This series continues with the second Christmas Town story. A strong lady who has made a future for herself with her Duke, dreams of success in a man’s world, meets a man who doesn’t like competition for his favors and has a hidden passion for a craft below his position in life. As the two meet more often and banter, they each begin to develop a different outlook toward their craft. The interwoven items from traditional Christmas stories/poems/songs Erica has included in this story make it a pleasant and enjoyable read.

Nicholas Pringle finds Lady chemist Penelope Mitchell over perfume and sets them on path to love. Fun Characters with good story line. Part of the Dukes Series.

Ebook from Netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

What happens when someone turns the table on you. The Kiss of a Duke is what happens. This is a fun story full of surprises. Pick this up for a fun read with a surprise Christmas theme.

4.5☆
Cute and fun

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
The humor
Part of a series: 12 Dukes of Christmas
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue

I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

This is number 2 in this great series.

We met Penelope before - the scientist who creates perfumes in the castle - somewhat messy and unusual indeed in being a 'lady' chemist at these times., in book #1.

Here we find her having successfully created a perfume for men that has proved to be a scent for the male tonthat has taken them by storm - and has made her notable.

Now she has to make a female perfume that will do the same.

Another of Erica's heroines that is naturally a scientist in an era when women were not that educated and one we can empathise with, one who is a natural philosopher as those who worked with natural essences were called, and one who experimented in a laboratory. A grand example for our own girls.

I always enjoy a novel by Erica Ridley. They are light but also have great heroines who are not conforming to the societal norm. which i approve of. She doesn't attempt to copy Georgette Heyer even though the books are set in the same time period. Rather she makes the time period her own creation, and this series of short novels is a grand idea - 12 before Xmas - quick writing!

Wonderful recency romance with a Christmas theme. Thoroughly enjoyed reading about Penelope & Nick discover each other & themselves in Christmas. Quirky, funny & heart warming.

Christmas is a city that lives in Christmas mood all the time. Citizens know each other as friends and support each other, even when someone seems a bit eccentric.
In the 12 Dukes of Christmas series not every duke is flesh and blood, and in this story, Duke is the name of a perfume for men created by lady chemist Penelope Mitchell.

The fragrance was so successful that it snatched London, and now, its creator intends to create the feminine version of the perfume, Duchess.
But there is one person not happy with that success.

Nicholas Pringle, or Saint Nick, a notorious rake, regards scent as a farce mainly because of the fame received that it can make the person of the opposite sex fall in love. Nick wants to prove this is false.
The war between them is declared. And to prove her product is real, Penelope faces the challenge of making Nicholas fall in love.

Will the spell not come against the sorcerer?
And will Nicholas be able to prove his point and get out of this war without any scratches?
5 stars

Kiss of a Duke ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️by Erica Ridley

This book is so adorable. The romance between Penelope and Nick is heartwarming. Penelope a chemist and inventor of a beguiling cologne for men called the Duke has made herself a name to all. Men clamoring to become rakes they begin wearing her product and women seem to swoon over them.

In come Nickolas Pringle a true rake and he tries to stop her. The banter and biscuits between these two is awesome.

Ms Ridley always injects humors in her romances. Although she has made me shed a tear or two on occasions.

To read this romance and see the couple realize they are in love with one another is a delight. Read this book if you love romance.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I loved the first in this series and was excited to read the next. I loved the smart (but possibly chaotic/absentminded scientist) heroine. I thought both main characters were likeable.

Book number 2 in the 12 Dukes Of Christmas series and a follow up to Once Upon A Duke. It is a standalone book, with virtually no reference to the characters in Once Upon......

Having set up the whole premise of the town of Christmas in the previous book, Kiss of a Duke concentrates more on the romance. Nicholas Pringle is in town with his brother, and he finds out that not only does the chemist responsible for the male scent Duke live in the town, but - gasp! - it's a woman.

Having put much time and effort into being a professional rake, Nicholas is annoyed that the playing field has been levelled in favour of the shy, not rich and not handsome men. He has his pick of women who are willing to effectively have no strings attached one night stands with him and he enjoys the lack of commitment - at least until now.  Who knew that being a rake was actually a career move?!

Penelope is a scientist through and through and has almost completed the formula for her next scent, Duchess, which is to do for women what Duke does for men.  She then decides to try it out on Nicholas, but doesn't count on falling for him - and she doesn't trust that his feelings for her might have nothing to do with the scent and everything to do with her.

Meanwhile, the two keep meeting up, Nicholas turning up at her door, first to try and buy Duke, but then to try out her biscuits (at least, that's the excuse). He realises that Penelope is unlikely to fall for his charms, wouldn't want a one night stand and (more importantly) he wants something more from her.  It's sweet when he realises that he's the clingy one out of the two of them, and he doesn't want it to end.

He also has the opportunity to rent out the local smithy for personal use, which allows him to continue with his well hidden passion of glass blowing and metal work. He designs and makes trinkets (including 2 interlocking turtle doves) and leaves them for Penelope to find.

So in summary, this is a short, light, occasionally funny book that's just right for this time of year, that occasionally turns things around.

A wonderful historical romance with a good female lead. I found the book a bit too slow, and also much too romantic for my taste. It was perhaps the lack of plot twists that made me feel so.

On the whole, it is very light-hearted and a quick read.

The second installment of The 12 Dukes Of Christmas Regency series. Taking place in the far northern region of England where Christmas is celebrated 12 months of the year. The old spinster (34) scientist develops a scent (called Duke) that has women swooning at the feet of which ever man who happens to be using it at the time. Enter the notorious rake who wishes to stop the sale of such a scent as it endangers his position which he worked hard to achieve. Unbeknown to him she is working on a a new scent (called Duchess) that will do the same for women. Will the sparks ignite a firestorm between the two opposing forces? This is a regency romance for those who like both strong female and male characters.

I have rated this book 4 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Kiss of a Duke by Erica Ridley is fun, sexy, and has me rooting for the rake, because once he finds his mate, he's not actually a rake at all. Rather he's much than his reputation.

Lady Penelope Mitchell is a bluestocking chemist who is clearly on the shelf. She's created a cologne for me that takes the ton by storm. While Nicholas Pringle wants nothing but to rid society of this blasted cologne, because not this cologne has every man thinking they can sweep any lady off her feet.

Their meeting starts out less than amiable but sparks fly when they verbally spar. And I love books where the two start out as antagonists and end of realizing the love they have for each other.

Kiss of a Duke is perfect for the holiday season. It's fun, it's got great chemistry - no pun intended, and I'm wanting to read more of the series.

This is the second book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series. It is woven around a village that is now known as Christmas. Once you ignore that this is a historical romance, the story is sweet. The heroine is a chemist that creates a best selling man's cologne that even Prinney wears. The hero is a rake that is determined to take the cologne off the market to even the playing field.

I liked the characters. Penelope was a smart, determined, older heroine that didn't care that she was on the shelf. Nicholas was a rake with a secret. He was a glass blower. It was cute that he had a hobby that he had to hide away in London, but in Christmas, he is accepted. This book is about people with different backgrounds and interests accepting each other and finding love.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you!

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 2 in the 12 dukes of Christmas series. I was hoping this one would be better than book one it was a little better but I just wasn’t a huge fan. Penelope is probably one of the stupidest smart person ever. She decides to run an experiment but really doesn’t stop to consider the consequences. I just wasn’t over the moon about the characters but I still have book 3 to give a shot.

At first the story was overboard with descriptions of the gorgeousness of the hero. A bit too much for me, but as the story progressed it started to make sense. It needed the exaggeration as part of the development of the love story. Good to see a heroine who is confident and strong and willing to set her own path. Overall it was a good, fun read. Worth reading to the end.

Love Erica Ridley's books!! She writes great Historical Romance!! I feel not too many people know what a great author she is!! Can't wait for her next book!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

This was such a fun book with all the little hints of Christmas! Penelope and Nicholas were made for each other as they both did not believe in love. I loved that they each did not try to change each other but accepted them as they were.

As their friendship progresses, Penelope and Nicholas grow closer and start to fall for each other.

Victoria was funny with her references to turtle doves and the way she tried to bring Nicholas and Penelope together.

I am really looking forward to the next book with Chris and Gloria. they are another couple that look like they are made for each other!

I absolutely loved this book. I forgot I bought it and finally remembered and started reading it one night when I couldn’t sleep. Two and a half hours later I finished the book and am no closer to sleep. Fantastic and can’t wait to read more. So worth being tired tomorrow.

Kiss of a Duke has blue stocking, chemist Penelope surprising rake Nicholas with her charm and cooking skills. She has invented a men’s perfume named Duke that is all the rage. Nicholas believes it give unfair advantage to other men who use it to bring unsuspecting women to their beds. In is naive arrogance, he believes he has worked to have the true reputation of rake and those other men should not be able to be rakes because of a scent.

Nicholas approaches Penelope to ask her to stop producing the scent Duke. When she refuses, he offers to buy it with the intention of stopping its production. Penelope, who is no idiot, refuses him. Then, she ‘uses’ her new female scent on Nicholas as an experiment to prove it works.

All of this occurs in the village now named Christmas. What follows is a precious romance that fits perfectly into the Twelve Dukes of Christmas series.