Olivia and Thorn met nine years ago when Thorn believed he was being trapped into marriage by a scheming debutant and her mother. Now, Thorn’s half-brother Gray hires chemist Olivia to determine if his father was poisoned by arsenic long ago. The whodunit revs up in book 3 of the series. The half-siblings agree someone killed their fathers and is trying to stop them from finding out who it is. Olivia and Thorn discover their misconceptions about each other as someone from the past tries to stop them from investigating the truth.

I love books by Sabrina Jeffries! Historical romance is my favorite and once again I am not disappointed. This is Thorn and Olivia story, with the usual elements. This twist is that Olivia is a chemist, which was groundbreaking during that time period. The mystery continues, were the Dukes beforehand murder? Or .who is killing the Dukes and why? Of course there are villains, a love story and a cliffhanger.....stay tune for the next book!

I struggled with this book. It was fine, but just didn't capture me. Clearly I didn't devour it as it took me over 20 days to finish it. In fact I think I read a few books between starting and finishing this one. Sabrina Jeffries was one of the first romance authors I found when I started seriously reading the genre almost 10 years ago. I will say that I have not read all of her books and I did not read the first two in the series, which may be why I struggled so much with this one.

Olivia and Thorn were both fine characters on their own, but their relationship seemed to be lacking a spark. There were so many tropes going which is not my favorite. However, to another reader that might have made this book a "this book has everything" book (insert Stefan GIF here). Overall I found this book unmemorable. It was a short read and entertaining enough but it didn't leave me wanting more.

I may have to revisit this book in the future after reading the first two to see if I get more out of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book in the series I have read, but I don't think that took anything away from my ability to follow the events or understand the relationships between the characters. The author does a great job of filling you in on what occurred in the previous books without taking up too much time for those who had already read them. Of course, now I will definitely be reading the next book to continue to follow the multi-book mystery that is added to in this part!

I liked Olivia and Thorn both of individuals and a couple. I especially watching Thorn's attitude toward Olivia change in the earlier parts of the story. I'm still torn on what I think of the final hurdle they must overcome (Thorn's writing) - I'm really not a huge fan of the whole "break up to make up" drama in romances. I wish Olivia had just stayed the night and then talked it through with Thorn the next morning rather than running off.

The most surprising character development came from the least likely person - Oliva's stepmother. I was pleasantly surprised that we got a chance to learn more about her and what drove her to make the threat to Thorn at the beginning of the story. It was a nice reminder that not everyone is quite what you think and things are not always as black-and-white as you might believe.

The only thing I would have liked a little more of was Olivia's actual chemistry experiments. Her knowledge and skill in this area is so much a part of who she is, but we barely got to see her at work.

I received this book as an ARC from netgalley. I have reviewed it honestly and voluntarily.

I enjoyed this read but wasn’t engrossed by it. I feel as if I know little of the characters and why they fall in love with each other. Too much of this book is involved in the “whodunnit?” story involving the deaths of the dukes’ fathers. I loved that Thorn is a writer and that Olivia is a chemist. It’s enjoyable to see the gentry with interests outside of their homes/society/ton etc... I wish we would have gotten to go deeper into Olivia and Thorns characters but they really fell flat for me. Even the steamy scenes didn’t hold my interest. I probably won’t read it again. I really enjoyed the previous stories and plan on reading the next one. Fingers crossed it’s more enjoyable than this one.

3 stars, the backstory for this series is super fun. you have three heirs to dukedoms with the same mother who married three times along with their various siblings, half-siblings, and relatives. this book focused on thorn and olivia who meet at a ball when he'd recently come back to england from prussia. he spills a drink on his waistcoat, she offers to help him clean the stains as she's a chemist and they hit it off until her stepmother catches them kissing and blackmails thorn into offering for olivia's hand. olivia refuses and we see the story pick up 9 years later where they once again meet at a ball, this time because she's helping his half-brother.

olivia was a very likeable character because she clearly loved chemistry but was willing to make compromises instead of being stubborn and irrational about her career. her relationship with her stepmother was the sweetest part of the book in my opinion, you could tell they really cared about each other and olivia was the best thing in her stepmother's life. thorn was less memorable than olivia but i liked that he was a playwright. their chemistry was really strong in the start of the book and i wish the flashback scenes had been extended because their dynamic really got to me in those parts.

𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

I have really enjoyed this series. Book 3 does not disappoint! Thorn meets Olivia at a ball, puts her in a compromising position, then offers her marriage – which she refuses. Nine years later, they meet up again but under different circumstances. Grey wants Olivia to help solve a family mystery around his father’s death – and Thorn really sees Olivia for the unusual and special woman she is.
I loved the ‘profession’ the author picked for her heroine – giving her a profession of a chemist was very different and added an extra element of uniqueness to the story. Olivia was adorable in her excitement over her experiment discoveries – I could have easily read more. Great story. Can’t wait to see where the next one (Sheridan’s HEA) takes the series!

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars - at times Marlowe seemed a little immature for his age. Overall enjoyed the story.

I'm always a sucker for the quiet/awkward girl gets the guy so of course I picked up this book when it hit the NetGalley site. I liked the characters themselves, especially that we have a lady scientist in a historical romance. What didn't work for me was the whole second chance romance premise. This is already one of my least preferred tropes, so I tried to keep an open mind. However, I just had no patience for the fact that the "scandal" means they didn't speak to each other in 9 years? I would expect that you'd have to see each other at some point since you're both a part of society. I usually don't mind scandals in my historicals, but this just felt way more manufactured for some reason.
That being Said Sabrina Jeffries is a good author and she writes books that are fun to read. I have loved several of her previous titles and think this one will be popular as well. I think I just couldn't manage to connect with these two at this time for personal reasons. Perhaps a re-read will be in order somewhere down the line.

Marlow “Thorn” Drake, Duke of Thornstock, had met Miss Olivia Norley far before his brother Grey hired her on as a chemist to test his late father’s remains. Her face is burned into his memory from a scandously shared kiss many years before, when he first came back from England. That kiss changed his life in more ways than one, and not in a good way. With the sour memories turning themselves over in his head, he is convinced that this beautiful bluestocking is up to something besides stoking the fire in him…

Miss Olivia Norley, a bookish science-minded woman, also remembers that kiss with Thorn, and the denied marriage proposal thereafter. She never could figure out why he acted so very coldly toward her the next day or why he came to offer in the first place. Although that evening played over and over in her head for years after it happened, she can’t let that get in the way of the one chance she has to make herself a name in the science community amongst her Uncle’s peers–regardless of the very real chemical reaction reigniting between Thorn, now a rake of the first order, and herself.

Will Thorn and Olivia give in to the the draw they feel toward one another, or will their past and their secrets continue to keep them at arm’s length?

This is a delightful bodice-ripper romance rife with secrets, murder, misunderstandings, and plenty of compromising content! I really love a good Edwardian romance and the one was the perfect thing to get me out of a reading slump. Olivia is a smart and logical person who wants nothing more but to make a name for herself in the science community and is fiercely driven to do so. At first, she approaches Thorn’s advances as experiments as she has no misgivings about his lusty intentions. Despite Thorn’s better judgement and suspicions of this woman who once spurned his marriage proposal, he has an undeniable attraction to her. This book contains a good dose of mystery, a healthy heaping of folly, and enough heat to light a bunsen burner!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced galley in exchange for a fair and honest review. ❤

I requested an ARC of this book, and these opinions are my own.

A brilliantly smart heroine is difficult to resist, as Marlowe - the Duke of Thornstock, finds out in this charming story.

Olivia Norley is bookish, beautiful, and determined to make a name for herself in the field of Chemistry. Its that pursuit that leads to both a romantic and wildly embarrassing moment with Thorn that ruins any chance they may have initially had. He jumps to conclusions, but is still incredibly drawn to her, even many years later - hence his decision to dog her steps as she prepares to investigate a suspicious death. Of course, theirs is a happily ever after, with tons of steamy moments - and not just of the chemical variety.

I loved Oliva's tenacity and determination to stay true to herself, and to her dreams - even if it means she won't ever have a love of her own. And Thorn's bluster hides a surprisingly sensitive and poetic soul, as evidenced by his secret play-writing - a delightful sub plot.

The possible murder to Thorn's step-brother's father (and possibly his own) is an intriguing storyline, and I look forward to seeing how it plays out through the rest of the series.

While this book could stand on it's own, readers would definitely benefit by reading the other books in the series - if for no other reason than to understand the incredibly complex family tree. Either way, it is a must read for sure.

Who Wants to Marry a Duke is a third entry in Ms. Jeffries' Duke Dynasty series. It wasn't as good as the first two books in the series but still a quick, pleasant read. I didn't love it though, not as much as I hoped I would when I started it.
I liked the premise to this book and I was sure I'd enjoy it greatly but sadly for some reason it didn't pull me in as much as I hoped. It was fine. Not great, not awful, just ok. Nothing stands out, neither in a good nor in a bad way. The characters are great, especially Olivia and Thorn, the MCs. I loved them but their romance lacked excitement and chemistry. I never felt the love or even attraction between them. Their "falling in love" felt so bland. And the storyline lacks excitement even if it centers on a decades old possible murder. This story line had so much potential and I so desperately wanted to like it. It wasn't a bad book, nothing special really bothered me about it but nothing really held my attention either and I'm sure I'll forget all about it in a few days.
If you're Sabrina Jeffries' fan or if you stumble upon this book, do read it because it's far from bad, it just didn't wow me as much as I hoped it would.

Who Wants to Marry a Duke is the third book in the Duke Dynasty series and can easily be read as a stand-alone. When Thorn’s half-brother Fletcher hires Olivia, an accomplished chemist, to research his father’s mysterious death, Thorn is instantly suspicious of her motives. He hasn’t forgotten that night nine years ago when he and Olivia were caught kissing, and he was forced to propose. Since Olivia rejected him, Thorn still suspects that she and her scheming step-mother planned the incident and the subsequent blackmailing scheme. Thorn determines to watch Olivia and ensure that she doesn’t dupe Fletcher the way that she did him.

Olivia just wants to do her job and publish her findings. This opportunity could make her career as a chemist. Thorn is a distraction, and she refuses to fall for him again. However, as Olivia and Thorn grow closer, and things become more dangerous, neither can deny their attraction. Can they put the past behind them, or will their prejudices and Thorn’s cynical outlook on love prevail?

Olivia is an intelligent and opinionated woman who stays true to her values and beliefs. I love her strength during a time when it would be very easy for her to rely on a man and marriage to feel secure. She’s more interested in her career goals to worry about marriage and love and is comfortable remaining unmarried so long as she can study science. She and Thorn are similar in that their interests defy societal norms and neither quite fit in.

Thorn is a Duke who also has a secret profession, which I love! He is close to and protective of his mother and siblings, which isn’t surprising considering all of the misfortune they have suffered. I think his relationship with them says so much about Thorn as a kind, loyal, and dependable person. I also love the way in which he accepts and supports Olivia’s interests and career aspirations. He does not expect, nor does he want, her to fit into the cookie-cutter societal mold.

The romance between Olivia and Thorn is fabulously spicy. This is a couple that went through an ugly scandal together almost a decade ago and spent years trying to repair the damage. Unresolved conflicts and feelings abound as the couple reunites under very different circumstances. However, they are still so obviously attracted to one another, and their chemistry (pardon the pun) is amazing! I love their quick and often funny banter and their growth as a couple.

This is a great historical romance with an interesting, and continuing, mystery and a steamy love story. The excellent use of dialogue and the character-development are fabulous as are the messages about love, both familial and romantic, which are at the forefront of this novel.

Though this is the third book in the series, and can easily be read as a stand-alone, the other stories are great and provide some context that will further enhance your enjoyment of this story. That being said, readers who enjoy historical romance will enjoy this love story. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Who Wants to Marry a Duke
Sabrina Jeffries’ series featuring siblings and step-siblings is centered around a multi-murder mystery. Who killed their fathers and uncles? Who Wants to Marry a Duke is the Duke of Thornstock’s tale. The story begins 9 years ago when he was caught kissing a young lady, Lady Olivia, who then spurred his forced offer of marriage. Fast forward 9 years and the lady and the Duke cross paths again. This time, the lady is a chemist and seeking to enhance her professional standing. The Duke secretly writes plays but has his works published by a friend. The lady chemist discovers that the father of Thornstock’s half sibling was murdered by arsenic poisoning. During the discovery process, Lady Olivia and Thorn eventually find their common ground and love conquers all. The characters are well developed and most entertaining. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

I loved Olivia. So much. She is brilliant and thoughtful and determined to forge her path as a chemist. She is wonderful! Thorn, however, is a jerk. One little kiss goes awry and he becomes this cynical, bitter man who hides his own genius (along with refusing to acknowledge Olivia's). Can he overcome his stubbornness to realize she is everything he wants in a partner? I read this book in one fell swoop and then was disappointed that it was over so quickly...I think I need to go read it again!

I really liked this story,but I had a problem with it. The hero and heroine has a red-hot encounter at a ball. Her step-mother finds them and forces him to offer for her using a threat. The heroine refuses him because she doesn't want the marriage to turn to hate because the hero acted like an ass when he has to propose. And they were young, she was 18 and he was 21. So, fast forward 9 years later. The heroine is an acclaimed amateur chemist who is looking to publish her findings and become a professional. The hero has grown into his titles and estate. The heroine is going to conduct chemical experiments and because the hero has this strange discrimination of her, invites himself along on the 'county trip'. Now this is where I am confused. The heroine has thought of the hero and the red-hot encounter for 9 years- she is an unwed spinster. The hero has had nothing but disdain for her, but because of her response to their encounter, he has never had a relationship or courtship with another woman. This I do not understand. He has hated her to the point of patterning a contemptuous character in his plays after her for 9 years, then all of a sudden, he is attracted to her. Hasn't the hero matured in 9 years? They still act the same as they did 9 years prior. I guess I just expected a little more growth from a man. So because of this conundrum, I give this book 4.95 stars. And I still liked it very much. It had an otherwise good story line and continuity with no loose ends. The spelling and grammar were correct. I was impressed with the age range of the characters. I would recommend reading it, 4.95 stars.

