Y’all, I just read a Christmas book in October and enjoyed every second!

Last year, I read A Princess for Christmas and adored it. When I realized Jenny Holiday was writing a sequel, I knew I needed it! Duke Actually did not disappoint.

Dani has completely sworn off men- she’s going through a divorce, busy with work, and over the romance scene. Max, a Baron in Eldovian, shows up in her life and insists on befriending her before Leo and Marie’s royal wedding, she finds herself completely charmed.

This is a SLOW BURN. Like the slowest of slow… These two didn’t even kiss until 79% through the book. Instead, they built this beautiful, genuine friendship. Their interactions are witty, sweet and honest. Precious!

And when the sparks finally flew? Perfection!

Four stars! Read this is you like to smile!

Thank you Avon books and Netgalley for an advanced copy! Duke, Actually is released on October, 26th 2021. #Netgalley #DukeActually

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for making that happen.

I adored this book. More than I enjoyed its predecessor, A Princess for Christmas. I loved Max's candid earnestness and Dani's reluctance to accept what was right in front of her. I love how both of those things turned this into the most delightful of friends-to-lovers slow burns.

I loved the fact that their relationship, despite it's unorthodox beginning, comes down to communication and compromise. They built up a rapport first, became friends, then best friends, and then finally lovers, but that groundwork they laid helped with their communication when things went awry. And even when they did, neither of them held the lack of good communication against them and were always trying to find a way to communicate back with the other.

I loved their relationship so much. Too often we don't get to see the friendship grow on the page, as more often than not, it's relegated to backstory or thrown aside in favor of the romantic relationship. But I thoroughly enjoyed watching these two become friends, as much as I did when they finally acknowledged the mounting attractiong between them.

I loved this book by Jenny Holiday, and I'm eager to read more of her work.

Loved this latest read from Jenny Holiday! So cute and perfect for the coming holiday season. I couldn’t put it down!

This was a lovely unexpected rom-com! The love interest and chemistry is so good! This reminds me of the hallmark channel during Christmas! It's a feel good book with a sweet ending. I really enjoyed this read!

A snarky New York professor named Dani falls for a charismatic guy named Maximillan von Habsburg : Baran of London: Duke of Aquilla. Instead of being enamoured by Max's lavish life, she's hesitant and starts to become a little skeptical of whether or not they'll work out.

What a delightful book! Dani and Max have excellent banter from the very start. They begin with an easy friendship that grows into such a deep relationship. The book takes place over a year, so the progression from friends to lovers felt so natural. I loved the ongoing joke that Dani's dog is also named Max. Both of the characters were really well developed and their relationship was so adorable. The story is told in dual POV, which is my favorite. The one part of the book I didn't like as much was that this felt like the second in a series. When the book begins Dani and Max have already met because their best friends are getting married. There are references to their friends' relationship, and all the drama that went along with them getting together. There was enough there that it seemed like Marie and Leo could have had their own first book where Dani and Max met and now this is their story. Overall that didn't detract from the story, I just wasn't as invested in the wedding they were attending or Dani's friendship with Leo. This book starts and ends during the holiday season, so it's a great book to pick up if you want to get in the spirit!

Thank you Avon/Harper Voyager publishers for an advance readers copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: This is my first book by this author.

I enjoyed this cutesy book that will publish in time for the 2021 holiday season. There was some obvious predictability (Like how the title foreshadowed his future) but I enjoyed the chemistry Dani and Max displayed. Max Minimus and all the other secondary characters from both families/friends groups were a great touch to the novel. This novel is unique with the Duke's background "job" and Dani's novel. Those subplots were interesting as it allowed the timeline to flow more efficiently than just a romance jumping from page to page.

This isn't a glowing five star for a couple of reasons. I honestly wasn't interested in the Vince-divorce plot that stretched a few chapters too far. I understood it was meant to give both characters drama and other situations outside of their romance but I wished we would've seen their jobs plus friendships(and brotherships) more in place of the whole divorce fiasco. I also wished there was more to the Christmas scenes. The start of the novel was great but the next Christmas scenes were rushed through.

Wooowwwww this book was soo good! It was the perfect holiday romance!

I didn’t realize that this book was part of a series when I started reading it, but it didn’t matter too much. It can definitely be read as a stand alone. Although I will definitely go back and read the first book in this series!.

“ Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is trapped. Under pressure from his domineering father, he must marry a suitable bride before he inherits a title that feels like a prison sentence. In New York to meet a prospective wife, he ditches his responsibilities and appears on Dani Martinez’s doorstep. He’s been intrigued by the no-nonsense professor since he met her at the Eldovian royal wedding and is determined to befriend her.

Newly single Dani is done with love—she even has a list entitled “Things I Will Never Again Do for a Man”—which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s trying to escape relationships, and she’s resolved to avoid them at all costs. All they want from each other is friendship and a distraction from their messy lives.

As their bond begins to deepen, so does their attraction, until they end up in bed together. Falling in love was never part of the plan—Max’s family doesn’t see Dani as a perfect match, even as his heart tells him she’s the one, and Dani isn’t sure she can make it in Max’s world. Can they find the courage to live they life they desire, even if it means risking everything? ‘ - from Goodreads

Max and Dani had the perfect chemistry throughout this entire book. Although at times, I did feel like smooshing their faces together and yelling, “kiss”. But this friends-to-lovers slow burn was the perfect holiday read. I loved the banter between Dani and Max throughout the entire book, and this friendship seemed to grow so naturally.

I’ve always been a sucker for the modern royalty falls in love with a commoner trope, and add in a reluctant friends to lovers? Soooold!

Both Max and Dani were fully fleshed characters with wants, needs, and self-doubt, and so the tension in this book also seemed real.

Trigger warning for past child abuse/neglectful parenting as well as divorce/manipulation.

All in all, this book was such a great read, and is perfect for anyone who loves the movie, “Love, Actuslly”, a fan of the modern romance, as well as a good friends-to-lovers trope!

Predictably cute in the best kind of way. Perfect rom-com for Christmas time, or really any time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

Having not realized this was a series, I really enjoyed it as a somewhat-standalone.

Daniela's character arc was excellent until the end of the story which sort of took me a back and made me feel not too impressed with the novel. However, the Christmas feels were in full swing while reading this. The perfect winter rom-com!

I quite enjoyed this book! Maybe a little more than the first, but that's only because it has the friends-to-lovers trope I adore! A lot of times, you've read books or watch shows and you wonder if a couple even knows each other or likes each other.

This wasn't the case for this book! Daniela and Max (Human Max, lol) become friends first and stay friends which I think is a great base for a long-lasting romance.

I didn't quite like Daniela's overreaction in the end but I understood she was afraid and she did realize she was impulsive.

I'm looking forward to another book if there is one! (Lavina?? Imogen?? I'm up for anything!)

Duke, Actually is probably one of my favorite rom-coms now. I fell in love with Max. He’s charming, charismatic, and listened to what Dani had to say. Dani was easy to adore. She’s a dog lover and strives to do whatever makes her happy, while being independent. This book was heartwarming and perfect for a holiday read. I love that it kept me entertained the whole time while reading. The nicknames for the Maxes made me smile and laugh every time. Max Maximus and Max Minimus were my favorite duo.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this book and give an unbiased, honest review.

Y’all had me at “Hallmark Christmas story with Spice”. Haha. I read A Princess for Christmas and Duke, Actually in less than 48 hours. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.

Both Dani and Max are very like able main characters whose personal growths I really enjoyed experiencing. There is a lot more to this story than just these two falling in love.

While I was happily invested in their journeys, I do get impatient with slow burns. I was just so ready for them to get together!

Duke, Actually hit all the Christmas feels I was hoping for. It could technically be read as a stand-alone, but I 100% recommend reading ‘A Princess for Christmas’ first!

I loved Jenny Holiday's Matchmaker Bay series so I was excited to get a digital copy of Duke, Actually from NetGalley, even though I haven't yet read the first book in the series. This book can definitely be read as a standalone since I didn't have any problem not knowing the characters beforehand. Jenny's books read like perfect Hallmark movie scripts and Duke, Actually was no different. She also does romance tropes so well and this was a great friends to lovers story. It is definitely a slow burn and I do wish that Dani and Max got together a little bit sooner since their banter was even better then.

I adored this book. Prime example of a feel-good story; a wintery Christmas-themed romance that has a lot more to offer than just a romance.

A warm, relatable mfc, a baron who was a great guy - respectful, history minded, self-deprecatingly witty, a friendship that becomes more and more precious as it turns into something more. Perfect for a cozy day on the couch with some hot chocolate.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. Opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my reading experience.

"Hugh Grant was right. Love always mattered, even if it hurt. And it did hurt."

Dani & Max. We know them from A Princess For Christmas. Dani is post-love. Max is a freaking Disney prince. He is a literal aristocrat and she's having trouble making rent. Will they find their HEA like Marie and Leo? Dani and Max's banter had me smiling like a Cheshire cat. Stupid grinning. All the cute moments!

and

The epilogue is perfection! Romance readers need this Hallmark but make it spicy book. I loved it! And now I really want a sausage McMuffin. Must read!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
-Dirty Dancing & Love Actually
-wild, dramatic declarations of love
-grumpy heroine & sunshine hero
-friends to lovers
-SLOOOW burn
-snow angels
-McDonald’s drive-through
-#IsThisAKissingBook: "Finally, finally, after all these hours, after all these months, they kissed each other." …. "She was going to die here, kissing Max, and die happily."

Thank you Avon books for an advanced copy! Duke, Actually is released on October, 26th 2021.

Song: Good King Wenceslas by Bing Crosby

I had not read the previous book in the series, but it wasn't a prerequisite to reading this sequel. I enjoyed the first quarter of the book. The banter between the male and female protagonist was fun and you felt like the romance was real and well-earned. However, the book dragged a lot through the middle. Library patrons will like this read, but I felt that a tighter plot would have helped a lot.

Duke, Actually is a follow up to A Princess for Christmas focusing this time on the best friends, Dani and Max. They strike up a friendship and decide to have fun together while keeping feelings out of it, which almost never works.

This novel is a slow burn. I definitely started off liking both characters but Dani’s list of rules and stubbornness started to turn into a bit of immaturity in my opinion. However, the author does bring things around at the end in a more satisfying way. Max stays a lovely, charismatic character and I enjoyed his interactions with Sebastian, his brother, as well. There were some things conveniently tied up in a way I wish had been different. I can’t say much without risking spoilers so I can just say I would have liked to see more of the outcome of the end of novel announcements had the major event not happened. Potentially, those declarations could have came sooner in the novel with more time to explore them. Overall, it’s a good sequel but absolutely can be a stand alone book as the main focus stays on Dani and Max and any background is explained well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

I really loved this read! I absolutely loved both Dani and Max separately and together and reading how they found their way was very enjoyable. I actually hadn't read the original story "A Princess for Christmas" and didn't feel as though I was missing pieces of that story in order to fully grasp this one. I particularly like how Holiday had me rooting for Max and Dani from the very first page. Would recommend it to YA readers looking for a fun romance!

We first met Max and Dani in Jenny Holiday's "A Princess for Christmas" as the lovable best friends to Marie and Leo. Max is a baron, dreading his inheritance of a dukedom and pegged by the media as a playboy. Dani is post-men and post-love after a failed marriage to a manipulative and all-around horrible man who left her determined to never give up who she is for another man.
While I often found myself infuriated by the miscommunication and stubborness between Max and Dani, their friendship and budding feelings made "Duke, Actually" a very enjoyable read. There is also the sweet relationship the blossoms with Max and Dani's dog (also named Max, but not a namesake). Those little scenes with the Maxes left me with a silly little smile all on their own.

If you like friends to lovers, with a touch of aristocracy/reformed rake, you are likely to enjoy "Duke, Actually." And, of course, we get a HEA, which is an absolute necessity for any good romance if you ask me.