It is a truth universally acknowledged that it is probably not idea to read the third book in a group of companion books without having read the previous two.

It seems that the male love interest and some friends played a mean prank on some debutantes who were having their season and ruined the chances of at least one of them to make a good match. As a result, I didn't really warm up to the guy. Then, in revenge for before mentioned prank, the female love interest decided to get revenge on his sister. As a result, I kind of felt the two of them were shady and deserved each other. But again, maybe if I had a better understanding of the backstory I'd have liked this more.

It’s All About the Duke by Amelia Grey
Written with humor and involving well-drawn characters, this is a wonderful addition to a splendid series. Nearly ten years prior to the start of this story, three young dukes made a foolish wager. While each of the books in the Rakes of St. James series refers to that bet, Book 3 focuses almost entirely on the consequences of one’s actions, intended or not. As one of the men who years earlier wagered on whether or not 12 young ladies would elude their chaperones to meet a “secret admirer,” The Duke of Rathburne may learn about consequences by losing the love of his life. Rathburne finds himself the guardian of Marlena Fast when her previous guardian becomes too ill to manage. Marlena has a secret – she is the author of the scandal sheet as well as a book warning about rakes. She started writing these earn funds to aid her friend, and next-door neighbor, and to avenge her friend’s sister, who was one of the 12 young women tricked in the wager and who has made an unhappy marriage to escape the scandal. Much to the surprise, and dismay, of both Marlena and the duke, they find themselves attracted to one another, but can this attraction become something more in the face of the past. Characters from the first two books make an appearance here, but in minor roles. Hopefully, the next book will tie up some of the loose ends in the stories of a few of the minor characters, especially Lady Vera.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. It wasn’t an awful book but it also wasn’t terribly interesting. The relationship between the main characters developed well and over a believable time frame but it just felt like nothing really happened. I feel like the big secret wasn’t really that big of a deal and it didn’t quite create the tension I think the author was going for.
One thing that did bug me about this book was how often it was mentioned that the h went tromping around the countryside with 5 boys when she was a young girl. It was as if they believed this was the most badass thing a woman could have done as a girl and, while I know that women were much more oppressed in these times, it’s not the most amazing thing she could have done to get her strength and boldness. Recommend if you’re after something easy. Wouldn’t read again though. 2.5 stars.

It's all about the Duke is the third book in the Rakes of St James series. I had not read the other two, so I was a bit lost, but I was still able to follow the story well enough. I'm a huge fan of Amelia Grey's, but I didn't like this book as much as her others. Maybe it was because I hadn't read the other in the series, but the story just went a little slow. Theres always good romance, but this had a bit too much of the introspective dialogue than I personally prefer. I do think it's worth the read, but definitely after the other two.

We finally get to the bottom of who is Miss Truth. I have read the other books in this series and really liked them but this book was off for me. I did not hate it but did not love it either. I did love Rath. He is kind and loving and helpful, especially to those he loves and respects. I had a hard time liking Marlena. Even though she was doing what she thought was justice, it really hurt a lot of innocent people. That is where I had a huge problem with her. I think Rath deserved someone better than her. With that being said, the overall series is good. I am not sure if there is a spin off of this series planned but would like to see Lady Vera as a heroine in a book.

I received an ARC via Netgalley of It’s All About the Duke by Amelia Grey in exchange for an honest review. This is the part of the Rakes of St. James series. This is my first Amelia Grey book. It is not necessary to read the other books in the series to be able to keep up with this one—it reads fine as a stand alone.

A guilty conscience moves the Duke of Rathburne to accept the guardianship of Miss Marlena Fast. He’s trying to make amends for a prank gone wrong in his younger years. Marlena is less than thrilled to become the responsibility of one of London’s most notorious rakes. She values her independence and is secretly trying to help friends better their lives. There is an immediate attraction between the Duke in Marlena but a lot of secrets stand in their way.

I thought the book was well written and there was good chemistry between the characters. The book did drag a little in parts because of secondary story lines.

Summary:

*From Goodreads*

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?

My thoughts:

To start, let me just say that I loved these characters. Rath is funny, kind, and trying to live better- even when it certainly doesn’t suite him. He feels bad about the wager- he was young, stupid, drunk and full of himself- and he’ll be the first one to tell you so. You can’t change the past. All he can do is move forward and so he tries to. The mix of emotions in this hero, the desire for his father’s approval that’s too late to ever happen… these things make him human. His loyalty and wit, and his wildly flirtatious streak make him delicious.

Then there’s Marlena. She is beautiful, kind, intelligent and loyal to a fault. When she started a scandal sheet to poke at the dukes, they had been faceless and she never really thought about coming face to face with them. All she considered was that her friends and neighbors needed money and she had no other way to get it. Daring, sassy and just plain mesmerizing, I loved watching this girl.

The relationship between Rath and Marlena also felt honest- there was a lot of chemistry and emotion. The story line was strong, though I feel like the author was in a major hurry to wrap things up. The ending just seemed a bit too neat, you know? It lost half a star due to that for me… Still this was a quick, entertaining read that I adored. I do wish I had read the others first (I HAVE to stop doing that!), but with these you really don’t have to. It’s wise, but I don’t feel like I missed any of the story. For me, this is a three and a half star book. It won’t win any literary awards, but it’s great fun!
On the adult content scale there is a small amount of language and a rather large sex scene. It seemed, as they usually do, to go into far greater detail than needed. Maybe that’s just me? Still, there’s only one so it isn’t that bad. I give this a five.

I was lucky enough to receive this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. My thanks.

Thanks Netgalley for this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

So the book is the 3rd in the Rakes of st James. I thought I read all but I guess I skipped book 2( I read alot and get confused and forget easily) That being said I did like this book but I also had some problems with it. I fslt there was WAY to much inter dialogue. I also felt That He fell to fast for her. He didn't even really know her. It felt more like he was lonley because of his friend's marriages and was ready to settle down. Also Miss Fast writes about Rakes but is fast to fall for one? Just because he his handsome? IDK but I didn't "feel the love" . All that being said I still enjoyed the vook and LOL a few times Miss fast Cousin was just so ridiculous that it was funny. All things considered I'll go 3.5 stars.

I initially gave this book 3 stars, but the more I think about it, I think it is only a 2-star book. My biggest problem with the book is that I felt it dragged on and on. I don't mind a little of it, but it is especially tedious when I don't like the characters. The main characters were okay, but I didn't really like the side characters all that well. I also have mixed feelings about characters secretly being gossip columnists. Also, another minor problem I had was with the plot in general. This is just a "me" problem, but the guardian/ward pairing trope in romance can be a little hit-or-miss with me, and this one was just a miss. I have read Amelia Grey's books before and would read them again, but this one wasn't my cup of tea.

I loved the premise of the story- and the characters. Amelia Grey does a very nice job of character development and tying all story ends together in the end. I think this book will be an instant hit!

My only objection was the amount of narrative that the book had, which tended to bog me down, instead of draw me into the book. Even with that- once I got to know the characters, I connected and picked up the book every spare chance I got.

I heartily recommend.

A good spirited read. Rath and Marlena have great chemistry and each is trying to deny their feelings. A solid entry to the historical romance genre.

"I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review "

I have yet to be disappointed by anything this author has written. I loved this book. I highly enjoyed the two main characters. Rath and Marlena. Rath is a "Rogue" who has taken on guardianship (out of guilt for past mistakes) of Marlena and intends to get her through her first season and help her find a husband. After meeting her and realizing his attraction for her the thought of her marrying anyone else doesn't sit well with him.

Marlena has a secret. A secret that she uses to help support her neighbors and friends. She is terrified of her secret getting out especially when Rath becomes her new guardian. Her attraction to him and her natural curiosity do not make a good mix.

