Having met Daphne, the leading lady in Duke with Benefits, in Ready Set Rogue, I wasn't really sure how this book would play out. See, she's not your typical heroine and that's not a bad thing. Lady Daphne is very... honest. Blunt. Doesn't really understand social customs of conversation in any way and I wasn't really a fan of the way she was portrayed in the last book. I love the idea of an honest heroine, one who doesn't stand for societal expectations, but I think the author portrayed her in a bad light. 

So going into this book, I was a tad worried. Before I say anything further, I should mention that I actually attempted to read this book without reading the previous one and that does not work... unless you skip the first chapter of Duke with Benefits. But I don't recommend reading out of order as this book is closely connected to the first in the series. 

Much like the last one, this book uses murder as a way to bring the two lovebirds together in a quite predictable manner. They are even caught in a storm, resulting in the same outcome as with Ivy and Quill last time around. It makes me wonder if there will be a book in this series that doesn't feature murder and a compromising storm... 

I liked getting to know Daphne better, seeing how she thought and unraveling her past more. Her intelligence has created "holes" in her knowledge that most of those around her don't have and it makes socializing difficult, a point that's brought up over and over again. I wasn't fond of the idea that intelligence means a lack of social graces so that irked me a bit, but her character on its own was someone with a strong personality who knows what she wants but also has a lot to learn. 

As for her love interest, I liked Maitland much more than Quill. It was clear he cared for Daphne but he knew when to back off, when to ask for help, and when to take the lead. They had a good back-and-forth that showed how one complimented the other which was well done. The fact that he didn't just jump on Daphne the first chance he had and wanted to respect her earned him brownie points in my books since I've read far too many romances where the man seems to have no self control around anything wearing skirts. 

I definitely liked the romance in this one better and I think the writing was, overall, better too. It's promising for the rest of the series, and I'm especially excited to see what's in store for the other two bluestockings living in the house. I just hope that neither of their books involve a murder or storm.

This was a fun and fast paced historical read. The story has plenty of suspense and drama and I really liked Dalton. Overall, the story had me hooked from beginning to end the mystery is a lot of fun and I look forward to reading more in the series.

Manda Collins drops us into a tension-fraught tale right from the first pages of Duke with Benefits.  The story of a bluestocking and the duke who becomes enchanted by her, the book has its flaws but summarily provides a rousing and fun romance.

Daphne Forsythe is one of four benefactresses of the will of Celeste Beauchamp, a scholarly lady who bequeathed her home and her vast library of academic material to four young ladies whose interests matched her own as she was slowly dying of poision.  The four women, all of meager backgrounds and no salient opportunities, quickly made haste to the seaside mansion upon receiving letters informing each of them of their inheritance and that they must live at Beauchamp House for a full year with the other heiresses or forfeit their quarter of the money.  They soon found themselves embroiled in the search for Celeste’s murderer, during which they formed warm friendships, the house becoming the home none of them ever had.

A mathematician, Daphne has settled into Beauchamp House’s vast library in the hope of finding the lost Cameron Cipher, an obscure equation hidden in an antique book which lies among the house’s many tomes.  Said cipher will allegedly lead the decoder to gold hidden by the Cameron clan during the last Jacobite rebellion, and thus to untold riches and amounts of respect.  Daphne – who grew up the victim of her father’s gambling and spent much of her youth at gaming parlors counting cards for him  - hopes to use any publicity gleaned from her puzzle-solving to  advance the cause of women in mathematics.  But to fail is to risk ridicule in a field that already looks down its nose at women who follow intellectual careers.

Affable Dalton Beauchamp, the Duke of Maitland and Celeste’s nephew, has been courting and sparking with Daphne ever since the young miss first encountered him at Beauchamp House.  After a period of scintillating flirtation, Daphne and Maitland have evolved into friends who make no bones about yearning to explore something more while having no clue as to how to pursue their urges.  Daphne refuses to marry Dalton, preferring to have an affair after a scarring attempted assault in her youth, but Dalton won’t make love to her without a ring on her finger.  Their quagmire is soon interrupted when Nigel Sommersby, a fortune-hunting American gambler and blast from Daphne’s past, surfaces to beat her to the cipher, ending up murdered in the library for his efforts.  When her father shows up on the heels of this event and threatens to drag Daphne back to London and marry her off to a disreputable gentleman to satisfy his ever-increasing debts, Maitland and Daphne enter into a marriage of convenience, but their confused feelings soon become the least of their troubles as government forces align to make the search for the code even more desperate and difficult.

Duke With Benefits is charming in many essential ways.  The characters are absolutely wonderful.    Daphne is dry, a bit sarcastic and bitter, and also outspoken and fierce; she’s driven by logic and logic provides her driving force.  She adores math more than anything in the world, which is a lovely trait, and altogether she’s a fabulous heroine and one of Collins’ best.  Maitland, meanwhile, is one of my favorite recent romance heroes, with charm, kindness, wit and a sense of tender intellect about him that’s interesting.  He’s also sexy and has a sense of humor and is honorable – everything I love in a hero.  He dreams about creating a home for elderly horses – how can you not fall for him?

Their romance is pitched just right, imbued with honesty and caring, a delicate dance between true understanding and love, flirtation and protectiveness in a way that’s beautiful in every regard.

The supporting characters boast some gems as well; the best of them happens to be Lady Serena, Maitland’s sister and a single mother, who I hope will surface as a lead in another volume of the series.  The friendships between the women of Beauchamp House are delightful, and the skills of all four women are eventually employed to solve the central mystery.  For fans of the previous book, Ready Set Rogue, Ivy and the Marques of Kerr have a fairly sizable part in this one, but it’s possible to read this book without having read the previous one.

The plot has some lovely, trope-heavy mystery elements that are fun and call back to movies like The Mummy series, and gallops along at a speedy pace. The writing is generally brisk and fun, and readers who enjoy puzzles, word games and ciphers will likely love following along and deciphering the clues alongside Daphne and Maitland.

The book’s biggest flaw is its pacing.  That wonderful galloping pace I just mentioned does have a few drawbacks, and the biggest one is that plot points tend to speed by and, while they feel fully developed, they don’t feel as if they’re lingered over with proper relish.  In seventy four pages, we get a shooting, an attempted shooting, a murder and a fake marriage; Daphne thinks to herself that Maitland sees her as a sister, and less than ten pages later he’s proposing marriage.  A slightly slower tone might have helped, but you can’t call the book dull.

Duke With Benefits is a delightful romp that’s a joy to read.  Eb erus ot yub ti!

Buy Now: A/BN/iB/K

Loved this book! Genious mathematician finds love! Great plot and awesome characters! I really enjoyed the authors style !

LADY + DUKE = TRUE LOVE?

Lady Daphne Forsyth is a brilliant mathematician with a burning passion for puzzles. When she learns that the library belonging to her benefactress houses the legendary Cameron Cipher―an encrypted message that, once solved, holds the key to great riches―Daphne is on the case. Unfortunately, her race to unlock the cipher’s code is continually thwarted by a deliciously handsome distraction she hadn’t counted on. . .and cannot resist.

Dalton Beauchamp, the Duke of Maitland, is curious as to why Daphne is spending so much time snooping around his aunt’s bookshelves. He’s even more intrigued by her bold yet calculating manner: She is unapologetic about her secret quest. . .and the fiery attraction that develops between them both. But how can they concentrate on solving a perplexing enigma once the prospect of true love enters the equation?

Review:

Having not read this Author or the series before I was happily satisfied by both. I loved that there was an interesting mystery wrapped into this historical romance. Again, I have not read the first book in the series, but reading this story which includes the main couple from the story, plus the other ladies who have inherited the estate really was so cohesive.

I loved both Dalton and Daphne. They seemed so totally opposite but really worked together as they worked through puzzles to find the hidden treasure. My favorite was Daphne, I loved that she is wicked smart, speaks her mind and is socially awkward, which leads to some interesting interactions with other characters. This is not to say Dalton is not awesome too, he totally knows he wants Daphne and helps her and proves to her they are a perfect pair.

Loved the story and cannot wait to read what happens next with these ladies.

4Stars
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

This was a really fun regency romance with a bit of mystery, which I really enjoyed. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

Lady Daphne, along with other ladies, has inherited a grand house from an eccentric woman who had been poisoned. When the woman's nephew, the Duke of Maitland, comes to investigate, he is drawn to Daphne because of her beauty and unusual manner and extreme intelligence (today, she would probably be labelled as having Asperger's syndrome). Daphne's part of the inheritance includes clues to a mysterious cipher that, when solved, is reported to lead to a hidden fortune. Throw in a murder of someone from Daphne's past and a father with a less-than-stellar reputation, and you have a recipe for a most unusual Regency romance.

