Member Reviews

Erica Ridley’s books are so lovely and engaging, and Dukes, Actually is no exception. I loved her Dukes of War series and was thrilled with the chance to read this. I enjoyed the Darcy type hero - quiet, brooding, misunderstood. I loved the secondary romance as well. I loved the HEA. The dynamic between the couple was fun and entertaining with some tender moments. I love reading about a heroine who likes math! It seemed to wrap up suddenly - perhaps my only complaint would be that it seemed short and the little conflict resolved quickly!

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This is a simple story of two people falling in love over the clearance of a library and the design of a billiard’s room. A seemingly arrogant Duke hiding his shy nature and a young woman, beholden to her father’s care and denying her happiness.
A sweet relationship develops, without any ‘steam’ — a quick and easy light romance read.

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This is the 5th book in the series. I have read all 5 and loved every one. Every one is a unique premise and every one has made me laugh out loud. I will look forward to the next book!

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My favorite of the Twelve Dukes of Christmas. I absolutely loved it. Miss Carole Quincy has lost a book at the Duke of Azureford's estate. She must get it back, It has drawings and other unladylike things in it. Carole lives with her father who is still grieving the loss of his wife and Carole's mother. She is known as a hoydenish woman who will never be married. When Adam stops at the castle in Christmas, he takes pity on a psychic and visits her table. When he gets his fortune told, he has no belief in it until everything starts happening. Adam is somewhat awkward when it comes to flirting, but he can hold the attention of Parliament for hours. He needs a woman that will be a grand duchess. When he meets Carole, he knows she will make a perfect instructor for flirting but not as a wife. When she helps plan a billiard party  to introduce him to the area and to help him with the ladies, she finds her book. he finds something he needed as well. I love Adam and Carole's story. I loved the interaction and seeing what the other Dukes are doing. If you like Billiards, love and a fun story, you will love this one. I received this book from Net Gallery for a honest review

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Dukes, Actually ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️by Erica Ridley

If you love a story with the lead character being a shy Duke and a Holden next door neighbor, this book is priceless.

The shy Duke of Azureford must learn to flirt and converse if he ever wants to find the proper Duchess. Little does he know, the girl next door Carole Quincy fits the bill. These two are perfect for each other and this book is su ch a delightful read.

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DUKES, ACTUALLY is the fifth book in the Twelve Dukes of Christmas series. Though each will stand on their own, I highly recommend reading them all.

Usually I relate to the girl in a romance novel, because … well…. I’m a girl, but this time it was the duke; I have often been called arrogant when in truth I’m too introverted to interact. If only it were possible to build a billiards table at work and gain the admiration of my peers!

I love this story of shy mutual interest that builds and builds as the room around them builds into something more useable for party he has planned. Their journey together is sweet and sassy with some great laugh out loud moments.

I loved Adam’s slow growth in confidence and his quiet acceptance of Carole just as she is. Instead of wishing she were different, he hopes his future duchess will be just like her… until he can only see her as his future duchess. Sigh!!

Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC via NetGalley, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Title: DUKES, ACTUALLY
Series: Twelve Dukes of Christmas #5
Category /Genre: Historical Romance
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing: received as an unedited ARC
Received from: Erica Ridley

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This is the #5 book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series. I am normally a fan of this author and look forward to her offerings. However, in this instance, I felt the storyline was very weak. It failed to obtain my interest much less to keep me enthralled. I am sure this is just an off story by this author. I look forward to reading her next offering as this is not indictive of her excellent writing style and story telling.

I have rated this book 2 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

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Erica Ridley always writes compelling romances with witty, smart characters. It's a quick fun read.

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This book is the 5th in a series, but completely stands on its own if read alone. The characters, Azureford and Carole, are so real. Azureford is incredibly shy and cannot express his feelings and thus, worries about his ability to catch a proper duke's wife. Carole has aspirations that, as a daughter without her season and in charge of her father's household, are unlikely to come to fruition. She longs for greater freedom and has become a master pool player to spend time with her distant father. She agrees to help Azureford break out of his shell, and he gives her the opportunity to challenge herself. At the same time, they become close and develop feelings for each other. I can understand Carole's choices and empathize. They both seem true to life and very engaging -- once you get past initial shyness. The writing is easy, flowing, and descriptive enough to draw you in. I will definitely seek out additional choices in this series and by this author!

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This book 5 of the Dukes of Christmas and I have loved them all. This a sweet story that you can’t put down. I love how Ms Ridley spends the time to research and add a new craft or experience in each book. This one was billiards. Each of the characters of the town of Christmas is special in their own way and it makes the reading about them special. There was no sex in this book, just lots of loving and kisses. Perfect. I received this an ARC and do my review freely.

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4 stars

Book 5 in a series of twelve. I've now read book 1, 4 & 5. The story is set in a village called Cressmouth which confused me a bit because the author said it was in the north of england and then talked about Essex! The place is supposed to be christmas themed and incorporates folk who like to play and watch plays. Tessa Dare did something similar by theming a series of her books around Spindle Cove.

Adam, the Duke is shy and decides that he needs to interact more and learn to flirt. He decides to do this by changing his library into a billiard room and inviting the local townfolk to visit. The heroine, Carole, plays billiards well but is of a lower class, though well liked.

The romance buildup is quite slow, there's no danger or villians and eventually we get a HEA. A bice fairly witty read for an afternoon

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

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If you haven't read any of Ms Ridley's Dukes of Christmas series, then you're in for a treat. I have read all of the current works. Each one can be read as a standalone, I read the books out of order, and it didn't affect my enjoyment of the series.

I loved Azureford, his shyness has held him back, and he is perceived as aloof. All he wants is to have friends, he has everything else he could possibly want, wealth, good looks, intelligence but no one to share it with. 

Ms Ridley creates unique characters, women who are atypical for historical settings and male characters that you can root for. all set in a small village that celebrates Christmas 365 days a year. The stories are light, mostly clean sweet romances. 

There were some slight issues where the lack of Azurefords friends is forgotten to move the plot forward, but this is only a minor issue. 

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Dukes Actually (12 Dukes of Christmas, #5) by Erica Ridley is a charming and whimsical historical romance set in Christmas (Cressmouth), England. I love this series. Every time I’m in a reading funk, all I need to do is pick up one of this author’s books and I’m instantly transported into a fun and fanciful place and time. The Duke of Azureford, Adam Farland comes off as arrogant and aloof when all he really is, is shy and misunderstood. Leave it to bubbly Miss Carole Quincy to effervesce his true personality to the surface. “The New Adam”. I love it! I’ve really enjoyed each of these books in this series and they successively get better and better. And what a great time of year for them too. I’m looking forward to reading more about this quirky little slice of England. I also recommend The Dukes of War Series by this author.

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I enjoyed this sweet and fun romance. I thought the chemitry between Azurford and Carole was good and I really liked them as a couple. He was shy, she was sassy and I found the whole story emotional and cute. A very entertaining romance

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Charming and lighthearted like the previous books in this series, I enjoyed this historical romance. The characters are likeable and easy to root for. I even learned some new things about billiards and Parliament.

It was fun that this a neighbors to lovers plot but there is also a commoner/nobility slant that seriously affects the story.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

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I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dukes, Actually is a fun, light-hearted romance about self-discovery, growth, and finding love in the most unexpected of places. Set against the backdrop of a beautiful, Christmas-esque village, the story focuses on the painfully shy Adam Farland, the Duke of Azureford, and the warm, intelligent Miss Carole Quincy, as they help one another achieve their dreams - for the Duke, to break out of his shy shell and find his perfect duchess, and for Miss Carole, to oversee one of her architectural sketches as it is brought to life. In between teachings on flirtation and billiards, and several intimate conversations, Adam and Carole find themselves falling deeply in love. Will that love be enough to bring them together, or will personal and societal expectations get in the way?

I personally found this a sweet, heart-warming novella which, despite its length, had great character development and lovely secondary-characters. One of my favourite aspects of this book that I found so refreshing for the genre was having a Duke who was shy, especially in social settings. The book did at times feel more modern than your typical historical romance, but that only added to the lightness of the story. Overall, it was a great 3-star read, especially for this time of year!

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These book are like comfort food for me. They're short, lovely, and just leave you happy.

The latest addition to the series features a lovely and confident young woman who hides behind her logic, and a shy, awkward duke-next-door who is rather desperate to come out of his shell. I loved how both helped each other out without noticing it, and it was delightful to see Adam slowly become more open. Cue some cute bickering, and I really couldn't ask for much more.

My favorite moment? Adam trying out pick-up lines on Carole:

He hugged himself and gave an exaggerated shudder. "I must be a Christmas snowflake, because I've fallen for you." She covered her face with her hands. "No. Absolutely not." He pulled her hands from her face and gazed down at her soulfully. "May I borrow an atlas? I keep getting lost in your eyes." "If she has an atlas, she'll hit you with it," Carole said warningly.

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3.5 stars

This is a solid short read. The characters are fleshed out well. The writing flows nicely. My only problem with the book was that it was too short. The ending felt a little rushed to me. I would have loved, loved, loved the book if it would have been a little longer and given the characters some more time to get to know each other.

Overall, recommended.

I received a free copy from Netgalley.

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The Duke of Azureford, Adam, is shy, but most people believe he is cold and aloof. Making conversation is hard for him, but he plans on starting one... with the addition of a billiards room to his home. With billiards being all the rage, Adam is sure to attract new friends. What he isn't counting on is finding an unlikely ally in his neighbor, Miss Carole Quincy.

Although Carole entered Adam's home under the pretense of finding a lost earring, she cannot help but want to help him. Together, they work on his billiards room. So what if there's a little flirting along the way. They both know she's not what Adam needs in a wife. Find out what happens in DUKES, ACTUALLY.

Author Erica Ridley's 12 DUKES OF CHRISTMAS series just keeps getting better. Her latest installment, DUKES, ACTUALLY, had me hooked from page one. Things to love about the book: we're back in the town of Christmas, it is centered around the holidays, there's a fortune teller... the list goes on. Adam and Carole are absolutely perfect for one another. The attraction is instant, but of course, things get in the way. So glad they were able to get their HEA. I give DUKES, ACTUALLY a 3.5 star rating. I cannot wait for the next duke's novel.

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I received an advanced reader’s copy of Dukes, Actually.

Adam, the Duke of Azureford and Carole Quincy are likable characters. They complemented each other so well. I felt the story wasn’t rushed and they were well-developed as characters. I liked how different facets of Adam and Carole were shown as they spent time together and got to know each other. They were both caring and kind characters. I loved how the romance between them was built throughout the story.

This is a cute addition to the 12 Duke of Christmas series. I look forward to the next book.

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