3.5 stars

❛❛“In terms of a lifetime, it’s hardly any time at all.”
Until then, I love you.
Yours always, Theo.❜❜


'How to (not) hate the Duke' is a fast-paced, addictive, and entertaining read. the author managed to blend different arcs and curves together in a harmonic manner :

❥ historical romance
❥ happily ever after
❥ ennemis to lovers
❥ forced proximity
❥ family secrets
❥ virgin heroine
❥ secret affair
❥ Love Letters
❥ family feud


the female main character, Georgiana Milford, daughter of a wealthy businessman, longed to elope her hectic and aristocratic Londonien life for a couple of weeks, prior to being reunited with her elder sister who has been in Nova Scotia for a decade and a half. therefore when her dear-friend, Charlotte, invited her to Merrick's house party in the country, she considered it the perfect excuse for a retreat and, moreover, to avoid fortune hunters. her quest for serenity and amusement was tarnished by the impromptu presence of her archenemy, Theodorus St. Clair. who had recently acquired from his late father alias the Duke of Despots the seventh title of 'Duke of Desborough', a dilapidated domain and a plethora of enemies. one of his fervent foes being the Milford family, his nearest neighbors. i absolutely loved how the ennemis to lovers romance was drawn throughout the storytelling, it was brilliantly enhanced with some fun and diversified actives that the protagonists had to attend and participate to with their friends. the way their relationship evolved into a sort of friends exploring intimately each other and flourished quickly after that into inseparable lovers.

many thanks to NetGalley and Entangled publishing for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Georgiana may be long time neighbours with the Duke of Desborough but that doesn't mean they are flirendly, in fact it's the exact opposite, they are enemies that can't stand the sight of each other.

Theo has been trying to fix what his father ruined, but his father's sins follow him everywhere, no matter how much he is trying to excape them.

When both Georgiana and Theo are invited at the same country house party they are more than suprised and ready to leave the moment they arrive, but common sense and friends talk them into staying and avoiding each other.

Which is easier said than done, especially when the party has two men that are more interested in her dowry than herself meaning that Georgiana has to decide which of them is the lesser evil.

The house party trope is equivalent to the snowed in trope and you can't change my mind about it. The forced proximity is wonderful in many ways, forcing them together when that's the last thing they want, I am telling you it's pure gold!

I loved the way they started as enemies until they discovered they didn't anymore, the change happend gradually and they reached a point that they couldn't avoid their attraction.

A true test to their love comes when they come to realise that her family's hate for him won't be easy to overcome but I loved how they continue to fight for what they wanted.


* I received an ARC and this is honest opinion.

3.5 Stars! The main characters are Georgina Milford and Theo St.Clair, the Duke of Desborough. I really liked Theo from the get go but Georgina on the other hand, came off a bit too much like a ‘female dog’, if you get my meaning. Because I didn’t like Georgina, it was hard to root for them to work & she was just so off-putting and bratty, I really didn’t care for her. Luckily she got better but the damage was done.
As much as I liked Theo, he was also a bit of a coward, I think. His father was a p.o.s & everyone in the village is leery of him, so what does he do to fix it? Runs away and goes to a 2 week long house party, of course! Maybe that makes them a perfect couple.
I did enjoy some surprises near the end, the steamy ‘sexy times’, and was glad they finally got their HEA ending. All in all a decent read with some past main characters from previous books. I’d read this author again and hope she has a book for Georgina’s sister & Theo’s brother in the works next! Fingers crossed.
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

For all Darcy and Elizabeth lovers - How Not to Hate a Duke is an easy enjoyable historical romance! Enemies to lovers come to a head as the next generation of two feuding families find a way to be better than their forefathers quite literally.

THOUGHTS:
- Societies that didn't praise hard work and instead pushed people aside that were 'new money' is nothing new. We all know those dusty old-money families and how easily they can be reduced to ruin? But I always love a story of redemption, and our Duke of Despots surely embodies that role.
- What I also like thought was that our heroine Georgina quickly went from a judgey 'Austen-esque Emma' to a lady of her own mind. (In other words, I wasn't annoyed with her spoiled society princess visage for long!)

**The thing I liked the least about this is that the main couple has a lot of the miscommunication trope, but it's also done incredibly well.

NOTES:
- 🌶️🌶️/5 - Not frequent but descriptive!
- 3.5/5 (rounded up to a 4)

**Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC, & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

I think I need to to spend sometime reading this author’s backlist!! Enemies to lovers! Theo and Georgiana are wonderful and their transformation from unfair hatred to understanding and then loving just reels you in and doesn’t let go.

Story - 5 stars! It’s great.

Dialog - 5 stars! Love the banter between the two MCs!

Spice - 3 stars. I wanted more!

Miss Georgiana Milford is one of the richest heiresses in England. She wants nothing more than to escape the many fortune-hunters sniffing at her skirts. Georgiana agrees to attend a two-week country party with her friend. She never expected to encounter her family’s mortal enemy: the dastardly St. Clair’s. No matter how hard she tries, Georgiana finds she cannot escape the scoundrel. However, she starts to see that Theo is not the blackguard her father painted him to be. Will their family’s enmity keep them apart?

Theophilus “Theo” St. Clair, the seventh Duke of Desborough, wants to prove to everyone that he is nothing like his father. However, his neighbors thwart his every attempt. Discouraged, Theo agrees to attend a country party only to find the youngest Milford in attendance. He cannot seem to avoid the shrew. Their time together allows Theo to discover another side of Georgiana. Can Theo right the wrongs his late father committed? Or will they stand in the way of his relationship with Georgiana?

Georgiana irked me for most of the book. I understand the animosity between her family and Theo’s. It all started with the late duke. However, Georgiana’s father did some underhanded and petty things as well. I expected her to admonish him for his spitefulness. Instead, she excused them, as if her father was in the right.

Theo won my heart instantly. I could not help but empathize with him. He is a man unfairly branded by the sins of his father. I admire Theo for wanting to fix all the wrongs his sire had done. I also commiserate with him over all the pettiness he endured by the Milfords. It would discourage even the staunchest of hearts.

HOW (NOT) TO HATE A DUKE is a standalone historical romance by Jennifer Haymore. However, the couple from EARLS RUSH IN do play a role in this book. Charlotte and Finneas are friends with both Georgiana and Theo. I do hope we get to see a story for Theo’s brother Sebastian with Georgiana’s sister.

Having read a number of Jennifer Haymore’s books, I really like her writing style. This book, though, was a bit of a miss for me. FMC Georgianna is a wealthy heiress tired of being pursued by fortune hunters and convinced that all members of the St. Claire family are devils in disguise. Theo St. Claire, Duke of Desborough, agrees that his late father was indeed a devil and is now trying to fix the damage his father wrought. The duo inadvertently end up at a small house party together and hijinks ensue.

Georgianna is a complete brat for at least the first 50% of this story. She is haughty and judgmental and refuses to actually hear anything Theo tells her. Theo himself comes across as a bit ineffectual for much of the story. He professes to want to change people’s perceptions of him, but is gallivanting around England rather than actually stay at his country home and do the work needed to make an impact. The pair do have definite chemistry and there are several steamy scenes for those who like that sort of thing (and I do).

Then just when it seems like both Georgianna and Theo have evolved a bit, declaring their love and willingness to work through adversity, the chapel scene happens. I was disappointed in both Georgianna and Theo and in the choices they made. Rather than working together to rectify things, Theo does so on his own - and rather quickly, and mostly off page. And the reason for the family feud is definitely less than I was expecting, especially since it seemed like it was much Georgianna’s parents making bad choices as anything else.

3 stars. I would definitely not hesitate to pick up another Jennifer Haymore book (for those who haven’t read it, “Earls Rush In” is quite good) even with this one not working for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. These opinions are my own.

Georgiana is a wealthy merchant’s daughter completely tired of the fortune hunters seeking her attention. She’s convinced by her good friend to attend a house party in the country to avoid some of those terrible suitors. Meanwhile, a certain dastardly duke is also invited to the same house party. Theo has recently inherited the title from his depraved father but is believed to be of the same ilk, leaving him emotionally exhausted by all the hatred by his neighbors and tenants. It doesn’t help that Georgiana’s family is the main opponent to Theo’s endeavors due to a long-standing family rivalry. When Georgiana and Theo realize they’re at the same house party, they first try to avoid each other, and then end up antagonizing (and then flirting with) each other. But you know that open communication does wonders, so they start to actually get along (and maybe even fall in love). The drama with Georgiana’s family is still looming though and Theo has a lot of work to do to fix his reputation on his estate.

This was such a sweet love story; there was incredible enemies-to-lovers tension and many bumps along the way, but we got to the most wonderful HEA.

Theo’s and Georgiana’s families are enemies, so imagine their surprise when more than hatred burns between them. 🔥

Much of this love story takes place at a weeks-long house party. The over-the-top wealth / upper-crust decadence and the forbidden nature / hidden spice are some of my favorite things about historical romances.

This had a slow burn that burned so hot. And the tropes of this story were 👩‍🍳💋 - virgin heroine / forced proximity / secret affair / enemies to lovers made for a great story.

Thanks so much to Jen Haymore and Entangled Publishing for the ARC of this book!

Theo and Georgiana families have been enemies for a long time. Georgiana has had a bitter dislike to Theo due to his father’s actions. They were forced together during a house party where they truly started to get to know each other. They slowly started falling in love. Some angst occurs but the are able to overcome and find their HEA.

I really joyed this book! The intelligent discussions between Theo and Georgina along with their sparking romance that had me turning pages so fast they could burst into flames due to their smoldering passion. I did need my fan for some of the romance scenes. Gotta love the duke in that department!
Some parts of the book had me looking like a crazy person talking to themselves!
This is a fun, emotional, and exciting romance story that took me through a journey very well needed! The ending definitely put a smile on my face.

Georgiana Milford is weary of society and fortune hunters. A house party invitation seems like a great distraction until she finds out her archenemy, the new Duke of Desborough, Theo St. Clair, also attends. I felt that in the beginning Georgiana didn’t have a good reason to hate Theo. She seemed childish and mean about it.
Theo inherits a dilapidated estate and hostile neighbors, including Georgiana’s dad, who fuels negativity towards him. A chance encounter with Georgiana in London leaves him flustered but determined to prove his good intentions. He also ends up at the same house party and we have some scenes where they get to know one enough better and she opens her mind.
Note: Charlotte and Lord Trevelyan are friends with Georgiana and Theo. They were a highlight for me and I am interested in reading their story as well.
As they spend time together, misconceptions melt away, replaced by mutual respect and undeniable attraction. Love blossoms, but societal expectations and family disapproval loom large. Georgiana faces a heart-wrenching choice: her family's love or Theo's. Theo struggles to offer her a future without sacrificing her connection to her loved ones.
Will they defy societal norms and fight for their love? Or will their dreams crumble under the weight of tradition and pride? Theirs is a journey of love, redemption, and overcoming prejudice, leading to a hard-earned happily ever after, as seen in the epilogue.
Note: this was a steamy read. Even interesting house party games I had not read about in a historical story before.

A wealthy yet untitled heiress, Georgiana is frustrated by the pursuit of fortune-hunting nobles. At a country party, she spars with Theo, a new duke haunted by his late father’s scandalous reputation. Despite the animosity between them, their forced proximity kindles unexpected attraction as family secrets unravel.

I loved Theo. He’s working so hard to be a good landlord and change the family’s reputation. But the harm his father did is difficult to overcome. Georgiana’s family especially has reason to hate the old duke, so her parents do their best to turn Georgiana against Theo. It’s a steamy and em0tional enemies-to-lovers romance.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Theo St. Clair, the Seventh Duke of Desborough, has found it far easier to run away from his father's cruel influence than to try and mitigate the previous duke's obnoxious ways. It's no wonder the people of the village and the ducal tenants have a hard time warming up to Theo. All they've ever known is cruelty from the duke.

