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.

I've been enjoying the Wildes series and have always been curious about the story of the duke and duchess, and this prequel answered all those questions! A sweet and light romance of two. Hugo, Duke of Lindow is the father of 8 is desperate for a mother for his brood. Really, any woman who can manage his children would do. However, he finds himself unexpectedly drawn to the widow Lady Astley (Ophelia). Mother to a young child, Ophelia has a comfortable life and has no need of a husband, especially one that would come with added responsibilities of children and a dukedom. It is up to Hugo and his brood to win her over. This was a charming read, but maybe less substantive than the other Wildes books. Fans of Eloise James will not want to miss this one!

I've read and loved all of the Wilde books, so when I saw this prequel, there was absolutely no way I was missing out on it.

I love love loved Ophelia and Hugo. She's sassy and seemingly happy with her current life. Hugo is a half step away from being stoic, but ever so charming. Together, they're all sweet smiles, feisty banter, and chemistry for days. I couldn't get enough.

Plot wise, it was good. It was fairly fast paced and yet slow at the same time and yes, I know that doesn't really make sense. This story is nearly all fluff and I was here for it. There really isn't conflict, but there is an extended time apart. I will say that I could have done with more of them happy together at the end--even though I already know their HEA. I fully admit this is just me being greedy.

Overall, after reading about Ophelia and Hugo in various scenes across the series, I was thrilled to get their story. Now I want to go back and read about the Wildes again.

**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**

Hugo Wilde, the Duke of Lindow, has just received his divorce decree. His faithless second wife is no longer "his wife." His twin sister is encouraging him to go to London and try to find a third wife. Hugo is not excited at the thought but he is realistic. While his oldest four children are close to grown, his younger four will definitely need a mother. At his first ball, he spots Ophelia, Lady Astley and falls immediately in love. And for the purposes of the novella, it is a pretty true love but when she says to back off, he does (what? I love it!) because the course to true love can't run smooth even for a duke in a novella.
This was a fast and fun read even with one of my least favorite tropes (love at first sight). Getting to see how Hugo convinced Phee to marry a man with eight children (though his kids seemed to do most of the convincing) was the light story that I needed right now.

This was the perfect prequel for this series, giving a delightful look into the history of the Duke and Duchess.

I so enjoyed this historical romance! Although a prequel to the Wilde series, I had no trouble following the characters even though I have only previously read one entry. Obviously I have some catching up to do. The set-up of a duke with eight children looking for a new wife is irresistible, and the characterization of Hugo and Ophelia, along with all the secondary characters, provides plenty of humor and emotion. Recommended.

4.5 stars

I have been in such a slump, and this is the book that finally broke me out of it. I read it in one sitting, devouring it like the wonderful dessert it is.

Such a fun prequel to the Wildes of London series. But easy to read on it's own.

Highly recommended.

Love historical romances this time of year and My Last Duchess certainly did not disappoint, I loved every witty conversation between the hero and the heroine. The only thing that would make this book even better, is if the publishers added a family chart or tree in the beginning or ending of the book-- I couldn't keep track of all the children's names.

Wilde-ly romantic! For fans who follow Eloisa James' Wilde family (and for those who don't...have you been living under a rock?), this book will give you all kinds of backstory. I always wondered about the mysterious Hugo and Ophelia. They tend to pop in and out of books, but never stay for too long. This book was so sweet! Although it was a short read, I already knew the characters from the other Wilde books, so it was very easy to be immersed in the story. Even Horatius makes an appearance (is this the last we will see of him?). Now I need to go back and start reading the series from the beginning.

Just what I needed. A sweet HEA! I started reading it again as soon as it ended. Cotton candy 🍭
It times like these sometimes steamy and sweet is perfect.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books in the Wilde series, but this one fell a little flat for me. While I enjoyed seeing how Hugo and Ophelia ended up together, their chemistry didn't pop and sizzle for me like the others have.

Of course this book is good, it is an Eloisa James. If you want the backstory on the Wildes, here it is. All of the characters in their younger years and the romance between the Duke and Duchess. It is rather light-hearted and sweet. It doesn't have the anticipation factor, in that you know the Duke and Duchess get together and live happily ever after. So the fun is seeing how the kids interact with their future step-mom and each other.

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.

~ Rachel Finston

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England - 1766

Hugo, the Duke of Lindow, has a slight dilemma. His recent divorce from his second wife, who ran off with her Prussian lover, has left him alone. But he's not entirely alone for he has eight children by his two wives! After the death of his first wife, Hugo impulsively married Yvette who, it turns out, may have given birth to four children in the six years of their marriage, but she was very much not a mother figure. It seems she never looked back as she left with the Prussian. His eldest, including a boy he adopted, are away at school, while the nursery is filled to the brim with four little ones. What woman would want to take on eight children, as well as the responsibilities of being a duchess? Hugo's twin sister, Louisa, is sure that she can steer her brother in the right direction.

Widowed Ophelia, Lady Astley, forced herself to attend the ball with her cousin, Maddie. It has been two years since her husband died, and it's time for her to face the world. Their daughter, Viola, was born shortly after Peter's death, so Ophelia has devoted her time to her. But Ophelia isn't interested in remarrying. She's perfectly happy living a quiet life, raising her daughter, and not having to worry about anyone else. However, the Duke of Lindow has focused on her at the ball, and is heading her way. Maddie, in an unhappy marriage, wishes he were headed towards her. Ophelia flees the ball, and is in her carriage waiting for other carriages to move so that she can return home to Viola when the door is flung open and the duke is suddenly sitting across from her!

Hugh has never done anything quite so bold before, and he's disappointed that Ophelia isn't exactly thrilled to have him there. As the weather worsens, and the carriage finally begins to move, they grow slightly more comfortable with each other. Arriving at Ophelia's house, it becomes apparent that Hugo can't get home easily due to the snow. So, what's to be done? Hugo is terribly smitten with the lovely Ophelia who makes it very clear that she in no way wants to become a duchess. She may, however, be friends with Hugo.

Well, Hugo needs a wife and, more importantly, a mother to his four youngest. So he reluctantly listens to his sister and begins courting an older woman who won't be interested in anything more than being a duchess, and who can offer guidance to his children. But Hugo isn't happy for his heart belongs to Ophelia.

MY LAST DUCHESS is a unique romance between two people who have had very different histories. Hugo just wants to take care of his children, but he'd also love to be in love again as he was with his first wife. For Ophelia, while she was fond of her husband, it was not a very romantic marriage, so she isn't sure that her feelings for Hugo are realistic. And now, there's another woman in the mix.

MY LAST DUCHESS is part of the series The Wildes of Lindow Castle, but it certainly can be read alone. It's a delightfully sweet novel.

I love the Wildes! It was nice to see how the family came together. A delightful and fluffy read. This was a quick and easy read. I love that there was no real third act drama and that everything went really smoothly. I am normally not a huge fan of love at first sight, especially when the couple doesn't ever spend a significant amount of time together. So this is best read as a fantasy without any thought for reality.

Everyone loves a Wilde, and to go back a handful of years to the beginning of the end of the Duke of Lindow's romantic liaisons is quite a treat. After the death of his first wife (mother of the first four children) and the desertion of the second, Hugo Wilde is in a precarious position. He has eight children and no need of heirs. He has no wish to find or be married to another duchess after his divorce. But again, he has eight children--and though his twin, Lady Knowe, is always available for aid, those children need a mother,

Ophelia is a widow with a young daughter of her own. Her husband left her well-established, and her most cherished goal is to live in relative obscurity with Viola.

Then she's spotted by a disgruntled duke at a ball, and suddenly both of them are questioning their objections to remarrying.

This screams of Grace Burrowes' Windham famliy saga, and I love it. It perhaps doesn't have the full-blown humor shown in a regular length Eloisa James novel, but it is definitely worth the time to get to know your favorite Duke and Duchess.

So sweet to finally have the love story between Hugo, Duke of Lindow and his 3rd and last duchess, Ophelia. When reading the previous books in the series, the love affairs of all the combined children, I didn’t get a true picture of the relationship between these two or realize how young the Duke still was when he married Ophelia. Their passion is palpable and the love is transcendent. The fact that they both cherish being parents and defy societal norms by making their children the focus in their lives is heartwarming. Now that I’ve finished the novella, I’m eager to revisit their children’s stories. (The WIldes of Lindow Castle #0.5) Highly recommended.

My Last Duchess is the first novel I've read by Eloisa James and I was completely charmed.

It's a historical romance novel that tells the story of the Duke of Lindow, Hugo Wilde, who is in desperate need of a wife and mother to his eight children and Ophelia, Lady Astley, a widow and young mother in no need or want of a husband.

Hugo is instantly besotted, but Ophelia, though attracted to Hugo, is more than hesitant. As a widow, she leads a nice quiet life with her young daughter and knows that becoming a duchess would change her life and not necessarily for the best.

After spending a passionate night together and being turned down by Ophelia, Hugo decided to find an adequate wife and inadvertently becomes engaged to another woman. Now he must break said engagement, convince Ophelia that he is not some fickle jerk and that they belong together.

I loved watching Hugo trying to win Ophelia over, I loved the supporting character, especially Hugo's sister and I adored the children. Overall, My Last Duchess was beyond charming and a wonderful read.

I did my research and I understand that My Last Duchess is a prequel to the The Wildes of Lindow Castle series and now I am most definitely looking forward to reading more from these characters.