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overflowingshelf's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
CW: Death of a parent (off-page); references to off-page animal abuse
Duke Seeks Bride is another perfect, sexy, low-angst historical romance novel from Christy Carlyle that wraps up her Love on Holiday series. This series is the perfect one to read if you want a romance that isn’t going to be high-drama or high-angst but instead tells compelling and engaging stories of two people falling in love and finding their happily ever after in unlikely circumstances. It’s perfect escapism, and sometimes that’s all I want from my romances!
The official summary of this book on retailers is a bit misleading as it makes it seem like the book will lean into the fake dating trope more than it actually does. The official summary positions the story as Evelyn “Evie” Graves needing to pretend to be the fake fiance of Alexander Pierpont, the Duke of Rennick, for a fortnight. In actuality, Evie only does that in front of Alex’s uncle once or twice, as everyone else knows she’s there in the countess’s place to help plan a charity event. If anything, the central driver of the plot is the stipulation that Alex marry within 6 months of inheriting or risk losing Ballymore Castle, his family’s home in Ireland, and the only inheritance that matters. I didn’t mind that the plot deviated a bit from the premise, but it may feel a tad misleading if you go into this thinking it’s going to be a faking dating-type book.
Now, I absolutely adored the romance in this book. There’s something so charming about watching two people fall in love when there is little to no drama in their relationship. Despite a short timeframe, Alex and Evie’s relationship felt believable because their chemistry is so good! There is an electric spark at their first meeting in the garden at a ball, and then again when they meet again in Ireland. That connection builds into something more very fast, yet they both feel it, so the relationship doesn’t feel rushed. Everyone could also see how far gone these two were for each other, so it was just a matter of time before they acted upon it.
Duke Seeks Bride also felt like the horniest book of the series – and I loved that! These two really wanted each other and acted upon it. I also loved that Evie fully embraced her sensual side with Alex and didn’t feel ashamed by sex. Also, the first sex scene had the most trope-tactic setup, and I loved it! We get Alex and Evie trapped out in the country in the rain, where, of course, they have to spend the night at an inn with only one room left and then need to help each other out of their wet clothes. I was LIVING for this scene and felt so giddy that I wanted to kick my feet in the air while reading. This book also has a ton of other tropes I love, such as class differences and nursing back to health, and a micro trope of being unable to sleep, so they run into each other at the library. The romance was delicious, and I loved every second of it.
Alex was not a classic Duke, and I enjoyed that. He seemed to have some form of social anxiety, as he struggles in the ballroom and tends to avoid society. He’s much more at home at his family’s castle in Ireland, surrounded by his horses, siblings, and Aunt than in any ballroom. Despite trying to avoid anything scandalous, he cannot help what he feels for Evie, and I loved how far gone he was for her and didn’t end up letting the class difference impact how he felt.
Evie is a very practical, logical person – a trait that helps her excel as Lady Waverly’s secretary – but she’s also incredibly empathetic and caring. I loved how she went after what she wanted, whether in her professional or personal life, as she was not going to let others shape her life. Now, that does backfire on her a tad as she makes not the smartest decision towards the end of the book by going after what she wants immediately, but at least she does it for all the right reasons.
The secondary characters in this book round out the cast beautifully. I enjoyed Alex’s siblings, Belinda and Rupert, and the relationship they had with each other. They’re so loving, caring, and supportive of one another. I liked that they welcomed and accepted Evie into their circle so easily. I like Alex’s Aunt Oona, even though she was a bit scheming, as her heart was in the right place. Heck, I even ended up liking and sympathizing with Alex’s Uncle, who was set up to be the villain, but once you learn his backstory, he’s not so bad in the end.
Overall, I found this a delightful read that hit all the right notes with its romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Alex and Evie’s journey happily ever after and finished this book with a smile on my face, feeling warm and fuzzy. If you like your romances with low drama and low angst, the Love on Holiday series is perfect for you, and I definitely recommend you check it out!
Thank you to Avon/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
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