Really enjoyed reading this book. I really enjoy reading this authors work. They always keep me encaged in the storyline and the characters . some to love some to not like. Can’t wait for the next book

3.5 stars.

Fun, sexy, intriguing romp. I enjoyed Mark and Nichole’s relationship immensely. I specially loved their banter and how they were supposedly keeping each other at arm’s length. From the start I was intrigued as to how they would end up together when there appeared to be such animosity between them but in the end I was happy on how it was handled.

Mark’s relationship with his family plays in important role here. His desire to be the new Home Secretary derived from the fact that he wanted to make a name for himself without having to rely on them. That same estrangement makes him calculating and distrustful, particularly of members of the “ton.” But what one wants and what life wants out of one are two completely different things and he’s going to have to learn to make peace with his life if he wants a future with his independent, intelligent, self-reliant wife, Nichole. 

The suspense part helps the story move along but I thought we got stuck too much on it at times. That being said, I liked how it’s that same subplot that helped Mark understand Nichole better and learn to accept her for what she is. The reason they were apart for so long was pretty much pride and selfishness so to see the two grow from petty, zealous young lovers to discerning adults made for an enjoyable read.

Great read for our customers.  They will enjoy it and are always looking for great historical romances.

I love Valarie Bowman's books and this one did not disappoint. I thought that Mark and Nicole being seperated for 10 uears was pure stubbornness. They were oobviously meant to be together. Thamks for letting me read.

This is book nine! of the series. A very fun second chance at love novel. I had a great time reading this book and getting to know the characters. It's worth checking out!

As always first and foremost goes to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing us with a copy of this book so that we could bring you this review.

Now we all know I love my second chance love books. And how could I not love this particular second chance. The fact that they were already married and all Nicole wanted was to have a child was awesome. Mark had to work hard to be able to provide his wife with what she wanted and to get what he wants. But not only that his wife helps him solve something that he is reluctant to but she also helps him see that he is deserving of many things that are coming to him.

I gave this book 4 kisses...

Happy Reading... Adri

An enjoyable romance with a little bit of a twist from what we're used to - the main characters are already married instead of just in instalust. It does feel a bit far from the start of the series and the call back characters are a little hard to keep straight after so many books. I'm still looking forward to Valerie Bowman's next.

Another excellent instalment in this always entertaining series.

This book concerns the spymaster himself the enigmatic Mark Grimaldi. Near the beginning of the story Mark's schemes come to fruition when he is offered the position of Secretary of the Home Office (which would mean he was in charge of all of England's spy's) but there is a caveat, he must be married! Unbeknownst to almost everyone he has been married but estranged for the past decade and Nicole is definitely his match! The two of them had chemistry in spades and their story was great fun!

As always Bowman's writing was top notch and the plot was absorbing and entertaining! Highly recommended.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher*

This is a moving reunion story. Estranged husband and wife trying to find their way back to each other. A bit of a mystery to solve. Hero struggles with who he is and who he is meant to be

I was a bit disappointed in this. I love the tropes and concept but thought it wasn't executed well. The romance was really lacking. The development of the main characters were not shown rather this story focused on a mystery I wasn't too interested in.

In July 1818 in London General Mark Grimaldi finally has what he has been waiting his entire life for a promotion but not just any promotion the Home Secretary or rather the head of the Home Office. In order for Mark to take the job though is he must have a wife. Fortunately for Mark he already does even though he is estranged from her. Mark’s plan is to get her back though in order to get his illustrious position. When Mark arrives in Somme France to find his estranged wife Nicole he is more than a little surprised not that he sees her with someone else but Nicole still has never forgiven him it seems for the way he’s treated her. When Mark finally tells Nicole what he needs from her she has a few rules of her own as well. She will come back to England as Mark’s wife but he must get her with child without the passion involved. Can Mark and Nicole find common ground enough to put their differences aside or will they both end up losing each other?
I have really enjoyed the other two books that I have read in the playful brides series by Ms. Valerie Bowman. This book even with all the adventure, betrayal, secrets, spies and second chance love still didn’t hold the same fascination for me than the previous others I have read. I am not saying that I didn’t enjoy it because I did but I felt a little bit disillusioned by the characters supposed hatred of each other. Also the title didn’t seem to fit because it was supposed to be about a duke not a general so I think the book was misnamed of course it did fit at the end but it was a little frustrating to find out much later. Now I don’t mind the verbal sparring because sometimes it just makes me love the book that much more but both the male and female protagonist’s seemed a little too cruel for my taste. I liked Mark from the very beginning yes he had the mysterious suave debonair gentleman down pat so he was easily likable. In a sense I felt rather sorry for him because I didn’t like how Nicole treated him. Now Nicole was not an easy heroine to like or swallow. She seemed not only mean but spiteful that I kept hoping Mark would divorce her and find someone who deserved him.  Still Ms. Bowman can write an interesting tale that did hold my interest and even though I didn’t care for this one so much I still want to read more books of Ms. Bowman anyway.

General Mark Grimaldi  must reclaim his wife for his new post. Nicole Huntington Grimaldi  must find out if love can happen with second chances. Good characters, interactions and storyline.  Keeps the reader turning pages. 

Ebook from Netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

Great story! I enjoyed it! The characters are strong and interesting.  The story is unpredictable and kept me reading to see what would happen next.  Thank you!

General Mark Grimaldi is almost at his career goal - promotion to Home Secretary but with one condition:  Mark needs a wife.  No problem!  Mark has a wife stashed away in France.  For TEN YEARS.  Now, Mark must go to France and convince his wife Nicole to return to London and play the part of his beloved wife.  OMG.

The plot intrigued me.  Battle-hardened General with a career goal needs his estranged wife.  But, then other things got in the way of the reconciliation and overshadowed it.  There was the murder of Mark's cousin that mark and Nicole were investigating shortly after their arrival in London.  The murder throws Mark into a tail-spin.  He is now the heir to his dying Uncle's dukedom.  And Mark doesn't want to let anybody know about his mother's side of the family because of how they treated her after she married a poor Italian immigrant shoemaker.  The flashbacks were annoying.  Mark and Nicole's stubbornness was annoying.  And Corporal to Major General to Home Secretary in ten years?  Someone had to know Mark was the nephew of a duke.  The whole "codicil that allowed for the duchy to be passed down via a female heir if and only if a male heir existed on that side" felt like it was thrown in after realizing that Mark was related to the Duke via his mother.  

I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.  Thank you.

Mark needed a wife in order to obtain the promotion he has coveted for so long. The only problem is he has a wife that he has been estranged from the last 10 years. Collecting Nicole would not be easy. She would make a demand from him allowing them both something in return. Will they have a chance to rekindle their romance? They both embraced life one adventure at a time. What a great story allowing the reader to step back through history.

Book & Chocolate Pairing: A Duke Like No Other and Kohler Chocolates Caffé & Cream

The critics might be snubbing the movie “Book Club,” yet as a book lover it inspired to do a book and chocolate pairing for at least three book reviews. And as a salute to Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, Jane Fonda and Mary Steenburgen who starred in the movie, I’m also adding wine recommendations to go with the reading.

First, the book… “A Duke Like No Other” by Valerie Bowman is a Regency romance with a whodunit component. Estranged husband and wife General Mark Grimaldi and Nicole Huntington Grimaldi had to pretend that they were a happily married couple so that Mark could get a prestigious promotion. 

Though they originally married for love, they had been apart of the past 10 years with Nicole living in France during that decade. Going back to London had its own set of issues for both and they already knew they had to traverse the ton carefully or they would be found out. But, Mark and Nicole were confident that they could face anything, i.e., until there was a murder and they have to be a real couple and true partners to solve the crime, even save their lives. 

With an even pacing that is mindful of the era (no Fast & Furious here), “A Duke Like No Other” captivates because the main characters are compelling and complex. Author Valerie Bowman did not slack when it came to the plot either. A murder/mystery is always fascinating; pair that with romance and make the investigation the thing that moves the romance forgot, you absolutely have a winner!

And now, the chocolate…rich and undeniably decadent Kohler Caffé and Cream comes to mind. In Caffé and Cream, smooth dark chocolate coffee ganache comes together with a layer of creamy mascarpone in a dark chocolate shell.

Like Mark and Nicole, this chocolate is multi-layered and full of surprises. Caffé and Cream offers a burst of satisfying richness very much the same way when Mark and Nicole finally came together and understood what true love is.

Finally, for the beverage, we have three to choose from as suggested by the chefs who create Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates. A bold, rich beer or heavy ale matches dark chocolate well. A tawny port that isn’t too fruity can be a nice complement to coffee flavors while bringing out the dark chocolate elements. Finally, a sweeter bourbon with a smoky finish pairs nicely with the dark chocolate, which in turn brings out the barrel notes of the spirit.

With a book, a box of chocolate and the perfect beverage, it’s time to call your book club and enjoy “A Duke Like No Other” as it should be enjoyed – with gusto!

A lovely read.

Both Mark and Nicole estranged husband and wife reunites for each of them to achieve their personal goals. Both are unable to see the love they have for each other due to their misplaced pride. Add to that a murder to solve. The story is interesting and keeps the reader guessing who the murderer might be.

