A young woman longing for the type of romance one only reads about suddenly finds herself in an precarious situation. Due to circumstances beyond her control she winds up with the Duke known to be stone hearted. Will this be her chance to have her magnificent love or will his nick name hold true.

Full review posted at Reader's Edyn on 03/22/20

Lily has found her calling. The unknown authoress of the advice behind the wildly popular Debutante’s Revenge, she has gone to great lengths to protect the identity of herself and the two others in cahoots with her. In disguise to deliver the article, she decides to tempt fate to see what life looks like from the perspective of a young lad as her disguise indicates that she is. Unsettled by a stranger who seems to sense something off about her, she stumbles into trouble and ends up getting knocked unconscious, which results in amnesia and being cared for by the mysterious stranger who sets her pulse to racing. She has no idea who she is, but she is certain that the attraction she feels for Nash is like nothing she has ever experienced before and she means to indulge in whatever possible before the reality of her identity comes calling.

Eric Nash - Duke of Stonebridge - is at a loss. He knew something wasn’t right when he first spotted the lad. Coming to the young boy’s rescue, he inadvertently ends up responsible for his memory loss … no, HER memory loss. Having no idea who she is, he is compelled to provide safe shelter during her convalescence. His sister, Delilah, is quite a bit of help and becomes fast friends with their new houseguest in record time. Nash is both looking forward to returning “Caroline” to her home, but also dreads her departure. As the search for her identity continues, the attraction between himself and “Caroline” becomes impossible to ignore. Despite the fact that she could be anyone from any class, even married, they give in to their deepest desires knowing it might only be a fleeting romance. But the heart wants what it wants and once “Caroline’s” true name is revealed it seems there could be hope for them after all. But throughout Lily’s stay with Nash and Delilah, many secrets were revealed and the darkness that clutches at Nash’s heart may be too great a hold for Lily to break through.

Eeeeep! I wasn’t sure I would love this book as much as the first, despite my anticipation! But sheesh! What a fun twist to throw in! In the preceding book, Lily’s sister, Fiona, is offered an anonymous column in the newspaper. Her husband, Gray, had been the one to write the words that accompanied the drawing. Refusing to dabble in poetry for which he never claimed a talent for, Fiona enlists Lily as her authoress. Together, Fiona draws, Lily writes, and their longtime friend Sophie pairs the art and writing together impeccably. The trio has settled into a routine since the conclusion of the first book with their column becoming ridiculously popular. Of course, with such advice being given the members of society either love the column or abhor it; mostly the women seem to embrace it and the men thrust it about as a piece of garbage created with ill intent. God forbid the women think for themselves. *coughs* In any case, these ladies have evolved quite a bit since first we were introduced and I had a blast revisiting with them. The amnesia spin was brilliant and allowed so much more emotion to enter the plot. From the unknown inspiring both fear and hope; to wrestling with feelings as they grew to palpable heights; to the internal struggle of “to do or not to do”; the journey that Nash and Lily embark on is nothing short of enchanting.

True to form from one story to the next, Nash is the ever brooding gentleman, grappling with his internal demons and struggling to keep his head above water until he finds a lifesaver in Lily. She is the light to his darkness; a beacon in his raging storm; ever the optimist and finding the silver lining in every situation. Tragic circumstances thrust Nash into his fiercely protective nature over Delilah, but with Lily’s insight and kind-heartedness, she mends the tentative thread between brother and sister. Also brought to light was the introduction of Lily’s mother. While we had been given hints at parts of her mother’s life in the previous book making the reveal expected, I was pleased with the reunion and Lily’s strength in accepting what was presented to her. Of course, her time with Nash and his unwavering support was paramount to her making it through such an unexpected meeting. But before she has time to fully assimilate the news, she and Nash and whisked away on a new journey to save another. Just when you think you have things figured out, another twist is tossed into the plot. Ms. Bennett kept me guessing and engaged from beginning to end. I enjoyed Lily immensely in the first book, but I absolutely adored her when my time ended with her this time around. I love how Ms. Bennett creates these strong men who are nearly undone by tragic circumstances. Although they have risen above to the best of their abilities, or what they think are the best, they are suddenly poleaxed by the unexpected arrival of their perfect match who sets their axis on tilt. If I had any complaint at all (and this is a bit of a spoiler), it’s that the timing on Lily’s courses didn’t quite work out. Also, that Delilah was so intent on proving Nash wrong, and Nash so fierce with protecting her, that she ends up placing herself in danger. However, I did enjoy how Ms. Bennett worked that debacle out. Well played. I confess I am curious if the series will continue despite beginning with three women. That in and of itself spells trilogy. However, Delilah deserves her own story to be certain!

For those of you who have yet to experience the Debutante Diaries and the fantastic women surrounding it, you are truly missing out. This historical romance series is such a fun and enchanting experience. Those who love HR and HEAs will be in heaven within this book and series. While this setting may be the regency era, the characters (more specifically the females) remain relatable. Despite anything the women may have to endure whether positive or negative, the family that they create together is what endures. A true friendship that allows them the courage to forge ahead in making their own way in the world, always speaking freely to one another, but supportive no matter what. I cannot yet speak to the third book, which is up next, but you can bet I will be continuing my adventure with these delightful debutantes forthwith.

