How to Capture a Duke

The Raven Club #3

by Tina Gabrielle

Lady Olivia, the youngest sister of the Earl of Castleton, has no patience for the boring gentlemen of aristocratic society. She longs for a more adventurous life like the ladies who visit the Raven Club. But her plans are thwarted when her family drags her to a country house party to meet the elusive Duke of Keswick.

Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, finds Olivia in his stables. She believes him to be the stable master, and he doesn’t dissuade her of the notion. He has no interest in entertaining one of the spoiled, self-indulgent ladies who’ve invaded his home. Except, Olivia is neither of those things, and their shared kiss during a ride results in combustible passion.

And a potential scandal.

Olivia is relieved when the handsome stable master comes to her aid as her alibi, but that relief fades to anger when she suddenly finds herself betrothed to the harsh, foul-tempered duke.

Tristan believes he’s been trapped by a scheming, title-seeking lady. To make matters worse, she’s utterly captivating. He plans on leaving her behind in the country immediately after their vows, but Tristan soon finds himself battling temptation and Olivia’s stubborn determination to be the Duchess he doesn’t believe he deserves...

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Regency

Audio CD

First published October 14, 2019

About the author

Amazon best-selling author Tina Gabrielle is an attorney and mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. She often picked up a romance and let her fantasies of knights in shining armor and lords and ladies carry her away.

Tina’s books have been Barnes & Noble top picks, and her first book, "Lady Of Scandal," was nominated as best first historical romance by Romantic Times Book Reviews. Tina loves to hear from readers. Please visit her website to learn about upcoming releases and to join her newsletter and enter to win free monthly contests and giveaways. www.tinagabrielle.com

Reviews

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

How To Capture A Duke
The Raven’s Club series #3
Tina Gabrielle
https://www.facebook.com/TinaGabrielle/
Release date 10/14/2019
Publisher Entangled : Scandalous


Blurb :

Lady Olivia, the youngest sister of the Earl of Castleton, has no patience for the boring gentlemen of aristocratic society. She longs for a more adventurous life like the ladies who visit the Raven Club. But her plans are thwarted when her family drags her to a country house party to meet the elusive Duke of Keswick.
Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, finds Olivia in his stables. She believes him to be the stable master, and he doesn’t dissuade her of the notion. He has no interest in entertaining one of the spoiled, self-indulgent ladies who’ve invaded his home. Except, Olivia is neither of those things, and their shared kiss during a ride results in combustible passion.
And a potential scandal.
Olivia is relieved when the handsome stable master comes to her aid as her alibi, but that relief fades to anger when she suddenly finds herself betrothed to the harsh, foul-tempered duke.
Tristan believes he’s been trapped by a scheming, title-seeking lady. To make matters worse, she’s utterly captivating. He plans on leaving her behind in the country immediately after their vows, but Tristan soon finds himself battling temptation and Olivia’s stubborn determination to be the Duchess he doesn’t believe he deserves...

My review :

How a mariage beginning on the wrong foot can get a chance when a participant is very unwilling...

This is my first read by Mrs Tina Gabrielle, and this first incursion in her world was delightful.
Olivia is no young damsel in distress, she knows what she wants but life has a way to counteract her own dreams.
So, she tries to make the best with what life gave her. Alas Tristan is quite a challenge. Hopefully she is no one to give up easily, when an action does not work, she is resilient and tries to find an other way.
And she must persevere as slowly she crumbles down the walls her husband has built around his heart.
Olivia is a good woman, she is clever and kind, she will never trick someone but she does find a way to assist without causing harm. She acts always with the care of others in mind.
Tristan after a childhood of abuses, bullied by those whom thought to be stronger and better than him, has retreated inside his own shell.
Letting no one in.
So when Olivia berges in his life, he sees her as a threat, a menace for his peace of mind. Why he handles her as such. Keeping her at arm’s length, refusing to get to know her and when she is the one closing the distance between them, he still withdraw behind his certitudes.

Theirs is not an easily mended relationship, when one steps forward, the other backs off. They’re going to need meddlesome and interfering persons to come to terms with their sentiments.
If it is not too late.
I might have liked a bit of groveling on Tristan’s side, as he was a victim as a child, his behavior toward Olivia might not be bullying or abuse, but it is still close too as his distrust distresses her.

4.5 stars for this lovely fast paced charming tale of opening its heart before it dries out. An enchanting read of the strength of the mind.

I was granted an advance copy through Netgalley by the publisher Entangled. I purchased too my own.
Here is my true and honest opinion.

https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...

[- The Polybrary - · Rating 4 out of 5]

~*Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!*~

Regency romances aren’t really my thing, but I was drawn in by the synopsis of this one. When the request for extended blog coverage came out I jumped on it. I’m very excited to say that I really loved it!! Totally surprised myself, and well done to the author! How to Capture a Duke is the third book in the Raven Club series, but it can completely be read as a standalone. The other two books are based around Lady Olivia’s brother and sister, and after reading this one I really want to read their stories – but it is definitely not necessary to have done so before diving into this one!

I loved Olivia’s spunk and the way she continually made the best of a bad situation, and my heart absolutely ached for Tristan. Despite his privilege as a duke, his heart and soul have been badly trampled by society. It’s really a wonder he didn’t turn out to be a complete ass! Oh, and they’re completely hot for each other. There are a couple of SIZZLING sex scenes. You have been warned! Also, Tristan’s grandmama is the bomb. I love her so much. She is absolutely amazing and I want to be her when I grow up.

I have a lovely excerpt to share, so I’m keeping my review short and sweet. You really don’t want to miss the excerpt so be sure to keep reading! There’s also a giveaway at the end of the post, so be sure to enter that as well. 🙂

HOW TO CAPTURE A DUKE
A Raven Club Novel

Copyright © 2019 by Tina Gabrielle


“I don’t want my drunken duchess to cause a scene in a casino,” Tristan said.

Olivia felt her temper rise. “Your duchess!” she screeched. “You do not want a duchess.”

He leaned forward, his face inches from hers. “Now that I have one, I’ve decided to keep her.”

“Keep me? What on earth does that mean?”

“It means I expect my wife to behave like a lady, not a tavern doxy.”

He caught her hand before it made contact with his cheek. His dark gaze narrowed. “I suppose I deserve your outrage, but do not seek to strike me again.”

Perhaps if the world didn’t spin, Olivia would be afraid. But she had never feared physical harm from him. Other things, yes, but not physical harm.

She licked suddenly dry lips. His gaze lowered to her mouth, and she felt as if he’d touched her there, his stare had turned so heated. The air shifted in the carriage, like a storm that blew away. She was left with a heightened awareness of lightning about to strike. She felt warm all over, as if he’d hauled her against his chest. She should be furious. What was wrong with her?

“You drive me mad.” He released her wrist but didn’t move, and neither did she. They stayed suspended in their seats, inches apart, eyes connecting.

“Why do you care? If you refuse to consummate our marriage, am I to stay untouched forever?”

“No,” he said, his voice rough. “You are young and lovely and should experience passion.”

It must be the whisky that was making her bold, but she didn’t care. “Do you prefer I seek a lover, then?”

“No. The thought of you with another does not sit well with me.”

Olivia’s pulse leaped. Oh. She’d never expected him to say such things. Never expected him to make such an admission. “Why?”

“It’s my right to bed you and your right to be with me. For me to make love to my wife. To make you cry out with passion.”

Oh my.

She could get lost in the longing in his eyes. For a brief moment, she imagined things had been different between them. He wasn’t a duke, they weren’t forced to marry, and their pasts had no consequence. They were simply two strangers ensconced in the intimacy of a carriage.

“I’d start here.” Tristan reached for her hand and drew back her glove to place a kiss on the pulse point of her wrist. She stifled a gasp at his gentleness and the brush of his lips on the sensitive spot. Then, slowly, he peeled off her glove and kissed the center of her palm.

She watched the top of his head, and she longed to bury her fingers in the dark locks, to see if they were as soft as they appeared. Then he lifted his head and met her eyes. He was close, so close, and she wanted to kiss him so badly she ached.

“And then?” she asked.

“Then I’d kiss your lips.”

Blog | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram |

[SuperWendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Contrived does not begin to cover this set-up. Heroine is at a house party to hopefully catch a husband and ends up marrying the Duke (the "host" who has been avoiding the party his grandmother concocted) when she needs an alibi for a "stolen" necklace that a mean girl planted in her room. The heroine's alibi is that she went out riding with a groom at the time of the theft - who turns out to be The Duke. Who didn't clear up the confusion. So now they're forced to marry and he's convinced she orchestrated the whole charade (um, HE'S THE ONE WHO LIED ABOUT WHO HE REALLY WAS!).

Anyway, he's a stutterer (which is on display while he's playing stable boy) - so he never, ever wants to have children because he's afraid he'll pass along his affliction and somehow the heroine has no idea the stuttering groom is really The Duke. Um, the guy went to Eton and was mercilessly bullied. Men are the biggest frickin' gossips on the planet and I'm to believe NONE of the ladies of the ton know anything about The Duke's stuttering problem? Like, really?!?! But if the stuttering was a known issue then yeah, we couldn't have this contrived set-up.

Beyond that, this is very repetitive, the same ground getting covered again and again - until finally the hero does an about face on the whole "having kids" thing after he has to rescue the heroine from a kidnapping. Oh, and eventually the hero agrees to see a tutor to help him with his stuttering and the man's last name is, swear to gods, Higgins. (Horace, not Henry - but LIKE REALLY?!?!?).

A quick, but numbing, read.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the sister of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Olivia Swift is expected to marry well, but all she truly wants is a love match like both her siblings share. Her mother has other priorities, however, and forces Olivia to attend a house party at the country estate of the unsocial Duke of Keswick.

Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, has no interest in associating with the members of the ton who ridicule him for his speech impediment. He's equally determined never to marry so when his grandmother holds a house party at his estate, he makes himself scarce. When he runs into Lady Olivia in the stables he doesn't correct her assumption that he is the head groom and winds up spending a morning escorting her for a ride. But when Olivia is accused of theft and Tristan is her only alibi, his true identity is revealed and Olivia's relief is short-lived when she finds herself engaged to the surly duke. Believing himself ensnared by a conniving lady only after his title, Tristan is adamant on marriage in name only and intends to return to London, leaving Olivia behind in the country immediately after the wedding. However, Olivia is not content to remain in the country and away from her siblings so she takes herself off to London, much to the annoyance of her new husband. Tristan is appalled by his inability to completely ignore his wife. He's vowed to never have children and risk passing on his stutter, but Olivia tempts him beyond his imagining and soon he may find she's just the champion he's always needed.

There were some issues with forms of address, a pet peeve of mine, but those should be caught and corrected in the final copy. Otherwise, I loved this story. I'm a sucker for the broody, damaged heroes with some sort of flaw, although I think Tristan got a bit ridiculous with his trust issues after awhile. He was so lovely and sweet when he finally opened his eyes to what Olivia was to him but it took so long to get him there and I would've liked more time with him and Olivia together as a couple. Overall though, I really enjoyed this one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh! I absolutely loved this story. Lady Olivia was very much her own woman and didn’t want to be dictated to. She wanted an adventure in her life and wasn’t happy with the usual activities for women. Tristan, the Duke of Keswick disliked social gatherings and preferred to be in his own company. He did have a problem that caused him to be bullied at school, a memory that still affects him. Neither wished to marry, but Olivia was determined that she would do all she could to have a happy marriage. This was an engrossing story that I just had to keep reading. The author’s notes at the end of the story explained why she was able to deal with the disability with such empathy. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Olivia Swift and Tristian Cameron, the Duke of Keswick met by chance when Olivia, who is attending his grandmother’s house party, escapes out the stables. She mistakes Tristian for a groom and he makes no attempt to correct her. When she comes back to the stables to ride, Tristian accompanies her and they share a kiss. Later when Olivia is accused of a crime, she names Tristian as her alibi. This leads to a hasty marriage of convenience.

Tristian has a speech impediment, he stutters and has been shamed and ridiculed for a good portion of his life. He keeps to himself and has refused to marry and have children. He is content to let his cousin Spencer inherit. He is enraged and believes that Olivia trapped him into marriage – he makes it clear on their wedding day that he will never be a true husband – he then proceeds to tell her she is to stay in the country and leaves for London.

At first Olivia is devastated, but his grandmother sets her straight and sends her off to London. Once there Olivia meets Spencer and learns that Tristian never plans to father children, she is stunned, especially after she saw him interact with her niece and nephew, she knew he was angry, but assumed eventually he would want an heir. When she confronts him, he confirms, he will not share her bed. Olivia doesn’t give up and enriches Tristian’s life in many ways. For his part, Tristian wants Olivia, but he is not willing to risk having a child, yet the more time he spends with her, the more he is falling under her spell and finally gives in to his desire, but almost immediately regrets it and stubbornly refrains from physical contact, but still spends time with her. Olivia is encouraged and is ready to tell him she loves him and to share her secret, but her hopes of a HEA are shattered when someone leaks a secret about Tristian to the papers and he immediately accuses her and her sister. It is the proverbial straw and leads her to leave him. Will he finally open his eyes and see Olivia is perfect for him or will he keep them closed and lose the love of a lifetime?

The idea of this story was good – mistaken identity, marriage of convenience and a hero who has to overcome emotional and physical impediments – but for me, it fell flat and I place that blame squarely on Tristian, he was such a jerk to her, always assuming the worst and pushing her away, right up until the last chapter and then he did a complete about-face about everything - I just didn’t believe it. There were also formal address issues and I was not happy that the reader never finds out what happened to the villain. Otherwise, it was well written and the story had a lot of potential and if I had been able to connect with Tristian, I might have felt differently, because Olivia was great and I LOVED Ellie in this book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia gets taken to a house party hosted by the Duke of Keswick by her mother. She is there only to make her mother happy, as she longs for more adventure than the London society and boring gentleman are providing her. Upon her stay there however, she meets the most interesting groom while trying to go for a ride and this leads them down a road neither expected.

There is plenty to love in How to Capture a Duke by Tina Gabrielle. The hero has a disability, which made him unique to me, especially with reading about his experiences in the house of lords. He seems to be so caring for his staff and fights for the rights of other people. He knows what it's like to be bullied. However this leads me to my biggest complaint about this book. I felt like Tristan cared for everyone but Olivia. He bullied her. He made assumptions and unfair judgements. He refused to listen. It went against everything else that was implied with his character. It was like Jekyll and Hyde and Olivia was getting the short end of the stick.

I went through the gamut of emotions with this book. Adored the beginning. Really disliked it after that until the middle. I felt like it picked up again in the middle and was pretty engaging. You got to know the characters better and a few things happened that I loved, including how Tristan deals with his disability and Olivia helping him with something he's been worried about. However the hero reverts back to his unlikeable self again before the end of the book. Then it wrapped up nicely. I'm not sold on the villain of the story, it just seemed rather random, like a switch flipped that wasn't there before. Still, overall I would say it would be an enjoyable read for most. Includes some steam, some mystery, some angst. It felt very complete which can be hard with a shorter book.

I was able to receive an ARC copy complimentary from netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Amy Alvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia is just going through the motions while at the Duke of Keswick's house party. Her mother is determined to see her married, but Olivia is bored with all the men she meets, that is until an encounter with Keswick's stable master. But when she is accused of stealing she finds out that it was not the stable master that she was so intrigued with but the duke himself. When he admits to being with her when the theft supposed occurred, they find themselves heading to the alter.

Tristan can't believe that he has been duped into marriage. He thought that when he met Olivia she was different from all the other scheming debutants, but he was wrong. They marry and Tristan tells Olivia to stay at the estate while he goes to London. But she soon shows up unannounced and is wrecking all kinds of havoc on his emotions. Could he have been wrong about her entrapping him in marriage?

I loved Olivia and Tristan's story!! I love that Olivia wanted a marriage based on love like her brother and sister had and she fought for it! I also loved how Olivia helped Tristan be the man that he had wanted to be his whole life. She really helped him come into his own.

[Sofie Sehested · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book.
“How to capture a duke” was captivating, warm, sweet, but also heartbreaking and hard to read at some points! Let’s just say it hit me in the feels.

This is The story of the “stuttering Duke” and how the love and support of a woman helped him overcome his mistrust of people and escape his loneliness.

Tristan, Duke of Keswick, has been tormented his whole life because of his stuttering. First by his mother who was sure it was an illness but when he could not be cured she sent him away to Eton and became cold and distant to him. Second by his classmates who bullied him both physically and mentally. The only persons he trusts is his Grandmother, The Dowager of Keswick, and his cousin, Lord Spencer Jeffries, who he has made his heir since he will not produce an heir himself. He is cold and distant on the outside, but as we get to know him throughout the story you realize that he has a heart of gold and he wants to help as many people in need as he can.

