3.5 Stars

Once again Lenora finds herself left at the alter a jilted bride for the third time. Her controlling father has threatened to disown her if she is not properly wed, and once again the hunt for a suitable husband begins. Needing a break from the gossips of the ton, Lenora and her best friend head to Lady Tesh’s manor on the Isle of Synne. But the ghosts of Lenora’s past still reside on the Isle, and when she meets the heir of the Duke of Dane, Lenora is torn between letting go or moving on…

Peter Ashford is now the heir to the Duke of Dane. At the young age of 13, Peter swore vengeance against the Duke of Dane for his callous actions against him and his mother, causing, in his young mind, her ultimate demise. Heading to the Isle of Synne to confront the Duke and to make good on his promise to his deceased mother with Lady Tesh, Peter is overcome with conflicting feelings after meeting Miss Lenora Hartley. Her kindness to him clashes with his plans to destroy the Duke of Dane’s holdings and lay waste and ruin to his estate.

Perhaps Lenora will be able to pull the thorn from this grumpy lion’s paw, and with that, allow them to seek their happily ever after…

It has taken me a few days to prepare a review and rating for this romance. While the beginning of the book grabbed my attention, as I continued, it began to drag a bit and become rather repetitive in the middle, causing me to skim along to the end. Peter’s thirst for revenge and gruffness wore a bit on me, but then he’d have turns of being the perfect hero coming to Lenora’s rescue. Overall, A Good Duke is Hard to Find made for an enjoyable read, and if you are a fan of regency romance, I’d recommend.



**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

Starring Miss Lenora Hartley and Peter Ashford, heir to the Duke of Dane. Revenge trope.

This was my first Christina Britton experience and I absolutely loved it. This story was an emotional roller coaster and I enjoyed every second of the ride. I will definitely be looking for more of Christina Britton’s books.

Peter is the ultimate moody and broody hero. He’s got a lot on his plate... death bed promise... revenge... so the last thing he needs is to fall in love. But there’s something about Lenora that’s making his heart crack and open up to her. Suddenly he’s feeling protective, possessive... and this slip of a girl is constantly making him blush. I love that!! Peter may come out a little rude and standoffish in the beginning... but he’s a worthy hero. I was cheering for him!!

Lenora has bad luck when it comes to fiancés... one died and 2 jilted her. She thinks she doesn’t deserve to find love and so she’s closed off her heart. But the minute she bumps into Peter she’s fascinated and curious... and wants to rescue him at every turn. Lenora broke my heart a little. I was so happy that she came into her own at the end of the book. This heroine has a backbone and I was also rooting for her.

Lenora and Peter are a wonderful couple who gave me all the wonderful feels. They’re pretty happening on the sexual tension level. I was so happy that they got their HEA.

This is the first book in the Isle of Synne series and it’s starting strong. Can’t wait to see who else is getting a story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily review it and the comments are 100% my own.

My star rating: 5 stars
Ugly cried AF. Major book hangover. Characters and storyline were freaken amazeballs. Made me wanna hug the author for writing a book that gave me all the feels!! Will definitely be re-reading this story over and over and over again!!

I thought this was such a beautiful read, very heartwarming and proof that there's always hope of love, even when you're not looking for it or think you don't deserve it.

Lenora escapes London to the Isle of Synne, where she spent lovely times growing up, to get away from yet another scandal. Being left at the altar is nothing new for Lenora and it's a good thing her heart wasn't affected since they were marriages arranged by her father. Being back on the Isle of Synne brings back a lot of good memories but also some heartbreaking ones which she is keeping secret.

Peter is man bent on revenge and has spent the last 13 years plotting to ruin the man who refused to help his mother when she lay dying. Back on the Isle of Synne to pay off a debt, he meets Lenora and finds himself fighting his attraction to her. He should only be concentrating on his planned revenge and anyway, he's vowed never to marry or have a family.

Some angst and heartbreak will occur before these two find their HEA. Secrets will be revealed. Standing up for oneself will occur. Forgiveness will occur. True love and peace will finally be in their hands.

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

•Viking hero who BLUSHES
•reluctant friends to lovers
•Forced proximity
•Grumpy/Sunshine

💙A wonderful and heartwarming historical romance about love and forgiveness.

Lenora has to forgive herself because of the death of her ex-fiance while Peter has to forgive his cousin for not helping him when he needed him the most.

These circumstances shaped both Lenora and Peter and at the beginning of the book they are in a bad place, especially Peter because he's full of anger and resentment.

What made him stand out as a hero was his ability to ASK for forgiveness when he needed too (even if he took his time), he messed up a lot of times but you can always understand where he was coming from and why he acted the way he did. Sometimes he made me mad because he was just being stubborn but it's HARD to forgive others and in Peter's case what he went through with his cousin and the death of her mother was tragic and at such a young age it's understandable that he hates his cousin so much.

I loved his relationship with Lenora, both of them are attracted to each other since the very beginning but they have misconceptions about each other, mostly from Peter's side, so they develop a friendship that leads to love. They get to know, respect and love one another, they're more themselves when they're together and they INSPIRE the other to be a BETTER version of themselves.

Their character growth is amazing, this is mostly a character driven book and I enjoyed both Lenora's and Peter's point of view. They're human and complex and they screw it up and sometimes I wanted to shake them because they were two idiots in love but it was such an entertaining ride!.

Peter changes a lot since the beginning of the book and what I loved about it was that Lenora was the person that inspired him to change but he also realised that he actually HAD a family that loved him and he had to make peace with them and he has healthier relationships, it's not just him and Lenora.

Same with Lenora, she also overcomes her fears, she has to be alone and be independent before chosing Peter and she's more confident in herself at the end.

Both of them make peace with their past, they overcome their fears and they learn to let go and live.

I enjoyed A GOOD DUKE IS HARD TO FIND immensely, it was delightful. I loved both the hero and heroine, both of them end up being a better version of themselves and they inspire one another.

I can't wait to read Quincy and Clara's story.

This is the first time I have read anything by this author but it won't be the last. I enjoyed the story and it kept my interest from the start to the last page and to me that is always a sign of a good book. I enjoyed the characters and the setting although I did feel like it dragged a bit in the middle of the story. Over all I would recommend this book for other readers.

a hard book to get through at first. Very down and negative in the beginning. took a while to get into but well worth it in the end. great in depth characters.

Lenora is a product of her time - a perfect debutante, beautiful, intelligent, kind, and talented. She is also firmly controlled by her father. Her mother died when she was a child and as a result she spent a lot of time with her mother's godmother on the Isle of Synne (presumably located in the Hebrides or somewhere similar). She has been engaged three times - all but the first arranged by her father and each ending through no fault of Lenora.

Peter is the product of a tragic past and has made his way in the world completely independent from his family. He has lived on the fire of anger and desire for revenge against his uncle, the Duke. He has returned to England to repay his great aunt for her kindness to him and begin to take revenge against the Duke. His revenge includes letting everything the Duke has built go to ruin and making sure the line ends with him. The problem is, everyone loves the Duke and the only one who hates him is Peter. The Duke certainly didn't do right by Peter or his mother, but he had reasons and almost instantly came to regret his actions.

The plots in the book are relatively complicated - for what they are - and a lot of characters are introduced (as sometimes happens at the start of a series). I liked a lot about this book - but I felt like both Lenora and Peter were somewhat two dimensional. Their motivations for actions also changed throughout the book - and a lot of the issues between them could have been solved by some honesty and communication. Both, are however, products of their time and maybe felt like they couldn't discuss things? I'm not sure.

Overall - its a solid regency with an interesting setting and set up for future stories in the series.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are my own.

A Good Duke Is Hard To Find by Christina Britton was ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!
It's my first historical romance for a long time! I absolutely love this genre but there were just so many other books I've to read first.
Anyway... I accidentally found this book when Forever shared a tweet about the possibility to get an ARC of it on Netgalley. So I took the chance and got a copy! Yay!
The cover AND then the blurb totally got me HOOKED and I instantly HAD TO START this book!
OMG! And I'm sooooooo happy that I read it!
A Good Duke Is Hard To Find is a BRILLIANT book full of wonderful characters like Lenora and Peter (the main characters), Margery, Lady Tesh and so on.
I got this special connection to Lenora Hartley right from the start. After her third broken engagement she spends some time at the Isle of Synne where she accidentally meets Peter Ashford. Well I don't wanna tell you too much about the whole story. You just have to experience this wonderful book for yourself... but... Awwwww! Mr. Ashford! Be still my beating heart! YES! I definitely have to swoon about him! OMG!
Lenora and Peter are like fire and ice, really oppositional, but the more time they spend together the more they just realize how much they enjoy the company of each other.
OMG this tension between them was definitely PALPABLE! I got goose bumps everywhere because sometimes they reminded me of Mr. Darcy & Elizabeth which is awesome!
Awwwww and everything they've to deal with!
*Swoon ALERT*
SO all in all I can say that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK and it had EVERYTHING I didn't even know I needed it my life right now!
It's such a wonderful love story and it's definitely not my last book by Christina Britton!
Thank you so much Netgalley and Forever for the chance to read it!
♡♡♡

This was a difficult story for me to finish. I did not care for Peter Ashford, the hero of the story, and the heroine Lenora was too immature to be likeable, she fawned all over Peter, mainly for his Viking looks! I did like Peter's friend, Quincy, I loved Lady Tesh, her dog Freya, and Margery. I liked the setting on the Isle of Synne, very picturesque, very romantic setting, I would be interested in the next book.
I would not recommend for beginners in Historical Romance. Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee.com

I received an ARC of "A Good Duke Is Hard to Find" by Christina Britton from Netgalley. Miss Lenora Hartley is left at the altar when her groom goes to fight a duel, her third fiancee to not marry her. Peter Ashford has taken 13 years to pay off debts he believes he owes his family. They both happen to be staying at LadyTesh's home, godmother to Lenora and grand aunt to Peter, who also now happens to be heir to the Duke. The story moves beautifully ss they learn to love and forgive.

Lenora has been engaged three times but never married. Peter has a chip on his shoulder to make right by his family name. Their worlds collide. Peter is so daft. He's so stubborn, really to his own detriment. Lenora deserves all and everything. She's lived her own life for others and it's about time she starts living it for herself. Their story was sweet. I could see continuing reading books in the Isle of Synne series.

I didn't like the Insta-love trope and I didn't like Mr. Peter Ashford at all! Ashford was obnoxiously rude from the start and I cannot fathom how Lenora, our heroine, fell in love with him.

I loved Lenora's passion for painting though and am really happy with the ending she got. I also loved the side characters namely Lady Tesh and her dog Freya, Lenora's friend Margery and Quincy. (I'll write a longer review later as I had written a 300+ word review and my browser chose to crash when I was clicking on Send)

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this if this'll be your first time reading a historical romance. However, If you like the trope and want to read the story of an unlikely pair, then dive in. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.75/5 stars!

As my introduction to Christina Britton books, it really was an enjoyable read. With the premise of a jilted heroine, a bitter hero, and a set of supportive characters amidst the charming Isle of Synne, the author's "voice" was pleasing to read. I didn't mind the instant connection between the hero and the heroine, but felt some clarification or details about certain verbiage were needed for my own satisfaction. Lastly, this won't be the last Christina Britton book I read.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.**

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the start of a new series by Christina Britton. This is a new author to me. I do have to say I really enjoyed the read. This was an emotional ride and I just enjoyed it a great deal. I am looking forward to more from the author. Lenora has a really bad jerk of a father who blames her for three failed engagements. Peter is wanting revenge on the man that helped cause his mom to die. The relationship that grows between the two is nice.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the leading chapters really opened up for a great story. Lenora was an intriguing character who had been left at the alter one too many times and Peter was a hero with a backstory that was so rich and interesting I could barely contain my glee at seeing where their hijinx went. But alas, the story didn't unfold the way I had hoped and honestly became a bit tedious to continue.

