Jeffries has just set up another intriguing, inventive historical series premise: a woman who has been widowed three times by dukes after presenting each with an heir, so three of her sons are half-brothers and each dukes in their own right. This first book focuses on the oldest, called Grey, who has been estranged from the family for many years. When he comes home at last for his stepfather’s funeral, he finds himself falling hard for his brother’s cousin, Beatrice. (Fortunately there’s a family tree at the beginning. It all makes sense, I swear.)

Beatrice is guarded around men for her own reasons and determined to remain independent. But she’s still drawn to Grey. Also there’s a tense subplot involving Beatrice’s war-wounded brother and a series of possible murders. The sprawling cast of characters here is delightful and I can’t wait to see the other siblings get their own stories!

#ProjectDuchess not the best title if I’m honest! But it is by Sabrina Jeffries and she has a reputation of being rather good at historical romances.

Fletcher “Grey” Pryde, 4th Duke of Greycourt had once been close to his family that was until he was sent back to England to claim his dukedom under the guardianship of his uncle. Torn from a happy home Grey was distant from his mother and siblings until his stepfather passed away suddenly.

Beatrice Wolfe had been fending off her unruly uncle for years and dealing with her surly brother, she’d hoped for a quiet life. The chance to find a husband and have children.

Their unlikely romance is lovely, both characters adorable in their own way. Strong and stubborn. I enjoyed it throughly and look forward to Thorns and the others stories.

<b>**Thanks to the author and #netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.** </b>

The Duchess Project highlights the idea that people’s true self is often buried beneath appearances. When they first meet, the two main characters of Grey and Bea only see what is on the surface. Grey is damaged and displays arrogance and distance to both strangers and family alike. Bea is Grey’s half-brother’s cousin and has been orphaned and reliant upon Grey’s extended family. However, Bea is still her own strong person, very charming and outspoken, which is an interesting dichotomy that the author manages quite well. Although Bea and Grey clash when they first meet, there is an undeniable attraction there. Naturally, they face obstacles and mysteries.

The author has woven the family and underlying mystery together in Bea and Grey’s story, setting us up for a continuance to the series. This family has their issues, but most of all they love each other. I enjoyed this book, it’s a great beach read if you’re looking for one, and I look forward to reading others in the series as well. Good story, interesting characters and mysteries – it’s a win/win/win.

I was happy that I asked for Ms. Jeffries book, this is the first book in this series and with how she started it lets me know that I will be looking forward to reading the rest. We meet Grey a standoffish Duke. He is that way because he was raised away from his family since the age of 10 and now doesn't really let anyone in. We meet Beatrice who is sort of a relation to him since she is his half brothers cousin. These are instantly attracted to each other but both feel that they would not suit. She is penniless and even though she is 26 an age that would be considered on the shelf has not even had a debut. Grey offers to assist both her and his sister on the ways of the ton and while spending time together they cannot deny a chemistry but they have multiple problems that will put a damper on things. 1) he is trying to get info on her brother to prove or disprove that he killed his uncle which would be Grey's stepdad. 2)Greys manipulative aunt trying to force his hand on marrying his cousin...How will they overcome it? Grab a copy and enjoy! I personally can not wait on reading more from this family.

Two and a half stars.

Fletcher “Grey” Pryde, 5th Duke of Greycourt is summoned to his step-father's estate when he receives news that his step-father Maurice has died unexpectedly. His mother had married three Dukes and had five children, three of whom were now Dukes in their own rights (following the deaths of their respective fathers). Grey has never forgiven his family for sending him to England to live with his abusive uncle when he was only a young boy, leaving him to grow up alone.

When Grey arrives he mistakes his step-father's niece Beatrice Wolfe for a maid or a representative from the undertakers, he is arrogant and abrupt for which Beatrice cuts him nicely down to size.

Originally Grey intended to spend only a night with his family before returning to London, but when his step-brother Sheridan shares his suspicion that Maurice was murdered, and indeed that his brother Armie was also murdered before him, Grey feels compelled to stay and help with the investigations, especially when suspicion falls on Beatrice's older brother Joshua.

Meantime, Grey's mother is determined to present Beatrice at court when she presents her own daughter Gwynn, ashamed that Maurice's brother Armie didn't do more for his niece. She forces Grey and his brothers to help in coaching the girls in the etiquette of high society, including teaching them to dance.

At first Grey cultivates Beatrice's company to further his investigations into Joshua but soon he is intrigued by her honesty, her beauty and her wit. But his childhood has made him slow to trust others, especially with his heart, and a lowly woman with no dowry is not a suitable candidate for the role of Duchess of Greycourt.

I really enjoyed the start of this novel, the idea of a woman who had been married three times, the hint of mystery, the feisty heroine and the supercilious hero - catnip I tell you!

Unfortunately, all too soon the focus of the novel turned to page after page after page of heavy petting and sexual encounters with little to no plot development. On and on it went, full of florid language like his 'large staff' and references to 'ravishing' and 'plundering', it felt repetitive and frankly derivative. I was also massively disappointed by the end(view spoiler). This felt 'wrong', the heavy-handed use of historical words alongside the modern sexual attitudes just didn't sit right for me. Even the cover doesn't fit the novel, given that the family is in mourning and Beatrice is a poor relation.

I have only read one novella written by Sabrina Jeffries which I really enjoyed, maybe her writing style is more appealing to me in a shorter format.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Murder and romance, a winning combination in my mind. Were not one but two dukes murdered? In a book filled with three living and four deceased dukes, this is a novel of the creme de la creme and the misdeeds that befall men of such exalted ranks in society. I am a sucker for a good ducal romance and this book crossed all the Ts and dotted every "i" I could desire. It left me wanting more, which is good because we still have two dukes and their sister to go, along with possibly the marital happiness of one or two other characters before we can wrap up this series and it's subsequent murder plot. Masterfully crafted by the renowned Sabrina Jeffries, this was another must have for my shelf that I couldn't put down. I eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.

Having an idyllic childhood with his mother replaced by one with a manipulative aunt and uncle has left Fletcher Pryde, the Duke of Greycourt wealthy and shrewd, but with a hardened heart and a falsified reputation as a rogue. Grey has put his focus on expanding his holdings, not look to settle down. When his mother is widowed yet again and he meets and unconventional cousin of his half brother, Grey is instantly intrigued. Even still, he knows himself to be incapable of love, no matter how drawn to her he is.

After her horrid uncle's treatment of her, Beatrice Wolfe doesn't put much stock in romance and only craves security. The arrogant duke isn't exactly changing her outlook either, even if she's desperately attracted to him. Beatrice has become the latest 'project' of Grey's grief-stricken mother and soon he's also helping to prepare her and his half sister Gwyn for a London debut. The more Beatrice gets to know Grey, the more difficult it is for her to keep her distance, but when he starts probing into the family's skeletons she may be forced to choose between her loyalty to family and her newfound feelings.

This was a delightful story and very refreshing for me since my reads lately have been so short on heroines who are strong without being annoying or insipid. Beatrice was neither of those things, but rather her outspokenness and unconventionality, as well as her refusal to be cowed, made her lovable. Grey was adorably damaged but lovable as well, he just had to learn to see that as well. This story was emotional and an endearing tale of family, while also including some mystery to keep me intrigued for the next book as well.

This is a delightful start to a new series and I can't wait for the next installment already.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wonderful enemies to lovers historical!

Sabrina Jeffries wields drama and wit in equal measure with these vibrant characters. Both Fletcher, Duke of Greycourt and Beatrice Wolfe have their reasons for guarding their heart, and I loved how it was revealed layer by layer.

Sparks and barbed words fly almost immediately after meeting for the first time at the funeral of Fletcher's step-father, Maurice - the third husband to die after being married to Lydia Fletcher. There's definitely something more going on than an accidental drowning and Fletcher's half-brother tasks him with investigating Beatrice's recalcitrant brother.

Jeffries weaves the conflict and romance so nicely, and juggles a fairly large cast of characters with ease. I can't wait to see where this mystery takes us in the next Duke Dynasty novel!

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I have always loved Sabrina Jeffries books, and this one did not disappoint. It is book 1 in a new series and I cannot wait for the second book.
The Duke of Greycourt has grown up away from his family in a very cruel environment. He grows up to be a very cold, heartless Duke. While wealthy, he is not able to see past the events of his youth to move forward and form relationships with others, including his family.
Beatrice has also grown up having challenges and cruelty to face and bear. With the unexpected murder of Beatrices uncle, Grey's StepFather, accusations are thrown out, bonds are formed, and secrets of the past are revealed. Can these two strong willed people come together or will they fight the attraction they both feel?
Little cliffhanger on who is the murderer.
Really enjoyed this easy read book!

This was a nice attempt to create a romance that focused on undoing toxic family relationships, allowing the hero and heroine to open up not just to each other but to the family members who did love them, but the execution was pretty poor. The writing was clunky, with dialogue often feeling stilted and awkward, and the steamier scenes had some really strange phrases that took you right out of the moment (comparing the heroine to Welsh rarebit stuck in my mind...).

The plot relied quite heavily on people talking about things without doing anything about them, and the climax of the plot is forced by the action of someone who hasn't appeared in the novel since the first few pages, which felt rather random. I don't read romance for intricacy of plots, so this reliance on coincidence is not a deal-breaker in and of itself, but I do need the characters to feel realistic, and the awkward dialogue spoiled that for me. Three out of five stars.

Project Duchess (Duke Dynasty, #1) by Sabrina Jeffries ... LOVED...LOVED...LOVED... thanks so much to Sabrina, the publisher and #NetGalley for allowing me to preview and review this book. Fletcher(Grey) Pryde ..5th Duke of Greycourt...rich..rogue...with a troubled and misunderstood childhood.. Beatrice (Bea) Wolfe ..orphaned (poor...cousin to Grey's half brother(who is also a Duke) she also has a troubled brother who returned injured from war...His family is complicated but charming...there are laughs, tears, a murder mystery or two, suspicion, secrets, steamy sex all getting us to a very HEA. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Action-packed Tragic Tear-jerker Steamy Happily Ever After Romantic WittyPage-turner Unpredictable Easy-to-read Great world building Entertaining Wonderful characters

Another hit for Sabrina Jeffries. I was drawn in with characters from the beginning. Beatrice and Grey had great chemistry. Likeable secondary characters

Great author.
Cute book.
Romantic and sweet story.
Read when you need something cheesy and sweet.
It will melt your heart and bubble you from inside out.

I was given an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review

This was such a sweet story, a pleasure of a romance-made me so happy on a rainy day. Cute.

Sabrina Jeffries always seems to write engaging historical romances filled with well rounded characters whose love develops over time. And I am happy to say she has done it again with The Duchess Project.


The starting premise behind the series, a mother of three sons who are Dukes do their different ducal fathers is a bit far fetched. However, once I let that tidbit go, I embraced Grey, Sheridan, and Thornstone, as well as their sister Gywn. They clearly love one another but have a long history to overcome. Learning their background and relationships to each other was interesting and makes me hope that each one will have their own book!

This story is dedicated to Grey and Beatrice. Opposites who very definitely initially repel and then attract one another. Their chemistry was palpable as was their respect and eventual love. No good romance is complete without some obstacles but the two were able to overcome with the help of their families.

I found this to be a lovely start to the series and it definitely has me wishing that the others will be coming soon as I have grown to quite enjoy both Grey's family and Bea's brother.

The book was ok. It wasn't my favorite book ever but it wasn't bad.

Gray is a Duke. From a family of Dukes. This sounds like it would be obvious right? His dad had to have been a Duke and his grandfather before that. Makes sense. What is a little strange in this book is that Gray's mother is a three times widow. Each of her husband's we're dukes and had untimely demises. The premise seems a little weird but it was ok.

At the start of the book, Gray has been a little estranged from his family and he goes home to the funeral. And there he meets Beatrice. Beatrice had a difficult upbringing but has managed to be a strong confident woman.

I liked the story but I wouldn't read it again. Something was off with the pacing of the book so the middle felt very slow and boring. I also felt that the author introduced alot of characters in a short period. I get that it was a setup for future books but it was kind of confusing in some places. Overall, I might recommend the book to fans of the author but probably wouldn't recommend it otherwise

Yes! I love this convoluted family: four sons and one daughter from a woman who loves plays and her three husbands. All dukes. All dead. Fletcher aka Grey is the oldest. He reconnects with his mother and half-siblings in this book while investigating the death of his stepfather Maurice. Sheridan, who is one of Maurice's two sons, is suspicious of the circumstances of his father's drowning. And he suspects one of his cousins of murder. Project Duchess has romance, passion, a mystery (or two) and wonderful, incessant bickering and teasing among the siblings. Loved it! I can't wait for the next installment in this series.

I usually love love love anything Sabrine Jeffries writes, but this one fell a little flat for me and I can't quite figure out why. All the elements I like were there but somehow they didn't come together to make a story that kept me reading.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was very clearly the first in a series, setting up all the siblings and step-siblings and cousins who will go on to get their own books. There was even a family tree, although the format of it doesn't really work on a Kindle. Some of these minor characters (Wolfe, Vanessa) were much more interesting than Grey and Bea, the hero and heroine here. Grey's character was inconsistent and hard to understand and he acted dishonourably. Bea was supposed to be practical and sensible and behaved without a thought for her future and well-being, There was a also a mystery (lots of the step-father figures had died, query been murdered) which was investigated in a faintly hysterical fashion by Grey and his step-brothers and this remains unsolved to be carried on to the next book.

I'd be interested to read Wolfe's story, but this one wasn't great.

It has been awhile since I’ve read any historical romances and even longer since I’ve read anything by Sabrina Jeffries so I was very excited when I was given the opportunity to read the ARC of Project Duchess.

I really loved Grey and Beatrice’s story. Fletcher “Grey” Pryde, 5th Duke of Greycourt had a very difficult childhood. He was sent away to live with his aunt and uncle where he was treated horribly. This resulted him to become cold and distant with everyone around him. But when he meets Beatrice Wolfe, who has become a sort of project to Grey’s mother, something about her draws him to her. Unfortunately, due to Beatrice’s own difficult upbringing she is very leery of Grey’s interest in her. There are many obstacles that makes their road to their happily ever after very bumpy; secrets they are keeping from each other, interfering secondary characters and a murder mystery. But the close proximity and chemistry they feel towards each other is very strong which makes them inevitable.

Overall I really did enjoy this book. There were parts that I felt were a bit slow and the back and forth from Grey did get a bit tiresome, especially with his suspicions, but all in all the chemistry, the banter and the murder mystery kept me interested. I am definitely looking forward to reading the future books in this series, especially with the secondary characters and unanswered questions lingering.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.