Olivia is a true and honest person who only wants to marry for love and have a lot of children. But when she is forced to marry the Duke of Keswick after an unforeseen encounter, she has to fight for her dream to come true. And fight she does. She does everything she can to help him understand that he can trust her and that his stuttering doesn’t make him incapable of living a normal life. But is it too late in the end?

I love this couple together and I loved the side characters too. But I thought the story was a little too long and dragged out at some points, so the pacing didn’t totally fit in my point of view and that is why I only give it 4 stars.

I can definitely recommend this book.

I got this book from Entangled Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Pelusa Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man I had forgotten how much I enjoy the Raven Club.. I had not rest the first book, which huh I still have to do even though I know the outcome..I started this series with the second book :How to Best a Marquess'" which featured Ellie and Hugh and I loved them, and since I had enjoyed that book so much I was excited to get Olivia;s. I am glad that I requested it, my only complaint that I had it in my to-be-read pile for about a month but that was my bad. So I implore you to start from the beginning so that you get a better feel for the characters, not that you will be lost because the author does a great job in explaining who was who but trust me you will enjoy it better. So we get reacquainted with Olivia and she is in a boring house party since her mother is trying to get Olivia a good match, however Olivia is not interested in just getting married she wants to find love like her sibling have done. She ends up meeting the elusive Duke's groom when she goes to the stables to get away from the party. This groom is rude but also handsome, she ends up taking a ride and gives this groom a kiss because she wants to do something bold of her own free will instead of being told she had to do something. She gets accused of stealing by this horrid jealous girl there and to prove her innocence she has to admit she was unsupervised and out with this groom and when she mentions him and shows who it is turns out he lied, he was said Duke and because of that they were made to marry which pisses both of them all and then the real fun comes..Enjoy!

rcvd an ARc at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Olivia, the youngest sister of the Earl of Castleton, has no patience for the boring gentlemen of aristocratic society. She longs for a more adventurous life, her plans are thwarted when her mother drags her to a country house party to meet suitable noblemen. Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, finds Olivia in his stables. She believes him to be the stable master, and he doesn’t dissuade her of the notion. Olivia is accused of stealing a necklace by a deceitful debutante but is relieved when the handsome stable master comes to her aid as her alibi, but that relief fades to anger when she suddenly finds herself betrothed to the harsh, foul-tempered duke.
Tristan believes he’s been trapped by a scheming, title-seeking lady. So plans to leave her at his principal country residence. He hadn’t banked on Olivia being so wilful & being aided & abetted by his Grandmother.
This is the third book about the Swift siblings & whilst it could be read on its own, reading the previous books will only add to its enjoyment. I adored Olivia & how she went out of her way to fight for Tristan even when he was trying to push her away. I loved Tristan & felt for all he had suffered but at times I really wanted to shake him. Their sparring was entertaining & their attraction apparent but Olivia faced an uphill struggle but she never gave up no matter how many times she was hurt. Luckily Tristan saw sense before it was too late. The pace was good & the characters had depth.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Suzette · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will totally love this amazing couple’s love story. Tristan is a Duke in the shadows because of a speech impediment. He doesn’t trust anyone except his grandmother because of the things that had happened in his past. He is pretending to be someone else when he meets Olivia. Olivia is independent and is not looking to marry unless she is in love. She meets Tristan and likes him on sight but doesn’t know he is the Duke. When they are forced into marriage by his grandmother things do not start off well.

This story reveals the depths you will go for the one you love. It also looks at accepting people despite their disabilities. Family loyalty is very important as a great support in all your troubles. There is intrigue and fun and witty conversations as Olivia fights for the life of love she wants with Tristan. This is a truly beautiful love story that will bring light and gladness to your heart.

[Jaci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Tina Gabrielle. Great story with wonderful characters. Flawed hero and a fearless heroine that will tug at your heart and maybe even a few tears before the Happily Ever After.

[Nessa]

DNF🙄

THE HERO WAS A DELUSIONAL ASS. Even with the excuse of being traumatised as a child because of his stuttering condition, it doesn't give him any rights to be ridiculously rude and self assuming. The story started out great until the author decided to trap them into a marriage (which wasn't needed at all and the romance would have flowed naturally if she allowed them to build the relationship), and ruin the good mood she set.

I love marriages before love troupes but this wasn't the best light to portray it (frankly, the author butchered it) and I couldn't fathom how the hero when from having potential to a complete dunderhead who assumes the heroine is a scheming, manipulative bitch. I felt sorry for her.

And since I'm not keen to waste my precious time on unloveable characters, I bid this, adiós!

[Nae · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars for me, but waited too long for a more in-depth review. Not super memorable, but not bad. The basics:

Tropes: Kidnapping, Lords & Ladies, Marriage of Honor, Mistaken Identity

Genres, settings, categories, themes: historical romance (M/F)

POV: third person

Series/Sequencing Style: 3rd in an anthology series, can be read as standalone, no cliffhanger
understanding series types: dynamic, static, anthology - source 1, source 2

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the strongest book in the series in my opinion. The characters were likable and the conflicts fit the narrative well. This book also gave the most chapters from the hero's POV which I liked.

I thought it was an interesting change to have the hero be the one to not want sex. I also appreciated that the "pullout method" was shown to be terrible birth control. Like the old joke, what do you call a couple that uses the pullout method...parents.

There were a lot of little mistakes though. Especially when it came to the members of the heroine's family. They were constantly given the wrong titles. Not a huge deal, but it did stand out to me every time it happened.

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Olivia, the youngest sister of the Earl of Castleton, has no patience for the boring gentlemen of aristocratic society. She longs for a more adventurous life like the ladies who visit the Raven Club. But her plans are thwarted when her family drags her to a country house party to meet the elusive Duke of Keswick. Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, finds Olivia in his stables. She believes him to be the stable master, and he doesn’t dissuade her of the notion. He has no interest in entertaining one of the spoiled, self-indulgent ladies who’ve invaded his home. Except, Olivia is neither of those things, and their shared kiss during a ride results in combustible passion.
This was a pretty good story. I really liked Olivia and my heart felt for Tristan. I thought both characters were well written. Yes, Tristan was a jerk for a bit, but I thought it was very understandable why so it didn't hinder my feelings towards the book. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

[Cassandra Ulrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tina Gabrielle's "How to Capture a Duke" brings to light the struggles Duke Tristan experiences due to his stutter and the woman who dared fall in love with him. Olivia stared Tristan down a path he'd never wanted much less expected.

An enjoyable read but the characters didn't pull me into the story as much as I'd like.

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series.

[book_leafs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending was so stupid like wtf

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated 4.5

[Marika · Rating 1 out of 5]

⛔️(in notes)

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Capture a Duke is the third book in Tina Gabrielle's The Raven Club series. You don't need to read the first two books to enjoy this one, because it totally stands alone. I do recommend doing so, though, because you will enjoy this one even more if you do. The heroine here is the sister of Ian in book one and Ellie in book two.

Lady Olivia is the youngest sister of the Earl of Castleton. Her mother drags her to a house party at the home of Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, so she can meet a lord and marry. Olivia isn't the least bit interested; she doesn't care about marrying any of the present gentlemen and would rather spend time with the horses. Visiting the stable, she meets a handsome man she believes to be the stable master. Asking him to accompany her on a ride, Olivia ends up kissing him. When a woman at the party accuses Olivia of stealing, Olivia insists that the stable master is her alibi. Except he's not really a stable master...he is the Duke of Keswick, who was hiding from his guests in the stable! Since they had been alone, Tristan's grandmother insists he marry Olivia. Tristan is convinced that Olivia connived to set this up. He plans on abandoning her in the country once they marry. It doesn't quite work out that way!

I absolutely enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down. Tristan and Olivia were wonderful characters. Tristan was a different sort of romance hero - he stuttered. He held such a lofty title and had riches, but he kept to himself. Growing up with a mother who expected her son to be perfect, having tutors who tried to beat his problem out of him and dealing with classmates who constantly mocked him taught Tristan to be distrustful and withdrawn. He refused to be a father because he was afraid his child would suffer from the same affliction as he. Olivia, strong woman that she was, refused to be ignored and shuffled off to the country; she knew Tristan should not be hiding from life and could be helped. The chemistry between them was explosive, though Tristan tried to push her away. I enjoyed everything about this book!

Note: After the story, the author shared her own personal struggle with a speech impediment. No wonder she had such an understanding of Tristan's issue and was able to get his struggle across. Thanks so much for sharing that with us, Ms. Gabrielle!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Aisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. While this is the latest in the Raven Club series it is possible to enjoy this book as a stand alone. Tristan has grown up isolated due to his stammer and the bully he faced as a result by his school mates and mother. However Olivia will not allow her husband to hid once a mistake forced them to wed. I love the book. Tristan was frustrating at times because it was just a stutter but he was so sweet. Olivia was a strong character who was strong enough to fight for her marriage.

[Patricia Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 3 in the Raven club series. The series has taken place around the Earl of Castledon and his 2 sisters, Ellie and Olivia. This is Olivia's story. It is a stand alone but as always reading books 1 and 2 add to it.
Olivia has seen her brother and sister marry for love. She wants the same. She will accept no less. Her mother is trying to push her to marry and thinks love a foolish requirement. When Olivia escapes her mother and goes to the stables to see the horses, she meets Tristan. She thinks he's the head groom.
Tristan is in the stables taking care of his horse when Olivia comes in. She has no idea who he is because he is known as a recluse. He doesn't socialize, even though his grandmother is having a house party right now. But when Olivia returns and wants to ride and there is no groom to ride with her, he offers to go. After all, she thinks he is a groom, what harm could there be.
But their ride alone, unchaperoned, becomes known. As a result, Olivia, who is shocked to learn that he is the Duke, is forced to marry Tristan.
Tristan, who has vowed never to marry, feels like he has been betrayed, duped. Forced into a wedding he never wanted. Why is Tristan so adamant not to socialize and not to marry? He stutters badly. He has been made fun of and put through many torturous medical procedures in an effort to cure him. Nothing worked, so he has vowed never to pass this on to a child of his.
Olivia's dream of marrying for love has burst like a bubble. She has no choice but to marry Tristan. He says it will be a marriage in name only. Will she accept these circumstances? Will she fight for what she feels she and Tristan deserve?
This leads to some very interesting adventures as we see the friendship, respect and the love that develops between the two.
It was a great story and a great series. This is my fair and honest review, in my own words, in exchange for this ARC. I give it 5 stars.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, and Lady Olivia Swift met at a house party held on his estate. Neither wanted to be there. When they met in the stables, Olivia mistook him for a groom, and Tristan didn’t correct her. Accused of theft, Olivia said she was out of the house when the incident happened, and that the groom could vouch for her. When it is discovered that the “groom” is Tristan and that the two of them had been out unchaperoned, her mother and his grandmother insist that they marry. Thinking he’d been tricked, but seeing no way out, Tristan goes through with the wedding and promptly leaves for London without Olivia. She follows him, determined to make the best of their situation. No matter what she does, Tristan resists. She gives up and goes to tell her sister she is leaving. She never makes it. Where is she? Will Tristan realize too late that she is exactly what he needs and wants?

Tristan is an honorable man and cares for and helps others, especially veterans and others with disabilities. Bullied in school and called the “Stuttering Duke,” he avoids interaction with society. He fulfills his Parliamentary obligation, but cannot bring himself to speak on things his feels are important. Olivia is independent and adventurous. She supports Tristan completely. Antonia, Tristan’s grandmother, and Olivia’s family, especially her sister, encourage her efforts with him. The villain (besides the bullies) might surprise you. How to Capture a Duke is a well written emotional story. It is essentially a journey to acceptance, especially for Tristan, whose greatest challenge is to accept himself as he is. Happy ever after might be possible, but it will be a tough trip. The epilogue ties everything up nicely. I enjoyed this story. I like the series.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Olivia, the youngest sister of the Earl of Castleton, has no patience for the boring gentlemen of aristocratic society. She longs for a more adventurous life like the ladies who visit the Raven Club. But her plans are thwarted when her family drags her to a country house party to meet the elusive Duke of Keswick.

Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, finds Olivia in his stables. She believes him to be the stable master, and he doesn’t dissuade her of the notion. He has no interest in entertaining one of the spoiled, self-indulgent ladies who’ve invaded his home. Except, Olivia is neither of those things, and their shared kiss during a ride results in combustible passion.

And a potential scandal.

Olivia is relieved when the handsome stable master comes to her aid as her alibi, but that relief fades to anger when she suddenly finds herself betrothed to the harsh, foul-tempered duke.

Tristan believes he’s been trapped by a scheming, title-seeking lady. To make matters worse, she’s utterly captivating. He plans on leaving her behind in the country immediately after their vows, but Tristan soon finds himself battling temptation and Olirvia’s stubborn determination to be the duchess he doesn’t believe he deserves...
This is a well told tale of misconstrued notions and two very unlikely lovers.
Neither our hero or heroine wishes to marry. Both for their own reasons. Tristan believes he may pass on his affliction to any offspring as Olivia simply wants the freedom that ladies do not have in the time she lives in.
Will these two find love in spite of their fears?
I have this book a 4.25 of 5.0 star rating.
I received a complimentary copy of this book to read.This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

[Debra Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tristan Cameron, the Duke of Keswick, abhors society events and especially house parties, but when his mother arranges a house party with eligible ladies wanting to wed, Tristan makes it a point to hide out in the stables. When Lady Olivia comes into the stable requesting to ride Tristan's stallion, he tells her no, but when she comes back the next day, he concedes and saddles a mare for her to ride. They spend a lovely afternoon together riding and it ends with a sizzling kiss. When Olivia is accused of stealing a necklace, she brings his mother to the stables and points out her alibi, the stable master. She is horrified to learn the stable master is indeed the duke. To avoid scandal, they are betrothed and married with a week. Tristan is angry that Olivia trapped him in marriage and plans to leave her alone in the country while he goes to London. He will never forgive her for her deception despite her pleas she did not trap him. When Olivia shows up in London, can he resist the beautiful young woman who is now determined to be his wife in more than name only.

This was an enjoyable read. Ms. Gabrielle lets the author inside both the hero and heroine's thoughts--Tristan is angry he was trapped and Olivia is angry that she had no choice in marrying the duke in the first place. I could understand both their positions and wondered if they could overcome their anger toward each other. Having Tristan worried about passing on his stuttering to his child kept him isolated for so long, but Olivia is determined to show Tristan that he was so much more than his stuttering.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

[wonderfullyweird88 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. There are overlapping characters as the series focuses on the Swift family, I read the first in the series and missed the second, and it had no impact on the story.

The series seems to rely on the forced marriage trope, in the two books that I have read both relationships involved the couple getting married because they were caught in a compromising situation.

I like Olivia, she was headstrong and independent. She refused to be ordered about, Tristan did not have a happy life, bullied and humiliated because he has a speech impediment he was determined to never marry. When he is forced to marry Olivia, he believes she trapped him and refuses to have anything to do with her. Tristan has no wish to become a father as he fears passing on his speech impediment, but Olivia won't take no for an answer. When something is leaked to a newspaper, he once again leaps to Olivia or her sister as the culprit. Tristan brought a lot of hardship on himself by not communicating and distrusting the one person who could have helped him.

There is an added plotline where Olivia gets kidnapped, the entire thing could have been left out as rather than add to the story; it made the plot worse. If this had been excluded, I would have given the book a higher rating.

It is a good read, and I enjoyed watching Tristan overcome his stutter, but there were too many small plot issues that detract from an otherwise entertaining read.

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

*Blurb and cover image via Goodreads. 

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 10/27/19.

I loved Olivia and Tristan's story!

Their meet cute was fun--bonding over a mutual love of horses, though there is that pesky detail where she thinks he's the head groom and he's really the duke--until it all backfires into a rushed marriage to save her reputation. Don't you just hate when that happens?

Yeah, me neither. ;)

I liked that Olivia stood up for herself (with a little encouragement from Tristan's grandmother and her sister Ellie) and didn't let her new husband hide her away in the country. She also figured out a way to help her husband in Parliament, even though he hadn't been confiding his difficulties to her at that point. She is definitely exactly what he needed--grandma was right about that! The villain of the piece was well done--I'd had a few inklings early on that things might not be quite as they seemed, but definitely didn't expect to see what happened there. And thank goodness all the drama gave Tristan the push he needed to really let Olivia in at last, because he was killing me there...

How to Capture a Duke is the third book in the series, but it would work fine as a standalone. (Confession time: I've only read books 2 and 3. I really need to get to Ian's story ASAP...)

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.