Lenora's father was a rogue character from the start and I held out hope that she wouldn't be a foppish miss who let the world happen to her instead of happening to the world. Her backstory with Hillram was unique in that she felt guilt at his death and lent a certain depth to the character that she deeply required as she was so utterly bland in all other characteristics. Her problem, and one of the ultimate climaxes of the book, could have been simply solved if she had only found the gumption to do so and stopped believing that her father ever had any true love for her, yet throughout 1/3 of the novel, she goes on with the thought of marrying another to appease her sire and because she thinks Peter doesn't want her.

Peter, on the other hand, is an issue all in himself. He went beyond a grumpy bear hero into a genuine jerk. He was rude to everyone, his aunt, his cousin, Lenora (more than I honestly was okay with) and even his friend Quincy. I detested him until the very end and honestly would have preferred that Lenora live out her days in the dowager house painting away and enjoying the life that had been all but taken from her by her odious father.

All this to say it was an okay read but not something I would want to read again.

The third time is definitely not the charm for Lenora. She has been engaged three times and still, she remains unmarried. With her father furious at her for putting him in this situation... again, she decided to escape London with her dear friend and go back to the Isle of Synne. She has always felt at peace on the Isle. Lenora must wait for her father to save her reputation and match her with someone else that will aid his career and pocketbook. She knows she can never have a love match, but maybe for a small-time, she might find a little joy revisiting her past. When her friend's cousin shows up, the tall wild Viking makes her feel like maybe

Peter is hell-bent on getting revenge on his uncle for the crime he committed. He has plotted against the man since the day he sent him off without aiding Peter's dying mother. Now, he can only think of one thing... inheriting the man's dukedom and destroying it so it returns to the crown. Nothing will get in way of his plan. But, when he is forced to make good on an old promise, everything he has used to fuel his revenge starts to unravel. Can he let go of the driving force that has held him together for so long?

While I thought the main characters in this book were good, there was just something a little lacking for me. It was still an enjoyable read. This was book one in the new Isle of Synne series by Christina Britton. I'm interested to see how this series continues. I am A Good Duke Is Hard To Find a 3.5/5 stars

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for letting me read an advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Peter Ashford has lived with revenge for thirteen years. Having made his fortune in America, he's back in England to pay a debt and refuse his duty as the heir to a dukedom. Only he wasn't expecting to meet Lenora Hartley. Suddenly his life is turned upside down. Nothing is easy in this story. A few tears until everything falls into place.

This is my first book by this author, and one I've been looking forward to. Writing this review is unexpectedly difficult. On one hand, the narrative and prose if beautiful. Britton crafts the Isle with such love and care, the Isle becomes another character. Her talent for description is lovely and purely enjoyable.
However, I struggled to connect with the characters. Truthfully, I didn't like the hero until about 85% of the way in. The beginning of his arc had him at a place where he was essentially a big pouting bore. The hero was frequently a bit of an ass, to be honest. Their initial attraction didn't work for me, because there was nothing in his manner to explain why she'd like him beyond his looks. That being said, the end of his arc showed growth, ownership of his emotions, and turned him into a true hero.
The heroine was incredibly repressed emotionally and didn't bloom on the page for me until her dark moment when she grieved and changed.
So, essentially, I adored the setting, and I liked who these characters became together.
Getting to that happy ending was at times trying.
I won't write off this author by any means. These characters just might not be a great fit for me.

Redemption and forgiveness with a pound of romance.

Lenora’s engagement has left her single...again. Off she goes to the Isle of Synne to resuscitate but little does she know that the man who has drawn her in with a simple look, is there to ruin her friends and family.

I thought this book was fine. A bit dramatic. I had a bit of a problem with the Hero. He was a bit close minded and I really didn’t understand how/why the heroine was into him. Also the “insta-love” trope has never really worked for me. Lenora was a weak character with little development.

Cute story but the plot has lots of holes. If you can ignore them, you'll find it entertaining. The father's behavior is never fully explained. The back story of the Duke's heir is incomplete and therefore not quite understandable. The family story of the Duke is sketchy and needs to be filled in. Too many pages dedicated to the musings of the main female character and not enough to creating a more believable plot.