Thank you to NetGalley, Forever and Grand Central for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-second chance romance
-friends to lovers
-insta love
-historical romance
-a cinnamon roll of a duke
-over involved but well meaning family members
-a plot to steal the dukedom away


My favorite aspect of this book was the frank discussion of mental health and disability.  I do wish the author note explaining the use of the proper terms for the time was at the beginning of the book as a bit of a CW but appreciate the push for historical accuracy.  This was the fifth in a series.  I did not realize this and do not really feel these are as much standalones.  

This a multi-POV plot heavy book.  While Robert and Constance are the main storyline there are also a lot of other stories going on with their family, as well as the POV of the couple who are attempting to have Robert declared incompetent.  It's a lot, this is not a light read.  Overall I enjoyed it but there was clearly a lot of backstory, especially with this being a second chance romance that knowing would have made me enjoy it even more.  

Rating: 3.5 stars
Steam: 2/2.5


CW: mental health, chronic disability, seizure disorder, parental abuse and abandonment, mistreatment of the mentally ill

I love that this was basically a second chance love story that hadn’t really begun initially but could only lead to one logical conclusion. I love that familial loyalty is never in question. I love that the hero has such a steady countenance, but that doesn’t make him a dull character. But mostly, I love that Grace Burrowes continues to write the way she does, with unapologetically strong female leads.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I reviewed this book for Library Journal. They will publish the review after the editing process. Please check with them for the final text.

The Truth About Dukes is the kind of story that one can't help forming a love/hate attachment to.
Loving the pluck and tenacity of both its leading man and his lady. But hating all that they have had to endure.
Robert Rothmere, Duke of Rothhaven may have begun life eating from the most gilded of silver spoons. But after having been rendered epileptic due to a.series of childhood head injuries. He was left to live out his days, an unwilling patient of a hospital for the mentally ill.

Where at the tender age of 15. He would befriend a young staff member. By the name of Constance Wentworth.
Who he knew to be far more refined than someone of her station ought.
After falling as far in love with Constance as a 15 year old stuck in an asylum can.
She leaves and is mysteriously returned to the loving busom of her family.

Fast forward more than a couple of years. And my how things have changed.
The now duke is half heartedly making a somewhat forced entree into not so polite society. For the sake of his soon to be married brother.
While Constance is doing her level best to tolerate not so polite society for the sake of her hers.
Anyway...
As luck would have it. The now Duke, Robert, manages to snag Constance for a walk in the garden outside of the one ball that he has seemingly managed to tamp down his raging agoraphobia to attend. Only to find that said phobia has proved itself all to willing to ruin the fun. Forcing him to cling to poor Constance for dear life in order make it back inside. In as close to one piece as the poor man can muster.
It is from here that a friendship / relationship between the two begins to take shape. And the ball really gets rolling story-wise.

At it's heart. This is a truly relatable "you and me against the world romance. With Constance becoming not only Robert's wife and Duchess. But his biggest support and defender as well. As he fights to protect and defend not only the solvency of his dukedom. But his right and fitness to rule given his disability.
This story does a marvelous job of depicting the treatment, understanding, and societal mores, and prejudices faced by those with disabilities. As well as the lengths that employed by the unscrupulous to swindle such people out of money. Under the guise of protecting their best interests.

Robert does mange to be just the " white knight " that Constance needs. On far more private and personally devastating grounds. As he works to right the wrongs of her past. Healing her heart in the process.

This a beautiful story for those that believe that the most perfect of loves is often forged in pain, tempered by compassion, and ornamented by the timeless beauty of mutual respect.

A lovely addition to the Rogues to Riches series. Robert and Constance initially met under very trying circumstances and saved each other, but then went their separate ways. When they meet again, both are still struggling with over-protective family and learning how to become their best selves. They do this by seeing the strength in the other and encouraging the best type of growth. I love how they support each other and how their strengths and weaknesses mesh to create a wholeness in them both. They are both wonderful, flawed, relatable characters with Grace Burrowes signature writing of tenderness and affection. I definitely recommend this book.

Robert and Constance met years ago when both were broken and when they come together a second time it is to share a love that they won't let anyone take away from them again. Robert and Constance have to trust in each other and the love they have for one another in order to get through the nasty ordeal a meddling woman is putting them through.  A great book. I couldn't put it down.

Remember to be Fierce
Grace Burrowes continues the exploration of the Wentworth family’s secrets, with a serious and honest romance. The Truth about Dukes picks up right after A Duke by Any Other Name, at Nathaniel former Duke of Rothhaven and Lady Althena Wentworth’s engagement party. Meeting again after ten years Robert Rothmere and lady Constance Wentworth have a lot to catch up on, and quickly. Robert has finally been brought home to be the Duke of Rothhaven, and society is not accepting of disabilities. Grace Burrows does a great job in her books representing characters with a variety of disabilities. The patience and understanding Constance has for Robert is a true representation of an accepting friendship. She has a wonderful artistic eye, and her descriptions of Robert are delightful to read. Robert’s respect and kinship with Constance is refreshing. Despite his traumatic life and anxiety, he still has a lot of room to support Constance in her struggles. Constance and Robert find a kinship in both their particularities, and together find a way to challenge society’s opposition with dignity. There are plenty of references, and meetings with previous characters in the Rogues to Riches Series. Including hints to the next book How to Catch a Duke with Lord Stephen Wentworth. Grace Burrowes creates a wonderful slow-burn romance about finding love in shared understanding.

I always love Grace Burrowes's books and this one did not disappoint. It is about a forgotten duke and a lady with a secret past. I enjoyed the the build up of the romance and the trials and tribulations they have to go through to be together. Great book.

I knew this book was going to be good...Grace Burrowes wrote it, but I was blown away by her characters. 
  A strong Duke with epilepsy, when it was treated as madness.
  A strong female lead, who has mis-stepped, but her character is strong, strong enough that she and the duke are each other's saving grace through difficult times. They each understand why the other is the way they are and each has a deep love for their family. 
  When a vicious person sets out to do the Duke harm, the families unite together to protect him, as he strives ti protect his lady, his brother and his new family.
   Written with humor and wit, this tale is not to be missed by lovers of Historical romance. Her descriptions of the scenes and people come to life.
   I requested and was blessed with an ARC of this amazing tale.

The Truth About Dukes is the story of two outcasts who find love under the harsh scrutiny and judgment of society. Constance is a woman who likes to blend in. A woman who happily fades into the background with her plain dress and mundane demeanor, Constance holds some secrets close to her heart, never to be discussed with anyone else. That is until she reconnects with Robert Rothmere.

Rothmere suffers from epilepsy, or “the falling sickness,” and is very much judged for it. Institutionalized and maltreated by a questionable doctor, Rothmere is a recluse who struggles with his fears and the expectations of society. Neither really feels like they fit in until they meet each other.

The connection between Constance and Rothmere, which extends back to their teen years when both were in vulnerable and horrifying situations, is strong. Though neither is overtly demonstrative in front of others, their affection and desire for each other are clear. I love how they love each other, and their unconditional support is wonderful. Both characters have a lot of inner turmoil and outward obstacles to overcome, and their respect, admiration, and staunch support of each other through it all is lovely.

The story touches upon serious issues and handles them with honesty. Epilepsy, familial abuse, PTSD, legal battles, and unplanned pregnancies weigh on Constance and Rothmere, and it’s interesting (and horrifying) to see how these situations and struggles were handled in the past. I was shocked at how many people prejudged Rothmere and Constance and acted on greed, jealousy, and entitlement.

The Truth About Dukes is an interesting historical romance with unique characters and strong messages about love, life, and tolerance. Though this is the fifth book in the series, it can totally be read as a standalone. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Forever for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

For the first 15% of this book I really actively disliked it. I was seriously considering dnfing it. I've read Burrowes' books before and enjoyed them, but it felt like we were dumped into a scene midway through followed by a series of short conversations between characters I didn't know about this mysterious thing that no one was naming. Part of this could be that it was the fifth in a series (which I didn't realize until I started reading it.)

However. I persevered and actually started really enjoying it soon after that, when Constance and Robert start interacting more.

The really interesting thing about this book, to me, is that it wasn't what I was expecting for a historical romance. There wasn't a lot of sex (honestly that's a good thing), and Constance and Robert got together VERY early on. The conflict didn't hinge on their relationship or misunderstandings between them, but rather on outside events each was going through. It actually felt more like historical fiction than historical romance.

The families were wonderful, and I was reminded a great deal of the Bridgertons. Which is good as I adored the Bridgerton clan and now I adore the Rothmeres and Wentworths as well. I'm tempted to go back and read the other books in the series now that I know how much fun the characters are.

This novel also took on some serious topics - Epilepsy, mental competency trials, anxiety, and adopted children one regrets giving up. I don't have personal experience with any of those, but I do have other debilitating physical and mental illnesses and the way these topics were handled rang true to me.

All in all a great book, but that awkward beginning drops the rating a bit for me.

This story will make you gasp, get mad, and cry.  Robert has epilepsy, and is locked awsy for years.  Constance has a secret.  I will not spoil the story.  I will tell you it is so well written, it truly hurt my heart. The characters came to life, and you will feel their pain and joy.

Grace Burrows knows how to tell a story.  Incredibly!

Constance is shocked when she sees Robert Rothmere at a ball.  She tries to avoid him, but he waylays her, and they walk in the garden.  What Constance thought would be incredibly awkward was, in fact, quite nice.  Constance had known Robert when he was a patient in an asylum.  He isn’t insane, he is epileptic. The “asylum” was actually a place that Robert’s father had stowed him away and a horrible doctor had been experimenting on him.

Constance’s sister and Robert’s brother are in love and engaged to be married.  This brings Constance and Robert together more and more and they find themselves falling in love.  The road to happiness, however, will be a rough road.  Constance has a secret she doesn’t want to share with Robert but must in order to be completely honest with him.  Robert could possibly be seen as unfit to run a dukedom and put under a guardianship.  They will both try as hard as they can to avoid this happening.  With Robert’s brother and Constance’s family and friends they will try to overcome all the obstacles in their way to a bright future.

This was definitely a romance, but I felt that most of the book was taken up with Constance’s secret and Robert and his epilepsy.  That was actually fine, because it worked in this instance and was well done.  That said, the first part of the book was a bit…I want to say stodgy, but that’s not quite right.  It just didn’t flow the way that I’m used to Burrowes’ books flowing and it was disjointed for me.  The second part was definitely more cohesive, and the story really picked up.

I loved Constance and Robert together.  There wasn’t too much of the typical romance between the two, but the way that Burrowes portrayed their love throughout the book was definitely sigh-worthy.  She did a great job showing us how much in love these two characters were.

The secondary characters definitely need to be mentioned as they were an integral part of the story.  I loved how Burrowes took the “it takes a village” saying and ran with it – even though these were adults.  It showed the love and care that the two families had for their siblings and I loved that.

Overall a good read. I haven’t read the previous four books in this series but didn’t feel that not doing so detracted from this story in any way.

Rating:  3.75/4 out of 5

This was my first book in this Series and I will definitely be looking into reading more. I found the main characters easy to like, both strong but flawed and a perfect couple. I, also, found the concept original as I have never read a book with the Hero suffering from Epilepsy and, also,  having to deal with issues of competency as a result of the lack of knowledge of the disease.  The story flew by and I stayed intrigued to the end. I received an ARC for my honest opinion.

It took a few chapters for me to engage, but it wasn't long before I was flipping pages. Robert Rothmere has lived years in the shadows. He has the fainting sickness, epilepsy. Taken as a child and hidden from his family, he's gradually worked his way back to establishing himself as the Duke of Rotthaven . Constance Wentworth has a connection with Robert from years ago. As they reestablish their relationship, Robert's put on trial for his competency to manage his estate and Constance must confront her past. Very, very clever resolutions to the story. Kudos to Burrowes. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I love Grace Burrowes and the wonderful characters she creates, which is why I adore the fact that she writes in series.  The Rogues to Riches series has been as entertaining as all of the others.  After the end of the last book (A Duke by Any Other Name), I was anxiously awaiting this series to learn about the history of Constance and Robert.  They did not disappoint (not that I thought they would).

Robert suffers from epilepsy (otherwise known as the falling sickness) and was thought dead for many years while he was, in reality, trapped in a hospital and the subject of experiments.  Constance grew up in poverty with an abusive father and made some bad decisions along the way while her brother was earning a fortune to care for the family.  She also came across Robert once upon a time while working at the hospital where he was detained.  The two became close and then never saw each other again until their siblings are getting married and he is a Duke, no longer in the hospital.

The two characters have much to work through, but their firm foundation of friendship makes them a force to be reckoned with as they conquer the obstacles life throws in their path.  Settled on a path towards marriage and love early on in the book, they still face a myriad of exterior forces such as vain and greedy neighbors hoping to strip Robert of his title and an illegitimate child.

My one frustration with the book is the characters from the previous stories in the series.  It seems that, the further along in the series you get, the more they lose their original personality.  This has become painfully true of the original duke, Constance’s brother, Quinn.  He no longer has a mind of his own, but defers all thoughts and decisions to his wife, Jane.  She now runs the entire family as his Duchess because he dares not displease her.  A desire to please one’s wife can only go so far before a man who is theoretically the richest and one of the most powerful men in England just comes off as being spineless.

This was a romance grounded in the time it takes place and I point this out because too often that isn't the case.  Epilepsy played a staring role in this in a time where people didn't understand much about it.   Bravo.

I have loved this series by Grace Burrowes. Each has had unique, compelling characters for both the hero and heroine. I found these two particularly fascinating because they were so sure of themselves and yet changed in distinct, but believable, natural ways during the course of the story. The books don't need to be read in order, it just makes it more enjoyable to revisit old friends.

Fascinating and lovely.  Robert has epilepsy and must defend himself from a challenge to his mental competence.  I love these characters and this story and the world Ms Burrowes has created.

Secrets always come to light! Robert, the forgotten Duke who was once hidden away because of a common ailment which we call today epilepsy. He has men that want to gain control of his estate by having him declared incompetent. 

Lady Constance has a doozy of a secret, but she tries to keep herself under everyone’s radar by becoming part of the background. She makes no waves and causes no problems, but she has met Robert before! Uh, oh how is that possible if he was sent away? 

This book is truly a wonderful book to read! The first one I was not so thrilled about, but the author has her mojo back because the characters flowed and the book came together. I enjoyed this storyline and how the author developed the characters in this particularly Constance!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.