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Would-Be Wallflowers #3
Not That Duke
The Duke of Huntington has no interest in an eccentric redhead who frowns at him over her spectacles…until he realizes that she is the only possible duchess for him. A new enemies-to-lovers romance by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James.
Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors—which definitely doesn’t include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her “Specs” as he chases after elegant rivals.
And then—
The worst happens. Marriage.
To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.
How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he’s fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she’s in love—but not with that duke.
Not with her husband.
Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors—which definitely doesn’t include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her “Specs” as he chases after elegant rivals.
And then—
The worst happens. Marriage.
To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.
How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he’s fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she’s in love—but not with that duke.
Not with her husband.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 25, 2023
849 people are currently reading
9458 people want to read
About the author
Eloisa James
123 books9,534 followersNew York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 774 reviews
July 9, 2023
✨If you listened to Foolish One by Taylor Swift and were like ah yes I want to read a book where the heroine is constantly led on by the hero…then you’re so in luck. It does have an HEA…but it’s basically as close to that song as you can get.✨
*This review contains spoilers.*
If you didn’t like book two, I don’t think this will be much of an improvement. Yes, I did like it better, but it also reminded me constantly of how much was wrong with book two. The story relied heavily on book two, even though there was literally a note at the beginning saying it wasn’t necessary to have read it. I greatly disagree. The pacing was so funky that if I didn’t know what happened in book two, I’d have been like WUT is going on.
The book is split into two parts, the first part taking place during the events of book two. This means we see more of Lydia being a wench, Giles being a prig, and Yasmin being too nice about all of it. Lydia (and Giles) ruined book two for me, so I must admit I really didn’t care for the entire first half of this book, as it felt like I was rereading book two with even MORE of Lydia’s machinations. I don’t even think she was properly dealt with in this book, so I’m doubly vexed why we needed to revisit that train wreck.
The hero, Silvester, fancied himself in love with Yasmin so the entire first half he was courting her and being incredibly thick skulled regarding Stella (the heroine). He was like I loooooove her but I’ll admit I would like to bang Stella. Which really just reduced their entire relationship to lust, and I never saw him fall in love love. Eloisa was aware of this, as the lust came up in several conversations…but it was never properly handled.
Part one ends with Silvester absconding to the country with Yasmin, with no explanation. We barely got any of his POV throughout the book (the majority given to Stella) so when he had his whole big shift of feelings towards her…it happened off page and in the country with Yasmin where we WEREN’T. He came back and was like nice that was fun and fresh Stella let’s get married, and she was rightfully confused. Since I didn’t see the shift of his emotions on the page, I was like why the hell is he suddenly so over Yasmin?? He then strongarmed her into marriage—something I don’t always dislike, but here it just felt unnecessary. It could’ve been a moment for their relationship to develop. Lots of telling not showing.
By 60% I genuinely thought the book was over. They were married and seemed happy? I was questioning what the hell was going to be the third act, until I realized it was all of the unresolved insecurity Stella had since she also believed Silvester to be pining for Yasmin. And then he had a random thing where he was adamant that he didn’t love Stella…for reasons unknown. He was so quick to love Yasmin! He was like why do you still think I love Yasmin??? And I’m like SIR you’ve given NONE of us an explanation and we’re 95% in!
Yeah half of the book he was in love with someone else, Stella was kinda of being courted by Giles, and it was just unnecessarily convoluted. He was like yeah Stella I was courting her, but I was playing chess with YOU and thinking about your body…like what am I supposed to do with that info?? Doesn’t seem like a great guy lmao. It really seemed like he loved her body from the start, but we never found out why he fell in love with her. Superficial I guess?
I think this need another round of developmental editing because the pace felt choppy and incredibly random at times. We also needed way more of Silvester’s POV, as he had a lot of ground to cover in order to convince everyone he was over Yasmin. Since the book was two parts, half of the plot just dropped off at 50% and it seemed very abrupt. There were a lot of time jumps and not a lot of depth to the plot or relationship. Splitting this book in two felt like it was used as a bandaid to try to connect two very different stories. Why rehash the entirety of book two and spend half of the book doing it??
This book just felt like an underdeveloped afterthought. I liked the second part way better than the first, as it actually seemed a. relevant to the relationship and b. like a NEW book not book two in a different font. While book two angered me, this one at least didn’t do that. I don’t hate it, and it shaped up to be a cute ending…but it was just so chaotically plotted and developed. The fact that that man had a whole ass come to Jesus moment off page, got over a years long crush, and decided to marry the heroine…and we saw him think through NONE OF IT??? Idk seems pretty wild to me.
I know I listed a lot of grievances, but I did still enjoy the main characters once we got halfway through. I always liked Stella, and the newly introduced side characters were fun, especially the dowager. The bones of a really compelling story were there, but we only got about half of it. The book could’ve opened with Silvester upset about Yasmin’s marriage to Giles with about a half a page recap, and it would’ve been GREAT. No need to overlap them like that! Let these two cuties shine.
✨
I hate to say it, but I hope this is the last book in the series. I just really need a break from the characters, especially since Lydia didn’t seem properly quelled. I swear if Blanche somehow gets a book and Lydia is there!!! I really liked Blanche by the end, but even her turnabout seemed half baked. I’d have liked to see more of her friendship with Stella develop. I greatly enjoy Eloisa’s writing, and I really hoped I would love this one, but it was closer to book two than book one for me.
⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️.5*/5
*I just wasn’t feeling the chemistry for most of this book, and there wasn’t a lot of spice. While I have major complaints about book two, that book was at least BANGIN.
Thanks to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
*This review contains spoilers.*
If you didn’t like book two, I don’t think this will be much of an improvement. Yes, I did like it better, but it also reminded me constantly of how much was wrong with book two. The story relied heavily on book two, even though there was literally a note at the beginning saying it wasn’t necessary to have read it. I greatly disagree. The pacing was so funky that if I didn’t know what happened in book two, I’d have been like WUT is going on.
The book is split into two parts, the first part taking place during the events of book two. This means we see more of Lydia being a wench, Giles being a prig, and Yasmin being too nice about all of it. Lydia (and Giles) ruined book two for me, so I must admit I really didn’t care for the entire first half of this book, as it felt like I was rereading book two with even MORE of Lydia’s machinations. I don’t even think she was properly dealt with in this book, so I’m doubly vexed why we needed to revisit that train wreck.
The hero, Silvester, fancied himself in love with Yasmin so the entire first half he was courting her and being incredibly thick skulled regarding Stella (the heroine). He was like I loooooove her but I’ll admit I would like to bang Stella. Which really just reduced their entire relationship to lust, and I never saw him fall in love love. Eloisa was aware of this, as the lust came up in several conversations…but it was never properly handled.
Part one ends with Silvester absconding to the country with Yasmin, with no explanation. We barely got any of his POV throughout the book (the majority given to Stella) so when he had his whole big shift of feelings towards her…it happened off page and in the country with Yasmin where we WEREN’T. He came back and was like nice that was fun and fresh Stella let’s get married, and she was rightfully confused. Since I didn’t see the shift of his emotions on the page, I was like why the hell is he suddenly so over Yasmin?? He then strongarmed her into marriage—something I don’t always dislike, but here it just felt unnecessary. It could’ve been a moment for their relationship to develop. Lots of telling not showing.
By 60% I genuinely thought the book was over. They were married and seemed happy? I was questioning what the hell was going to be the third act, until I realized it was all of the unresolved insecurity Stella had since she also believed Silvester to be pining for Yasmin. And then he had a random thing where he was adamant that he didn’t love Stella…for reasons unknown. He was so quick to love Yasmin! He was like why do you still think I love Yasmin??? And I’m like SIR you’ve given NONE of us an explanation and we’re 95% in!
