*** WARNING: spoilers ahead. You have been warned. ***

In A Duke Will Never Do, we get the story of Jane Pemberton and Anthony, Viscount Colton. If you have read the two preceding books in the series, you are already familiar with our heroine and hero. In short, Jane wishes to avoid an arranged marriage, so she declares herself a spinster and moves out from her family’s home. Anthony ends up bloody and battered at her doorstep. Jane takes him in and nurses him back to physical health while also trying to help with his demons (his parents were murdered, and he feels / is somewhat responsible.
I enjoyed the story, but felt there were a few things that I would have liked to see answered, such as why is the title about a Duke, when Anthony is a Viscount? Did I miss something? Also, how did Anthony end up on Jane’s doorstep? It seems an important event in the story, but we never discover what happened to him that he ended up at her door. Some of the plot points also felt a little too neat to me, but maybe its building up to something in another story, as Ms. Burke likes to have her characters flow from one story to another (which I adore). An example is the Vicar (who is anything but a vicar) who easily tells Anthony who is exploiting him. This guy is a loan shark, and a nasty one at that, but he just takes his word for it. And, Anthony had to promise a future favor, which has yet to be cashed in (what does he want?!).
There is plenty of steam between the two characters and even with Anthony’s misery over his parents’ murder, he is still quite likeable. There was a little more angst than I would have preferred between the two of them, but that is a personal preference. Also, in at least a handful of instances Anthony “waggles” his eyebrows at Jane. I get it, but it felt a little over done and cheesy (maybe that was the point?).
I enjoyed this story and am glad to have received a copy to review. I did receive a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion; all opinions stated above are my own. I give this story 4-stars and recommend it, especially if you have read the preceding books in this series.

Typical Regency romance novel. It had a decent storyline and likable characters. I will read more of her books.

I have only one question about this book: Who is the duke referenced in the title? Because our hero is definitely a viscount.

That one question aside, I couldn't put this book down. Jane Pemberton is ruined, in a manner of speaking. She has chosen to leave her family's home and live a life of an unmarried spinster. One evening, she discovers a beaten and bruised Anthony, Viscount Colton on her doorstep, and impulsively brings the nobleman into her new home. She only asks for one thing in return for her care...for him to relieve her of her virginity.

Anthony has secrets, guilt, and a splitting ache in his side when he awakens in Jane's home. He has no time to play love tutor for an unmarried miss, even one so tempting as the passionate Jane. He's too busy fleeing his own demons. But when Jane learns his secrets, they have far reaching implications further than their burgeoning feelings for one another -- including a tie to the reason why Jane was unable to make a match during her past Season.

This is a masterpiece on the obligations one has to family and the memories of those we love. Anthony's grief and survivor's guilt is palpable, while Jane's determination to live her life on her own terms bristles off the page. All of that combined with a potent chemistry that had me reaching for a fan? Five star read, and I'll be adding Darcy Burke to my list of "one-click authors."

The third book in the Spitfire Society series was a solid historical romance that made me curious to pick up other books written by Darcy Burke. This novel follows Jane Pemberton, a young woman who decides to retire as a spinster after failing to secure a marriage. She is content with her newfound independence, until the sudden appearance of an injured viscount threatens to upend her life in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, Viscount Anthony is an incredibly damaged individual who struggles to overcome the ghosts of his past and free himself from an extortion scheme that may destroy his life.

I thought the chemistry between Jane and Anthony was absolutely scorching. I felt their attraction from the first moment that they were on page together. I also appreciated how there was more than mere physical lust between them. They frequently had honest conversations about their past and sought to heal each other from the wounds inflicted upon them by the actions of others. There was a lot of depth to this relationship. That said, sometimes that depth was lost in an abundance of gratuitous sex scenes (I know, this is a romance novel, but I like some plot in my historicals, thank you). Sometimes it read as though Anthony began to heal through sex itself, rather than Jane’s understanding and love for him despite his past, which is a message that personally rubbed me the wrong way. In addition, I was reading some other reviews of this book and they mentioned that there are some issues with consent: Anthony does not want to have penetrative sex with Jane, and it can be read that she somewhat manipulated him into doing so. He even expressed his regret right after the deed, which made me personally uncomfortable. It can be read either way, and I'm not sure that was the author's intention.

Beyond that, I really liked the two intersecting backstories between Jane and Anthony’s separate subplots and how everything came together, leading to a satisfying conclusion. My only complaint about the ending was that everything was tied up too neatly in a nice bow and it did get too cheesy for me in the last couple of pages, but other than that, it was enjoyable.

I thought that Burke did a fantastic job at showcasing the restrictive societal rules at the time while also subverting them in interesting ways. Jane was not afraid to go after what she wanted and she displayed her independence time and time again. I loved her as a feisty heroine, even if she sometimes went too far in pushing for what she wanted. Anthony was an incredibly damaged character, but there was a lot of softness and vulnerability to him as well that made for a compelling story. Plus, the way they both were with the kittens was just peak softness.

