Christi Caldwell shines in this magnificent holiday romance. It is highly entertaining and funny. Myrtle is an absolutely adorable and charming character. She will definitely become a favorite among the readers. Val is a saint for being able to withstand her interrogations and still fall in love with her 😉. Of course there is the lovable dog Horace that adds to the excitement. The Duke, Val, was not expecting the whirlwind that is Myrtle to come into his well ordered and miserable life and turn it into sunshine. This is definitely a page turner of a story that you will want to own.

The book is different form her (Christi Caldwell) books. It was ok, I felt like I was reading" Home Alone." The book starts off, When Myrtle comes after 4 years, only to be left behind when family leaves for Christmastide season .
The Duck of Aragon lives next door, he's a widower. I don't want give to much away, it's different. Happy reading!

*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title.*

This writing style is just not for me. Also, this is a clean historical romance and I'm not really interested in those at all.

Thanks for the opportunity to read it though.

I have read and loved many of Christi’s stories – especially the dark ones which I think she is great at conveying the darkness and the light. While this book contains the snappy, clever dialog amongst the two main characters, the story just did not do it for me. Also, I did not feel the romance in this one. What I loved about the book was Val and Horace. I laughed out loud. Maybe this was a fluke for me.

The Duke Alone has a ton of Christmas cheer potential! It’s “Home Alone” meets Regency! What else could you possible want! While I really wanted to like this book, I found that the writing style mixed with the characters just didn’t work for me. Kevin’s story is fun and charming and you’re willing to forgive his misgivings because… he’s a child. I found that the MFC as just as childish as her film counterpart. The first chapter delivers her whining to her uncaring parents that they must leave their home for Christmas despite already knowing that they need to go due to renovations because their house is literally falling apart around them. I understand that this is a Home Alone retelling and we need to see that the family is capable of forgetting her but this toes the line of seeming like her family literally hates her instead of being overwhelmed and running late to the airport. I understand that this isn’t meant to be a 1:1 comparison and I am having a hard time removing myself from the original story but the set up just didn’t do it for me.

Unfortunately, I was not able to finish this book. I will put this more on that this book just is not for me rather than it’s bad.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me this ARC.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Very sweet and very silly, but a quick, easy, enjoyable read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Myrtle, a young woman is just home from finishing school, when she is accidently left behind when her family travels to Scotland for Christmas. Val, The Duke of Argon their grumpy neighbor across the street has lost his wife and unborn child in a tragic accident. He wants to just be left alone. Over time he thaws out and his heart starts to heal. Myrtle is a chatterbox who drives the duke crazy in the beginning.
I also loved his half wolf dog Horace who immediately took to Myrtle. Throw in a couple of thieves trying to break into her house and it was a very enjoyable read.

I am not sure what to say. The story feels so much like a Christmas story and it feels like a dream reading this book.
I gave it 3 stars because if you read it around Christmas time, it kind of gives you hope and everything is just too predictable.

Inspired by Home Alone, this Christmastide tale plays with the Beauty and the Beast trope to bring together two unlikely friends.

Myrtle has returned home from four years away at finishing school to find her London home in bustle as everyone readies to leave for Scotland ahead of Christmas, abandoning the house for workman to come fix rotten floorboards and a leaky roof.  And just her luck, her room has the leakiest of roofs, forcing her up into the attics to sleep for the night.

With such a large and rowdy family, its no surprise that Myrtle is left behind...completely home alone.  This was a fun twist on a holiday favorite.  And the story is filled with nods to different Christmas traditions emergent during the 19th Century.  Although I could have done without the many full page recitations of Christmas carols (it just seemed like a page filler).

This Home Alone story also features a scary neighbor who horrible rumors have swirled around about, but instead of being an elderly gentleman, its a 30 year old Duke who seems to live almost completely alone.  And after a brief interaction, he is the first person Myrtle seeks out to help her negotiate her first experience being completely alone.

Myrtle is described as a fairy/sprite light young woman on the cusp of her first season who seeks out the reclusive, grumpy Duke next door.  He is a scowling, rude, and suffering beast who slowly is charmed by Myrtle's persistent overtures.  I thought the romance was sweet, with a little bit of emotional pull as they got to know each other.  There is an age gap that (30 and 18) that may not be everyone's cup of tea.  Myrtle is a bit immature, but Val (the Duke) also seems like he has had a bit of arrested development after the loss of his wife, so it seemed plausible if not entirely relatable.  I also think Myrtle has a bright optimism that is charming.

There are some thieves staking out the place, true to Home Alone, but sadly (I was so  hoping for it) there is no great booby-trap scene to bring them to justice.  Instead that subplot gets wrapped up with only a little action and really no resolution (at least for some unanswered questions I had).

I also missed the amazing tie in with the mother fighting her way home, and that reunion at the door.  Which would have gotten in the way of the romance--maybe?  In any case, I was a bit disappointed, although I did like the last few pages of resolution and the epilogue.

