I remember really enjoying this novel when I initially read this novel as soon as I was approved for the ARC. All fired up with the down with the patriarchy bit - especially since Hetty (1) couldn't inherit the property and (2) the other vintners didn't think she could make wine, let alone a good sparkling wine in England. Add in the lost heir making for a perfect marriage of convenience story.

Yet recently re-reading it, I was not so much of a fan. It's unclear if it was because of the format - I was listening to it via audio. The narrator seemed to take a bit of the life out of Hetty, and what I loved in the initial read seemed a bit contrived to take advantage of current events and feelings. It could have been a bit of both.

Overall, I still enjoyed this novel, and look forward to getting back into Lenora Bell, and finding the remaining books in this series to read.

If you were looking for a sexy and intriguing gang historical Romans, this is the book for you. I was entranced from the very beginning of the book and love the chemistry between the two characters. All of the obstacles made sense, and all in all I was very satisfied with the story.

My full review can be found on All About Romance at this link: https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/the-devils-own-duke-by-lenora-bell/

Lady Henrietta Prince laments the fact that she was not born a Henry. Had she been born a male, she would have inherited her father's title and the lands that include her beloved grape vines. Her winery is finally coming into its own but she may lose it all to the crown if her father doesn't remarry and produce an heir. On the night of her father's ball where he's meant to choose a bride, instead of getting a new step-mother, a distant heir to the dukedom steps forward. Her father is delighted, ecstatic, over the moon, that he can now marry his unsuitable paramour, instead of one of the women Henrietta has chosen for him. Can she maintain control of her vineyards if the heir takes control of the estates?

Ash Ellis has crawled out of the gutter, but remembers it well. Known throughout London as The Devil's Own Scoundrel, his gambling house is one of the most successful in town, and he is among the wealthiest. When the old duke swallows his story with great delight, he is stunned when the one condition for handing him the prize he seeks is marriage to Henrietta. Yes, she's beautiful enough to stir his passion, but he has no desire to take a wife. Can they be together long enough to produce an heir, if neither wants to marry?

This story fairly steamed from the pages. Hettie and Ash strike sparks from each other at their first meeting, and it's no surprise when they finally do get together. There are some twists and turns that aren't expected. Overall, this was a fun romp of a story.

Oh Henrietta! She just wants to make wine and be the best and I understand a competitive, ambitious gal! This was a lovely read with Bell's signature humor and sweetness.

I’m such a big fan of Lenora’s books! She’s an amazing storyteller! I really enjoyed this one! Having a wonderful wine art background, a scoundrel possibly causing trouble, a curvy blue stocking heroine who’s stubborn with a marriage of convince! I here for it all! Hetty is such a wonderful hard working MC! I really adore her! I also love how she can put Ash in his place! Ash is a gamble owner and has worked his way up. He is trying to change/help child laborors. Ash had a past but had a good heart! So when Ash comes forward with a claim to Hetty’s father next heir in line, well things get interesting as Hetty doesn’t believe him. She wants to prove he isn’t but ends up married to him. These two have some serious chemistry and seriously burn up the pages! Such a perfectly matched couple! I can’t say enough good things about the book! I can’t wait for the next one!

This is the first time I read from Lenora Bell so I didn't know what to expect. But surprisingly, this book is actually better than I expected and I truly enjoyed it very much. It got me hooked from the beginning till the end and I just loved the romance development between the characters. Highly recommend!

In the second installment of Wallflowers vs Rogues, I was surprised that a lesser character from the first book in the series was the main character of this book. It's a fine book with the a twist at the end. Characters were well developed but I just couldn't get into it. Good for a quick afternoon read when you're in between books and not sure what to read next.

As a newbie to HR’s Lenora Bell is a new to me author. I really enjoyed this part of the series and look forward to reading more from it. I her writing style is witty and entertaining. Lenora Bell will definitely be on my reading list. Thank you for the opportunity to read the Devil’s Own Duke And helping me discover more wonderful HR authors.

Lenora Bell doesn't really do it for me, and I continue reading her all the same - I think that she comes up with very high concept premises and doesn't quite have the skill to back them up. She's attempting social commentary in the vein of Evie Dunmore and Sarah MacLean with the humor of Tessa Dare (and honestly some of her politics too), and it never really comes together.

There's a lot going on in this book - Hettie runs a winery, her father is a duke who has to remarry for an heir, but then Ash appears and somehow is the heir, Ash wants to raise thoroughbreds on her vineyard but also enact social reform legislation in Parliament because he used to work in an abusive bottling factory that was owned by Hettie's father, and also Hettie and her father are on the brink of ruin and he didn't tell her and now he's run off to the continent to marry his Italian opera singer mistress, and by the way some wine people are coming into town soon and Hettie's got to convince them to take English sparkling wine seriously.

See what I mean? That's a lot! And thus nothing gets quite the focus it should. And, too, even though Ash and Hettie are like seventh cousins with their shared ancestor several centuries back, I just could not square them being related and also that being a strong enough lineage for Ash to claim his position as heir.

Anyways, this book didn't do it for me, but I think a lot of people appreciate Bell's really lighthearted style, so more power to her.

This is Hetty and Ash's story. All the intricate dynamics around the relationship building between them, both of them with a bigger, better future in mind. Quite the pair, but the one thing that really stood out for me was the strong female bond of the Bodicea Society. They were women ahead of their time. The book was good, I really enjoyed it.

Lenora Bell never disappoints. This book is a great take on the Cinderella story and I loved it through and through.

It took me a while to get into this book (months), as I found the hero arrogant and annoying, but he eventually won me over along with the heroine. The pacing is a bit slow, but if you are interested about the history of sparkling wine in England, this novel has lots of great details for you.

I definitely enjoyed the first book in the series more, but this one does include a marriage of convenience and a bit of enemies to lovers, if you enjoy those tropes. I will give the next book in the series a chance, as I have enjoyed her books more in the past. I am hopeful this was just a pacing problem.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher

So this book was really fun and I liked it a lot! I read one of Lenora's book a while back, but I never continued that series because it was one of the first historical romances I read and I just started reading other authors and other books! So I'm really happy to get back into this author! I liked the romance between Ash and Henrietta! They are so cute! And they had such good sexual chemistry and sexual tension! I liked how Henrietta really switched from being this spinster to be a great seductress as the book went on! I loved the hate to love aspect in their romance, and once you got past their hate for each other, the romance just leveled up and I couldn't put the book down! I highly recommend checking this author out, and also checking this book out! I for sure will be checking out the previous book in this series! I also can't wait for the next book in this series!

Lenora Bell can do no wrong,. Loved this book and this series. This series is perfect if you are looking for Bridgerton companions.

Lady Henrietta Prince just wants to marry her father off the a widow, have him produce an heir so they don’t lose their home, and live a happy spinster life making wine. Enter Ash Ellis aka the long lost Ashbrook Prince, heir to her father. Excited he no longer has to marry, Hetty’s father comes up with a perfect solution: his new heir can marry Hetty! Ash is everything Hetty does not want: unrefined and worst of all, the owner of a gaming house that has ruined countless men. Soon married, Hetty and Ash find each other irresistible, but will Ash’s past secrets ruin their happy ending?

This is the second book in the Wallflowers vs Rogues series. It’s enjoyable and very low angst (which I LOVE). I’ll definitely read more of Lenora Bell’s books.

Love is a Rogue was one of my favorite historical romances from 2020 so I was highly anticipating the second book in the Wallflowers Vs. Rogues series. The Devil's Own Duke did not disappoint! Lenora Bell crafted such a perfect marriage of convenience trope and it was so delightful to see Ash and Henrietta give in and finally fall for each other. Bell also takes such care with writing believable and realistic women characters and they all have such complex moods, interests, and opinions. I can't wait to see what comes next!

Yummy wines, a marriage of convenience with a little deception thrown in, and cats with loads of personality. A great recipe for a lighthearted romance and Lenora concocts it so well. She delivers once again an entertaining read that's feminist but not rabidly so. Ash's path to the dukedom requires a heavy suspension of disbelief and Hetty's dad is a useless buffoon. Other than that, The Devil's Own Duke is a quick and fun read.

Lenora Bell is one of the strongest voices in new historical romance and I hope her books don't continue to fly under the radar. This book was sweet and steamy with just the right amount of modernity to keep it fresh. I love this new series and cannot wait to read more wallflowers. Lastly I think this is a really great starting off point for people eager to try historical romance in a similar way to Tessa Dare.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get into this book and had to dnf just after a few chapters. The heroine annoyed me so much that I couldn’t keep reading.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy