Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley, believes he's doing his wards a favor by providing for them, but keeping his distance. He has his reasons, but the girls feel abandoned and act out whenever the chance arises. Ash knows he needs help with them, but they've chased away every governess he's hired. Now, he's desperate and will seek a wife and a marriage of convenience. He doesn't want any emotional attachment, but he soon finds out that's easier said than done. Where to find such a woman? Bronwyn's parents have always pushed her to be more conventional, but she loves her research of the natural world. When they threaten to send her to her strict brother's house, an opportunity arises for independence and she seizes it. She agrees to the proposal for a marriage of convenience from Ash. Little do either of them know that simmering passions lay just below the surface. Can they stick to their deal or will they succumb to their growing attraction?

This was a very enjoyable read and I loved the Bronwyn was brilliant throughout the book and was not diminished by marrying Ash. She found a way to reach the girls and draw them out of their shells and even began to include Ash in their interactions. Her parents were over the top cruel and I was happy when they got their comeuppance. I wanted to shake Ash for running away when emotions became messy, but Bronwyn wasn't giving up. She wasn't going to let go the man she loved and though there was heartache, they finally got their HEA. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.

3.5 stars

Some Dukes Have All the Luck was a winning start to a new historical romance series. Ash was a prickly hero with a secret he was desperate to hide and his marriage to the odd Bronwyn is a means to finding a good influence for his three wards. Their push-and-tug relationship was engaging, although the story hit all the beats of a historical romance without bringing anything new to the table.

I’m a sucker for a good historical romance with a hero who is reluctant to love. Add in that he has a pack of wards that he secretly adores and I’m totally in. I loved the personalities of the two main characters and the supporting characters were all well drawn and realistic. The heat level was a little tame. Probably at about a 3 on a scale where 5 is the hottest. So not bland at all just less spicy then my preference but the love scenes were well written. A fast read and a satisfying happily-ever-after.

Miss Bronwyn Pickering prefers insects to people. Passionate about her entomology research, Bronwyn has accepted that she will not marry, especially after a disastrous experience years ago. However, her social-climbing parents are relentless in their pressure to see Bronwyn wed. When she bumps into the handsome Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley, she never expects that her life will irrevocably change, but a marriage of convenience with him is just what Bronwyn needs to be free of her parents and to continue studying the subjects with the hope of getting her work published.

When Ash travels to Synne in search of his runaway wards, he has no intention of marriage. However, he needs someone to help him with his rebellious wards, and when he meets the intriguing Bronwyn, he finds his solution. Ash offers Bronwyn a marriage of convenience with no emotional attachment, but he quickly realizes it’s an impossibility because Bronwyn is more than he ever hoped for.

Bronwyn is such a unique and interesting character, and I loved her passion for insects. She is an entomologist, and her knowledge of insects is immense. Bronwyn is not a people person and often feels awkward in social settings, but when in nature, she comes alive. There are some great scenes where she shares her enthusiasm for insects and the natural world with Ash and his wards that not only highlight her intellect, but also her growing relationship with Ash and the girls, and the beautiful setting.

Synne sounds like a gorgeous place to live, and I can see why Bronwyn and Ash’s mother love it so much. It’s a great backdrop to the story, and the landscape adds to the romantic feel of the story. Though Ash has haunting memories of the island, he slowly comes to appreciate its beauty. Poor Ash! He has a traumatic backstory, and I can see why he pushed everyone away. The guilt and regret and shame he feels consume him, but the more time he spends with his wards and Bronwyn, the more he lets the walls he built around his heart crumble.

The secondary characters are also entertaining, especially Ash’s three wards and Bronwyn’s friend group. Ash’s wards are a handful! Rebellious and incorrigible, they are hellions in many ways. I like that Bronwyn sees past their outrageous actions and words and seems to deeply understand the root of their behavior. She doesn’t believe she’s good with people, but her kind and caring ways prove otherwise. Bronwyn’s friends are fabulous too, and I can’t wait to read each of their stories! I love books that show strong female friend groups who lift each other up and support each other. Bronwyn is lucky to have found these amazing women, especially considering her parents’ are increasingly restrictive and hurtful in their treatment of her and in their pressures to have her marry someone of esteem.

Ugh. Bronwyn’s parents are the worst! There are several antagonists in the book, and I hated Bronwyn’s selfish, social-climbing mother and father. They are so phony and mean, and the way they treat Bronwyn is inexcusable. Neither Bronwyn nor Ash have the best parental influences (with the exception of Ash’s mother who was exceptional), and I think it connects them at an even deeper level.

Bronwyn and Ash have a wonderful, slow-building romance. This marriage of convenience turns into so much more as Ash remains on Synne to get his wards and new wife acclimated to their new life. I love how Ash and Bronwyn grow together, and the way Ash supports Bronwyn’s interests and encourages her is outstanding. He is so interested in what she does, much to her surprise, and he shows her in so many ways how much he admires her. It just makes their budding romance even more swoon-worthy!

Thanks so much to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley, has three rebellious wards, and thinks that a marriage of convenience with Bronwyn will help him keep the wards under control in the countryside, so he can concentrate on his business in town - far away from wards & wife.

What's in it for her?
Bronwyn's been promised that she'll be able to keep conducting her scientific research of insects to get her findings published and recognized.

Ash did not expect however, to be totally enthralled by the passionate woman with a brilliant mind who named one of her marriage conditions that they sleep together - for research of course! 😉

The storyline is super intriguing and I love that a bright STEM heroine in a historical romance gets her story.

I would have hoped for more depth in the connection of the main characters, and at times wished I got to experience how they grow closer to one another. For all the focus on being a naturalist, and reading up about the human body's ways of procreating, neither she nor he, brought up contraception or discussed what consequences there might be - including if they themselves wanted children or not - when they have frequent unprotected sex.

Heat: 3/5
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, STEM heroine
Overall Rating: 3/5

Content Guidance:
- Reflected upon in the past of the story - domestic violence, rape, death of a parent, physically abusive parent
- Currently and part of the story - emotionally neglecting and bullying parents, misogyny, classism

Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for providing me with an eARC of this romance.


P.S. I know the author may not have had input on the cover of the romance, so this is a note for whoever has had a decision in the cover design: I feel it's a missed opportunity to showcase 'pixie Bronwyn with short curly hair and glasses' on the cover.

At the beginning of the story we meet Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley, who finds himself struggling to raise three wards, two of which have run away. He tracks them down to his ancestral home on the Isle of Synne, where they have befriended a local entomologist, Bronwyn Pickering. After meeting Bronwyn, he almost instantly hits upon an idea that he thinks will solve all his problems: marry this intelligent, caring woman whom his wards like and then leave them all on the Isle of Synne so that he can resume his normal life of running a gambling den in London.

Initially uninterested in getting married, Bronwyn soon realizes that doing so will get her away from her horrible, chaotic, social climbing parents and leave her free to pursue her scientific studies. She and Ash vow never to develop feelings and enter into a marriage of convenience. Good luck with that kids.

To get their happily ever after, Ash will need to overcome the demons of his past as well as persuade Bronwyn to move beyond the heartbreak she experienced years ago. This heartwarming story movingly deals with loneliness, finding self-worth, forgiveness and realizing that you don’t have to fit into society’s mold to be loved.

This was my first book by Christina Britton and I very much enjoyed the world she is building, particularly Bronwyn’s friends, The Oddments, a fascinating group of intelligent women. While I never warned to the two youngest wards, I do hope that the oldest, Regina, gets her own book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this story - I loved seeing the heroine, Bronwyn, blossom as she realizes that Ash not only isn’t going to forbid her research work, but actually is proud of it. Ash is so well written, he is such an ass a certain points, but Britton writes his conversations with Bronwyn in a way that we see down to his soul and forgive him almost immediately. I loved the meddling friends/townsfolk as well. Finally, it was lovely to see Ash and Regina (his ward) build a relationship - the smaller moppet is more common of a trope than an insecure teenager, and it was lovely
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC

A truly wonderful heartwarming story. I loved the chemistry between Ash and Bronwyn. Ms. Britton has written another 5-star read.

I'm loving this series and the characters that this author writes. The oddments are the best club in fiction - and I look forward to reading the rest of their stories. The story and characters kept me engaged - and Britton has renewed my love of historical romance.

Hoping this is first of many books in the Synneful Spinsters series. Loved the little (almost treasure) map of the Isle of Synne where this takes place.

Ash (Duke of Buckley) spends his days and nights at the gaming hall he co-owns. His 3 wards live apart from him because he fears the blood of his father running through him will taint them.

Bronwyn spends her days (when she can) at the library with her fellow spinsters—the Oddments. She tries to finish her insect research and papers at all other times. Her parents only care for their advancement in the aristocratic world through a marriage of their daughter.

A marriage of convenience seems to solve both problems for Ash and Bronwyn. The duke gets a wife to control his wards and Bronwyn gets away from her controlling parents. I loved the early scene where Bronwyn is contemplating said marriage. She is verbally attacked by her parents who are ready to send her away to her strict brother’s. Company arrives. Ash stands by her side and Bronwyn announces this is her fiancé. Many times through the book Ash defends her to her toadying mother and father. Later, he is also her biggest supporter for her to complete her research.

It’s a long haul for both main characters to come to grips with their issues. The duke can only see himself as a hindrance to their marriage. Bronwyn feels unworthy of love due to her idiotic parents and embarrassing rejection by a duke when she was 17. Thank goodness for close friends!

I received a copy of the book in advance for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Miss Bronwyn Pickering has a problem. Her social climbing parents want her to put aside her bluestocking pursuits and find a titled husband. How fortunate that such a man dropped right in her lap! Ash Hawkins, Duke of Buckley, doesn't want a wife...but he thinks one will be the only way to handle his rebellious wards. When they run away to his mother's childhood home, a chance meeting with Bronwyn might prove an unlikely solution.

This is the first book in the Synneful Spinsters. The heroine, Bronwyn was introduced in book three of the previous series, Isle of Synne.

This story started well but didn't quite get over the hump for me, personally. I liked the beginning, with their meet-cute and Ash's surprising proposal. I feel like I had connection issues with the characters as the story went on. I generally try not to compare books to each other, but this just felt a lot like other stories I've read lately, and I kept waiting for that spark of "something special" that was going to make it stand out.

Tropes: Bluestocking, Marriage of Convenience, Found Family

Steam: 3 (four scenes, but two were on the shorter side)

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #SomeDukesHaveAlltheLuck #NetGalley

This was my first book by Christina Britton, and I definitely plan on reading more.

Our Duke, Ash, co owner of a gambling hall, has 3 wards who he is struggling to care for, and has decided he needs a wife to do this.

Brownwynn is considered a disappointment by her parents because she is more interested in science than finding a husband.

Cue marriage of convenience. I love a good marriage of convenience story, and this did not disappoint.

This is such a beautiful story of two people coming together for convenience, and finding love, as well as a family in each other.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Marriage of convenience is always a favorite plot of mine and this one did not disappoint! I really liked Ash and Bronwyn and the connection felt honest and real. Her parents were idiots and the girls... well I can't see what's in store in the next in the series!

Thank you for the early copy!

This was probably more of a 3.5 star. After being on a historical kick I decided to continue and pick up an ARC I have for Some Dukes Have All The Luck. This follows Bronwyn who just wants to spend her time working on research of a beetle she found but her social climbing parents destroys her research and demands she finds a husband. While out walking she comes across a man who decides she will do nicely for a wife and offers to marry her in name only if she will help look out for his three wards. Deciding that that sounds better than what her parents have planned she takes him up on the offer. Thinking he is a gentleman only Bronwyn is surprised to learn he is actually a Duke and she is now a Duchess. What goes on from there is a set of funny events mixed with a sweet romance that I really enjoyed. I struggled at times with the pacing but overall thought this was an enjoyable historical romance. Thank you Forever Publishing for my gifted copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a romance between Ash and Bronwyn and also a tale of creating a family between Ash, the three children in his care, and Bronwyn.

Ash’s father was physically abusive towards everyone he had power over and Bronwyn’s parents are horrible, emotionally abusive people.

This book starts as a marriage of convenience story but becomes a tale about creating joy, becoming a family and being courageous.

The most courageous thing for all these characters is not just learning to love but learning to trust.

I greatly enjoyed this book even with the heavy subject matter and the two week marriage of connivence in which the action happened. I would recommend this book, with trigger warnings, to those who like historical romance.

This book transported me to another time.
Spoiler alerts ahead.
I enjoyed this story very much. It started out interesting and became consuming. I understand why a catchy title was used, but this was not a story about a lucky duke, so I do not see how it related to the story. The duke, the main male character was a brooding, stiff man, who held himself away from the rest of the world because he felt a lot of guilt about his past and because his father was an evil man. If the author did not provide the self talk of the duke, we would have thought he was a typical aristocrat/noble from that time period: stern, emotionless, ruthless and ingrained in his ways. One thing we did not learn was his age. I would assume he could have been as young as 27 or as old as 31. This was just one of a couple of loose ends in the story. There is also a "challenge" the main female character's villian issued, but that story line did not go anywhere. The villian was introduced as a impetuos of why the female main character was so withdrawn, and the villian sort of challenged the male character into thinking he would spread rumors about the duchess unless the duke let the villian back into the duke's gaming hell, but that story line never played out. Like I said, there were some dangling story lines. This book could easily been a longer story, but I became immersed in the story anyway, due to the author's way of writing. The characters are all likeable and easy to identify with and the story had a well thought out pace and direction. I enjoyed this story and read every word.
The story is about a 24 year old young lady who studies insects and thinks she has discovered a new species. She is in town and bumps into a beautiful man. The man is a duke with 3 wards who is looking for two runaways. When he bumps into her he feels that he needs a wife to help him with his wards. They meet again when she is visiting the wards in a meadow and the hero walks up. When he sees how well the heroine handles his wards, he proposes on the spot. What neither if them realize is that they are attracted to each other. They agree to a marriage of convenience where the heroine can pursue her scientific studies all she wants., if she helps him with his wards. They agree and within 24 hours, the heroine has asked for sexual relations because she is "scientifically curious". This is an engaging story about two lonely people who find their mate and progress into a happy ever after.
I like this story because there was no unnecessary drama or information. I was engaged from the start and could not put it down. With the exception of the danglers listed above, this is a 5 star, you should read story. I will be adding this title to my keeper shelf.

This is a great historical romance, fun and steamy, I'm a big fan of marriage of convenience trope and this was great, add to that a grumpy hero and it's the icing on the cake.

Bronwyn is not the typical heroine of a historical romance, she is a smart girl who wants more than just getting married, she is so badass, I loved the way that little by little Ash and Bronwyn begin to fall in love and develop feelings for each other. the other, the sex scenes are perfect, and I couldn't get enough of the pull and push between them.

Some Dukes Have All The Luck is an entertaining, spicy, sweet and hilarious historical romance that will make you laugh, sigh and swoon so hard.
Perfect for fans of
Marriage of convenience
Historical romance
Grumpy hero
steamy

This was a nice historical romance but I can't say there was anything overwhelmingly memorable about either. It was pleasant, it had a lot of things I love (a grumpy duke, a oddball bluestocking heroine, a few wild wards, a great setting) but I was slightly underwhelmed.

I think it was the conflict especially that kept me from loving it, I never quite got any feelings from it. Overall though it was pleasant and easy reading and I enjoyed being back in Synne.

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous! I love the Isle of Synne and all the people living there. Now Ms. Britton is taking on the spinsters! Love it!

Ash, Duke of Buckley is raising his nieces. They are running him ragged! He needs help and the only way he thinks he can get help is by marrying. Something he's said he won't do...ever! When two of his nieces run away from his London home, he needs to find them. But where have they gone? A little sleuthing on the part of his oldest niece and they realize they need to head to the Isle of Synne, where Ash's mother was raised and died. Ash has sworn never to return.

Bronwyn, is rapidly turning into a spinster. That's fine by her, but her parents have an issue with her love of all things buggy...literally she loves bugs! Becoming an entomologist is her goal in life. Once her parents discard the work she has been collecting for years, she realizes they are serious about making her marry!

Can Ash and Bronwyn make a pact? Will Ash's secrets come to light? Can Bronwyn love anyone or anything as much has her precious beetles?

A wonderful first story in the Synneful Spinsters spin off of the Isle of Synne series! I so enjoy the authors sense of humor in this book, the depth of the characters, and the location of Synne! Also, Bronwyn's parents are a hoot.

Marriage of convenience is my absolute favorite....as long as it isn't full of insta-love. I need more pining and angst than what I got. A lot more. But this is a breezy, easy historical romance otherwise.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Forever for the eARC in exchange for my review.