While I do not think that this will become one of my all-time favorite historicals, I think that it was solidly entertaining and sweet with a hint of edginess and darkness. If you like historicals, I think you would enjoy this.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic read! This may be my favorite of all the spitfire stories. In a way both characters are looking for love and redemption. The fact that they find answers, love and peace with the past in one another makes it gloriously heartwarming and oh so good!

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

An entertaining tale that promises a dash of escapism for the reader, and two lead characters with chemistry despite a few eye rolls from me! Just don't take it too seriously and enjoy the ride. I wasn't a huge fan of the main plot, so prefer other books by Darcy Burke, but do check out this tale of a spinster and a troubled Duke!

I’ve got to admit, I’m firmly on the fence about this book. I liked the mysteries that Anthony and Jane were each dealing with, but I’m not entirely convinced by the chemistry between the pair. I loved the opportunity to learn why Anthony had been drowning himself in alcohol every time we’d seen him previously. The quantity of guilt and self-loathing he carried hurt my heart to witness. I thought Jane’s parents were vile, reprehensible people. At first, I was rather proud of Jane for being willing to go after what she wanted until I stopped to think about how she went about getting some of what she wanted. If it were a man doing the same things to a woman, I think it would be obvious how rape-y it looks. As it was, with Jane being the aggressor, it still left me feeling more than a little icky. I didn’t find this story to be up to the same calibre as I usually find with this author, but I still found it quite entertaining.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through NetGalley.

Let me just kick off with emphasizing how much I enjoyed this series so far. It's been full of likeable characters and diverting romance. Darcy Burke definitely seems to write a brand of historical romance that I enjoy.

That being said, I didn't enjoy this story on the the same level as the previous two of this series. Why?

The plot was not strong with this one.

While I still very much liked the main characters, Jane and Anthony, and enjoyed their connection and budding romance, I felt as if not much happened in the first half, or even first two thirds, of the book? Then, by the end, the resolution seemed quite hectic and a bit all over the place, to be honest. A lot of things just sort of...happened but since it was all so sudden, I didn't even have the time to get properly invested.

On the other hand, the romance between Jane and Anthony was just so very pleasing to read. Their chemistry was unmistakable, their banter was fun and I loved the way they supported each other. We also got introduced to some new characters, and that introduction made me very excited for the next series by this author - I'm definitely looking forward to that!

"The Spitfire Society" is the first series by Darcy Burke I've read but the mentions of some of the characters from her previous works will surely lead me to more of her books. Overall, I enjoy the writing style, the romance and the characters and while this particular story was not my personal favourite, it still made for a good ending to this series. I'll be on the lookout for more Darcy Burke books and if you love historical romance, you should be too ;)

This is a book that I enjoyed reading but there were a number of times that I found myself rolling my eyes at the characters. I would say that out of the three books in this series this was my least favourite. And I think that is probably because of some of the dumb stuff the characters do. E.g. having sex on a billiards table while at a party, while everyone else is outside and anyone could walk in on them having a very steamy moment alone. Oh, the scandal!

Although, one of Anthony’s friends, who is also Jane’s friend’s husband, did catch them kissing. Lucky for them he’s a former rake, and doesn’t want to get them caught in a scandal or have them get married because of that scandal, etc.

Honestly, a lot of the plot of this book was about sex. From Jane asking Anthony to take her virginity to them having sex multiple times throughout the story. Now I don’t mind when a story has sex in it but I just felt like it was at the forefront of the characters mind too much. Like they’ll be talking, flirting a bit and then one of them is like “oh shit I’m horny!” Mainly Anthony, who was like oh no I’ve got to hid my boner in case I offend the woman that has asked me to have sex with her three times.

Moving away from that, I did like how there was a hunt for Anthony’s blackmailer and how Jane helped him to come closer to coping with the murder of his parents by actually acknowledging his feelings and what happened. The man a complete wreck at the start of the book and also an alcoholic. Jane finds him at the start passed out on her doorstep with a lot of injuries while stinking of booze. And of course Jane being the complete angel that she is brings him into her house and let’s him stay there for a week until his injuries have gone down. Which is when they begin to get close and begin to have feelings for each other.

Jane also has to deal with being ostracized by her family for refusing to marry their neighbour, declaring herself a spinster and moving into her friends house. She’s also banned by her parents from her younger sisters wedding. And also discovers that the reason that she failed to have any serious suitors over the years wasn’t her fault. Which she also has to try to cope with and comes to terms with during this book.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read but it wasn’t as enjoyable for me as the first two books in this series was for me.

I decided to rate this book 2 stars because it was just okay. It was an enjoyable short read, with it being 248 pages I was able to read it in one sitting. I think I would have been more happy if the epilogue had been different. It was just a bit too cheesy and a bit too perfect. It was tied up just a little too neatly for my liking.

I think I probably would have enjoyed it more if the ending wasn’t so cheesy either. The conversations the two characters had about sex, and the steamier scenes between the two, weren’t really that bad. And the conversations did get them to open up to each other. Which was good. But I just felt that I would have personally have enjoyed it more if there was a bit more of a focus on some of the other parts of the story and less about whether or not they should have an affair.

