Adam, the Duke of Azureford, is perceived as cold and aloof by his peers, but really he's just shy and socially awkward. Now he wishes to do his duty to the dukedom by marrying an appropriate bride, but he'll need to make some changes first. He's planning to reinvent himself by transforming his library into a billiards room and practicing his social skills on the people of the town of Cressmouth before trying his luck on the real stage in London. His wildly inappropriate neighbor turns out to be the perfect billiards teacher, but she's make a terrible duchess. Right?

Carole Quincy loves logic and math and has been keeping her household together since her mother's death. She's happy to help loosen up the straight-laced duke and let him practice his flirting on her. She never intends to marry anyway so what could be the harm?

This was another cute Christmas story in the 12 Dukes series. It's a quick feel-good read and I think those are always enjoyable. Although these two harping on about all the reasons they couldn't be together did get a bit old after awhile, especially given that this is a short novella, overall I liked this story and look forward to the next.

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

Wonderful romcom!

Meet Adam, a shy duke, and Carole, his billiards playing neighbour. The two work closely together when Carole helps Adam build the perfect billiards room and helps him practice small talk, so that he may chat up the perfect future Duchess of Azureford. Queue HEA!

Erica Ridley’s ‘Dukes, Actually’ is the fifth book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series. Whilst this is a great addition to the series, this is a standalone story. The story follows Adam, the Duke of Azureford, who is incredibly shy, yet loves being around people. He just isn’t sure what to say when they want to talk to him. Consequently, his air of arrogance is well known. Having purchased his home in Christmas, Cressmouth (England), he decides to clear out most of his library so that he can establish a billiards room, in the hope of meeting people and finding a wife. Carole Quincy is his neighbour and at his last party, managed to lose her book containing designs of rooms in Adam’s home. However, before she could retrieve her book, she had to leave, and has since found herself trying to get the book back. In an attempt to find her book, she ends up assisting Adam to sort through his library, to help him donate books to charity and clear the room for his dream billiards room. The more time they spend together, the more Carole and Adam, find themselves comfortable in each other’s company and realising that they have met their perfect match.
This was such a great story with two people, who finds the other so easy to be with. At times, their conversation seemed so modern in their hilarious responses to each other. In many ways, Adam’s confidence flourishing was the highlight of the story. I also enjoyed the exchange and romance between Carole’s lady’s maid and Adam’s butler. Combine all this with descriptive scenery and you have a delightful novella, just in time for Christmas.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Another charming story in this series. The story is touching in parts, a bit sad at times and definitely amusing at others. The author does a good job of defining the characters from the start so their compunctions and actions are totally understandable. The romance with the butler and ladies maid is so adorable, even though is makes for some amusing scenes. I love heroines that are smart and unconventional and hero’s that are not so very full of themselves.

Another great story from the village of Christmas and Ridley. I just love the quirkiness of her characters and romance brought to life.

I love this Christmas series written by Erica Ridley.
She does an amazing job with the characters.
The Duke of Azureford i s on the lookout for a wife. However, in order to find a respectable lady to wed, he must first make himself a marketable asset. No one would want a Duke who can't flirt, can't carry on a conversation, and who becomes shy in big crowds, or would they.
Miss Carole Quincy is the neighbor to the Duke of Azureford. She spends her days in Christmas taking care of her father. She is very outgoing and knows everyone in town.
When she teams up with the Duke of Azureford to help him win a bride. She does not expect any feelings to come, especially when she is not planning on getting married.
Erica Ridley has done it again. Her book grabbed me from the first sentence. I finally put the book down when I had finished it completely.
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is book five in the twelve Dukes of Christmas series. Spunky and independent Carole attracts shy Adam. He hopes she will teach him how to be more comfortable around people so he can find a suitable wife to be his duchess. Adam realizes that what makes her so attractive to him will also make her a great duchess. Erica Ridley does a great job of developing the characters in such a relatively short book. Can’t wait for the next one! I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Another delightful novella written by Erica Ridley! I thought this was such a sweet and fun story and the two main characters, Carole and Adam, were very easy to love:) Adam first comes across as very aloof and grumpy but he's actually just the opposite, shyness is stopping him from being able to be himself when around people. Carole, on the other hand, is the opposite, full of life and loved by all who know her. And she's a genius at Billiards, how awesome is that?!!!

I loved seeing how Carole manages to get Adam out of his shell and while helping him build the perfect Billiards room, they grow closer and closer. Circumstances stand in their way, though, and the road to their HEA hits a few bumps. Apart from that, there's lots of humor in the story and I'm still giggling at Adam's come on lines! lol

I was given an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

Cute story, not a lot of frisson or spice

I adore these sweet Christmas romances! Ms. Ridley is masterful in the latest book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series. Adam Farland, Duke of Azureford, gets tongue-tied in social settings. He has no problem addressing Parliament, but is at a total loss with small talk. He plans to visit his cottage to practice his social skills by building a billiards room. His next door neighbor, Miss Carole Quincy lost her precious sketchbook in that same cottage and tries to retrieve it only to be confronted by the angry Duke at her intrusion in his home.

Thus begins their relationship and it is a delightful road they're on. There were some laugh-out-loud moments when Carole demonstrates her skills in mathematics and architecture. Adam soon relaxes and begins to enjoy conversations with Carole. I love seeing the heroine have intelligence and skills beyond shopping and embroidery. I only wish there was more explanation on why Adam was so shy. Was he like that throughout his childhood and schooling? All in all this was another enjoyable read. I look forward to reading the next story in this wonderful series.

Adam, the Duke of Azureford, buys the cottage next door to the Quincy's. Shy and awkward in social conversation, he is immediately relaxed with his neighbors daughter, Carole. She becomes his hope of making himself over. What brings them together is giving her the task of remolding his library into a billiard room and teaching him to play billiards. In the meantime, their attraction becomes more, but her commitment to her father holds her back. Where do they go from here when he has to return to London?
Absolutely loved, loved reading this book. A short read that moves quickly and didn't disappoint. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I enjoyed reading this lighthearted romance. It is set in the town of Christmas and is charming. The hero and heroine were both intelligent, likable people. The background characters are always well written too.
I would however, like to see more Regency period but this series is a lovely idea and can't wait for the next book.
I would recommend this book to adults.


I was given this book as an ARC from the Author and the opinions are my own.
Thanks Erica Ridley

The Duke of Azureford is very shy though he appears aloof. His next door neighbor at his summer home in the land of Christmas all year round. Carole has offered to help him get more able to talk and interact with others so he can find a bride. All of this time they are getting more comfortable with each other and becoming good friends. She is sworn to spinsterhood. Can they make this work or not? I always enjoy the romance of Erica Ridley's books.

Dukes, Actually is book 5 in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series. It was a very sweet and enjoyable read. I loved how Carole was such a mathematician and that she had dreams of putting all her designs to use. I also liked how she didn't follow the typical mold of a society lady she wishes to have kids. Adam was a poor duke that hid behind his title. He came off as aloof, but he was just a shy man. The difference in personalities between them made them very compatible. I liked how Adam used her designs for his billiard room and gave her credit for all the work. She proved to him that she knew what she was talking about.
I liked how the author described how billiards where played and how math played a big role.
Great story!!

Thank you to the author for sending the ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

This was an amazing book. It’s books number 5 out of 12. I enjoyed the plot and the characters. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Lighthearted, quirky and fun, this delightful romance sums up the theory that opposites attract. Only, the Duke of Azureford and Carole Quincy are so far off the spectrum of their respective scales, that it is a wonder that they ever found anything in common. Yet they did just that, bonding over billiards. In the process, Adam discovers that he no longer wants to find the perfect duchess, but rather the right woman, one that will fulfill him and become light and life to his icy solitude. Although this novel is fairly short, it is nevertheless fun and made me laugh out loud. Adam is a completely relatable character as I know men just as introvert and uptight as he is, and couldn't help but giggle when I saw the comparison. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Wonderfully romantic! Our welcome back to Cressmouth is a great addition to the 12 Dukes series. I loved this story. Adam is shy and so sweet. Carole is a bit of a hoyden but loves her father and wants to spend as much time with him as she can. I enjoyed reading how she cared for her family and was not always at odds with them. Billiards drew them together but their understanding of each other and the love that developed was a beautiful story.

Short xmas novella in the xmas town.
Cute and funny. Love a heroine who can play billiards because she knows her geometry! Not me alas, but why not? I have friends who are architects/engineers and can do all this, it was just the social customs then that made females un-emancipated.
As always a nice read.

Part of the 12 Dukes of Christmas series this book can still be read as a stand alone book without having read any of the previous ones.
As soon as you turn the page you are enveloped into the life of Christmas and the beautifully developing romance between Carole and Adam.
A whirlwind romance to warm a reader on a cold winters day.

This was a cute short read. I wish there had been a bit more intrigue but given it was a short story I don't really see how that could possibly be done without creating a full length novel. I do feel this had all the hallmarks of turning into a ful fledged read if the author chose to do so. All in all I liked the characters, I do wish we knew a little more about them especially the duke. After all, how can he possibly have no friends at all before he learns billiards, it's just not rational given he would have gone to Eton and then Cambridge or the like. I feel like the presence of one friend would have rounded off his character. The same could be said about Carole. We had the perfect opportunity to craft a close friend of hers with the newlywedded friend at the beginning, but we never saw her until the mentioned introduction at the billiards party. I guess in a nut she'll I just wish there had been mor. But was was present was great.