Eloisa James is my favorite historical romance writer. I look forward to reading her books. Her witty repartee is a treat in all of her books and this is no exception. A fun and beautiful read.

So sweet, so fun - great love story for two lovely characters! Hugo and Ophelia have been in the background in the Wildes series for so long, but it was good to see them at the forefront of their own story. Their banter was witty and entertaining. And Lady Knowe was at her best here.

My Last Duchess is a fun, fast, warm hug of a book that checked all of my happy reader boxes. If you're a fan of the Wildes series, you've seen glimpses of the Duke of Lindow and his duchess in the background of the stories. We know they are madly in love, we know they're good parents, we know she's his third duchess, but we really don't know much more...until now.

I adored this story. It's like a special treat you weren't expecting. I loved the witty banter, heart-tugging romance, and castle-full of children determined to have a say in the selection of their father's next wife. I so enjoyed the fact that Hugo, determined to find an "appropriate" wife but not looking for love, saw Ophelia and was instantly smitten. Even better that Ophelia looked at him, his title, his castle, and his eight children and wasn't! It made the ups and downs of the story that followed so much fun. I enjoyed getting to know Hugo and Ophelia individually and following them through their rather unconventional but oh-so-romantic "courtship." I loved that James included the children in the story too. They're energetic, inquisitive, and mischievous; it was so much fun to see glimpses of the unique characteristics they would carry with them into adulthood. Meeting their younger selves made me want to go read their books all over again. Fans of the Wildes are sure to enjoy this look back at some of their favorite characters but if you're new to the series, My Last Duchess is a great place to start.

If you're looking for a quick read (255 pages) that will make you laugh, sigh, and bubble over with joy, pick up a copy of My Last Duchess. It has my enthusiastic recommendation.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

My Last Duchess by Eloisa James is the 6th book in the Wildes of Lindow Castle series, a novella about Hugo Wilde, the Duke of Lindow and his 3rd and last duchess, Miss Ophelia Astley.
This novella is a quick read and one in which Hugo, a beleaguered duke (one with 8 children and a recent divorce) takes one look at Ophelia and falls in love. Ophelia, a widow and mother of a young child, isn’t so sure.

After Hugo pleads his case to Ophelia in a carriage, spends the night with her (mostly platonically) and declares his intention to wed her, Ophelia declines. She isn’t sure she wants to take on Hugo and/or his 8 children.

But when Hugo takes Ophelia at her word and starts courting another woman, Ophelia is a bit bereft and rather hurt. Fortunately, Hugo’s sister and his children aren’t content to sit on the sidelines and let Hugo make a mistake.

The younger children in particular have questions for the prospective brides, questions that made me laugh out loud. Hugo may not be the world’s best father, but his desire to be better is quite clear. His children’s opinion is important.

My Last Duchess by Eloisa James is a sweet novella that put a big smile on my face. It gives readers a fun look at the Wilde children (who are the main characters in the other books in the series) growing up.

Fans of the Wildes of Lindow Castle will find this novella a charming read and a great escape.

This book was absolutely amazing! I loved it. This is a prequel book and I didn't realize that from the blurb and at first I thought, have I already read this? Because I recognize a lot of these characters! It totally delivered. Hugo and Ophelia's love story fit them perfectly and explains the blending of their two families. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me early access to read this book!

If you’re looking for a sweet, whirlwind of  a romance, look no further! My Last Duchess is the perfect prequel to one of my favourite series by Eloisa James. Her writing is always captivatingly sweet, and I wish this had been a full length novel rather than a novella because I definitely could have kept reading this story. Not only do you get a wholesome helping of single parents trying to do right by their children, you also get to see those children pop up to give the story this lovely rosy glow. It’s the perfect palette cleanser after reading so many dark and dreary fantasies, so if you adore stories with love at first sight tropes, then you’ll definitely want to add this to your TBR list.

This book is a prequel to the Wildes of Lindow Castle series, and I would suggest reading the rest of the series before picking up this book in particular...but in this case, it might not make much of a difference! 

Hugo Wilde, Duke of Lindow, is a single parent with a castle full of eight children, and he needs a wife. When he lays eyes on Lady Ophelia Astley, mother to one very well behaved daughter, he decides no one but Ophelia will do for his wife. Unfortunately for him, Ophelia isn’t interested in a household of children or a castle. In his desperation to find a wife, Hugo decides to court an appropriate woman for his children. However, when he sees Ophelia again, he realises that no one has his heart the way she does. He’ll need to convince her that their chemistry, children, and castle are a match made in heaven.

Going into this story, I was excited. The Wildes series has been one of my favourites so far, because the love interests tend to be quirky and nothing like we expect them to be. I wasn’t disappointed in this regard. Ophelia is such a wonderful woman, and I especially love that this story normalises parenthood among the upper crust of historical romances. It’s fascinating how much detail Eloisa James manages to put into a shorter story. I’m getting a bit ahead of myself though, so let’s begin with Hugo. He comes off as a very honest man with an unfortunate predicament of having to find a wife because of his divorce with his second wife. Even as he’s stressing about this, his relationship with his twin sibling is highlighted positively, as well as his love for his kids.

The further we get into the story, the more readers get to see how important family is to both characters. Eloisa James always highlights some of the more unfortunate aspects of high society relationships (cheating specifically), and the misogyny towards women. Hugo and Ophelia’s meeting is a little unconventional, and I will acknowledge that it borders on creepy. However, what I loved even more is the acknowledgement of this by Hugo as well as how other characters react in order to make sure Ophelia is protected. Their romance is certainly steamy, and for once, I appreciated that it forgoes all the shyness that happens a lot in historical romance. There’s no shy and flirtatious glances from across a dance floor, but there is an undeniable chemistry and sensuality from two consenting adults.

I honestly wasn’t expecting to love the scenes with the kids half as much as I did! For one, it always feels odd to see our love interests as children, but it works so stinking well! The kids are all troublemakers from the beginning, but also, add a charming level of humour to the story as the rival love interest comes into the picture. My favourite scene has to be the questioning scene (which is not a spoiler and I implore you pick this up if you’re looking for a laugh).

This was such a satisfying read, and even thought it was a little predictable, it is an adorable addition to this series. I’m fairly certain there’s another book in the works, and I’m dying to know which Wilde we’ll get to see next. Like I said in the beginning, if you’ve been reading a lot of serious fiction, need a break from reality, or are looking for a cute story to get lost in over a mug of hot chocolate during the colder months...put this on your TBR list! Better yet, add the whole darn Wilde series to your list, especially if you haven’t read it yet.

My Last Duchess is a return to Lindow Castle, but back in time. This is the story of Hugo, Duke of Lindow, after he's been left and has divorced his second wife, Yvette; his first wife, Marie, died young. He has 8 children and no duchess. At the urging of his sister, he's looking for another wife, this one to be a mother to his children, not to have more children. After all, he has EIGHT children. It is instalove when he sees Ophelia, Lady Astley, a young widow with a child of her own. The entire story is about them falling in love. They have immediate attraction and immediate pull to each other. In an age when perhaps the nobility were engaged, if not outright married, after very little interaction, the instalove trope works fine. And because both characters have had successful marriages, and one has had a disastrous marriage, they bring their expectations and experiences with them. So this isn't ingenues who will be disappointed later and that's a refreshing take.

It is a romantic tale, basically low conflict with the majority of conflict being wrapped up in another possible fiancee for Hugo and the two main characters learning to communicate and decide that yes, this is what they each want. It's fun to see the children as youngsters, including the (is he or isn't he) late Horatius. There's some heat on the page, fitting the story and the characters. I especially like an chance to see two more mature characters who fall in love. It's not a marriage of convenience or for the sake of finding a parent for their offspring. These two come together and plan to make a life.

The snapshots of the children as youngsters are charming and humorous. I love Hugo's sister, the right amount of being sharp and funny. Also Ophelia's friend, Maddie, is a delight. I didn't buy the fake pregnancy storyline with her but it's insignificant to the main plot and did not bother me. The aristocrat that Hugo almost becomes engaged to, is a classic stick up her rear snob and cringe worthy in the best way.

If you're looking for heavy suspense, heavy conflict, or heavy angst, this isn't it. I, for one, am happy to have a romantic historical romance. and recommend this one fully.

The Wilde's of Lindow Castle is a book series I've been following since I first read Wilde in Love and I'm so happy that we finally get to see the love story of the Duke of Lindow and his third spouse. You get hints of both characters, and their love for each other, in the other books of the series, but it is gratifying to read the actual "origin story". I also appreciate that these characters are, for historical romance novels at least, mature protagonists. The duke already has eight children and Ophelia has one. They have both gone through seasons, loved someone, went through life with someone, and now a new adventure awaits. I think it is important that we as readers get to see these stories as well, especially when the genre hasn't always had many options for those who are older to see themselves getting happily ever after. This book is funny and light-hearted, but also has an additional depth that can be explored because the protagonists have felt these things before and are now wary (or less wary) of experiencing them again. This was an awesome read and I'm so happy that it has become available to us!

My Last Duchess is a delight from beginning to end! I devoured Hugo and Ophelia’s story in one sitting, unable to put it down because I was so charmed by their sparkling romance.

Ophelia is a widow who had a happy marriage to a man she both liked and loved. As a widow with wealth and the freedom to do as she pleases, Ophelia has no desire to remarry; she and her beloved daughter are happy just as they are. Then Hugo sweeps into her life, upending her calm world. The Duke of Lindow lost his beloved first wife and divorced his second unfaithful one. Now he’s on the hunt to find a mother for his eight children. Ophelia has no desire to be a glorified governess. Only when Hugo sees her, he doesn’t pursue her because she’s a good mother. Rather, it’s the blazing, instantaneous attraction that leaps between him that has him rushing out into the snow after she solidly turns him down. Hugo is a good, kind man and a loving father, but it’s his raw, masculine appeal that has Ophelia taking a second look at him. I enjoyed the passion that erupts between them instantly. What’s more, I loved the humor and plain-speaking that marked their…let’s call it unorthodox courtship. My Last Duchess sparkles with good humor and quiet sensuality, making the pages of the story fly by.

It’s clear Ophelia and Hugo are meant to be, but Hugo is going to need more than just his magnetic appeal to convince Ophelia to be his third and last duchess. Enter Louisa, Hugo’s twin, along with the eight Wilde children. The Wilde family is a boisterous group and I loved seeing them interact. Whether you’re just joining the Wildes of Lindow Castle series (easy to do here since this is a prequel) or are a fan already, it’s impossible not to adore this vibrant, loving family. Eloisa James has perfectly balanced humor, heart, and heat in this delicious story. I cannot wait to enjoy Ophelia and Hugo’s romance again and again and again!

My Last Duchess is a wonderful, engaging story about finding new love after heartbreak, and taking a risk on happiness instead of contentment. It is a sweet, hopeful book that shows that love comes around more than once.

Lady Ophelia Astley is a respectable widow, raising her daughter alone after the premature death of her husband, Sir Peter. She has no desire to remarry; she is content to live with her daughter Viola and to focus solely on motherhood. While Ophelia and Peter lived in harmony, they were not in love, and Ophelia sees no reason to risk her independence on another marriage.

Hugo, the Duke of Lindow, has been unlucky in love, and in marriage. While he adored his first wife, she died, and his second brought him incredible anguish, as she ignored their children, and blatantly embarked on an affair before abandoning the family. Having been granted a divorce, Hugo is determined to never marry again, until his sister Louisa reminds him of the duty he has to his children. Hugo is a father to eight, one adopted, three from his first marriage and four from his second. While his older sons are out of the nursery and at school, Hugo has young daughters who will require a woman to bring them into society, and even his older children need a mother-like figure to provide stability. Grim but determined, Hugo makes for London, where he immediately encounters Ophelia and becomes instantly smitten with her.

Hugo makes it his business to meet Ophelia and get to know her, vetting her for the position of wife and mother. She is beautiful, smart, kind, and a loving parent to her daughter. While Ophelia feels a pull towards Hugo, she does not wish to give up the life she has for the uncertainty of a life with him, nor is she particularly keen on a family that could field a cricket team on their own. Given these differences, they reluctantly go their separate ways, and Hugo continues his search for a wife. While he does find a reasonable substitute to pay his addresses to, Hugo keeps running into Ophelia around London. Though they both acknowledge their reasons for not acting on their mutual attraction, their feelings for each other only get stronger as they get further acquainted. Lady Woolhastings, Hugo’s potential bride, is the perfect candidate to become Hugo’s duchess: she’s successfully launched her own daughters, she is respected and even feared by the ton, which would quiet any gossip about Hugo’s unconventional family. Plus, she’s past child-bearing age, which would keep that family from growing any further. Yet even as he squires Lady Woolhastings around London, Hugo can’t help but feel that, despite their differences, Ophelia is the one for him.

I don’t usually go for love-at-first sight romances, but I don’t think this one counts. While Hugo and Ophelia are instantly attracted to one another, they only really fall in love through the course of getting to know each other and meeting each other’s families. Their love isn’t a lighting bolt, it’s a candle; the spark is there from the beginning, and while there is definite chemistry from their first conversation, their relationship deepens realistically over time. The obstacles to their union are dealt with realistically, and those obstacles are considerable. Both characters have to come to terms with their needs and desires, and decide to take a risk on happiness.

One of the strongest parts of this book is the secondary characters. The kids are well written, but Hugo’s twin sister Louisa is truly delightful. While she’s kind of pushy with her brother, it’s clearly out of love, and their relationship is one of honesty and respect. Louisa is relatively independent, but she takes a lot of responsibility for her nieces and nephews, providing a maternal presence for them in the absence of their mothers. She speaks frankly, makes her opinions known, and provides guidance for her brother and his children. It says a lot that there are well-written, strong relationships in this book outside of the romance; Ophelia has a strong bond with her daughter and her cousin, while Hugo works on being a present, engaged father.

The only place the book loses points is when Hugo’s new courtship goes so drastically wrong – it added another dimension that the story doesn’t need. The conflicts keeping Hugo and Ophelia apart are considerable enough, without inserting a character between them to up the stakes. I was really impressed by this book, especially as it is a prequel, and it does an excellent job of establishing the characters without relying on the reader having previous knowledge of them. My Last Duchess is a stunning and romantic read that will make you want to pick up the whole series to keep up with the Wildes.

My Last Duchess is a really fun and low-angst historical romance. Eloisa James is one of my favorite historical romance authors and I have read all of her Desperate Duchesses series but had never started the Wildes of Lindow Castle series. Now I am very glad for that because this is a prequel novella about the Duke of Lindow. Having met the sons who will feature in the rest of the series I am very excited to continue on. I think this is a great place to start if you've never read anything by James and if you like me have read her extensively, well, how nice to have something new to read from an author you love!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"My Last Duchess" is a lovely prequel to the Wildes of Lindlow Castle series by Eloisa James. Here Hugo, Duke of Lindow and father of eight children, needs to marry again to give his youngest daughters a mother growing up. He imagines someone who will be a good mother to the children, but who he himself will probably live apart from. All that changes the instant he sees widowed Ophelia Astley. He knows, as all Wilde men know, that she's the one for him. the problem is convincing her of that! Ophelia is unlike most women- she has no use for a lofty title, heaps of money, or a castle. She hadn't thought of marrying again and is happy in her quiet life where she can do what she wants and raise her daughter. So when Hugo proposes within hours of meeting her, she turns him down. But was that the right move?

Readers new to Eloisa James will enjoy her trademark wit and humor. Those new to the series will not need to have read the other books first, as this is a prequel, although knowing what is to come for the Wilde children will make you smile to see them so young. "My Last Duchess" is a lovely tale of second chance romance and finding out what we truly want when we've already made plans for something quite different. The chemistry between Hugo and Ophelia is intense and electric. You can't help but cheer them on through their missteps as they are brought closer together- with the help of some meddling children and a twin sister!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Mad about those Wildes!

Of course I was going to love Ophelia (Lady Astley) and Hugo's (the Duke of Lindow) romance. James has not disappointed.
Having adored the Wilde children's travails, this prequel provides a lively background to Hugo and Ophelia's meeting and eventual marriage. Mind you it was a close run thing as the widowed Ophelia had decided not to marry again. Why should she? She has a lovely home, running smoothly with supportive staff. Hugo decided he needed a Duchess to help organize his eight wonderfully high spirited children (well except for his rather priggish heir, Horatius).
After running away, well hastening her departure from a Ball where she was being pursued by Hugo, his jumping into her carriage takes Ophelia down a different track. All very Cinderella, especially the description of the carriage which doesn't quite turn into a pumpkin but it's fate becomes a pivotal point in the story.
Although Hugo was entertaining the thought of someone else, the encounter at the Ball has him setting his sights on Ophelia. Well, that and their rather spectacular one night of dalliance. Alas, Ophelia decides that the last thing she needs is a Duke who doesn't understand the idea of friendship.
Turning his attention to someone completely different after Ophelia's refusal of his suit, Hugo almost lands the children with the equivalent of what might have been a wicked stepmother. Thank goodness for the intervention of Hugo's twin sister Lady Louisa Knowe. With her subtle assistance Ophelia finally comes to realize that Hugo really is her Prince Charming.
I adored the three questions the children put to Ophelia, and her answers which so completely contrasted to those of Hugo's fiancé, a state declared by the lady herself, despite Hugo not having asked her. Need I say more?
Poor Hugo did indeed have to be rescued and fortunately Ophelia was on hand to do so.
A heartwarming story with more than a hint of a fairytale ending.

A HarperCollins ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

My Last Duchess by Eloisa James is fantastic. It takes me straight into the heart of the story. A widowed Duke recently divorced from his second Duchess, needs to find another woman to marry. He needs a mother for his youngest daughter. However, with an estate full of eight children it will be hard to find a woman to take enough interest without running away. The Duke also would love to find a woman who makes him and his children happy. His last wife, ran away with another man. She left their kids in the Duke's care. Not that he minds, the Duke loves all seven of his kids plus, one ward whom he has taken in as his own child.

Instantly, I liked this Duke. He's harden over the years due to his last Duchess. But with the help of his sister and children, the man chases for a new wife. Thus, he finds one. Only she wants no marriage. An affair only, would make her happy. Yet neither the Duke nor her feel happy when apart. It takes great strength and patience to woo the special lady.

The plot is well-done. The pages are so engaging, I can't stop reading it. This story makes me laugh a lot. I love the characters including all eight children. The personalities were fun and charming. I love the dilemmas that the Duke his his future Duchess go through and how they can't say way from each other. Overall, this is the best historical romance!

The Last Duchess is actually a prequel to the Wildes of Lindow Castle series. The series is about the Duke of Lindow's 8 children. Already released are 5 books about the children. This is the 6th book in the series, but the 1st in the storyline.
The Wilde men all fall in love at first sight. This is no different for the Duke. He has been married twice already. His first wife, whom Hugo loved, passed away after having 3 sons. The Duke decides to marry again but this time not for love. He wants someone who can be a mother to his 3 boys and his ward/adopted son. Well things go terribly wrong their. His second wife who presents him with 4 more children, leaves him and runs away with a count
He files for divorce and it is granted.
So he is now looking for another Duchess, his last Duchess.
I enjoyed reading this story. The back and forth of the relationship. This whole series has been enjoyable.
I loved the interaction with the children in this book. I also loved that Hugo, not only fell in love with his new Duchess at first sight but also her 2 year old daughter.
5 stars
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

Ah, where to begin? I could start with how much I love Eloisa James work, and particularly her Wilde collection, but I think I'll just dive into the story. Every once in a while I'll find a book that I know I'll continue to read over the years. This one falls into that category. It was light, passionate, and just a little unique comparatively to other historical romances I've read.

This book put me in mind of the original "Yours, Mine, Ours" movie from 1968 starring Lucille Ball. There was something so adorable about all the talk of children, and even though they were featured in the book, it was more the discussion around them that just made me smile. As a reader, I tend to get a little annoyed with the over-focus on children and their overly precocious ways. This book had just the right amount, and I found the conversations our couple had charming. It was more about how much they appreciated their children and less about the children themselves - however should I ever become a stepmother I'll be sure to use three questions used in this book to decide if I'm worthy!

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the focus on Ophelia's widowhood. Usually historical romances talk about the amazing freedom a woman has from her overbearing husband. Ophelia was the opposite, she found herself bored with the level of freedom she had, and missed her husband's presence. That being said, she was still torn at becoming wife to our hero and mothering his children. It was enjoyable to see her fend off the proposals and choose herself and her young daughter.

Hugo, our ducal hero, is a widower and a divorcee, all told he has too many children, and a heart that has laid dormant far too long. He heads to London on a mission to find a woman to help him with his children, what he finds is a woman who brings him back to life and reconnects him with his offspring.

I absolutely loved the feisty banter back and forth between these two characters. They had so many touching moments. At first I had to roll my eyes at the immediate interest Hugo had in Ophelia but I realized quite quickly that it helped keep Ophelia's guard up which created some juicy conflict.

This is a prequel to previous Wilde books which I really enjoyed as well. Usually you just see a series go down the line, but it was nice to take a step back. This can be read as part of the series or as a standalone. But just read it! It's worth your time!

My opinions are my own and freely given.

This story was a "he knew at first sight but she took a while to come around" setup. It was probably intended to highlight the hero's unwavering devotion, or offer a "fated" feel to the love story, but it didn't play like that: the heroine said no, and the hero ignored her. This kind of narrative only encourages the "'no' means I'm not trying hard enough" mentality.

Fans of the series will enjoy getting more of the family's backstory and history, but this was a real miss by the author (and the publishing team!).

This was a very sweet story that provided a lot of insight into the rest of the series. Readers will be eager to see how the duke and duchess came together and blended their families. I recommend reading this book first as it provides context for characters that are mentioned but do not appear in the other books.

My Last Duchess is the prequel to Eloisa James The Wilde of Lindow Castle series. Other readers (unlike myself) have probably already been introduced to this prequel’s main characters after reading the first five books in the series. I’m glad, though, I started with the prequel in this series. This was the first book I read from Eloisa, but it won’t be my last. I enjoyed the story with Ophelia and Hugo. It was fast-paced, and it didn’t take me long to read. I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I’m going to add them now to my TBR.

Female Protagonist: Ophelia, Lady Astley, is a Widower with a little girl. She’s one woman that will not be persuaded by a handsome Duke, and I adored her character because of how she handled herself with the Duke. There were times she drove me crazy about how she saw herself. The way the male protagonist described her, she was beautiful.

Male Protagonist: Hugo Wilde, the Duke of Lindow, is one man that is determined to win over the Female Protagonist in the story. He is one male that has had it rough after losing his first wife and then having his second leaving for someone else. I felt for him because I didn’t think someone would want to marry him, especially after finding out how many children he has in his household. I loved his character in the story and can’t wait to read more of him in the full-length novels.

Storyline: Hugo Wilde is the Duke of Lindow, and he’s on the look out for a third wife because he needs a mother for his eight children. His twin sister persists that he finds a Duchess that can handle his family. Hugo ends up falling head over heels in love with a woman that runs away from him. She even turns him down when he asks her to marry him. Ophelia is not someone that will be won over easily by a handsome Duke. She loves her life as a single mother to her daughter. She lost her husband and just now went back out to society, and she runs into a Duke that wants to marry her right away. Nope. It’s not going to happen. The Duke, though, is very persistent. The chemistry and the constant banter between these two were what kept me turning the pages. I loved getting to know these two characters.

Steaminess: Some Steam, especially towards the end of the book.

Standalone or Series: It is the prequel to The Wildes of Lindow Castles series. It could be read as a standalone. Readers who have read Books 1 – 5 have already been introduced to this prequel’s main characters.

HEA: Yes

Trope: Instant-Love

Would I recommend this book? If you enjoy Instant Love in a historical romance, then this prequel is for you. I give this prequel 4.5-stars and recommend it to readers that love Historical Romance and have read Eloisa James books before. I’m kicking myself in the butt that I’m just now reading one of Eloisa’s books. Now I cannot wait to find out who Hugo and Ophelia’s children will end up within their books.

***I try each time to type up a short review, but it never happens. I love sharing, but I promise not to spoil.***

My Last Duchess was a fast and heartwarming read. It had very little conflict or angst and so many fun kids to add humor and depth to the story. Hugo needs a mother for his 8 children and is immediately drawn to Ophelia (regardless of declaring that he wanted a wife in name only). She is reluctant to give up her freedom as a widow and mother and resists him. Their journey to find each other and happiness is light and easy and just what I needed.