Three sisters start Elegant Occasions, a party planning business, after their parents cause such a scandal with their affairs and finally a divorce, that no one wants to marry the youngest two. Eliza, the oldest, is married but her husband buys a commission to escape the scandal and is quickly killed off. She is the business manager, Diana the fashions, and Verity the food. Geoffrey is a newly reluctant Duke. He wants his sister to marry a peer for protection against a secret that may destroy is family. He hires the sisters to lead his sister, Rosabell, through the Season. This is a great set-up but it fell a little flat for me. One quibble is the fact mentioned a few times that his sexual experience is from a widow when he was only fourteen (but looked older). The widow dropped him when she found out his age but Diana in her thoughts thanked her. Is child molestation just a fun fact? Diana gets her info from the fallen women of a charity and wants to hook up with Geoffrey to see if she would enjoy being married in the future. I enjoyed the relationship among the sisters. Loving but snarky. I will continue the series with Eliza's story.

Love on the fringes of society, that's what make the story so compelling. Being of a working background leaves the newly minted Duke out of his element. He has not been raised for nobility. When he hires Elegant Occasions to prepare his sister for her debut, it is only natural that Diana insists on also training him. The connection between these two was instant, and potent even for the reader. Their chemistry was undeniable, and I loved the playful banter. His Arrogant Duke and Lady Disdain were truly made for each other. The underlying secret in his past, was well written and keeps you guessing until the end. I also loved the relationship between the Harper sisters, you could see their strong bond of sisterhood. They would always protect each other and support each other no matter what. This story includes love of family, undying support & protection and true burning heat. Diana & Geoffrey light up the page.

Shunned by Society due to parental misbehavior, Lady Diana Harper and her sisters, Eliza and Verity establish Elegant Occasions. Their business is helping with debutante debuts and other social events. Geoffrey Brookhouse, the new Duke of Grenwood, is a civil engineer, among other business interests. He never expected to be a duke. He comes to Elegant Occasions for help with his sister’s debut. The duke is anything but sophisticated or subtle. Diana decides he needs as much help as his sister. Can she and Elegant Occasions succeed with Duke Grumpy? Geoffrey and Diana are alike is so many ways. They are perfect for each other. They will have to get past some weighty obstacles is they are to have an HEA. They both suffer from parental embarrassment, and both have painful secrets. There are some problems to solve, soul-searching, secrets to share, bickering, and snarky banter. The characters are quite engaging and likeable. This is a very nice beginning for a new series. It is an enjoyable story, typical Sabina Jeffries, full of romance and humor. I look forward to the next story. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This was an entertaining, well-written historical Regency romance. It was fun, steamy and held my interest. I didn't want to put it down and wanted to find out what would happen next. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

As soon as I saw this new book coming from the always delightful Sabrina Jeffries, I had to dive in! With a scandalous heroine and a self-made man who unwillingly became a duke, I knew this story was going to be special. There were so many things I liked, not just the main romance but also the sisterly bond between the heroine and her sisters, as well as the genuine affection the hero had for his sister. The story itself was so relatable, and while the drama was fairly benign throughout the book, I never felt bored. I loved hearing about the societal struggles the three sisters went through after their parents had a very public divorce, and the hero's resistance to acting like a duke just for society's sake was so entertaining. I fell in love with all the main characters, and I am already very eager to continue reading about the next sister's journey to love.

Geoffrey Brookhouse would rather build a bridge than build connections with stuffy nobility who care more for their fashions than their families. Civil engineer by trade, the last thing he wanted was to become a duke, but when his father died and the dukedom unexpectedly passed to him, he had no choice but to don the title and all the annoyances that came with it. Coming to London is purely for his mother and sister, securing their futures while protecting a secret his father left with him on his deathbed. And who better to assist them than professional debut experts, Elegant Occasions, run by three sisters who know how to navigate a tumultuous season. Lady Diana Harper has long given up on marriage, after her parents' very public divorce following her mother's very unwise decision to run off with another man. Now her and her equally scandalous sisters run a business, helping other girls achieve their dreams. She is excited to help Geoffrey's sister...if only it didn't mean she also had to help him. Coarse and rude, he is a hopeless case. But he adores his sister, which she can appreciate, and so she sets out to help him as well. As they ready his sister for her debut, their forced acquaintance becomes more welcome. However, Diana knows she is no match for a duke, and Geoffrey has decided to take himself off the market for the foreseeable future. It's too bad life has other plans...

Diana was a force to be reckoned with, and I loved how she stood up to Geoffrey. He was a stereotypical man, completely clueless on how to talk to women properly, and he was so focused on his own troubles that it took him a while to realize there were things he was missing. Diana was a great teacher for him, not just to see how he could help make his sister's debut easier but also to show Geoffrey that he didn't have to be alone. He had been carrying the burden of his father's secret for so long, and when confronted by the possibility that it could get out before his sister was secured in marriage, he was terrified. I was so glad he had Diana with him, to give him strength, and to show him that he could accomplish so much more with her by his side. I loved Diana's natural inclination to speak frankly with him, to take him off his pedestal a bit so he could see things from another perspective. She was really good for him, and he was determined to be good for her too. While the drama in the story was light, and it may not have as much angst as one might life, I found it to be a great read for when you just want some mild drama without all the upheaval caused by third act conflicts. It was exactly what I needed.

On to the next book! I am so looking forward to seeing the sisters' journey as they find love in the midst of the formidable ton.

Lady Diana Harper along with her sisters run Elegant Occasions, a business that helps get girls ready for their debuts in the ton. The sisters started the business after their parents big scandal. When Geoffrey Brookhouse, the new Duke of Grenwood contacts Elegant Occasions for help in the debut of his sister, Rosy, Diana and Geoffrey don't always see eye to eye. After many fun and entertaining rounds of banter, these two start to realize that they want the same outcome....a good suitor for Rosy....but also that there is an underlying attraction to each other developing. When Diana makes Geoffrey a proposal he can't refuse, these take their attraction to a higher level. The more time Diana and Geoffrey spend together, the farther these two are falling until there is no turning back. They both also realize that they share some common skeletons in their closets and this brings them even closer until they finally get their happy ending.

I just loved this fun story. Diana was so fun! I really enjoy a sassy, smart female heroine and she really gave it good to Geoffrey. Geoffrey was a genuinely nice guy but was very reserved because of things in his past but with Diana she brought out his more fun side. Together these two just sizzled with chemistry. Great start to a new series.

I thought this was a pretty good start for this new series and in general a good read. I thought the writing was good and the concept behind the romance fun. I have to say that I wasn't overly in love with either of the main characters. There were elements of both that I liked but neither caught on with me and honestly, I was not shipping them at all. Still as I said, this book sets up the series in a promising way and I hope that the next couple will click with me.

London - 1807

Lady Diana Harper, 20, and her sister, Verity, are shunned wallflowers. Their mother ran off with another man which left their father, the Earl of Holtbury, to publicly divorce her. The scandal has left the sisters pariahs. Their older sister, Eliza, is married but her husband has announced that he going off to war.

A lady at a soiree they are attending overs the sisters commenting on how the ball could be improved from the flowers to the food. As an American married to an English man, she is unsure of the customs and asks the sisters if she could hire them to help her plan a party. Realizing that this would be a great way for them to earn money that they desperately need, they start their own business called Elegant Occasions.

London - 1811

Geoffrey Brookhouse, 30, the new Duke of Grenwood, is moving into Grenwood House in London. He knows that his sister Roseabel (Rosy), 19, is going to need a season so they head to Elegant Occasions. As Geoffrey is a trained engineer and new to the ways of the dukedom, he comes across as rather rough when Diana first speaks to him. But when he realizes that a season for Rosy will not be cheap, he finally relents and the 3 sisters start to help Rosy. Eliza joined her sisters in this endeavor when her husband was killed in the war.

As Geoffrey and Diana get to know one another, an attraction is sparked. But Geoffrey soon learns that a family secret could destroy them.

This is a good plot, but there are some parts that don’t make sense. I guess the fact that the sisters’ mother had been divorced by their father could impact their business, but the idea is still a good one. For myself, I can certainly do without the explicit intimate scenes because I am certain this did not happen back in this time period. But, I am learning to overlook it because this sells books.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lady Diana is pretty much ruined after her mother ran off with a man and her father sued for divorce. She and her sisters now run a successful party-planning business in the ton. When Geoffrey inherits a dukedom, he hires Diana and her sisters to manage his own sister's debut. Even though Diana and Geoffrey butt heads, they are instantly attracted to (and distracted by) each other. Geoffrey's hiding a family secret related to his father's death, so is reluctant to pursue marriage for himself.

