Heartbreaking tale of a true hero!

Sebastian is back from nine horrific years at war, shortly after his tyrannical father has passed away. He's anxious to take control of his family's estate, and is mystified to find that the estate has been managed in his absence by the beautiful yet stubborn ward of his father who arrived just as Sebastian had left all those years ago.

Hadley met the old duke just as he was faced with losing his last living relative, his son, to the war. She finds a decidedly different man than the one his son knew, and she's able to make herself quite useful to the estate as she matures. She learns about Sebastian through his dutiful letters home, and helps his father learn to respect the hero he has become.

There are instant sparks between Sebastian and Hadley when he at last arrives home, but there are secrets that he cannot share which will keep him from any meaningful relationship. I loved how Hadley fit in with the wives of Sebastian's friends, and how she recruited their help in pursuing her mission. I wasn't entirely happy with her jumping to conclusions about Sebastian's secrets, but I could see how it was a reasonable mistake. Still, I was very relieved to see the truth come out and I appreciated the gentle resolution to the misunderstanding.

They get a very satisfying HEA, and as the last of the five dukes to find his match, Sebastian's story also gives us delightful updates on the lives of his recently married friends. I've greatly enjoyed each of the standalone romances in this series and couldn't be happier with how it all turned out. If you love swoon-worthy heroes and strong-willed women, you don't want to miss these delightful romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Honor can mean different things to different people. Honor among thieves, a patriot’s honor, or honor in everyday life. We do not hear the entirety of Sebastian’s story of his time in the military until closer to the end but that is further in this review. Hadley loves Sebastian just from his letters. A long-distance relationship if only one sided. So, what happens when Sebastian returns home? What usually happens when war heroes return home? Can they learn to fit in or become basically become a hermit? Sebastian is an honorable man and therein lies his problem. He does not feel worthy of Hadley but also cannot stay away. I liked the way Alexa wrote these characters. It all made sense then she threw a wrench at us and I must say I really did not like and even loathed Hadley. Hadley is so unreasonable and stubborn that she is not pretty during this time. But as Alexa is a great writer I wondered how she would redeem Hadley and make the love story work. I said before I would talk about Sebastian’s secret, but guess what, I am not going to. You will have to read this story. I will say that Alexa did it again and I cried so hard the last three chapters and epilogue that I had to keep wiping my eyes so I could see the book. I loved loved Sebastian and this wonderful story.

Duke of Honor stars Lady Hadley Hampton and Sebastian, the duke of Hardwick. Lady Hadley was Sebastian's father's ward. The old duke was rather abusive and cold to Sebastian and his mother so Sebastian has been estranged from his father. He's also been fighting a war, so Hadley and Sebastian have never met. Hadley knows Sebastian from his letters though, and she fell in love with him while reading them to the old duke. He is very attracted to her, and all the leads from the previous books also think he and Hadley should get together. She is not what he is looking for, however, as she is capable, smart and strong, and he thinks he needs a docile undemanding wife who will produce him a heir and then lead largely separate lives. He decides that he must kiss her to get her out of his system without considering her feelings at all. He was badly scarred in the war, both mentally and physically, and does not believe he is worthy of love. The other duchesses try their hand at matchmaking but eventually it takes Lord Wellington to fix it.

The beginning was a three stars book for me because it's all a bit too quick for my tastes, I like a slower burn. Granted, Hadley had decided that she was in love with Sebastian years before the book started. The readers never see the lovable correspondence so they have no chance to fall in love with him alongside Hadley so it just seems like instalove that falls into the reader's lap instead of developing naturally because he is so loveable. The way everyone else instantly knew that Hadley and Sebastian were meant for each other was also a bit much, considering some of them had known Hadley for five minutes or so. When they have an intimate interlude there's instant rejection that's like a whiplash. Later, Hadley is very quick to judge.

It gets better towards the end which has a lovely reunion and a sweeter wedding scene so I rounded it up to four stars. Some of the writing is a bit choppy as incomplete sentences get used for effect a lot.

I hoped to have more of an explanation about why the old duke was so cold to Sebastian and seemed much warmer towards Hadley. Was it just because he had sworn to raise Hadley up in his own image or was there another reason?

This is the fifth book in the Dukes of Distinction series and Duke of Renown remains my favourite of them. (I haven't read Charm though.) Wondering whether Lady Elizabeth will get her own book.

I got an ARC from Netgalley and this is a voluntary review.

This is Alexa Aston at her best. Talk about a story that went straight to my heart and one I won't soon forget. This story goes deeper than just an historical romance, this also deals with soldiers who come back from war, broken inside and out.

After 10 years at war, Sebastian is now home and ready to take over the dukedom and is surprised to find out that Hadley, his deceased father's ward, has been taking excellent care of all his estates! Hadley is beautiful, smart, and likes to wear breeches!! Although he feels an immediate attraction towards her, he doesn't feel he deserves her and tries to keep her at arm's length which is easier said than done. If she ever learned the secret he holds....

As for Hadley, she's been in love with Sebastian ever since she was a child and read all the letters he had sent to his father throughout his years at war. Meeting him in person, he's the hero she's always dreamed of....or is he! Two souls in need of each other but sometimes fate needs a little push in the right direction.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Duke of Honor is the fifth book in the Duke of Distinction series, which follows a group of friends as they navigate inheriting dukedoms and falling in love. Sebastian is a returning war hero who discovers Hadley has been competently and lovingly taking care of his estate in his absence and following the death of his father.

Hadley was such a warm and loveable character --- I loved her intelligence and wit. Sebastian, wounded physically and emotionally from the war, tries his best to resist her but their chemistry is magnetic.

