Love, The Duke: Say I Do

Disguised as a man, Ophelia seeks help from her late brother’s old friend, duke Hurst, to recover a missing artifact. He agrees in order to keep her out of trouble, leading to unexpected passion. This historical romp is lighthearted and fun, if not completely believable. Hurst and Ophelia are both unreasonably attached to their own opinions, which usually clash. They truly care about each other, even if their stubbornness often gets in the way. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

A convoluted tale that doesn't quite work I loved the first two books of this series, but this third one felt like it was shoehorned in to fit the theme without really having its own internal purpose. The Duke of Hurstbourne rejects a request from his childhood friend, Winston, to marry Winston's sister, Ophelia. Even so, when Winston finds himself in a bit of trouble, Ophelia turns up on Hurst's doorstep, insisting that he help her brother. This was an acceptable setup for Ophelia and Hurst's romance, rendering all the other nonsensical and somewhat outrageous details superfluous at best. Some of these details seem to exist only to make the story fit with the other two, even when they strain the bounds of credulity. Others still seemed only to cause unnecessary friction and distract from the ultimate goal of clearing Winston's name. There truly are too many inconsistencies and convoluted details to bear noting, so I'll just say that if you enjoyed the first two books as I did and wish to complete the series, you'll find a sweet romance couched in a bit of an adventure with a nicely predictable HEA. I reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This was a good story. Ophelia wanted to protect her family and brother's reputation, so she took to hunting for a chalice. Drake was protective of her, admired her gumption, and fought his feelings for her. With danger lurking around, time running out, and emotions getting in the way, Ophelia and Drake gave into their hearts, and all things worked out. I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.