Major Anthony Erasmus Hildebrand Bartlett, Marquess of Rockingham, once the second son, now the heir, has returned to England scarred physically and emotionally. He not only has the difficult adjustment of having lost an arm at Waterloo, but he suffers horrifying flashbacks and nightmares of the battlefield. Today we call it PTSD. His father, the Duke of Swansborough, is an arrogant and uncaring man. He doesn’t understand what has happened to Anthony, but expects him to fulfill his dead bother’s betrothal contract. Lady Arabella Hortence Gibbs is the daughter of the Earl of Ainsworth, one of the Duke’s best friends. She is now Anthony’s betrothed. Both she and Anthony wish to find a way out of the betrothal. Not possible. The Duke has deceived everyone including his son and his best friend. He wants the wedding and an heir as soon as possible so that he can have his embarrassment of a son put away in an asylum. Anthony’s ordeal is not over. Fortunately, Arabella is not only his wife, but a strong, determined, and protective partner. Along with his friends, she will fight the Duke and rescue her husband.

This is a captivating and intensely emotional story. From the soldiers’ battlefield horrors to the difficulty adapting to life back home after the war, the detail is chilling. The gradual romance between Anthony and Arabella goes from resisted to reluctant to realized. Seeing the effect Arabella has on Antony’s recovery and their happy ending has given his friends the Mad Matchmakers a new purpose. Good for one, good for all?

The Accidental Duke, the first story in this new series is amazing. I look forward to more stories about the Mad Matchmaking Men of Waterloo.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Major Anthony Bartlett left for war with France as a high spirited second son to a Duke. He has returned as the heir and Marquess of Rockingham. His wounds are far more than the visible one, his nightmares will not leave him and he fears for his sanity. His father has just one goal in mind, to preserve his line at any cost.

The very independent Lady Arabella has been trying to find a way out of the arranged betrothal without upsetting her father.

Our heroine is an intelligent young woman who will hit the books for answers and do all she can to help a friend in need.

Our tortured hero has many more battles to face, some real and some not.

This is an emotional historical romance that pushes our marvelous characters to their limits. There some very happy times to counteract the sadness.

The story itself is almost too real. We know now about the stress that our warriors can bring home with them, but in those days many suffered without help.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Accidental Duke is powerful! A war hero who has lost more than an arm; he lost his unworthy father, but gained a loving wife. Arabella falls in love with Anthony while he is under the cloud of PTSD. Her faith in him supports him in ways only a person living Anthony’s life can understand.

Arabella is strong, independent and loyal. She speaks her mind and holds nothing back. This serves both her and Anthony well when he needs it most. The ravages of war were barely understood at that time. Arabella realizes quickly there is nothing wrong with Anthony that time, understanding and love cannot heal.

Anthony is not a duke yet, but is heir to a dukedom. He believes he has dealt well with his father. Only that is not to be as Anthony and Arabella learn.

This is, also, a great beginning to a new series, The Mad Matchmaking Men of Waterloo. I briefly thought of the Island of Misfit Toys who just want to be loved even though they are not considered normal. Anthony’s friends are going to take us on emotional journeys as they each find their HEA.

This is an awesome story of love and trechery. The first book in the series it was unusual in that there was a very good plot.
Barbara Devlin writes a good storyline.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

If this first book is any indication of what we are to expect in the upcoming series then we will have Five Star Books to Read! I was on pins and needles to turn the pages and not truly knowing what to expect! I mean there is always that probability, but then again there are always that two or three surprises!!

Anthony, Marquess of Rockingham comes back without an older brother, missing arm and a severe case of P.T.S.D. However, back then no one recognizes that and thinks the individual has emotional issues.
Lady Arabella has no desire to wed and is being given no choice except to wed Anthony. After coming to know Anthony she discovers there is more to his melancholy than just sadness.
Things with Anthony’s father and his emotional well-being are about to come to ahead!
The author takes us on a look of the past of how they treated those coming home from the war with infirmities not just ones you can see!

