pretty wonderful, loved the main character, great dog cameo, a bit of Cinderella feeling ( )

It's All About the Duke is the next Regency romance in The Rakes of St. James series from Amelia Grey. Though part of the series, this novel can stand alone and the author does a good job with snippets so you are not lost if you have not read the other books.
It was a fun, enjoyable novel with like able characters. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys historical romance.set during the Regency era. ( )

I don't normally read romance novels, and in trying to change that fact, I read this book. I was provided a digital advanced copy from netgalley and the publisher, and I'm so glad that I did! The pacing was wonderful for me, and even though this was the third book in a series, I am happy to say that I could pick it up and understand everything that was going on.

My only problem with the book is the trope the love interest writing a gossip column and the fact that her friend was so over dramatic was sort of annoying, but it didn't take away too much from the story. I would gladly tell people that like the romance genre to read this! ( )

Full review posted at Reader's Edyn on 020820

Marlena Fast is in a pickle – living with freedoms afforded by a bedridden guardian, she has become accustomed to the independence given while she waits for a season within the ton which should have occurred a few years back. Thrusting her deeper into said pickle is the shocking revelation that her guardianship has been transferred to the Duke of Rathburne – notorious Rake of St. James and current hot topic in the weekly scandal sheets. The more time she spends with Rath, the more she grasps how rakish he can be, but that he truly is an attentive, thoughtful man; not to mention stimulating to the point of distraction. When she falls for him, her gut wrenches knowing she can never have him. Marlena has a secret she can never allow Rath to know because there is no telling what type of retribution he will seek against the one who revived the folly of his youth, breathing life into the scandal sheets each week, possibly exposing innocents to compromising situations in her zeal. Marlena is Miss Honora Truth.

The Duke of Rathburne – Rath – cannot believe what kind of situation he’s gotten himself into following a long night with a bottle of brandy. Now stuck with a ward of his own, he sets out to do his father proud, trying to behave responsibly for once in his life. That description may be a bit harsh, but he is seeking penance for the bet he put his friends up to many years ago and what better way than to suffer the gossips right along with his two best friends as they did when their sisters debuted in Society. What he didn’t count on was the ragamuffin he remembers from several years ago captivating his so thoroughly. He absolutely cannot seduce his ward, but damn if she doesn’t consume his every thought. That settled, he will have her. But the truth she has been protecting and the reason for all of the oddities that seem to surround her might be more than their delicate relationship can rally back from. But like the other Rakes of St, James, Rath isn’t accustomed to losing and despite his startling discovery, he isn’t about the begin now – not with so much on the line. He’s just got to figure out how to tie up all of the loose ends of the tangled web he’s caught up in.

I am beyond pleased to announce that I consider this book the best of the series. If you read my previous reviews for the preceding books in the series, I was a bit worried because they were so much alike that the books came across as a retelling of nearly the same story. While I still enjoyed them quite a lot, I was less than ecstatic at their similarities. The Rakes of St. James still captivated me and while I was a bit let down with the 2nd book, I was still hoping that Rath’s book was quite the thing. He was, after all, the rake I was most looking forward to finding his own HEA. Thankfully, this final book in the trilogy met my expectations. I would have been heartbroken to have said otherwise. However, I am once again mystified as to what Rath's name is. Who was he prior to inheriting his title?

What a clever spin to give Rath a ward to be responsible for since he was the only of the Rakes who did not have a sister that could have been adversely affected by the gossip rags. And not just any ward – the very woman who started the scandal sheet to begin with. Talk about overcoming obstacles – however, I would have argued (and was surprised it wasn’t mentioned) that had Marlena not begun such a potentially ruinous tale, not one of the Dukes would have met their HEAs. While the personalities of Marlena and Rath follow suit to the other MCs in the earlier books, there was the added strife of Marlena carefully guarding her secret identity; Marlena coming to grips with the fact that not one of the Dukes was the cad she had written them to be; and Rath with his keen senses, knowing it was just a scant amount of time before he caught on to the ruse – his well-developed ability to discern having been eluded to in the previous installments. I would go so far as to say that he, if it ever came to it, would easily win as the most rakish of the three Dukes – quite clever was he in obtaining what he was after in several instances. And we find that Marlena – or Miss Truth – has just published a book of how to avoid such outrageous gentlemen as a companion of sorts to her weekly scandal sheet. Of course, as per the theme of this series, we are treated to several of Miss Truth’s tips for avoiding said rogues at the beginning of each chapter.

The introduction of several new characters also helped garner my attention; Ms. Grey going all out and throwing in several irons in the fire with the numerous subplots occurring. For those of you who have read the first two portions of the trilogy and may have been somewhat concerned as I was at their glaring likenesses, no need to worry over this final segment. I am beyond pleased that I did not give in and abandon the series. Despite the slight let down with the middle book, I feel my time with this series was well spent. Having ended the series on such a high note, I plan to seek out further work by Ms. Grey to check for compatibility. I am hopeful. Overall, these books are enjoyable HR stories, each with a beautiful HEA. They should be read in order, but I did not find it absolutely necessary to do so. And at the heart of each book is a dashing rake that needs to be challenged in order to find love – which is what I truly crave within my reads. That said, this trilogy, and most especially this book itself, delivers fully.

Kindle ARC version provided by publisher/St. Martin’s in exchange for an honest review. ( )

It's All About the Duke by Amelia Grey
Series: Rakes of St. James #3

5 Stars - This book had everything I love in a historical romance; lots of flirting and stolen glances, perfect chemistry, a dashing rake, and scenes in a ballroom (which I find surprisingly doesn’t happen as often in recently published historicals, well not the ones I have been reading anyway) and of course a happily ever after. I loved how straightforward both Marlena and Rath were. There were no misleads or misunderstandings. Both characters were witty and I couldn’t wait to see them on the page together. Also, I love Lady Vera and hope she gets her own story.

I think this was a great addition to the series and I would happily recommend.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

~Paragraphs and Petticoats~ ( )