Yeah half of the book he was in love with someone else, Stella was kinda of being courted by Giles, and it was just unnecessarily convoluted. He was like yeah Stella I was courting her, but I was playing chess with YOU and thinking about your body…like what am I supposed to do with that info?? Doesn’t seem like a great guy lmao. It really seemed like he loved her body from the start, but we never found out why he fell in love with her. Superficial I guess?
I think this need another round of developmental editing because the pace felt choppy and incredibly random at times. We also needed way more of Silvester’s POV, as he had a lot of ground to cover in order to convince everyone he was over Yasmin. Since the book was two parts, half of the plot just dropped off at 50% and it seemed very abrupt. There were a lot of time jumps and not a lot of depth to the plot or relationship. Splitting this book in two felt like it was used as a bandaid to try to connect two very different stories. Why rehash the entirety of book two and spend half of the book doing it??
This book just felt like an underdeveloped afterthought. I liked the second part way better than the first, as it actually seemed a. relevant to the relationship and b. like a NEW book not book two in a different font. While book two angered me, this one at least didn’t do that. I don’t hate it, and it shaped up to be a cute ending…but it was just so chaotically plotted and developed. The fact that that man had a whole ass come to Jesus moment off page, got over a years long crush, and decided to marry the heroine…and we saw him think through NONE OF IT??? Idk seems pretty wild to me.
I know I listed a lot of grievances, but I did still enjoy the main characters once we got halfway through. I always liked Stella, and the newly introduced side characters were fun, especially the dowager. The bones of a really compelling story were there, but we only got about half of it. The book could’ve opened with Silvester upset about Yasmin’s marriage to Giles with about a half a page recap, and it would’ve been GREAT. No need to overlap them like that! Let these two cuties shine.
✨
I hate to say it, but I hope this is the last book in the series. I just really need a break from the characters, especially since Lydia didn’t seem properly quelled. I swear if Blanche somehow gets a book and Lydia is there!!! I really liked Blanche by the end, but even her turnabout seemed half baked. I’d have liked to see more of her friendship with Stella develop. I greatly enjoy Eloisa’s writing, and I really hoped I would love this one, but it was closer to book two than book one for me.
⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️.5*/5
*I just wasn’t feeling the chemistry for most of this book, and there wasn’t a lot of spice. While I have major complaints about book two, that book was at least BANGIN.
Thanks to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
August 4, 2023
I love that a huge part of the plot of this book is how self conscious she is of her glasses and freckles and how much he loves them and how the cover model has NEITHER
July 22, 2023
We both really, really enjoyed this book while at the same time recognizing that ... maybe we shouldn't? It has been our favorite of the series so far, featuring an actual wallflower (instead of a "would-be wallflower" as implied by the series title).
Stella is "plump" (she's got big boobs and doesn't look good in Regency garb, which, *sigh*), smart (ugh men hate smart women), and is kind of the opposite of a mean girl (she doesn't gossip and tries to think the best of everyone).
Silvester is a hot Regency duke, and he's determined to marry Yasmin. But he soon realizes that he's not really /into/ Yasmin, he just thinks she'd probably look good on his arm and be an OK duchess. He's /actually/ into Stella. Does he tell Stella this? No. Does he tell ANYONE this? Also no.
Stella, in fact, is his actual second choice, and no one (NO ONE) ever forgets it. And, like, this makes Silvester sound like a jerk (or maybe he's actually a jerk), and we recognize this, and yet we were still into this one. Would we have loved a grand gesture or an amazing grovel? Sure! That said, probably thanks Eloisa James's writing, we just ~feel things~ for both Stella and Silvester, and Stilvester the couple (we're still workshopping that portmanteau).
Final rec? If you read book 2 in the series, you should DEFINITELY read this one. We felt that it was the palate cleanser we needed. Yes, it's 4.5 stars rounded to 5, we need to just accept it.
35-Word Summaries:
Meg: Silvester: his social awareness is very high and his self awareness is very low. Stella: basically awesome and Silvester knows it. Except for some reason he lets everyone think he’s in love with someone else…
Laine: Sylvester (sic) decides to marry the season's incomparable, but she picks his BFF. He feels lucky he wasn't stuck with someone he admired but didn't love, too bad his new wife still feels second best.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Stella is "plump" (she's got big boobs and doesn't look good in Regency garb, which, *sigh*), smart (ugh men hate smart women), and is kind of the opposite of a mean girl (she doesn't gossip and tries to think the best of everyone).
Silvester is a hot Regency duke, and he's determined to marry Yasmin. But he soon realizes that he's not really /into/ Yasmin, he just thinks she'd probably look good on his arm and be an OK duchess. He's /actually/ into Stella. Does he tell Stella this? No. Does he tell ANYONE this? Also no.
Stella, in fact, is his actual second choice, and no one (NO ONE) ever forgets it. And, like, this makes Silvester sound like a jerk (or maybe he's actually a jerk), and we recognize this, and yet we were still into this one. Would we have loved a grand gesture or an amazing grovel? Sure! That said, probably thanks Eloisa James's writing, we just ~feel things~ for both Stella and Silvester, and Stilvester the couple (we're still workshopping that portmanteau).
Final rec? If you read book 2 in the series, you should DEFINITELY read this one. We felt that it was the palate cleanser we needed. Yes, it's 4.5 stars rounded to 5, we need to just accept it.
35-Word Summaries:
Meg: Silvester: his social awareness is very high and his self awareness is very low. Stella: basically awesome and Silvester knows it. Except for some reason he lets everyone think he’s in love with someone else…
Laine: Sylvester (sic) decides to marry the season's incomparable, but she picks his BFF. He feels lucky he wasn't stuck with someone he admired but didn't love, too bad his new wife still feels second best.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
September 9, 2023
I have enjoyed so many of this author’s books but this was disappointing.
I dislike love triangles and hate stories where a spouse is in love with someone else and where he, (or she- but in this case it’s Silvester, the husband) spends the book ignorant/uncaring of the hurt he’s causing his wife.
It took far, far too long for him to realise he wasn’t really in love with Yasmin but by then the damage to his wife was done. She got to the stage of accepting he loved another but asked him to not be so obvious in public. Wtf! He was a jerk of the highest order and he didn’t grovel enough. I wanted romance and instead I got betrayal. Sure, he wasn’t physically unfaithful but he might as well have been.
Really disappointing.
I dislike love triangles and hate stories where a spouse is in love with someone else and where he, (or she- but in this case it’s Silvester, the husband) spends the book ignorant/uncaring of the hurt he’s causing his wife.
It took far, far too long for him to realise he wasn’t really in love with Yasmin but by then the damage to his wife was done. She got to the stage of accepting he loved another but asked him to not be so obvious in public. Wtf! He was a jerk of the highest order and he didn’t grovel enough. I wanted romance and instead I got betrayal. Sure, he wasn’t physically unfaithful but he might as well have been.
Really disappointing.
October 15, 2025
Português
Gostei muito de ler este livro! A narrativa centra-se em personagens reconhecíveis e num ritmo que privilegia a segurança emocional sobre surpresas radicais. A autora retoma temas e traços que já lhe são característicos. Entrega desta forma um enredo acolhedor e previsível na melhor acepção da palavra.
English
I really enjoyed reading this book! The narrative focuses on familiar, easily recognizable characters and a pace that prioritizes emotional security over radical surprises. The author revisits themes and traits characteristic of her work, delivering a warm, reassuringly predictable plot in the best sense of the word.
