What could be worse? Trying to outlive an old scandal or trying to make a new one by writing about it? This series is about three rakes who made a wager long ago that has haunted them for years. With two happily married, the third, Rath, the Duke of Rathborn is left. Marlena Fast, has been writing a column under the pen name Miss Honora Truth, using her gossip sheet to keep reminding the public of the three men's misdeeds. When fate steps in and Rath accepts a request to assume guardianship of Marlena and help present her to society, the irony is not lost on her. Has he found out who she is?
Of course there is an automatic attraction that they both try to fight. Each chapter began with a quote of her witticisms from her column or thoughts. But the chemistry between the two is just overwhelming. There are several twist and turns with many delightful side characters coming into play. The story runs its course and comes to a page turning conclusion. Although part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone. But be sure to read the others and you will be glad you did!!

I've never read any of Amelia Grey's previous works before, and It's All About the Duke was a great introduction to her writing because this book charmed from start to finish, and it's all because of the characters.

I love both Rath and Marlena. Marlena especially is totally adorable and she has my heart. She's young and innocent, but I like that she's not a pushover, and she has no problems speaking her mind in Rath's presence. I also love her loyalty to her friends Eugenia and Veronica. I mean, she started a gossip column and wrote a book for them! Although the reason for it was mainly fueled by teenage fury, I still admired her sense of loyalty to her loved ones. I also love her unconventionality, and her relationship with her chaperone, Justine. Justine can be so annoying sometimes, but Marlena is such a sweet-tempered girl, she deals with Justine so calmly. I would have been tempted to cause Justine bodily harm.

The first chapter described Rath as someone older and wiser, a reformed rake. He's a bit mellow now that his two best friends and fellow pranksters have found love and happily settled down. In the first chapter he did a bit of reflecting; he acknowledged that while he was competent with ducal responsibilities, he wasn't the perfect gentleman his father had hoped he would be and he regretted that, especially after the prank he and his friends played on the ladies of the ton a few years back. I really liked how the chapter ended with Rath feeling determined to be the perfect guardian to Marlena, to help her find a husband and marry.

"He could be a rake if he looks so deeply into your eyes you know he sees all the way to your soul."

The major reason why this book worked for me is Rath and Marlena's relationship development. Marlena especially had some notions about Rath after the whole prank that affected the lives of her friends. She had been dragging his name and the other Rakes of St. James through the mud with her scandal sheet for a few years, so imagine her surprise when they finally met and Rath wasn't a complete ogre of a man. In fact, he was a perfect gentleman??? I love seeing her feeling all sorts of conflicted because Rath turned out to be a...*gasp* nice man??? how is this happening??? and he was apparently not the shameless rake she has her whole column based upon. The more time they spent together the more she liked him, and she started to dread the upcoming Season because the only man she wanted to spend her life with was the man she wasn't supposed to fall for.

Rath was instantly charmed by Marlena from the moment they met. He had no chance; Marlena was super cute and witty, and there was a spark between them in the first meeting. Boy, that did a number on him and his senses too. Like, here is his new ward, of whom he was supposed to look after and see that she married well, and he only wanted her for himself. There is a little hint of forbidden romance in the story because of the whole guardian/ward thing, but overall it was so entertaining to see Marlena and Rath fell in love with each other despite reasons. I sighed at all the stolen moments (and kisses!) they shared.

"I know we shouldn't kissed. It doesn't keep me from wanting to."

Overall, It's All About the Duke has been a fun read, and I'm so glad I requested to read it. Amelia also wrote a HEA for Marlena's friends, and I appreciate that so much because the girls definitely deserved all the happiness. The epilogue had me smiling because it was so satisfying and wrapped up the book perfectly. I'm definitely going to check out Griffin's and Hawk's books next.

In the third Rakes of St. James novel, It's All About the Duke, the last unattached rake of St. James has met his match in young Marlena Fast. Amelia Grey's feisty heroine secretly writes a scandal sheet lest the three Dukes, whose secret admirer letters ruined her neighbor's chance at a prosperous marriage, forget their rakish pasts. She writes in order to keep her best friend and her older sister from facing poverty, but when she meets the very people she writes rumors about, her secret causes an inner turmoil she could have never foreseen.

