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jennycupcakes's review against another edition
5.0
I am incredibly grateful to have been given an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. I am so excited for Lydia and her first novel. :)
Y'all!! This book. It took me twice as long as it normally would have to read this and only because I was savoring it. I could read about John and Catherine forever. I'm spoiling the crap out of this so read at your own risk.
This is such a gorgeous story of two people greatly effected by scandal. Yes Catherine lost quite a bit more than John did but both of them suffered for the choices of their families. This second chance romance is also an enemies to lovers with all the best tropes. A dead Duke with a mysterious clause in his will. A disgusting cousin who tries to marry his 12 year old cousin for her dowry and wonders why the Duke would say no and then 5 years later tries to force a scandal again for the money. A duchess who died in childbirth. A secret love child. A beautiful spinster who is only a spinster because of the scandal in her family and the fact that the "ton" seem to think she looks exactly like her "harlot" of an aunt. The heroine spinster is also a bluestocking who supports her family by publishing historical stories in the paper under a pseudonym. The inevitable ink stains on her fingers that the hero finds incredibly sexy. An unexpected hunting party in the area making there only be one room left at the inn and SURPRISE! only one bed. The hot scene in the moving carriage. The masquerade ball where one can listen to people undetected and dance with someone secretly. All the steamy love scenes and premarital secret trysts are fantastic!
Oh and of course the fever that leaves our hero bedridden when he was meant to be chasing after his heroine to profess his undying love for her. And it's not truly a regency romance without a society wedding with tears shed in happiness at the ending and a pregnancy revealed in the epilogue. Oh I LOVE IT! I legit cannot wait to find out what happens to the rest of the Rank Rakes in the rest of this series!
I also just wanted to note that I know historical romance is fiction and certain liberties are taken with settings etc. but I adore how there weren't made up towns and villages. That the sights that Catherine studied and wrote about in her work were real. Nothing turns me off more than something that just would never happen or places, countries, and languages are made up for the sake of a story. (I'm looking at the horrible geography mistakes I've read or the time an actor aristocrat actually spoke the words "MacBeth" in his own theatre.)
So what are you waiting for??? Hurry up and pre-order this one right away! And if you are reading this post August 2023, BUY IT NOW! You won't regret it.
Y'all!! This book. It took me twice as long as it normally would have to read this and only because I was savoring it. I could read about John and Catherine forever. I'm spoiling the crap out of this so read at your own risk.
This is such a gorgeous story of two people greatly effected by scandal. Yes Catherine lost quite a bit more than John did but both of them suffered for the choices of their families. This second chance romance is also an enemies to lovers with all the best tropes. A dead Duke with a mysterious clause in his will. A disgusting cousin who tries to marry his 12 year old cousin for her dowry and wonders why the Duke would say no and then 5 years later tries to force a scandal again for the money. A duchess who died in childbirth. A secret love child. A beautiful spinster who is only a spinster because of the scandal in her family and the fact that the "ton" seem to think she looks exactly like her "harlot" of an aunt. The heroine spinster is also a bluestocking who supports her family by publishing historical stories in the paper under a pseudonym. The inevitable ink stains on her fingers that the hero finds incredibly sexy. An unexpected hunting party in the area making there only be one room left at the inn and SURPRISE! only one bed. The hot scene in the moving carriage. The masquerade ball where one can listen to people undetected and dance with someone secretly. All the steamy love scenes and premarital secret trysts are fantastic!
Oh and of course the fever that leaves our hero bedridden when he was meant to be chasing after his heroine to profess his undying love for her. And it's not truly a regency romance without a society wedding with tears shed in happiness at the ending and a pregnancy revealed in the epilogue. Oh I LOVE IT! I legit cannot wait to find out what happens to the rest of the Rank Rakes in the rest of this series!
I also just wanted to note that I know historical romance is fiction and certain liberties are taken with settings etc. but I adore how there weren't made up towns and villages. That the sights that Catherine studied and wrote about in her work were real. Nothing turns me off more than something that just would never happen or places, countries, and languages are made up for the sake of a story. (I'm looking at the horrible geography mistakes I've read or the time an actor aristocrat actually spoke the words "MacBeth" in his own theatre.)
So what are you waiting for??? Hurry up and pre-order this one right away! And if you are reading this post August 2023, BUY IT NOW! You won't regret it.
bettsgin's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great debut novel and the love that the author has for the romance genre is palpable in every sentence.
When the duke loved me, was one of my most anticipated of the year and it did not disappoint, it was super fun and it hooks you since the first chapter. I loved all the tropes and also that it was really steamy!