I would definitely recommend this book!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Anytime you give me a historical romance with a current or former soldier as the hero, I'm going to jump at it. I'm a sucker for that type of hero, one who has seen a lot of dark things and now must integrate back into society. In this case, not only had he seen things, but he had lost so much as well. There is a lot of PTSD in this book, and Barbara Devlin does an excellent job educating her readers about what life was like for sufferers of PTSD in the early 19th century. It hasn't been that long since modern medicine stopped doing inhumane things to try to "cure" mentally ill people, so I wasn't as shocked as one might expect, but I was still horrified by what was done to the hero. If mental illness, and the historic treatment of it, is a trigger for you, you will definitely want to pass on this book. It's not for the faint of heart.

Lady Arabella Gibbs was betrothed, before he died while fighting Napoleon's army, and now she is faced with marrying his brother, as part of a marriage agreement between their families. Not wishing to ever get married, Arabella isn't fond of the passing of her hand around to whoever is alive, and she attempts to take her future in hand. She meets her new betrothed, only to find that there's something about him that speaks to her in ways no man ever has. British Army Major Anthony Bartlett is a marquess, in line to be a duke, and he desperately wishes he were not. Having lost an arm following the Battle of Waterloo, along with his fellow soldiers and his beloved horse, and suffering from bouts of hallucination, he is in no shape to continue the family line through marriage. He is resolved to fight against his father's plans for him, until he meets Arabella. Both thinking that the other doesn't want marriage, they devise a plan to end their engagement, but as they are forced together more and more, they wish to be separated less and less. Soon Anthony's friends are pushing them closer, and marriage doesn't seem like such a bad idea anymore. But there is a darkness behind their newfound happiness, and powers are at work to ensure that Anthony is committed and Arabella is confined, once a baby is conceived. Will their happiness last, against all odds?

Arabella and Anthony were an excellent pairing - I loved how patient Arabella was with Anthony, even going so far as to research what ailed him so that she could help him heal. I really enjoyed her character development as the story progressed. Anthony was an odd character to me at first, saying some rather unappealing things to Arabella when they first meet, that turned me off. I was worried how his character would grow from that, when I realized that it was just the way of the times. Barbara Devlin does not hold back in showing exactly how society operated then, and so you see it for better and for worse. Anthony's friends clearly hold little regard for women in general, and Anthony, while he loves and respects Arabella, also seems to hold a less progressive opinion of women than I'd like to read. However, Arabella does gradually get him to see her strength, and I adore how she stands up for herself and him. She doesn't let anyone walk over her, and she ends up being the hero of the story, saving the day more than once. It's nice to see that despite societal constraints, women still had the willpower to get things done. My hope is that this series will continue with strong women who put their stubborn-headed men in their place.

I enjoyed the Mad Matchmakers as a group, and I'm interested to see how the next bachelor finds his happiness. I'm guessing it will be Beaulieu and Patience, which should make for an entertaining read.

I felt as if my heart was being raked over as I read this story. How does one deal with the betrayal of someone close to you when you have no ability to defend yourself? Discovering his father's warped and evil plan far too late to do anything about it, one can only weep for a man who has given his all for his country, only to discover his father's selfish plan. Lady Arabella and the Marquess of Rockingham are meant for each other, even when neither of them wanted the marriage and ultimately it is Arabella who fights for Anthony's survival against all odds. Having good friends who are willing to lay down their own lives for the Major gives Arabella the courage to push the boundaries. This book is tragic and highlights the barbaric treatment of people suffering from trauma in an era when little was known about PTSD. However, I was relieved that the story came to a happy conclusion. I received a copy of this book as a gift from Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Surviving after Waterloo_______2.5


