she proposes a mutual benefits relationship. 🔥🔥🔥
This is a fun, steamy HEA, with found family and a hero that is completely besotted by our heroine. There was quite a bit of one-sidedness between them with our hero giving more of himself.. than the heroine was willing to give back (from trust issues due to her father’s neglect?) I really loved how they formed a close friendship from having lived through similar/relatable circumstances.
A fast-paced, enjoyable read!! ❥
Read as an ARC thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books. All opinions are my own. Publish date June 28, 2022.
October 4, 2022
Octavia Holton travels to her childhood home after the death of her father only to find that she isn't the only one trying to claim her inheritance.
Gabriel Fallon believes his recently deceased fatherwon the house from Octavia's father.
He plans on living in the house and making it a home.
She plans on fixing it up to sell, so that she can pay her debts.
They decide to spend a month together in the house trying to clean it up and look for proof of who truly owns the property.
They end up faking an engagement while they live there and of course end up acting their physical attraction.
I really enjoy Megan Frampton's writing. Her books are always filled with humor and some of the hottest sex scenes that I've read in Historical Romance. This one was no exception. It was an extremely enjoyable read!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gabriel Fallon believes his recently deceased fatherwon the house from Octavia's father.
He plans on living in the house and making it a home.
She plans on fixing it up to sell, so that she can pay her debts.
They decide to spend a month together in the house trying to clean it up and look for proof of who truly owns the property.
They end up faking an engagement while they live there and of course end up acting their physical attraction.
I really enjoy Megan Frampton's writing. Her books are always filled with humor and some of the hottest sex scenes that I've read in Historical Romance. This one was no exception. It was an extremely enjoyable read!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 1, 2022
Not as engaging as I thought it would be, but the passion between Octavia and Gabriel is scorching hot. Octavia Holton is desperate for money to pay off a money lender on a loan to improve the gambling house in London. She is part owner with her sister Ivy. Only Ivy doesn't know about the loan. Selling their family home is her only option. Gabriel Fallon has the paper that says his father won the Holton house in a bet. He has no where else to live, since father burned down their house. The death of his father and the death of Octavia's give them something in common. Looking for the will to prove Octavia owns the house will force them to compromise. A fake engagement and the help of the people of Greensett village will give Gabriel and Octavia what they have never had before, a family. Now, how to pay off the debt?
Gabriel is an exceptional hero with a heart of gold!
Heat Level 5
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Gabriel is an exceptional hero with a heart of gold!
Heat Level 5
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
June 2, 2022
I think the fact I started reading this two weeks ago and I’m only on 20% says a lot. I haven’t really enjoyed this series much at all so I guess this title just goes with that. Octavia was the main problem because she was annoying with her impulsiveness. Not a fan of reading titles where I question what the hero sees in the heroine the entire time.
December 31, 2021
I loved this! I knew I had wanted something light and easy to finish 2021 off with, and this fit that so well. It was the perfect read for the end of the year, and I loved it so much more than the last book from this series.
My favorite thing was definitely the main romance. I was a bit thrown off by the instalove, but that stopped bothering me as soon as these two actually got together. They were so sweet! I loved how much they cared about each other, you could feel it through the pages. And the smut definitely didn't hurt anything...
And this one did something that almost no historical romances do. It established a cast of super loveable side characters. The family Gabriel and Octavia built was so precious. Every single character was super loveable, and the way they all worked together was touching. I loved the extra depth it added to our main characters. It was a small detail, but made this so much better.
Id gone a little while without reading a historical romance, and I'm so happy that this is the first one I picked up. It was the perfect mix of angst and tension. I'll definitely be continuing with this series!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
My favorite thing was definitely the main romance. I was a bit thrown off by the instalove, but that stopped bothering me as soon as these two actually got together. They were so sweet! I loved how much they cared about each other, you could feel it through the pages. And the smut definitely didn't hurt anything...
And this one did something that almost no historical romances do. It established a cast of super loveable side characters. The family Gabriel and Octavia built was so precious. Every single character was super loveable, and the way they all worked together was touching. I loved the extra depth it added to our main characters. It was a small detail, but made this so much better.
Id gone a little while without reading a historical romance, and I'm so happy that this is the first one I picked up. It was the perfect mix of angst and tension. I'll definitely be continuing with this series!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
June 27, 2022
Megan Frampton's Four Weeks of Scandal is a sweet and easy romance that is a very loose gender swapped Hades and Persephone retelling. Frampton's writing is light in tone that is very accessible to the reader. This novel is well paced with a soft ease that mimics the countryside/small town setting of this novel between two opposites attract. I found this novel to be enjoyable and a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
Octavia and Gabriel find themselves in a "property" battle after both of their father's death's, each believing that their father was the last owner of the country home Octavia grew up in. Both men where gamblers and this country estate became a key player in some of their last bets. When Octavia stumbles upon Gabriel living in her house they both strike up a four week bargain in which they will pretend to be engaged while seeking out some sort of proof to the true owner of the estate. For Octavia the stakes are high as she needs to find a quick way to pay off some debts that are being called in.
Octavia is a headstrong and determined heroine who can seem off-putting at times which make her a delightful grump for Gabriel to break down her walls. Gabriel is kind and thoughtful, he is a scholar and has a way about him that helps to grow relationships as he brings life back into the estate. I love that the typical traits are swapped in this between Octavia and Gabriel and I love that Octavia really has to learn to break down her walls and learn to trust another. The relationship between Gabriel and Octavia is one that has a slow and soft boil. Their feels really take time to truly develop which gives them both the ability to learn more about the other before they fully jump into a physical relationship. I think Frampton does a lovely job with the exploration of the physical side of their relationship, it really gives Octavia moments in which she can be more vulnerable and open. This romance is definitely a slower and softer one with quiet moments of romance. I think it is a really sweet story of two people who learn to work together and trust each other and help to create a new and flourishing home with a found family that they were not expecting.
If you love a softer and endearing romance that will warm your heart I think that Megan Frampton's works are a lovely option for you. I found this to be gentle and calm romance between two people who find someone that they want to build a life with.
Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Octavia and Gabriel find themselves in a "property" battle after both of their father's death's, each believing that their father was the last owner of the country home Octavia grew up in. Both men where gamblers and this country estate became a key player in some of their last bets. When Octavia stumbles upon Gabriel living in her house they both strike up a four week bargain in which they will pretend to be engaged while seeking out some sort of proof to the true owner of the estate. For Octavia the stakes are high as she needs to find a quick way to pay off some debts that are being called in.
Octavia is a headstrong and determined heroine who can seem off-putting at times which make her a delightful grump for Gabriel to break down her walls. Gabriel is kind and thoughtful, he is a scholar and has a way about him that helps to grow relationships as he brings life back into the estate. I love that the typical traits are swapped in this between Octavia and Gabriel and I love that Octavia really has to learn to break down her walls and learn to trust another. The relationship between Gabriel and Octavia is one that has a slow and soft boil. Their feels really take time to truly develop which gives them both the ability to learn more about the other before they fully jump into a physical relationship. I think Frampton does a lovely job with the exploration of the physical side of their relationship, it really gives Octavia moments in which she can be more vulnerable and open. This romance is definitely a slower and softer one with quiet moments of romance. I think it is a really sweet story of two people who learn to work together and trust each other and help to create a new and flourishing home with a found family that they were not expecting.
If you love a softer and endearing romance that will warm your heart I think that Megan Frampton's works are a lovely option for you. I found this to be gentle and calm romance between two people who find someone that they want to build a life with.
Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 29, 2022
I’ve enjoyed this entire series and this synopsis sounded like so much fun, but somehow I’m a little disappointed.
I liked Octavia and Gabriel. They’re both stubborn and used to being a bit on their own, so they recognize a sort of kindred spirit, especially with the shared history of their fathers. There’s a big group of secondary characters and honestly? I couldn’t keep any of them straight.
Plot wise, it was okay. I expected sparks to fly from the beginning, but the entire pacing is more of a meandering. There’s no sense of urgency, no tension or build up to anything. What would be considered the conflict was over in a couple of pages.
Overall, this was a good story and I did enjoy it; however it also took me over two weeks to read and was quite easy to set down. I think it was missing a spark that I’m used to seeing from this author.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Octavia and Gabriel. They’re both stubborn and used to being a bit on their own, so they recognize a sort of kindred spirit, especially with the shared history of their fathers. There’s a big group of secondary characters and honestly? I couldn’t keep any of them straight.
Plot wise, it was okay. I expected sparks to fly from the beginning, but the entire pacing is more of a meandering. There’s no sense of urgency, no tension or build up to anything. What would be considered the conflict was over in a couple of pages.
Overall, this was a good story and I did enjoy it; however it also took me over two weeks to read and was quite easy to set down. I think it was missing a spark that I’m used to seeing from this author.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
December 11, 2021
Megan Frampton is back with another great duo in Four Weeks of Scandal!
Octavia + Liv flee their small country town as young women after their father uses them as a wager in his latest bet. They are able to provide for themselves by opening their own gambling hall but, unlike the ones their father frequents, they make sure that their clients are never staking more than they can afford to pay.
When their father dies, Octavia returns to the home to prepare it to sell to pay off a loan shark she borrowed money from to make improvements to the club. But when she arrives she finds the handsome son of a man her father frequently gambled against, who claims the house is his after his father won it in a bet shortly before his death. Gabriel is a scholar who longs for a stable place of his own to call home and plans to do exactly that with this house.
As the two clean the home and look for clues as to who the rightful owner of the home really is, they begin to find more than what they were looking for. As they bond over the their similar pasts, they also both find themselves longing for a future --- despite the fact that Octavia belongs in London with her business and Gabriel belongs in this quiet, provincial town. They settle on "The Pomegranate Compromise", which is a perfect compromise indeed ;)
Laced with charming secondary characters and many references to Greek mythology, this was a lovely read! I've only read one of the Hazards of Dukes books so far, and look forward to going back to the beginning to read the origin story of Liv + her husband Sebastian, who make a cameo in this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Octavia + Liv flee their small country town as young women after their father uses them as a wager in his latest bet. They are able to provide for themselves by opening their own gambling hall but, unlike the ones their father frequents, they make sure that their clients are never staking more than they can afford to pay.
When their father dies, Octavia returns to the home to prepare it to sell to pay off a loan shark she borrowed money from to make improvements to the club. But when she arrives she finds the handsome son of a man her father frequently gambled against, who claims the house is his after his father won it in a bet shortly before his death. Gabriel is a scholar who longs for a stable place of his own to call home and plans to do exactly that with this house.
As the two clean the home and look for clues as to who the rightful owner of the home really is, they begin to find more than what they were looking for. As they bond over the their similar pasts, they also both find themselves longing for a future --- despite the fact that Octavia belongs in London with her business and Gabriel belongs in this quiet, provincial town. They settle on "The Pomegranate Compromise", which is a perfect compromise indeed ;)
Laced with charming secondary characters and many references to Greek mythology, this was a lovely read! I've only read one of the Hazards of Dukes books so far, and look forward to going back to the beginning to read the origin story of Liv + her husband Sebastian, who make a cameo in this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2021
3.5 stars
Gabriel Fallon travels to see the latest addition in his late father's gambling acquisitions-the former Holton manor, but he gets the surprise of his life when Octavia Holton shows up and claims the house is hers. Gabriel has the vowel that states Octavia's father gambled and lost the house to his father, but Octavia is positive that she is still the rightful owner. They make a deal--if Octavia can find proof she owns the house, Gabriel will leave. The deal ends in one month, but the more time they spend together, the more they wish the end of the deal would never come.
This was a different sort of romance with the heroine doing what most men would consider shocking-owning a gambling hell and making her own decisions about her life without relying on a man. I have mixed feelings about Octavia. She was rather rude and arrogant in the beginning, but there was definitely some growth in her character when she realizes there is no shame in asking for help. Gabriel on the other hand was so likeable and honorable that you couldn't help but fall in love with him. I loved the Greek mythology thrown into the mix and the secondary characters fleshed out the story nicely. Some parts of the story dragged a bit, but overall I was happy to see that Octavia and Gabriel finally found their HEA.
I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.
