This historical romance uses a few tried and true concepts that, combined, should have made for a fun book: Dina's father has settled a winning racehorse on her as a dowry. When Dina turns him down, the horse-mad nobleman who takes the bait agrees to court her through the means of "challenges" - if he wins, he can announce their engagement; if she wins, he withdraws his proposal. We were also intrigued by Dina's mixed-race background: her mother was Indian, while her father is of the British gentry.

Instead of a fun and frothy novel, however, Betting on a Duke's Heart leans in to the angst. The challenges/courtship are only half of the book, while the second half includes blackmail, sabotage, missed connections and refusal to communicate. If you really like the time period (late Victorian), horses, and are interested in the South Asian connection, you might be interested in this one. Unfortunately it was not our cup of tea.

Why can’t all historical romances be like this? Strong heroines, real diversity, non-asshole heroes, push and pull of love, and the pining. All of these goodies wrapped in one book. It’s shocking for me to believe that this was Royaline Sing’s debut book (FYI I’m going to need about a dozen more from her).

Let’s just get into this. I love Dina. Her spirit, her drive, her culture. I especially loved all the details about Indian culture and life, and I know I probably missed even more than I caught. They were so beautifully wrapped into the book. One of my favorite parts is the story being told at the beginning of every chapter. And Dina is so determined as well, she’s spunky and fierce but not in the obnoxious way that happens so often. She’s a fully (and well) developed character!!

I loved Dina’s secret occupation as well. I thought that it was incredibly cool. And I totally get her reasoning for keeping her secret. I just got so excited every time she talked about it! Do I wish that this hadn’t been as secret, yes, but I really enjoyed it.

Aetius’ growth. I loved watching this man slowly find himself and fall in love with Dina. It was a long process. I mean real long. But it was also incredibly heartwarming. The way that Aetius interacted with his friends, tenants, and others became so sweet. Love this man.

The enemies-to-lovers aspect was also really good. I understood the why behind it and the conflict wasn’t created based off of one poorly communicated interaction. The who falls first was also refreshing.

My biggest grievance with the book is Aetius. I mean I like the man immensely, however I wanted to slam him against a brick wall many times over because the man was insane. You know that whole do the same thing again and again and expect different results situation? Well hello there Aetius… You are that person. I just wish that there had been some movement beyond that. Also, Dina’s whole devotion to her father was a little over the top.

Long story short, do I recommend this book? Yes! If you love historical romance, OwnVoice novels, fun stories, turn of the century setting, and a good time then yes! I loved reading this book. It was the breath of fresh air I needed in historical romance, because I’ve been getting annoyed with that subgenre lately. So, thank you Royaline Sing for making me love the genre again and writing such a fabulous novel! (Also, I wish there was more of a sliding scale of rating because this honestly falls between a 4.25/4.5 for me!)

Thank you Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own.

Betting on a Duke’s Heart by Royaline Sing is a wonderful historical romance that pulls you in from the beginning.  A story of a determined woman whose strength, intelligence, and passion for her heritage are weaved throughout the story.  Betting on a Duke’s Heart is perfect for readers who are looking for a fiercely independent heroine and a different kind of setting!

I didn't finish this one. It felt like it was more tropes than substance, and I had a hard time following the plot and why the characters were acting the way they did.

Betting on a Duke's Heart is a standout historical romance. I loved how the book embedded Indian mythology and customs. I found Dina to be passionate, intelligent, and fiercely independent, wanting to marry for love. She protests her betrothal to the Duke of Saxton, who only wishes to marry her for the dowry, a prized racehorse. Given the circumstances of their engagement, they had many obstacles to overcome but the way their romance progresses is lovely and you can't help but root for the both of them

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled for the ARC!

Will he let his nightmares come to fruition by his inertia ...

I confess I had a bad start with this book and if I had not received it as an advance copy, I might have stopped my reading after the first chapters, gratefully I did not or I would have missed a good debut novel.
So what nearly prompted me to give up on this book, it is me, as I suppose other readers do not mind as authors continue to reproduced this pattern, but there is nothing more I dislike than a heroine who turns in a puddle of drool at the mere sight of a nice face and broad shoulders. Dina is supposed to be strong and determined, with a purpose to aim for; yet the moment she sees the hero, her wits leak from her ears. She can’t put two words together and it does not improve upon their second encounter.
And then there is the hero, quickly he decides she is to be tamed like a pet, trained to be obedient and willing. He can be a Duke or king of the world, this is rubbish.
So I began my reading a bit off kilter, not knowing if I would reconcile with the knee-weak heroine and the alpha trainer Duke.

