Miss Katherine Danvers has always been a wallflower. But now, with her family on the brink of financial ruin, she finds herself a desperate wallflower. To save her family, she'll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan or so she thinks. She’ll impress the ton by simply announcing she is engaged to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, and secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the duke in years. Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, it’s just a few new ball gowns on the duke’s accounts. Then, it’s interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the ton—with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fiancé.
But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives in the city, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expected.
This is the first book in a new series & if the others are anywhere near as good as this then I’m in for a rare treat. Beauty & the beast is not a favourite trope of mine but this book was so much more. Alex had been burnt & seriously injured rescuing his sister from a fire that claimed their beloved parents. He was lucky to survive & has to rely on a wheelchair for much of the time, He's proved his doctors wrong as he can walk. He has his days of despair but is no beast being loved by his sister, cousin & staff. Kitty is at her wits end when she invents he engagement. Sparks fly when they meet but not the anger Kitty is expecting, there's an immediate connection which only grows the more time they spend together. I loved both Alex & Kitty, who were perfect for each other. I loved how their relationship developed & how she gave him hope & brought him truly into the light. I also loved that this was a stunning romance with no villain to be deal with, everyone wanted their relationship to work. I highly recommend this book but be warned have some hankies at hand.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

A group of wallflowers decide they want to change their live by being more wicked and scandalous and calll themselves the Sinful Wallflowers club. Katherine is one of them and pretends to be engaged to the Duke of Thornton. Things become interesting when he finds out about it. This is a beauty and the beast retelling which is done in a good way. I enjoyed this fun and entertaining story. Katherine and the duke have opposite characters, yet there is a lot of chemistry between them. I'll certaintly read more books by this author.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is my voluntary review for this ARC and it is in my own words. What would you do if you needed to be daring to save your family? What would you do if you were scarred inside and out and pain and loneliness was all you have? Yes, it is a romance but, this story is so much more. Stacy Reid does a tale justice!

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!

Kitty and her friends (the sinful Wallflowers) decide to take matters into their own hands after a few seasons of being ignored by the eligible bachelors of the ton. Now her family is facing financial ruin and she'll do anything to save them. Kitty resolves to spread the rumor that she is engaged to the reclusive Duke of Thornton, in order to secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the Duke in years and hopefully, he'll never find out before her sisters' weddings.

Kitty finds herself suddenly invited to all the important gatherings, everyone eager to meet her mysterious .fiancé. When the Duke suddenly appears, curious to meet the woman claiming to be his fiancé.

Where has Stacy Reid been all my life? This was my first novel from her and I couldn't get enough.
I really loved these characters Alexander was stoic and Kitty was endearing. They had great chemistry and banter. I loved the scenes where they spent time alone. In the garden, climbing the tree, etc. When he sent her away it was heartbreaking. I was tearing up, even though I knew they would be together in the end.

This was a well written tale that drew me in and immediately made me fall for the brooding, wounded, lonely duke. I wasn't really a fan of the heroine (she was a good intentioned idiot). I appreciated the depths Ms. Reid went through to describe the duke's ailment. Well done.

I loved the book! The passion between Kitty and Alexander was so much- yet he wouldn't see it, he wanted her happiness he didn't realize his happiness was always with her. It was a twist of faith the Duke, locked up in his Castle for so many years after a dreadful accident, was brought back to life, and society by a woman, and a accidental engagement. The perfect love story!

Words can't express how much I adored this story. I just finished reading it and my heart is so full of emotions for Kitty and Alexander!! I've always had a weakness for tortured and broken heroes who finally get their well deserved HEA.

It's been 10 years since the day of the fire that killed Alexander's parents and left him burned and broken. Ten long years of loneliness, broken dreams and excruciating pain. When Kitty comes into his life in a very unorthodox way, he doesn't quite know what hit him! lol What a character she is and I just loved her to bits.

I thought the story so well written and I could feel every emotion leaping from the pages....the hope, the despair, the loneliness, the happy times, and oh, what an ending:) Loved, loved, loved this story!!

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

Kitty Danvers is desperate. After four seasons, she hasn't made a match, there's no dowry, her family has no money, and her sisters are facing a difficult future. So she makes up an engagement to the Duke of Thornton, who hasn't been seen in society for many years. She'll be socially ruined when the truth comes out, but at least her sisters will have a chance to succeed while the ruse lasts. But then the Duke catches wind of the engagement...

This is a solid book, and I like it, but it didn't click for me the way it might for others. I like a heroine with moxie, like Kitty. I like a troubled and intrigued hero, like Thornton. And there were lots of moments where this book sparkled for me. I'm having trouble putting my finger on why it didn't work better for me.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review.

What an incredible book! The characters are personable and have such depth. This is the story of Katherine, "Kitty", who pretends to be engaged to the elusive Duke of Thornton. Kitty is a charming young lady who will do anything to help her family. Alexander is the Duke of Thornton and he likes the impudence of Kitty to imply they are engaged. He travels to London to find out what type of lady would imply this and finds he is attracted to her. I like the way the author uses the supporting characters within the story to add more depth to the story. This is such a great story, I would definitely recommend it.

Description
"Lush, beautifully written, and deeply romantic, My Darling Duke will sweep you off your feet. My heart was lost to this couple from the very start." --Amalie Howard, author of The Beast of Beswick

Miss Katherine Danvers has always been a wallflower. But now, with her family on the brink of financial ruin, she finds herself a desperate wallflower. To save her family, she'll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan...

She'll impress the ton by simply announcing she is engaged to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, and secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the duke in years. Surely he'll never find out before her sisters' weddings, and she can go back to her own quiet life.

Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, it's just a few new ball gowns on the duke's accounts. Then, it's interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the ton--with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fianc�.

But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives in the city, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expected...



What i thought?

Let me just say. This book has action and romance. I love the way its set up. Reminds me of a adult version of beauty and the beast. Bits of the storyline anyway. Lol Alexander is the duke, he was injured in the past and katherine goes with him to his castle, ends up falling for him and he for her, but in the heat of passion he gets injured even more. Now he cant walk any longer, in frustration he lashes out at her, scaring her off, but realizing how much he misses her. You want to know get it yourself. Its well worth it.
Let me just say its a 5 🐕 and 4🔥 in my book.

My Darling Duke is a Beauty and the Beast type story about a wallflower and a duke that had been seriously injured. The love story was lovely and how they overcame his impotence due to his injury made the story different and interesting. 4 stars.

A book based on the heroine saying they're engaged to somebody wasn't something I thought I needed until I read Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean. And even though those two characters don't come to be the endgame couple, the idea is one that stuck with me and prompted me to request this book for review. I was dissapointed. There was a lot of info-dump and the writing was so repetitive, at the very beginning we're told the same thing at least seven times in only five pages. I couldn't get into the book and I even thought this must be a debut novel but then I saw the writer already published other books. I'm sorry to say this one didn't work out for me, but that I hope that other people will enjoy it.

This is a touching beauty and the beast story by new to me author Stacy Reid. Wallflower Kitty boldly declares her engagement to a reclusive Duke. The scarred Duke, Alexander, comes out of seclusion to meet this upstart. Ms. Reid writes a great chemistry between a sweet, yet desperate, woman and a scarred man. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Since her father's death the Honorable Miss Katherine Danvers has carried a great deal of responsibility. As the oldest and only daughter out in society she needs to make a good match so she can help her three younger sisters find their own comfortable matches and ensure stability for them and their mother. But Katherine has gone unnoticed as a wallflower and is growing increasingly desperate to save her family from genteel poverty. So she develops a shocking plan: Kitty writes to a scandal column that she is betrothed to the ton's favorite recluse, Alexander Masters, the Duke of Thornton. Despite the fact that he eschews society, the duke is a very powerful man with many trying to curry his favor. Kitty will simply use this to her advantage until her sisters are safely wed and then call of the engagement before the duke even finds out, for surely he'd never read gossip columns.

The plan is a smashing success and soon Kitty is the belle of the ton, but of course things quickly spiral out of control. What begins as simply the use of the duke's name escalates to include lines of credit and a new townhouse, and Kitty remains the talk of the ton for much longer than she had anticipated, keeping everyone speculating about the mysterious duke.

Badly scarred and left walking with a cane or in a wheelchair much of the time, Alexander prefers to spend his time at his Scottish Castle with his books and artifacts from interesting foreign lands. He enjoys the company of his sister, Penny, but he does find himself increasingly lonely. When he learns of the daringly devious woman pretending to be his fiance, Alexander finds himself surprisingly more curious than angry and decides to venture to London to meet and confront Kitty. But when the duke proposes friendship between them, Kitty is shocked and it isn't long before she begins to want more from the mysterious and oh so lonely duke.

Alexander was one of the loneliest characters I've read in some time. He desperately wanted to cling to the connection he felt with Kitty, even if he didn't understand it, but he felt she deserved a whole, uninjured man so he pushed her away time and again. I loved Alexander as a broody, scarred hero. He was truly a good man and his pain was heart-wrenching. Kitty and her ridiculous audacity has to grow on me, but it soon became obvious that she and Alexander were perfect for each other and she was just what he needed. This was a very emotional book and I enjoyed it. My only complaint was the very slow pacing. Though it was appropriate for Kitty and Alexander's unconventional relationship it never really picked up, even after they'd confessed their feelings, which had my interest waning a bit. Nevertheless, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to more installments in this new series.

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

We're almost at the end of the year, and I was not expecting to add to my Favorite Books of 2019 list at this point. However, after reading this book, I was literally in tears. While reading, I laughed, I cried in sadness and in happiness, and my heart lightened with the experience of a romance between someone who is able-bodied and someone who is not. Often in romance, the person in the book who is scarred, injured, etc. will have their imperfections overlooked and the reader quickly forgets that they're different at all. Which, in all honesty, can take away from the message that love is truly for all people. Stacy Reid created a romance that was truly magical and a perfect way to end the year. The hero is tragically injured, has been dealing with that injury for ten years, and you never forget it over the course of the story. It is a main driver of the plot, and it's done in a way that you can feel empathy with him and with the heroine who loves him. Fantastic, beautiful, a must-read for the decade, in my humble opinion.

At 23 years old, Kitty Danvers is almost firmly on the shelf. After seasons of men ignoring her and her friends, they have decided to rebel against the society who has rejected them. Kitty's rebellion centers around making good matches for her sisters, and in order to do that, she must make a good match for herself, even if it is completely fabricated. No one has seen or heard from the Duke of Thornton for almost a decade, ever since he was injured in a fire that killed his parents and left his younger sister in his care. When he hears of his "fiance" while hiding away in Scotland, he finds himself intrigued and amused. Deciding to make the journey to London to meet this fascinating woman, he finds someone who is wholly unique and just might be his perfect match. If only marriage was in his future, which it most decidedly is not...right?

There are truly not enough words to explain to you how much I loved this book. I have read Stacy Reid's books before, and I have always loved them. But Kitty and Alexander are truly the most perfect match in the history of matches. Kitty was a gem that hadn't yet been discovered yet, and when she began to shine for Alexander, he realized what a truly wonderful person she was, which made it all the more difficult to resist her. You see, Alexander was injured in the fire in such a way that not only hindered his ability to move but also his ability to reproduce. This made his future bleak, and he felt that no lady deserves to be saddled with such a man. Kitty, however, being the darling and generous person she was, broke down barrier after barrier with Alexander. She refused to accept his bark as anything more than a defense mechanism, and she wanted him to know how much she loved him. What began as purely a sensual experience became a fight for their love, and it was amazing.

Just go read this book and when you have finished it, crying your eyes out and smiling at the world, thank Stacy Reid for creating this book. Start 2020 in the right way, with the right book and the right outlook on love.

One of my favorite books of the year! I just discovered Stacy Reid this year after asking for recs from a book group when I was looking for new historical romance authors to read. Let me just say, I am so thrilled to add her books to my collection, as they are wonderful! You can image how excited I was to receive an ARC of My Darling Duke. This book has my absolute 2 favorite tropes all in one, wallflowers, and Beauty and the Beast. In this book you get: a desperate and resourceful heroine, an absent Duke, a plan that get a bit out of control, and then a not so absent, sexy, curious, Duke! What more could you want? I won't go into detail of the whole plot as you can read that for yourself, but please do yourself a favor and read Kitty and Alexanders HEA. I have no doubt you will be pulled in from the start!

This novel was an enjoyable read. People are quick to judge and discriminate against those who are different, whether it be financially or beauty. Katherine Danvers, aka Kitty to her family and friends, will sacrifice her desire for a marriage and family to make sure her mother and sisters are taken care of. Kitty and her friends are wallflowers and have decided it is time to make themselves rather wicked. Kitty announces she is the fiancee to the Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, whom society has not seen in years but his "voice" is rather active in Parliament. Kitty becomes the darling of society, which makes Alexander come to town to satisfy his curiosity. Alexander has gone through much in the last several years, but is stubborn and determined, yet hides his face due to his scars. Alexander is intrigued by Kitty and demands repayment in a way Kitty never expected. Neither expected to fall in love, but Alexander believes he cannot give Kitty the life she deserves. Will he come to his senses before it is too late? Looking forward to the next wicked wallflower!

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite tropes in romance. I can't resist when I find a book that centres on this theme. This book takes that theme and creates a story all of its own. Our hero has many limitations not least of which is his inability for physical relations. Alex has given up on even looking for love because his many medical advisers telling him he is impotent.  while he can be harsh at times, the reader knows exactly why he acts that way. he is a hero you root for

Kitty is desperate and resourceful. her motivation is always her family and she isn't afraid to ruin her own reputation if it means her family are well cared for. She sees beyond Alex's limitations and has every intention of paying him back for all his help. 

I highly recommend Ms Reid's works to any historical romance fans. she creates rich imaginative characters and i am eagerly awaiting the next in this new and exciting series.

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

Stacy Reid does it again! Who does love a good scintillating and sexy duke. I certainly do and this latest release from the incomparable Ms. Reid was everything I hoped for, I fell in love right along with the characters and devoured the novel in one prolonged sitting. I only wish there had been a second new book from the author to jump right into when I was finished. This was a wonderful read and I will certainly be recommending it to my friends,

Miss Katherine Danvers has always been a wallflower. But now, with her family on the brink of financial ruin, she finds herself a desperate wallflower. To save her family, she'll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan...
When Katherine pretends to be betrothed to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, she never imagined he would come to London seeking her out. After all the man had not even been heard from in ten years and is rumored to be either mad or dead.
Association to the notorious man is just what she needs to save her family. Soon everything gets totally out of control when the Duke's solicitors show up and ensconce herself, her mother and sisters in a townhouse they never could have afforded on their own. But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives at a ball, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expected…
Stacy Reid has seldom disappointed this reader and not at all on this occasion. She has in fact surpassed everything I have come to expect from her. This book being maybe the best I have ever read from her.
This book gets a score of 4.9 of 5.0 (rounded up to 5 stars) for story line, plot and characterization.
I loved this book and went back to reread several chapters again.
I received a complimentary ARC of this title via NetGalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this New Years Eve release which I read and am reviewing voluntarily.