A thoroughly charming and uplifting romance.
Much of this story takes place in the Duke's library where, the shy and socially awkward, Adam and the girl next door become good friends and more. There are plenty of cute and funny moments that make the story lighthearted and I couldn't help but smile all the way through this book. A lovely romance and my favourite in the series so far.

*Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review*
This book follows Carole, a feminist interior designer, and Adam, a shy Duke, two characters I very much enjoyed. I like the way the romance built in the second half and the obvious care that Adam had for Carole and that all their physical encounters were very consensual. However, I felt like the book was very slow moving in the first third and did not really focus on the romance aspect as much as I would have liked it to. I also wish that the fortune teller that Adam meets would have been tied into the end of the story, as Adam references this occasion many times throughout the book. Overall, this was a fun read, but it isn't something that will stick with me.

I always think every heroine in the Dukes series is my favorite until I read the next one but I REALLY love Carole. She is fun and a risk taker. She is not immune to the cuteness of her Duke neighbor. When the two are brought together to help the Duke improve his social graces and romantic sparks fly. Such a sweet story.

“Dukes, Actually” (12 Dukes of Christmas #5) by Erica Ridley.

The Duke of Azureford shyness is seen by many as arrogance and aloofness. But he has a plan to change other people’s opinions about him. First to learn how to flirt with woman. Two build a magnificent billiards room to entertain.

Miss Carole Quincy is an outgoing and flirtatious Lady who sees no harm in helping the Duke with both learning how to flirt and also assist with the design of his new billiards room. Everyone wins. And what is the harm in some flirting lessons?

This was an adorable read of opposites falling in love. I am likely to read this particular one story again.

Star rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[** I received “Dukes, Actually” (12 Dukes of Christmas #5) by Erica Ridley via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
Thank you to publishers and Netgallery for the opportunity to review this book.]
#12dukes #NetGalley

Carole loses her prized journal in Adam’s library during a party. Now six months later, she is on a mission: find her illustrated journal before someone else finds it and creates a scandal. Her biggest hurdle is to find an entry into Adam’s home. I thought the premise of the book was a little weak including the fortune teller who’s fortune is not mentioned again in the book in terms of its relevance. But I loved both Adam and Carole’s characters. They were sweet and utterly lovable and their story bringing out the holiday spirit.

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

Always a winning author for me. Immersive world, steamy interactions, and a HEA. What more do you need?

Another winner in this Christmas series! Book 5 was just as magical and wonderful as the previous installments. The main characters are interesting and engaging as well as the sub-characters. It has a blend of drama, humor and romance that I found hard to put down. Excellent read!

The Duke of Azureford isn’t the arrogant, aloof lord his peers perceive him to be. Yes, he’s awkward, but he has a plan to fix it. In order to woo a respectable lady, he must learn how to flirt. The completely inappropriate girl next door would make a perfect instructor, but a terrible duchess. So why can’t he walk away? Incorrigible hoyden Miss Carole Quincy likes billiards, fast carriages, and the beautiful, buttoned-up Duke of Azureford. She’d be delighted to help him out of his shell and into her arms. Who cares if they’re just pretending to flirt? The heady, breath-taking, soul-consuming feeling inside her runaway heart surely can’t be love…
This was a sweet and easy read that I just enjoyed. I really liked both Carole and Adam. I am really liking all of Erica Ridley’s books and can’t wait until her next book.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

The 5th book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series, “Dukes, Actually” is aptly titled because we finally meet the much talked about but never seen Adam Farland, the sixth Duke of Azureford.

The Duke of Azureford’s trip to Cressmouth, a picturesque village high atop a gorgeous mountain which is know for its year-round Yuletide cheer is a working vacation. He wanted to be away from London while parliament was not in session and try a self-improvement program.

Though people think of him as aloof, that was far from the truth, because the truth was, he was very shy. And that shyness had been the reason why he had not acquired a duchess yet. Cressmouth seem a good place to do that, far from the eyes of the haut ton.

But Adam got more than he bargained for. He met Miss Carole Quincy, a very popular and much-loved denizen of Cressmouth. Due to a twist of fate, Carole and Adam made an agreement. Carole will teach Adam to be more sociable; in return Adam will allow Carol to refurbish and redecorate his library.

It’s a win-win, right? Maybe, not… It’s because Adam kept on finding Carole very attractive. But she would be a terrible duchess with her very progressive way of thinking.

The more they were together; Carole was winning all the battles. Yet in the end, it was Adam who won the war. It was a win-win after all.

A very easy read, “Dukes, Actually” will make you laugh. There was so much chemistry between Adam and Carol, their dialogue was so full of mirth though they were not trying. This should be in our TBR list for spring.

“Dukes, Actually” is Rated T for Teens.

ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR HONEST REVIEW!!

Adam Duke of Azureford is a rich, handsome and very powerful Duke in Parliment. But he is painfully shy. He decides to go to his cottage in Cressmouth to practice socializing. He will build a billiards room and invite the villiagers to a party.

Carole Quicy had been to a party at the Dukes home 6 months prior where she lost her Sketch book. Now she is trying to retrieve it. She runs into the Duke in his Library while she is searching for her Sketch book. A friendship ensues which leads to a very clean quicky on the couch. One minute Adam is carrying her to the couch next minute its the next day. If you are going to write about sex then write and adequate sex scene.

Carole spends everyday helping Adam log all the book in his library before donating them. Then she helps him design his billiards room. The author spends page after page describing this. Even pages on how to play billiards. I am not interested in reading about how to play billiards or logging in books. Why didn't she spend time on the making love scene or on some romance? The other problem I had with the story is Spinsters. I am sick of reading about old Spinsters getting a HEA. The story feels more Modern Era times then Historical Era times. (less)

Miss Carole Quincy needed to get into the Duke of Azureford’s cottage her next door neighbor’s place because she accidently left her sketchbook there. Adam Farland, sixth Duke of Azureford, is returning back to the cottage when Christmas is the most festive and most importantly has the most people. Adam is terribly shy so is bound and determined to change that by building a billiard’s room to meet people. When Adam tells his grand plan to Carole she is desperate to find her sketchbook and begs to help him play billiards plus he can find a wife. Adam reluctantly lets Carole help design the billiard room but she only has a month to do so will she be able to make the billiard room without falling for him too?
What a lovely little regency story set during Christmas in a town with the same name that will put anyone in the mood! The book is part of a series but has different characters in each so you don’t even have to read them in order and can stand alone. Now the cover doesn’t really fit the hero and heroine because Carole has blonde hair and Adam has dark hair but that can easily be overlooked. Carole the plucky feisty spinster heroine is warm, caring and affectionate. It’s hard not to love her and despite her mathematical way she’d be so much fun to hang out with. Adam the reserved scowling hero also manages to be likable too. The attraction though between Adam and Carole is instant but kind of works in the story. The lukewarm way in how Carole’s father treats her kind of is off-putting though. In some ways it would have been nice to see Carole demand time or even affection from him. The story is might be short but doesn’t lack on its charm with not just a wonderful place but equally wonderful characters that you want to visit and meet everyone!

This book reminds us that while it might be fun to read these stories, it couldn't have been very fun to live in the actual time (which is why I can not stand time travel stories that strand women in the past, where are the stories that bring a lady from that time and strand her in the present and watch her blossom with all the freedoms and opportunity she could have).

I have yet to read an Erica Ridley book that I didn't love! This was no exception. The characters are lovable and easy to relate to. I love the Christmas village and all of the residents! The play on words and relationship development in this book are particularly lovely.

I loved this book the story is enthralling and we'll written. The author is a favorite for me so I buy the book. It is a keeper for me.

For Christmas 2018, we got the first four books in Erica Ridley’s The Twelve Dukes of Christmas series – for 2019, we got four more! My review is somewhat belated, but despite the series name, these are definitely not so festive you couldn’t read them all year round!

Dukes, Actually is book five of this series set in the wintry town of Cressmouth (pronounced Christmas!) in rural England. It follows Caroline Quincy and Adam, the Duke of Azureford, two characters we’ve glimpsed and heard about in the other stories so far, and it’s in hot competition with book four for my favourite of the series overall! It definitely works as a standalone, or an entry point for the series, and is just so incredibly heartwarming and cute.

Caroline is a fun and forward heroine with a love of architecture and a longing for more than her provincial life, while Azureford is a duke whom everyone thinks is aloof and condescending, but is actually cripplingly shy. When Caro goes to search for her sketchbook – full of illicit architecture drawings and more – after it was misplaced at a party at Azureford’s house, she unexpectedly runs into the man himself, and a friendship blossoms between them (not to mention, a strong attraction). I absolutely loved their interactions – it’s so wonderful to read about two characters who just genuinely like each other. Caro’s personality is so sunny that Azureford can’t help but be charmed, and I just adored how she coaxed him out of his shell. He’s utterly sweet under his awkward exterior – I really believed in their banter and camaraderie, and there are some really funny moments as Azureford practices flirting with Caro. As with my other favourite in this series, Never Say Duke, it’s nice to see a relationship built on friendship and trust first, and attraction later (though the latter is also super well-written).

Also, I cannot believe that we are five books into this series, and it’s taken me this long to notice that each book has a reference to the corresponding line from ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’! The series is called ‘The Twelve Dukes of Christmas’, for goodness sake, and I somehow missed that the turtle-doves and partridges might be more than just ‘oh, this town has a lot of birds’. I am officially a Fool with a capital F! There are plenty of ‘five golden rings’ references in this one, which I eventually caught on to, so I was able to look out for the swans, geese, and milkmaids in books 6-8. It’s a very cute device.

Dukes, Actually is just a delightful read. It’s light-hearted, with really sweet characters who I’d love to see more of. I can’t wait for them to pop up in future books so we can see how they’re getting on. Five out of five cats!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

This series with the 12 Dukes has been a bit of fun with romance and so much love in this small village. At first, I was not sure how Adam and Carole were going to figure out a way to align their totally different life styles.

While they both share a love of similar interests, Adam is a duke and must hold to a high standard when choosing a wife. Carole is nothing like the other women that he would find when he returned to London and yet he is able to move on from what it expected of him.

I loved when Carole got beyond being there for everything for her father and actually got a life for herself!

Can't wait for the next book in this series!

This was absolutely adorable. I love a good recluse meets his match romance, and this definitely fit the bill.

Adamant Carole are so sweet together. They both spend all of their time giving all of themselves to others without a lot of thanks or recognition. When Carole loses her sketchbook at Adam’s house, it sets up an opportunity to allow them both to find something special in each other.

Adam, the Duke of Azureford, lives in the shadow of his father. He is incredibly capable and competent, but extremely shy and unsure of himself in social situations. Carole is outgoing and friendly, but wants more from life than being just a capable housekeeper and hostess. Watching them get to know each other and come out of their shells is wonderful to see.

I smiled my way through the entire story.

The language and some of the details aren’t quite historically accurate, but I’m willing to give them a pass in light of my overall enjoyment!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own!

This was good but not my favorite Erica Ridley book. I am not fond of shy, inexperenced hero, but the main characters are likable enough. So really this review more reflects my own biases. However, Erica Ridley's writing is always good and consistent.

Carol and Adam were so good together. I loved watching them fall for each other and fight it. In the end love wins!