Never Say Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas, #4) by Erica Ridley is a sweet and sincere historical romance. This is completely one of my go to authors. Viscount Ormondton heads to Christmas to convalesce after he is injured in the war. Theodore is broken and reclusive and wants to heal in peace before he is to wed. Virginia Underwood has a unique knack for healing injured things. This story brings to light the plight of young women during the times, but Virginia takes control of her own destiny and shows Theo what it is to open up and take risks on his own destiny and healing. This is a thoughtfully plotted story that flows easily as the characters banter back and forth through their inner and outer turmoil. And as always, the story leaves the reader smiling in the end. If you like any of the Rogues to Riches, you’ll enjoy this book as well. It can be read as a stand alone.

I just love everything this woman writes! Her books just suck you in the past! Erica Ridley is such a great storyteller!

A fun Regency romance that is perfect for readers who love the typical story line of Regencies. Ridley brings a lot of humor to this romantic story, along with dealing with a few threads of tough reality, wounded soldiers and non-perfect children. Of course it has its happy ending, almost to neat, but it is what is expected and would be disappointing any other way.

Highly entertaining and engaging romance that had me very invested in this journey and would not let go... loved this sweetly sexy passion. Great reading.

Miss Virginia Underwood and Theodore, Viscount Ormondton’s story; 4th in the 12 Dukes of Christmas, a standalone, happily ever after, no cheating, sweet, historical romance.
Quick read with likable quirky characters, touch of humor, learning to love one’s self.
I look forward to the rest of the series.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

What an absolutely amazing and heartfelt story this is! Theodore is a wounded war hero hiding out in a small village called "Christmas" and there he meets the delightfully open and funny Virginia who barrels her way into his life and decides to be his nurse and care for him as she does all the strays that she finds. Their story will make you smile, laugh, cry, swoon....and fall in love with Duke...the cat! I can't say enough how much I enjoyed reading this book!!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Very sweet romance about a young lady who has been rejected by her family and finds comfort in a village called Christmas. Virginia loves to heal people and animals, she has a special talent for it. And when Theodore arrives in Christmas under a veil of secrecy to recover from war wounds, she finds her next project. She will help him get better so he can get back to London and finally get himself betrothed to the lady his father wants him to marry.
But Theodore loses his heart to the beguiling Virginia, and just might heal her too.

Okay, this book was so much more than I expected. Great story, excellent characters, witty, entriging, this book has it all. Can't wait to read more from this author.

I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author through NetGalley.The fourth book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series a book that had me smiling as I read a well written story that held my interest throughout. Both Miss Virginia Underwood and Theodore O’Hanlon, Viscount Ormondton deserve happiness. I recommend this story.

Erica Ridley's 12 Dukes of Christmas series is like a warm blanket. I love feeling all cozy and snuggling up to such nice,heartwarming stories. Her writing is fantastic and her characters have depth to them.

Never Say Duke is one of my absolute favorite books from Erica Ridley.

I pretty much know what I'm getting from an Erica Ridley book: low steam, unique female MCs, and, usually, a very sweet, easy story. Never Say Duke took me by surprise because I really, really liked it, and I had a hard time putting it down.

I adored the female MC. Though it isn't explicitly stated, Virginia Underwood seemed neuro-atypical to me, which was an unexpected pleasure. I love a unique MC, and Virginia's gentle, blunt nature and her quirks made her memorable and special to me. She had great chemistry with Theo, and also great chemistry with Duke, her feisty cat, who made the story even more fun.

I also love an interesting hero, and Theo's injuries, limp, and myriad of facial and bodily scars only increased his appeal for me. I felt very invested in his recovery, and I loved his gruff and grumpy demeanor and seeing how he softened to Virginia over time.

The story had a lot of weight to it, but it was kept light by Duke's (the cat) antics and the delightful banter between the MCs.

There was a little unnecessary drama in the last part of the story, which irritated me, but the author pulled it out in the end. It was a grand romance-y romance ending that all historical romance readers will swoon over.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

This novel has the ability to just draw you in till the very end! I loved the fact that it was modest but had all the feels and you were just turning the pages as quickly as you could to see what would happen next! A great book to just sink away with into a comfy chair on a rainy afternoon!

The Duke of the title is Miss Virginia Underwood's cat. Just one of the strays she has helped. The next stray she collects is Theodore, Viscount Ormondton, who is hiding away to recuperate from his war wounds. This is a sweet story of two outcasts from society and their families who help heal each other. You don't need to have read other in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series to enjoy this one.

Never Say Duke by Erica Ridley
Although this delightful book is #4 in the 12 Dukes of Christmas, it can be read as a stand-alone without too much difficulty. The unifying thread for the series is the small town of Cressmouth in a remote corner of England where it is “Christmas” year-round. This book centers on Cressmouth resident Virginia, odd-girl out (and most likely what we would now characterize as “on the spectrum”) heals and cares for strays. While her strays are typically animals, this time she focuses on Theodore, a wounded war hero staying in the cottage of his friend, the Duke of Silkridge, while he attempts to recover and return to his life in London. Virginia has, herself, been “wounded,” cast out by her parents for being different and an embarrassment. The slow development of a friendship between the two is beautifully and gently portrayed with very few peripheral characters getting in the way of what is, essentially, a two-character play. There is humor as well as genuine emotion in a terrific series addition.

this is a cute short story. It is part of a collection of the 12 days of Dukes. the setting in Christmas.
Each on is about a nobleman who needs help and finds his true love.

the book was fresh and well written. I plan to read the rest of the series. A good romance

Never Say Duke by Erica Ridley is a warm, touching story of finding yourself while caring for another. Two individuals who feel broken and neglected by life and family explore a friendship...
The story has elements of mystery, unexpected twists and turns. The characters are wonderfully complex. The leading characters have avocations and wounds. The secondary characters jump off the page and fill the story with complexity and depth. I wanted to return, to learn more, and spend more time in their lives. Never Say Duke is not your typical historical romance. It is so much more. Highly recommended.

Two-Sentence Review
(Just in case you’re feeling lazy to read a long one)
Simplicity at its best: neat, heartwarming, fluffy story line, likeable characters and fun dialogues. It knows what it is: A Romance Novel, and it knows what it wants: to entertain the reader.

This is fourth book in the series and features Theodore O’Hanlon, Viscount Ormondton and Virginia Underwood. Virginia loves saving strays, she even have a cat named Duke, who by the way, is the best cat in the world. This cat knows his name is Duke and loves being called Your Grace. (Just fantastic) Anyway, Theo is an injured war hero who chose seclusion until he gets better. He went to Christmas, a village literally covered in snow all year round. There, she met Virginia who at their first meeting decided to be her nurse. Though she ended up nursing not only Theo’s injury but more. (Aaaaw!)


Simplicity is indeed the best thing this novel have. I’m not saying this is mediocre, no. I’m saying, this novel don’t try really hard and still made me fall in love with it. It knows what it is-A romance book. And it knows what it wants:to entertain the reader. The story line is really neat. Boy meets girl, girl meets boy. Boy has a past, girl has a past. Boy has a future laid out and waiting for him, girl is contented with her present. The plot isn’t that complex that I’m into it from the very beginning. I didn’t have to think or decide if I love this book, I instantly know I would love this book. Sure the Main Character’s individual back stories are bit deep, especially Virginia, but still the author handled them really well.

The characters are very likeable-from main characters to the side characters. The dialogues are really fun to read. Like I said they’re not trying too hard. The author didn’t have to make our main hero too brooding and snub the main heroine for almost half the novel which is very common in this genre. No, the author just made the characters distinctive so I, the reader, knows who’s who. And I’m telling you, everyone is different and I like them all. Aside from the MCs and Duke the cat, my favorite would be Swinton, the butler. Even the other girl who’s supposedly hinder Theo and Virginia’s Happily Ever After, this other girl acted realistically without being a b*tch. That was a very realistic ending.

(Please note that the OTHER girl is not really Theo’s girlfriend, I only meant there’s other girl in the story. I don’t want anyone thinking there’s some form of cheating in here. Theo is technically single when he met Virginia. )

Compassionate, loving heroine and swoon worthy wounded hero come together in this sweet and funny romance. It was heartbreaking to hear how Virginia is badly treated by her family due her being undiagnosed for autism during that era. I adored their journey of falling in love with each other, especially the part about Theodore’s love of ice-creams. This is book four in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series but can be read as a standalone.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

This story... and it is an amazing read. I loved reading Virginia and Theo's story and watching them decide what they really want from their lives and their future.

As always happens in these stories, two people who initially come off as incredibly wrong for each other end up in love and happily ever after. The fun part is the in-between.
Virginia is the kind of person who ignores your wishes when she gets it into her head that she knows better than you, but she gets away with it because she’s so charming and beautiful in her own wacky way. He, on the other hand, is quite the grump, with no enjoyment in his life other than ice cream. And that was before his injuries, which only made his disposition worse.
I’m a little miffed that the cat gets a point of view when Captain Pugboat didn’t. There’s a Mr. T, of course, because that’s how Ms. Ridley rolls. There’s also a Queen Turkey-tiara, but she’s not as important.
Considering how much of a cloudcuckoolander she is, it’s hard to imagine her so insecure. On the other hand, it makes it all the more special when she realizes he likes her the way she is.
So it wasn’t as good as the previous one, but that was one of the best historical romances I’ve ever read, so there’s no shame here.