Cover Image: The Duke's Embrace

The Duke's Embrace

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

The seventh book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series is a fun quick read about a couple overcoming obstacles to be together. The writing always flows and I'm a happy reader. I know I'll get a sweet (sometimes spicy) regency romance with a happy ending.

This story focuses on Bastien le Duc, one of the le Duc siblings who fled their native France and found refuge in the quaint town of Cressmouth, where Christmas happens year round. Once royalty, Bastien is now a well-respected blacksmith. But he and his brother have always discussed returning to France when they have the means and safety to reclaim their fortune. Bastien is on board, now that they have repaid their debts, but he's fallen for the local news reporter, Eve Shelling.

While this was not my favorite of the series, I still liked it and can't wait to read about Lucien, Bastien's brother.

Was this review helpful?

I cannot say enough good things about this series. I have never loved Christmas more. Sebastian and Eve had such a lovely story. I cannot wait for the next book.

Was this review helpful?

I received an advanced reader’s copy of The Duke’s Embrace.

I’ve enjoyed this series set in the village of Cressmouth so far. Sébastien with his quirks made him a compelling character. He was interesting in that he was a dandy and a blacksmith who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He is caring and kind. Eve as a female journalist had challenges to face. She was very focused on what she wanted to accomplish career wise and was set on achieving her goals. They were both likable characters that were well suited to each other.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Was this review helpful?

What a stunningly cute story! I was constantly sighing and Awww-ing' into my book while reading this.

Story: Unpaid and under-appreciated journalist Miss Eve Shelling never goes anywhere without a trusty notebook and her overprotective Duenna—who happens to be a bullmastiff. Eve learned the hard way that men are not to be trusted. She’s definitely not falling head-over-heels for the deceptively charming subject of her front-page column. Local blacksmith Monsieur Sébastien le Duc is a rakish dandy with a heart of stolen gold and two teeny tiny secrets. One happens to be a wee international smuggling operation. The other involves losing his heart to an ambitious journalist determined to expose the truth at any cost…

Although it touches on some very important and heavy topics - like emancipation and the thoughtless killings during the French Revolution - it was done in such a skilled way that it got me thinking without dragging me down into a week long depression.

The skillful writing by Erica Ridley is making this an easy read, with a whole set of likable characters and with only a hint of a villain. I'm especially in love with Bastien and his skills to make the best out of his situation. Love love love it!

Was this review helpful?

I am loving the series 12 Dukes of Christmas and I like the fact that they are not actual dukes. This one is no exception with the hero being a french blacksmith. As usual, Ms Ridely has put time into researching and writing into her story a craft to make the stories more than just a love story. This was a great read and am sure all who read will enjoy it. There was a small amount of sex and this reviewer, as usual, skipped it. I received this book as an ARC and was very happy to do a review.

Was this review helpful?

Eve lives with her father. Her father runs a quarterly newspaper that Eve is the writer of. She would like more substance to the paper but he likes it as it is. While Eve is busy trying to find something better to write in the paper, she meets the handsome Sebastien. He is a blacksmith but unbeknownst to her, he also smuggles alcohol into Brittain. He is trying to get back to his home country if France and smuggling helps to get more money so he can go home.
The two form a friendship and eventually fall in love. But what happens when she finds out about the smuggling? Will her overbearing father allow Sebastien near her?
This is the first one I’ve read in the series. It is definitely a quick, quaint read. There were no major surprises and follows the HEA pattern. This is perfect for a long nights read. I’ll be looking for the other books in the series.

Was this review helpful?

Bastian and Eve have a great story. I love that Bastian was able to make Eve laugh. I won't spoil the story, but they each have a huge decision to make...in the end!

Was this review helpful?

Awesome. Sweet. Read in one seating. Short. Can’t wait to read more in the next book. Loving all the books I’ve read by this author.

Was this review helpful?

The Duke’s Embrace by Erica Ridley
The Duke’s Embrace by Erica Ridley is the seventh book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas. These books include quirky characters, a town always full of Christmas spirit and lots of hope and love. Ms Eve Shelling wants to write for a newspaper. Real News, not the rehashed and same old stuff that her father insists putting in the local paper. She just needs to find the right story to convince him.

Local blacksmith Monsieur Sébastien le Duc has helped his family run the blacksmiths and to pay off all the other debts. What he is not ready to do is to move back to France. He feels connected to here, but his brother really wants to go back so he agreed. And that is how Eve can help - find them a buyer for the smithy. Only things start to change for Eve and Bastian. What will have now?

Another fun read by Erica Ridley is The Duke’s Embrace. I have to admit I didn’t like all the characters - specifically Eve’s father, however, having said that the story was a good read.

Was this review helpful?

The Duke's Embrace (12 Dukes of Christmas, Book 7) by Erica Ridley is a nice addition to her Dukes of Christmas series. The town of Cressmouth- better known as Christmas- has so many interesting and unique women residing there. This time Eve Shelling, a journalist with the local paper, has her eye on the local blacksmith Monsieur Sébastien le Duc.

There are mysteries associated with Monsieur Sébastien le Duc (such as his little smuggling operation), but he is very open about his overwhelming desire to return to the country of birth, France, once he has saved the necessary money. Eve is very interested in Sébastien and his efforts to obtain the rest of the needed funds by selling his business. Meantime, Eve is increasingly frustrated by her inability to sway her father, owner of the newspaper, to understand that real journalism is not printing the same articles year after year.

I love Erica Ridley’s writing and have especially enjoyed the 12 Dukes of Christmas series. However, of the 7 books I’ve read so far, I have to admit that The Duke's Embrace has been the least interesting to me. I think, perhaps, a lot of that is due to Eve’s father. The character was very unpleasant and I felt that dragged the story down.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Was this review helpful?

The Duke’s Embrace by Erica Ridley is another warm,delicious read. The two main characters are strong willed yet unique, with trouble backgrounds and worries. The story is not predictable and has many unexpected twists and turns. I especially like the insight into each characters upbringing. Highly recommend this book and all the Dukes of Christmas stories I have read so far.

Was this review helpful?

Miss Eve Shelling is a journalist who wants her father to take her seriously and let her write her own stories for his local paper. She’s searching for the perfect story and she thinks found the perfect story for the front page story of the upstanding blacksmith, Sebastien le Duc and his family. She gets more than she bargained for when she discovers nefarious smuggling career, she must choose between the man she loves and printing the truth and ruining him and her love. An excellent story with wonderful characters I voluntarily wrote a review for.

Was this review helpful?

I am not a fan of journalist main characters, but the heroine is earnest. The hero is a hard worker but also has some secrets.
I was charmed and smiled at the ending. Those who enjoy historical romance won't be disappointed.

There is an intimate scene, so this can't be classified as clean.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

Was this review helpful?

Loving this series. Having to go back and read from the beginning I'm enjoying it so much. Love these men and the fabulous women.

Was this review helpful?

I have read all of the books in this series as of yet. I am loving this series so far.
Sebastian and Eve’s story is one of my favorite books so far in the series. I would have liked to see more of a conflict but other than that it was awesome. I can’t wait to read the rest of the 12 Dukes of Christmas.

Was this review helpful?

It was an okay read, but nothing i'd wish to reread. It was too quick, it didn't get enough character or world building and i found the characters boring, therebefore i didn't exactly get behind the insta-love this book provides either.

Was this review helpful?

The seventh Duke is having a happily ever after! Yay! After Desiree Le Duc found her hapiness with Jack, I'm very pleased that this time Sebastien Le Duc is the main character of this book. Although Sebastien is regarded the 'Beau of Chressmouth, Bastien is trying to get back to France with his brother Lucien. But first they have to sell the smithy.
And how to reach out to the people in Chressmouth better than via the local newspaper? So, when Bastien contacts Eve Schelling, he is surprised to find out that this wonderful woman is nearly running the newspaper on her own.
Eve wanted to be taken seriously as a journalist, but one mistake made her father distrust her. So now she is struggling to come out from under her fathers wing and become a famous journalist. So, an article about the infamous Le Duc brothers may be her ticket to fame. Because the whole world will be shocked when they hear about the smuggling that Eve discovered.
Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Was this review helpful?

Eva Shelling wants to be a respected journalist. She knows that won't happen unless her father agrees to let her write more relevant stories. The paper needs to be more that a travelogue praising Cressmouth. Since her father owns the paper I didn't think she would be successful. Eva deserves her father's respect and his love, but he won't do that. I hated to see her blame herself for her mother's death. Meanwhile local blacksmith Sebastien le Duc and his brother want to sell their business and go to France. They've been living in England for years. Now they can go home and try to reclaim their birth right. Can Sebastien leave this snowy village where he's found love? He knows the more time he and Eva spend together, the more he wants to be with her forever. I enjoyed watching their love grow. I wanted them to be happy. They both deserve it. The past has caused them both so much pain. Eva's father is a problem. I didn't want him to destroy their future. I wasn't sure that he could be stopped. Erica Ridley wrote a sweet, emotional romance that made me smile. I liked both the setting and the characters.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Another great book in this series. I enjoyed reading the story of Bastian and Eve, a Frenchman who had worked his whole life to be able to leave Cressmouth and a woman who strives to prove herself as a journalist. An unlikely pair who can't seem to stay away from each other. I am excited to read the next book about Lucian!

Was this review helpful?

This book follows Eve Shelling, lady journalist looking for more of a challenge and Bastien le Duc, Blacksmith and smuggler. I have read the majority of this series now and this one I think is my least favourite. It was a cute story and very well written, I think the problem for me was that this one had characters and a plot points that really should have been fleshed out more. For instance, I still don't exactly know how these brothers were even involved in the smuggling storyline that was introduced in the last book.

Anyway, quick cute read :)

Was this review helpful?