Reviews

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes by Manda Collins

michellehenriereads's review against another edition

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3.0

I received an ARC from Forever Grand Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Historical Romance, Romantic Mystery, Historical Thriller
Spice Level: High (On page spice—which I skipped because I don't enjoy it.)
Tropes: Sassy Woman, Rich/Poor, Fake Engagement

I find so much delightful about this book and series.

Good:
— The characters—we have former favorites & some new ones. Strong-headed women & men who appreciate them. There are also women who support women instead of cutting each other down.
— The voice is so much fun! The tone always makes me smile.
— Interesting mystery. How would the investigators solve a crime and approach forensic evidence?
—Lighthearted banter. I absolutely love how they all talk to one another.

Bad:
— Rushed ending. I really wanted more than an "I love you"—give me more emotional outpouring of feelings!!!
— The mystery took a turn to debauchery. Is this historically accurate? (My research did not find anything similar, though there are certainly unsavory practices in the time period.)

I enjoyed it overall.
I would recommend this book to lovers of this genre with spice.

This series doesn't need to be read in order to make sense.

Happy reading!

bewildered_kouprey's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

nicoleramirez's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful 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? Yes

3.5

sammy10127's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

tararising's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

2.25

Sometimes you need a palette cleanser and have to read a book that sounds so so stupid and then realize that it is in fact so stupid which is awesome <3 Peace and love on planet Earth

4.5/10, probably would've ranked higher if I had actually read the first two in the series lol

sarasaurus_rex's review

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

tristatereader's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

It is so damn gloomy and cold in my part of the world, so I’m itching to be done with work and crawl into bed with my current read. But until then, I have to tell you about A Spinster’s Guide to Danger and Dukes! I really loved this book. As soon as I saw historical romance with a murder subplot I was like ummm YES PLEASE ✔️

The year is 1867 and Poppy Delamare is a self-proclaimed spinster living and working in London. Only, Poppy has assumed a new name (Flora Deaver) and identity. She escaped an abusive household at the hands of her stepfather 2 years ago and never looked back. But when Poppy receives word that her beloved half-sister Violet has been charged with the murder of her husband, she rushes back to her small hometown in an attempt to clear Violet’s name. It’s during this rush that she (literally) runs into the Duke of Langham. Although she finds the Duke to be insufferable, the two end up on the train together and a fake betrothal plan is hatched. It’s a win-win as Poppy will have the Duke’s vast resources at her disposal, and the Duke will not have to entertain the women of the town who are longing to become his Duchess. But as the two spend more time together trying to unravel the truth behind Violet’s husband’s murder, they find themselves both wishing the betrothal was not a ruse. 

I highly recommend this book. I found the characters lovable and the story very entertaining. Historical romance is one of my favorite genres, and fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and then to add in a murder subplot?! I was so intrigued and this author did not disappoint. Poppy and Langham’s relationship was not only fun but believable, which I always appreciate when reading fiction. This was the 3rd book in a 4 book series (yes I went out of order, I like to live dangerously) but I already have book 2 in the series secured thanks to my friend Kate and I can’t wait read it 💃

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC

erinreadsalot's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5/5 This was super cute! I loved the murder mystery and had no idea who was guilty until the end. It was a quick enough read to stay interested start to finish without being bored.

This whole series was great! You can read them all stand alone but I do recommend starting at 1 because the cameos from the previous characters were so fun.

adellama's review

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lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

ruby78738's review against another edition

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dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0