This story follows the other half of the twins in Duke Dynasty 2 - Thorn is a grumpy untrusting Duke who is "tricked" into proposing after being caught with Olivia Norley. She turns him down and the story begins 9 years later...

Olivia and Thorn are both secretly fond of their brief encounter, but don't actually like each other. Obvs, this changes... Fairly quickly, but then the last set of sworn enemies (DD2) moved from hating each other to discussing marriage in less than a day too.

I guess it just makes me wonder about how in 9 (nine) 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 yeeeeeears they never managed to spend 30 minutes together and decide they love each other. There's a lot to get to in this book, so I guess there just wasn't time for a relationship to develop or evolve.

Olivia, NINE years later, is an accomplished chemist and is enlisted to unravel a mystery with Regency Forensics (CSI: Herfortshire... CBS call me, I have thoughts!) for Thorn's half brother. Thorn tags along to make sure Olivia knows what she's doing. Even though Thorn doesn't know the first thing about chemistry, he is certain he will sus her out if she's a fraud. Hmmm... There's room for a comment about how this entitled man thinks he knows more about a topic he has no interest in, than a woman who has studied it for over 10 years...

Moving on, there's a mystery murderer on the loose trying to thwart Olivia's work, which leads Thorn to take charge of her care and protection. Yadda yadda they fall in love.

There's a whole manner of complex family dynamics, which involves revisiting characters from the past 2 books... And while the H & h are a little better drawn in this book, there's no time to really see change in them that bring about their relationship.

The murder (s) of Thorn's mother 3 husbands takes up most of the time and energy. This part of the story was not as fun for me since all of the alleged murder victims, alleged murderers and widow are pretty small, minor characters.

As in prior books, Jeffries does a nice job of familial and sibling relationships. There is a lot left to be desired in the hero, Thorn, being kinda a jerk to his smart, chemist love interest. He never seems to grow much from doubting her and thinking of chemistry as her hobby. It's disappointing.

#WhoWantstoMarryaDuke #NetGalley

I love this series and I can't wait to find out who the villain is! Thorne is a bit of a jerk. I wanted to like him right away, but I couldn't. Olivia is a breath of fresh air. Smart, pretty, logical. I do not write spoilers, so no plot details here! I will say that the road to HEA is quite bumpy!

I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley and am very thankful for that. Now on to my honest review.

I have read the first two books in the series as well and I have to say that Who Wants to Marry a Duke is the one I found most enjoyable. However, the fact that immediately after meeting and removing a stain the hero and heroine kiss in a library was sort of pushing it. I know you are supposed to suspend disbelief while reading romance but come on! It seemed like that scene was needed to set the story off and the feel of it was, in my opinion, forced. After that episode, it gets more believable and the chemistry between them works. As usual with strong, mysterious Dukes, there are secrets the hero keeps for too long and then has to make it right with the heroine by groveling a little bit. I liked that. The cast of characters from the first two book are present in this one, as is the multiple murder mystery on which 'the plot thickens' quite a bit but we still don't find out whodunnit. However, the culprit is supposed to be female and I found that rather refreshing. That being said, you don't need to write the books in order, each works perfectly as a stand alone. This romance is hot rather than sweet, with a lot of lust and some illicit encounters and naughty behavior. It made my rainy week-end brighter.

This story carries the reader on an investigation, a seduction, and a romance. The intrigue grows as the story unwinds, however I was left piecing things together as I had not read the previous two books in the series. The story stands alone, but there are so many unanswered questions and unfinished business that you will want to read the next book in the series as well as search for the first two. The secondary characters are all so interesting that you want to see how their romances happened. Olivia and Thorn are great together, even if they both won’t acknowledge their feelings. I’m now going back to read the first book in the story as I want to fill in some gaps as the author has me hooked!

This is one of many books I have read by this Author, and it wasn't my favorite. I found Olivia to be somewhat interesting, but Thorn was just a sulky, spoiled child, even 9 years later. I didn't see the attraction at all, even by the end of the story. I find myself wanting characters who act more like grown ups with actual reasons to be attracted to each other. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.