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Lords and Ladies of London #3.5
The Duke's Kiss
A Regency Novella
From friends to enemies the step is short, but what does it take to become lovers after years of hating each other?
The Duke of Chilham is looking forward to spending time with his twin sister and her lovely progeny. He doesn’t know he is at the center of a matchmaking scheme involving the last woman he wants to see ever again.
Lady Flora has been hurt by a scoundrel who betrayed her trust when she was young and doesn’t want or need to marry.
Forced together by a most persistent sister and the conniving weather, will William and Flora end up fighting? Or will they listen to their hearts and fight for their second chance at happiness instead?
From friends to enemies the step is short, but what does it take to become lovers after years of hating each other?
The Duke of Chilham is looking forward to spending time with his twin sister and her lovely progeny. He doesn’t know he is at the center of a matchmaking scheme involving the last woman he wants to see ever again.
Lady Flora has been hurt by a scoundrel who betrayed her trust when she was young and doesn’t want or need to marry.
Forced together by a most persistent sister and the conniving weather, will William and Flora end up fighting? Or will they listen to their hearts and fight for their second chance at happiness instead?
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2022
491 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Monica La Porta
87 books196 followersMonica La Porta landed in Seattle several years ago. Despite popular feelings about the Northwest weather, she finds the mist and the rain the perfect conditions to write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 12, 2022
Such a short tear-jerker...
I expected more angst in the present, maybe a little less details of the past, and certainly less melodrama regarding the time between.
The plot :The MCs fell in love at the age of 17, but before they could officially declare their feeling for each other, miscommunication drew them apart. Instead of dicsussing the issue (as usual) they started hating each other, or so they think. Finally, 7 years after not speaking to one another, H's sister decides to take things in her own hands - God bless her!!! 🙏
The safety:
It left me feeling devastated by the whole situation - they loved each other throughout the years, both were hurting so much, and this all could have been avoided with a simple conversation. That's just sad! 😔
December 3, 2025
Romantic, steamy, just the right length. An uplifting and easy read.
Want to read
March 22, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (3/22/2022)! 🎁
April 7, 2023
The book could have used another 30 pages in my honest opinion. The conflict was resolved a little half heartedly when compared to the amount of time and effort the author spent building it up. Though I would recommend as a fun and easy read to pass an hour or two.
I found the characters to be fun and interesting, if just a little one dimensional at times. For a quick 138 pages you can’t expect much more than that. Overall I really enjoyed this.
I found the characters to be fun and interesting, if just a little one dimensional at times. For a quick 138 pages you can’t expect much more than that. Overall I really enjoyed this.
February 24, 2024
i’m gonna say something i thought i would never say about a book i got for free: i wish it was longer. it was a cute book and i really liked the characters but the conflict was like there one minute and gone the next it was way too fast. i did finish this in 3 hours but i’m still counting it as a book bc i need to reach my goal this year lol
July 30, 2022
So
Much
Fun.
Love me a duke childhood friends to sweethearts to former lovers in the Regency era. This was very entertaining.
Much
Fun.
Love me a duke childhood friends to sweethearts to former lovers in the Regency era. This was very entertaining.
August 2, 2022
The writing style for this book was quite creative. Right off the bat, I was curious what incident caused the alienation between Flora and William. The way the writing goes back and forth across seven years meant I had to wait to the later end of the book to get the answer to that question. It was well-written, clever, and creative, and the characters were well-developed, especially for a novella. I look forward to reading more of Monica La Porta's books in the future.
May 31, 2022
Lady Flora & The Duke of Chilham, William & his twin sister Eleanor were childhood friends. As they got older William & Flora started having romantic feelings which grew. They would find ways to spend time alone. After they kissed, they knew it was much more than just a crush. They were falling in love. William wanted to give Flora a special day in the village. Then they got separated when a mob occurred in town. That separation changed both of their lives & the feelings for one another went from best friends, affection to hurt & hate. for the next 7 yrs.