Kindle version provided by NetGalley/St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. Not the best I've read but it had sweet moments.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/41150399

Lily is a smart woman, and I instantly connected with her. Nash's guilt consumed him, and in return he was controlling to his other sister. Amnesia isn't my cup of tea but it was a sweet read.

The Duke Is But A Dream is a sweet but slightly generic historical romance - I enjoyed reading it, but I'm not sure it will stick with me. Lily starts out as a fun and feisty heroine, but I felt she was muted a lot by her loss of memory, and I thought that Nash was rather boring for a hero. I never got a sense of what his goals were other than protecting his sister. His sister herself was actually a far more interesting character, and I liked her friendship with Lily. I also thought that the conceit of having Lily be the author of an anonymous column was a little too close to the conceit of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, but overall, this was cute and a perfectly serviceable romance.

I really enjoyed this story, Nash and Caroline/Lily were wonderful together. It was lovely watching them fall in love and trying to figure out who she really was. Glad they were able to get their HEA.

I have to admit that this is not one of my favorites from this author but it was still a good read. I had problems getting into but once I did, the story swept me away. Overall, decent read.

A fun light read! Perfect for a cozy snowy night. The romance was traditional and sweet with that perfect hint of modern.

The Duke is But a Dream by Anna Bennett
Subgenre: historical romance
Release date: 30 Jul 2019
Publisher: St Martin’s Paperbacks
Format: ebook and print
Length: 317 pages
RRP: $8.00 (ebook); $15.99 (print)
Lily Hartley is left in the house, as her newly married sister leaves with her husband, and her parents have gone away too. She is on a mission to take the latest article of The Debutante’s Revenge to the newspaper office. Unfortunately, as Lily’s curiosity gets the better of her, and she goes into one of the pubs, she is attacked. Her saviour accidently knocks her, and she is knocked out. He takes her to his home and cares for her. The next morning, Lily cannot remember who she is and why she was in that part of town. She takes on the name Caroline.
Eric Nash, Duke of Stonebridge or Duke of Stoneheart as he is called, still mourns the loss of his twin sister and their father. And he is keeping secrets around their death in a carriage accident. With Caroline, he is able to open up, and he admits to her what happened. But he has become overprotective of his younger sister. Delilah just wants to be free and flirt with the gentlemen. Delilah doesn’t heed Nash’s advice, and finds herself in the situation he warned her about. Nash is able to share this with Caroline (Lily).
When Lily discovers who she really is, she and Nash need to keep their distance. Naturally Lily is upset by this, and Nash tears himself apart. It is Delilah who puts it into perspective for him. He then sets about making the grand proposal.
I am really enjoying this series with the sisters and their friend. The women are strong and willing to do what it takes be ‘modern’ women in Regency England. They have few fears and want to be able to share their strength with other debutantes.
Reviewed by Heather
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Cute and steamy book. However it litterary took me ages to finish it. Also there were some parts I just skipped, because I was bored.
It was a mediocre book for me

Cute and sweet. A simple story with lots of chemistry between the main characters. The amnesia angle is generic but serves to fill some plot holes. Lilly's parentage is an interesting point but needs some fleshing out. The Duke is but a Dream has a familiar plot but the storytelling is so fine that this is an enjoyable read.

The Duke Is But a Dream by Anna Bennett kept me fully engaged and wondering what would happen next. I was drawn into the story from the very beginning and found myself looking forward to grabbing the time to read more. I just found out this is the second book of a series, I had no idea and feel the author did a good job giving the backstory of each character, enough so I never felt I was missing crucial information. This is a fun and fast romantic read, great for the upcoming cold winter evenings.

I loved this book!! This is the second book I read from this author and loved! Historical Fiction is my favorite genre and this book is one reason why!!

I don’t have much experience with memory loss books, but the storyline didn’t really work for me in this one — though I found it charming for the most part, it gave me a sense of unease. I suppose this is good because the author has managed to transfer the feelings of the character onto me, but I really didn’t enjoy the particular feelings! I did enjoy the mystery and the intrigue that came with it though, and it definitely got me thinking!

I loved the article that she was the writer of and how it spoke brazenly about relationships and sex, and portrayed the idea that women do not exist purely for men’s entertainment. I really did like that and the quotes at the start of chapters were fantastic. I would honestly read that section of the paper every single day! It was a really welcome element of the book and I really, really appreciated the feminism running through this book. I often approach historical romances with trepidation because I fear that sexism may be at the forefront, but it definitely was not the case with this story — feminism, sex, love, women etc were expressed brilliantly, fantastically and so refreshingly. I found the addition of frank discussion about women finding pleasure in sex particularly great, and loved how all sexist assumptions about sex were debunked in such a funny, clever way. I just loved it!

The writing was fantastic, the pacing was great, and my favourite thing about the novel was The Debutante Diaries! It’s a lot of fun reading these sections and adds so much to the story and gives it a further depth.

I adored the female friendship featured in this, too, and really adored seeing their relationship blossom. I actually felt more chemistry between the male protagonists sister and Lily and didn’t feel much between Lily and Nash, which was extremely disappointing given that they’re at the forefront of the novel.

That being said, I had a fun time reading it! If you want a historical romance sans the sexism, go for this one! It was a massive amount of fun and I can’t wait to read more from this author. I would recommend this to both seasoned romance readers and new ones; I think it’s definitely a winner.

Miss Lily Hartley is the anonymous mastermind behind the ton’s latest obsession: The Debutante’s Revenge, a tell-all advice column for young ladies. To keep her identity hidden, Lily delivers her columns disguised as a boy—which is well and good, until she lands in the middle of tavern brawl. As luck would have it, a devastatingly handsome duke sweeps in to rescue her.
This was a great story by a great author. I’ve read a number of her books and they don’t disappoint. I really liked both main characters as well as the plot. I recommend.
This was a great story by a great author. I’ve read a number of her books and they don’t disappoint. I really liked both main characters as well as the plot. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

I love a good amnesia story and this book definitely delivers that! Lily is a feisty, devil-may-care character who keeps Nash on his toes. As a fan of Julia Quinn, I really enjoyed Lily's story as an anonymous columnist and her endeavours to keep her secret just that. The relationship between her and Nash's sister is also really touching and an extra element of warmth to the book.

Miss Lily Hartley, dressed as a boy to deliver her newspaper column, is hit in the head when a fight breaks out in a tavern. The Duke of Stonebridge, or Nash, feels guilty for his part in her injury when he realizes the "lad" is a woman and brings her to his home. Lily is definitely ahead of her time. If you can suspend belief long enough that a wealthy young woman of the time would dress as a boy to roam the streets, write a spicy newspaper column, have an affair with a man she just met while living in his house (no shyness here!) , and, oh yeah... has amnesia, you're in for a fun read! Lily is entertaining to say the least, Nash is damaged by past trauma, and his sister Delilah provides the drama.

Miss Lily Hartley is the anonymous mastermind behind the ton’s latest obsession: The Debutante’s Revenge, a titillating advice column for ladies on the marriage mart., She is feisty and independent. To keep her identity secret she dresses as a boy when delivering copy to the newspaper. However on one occasion after delivering her column she unwittingly finds herself in the middle of a tavern brawl. In a strange twist of events the very gallant and gorgeous Duke of Stonebridge comes to her aid and in the ensuing fight she ends up banging her head and losing all memory of who she is. The Duke realising she is not a boy sweeps her up out of the tavern and takes her to his own house to receive medical attention. The interaction between the two is well written and full of tension as they both come to the realisation that they have feelings for each other whilst trying to solve the mystery of who she is. I enjoyed this book and would definitely read more by this author. If you like historical romance books you will love this one.

Grateful to read again a wonderful work from Miss Anna Bennett.

The Debutante's Revenge is such an intriguing advice column. Lily is a creative and talented writer. The disguise as a lad is perfect!

The mild amnesia part is good and it actually led Lily to meet a very important person in her life.

Eric is a dashing duke but a non-believer of The Debutante's Revenge. As the story goes along there is a haunting secret about Eric and why he such a protective brother to Delilah.

I can't wait for the last installment of this series! Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

Short Synopsis:
The Debutante’s Revenge is a weekly column that gives advice to women and empowers them to follow their hearts. Some advice goes beyond what the matrons approve of and so authoress Lily Hartley knows she must keep her involvement a secret, disguising herself as a boy to deliver her columns.

On one such night, she visits a tavern in order to enjoy the freedom her disguise grants her. When a brawl breaks out and she is rendered unconscious, she loses her memory and all sense of who she is.

Coming to her rescue is Nash, the Duke of Stonebridge. A man who considers himself too cold to love, having this woman living in his home is tearing down his defenses. But can he love her the way she deserves?

My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this! From the first chapter, I was sucked in. I loved Lily’s personality and the way she went about her life. Soft but outspoken. Humble and yet proud of her column, The Debutante’s Revenge. She was nothing more than who she was, and that was a beautiful soul. When she lost her memory, I half expected her to turn into a timid mouse afraid of everything around her and just be fraught with misery about not knowing who she is. But she made a family out of Nash and his sister Delilah. It was truly beautiful. Nash was the dashing hero in this tale, but Lily was the star. I loved the relationship between these two, as well as their well-meaning families.

The writing was beautiful and smooth. At no point in this was there a lull where I felt inclined to put it down. Simply an amazing story and an incredible romance.

Would I Recommend:
Absolutely! This is my first read by Anna Bennett and I certainly would pick up another book by her. I’m really hoping that some of the other characters in this book get their own romance. A must-read!