*I received an early copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Lady Clara Masson is the disgrace of London. Plagued by false rumors and shunned by society, she is rescued from her evil, abusive brother by Andrew, the Duke of Bradstone, the man she loved when they were children. The same man who was left at the alter five years before by her twin sister. When the Duke proposes marriage as a way to keep her safe from her brother, Clara reluctantly agrees, but secretly vows to flee if she can't win his love by the time they wed. Andrew has greatly changed since they were children, and she wonders if the cold, distant man he's become could ever open his heart to her. They don't have much time to find out, as Clara's brother is still on the loose and determined to control her.

This book started off with a lot of promise, but ultimately didn't deliver. While I really enjoyed the dialogue, and it was very witty and funny in places, it felt a bit too modern for a regency romance. And it didn't make sense for the time period for a sheltered, virginal heroine to know a lot of sexual innuendo, let alone make shockingly sexual jokes to a man. The characters personalities also fluctuated quite a bit and felt inconsistent at times. Clara spent a lot of time waffling between trusting Andrew wholeheartedly, to fearing that he would be just like her abusive brother. Andrew's hot-and-cold back and forth also got tiring. It didn't feel like character development, just flip-flopping for the sake of drama. I did enjoy the secondary characters (Andrew's family and his circle of friends) and would definitely be interested in reading any future books about them.

I'll try not to spoil the ending, but will say that I was really disappointed to learn the villain Jonathan's motivation for all his evil behavior. I could have rated this book at least another star if it hadn't so negatively depicted an already marginalized group.

I voluntarily read an Advance Review Copy of this book through Netgalley. This is a well written love story that revolves around Andrew and Clara. Clara, who has loved Andrew since a young girl, is physically assaulted by her brother and Andrew comes to her rescue. He decides the only way to keep her safe is to marry her and she agrees but in her mind she will not go thru with the marriage because he does not really love her. More attempts are made on her life and events pull them closer together. The book is full of intrigue and keeps you interested in what is going to happen next. I would highly recommend this book for a great read.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book since I hadn’t heard about this author. I can happily say I have added this author to my list of favorites. The story grabbed me from the beginning, the characters were well developed and believable. The story had romance and danger which I enjoyed. The only thing I’d complain about was Clara still was unsure if could trust Alexander’s love even after everything,so that was a little unbelievable. I look forward to reading her other books.

This is a historical romance book about a jilted Duke and a social outcast.


Lady Clara Masson is the social outcast of the ton. Still seen in society because she refuses to let the stories tear her down, but not accepted because of said rumors and gossip. She is the topic of society for many rumors, the most scandalous being she killed her sister and has had affairs all over the world.


The Duke of Bradstone, Andrew McCalister, is known as "Stone Duke." Left by his future bride at the alter, he has vowed to keep everyone out of his heart. He has taken it upon himself to be what everyone expects of a Duke, born the second son who should have never been appointed to this title.


Andrew and Clara have known each other since child hood. Clara is also the twin sister of the woman Andrew was set to marry. There is a lot of history and drama surrounding the disappearance of her sister and the estrangement of Andrew and Clara's brother, his once best friend.


Thrown together at the Duke's Annual family ball he feels inclined to rescue her from the claws of society and dances with her. This starts more rumors as he NEVER dances with anyone but his family. A mutual attraction leads him to end up stumbling upon her facing the wrath of her brother and because of the circumstances ends up at his residence. To avoid scandal he tells her they will get married. She refuses, its too much hes her sisters ex fiance and she has secretly loved him since she was a child. She can't marry him now. However, things are never easy, as is the case in this story. There is danger, murder, crimes unsolved and ultimately love.

This is a very sweet story. If you like historical fiction (and romance), you will likely enjoy this. The characters are simple, but they are likable, and each has their own important part in the story. Usually, I don't like to read the full series in a romance, but this is an easy read, and I want to see what happens to these characters.

The plot is a little bit slow at first, but moves very quickly toward the end. I think I had about 10% left to read of the book, and there were some major plot points still to happen. I was a little annoyed that Clara kept questioning whether the Duke really loved her because it was SO obvious to the reader.

One of my only criticisms is that they didn't always speak in a way that was relevant to the time period. There was a lot of current slang and nicknames (like Clare-Bear), that I thought almost took away from the story.

"The Perfect Duchess" by Erica Taylor
Y-E-S !! I loved this story, and everything about it.. Okay, so I skimmed over a few more descriptive love scenes, just because that is me. But everything else was great ... the story, the love, the fears, the forgiveness, and the JOY. I was gifted a free ARC read via NetGalley by the publisher, for my honest review, and honestly,, I am so happy to report that I give this book a 5-star review. (and I can be quite stingy with my 5-stars) If you like Regency Romance stories, I am sure you will love this story, too! A lot of twists and turns, will you pick up on the clues? Happy Reading !!.