I absolutely love the banter between the two of them and how good hearted the two of them are. They will both go out of their way to help someone.

This is the third book in a series and can be read as a standalone. You definitely have more information on characters if you read the previous books but it's not necessary. This was the first book in this particular series that I have read.

If you are a fan of historical romance then I highly recommend reading. This book is definitely worth the read.

I love Marlena and Rath as a couple! Her quick witted remarks had me laughing a lot! Enjoyed this book immensely! Love, passion and laughs in this book!

This is the third in a series. I have read the first two books and enjoyed them very much.

In the past, three young rakish dukes had a brilliant idea for a prank. They wrote notes to twelve young ladies who have just had their come out into society. Each note said they were a secret admirer of the young lady and she should secretly meet her admirer. It became common knowledge that every young lady took the note seriously. It became a scandal and it changed the lives of the twelve young ladies and the three dukes were looked upon as thoughtless cads.

In this book, the last of the three dukes, Rath, the Duke of Rathburne, has become the guardian to Marlena Fast. She was only 12 the last time he saw her. She handed him a frog.

Now when he meets her again, she has become a beautiful and bright young woman. He is immediately smitten.

Marlena has a secret. For three years she has been writing a gossip column about the dukes and their families. Some of the things she wrote were very angry and mean. When she meets Rath, the other two dukes, as well as their wives and sisters, she finds they are very nice people. Regrets begin for Marlena.

When she started writing, she thought she was doing it for a good reason. Now, she is not so certain that she chose the correct way to make her point.

Rath is charming and personable. He feels that the prank was a terrible mistake, but he believes there was no permanent damage done to anyone. His life has not changed much.

Marlena is intelligent and lovely. She is shocked to find that Rath will be her guardian. Dealing with him on a regular basis will not be easy. She has so much to hide.

I loved the first two books in this series. This book can easily be read as a stand alone. But a reader would enjoy the stories even more by reading the first two books in the series.

Rath and Marlena are interesting characters. Both of them have flaws in their character. But, over all, I liked both of them. In fact, I liked nearly all the characters in the book. A couple of them were prime examples of why women have been looked at as second class human beings.

The plot is interesting. Rath's new perspective on life and people shows he is perfectly capable of learning from mistakes. He becomes a more thoughtful and considerate man. His growth is encouraging as well as entertaining. I liked him. Marlena was devoted and very loyal to friends. I admired her sense of responsibility.

I had a very small issue with the book. At times things seemed to slow down. Most of the time events moved forward at a good pace. But, every now and then, I felt that things became weighed down by too many descriptions.

Ms Grey is a very talented author. She spins a tale that is absolutely enthralling. The love and affection between Marlena and Rath grows as they get to know one another. The secondary characters give a texture to the story. Everything works well together.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

I love historical romance and this book was really cute. It reminded me a bit of the scandal sheets in the Bridgerton series - which was such a fun concept even if it felt similar here. I liked the Duke and Marlena and appreciated the kind of woman she is. If this is a genre you typically enjoy, this would be a fun one to add to your list :)

This is book three of the trilogy. This story ended it great. I love all the details the couples have going on. I enjoyed all the secrets being found out and more trickery to end things right. Another well written book to add to your collection. Must read!

I enjoyed this guardian/ward story, but didn't love it. It's the 3rd book in a series, but can be read as a standalone without feeling lost.

There’s no doubt that the hero and heroine in this story belong together. I did not read the previous two books in this series, but it’s not hard to get up to speed with the backstory here.

The Duke of Rathburne (Rath) and his two cohorts (Griff and Hawk) made a thoughtless wager a while back involving a dozen women. They didn’t foresee that these women would be tainted by scandal because of their actions. Unfairly, the three dukes never suffered personal repercussions. The men are remorseful and have tried to make amends in the years since this occurred. Griffin and Hawk are now happily wed, while Rath still enjoys his freedom as an unmarried rake.