This is kisses only, with fade to black ahead of the intimate scene.  There is some discussion of grief, death by carriage accident, and feeling rejected by family.  There is also one scene with assault, although its not terribly graphic.

All in all, this was a cute holiday read that some readers will enjoy, if not love.

In the days before Christmas, Myrtle's large, boisterous family takes off for Scotland leaving Myrtle behind. Forgotten. But this is nothing new. She's never fit in, always left out of their fun. She tried so hard to get her family's attention by any means necessary, they ended up sending her to a finishing school for the last four years to get rid of her hoydenish ways. Now, at an immature 17, she's home before starting her first season to find a husband. When she wakes up and finds herself alone in the mansion, no family or servants, she keeps bothering the recluse next door. Val is a 30ish widower with a dog that looks like a wolf. After his wife died four years ago in a carriage accident on the way to his mother's Christmas party he decided not to associate with people because they will inevitably die. The cheerful talkative girl next door is getting on his nerves but she can't seem to take care of herself. Freezing and eating pastries from the bakery. Myrtle's young age is referred to many times, between a child and a woman, etc. Val sees the little pink bow on her underthings (in a closet) thinking they are like those of a little girl. It's all a little creepy. Then there's the pages of Christmas carol lyrics Myrtle continuously sings, some in German. Finally things get a little preachy when Val thinks Myrtle is proof of God's existence. This just wasn't for me.

This is a super cute historical romance that follows Myrtle, a young woman who feels completely out of place in her own family, and Val the Duke who after the death of his beloved wife has shut everyone out, and is living as a hermit with only his loyal servants who know who he truly is as and his great big wolf dog Horace as a company.

When Myrtle wakes up to realize her large boisterous family has left for the country.... without her. She doesn't let that get her down however and just goes about her business. At least until she gets lonely and decides she gonna talk to her neighbor the Duke. Val hates being bothered, but for some reason, he can't stop thinking about Myrtle, and whenever she pops over he can't turn her away. She slowly wins him over with her constant presence, and adorable chatterbox ways.

I really enjoyed watching them grow closer, and Val slowly dropping his walls and letting Myrtle in. The grumpy emotionally wounded man and the sunshine heroine is one of my favorite combos. I loved Horace, he was entirely too adorable. I kind of hated Myrtle's family, but her brother and mother did win me over just a bit at the end.

While it felt weird reading a Christmas-themed book at the beginning of the spooky season, I am really happy that I picked this one up.

This was a sweet, cosy, heartwarming read. Val is a lovable grump, tortured by the loss of his beloved wife and completely bewildered by the attempts of the sunshine across the street to befriend him.

I adored the friendship these two struck up. Despite the apparent insensitivity of her family and potential threat to her safety alone in the house Myrtle maintains a sunshine demeanor and decides to befriend Val, recognising the loneliness in his eyes. Val is a man so broken by grief my heart absolutely ached for him. Myrtle throws Val into complete disarray with her friendly chatter, and he finds himself engaging with her almost as a reflex despite wanting to be left alone. Slowly he realises how much he has missed the feelings of joy and companionship and Myrtle helps him to see past his grief to the blessings still in his life that he stopped appreciating. I loved seeing him reflect on his past and start to heal.

This book was not perfect. It's not my favourite romance ever, as much as I liked Myrtle and the relationship she and Val formed she wasn't as developed as him and so, while I wanted him to be happy again, I wasn't necessarily rooting for the pair of them. He had so much healing to do that I wish the book occurred over a larger timeframe for their happy ending to be more believable. Even at 85% I very much felt the beginning of their attachment, but it certainly wasn't ready for declarations of love. (This was also fade to black which is unlike Christi Caldwell and is such a shame because seeing their intimacy and caring in steamier moments would have helped develop their relationship so much).

I was also a little bothered by their age difference. Myrtle is turning 18 and has just arrived back from finishing school so has very little experience of the world, while Val is at least 30. There were a lot of comments in the beginning about how childlike and innocent she was that made me feel a little ick given they were supposed to have a romance.

I did really enjoy their friendship and the topics of grief and family (I shed a few tears throughout), so I'm giving this 4 stars based on my enjoyment level but the romance is definitely more of a 3 star.

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

2.5/5 rounded up.

Not the best Historical Romance I've read by this author, but definitely a solid holiday read. The Duke alone is familiar tale, exploring themes of love, acceptance and and healing. All with a cozy Christmas background.

The Duke Alone is set to be published on October 18, 2022. Thank you to Montlake, NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

Home Alone retelling with Myrtle being left behind in her London house for the holidays. Myrtle is terribly sunshiney and makes the acquaintance of the grumpy duke next door. The duke, Val, has a terrible reputation and is rumored to have murdered his staff and fed them to his wolfish dog. He's really just terribly depressed after his wife died in a tragic carriage accident. Over the course of a days, he comes to enjoy her relentless smiling and singing. Super sweet and funny!

