I guess I am not familiar with this author and have not read any of here books...I was not feeling this story...I was trying to get into..Just something about the main Characters that did not grab me...I love historical fiction but this book was not for me..

A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman is being published on May first.  The story is part of the Playful Brides series, but can be read as a stand alone novel without problems.  The novel introduces us to General Mark Grimaldi, a man who is known for his stone face and unemotional responses to trouble. General Grimaldi would like to be promoted only to be told that they prefer a family man.  Interestingly enough, we find out he is married.  Nicole Huntington Grimaldi was his wife.  They were married several years prior and had lived apart without any contact for many years.  That is when the story gets quite interesting. Secrets and jumping to conclusions are rampart as are the constant pressure as they work through the minefield of their marriage and the present day trials they are exposed to.  

A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman kept my attention.  I was silently cheering on the couple as they worked through the secrets and mysteries.  I wanted them to succeed despite the odds.  Valerie Bowman allowed the reader to see and hear some of the issues that common people felt about the rich, famous ton in Great Britain at the time, which I found quite interesting.  
A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman was a good read.

When General Mark Grimaldi tries to get a promotion in his military career his superior tells him that he’s not an ideal candidate for the position he so much desires. The home secretary is looking for a family man, and he is a bachelor that has devoted his life to the wars and his career. But the truth is that Mark is actually married and has been for quite some time, but he is estranged from his wife Nicole.

He resolves to find her and make her come back with him, but Nicole isn’t an easy woman to deal with…

“Atalanta? Of course you would name your horse after a warrior woman who did nothing but cause her husband trouble” he says to her when they meet after ten years. To which she replies “What trouble? She merely did what she liked and was scorned for it”. In my opinion these quotes sum up their relationship, Atalanta’s story, or at least the way they summarize it here, is an accurate metaphor of their marriage.

Mark and Nicole have been married for ten years and three months, and they’ve been estranged for ten years. Mark didn’t tell Nicole that his mother’s family were the duke of Colchester’s because they weren’t on speaking terms, and Nicole didn’t tell Mark that she already knew. When two in a couple are spies or private investigators and you spy on each other you can’t expect your marriage to last long. This is why they fought and why Nicole settled in France and why Mark focused on his career. But of course none of them requested a divorce and none of them engaged in other relationships. In ten years.

Things get really interesting when, back in England, Mark learns that his cousin and heir to the duchy has been murdered and he has been appointed as the main investigator of the crime. He gathers all the suspects in the duke’s country home and thus starts a plot that would make Agatha Christie proud.

Mark’s and Nicole’s story is a complicated one. Mainly because they need to learn to trust each other. And they are both stubborn, so stubborn. The key of the problem is mainly that none of them think they are truly and sincerely in love, that their love is something real. They both feel lonely and they both are alone, even though they never stopped loving and worrying. The proof is the loyalty they’ve kept in ten years.

And we readers get to witness a heartbreaking story that will end in a happily ever after, but this is a romance, we know we are going to get that HEA eventually. The important question is how we are going to get that ending. The road to the HEA will be fun sometimes, because their fights are real battles of the wits (I love when writers include such conversations) and sometimes they feel so ridiculous and yet so real. But there were other facts that I did like about this book, There could be spoilers ahead.

THINGS THAT I LIKED

-          Nicole has a job. Actually Nicole has had two jobs; the first as a, say, private investigator for the Bow Street Runners (officially they couldn’t hire women) that received bounties instead of a salary. After that she was hired as a spy in France by the War Office. Nicole is an independent woman who earns her own money and doesn’t touch a penny from the allowance she receives from Mark. She doesn’t need her husband’s support. Neither does she want it, needless to say.

-          Nicole dresses as a man when her missions require she does so. And she does the same when she’s riding her horses.

-          What made Mark fall in love with Nicole is that she’s uncommon. She’s not the perfect little woman/wife. She’s not obedient and she’s not tamed (she isn’t a savage either). She’s outspoken, brilliant and she stands for herself. She doesn’t need his protection all the time.

-          I loved the flashbacks. I love that both Mark and Nicole get carried away by their memories often so we get to know what happened in those three months of real marriage they had at the beginning. Bowman doesn’t summarize these events like most writers do; she gives us the real scenes. They’re so well done in terms of timing that they enrich the narration instead of giving us the feeling of too much information.

-          Mark’s ten years wanking while thinking of Nicole. Now that was unexpected. He didn’t get any lovers or mistresses. He and his hand knew one another well. You would expect that faithfulness from a woman but not so much from a man.

-          When they’re not arguing about the state of their marriage Mark and Nicole are really nice. Mark listens to Nicole and asks her for advice and opinion.

