I really didn’t love the connection between Ada and Peter. I usually read romance for a low stress story, and honestly it just made me sad. Also, I felt like the love story was a little bit insta love which isn’t my favorite.
Super slow burn.
I do like this author and her writing. I really enjoy some of her other books so I will say that I will continue to read this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc. All opinions are my own.

This is one of the better in the series. However, it’s unusual for all plans of a HEA to hinge on finding long-buried treasure. It was fun seeing how the group of 4 young ladies combined their skills to solve a riddle from beyond the grave using Peter’s sister Delia’s notes in Finnish. Unfortunately, there is no real sense of the chemistry between Ada and Peter and they’re both very young (18 and 24) which makes it difficult to buy into the idea of lifelong love. The description of the decrepit castle is fascinating, especially Delia’s room at the top of a spiral stone staircase without a ballaster that hugged the stone wall of a tower. It’s ironic that she died in a fall from a cliff when she could have just as easily fallen going to and from her chamber. It’s also very disappointing for fans of this series how little we see of the Earl of Macklin or Tom in this entry considering they were a highlight of the other books. I look forward to the Earl’s own love story in the final book in the series.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Peter and Ada are drawn together by tragedy. They knew each other before, but their shared grief is what brought them together. A Duke Too Far by Jane Ashford has a tragic loss and a mystery. I'm not sure why so many have it 3 stars because I enjoyed it.

I liked the connection that brought the two characters together. Though sad and mysterious, the death of the Duke's sister and the heroines closest friend brought them together and helped them through their shared grief.

Slow burn romance and I found the story to be ok.

Both Peter Rathbone, Duke of Compton and Miss Ada Grandison are extremely saddened by the death of Delia, Peter's family. Delia was also Ada's closest friend. Ada approached Peter because she has possession of a note left to her by Delia that just might change the fate of the Rathbone family.

Both Peter and Ada are interesting in this book. Peter, despite his title, is all but destitute. Ava is plagued by nightmares. They soon discover that they are kindred spirits, especially as they are both mourning Delia. As Ada spends more time with Peter, getting to the bottom of the note that Ada found is excellent common ground.

This note gives an air of mystery to this story, and has the potential of changing not only Peter's life, but Ada's as well. The romance was slow, very slow. This pleasant book is part of an enjoyable Regency romance series. The other books are Brave New Earl, A Lord Apart, and How to Cross a Marquess. The fifth book in this series is titled Earl's Well That Ends Well, set for release in December.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

They were connected by loss and drawn down the same path by a mystery. Peter and Ada will have several obstacles, both literal and emotional, to overcome before they find their HEA but I could tell it was going to be so very worth it.

Peter is the last of the London gentlemen that Earl of Macklin is determined to see settled. This matchmaker has seen some beautiful success in his last three adventures so there was no doubt he’d make this stubborn Duke and his late sister’s best friend see that they were made for each other. It wasn’t a difficult argument to convince sweet Ada, she’d been attracted to the Duke for years. The Duke was a whole other matter. Bitterness and disappointment have a way of blinding a person to what’s right in front of them.

I liked that this wasn’t insta love. They had to get to know each other on a deeper level and trust was a big part of that. The build up is a slow burn. I would have liked for the pacing to not have been quite so slow but it was worth the read to finish the book.

Ms. Ashford introduced several new possible future heroines with this book. I would like to see them explored and allowed their own adventures. Ada’s aunt was fun, too.

Readers who enjoy a good mystery with a lovely dose of romance may enjoy Peter and Ada’s story. The Earl of Macklin’s quest is complete with this book but I could easily imagine this world expanding and the lives of those he brought together building and growing.

I'm normally a fan of this author but this story just did not capture my attention like the other books. I did not like Ada's attitude and I think the duke fell in love with her too fast. I didnt like how the story ended either. I felt it was unfinished.

This book had me going back & tracking down other books in the series. Love the style of writing & character development. Will definitely read again.

Peter Rathbone, Duke of Compton, is still reeling from his younger sister Delia’s tragic death and barely scraping by financially, trying to salvage the ducal lands with nearly no income. He has nothing to lose, so when his late sister’s friends descend upon him unannounced, he has no choice but to host them in an impromptu house party that could change everything for him.

Miss Ada Grandison is haunted by dreams of her late friend and hopes a visit to her home, and her handsome brother, will help her overcome her grief. As Peter, Ada, and her friends try to parse meaning from the cryptic note Delia left behind, Peter finds himself increasingly skeptical and afraid to hope for a change in his circumstances, especially when his burgeoning feelings for Ada make him long for that change more than ever before.

This was an ok book for me, but I wouldn’t precisely call it entertaining. I was intrigued by the premise, but it seemed nothing really happened for much of the book. I was rather bored for much of it and it started to feel like I was reading the same scenes over and over with Peter being awkward, but rather adorable, if cynical, and Ada being a bit vapid and immature, but also admirably determined. I really didn’t enjoy the girl group shenanigans we got here; Ada and her friends just seemed rather immature much of the time and very rude to Peter. Despite his reduced circumstances, he was still a duke and their host and deserved better treatment. To that end, while his loneliness and cluelessness made him charming, Peter was also a bit too much of a beta hero and I wanted him to stand up for himself a bit more.

There was very little in the way of romance here. In fact, I think there were more scenes featuring Ada and her friends than there were between Ada and Peter. This combined with an utter lack of steam, not to mention the abject loneliness of Peter’s situation and the immaturity demonstrated by both himself and Ada, made this seem like a fleeting sort of puppy love more so than a lasting relationship with a true foundation. The mystery aspect here started out intriguing, but it just fizzled out and there was no romantic chemistry to keep things going either. Ada never tried to understand Peter or his worries, she was just determined to have her own way and it fortunately worked out, but there was never any real relationship development or attempts to get to know one another. This combined with the extremely slow pacing had me losing interest rapidly. There was a good set up for this to be a solid, gothic themed novel and it just didn’t pan out. The most compelling characters here were Aunt Julia and the Earl of Macklin so I may read the next book for them, but I’m not sure at this point.

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

This was a lacklustre read for me. There were too many characters and not enough action to keep me engaged. There was no chemistry between the characters, it felt like a first love relationship, not a life long love. I don't believe the characters would have remained happy together. This book would serve well for a young person who is only starting out with historicals as it features an 18-year-old and 24 years old and it's very chaste. 

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A very strong start but fell flat towards the end for me. The first half or so of this book had me invested, I enjoyed the mystery well enough. Towards the middle it got kind of dull for me. I wanted more from the romance. This was a very clean romance and I think I was just expecting a little bit more than what I actually got, and that's my fault with my personal preferences. Overall an average read for me.

Confession: I was late to the historical romance game. Do you want to know which author changed my mind and my life? Jane Ashford!! Four years ago, I picked up her novel Once Again a Bride, and I never looked back. She never disappoints.

Y’all, this book is everything I look for when I sit down to read a romance. It’s fun, funny, engaging, endearing, clever, and mysterious, and yes, it’s also hot! I didn’t want the story to end. I wanted to crawl into the pages and live there for a while.

If you’re looking for a compelling and romantic story with a hero and a heroine that you can root for, pick this up. Turn off the world, and escape into A Duke Too Far. It’s the cure for what ails ya!

While I enjoyed the story line of Ashford's latest book, I didn't think it was as well written as her previous stories. I really enjoyed Ada and her friends (I'm guessing they might feature into future stories) and even liked Peter, but there was just something off about this story. Even Macklin just wasn't the same for me...this was just an ok read for me. Fingers are crossed that Ashford's next book is up to par with her other work.

I will start by saying that I have read all of the books in The Way to a Lord's Heart series. I found the other 3 books to be quite enjoyable. With that being said, this book just didn't work for me. I found it to be depressing, not because of Delia's death, but because of the overall dilapidation of the estate, Peter's lack of money, and his isolation. There could not be an ending happy enough to save this book for me.

I am an Alpha Male type of woman, so this is not favorite historical romance type of book. I do love mysteries though, unfortunately the person doing the chasing is an eighteen year old, not the twenty - four year old Duke! Peter Duke of Compton is in mourning over the loss of his sister, another Duke has invited himself to Peter's crumbling down estate, as have a carriage full of very young ladies, not behaving as that time period dictates. Boring through the middle, the ending was rushed.
Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee.com

I have not read the first three books in this series, while mostly not required to have read the previous books, there were some elements it would have made more sense if you had.

Peter Rathbone is an impoverished Duke whose ancestors have made terrible financial decisions and made very questionable choices when trying to earn it back. Peter’s sister, Delia, died tragically at Ada Grandison’s home. Now Ada is convinced that she has evidence of a mystery that needs to be solved at Peters home and Delia has left her a clue. She convinces her friend and Aunt to accompany her to his home to solve the mystery.

This book started off interesting enough, with some funny and charming scenes. Then it lost my interest entirely until about the 85% mark and everything got wrapped up very quickly. It felt like the author was wanting the story to be a gothic romance, but I didn’t really believe the attraction between Peter and Ada. I also was more interested in the secondary characters than the main ones.

3 stars for the good beginning and ending. Not much in between though.

A Duke Too Far (The Way to a Lord’s Heart #4). By Jane Ashford. 2020. Sourcebooks Casablanca (ARC eBook).

Peter Rathbone, Duke of Compton, is mourning the loss of his sister, Delia, and trying to keep his family’s estate from crumbling apart, when he unexpectedly receives visitors. First is the Earl of Mackin, who is little more than a stranger. Next, Miss Ada Grandison, her three closest friends and her chaperoning aunt arrives. All of whom he has never met, but the four young ladies had known the eccentric Delia and he welcomes the reprieve from loneliness even though he wishes his money struggle was not so obvious.

Ada has come to the Duke’s estate with a mysterious note that had been written by Delia and which she believes holds the secret to a lost Rathbone fortune. She hopes that solving the mystery will bring closure for herself and Delia’s brother, and maybe a new hope for the future.

This is an enjoyable read and I really liked the vivid descriptions of the Rathbone estate, but the romance felt a bit sidelined. I would have liked to have seen Peter and Ada together more, but I am interested in picking up the other three books in the series to see how Macklin helps the other men find their happily ever afters.

Once again, Arthur Shelton, the Duke of Macklin and the ever-present, Tom appear to be up to their matchmaking schemes in A Duke Too Far, the story of the final man at that dinner in London. Although you might be tempted to believe this is the last story in The Way To A Lord’s Heart series, it appears there is one more book to come, Earl’s Well That Ends Well, and I’m hopeful for that story to wrap up everything quite nicely (time will tell).

Ada and Peter’s story felt very much like a slow burn romance. Peter is not only heartbroken by his sister’s death, but he’s also struggling to keep his rundown, dilapidated estate solvent… with not much luck. He has no time nor inclination for romance or company but has been descended upon by not only Ada and her group but by the Duke of Macklin as well. Ada was his sister’s friend, and she’s convinced that she has a vital clue in the documents that she hand-delivers to Peter that could change his estate’s future – and an attraction to the man who always seems lost in thought and standoffish to the world.

A Duke Too Far is not only a romance, but a bit of a treasure hunt as well as Ada, Peter, and Ada’s friends set out to find a hidden treasure that has always seemed more fantasy and legend than a possibility to Peter. I enjoyed myself back in this world, and I’m definitely looking forward to what the next, and perhaps final story holds for us.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I felt really lost when I started this book, not having read the first few in the series, but I kept going and am glad I did. I liked it so much I went back and read the first books in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Lost treasures and love!

The demented fairy godfather (my words) Macklin (or is he Yoda?) is at his grief counselling again. This time his sight falls on Peter Rathbone, the Duke of Compton, an impoverished lord whose sister Delia has died in a tragic cliff accident.
Of course Compton lives in a moldering ruin on the edge of the Welsh Marshes in far flung Shropshire, bordering Wales (well about as flung from London as you can get without actually crossing any borders.)
Macklin has decided to call upon Compton's residence for a brief visit. "The place is rather like a dragon lying along the ridge. The head is the ruined Norman tower on the high point, and the tail is the modern wing ... with a mass of muddled masonry in between.” It is a rather daunting description and internally even more dismaying.
Meanwhile Delia's friend Miss Ada Grandison, after recurring dreams, has persuaded and beguiled her friends into accompanying her to Peter and Delia's home, Alberdene, supposedly to carry out a dying wish of Delia. Accompanied by her aunt as chaperone, the rather imposing Miss Julia Grandison, who it turns out is acquainted with Macklin. Mmm!
Apart from Peter's struggle with so many unlooked for guests and his lack of funds, some hilarious scenes, particularly ridding the cavernous dining room of bats during dinner are on the cards. And that opening scenes of Peter's problems with eel pie!
Macklin's valet and young Tom are in evidence, adding interest.
Mystery and love are of course on the cards! Lost treasure becomes a siren's call, along with Ada's determination to discover the secret to Delia's strange note. And that energy that crackles between Ada and Peter!
A pleasing read with some enlivening moments. Tom makes an interesting decision.
p.s. I'm awaiting Macklin to receive his comeuppance (if he ever does).

A Sourcebooks Casablanca ARC via NetGalley