If this book had been longer maybe it would have been more achievable.

First off, I would like to say that I loved all of the characters except for Jane, our heroine. She was just so plain. There was just no substance to her character We uncover all the secrets about who spread the horrid rumors about her within one paragraph and it was all very rushed. However, I loved Anthony. He was charming and sweet even though he had quite a dark past.

The beginning of the book was very slow to me. The last half of the book seemed very rushed to me as well. There's a scene in the book where Anthony tells Jane that he is going to save his reputation instead of helping out with her sister. However on the next page, we see him change his mind and help out Jane instead. He was so adamant on saving his reputation on the pages before that the quick change of thought really confused me.

I loved this book so much. Jane, a spinster who is determined to live an independent life, and Anthony, a trouble duke who is struggling to come to terms with his parents death, had such amazing chemistry that even the scenes where they weren't in bed were steamy. I couldn't put this book down. The characters came alive for me in a way that is rare in books. And the chemistry was off the charts.

he question of course is Why a Duke will never do? He would do perfectly fine I'd expect when found lying on your doorstep beat to a pulp!
Fortune smiled down on Anthony Colton when he was left for dead on the doorstep on Jane Pemberton's home. She of course brings him in and takes care of him and his is forever thankful.
What could he do to repay her? What? give her lessons in seduction to catch a husband?
As usual Darcy's stories contain everything I love about historical romance! A little intrigue, suspense, wonderful humor with sparks zinging between Anthony and Jane that cannot be denied.
But could he give up his rakish ways? Such and entertaining story and I have to say I love this series and those Spitfires! Cannot wait for more!

A Duke Will Never Do by Darcy Burke

Miss Jane Pemberton is a spinster as she hadn’t received a marriage proposal and therefore was on the shelf. Having moved to a town house in London she finds on her doorstep an unconscious beaten man. Having cleaned the man up she nurses him back to health and discovers it is someone she has met in the past . The mystery man was Viscount Anthony Colton. He has a reputation for being wild and a bit of a rake but in truth he is really just hiding from his past.

Really lovely book with many twists and turns . He is really a true gentleman unlike what he lets the public at large believe while Jane is very independent, mischievous and ever so slightly feisty. Really enjoyed this book by Darcy Burke.

Nicely done rendition of the rake and spinster trope. The characters were great, and Anthony's slow and faltering journey to recovery was heartfelt and real. We got just enough of a glimpse at several side characters to be left wanting more.

This was actually quite a nice read, it's a story that involves quite a few twists, that not only added to the situation that the heroine Jane found herself in, but they also helped her come full circle to find her own true happiness. It was very well written with engaging characters and the kittens were just adorable. Anthony was a wonderfully reformed rake, it was a lovely romance with a little bit of spice.

A very well written historical romance novel and I enjoyed this light-hearted, tongue in cheek story. Loved the kittens... The historical details were nicely done, re clothing for the era, etc. I did think the speech, dialogue and mannerisms were pretty modern in flavour though, as was Jane's liberal attitude towards being 'ruined'. and Anthony's decision to 'help' her. The romance scenes were steamy and entertaining. A nice read to while away a few hours. This book is part of a series, but it stands alone and I do look forward to reading more books by Ms Burke. My thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this e-ARC in return for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars.

I've tried this author several times now and I am just not connecting with her stories. Thank you net galley for the ARC.

Really enjoyed this sexy, fun, action packed adventure filled with engaging and fun charters, witty banter, heart racing twists and emotionally thrilling turns. Was a great read from beginning to end and so hard to put down. Great reading!

I really enjoyed this book. I love strong independent female characters that aren't afraid to be themselves and eschew society's rules and expectations. I also love strong but tender-hearted men who think they are incapable or unworthy of love. Anthony is grieving but he is kind and sweet if he could just forgive himself. This is definitely a steamy book but the romance is really well done and sweet. Now, I'm going back to read the first two books!

Jane Pemberton didn't do well in her seasons and now, she has two choices - marry the boring neighbor or embrace her spinsterhood and move into the home that houses the Spitfire Society. Jane moves and starts to enjoy the independence to be who she is. When Jane Pemberton finds Anthony, Viscount Colton, beaten up and unconscious on her own front door step, she brings him into her home so she can care for him until he's well enough to go home. However, as she grows closer to him and learns about a horrible rumor about herself, Jane decides that she will have Anthony teach her the scandalous things women don't get to experience.

At the same time, Anthony is dealing with an extortion scheme and the truth about his past, including his parents' murder. His behavior has gone out of control since their death and his reputation has taken a hit. Anthony never cared about that before but Jane has a way of making him have hope for the future and bringing him into the light. Can he overcome his past and his feelings that he isn't good enough to let her love him and show him how much he means to her?

Jane is a strong young woman, who declares herself a spinster and moves out on her own. Unheard of!! Anthony is a broken, lost man. A chance meeting puts them on a road neither ever expected! No spoilers here, but this story is very good. Jane is a delight and isn't afraid to go after what she wants. Anthony is a really sweet guy, devastated by guilt. Enjoy the read, it's wonderful!