-          No virgin pain (this happens in a flashback). The fact that she had expected pain because that’s what mama told her made Nicole so confused that Mark got to explain that when a woman feels pain it’s due the fact that the man doesn’t really know what he’s doing. THIS. Please, standing ovation.

-          Female friendship. Nicole and Mark’s cousin Regina are friends, though not very close until they become partners in solving crimes at the duke’s estate. These two’s companionship was fun to read, especially when Regina, who’s a spinster, falls in lust with Regina’s former boss and the two friends’ conversations turn out to be about men with handcuffs and… pistols.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

Before going into detail I want to clarify that in my opinion all of the following points were intentional and even though I didn’t like these facts, I think they served their purpose well, so these are negative points for me, not for the book.

-          Mark sometimes was an asshole and I wanted to beat him senseless.

-          Mark was so contrary. One minute he said yes, the next he said no. He was confusing often. Like, he didn’t know what he wanted.

-          When Mark thinks that Nicole’s condition to his request will be divorce he almost immediately thinks about worst case scenario… for his career. He’s already worried about how a divorce will affect his political ambitions.

-          When Nicole says she wants a baby and that she doesn’t expect him to be around when the baby comes he says, literally: “what kind of monster do you take me to be?”. I don’t know Mark, you don’t really want a baby, you are calculating the impact of things on your career, you left her to her own devices for ten years… do you want me to give you further explanation?

-          When they are investigating the crime and the runner from Bow Street tells Mark that Nicole could really help Mark says no because he’s afraid of putting her in danger. But then Regina and Nicole start questioning people in casual conversations thus conducting their own investigation, when they explain their theories to the men… Mark is OK with the women investigating… This is not really a bad thing but, really, Mark needs to get himself together.

eneral Mark Grimaldi is ambitious and shooting for the position of Home Secretary after years of serving his country during the Napoleon War and afterwards working for the Home Office. However, the preference is for the incoming Home Secretary to be a settled, married man. How convenient then, that Mark just so happens to be one. What is less convenient is that he has not set eyes on his wife for 10 years and in fact, she is not even on English soil. 

description

Nicole left her husband and country behind 10 years ago to live a relatively quiet existence in France. She never expected Mark to show up and certainly not to ask a favour from her. In exchange for playing happy, docile wife by his side for a while, Nicole wants something from him in return - a child. 

description


I do like this trope of estranged married couple, however, this one didn't quite live up to its promise. Firstly, about a good chunk of the book was devoted to solving a murder case with half of the remaining time spent in the past, uncovering the genesis of their romance and the backstory of their estrangement. That really didn't leave much time for the characters to reconnect on an emotional level, what with a couple of enthusiastic reunion sex scenes thrown in there. The writing got a bit repetitive at times. Additionally, there is also a fair few anachronistic word choices and terms thrown in there. Case in point, Mark saying:"I'm not a complete Neanderthal." (The book is set in 1818. Neanderthal fossils were not found until 1856 and the name not formally used to describe the species until about a decade later and not in common usage until after the turn of the next century.) 

Overall, it was a quick read to pass time, but not memorable.

The link to my review at Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2320043276

A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman is a phenomenal read.  Ms. Bowman has once again delivered a story that is well-written and will keep readers anchored to their e-readers.  Mark learns that he must be married to obtain the promotion he wants.  He also happens to already be married.  Nicole has been living in France for years when Mark approaches her to reunite for his career.  Nicole has something she wants from Mark in return.  Their story is packed with drama, humor, sizzle and suspense.  I loved reading A Duke Like No Other and look forward to my next book by Valerie Bowman.  A Duke Like No Other is book 9 of the Playful Brides Series but can be read as a standalone.  This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mark and Nicole...

This new book is a great addition to the Playful Brides. I laughed at the way they went at each other. I cried because I just wanted them to make up, ten years was far to long of an estrangement for their pride. This is a nice, sweet story about a couple who has to learn to trust each other again. Although there is a mystery that adds to the story. I loved how this book mainly focused on Mark and Nicole and their challenges they needed to overcome to reach their HEA. 

As always I am waiting for the next one, Daffin and Regina's.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Sometimes, when an author writes a number of connected books in a series, the stories can be rushed or the writing cliched, but that is definitely not true in this case. Valerie Bowman continued to deliver a fun, interesting, character-driven story that neatly ties into previous books in the series but also can be read as a stand-alone. Thoroughly enjoyed the book!

Really enjoyed this story. Mark is so dignified. Nicole is so self possessed.  I hated their 10 year estrangement...thought that was too long.  Character development was great, and there were some wonderful secondary characters. Great plot...the murder of an heir.  You'll be glad you got this one!