This book won't make the top of my regency romance reads, but it was a quick and fun read. I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, but this book works well as a standalone. The rest of the series is available on Kindle Unlimited, so I am excited to go back and get the back stories of the other couples in the book!

A very beautifull story about a Duke with scars from war not only to his body but too his soul . A Lady who came to live with her chaperone and became his person of all his business .She fell for the hero after reading his letters from the war . It was love for both of them but after a drunk revelation they separate . I loved both of them . I think their story is amazing .
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words, for this ARC. I believe I have read each of the books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed each one. They are tales of pain and forgiveness, misunderstandings and love. Not too salacious but well done.

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

A beautiful and heart rending story.

A soldier returned from ten years at war, with injuries both inside and out,To find his world has changed while he’s been away and a woman he doesn’t know has been running his estate.
He’s now a Duke and his friends lives have moved on and developed, they have wives and children and love, he has nothing but memories of pain.
Can the woman he least expects be his saving grace?

So good to read, very enjoyable and satisfying adventure, it made me feel both happy for the couple and sad for the Dukes experiences as he suffered with PTSD .

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

Alexa Aston has done it to me again! This is book 5 of the Dukes of Distinction series and every book I declare that hero is my new favorite book boyfriend...then the next book comes out and I love that hero even more!

Sebastian Cooper, Marquess of Marbury, has been missing from the four prior books because he was fighting in the Napoleonic Wars for a decade. He comes home to find his father has died and assumes his role as the new Duke of Hardwick. During his absence, his father has become guardian of Lady Hadley Hampton, who for years has been pining over Sebastian after reading every one of the letters he has sent home to his father repeatedly. Hadley is as unconventional as they come. She wears pants, is a midwife, and has been running the estate and Dukedom for years. She is beautiful and kind to everyone.

Sebastian is so damaged from war and Hadley is a bright light in his life. She has the support of the other Dukes and Duchesses to win her man over. I love revisiting my favorite characters from the previous books in the series. It's a joy to see them settled down after we saw how they fell for each other. This book does fine as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the series in order to truly get all the feels.

This was a rare five star read for me. I rooted so hard for this couple, laughed and wanted to cry at parts. Ms. Aston has a gift of fully dimensional characters who are each recognizable by their dialogue and personalities. The Dukes of Distinction is an incredible series.

Will his past guilt drive her away ...

One more lovely story by this author. I love to follow Sebastian and Hadley through their journey to their happily ever after.
Both are talented persons, good at their task, yet they are also flawed.
Sebastian never reached to his father, his childhood memories are from a bullying sire, so he left as soon as he was able and never came back. But now that the war is over, and his father has passed, he must take on his title duties.
But while he is a decorated war hero, he has never managed an estate.
So he astonished when he discovers his legacy has been managed by his father’s ward, a young woman who stirs no brotherly feelings. But he is determined to keep himself on check, to avoid any deep entanglement, so broken he is from his war fields experience.
Why he keeps her at arm length, refusing to let her in, to share his burden and his pain.
Hadley has lost everyone upon her thirteenth birthday, until she was trust into her gardian’s care. A man she refused to cover to and finally conquered with her cleverness and strong will. She even succeeded to make him rethink his thoughts about his heir. All while she fell in love with him through his letters.
But when her dreams meet reality, she is a bit shaken as her dreamed hero is rather harsh and cold even if he kisses heavenly. And when she unearths his secret, instead of talking she runs away thinking the worst of him.

In all it is a sweet and entertaining read about two persons who have to let go of the past to move forward toward one another.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes.

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

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For the most part I liked this book
Hadley came to live with her guardian when she was just 13 and quickly won over the duke and everyone else.
Sebastian left to join the army the day Hadley arrived even though he was heir to a dukedom.
I liked Hadley and Sebastian. And Hadley following in love with Sebastian through his letters to his father was sweet.
The parts that bugged me.
1. The duke was horrible to Sebastian and his wife but somehow instantly became a great father figure to some girl who he had never met.
2. The so called bad thing Sebastian had done during the war. Ridiculous.
3. Sebastian falling in love in a few days with Hadley.
Overall it was pretty good. 3.5 stars.

Hadley is perfect for the, Duke of Honor. She is fierce, strong and loyal also beautiful. Sebastian shows just how wonderful he is in the beginning of the book. He remains awesome throughout. I really enjoyed reading, Duke of Honor.

Sebastian Cooper, Marquis of Marbury didn't have the happiest of childhoods especially after his mother died so he chose to leave England and fight in the Napoleonic Wars for a decade. He comes home to find his father has died and assumes his role as the new Duke of Hardwick. When Lady Hadley Hampton’s parents die, she is made a ward to the elderly Duke of Hardwick. However Sebastian writes home every month, as his mother would have wanted him to do. Hadley reads Sebastian’s letters aloud to her guardian and over the years falls in love with the dashing war hero. When Sebastian arrives home, he is astounded that Hadley has been managing his father’s affairs and is angry this beautiful stranger knows so much about him when he didn’t even know she existed. Sebastian fights his growing attraction to Hadley, believing she deserves much more than the broken, scarred man he has become.
This is the fifth & final book in the series, it could easily be read on its own but I’ve absolutely adored the whole series so would recommend reading the series in order. Characters from earlier books do feature as the five dukes are firm friends. I loved both Sebastian & Hadley who were perfect for each other but he was fighting demons from the war. Hadley is a strong, intelligent woman whose caring loving nature endears her to everyone. I also loved Sebastian who felt he wasn't good enough. I loved their journey to a HEA, which wasn't easy, there were misunderstandings & secrets. a very well written book, which I read in a sitting & once again it was 4am when I finished it.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read