All because of a deceiving B()+ Lady Edith (who is NO lady!) & her mother who wanted their claws into the future titled Duke... William & they would do anything to trap him into marriage. The plan succeed in the sense of breaking his relationship with Flora but they women didn't get the Duke to give into their threats.
All it did was put an angry wall over Flora broken heart. She never trusted a man, nor did she every give William the chance to explain what happened that fateful day. The Duke of Chilham changed into a Rake, womanizer, he would never allow love into his heart again! He never wanted to feel that pain. To deal with that pain that Lady Flora caused he used women as a sport. Never got emotionally entangled with them. Plus, to deal with his hurt from the woman he did love, he decided to despise her. Plus, they both lost their best friend. For Lady Eleanor she was put in a sticky position with the two people she loved the most. She would never betray her brother. But she wasn't willing to lose her friend that was more like a sister to her. The only way Lady Eleanor could have them in her twins' lives was to come for a visit at separate times. It would never be the three of them together. or would it? Lady Eleanor knew she may not be forgiven for her actions but 7 yrs. was enough! The Duke was starting to go to balls to take his place as the Duke by finding a woman to marry. Lady Eleanor was determined that the two people she loved the most were going to deal with whatever happened 7 yrs. ago.
The Duke of Chilham is looking forward to spending time with his twin sister Eleanor & his friend/brother-in-law Arthur & their terror twins. William enjoys the trouble he can cause with the twins. If it gives his sister Eleanor grief. It's payback for the years of abuse she caused him. But he knows that in truth his sister always tried to be their for him, when their father was horrible to him. What William doesn't know is that Eleanor is going to be opening a wound that has never been healed. She is determined that this Christmas she is going to be the center of getting William & Flora deal with whatever... happened 7 yrs. ago.
Lady Flora has been hurt by a scoundrel who betrayed her trust when she was young and doesn’t want or need to marry.
Forced together by a most persistent sister & friend. Can the Duke William and Lady Flora mend their broken hearts or break it to the point where the Duke will marry a cold, title driven woman.
Or can William take the one last chance to his hearts & fight for their second chance at happiness. Read what happens to the Duke & Lady Flora.
All because of a deceiving B()+ Lady Edith (who is NO lady!) & her mother who wanted their claws into the future titled Duke... William & they would do anything to trap him into marriage. The plan succeed in the sense of breaking his relationship with Flora but they women didn't get the Duke to give into their threats.
All it did was put an angry wall over Flora broken heart. She never trusted a man, nor did she every give William the chance to explain what happened that fateful day. The Duke of Chilham changed into a Rake, womanizer, he would never allow love into his heart again! He never wanted to feel that pain. To deal with that pain that Lady Flora caused he used women as a sport. Never got emotionally entangled with them. Plus, to deal with his hurt from the woman he did love, he decided to despise her. Plus, they both lost their best friend. For Lady Eleanor she was put in a sticky position with the two people she loved the most. She would never betray her brother. But she wasn't willing to lose her friend that was more like a sister to her. The only way Lady Eleanor could have them in her twins' lives was to come for a visit at separate times. It would never be the three of them together. or would it? Lady Eleanor knew she may not be forgiven for her actions but 7 yrs. was enough! The Duke was starting to go to balls to take his place as the Duke by finding a woman to marry. Lady Eleanor was determined that the two people she loved the most were going to deal with whatever happened 7 yrs. ago.
The Duke of Chilham is looking forward to spending time with his twin sister Eleanor & his friend/brother-in-law Arthur & their terror twins. William enjoys the trouble he can cause with the twins. If it gives his sister Eleanor grief. It's payback for the years of abuse she caused him. But he knows that in truth his sister always tried to be their for him, when their father was horrible to him. What William doesn't know is that Eleanor is going to be opening a wound that has never been healed. She is determined that this Christmas she is going to be the center of getting William & Flora deal with whatever... happened 7 yrs. ago.
Lady Flora has been hurt by a scoundrel who betrayed her trust when she was young and doesn’t want or need to marry.
