Like many Harlequin Historical novels, this one was full of romance-driven plot. If that's not your thing, I get it. But sometimes I really love these easy romance reads. 

WIth a fake-marriage trope and two people who find themselves in a desperate situation, this story was a fast-paced escapist read. 

Totally predictable, and a very easy read. But that's just what I was in the mood for--and I got what I wanted. 

The two main characters were likeable and it was very satisfying seeing them together at the end. Admittedly, I couldn't put this quick read down and finished it in about a day and a half. 

These Harlequin Historicals are a treat--and Louise Allen's The Duke's Counterfeit Wife just proved that. 

This review will be live, at the link given, on March 23, 2023

This was a fairly enjoyable read, but there was nothing to make it stand out (for me) against the other historical romance novels that I have read this year.

I adored Sarah, her headstrong attitude was refreshing, but more than a bit out of place when you consider her circumstances. I also loathed Nicolas with his holier-than-thou attitude that he expected due to his title (at least in the beginning, thankfully his character did warm a bit to become more likeable).

Together? These two should have been perfect, but the constant back and forth became weary. Yes, you both love each other for reasons I've not quite comprehended, but I don't buy it. To me, you are still strangers with a somewhat perpendicular story. Even at the end, I still wasn't convinced of their love and the somewhat abrupt ending left me wanting more. A marriage does not necessarily a happily-ever-after make. I would have like to have seen them farther down the road. Do they have children together? Does Sarah win her case against the villain and reclaim what was taken from her? Does the Duke of Severton go into the shipping trade with his wife? These are all questions that I wish had been answered.

Speaking to the writing style, it was well-written and easy to follow if somewhat stilted at times. The back and forth of if I love him/her than I must trust him/her became tiring as it was often overused, but overall I think this book will still appeal to fans of historical romance novels. I would give this author another chance down the road.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Terrific book. I enjoyed the coastal pirate theme instead of the more frequent pirates on the high seas. Thanks to the author's attention to detail, I got a good feel for the characters' predicament. There were many times when I felt as though I was right there with them.

Sarah and her maid are on the way to her new posting as a companion. Raised as the daughter of a shipping magnate, Sarah found herself nearly destitute after her father's illness and death. The assistant he trusted embezzled the firm's money and then stole its six ships, leaving Sarah with nothing. After five years as a companion to an elderly relative, she now has a new employer. Rather than take a stagecoach to her new job, Sarah takes passage on a coastal ship, looking forward to a final time on the water. She doesn't expect to clash with a fellow passenger, the cold and arrogant Mr. Smith.

Nicholas is traveling incognito while researching accommodations on coastal ships. Interested in a possible investment, he prefers to know what he's getting into. He doesn't expect to encounter a pragmatic and practical ladies' companion with no respect for his consequence.

When an unscrupulous captain commandeers their ship, Nicholas saves Sarah, himself, and their servants by revealing his identity as a duke. He also claims that Sarah is his duchess and offers to pay a ransom for the four of them. The tension was palpable as Nicholas waited for the verdict, and I felt their relief when it was accepted. I had to laugh as Nicholas and Sarah were confined together in the same cabin. Rather than the hysterics that he expected, Sarah was unexpectedly calm. Even worse, she put her mind to figuring out what the captain was up to. Sarah was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before, and he didn't quite know how to handle it. I especially loved her comments to him when he insulted her maid. After recovering from the shock, he had to admit that he deserved it and that he admired her wit and intelligence.

I was utterly engrossed in the story as Nicholas and Sarah fought their attraction while working together to solve the mystery of what cargo made the ship a target for the pirates. At the same time, Sarah believes the cargo is connected to the man who ruined her father's business. The action-packed book made me laugh out loud in some spots, as Sarah's determination to be part of the investigation ran up against Nicholas's desire to keep her safe. There were also some edge-of-the-seat moments, such as the ransom exchange, that kept me glued to the pages. The resolution of the mystery was well done, though I would like to have had an update on the return of the ships and funds to Sarah.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Nicholas and Sarah. Once past their initial antagonism, they settled quickly into a friendly partnership. I loved how Sarah continually kept Nicholas off-balance with her straightforward attitude and no-nonsense comments. Each felt the sparks between them, but both are well aware of the social gap between them. Nicholas is very much a gentleman and protects Sarah from untoward advances from others and himself. The more time they spend together, the more their feelings for each other grow. The point comes where Nicholas's honor gets involved, and Sarah makes her opinion known in no uncertain terms.

