Cover Image: Dukes Do It Better

Dukes Do It Better

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This was a good book and the two leads were very likable even with their faults. May read the rest of the series as well

Was this review helpful?

*sighs happily* Dukes Do It Better was amazing! West End Earl still takes the cake as my favorite book in the series, but Dukes Do It Better is close behind! Emma is absolutely delightful, and I love how much she loves her son. She has put the past behind her (with the help of Ophelia) and is working to make an excellent future. Malachi was great as well, and I appreciated how much he cared for Emma's son. Romances where the main characters have a child run the risk of having the child not matter, but that was not the case here. Emma and Malachi are great together, both with each other and as a family.

Outside the romance, there is a larger plot tying back to events from previous books. I will say it doesn't make 100% sense if you haven't read book one (which I haven't) but the characters and events are explained in enough detail that the stakes are still present. I also appreciated how the characters from previous books were very much part of this story. Emma cares a lot about her brother (the hero of West End Earl) and it's obvious he cares for her as well. I loved seeing the characters create their happily ever after with all the people they love.

Was this review helpful?

Great finish to the series. Emma is a wonderful heroine and Malachci is exactly the man she needs. Lots of fun, lots of sexy times, and plenty of happy feelings.

Was this review helpful?

WOW! This book is SO GOOD! It is romantic, mysterious, full of twists and turns, emotional, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "Dukes Do It Better", I was whisked back in time to the Regency Era, and went on such an adventure with this story.

Bethany Bennett is such a fantastic author! Her writing style is full of heart, emotion, detailed, vivid, visceral, and so much more! Her passion for writing and the story she is telling truly jumps right off of the page, and, as the reader, I was pulled in from the first page to the last.

Malachi is a sea captain and a duke. Emma is a single mother of a young son, named Alton. Malachi and Emma had a one-night stand before, and are brought into each other's lives once again. They decide to rekindle that relationship...however, neither can expect what comes of it...and perhaps, will it lead them to true love? I do not want to say too much due to plot spoilers, but, I will say, this book has so much in it: love, heartbreak, hope, adventure, mystery, a journal, spies, secrets, blackmail, danger, and so, so much more!

(Possible Spoilers!)
Malachi and Emma are absolutely perfect for one another. They bring out the best in and can truly understand each other. They never have to pretend to be someone they are not when they around each other which is so beautiful! And oh my goodness, Malachi and Alton! So sweet!

If you enjoy historical romance, I highly recommend this book! I so look forward to reading what Ms. Bennett writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of this book, it is incredible! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Just might be my favorite of the series. The reunited crossed path lovers was soooo goood. The mixture with the left diary, and mysterious past of Emma Hardwick. All the Easter eggs from the series forward just layer out. Serious hand clap to this series. One of my most recommended 👏

Was this review helpful?

Bethany Bennett’s books are always a delight, and Dukes Do It Better is no exception!

This historical romance features a single mother and a second son who never expected to have to become a duke. When their paths cross after a whirlwind night together, they decide to embark upon a purely physical affair. Of course that doesn’t work out, since they both catch feelings, and also there is someone trying to murder them, but you know how it goes!

I really enjoyed how both protagonists were older and able to be mature about things. Single mothers are few and far between in historicals, and Bennett does a great job portraying the difficulty of balancing romance and parenting. I can’t wait to read what she writes next!!

Was this review helpful?

