I was provided with an e-ARC by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Since I've started reading historical romance novels, I've realized that there's not much you can do with the plot, that would both surprise the readers immensely while staying true to its time period. So I don't judge these books too harshly unless their plot and writing don't make sense at all.

With that said, the writing in this book was good; the plot was also okay, I've read a few similar plots but the addition of establishing actual rules to the relationship is an element that made it a bit different.

I enjoyed the teasing, flirting, and the overall easy relationship between Silas and Arabella. I found them entertaining and some of their banter, witty.

The side characters were one-dimensional, it seemed that they were there simply to add to the cast of characters, but they didn't have enough personality to warrant an actual identity.

The nature of the arrangement between Silas and Arabella already means that this book would have a lot of intimate scenes, however, it came to a point that the book solely revolved around it especially after their marriage. I was looking for actual scenes and moments to see how they would fall in love with each other enough to put their "rules" to rest. But with the lack of other relevant scenes and activities that were supposed to add to the story, the pacing had nothing to do but dragged on.

I'm used to the miscommunication and unsaid feelings conflicts, but it was too convenient for this book. It shouldn't have been the bigger aspect of the conflict, in my opinion. And the mystery/secret was quite predictable and somehow out of place and completely random, almost as if to draw out and cause more conflict for the couple. It's not at all bad, because it wasn't like I was expecting a thoroughly weaved conflict, I just wanted it to be bigger than unsaid emotions and scandalous secrets.

I'm not a historical romance expert, and I will never claim to be but I'd like to think that my taste in this sub-genre is for something more complex and fleshed out characters. So, I would still recommend this for people who are beginning to dip their toes in the sub-genre -- nothing too complex, but has enough elements to introduce you to historical romance.

“A respectable lady would never blackmail her way into matrimony”
“He was going to teach her that such proclivities could not only be tolerable but the most pleasurable experience of her life”
“This was surely the best deal he’d ever brokered. As long as they stuck to their rules …”
I absolutely loved it !!! This book was beautiful, charming, handsome and frustrating … sorry I may have been taking about the Duke !!!
Arabella and Silas are so good together and the perfect match for one another, the author couldn’t describe better couple !!!
Two people making a deal for two completely different purposes, and coming up with ten rules to make it work, without falling for each other … what can go wrong??
And despite my frustration coming from the fact that sometimes there was a bit of miscommunication trope, I felt completely enraptures by all the others: marriage of convenience, forced proximity, tensions, don’t dance with anyone but me, and a lot of love (despite them not really wanting to admit it) !!!
And, which is more, past secrets, interesting revelation and a quest to redeem a family name in a ruthless society created a mix you cannot help but fall deep for !!
Arabella is such a reader. Trying to escape from her life sadnesses through an amazing book where she could feel safe… surely we all went through the same!
Silas couldn’t be more different from her. And yet he too is trying to escape in his own way!!
Every moment, every gesture, every action kept a grin plastered on my face, a smile I couldn’t really suffocate !!
It’s a constant banter, with double meanings and I had such a fun time reading through it!!
I can’t wait for this to be publisher and let anyone enjoy it completely !!!
“When I was lost in the pages of a book, I could escape”
“Some rules were made to be broken”
“What kind of fool fell in love with his wife?”
“His tenacious little spitfire”

This is the most fun I’ve had with a regency romance in a long time. Michelle writes well rounded characters who aren’t typical but rather full of life and humor. They had me smiling throughout.
Arabella is about to do the most scandalous thing in order to save her family and her sister’s prospects. She is going to propose to Silas Spencer, Duke of Whittsley reputed to be a bit of a scoundrel. In exchange for establishing her sister she will give him an heir. The question is, can she actually follow through?
Silas is somewhat bored with life and when Arabella literally lands in his arms he’s intrigued by her subterfuge. He invites her inside with her friend Charlotte, soon to be shocked and amused by Arabella’s bold proposition.
Is he actually thinking about accepting her proposal?
This book has all the emotions evocative of a great love story with just enough heat, tension, and family dynamic. If you want a romcom different than you might normally expect, this is the book for you.
I received a copy courtesy of Entangled Publishing and this is my honest opinion.

Will their fear of being rejected keep them apart …

I confess I quite anticipated this release, after last summer hilarious book, I was curious about this one.
The author with my last reads made me travel to different places and different eras. So now after the fierceness of the highlands and the wild Wild West, here comes the wickedness of the London ton.
Silas and Arabella’s journey to their HEA is such a sweet and fun tale. Both well deserving the reward at end of the trip. A romance opening with a very amusing first meeting as Arabella literally launched herself into Silas’ arms.
Their set rules were so fun to see go to the window or how they were used and twisted for the heroes’ joy. Sure they could have avoided a lot of heartaches if they had been willing to share their change of heart sooner, but they maybe needed this time to really understand and appreciate what they might lost if they did not set thing straight finally.
Arabella is the middle bookish sister, the bluestocking, feeling more herself engrossed in a story than among her peers who make her awkward. And until her sister’s elopement, she was content with her life’s path even if it lacked actions and entanglement with others. But now, everything must change. To give her younger sister her own right to happiness, she devises a scheme, borderline but who knows, the not-yet-informed other party might see the cleverness of her plot.
Silas is the epitome of his title, enjoying the life of a reckless rake in roguish pursuits, loosely following the ton’s rules when they suit him. So when a bundle of fabrics land in his arms, his first thought is to run, but as she unravels her idea, he has so much fun at poking her, he finally falls for her plan.

Silas is not the egoistical selfish fellow he lets others think he is, oh he is not a choirboy too. His agreement to Arabella’s scheme is also for his own gain, but quickly he shreds his fickle suit to let glimpse the gentleman behind the scoundrel. He takes charge and protect and bask his soon-to-be bride in silks and diamonds.
Yet when matters of the heart began to peek through, both are at loss, how to revise the rules and will the other be a willing participant. Fear of rejection is their enemy and might well succeed in tearing them apart if they are unable to gird their loins and fight for their heart’s contents.
In all, I loved this amusing light read with a distraught hero and his as lost heroine.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Entangled, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

This one was a fun read! Pet Semetary had been killing my brain, and this was the perfect thing to counter it. It was a super fast read, but one that delivered what I wanted.

My favorite thing about it was definitely the first 30%. The spark between Arabella and Silas was tangible, and their interactions were so fun to read. Both of them were so fiery. And to me, it felt like it was the phase in which most of the action happened. The characters met, fell in love, made their contracts, and had their most memorable moments. After that, although still enjoyable, the book plateaued a bit. It fell into the trap of miscommunication after miscommunication. It wasn't as bad as some others I'd read, but it was still frustrating.

I'm tired (stayed up way too late reading this) so I'm cutting my review short. Main thing is that this one was a super fun read, and I'd definitely recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Ten Rules for Marrying a Duke was a cute light hearted historical romance. Readers who also enjoyed the popular Bridgerton books and tv show will enjoy this one. I craved a little more from the story so knocked one star off. The main characters were enjoyable, but I did wish they weren’t so oblivious. Thank you NetGalley and Entangled publishing for allowing me to read an early copy.

The Honorable Miss Arabella Bromley is stuck. Her older sister has eloped with a groom in a love match that sounds romantic, but has everyone in the ton wondering if the two younger Misses Bromley are also prone to poor choices. And they may not be wrong, as Arabella is planning to strike a bargain with Silas Spencer, Duke of Whittsley, to arrange her own marriage! As Arabella and Silas work out this strange arrangement, they write ten rules they must agree to, so they each will be able to walk away satisfied. But what happens if they don't want to walk away anymore?

This was my first book by Michelle McLean, and I enjoyed it very much! I found the banter between Ari and Silas fun and witty, and their love story charming. I loved the idea of a little kitty named after the devil (Belzebub, or Bub, for short) because his tail attacks the knicknacks on the library shelves! There were definitely moments of frustration because much of the conflict could have been settled with an honest conversation, but it fit the characters so it didn't distract from the story. In fact, my heart ached for them to talk to one another, which is, I think, a sign of a well-written story!

All in all, a fun read, and accomplished in one day for me. My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of the book. All opinions and thoughts given here regarding this novel are exclusively mine.

From the first moment we meet Silas I was totally on bored with him as the love interest for Arabella. He has a great sense of humor, is sarcastic, and is defintely a marshmallow on the inside. He may have a small demon kitten named Bub, who likes to knock everything off the library selves. (OMG so cute)
He has no interest in having a wife, until Arabella makes him an offer he can't refuse. Silas will help with their families reputation so her sister can find a good match, and Arabella will give him an heir and retire to the country. Where she will stay to raise the child and read all the books in his massive library.. (Seems like a great bargain to me)

From the first moment they meet they are drawn to each other, and when Silas agrees to the bargain they also draw up a list of rules.. Thankfully Silas is a pro at bending rules, and that makes things so much more fun... The chemistry between them was amazing, they just clicked right from the beginning.
I loved how even when Arabella was a bit scandalized at what comes out of Silas' mouth she rises to the occasion and gives as good as she got. They both had me laughing out loud.

This is the first book I have read by this author, but it definitely won't be the last!

There is something so simple yet so relaxing about historical romances. They always bring fond memories back from my childhood when my mother lent me her collection of Harlequin books and that joy still comes back whenever I open one.

Ten Rules for Marrying A Duke is about Arabella and Silas who agrees to a marriage of convenience to get what they both want: Silas wants an heir and Arabella wants her sister to be able to find a husband despite their family's ruined reputation. I have said it before and I will say it again (because I always find myself reading books with this trope): when the characters starts to fall for each other despite them agreeing and making rules not to? It is fantastic.

It might not happen anything too surprising in the book, but it helped my brain relax for a bit and just enjoy the love story taking place without giving it too much thought.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve never read any of Michelle McLean’s novels before so I had no idea what I was in for when beginning TEN RULES FOR MARRYING A DUKE, but I was pleasantly surprised. The book was a quick, cute read following Lady Arabella and Silas, a duke, as they enter a marriage of convenience—for her to better her sister’s future and to provide him with a heir. I loved these characters so much! Their banter and playfulness with each other was absolutely adorable.

I’m still a bit of a historical romance newbie, so I haven’t read many marriages of convenience. However, I loved the idea of these two characters having a list of rules to follow in order to make it seem as if their relationship were a love match rather than a mutually beneficial agreement. My only issue with the book was how easily the conflict could have been solved with simple communication. With every turn, I just wanted to push our main characters together and yell at them to talk to one another instead of the constant back and forth of uncertainty.

There is nothing Miss Arabella Bromley wants less than a husband. Unfortunately due to a scandal, she needs a very high ranking one immediately. Our heroine comes up with the perfect plan, find one that doesn't want a wife.

Silas Spencer, the Duke of Whittsley is the last male in his line and knows he needs an heir. He is enjoying his life too much as it is to want a wife to change it. Our hero is an easy going man, but he does hide a secret.

This is a gentle, fun filled historical romance. With a sensible and intelligent heroine and a mischievous hero. No great surprises in this story but a very enjoyable book.

Good fun.

Thanks to Netgalley, Entangled Publishing and the author for an ARC of this book - I am leaving this review voluntarily and am not being compensated for it.

This is the first book I have read by this author but it definitely won't be the last. This is a lovely marriage of convenience historical romance. Arabella Bromley needs to do something about her family's reputation now that her older sister has married someone deemed 'inappropriate' by society, in order to ensure that her younger sister makes a good marriage.
She herself is not interested in marriage at all, much preferring to avoid people and curl up with a book - she takes every opportunity to do so, even when there is a ball going on around her. But a unique opportunity presents itself when she and the Duke of Whittsley decide to tie the knot - they agree that he will use his status to help her sister make an advantageous match and she will bear him and heir and then extricate herself to the country where he will never have to bother with her again. The most important thing for them both to agree on is to stick to the rules and not fall in love. Silas, the Duke, loves this plan. Especially the begetting an heir bit. He's never been one for monogamy and, while he finds Arabella intriguing and attractive, he can't imagine that he will be devastated when their agreement reaches and end and she leaves him for the country. He's also got a little secret and he doesn't want anyone, especially his new wife, finding out about it, so the less close they become the better.
But of course they break all the rules and fall wildly, irrevocably in love.
I loved so much about this book. It's really funny for a start. the banter between Arabella and Silas is cheeky and witty, and you can see that they bring something out of each other that no one else can. Arabella is not a conventional beauty, but a bit of a bespectacled nerd,. which I find delightful. Silas finds her immediately bewildering and interesting, but at first, he's not dying to rip her clothes off. That comes later, after he gets to know her better, which is so much sweeter.
My favourite quote "She had a fiery intellect and more testicular fortitude than most of the men in his circle'. Personally, I think that's the perfect compliment and want to have it printed on t-shirts that I will wear everywhere.
The only thing that's stopping this from being a five star review is that I think we could have delved more deeply into the other characters - especially Alice, Arabella's older sister, and Eliza (read it and find out). This would have given the story more depth. But honestly, this is such a small quibble - I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author.

4.5 stars

Bookish Arabella Bromley never gave a fig for society’s rules—until her sister ran off with a man below her station. She’ll have to marry quickly and well to restore her family's ruined reputation.

The Duke of Whittsley has a tendency to disregard the rules.- except the ones about family duty. And that’s why he can’t quite resist Arabella’s distinctly outrageous plan: if he saves her family, she’ll give him an heir.

They have one year to achieve their goals and ten iron-clad rules to keep them on track. Like long, scorching kisses and ensuring they’re both exquisitely satisfied. And the only thing that could ruin their plan is the one thing they never planned on: love.

This is a terrific romantic romance. The characters are interesting. They have great chemistry together. It's great to see how they fall in love. :) Finished the book in a day.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Ten Rules for Marrying a Duke is adorable! Arabella and Silas are a perfect fit as you see during their marriage negotiations. Silas thinks he is getting the upper hand but realizes all too soon he has bargained away the love of his life. Arabella is precious in her naivety but has a strength of character unmatched by any woman known to Silas. There are some extremely laughable moments mixed with heart pulling ones along their journey to finding and cherishing love.