However, negative consequences from their boyish prank continue to be felt, as Marlena Fast clearly sees. Her dear friend, Victoria Portington, is one of those ladies and, as a result, is unhappily married to a man she never would have considered otherwise. Living next door, Marlena witnesses Victoria’s daily misery.

Starting three years ago, Marlena decided something must be done to publicly reprimand the careless dukes. She took up her pen and became “Miss Honora Truth,” author of a popular gossip sheet that centers on these rakes to keep reminding the public of their previous misdeeds. She also masterminded the spread of an untrue rumor suggesting that the dukes’ sisters might be targeted for revenge when they made their own come-out. In her devotion to her cause, Marlena has never stopped to consider the consequences of her own actions on people she’d never met.

As this story begins, Rath has accepted the request from an ailing family friend to assume guardianship of Miss Marlena Fast. Mr. Olingworth is just too ill to properly introduce her into society himself. I do enjoy the irony of Marlena becoming Rath’s ward. When Rath shows up at her home, Marlena at first is certain he must have learned that she’s Honora Truth.

However, she’s also disturbingly attracted to him, and he is to her. This is a romance trope that I really dislike. I can understand recognizing how attractive someone is on first sight. I have trouble believing that a man with a lot of experience bedding women feels a tangibly stronger attraction beyond anything he’s ever felt to this woman before he even talks to her. With all of Marlena’s ingrained dislike for the Duke of Rathburne, I don’t find her reaction to him credible, either. Their mutual spark is supposed to be a sign of “true love,” but to me it just signals true lust.

The storyline where Rath is trying to behave like a gentleman with Marlena when all he wants to do is get her into bed is one I’ve read befrore, but Marlena’s secret identity as the scandal sheet authoress puts an interesting spin on things. I love Eugenia, Victoria’s sister, who keeps popping over to see Marlena at inopportune times. Both sisters contribute to keeping Marlena’s secret, and she gives all the money she receives for its publication to help support them, since Mr. Portington is terrible with household finances.

The characters are all great. Marlena lives with her cousin Justine, who’s irritating in a humorous way, always reminiscing about her supposed smash in society when she made her debut. Lady Vera, Griff’s sister, enters the story to help Marlena shop for appropriate clothing. Mr. Portington turns out to be exceedingly eccentric rather than intentionally cruel. Griff and Hawk are amiable friends to Rath.

The two biggest problems with this book, though, are too much introspection and too much repetition. Dialogue is interrupted by paragraphs describing all the thoughts going through a character’s head before he or she responds, much of which is old news. I read multiple times about how Marlena developed courage because she was raised alongside five male cousins. I also got tired of reading how Rath just couldn’t be the gentleman his father wanted him to be and knows the old man was disappointed in him when he died. These and other repeated bits of information made the story feel long and draggy, even though the story itself was pretty good.

Rated MA. Sex before marriage.

It's All About The Duke is the final book in the Rakes Of St. James trilogy by Amelia Grey.

The third notorious Rake found redemption in this very lovely romance. I loved Rath and Marlena. They were absolutely perfect for each other and I was completely entertained by their charming banter and palpable chemistry. There was also may colorful situations that happened with some of the secondary characters. It helped liven up the story every time someone swooned or acted outrageously. The best part was how the mystery thread was revealed and had me cheering for true love to prevail. In the end it happened the only way possible.

Amelia Grey seamlessly ends The Rakes Of St. James with It's All About The Duke. It was a wonderfully rich book that I didn't want to put down.

I stepped away from this one because there felt like there was someone missing with Rath and Marlena. I was hoping a little time away would help. It didn't.

I didn't feel any chemistry between Rath and Marlena. Yes, they had their banter, but those conversations didn't leave me feeling like they had a romance in the making. Then there was who Marlena was and what that meant to the Rakes of St. James. I would have thought the build-up to that revelation would have been more angsty and that it wouldn't have been just Rath that discovered the secret.

In the end, I was left feeling underwhelmed by this last installment in an otherwise enjoyable series.