Gostei muito de ler este livro! A narrativa centra-se em personagens reconhecíveis e num ritmo que privilegia a segurança emocional sobre surpresas radicais. A autora retoma temas e traços que já lhe são característicos. Entrega desta forma um enredo acolhedor e previsível na melhor acepção da palavra.
English
I really enjoyed reading this book! The narrative focuses on familiar, easily recognizable characters and a pace that prioritizes emotional security over radical surprises. The author revisits themes and traits characteristic of her work, delivering a warm, reassuringly predictable plot in the best sense of the word.
June 6, 2025
This was full to the brim of wit and emotion, but didn’t quite pull off a wholly satisfying HEA.
Part 1 introduces Stella, who had lost her parents at a young age and was raised by a propriety-obsessed aunt and a mostly absent uncle who were ill-equipped to raise a gerbil, let alone a child. Her aunt cared for Stella in her way, but Stella was always aware that she was not the child her aunt wanted her to be. She was short and curvy, had flaming red hair, was freckled, needed spectacles to function, and OMG! read books. No matter how much her aunt tried to pound the square peg that was Stella into society’s round hole, she was never going to fit, and her first season in the marriage mart was a nightmare haunted by mean girls and fortune hunters.
Stella liked the idea of a husband as much as any other woman, but if there was one thing the Season had taught her, it was that no one wanted her. Not the way she was. And there was no becoming someone else.
I love Stella. Any female on the planet with even slightly-squared edges will love Stella, and know and understand her pain and insecurity.
Silvester, the Duke of Huntington likes Stella. Unfortunately, the Duke of Huntington’s famously eccentric mother likes Stella too, and chooses her for his wife. That would be a no.
To be clear, he didn’t mind Stella’s lack of height or her spectacles. Certainly he appreciated her rather glorious bosom. The eccentricity? That he minded. Rumor had it that she’d read the entire encyclopedia, which explained the fact that their conversations were often startling. And interesting. He liked arguing with Stella; he just didn’t want to marry her.
The duke has had enough of eccentricity from his infamous parents: he wants what everyone else wants, the lovely, charming Yasmin (of a previous book in the series). And if there’s a competition, the Duke must win it.
Which is the overweening problem I had with this book: the author establishes two motivations for Silvester, fitting in, which he does successfully, hiding everything he considers a flaw in himself with superficial charm and ease, and winning. At everything. And Silvester adheres to his plan to the point of insanity and the end of my patience.
Once the duke perceives that the biggest prize to win is Yasmin, he laser-focuses on doing just that. In spite of the yearning glances she exchanges with his best friend Giles. In spite of the explosive chemistry and genuine joy he feels whenever he’s with Stella. In spite of his own misgivings. In spite of how stupid I thought him.
Part 2 finds Silvester regrouping after losing (gasp!) Yasmin to Giles. He gleefully puts Plan B into action but (gasp!) Stella doesn’t want to be anyone’s Plan B. She wants to be someone’s Plan A and will settle for nothing else! Yay, Stella! Brava!
And this is where the book lost a star and, I freely admit, it might have been two stars for any author I love less than James. Huntington should have examined his motivations and his FEELINGS, and seen the error of his ways. He needed to grovel. He needed to woo. He needed to give Stella time and attention and make her feel like a queen, his queen, second-best to none. Instead, Stella deserved a better ending than “I’m sorry and I love you.”
One final note: I wish that gorgeous woman on the book cover was wearing spectacles because that is EXACTLY how I pictured Stella in my mind.
Part 1 introduces Stella, who had lost her parents at a young age and was raised by a propriety-obsessed aunt and a mostly absent uncle who were ill-equipped to raise a gerbil, let alone a child. Her aunt cared for Stella in her way, but Stella was always aware that she was not the child her aunt wanted her to be. She was short and curvy, had flaming red hair, was freckled, needed spectacles to function, and OMG! read books. No matter how much her aunt tried to pound the square peg that was Stella into society’s round hole, she was never going to fit, and her first season in the marriage mart was a nightmare haunted by mean girls and fortune hunters.
Stella liked the idea of a husband as much as any other woman, but if there was one thing the Season had taught her, it was that no one wanted her. Not the way she was. And there was no becoming someone else.
I love Stella. Any female on the planet with even slightly-squared edges will love Stella, and know and understand her pain and insecurity.
Silvester, the Duke of Huntington likes Stella. Unfortunately, the Duke of Huntington’s famously eccentric mother likes Stella too, and chooses her for his wife. That would be a no.
To be clear, he didn’t mind Stella’s lack of height or her spectacles. Certainly he appreciated her rather glorious bosom. The eccentricity? That he minded. Rumor had it that she’d read the entire encyclopedia, which explained the fact that their conversations were often startling. And interesting. He liked arguing with Stella; he just didn’t want to marry her.
The duke has had enough of eccentricity from his infamous parents: he wants what everyone else wants, the lovely, charming Yasmin (of a previous book in the series). And if there’s a competition, the Duke must win it.
Which is the overweening problem I had with this book: the author establishes two motivations for Silvester, fitting in, which he does successfully, hiding everything he considers a flaw in himself with superficial charm and ease, and winning. At everything. And Silvester adheres to his plan to the point of insanity and the end of my patience.
Once the duke perceives that the biggest prize to win is Yasmin, he laser-focuses on doing just that. In spite of the yearning glances she exchanges with his best friend Giles. In spite of the explosive chemistry and genuine joy he feels whenever he’s with Stella. In spite of his own misgivings. In spite of how stupid I thought him.
Part 2 finds Silvester regrouping after losing (gasp!) Yasmin to Giles. He gleefully puts Plan B into action but (gasp!) Stella doesn’t want to be anyone’s Plan B. She wants to be someone’s Plan A and will settle for nothing else! Yay, Stella! Brava!
And this is where the book lost a star and, I freely admit, it might have been two stars for any author I love less than James. Huntington should have examined his motivations and his FEELINGS, and seen the error of his ways. He needed to grovel. He needed to woo. He needed to give Stella time and attention and make her feel like a queen, his queen, second-best to none. Instead, Stella deserved a better ending than “I’m sorry and I love you.”
One final note: I wish that gorgeous woman on the book cover was wearing spectacles because that is EXACTLY how I pictured Stella in my mind.
Read
August 7, 2023ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
DNF....No rating.
I am probably a minority here but I just could not get into this story and characters. And the writing was all over the place and choppy.
I tried but at half way point I was done. I am at a point now where not going to force it or finish, time is too precious.
Here are some of the things that bothered me. Heroines self-esteem issue. Everyone is in love or infatuated with someone else. And the big gripe is the hero was pining for someone else half the book, that's when I just couldn't read this any more. No chemistry to boot.
I have had several disappointments with this author recently. Not sure if I will pick up another of her books to be honest.
DNF....No rating.
I am probably a minority here but I just could not get into this story and characters. And the writing was all over the place and choppy.
I tried but at half way point I was done. I am at a point now where not going to force it or finish, time is too precious.
Here are some of the things that bothered me. Heroines self-esteem issue. Everyone is in love or infatuated with someone else. And the big gripe is the hero was pining for someone else half the book, that's when I just couldn't read this any more. No chemistry to boot.
I have had several disappointments with this author recently. Not sure if I will pick up another of her books to be honest.
April 28, 2024
SHE DESERVED SO MUCH MORE!!! Story of a brave woman embracing her uniqueness & fucking dumb guy who doesn’t know how lucky he is 🎵
“I will find a man who adores me or I’ll buy a house next to a bookstore.”
Lady Stella is an absolutely stunning creature inside & out but is seriously overlooked among the ton ✨ She has red hair & freckles and a beautiful singing voice. Too bad the London’s society is like a high school 👓 with bullying mean girls and stupid dumb handsome men that stifle Stella’s true nature.