It's All About the Duke is filled to the brim with wit and banter between the Duke of Rathbourne and Marlena. She's proper, but knows her own mind and is not afraid to speak it. Especially, not afraid to tell the Duke he's a rake and should behave in a manner befitting his station. Rath prefers to live by a lax set of rules and doesn't particularly care what others think of him. This slow burning connection between Rath and Marlena is pretty low-key until their desires can no longer be contained. I liked that they weren't all over each other from the beginning, because it made their experience more believable. At certain points throughout the story it's more talk rather than action, so the story lags a little. However, this doesn't detract from connecting with the characters and enjoying their path to happily-ever-after! If you've enjoyed stories from Valerie Bowman or Jana McGregor, you'll love It's all About the Duke!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

I enjoyed my time in It’s All About the Duke, the third story in The Rakes of St. James series. I am familiar with Amelia Grey’s works so I wasn’t surprised at the conversations going on in our characters’ minds or that this is a dialogue driven romance. Years ago three gentlemen made a, to them. frivolous bet that ended up doing more harm to those ladies than any of them could have imagined. Now two of those gentlemen have found loving wives and a sense of repairing what was done to some extent. Yet there is a scandal sheet circulating that never allows the public to forget that bet or the resulting actions caused by it. Neither the author of that scandal sheet nor the remaining bachelor of those who made the bet ever expected to be falling in love with each other… certainly not with the secrets that they both carry.

Although the story seems to indicate a love at first sight, I really didn’t feel that way about Rath and Marlena in the beginning of their story. Attraction, yes, lust perhaps, but love… no, but I did feel that emotion grow on them over time, and that was more believable to me. With so many secrets abounding it was impossible for there not to be misunderstandings, and even anger between this couple. Watching them work their way through the past actions into a loving relationship now was an interesting and enjoyable journey. If you enjoy Historical or Regency Romance then you’d also enjoy It’s All About the Duke. I don’t think you really “must” read the first two books to enjoy this one… but I always do believe that any series is best when started from the first book to catch all the nuances of the story thread.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

It's All About the Duke was a fine book. It wasn't bad, but it didn't stand out either. The writing was good. The story was just okay. It was a quick, pleasant read.

This is that last book of the series and it is about the Duke of Rathburne, who is trying to make amends for a wager that caused him and his best friends in an scandal. He is taking on a ward, who is needing a husband. Miss Marlena Fast is a very spirited. She was orphaned at a young. Marlene likes her independence and having a wicked duke being responsible for her is not ideal. He challenges her and she likes it, but she has to be careful because she has a secret of her own. I can't wait for Amelia Grey to start a new series.

This is the first book by Amelia Grey I've read, so I cannot say if her other books are written this way. It's such slow-paced, it drags the storyline. This is centred on a heroine who's hell-bent on discrediting the hero through the scandal sheets. Granted, the hero and his friends, has done horrible, selfish and thoughtless acts in the past against the young ladies, but this did not affect the heroine directly. The focus on him being a rake from start to finish and the heroine is in lust with him, despite her disapproval of his rakish behaviour, just grates on my nerves. Neither are the secondary characters endearing.

But this is not all doom-and-gloom. On one hand, Miss Marlena Fast, who's conflicted with her feelings towards the Duke of Rathburne, has shown fierce loyalty and generosity towards her friends (who both seem to have weak constitution and disposition). Rath, on the other hand, has been doing his best to atone for his misdeeds. Marlena and Rath forgave each other's transgression. There was conflict and there was resolution. The characters have their HEAs.

This is my honest review of the eGalley copy I voluntarily read.

Unfortunately, I really struggled with this book. If not for the ARC, it would've been a DNF. Readers looking for a fresh take on the guardian trope won't find it here. I have not read the previous two books in this series and nothing in this one motivated me to do so.

First of all "Rath" volunteers to take on Marlena's guardianship as her guardian is elderly and planning ahead. He sees it as a way to redeem himself. Immediately, he just wants her to change so he can dump her on another man, get a cookie for his efforts, and move on. And how is she so unmanageable? She's gardening when they meet again. Yes, she dared get dirt on herself.

Marlena is neighbours and friends with Veronica and Eugenia. Veronica married because she had to after Rath's previous actions (seriously, he was a jerk who sent love letters to a bunch of ladies with his friends and then Veronica's suitors all dumped her for falling for the letters - how emotional!) Sadly her husband is more interested in artifacts and denying they're bankrupt than talking to her or creating a baby. Marlena's been keeping them financially afloat with her secret book under a pen name.

Rath continues being a dolt throughout the book. He eventually tries to make up for his actions but his continued poor treatment of the heroine - magically justified by not wanting to be in love - make it a weak romance.

If you haven't read the other books in this series yet, don't be afraid of jumping right in. I haven't read them, and this one totally stood on its own. It started out a bit slowly for me, though I adored Rath right from the start. It was Marlena I had a bit of trouble warming up to. Though her heart was in the right place, it seemed cruel to me that she kept being the author of a scandal sheet secret when it was obvious that Rath's heart was becoming engaged. But she did it for her friend's sake, so I eventually forgave her.

The chemistry between Rath and Marlene was apparent at the start, and I enjoyed their interactions. Tut the dog was adorable....you have to love a duke who is kind to critters. I enjoyed her friends, but wanted to slap her cousin Justine upside the head! Reading about Rath's friends Griffin and Hawk made me want to go back and read their stories.

Don't be hesitant to share this book with your mother. Though there's heat and attraction here, the heat falls more into the PG-13 realm. The emphasis is on romance, not sex.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I had only read book 2 in this series and when I started this book, did not even realize it was the third book. The back story is explained over time and I did not feel like I was missing anything not having read the first book, and not remembering much of the second book (I read so many books that it is hard to remember book plots from months ago).

While there is a lot of description in the book, I did enjoy reading about the last of the three rakes, Rath, and Marlena Fast. Not sure what is with the last name of the three wives of the rakes - Swift, Quick and Fast?? i do have to admit that when there got to be a long descriptive that I just skim over and get to the dialogue between characters.

I loved that this book tied up the whole scandal and the gossip that resulted. I liked that while initially the rakes didn't see any damage from their little wager, it did hurt Veronica and Rath had to acknowledge that he was responsible for that hurt. Fortunately, he was able to bring about some good and try to repair Veronica's situation. As well as helping her sister elope!

Justine was just too annoying to me and I wanted to smack her instead of smile at her fondly like Marlena and Rath did. And no way would I ever want her living in my house if I was Marlena after marrying Rath!

There so many things that I liked about the book and I really did like Marlena and Rath together. I liked that Marlena felt that she needed to be honest and admit her secret before accepting his marriage proposal.

Great ending to the series!

This is the final book in the Rakes of St. James series. The series is based on three friends (all Dukes) who play a stupid prank and later regret their actions. Personally, I thought the whole "prank" was lame - they each write a letter to several young ladies telling them that they have a secret admirer and ask them to meet them in secret - all the ladies get the same letter and the all go to meet their admirer - the dukes placed a wager to see who would get the most ladies to show up - so the ladies all show up and they are all ruined <eyeroll> but the dukes remain unscathed. But years later, they are now trying to clean up their acts and in the previous books had female relations that they worry will be targeted because of the "prank" - it doesn't help that a gossip sheet is dredging up the "scandal" that ruined so many girls.


The Duke of Rathburn "Rath" has decided to turn over a new leaf and become the man his father had hoped he would be, he starts by agreeing to be guardian to Marlena Fast. How being a guardian will make him a better man is beyond me - but that's the story. He will find Marlena a husband and that will atone for his previous behavior - Alrighty.


Marlena is an orphan and has been shuffled around most of her life, but to those she loves, she is loyal and steadfast, so when a dear friend is "ruined" by the Rakes of St. James, Marlena takes up her quill and fights back. But now she is the ward of one of the Rakes - this is going to be a problem...

This story was OK, it is a bit on the wordy side and I found myself skimming. I thought the characters were likable, Rath is not what I would consider a Rake - more like a typical young man of the era with too much time, money and affluence - not mean, but perhaps thoughtless and shortsighted. the story moves a bit on the slow side (thus the skimming), the love scenes are warm, the secondary characters are entertaining and the ending is sweet.


This is the third book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone title with no problems.

The Duke of Rathbourne (Rath) has recently become the guardian of Miss Marlena Fast who has been the ward of his father’s ailing friend. Now, Rath must see that Marlena finds a husband.

When he calls upon her where she staying with a widowed cousin, Justine, Marlena is surprised that Rath, of all people, is to be her guardian. Marlena is secretly the person who anonymously writes the Miss Honora Truth’s Weekly Scandal Sheet. It’s a gossip sheet that includes tidbits of who is seeing who and she has often named Rath in her writings. She fears that if he ever finds out, he will have her thrown into goal. But she cannot stop writing the scandal sheet because her friends, Everard and Veronica, sisters and neighbors to Marlena, desperately need the money she makes from it.

Rath invites her to move into his home, but Marlena declines because she cannot leave her friends behind. Justine is in her mid-30’s and cannot stop talking about her season where she calls herself a Diamond of the First Water. She thinks that the Duke is attracted to her, when it’s Marlena who has caught his eye. At Marlena’s insistence, Rath relents and give his permission for Marlena to stay where she is.

Rath and his friends had been guilty of insulting some debutantes back when they were young and now he is trying to make up for the hurt he caused.

As Marlena and Rath become more acquainted, they are attracted to one another. However, Marlena feels that if he finds out about the sheet she writes, it will destroy their relationship. Can they open up about their secrets and find love?

I had a bit of difficulty with this book. To me, Marlena comes across as very naive and Rath appears to be a true rogue. Some of the dialogue was repetitious and the plot was not very intriguing. This surprises me because I have long been a fan of this author and love her books. But, thunderbolts and lightning, Readers, perhaps, this is just a one-off.

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

It’s All About the Duke by Amelia Grey is the third and final part of the trilogy in The Rakes of St. James series. Rath, the Duke of Rathburne, becomes guardian of, Marlena Fast. When Rath was a young man, he lived recklessly so as he has grown, he had regrets for things he and his friends, Griffin and Hawk, have done. One being a secret admirer wager that still bothers him for it was his suggestion. He felt that becoming Marlena Fast’s guardian , it would be one thing that would have been an approval from his father. He remembered Miss Fast when she was 12 years old and stuck a frog in his face so when he goes to meet her, he is not surprised to find she is very independent woman. When they meet, there is an attraction between the two of them but Marlena, has concerns about Rath finding out she writes the gossip sheet: Miss Honora Truth’s Weekly Sandal Sheet. Rath works at doing the right thing, trying to do right by her and also make up for all the hurt he and his friends caused. Watching this story evolve had some slow parts but the end was so worth it. I voluntarily received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I did enjoy this story, although it was a little slow paced at times during the first part. At first, there was a good bit of repetition about the time Marlena lived with her cousins. However, the story did pick up pace and proved to be an entertaining read, particularly when Lady Vera joined the story. I liked the growing relationship between Marlena and Rath ( Duke of Rathburne) and the banter Rath had with his friends. Marlena had a very caring nature and was a likeable character. Rath, too, was a worthy hero. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars
It's All About the Duke by Amelia Grey is the Third book in The Rakes of St. James series. This is the story of Rath, Duke of Rathburne and Marlena Fast. I have read the previous books but feel you can make this a standalone book.
Rath and his friends played a trick on some debutantes years ago that cause total scandal. Although the Dukes were taunted in the papers for years Rath still felt the edge of quilt. Now in his present day he wants to be the man his father hoped he would be. So when he receives a letter about a young women now in his charge he writes that he will be her guardian...but he did so in a drunken state so when he gets sober he thinks he made a grave mistake.
Marlena was orphaned at a early age so she is used to being passed around to different guardians. But they attraction she feels for him is different because she never felt this before.
I am such a fan of Ms. Grey's writing...she one of my go to authors!