Georgiana Milford's home is adjacent to the duke's property, and all her life she's heard her parents say what cruel and vicious people the St. Clair's are, including the current duke. When she finds out that Theo will be attending the same house party, she isn't sure if she should stay or go. Her parents would be furious to know that the duke was in attendance, but despite that, Georgiana decides to stay. Will she take the time to get to know the current duke and judge him on his own merits instead of listening to others?

I really liked the premise of this story, but I wasn't enamored with Georgiana. She came across as bratty and too opinionated without listening to her own mind. Theo did not deserve her disdain especially since she kept saying that she knew how to judge whether men were interested in her beyond her substantial dowry. I was especially disappointed by her behavior at the chapel. Where was her backbone, especially since she professed to love Theo. I thought that excuse to drive the couple apart didn't make sense. I would have liked them to have struggled to make the tenants' lives better together. There are a couple of teasing scenes in the story that were very well done, but not enough to lift the book to 4 stars.

Good story. I liked the main characters Theo and Georgiana, they had great banter. A fun and fast read! I definitely recommend!

In this follow up to Earls Rush In, Georgiana is tired of being pursued for her fortune and Theo is tired of being judged for his father’s actions.

Georgiana takes a while to warm up to and there are anachronisms and historical setting-related things that it took me out of the story. But none of that would have bothered me if the third act breakup had made sense.

This sudden new phase of Theo’s arc took place off page for the last %15 of the book. It was unsatisfying to be told he made this improvement and improved people’s opinion of him without us seeing it. Why couldn’t they have gotten married and struggled together to make those changes? A rushed ending with too much telling ruined what might’ve been a four star read. YMMV

Heiress Georgiana Milford is tired of the social whirl and fending off fortune hunters and is impatiently awaiting the arrival of her older sister who has been in Nova Scotia for 9 long years, so when her dearest friend Charlotte suggests that she join her and her husband at a house party for a couple weeks, she happily agrees. But her happiness is extinguished by the arrival of her family’s country neighbor and archenemy, Theophilus “Theo” St. Clair, the new Duke of Desborough, and an unfortunate encounter with a hawthorn bush. After that fiasco, she can’t wait to get to the country, but when she arrives she is in a for surprise, the duke is also a guest. She wants to leave, but Charlotte convinces her to stay and begs her to give the duke a chance, swearing that she has known him for years and that he is nothing like his vile father. She promises to try and is shocked to realize that she has misjudged Theo, and after getting to know him, begins to fall for him. But what future could they possibly have? Her father hates him and Theo has done nothing to improve his image in her father’s eyes. Is happily ever after possible or will she have to sacrifice one love for another?

Theo St. Clair inherited a nightmare from his father, the former duke aka the Duke of Despots. The estate is in disrepair, the fields are fallow, the tenants leaving, the villagers and his staff don’t trust him and to make matters worse, his neighbor Thomas Milford is spreading rumors about him and undermining all of his attempts to make improvements. Theo is at his wits end with the estate and when he is called to London to deal with his younger brother Sebastian’s gambling debts, things just get worse when he encounters Georgiana Milford in Hyde Park and is blamed for the damage done to her gown. He tries to make it up to her by offering the use of his carriage to get home without anyone seeing her, but his offer is met with contempt. Thankfully, Charlotte, the wife of his best friend Lord Trevelyan is there and manages to smooth things over. Later when Trevelyan suggests he take a break from his troubles and join them at the Merrick’s house party, he jumps at the chance. But when he arrives and finds that Georgiana is a guest, he wants to leave, but Trevelyan convinces him to give Georgiana a chance, telling him that if he can prove to her that his intentions for the estate are honest, then maybe she can get her father to back down. But the more time he spends with her, the more he realizes that she is the only Milford he wants to impress. They declare their love, but when her parents arrive, it is clear that her father will never approve of him. He can’t lose her, but neither can he make her choose between him and her family. Will love find a way or was it doomed from the start?

This was a well-written, nicely done Enemies to Lovers story that gives readers a new twist on an old trope. The book is filled with wonderful characters, misconceptions, great secondary characters, spelunking, steamy love scenes, heartbreaking revelations, painful choices, true love, and finally a hard-earned HEA complete with an epilogue. I liked this book, but to be honest, I wasn’t a fan of Georgiana at the start of the book, she was very closed-minded and judgmental, but once she was able to put aside her preconceived notions about Theo, she became his fiercest defender and redeemed herself. Aside from that, this was a very entertaining and steamy read that was a fresh take on an old trope and a book that I am happy to recommend. Although this is touted as a standalone title, it is worth mentioning that it features characters from another one of Ms. Haymore’s standalone titles “Earls Rush In”.

4 stars

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

This was not the typical Enemies to Lovers romance. Theo and Georgiana needed to work hard to ultimately achieve their happy ending. Their families were neighbors, but their fathers were bitter enemies who would stop at nothing to destroy one another. Due to the death of his father, Theo had just recently become the new duke. Unfortunately, his father's bad reputation was impossible to escape. Theo had honorable intentions, but everything he tried to accomplish, was met with failure. He was being sabotaged by Georgiana's family!
Things came to a head when the couple found themselves stuck at the same house party. Their hostility was intense yet mixed with a definite attraction. Their arguments were entertaining and the steam that was eventually generated was plentiful. What would happen when they returned to their everyday lives? What if Georgiana's parents found out? Her parents were seemingly kind people. What had happened to cause such animosity?
All of these issues are ultimately resolved and the couple has their happy ending. I was actually surprised when the truth came out. The scenario that I had envisioned was much more sinister. Theo and Georgiana were a likable couple and I was glad that they were eventually able to reunite. I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

How Not to Hate a Duke by Jennifer Haymore is an engaging and playful romance that explores the intriguing dynamics between a high-minded heiress and the dastardly duke residing next door. This enemies-to-lovers tale captivates readers with its seamless blend of love, conflict, and a touch of spice. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking a well-rounded and enchanting historical romance experience.

I've read several books written by Jennifer Haymore and her historical romances are always pleasant. I prefer her Scottish lairds over her English gentry, but they all feature her signature sweetness. How (Not) to Hate a Duke was a complex story that had me feeling a multitude of emotions regarding the heroine. She was very aggressive and bratty towards the hero despite never meeting him before this event. She based all her misconceptions on her family's rivalry with his and his horrible father, not the duke himself. She kept repeating her dad's opinion rather than forming one of her own. I thought she was being so unfair towards him despite Theo trying over and above to change her bratty mind. It took nearly 60% of the novel for her to come to her senses. I swear she was Angelica Pickles incarnate.

I was really bummed out by Georgiana's behavior until we came to the parlor games. Ooh boy! That was my favorite part of the book. Nothing riles me up like some games helping restrained Victorians blow off steam. I nearly lost my mind when all the partygoers were blindfolded and had to guess their partners. Georgiana sat on Theo's lap and knew immediately who it was with nary a touch. The second juiciest part of the game was whenever a guest was incorrect, they owed another player a kiss as a punishment. It was a delicious double feature. That helped bring me out of my own bratty attitude and Georgiana eventually reeled in her disdain. There was also an unfortunate family meddling that soured my mood further into the novel as well. I liked the chemistry and Theo's earnestness, but Georgiana was the common denominator in all conflicts.

I have enjoyed every Jennifer Haymore book I've read to varying degrees. Theo was a wonderful hero who deserved far better than he received from the heroine. Nothing like a little parlor game to help lift the spirits. It certainly made me feel better. I liked the cameo of the couple from a previous novel and they relayed the most helpful relationship advice to our protagonists. If only Georgiana had heeded them earlier and she would have learned How (Not) to Hate a Duke far earlier.