I don’t usually read holiday themed books but the premise of The Good, the Bad, and the Duke appealed to me and I wanted to give a try. It has both of my favorite romance tropes: enemies to lovers and older brother's best friend and I just couldn't pass it by. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical romance. I loved Paul and Daphne, their chemistry was electric, and I love the whole "good girl saves bad boy because she sees the good in him that no one else does" trope. The writing is beautiful and there was enough tension to keep the reader on tenterhooks. At one point toward the end of the book I was really worried about Paul and Daphne's fate. But, of course, it's a romance novel, so everything turned out well for the couple! The Good, the Bad, and the Duke is the perfect mix of spicy and sweet and I am very glad I gave this festive romance a chance.

I read Janna MacGregor’s debut novel last year, and commented that the author had talent, that the opening of the book was brilliant, but that it was a little confusing when it came to all the characters.

Because I liked the description of this one, and wanted to give MacGregor’s work another try, I picked up a review copy of this, the fourth book in the series. Again, I found the author's writing to be solid.

For me, it’s always problematic when an author provides no date for the setting of their book. Even if I’m to assume The Good, the Bad, and the Duke is set in the nineteenth century – when?

Again, the prologue was very well-written. However, the heroine is nine in that scene, but came across as twenty-nine. Even so, it was a sweet little scene.

We then jump forwards about a decade and a half to pick up the main body of the story, and that’s where I started getting confused. This definitely isn’t a book that can be read as a standalone. There are characters I was unfamiliar with everywhere – and their offspring. Right from the first few pages there are references to things that happened in past books that I had no idea about. If they had to be mentioned, I don’t think it should have been so early on.

After several chapters, I realised my mind was wandering. Fans of past books in this series are probably going to really enjoy this one, too.

Loved this book! Paul, Paul, Paul - he was the most abused and bullied child that ever lived by his hateful father and still his heart was pure. He tried to live up to his father's image of him and has the reputation of a rakehell. Lady Daphne is beautiful inside and out, but is dealing with grief that no one in her family wants to discuss. She has always believed the best about Paul, even though she hesitates at times to trust him. Paul is in the process of trying to repair his reputation now that his father has passed and runs into Daphne at a gambling hell. He does his best to protect her and find out why she is in such an establishment. He says he will help her with her problem, but can she trust him? I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The latest entry in Janna MacGregor's Cavensham Heiresses series, The Good, The Bad, and the Duke, is by turns sweet, fraught, and satisfying. Our independent heroine is accidentally left behind by various family members traveling to the country for Christmas, and decides to stay in town alone and devote herself to a charity project. The hero, who featured as a sort-of villain in previous books of this series, comes across here as mostly selfless and determined to improve his reputation by also doing charitable work.

The central plot device--a missing journal that the heroine is determined to get back, with or without our hero's help--felt a little contrived, although obviously the author had to find a way to throw her protagonists together. But the conclusion lives up to the stakes in a satisfying way. Overall, an entertaining holiday read, lacking the sticky-sweet sentimentality that too many historical Christmas romances fall into.

I am doing a very happy dance right now. In a previous review I wrote that I thought Paul was the most interesting character and YAY! he gets his own story. I loved it. What more could happen to Paul who, as it turns out is not bad but just trying to help and always ends up looking poorly. I am so glad his story was told – he deserved a HEA and could not have gotten a better one. Daphne is the perfect person for Paul. She is kind, does not see him as a bad person and genuinely loves him. I could not help but cry over his deeds to do what is right and what was done wrong against him. Who knew he was so compassionate? Rake, I don’t think so. Can you tell I am infatuated with Paul? Loved loved this story.

This book is part of a series and, though it can be read as a stand-alone, it really should be read after reading the first two books. The good, the Bad and the Duke tells the story of the Dike of Southart who played the villain in the the author’s previous books. Because the character flaws and then reformation of the hero, Paul, is so dependent upon his earlier action, I think that a reader would not be as invested in the story without reading the first two. Fortunately, I HAD read the other and I enjoyed how the author tools such a selfish character and make me care about him and to hope for his reformation. As usual, the author rights well and creates a fulfilling, sensual story. I look forward to reading her next novel.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review,

The Good, the Bad and the Duke is both my first even book by Janna MacGregor and the first in the Cavensham Heiresses series.

Even if this book is the fourth in the series I didn’t have any issues reading and liking it. I’m sure that, if I had read the previous books I would have a better appreciation of the characters, but it felt really complete at it stood.

I really like both Daphne and Paul and believe they compliment each other very well. I think what could fit this relationship the best, without spoiling anything would be to say that “seeing yourself as the hero in someone else’s eyes pushes you to become the best version of yourself” .

Daphne has always idealized Paul and even if he even thought he was not worthy he wanted to become the man she though it was.

The story itself is also very good. The pace flows nicely and there are no boring chapters and I must admit the plot took me by surprised a few times. There was a couple of things I haven’t seen coming (again maybe it is because I haven’t read the series before) but it was a nice surprise.

The relationship between Daphne and Paul makes you go through a wide range of emotions from laughs, to tears to heart fluttering moment. They are in love with each other deeply but the only thing that bothered me with Paul (which makes the story lose a star) is how he react to a certain news after taking his relationship with Daphne to the mandatory commitment territory. What he is doing after this is not logical especially for the time. This is only fixed by our heroin strong will and unwavering love.

In conclusion: this is a cute, heart-warming Christmas novel which I think will satisfy all my fellow HR fans out there.

Stars 3.5/5

I'm so glad Daphne gave Paul a chance!

I love it when authors take a less-than-sympathetic character from an earlier book and show us how love can redeem even the worst sort of man. Paul is certainly seen as the worst by Daphne's family, and it's somewhat deserved. But there's a lot more to Paul's character and this book beautifully takes us on the journey through his many layers and his humble efforts to reform his reputation.

Daphne has always seen the good in Paul, but could never get the chance to express that because of the rift between him and her family. Circumstances finally align themselves to give them both the opportunity to discover just how perfect they are for each other.

This is a wonderful love story, full of depth and forgiveness, true love and redemption. It was a joy to read, and I look forward to reading more in this series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

I love a romance that gives me all the feels. This is the author's second work that I got to read and I was hooked from the beginning. When your have two different people, Daphne, who is growing into her own and then there's Paul, who is known as the rake, the one person that everyone in their social circles steers clear from, but Daphne, knows not to judge a Duke by the company he seeks and what you have then is a story that leaves you swooning and wishing nothing but the best for the two.
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC, I loved this and can I just add that reading it when I was in a slump, was just what the gods of romance prescribed!

The Good, the Bad, and the Duke (The Cavensham Heiresses #4)
by Janna MacGregor

A definite buy buy buy book.
Slow and fast slow and fast... all in all a great repast..... I loved the book. Even with its varying speeds and cheezy sometimes spinster spins. I loved the characters the plot and the way the author has of writing. I almost down graded to four stars for the up and down speeds but I just could not bring myself to do it. I enjoyed it that much. So for a very enjoyable read that has varying layers and different elements this is definitely a book to buy! i was given this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed here are my own! So buy and sit and just enjoy! Regards, Anna

I enjoyed the lifelong friendship of Daphne and Paul, it was endearing. I'm grateful to finally get the backstory on Paul and his reasons for acting out the way he has in his lifetime. I do have massive issues with the graphic sexuality in the book. It spoils the romance for me and I just skip over the pages. 'The Good, the Bad, and the Duke' is full of multi-layered family relationship angst, with a surprising revelation that really confuses everything. Although it can be a stand alone, I recommend getting the entire series as to understand the nuances of the conflicts.

This book in the series tells the story of Paul and Daphne, who we have met in previous books in the series. Paul behaved badly towards those heroines and now in this book we see him full of guilt. He is now hoping to gain the forgiveness of his friends and redeem himself in their and society's eyes. It is through these acts that fate brings him close to Daphne (again). Daphne always held Paul in a special place, since he has been nice to her since she was younger.
It is an unfortunate event that brings Paul and Daphne together. He decides to help Daphne and during this time he begins to develop feelings for her. She has always felt something for him and this time together just made those feelings bloom more. I do think that there was more of a sexual/lusting feeling for the most part of the book and that the romance fell a little short.
The author created a heroine who was strong on her own. I liked the scenes where she stood up to her brother when expressing what she wanted to do with her life. The time when she walks away and leaves him talking was an awesome scene. When she stood up for Paul was also very admirable.
Paul carried guilt around with him everywhere he went. His guilt for the choices he made to make his father approve of him turned even more bittersweet when he learns something about himself. Paul really lived a tough life, but with Daphne by his side his life becomes better.
I'm a fan of this author and have read her other books. I look forwards to the next one!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

This is part of a series and you should probably start from the beginning so that you could get all the feels. I enjoyed book but at times it was little slow for me, too wordy that were a little unnecessary, all that being said it wasn't a bad book. We have Paul who was sweet, but only seemed that way with Daphne, due to some of his previous actions he lost a lot of his friends but now the way he was dealing with Daphne things started to change and people started to see him differently because he was trying to be a better person. Daphne liked to write her thoughts down in a journal or diary, she was always the good one, dependable one and would only admit her true self in her thoughts. She had never really thought bad about Paul and now that they got to spend some time together and trying to find her stolen diary they are what each other needs..I wont get into much so that you could grab a copy and Enjoy!

When I saw the cover of this book and started reading it I was expecting some lighthearted Christmas themed drivel really. That is not at all what this book is. It just happens to be set at Christmas but this is a story of redemption, forgiveness, finding oneself, and allowing oneself to open up to loving and being loved. When Daphne finds herself left behind for the Christmas holiday by family members who each thought her to be traveling with the other, she decides to just remain in London and focus on the charity she intends to found and the townhouse she wants to establish for herself. She stops on an outing in town and takes some time on her favorite park bench to write in her very personal journal, which ends up being stolen by a street urchin. Daphne pursues said street urchin all the way to a gaming hell, whereupon she encounters Paul, the newly minted Duke of Southart attempting to pay an old gambling debt. Well known rake Paul used to be best friend to Daphne's brother, so she had known him since childhood, up until a falling out resulted in an estrangement between her family and Paul. Unbeknownst to Paul, Daphne never forgot him or stopped caring about him. To keep her safe from the seedy characters lurking in and around the gaming hell, Paul agrees to help Daphne recover her stolen journal, as the secrets therein would devastate her family if they were to be made public. In exchange, Daphne agrees to help Paul smooth the waters with her brother and stepbrother, as his desires forgiveness and also needs their support for the hospital he plans to open in honor of his late brother. Paul keeps Daphne company over the Christmas holiday and begins his journey down the road to redemption. We have a very sly and threatening villain, a dynamic and complex, but very authentic, cast of supporting characters, and some great steamy scenes. There is also some angst and drama and one wonders how much this couple can take when they are constantly bombarded by various obstacles. I know this is a typical formula, but what sets this one apart is that our heroine is tenacious and persistent, but does not suffer from the tiresome lack of logical thinking that annoys me in most of the depictions of such a heroine. This was a great read and I would highly recommend it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was an emotional roller coaster ride. I laughed and cried...and even shouted for joy when all worked out as it should in a romance novel. Beautifully written, great characters, and lovely storyline. I can't wait to read more from this author!

This was a great Christmas Romance. This is the first book in the series that I have read and I cannot wait to go back and start at the beginning. The characters are very loveable and there are so many elements to the story. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lady Daphne Hallsworth has a big problem. She needs to find a way to pay a blackmailer to keep information that could destroy her family from becoming public. Paul Barstowe, Duke of Southard, has know Daphne since she was a child and, he was a teenager.. He hasn't seen her in years until her family comes to visit his estate over the holidays. He realizes that there is an instant connection with her but, for some reason, she keeps putting him off, even though he can tell she feels the same way. Daphne would do anything to let Paul know how she feels but, she must deal with the blackmailer first and, find her journal that has information that, in the wrong hands, could destroy her family.
How will these two deal with their attraction and, keep the blackmailer, who is much closer than they think, from destroying Daphne.
A fun, love filled, suspense!

Yes, yes, yes. I loved this book. Honest, this is the first time this year I've laughed and cried with a historical romance. I absolutely could not put this book down and I never wanted it to end. How Ms. MacGregor developed the characters so richly makes for a brilliant read. And oh so satisfying when our hero and heroine finally have their HEA, for which they work so hard.

But the struggle is real. The Duke of Southart, Paul Barstowe, has spent his life sullying his image. Though of course, we find out why throughout the story. Nonetheless, he's burned many bridges, including that of his former best friend and brother to Lady Daphne Hallworth, Lord Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembroke.

Yet Daphne only knows a kinder version of the Duke. Ever since she was a girl, she's fancied herself in love with Paul. Even though he was much older and more sophisticated. Even when he had a falling out with Alex, Daphne's loyalty and ardor remained strong.

Fastforward to the present, and Lady Daphne finds herself in a predicament. Paul is determined to help Lady Daphne, and in the process, cannot help but fall for her.

Everything about this story is lovely. The chemistry, the story-line, the character development, the opportunity for second-chances, and the redemption and happily ever after. Squee... I cannot wait for the next installment.

I love a Christmas story and especially a recency romance, so I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and from the blurb it seemed like my kind of book to read. It focuses on Lady Daphne Hallworth a twenty five year old spinster and Paul Barstowe the Duke of Southart. Paul has had a harsh childhood as his father was often very mean to him. He was a close childhood friend to Alex, Daphne's brother until he lost his elder brother to an illness that sent him out of control with gambling and debauchery as he became older. This caused him to fall out of sorts with Alex and his many other friends, as they no longer wanted to be associated with him. He was always kind to Daphne as a girl and when she's in need of help as a grown woman he comes to her aid to help retrieve her stolen diary. The story was an interesting read and was very sweet, but as much as I liked both characters Daphne irritated me so much for keep going against Paul's advice of staying away from the Reynolds knowing that she would be ruined if her identity was discovered. He promised her he would help and even though she believed him she still had to meddle and it kind of made this book a four star read instead of a five because it bugged me that much. I don't believe any woman from that time period would be that stupid knowing what the ton would do to her reputation. Other than that it was an enjoyable read and a good story or love, romance and redemption.