Forced together by a most persistent sister & friend. Can the Duke William and Lady Flora mend their broken hearts or break it to the point where the Duke will marry a cold, title driven woman.
Or can William take the one last chance to his hearts & fight for their second chance at happiness. Read what happens to the Duke & Lady Flora.
January 4, 2024
True love never runs smooth, and these words have never been truer than when applied to this book. This novella is about a boy and a girl who fall in love at far too young an age, have a huge falling out, and refuse to have anything to do with one another for seven years. Then all is revealed for an HEA.
The book is a mercifully quick read at around 150 pages. The HMT (Huge Misunderstanding Trope) requires a light hand and perhaps a dash of something new and different to distinguish it from far too many other books that follow along the same theme.
This story is told in flashbacks throughout the book and is not particularly successful at it. Chapter one takes place in December 1813, the book’s current time. Chapter two takes us back to the summer of 1806 with the first of many flashbacks. Chapter three finds us back to the present, 1813, and chapter four sends us back to the past again. Chapter five is back to the present time, 1813. And so it goes, back and forth, until chapters eight, nine, and ten when there’s a reprieve from all the whiplash and all three chapters remain firmly in the 1806 past. Then onto chapter eleven and we’re back in the present. And so it goes. This gets very old. While I do not care for a dump of backstory, neither do I like the seesawing back-and-forth jerking around between time periods.
The whole story is based on one pivotal point: the hero and heroine refuse to ask each other “why?” After being such tight friends, they never give the other the benefit of a doubt, never ask for an explanation for what is perceived to be hurtful behavior. That defies logic and goes against the characters of both main protagonists, as presented to us by the writer.
And the main protagonists? During their friendship’s seven-year hiatus, the hero has become a jaded womanizer full of himself and shallow. The heroine has become bitter and tainted, also full of herself, and equally shallow. The story feels hollow and wrong. If they were so close, why not talk about The Incident that caused so-called true love to unravel? At the first test, their love falls apart. Each is faithless to the other. Two friends who refuse to talk after sharing a deep understanding of one another does not hold up for an entire novella. It is too unrealistic, even in a romance novel.
Another problem is that the book does not feel like the Regency period. There is far too much freedom afforded young people and the matter-of-fact loss of virginity is a modern concept, not one from the Regency world. The “I lost my virginity to a man because I couldn’t have you” just doesn’t play.
I rated this book 2.5 stars and rounded down. It was far too unbelievable on many levels: the time period, the nature of true friendship, and the disappointing characters of the main protagonists. I believe I’ll stay away from the next six books in the series.
The book is a mercifully quick read at around 150 pages. The HMT (Huge Misunderstanding Trope) requires a light hand and perhaps a dash of something new and different to distinguish it from far too many other books that follow along the same theme.
This story is told in flashbacks throughout the book and is not particularly successful at it. Chapter one takes place in December 1813, the book’s current time. Chapter two takes us back to the summer of 1806 with the first of many flashbacks. Chapter three finds us back to the present, 1813, and chapter four sends us back to the past again. Chapter five is back to the present time, 1813. And so it goes, back and forth, until chapters eight, nine, and ten when there’s a reprieve from all the whiplash and all three chapters remain firmly in the 1806 past. Then onto chapter eleven and we’re back in the present. And so it goes. This gets very old. While I do not care for a dump of backstory, neither do I like the seesawing back-and-forth jerking around between time periods.
The whole story is based on one pivotal point: the hero and heroine refuse to ask each other “why?” After being such tight friends, they never give the other the benefit of a doubt, never ask for an explanation for what is perceived to be hurtful behavior. That defies logic and goes against the characters of both main protagonists, as presented to us by the writer.
And the main protagonists? During their friendship’s seven-year hiatus, the hero has become a jaded womanizer full of himself and shallow. The heroine has become bitter and tainted, also full of herself, and equally shallow. The story feels hollow and wrong. If they were so close, why not talk about The Incident that caused so-called true love to unravel? At the first test, their love falls apart. Each is faithless to the other. Two friends who refuse to talk after sharing a deep understanding of one another does not hold up for an entire novella. It is too unrealistic, even in a romance novel.
Another problem is that the book does not feel like the Regency period. There is far too much freedom afforded young people and the matter-of-fact loss of virginity is a modern concept, not one from the Regency world. The “I lost my virginity to a man because I couldn’t have you” just doesn’t play.
I rated this book 2.5 stars and rounded down. It was far too unbelievable on many levels: the time period, the nature of true friendship, and the disappointing characters of the main protagonists. I believe I’ll stay away from the next six books in the series.
August 30, 2023
The story was okay, but not great or fantastic. More YA perhaps but tolerable. The reader gets to follow the characters from two viewpoints. From their youth, about 10yrs old when they all meet and switches back and forth between their early years and their current adulthood. It gets confusing sometimes since their actions can't always be identified as being adult or childhood.
The story isn't a bad one just not .....something's missing and I can't put my finger on what it is. Throughout the story we're led to believe that some betrayal in their youth led to our two lovers hating each other with a passion, never to be forgiven. When I finally learned what happened I turned off my kindle and went to sleep. Too disgusted to give the story another minuet of my time. Yeah, young and stupid, kids!
Anyway, I did finish the story and read the synopsis for two of LaPorts's other books that sound better than this one so I may give one of them a try.
The story isn't a bad one just not .....something's missing and I can't put my finger on what it is. Throughout the story we're led to believe that some betrayal in their youth led to our two lovers hating each other with a passion, never to be forgiven. When I finally learned what happened I turned off my kindle and went to sleep. Too disgusted to give the story another minuet of my time. Yeah, young and stupid, kids!
Anyway, I did finish the story and read the synopsis for two of LaPorts's other books that sound better than this one so I may give one of them a try.
April 3, 2022
The Duke of Chilham is visiting his twin sister but unbeknownst to him she is also matchmaking and he finds the woman did ever wanted or expected to see again - Lady Flora. When they were young she was his friend and they both expected to marry - then something happened and it all fell apart. First, his sister and second the weather forces them together, will they hate each other more or will they work it all out and finally give their love the second chance it deserves?
This was a sweet novella that showed that second chances at love happen even in Recency times. It was easy to read and understand. The change from enemies to lovers was a bit abrupt for me but I suppose at least it also prolonged the agony. I was thrilled when they managed to work it out.
This was a sweet novella that showed that second chances at love happen even in Recency times. It was easy to read and understand. The change from enemies to lovers was a bit abrupt for me but I suppose at least it also prolonged the agony. I was thrilled when they managed to work it out.
June 26, 2022
This novella, numbered as #1 in my edition, introduces readers to the Lords and Ladies of London series. The story alternates between past and present scenes, one of my favourite ways to tell a tale. The past is relatively recent, 7 years before, in the lives of William, the future Duke of Chilham and Lady Flora and takes place at their childhood homes. The present story occurs in December of 1813 at the home of William’s sister Eleanor. I really appreciated the character development, the back story and the romance that was developed but did find the story a little slow. This is a short sweet romance with engaging characters that I recommend to anyone who wants a quick feel good story that begins a new series.
January 14, 2023
Lady Flora, William the Duke of Chilham and his twin sister Eleanor were childhood friends. As Flora and William grew up they started falling in love with each other. Then one day a mob came into their town and separated them for seven years. Lady Edith trapped William changing him to becoming a scoundrel and breaking Flora’s heart and he became bitter trusting no woman. This also changed Flora as she didn’t trust any man either. Lady Eleanor loved her brother and missed her friend Flora. She got tired of Flora and William not speaking to each other and devised a plan to bring them back together. I really enjoyed reading this holiday romance novel.
May 31, 2022
Flora & William form a friendship that is lost when they both learn things that destroys them both. Just when things could have developed further they lose each other. Flora went her own way and now she is a horse breeder that everyone wants to buy horses from and William is now the Duke of Chilham and he is expected to find a wife one day so when Flora comes to spend Christmas with the family he is hopefully.
Will Flora be able to open her heart to William again? Will William be able to win her over?
A good read. Love the characters as they all have their part to play.
Will Flora be able to open her heart to William again? Will William be able to win her over?
A good read. Love the characters as they all have their part to play.
October 27, 2022
It was okay. Big misunderstanding trope, my least favourite. I also generally prefer one long flashback rather than switching back and forth from past to present and back again constantly.
At one point during a flashback the hero gets in trouble and is not allowed visitors, someone says he was “grounded”. Given that term likely originated from aviation is felt out of place in a regency. “Confined” would have made more sense. There’s also a mention of the “bans” being read before they can marry. It should be “banns”.
At one point during a flashback the hero gets in trouble and is not allowed visitors, someone says he was “grounded”. Given that term likely originated from aviation is felt out of place in a regency. “Confined” would have made more sense. There’s also a mention of the “bans” being read before they can marry. It should be “banns”.
January 1, 2023
i really liked the set up for this, 17 year old friends to lovers turned enemies now in their 20s. i enjoyed the writing and especially the angst — i just wish there had been more of it. of course, it was a novella and expected to be short, but i felt the whole "enemy" part of the plot was barely a thing, and the resolution happened a bit oddly? i think this really could have done well as a full fledged novel, as i loved the characters, even the duke's twin sister, and would have enjoyed more time with them/this romance. still, a fast read that i don't regret!
July 18, 2024
I did not find myself particularly fond of the excessively florid writing (which I'm imitating here, if you didn´t know). Also, the constant flashbacks got very tiresome after the second one. The action gets constantly interrupted by the flasbacks that have no real conection to the moment where they are thrown in. They get back together BEFORE we even learn why they got distanced in the first place! I would have enjoyed this more if all the chapters had been in chronological order. Oh, and the scene after they "make love" was akward AF.
July 10, 2022
Short and Sweet!
Would have been much better if only the whole issue of not being a virgin was not there. I don’t know why was it added to otherwise a beautiful story. Did the author just want to show that a woman can be bold and do whatever she desires sexually? Just that it was unrealistic and unreasonable. In 1800s a lady loses virginity without a scandal??? Huh 🤔
Otherwise a beautiful written short story.
Would have been much better if only the whole issue of not being a virgin was not there. I don’t know why was it added to otherwise a beautiful story. Did the author just want to show that a woman can be bold and do whatever she desires sexually? Just that it was unrealistic and unreasonable. In 1800s a lady loses virginity without a scandal??? Huh 🤔
Otherwise a beautiful written short story.
May 27, 2023
Sweet Romance
What a great read. Short and sweet. A little more would have been great, but these two together sure worked and I enjoyed them!
Its a sad moment when Pride comes into the picture and stops us from getting what we truly want.
Flora and William both have more than enough pride, and it sure took its toll! But loving someone sure knocks those walls of pride down and I'm glad to see they were able too endure.
What a great read. Short and sweet. A little more would have been great, but these two together sure worked and I enjoyed them!
Its a sad moment when Pride comes into the picture and stops us from getting what we truly want.
Flora and William both have more than enough pride, and it sure took its toll! But loving someone sure knocks those walls of pride down and I'm glad to see they were able too endure.
June 17, 2023
A good read
I enjoyed this book.
If I had one criticism it would be the spelling of the main females name!! Sometimes it was Eleanor other times it was Eleonor!! As a Brit, I would say the former is the correct spelling!!
A good book which moved backwards and forwards 7 years, between 17 and 24 year olds.
I felt it ended rather quickly, almost as if the author was told, "you've got 2 chapters to finish this!!"
All I all, a good read.
I enjoyed this book.
If I had one criticism it would be the spelling of the main females name!! Sometimes it was Eleanor other times it was Eleonor!! As a Brit, I would say the former is the correct spelling!!
A good book which moved backwards and forwards 7 years, between 17 and 24 year olds.
I felt it ended rather quickly, almost as if the author was told, "you've got 2 chapters to finish this!!"
All I all, a good read.
May 24, 2022
William and Flora
Best friends as children, they grew to love each other as teens. He even planned to ask her father for her hand in marriage, until...
Don't miss this fast paced, totally entertaining darling of a story. I laughed and sighed at the ups and downs of their relationship and funny family situations. Totally enjoyable!
Best friends as children, they grew to love each other as teens. He even planned to ask her father for her hand in marriage, until...
Don't miss this fast paced, totally entertaining darling of a story. I laughed and sighed at the ups and downs of their relationship and funny family situations. Totally enjoyable!
May 26, 2022
Miscommunication and flashbacks
My most hated of foes. The third flashback I no longer cared. It was a reunited lovers tale that could have been pretty good but went for steamy instead. The steamy is mildly steamy but not worth the loss of true action. The ballroom scene would have been a better opener.
My most hated of foes. The third flashback I no longer cared. It was a reunited lovers tale that could have been pretty good but went for steamy instead. The steamy is mildly steamy but not worth the loss of true action. The ballroom scene would have been a better opener.
July 10, 2022
The Duke’s Kiss
Although the writing was ok, the style was not to my liking. Using “big” words to impress was a bit much. Also, I found it hard to keep track of which era I was reading; the young era or older era. I don’t much like stories that jump from one year to years past and back and forth.
Although the writing was ok, the style was not to my liking. Using “big” words to impress was a bit much. Also, I found it hard to keep track of which era I was reading; the young era or older era. I don’t much like stories that jump from one year to years past and back and forth.
March 22, 2023
What a wonderful story.
I always love a story where you are able to see where the characters have come from and how they have become the strong characters they are now. To see ones self as a 17 year old and to see how one has become the man or woman they are now is so uplifting. I have just uncovered Ms. La Ports as a writer and I can't wait to read more of her stories.Enjoy!
I always love a story where you are able to see where the characters have come from and how they have become the strong characters they are now. To see ones self as a 17 year old and to see how one has become the man or woman they are now is so uplifting. I have just uncovered Ms. La Ports as a writer and I can't wait to read more of her stories.Enjoy!
April 2, 2023
The flowery language was too much at times and the love scenes unrealistically funny at points. They reunited as lovers before we even found out why they'd become enemies which chronologically felt wrong, and the reason was the - imho - annoying trope of miscommunication.
If you like a short enemies to lovers historical romance with miscommunication trope, then you might like this.
If you like a short enemies to lovers historical romance with miscommunication trope, then you might like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2023
Delightful!
Short novella moving between 2 time periods which.cover the history of William, Flora, and their neighboring families! When young, misunderstandings and hurt feeling and pride drive them apart for 7 Years. These accounts alternate chapters so the reader follows the current meeting with their past history. It is well written, good story, with interesting characters!
Short novella moving between 2 time periods which.cover the history of William, Flora, and their neighboring families! When young, misunderstandings and hurt feeling and pride drive them apart for 7 Years. These accounts alternate chapters so the reader follows the current meeting with their past history. It is well written, good story, with interesting characters!
December 20, 2024
A cute second chance romance. A misunderstanding drives blossoming love into seven years of hatred. Other than wishing the resolution had been expanded on, this was super well written and I adored the characters and the passion—whether it be love or hate—they shared. High recommend if looking for a fun and quick read!
April 30, 2025
Enemies to lovers stories can be highly entertaining as they provide so much scope. Here the story starts well with humour and sprightly characters, but it is rather let down after this by swapping between two timelines where the early one becomes less convincing to the extent that the concept is spoilt.
March 18, 2022
This was a phenomenal Novella and I loved every page. As only the author can conceive, the plot was very intriguing with surprising actions. Very well written with attention to detail. I recommend this highly as well as the rest of the books in the series.
April 21, 2022
surprise in Store
Long time friends had a misunderstanding and did not speak for years. William's twin sister created an opportunity for them to meet at her house party and all was well.
Long time friends had a misunderstanding and did not speak for years. William's twin sister created an opportunity for them to meet at her house party and all was well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews