Duncan Wentworth is not pleased to be sent to the Brightwell estate to put it to rights by his cousin, Quinn Wentworth, the Duke of Walden. Duncan has been tutor and companion to crippled Stephen Wentworth as they traveled the world together. The last thing he wants or knows how to do is to bring a floundering estate into profitability. His life becomes more interesting when he comes upon Matilda Wakefield hiding out in the woods behind the estate. She is disheveled, hungry and saves Duncan from imminent death by a pair of poachers. Duncan's life is about to take an unexpected turn, but can he put his anger aside to coax the details of why Mildred is running for her life.

Ms. Burrowes writes complex and endearing characters and this book is no exception. I loved Duncan--an honorable man in a dishonest world. His unending patience with Mildred is commendable and I loved the slow burn of their attraction to each other. There is a mystery of why Mildred was running in the first place and though she is reluctant to tell him, Duncan soon realizes he'll risk his life for this reclusive woman. Having Quinn and Jane make an appearance in this book was a plus.

Grace Burrowes tends to be a hit or miss for me, and unfortunately, this book was a miss. I found myself struggling to finish it, and I'm not sure if I can pinpoint the exact reason. I just couldn't get engaged in the story, the romance seemed very lackluster to me (I didn't really see the attraction between them), and the whole crisis for the heroine seemed overdone. I would have preferred it be more cut and dry, because I think the complexity of her history took away from the romance itself. I was getting bogged down in the details, particularly because of the shifting viewpoints as well. Too many players and not enough clarity on where everyone fit on the chess board.

Duncan Wentworth has been given a task of turning a neglected estate into a profitable one within a year. While venturing out on his grounds, he comes across a poacher who is determined to keep his game and eliminate the witness.

Matilda Wakefield has been on the run and with the cold of winter setting in, has been hiding in the gatehouse of Wentworth’s estate. Seeing that there is trouble brewing, she steps out of hiding and with the help of her pistol, saves Duncan.

Seeing the waif-like appearance of Matilda, Duncan is determined to offer assistance. Taking her back to his home, he offers her a hot meal as well as employment to be his secretary. What starts as a means to help a damsel in distress, turns into an adventure of intrigue and love.

While I did sometimes lose focus on the actual plot of the story, I did find the building trust, friendship and romance between Duncan and Matilda charming. This story is like curling up with a warm blanket and enjoying the moment. When a Duchess Says I Do is an enjoyable read by Grace Burrowes that I would recommend to fans of this genre.

Usually I love Grace Burrowes and am engrossed from the first to last page of her books. I adored Duncan and Matilda, separately and as a couple, and I was invested in their love story. But the plot was kind of outlandish, and didn't hold my attention. I found myself checking the remaining page count whenever the story turned away from the protagonists to the villain's perspective, spying, and international intrigue.

Burrowes generally writes captivating novels that concentrate on interior character development and a central love story, and even if there is an exciting external plot, it serves mainly to move the relationship forward. This one felt like it was trying too hard to be an adventure tale, and even though I cared about the adventure where it related to the main characters, I wasn't interested in it for its own sake.

But that being said, I enjoyed getting to know Duncan and Matilda, two nerdy introverts who found each other through unusual circumstances and fell in love over chess and travel journals.

Another charming Regency romance from Burrowes. When ducal cousin Duncan Wentworth surprises poachers on his estate, he is rescued by a mysterious young woman with a pistol. Starving and with a bad storm coming in, Matilda accepts his invitation to a meal and a room for the night. Then she accepts his offer of temporary employment, turning his travel memoirs into something publishable. Mattie has secrets--dangerous ones--and does not intend to stay long. But days become weeks, as they grow closer together and family ties intrude.

Well-drawn characters, a believable attraction, and a twisty puzzle make for a very satisfying romance.

Grace Burrowes is an automatic read for me, but her latest stands out. I cared deeply for the characters and the development of their regard for one another, even if the mystery plaguing Matilda wasn't as well-integrated into the plot as it could have been. I also appreciated the strong cast of ancillary characters--both the staff and Duncan's family. While not as meddlesome as some of Burrowes' other families, it's enjoyable to read the dynamics of a family that loves (and frustrates) one another.

Deeply comforting and, as always, full of respect and consent.

I have just signed up for Netgalley and this is the first book I’ve received from them. So, standard terms and conditions apply, I received a free copy in exchange for a review.

I loved about half the book and was annoyed by about half the book. I loved Duncan and Matilda. I loved them individually. I loved them together. They were lovely and reading as they came to like and trust each other and then fall in love was like sinking into a warm hug. At the end of the book, I completely believed that they will have a happily ever after.

I like order.” Matilda craved order, now especially. “I apologize for presuming, but you were off center.”

He swirled her shawl from his shoulders and settled it over hers. The gesture was as graceful as a dancer’s and much more alluring.

“That I am,” he said, “off center. The condition is of long standing. You needn’t trouble yourself over it.”

I also liked the relationships they had with Stephen, Duncan’s younger cousin and former pupil. He brought a richness to the story and fleshed out both Duncan and Matilda.

The half I didn’t love was the Big Dramatic Intrigue, the external obstacle which must be overcome and all of the characters associated with that drama. Without getting into spoilers, Matilda is on the run from a fiance for a reason that Duncan gradually extracts from her. I found the antagonist fiance and the big drama annoying for a few reasons. The main reason was because the big drama plot regularly interrupted my enjoyment of the love story. This was particularly frustrating as Matilda and Duncan were working their way towards consummating their relationship. It was to read about their growing emotional and physical intimacy, jump to a scene with the antagonists, back to the love scenes, back to the antagonists, back to the love scene. By the time they got to the afterglow I was confused by the timeline and wondering if they had been embracing for a few days. Second, it invariably involves something overly complicated and not that interesting. Third, in order for there to be the final confrontation, Matilda had to do something stupid. And that’s why I usually find Big Dramatic Intrigue plots annoying – in order for them to be resolved someone, usually the heroine has to do something uncharacteristically stupid.

One thing that I don’t really know how to address is the housekeeper, and I don’t think Burrowes really knew what to do with her either. The housekeeper is of African descent, but we don’t really know anything else about her. She gets sick, the doctor won’t come, and then she gets better and the whole issue disappears. She never really exists as anything other than a lines only character sketch.

After a fantastic start, I found myself somewhat disappointed by the book. There’s a great love story stuck in a bunch of nonsense. It’s fine though.