Don't let the adorable cover art fool you, this is more than your typical rom-com novel!

This was my first novel by Jenny Holiday and I did miss out on the related title A Princess for Christmas, however that did not detract in any way from the relationship that was built over the course of a year between the two leads Max Maximus and Dani Martinez. What I enjoyed the most about this novel is how the friendship development was at the center of all interactions. This aspect made every interaction, adventure, and misunderstanding feel so much more realistic when given the outlandish premise of a Baron or Duke, Actually love story.

The natural chemistry and genuine caring between Dani and Max made this a binge-worthy read that honestly had me laughing in place, aching for the feelings left unsaid, and a bit steamed up when the moment arrived for Dani’s New Year’s Resolution to be, well, resolved. I completely LOVED the connections made to the movie Love, Actually throughout and it added to the Christmas atmosphere that recurred from beginning to end.

I would totally recommend Duke, Actually to fellow rom-com readers and would also let them know that it is highly readable without having read A Princess for Christmas because the relationship building and characterization is compelling all on its own. To those who pick up Duke, Actually either now or as a holiday read, I wish happy reading!

Jenny Holiday is an absolute master of the romance genre! This new addition is witty and entertaining, but also heartwarming and deals with real issues, like alcoholism and abusive relationships. It's a treat of a book.

Jenny Holiday is an absolute master of the romance genre! This new addition is witty and entertaining, but also heartwarming and deals with real issues, like alcoholism and abusive relationships. It's a treat of a book. I may actually have loved it more than A PRINCESS FOR CHRISTMAS. Absolutely add this to your list!

Actually, I loved Duke, Actually. Even though I didn’t love Love, Actually. This a a terrific friends to lovers story. And I love that the author calls her books “Hallmark movies with a bit of steam”, because that is a perfect description.

Dani thought her life was pretty planned out - married, dog, tenure-track teaching job - until her husband cheats with a student and wants a divorce and the dog. And she questions whether teaching is what she wants to do at all.

Max (who is a Baron, not a Duke) is the kind of friend that everyone wants, but he is definitely not the kind of romantic interest that Dani wants. She has sworn off men. She is post-love. But she can’t help but fall into friendship with Max. He is the perfect chameleon friend, able to adapt to any situation and make the best impression. Part of that might be because Max hasn’t quite figured out who he is yet, or who he wants to be when he grows up, even though he’s 28.

These two develop an enviable friendship. Their banter is legendary. And no matter what happens, these two are there for each other. You cannot help but root for their “more” to happen. And when it does, woohoo! Fireworks, baby!

I love some of the twists the book takes and also getting to see some of the characters from the first book (which I haven’t read yet).

This is just a terrific romance woven around the holidays with just enough spice for this reader. Loved it!

Thank you to Net Galley and Avon books for this advance copy of the book and these are my honest opinions.

Enjoyable parts. Some of the dialogue really had me going and made for fun read, however other parts kind of dragged and didn’t hold my interest. I liked the characters for the most part, but the pacing of this story made it difficult to really and truly enjoy and invest. Overall I did like the story, I just wish it were told with a different pace to keep my interest. I found myself struggling to keep reading for periods of time.

Thank you netgalley for the advance copy.

This rom-com was SO MUCH MORE than I expected!! Top 5 rom-com material?? Maybe! Definitely top 10 at LEAST. The love interest is /so good,/ their chemistry is off the charts, and you will fall in love with the main character. This book has been marketed as "a Hallmark story but with spice" and I gotta say that's grossly under-representing just how good this story is. I love a good Hallmark film, and I'm not trying to bash them, but we all know Hallmark movies are of a certain, and with comparing a book to that comes a certain expectation for the quality of the book. This book was just so much better than any Hallmark movie could be.

Duke, Actually follows Dani as she finalizes her divorce from her cheating husband. The book picks up with Dani and the love interest, Max, already having been acquainted. Max has made it clear in the past that he's interested in Dani, but Dani isn't interested back because he has a "man-whore" reputation, which isn't something she's looking for. Max, the Baron first in line for the throne, doesn't think romance is for him. He's perfectly content to sleep around and pretend to get to know girls of high nobility to please his parents. As Max and Dani develop a close friendship, their feelings on both matters start to change.

GET EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK!!! You will die for the boyfriend, you will die for the main character, you will die for the romance, and you will die for the plot. Everything is perfection, and as soon as I post this review I'm going in for a reread.

This book is the second in a series, but I read it as a stand-alone and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed this friends lovers slow burn romance. I am always looking for books that read like a Christmas Hallmark movie and this book totally did it for me!

This had a few good moments in it, but otherwise this book was just not for me. I only wish I had liked this better, as the synopsis dldid seem intriguing.

This was an enjoyable story. Both characters are more than what they seem and they complimented each other in unexpected ways. The side characters were also well written. The story line with the brothers reconnecting after so much time was great. I would definitely read more books by this author.

Fun follow-up to the earlier Jenny Holiday book, A Princess for Christmas. This second installment follows the progressing relationship between teacher, Dani and future Duke, Max. They bond through the holidays and through their relationships between their BFFs.

Fun Christmas read!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4/5 stars! ⭐️ This book is the second in a series, but can be read as a stand-alone

I absolutely adored this book! Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and Max and Dani had so much natural chemistry that I truly fell in love with them more and more as the story progressed! They both just needed a distraction from their lives initially, but what they found in each other was so much more.

The banter was great, their chemistry was hot, and their journey to a HEA was definitely complicated, but despite that, this was really just a great feel-good kinda read!

Dani is in the process of divorcing her cheating, co-worker husband and has a list. The list is her “post-men” list meant to remind her of what she gave up in her marriage. Max, a reluctant baron, is New York and wants to take Dani to dinner. In a series of events leading up to the royal wedding of their best friends, they form a deep friendship that inevitably leads to more.

They are both trying to recover from personal struggles and in a sense, grow together. I adore Max (minimus and Maximus 😉) and how he really listens to Dani. Dani is a fierce female who has brains and is not afraid to use them. Their witty banter and Dani’s snarky comments has me laughing throughout. There is a HEA and I loved Max even more for his patience and perseverance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyage publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I enjoyed this installment as well! We met Dani and Max briefly in A Princess for Christmas, but this book explores their relationship from friendship to romance. If you like a slow burn, this book if for you. Dani is recently divorced and Max is a bit of a playboy, but their opposite personalities play well of each other and create great chemistry. The slow burn is worth the wait, and I hope there are more books coming in this series!

Rating: 4/5
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fiction
Warnings: Alcoholism, divorce, infidelity, “coming out”
Read if you liked: Hallmark Movie vibes
Steam: 2.5

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was the perfect follow-up from A Princess for Christmas, which I read last winter (they can be read as standalones). If you want to read a literal Hallmark movie in book format with a bit of steam, read these books! They are truly a delight.

I loved getting to know Dani and Max more. They had excellent banter and dialogue. I love a “friends to lovers” story; it felt really nature to see their evolution and chemistry. They truly were so supportive of each other in their careers/passions. The story had some relevant pop-culture interweaved but it didn’t feel forced. It was adorable how much human Max and dog Max loved each other. And a plus was that we got to catch up with old characters and see the future HEA.

I genuinely just enjoyed reading this book. If you are looking for something on the lighter side with a dash of cheesy I really suggest it.

Oh my…What a bad luck you’re dealing with: can you imagine sexiest, most charming, most charismatic baron knocks your door when you took an oath to get way from any kind of female species? Good luck dear Dani, you’re so doomed to fail and resist the irresistible charm of this walking talking addiction notice!

Newly single, New Yorker, a brilliant professor, smart, sarcastic Dani already lost her bestie Leo who is the main subject of the marriage of the year. Yes, he became part of Eldovian royals by finding his love of life. She is gonna be the best man at the wedding.

But when the with sexiest man alive- tabloids’ popular subject: Maximilian von Habsburg : Baron of Laudon: Duke of Aquila who has been dumbed by the very same princess she’s marrying now insists to befriend Dani by visiting New York before wedding to spend more time with her, his friendly intentions are rejected because after her worst marriage experience Dani’s off limits and she cannot tolerate to be best of any man.

But luckily extra charming, magical Max is not any man. He’s every man you want to breathe and he’s the man you want to stalk every move he makes and you want to keep watching him( okay this become a quite mix with Joe Goldberg stalking tendencies meets Police’s favorite song but hottest baron of Laudon truly gives you those inspirations)

Well, Dani obviously cannot resist to his charms and she adroitly restrain her desires to let him get into her pants but their chemistry is too hot to resist. Their friendship blossoms alongside with their intimate feelings they bottled up.

They wanted only friendship as a distract of their messy life. As Dani is getting through from messy divorce, Max deals with his scandalous life. But when they want more than friendship, real problems start to occur: because Max’s family doesn’t approve their relationship even though Max is ready to fight against them because he knows he already found the one he wants.

But Dani has also hesitations about adapting into Max’s pretentious lifestyle.

Could they risk everything to be together and confront with the obstacles together for pursuing their HEA?

So hot, so sexy, so genuine, so captivating! Yes, I truly devoured this book and I had amazing time! I loved both MCs, their love story, chemistry, everything about them!

Those qualities I always look for at any good written romance novels!

It highly earned my four sexy baron meets smart, aspiring, pretty professor premise stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.