~3.5 stars~

This is a great book for the holidays. There was plenty of Christmas cheer and theming throughout the book. In fact, the plot seemed to be a unique, historical romance riff on “Home Alone,” which was quite well done. I do think the author could’ve leaned into the danger/action storyline a bit more though, and its resolution occurred earlier in the book than I usually prefer.

The relationship between Val and Myrtle was undeniably slow burn, and I would occasionally find myself bored in the interim between their interactions, particularly in the beginning of the book. However, Myrtle was an absolutely adorable, cheerful character that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also loved Horace, and Val’s brother was heartbreakingly sweet and patient. Val was a likable character as well, but I wish he had focused less on his previous wife and more on his chemistry with Myrtle. Nonetheless, he redeemed himself in the end with the utterly satisfying conclusion.

Overall, this was a charming romance with elements of suspense, family, and redemption. I recommend it to those who enjoy holiday stories.

*I received an ARC of this novel. This is my complete and honest review.*

This is a sweet, totally, 100% predictable little confection that I loved and wanted to bring to the show for a few reasons.

First, I love a romance with a surly Duke. You know this about me. In our story, Val, our surly Duke du jour, is surly for a good reason. He has some trauma in his recent past and the poor man just wants to be left alone.

Enter our MC Myrtle McQuoid. Poor Myrtle is different than the MC we usually see in that she seems to be totally disconnected from her family, her large, rowdy, loud Scottish noble-people family. They all get along like a house afire, but Myrtle is just... on the outskirts and she always has been. That's interesting. We don't normally see family excluding one of its members. It was mildly sad. Myrtle, for her part, seems pluckily unaffected.

So when they leave her behind to go to their Scottish estate for the Christmas season, it doesn't shock us. It's got all the Home Alone vibes. Just like McCauley Culkin (bless his heart), Myrtle is kind of excited at first to be left alone. Until danger lurks outside.

You can guess what happens from there. It's entirely predictable, as I said. Do not read this book to be surprised, my friends.

Read this book because their romance is charming and you want them to get together.

Read this book in late November, early December for the holiday vibes that feature strongly. It was wonderfully Christmasy and snowy.

But, mostly, read this book if you like romances, but you don't love a bunch of open door sessy time. This one has a single sessy scene and it's v closed door. Our dear friend Mindy would be so very happy with this romance. It ticks a lot of boxes. If you've heard me talk about Tessa Dare's books, but you don't love the open door stuff, this is for you.

I will say that Myrtle is young in this book and the Duke must be at least in his late 20s. That gave me pause. But he isn't predatory and i know that 17 was different in 1813 than it is now, but I did want to mention it.

But on the whole, this was a quick, palate-cleansing confection of a chaste romance and I am here for it.

Myrtle has enough energy and effervescence for an army. She wants to fit in with her huge family enough that she allowed herself to be sent away for ‘finishing.’ Val, or the duke, just wants to be left alone, to suffer alone, to suffer the loss of his wife alone and is still doing so years later. Myrtle is having none of it. Once she is left at home by her family for the holidays, she uses any opportunity to seek him out. She gets past his wall, his reserve, his loneliness.

First, she charms his dog, Horace. And, in the process she charms the duke as well. Their romance truly is a charmed one. Add in a few thieves, the protective Horace, a sullen duke and Myrtle has all she needs to fall in love. I loved this romance reading it in one day!

I was super excited for the premise of this book. Maybe I hyped it up too much in my mind? It was a fine book, but I struggled to really get into the story or care about the characters while reading.

Myrtle is forgotten by her large family when they leave London to go to Scotland for the Christmas holidays. With no servants, she befriends Val, the reclusive duke, and his dog Horace who live next door. Alone by choice, and still mourning the death of his wife and unborn child, Val wants no part of Myrtle. He does agree to help her light the fireplaces in her parent’s house. He also helps thwart a burglary there. Spending the holiday season with the joyful Myrtle helps to ease Val’s grief. They come to realize they care for one another. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Montlake for my honest review.

An unlikely pair of misfits come together right before Christmas. She (Lady Myrtle) feels unloved as her family didn’t notice she wasn’t with them as they left. He (Val, the Duke of Aragon) lives next door and wants to continue wallowing in misery after the accidental death of his wife 4 years earlier. Myrtle is determined to make friends with Val and his huge dog.

The strength Myrtle shows while being alone and afraid of being attacked/robbed by the 2 men is really admirable. She shows maturity way past her 18 years. Val continues to immerse himself in self-pity until little-by-little he sees that Myrtle is breaking down his walls. It seems he fights his feelings for all he’s worth while Myrtle realizes he won’t return her love.

I empathized with Myrtle because who hasn’t (at some time or other) felt invisible to your family or a loved one. It was hard for me to believe her mother at the end. If her daughter was that important to her she would’ve noticed she was missing no matter how many siblings and relatives there were. All in all, it was an endearing Christmas book.

I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion.