NOT THAT DUKE

Eloisa James

BLURB

The Duke of Huntington has no interest in an eccentric redhead who frowns at him over her spectacles…until he realizes that she is the only possible duchess for him. A new enemies-to-lovers romance by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James.

Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors—which definitely doesn’t include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her “Specs” as he chases after elegant rivals.

And then—

The worst happens. Marriage.

To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.

How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he’s fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she’s in love—but not with that duke.

Not with her husband.

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ABOUT ELOISA JAMES

Eloisa James is a New York Times bestselling author of historical romance novels who has published over 30 books, translated in 26 languages, with sales worldwide of 7 million. Eloisa’s “double life” fascinates people, since as Mary Bly, she’s a Shakespeare scholar and Chair of the English Department at Fordham University. An example: Eloisa wrote the New York Times bestselling memoir, Paris in Love, about the year her family spent in France, and Mary wrote Lizzie and Dante, a contemporary novel about a Shakespeare professor. She lives in New York City and Florence, Italy.

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REVIEW

With its combination of an adorable heroine, clueless duke hero, witty repartee, and steamy sexytimes, Not That Duke is my favorite of the series, so far. Of the three heroines, short, plump, bespectacled, freckled, clumsy, and clever Stella answers best to the title Would-Be Wallflower. I love that she didn’t have to change herself in order for Silvester to fall for her.

She wanted what Merry had, what Yasmin had … She’d spent her life never being loved for being herself. She’d be damned if she accepted a lifetime of the same.”

And, for all that he’s slow on the uptake and he fought his feelings for a long time, Silvester appreciated Stella for her uniqueness. I absolutely loved reading the progression of their relationship, especially when Silvester started seeing Stella in a new light and the lightbulb moment when he finally realized that he loves her. While his cluelessness made me roll my eyes, I have a fondness for him borne out of reading the previous book in the series and how he was like a big brother to Yasmin. Also, I live in Huntington so, I claim him as my duke.

I love the way you say No to me … The way you say Yes to me.”

Between the pets, the children, the duchesses, and Eloisa James’s signature multitude of fascinating secondary characters, there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. There were touching ones too, especially that confrontation scene between Stella and Silvester near the end. I was already giving this book a high rating, but the fact that it brought me to tears really brought it over the edge.

My only criticism is that the cover doesn’t represent Stella very well. Where’s the spectacle, the prominent bosom, the freckles? I wish Ms. James would insist upon a truer-to-book-description cover model in future books.

Many of the scenes in Not That Duke took place at the same time as The Reluctant Countess just in different points of view. I suggest reading Yasmin and Giles’ story first to better appreciate Stella and Silvester.