I was grateful to receive a free copy of The Perfect Duchess in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved the beginning of this book, and the Duke. The story quickly lost momentum, and it took a long time to finish the story.

Overall, it was a well written book, it just didn't keep my attention.

The Perfect Duchess was perfectly lovely and engaging. Clare and Andrew’s story is relatable since it is grounded in the same trials and tribulations faced by people in this century. Andrew rescues Clare from an abusive brother and rekindles feelings of love from their youth. He offers protection by proposing marriage and Clare will have to resolve feelings of trust and betrayal in order to decide if she can be his Perfect Duches. Erica Taylor weaves a tale full of charm, healing and self discovery as the characters discover new facets of life and themselves. A great book that will be hard to put down.

This book had a strong premise and decent plot in the beginning, but unfortunately as the characters developed they became less appealing to the reader. Lady Clara vacillates entirely too much- one day she loves and trusts Andrew, the next she doesn't. Rinse and repeat for more than half the novel. Andrew in the meantime is entirely too caught up in the image of who he thinks he needs to be- it seems unlikely one so privileged would be so unable to express himself to get what he wants/needs. I also had a very hard time with the whole plot with Jonathan the evil brother- his actions 5 years ago make little sense given that his father was still alive, and in the present day, it seems it would be a lot easier to dispose of an unwanted sister by murdering her in the country rather than staging a loud public fight in London then planning to have her kidnapped off the street. I was also unhappy with the final motivation for his actions though I won't say more in order not to spoil that element of the story. All in all, a sadly disappointing read.

3.5 stars
Book 2 in the Macalisters series focuses on sibling number 2 Andrew who inherits the dukedom when his father and elder brother are killed by a highway man. Clara is hated by her brother and rescued by Andrew.
I was quite looking forward to this story as it had been hinted at through the first book, but I think it would have worked better with this story as the first book in the series.

“Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.” –Ann Landers

This is book 2 in The Macalisters series and follows book 1: A Suitable Affair: [Lady Susanna Mccalister’s story]. Book two is a stand-a-lone and although I had not read book 1 [something I will correct] I was able to enjoy book 2 with no problems. I only had a slight feeling that these guys really knew each other and I didn’t know the background of the friendships. The author was really good about giving me clues and information and it also refreshed the memories of those who had read the first book.

Rating: MA: Mature Audience, adult themes, language, explicit sex, and graphic violence.

This is the story of Andrew Macalister [the Stone Duke of Bradstone] and Lady Clara Masson [whose twin sister Lady Christina had infamously jilted and left him at the alter five years earlier]. Andrew had gone to school with Clara’s brother Jonathan and had known her since she was a child in pigtails. After Lady Christina jilted Andrew, Clara was sent to the country and remained there for the next five years.

When Clara returned to town and society, after a mourning period for her father, she was shocked by her reception. The ton was full of gossip of the vilest kind and her name was dragged through the mud in all the salons and drawing rooms. None of the stories matched and they even had her on the continent when she had never left England.

Talk about your brother from the depts of hell… poor Lady Clara found herself in a situation that she just might not survive. What do you do when your brother is trying to kill you for an inheritance you don’t even know you have. Slowly as our story unfolded… dark secrets were revealed from five-years before when her twin sister jilted the Stone Duke Bradstone and left him at the alter? Now, it looked like history was about to repeat itself.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”—Vince Lombardi

I loved this story. I especially loved the cast of characters to the point that I really want to read their stories. These guys, friends to the Stone Duke, are the type of stories and adventures I would willingly read. The sisters and brothers to the Duke are just as interesting and I feel they would have a good story in their quest for love and their own HEA.

This was a story full of adventure, face-paced angst, high drama and sexy steamy scenes between our characters. There were so many hints at a spy network… but nothing was confirmed. Man… I love these guys. They worked so well together and the loyalty and comradery were spot on between these friends. In fact, I enjoyed their interacting so much that I didn’t enjoy our couple as I should. I became a bit bored with Clara’s trust issues. I mean… we went to nearly the end of the story and I nearly had a coronary thinking she was going to screw it up by doing something stupid. However, there was a HEA so, when you read this, hand on.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC [advanced reader copy] of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Projected publication date April 17, 2018. For those Jane Austen enthusiasts, there were several references to two of her books: Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. I thought that was cute.

This is a sweet historical romance.
I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you, Netgalley.