Quotes from the book.
“Let me make my intentions clear. I want you in my bed again.”
“That damned eyebrow raised again and it did something low in her belly. Sweet Lord, she was becoming aroused by his eyebrow.”
Dukes Do It Better, by Bethany Bennett. Absolutely beautiful! Absolutely superb! This is a heart warming book were I had such a wonderful time reading it. Em and Mal are super fantastic.
I loved that the writer created their intimate relationship earlier in the book. Doing this just made the book even more fun for me to read. Mal is a Duke that has a silver tongue in many ways and he definitely knows how to use it. This man character is strong. He charming.
He’s caring. He’s a lover. He gives pleasure where pleasure is due. He’s a gentleman among gentleman. Em is a heroine in this book that is not your normal leading lady.
She is so carefree and independent. Em moves through the book without caring what the next person thinks, except for Mal. She is very much a lad that Mal would risk everything to have. Her love and protectiveness over her son is so precious.
When Mal and Em come together the story gets so interesting and even better. The entertainment from their relationship and the plot plays out so well. The book managed to hold my attention to the end. I loved the different characters with their little stories, but my favorite characters are Billy and Lilly. I think these two could rule whatever home Alton dragged them to.
I enjoyed the imaginative writing from the author. She brought forward a book that keeps the readers believing in love. I give this book two snaps and a, is that goat walking around in a Nappy?! Maa. Until next time my fellow readers… read on!

Was this review helpful?

Lady Emma Hardwick had a bad first season she got pregnant which caused her to leave society and live in a seaside cottage with her son. During this time, she meets Captain Malachi Harlow and has a one-night stand with him. A months later her sister-in-law gets her to return to London where she meets the Duke of Trenton who is Captain Malachi Hawlow. she hasn't been able to forget him and when she sees him in Londan they heat up even though the duke would rather be on the sea. this book is good but i wished i would have read the ones before this so i kind of understood the beginning I just reviewed Dukes Do It Better by Bethany Bennett. #DukesDoItBetter #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Was this review helpful?

Another great read from Bethany Bennett! Emma and Malach's story is full of mystery as well as romance. They don't seem like a likely match, but Bennett works her magic and gives us a wonderful Regency romp.

Was this review helpful?

I so enjoyed the first two books of this trilogy that I was frankly gobsmacked to be left with the emotional equivalent of a shrug to round out the series. Especially given the fact that Emma's past tribulations are already familiar to the reader and her relationships with her brother and sister-in-law are a known, cozy quantity, I expected so much and got so little.

The trope here isn't quite a one-night stand gone wrong. It goes right, and Emma and Malachi are happy to reconnect months later and pick up where they left off. It's instalove adjacent. Malachi unwittingly finds Emma's journal lost on the beach around the time of their tryst. The entries of an unknown, lonely woman keep him company during his own solitary nights aboard his ship. He falls in love with the mystery woman and is frankly relieved once he susses out the writer's identity. You can expect it to be a point of contention when he doesn't inform Emma of this realization and return the journal to her possession. The two have a low tension, no-strings-attached arrangement. It's a weird scenario where they fall quite easily for one another, things blow up as they are wont to do, and a marriage proposal wraps up the arc neatly and with little pomp or struggle. And I just wasn't moved by it though I wanted to appreciate the birth of their fledgling family on a deeper level. The previous two books had so much drama and pining and delicious, hard-won steam, that the quick turnabout here was extra disappointing. Somehow amid all this nothing, the book also supported a full romantic side plot between two characters that were new to the series. Both seemed perfectly excellent, but the reader has no particular connection to them as they take up space on the page with their own tidy little love story. Which is just weird.

My favorite moment is an entertaining trip to the British Museum, including rude comments on the statuary's anatomy and snide remarks about the museum's methods of acquiring its exhibits. And as lovely as that is, it's a small piece of the book.

This is just one of those cases where the book and I didn't mesh. It didn't antagonize me, I still love the author, and I really wish my reaction wasn't a resounding *meh.* I could easily see this story playing better with a different reader, so I wouldn't dissuade someone from picking it up. Thanks to Forever for my copy to read and review!

Was this review helpful?