I was interested in the premise of the story but once I began reading, my interest waned and continued to do so throughout the book.  Although the novel was labeled as historical fiction, the actions and dialogue of the characters just did not ring true to that era.  At times, some of the story was just too silly to be believable, such as the "work" that the heroine performed.  Her actions, placing herself in danger, without consideration of her safety and her future, were not believable.  The actions of the hero were also unbelievable.  I do not want to give away the plot but found the actions of a married couple in that time period to be untrue to the times.  I wanted to like the characters and was rooting for them to reconcile their differences so that they could attain that happy ever after ending.  There was some mystery and intrigue along the way, making the story more interesting.  Overall, I enjoyed some of the story but would not purchase the book for anyone.  Also, it was a one-time read for me.

I love books about married couples!
These two have had a rough marriage, with hurt feelings, lies, and misunderstandings.  If you can't stand books where the couple doesn't just talk, you will be constantly frustrated with the characters.
Their feelings and motivations were clear.  I completely understood why they didn't trust each other with their vulnerabilities.  They come together for individual reasons, then they get involved in an investigation.  Once around other people, the vibrant side characters influence them in positive ways.
No cheating! Thank you! 

A few stretches of the imagination with the heroine being a lady helper to Bow Street and the lady Regina being a confirmed spinster grand niece of a duke.

I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. There was a mystery to solve , both working for the Home Office. Nicole left England after a terrible argument with Mark. Neither saw how being together again would bring back the desire and passion they had all those years ago

General Mark Grimaldi is the grandson of a Duke, but his mother was disowned for marrying an Italian Catholic and so he has always had a dislike of the aristocracy. He married Nicole Huntington 10 years ago, thinking she was an aristocrat who loved him as the poor soldier he was then. Unfortunately three months into the marriage he discovered that she already knew of his aristocratic family, added to which she was secretly spying for the Bow Street Runners behind his back. Words were spoken in anger and Nicole fled to France where she has been a spy ever since. Now Mark is hoping for promotion to Home Secretary but his boss wants to appoint a family man, so Mark has travelled to France to see if he can persuade Nicole to return to England until he gets his promotion.

I found this book a bit misleading, the blurb led me to believe this was an couple, estranged as a result of a misunderstanding, reconnecting to enable the husband to get a prestigious promotion and falling in love. Whilst it was, it was not the main plot, which revolved around solving a murder. So this was kind of a murder sandwich ie romance-murder-romance. And to be honest, both felt a little halfhearted, there wasn't enough romance AND there wasn't enough detective work. I also noted a few word choices that seemed out of place in an historical novel, talking about "giving a toss" about someone and "fancying" someone seem too modern.

I thought that Mark's excuse for getting upset with Nicole seemed flimsy and for a supposedly clever man he was remarkably stupid about his family and his wife. Nicole on the other hand seemed to default to running away at the slightest excuse.

Overall, it was a pleasant enough read but it didn't wow me.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

“A Duke Like No Other” is book nine in Valerie Bowman’s Playful Brides series. It’s a second chance at love regency romance novel. General Mark Grimaldi, the sky master, had worked his way thru the ranks without his families influence and is on the brink of being named Home Secretary.  There is just one small requirement to the position-he needs a wife. No problem, because what very few know is that Mark has been estranged from his wife Nicole for over 10 years. Ms. Bowman sets up a negotiation: Mark needs Nicole to be the dutiful loving wife until he obtains the position and Nicole has been lonely and wants a baby. This is where Ms. Bowman’s masterful writing takes over as she weaves a storyline that captivates the reader and gives us insight into their early relationship as they both struggle with their current feelings and emotions, issues of duty and family loyalty as well as several surprise revelations concerning Mark’s family. The plot is fast paced with a mystery to solve, the characters fascinating and multi dimensional and the storyline very enjoyable. Ms. Bowman is an exceptional writer and how Mark and Nicole achieve their HEA makes for a wonderfully entertaining story. I highly recommend this book and the series.
I received an advanced readers copy from the Publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion. It was a pleasure to read and review this book.

This novel was a great read!! I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. There was a mystery to solve and I liked how Ms.Bowman made everything come together as well as flashbacks into the main characters' pasts. Lady Nicole Huntington Grimaldi and General Mark Grimaldi have been estranged for 10 years, both working for the Home Office. Nicole left England after a terrible argument with Mark. Mark returns to France to ask Nicole to return to England with him as his wife so he can get his political promotion. Nicole wants something from Mark, so they strike a bargain. Neither saw how being together again would bring back the desire and passion they had all those years ago. However, when Mark returns, he is asked to work on a case that hits a little too close to home, something he has been avoiding for years. Mark has much pride and has earned many things on his own, not using connections. Nicole wants to help Mark and they work together to solve the case. As they work on the case, both realize their feelings for the other are still there. Nicole is a smart, intuitive woman and does not let Mark push her around. Both kept secrets from the other and misjudged each other all those years ago. Will they let the past control their future?