The Planning Parlour? This family is fun!

I would want that painting back, too.

Messenger kittens?!

Isn't it ironic.

Philippa seems very nice.

Aww, he's flirting!

Great-Aunt, indeed! I was wondering.

His servants had a great time, which is something a lot of his peers would not care about.

Why in the hell would she be collecting badgers, Jacob?

He is going to freak out when he meets Thomasina.

Chloe and Lawrence make for a poignant and delightful tale.. Chloe is an heiress in her own right although it is not known by the ton or the general public. Laughter and love was the real reason for the best part of the story.
The Wynchester family of orphans are a comical group.
This book is filled with laughter and love and is one of the best I have read by Erica Ridley.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from Netgalley and am voluntary leaving this review.

PHENOMENAL, UNEXPECTED, BLINDSIDING, HEART-STOPPING ENCHANTING ROMANCE!!
Kudos to Ms. Erica Ridley. Reading this book was an unforgettable journey into another world where anything is possible. I thoroughly loved the main characters Ms. Chloe Wynchester and Lord Lawrence Gosling, the Duke of Faircliffe. Chloe's character is remarkable and not easily forgotten. She may not be a diamond of the first water but she has a beauty that is all her own. She radiates an inner beauty that few could boast. In this story she finds out how preconceived notions can be misleading; she finds that Lawrence sees through her facade of invisibility and sees the real Chloe which leaves her unsure and insecure because other than her family no one else has ever taken the time to know her. She also comes to find that Lawrence is not what he presents to the world and has more substance than she gave him credit for. When involved with her family in a madcap caper, her part was to be unremarkable, invisible, forgettable. It allowed her the ability to move in and out of situations and crowds with ease. She was excellent at it until she became involved with Lawrence. When Chloe finally obtained Lawrence's attention it brought her to a crossroads in her life of living the status quo or maturing and living life in the fullest way possible. It was a confusing and at times painful process but her family supported her in a way that made one wish what it would be like to have a family like the Wynchesters. She fell in love with the real Lawrence not the icy, aloof persona he gave to others. Lawrence was trying to pull his life out of the gutter his father descended the dukedom into. He was penniless and his father made a laughing stock of the Gosling name and the Faircliffe title. He felt he had to be the epitome of correctness and his life must be scandal free. He also felt the only solution to saving his dukedom was to marry an heiress. But society treated the Wynchester family as undesirable and a terror to be associated with. As Lawrence spent time with Chloe, he saw how society treated her and he would not stand for it. As he got to know Chloe, he realizes there was freedom in being oneself. But could he chance to try? As hard as he tried to stay steadfast in his resolve to marry for money he fell in love with Chloe and her family. The personality changes in Lawrence proved it is never too late to risk all for love. It was a beautiful, loving, painful experience between Chloe and Lawrence and due to his perceived duty, he hurt her by letting her know she was not good enough for him. Chloe's painful experience left her in a better place in her heart mind and soul and the changes that occurred were surprising and moving. Lawrence's conscious would not leave him be. His choices were simple. He had to marry for money or face penury and hold onto a once in a lifetime love. This is a first rate, first class, five-star story. A must read. It is impossible to be disappointed. I look forward to the next book about Tommy and Philippa's story. I can hardly wait.

This was highly enjoyable with women that are progressive for their time, and likely for our time as well. The book was a welcome escape from day to day life and kept me on my toes without stress. A Duke Heist is a fantastic way to wind down and relax.

I received an ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

This was the best book I've read in a while. I full on loved it. This review is sure to be sickeningly effusive. I can't help it! I want to talk about how awesome this book was. I read the whole thing in one go. Did not get up for anything. I sat there with my Christmas music playing and my Christmas tree all lit, and read the whole thing and it was amazing. 

I cannot wait for the entire series. I loved every single detail about  the Wynchesters. The entire family is pure golden magic. I adore big boisterous families in books. They often remind me of growing up as one of four rowdy siblings. I believe each Wynchester sibling will have their own story told, and I could NOT be more excited for it. 

The story is well told. The ending is perfectly satisfying. The characters are fully developed; they feel like real people with whom I want to be friends. I whole heartedly recommend this book. In fact, you should go pre-order it right this second so that you have it at the earliest possible second!!

It was fun getting to know the Wynchester's. I am going to enjoy this series I can already tell. Lawrence is just lucky that he gets to be added to the family in my opinion.

Ridley steps away from the Regency conventions she has wielded so well before this, to forge happy endings for a rogues' gallery of new characters. If she could invent an entire Christmas village for the 'Twelve Dukes', it's within her power to invent the 'found family' presented here. Bless the ever-flexible Regency romance genre for embracing yet another improbable but not impossible fount for 'happy ever after's.

Chloe Wynchester and her siblings were wronged by the previous Duke of Faircliffe, and are being ignored by the present heir as he scrambles to keep what is left of his estate from crumbling around him. When civil address doesn't work, they will resort to the devious skills that granted them survival in the slums of Whitechapel. That includes Chloe, whose 'forgettable' persona served her well as a pickpocket. Spying upon him from the attics of Parliament, though, gives her a suspicion that there may be a core of decency to Lawrence Gosling that his wastrel father lacked. And he is easy on the eyes as she shadows him on his hunt for a wealthy heiress. But is that enough for her to reveal her family's secrets?

Gosling was effectively an orphan all his life due to poor parentage; his 'family' are the faithful retainers he hasn't had to let go. His heart may be in the right place but following it seems a luxury he can't afford.

with a longer than usual novel format, Ridley allows us time to watch the unfolding of this great love which transcends obstacles which turn out to be mere preconceptions with only the power they were imagined to have, nothing more.

The Duke Heist Erica Ridley

As an avid reader of Erica Ridley I found this book, the first book of the series ‘The Wild Wynchesters, ’ to be very slow and hard going book though some of the characters could hold more interest in the coming books . It did pick up at the end but by which time I’d almost lost interest !

A bitter disappointment from a previously much loved author.

This is an entertaining read filled with humor, mischief, and a wonderful cast of characters. The Wynchesters are such a fantastic family filled with unique characters that exhibit different, and unusual, abilities. I love this group of siblings! They are an incredible unit and very loyal to each other, and I love the scenes when they are together. You can tell how much they love and trust each other, and their conversations are fantastic! I also love that they stand by each other no matter what.

Chloe, the leader of this found family, is used to blending in and being invisible, yet she is strong, smart, and capable. She is a well-developed and likable protagonist. Lawrence, Chloe’s love interest and the man she intends to steal from, is also a fascinating character. He seems so proper and formal, and he values his reputation, yet as Chloe gets to know him, she realizes there is so much more to him. Trying to repair the financial mistakes his father made, Lawrence has a heavy burden to bear. He is humble and honorable and acts in the best interest of those who depend on him.

Lawrence and Chloe are such well-developed, dynamic characters, and their character growth throughout the story is exceptional. Plus, their romance is fun, cute, and fantastic, and they have amazing chemistry! From the moment they meet, which is under very unconventional circumstances, it’s clear there is a connection between Chloe and Lawrence, and I loved seeing their relationship bloom.

A great story about family, duty, and falling in love, The Duke Heist is a fun and romantic read. I look forward to reading future books in The Wild Wynchester series and thank Netgalley, Forever, and Erica Ridley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first time I read Erica Ridley, and what a pleasant surprise it was.

Our hero, The Duke, Lawrence, is a very prim and proper hero, trying to right his father's wrong. His father left him with tons of debt, and his only option is to marry a woman with tons of dowry. He believes he should live his life as the society demands, and he does live like that. Until he meets our heroine.

Our heroine, Chloe Winchester, is one of the six orphans adopted by a rich Mr. Wynchester. He gave all the kids a life, and his dying wish was to get the painting that they bought as a family, stolen by Duke's father. And that's what Chloe does. Steals the painting, along with the Duke.

The Wynchester family was a delight to read. They are one of the best-found family I've read in a historical romance setting. Each sibling has a unique skill set, from being able to mimic anyone's voice, to be a master of all animals to gymanst, painting, etc. They accept each other for who they are, and are always standing by each other. And secretly, they fight crime for the unfortunate.

I loved how Chloe and Lawrence slowly started to feel for each other. Chloe's specialty is her having a very forgettable appearance, which makes her a great thief. But Lawrence notices her. Remembers her. And treats her like a fellow human. Lawrence is awed by how strong Chloe is, and how she goes for what she wants in life. He's envious of her tight-knit family. They truly had such great common interests and had such fun together. Every scene of them together was an absolute delight to read.

The writing was a little verbose for me. I wish there were more dialogues and a little less lyrical prose. I'm not a huge fan of those. But I can't wait for the next book.

such a funny story. these characters are so sweet. both pretending to be something they are not unless they are alone together. then they get to be themselves and fall for each other.

Expectations and a light purse makes the Duke a rather bland person. He is so wrapped up in doing what is right he has no ability to have fun. But the Wynchesters are a family that knows all about fun. They are talented ..just not necessarily with what is considered acceptable talents. Missing art and a vase creates the friction. Chloe and the Duke are so wrong for each other. Let the sparks fly! Erica Ridley does keep me entertained. I admit I stopped everything to sit and read this book. I want to be a Wynchester! I think you will too.

Erica Ridley's historical romance was okay. The chemistry between the protagonists was red hot, but some of their actions and conversation seemed too out of place.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for

-m/f enemies to lovers
-historical romance
-opposites attract
-a family of siblings with amazing skills
-a steamy women's bookclub
-a missing painting
-a game of strip find the guinea
-slow burn

This book was a wonderful story about family, responsibility and a romance all rolled into one. I loved the Winchester siblings, their quirks, how close they were, and can't wait to read about these siblings. Chloe's journey of protecting her family, all while accidentally falling in love was wonderful. Her skill of hiding in plain sight, Faircliffe seeing her, was just wonderful.

But Faircliffe was the one who took the real journey in this book. Stuck in his classist ways, he grew throughout the book. But things were not so black and white, he wasn't marrying for money for himself, rather to save the estate and all of the people he employed and cared for. The responsibility on his shoulders. He was such a fleshed out a realized character. He made me sawoon multiple times as he tried to fight his feelings for Chloe. But they were two people looking for family and to be accepted for themselves.

Rating: 5
Steam: 3

A stolen family heirloom, a broke duke, and a heist to steal it back, what could go wrong? Well, apparently falling for your mark within 2 seconds of meeting him and failing to even work the job well. The story follows Chloe Wynchester, a “dull and forgetable” mask she wears to blend in, her and her adopted siblings are trying to find the stolen painting that belonged to their adopted father who had died. The painting was stolen by the Duke of Faircliffe right before their father died and now they finally have an opportunity to steal it back. Lawrence Gosling, the son of the previous Duke of Faircliffe is left to deal with all the debts and mistakes his father made before he died. Lawrence needs to marry a rich wife to pay back everything and fix the estate. Chloe accidentally kidnaps Lawrence while trying to steal the painting and then, as they say, the rest is history. Now, onto my thoughts.... this book made me a little mad. Before you think I’m going to say I hate the book, I don’t, it just did not live up to my expectations. Heres why, Chloe is the WORST person to be the “leader” of her family’s little heist in trying to get back their “most important family heirloom” as she literally falls in love with her mark within a few minutes and then can’t seem to remember to do her job at all, she’s a lovesick person the entire book. Lawrence on the other hand is, well, a douche. He claims he loves Chloe oh so much and that “she’s like air and he breathes her in” but goes on and on about duty and finding a rich wife, soooooo SPOILERS: he literally has sex with her and goes into it thinking, yeah I’m gonna have sex with her but our entire relationship is temporary and I will find a rich wife, but for now I’ll just enjoy having sex with her while I do this. He tells her to her face their entire relationship is temporary and that she isn’t worth it. That being with her isn’t worth it and dumps her. The worst part? WITHIN A FEW DAYS SHE TAKES HIM BACK. I CAN’T WITH THESE TWO. Anyways I was ten times more invested in her siblings, in Phillipa, and even in Southerby. Hell, I would rather she end up with Southerby than Lawrence. I just found myself annoyed at Chloe and how she had ONE JOB but couldn’t even do that, and at Lawrence because he’s just so ugh. SO, even though I really didn’t like these two characters, I did like the other characters so much more, and HELLO we’re getting a sequel with Tommy and Phillippa... two ladies who are interesting as all heck and I AM SO EXCITED AND CAN’T WAIT because I know for sure they have to be at least so much better than these two. So in summary, this first book in the series just did not work for me, but I did enjoy all the side characters and can’t wait to see where the next romance goes between the two very interesting ladies!

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

For a very long time, I've wanted a Batfam romance. Meaning that one of the two main characters had a family like the one Batman has (a very rich man adopted many orphans and left them his fortune and now they all do heists and are some sort of vigilantes). The Duke Heist is a wonderful historical romance where a chameleon and a Duke meet accidentally and fall in love while she is trying to steal a painting from him.

I don't want to give anything away because it's rather a bit far away until it releases but if you like found family, lonely characters, colorful outfits, adorable animals (A LOT OF THEM!!), funny dialogue, and one epic romance, this is a book you will highly enjoy.

Truthfully I would have put 5 stars, but tbh I expected the Duke to grovel more. To say "I'm sorry" more!!! Still, I'm very pleased with the novel. I highly am invested in the Wynchester family -- they are WONDERFUL and I can't wait for the next books in this series. I think the next one is F/F!

This was such a darling story. One that will make you chuckle and laugh at our quick witted heroine and her delightful family.

In this story we meet Chloe Winchester and the rest of the Winchester clan that is set on getting back a family painting that was stolen by the previous Duke of Faircliff. The current Duke, Lawrence Gosling, is unaware of their plan. He just knows the Winchesters are an odd family and not the family he wants to be associated with. He is focused on rebuilding his estate. Finding a wealthy heiress that can take care of all the debts his father left behind.

But he did not count on being fascinated by Chloe. So while Chloe distracts Lawrence, and her “aunt” searches his home for the missing painting, these two start growing close.

It was a lovely read. Light hearted and nice.

If you enjoy quirkiness and a good dose of humor along with your regency romance, The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley captures all of this abundantly. When a sentimental painting is taken and the taker’s heir refuses to even meet with the rightful owners, there’s nothing to be done except to organize and carry out a heist. Along the way, romance develops and the ensuing drama and love is well worth the read.

This was an amazing read and very different in regards to storyline and plot from Ridley's past books. The concept of orphans all living together and the vision of acceptance of each individual's strengths (and weaknesses) really draws you in and makes you feel at home. I truly enjoyed Chloe and Lawrence's story and can not wait to read the other Wynchester novels. :

Loved reading the engaging and enthralling historical story. Chloe Wynchester and her siblings are working on a plan to get back their missing painting back from Lawrence Gosling, the Duke of Faircliff, but in the process, Chloe starts to care for the allusive, arrogant handsome man. Lawrence who is suppose to marry a rich woman to save his dukedom fights his feelings for the beautiful woman without a dowry, Chloe. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, full of twists and turns, and a must read love story.