I have enjoyed the well developed plot and story. A well written book

General Mark Grimaldi, spymaster extraordinaire, is in line to be the next Home Secretary, the golden ring for which he's spent his entire career striving. Things are going swimmingly until his superior drops a news bomb: the Home Secretary must be settled. Married. With a wife. Of course, those in charge don't see any problem with this directive. Plenty of women in London would be delighted to marry the man. If only it were that easy.

Nicole Huntington Grimaldi was deeply in love when she married her husband and certain her feelings were returned. But she miscalculated the depth of his enmity toward the ton and his estranged family in particular. Mere months into their marriage, a misunderstanding tore them apart and Nicole moved to France where she has lived for the past ten years. She's content, with good friends surrounding her, but even though anger with her estranged husband lives in her heart, there's also love for the man she thought she would be with forever. And loneliness. She wants more than a solitary existence.

When Mark arrives on Nicole's doorstep and asks her to pretend to be happily married to him, she seizes the opportunity to have what her heart most desires and agrees to accompany him back to London temporarily if he will grant her request in return. It should be easy. Swan about London acting like they're in love, secure Mark's appointment, and return to France, hopefully, with her deepest wish realized. But unexpected news throws Mark's life into chaos and both Mark and Nicole into the middle of a murder investigation. Will they find the killer before one of them becomes the next victim? Will Mark finally mend fences with the family he's spent his life resenting? Will pretending to be in love give Mark and Nicole the second chance they both want, even if one of them won't admit it?

I've enjoyed all of the books in Valerie Bowman's Playful Brides series but A Duke Like No Other is one of my favorites and, in my opinion, one of Bowman's best. Nicole and Mark are both compelling, complex characters who have allowed pride and stubbornness to keep them apart for ten years. Young when they married, they had desire and love but, for Mark, there was an absence of trust and, for Nicole, it was easier to walk away than stay and fight for her marriage. Both they and their relationship are compelling and complex, with obstacles that must be overcome and emotional wounds that must be healed before a happy ending can be realized. Bowman takes readers on their shared journey from past to present, allowing us to delve more deeply into their thoughts and emotions, and the events that separated them. The pace never lags and the investigation of the murder moves their relationship forward while also bringing resolution to familial events that Mark has allowed to define his life. The secondary cast is vibrantly portrayed and includes two characters who surely will have a story of their own - at least, I hope they will! 

With mystery, sensual romance, witty banter, and a depth of emotion that will have you yearning for a happy ending as Mark and Nicole yearn for one another, A Duke Like No Other is a welcome addition to Valerie Bowman's Playful Brides series and a historical romance not to be missed. 
4.5 stars

A Duke Like No Other had that traditional Regency London flair with a twist of Americanisation.

The Americanisation was pretty much the only thing I didn’t like about this book. A Duke Like No Other had all the hallmarks of great regency novel with that previously mentioned traditional flair. There’s a certain something-something about regency books that I love but I can never put my finger on what it actually is.

Is it the dresses for the ladies? Is it the Hessian boots for the men and the sheer I-Just-Don’t-Care-What-You-Think attitude of pretty much everyone in London in this time period?

Is it the Bow Street Runners which are so infrequently put into Regency novels?

What is it about regency?

This is actually the first Valerie Bowman novel that I’ve read and I can tell that she has her facts and she has her fiction and they’ve got a super easy flow and they mix really well. The writing style wasn’t stodgy and stiff-upper-lip like some regencies can be which was great; the book flowed in and out of each chapter and each point of view with an almost seamless ease.

There were also some really great secondary characters whose back story was hinted at but not thrown at you – it was just enough to draw you in to these other characters lives and I can’t wait to see where Valerie is going to take them.

Read A Duke Like No Other and drop into the life of the Grimaldi’s and the intrigue and the haphazard life and times of Regency London from Valerie Bowman’s perspective.

A DUKE LIKE NO OTHER
Author: Valerie Bowman
Pub Date: May 1 2018
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Romance: Historical Romance

Synopsis:

General Mark Grimaldi has dedicated his entire life to his military career. On the cusp of receiving a huge promotion, he is forced to reveal that he’s been secretly married for ten-years to Nicole Huntington. 

Nicole Huntington Grimaldi has resigned herself to a solidary life in France. Beautiful and independent, she does dabble in a bit of spying here and there. When Mark approaches her about helping him gain his promotion, she offers him an unbelievable ultimatum.

My Thoughts:

Valerie Bowman offered readers some interesting twists in A Duke Like No Other. The second chance romance is bound to make your heart flutter. The sexual tension is hot and the conflict is relatable. 

Happy Reading!

***I was given an ARC copy and happy to provide a review***