When Katrina Denby finds the body of the man who ruined her years ago she knows the rumors will destroy the small amount of happiness she’s found since then. The best she can hope for is a hasty marriage of convenience—until her engaged first crush shows up. Sebastian Thorne, Duke of Ramsleigh, has to marry well to save the dukedom. But seeing Katrina makes him want to throw all those plans out the window.

This wasn’t quite a second chance romance because they were never really together before their scandals, and I just never felt the chemistry between these two. There was a lot of exposition when I wanted more conversations between the couple. I wish the resolution wasn’t such an out of the blue convenient solution. If I had been more entertained the historical misses wouldn’t have bothered me. But if you like mutual pining and a boisterous dog, read this one.

The two of them were starting to fall in love when scandals broke them apart and they had to contend with the ramifications without learning of each other’s altered circumstances. But fate and Lady Tesh had something else planned. It is easy to love the main characters. She is kind with generosity of spirit and willing to sacrifice for her loved ones. He is honourable, gentle and protective. Incredible love story. Be ready with some tissue for the ending. Oh, and you’re going to love Mouse.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

This book was quite sad. Katrina went through a lot, & not by anything bad that was her fault. So many people turned their backs on her when she didn’t deserve it. Thank God for Sebastian, who has been in love with her for four years, but through no fault of his own had to forget her. Circumstances have brought them both together again & they can’t deny they still have feelings for each other, as hard as they try to. I love that Sebastian came to Katrina’s defense & showed a vulnerable side that many didn’t back then. I also loved seeing more of Lady Tesh, I like her character. I’m glad that Katrina finally stood up for herself, but she just made me sad throughout this story. Happy that they got their HEA.

Katrina Denby has had a life shaped by others. Sebastian Thorne is the same. They met early on in life and then fate stepped into both of their lives and separated them by different circumstances. Will their love for each other find a way to be together?

Interesting story which illustrates how in this time period, how helpless woman can be when men make bad decisions and then the woman’s reputation suffers.

I received a free copy of this book from the author. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

This series just keeps getting better and better. I loved the chemistry between Katrina and Sebastian. I loved the story although I definitely could have used some confidence from Katrina, she just seemed like oh okay up until the end when she found her spirit. I just am so happy these two got their HEA and I hope to read more about the rest of the friends in the series very soon.

Another really sweet installment in the isle of Synne! This book is really low angst, low stakes, but very sweet and heartfelt. Katrina is just having the roughest time, and is a wonderful heroine who is just kind and good and deserves the world. Sebastian got kiiiinda annoying at times because it took him way too long to decide that Katrina, penniless as she was, was still worth marrying over the rich heiress he needed to save his dukedom. But I know that’s these things go: we need plot and all that. Overall I really liked this book. Dragged a little in the middle sometimes, not a lot happened, but push through and it’s a really rewarding and romantic story!

I really enjoyed this book. The main characters were lovely, although they were dealing with some difficult choices (bit of angst, my friends!). The setting was lovely, and I adore the group of friends and Lady Tesh. Also, any book with a puppy in it is alright by me!

I struggled a bit with how absolutely horrid some of the people were to Katrina. It became a bit frustrating, seeing the terrible choices she had to choose from. Still, overall it was enjoyable, and I can't wait to read the next in the series!!

Any hero named Sebastian is going to end up on my TBR.

Britton's second book in the Synneful Spinsters series is a good follow up to the first. I loved seeing the Oddments back, though wish Honoria had been stood up to her father sooner in her support for Katrina. Mouse was a particular bright spot and I loved that Sebastian became his favorite person.

This love story was angst-filled longing. Like, fresh scent of pining hero. Sebastian feels he needs to marry for money but is desperately in love with Katrina. This point was hammered home quite a bit. After about 50%, it felt like too much, and didn't need repeated quite so often. Katrina is recovering from two scandals caused by Lord Landon, neither of which she caused, but both of which she suffers from. I would have liked to understand more about why Landon climbed into her room twice when they seemed to have no romantic history.

Overall, this was a good read. Low on the spice scale (no sex between the MMC and FMC until 70%), but a sweet romance.

The pull of this book! They love each other but they can’t be together because of stupid rational reasons. These reasons aren’t enough to keep them apart, because true love always wins!

Both of our main characters are down on their luck through no fault of their own, but fate has brought them back together again.

I really loved this book. The predictability doesn’t matter when the story is good enough.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

It was an okay story. Felt very slow-paced and hard to get into. Nothing ever really seemed to happen to keep me engaged. Small-minded people in a town with odd secondary scandal and storyline. Her brother is a pitiful excuse of a man. Sebastian was an okay character. I couldn't feel the deep connection between them.

What’s a Duke Got to Do With It really tugged at my heart! It was agony watching these characters given choices that weren’t necessarily for their betterment. At points I thought it became a bit too tedious, but by the end I really appreciated the angst and story.

Through no fault of their own, Katrina Denby and Sebastian Thorne were separated years ago. An unwanted suitor tarnished her reputation and her family ties. An inherited dukedom full of scandal and debt pulled Sebastian away from society.

Now the two find themselves in each other’s company again, but she’s embroiled in yet another scandal thanks to that same unwanted suitor from years past, and he is attempting to prove his worth so that he can marry an heiress, whom he does not love but whose money he needs.

They both carry burdens created by others and sacrifice themselves for the well-being of others.

Can these two move beyond these heavy burdens and lighten the load for each other?

I quite enjoyed this return to the Isle of Synne. We return to the friendship, support, and fierceness of the Oddments; we get entertainment from foul-mouthed Phineas, the parrot, the enthusiasm and energy of Katrina’s massive dog, Mouse, and amusement from matchmaking matron Lady Tesh's maneuvering and machinations.

There is a sweetness and protectiveness in how the Katrina and Sebastian treat each other. They continually gravitate towards each other and clearly belong together.

Woven into the love story, we also see themes of the imbalance between men and women during that time, the unfairness of the standards set between the two, and the way responsibilities and reputation can be inherited.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next Synneful Spinsters novel. This one is book 2 in the series but can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend reading Some Dukes Have All the Luck as well, though, because it is also a delight.

I received an advance copy of What’s a Duke Got to Do with It from Forever and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

Perfect for fans of second chance romances, What's a Duke Got to Do With It is a great entry into the historical romance canon. Highly recommended for any fans of Kleypas, Balogh, or Hoyt!

I was not disappointed at all with the novel. The characters are believable and this second chance at love is such a sweet story. While reading, I reflected on how circumstances out of our control can affect our own lives and choices. I felt for Katrina and Sebastian - and was continuously cheering them on. I am loving this series - and this book was the perfect addition to it. Christina Britton is fast becoming one of my fav historical romance authors.

very fun regency romp! i enjoyed the lively friend group, the secretly soft elderly lady, and the giant dog.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 2 in the Synne island series. I had a little bit of a hard time remembering the characters in this series has it had been awhile since I read book 1. This was a pretty good read. I am just over the whole they can’t be together but love each other. That was annoying. Other than that it was a solid read.

Katrina is a woman who has a scandal around her because of a man being infatuated with her. She is living as a companion when Sebastian visits the older woman she works for. Sebastian is a Duke who was almost going to marry Katrina but then his father died and he needed money. Now he is engaged to a rich man’s daughter, but they find out they still have feelings for each other. Good story, fast read!

I’m so glad I read this one with a friend cause... the heartbreaks! I definitely needed moral support, haha! There is something about Christina Britton’s writing that is just simply beautiful. You want to cry but you are still enjoying it. Like, I was so sad about this love story that seemed impossible and I so wanted our characters to find their HEA. So many times I read a chapter where it felt like they were close to making it happen just for their hopes to be crushed and yet, I couldn’t help but think about how beautiful the chapter was.

I really enjoyed Lady Tesh in that book. That lady was just perfect every time she did or said something haha! What would we do without her? She really felt like true family to all! Sebastian was really easy to love, he was trying so hard to do the right thing in every situation but couldn’t help his feelings for Katrina influence his behaviour in the end. I have to admit there are a really high number of characters in that book that made me feel like wanting to punch them right in the face for being so bad with our FMC. Katrina didn’t deserve all that hate and judgement that is for sure, and I was so glad she had her friends to get through all of this. It was nice to get back to this little "family" and I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This sweet second chance romance will draw you in with the double standard of conduct attached to Katrina; and, was successful in ruining her life. Just as Sebastian and Katrina begin to fall in love, he has to leave town due to his father’s death and ruination. But, not to be the only one who is ruined, Katrina finds herself in a crazy situation not of her making that ruins her. Her brother fights for her honor and ruins himself in the process.

Katrina becomes a companion; Sebastian tries to save his family and estate. Brought together at Lady Tesh’s home, they try to stay away from each other. Obviously, they are not successful. What follows is a sweet love story as they find their HEA and self-respect is returned.

Lady Tesh and the Oddments are adorable in their unity of taking care of each other. Another favorite secondary character is Mouse, Katrina’s huge, adorable dog. Although part of the Synneful Spinsters series, What’s a Duke Got to Do With It, can be read as a stand-alone.

I just love Christina Britton. Her books are so heartfelt and lovely. They aren’t always the steamiest, but so well drawn. I loved the arc btn denby and the duke and the angst was real. I did not love the side plot involving the prospective brother in law being interested in Katrina, it wasn’t well resolved and sloppy. I could have used a bit more sexual tension btn the two mains, but everything else was lovely.