Kate Bateman

Second Duke’s the Charm is another deliciously delightful story from fabulous author Kate Bateman, and hopefully the start to a new series with these wonderful characters.

Poor Tess. Her father pretty much sold her off to an old, repulsive Duke. Fortunately for Tess, that old man died on their wedding night – before the marriage could be consummated. So now Tess is the Dowager Duchess of Wansford, with independent means and the freedom of a widow. Poor Tess again, though. She is young and vibrant with wants, desires and needs. But if it becomes known that the marriage was never consummated she will no longer be eligible to be the Dowager Duchess. She’ll lose her income, her home and her freedom. She’ll no longer be able to afford the investigative business she runs with her two best friends Daisy and Ellie. Keeping the secret is important, but so is finally experiencing the pleasure she can now only dream about. So she attends a masquerade notorious for its licentiousness, where she hopes as an incognita, a masked woman with no name and no morals, she can find a handsome stranger and do a little “passionate experimenting” without fear of discovery. And yep, she does meet a man. A handsome handsome handsome man who doesn’t even bother to be masked.

I love the masquerades in these Regency romances. It always makes me think of the why-didn’t-Lois-Lane-recognize-Clark-Kent-when-he-was-Superman question. But it usually seems to work and people remain anonymous. Except when they don’t. Turns out that handsome man was paying very close attention to every detail about Tess and recognizes her when as the new Duke of Wansford he meets the Dowager Duchess. Gulp. Tess isn’t so anonymous now, is she? Of course she recognizes him because he wasn’t masked, but she doesn’t realize he also knows she was that lady in red who stirred something in him.

Justin does not want to be a duke. He’s already a successful businessman and doesn’t need the income nor the residences and especially not the hassles of running a dukedom – and having a wife. He never imagined he would inherit the dukedom; they had to go quite a way down the inheritance line to even find someone eligible. But . . . responsibility.

When he meets Tess he has an “Aha!’ moment: they can enter a marriage of convenience, she’ll retain her position, he’ll have a wife for appearance sake. Problems solved. Except this whatever it is between them – heat, desire, longing, tenderness – isn’t very convenient.

Author Bateman excels at this sort of thing. The characters are intriguing, adorable, infuriating. The romance is sweet, scorching and often laugh-out-loud funny. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of Second Duke’s the Charm via NetGalley. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to see if there will be a second book in this series, or anything else at all written by Kate Bateman for that matter. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.… (altro)

*** 4.5 Out of 5 Stars ***

This is a wonderful start to a new Kate Bateman series. The main characters are perfect for each other, the friends on both sides are wonderfully supportive (and I can’t wait for their books) and then you add in masked balls, a virgin widow, an unwilling duke, a detective agency with a very mysterious ‘owner’, attempted murders, and tasks for the queen – well, you will find yourself unable to put the book down.

You will absolutely love Tess Townsend and her friends Ellie Law and Daisy Hamilton. They make a formidable trio. When, at 19, Tess’s father forced her to marry the decrepit and aging Duke of Wansford, she was determined he would never touch her. When the Duke keels over dead on the floor as he is approaching for his conjugal visit, she is both elated and appalled. Now, she is a widow – with all of its privileges. Her father cannot force her into another marriage, she has the financial security of a small jointure from the estate, and she can run the estate until the new heir is found. All she is missing is a bit of passion – actually, she just wants a kiss – just to see what it is all about. Attending Tom Careby’s notorious masquerade – known for its licentiousness – will afford Tess the perfect opportunity to be kissed without the possibility of also being recognized. Oh! Yes!! Who knew a kiss could literally curl her toes? That kiss would certainly have led to more if they hadn’t been interrupted. But, they are, and she leaves without ever learning his name.

Justin Thornton is an extremely successful self-made man. He has grown a shipping company with one small ship into one of the most successful companies in the realm. He is richer than most, if not all, of the ton. He is rich and he is powerful – what more could he want? Well, certainly not a title – especially that of Duke. However, the title is his whether he wants it or not. It definitely doesn’t sound like a fortuitous thing since several other heirs died before they found him. He’ll take up the mantle of Duke, he’ll acquire the required society wife, and then he’ll take himself back to Brighton to run his company. When he stops in at his friend Tom’s masquerade on his way to London, he kisses the most delectable woman – one he cannot get out of his mind.

This book has almost everything you could want in a romance. It is emotional, steamy, romantic, and a HEA that will curl your toes. And, the added bonus of an Epilogue makes it near perfect. I hope you’ll love this book as much as I did. Now, I can hardly wait for the next installment.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.… (altro)

Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman
Her Majesty’s Rebel’s series #1. Historical regency romance.
Tess Townsend, the Dowager Duchess of Wansford, needing something to keep her busy after her first husband died before their wedding night, is part owner of an exclusive investigative agency. Their current case is to find the blackmailer that is threatening the Queen. Undercover, Tess wears a scarlet dress and mask to a party hoping to identify the blackmailer but instead runs into Justin Thornton, her soon to be next husband. Their marriage, for Justin, is a way to have his cake, and leave when he’s had enough. He doesn’t trust his wife, considering where he first met her, as well as the fact that someone seems to be trying to kill one or both of them.

Justin fell in love at first sight with Tess, but his station at the time meant he had no chance at all with her. Sigh. If only he’d tell her rather than keep his distance.
Of course, she goes off the rails too when the unexpected happens.
It’s an intriguing and multifaceted story with steamy interludes, romantic outings and dangerous accidents. His grand gesture is comical.
The undercover agency added a bit of mischief along with the often bawdy humor between the women.
Captivating and engaging. A historical romance that will keep you breathless and entertained.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.… (altro)