If you have followed this blog then you know my feelings on picking up books midway or at the end of a series. I do not like it. But I still end up reading/reviewing them. Go figure. Anyways, when I was approached to review It’s All About the Duke, I didn’t know it was the last book in the series until I had already said yes and downloaded it.

This book is a combination of needing to read the other books in the series and stand-alone novel. The author did a great job of introducing the Duke of Rathburne’s backstory. The author adequately proved his and the other Dukes’ guilt over what they did. They made sure that those girls involved were alright. They didn’t apologize to them, though. But considering that this book does take place in Regency England and Dukes were one step below princes, I wasn’t surprised. They did not need to apologize to anyone.

I didn’t like Marlena. She is the main reason I rated the book the reason I did. Why didn’t I like Marlena? Well, she started a scandal sheet that was mainly to drag up old scandals. She had it out for the Dukes’ involved in the secret admirer scandal. She didn’t care who she hurt when she was writing those articles. In her mind, she was vindicating her friend’s older sister….who was one of the girl’s involved in the scandal. Her self-righteousness made me eye roll hardcore. Then she met the Duke of Rathburne and it became all about keeping what she did a secret from him. Especially since he has “set his sights” on her.

I didn’t get how the Duke of Rathburne didn’t know that Marlena was the one writing the scandal sheet until later in the book. It puzzled me. There she was, bleeding out clues, and he was so enamored of her that he didn’t see it. I also didn’t understand how he didn’t know that Marlena’s best friend sister (mouthful!!) was one of the girl’s he “pranked” until later on in the book. That too puzzled me because he had said that he was keeping track of them. How didn’t he know that vital piece of information??

There is Instalove in It’s All About the Duke but, surprisingly, it was on the Duke of Rathburne’s side. He was seeing hearts when he sees her. Marlena, however, was attracted to him but didn’t have romantic feelings until later in the book.

There is sex in It’s All About the Duke. It is surprisingly hot, considering that Marlena was a virgin. She was more than willing to learn and he was more than willing to teach. Made for a steamy couple of sex scenes.

Justine, Marlena’s cousin, was a hoot. From the minute she realized that Marlena was the Duke of Rathburne’s ward, she went out of her way to try to get into his bed. I was dying laughing at her pushing her chest out. The whole scene where she tried to put herself in Rath’s bedroom had me laughing so hard that I was crying.

The end of It’s All About the Duke was sweet. All the storylines were wrapped up. Each character mentioned got their version of an HEA. I am wondering if the author will make a series with the women. There are several girls that I would like to see have their own story.

What I liked about It’s All About the Duke:

A) Great job of introducing Rath’s backstory

B) Marlena not having strong feelings for Rath right away

C) Justine. I loved her scenes

What I disliked about It’s All About the Duke:

A) Marlena. I couldn’t stand her

B) Rath being oblivious to Marlena being the author of the scandal sheet

C) Instalove (even if it was on Rath’s side)

I would give It’s All About the Duke an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is mild violence. There is not language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are no trigger warnings in It’s All About the Duke.

I would recommend It’s All About the Duke to family and friends. This is a book that I would reread. I would also read the other books in the series.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Paperbacks, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review It’s All About the Duke.

All opinions stated in this review of It’s All About the Duke are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

After taking a bit of a break from Regency romances I decided to read It's All About the Duke. This story was different from what I've read in the genre because there wasn't the usual tension between the hero and heroine. The tension in this story was due to the fact that the Duke and Miss Fast were attracted to each other but due to the circumstances they found themselves in couldn't really pursue that attraction. But what an attraction it was! I loved the interaction between these two likable characters. I also liked the friendship theme in the story and the relationship between Marlena and Eugenia.

While this is the third book in the Rakes of St. James series I didn't feel like I was missing out by not having read the first two books. The author gave me enough of the story to make me feel up-to-date and to pique my interest and make me want to read the two prior books just to have the entire story. To be able to do both of these things shows the talent of the author.