A wounded younger son, British Army Major Erasmus Hildebrand Bartlett, now heir to a dukedom returns from Waterloo a shattered man. Unfortunately his father, the Duke of Swanborough, decides his son is mad because of his physical injuries—the loss of an arm, and his worrisome behavior. A consequence of his post traumatic battle memories.
Lady Arabella Hortence Gibbs, daughter of the Earl Ainsworth and the Duke’s best friend had been betrothed to Erasmus’ brother, the heir. They’ve decided that that betrothal can carry across to the current heir. The betrothal papers had not referred to Erasmus by name but by title, so the contract remains valid.
What no-one knows is the Duke’s nefarious plans to gain a new heir. He intends to snatch any male progeny and have Erasmus committed to an institution. He dismisses Arabella. I really liked her strength of character and steadfastness. I enjoyed her anger.
Erasmus and Arabella are supported by a group of Erasmus’ like wounded comrades, all peers, who decide to term themselves Mad Matchmakers as they look for brides who might accept them.
I really enjoyed the idea of the brave souls and their aim, as they turn the debutante looking for a husband trope on its head.
Putting that aside this storyline didn’t quite jell for me. However, I do wonder how the rest of the group will carry out their aims.

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

British Army Major Anthony Erasmus Hildebrand Bartlett, 7th Marquis of Rockingham, returns to London a tortured soul after losing an arm at Waterloo. Suffering incomprehensible terror from his wartime experiences, or what is referred to as nostalgia, Anthony is now the sole heir to a dukedom and a betrothal he doesn’t want. He wishes he died on the front lines with his elder brother John, and the last thing he needs is a wife. Lady Arabella is not so sanguine about her prospects, because she doesn’t want to marry anyone. Smart and perceptive, she sees through the tormented soldier’s pain, offering comfort and support that reaches through the fog to awaken him, and she is drawn to her fiancé.
A new author to me & I enjoyed this first in a new series, a very well written & researched book with strong characters of depth. The book was well paced & held my interest all the way through even though I found some events uncomfortable. I loved both Anthony & Arabella, he was the injured war hero suffering from PTSD, she was the amazing woman who fought tooth & nail for him. I loved how their relationship developed. There were characters who I disliked intensely, one in particular who I wanted to feel the full force of nineteenth century justice but we didn’t learn what happened to him. I would have also liked to have known what happened to the three servicemen after they were rescued. I look forward to the rest of the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This was a very deep and emotional story, complete with a hero who lost his arm at war and is struggling with PTSD. The book was written with what I can only call heart-wrenching detail. As always the author has researched her subject matter and produced a well-plotted, original, interesting story with wonderful characters, warm love scenes, great secondary characters, accurate historical detail, and a beautiful love story complete with a happy ending. It is devastating to find out about Anthony's background as the spare and how his time at war affected him. Arabella seems to understand Anthony, even as she fights their arranged betrothal.

This is the first book of a new series but a cautionary word to all romance readers....this is not your usual historical romance novel. It doesn't make you feel good and warm inside. There is no playful banter between the two characters. It is a heart-wrenching, traumatic and deep story with, what I felt, was a secondary romance plot. There were parts I found difficult to read that described the hero's trauma. I did find myself skipping over some inner monologues and bulky dialogue.

Trigger warnings: PTSD, torture, kidnapping,

British Army Major Anthony Bartlett, Marquess of Rockingham, returns from the war living and sleeping in nightmares.
Is he mad? His father thinks he is. Then Anthony meets his arranged bride, Lady Arabella. Though neither want to marry, they find an affinity between them. Arabella sees the fear and pain in Anthony's eyes. Her compassion to help him overcomes any hesitation for the marriage. A strong woman, Annabella makes it her mission to help Anthony live with his demons. Betrayal by their fathers only makes their marriage stronger. When Anthony is taken to an asylum, it is her vow to get him out. There is so much going on in this book. Complex relationships and lies.
It could have taken an even darker side than it did. For balance and levity we do have the MAD MATCHMAKING MEN OF WATERLOO! I highly recommend this book AND I'm really looking forward to reading the next one. THE ACCIDENTAL GROOM!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This was a really heavy romance with amazing detail and depiction of PTSD. The author presents a powerful representation of the effects of war and how misunderstood they were in the time period. It deals with both social stigma and historical medical practices.

I loved the heroine in this novel and her determination to help the hero cope with his flashbacks and pain. The romance aspects were compelling, and their bond was wonderful. The hero's fellow wounded warriors are fabulous characters, and I want to read their adventures in future stories.

However, the book also contains a lot of physical torture of the hero that I found hard to read. I found myself skimming sections to avoid it. Moreover, the ending of the novel feels rushed and awkward to me after how long and stressful their challenges were. The plot and pacing of the novel were a bit off, but I think it is still worth the read if the torture does not bother you.

Trigger warnings: PTSD, torture, kidnapping,

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💋💋

Outstanding writing and so satisfying to read.

Anthony is back from war and suffering debilitating flashbacks and nausea, now his father is threatening to marry him off.
That’s not all, he also plans to have him committed to an asylum for the insane.
Only one person, Arabella his new bride, can save him now, that is if she can get anyone to listen.

In parts it’s both disturbingly real and totally addictive reading.
The whole concept of a parent lacking both the feelings, and the understanding of their son’s injuries and difficulties, as a result of being injured in war, is to me sad.
PTSD was not understood then and it’s scary to think of the numbers of men cast out, ridiculed and tormented.
My heart breaks for them.

Barbara explains this in her story with beautifully written chapters that I found very emotional and moving.
I felt so sorry for Anthony, only Arabella and his friends understand him, his father caring more about how things look, than how his son feels, or that’s how seems.

The book is riveting and has such a wonderfully romantic relationship that slowly grows between the two lead characters, it’s stunning.
Their chemistry is so well thought out in a steadily measured progression, there’s no rush, it’s so perfectly done.

I can’t say enough good things about this book, you just have to read it for yourself.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

A nice start to a series that will entertain Regency readers. Characters are well drawn and the story moves along at a good pace. There are certainly a few "suspension of belief" issues, but I wanted to keep reading to see how it all resolved. A slight quibble with the too abrupt and complete turnaround of the "villain" at the end. But an enjoyable read. #NetGalley #TheAccidentalDuke

3.5 stars

The start of a series on war wounded soldiers and getting them married. The first book is fairly tortured. Anthony returns from waterloo suffering from ptsd and with one arm missing. He's unsurprisingly not keen on joining the marriage mart , inflicting himself on some poor woman to sire an heir. This is where his unpleasant father comes in with ideas of marrying him to his friends daughter and once the heir arrives sending him off to an asylum. Arabella, the heroine, is fiesty and a follower of Mary Wollstonecraft, so equally reluctant to turn over her future to some man. I was sceptical about the father allowing his heir to go to war in the first place. Normally they used to spread the risk over the army, navy, law and clergy, with the heir learning about the estates. I was also surprised that the hero would use passion, sex to elevate the distressing symptoms of PTSD. Arabella is a good heroine. who uses her intelligence and resources to save the day. There is historical context of how veterans were mistreated and turned over to charlatans by their confused family. We've met the possibly hero and heroine? of the next book. I'll look out for the next one in the series lets hope that it's not quite as heavy on the trauma as this one.

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

I rated The Accidental Duke 2 stars. This book was not my favorite. The Accidental Duke follows the story of Anthony Bartlett, the heir apparent to a dukedom, after his older brother dies in battle. Anthony, himself, returns from war, missing an arm and suffering from PTSD. Our heroine, Arabella, doesn’t want to get married because she a feminist and doesn’t want to be subjugated to the will of her husband. However, the two meet and are drawn to each other. This book held all the potential of a great regency romance novel; however, the execution fell flat.

To begin, this novel was disjointed and focused more on the inner monologues of the characters to establish the story. For example, Arabella deduces too much of Anthony’s character in their initial meeting, with hardly any of his actions to back her assumptions. Therefore, there was a disconnect between the relationship. Through Arabella’s preceptive, the readers know that she thinks Anthony is a kind, just man, but there were no actions or expounded interactions between the two that illustrated why she thought this. With no set-up and pay-off, their relationship is cheapened.

On Anthony’s part, he is suffering from PTSD, vomiting and passing out when he’s overstimulated or has a flashback. However, Arabella’s mere presence is able to curb some of these responses. I didn’t appreciate how this sets up a dependency between the two characters, especially when a character’s mental health is on the line.

Further, the prose of this novel can be quite awkward at times. The whole story is written to emulate the rhetoric of the time period; however, this doesn’t work. For example, the term “virgin mound” was used to describe a woman’s sex, which just took me out of the story completely.

Thank you NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book; it kept me interested and had some serious topics that created plenty of drama. The characters were great, especially Arabella, who was one tough gal and perfect for Anthony. I will be interested in reading the next story which is obviously a series of books about soldiers that are adjusting back to civilian life after war trauma.

This story is a bit intense. It deals with PTSD after Waterloo, and how it affects a young couple. Anthony has survived Waterloo, but lost an arm and is suffering with terrors. His father, the Duke, is a complete jerk and decides to marry him off, get an heir, and commit him to an asylum. In comes Lady Arabella, who had been betrothed to Anthony's brother, who died at Waterloo. So the stage is set, and the real horrors begin. This is a great story, which I read in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. I don't write spoiler reviews, and even though I'd love to tell you about how incredible the relationship between these two is, you need to enjoy it yourself. There are some very tough parts of this story - as you'd expect from an asylum - but the pain is tempered with the love you will find in this story. Bravo to Ms. Devlin for having the courage to address shell shock/PTSD in the early 1800s. I would give it 10 stars if possible.

British Army Major Anthony Erasmus Hildebrand Bartlett, 7th Marquess of Rockingham has returned from the war suffering from wartime nightmares and depression especially from the loss of his arm. His father the Duke of Swanborough has decided he will marry as expected as the next duke and produces an heir. The duke feels his son is on the edge of reality and should be placed in an insane asylum after he’s married and an heir secured. Enter Lady Arabella whose the intended bride is set against any marriage who then find out her betrothed equally against marriage. Anthony is a wounded soul both inside and out and his soul calls out to Arabella to save him, be his protector and confidant. This is a story of tragic loss, finding love and overcoming obstacles. Will Arabella and Anthony come to realize they are stronger together to face and their love can overcome any obstacle, even his father. I have voluntarily read and reviewed the excellent story of Anthony and Arabella story is a new Mad Matchmakers series to come.

Anthony Bartlett lost much more than just his arm in the war, he lost the life he knew as the “spare” to the Duke of Swansborough. With the death of his older brother, Anthony became the duke’s heir and inherited not only his brother’s courtesy title of Marquess of Rockingham, but his brother’s fiancée as well, and he wants neither – much to his father’s dismay. But after almost a year of convalescing – the duke is done coddling Anthony and makes his position clear – Anthony will marry and produce an heir. Anthony seemingly agrees but plans to find a way out of his unwanted betrothal.

Lady Arabella Gibbs is the only child of the Earl of Ainsworth and is equally determined to escape the bonds of matrimony. But when she meets Anthony, she sees a wounded soul and her sweet, caring nature cannot turn her back on his suffering. She offers Anthony her friendship, which he immediately rebuffs. And while Arabella doesn’t want to marry and agrees to work with him to end the engagement, she is still set on helping Anthony overcome the deep, unseen wounds that are still festering in his soul.

Slowly, Anthony realizes his mistake in trying to push away Arabella, and she soon becomes his lifeline in his struggle to be “normal” while dealing with flashbacks to the war. They have formed a true bond and are exploring their shared attraction when they are outmaneuvered by their parents and marriage becomes unavoidable. But marriage is the least of their problems when it becomes clear that Anthony’s father has betrayed him and they are taken captive by an evil man set on “fixing” Anthony. After months of confinement, they are finally able to escape but to save his love, Anthony will sacrifice himself to see her free – a sacrifice Arabella is not willing to let him make as long as she has breath in her body – with the help of Anthony’s friends, she declares war on the duke to save the man she loves!

This was a very deep and emotional story, written with startling and heartwrenching detail. As always the author has researched her subject matter and produced a well-plotted, original, interesting story with wonderful characters, warm love scenes, great secondary characters, accurate historical detail, and a beautiful love story complete with a happy ending. I did enjoy the story, but in all honestly, I found the book a little bit on the wordy side and was guilty of skimming through excessive dialogue that really did nothing to progress the story. All in all, it was a good book that I would be happy to recommend.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *