I'm always looking for new historical romance authors to add to my reading list, I was really excited to see Forever have this new series from Christina Britton. And the cover is absolutely gorgeous! Unfortunately I've tried to read it a few times over the last month or so and I cannot seem to get into the plot. This is likely very much a reflection on me and my mood and not the book! Planning to try the next in this series when it's released and hoping it works better for me. DNF at 16%

I have a definite fondness for “wow that’s a big dress!” historical covers, and this one doesn’t disappoint in that aspect. Unfortunately, the rest of it doesn’t quite work for me, with a lot of elements that are good in and of themselves but never quite gel.

“Everything you now love will be turned to dust before I take my last breath. I wanted you to know that before you died, for you to look on the face of the boy you once damned, and see a man who no longer needs you. And you have no one to blame but your own cold heart.”


Peter is, well, one of my least favorite types of romance hero. He’s unpleasant, gruff, cool, uncouth, etc, etc but all that’s required is the love of a good woman to bring him up to snuff! The duke turned him away as a child when he sought help for his dying mother, and, now that he’s the duke’s heir, he’s obsessed with a childish revenge fantasy of letting everything the duke loves fall to ruin – including his promise to let the Duke’s line end with him. Peter promised his mother that he would stay with Lady Tesh – who, after hearing that the duke turned him away, showed up to help instead – for a month after her death, a promise he reneged on by immediately fleeing and ending up in America. Thirteen years later, he can’t let go of the guilt for breaking that promise or his anger at the duke – especially now that he’s the heir – so he agrees to stay with her for that required month. It just so happens that Lady Tesh has other visitors, as well.

After another failed engagement, Lenora and her best friend return to one of her favorite childhood spots, Lady Tesh’s house on the Island of Synne. It’s not free of unwanted memories, either, though, as it’s where she was courted by and got engaged to Hillram, the duke’s heir – and where he died. Her father wants her to remarry immediately – and if she fails this time, he’ll cut her off completely. While her friends think it’s grief over Hillram’s death that’s ruining her engagements, Lenora knows it’s guilt. But guilt over what, exactly, is something that is slowly revealed as the book goes on.

“Will you meet me in the dead of night, Miss Hartley?” he murmured, the faint mocking in his voice doing nothing to hide the thickness beneath. “Will you risk your reputation to help me, a man who has taken your lost lover’s place? Even you, for all your sweetness and light, cannot be that good.”


The relationship between Lenora and Peter relies strongly on an overwhelming instant attraction. Lenora is all sweetness and light and guilty conscience while Peter’s angry and still dead set on revenge, even after realizing that the duke is actually pretty decent for the aristocratic set, and that allowing the duke’s lands to go into disarray would hurt a whole bunch of tenants and farmers and, you know, all those regular people that Peter seems to think he’s a part of. While I thought the chemistry was well done, the more romantic part of the relationship was lacking for me, especially the banter. Banter is one of my favorite measuring sticks for a relationship, and I like it a little bit steamy, a little bit feisty, and a little bit witty, and unfortunately it never quite hit any of those marks for me.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the love story between Synne (for whom the island is name) and a Viking. Lady Tesh has written a history of the story, and all it needs before it can be published (she’s a rich old lady, mind) is some watercolors of the various island locations featured in the story. It’s a framework that shadows Lenora and Peter’s own relationship, and as someone who loves stories-within-a-story, I loved it. It also brings up another manifestation of Lenora’s guilt, as while she was a quite talented painter, she hasn’t picked up a brush since Hillram’s death.

Overall, the romance never quite gelled for me. There were enough things I liked about it, though, that I will most likely pick up the next book in the series just to see if a change in characters helps.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A Good Duke Is Hard to Find by Christina Britton is the First book in the Isle of Synne Series. This is the story of Peter Ashford and Lenora Hartley. Peter left for America about 13 years ago after something happen to him and his mother. Peter and his business partner Quincy Nesbitt have made plenty of money but now Peter has return to get settle the score. Quincy has come with him but Peter wants to do what needs to be done and leave. But he goes to Viscountess Tesh who was a friend of his mother's and reminds him of a promise he made to his mother. Lenora is unlucky in love or at least the attempts to marry after being left three times by three different fiancés. So Lenora has joined her friend Margery Kitteridge to visit her friends grandmother Viscountess Tesh in the Isle of Synne in hopes of getting away from the town gossip. There she meets Peter who seems familiar but she is definitely attracted to along with Peter to her. Will this be her lucky chance at love? Really enjoyed their story and will be looking for more books by this author.

When I saw this book is the first in a historical romance series, I immediately requested the ARC with the hope of finding a new series I could continue to follow. Plus, the red-orange hues on the cover are gorgeous!

After being jilted at the altar and therefore facing her third failed engagement, Lenora Hartley retreats to the idyllic Isle of Synne with her dear friend, Margery. Despite the isle’s beauty, it holds memories both fond and haunting for Lenora, who spent much of her youth there visiting Margery’s grandmother, Lady Tesh. When the young women arrive, they find Lady Tesh is already hosting the stoic Peter Ashford, who has returned from Boston to inherit a dukedom. With revenge on his mind, the last thing Peter expects is to fall for Lenora. As his growing feelings make him question the mission he’s been set on fulfilling since he left England as a child, so does Lenora struggle with her affection for Peter as she wrestles with guilt around her past actions and failures.

I loved the opening chapters of this book as Lenora’s heartwarming friendship with Margary is established, a contrast to her tense relationship with her cruel father. I admired Lenora’s resilience and grace as she struggles not only with the shame of three failed engagements, but also with a dark secret she’s never told anyone that she will have to face upon her return to the isle.

Peter, on the other hand, was a lot more difficult to like; his grumpiness went from potentially endearing to completely exasperating. He is stubborn to the point of being pigheaded, insists on vengeance even when it’s clear better options are available, and is unnecessarily rude to our heroine and side characters on multiple occasions. Aside from a couple of scenes here and there, I had a difficult time rooting for Peter and Lenora to end up together. In my opinion, she was too good for him.

Our cast of side characters helped make this book shine and definitely piqued my interest regarding the upcoming books in this series. I grew fond of the tenacious Lady Tesh and her canine companion, Freya, and was excited to learn the next book will be about Peter’s charismatic friend, Mr. Quincy Nesbitt. I’m also hoping sweet Margery will get a book of her own because she deserves a happy ending!

Regarding the conflict, most of it is based on internal struggles – vengeance vs. forgiveness, facing the past vs. running from it – that made the stakes seem pretty low. Many of the issues could have been resolved with better communication between characters. Any additional conflict, from a terrible storm hitting the isle to the arrival of a new suitor for Lenora, always seemed temporary rather than insurmountable.

The setting on the Isle of Synne is absolutely magical, and I enjoyed exploring its picturesque cliffs and serene forests, wondering why the characters would want to live anywhere else. The author also tries to weave a tale about the isle’s past into the story, but unfortunately it falls flat. Clearly meant to parallel Lenora’s and Peter’s relationship, the legend tells the story of a young woman named Synne falling in love with a viking. Like Peter, this viking is a jerk; and like Lenora, Synne forgives him. Lenora may call Peter her “viking” throughout the book, but otherwise the legend of Synne didn’t add much to the story.

Overall I wouldn’t say I loved this book, but I’m definitely intrigued enough by its characters and setting to come back for more. Christina Britton is truly a talented writer, and I can’t wait to see what this series has next!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

After her third fiancé leaves her at the alter, Lenora Hartley flees London in the wake of this latest scandal, heading for the Isle of Synne on the northern coast. Though Peter Ashford is set to inherit a dukedom, his only thoughts are on seeking vengeance for a wrong done a decade ago.

Revenge, long-held secrets and guilt, three failed engagements, mythology, and excellent supporting characters all come together to make for a wonderful intro to this new series - and the isle of Synne! The sequel follows a heroine who only briefly appeared in this title and I'm looking forward to getting to know her!

This was my first book by Christina Britton. It won't be my last. I really enjoyed her voice, her characters, her fresh and original story, and her fictional Isle of Synne. I want to go there, hang out with Lady Tesh, buy one of Lenora's paintings, meet the rest of Britton's fascinating cast, and drop Lenora's father off a very high cliff into very deep water. That man deserves every bad thing that could ever happen to him.

I found both main characters to be sympathetic and likable though, admittedly, it took me longer to warm up to Peter while I was in Lenora's corner immediately, cheering her on to a happy ending and hoping she'd find a way to thoroughly rout her horrible father. I liked her, admired her, and my heart ached for her anguish over the secrets she felt compelled to keep. Peter is a very angry man, holding on to the devastation and despair of losing his mother at a young age and his fury with those who refused to help her. Forgiveness will not be easy but I found that to be more realistic considering his age when the events that shaped his life occurred and the thirteen years he's had to nurture his grudge. Britton gives us glimpses of his potential through his deep love for his late mother, his close friendship with his best friend, Quincy, and his actions toward Lady Tesh and Lenora.

The romance between Lenora and Peter is a slow burn as both characters have personal issues to resolve before they can move forward together. I was willing to wait for the payoff though readers should be aware that these issues lend themselves to a slower paced story and more than a little frustration with the hero before he finally sees the light. Not to worry. He gets his happy ending but Lenora, rightfully, makes him work for it (I really do love her character). That, of course, makes it all the sweeter.

Book two in this series, Someday My Duke Will Come (12 January, 2021), features a fake engagement between Peter's cousin, Lady Clara and his best friend, Quincy Nesbitt. Both characters feature prominently in A Good Duke is Hard to Find and the glimmer of sparks between them has me eagerly anticipating their story.

*ARC received for fair and honest review

I was excited for this synopsis and the promise of a new-to-me author and sadly I’m a bit disappointed.

I liked Lenora well enough. She’s spent so much of her time being the dutiful daughter that she doesn’t seem to have her own personality. Peter has a past hurt and is so blinded by revenge, he turns away from niceties. It took a while for the both of them to warm up to anything and open up. Of course Lady Tesh is delightful and Peter’s friend Quincy stole every scene.

Plot wise, it was tedious. There’s a lot of inner monologue and not much movement in the actual story. The second half of the book was stronger, but still very repetitive.

Overall, I was curious to see how it would end, but I could have easily set it down and left it unfinished.

**Huge thanks to Forever for providing the arc free of charge**

A Good Duke is Hard to Find was a wonderful story! This was entertaining and sweet with a delicious slow burn happening. I had such a great time reading it and getting to know Lenora and Peter. I loved the push and pull they had going on and I was excited for them to get to their HEA.

I instantly liked Lenora and felt for her. I had so many questions about her past and was excited to learn all the details. I liked Peter a lot, he was so gruff and sexy but could be frustratingly stubborn. I loved his vulnerable moments and adored when he showed his true self. I liked them battling their feelings and the growing attraction between them. Individually they had a lot to work through and I enjoyed the build of them getting there as their relationship evolved and how they help each other heal and move on from the past.

This was my first time reading this author and it won't be my last. There was a nice cast of characters and I thought this was a good introduction to the series. I liked the storyline and was excited where it all could go. I thought it was a bit fast-paced in the beginning but then it evened out. I enjoyed the dual POVs and thought the descriptions were good and enjoyed the build. I thought Lenora and Peter had great chemistry and I enjoyed the underlying heat and the slow burn that was happening. There were a lot of entertaining moments and great character interactions.

It's one of those stories that I got wrapped up in because it was light and fun with great scenes, likable characters, and easy drama. It was a feel-good read for sure!

‘A Good Duke Is Hard To Find‘ is an emotional story far more than an action-packed one, although there are moments. The first story in the ‘Isle of Synne‘ series will introduce us to Lenora who has been almost to the altar three times now and is still unmarried through no fault of her own, much to the fury of her odious father. As she awaits another match to be arranged by her father, who is only looking to line his own pockets and raise himself up in the eyes of Society – certainly not concerned that Lenora finds a love match – she and her good friend, Margery will return to the Isle of Synne where Margery’s feisty grandmother, Lady Tesh resides, and a place where Lenora has experienced happiness and deep sorrow as well. This visit will change her life as long as she is willing to take a risk.

Peter has spent much of his life plotting revenge. Now his goal is in sight. Yet he didn’t plan on the quiet Lenora to come to his aid, even though she was unaware of his end goal but simply because she is a caring, good person. It won’t take long before Lenora will have him second-guessing his plan against the grandfather who turned his back on Peter and his dying mother. Softening his resolve wasn’t in his plan at all, and neither was falling for a lovely lady who is filling up an empty place in his life, in his heart. Now his goal has changed, and the prize is the love of a woman he never saw coming – if he, they can outwit her calculating father and the man he’s chosen for Lenora.

I liked Lenora and Peter both separately and together – but together they are explosive in many ways. Each has issues, each has a past to be dealt with and a choice to keep living there or to move onward to a different future than either expected. Watching the chemistry sizzle, smiling as the love slowly grows beyond their immediate attraction (which each ignored for a bit), was an emotional, enjoyable journey. I definitely enjoyed myself in this world. The secondary characters brought this world to life, and I’m looking forward to more of their adventures in this series. If you love a really good Regency Romance with characters you’ll be cheering for, then ‘A Good Duke Is Hard To Find‘ should be on your reading list… right now.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Forever, 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 really enjoyed this book! It's the start of a new historical romance series.

Lenora has had 3 failed engagements. Peter, the duke, is hell bent on revenge. He was surprised to find a sad Lenora living with the woman who helped him years ago. Their relationship grew from there.

I really enjoyed both of the characters and I loved all the side characters as well. The setting of this story was gorgeous. The Isle of Synne seemed wonderful and I wish I could go!

I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you netgalley for the early copy of this book

Taking a respite from London and a father who is ashamed of her after 3 failed trips to the alter, Lady Lenora Hartley heads to The Isle of Synne, to stay with her best friend's family.
As fate would have it, American, Peter Ashford, is also there but his purpose is to seek revenge by leaving behind a dukedom he doesn't want to inherit, in shatters, no matter who it hurts.
Somehow a friendship is formed between a woman coming into her own and a rough and tumble man fighting to rely on anyone but himself. This is a heartwarming story of how the two perfectly at odds people learn from a tragic love story that haunts the Isle of Synne.

I went into reading this book through Net Galley because the synopsis sounded good. I don't think my expectations were low, but I cannot stress how good this book is. It is very well written and has a good pace. It took me a while to warm up to Lenora, but her character really grew through this book. Peter was actually a great guy, but he was clouded by the promise he made on his mother's death bed. I did wish he had come around a little sooner, but if he had the book would have been much shorter and I enjoyed reading every page, so I wouldn't have liked shorter. This was just really good! 4 1/2 stars.

I loved this book. It starts strong and just keeps going. “He cupped her cheek with his hand, felt the softness of her skin under his touch. The bones of her face were so fragile and fine, her hair like silk where it brushed his fingers. He deepened the kiss, urging her lips open, his every move careful, gently, afraid to mark her with his roughness.” I loved the tension between the hero and heroine and the build. I can’t wait to read more by this author. I was given a copy of this book.

Oh, the revenge trope…I love it. A story of heartbreak and want for revenge and love. But revenge is never as sweet as we might think. I understand Peter’s feelings but he let revenge rule his life and when he finalizes it is not worth it he might be too late. I thought these are two wonderful characters. There is lots of heartache but as the ending comes it will be well worth it. Synne and Ivar – Peter and Lenora! This is a lovely read.

This review will go live on The Blogger Girls on June 30, 2020

After her third fiancé left her in the altar – yes, that’s THREE failed engagements – Lenora Hartley decides to escape London to The Isle of Synne, an isolated and idyllic retreat off Britain's northern coast where she spends a lot of her girlhood there. An island that also carries the memory of her first fiancé (now deceased).

Meanwhile, Peter Ashford comes to Synne to pay long time debts as well as ensure his revenge to Duke of Dane, whom Peter thinks solely responsible to the death of her mother thirteen years previous. Before Peter ran away to America and makes his own success story. He has no intention to stay in the island, but he is rather manipulated by his great-aunt, Lady Tesh, to spend a month. And when Peter meets Lenora, who is Lady Tesh’s guest, he starts to wonder if he should forego his plan of revenge.

This is my first Christina Britton’s and I think it’s successfully making me eagerly wait for book #2 coming next year. I liked the set-up; Lenora with her failed engagements, Peter who wants nothing of dukedom that will fall into his responsibility… and well these are just two wonderful people!

Lenora has been living under her tyrannical, one who controls almost every aspect of her live, including who to marry. With Peter, Lenora learns that someone can appreciate her for who she is, including how she choose NOT to drink tea *smile*. I think, for the first time, Lenora feels that she can be loved.

While Peter learns to let old hate goes with Lenora… if we take out his need for revenge out of the equation, Peter is a kind and pretty stand-up guy. Sure, he is roped to stay at Synne, but he doesn’t back down from his promise. I found it very entertaining to see Peter – who live as “common” people in America, dealing with dinners and balls in England *laugh*. This book also brings me a teary-eyes moment, in regards to Peter and the Duke of Dane.

I like the romance – and well, Peter makes a fine grand gesture to apologize to Lenora in the end. The epilogue is lovely. I also enjoy the secondary characters, most notably Lady Tesh. She’s a great matriarch character for sure, and not at all annoying *grin*.

So yes, I look forward to the next book about Peter’s best friend, Quincy, and Lady Clara…

This book wasn’t on my radar until the publisher made it free to download at the beginning of the pandemic. I saw some good early reviews, so I was excited to pick it up, but as it turns out, I was really bored. The hero was full of vengeful thoughts, and all the heroine could talk about was some terrible wrong she’d done to a past fiance, and I made it about a third of the way through and realized I just didn’t care. I didn’t really know the characters and I wasn’t invested in their individual stories or their romance (it was very much a consuming-attraction-at-first-sight type relationship when I stopped reading it). So I decided to DNF it. Looking at some other reviews, it sounds like this book is very much a your-mileage-may-vary type book—it worked really well for a lot of readers, but I’m not the only one who was bored. So if it sounds like something you’d enjoy and includes some of your favorite tropes, I think it’s worth giving it a try and seeing what you think! This could be a great choice for the “Dumped at a Wedding” square for the Ripped Bodice bingo!

3.5 stars. Christina Britton is a new-to-me author, and I really enjoyed her writing style. The first half of the story was trending towards 4/4.5 stars, with Lenora being a refreshing new take on the frequently jilted debutante trope and the history of the Isle of Synne adding an engaging layer. The story could easily have wrapped up at the mid-point and I would have been happy. The second half -- after Lenora's latest betrothed (as arranged and mandated by her father, without consultation with her) arrives on the scene -- starts to drag a bit and the characters become somewhat unbelievable in their actions. Peter in particular, who could have been redeemed early on for a satisfactory conclusion, tipped the scales into being an a-hole to Lenora and remaining firm in his decision to seek revenge despite realizing the harm it would do to innocent bystanders. By the time the HEA arrives, I was less sure I liked the pairing than I was earlier on.

Overall, I think this is an interesting start to a new series and I will definitely be interested in reading more, notwithstanding my reservations on parts of this one.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

I enjoyed this well-written historical romance. Lenora Hartley has been left at the alter - again - and decides to flee society, London and her father's efforts to find her yet another fiance, returning to the Isle of Synne, even with its reminders of her first fiance. Peter Ashford is on the isle to get revenge on the man he holds responsible for his mother's death. Once they meet they find themselves drawn to each other. The characters were appealing and I found the story hard to put down. This was an entertaining book and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. A Good Duke is Hard to find by Christina Britton is the first book in her new Isle of Synne series. When her third fiancé stands her up at the alter, Lenora Hartley decides that she needs a break from society and, together with her best friend Margery, travels to the Isle of Synne to visit with Margery’s grandmother Lady Tesh. Lenora and Margery had spent summers on the isle as young girls, and island seems the perfect place to retreat to. Peter Ashford has journeyed to the island to pay back Lady Tesh for helping his dying mother when he was just a boy. Lady Tesh plays matchmaker for these two, but both will need to let go of the past in order to move on, especially Peter, who must decide if revenge is more important than future happiness. I’m a big fan of the grumpy hero and sunshine heroine and very much enjoyed reading this story. Medium Steam. Publishing Date June 30, 2020. #AGoodDukeIsHardToFind #ChristinaBritton #NetGalley #bookstagram #historicalromance #GrumpyHero #ForeverGrandCentral

I enjoyed this but it did take me a while to get into the book. I wish since it was a different setting- Isle of Skye we got more for a feel of that early one. I also loved the Norse Mythology story in this story and again wish we would have gotten it earlier. Peter was such grumpy man to win you over and did enjoy the side characters a bit better. The Lady in this is great!

This was my first Britton book and will read the rest of this series! Hope the setting and more of the characters build up an even better story in the next book.

Overall, 3.5 stars and 3 steam.

Thank you to the publisher and author for a copy in exchange for an honest review.