While I enjoyed reading this book, there were some irritating issues that kept me from giving this 5 stars. First, it would be highly unusual (and probably not legal) for a woman during the early 19th century to inherit property and to will it to other unrelated women. That this was the background and setting for the story was never fully explained. Second, the characters addressed Maitland as 'Duke' instead of 'Your Grace', which would have been the proper way to do so. Third, the sex scenes seemed gratuitous and didn't add anything to the story.
If you are looking for an easy read and not historical accuracy, you will probably like Duke With Benefits.

I truly wish I could say I loved this book, but I must be honest, it just was not my cup of tea. Whenever I accept an invitation to read and review a novel from a publisher, I consider all aspects of the story. Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the opportunity to read Duke with Benefits.

While Ms. Collins is skilled at her craft, the pacing for this novel was a bit slow. I am not a huge fan of mysteries and did not realize the romance would take a back seat to the book, or I would have passed on this one.

I struggled with the heroine quite a lot. Daphne has a difficult time connecting to people and her inner-personal skills are practically nil. Her personality traits kept me from connecting with her on a great many levels. Although, I could see she desperately needed to find her happy ending and was glad when it happened.

On the other hand, I did like Dalton, the hero. His persistence in conquering Daphne’s heart was commendable. He showed a great deal of loyalty to her and his friends. I liked that he stood up to his domineering mother.

I kept waiting for the sexual tension to build, an aspect of historical romance that I absolutely adore, but it never truly happened in Duke with Benefits. The emphasis was so devoted to the mystery that the love story did not fully develop.

Nonetheless, there is humor and camaraderie between the cast of characters in Duke with Benefits. I thoroughly enjoyed that. If you enjoy mysteries, then this may well be the book for you. Happy reading!

This is the second book in series, and it was ok, we have another murder/mystery. I do like historical romance books, but I like, a little difference. Lady Daphne Forsyth is one of 4 young ladies who have inherited an estate. I understand that Daphne was very smart, and different than others, so she had no filter, but sometimes I just did not like her, and could not understand why Dalton, did, however if he didn't we would not have had a romance book. Now Dalton, he was charming, and him I did like, he was patient and kind, he was a gentleman. Anyway, it did have its funny moments, and as I mentioned earlier, it was a murder/mystery, so we have suspense, and a love story. This can be read as a stand alone, but if you know my reviews, I always encourage to read the books in series.

I enjoyed this light historical romantic suspense. There was nothing extraordinary about it and it was pretty predictable but I loved the characters. They were very entertaining and made this a solid page turner. Daphne and Dalton were perfect compliments in each other. I enjoyed Daphne's evolution as a character and I thought the author handled her issues beautifully. The book was both funny and sexy! I'm looking forward to the next heiress finding her HEA.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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I love Historical Romance that features bluestockings and in the Studies in Scandal series we are going to have four such girls.

I had to read the first book in order to completely grasp what was going on but I loved Ivy and Quill so I have no regrets. For there part Lady Daphne and the Duke of Maitland were great protagonists too. I really liked the relationship between them and the fact that the roles were reversed (Daphne was the forward one) was very original.

I liked how different Daphne is from the other female characters I've read and I believe she was very well portrayed in this book.

I can't wait to know who will be the next protagonists!

A mathematical genius, an honorable duke and a treasure hunt are all part of the delicious Duke with Benefits, with Daphne (the genius) and Dalton (the duke) trying to solve a puzzle -- the Cameron Cipher -- ward off villains and deal with their growing feelings for each other. Daphne's mathematics skills, unlike the interests of so many Regency heroines, aren't just there in attempt to make the character singular, or somehow special. Daphne's mathematics are part and parcel of who she is, not an affectation but essential to her nature. Her rotten father used her skills to help him make money at cards, while she used his need for money to obtain advanced mathematics tutoring. Despite the lack of power that women had in that era, Daphne negotiated for what she wanted. She is determined not to be under the thumb of another man, which makes things difficult for Dalton. He, after all,is honorable and does not want merely a fling with this beguiling mathematical genius. Yet she is afraid to trust. How they negotiate this thorny situation, all while seeking clues to the cypher, makes for a wonderful tale. This continuation of the Studies in Scandal novel is a fun read, with compelling characters and a fascinating puzzle. (I received an ARC from NetGalley. This is an honest review of a book I truly enjoyed.)