Dukes do it Better is the third in the series, the Misfits of Mayfair by author, Bethany Bennett. It is is the story of Malachi , a captain in the navy who becomes the Duke of Trenton after the untimely death of his older brother. He spies Emma, Lady Hardwick in the park having words with a lord and as when he recognizes her as the woman he had a one night fling with, he rescues her from their conversation. As Malachi and Emma are reacquainting themselves, they realize that they want to continue their relationship. Emma is living as a widow of a young son with her brother Calvin and his family. Upon meeting Calvin, Malachi he recognizes him as someone he has worked with in the past. As Emma and Mal become more involved, those around them are caught up in a series of blackmail schemes that they must all work together on to solve. The story is smart, sexy and intriguing and will keep the reader engrossed until they reach the end of the story.

Was this review helpful?

I’ve really enjoyed Bethany Bennett’s Misfits of Mayfair series so far and Dukes Do It Better, the third book in the series, is a great addition. Months after having a steamy one night only no-strings-attached encounter at a coastal inn, fate brings tattoos ship Captain Malachi and scandalous young widow and mother Lady Emma back together in London. Thoroughly enjoyed this book - great chemistry and banter throughout. I do wish their first encounter was on the page though!

I would highly recommend reading the series in order as a lot of the heroine’s backstory plays out in the first and especially second book. Her redemption arc really pays off in the end!

Was this review helpful?

“Roger nudged at her entrance, and Emma was on the cusp of inserting the length of wood into herself when the door opened…”

My goodness Y’all…this is one way to satisfy your cravings!!! Yes indeed. I’m not sure what I was expecting with this book…but what I got was so much more than I thought it would be. It was fun and refreshing. When I first picked up this book, I skimmed it and set it aside. Thankfully I decided to pick it up again, for I do so love a good protector…and Captain Malachi Harlow, Duke of Trenton is most definitely that! He can protect lil’ ole me (ok…plump ole me) any day…yes indeedy do. Mal is such an alpha roll…tough and rough on the outside, but oh so charming and sweet on the inside (yummm). And handsome…lord-a-mercy.

Dukes Do It Better is such an enjoyable read. It is refreshing, forward thinking and “modern” in ways that most HRs aren’t, simply because of their innate nature of respectability. I started this review with a quote from the book about a sex toy, so that should give you an idea of how proper this book is!!! The chemistry between our two MCs is sensual and sweet. Their banter, playful and enjoyable. Their interaction with one another free and uninhibited. I also loved the supporting cast. They added another layer to the plot that was fun and engaging and helped move the overall story along. The plot I enjoyed too. It had just the right amount of intrigue, angst, and romance.

This book is not your typical romance…and Mal is NOT your typical duke. He has spent the last 15 years in service to His Majesty’s Royal Navy serving the crown and recently came into his title when his “perfect” brother died unexpectedly. Summoned home by his hard and no-nonsense mother, Mal begrudgingly steps into his role as duke, albeit on his terms.

When Lady Emma Hardwick made her debut six years ago, she was a vapid, willful, and downright selfish girl. However, six years away from society has wrought quite a few changes. She’s wiser, calmer and more mature than she was when she walked away from the Ton. One mistake changed her life and now her past has come back to rob her of her future.

When happenstance places Mal in the path of Emma -- a woman he had one unforgettable night…sparks fly again, and he’ll do anything to renew their acquaintance. But when secrets from their past threaten their lives and those of their loved ones, both Mal and Emma work together to save those they love and potentially a love of a lifetime.

You’ll enjoy it, I know I did…so grab a copy yourself a copy. This book is a stand-alone piece however, I can’t help but think I would have enjoyed it more had I read the other two prior books as many of the characters were featured previously.

Was this review helpful?

Malachi and Emma hook up once. Emma's diary is missing. Malachi (we realize) has found it and promptly fallen in love with its author. Delicious set up right? Well, it's so much more complicated since Emma is a single mom with secrets galore (divulged only in said diary), and he has his own mystery to solve. Make that a couple. He's good to her son and buries himself in our hearts. What a great story-love take 2!

Was this review helpful?

Bethany Bennett has quickly become a historical romance favorite and I thoroughly enjoyed this one as much as her previous titles. Looking forward to reading more from her for sure!

Was this review helpful?

This is one of the highlights of my spring reads. I can't wait to put it on staff recommends, along with the other books in the series.
Awesome characters and plot.
Keep them coming!💗

Was this review helpful?

Dukes Do It Better focuses a pirate Duke and a widowed single mom/lady.
.
I adored how everything Emma feared would push Mal away, is what he found the most endearing and loved the most. Bethany really pays homage to single mothers and balancing being a mom vs being a woman. Being a mom vs being allowed to have fun and find pleasure outside of motherhood. Mal understands the idea of not fitting into a perfect societal box and with each other find acceptance. SIGH.
.
The integration of characters from the first books really elevates this one to another level (it can be read as a stand alone but you are missing out on amazing series). I loved Cal and Mal's relationship development. The sandwich scene 👀😭😍. Phee continues to be an amazing character but also best friend to Emma. The addition of Adelaide is exciting!

Was this review helpful?

I didn't love this third installment of the Misfits of Mayfair series as much as I loved the first two - but I REALLY loved the first two!

Our heroine of this book, Emma, was a secondary character in book two (West End Earl) and she was really unlikeable. I enjoyed getting to read her story and watch her grow and evolve. I don't love romances with a single parent (it's just not my trope of choice), and the relationships between Emma and her lover and Emma as a mother and how those two interact is a major focus of this book.

There are a lot of plotlines going on in this book, and sometimes it feels like a little too much. Still, the banter and chemistry between Emma and Mal is delicious (and the interactions between Mal and Emma's son are ADORABLE). I'm definitely looking forward to what Bethany Bennett comes out with next!!

This is the third book in the Misfits of Mayfair series, and I strongly encourage potential readers to read the series in order. There are major spoilers for the first two books, the previous main characters play pivotal roles in this book, and there's an underlying plotline that runs through all three books. So please start with book one, Any Rogue Will Do!

Was this review helpful?

A Single Widowed young mother
A tattooed ship Captain
 A one time weekend dalliance 

A few years later when they see each other again he is now a Duke, his brother having passed. She is just as lovely and ready to start an arrangement with him.
The 3rd in the Misfits of Mayfair which focuses on Malachi and Emma.
I appreciate Emma's sexual adventures and getting carried away with her pleasures but ugh that dude was a bad choice since he left her alone and pregs. Her way of keeping herself in polite society was ingenious and bravo. Trick the patriarchy and keep getting some.
I really love the non vanilla mcs in these cause a century of the ton were def not as proper as they pretended lol. I just love all the historical steam.
Malachi is the super sexy piratical Captain that just wants to go back out to sea but his new title is keeping him on land and his pesky mother.
These books should be read in order for better enjoyment. As the characters from the first two books are included as well as a dastardly plot but it all ties together.

Thank you readforeverpub and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Was this review helpful?

Dukes Do it Better has the BEST EPILOGUE I HAVE EVER READ!

Okay, I get a head of myself.

I seriously loved the characters and the plot of this novel and felt remiss at having only heard about Bethany Bennett once I started reading Dukes Do it Better, the THIRD novel in the Misfits of Mayfair. Have I gone ahead and purchased the other two books in the series, because I loved this one? Yes, yes I have!

And the epilogue made me cry in only the way a romance novel can. My heart was so full with the ending of this delicious story. Oh and did I mention the steam? Because it was excellent!

Although Dukes Do it Better can be a standalone novel, I did find that if I had atleast read the previous book in the series, I might have gotten more motivation into Emma's character and the choices of her past. Other than that miniscule detail which I will soon rectify by reading the previous book in the series, Dukes Do it Better is sheer perfection.

There were so many passages I highlighted. Some of my favourite quotes include:
"The idea that somewhere out there is someone who could love me. Maybe not even despite my secrets, but because of them."

"Her finger flexed around his under the table, but she didn't let go."

"Her moments of improperity were like a whistle, and he showed up every time."

"Having a conversation about penis size while standing in a gallery in the British Museum hadn't been on the agenda today."

Was this review helpful?