Can't wait for the second book in the series.
When the duke loved me, was one of my most anticipated of the year and it did not disappoint, it was super fun and it hooks you since the first chapter. I loved all the tropes and also that it was really steamy!
Can't wait for the second book in the series.
annarie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
caraddishreads's review against another edition
5.0
Oh I really enjoyed this historical romance debut from Lydia Lloyd. It has scandals, enemies to lovers, I need your help, rakes/bluestocking, and a few other tropes. I just think some could have been taken a step back with them. John's father had an affair with Catherine's aunt in which they didn't know upon their first meeting...which had a major snowball effect with both families. The writing was good in which Lydia intwined a story that will keep the reader engaged. Pretty steamy scenes between Catherine and John, I think I would've like a bit more buildup between them. I think this also has a great cast of side characters too. I look forward to reading more. I think this is a great new to you author to take a chance on.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
whatellaread's review against another edition
3.0
Round up from 2.5 because it’s a debut novel and I love Lydia’s obvious passion for romance as a genre. This was a little too plot heavy for me and I just never really believed the insta love between the MCs or the way they were hung up on each other, but it did make me really excited to see what she does next and how this series evolves.
amb_reads's review against another edition
4.0
This was FULL of historical romance tropes. Like truly so many. I really enjoyed the writing style and all of the side characters. I wish the first encounter between John and Catherine had been a little something more — 7 years feels like a looooooong time for such intense mutual pining. Overall really enjoyed!!! Looking forward to the rest of the rake chronicles
nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition
adventurous
4.0
I heard about this series from the Fated Mates podcast because Sarah MacLean described the plot of the second book as a brother’s best friend who comes to the defense of a ruined lady only to discover that the rumors of her lost virtue are actually true!
This first book concerns that brother himself, who is on a mission to find his father’s former mistress in order to save his sister’s dowry. Turns out, the best person to help with the job is the mistress’s niece, who just so happens to be the woman John had not stopped thinking about since their rendezvous in a garden under secret identities. The two rivals—divided by history of family scandal—travel through England to find the mistress and fall deeply in love along the way.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This first book concerns that brother himself, who is on a mission to find his father’s former mistress in order to save his sister’s dowry. Turns out, the best person to help with the job is the mistress’s niece, who just so happens to be the woman John had not stopped thinking about since their rendezvous in a garden under secret identities. The two rivals—divided by history of family scandal—travel through England to find the mistress and fall deeply in love along the way.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
bookgeekinscrubs's review against another edition
4.0
What a debut! Dear John, this is my kind of John, not Taylor Swifts Dear John!
I like John, I love John, I adore John!
I needed time to like Catherine, but John, what a guy!
I know some of you said too Instalust! I love their Instalust meetup, so good!
My favourite part of the book is the Pacing, well guys i like books, where author knows I WANT THINGS TO GO NOW!
I been having a historicals slump for a while, but this jolt me up! Thanks Lydia Lloyd!
Just read the book, you won't get anything from me, but trust me this such a good debut! I know i follow Lydia Llord in Instagram, and she teaches me romance history, but i'm not bias! Just read then you can thank me for introducing you to John!
I like John, I love John, I adore John!
I needed time to like Catherine, but John, what a guy!
I know some of you said too Instalust! I love their Instalust meetup, so good!
My favourite part of the book is the Pacing, well guys i like books, where author knows I WANT THINGS TO GO NOW!
I been having a historicals slump for a while, but this jolt me up! Thanks Lydia Lloyd!
Just read the book, you won't get anything from me, but trust me this such a good debut! I know i follow Lydia Llord in Instagram, and she teaches me romance history, but i'm not bias! Just read then you can thank me for introducing you to John!
kelinek's review against another edition
3.0
'When the Duke Loved Me' begins with a young Catherine and John attending a ball, pretending to be someone other than themselves. They sneak out to the garden and end up caught in a compromising situation. To make matters worse the find out that they’ve been lying to each other about who they really are. Now, it's seven years later, and John has become the Duke of Edington upon his father's death and needs Catherine's help to ensure a large sum of money doesn't go to his wretched cousin. Catherine and John's families are enemies, and even though their encounter was brief, neither has forgotten those stolen moments in a garden years ago.
This was a decent debut novel, but I had issues with the insta-lust and over-the-top drama throughout the book. I wanted a more emotional connection between Catherine and John instead of their lust-based back and forth.
This was a decent debut novel, but I had issues with the insta-lust and over-the-top drama throughout the book. I wanted a more emotional connection between Catherine and John instead of their lust-based back and forth.