A beautiful historical novel.
If I'm being honest, I usually don't like historical novels. Probably because I like when women are strong and independent in books, and a lot of times, that's not how it is in historical romance. That being said, I loved this romance. The story follows Susan Jennings, an intelligent, almost thirty-year-old woman who is not afraid to express her opinion, and George the Duke of Aylsham. After a nasty encounter between them at a wedding. They meet again when Susan gets to London. Their views of one another don't improve, but, surprisingly enough, when trying to get out of a political marriage, the duke says that he is already engaged to Susan. When their forced betrothal binds them to begin getting along, their hostility develops into something more.
I liked Susan as a character. I felt like the author created a unique woman who didn't feel like a modern woman in a different time even though she was independent and strong, her sparing with the duke and his reactions were fun and real. The only thing that annoyed me in the book was that I felt that they quickly changed their opinions about one another. But it wasn't dramatic, and overall this was a very beautifully written book, with an interesting plot and characters, that I enjoyed reading about. I highly recommend this book

George, Duke of Aylesham, is perhaps the most eligible bachelor in England and has assisted the Foreign Office in the past, so the Prince Regent arranges to 'reward' him - with the gift of a wife. The woman is a princess, the daughter of a foreign prince whom George has heard of being connected with Napoleon - for which reason, as well as for others, he is desperate to evade the match. But the only excuse he can think of on the spot is a previous betrothal, and the only name that comes to mind when pressed (she has to be unmarried, and preferably unknown to the prince) is that of Susan Jennings. Angry, the prince pushes for a marriage soon, and George fears that should he fail, he would be unable to avoid the Prince's plans. The only problem? The several occasions on which he and Susan have met, 'the harpy' and 'His Loftiness' didn't get along - to say the least! But a woman he dislikes must be better than the daughter of a potential enemy of the country, right? But Susan has a mind of her own too... Amidst all the confusion and conflict, will the Duke truly meet his match?

Clean, and with writing that kept me feeling for the characters even when they were butting heads - not to mention laughing plenty - this is a book that I think I'll be coming back and rereading. It's definitely not always predictable, which I enjoyed, and the slow progression of the relationship felt realistic, even if the 'hate at first sight' seemed a slightly over-the-top reaction. I particularly enjoyed the garden party, especially Susan's role in that memorable event. Of course, the only good thing that can be said about 'Prinny' is that he inadvertently forced them to spend time together, but I guess a good, hateable villain isn't a bad thing to have! All in all, highly recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The Duke Meets His Match by Karen Tuft is a clean Regency Romance with intelligent, interesting protagonists who navigate the path from mutual aversion to betrothal of convenience to love with admirable maturity and common sense.

George Kendall, Duke of Aylesham, is a prickly man whose work for the Crown, something to do with intelligence gathering during the fight against Napoleon, has kept him very busy. He knows he has to marry because he is the last of the ducal line. (Careful exploration by his secretary has located the next in line: a criminal who was transported to Australia). He has had two previous courtships, one that ended disastrously and one that never really got off the ground. However, when the prince (Prinny) summons him to announce he is being awarded the gift of a German heiress to wed, George is horrified. He has no interest in being manipulated by the prince and is under no illusions that the German princess will be any sort of prize. So he tells the prince that he is already betrothed and about to be wed. When the prince asks for the name of his intended, the first name he thinks of pops out of his mouth.

Miss Susan Jennings, daughter of a viscount, is a blue-stocking on her way to spinsterhood. She had one failed near-betrothal when she first came out, but that was many years ago. A studious young woman whose biggest dread is marrying an intellectual inferior, Susan is quite content to be a doting aunt and unmarried daughter. One year earlier, she had an unpleasant encounter with the haughty Duke of Aylesham, and she recently made his acquaintance again, equally unpleasantly, at a London party she attended reluctantly. However, they made impressions on one another, evidenced by the fact that it was her name that popped from his mouth.

George sees no option but to propose to Susan. Naturally, she rejects him out of hand. But when he explains the situation, she reconsiders.

The novel follows the course of their uneasy courtship. Susan has ample opportunity to show what strong stuff she is made of. George comes to admire her. George has opportunity to show what a reasonable and thoughtful man he can be. Susan comes to understand him better. They fall in love.

The plot is a little strained, but the hero and heroine are sympathetic and make a convincing pair. Recommended for those who like intelligent protagonists and less steamy, more romantic Romance.

I love when spinsters get to come off the shelf and find their own happy ending, especially the smart and intelligent ones. An engagement of convenience between enemies becomes necessary when Prinny seeks to reward George with a political match. Susan and George’s story is full of witty barbs and banter and gives a satisfying enemies to lovers romance. I appreciated that this was a clean read, yet still conveyed the warmth of their match. I was given a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

The Duke Meets His Match takes Pride and Prejudice and gives it a run for its money. From initial impressions of harpy and His Loftiness to falling in love, this story has everything. Fairy godmothers, intervening princes, conniving women, and gossipy matrons. The characters stay true to their inner selves while finding an ally in each other. Both felt their days for marriage were over when an unexpected circumstances threw them together.

I loved how this story had a great plotline and conflict that did not come from a terrible misunderstanding or lack of communication- instead the conflict was outside influences pushing against the characters and they were able to work together to find a solution, falling in love in the process. I truly enjoyed reading this regency romance.

I loved it! I loved every word. Susan Jennings is a Spinster. George, Duke of Aylesham has been working to thwart Napoleon and has been avoiding matrimony. However, with his title and an heir apparent that has been shipped to Australia, George is seriously having to consider marriage.

Add to the mix, Prinny with a "reward" for George in a German Princess and what follows is a hurried and arranged engagement to avoid the Prince's marriage prospect without fully offending the crown.

This story is delightful in that it isn't your traditional situation found in stories like this. I love the stories where you can cheer for one that is not expected to be the heroine. Susan is delightful and the development of her relationship with George is fraught with barriers and obstacles, including George's friend who happens to be Susan's brother. He smells something fishy because Susan is intelligent and content to be a Spinster.

Good, strong characters and a compelling storyline make this a winner. There are quite some interesting interactions with the Prince Regent.

Karen Tuft has another winner in this book and I can't wait to purchase when it is available.

I received an electronic copy and this is my honest review.

I have not read this author before but it was one good book. We have George Kendall, Duke of Aylesham, his parents died when he was young. He did what he could to help in the war effort as did two other men and the three of them worked together. The Regent tried to make him marry a German Princess, against his will, and they had been friendly with Napolean.
Susan Jennings was from a large family and they loved each other very much. Susan and Rebecca were heading for London for Rebecca's come out, but she broke her leg. Lady Walmsley was the lady they were staying with. Al manner of things starts happening. The Continent is a mess, Priny causing problems, and his relationship with Susan is in jeopardy. The story is different from others I have read so, it keeps you reading. The characters are marvelous, funny, and very realistic. The writing was smooth, easily read, and thought out well. A very good read.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Such a conundrum! Ordered by your monarch to marry a princess. Ha! The Duke of Aylesham, sometimes called His Loftiness in Susan’s mind, realized later that he must have brought up Susan’s name as his betrothed to the regent for a reason. I loved the conversations between Susan and George as he is trying to convince her to marry him and quickly. I, also, loved the inner conversation each of them had about the other, including the quirky names for each other. George’s names for Susan were just as good – The Harpy!

t certainly seemed to take Susan and George long enough to work things out (really just a few days) due to the length of the book and the excellent writing style of Karen Tuft. She makes you feel you are ‘hearing’ the inner workings of their minds as they are thinking about the other and trying to decide what to do.

George apparently leads a sort of double life along with Susan’s brother James. James did not believe their story at all. It only gets better from there, especially as the princess and her family are introduced to Susan.

Karen Tuft weaves a convincing romance and includes historical figures and events to help make her romances believable. The cleanness is refreshing and appreciated.

'At thirty years of age, Susan Jennings has long been considered a spinster. Exceptionally intelligent, she has little tolerance for London and the dreaded Season—if that’s how one is expected to find love, it’s not for her. But when an invitation arrives that cannot be ignored, Susan leaves her comfortable life in the country and enters the fashion and frivolity she most despises. She quickly discovers, however, that there is more to loathe in London—and his name is George Kendall.

George, Duke of Aylesham, has learned to keep his distance from cloying females chasing the title of duchess. Susan Jennings, however, proves an entirely different challenge—a woman who has pushed him to the limit of his patience with their every encounter. But their simmering hostility is disrupted by a thoughtless slip-up: to avoid a marriage of political strategy, George claims he is already betrothed. And when pressed for the name of the lucky woman, only one name comes to mind: Susan’s. Their forced betrothal proves advantageous, but when their verbal sparring must change in order to be convincing, the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred by something neither expected: love.'
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3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

The Duke Meets His Match is a standalone book by Karen Tuft and is a clean historical romance.

Stemming from a terrible first meeting, George and Susan loathe each other. When Susan comes to London for the season, they're brought back together, not thinking any kinder of the other. The longer they're forced into one another's company and the more they learn of the other, their hard judgements begin to soften. It's a classic enemies to lovers.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I quite enjoyed it. The book switches back and forth from Susan to George's perspectives to tell the story, which the author did well. Sometimes things will feel choppy or like there's information missing in books with the switching perspectives, but it flowed nicely between the two of them.

My one complaint was that it seemed to me that they flipped very quickly from seeing the good in each other to decalring love. I know that they were growing to care for one another, but it seemed like there was still a little more work that could have been done to be done before it was time for such declarations; it have only been about 6 days. Overall though I enjoyed the book and would read another by this author in the future.
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I would like to thank NetGalley and Covenant Communications for sharing an eARC of The Duke Meets His Match by Karen Tuft with me. This is my honest review.

At thirty, Susan firmly believes herself on the shelf. She’s labelled herself a bluestocking and a spinster and is content to spend her days away from London life. An unexpected meeting with the Duke of Aylesham and sparks of temper fly between the two. When the two are forced into a betrothal, they must make an effort to convince Society that their affection for one another is real, “the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred by something neither one expected: love.”

This is my first book by Karen Tuft but it won’t be my last! I’m already seeing what I can add from her collection to my TBR list. I loved Susan’s wit, her spunk and her intelligence. Throughout the book she comes into her own and discovers a new confidence, it was inspiring to see. The chemistry between Susan and George is delightful and their banter and love story (with a little drama along the way) was a fun read.

A big thank you to Covenant Communications for providing a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #TheDukeMeetsHisMatch #Goodreads #BookBub
** This review can be found on NetGalley, Goodreads, BookBub and Amazon.ca after the publishing date.

I loved reading a story that didn't center around a girl just coming out into society. Susan knows her mind and it was refreshing to read her story. Her love store with George is sweet, I only wish more of it took place outside of a drawing room. So much of there love story happens only through talking on a couch. It was a good escape and I couldn't believe how quickly I got half way through.

This book pulled me into the story from the very beginning. I love how Susan stands up for herself. I really enjoyed the love you see among her family. I like it when parents and siblings care for each other. Lady Wamsley is in the book again. Susan’s brother calls Lady Wansley Susan’s fairy godmother. This book has a good story with fun and witty dialogue.

Have you ever heard the title of a book and knew it was going to be a good fit? That’s exactly what I thought when I heard this title. It solidified even more after seeing the cover, and after getting the synopsis I knew I needed to read this book!

One of my favorite aspects of Karen’s writing is getting to revisit with characters from previous books. It’s like getting together with old friends! Lady Walmsley is one of those characters that I love getting reconnected with! I would also like to find myself a Lady Walmsley in real life!

Susan is such a fun character. She has such a strong personality. For the most part it is a credit to herself. However, she needs a little help to see her as someone worth fighting for. Enter George. He can’t stand her, or her him, and it is glorious. There could not have been a better title for this book. It’s perfection!

This is an outstanding novel by Karen Tuft and one of my favorites from her and I highly recommend it! I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Covenant Communications. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Will his predicament alienate or win her to him forever ...

I am glad I decided to read this book, the author is new to me, and what a fun read it has been.
The enemies to lovers trope is introduced in such a humorous way, I loved to observe Susan and George interact, their relationship is one of steps forward then backward, all the while they get to know one another.
Susan has left the whirlwind of society’s life behind many years ago after one too many deception. She is quite happy with her life, she does not mind the dust of spinsterhood, it rather suits her.
Aylesham has lived a rather solitary life, except for his last living relative until his passing, he was only surrounded by servants. Why he probably embarked in dangerous pursuits to give his life a different meaning, and fulfill a hole inside him.
From their first encounter, sparks fly, but none about lust, barbs and quips are thrown at each other until they must work together to extract Aylesham from a dire situation.

How I adored their witty banters, Aylesham’s offer of marriage is definitely one for the age.
I had a smile for most of my reading, they are clever and cunning, never letting despair take hold of them. They fight and return blow by blow.
It was a pleasure to see them falling for one another, when they began on such a wrong foot.
4.5 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

This book was so cute! The enemies to lovers trope is always fun. I enjoyed watching how George and Susan's opinions and feelings about each other changed as they spent more time together and got better acquainted. Also, I loved that they were older than your typical regency characters. It definitely made it more relatable for me!

This was a really fun read. I am a sucker for an arranged marriage story and this one had plenty of humour, a dash of action and very sweet characters. I loved that Susan was portrayed as such a smart educated woman and the way she wound up George made me LOL more than once. I really enjoyed this one.

Susan Jennings has reached an age, that she is considered a spinster, which she readily accepts given her dislike of London and the dreaded Season. Yet when she is has to return to London, she finds that George, the Duke of Aylesham, is one person that she particularly loathes. When they are forced to become engaged, it seems that any animosity turns to a possibility of love.
The integration of the Prince into the story is cleverly done when George finds himself attempting to rectify a political disaster. The resulting romance was sweet with plenty of interesting witty dialogue. These clever conversations come about as Susan’s maturity shines through. Her strong personality is a perfect balance to George, making this a believable romance. Many great secondary characters such as Aunt Margaret, added to this book’s charm.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Loved it! I always enjoy books by Karen Tuft and this one did not not disappoint! I really enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time putting it down.

This is a fun enemy to lover story with with great romance and funny banter between the main characters Susan and George. Susan is feisty and outspoken and someone you can really relate to. George starts out a little aloof and stand offish but as you get to know him you find that he is actually kind hearted and generous. My favorite character is Lady Walmsley, whom I fell in love with in a earlier Karen Tuft book, and was excited to have her character continue on.

This is one of my favorite novels from this author. I will definitely be recommending it to others.

The Duke Meets His Match
Standalone book
Rating: 4 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

This is the first book I read by this author and I really liked it. It was a very sweet romance that happens between two people that really dislike each other at the beginning. I enjoyed their bantering and how because of his big mouth when talking to the Prince Regent they end of up being betrothed.
I loved how the more time they spent with each other their feelings began to change. The moment they confess the nickname they called each other was amusing. They both realize that their first impression of each other was the wrong one.

I look forwards to reading more from this author.

4.5 stars
The Duke Meets His Match by Karen Tuft
I loved this book! This is my first book that I have read written by Karen Tuft and so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it, however, it was amazing! The Duke Meets His Match is written by Karen Tuft and published by Covenant Communications. George, Duke of Aylesham, has kept his distance from females who are just chasing after the title of duchess. Susan Jennings however is completely different, and has the ability to push his patience to the limit at every encounter. But when George claims that he is betrothed to Susan in order to avoid a marriage of political strategy, Susan and George must learn to work together. Their forced betrothal proves adventurous, they go from verbally sparring to pretending to be in love. But as they played this character, the lines between fact and fiction became blurred by something neither expected: love.
Susan was such a fun character, she was witty and smart. She was convinced that she was to be a spinster and so she didn’t really pay much attention to her appearance. However, living with Lady Walmsley, a woman who graciously asked Susan to come stay with her for the season, has changed the way Susan had looked at herself. Although Susan had a strong front, she could still be vulnerable. It was sweet to read about her with George. Once they got past their differences, they started to fall for each other. I loved Susan’s spirit and how different she was from the other ladies in that time.
George was funny and sweet in his own way. He didn’t talk much, but he also had strong opinions. I adored his relationship with his staff, they were so sweet. It was fun to see him fall for Susan, it kind of hit him out of nowhere. There were times when he was more abrupt with Susan, but he tries his best to mend his mistakes. He was strong and he loved Susan for the woman she was, he didn’t try to change her.
George and Susan had to fake an engagement in order to protect George from a forced betrothal ordered by the Prince Regent. Although their relationship didn’t start off well, things ended up working out for the better. I adored the side characters, like Susan’s brother and George’s staff. They really added to the story and they were lovely characters.
The Duke Meets His Match was a wonderful book! I loved it and I would definitely recommend it! It is a clean Regency romance, and now I really want to read the rest of Ms. Tuft’s books.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.