Lord Alexander Pemberton, second son of the Duke of Bedford, has spent his life being reminded of his less than revered position in the family. So when he loses the love of his life, Lady Patience, to an arranged marriage with his brother, a heartbroken Alex joins the military. Four years later, he's called home to assume the title after his brother's death. Though he's unprepared for his new responsibilities, Alex is stunned to discover that Patience never married his brother. And that he's now expected to marry her…Once carefree and innocent, years of bullying at the hands of her fiance and her father have left Patience Browning jaded. And now that her father expects her to marry Alex, she knows promises made in their youth aren’t enough to overcome what life has done to them. Alex is not the same man he was before war, and she can't marry someone who doesn't love her. But real love can grow and transform, if only Patience could believe that.
This was a pretty good book. I’m not too crazy about second chance romances, but this one was an exception. Watching them go from innocent and in love to jaded from everything they had been through in 4 years almost breaks your heart and praying for their HEA. The whole story was very well written. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

I really enjoyed Alex and Patience's story! This was a reunion story, which is always one of my favorites!

Ripped apart by the actions of their parents, Alex and Patience are reunited after 4 yrs. But the time apart has made both of them different people. Can they find the love that they once shared? I really loved watching these two find their HEA!

I can't wait to see what the next Lords and Ladies in Love story will bring us!

Enjoyable read. A second chance romance. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

So I very much like the concept of the book. The H & H start as friends and have a five day whirlwind romance. The of course promise to be with each other but of course that can’t be life right. This book was nice at time I wish some things where more elaborated on but all in all a nice book. I received this book for review from NetGalley.

Another great historical romance written by Callie. Right from the first page we are drawn into the times with lords and ladies. The detail and description in this book have you thinking you are walking right along with Patience and Alex.
I read this book over an afternoon. Alex falls in love with the younger and sweeter Lady Patience and promises to make a life with her in three years. Only to find that very night his love has been promised to his other brutal brother Cyrus. I loved these characters right from the start. At first i thought Patience was going to be one of these delightful ladies who never speaks out and does as she is told but you soon come to learn she is quite a strong force. Alex on the other hand is so smitten he takes the news poorly. He goes off to war with a broken heart and returns a broken man. I loved this sweet tale of young lust and need that turned into a love so strong neither Alex or Patience knew of its strength.

I enjoyed this book so much , the I am looking forward to purchase more books from Callie Hutton.

Normally I really enjoy historical romances but this one was not for me. I had quite a few issues with it.

I thought the story was fine but I found it a bit repetitive. The characters went over the same thoughts over and over again. The romance didn't work for me at all. The characters kiss in the very first chapter then there is a slow build to a relationship. That didn't suit my taste. I prefer it the other way round. But most my issues came from the characters. She constantly talks about hoe she it always being bullied and she won't stand for it any more but she does every time. He is an idiot who things she is some silly twit and refuses to communicate with her in any way. It is no wonder that most the time she wanted nothing to do with him.

DNF I will try again in the future (Have kept in my GoodReads to be read list)

Again, not a fan of novels with leads who have “seen the real world” and changed, usually due to negative events. However, this novel struck a chord with me. I have known my husband all my life and fell in love with him long before we dated. However, we both had a lot of growing up to do. Had we tried a relationship before we did, I don’t think we would still be together. There is a time and place for everything and I certainly felt that in accordance with this novel.

I think because of that, I felt more forgiving of all the little things that annoyed me in this novel, whether it was something eye-rolling worthy that someone said or did or something that was just cliché or annoying.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel especially because I felt more connected to it than others. I could understand the character’s motivations and actions even if I didn’t agree with how they handled them. Definitely a touching second chance romance.

Four years ago, Alex, a second son, quickly fell for Lady Patience at a house party. Unbeknownst to either of them was that she was to be betrothed to his brother, the heir. Alex left his family’s estate for the military the night of the announcement and only returned when the title passed to him. and joined the military.
Patience believed Alex would come back for her until years passed by. She still managed to avoid marriage but suffered for it. She was no longer the same girl Alex returns to but he was not the same boy either. Can what they once had be found or will they make it into something better?
From the first chapter I thought I would be enraptured by this story. While it was good the detail of what each person was feeling didn't carry through to the main part of the story. I never felt Alex really empathized with what Patience endured. Yes, he was mad at her father but did he realize her treatment lasted 4 years? Was he proud of her for fighting for them when he just left?
I'm glad they matured but they still needed to capture back a bit of their youthful love.

Title: Denying the Duke
Author: Callie Hutton
Series: Lords and Ladies in Love #3
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pub Date: July 10, 2017
Pages: 238
My Copy: Courtesy of NetGalley and Entangled Publishing

Book Summary:

Four years ago, Alex, a second son, had planned a life together with Lady Patience. However, when Patience was betrothed to his brother, the heir, Alex left his family's estate and joined the military.

Alex returns to assume the title Duke of Bedford when his brother unexpectedly dies. He is unprepared for both his new responsibilities and the reunion with Patience. The horrors of war are a heavy burden, and when he learns that Patience never married his brother, he is stunned.

Patience withstood the bullying of her fiancé and her father for four long years. She refuses to marry Alex just because he's the duke, especially if he no longer loves her. How would that be better than what she has already endured? Promises made in their youth are not enough to overcome the changes life has wrought for them but love can grow and transform, if only Patience could believe that.

Book Review:

A very interesting romance that has you immediately hooked from the start. What starts off as something so sweet and tender as young love becomes complicated when forces beyond their control happen and learn that they will not be able to keep promises made to one another.

I like how we start off in the past when both of our main characters, Alex and Patience are young. They both enjoy each other’s companies when Patience’s family visits his family’s estate. The problem is that Alex is the second son, and therefore doesn’t inherit anything. So he is going to have to make his own way in life. Patience and him have a very sweet and tender friendship that develops into a romance, but it’s ruined in a way that neither of them can see coming.

You get to learn that there are other things that are at play. Deals are made between between the two families and instead of Patience getting engaged to Alex, she gets engaged to Cyrus the older brother. Cyrus is going to the be the next Duke and she will be a Duchess. She cares nothing for Cyrus and is not nice at all. So when she tries to get out of it, her mother tells her to just accept it. We learn that Patience’s father is a very nasty piece of work and a bully. He lays his hands on his wife and makes sure that Patience knows his intentions. So when the announcement is made, Alex is so upset and Patience looks stunned and he notices that she is as pale as a ghost. Alex leaves and gets his grandparents to purchase him admittance into the army.

So then we are fast forwarded to a few years later. His father has died and how he learns that his brother has died, which makes him the duke. This is a position that he never thought that he would never inherit. He also wonders about why Cyrus and Patience never had any children. This is something that he never thought would occur. So of course, when he sees his mother and Patience again, things are different. He is a man that has seen the worst of humanity because of his time during war. These things definitely have left him scarred.

Things transpire and we learn that Cyrus and Patience never got married. Alex also learns that Lord Loverly has escaped. Lord Loverly is a traitor and very dangerous. Alex is the one who captured him. He finds out more information about the kind of relationship that Cyrus and Patience had or lack of one. Now everybody who tried to stop them when they were younger are pushing them together. We also learn that Patience’s father is in serious debt. The only reason he hasn’t been put in debtors prison is because of their relationship with the Duke of Bedford. So of course he gets very physically abusive and Alex sees something that he shouldn’t seen and tells Patience’s father that he will not lay his hands on any women while he is in his home.

Of course, Alex and Patience start courting one another and nothing goes right. Mistakes get made. Feelings get hurt. Botched Proposals. We also find that their engagement gets shortened because of Alex’s duties with Parliment. He really finds that Patience is the kind of woman who wants a man to want her. Not to mention the engagement is one that they don’t get to spend a lot of time with one another. So when they get married, the marriage and honey moon is something of a rocky start. Of course then things get fun and they fight. Other things happen. Lord Loverly causes problems as well. He captures her and then Alex with the help of his friends manage to rescue her. Lord Loverly is someone that Alex kills unfortunately because the man is very dangerous and vile.

I like that the couple gets the happily ever after in this book after Patience tells him some very good news. Really like this ending in a way that I wasn’t expecting.

This was a good solid historical.

Rating:

4.5 Hearts

Denying the Duke is the third novel in the Lords and Ladies in Love Series. I might have enjoyed the book, but not as much as the first in the series. I would have loved the book if mainly Alex knew one world. Communication. I do not understand why he didn't want to talk to Patience about his enemy and the threat he was posing to her. If he had taken the time to explain that she was in danger and she needed at least a guard, I would have been a happy lady. It would have shown that he trusted her and he respected her as a person. Alex was not a favorite person of mine and for me, he kinda ruined the book. The book would have gotten a higher rating if it wasn't for him. Patience was ok as a character. She didn't blow my mind, but she was decent for a heroine.

Second chance at your first love has a long hard road to travel through betrayal, deceit, pain, and conflicting emotions and hesitations. Alex was just a second son that fell in love with the wrong lady. She becomes promised to his older brother. The brother that will received the title. Unwilling to stick around and just accept what was to be he went out in the world to make something of himself and forget. He never dreamed that he would have to come back home to become duke or to find that his one love was never married and wanted nothing to do with him. Tired of being told what to do and how to do it, Patience wants to have nothing to do with the man that destroyed her world with one simple act. Even with her heart longing to be near him she refuses to just give in to his return.

This was a beautiful read in a second chance romance that was a road wore down by life, abuse, pain, sights seen and unseen. Alex and Patience have to overcome more than just the past they have an enemy out there looking to take away their possible happiness.

A historical romance that brings you to why you read romance. There was pain, sorrow, betrayal, deceit, romance, growth and more.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35429922-denying-the-duke?from_search=true

Denying the Duke is the story of Alex and Patience. Alex is the second son of the Duke of Bedford. The first time he sees Patience he is drawn to her. They end up making a plan to be together but when Patience is betrothed to his brother, Alex can't take it. He leaves to join the military. Four years have gone by and Alex returns when his brother dies. He doesn't want to assume the Dukedom and is shocked when he learns that Patience never married his brother. War has changed him and Patience refuses to marry him now because she wants him to love her.

I really enjoyed this book. I was yelling at Alex and Patience for their logic at times. I was impressed that Patience was able to stand her ground and not marry Alex's brother. That's one thing that bugs me in historical romances is the arranged marriages. I know it's how the times are and I'm super glad I didn't live during those times! Overall I thought this book was a good read and I hope to read more in this series.

Second chances can be very hard won, Patience and Alex need to work through past anger and hurt, to arrive at their well deserved happy ending. Love this author.
I received an ARC copy of this book from netgalley.

There is no denying it, my fellow romance book-loving friends. Denying the Duke definitely got right down to the business of innocent, instant attraction and promise of future love. Alex and Patience certainly felt the same pull towards one another when they first met at age 16 and 20, but fate stepped in between these young lovebirds and required patience of another sort.

This spare heir, turned soldier, then reluctant Duke seems doomed to keep making a royal mess of things. As far as marriage proposals go, he may know how to win a war, but winning the girl over was another matter. If I could have spoken directly to him I would have said, “Your love would have been enough, buddy. You’re not as broken as you think. Just go with it and be yourself.”

Surprisingly, Patience began to try my patience quite a bit, especially near the conclusion of this romantic tale. Sure, she exhibited some backbone, but at times I questioned her timing. Some may consider her putting Alex through his paces as his due, but I found myself thinking she was getting in the way of her own happiness. Her overreaction towards what transpired near the end was somewhat frustrating. Again, this girl kept getting in the way of not just her happiness, but Alex’s, as well. I guess you could say it took both of them time to come to their senses, in one way or another.

With writing that flowed, lots of intermittent relationship angst/uncertainty mingled with hopefulness/internal monologue, I patiently waited for this should have been together years ago couple to finally become husband and wife, in every sense of the word. I use the term patient since that doesn’t happen until about 70% into it. Some steamy scenes ensue that show they were perfect for each other, folks.

Here’s to hoping my review has been helpful in deciding if this book and series is a good match for you. I have a feeling Lady Suzanna and one of Alex’s close compadre’s will take center stage in a future, yet to be announced sequel.

Title: Denying the Duke, Series: Lords and Ladies in Love (Book 3), Author: Callie Hutton, Pages: 238, stand-alone but part of a series, instant attraction/love, some violence, shows some backbone, gets slapped alot, no rape, no love triangle, unwanted OM drama, four year separation, perilous situation, good guy w/PTSD hero, spousal abuse references, physically and mentally abusive father, thought she was married by now, some VERY steamy scenes, no specific OW drama.

Book 1 - Seducing the Marquess (Richard & Eugenia), 10/17/16, Pages: 250
Book 2 - Marrying the Wrong Earl (Arabella & Nash), 4/17/17, Pages: 242
Book 3 - Denying the Duke (Alex & Patience), 7/10/17, Pages: 238

(This review is based on an advanced reader copy distributed via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. No compensation was provided to this reviewer, nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher/NetGalley.)

Misinterpreted love

Patience suffered! Suffered a lost love, suffered an unenviable betrothal to a man who preferred courtesans, suffered a brutish father and then had to suffer marriage to a man who didn't give her choices.
As she considers her situation she realizes her whole life has been one of no choice! What Patience wants is to be courted! Is that too much to ask?
Alex, bemused and frankly out of touch, as he is fresh from six years as a soldier, firstly at Waterloo and later working with the war office. His latest assignment was to bring home a traitor--Lord Loverly. It was on the voyage home that Alex discovered his brother had died in highly salacious circumstance. Alex was now the Duke-a Duke with many problems. How to confront his situation and his brother's wife, Alex's youthful love. Added to that is the news that Loverly has escaped. He is now a threat to Alex's person and also Patience's.
Which all means that the situation is ripe for misinterpretation and bungled communication between Alex and Patience.
I was intrigued by the couple of mentions of Loverly's daughter who has disappeared. Are we going to come across her in the future? Mmm!
Frankly there were times when I was just plain annoyed with the two central characters.
It feels that denial works both ways. Alex really wants to deny the dukedom but just plain can't and Patience wants to deny Alex if he can't treat her in the way she wants, which she finds hard to give voice to.

A NetGalley ARC
(July 2017)

Four years ago Alex was a second son, ignored by his parents and bullied by his older brother. Meeting the 16 year old Lady Patience, Alex feels seen for the first time. Patience has seen how miserable her mother is in marriage and hopes for better things- things she thinks she has found in Alex. But when their fathers announce her betrothal to Alex's elder brother Cyrus, their young plans fall apart. Alex leaves home, joins the military, and doesn't come back until he is summoned four years later. Both his father and brother are dead and he is now the Duke of Bedford. To his surprise, Patience had not yet married Cyrus. But four years can change people, and neither are who they once were, Can they find their way back to love, or has their chance passed forever?
Although I'm not generally a fan of second-chance romance, the idea for this book really intrigued me. What if the second chance was not because the two lovers messed up and drove each other apart, but because their parents did? How could you overcome the obstacles caused by others to reach a happily-ever-after? Unfortunately, Denying the Duke didn't deliver good answers for me.
Most of my problem was with Alex. The ignored second son who goes off to war and comes back a changed and hardened man. So far so good, that's all believable and makes for good character building. He's bitter towards his whole family, partly for how they always treated him and partly for engaging his older brother to the girl he's falling in love with. I might point out that he could have tried to fight for her, but he was young, so I'm still ok with him. Then he returns home and he loses me. He ignores Patience at Cyrus' funeral, thinking she's his brother's widow, then finds out from friends that she hadn't married Cyrus. Patience's title-hungry father immediately suggests Alex marry Patience. Alex goes from complete refusal to thinking maybe it would be convenient to marry her so he doesn't have to search the Marriage Mart for a wife. He's in lust with her but, rather like his behavior at the funeral, he rarely tries to see Patience or who she is now. Until he completely messes up a 'proposal' and she refuses, then she's a challenge. Even after they get married and start getting to know each other, he refuses to explain himself, his actions, or share anything with her- while expecting her to do all of that with him.
I liked Patience- she had a miserable home life with a bullying and abusive father (then add on a fiancé who was even worse) and spent most of her life not being consulted about any aspect of her life. By the time she and Alex meet again she has managed to hold on to a kind and generous spirit, but she's also sick of being bullied by men and wants to have her own say in her life. She doesn't actually figure out how to do that until she's married to Alex. Then she decides she deserves courting and tells Alex she won't go to bed with him until he's wooed her and they are friends again. Alex does agree she deserves some romance, but works to seduce her at the same time.
Just when you think there's a chance they can get things right, a traitor from the past starts stalking them. Alex knows the villain will probably try to get to him through his wife, so he and his friends make sure she's never out of sight. The one thing they don't do to protect her is to tell Patience what's happening. I was willing to look past Alex's past jerky behavior once he and Patience started finding their footing and it was clear he was somewhat willing to try and be a good husband, but this blew it for me. Patience figures out pretty fast that she's being watched every second and when Alex won't explain why what is she to think but that he doesn't trust her?
There were plenty of things where a deeper exploration could have improved the plot and the characters. I would have loved to see more between Alex and his family. Was Alex, the intelligent, serious, polite and kind son, very unlike his father and that was why they couldn't get along? The glimpses you get of Cyrus, even at a young age, certainly suggest he wasn't going to be a good duke- so why didn't their parents train Alex to handle estate affairs for his brother? Were his parents literally so stupid and shallow that they only preferred the older brother because he was the heir by accident of birth and ignored Alex until he was the Duke? Did his mother care for nothing but the title, not the man who held it, as Alex asks at one point? When we discover the blackmail Patience's father held over the old duke, there's plenty of room to find out more about the duke, as well as Patience's mother. But we only get glimpses. We get glimpses of some of Alex's time at war that could help explain why he does some things, and it could have been expanded to better cover why he doesn't tell Patience about the danger she's in. But we are left unsatisfied with what we get, and my impression of Alex suffers as a result.
I think one of my big problems with Denying the Duke (besides a completely unlikable make lead) was that it tried to be too many things at once, and so things that could have been explored and made for deeper characters were dropped. Is this a second-chance romance, a marriage of convenience trope, the redemption of a man haunted by war, a woman finding herself, a spy thriller? Most books can pull off two or even three of these in the same storyline. A rare few can possibly put them all together into a compelling, deep, and enjoyable storyline, full of engaging characters you like or come to like and cheer towards a happy ending. Denying the Duke manages to be none of the above, and a rather disappointing read.