I enjoyed the pace of the story as events happened at just the right time to keep me interested. The story wasn't too drawn out but wasn't rushed either. There was the perfect amount of buildup to the climax of the story and the ending was not only perfect for this book but I feel like it wrapped up the series in a nice way. (Again, I haven't read the first two books but it felt like closure for all characters.)

I would recommend this book to fans of historical/Regency romance. It is a lighthearted and easy read. I will be adding the first two books in the series to my to-read list as I want to spend more time with these characters.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

Miss Marlena Fast was orphaned young and has been the ward to several people. Now she is to become the ward of the Duke of Rathburne. Now she has to worry he will learn her secret. Marlena is a little older to be having her first season but she needs to find a husband. The Duke was a Rake but is mending his ways. The trouble is he wants to kiss Marlena when he is around her. That is not what you do with a ward. Can they find true love? Can they come to understand the past of the other and be forgiving? You will have to read this enchanting story to learn where the story takes us.

Publisher's Description:

“A master storyteller.”—Affaire de Coeur

Nearing thirty, the Duke of Rathburne is finally ready to make amends for the wager that caused him and his best friends such scandal—but taking on a ward who needs a husband is a feat he’s not sure he can manage. The last he saw of Miss Marlena Fast, she was a spirited little ruffian, not the sort of bride most bachelors on the marriage mart sought. But one glance at the lovely lady she has become is enough to convince him otherwise…

Orphaned young and shuffled from family to family, Marlena counts on her fierce independence and quick wits to keep herself content. Being the responsibility of a notoriously wicked duke who upended so many lives is an unexpected challenge when she realizes he arouses her decidedly feminine desires. Marlena must be careful. She has her own scandalous secret to protect. If he finds out, will it shatter her chances of a happily-ever-after with the notorious rake?

It's All About the Duke is the next Regency romance in The Rakes of St. James series from Amelia Grey.

My Thoughts:
I loved this well written and delightful final installment of The Rakes of St. James trilogy.
This often humorous tale is a page turner and had me engrossed from the first chapter. I simply couldn't put it down.
I have read the entire series and reviewed them all. These characters are well developed and extremely engaging.. I am sad to see this series come to an end.
Rath and Marlena's story is very intriguing and another one with just enough humour to make it a can't put down read.
I gave this newest installment 4.75 of 5.'stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 3 of 5 flames. There is no need for steamy scenes to entice me into completing this excellent book.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher to read and review. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

And we came to the end of The Rakes of St. James series, and finally we discovered who was to blame for spreading the news that the Duke of Griffin'stwins sisters were in danger of being dishonored...

First of all, the covers of Jon Paul Ferrara are amazing. All three. They make the perfect match with each character's story.
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About the main character of this book, the Duke of Rathburne, aka Rath, was the main responsible for the wager, years ago, that made 12 young ladies in trouble, each believing that they would meet their secret admirer.

A joke that caused serious trouble to the ladies, but not to the three gentlemen responsible for it.
Now, years later, they find themselves in the midst of the danger of seeing Griffin's twin sisters and Hawk's sister dishonored.
Rath was the only one free from any karma, since he was an only child.
However, fate has a special way of making people pay for their crimes.
An old friend of Rath's father, Mr. Olingworth, had a ward that needed to be presented in the Season, but he was getting worse every day from his illness. So he asks Rath to be the new guardian of Miss Marlena Fast.

Without being able to refuse, Rath goes to St James, to the house of his new ward, to introduce himself, and to impose some rules.
But he did not expect to find a young woman with a strong personality who, though she could not stop him from being her guardian, she had her own ideas of how she would behave thereafter.

And from that begins the war of desires, and one of Rath's greatest desires was to kiss Miss Marlena, and then to make her his.

But Marlena had a great secret, and this one directly affected Rath and his two rake friends.

Rath becomes aware of how his play in the past has affected innocent people, and he tries to make up for some of them.
But more important now, after a life being one of the Rakes of St. James, would Rath finally be content to have only one woman in his bed, his life and in his heart?
4,5 stars