I have recently been introduced to this author's books and have been so far really enjoying them and this one also did not disappoint. It is the first in the Debutante Dares series, and I have to say, that title alone peaked my interest. Tabitha and Arthur couldn't be more opposite, but they both have one common goal - to find the perfect match and marry. Both are very strong and passionate characters and I enjoyed their interactions and following their story. The storyline flowed nicely and was well-written and definitely kept my interest all the way through. Ms. Lane has a wonderful writing style that really pulls you into the story and keeps you reading. I really enjoy her stories and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary advanced reader's copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

My first book by Charlie Lane and I am already eager for more! This story features Lady Tabitha Hampton and Arthur Pennworthy, The Duke of Collingford. Both of them are actively pursuing the marriage mart but for slightly different reasons:
A redheaded bluestocking in desperate need of a wealthy husband.
A handsome duke looking for the perfect duchess.
And a dare that shows that opposites may not only attract but can be so much more.

When a dare between wallflowers leads to the Duke of Collingford taking a second and then third look at the feisty redhead he is surprised to find his perfect Duchess may have been found. Can Tabitha learn to be the duchess Arthur needs? Will Arthur figure out perfection, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder? Will these two end up in a marriage of convenience or is there a chance for a love match?

“He’d very rarely in his life found pleasure in the imperfect, but her imperfections—her red hair, her freckles, her passionate defense of others—they called to him.”


This is truly a fun opposites-attract, marriage-of-convenience, social-status-be-damned romance. Admiration turns into lust and attraction which then leads to romance and love. I enjoyed every word. I love it when a stuffy male MC falls in love and his entire outlook on life changes — it’s refreshing!

“He didn’t have feelings for Tabitha. He loved her. But he wanted to say the words for the first time to the woman who inspired them.”


I recommend this story to everyone who enjoys watching a man who doesn’t believe in love … fall in love.

4.5 Stars ⭐️ | 4 Flames 🔥

The chemistry between these two is so good. I was worried when they met under interesting circumstances but it was a lot of fun to take the journey to HEA.

From the first page to the last you will spellbound by Daring the Duke. Charlie Lane has given readers a book that is well-written, filled it with great cast of characters that come off the pages and pull you into this emotional ride that keeps you involved until the very end, sensual passion, witty dialogue and laughter and with a strong plot that bring this read together perfectly!

A Perfectly Imperfect Love

"Together, they strode down the hall, the perfect duke and duchess--unflappable, unimpeachable, and untouchable, even for each other."

The theme of perfection is deftly woven into Daring the Duke as the heroine, Tabitha Hampton, is positioned to clash imperfectly with the handsome but rigid Duke of Collingford who is seeking perfection in a mate. From the start, the idea of a man seeking perfection in a woman is likely to get a reader's back up--even though it must be admitted that the duke strives for perfection in all things, including himself. Furthermore, the duke's quest for perfection is tied into deep-seated anxieties relating to his own worth as a son, a nephew, and the upcoming head of his noble family.

While the novel begins as an enemies-to-lovers story, the primary conflict of the story is between the newlywed couple Tabitha and Arthur and the groom's family, particularly his exceedingly dislikeable uncle and unexpectedly vicious grandmother. The crux of the conflict hinges on a plot point that requires a suspension of historical disbelief--and this was my one qualm.

But other than that, the way in which Daring the Duke explores the extreme vulnerability between two people in a new relationship was unique, fascinating, and felt truly authentic. The fact that the couple marries midway through the novel was also a nice change, for they must decide whether or not to face trouble together as a united pair or to allow themselves to be pulled apart just as they are finally starting to truly come to know one another and to love the person they find, imperfections and all. I enjoyed how Arthur really evolved as a hero, becoming a passionate and loyal husband, and refusing to allow his own stubbornness and anxieties to keep him from supporting his wife.

Charlie Lane has a beautiful style of writing that will leave you admiring lines such as "They curtsied, sinking together like a single flower landing on the surface of a pond." Jane Crenshaw and Lillian Clarke, along with the duke's younger brother, Devon, add charm and wit to the plot. Looking forward to seeing their stories explored in future books in the series!

The first book in the Debutante Dares series a story that had me laughing as I read. Lady Tabitha Hampton is one strong-willed woman that gets herself into all sort of predicaments. The Duke of Collingford, Arthur is there to rescue her most times. I enjoyed seeing their story with all its ups and downs come together.

Lady Tabitha Hampton has the memory of an elephant. Her sharp brain locks everything away tight as a trunk in an attic. But this talent fails to help the twenty-seven-year-old bluestocking attract the attention of a single wealthy suitor. When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Charlie Lane is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this books.Can't wait for the next book .

This is a very enjoyable read. Tabitha and Arthur have a rocky road. Tabitha is looking for a marriage which helps her family financially. Arthur on the other hand is looking for the "Perfect" wife & has high expectations. I found the "I dare you" game comical in their actions and also that i can imagine bored girls coming up with something like this. Then throw a villain in the mix with a dare made to Arthur to marry Tabitha by Tabitha & a lil slow burn steamy romance and you have this wonderful book! The characters are fun and feel as if they come to life and the storyline is amusing and a little different; which i love! I do recommend this read.

I was gifted this book as an ARC and this is my voluntary and honest review.

Poverty amongst the Ton is not something you want to be noticed so families went to great lengths to conceal it, and bare patches on the house walls were covered up if they could, ladies hemmed their own dresses and sisters styled each others' hair.
And then there were the somewhat foolish investments that people undertook in the hope to recover funds quickly - and you can all guess how that turns out - not well as a rule.
Poor spinsters stay hidden in ballrooms as they are more than aware of what could be said about their attire - but needs must they attend, in the hope that they might attract a husband. Even when their hostesses could not remember their name!
This story has humour to offset the norm except we do not have the over-bearing father but a rather sweet obe instead.
We do however have the 'must marry by a certain date/birthday' trope in this story to fill out the rest of the pages.
But nicely written and amusing.

Lovely, lovely writing. Charlie Lane - I will be watching for more novels from this fantastic author! Where do I start? This book absolutely enthralled me. I was transported back in time and lived in this setting. I fell in love with Arthur and Tabitha as we saw each character through the others' eyes and they themselves fell in love. This is a must-read book for historical romance lovers!

What do you get when you mix a rambunctious Lady who never forgets and a stodgy, somewhat boring duke who strives for perfection? Daring the Duke is the first book in The Debutante Dares series. It started out quite enjoyable. I love the idea of Wallflowers daring each other to do outrageous and scandalous things in ballrooms during the season. So it started out cute and funny, but never really maintained the momentum.

Lady Tabitha Hampton, with the "horrid" red hair, made some bad investments and must marry well in order to restore her family name and ensure her sisters can marry well. Arthur the Duke of Collingford, needs to find the perfect wife, in looks and temperament, so that he can inherit his beloved country estate.

After the initial introduction, the plot was very slow moving, and I think this would have better suited a novella. Arthur was very superficial and boring. Even though we're supposed to see his "growth" as a person, it happens so fast that we really don't know what makes him tick aside from his quest for perfection. Tabitha has a photographic memory, and there was one scene where Arthur whines and pouts because he can't remember all the possessions in all his houses. Poor, poor Arthur.

I liked the epilogue, because we were back to the humor that made the beginning so enjoyable.

My favorite moments were with Arthur's carefree brother Devon and Tabitha's friends. I'll pick up the next books in the series just to see what happens to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.

At a ball, spinster Tabitha Hampton, dau­ghter to a Marquess, and her two friends ­play their favorite game "I dare you"t­o take the edge off from boredom. One da­re goes a little too far when a Duke is ­the butt of the joke. Not to be out done­, Authur, Duke of Collingford, is up to ­the challenge of turning the dare back o­n Tabitha. In their verbal exchange, the­y make a deal for a marriage of convenie­nce. He needs to marry a lady perfect in­ form, face, disposition, accomplishment­s and pedigree, for an estate under his ­uncle's control. Tabitha needs financial­ help for her family, but she is a redhe­ad, honest, out spoken and sees the humo­r in life. If Arthur needs perfect she c­an play the part of a "perfect" Duchess.­ Until the Duke finds out that a "perfec­t" Duchess is not what he really wants. ­Very witty with amusing verbal word play­.
­I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I enjoyed the plot/ storyline of this book, and the ending indicates more to come in the same worldview. The book was a bit shorter than I usually read, so I was through it pretty quickly.

This starts out a little slow, and it isn’t clear what the friendship btn the women is based on and therefor it gets confusing with trying to figure out btn tabithas sisters and friends. The character of the grandmother is completely unbelievable, at once uninterested in society and then obsessed with it. She’s the least likeable character in a fairly likable book.

This is my first book from this author, so I didn't know what to expect in terms of content and writing style. This ended up being a quick, enjoyable read but I did find it a bit slow at times. I definitely enjoyed the writing style, but the characters themselves were not my favourite. They both seemed a bit immature given their age (Tabitha 27, Arthur early 30's), and they erred on the side of boring at times. The book started out great, and the premise here is really interesting but it could have been done differently in my opinion. Perhaps a quicker pace, especially getting closer to the end.

Between the two, I'd say Tabitha had much more substance to her character over Arthur. The photographic memory was a neat touch, and I liked her spirit. Arthur on the other hand was too stiff and unrelatable.

I liked Tabitha's friends - I'm assuming the next book will be focused on one of them, so I think I will give it a try as I enjoyed their parts in this story.

This is a new author for me and a really good one. This book is amazing!
Lady Tabitha Hampton has the memory of an elephant, but this talent fails to help the twenty-seven-year-old bluestocking attract the attention of a single wealthy suitor. And she needs one. With three sisters of marriageable age, a sickly father, and a series of bad investments draining their dowries, Tabitha’s marriage could save or ruin her entire family.
The Duke of Collingford needs a wife, but not just any one will do. Arthur’s future duchess must be perfect in every way—fair of face, impeccable manners, with enough social influence to impact his parliamentary projects. When he joins the whirl of the London season, the duke finds an insufferable, redheaded wallflower instead.
Tabitha insists she can be the perfect duchess, if he’ll only give her the chance. Arthur agrees to test her abilities, but she tests his control. And one taste of her lips is enough to make him embrace chaos. Opposites may attract, but can they cooperate? Or will they lose everything, including their hearts?
Oh, these two! They are so good together! I loved both main characters. They are well developed and enjoyable. There’s so much to see in Arthur. He surprised me in a really good way. And Tabitha is smart and funny.
The dialogs are something out of this world: funny, witty, emotional, sexy. There’s a lot of kissing and sexy times in this story and that’s always a must! I highly recommend this story!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Great book. Intriguing plot and page turner. The cover of this book is what got me to request it. I am so glad that I did. It was good and a quick read.

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

I started this reading without any pretensions and I fell in love with it.
The author's writing is wonderful and enjoyable to read.
Our main couple is completely passionate and captivating.
I really enjoyed following their story, I liked how the author didn't put unnecessary plots in the story, and how fluid it was to read.
This is a book that I had a great reading experience with.
I also enjoyed all the discussion about perfection that this book brings, I felt represented at various times in the story by the way they felt.
I liked all the characters so much that I'm looking forward to reading the next books in the series. It's not my favorite period romance or one of the best but it's an incredibly nice read to make.
Ps: the only thing I didn't like is how the cover model looks nothing like the main character!

3.5 stars. An enjoyable enough read. I do think it lacked a bit in terms of character development but I was still able to get invested in them. And I’ll still be reading the sequel to fine out what happens to Jane and Devon.

What an adventure. I really like Tabitha. She was strong willed and intelligent, never cowering from ridicule. And she must be quite brave to tell a Duke a different name each introduction (6 I believe). Her memory is impeccable as well as her shift to the Duchess. I loved the ending (and wish I knew the name!). I cannot wait to hear Devon and Janes story.