I found this book started slow but I just kept reading and I found this book entertaining but I am not quite sure if I will continue on in the series. It just wasn't one that got me excited but never know maybe the next book is better.

I give this 3 out of 5

Lady Daphne Forsyth’s friend, Miss Ivy Wareham, has been shot and wounded. They had been part of a party at Beauchamp House that ventured to a gypsy camp to have their fortunes told by Madame Albinia. Daphne, Ivy, and their friends, Sophia and Gemma Hastings had inherited Beauchamp House from Lady Celeste Beauchamp. Lady Beauchamp had been poisoned. The inheritors are scholars like Lady Celeste was and who wanted them all to use her home and library and work hard in their varies areas of expertise.

Lady Celeste’s nephews, Catullus, the Marquis of Kerr and Dalton Beauchamp, the Duke of Maitland, are interested in this endeavor. Lady Serena is the ladies’ chaperone.

Ivy and Catullus have now married and are very much in love and Dalton is quite smitten with Daphne who is a math wizard but possesses little in the way of social graces.

The library at Beauchamp House is supposed to have the Cameron Cipher hidden in plain sight (by Lady Celeste) for the ladies to find. The riddle dates from the time of the Jacobite Rebellion. The Cipher tells where the Jacobite gold is hidden. When some other people show up wanting to solve the Cipher, Daphne is upset. She doesn’t want other people searching for it because Lady Celeste had promised it to her.

One of the people who shows up is Lord Sommersby. Daphne knows him from her past. He is a mean person who once tried to compromise her. The next day Sommersby is found dead and as Daphne did not like the man, she is considered a suspect in his killing. Soon Daphne and Dalton begin falling in and start to find clues about the Cipher. But will they be able to find and solve this very elusive mystery? Whom can be trusted?

I read the first book in this series, “Ready Set Rogue.” Even then, many parts of the story seemed far-fetched and at the end of the book, I was confused and left with unanswered questions. Again, I felt like the scenario in this second book is somewhat far-fetched, but I guess that’s why it’s called fiction. I need to add that I have read other books by this author that I thoroughly enjoyed. I think I will any future books in this series a miss and hope that the author’s next endeavor will be more to my liking.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

book 2 in the studies in scandal series, duke with benefits, sees dalton beauchamp, the duke of maitland, connect with lady daphne forsyth beyond her mathematical skills. though not known for her social graces, in fact she has none, lady daphne isn't uncaring or unkind. she is abrupt and suffers no fools, and in polite society, this behavior, especially given her status as an unmarried woman is quite beyond the pale.

she is attracted to the duke and tried unsuccessfully to proposition him. she has no interest in marriage or being any man's property. three months later she is actively trying to ignore him, even as he is regretting having rejected her advances. he is fascinated by her—her brilliant mind, her adorable confusion when dealing with people, her beauty that he finds so alluring. but when the reason she inherited a portion of lady celeste beauchamp's estate comes to light and a dangerous figure from lady daphne's past is murdered in the priest's hole in their library, she finds herself working closely with the duke to solve the mystery.

they are the perfect team to investigate matters, he has all the people skills. she has the smarts. they work well together. and when they are finally able to talk things through regarding the ill-fated proposition, lady daphne finds that the duke's position wasn't so far from hers after all. and seeing that she is a rational being, she finds his arguments for marriage quite compelling. and she also finds that the more time she spends with him, her worries about marriage are easily put aside. because the duke clearly values lady daphne for her brilliant mind. he would never use her to his advantage, but he also appreciates her talents for what they are and wouldn't stop her from her brain for any reason.

for the time period, dalton's views are definitely progressive. even nowadays having someone value a woman's contributions to math or science can be a hard-fought battle.we've come far, but still have so much farther to go.

This book was highly entertaining and an exciting in the Studies in Scandal series. I think this one is the best so far. The author does a great job in writing a perfect romance with mystery, adventure and romance. The characters were well developed with thoughts and feelings of their own. It had me at first page and never let go.
This is the second book but can be read as a stand alone. I really liked how the story line was handled with such a wild theme. I just love a mixture of witty and outspoken people who make the book sing with pleasure. This one will please everyone.
Lady Daphne Forsyth is a bluestocking that lives with other ladies who have very unusual studies that set them against the norm in society. All of them have quick minds in different areas of science etc.
I just love a character like Daphne who speaks her mind and it sometimes gets her in trouble.
Now she wants to find a treasure and uses all her knowledge to solve the problem of where it is.
Dalton Beauchamp, the Duke of Maitland is truly attracted to Daphne and wants to protect her. She thinks he's overacting in his highly and lofty personage. They both have a lot of stuff to go though to get to the romance that is heating up between them. Oh, what a terrific story that will keep you guessing on how it will end. I'm rooting for a happy ever after.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

DUKE WITH BENEFITS is book two in the Studies in Scandal series by Manda Collins. Because this is the second book in this series, and the main characters are somewhat established, this is a slightly faster-paced story than the first book. Four young ladies are staying at a grand estate, solving puzzles left by their benefactress in order to claim a prize. Lady Daphne Forsythe is brilliant when it comes to numbers, but a flop when it comes to some basic social skills. She and Dalton Beauchamp, the Duke of Maitland experience a heady attraction at first sight. What I love so much about this romance is the way that Daphne and Dalton complement each other. The duke has the social skills that Daphne needs to investigate a murder mystery.

Dalton is my favorite type of hero -- laid back, charming, and supportive of the heroine. Daphne's blunt way of speaking turns a lot of people off, but Dalton finds it refreshing. As the danger to Daphne and everyone increases, Dalton is protective without being smothering. Manda Collins does a great job of digging into the backstories of the two main characters, and giving the reader a better idea of who they are. Although Daphne has good reasons to be wary of romantic entanglements, her fake engagement to Dalton turns out to be one of the best things to happen to her. Dalton is a considerate, and sexy, Dr. Watson to her Sherlock Holmes. As usual, Manda Collins does a superb job of balancing romance and mystery.

Greed is the motivating factor for some of the more unsavory characters in DUKE WITH BENEFITS. With so many bad guys lurking around, the friendship and loyalty between the four heiresses and their gentlemen counterpoints the evil shenanigans. For me, figuring out the identity of the unknown murderer or murderers is slightly more intriguing than trying to find the much sought after Cameron Cipher. It was great seeing a familiar Lisle face, and gaining another helper to solve the mystery.

DUKE WITH BENEFITS is a delicious romance with an enthralling mystery thrown in to spice things up. Daphne is an intelligent heroine who experiences personal growth, true love, and exercises her demons in DUKE WITH BENEFITS. This book has a well-matched couple and an adoring hero. I eagerly await the next installment in this riveting Studies in Scandal series by Manda Collins.

Manda Collins is making her way onto my favorite authors list. This was such an enjoyable book!

Lady Daphne is one of the four bluestockings who inherited a house. Lady Daphne is a mathematical wizard and Lady Celeste (the previous owner of the house) left Daphne clues to unlock a cipher from Jacobite times that leads to gold. Lady Celeste asked that Daphne let her nephew, the Duke of Maitland, help. Naturally the Duke and Daphne have chemistry, but he's such a good guy he won't act on it at first. When a murder happens in the house, they must not only find the cipher, but the person who has murder on his mind.

This reminded me of Stephanie Laurens writing, which I LOVE! There is a good strong mystery going with the romance kind of in the background. I was clueless who the bad guy was, right up until we found out LOL I'm looking forward to the next book.

*thanks to the publisher for sharing this with me*

This is an excellent mystery. Daphne is a brilliant mathematician and Dalton Beauchamp is the handsome Duke. They join together to hunt for a Legendary Cipher,
a mystery left for them to uncode by the Dukes dead aunt. If they are successful the results will lead them to huge amounts of gold which in the wrong hands could lead to war.
There's talk of spies, kidnapping, attacks and even murder in this intriguing mystery, and of cause the romance was hot. The Duke was an endearing character, he was stunned when Daphne turned his proposal down, I liked him a lot and Daphne was very forward for a "Lady", she didn't want marriage just fun between the sheets, she made me chuckle.
Duke with Benefits was an excellent mystery/romance, the mystery and clues had me hooked and kept me entertained and guessing right to the end. A marvellous read!