Thankfully there is more to them than my first impression, they have dreams and goals and a past that shaped them. And while they show they are more complex and layered then I first thought. I was still at time in the beginning upset by her inability to fight back and by his ⒶⓁⓅⒽⒶⓈⓈⒽⓄⓁⒺⓃⒺⓈⓈ!
Fortunately things change upon half mark, as they get to see past each one’s reservation.
In fact they share the same fear but react opposite to it. By being frightened to be left behind, Aetius keeps everyone at arm’s length when Dina afraid to never be enough, blend in the crowd, hiding her true self and dreams.
So their game to win the other, bring them closer, offering time to put behind their wrong assumptions by trying to embrace their true self, giving closure to past pain and opening to the other.
Yet both still hold back, and while Dina is more forward, Aetius struggles to share his pains and feelings. So when past fears are reawakened and doubts enter the scene, will it stir his flame or threaten their fragile truce.

Outside my reservations from the beginning, Aetius is a kind and fair fellow, not one to take advantage and his story is heartbreaking and explains much of his behavior. He is like a wounded beast, biting because he is scared and hurt. Dina has her own burden, her birth origins explains why she must be prudent and why she hides her true self, then her parents history adds an understandable light to her actions.

Aetius’ friends are people who bring fun to this story, then the later threat and last part twist add tension to an already on-edge narrative.
The book is also full of details on the way of life and culinary traditions from the heroine’s birth place, fascinating and captivating.
So much I would have loved pictures to illustrate all the outfits, spices and dishes.

4.25 stars for this debut novel as the author redeemed her characters along the pages and schemed an awesome groveling scene.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes.

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

I enjoyed the book. It is the first time I have read any of her work and look forward to reading more. Dina Campbell was born in India. Her mother was Indian and her father was English. She was gifted with the freedom to marry and to who or so she thought.
Duke of Saxton, Aetius White, was a kind of bully. He comes to her home spends three minutes telling her she is engaged and does not even give her a chance to say anything. He is obsessed with horses. He spends a lot of time with them.
She refuses to marry anyone who only thinks of horses and puts her second. From a friend, she is given a horse named Rochko. Her father has included the horse as part of her dowry. Not a happy lady. Dina starts out doing everything she can to get him to change his mind. He only sees the horse. It is a cute story and what they go thru with each other. She is almost as crazy about horses but not like him.
I do recommend this book.
I received this ARC from Ney Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Royaline Sing’s debut novel, Betting on a Duke’s Heart is beautifully written, with unique and well-developed characters and a fantastic plot.

Let me introduce you to our hero and heroine. Our hero is Aetius White, the Duke of Saxton, also known as “the horse-mad duke.” He is only interested in fulfilling his late father’s dream
of acquiring a Triple-Crown winning horse, even if it means he has to get married. The one thing he will not do, however, is let himself fall in love. But that’s no problem for our heroine, Miss Dina Campbell, who is fierce, independent, and not willing to settle for anything less than love. Dina is amazing! She is half-Indian and has a passion for translating the love sagas of Indian mythology. I really enjoyed the way the translations and details of Dina’s culture were included throughout the story.

I’ve never read a historical romance set in this time period (1895), which added some freshness to the story. I loved reading about the first automobiles. And a really sweet scene takes place on England’s first Ferris Wheel.

Betting on a Duke’s Heart is a beautiful story told with a unique voice.

Lastly, I have to say that this is probably my favorite cover ever! Just look at the Duke’s expression! So intense and swoonworthy! And the heroine is absolutely gorgeous!

Warning: You should not read this story on an empty stomach because the descriptions of dishes like paneer masala (my favorite) are mouthwatering!

A delightful enemies to lovers tale, with horses!
Dina and Aetius had a fun push and pull dynamic. The will they won't they element was certainly strong with this one!
I think what I enjoyed the most was the Indian mythology and British/Indian culture throughout the book. I don't think there are enough historical romances that include these things and this scored major points with me. I liked the snippets of the "The Loves Saga of Nala and Damayanti" at the beginning of every chapter. I think it gave the book a little something extra and helped build up the romance between Dina and Aetius.
However, I do think the book may have focused a little too much on the horses (training, breeding, etc.) than was necessary. I think if these parts were trimmed done a bit I would have enjoyed that plot point more.
Thank you Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the arc. This in no way effected my opinions or review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
That being said, I’m only partway through it and I love it. This is one of those few books that have POC representation - Indian representation. I feel seen people!

The story follows a typical historical regency romance line. Titled peer meets dashing heroine. Titled peer wants to marry heroine for business, but heroine wants to marry for love. Ensue shenanigans! XD

The story:
Set in 1890s, the backdrop of this historical romance is a refreshing change from Victorian England. You can feel the excitement of the characters to all the new (at that time!) innovations the Duke and his would be duchess espouse in the book. The story itself is more traditional romance like I mentioned before, but also interweaves snippets from a story in Mahabharat. The author does a wonderful job of incorporating Indian values/culture/food into the story without it feeling too on the nose. It feels more natural than something forced on.

The characters:
The Duke is dashing, Dina is headstrong. The 2 protagonists complement each other well in this book. It’s very interesting to read how the Duke goes from ‘I want to marry for business!’ to ‘I want to marry coz I love her!’.
Dina’s feminist tendencies create a perfect foil for our upstanding Duke who also understands what it means to support others.

Personally speaking, I’m looking forward to more books from Ms Sing, I really enjoyed reading this one and recommend to people who enjoy their historical romances filled with heroines who think for themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC!

I have been loving historical romances this year, so I was excited to read this one. Betting on the Dukes Heart was an overall good read. The Indian Heritage and Asian rep was amazing! We don’t see enough rep in regency romances so I loved that.

Now the reason I am only giving this 3 stars. For me there were too much talk of horses in this book. Not really an area of interest for me so I found these parts dragged a bit. If you are a fan of horses I feel like you will really like this book. Some parts were a little slow for my liking in historical romances.

Thanks to Netgalley and
Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve had so much fun getting into historical romance this year, so I was really excited to get an early copy of Betting on a Duke’s Heart. And it did not disappoint!

Watching Dina and Aeticus fight what was so clearly meant to be was such a delight. Both these characters were passionate and head strong and scarred, but also vulnerable. Each time another wall between them fell, my heart raced for this couple.

There’s so much to love in this book. From the late Victorian time period, to the first cars, to all the talk about horses. Sing brings a unique take to the genre. And Dina was a joy to read; I loved getting to see both sides of her heritage, and how strongly she was connected to her passions.

3.75 Stars
Aetius White, the Duke of Saxton, couldn't save his father, but he'll be damned if he won't save the man’s dream. He'll acquire a Triple Crown–winning horse at any cost, even marriage. Luckily, the lovely lady in mind loves challenges as much as he. Hell will freeze over before Miss Dina Campbell agrees to marry a horse-mad man who wants her dowry of a prize stallion, no matter what her father wants.
I believe this is the author's debut novel & I found it to be a well written book with misunderstandings, miscommunications & a delightful couple. I enjoyed that it was set in the late Victorian period so there was one of the first automobiles complete with the flag waving servant walking / running in front. I thoroughly enjoyed Aetius & Dinas’ road to a HEA but I would have loved if there hadn't been so much about horses! I must admit I did get bogged down in all the horsey bits & found myself skimming through sometimes pages. I did love the strong willed Dina & the gorgeous Aetius, the chemistry between the pair slowly came to a boil. I also loved their verbal bantering.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

4.5 stars - Betting on the Duke’s Heart is a very gratifying read. I love multi-cultural romances. They manage to teach me something about a different culture while also providing a wonderful reading experience. This author is new to me, but I’ll keep an eye out for more of her books in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was one of those books that I didn't hate, but didn't love either. It was entertaining and the characters are interesting and well developed, but I just couldn't fully get into the story. Dina is supposed to be this strong and smart character but her plots to make Aetius lose interest in her were weak and he always seemed to get the better of her. And Aetius rather than fighting for Dina is cruel to her when things don't go his way. Then the whole thing with Dina giving up Rochko as a test to see if Aetius realizes it's her way of telling him she loves him made no sense at all given the way they had parted at their last meeting. I did enjoy him having to catch up to her on the ship - there was just enough humor to balance out the dramatics going on. The blackmail plot wasn't as well developed as maybe it could have been and seemed to just be there to create more drama between the two of them.

This was such a wonderful historical romance. I loved Dina - her strength, intelligence, and passion - and how Sing integrated both sides of her heritage into the story. She was the perfect foil for Aetius. I also really enjoyed the unique time period with the first automobiles and the Ferris Wheel. Highly recommend if you're looking for a fiercely independent heroine and a different kind of setting!

Betting on the Duke’s Heart is the winning debut from Royaline Sing. The heroine, Miss Dina Campbell, is a child of two cultures—her mother is from India and her father is English. I was particularly charmed with the way Ms. Sing wove in elements of Dina’s heritage from her mother’s side of the family. Every chapter begins with a snippet of “The Love Saga of Nala and Damayanti”, a tale from the Mahabharata.

Dina is a heroine after my own heart—strong and determined to make her own choices. I loved the way Aetius, the horse-mad duke, came to appreciate Dina for herself. All in all, this is a lovely story and I look forward to Ms. Sing’s next book.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Betting on a Duke’s Heart intrigued me, as I was excited to see yet another book with an Indian heroine, although that excitement was also tempered with a healthy dose of apprehension, due to the uproar over a similar (delayed) title, also featuring an Indian woman and a duke. And while I can’t speak to the rep in this case, just as I couldn’t in the other, I found this book interesting and refreshing…with caveats.

I loved the prominent placement of Indian culture and mythology. As the romance proceeds, each chapter is headed with an epigraph relating a tale from the Mahabharata, “The Love Saga of Nala and Damayanti,” and over time, you can see how it parallels the romance between Dina and Aetius. And generally, I could feel like Royaline Sing was coming from a really authentic place and embedding her own cultural experience in the story, in addition to acknowledging the largely ignored (in historical romance novels, anyway) South Asian population in England by this time.

I really liked how Sing addressed the power dynamic, in terms of gender. As she noted in her author’s note, a marriage act amendment meant women were no longer the property of their husbands, allowing Dina more agency when she married Aetius. While him being a Duke still presents some unmentioned, but implied problems, given her background, I found that their romance was more balanced as a result, and fairly sweet and fairly easy to root for. Dina is strong willed, and Aetius respects that.

But at the same time, a few things bogged the story down. One was the large role horses played. Horse racing, breeding, the feeling of being on horseback. Some of that is understandable…Aetius is called “the Bareback Duke,” after all. I love when heroes actually have particular hobbies that aren’t drinking and whoring, especially if it serves as a bonding point for him with the heroine. But it got really repetitive, and even though it did help them bond, it also ended up distracting me more than anything else.

I also struggled with the character motivations at times, especially towards the end, when the Black Moment happened. Aside from echoing the myth, I had no idea what happened with them, and why.

This is a sweet romance, and even with these major caveats, I did enjoy it enough to keep an eye on what Royaline Sing writes next.

This was one of the best books I have read in a long while. Dina is searching for love, not just the horse mad kind. All of her suitors has been impressed with the fact they will get her horse upon marriage to her. Aetius White, the Duke of Saxton, her neighbor decides she will suit his purposes as his duchess and he will get the horse he needs, and love does not need to be a part of the bargain. These two make a side bet when her father won't let her out of the marriage arrangement. If Dina wins, Aetius calls off the wedding. This book was so enjoyable I finished it in one day. I cannot wait for Ms Sing's next book.

One of the things I love most about Betting on a Duke's Heart is how it is both rooted in the tropes and genre conventions of historical romance in a way that feels comfortable and familiar, like a warm blanket, while also bringing its own twists. I don't think I've ever read a historical romance that takes place in this time period before (1890s), which makes the book feel fresh and allows it to explore territory not often seen in Regency romances. I also love the way Royaline Sing weaves in Dina's translations of "The Love Saga of Nala and Damayanti" and the Hindu mythology through the book, as well as the feminist sensibilities of Dina. I hope we continue to see more diverse representation in historical romance, and I cannot wait to see what Sing writes next!

I recommend this book for anyone who loves historical romances, stormy heroes, bold heroines, and lots of tension!