I loathed Silvester with a passion of a summer storm ⛈️ he did unforgivable things to Stella & didn’t even grovel sufficiently!!!!
-insulted her personality to make another woman laugh
-kissed the fmc but then went on vacation with ow
-forced the fmc into a marriage when she said NO to his proposal 💍
-chatted with ow even after he was already MARRIED!!! it wasn’t exactly romantic but *knock knock* is anyone home?
This one genuinely hurt! After always coming second in her family & friend circles, Stella did not deserve to also be deprived of being someone’s FIRST 😿Silvester was actually so man-dumb at times and didn’t even see how incredibly hurtful his actions were. Even worse when you can’t really hate the ow because she is actually really nice!! okay so it’s just the mmc that’s bad then…
I actually really enjoyed the writing and would definitely read something from this author again. Especially appreciate the scandalously adventures fmc and her use of modern spice language 🌶️
“I will find a man who adores me or I’ll buy a house next to a bookstore.”
Lady Stella is an absolutely stunning creature inside & out but is seriously overlooked among the ton ✨ She has red hair & freckles and a beautiful singing voice. Too bad the London’s society is like a high school 👓 with bullying mean girls and stupid dumb handsome men that stifle Stella’s true nature.
I loathed Silvester with a passion of a summer storm ⛈️ he did unforgivable things to Stella & didn’t even grovel sufficiently!!!!
-insulted her personality to make another woman laugh
-kissed the fmc but then went on vacation with ow
-forced the fmc into a marriage when she said NO to his proposal 💍
-chatted with ow even after he was already MARRIED!!! it wasn’t exactly romantic but *knock knock* is anyone home?
This one genuinely hurt! After always coming second in her family & friend circles, Stella did not deserve to also be deprived of being someone’s FIRST 😿Silvester was actually so man-dumb at times and didn’t even see how incredibly hurtful his actions were. Even worse when you can’t really hate the ow because she is actually really nice!! okay so it’s just the mmc that’s bad then…
I actually really enjoyed the writing and would definitely read something from this author again. Especially appreciate the scandalously adventures fmc and her use of modern spice language 🌶️
August 12, 2023
Not That Duke by Eloisa James
Would-Be Wallflowers series #3. Historical romance. Enemies to lovers. Can be read as a stand-alone.
The Duke of Huntington thought to marry the “popular” girl but ends up chasing after Lady Stella Corsham, who has freckles and wears glasses. She fascinates him. But she doesn’t seem quite as enamored.
Lady Stella knows her best asset is her dowry. She simply can’t imagine anyone loving her with her abundant curves, freckles and glasses. So she’ll have to make the best of her situation as much as it may hurt her heart.
Beautiful courtship and story. I loved how the two played off each other although it would have been so much “prettier” if it was instant love. Unfortunately that would not be reality. The acceptance and love were so much more rewarding when won. Stella captured me with her self doubt and determination. So very beautiful even as it takes time for her to see it.
It’s a great romantic love story.
Even better, the author’s note at the end had me so emotional and wanting to send her a hug.
I won a copy of this from a Goodreads contest. I also purchased a audiobook copy and alternated reading between the two formats.
Would-Be Wallflowers series #3. Historical romance. Enemies to lovers. Can be read as a stand-alone.
The Duke of Huntington thought to marry the “popular” girl but ends up chasing after Lady Stella Corsham, who has freckles and wears glasses. She fascinates him. But she doesn’t seem quite as enamored.
Lady Stella knows her best asset is her dowry. She simply can’t imagine anyone loving her with her abundant curves, freckles and glasses. So she’ll have to make the best of her situation as much as it may hurt her heart.
Beautiful courtship and story. I loved how the two played off each other although it would have been so much “prettier” if it was instant love. Unfortunately that would not be reality. The acceptance and love were so much more rewarding when won. Stella captured me with her self doubt and determination. So very beautiful even as it takes time for her to see it.
It’s a great romantic love story.
Even better, the author’s note at the end had me so emotional and wanting to send her a hug.
I won a copy of this from a Goodreads contest. I also purchased a audiobook copy and alternated reading between the two formats.
August 20, 2023
The first half of the book happens concurrently with the previous book in this series. Which is usually fine, but the way this is written I felt like I was reading that book again. It was like all the things I didnt like about book two were being rehashed in this book. Lydia is back and more annoying than ever, our hero is in love with another woman and the heroine is rightfully annoyed by it. Then part two of the book we basically meet a happy ending early on and just have to wait for the hero to say I love you. Not EJ’s best here.
August 11, 2023
This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy historical romance novel. It has a likable, intelligent, female protagonist, an adorable kitten, relationship drama, plenty of Ms. James' trademark humor and wit, with several laugh out loud moments, and a happily ever after ending. This is the third entry in Ms. James' outstanding Would-Be Wallflowers series, and can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone.
July 23, 2023
"Not That Duke" is a good way to pass a sunny, quiet summer afternoon or two. The story mirrors the events of "The Reluctant Countess" but told from Stella and Silvester's point of view. I am not a fan of the trope, but it worked very well here. Stella has several insecurities, and they lead her to almost sabotage the best thing that has ever happened to her. Sylvester is thick as a brick at times, but finally understands his wife's point of view at the end.
Lady Stella Corsham has the largest dowery on offer this Season and, you would think, as a result a great number of suitors. Sadly, that is not the case. Stella had some body image problems: she has red hair, freckles, wears glasses, is short and overly endowed. Her only suitors are in love with Lady Yasmin and everyone knows it. She believes she would suit well with the Earl on Lilford, but he is stoically pursuing Yasmin. She wouldn't want him anyway; his sister is a horrid person, and he is very dour. The man who makes her pulse race is Sylvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, but he is hopelessly besotted with Yasmin too. Although he does like to jest with her and dance with her and he is coming to call to play chess an awful lot. But Stella knows that the handsome, wealthy Duke would never consider her marriage material. But a girl can dream.
Sylvester has a major problem on his hands. After paying court to Yasmin during the season, she has chosen Giles, the Earl of Lilford to wed. Sylvester doesn't like to lose, at anything. After examining what happened, he comes to the conclusion that Yasmin would not have been suitable for him. It didn't matter that his mother told him that from the beginning. She also told him that Stella would make him the prefect Dutchess. Gad, he just hates that his mother is right. Now all he has to do is convince Stella.
My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
Lady Stella Corsham has the largest dowery on offer this Season and, you would think, as a result a great number of suitors. Sadly, that is not the case. Stella had some body image problems: she has red hair, freckles, wears glasses, is short and overly endowed. Her only suitors are in love with Lady Yasmin and everyone knows it. She believes she would suit well with the Earl on Lilford, but he is stoically pursuing Yasmin. She wouldn't want him anyway; his sister is a horrid person, and he is very dour. The man who makes her pulse race is Sylvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, but he is hopelessly besotted with Yasmin too. Although he does like to jest with her and dance with her and he is coming to call to play chess an awful lot. But Stella knows that the handsome, wealthy Duke would never consider her marriage material. But a girl can dream.
Sylvester has a major problem on his hands. After paying court to Yasmin during the season, she has chosen Giles, the Earl of Lilford to wed. Sylvester doesn't like to lose, at anything. After examining what happened, he comes to the conclusion that Yasmin would not have been suitable for him. It didn't matter that his mother told him that from the beginning. She also told him that Stella would make him the prefect Dutchess. Gad, he just hates that his mother is right. Now all he has to do is convince Stella.
My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
August 21, 2023
Lady Stella has hoards of suitors, but they’re only after her massive dowry, certainly not her freckles, red hair, or plump figure. Silvester Parnell, the Duke of Huntington, is certainly not included among their number given his status as London’s most sought-after bachelor.
Unfortunately, Stella finds herself maneuvered into marrying the duke for all the wrong reasons. Though she’s long harbored deep feelings for him, this is the worst position she can imagine being in, knowing his feelings for someone else. Now Silvester is left to convince Stella that he truly has fallen in love with the unique woman he married.
This was a fun read and I definitely found myself relating to Stella’s quirks and difficulty fitting in. I loved seeing her come into her own and learn to stand up for herself, though I could’ve done with less of the duke’s attention given to Yasmin. It took him a bit long to turn his eyes to Stella for me, though I did appreciate watching their friendship develop into something more once Silvester finally woke up and listened to his own feelings. His cluelessness did make sense given how much his mother had clearly loved his late father despite being apparently unaware of the emotion. Silvester’s infatuation with Yasmin in the previous book definitely made me nervous going into this one, but it did quickly become clear that the feelings he had for Stella were much deeper than the superficial ones he might have had for Yasmin. I really enjoyed seeing Stella and Silvester gradually peel back one another’s layers and learn how to communicate.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Unfortunately, Stella finds herself maneuvered into marrying the duke for all the wrong reasons. Though she’s long harbored deep feelings for him, this is the worst position she can imagine being in, knowing his feelings for someone else. Now Silvester is left to convince Stella that he truly has fallen in love with the unique woman he married.
This was a fun read and I definitely found myself relating to Stella’s quirks and difficulty fitting in. I loved seeing her come into her own and learn to stand up for herself, though I could’ve done with less of the duke’s attention given to Yasmin. It took him a bit long to turn his eyes to Stella for me, though I did appreciate watching their friendship develop into something more once Silvester finally woke up and listened to his own feelings. His cluelessness did make sense given how much his mother had clearly loved his late father despite being apparently unaware of the emotion. Silvester’s infatuation with Yasmin in the previous book definitely made me nervous going into this one, but it did quickly become clear that the feelings he had for Stella were much deeper than the superficial ones he might have had for Yasmin. I really enjoyed seeing Stella and Silvester gradually peel back one another’s layers and learn how to communicate.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
August 25, 2023
I really had no idea what was going on the entire book.
Freckles, spectacles, freckles, spectacles.
WE GET IT.
Stella has the hots for Silvester, Silvester has the hots for Yasmin. No one has the hots for Stella because she has FRECKLES AND SPECTACLES, AND RED HAIR.
First half of book takes place the same time frame as previous book The Reluctant Countess, which honestly I vaguely remember. Dude Giles and Silvester want Yasmin cuz she’s so French and sexy, Yasmin just really wants Giles. For some reason everyone thinks Giles is going to propose to Stella? I dont remember them even speaking. Stella is friends with Silvester and just basically rags on him all the time, they get along great. The dukes mother really wants him to marry Stella because she’s basically a younger version of herself and he’s like omg gross mom no way. The duchess is like really? Bet. And gets Stella to jump in a river with her- when Silvester sees Stella all wet with her giant boobs and hips and SPECTACLES AND FRECKLES. He’s like holy shit I gotta get with her. They kiss a few times and they’re both like holy shit that’s super hot. Stella thinks he just wants to fuck around with her but still really wants Yasmin but oopsie she got knocked up by Giles and they got married. Silvester demands they get married and he tells Stella’s aunt they made out so it like has to happen. Stella’s pissed cuz everyone is gonna talk shit about her and she doesn’t want to be his second choice. She thinks he only wants to bang her and will never love her like he loved Yasmin. They get married bang all over then he takes her to his country house and it’s a fucking shit box she’s like gee thanks I fucking hate it, I’d rather live in your moms cottage that’s actually clean and has furniture. The Duke is like uhh I really wanted to live in my falling apart dumpy ducal estate where the sheets haven’t been changed in 30 years but whatever let’s live in the cottage. They go
to a party and Stella is dancing around with French dudes, Silvester sees Yasmin and Giles and is like hey what’s up guys and sits with them- Stella flips the fuck out cuz he’s soooooo in love with Yasmin still-Duke is like wtf? You were dancing, I saw my friends and went to say hi. Big love confessions. The End.
There was so much yapping about nonsense the couple was barely featured together. Apparently Silvester fell in love with Stella when he would come play chess with her every morning- There’s never a scene with them playing chess. The first time they bang she’s talking about some story with a dildo? And how she bought a dildo and used it all the time?? There were random chapters from tertiary character POVs that didn’t make much sense. At some point Stella tells Silvester her aunt may have been sexually assaulted and that’s why she’s so crazy about her virtue? It’s never brought up again- aunt who was a major character for 70% of the book just disappears after they’re married. All you need to know about book is FRECKLES SPECTACLES YASMIN YASMIN YASMIN FRECKLES SPECTACLES.
Freckles, spectacles, freckles, spectacles.
WE GET IT.
Stella has the hots for Silvester, Silvester has the hots for Yasmin. No one has the hots for Stella because she has FRECKLES AND SPECTACLES, AND RED HAIR.
First half of book takes place the same time frame as previous book The Reluctant Countess, which honestly I vaguely remember. Dude Giles and Silvester want Yasmin cuz she’s so French and sexy, Yasmin just really wants Giles. For some reason everyone thinks Giles is going to propose to Stella? I dont remember them even speaking. Stella is friends with Silvester and just basically rags on him all the time, they get along great. The dukes mother really wants him to marry Stella because she’s basically a younger version of herself and he’s like omg gross mom no way. The duchess is like really? Bet. And gets Stella to jump in a river with her- when Silvester sees Stella all wet with her giant boobs and hips and SPECTACLES AND FRECKLES. He’s like holy shit I gotta get with her. They kiss a few times and they’re both like holy shit that’s super hot. Stella thinks he just wants to fuck around with her but still really wants Yasmin but oopsie she got knocked up by Giles and they got married. Silvester demands they get married and he tells Stella’s aunt they made out so it like has to happen. Stella’s pissed cuz everyone is gonna talk shit about her and she doesn’t want to be his second choice. She thinks he only wants to bang her and will never love her like he loved Yasmin. They get married bang all over then he takes her to his country house and it’s a fucking shit box she’s like gee thanks I fucking hate it, I’d rather live in your moms cottage that’s actually clean and has furniture. The Duke is like uhh I really wanted to live in my falling apart dumpy ducal estate where the sheets haven’t been changed in 30 years but whatever let’s live in the cottage. They go
to a party and Stella is dancing around with French dudes, Silvester sees Yasmin and Giles and is like hey what’s up guys and sits with them- Stella flips the fuck out cuz he’s soooooo in love with Yasmin still-Duke is like wtf? You were dancing, I saw my friends and went to say hi. Big love confessions. The End.
There was so much yapping about nonsense the couple was barely featured together. Apparently Silvester fell in love with Stella when he would come play chess with her every morning- There’s never a scene with them playing chess. The first time they bang she’s talking about some story with a dildo? And how she bought a dildo and used it all the time?? There were random chapters from tertiary character POVs that didn’t make much sense. At some point Stella tells Silvester her aunt may have been sexually assaulted and that’s why she’s so crazy about her virtue? It’s never brought up again- aunt who was a major character for 70% of the book just disappears after they’re married. All you need to know about book is FRECKLES SPECTACLES YASMIN YASMIN YASMIN FRECKLES SPECTACLES.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2023
Title: Not That Duke
Series: Would-Be Wallflowers #3
Author: Eloisa James
Release date: July 25, 2023
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: historical romance
I was really looking forward to reading this installment in the Would-Be Wallflowers series. I have a weakness for reading nerdy, hyper intelligent heroines, and Lady Stella fit that description to a T. No proper wallflower series is complete without a "bluestocking" heroine-it's well known that they were seen as an oddity and undesirable for the time. Not only is Stella well read, she is basically as blind as a bat which forces her to wear eyeglasses. Another strike against her. Strike three and four are her unconventional freckles and body type. The ideal beauty of the time was willowy thin and delicate. Stella was sturdy, curvy, and accident-prone due to her eyesight. Unlike many other wallflower characters I've read, she isn't that distressed about not fitting in. It does give her poor self-confidence, but she isn't all that desperate to change people's minds about her.
Gentlemen entered ballrooms looking for a woman to adore. To worship. Stella didn’t qualify.
Stella accepts people's unfair opinions of her stoically, most of all her aunt, Mrs. Thyme. I must say, that woman get on my nerves quite a bit. While her intentions were good, and I wouldn't go so far as to say that she was being intentionally cruel, she spent all her time trying to "fix" Stella's "negative" traits so she could help her find a husband. She was constantly harping on her about trying to hide/minimize her freckles, to avoid activities that could bring out her clutziness, and to keep her intelligence tucked away like it was a dirty secret. It felt like every character trait and physical trait was something she disapproved of and she didn't let Stella forget it. Is it really any wonder that the poor girl felt that she would only be chosen to marry for her dowry and was doomed to a love-less union?
Many men had an eye on her dowry, but as far as she could see, not a single one of them had designs on her virtue. They were looking for lovable women. Stella would be the first to admit that she failed on that front. She was too awkward, too outspoken, too argumentative. Too peculiar. Too much hair. Not to mention the spectacles.
I didn't hate Mrs. Thyme, but let's just say she wasn't my favorite person. I mean, I didn't even get into her absolute feverish panic about men and their animal "appetites" that threatened every respectable woman's fragile reputation. She literally thought that being alone with a woman next to a bed would instantly turn them into savage beasts with no control over their baser instincts. Good grief, the woman should have kept a solid supply of smelling salts on her at all times to counteract her frequent hysterics.
In her own way, Mrs. Thyme loved her. Unfortunately, “in her own way” was the only way anyone ever loved Stella: as second choice, second best.
In Part One, pretty much the whole first half is a rehash of the love quadrangle from the previous book, albeit from different POVs of course. If you haven't read The Reluctant Countess it centers around Giles and Yasmin. So many of the events involving these four characters are shown once again. Lord Silvester (the hero) is infatuated with Yasmin and is in a love triangle with her and Giles. Giles fights his feelings for Yasmin, but secretly wants her and the two men are very competitive for her affections. Stella is somewhat of an outsider in this scenario, though she ends up being courted by Giles for a time while secretly being attracted to Silvester. What I didn't like about the first half was seeing Stella be treated as a consolation prize by both men and made to feel inferior because of it. If the two love interests have zero romantic interactions in the first half and he is in fact heavily pursuing another woman, that takes away from the romance building. We are told that they are friends and have intellectual chats rather than shown. There is nothing concrete, no hint of developing feelings on his part aside from a brief passionate encounter between them. It was a tad disappointing and then eventually jarring when Silvester suddenly came to the realization in the beginning of Part Two that he wants Stella. This is after he was rejected by Yasmin, of course.
Silvester was resisting thinking of Stella as a romantic partner for so long mostly because she reminded him of his own quirky mother. His mother is an engineer and has awkward social behavior that made him embarrassed and uncomfortable growing up. He wanted a wife that would fit in more, and take more care with social niceties and manners. Silvester has constructed a facade around himself in order to blend in well with others rather than rock the boat. So when his mother gives him her hearty approval of Stella as his future bride, he runs far in the other direction. It was actually sweet to see the interactions between his mother and Stella because they were so alike. The whole lake scene with Merry, Stella, and the Duchess of Huntington was fantastic.
When Silvester finally set his mind on Stella and pursued her things picked up. He does have his work set out for him in convincing her that even though she was his second choice, she was the best choice. There was some residual jealousy and hurt feelings, but he's more than ready to make her feel wanted beyond their very healthy physical relationship. The two of them are certainly not lacking chemistry and passion, that's for sure.
Overall, I wish there would have been more romance development between the two main characters, as it made the first half pretty slow for me. I thought they made a cute couple once the other two characters were out of the picture, but I ended up feeling as if I needed a bit more. Still, it was a very well-researched book with lots of interesting historical details. The author never disappoints in that area, that's for sure. I also appreciated all of the quirky characters and seeing Stella find the love that she never thought she would have as well as flourishing in her new role as a duchess. I'm looking forward to seeing what story Eloisa James has to offer next.
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July 18, 2023
Silvester, Duke of Huntington is handsome, smart, and completely blind to the good that's in front of him. This is a great friends to lovers story with a man who makes many mistakes and a woman who raises the standards set for herself by society. Stella is a freckled, glasses wearing miss with red hair and too much wit. Silvester fancies himself in love with the season's diamond, Yasmine, but doesn't realise how shallow his feelings are until it's almost too late.
The good- The banter and genuine friendship between Stella and Silvester was strong. After Silvester apologises to Stella for insulting her, he comes to respect and admire and even lust after Stella really soon. Stella makes Silvester question his motives and be a better man. The intimate scenes were sensual and they had great chemistry together. The return of Merry from My American Duchess was also a highlight. I loved that book, and Merry is a wonderful side character.
The not so good- It takes Silvester far too long to realise his feelings for Yasmine were never love, but simple admiration and competition with his best friend Giles. By the time he realises he wants to marry Stella, his courtship of Yasmine has destroyed any chance Stella might believe he truly wants and could love her.
The abysmal- Silvester takes away Stella's choice to marry him, and while I can forgive that alphahole behaviour, he doesn't manage to convince Stella of her value after they are married. She Still believes she is second fiddle to Yasmine and it's heartbreaking. Silvester bumbles along and hurts his wife by giving too much attention to Yasmine in front of the ton, and the grovel that follows is completely insufficient for me. He deserves to be out in the cold a bit longer or to be forced to show his love with action and not just his charming words.
Overall I enjoyed reading this one but the last quarter of the book was frustrating and the ending disappointed me. I'm hoping James writes a story for Blanche soon because her character definitely intrigues me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this review copy.
The good- The banter and genuine friendship between Stella and Silvester was strong. After Silvester apologises to Stella for insulting her, he comes to respect and admire and even lust after Stella really soon. Stella makes Silvester question his motives and be a better man. The intimate scenes were sensual and they had great chemistry together. The return of Merry from My American Duchess was also a highlight. I loved that book, and Merry is a wonderful side character.
The not so good- It takes Silvester far too long to realise his feelings for Yasmine were never love, but simple admiration and competition with his best friend Giles. By the time he realises he wants to marry Stella, his courtship of Yasmine has destroyed any chance Stella might believe he truly wants and could love her.
The abysmal- Silvester takes away Stella's choice to marry him, and while I can forgive that alphahole behaviour, he doesn't manage to convince Stella of her value after they are married. She Still believes she is second fiddle to Yasmine and it's heartbreaking. Silvester bumbles along and hurts his wife by giving too much attention to Yasmine in front of the ton, and the grovel that follows is completely insufficient for me. He deserves to be out in the cold a bit longer or to be forced to show his love with action and not just his charming words.
Overall I enjoyed reading this one but the last quarter of the book was frustrating and the ending disappointed me. I'm hoping James writes a story for Blanche soon because her character definitely intrigues me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this review copy.
July 16, 2023
I really, really enjoyed this one. Honestly going into it I didn’t know how I would feel about Silvester and Stella. We met Stella briefly in Yasmin’s book and Silvester seemed really smitten with Yasmin. It felt like a recipe for disaster for them to be together.
I loved their banter and there is one scene that shocked me to my core. I had to reread it because I was like “what?! He did not just say that!” Oh but he did!
I really felt for Stella, she just wanted to be chosen first, she just wanted to be loved and she felt she was never good enough. My heart went out to her.
Now for the next book, I’m going to assume the FMC will be Blanche and I’m excited for her to give up her mean girl ways. Let’s hope we also get to see the downfall of Lady Lydia. 😬
I loved their banter and there is one scene that shocked me to my core. I had to reread it because I was like “what?! He did not just say that!” Oh but he did!
I really felt for Stella, she just wanted to be chosen first, she just wanted to be loved and she felt she was never good enough. My heart went out to her.
Now for the next book, I’m going to assume the FMC will be Blanche and I’m excited for her to give up her mean girl ways. Let’s hope we also get to see the downfall of Lady Lydia. 😬
January 1, 2025
This actually had moments of 5 stars for me! I liked both characters. I liked the relationship. I liked how it fit in with the last book. But it’s 2023.
January 18, 2025
This one had strong "not like other girls" vibes. (Both the protagonist and the duke's mother, which was sort of a lot.) Freckles? Glasses? Doesn't hate adorable baby animals? How will this abomination with gorgeous red hair ever be accepted in society 😱
March 20, 2024
3.7 stars
Historical romances is one of the genres I read and enjoy. But going through my read list, there will hardly be established big author names in there except for Lisa Kleypas. This is because there is always something in their writing that ticks me off. EJ definitely falls into that category. In the far past, I have skim read a few of her books and never found one pleasant beyond the veneer of the blurb. Now, older me seems game to try again and see where it leads. Which is to this book.
...a first choice is not always the right choice.
The blurb and the gorgeous cover reeled me in. But did the story change my opinion on EJ? Well, to be honest, no. I am still not a fan of her writing style. It's pretty and wholesome, sure, and even had some witty moments. But it lacked finesse in transitions, and failed to focus on key story elements. It was as if the storyteller was more interested in listening to its own voice than actually listening to what was being said and whether the audience is satisfied. But there were certain qualities to the story on which I based my rating that made me overlook the writing style.
So, why the high rating? Well, because I fell in love with the idea of the story much more than the delivery of the story. This is a tale about being second choice and its h, Stella was very lovable and carried that trope royally. She had an admirable strength of character, very smart and perceptive. She was also touchingly insecure without veering into the overdramatic. I loved how very kind and respectuous she was (esp. her relationship with her aunt - I liked the latter, even with her edges, as she was a cool and loving aunt). I did not get the emotional depth I wanted for the romance between Stella and Silvester, but there were very bright moments in their story that I enjoyed and made me believe in their love.
I would have rated much higher if EJ had done a better job to paste together the character building of the H. He was as insecure as Stella, in a different way. It was touching but gauchely inserted in the story. And giving his pov would have helped a lot in explaining how he fell hard in love with Stella. I saw it happening but only got hints of the emotion behind it. And because of that Silvester came across more as a beta male than the alpha he ought to be. Case in hand, .
Stella's character building was better handled because we got lots of opportunities to see her inner thoughts and she voiced them out clearly to Silvester and others. However, where it was most important to get her thoughts, EJ yet again failed to give it: . As a result, I got the impression that she was made to believe him too quickly only because the plot required it and the book was wrapping up. I felt cheated after sharing all her mental agony on this subject throughout the book.
Will I read EJ again? It is doubtful (though I may be game to read the daughter's story, if it comes to ever be, teased in the epilogue). But having a tendre for this story, I will probably revisit this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2023
Reviewed for
Wit and Sin
I’m a big fan of golden boy members of the ton falling for wallflowers so it was with great eagerness that I dove into Not That Duke . I really liked Silvester in Eloisa James’s previous Would-Be Wallflowers novel, The Reluctant Countess, so I was excited to see him fall in love.
And he did. With someone other than the heroine. I admit I’m not the biggest fan of a hero or heroine thinking they’re in love with another so spending the first half of the book watching Silvester chasing Yasmin (of The Reluctant Countess) wasn’t my favorite thing. Silvester, who was so charming in that book, was charming because he adored the heroine. When it came to Stella, he was lustful but didn’t impress me much. If it weren’t for her inconvenient attraction to him, I don’t think Stella would have been overly impressed with the duke either. Short, bespeckled, freckled, and unfashionable, Stella isn’t a dazzling diamond of the first water. However, she is a heroine I really liked. She’s funny, smart, and kind and I wanted to see her get a happily ever after where she was someone’s first choice. Stella isn’t Silvester’s first choice but she is the right choice and about halfway through Not That Duke picks up. Stella and Silvester have chemistry, but the duke has a lot to learn if he’s going to be the hero Stella deserves.
Because of Silvester I wasn’t wowed by the romance, but there are a host of secondary characters who did make this book enjoyable. Silvester’s mother, an original in her own right, is charming and eccentric. She appreciates Stella’s brain and personality from the start and the two of them made a fun duo. There are also appearances by Merry (of My American Duchess) and a surprising turn of a mean girl who evolves into someone I’d actually like to read a book about. And it would be remiss of me to not talk about Specs, Stella’s adorable kitten who is a scene-stealer.
Not That Duke is the third book in James’s Would-Be Wallflower series and unless you really don’t mind spoilers I would recommend reading The Reluctant Countess first. The first half of this book runs concurrent to the other and I don’t think it benefits from it. If you (like me) hated all the page time given to the villainous Lydia, well then brace yourselves because she’s back and as irritating as ever.
I had mixed feelings about Not That Duke but James’s writing was entertaining and Stella and Silvester had good chemistry (when the latter managed to pull his head out of his you-know-what). The supporting characters were engaging and I liked where everything ended up. I’m a longtime fan of Eloisa James so even with the aforementioned mixed feelings I’m still very much looking forward to her next book.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I’m a big fan of golden boy members of the ton falling for wallflowers so it was with great eagerness that I dove into Not That Duke . I really liked Silvester in Eloisa James’s previous Would-Be Wallflowers novel, The Reluctant Countess, so I was excited to see him fall in love.
And he did. With someone other than the heroine. I admit I’m not the biggest fan of a hero or heroine thinking they’re in love with another so spending the first half of the book watching Silvester chasing Yasmin (of The Reluctant Countess) wasn’t my favorite thing. Silvester, who was so charming in that book, was charming because he adored the heroine. When it came to Stella, he was lustful but didn’t impress me much. If it weren’t for her inconvenient attraction to him, I don’t think Stella would have been overly impressed with the duke either. Short, bespeckled, freckled, and unfashionable, Stella isn’t a dazzling diamond of the first water. However, she is a heroine I really liked. She’s funny, smart, and kind and I wanted to see her get a happily ever after where she was someone’s first choice. Stella isn’t Silvester’s first choice but she is the right choice and about halfway through Not That Duke picks up. Stella and Silvester have chemistry, but the duke has a lot to learn if he’s going to be the hero Stella deserves.
Because of Silvester I wasn’t wowed by the romance, but there are a host of secondary characters who did make this book enjoyable. Silvester’s mother, an original in her own right, is charming and eccentric. She appreciates Stella’s brain and personality from the start and the two of them made a fun duo. There are also appearances by Merry (of My American Duchess) and a surprising turn of a mean girl who evolves into someone I’d actually like to read a book about. And it would be remiss of me to not talk about Specs, Stella’s adorable kitten who is a scene-stealer.
Not That Duke is the third book in James’s Would-Be Wallflower series and unless you really don’t mind spoilers I would recommend reading The Reluctant Countess first. The first half of this book runs concurrent to the other and I don’t think it benefits from it. If you (like me) hated all the page time given to the villainous Lydia, well then brace yourselves because she’s back and as irritating as ever.
I had mixed feelings about Not That Duke but James’s writing was entertaining and Stella and Silvester had good chemistry (when the latter managed to pull his head out of his you-know-what). The supporting characters were engaging and I liked where everything ended up. I’m a longtime fan of Eloisa James so even with the aforementioned mixed feelings I’m still very much looking forward to her next book.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
January 7, 2025
2.5 stars
It's not often that I read a romance where the main couple, having been side characters in a preceding story, remain side characters in what is supposed to be THEIR story.
Frankly, nothing really happens till about the 60% mark. The hero, Silvester, appears to be entirely besotted with another lady (the heroine in the previous book) and the whole ton has it out for the poor heroine, Stella, whose only crime was to be be a spectacled, plump red-head! Oh, bother.
For how little time we actually got to see the couple spending Real Time with one another, we still never end up knowing or understanding Silvester. He remained staid and dull till the very end. The archetypal cardboard cutout duke in a regency romance.
While things got a little more interesting towards the end (I quite enjoyed the miscommunication and Stella's wallowing in her insecurity, haha), it was too little, too late for me.
I'll definitely be forgetting this story as soon as I pick up my next book. Rounding up my rating only because of the bit of "angst" at the end.
It's not often that I read a romance where the main couple, having been side characters in a preceding story, remain side characters in what is supposed to be THEIR story.
Frankly, nothing really happens till about the 60% mark. The hero, Silvester, appears to be entirely besotted with another lady (the heroine in the previous book) and the whole ton has it out for the poor heroine, Stella, whose only crime was to be be a spectacled, plump red-head! Oh, bother.
For how little time we actually got to see the couple spending Real Time with one another, we still never end up knowing or understanding Silvester. He remained staid and dull till the very end. The archetypal cardboard cutout duke in a regency romance.
While things got a little more interesting towards the end (I quite enjoyed the miscommunication and Stella's wallowing in her insecurity, haha), it was too little, too late for me.
I'll definitely be forgetting this story as soon as I pick up my next book. Rounding up my rating only because of the bit of "angst" at the end.
April 18, 2023
In Not That Duke, James returns to her Would-Be Wallflowers series, this time with the story of Lady Stella and the Duke of Huntington. Stella wears glasses, has freckles, and is short and plump. If that weren't enough, she's also an unapologetic bluestocking! The Duke has always been friendly to her, but he's not interested romantically. In fact, he has his eye on the diamond of the season....who seems to have set her sights on the Duke's best friend...who seems to be courting Stella! James provides plenty of fun banter and steamy romance in her new novel!
August 8, 2024
The synopsis is so unnecessarily detailed, it basically spoils the whole book 😑
I stopped enjoying this book the second the duke “forced” Stella to marry him like ?? Imagine being KNOWN to the ton for being completely in love with Yasmin (the girl from the 2nd book) and then acting shocked when Stella rejects his offer because she wants to be loved and adored ?? And THEN completely disregarding her fears by saying “i can make you happy” and “lust is enough” … girl
And its not even a case of the hero is bad at communicating his feeling out loud but secretly pins for the heroine, noooooo he clearly says multiple times that he loves Yasmin and wants to marry her, and that Stella is his second choice et he doesnt lover her at all and just wants her body 😬
His Aha moment when he finally realise that he loves Stella was waaaaay too late and there was no grovelling at all ! Stella forgave him so easily
i was pissed, stella deserved better
I stopped enjoying this book the second the duke “forced” Stella to marry him like ?? Imagine being KNOWN to the ton for being completely in love with Yasmin (the girl from the 2nd book) and then acting shocked when Stella rejects his offer because she wants to be loved and adored ?? And THEN completely disregarding her fears by saying “i can make you happy” and “lust is enough” … girl
And its not even a case of the hero is bad at communicating his feeling out loud but secretly pins for the heroine, noooooo he clearly says multiple times that he loves Yasmin and wants to marry her, and that Stella is his second choice et he doesnt lover her at all and just wants her body 😬
His Aha moment when he finally realise that he loves Stella was waaaaay too late and there was no grovelling at all ! Stella forgave him so easily
i was pissed, stella deserved better
August 18, 2023
Unfortunately I think this is my last Eloisa James book. I’ve enjoyed her writing for some time, but as much as I’ve wanted to like this book, this series, I just…didn’t.
The love story didn’t ring true and was a bit annoying, to be honest. Stella, my girl! Be confident and wait to be loved like you deserve, because what the hero is offering you is not that (sorry Ms. James—you tried to convince us of the contrary, but I just didn’t buy it).
The love story didn’t ring true and was a bit annoying, to be honest. Stella, my girl! Be confident and wait to be loved like you deserve, because what the hero is offering you is not that (sorry Ms. James—you tried to convince us of the contrary, but I just didn’t buy it).
March 31, 2023
This was an addictive ride!
With a good chunk of the book taking place during the events of the second book of this series, the romance felt unbalanced at times.
Despite that, I loved unapologetic Stella and chameleon Silvester and their angsty journey to unconditional love.
Also, please bring back the other cover.
With a good chunk of the book taking place during the events of the second book of this series, the romance felt unbalanced at times.
Despite that, I loved unapologetic Stella and chameleon Silvester and their angsty journey to unconditional love.
Also, please bring back the other cover.
Want to read
January 6, 2023I haven't liked the first 2 books of this series... HOWEVER, this is giving Leo & Marks vibes from Lisa Kleypas' Married by Morning, so it sounds promising <3
*Also: where is the cute cover with the heroine who looks like Merida?
*Also: where is the cute cover with the heroine who looks like Merida?
September 3, 2023
Having read TRC previously, I really feel like I would have gotten more out of this one reading them back to back. It's definitely not necessary, but the overlap in time between books made me curious.
I loved Stella. She's smart, stands up for herself, and knows what she wants out of life. Silvester is (as Stella calls him) part duke and part pirate. They have an instant friendship that turns into serious chemistry, but I wasn't completely sold on the love part. And the dowager duchess stole every scene she was in.
Plot wise, it was mostly good. They do talk a lot (which is fantastic), yet there were always things that could have been clarified to avoid the many many many miscommunications about Silvester and Yasmin. Granted, in hindsight, Silvester probably didn't know his own feelings, so there's that.
Overall, these two had banter for days and I was here for it. I would have liked more adoration for Stella because she deserved it, but the epilogue was satisfying.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Stella. She's smart, stands up for herself, and knows what she wants out of life. Silvester is (as Stella calls him) part duke and part pirate. They have an instant friendship that turns into serious chemistry, but I wasn't completely sold on the love part. And the dowager duchess stole every scene she was in.
Plot wise, it was mostly good. They do talk a lot (which is fantastic), yet there were always things that could have been clarified to avoid the many many many miscommunications about Silvester and Yasmin. Granted, in hindsight, Silvester probably didn't know his own feelings, so there's that.
Overall, these two had banter for days and I was here for it. I would have liked more adoration for Stella because she deserved it, but the epilogue was satisfying.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
March 28, 2023
This review has SPOILERS! I couldn't write it without them because I have too many feelings about this book. If you’ve read this book, please reach out. I need someone to talk to about it. Desperately!!!
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