Gabriel Fallon travels to see the latest addition in his late father's gambling acquisitions-the former Holton manor, but he gets the surprise of his life when Octavia Holton shows up and claims the house is hers. Gabriel has the vowel that states Octavia's father gambled and lost the house to his father, but Octavia is positive that she is still the rightful owner. They make a deal--if Octavia can find proof she owns the house, Gabriel will leave. The deal ends in one month, but the more time they spend together, the more they wish the end of the deal would never come.
This was a different sort of romance with the heroine doing what most men would consider shocking-owning a gambling hell and making her own decisions about her life without relying on a man. I have mixed feelings about Octavia. She was rather rude and arrogant in the beginning, but there was definitely some growth in her character when she realizes there is no shame in asking for help. Gabriel on the other hand was so likeable and honorable that you couldn't help but fall in love with him. I loved the Greek mythology thrown into the mix and the secondary characters fleshed out the story nicely. Some parts of the story dragged a bit, but overall I was happy to see that Octavia and Gabriel finally found their HEA.
I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.
December 31, 2021
2021 was the year that I discovered I like reading historical romances and this book did not disappoint. When I saw in the description of this book that Tessa Dare fans would enjoy this book I immediately had to jump on that as she has become a solid author for me. I was intrigued by the description of this book, and some of my favorite tropes appear: forced proximity, found family, man falls first... I had a good time with this one.
I love how not only do we get to fall in love with Octavia and Gabriels characters, but also the other side characters in this book. So often in books when side characters are added (especially in romance books), they are sort of forced into the novel simply so that there aren't just two characters we're focusing on and they tend to just add unnecessary pages to a book, the side characters in this book do not do that. You end up really loving everyone you meet in this book.
I also really enjoyed getting to see Octavia grow into a better person, one who understands that she doesn't always have to do everything by herself. I genuinely like her character, she was funny and very relatable! Now the question you want answered: is it spicy??? Yes, I would give a solid 2.5/5 for spice, we're not talking extreme here but it is definitely there!
Overall, a really good, fast paced read and I would 100% recommend giving this one a shot!!
I love how not only do we get to fall in love with Octavia and Gabriels characters, but also the other side characters in this book. So often in books when side characters are added (especially in romance books), they are sort of forced into the novel simply so that there aren't just two characters we're focusing on and they tend to just add unnecessary pages to a book, the side characters in this book do not do that. You end up really loving everyone you meet in this book.
I also really enjoyed getting to see Octavia grow into a better person, one who understands that she doesn't always have to do everything by herself. I genuinely like her character, she was funny and very relatable! Now the question you want answered: is it spicy??? Yes, I would give a solid 2.5/5 for spice, we're not talking extreme here but it is definitely there!
Overall, a really good, fast paced read and I would 100% recommend giving this one a shot!!
August 16, 2023
I received an advance ebook copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for review.
Four Weeks of Scandal by Megan Frampton is the fifth book of the Hazards of Dukes series. Octavia Holton arrives to claim the house that her recently deceased father left to her and her sister. Only to discover someone else is there and claiming the house is theirs! Octavia is having none of this, as she needs to sell the house to pay off debt. Gabriel Fallon claims his father won the house in a bet against her father. Both unwilling to back down, the two strike up a bargain. For four weeks, they will pretend to be engaged. All while seeking out papers to prove ownership. But close proximity causes this fake engagement to become more real each day they spend together.
This was a very cute and low-angst novel. The doggies were such an adorable addition to the cast of characters. Overall, this is a super fluffy book!
Four Weeks of Scandal by Megan Frampton is the fifth book of the Hazards of Dukes series. Octavia Holton arrives to claim the house that her recently deceased father left to her and her sister. Only to discover someone else is there and claiming the house is theirs! Octavia is having none of this, as she needs to sell the house to pay off debt. Gabriel Fallon claims his father won the house in a bet against her father. Both unwilling to back down, the two strike up a bargain. For four weeks, they will pretend to be engaged. All while seeking out papers to prove ownership. But close proximity causes this fake engagement to become more real each day they spend together.
This was a very cute and low-angst novel. The doggies were such an adorable addition to the cast of characters. Overall, this is a super fluffy book!
January 28, 2022
I tried and tried to get through this book and it just isn't happening. Normally I enjoy this author's stories but this one just is not holding my interest. Hard pass on this book.
June 27, 2022
Opposites attract in this wonderful story by Megan Frampton. Octavia and Gabriel both had fathers who gambled, for a living and with each other. That gambling led them to have childhoods that was less than perfect. Gabriel grew up to be a scholar and eschews all gambling while Octavia and her sister own a gambling house. So when their fathers die within months of each other there is a dispute over ownership of a house.
Watching both Octavia and Gabriel bend in their thinking while falling in love was sweet. I loved that they made a family on their own when they didn't have that to begin with.
Yes, this is book 5 in the series and I have not read the rest of the series, but have no fear. I was not lost at all. In fact, we meet Octavia's sister Ivy and her husband who were in a previous book and now I want to read their story!
Watching both Octavia and Gabriel bend in their thinking while falling in love was sweet. I loved that they made a family on their own when they didn't have that to begin with.
Yes, this is book 5 in the series and I have not read the rest of the series, but have no fear. I was not lost at all. In fact, we meet Octavia's sister Ivy and her husband who were in a previous book and now I want to read their story!
July 30, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
Very ok. A solid book.
Liked the found family, but there was one too many side characters and I kept mixing two of them up.
This Octavia didn’t seem to much resemble the Octavia from book 1 in the series (which I just finished, then skipped the intervening books).
A touch repetitive, when it was clear pretty early on how to reconcile their irreconcilable differences.
I don’t understand her “I can’t tell him I love him because then he’ll be forced to be with me even if he doesn’t love me” thing.
The premise was ridiculous, but c’est la vie.
Good chemistry. Pretty good sex. Light kink, which didn’t feel out of place with their personalities.
Liked the dogs.
Very ok. A solid book.
Liked the found family, but there was one too many side characters and I kept mixing two of them up.
This Octavia didn’t seem to much resemble the Octavia from book 1 in the series (which I just finished, then skipped the intervening books).
A touch repetitive, when it was clear pretty early on how to reconcile their irreconcilable differences.
I don’t understand her “I can’t tell him I love him because then he’ll be forced to be with me even if he doesn’t love me” thing.
The premise was ridiculous, but c’est la vie.
Good chemistry. Pretty good sex. Light kink, which didn’t feel out of place with their personalities.
Liked the dogs.
June 13, 2022
This one was weird for me. I spent the majority of the novel thinking I had read at least one of the others in the series because they sounded so familiar, only to find out that I had not. So for me at least, this book did absolutely fine as a stand-alone. We did get a bit of backstory of the two female leads (which was the main reason I thought I had read one of the prior stories as I definitely remember a card game of this sort taking place in another story I read), but it wasn't anything that I felt I needed to see more of in order to have this one make sense.
My issue with this one was mainly with Octavia. Her "act first, deal with the consequences later" personality would have been fine had that not been her only real personality trait. Time and again, she muses about all of the mistakes she has made because she didn't "plan", yet she doesn't for the most part even try to rectify her behaviors (to the point the hero has to bribe her with sexual favors for her to even complete a list of things she needed to do for a plan she herself had come up with).
I was also not a fan of the constant "internal" dialogue, but then I have this issue a lot, especially with historical novels. It is one thing for the character to come to a realization, or re-think some of their actions, but when it gets in the way of the story actually moving forward? There is a problem. And I feel like quite a bit of this story could have been taken out and therefore moved forward simply by having our two characters TALK to one another instead of thinking about their feelings. It was also hard to believe that Octavia didn't search every nook and cranny of the house (as evidenced by something that happens later on) for proof of just which of their fathers actually owned the house.
All things considered, I am sure there are others who will love this novel. I just couldn't keep myself interested in the outcome with how long it seemed to drag on.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
My issue with this one was mainly with Octavia. Her "act first, deal with the consequences later" personality would have been fine had that not been her only real personality trait. Time and again, she muses about all of the mistakes she has made because she didn't "plan", yet she doesn't for the most part even try to rectify her behaviors (to the point the hero has to bribe her with sexual favors for her to even complete a list of things she needed to do for a plan she herself had come up with).
I was also not a fan of the constant "internal" dialogue, but then I have this issue a lot, especially with historical novels. It is one thing for the character to come to a realization, or re-think some of their actions, but when it gets in the way of the story actually moving forward? There is a problem. And I feel like quite a bit of this story could have been taken out and therefore moved forward simply by having our two characters TALK to one another instead of thinking about their feelings. It was also hard to believe that Octavia didn't search every nook and cranny of the house (as evidenced by something that happens later on) for proof of just which of their fathers actually owned the house.
All things considered, I am sure there are others who will love this novel. I just couldn't keep myself interested in the outcome with how long it seemed to drag on.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
June 28, 2022
The heroine accumulated financial debt after borrowing from a money lender. After learning that her estranged father died, the heroine returns to the village to sell her childhood home to pay off her debts. However, the hero is staying at said house, stating that his late father acquired the building and he'll renovate it to make it his home. As the two cohabitates as a fake engaged couple, they both began to fall in love even as they seek legal proof of individual ownership.
This is a standalone addition to the Hazards of Dukes series. It features a heroine who wants to pay off her debts, and a scholarly hero who just wants a home to call his own. The heroine first appeared in the first book as she is the sister of that particular book's heroine. It's nice that the first book's couple made a cameo appearance in this book. There were also some other wonderful secondary characters, especially the whole village that came together to help with the home renovation and the main couple's canine companions. I liked the hero more than the heroine in this book because I felt that the growth of the heroine wasn't as balanced as I wanted it to be. It would have been nice to add some more details in certain areas of the story since the story did drag a bit and needed better transition in those parts. Overall, it's a nice reading and I look forward to reading more Megan Frampton books in the future.
**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in my review are my own.**
This is a standalone addition to the Hazards of Dukes series. It features a heroine who wants to pay off her debts, and a scholarly hero who just wants a home to call his own. The heroine first appeared in the first book as she is the sister of that particular book's heroine. It's nice that the first book's couple made a cameo appearance in this book. There were also some other wonderful secondary characters, especially the whole village that came together to help with the home renovation and the main couple's canine companions. I liked the hero more than the heroine in this book because I felt that the growth of the heroine wasn't as balanced as I wanted it to be. It would have been nice to add some more details in certain areas of the story since the story did drag a bit and needed better transition in those parts. Overall, it's a nice reading and I look forward to reading more Megan Frampton books in the future.
**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in my review are my own.**
May 15, 2024
2.5 bumped up to 3 b/c of the hero
May 10, 2022
This is the fifth in Megan Frampton’s Hazard of Dukes series can easily be read as a stand alone. This is actually a sequel to the first book, Never Kiss a Duke, which tells the story of this heroines older sister Ivy. Ivy and her husband have a cameo appearance in this story. The story takes place in the countryside so there is refreshingly no society or ton to worry about. And even though the series title mentions Duke’s, the main characters do not have titles or rank.
Octavia Holton manages a gambling establishment with her sister Ivy started in London. But in trying to make improvements she borrows money that is now due. When she learns that her father has died she is determines to go to his home in the country to sell it to pay her debts. She arrives to find Gabriel Fallon at the home as well. He claims that her father gambled and lost the home to his father who also has died. They agree to share the house for a month while she looks for any will or proof that the property belongs to her. They will also work to clean up the house together. To make it proper for both to share a house in the small village they claim to be engaged and hire some towns people to chaperone, cook etc.
Octavia is impulsive and not a planner. She also comes off immature and dismissive in a sweet way. She brushes off words she doesn’t understand and doesn’t care to learn their meanings. Gabriel is handsome, kind and a scholar of mythology. One of the enriching parts of the story is the family created by taking in workers and giving them a place to live. Each of the servants has their own role, burst of personality, and back story. Octavia actually grows and changes during the course of the few weeks. And I like that she gets her moment to shine managing people and figuring a way out of her debts. Gabriel is lovely as the smitten scholar. I was a little confused about his life plans. He didn’t seem to want to teach and he has inheritance from his father but I wasn’t sure if he would need to work or just manage his assets.
Frampton does well with this close proximity trope. I always love the moments when each of the MCs realizes they have real feelings for the other. Especially where they just begin with attraction and steamy bits. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Octavia Holton manages a gambling establishment with her sister Ivy started in London. But in trying to make improvements she borrows money that is now due. When she learns that her father has died she is determines to go to his home in the country to sell it to pay her debts. She arrives to find Gabriel Fallon at the home as well. He claims that her father gambled and lost the home to his father who also has died. They agree to share the house for a month while she looks for any will or proof that the property belongs to her. They will also work to clean up the house together. To make it proper for both to share a house in the small village they claim to be engaged and hire some towns people to chaperone, cook etc.
Octavia is impulsive and not a planner. She also comes off immature and dismissive in a sweet way. She brushes off words she doesn’t understand and doesn’t care to learn their meanings. Gabriel is handsome, kind and a scholar of mythology. One of the enriching parts of the story is the family created by taking in workers and giving them a place to live. Each of the servants has their own role, burst of personality, and back story. Octavia actually grows and changes during the course of the few weeks. And I like that she gets her moment to shine managing people and figuring a way out of her debts. Gabriel is lovely as the smitten scholar. I was a little confused about his life plans. He didn’t seem to want to teach and he has inheritance from his father but I wasn’t sure if he would need to work or just manage his assets.
Frampton does well with this close proximity trope. I always love the moments when each of the MCs realizes they have real feelings for the other. Especially where they just begin with attraction and steamy bits. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 23, 2022
Honestly, this one was a struggle to finish. The main female character was incredibly off-putting and that made it really hard to care about her getting a happy ending. Normally I can suffer an unlikable character if the writing style and plot are still engaging, but the storytelling never hooked me and the plot dragged on for about 1/3 of the book too long.
I didn't particularly like the "who needs planning" attitude of the heroine. She decided her life was a self-created mess, but hey, this guy's hot so I'll just shack up with him and see what happens. I like my female characters to have a brain and a backbone, not airhead gullible/trusting "this is a bad decision but I want to do it anyway." This one states multiple times that she doesn't think before she does anything and seems rather proud of that fact. Heaven forbid that she follow through on anything, even when it’s just writing down her job description….
She comes across as foolish and impulsive and doesn't deserve the main male character. She shows up laying claim to a house she has no right to, and dares to try to push out the actual owner. She admittedly had no relationship with her father, but seems to think she deserves his possessions. The whole premise of her being there is that she would have inherited the house, but why would she even think that given her past with her father? It doesn’t make sense and just makes her even worse as a person.
Plus, she’s not very considerate of the hero. She’s trying to steal his house with no proof, she’s pushy with him both sexually and otherwise, and she gives him a book he clearly highly values, then snatches it away again at the first opportunity. Why on earth would he like her or even be nice to her?
There was far too much internal dialogue, in the middle of actual conversations. Several times in this book, after two pages of "oh my gosh, I have feelings? Let me analyze this now!" when they finally come back with an answer, I had to flip backward just to figure out what the other character had actually asked.
All in all, I felt like the author was writing the book exactly as her character would - with no outline, impulsively, and not really knowing where the story was going.
I didn't particularly like the "who needs planning" attitude of the heroine. She decided her life was a self-created mess, but hey, this guy's hot so I'll just shack up with him and see what happens. I like my female characters to have a brain and a backbone, not airhead gullible/trusting "this is a bad decision but I want to do it anyway." This one states multiple times that she doesn't think before she does anything and seems rather proud of that fact. Heaven forbid that she follow through on anything, even when it’s just writing down her job description….
She comes across as foolish and impulsive and doesn't deserve the main male character. She shows up laying claim to a house she has no right to, and dares to try to push out the actual owner. She admittedly had no relationship with her father, but seems to think she deserves his possessions. The whole premise of her being there is that she would have inherited the house, but why would she even think that given her past with her father? It doesn’t make sense and just makes her even worse as a person.
Plus, she’s not very considerate of the hero. She’s trying to steal his house with no proof, she’s pushy with him both sexually and otherwise, and she gives him a book he clearly highly values, then snatches it away again at the first opportunity. Why on earth would he like her or even be nice to her?
There was far too much internal dialogue, in the middle of actual conversations. Several times in this book, after two pages of "oh my gosh, I have feelings? Let me analyze this now!" when they finally come back with an answer, I had to flip backward just to figure out what the other character had actually asked.
All in all, I felt like the author was writing the book exactly as her character would - with no outline, impulsively, and not really knowing where the story was going.
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