I loved seeing the light finally go on in Nicholas's head and heart. His unusual wooing of Sarah was sweet, and I loved her surprise when his big moment came. There are still a couple of rough spots for them as someone from Nicholas's past tries to make trouble. I loved Sarah's trust in his love and how it surprised and moved Nicholas. The ending was terrific. I'd love to see them show up as secondary characters in another book to see how they are doing.

To protect a fellow passenger from the pirates who commandeer their ship, duke Nicholas pretends that lady's companion Sarah is his wife. He quickly comes to respect her intelligence and the clear head she keeps during their captivity. Back in the real world, though, social expectations interfere with their burgeoning love—while old betrayals pose threats of their own.

I'm not a huge fan of pirate stories, but I loved this one. The piracy is more of a setup than the main story. The plot is clever and exciting, yet the characters are the best part of the book for me. It's fun to watch how Sarah, Nicholas, her maid, and his valet conspire to outmatch their captors. Neither Nick nor Sarah is particularly sentimental, yet their measured approach to their love affair is warm and endearing.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Fine. The plot dragged a bit and the coincidences were a bit too unbelievable. Could have used more heat btn the love interests.

This is the first Harlequin I have read. I really enjoyed the storyline. The writing is very good. It is not steamy enough for me, but I would read this author again.

One moment she's on her way to a new position as a Lady's companion, the next moment she's being kidnapped and in a blink "becoming" the wife of a Duke. Imagine the possible outcomes! For this reader it was an entertaining story that kept me turning the pages. A solid 3 star read meaning I liked it!

I really enjoyed this book! It was so much fun to read about a damaged (emotionally and physically) hero whose heart was broken by a past love and yet he still managed to remain a gentleman. His personality was reserved and a bit dour but he was very protective and respectful. He had trust issues as well. While he was not keen on taking a wife after his heartbreak, seeing that as only a duty in order to produce heirs, he never lashed out on the heroine or any women. He was mad only at the woman who betrayed him.

The OW does serve as a very minor source of conflict but the heroine was such a rockstar about it. I love when she had a moment of doubt: she remembered that she loved him and he said he loved her, and that if he said that then he must be telling the truth and she should believe him over others. This show of faith made him be like “you mean we are not going to fight? that’s it?”

Ahhh it’s just so sweet and so pure. I wasn’t a fan of him waiting until after marriage before bedding her — bc he just had that fantasy of waiting until after they are married and taking her to bed after — but that’s mainly because I wanted him to be slightly bad ;-) there is a light love scene towards the end but it’s overall a chaste but very enjoyable read.

A lady's companion and a disguised Duke try to outsmart some rough sailors.

Sarah Parish was a lady's companion traveling by ship to a new position after her previous employer's death.

Daughter of a shipping company owner who committed suicide after being bankrupted by a corrupted employee, Sarah preferred to travel by ship than the much longer trip by land.

But her vessel was taken over by pirates, and to save her, a fellow passenger, a Duke no less, claimed her as his wife.

The story was delightful! Sarah was a responsible and practical woman and had no time for Nicholas Terrell's (Duke of Severton) harsh judgments.

I love cross-class stories, and this one was very well written. I enjoyed Sarah's knowledge of vessels and navigation and how Nicholas' admiration for her blurred the lines between their social stations.

The side characters were equally lovely, especially Sarah's maid Millie, the cabin boy, Charlie, and the dapper valet Pendell.

The Duke's Counterfeit Wife is a lovely enemies-to-lovers with forced proximity, class division, adventure, and pirates.

An excellent and entertaining read!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 12/01/2021*

I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others. Our library doesn’t purchase paperbacks but we have them donated. This is a book that I would purchase myself to read.

Sarah Parrish and her maid Millie were going to Norfolk to be a companion for a widow. Sarah decided to travel by ship because she knew the captain of the ship The Yarmouth Gannet. She knew the Captain when he captained a ship owned by her father before his death. When arriving at the ship she found that another Captain had taken over for the captain she knew. There was another passenger using the name John Smith who was actually Nicolas Terrell Duke of Severton and his valet Pendell. The Duke and Sarah ended up being kidnapped along with their maid and valet. Along with the kidnapping there was also a theft involved and was directed by a man named Axminster. Axminister ended up being a man who also used the name of Wilton who had been the accountant of Sarah’s father’s company Parrish Shipping. Wilton ended up stealing all the money from the safe of the business along with six ships from Parrish Shipping. A lot of activities in the book and kept you reading to see what was going to happen next.