Lady Clara Masson is NOT The Perfect Duchess, at least not according to the ton. For Andrew Macalister, the Stone Duke, she is, although the couple will be forced to escape a treacherous plot and their own insecurities to find their happily ever after.

Author Erica Taylor is a skilled story teller well-versed in the Regency period. Her characters are interesting and sympathetic and the action pulls readers in.

Note: I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fair and honest review in return for this ARC.. I love Regency romances! This one had so much of what I love about them, like the arrogance of the 'ton' and society's restrictions for ladies of quality and rank. I also loved the unique mystery regarding Clara's brother and his spiteful feelings towards both her and Andrew. It would be 4 stars for me, but I don't like overt sexual activity in my Regency romances, so I've rated it 3 stars. Though I might want to read more about the very interesting Macalister family, I know I'd have to skim through those more graphic parts, so I'd have to really consider if it is worth that effort. I wish romance books came with a rating system to know how graphic and 'adult' they are before reading.,

I enjoyed this romance. Just enough mystery that lurked in the background but didn't overtake the path to HEA only a few bumps. Enough banter and wit between the heroine and hero. Secondary characters were well-developed, and I can see their own stories later on in the series. I recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for an ARC.

I'd like to thank NetGalley, Erica Taylor and the publisher for the copy of "The Perfect Duchess". I enjoy reading historical romance novels. Clara and Andrew both enjoyable characters. Clara having to deal with the backstabbing debutantes at some of the events. The author was able to portray Clara's internal debate with her actual actions well. Andrew's sisters welcomed Clara into the family. One didn't fully come around till the end but with the rumors surrounding her I"m glad there was a bit of hesitation in the full acceptance of her. I look forward to reading into this family and their friends in future stories. Is Halcourt a spy? Does Luke work for him? Who is the author of the taddle posts? Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

This is a typical Regency romance with many sub-plots and twists. There are many characters beside the Duke Andrew (who has turned into a stone cold duke) and Clara, who knew him before he became the duke and had loved him since being a child. It was quite confusing at times-the plots would twist and turn but by the end, I wanted the story to keep going and wanted to know what happens. So get through the middle before you decide if you want to stop

This book frustrated me because I could see that the author engaged in mostly fine story-telling and demonstrates well above average writing skills. At the same time, some things were fractured enough to jolt me out of the "willing suspension of disbelief" that every novel demands.

It felt to me like the primary protagonists in this story act and respond somewhat out of reason for the situations. I'm aware that being unreasonable is a standby of Regency romances, but these characters mood-swings left me behind swearing in amazement at times and trying to catch up. The emotional upheavals are impressive, but the contrast of Clara's lack of emotion in Chapter 26 is contrary to expectation after observing her earlier extreme fear and in view of a life-changing event a few minutes previously. (Dancing lightly to avoid a spoiler.... )

There are certainly things to appreciate in the novel. Who wouldn't love the wordsmithing in "The arousal drained from her eyes, dousing the heat in his own blood as her eyes turned hard and cold." And there were other word choices and phrases that expressed things quite nicely. I should add that her sex scenes are believable and hot even for a reader of the opposite sex. Nothing gross, but sexy -- a good balance. Not every writer can achieve that...

I didn't spot any societal historical clinkers, but modern readers (and even writers) sometimes miss key things. Thanks for avoiding the easy mistakes. However, I would be remiss not to tell you that "He handed a pistol to Bexley who began slipping bullets into the chamber" is a big-time clinker. First, pistols of the era were flintlocks and used a single "ball" which is not "slipped" but pushed down the barrel with a short ramrod with some force after the gunpowder and a patch are loaded. Second, a single ball goes into a hand-held pistol. A hand-cannon (such as a blunderbuss) might accept more along with miscellaneous metal pieces, but... There were also some rare double-barreled flintlock pistols, but I'm betting they were heavier than a Duke would choose. Third, there is no "chamber" as such in a flintlock. But I shouldn't be too pedantic because it's really a side issue to the action. On the other hand, the author is said to be a mil-wife (military wife), so had someone to ask.

The plotting of the story also bothered me several times. Jonathan, as the villain, might have had a role to play during the bulk of the novel by popping up and being menacing from time to time. Instead, he simply disappears other than at the beginning and at the end. In future books, having two parallel plot lines and switching back and forth might be a fun challenge.

So I liked it more than a three-star, but I may not read it again. I will watch for the author's other books because I think her writing skills will continue to mature.

Really enjoyed Ericas book.
It keep me guessing as what the characters were going to do. Couldn't put it.

This is a fair and honest review in return for this ARC. Well, didn't this book have it all. Really large complicated family. A long awaited confused love. Dastardly relatives. A perfect debutante shunned by her peers. A fight to make it all right. Well written and lovely characters.