Good start to the new series. I am a big fan of Sabrina Jeffries' books, and this one did not disappoint. The book opens with a prologue showing Diana and her sister Verity suffering through the Season. The sisters are considered unmarriageable thanks to their scandalous parents - their mother ran off with another man, and their father pursued a very public and acrimonious divorce. Their older sister, Eliza, is already married, but her husband joined the army and escaped the scandal by going off to war. Determined to get out from under their controlling father's thumb, the three sisters decide to go into business together as party planners. And so Elegant Occasions is born.

Four years later, they have earned an excellent reputation and have their pick of clients. When the new Duke of Grenwood contacts them for help with his sister's debut, they can't resist adding a duke to their client list. But it may be more of a challenge than either side expects.

Geoffrey's father was the son of an earl who was disowned when he married a commoner. Geoffrey grew up in Newcastle, working for a living, and became a well-known civil engineer. He has a low opinion of the nobility because of how his parents were treated. Inheriting the dukedom came as an unpleasant surprise. Geoffrey is handsome, arrogant, and rough around the edges, but his family means everything to him. He's sitting on a secret that could cause a scandal that would destroy their lives. He is determined to see his sister safely married before that can happen. To ensure the best results, he hires Elegant Occasions to handle the whole process.

Things get off to a rough start between Geoffrey and Diana. He is demanding in what he expects the sisters to do, while Diana is equally adamant about her expectations of him. There is quite a bit of sniping back and forth between them until they realize that they both want the same thing. Underneath their antagonism burns an attraction neither knows what to do with. Geoffrey has no immediate plans to marry as he has Rosy to deal with and the possibility of scandal hanging over his head. Diana's exposure to her parents' marriage troubles has left her uninterested in experiencing it. However, the more time they spend together, the harder it is to resist the temptation.

Diana is interested in seeing what all of the fuss is about regarding so-called passion and thinks Geoffrey is the perfect person to show her. For Geoffrey, the flesh is willing, but the spirit is wary. He doesn't want to draw her into his trouble. The more time they spend together, the more they want from each other, but Geoffrey keeps putting distance between them. I got a little frustrated with him because he refused to confide in Diana and get her take on the secret and its implications. By the time he did, it was almost too late. I liked seeing her take him to task and point out the negativity of his thinking. I also liked that she stood up for his family and told him to be honest with them. It takes some serious recalibrating of his thoughts for Geoffrey to finally believe that he and Diana can have a life together.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the work that the three sisters did to help Geoffrey and his family enter society. His sister Rosy was a sweet girl who was very insecure in her new role as a duke's sister. I loved watching her confidence grow each day as the sisters took her in hand and helped her navigate from her Court presentation to Almack's to her debut ball. There was some drama involving Rosy and a man Geoffrey thought was unsuitable. The twist at the end was unexpected, but I loved how it turned out.

There is a bit of a mystery involving an unknown guest who turns up at several of the Elegant Occasions events. I suspect he will play a part in the next book, and I look forward to seeing if my initial suspicion about him turns out to be true.

After Diana’s parents’ scandalous behavior ruins her and her sisters’ prospects, they make a choice: to become independent by using their talents to start Elegant Occasions, a party planning business. Diana is knowledgeable about all things fashion, and four years later Elegant Occasions is a successful, discerning business. When they agree to take on the new Duke of Grenwood as a client to help prepare and plan his sister’s debut, Diana decides it isn’t just the young lady who needs her help. The duke, a civil engineer who never expected to inherit, is brash and unrefined. However, it’s lust at first sight for both Diana and Geoffrey and the longer they’re around each other the harder it is to resist the pull between them.

Sabrina Jeffries kicks off her Designing Debutantes series with A Duke for Diana. Diana and Geoffrey’s romance is fast-paced and fun with protagonists who are equally matched. Both of them are talented and have put their skills and knowledge to use to become successful in their fields. I enjoyed learning about Elegant Occasions and could have happily read about that more because it was an engaging concept. I loved seeing Diana work with Rosy, Geoffrey’s sister, and help her come into her own.

As for the romance, at first Diana and Geoffrey rub each other the wrong way and their verbal sparring was fun. But between their mutual attraction and Diana helping Rosy, there’s no way “Lady Disdain” and the “Almighty Grenwood” could stay apart for long. But Geoffrey has a secret, one that drives him to see his sister safely wed and prevents him from taking a wife. The obstacles Jeffries sets out for her hero and heroine to overcome didn’t feel as big as they were presented to be and did feel a bit like they were thrust in there to cause some drama in an otherwise low-stakes romance. The ending of the book was satisfying and though I liked where everyone ended up it did feel a bit rushed. Even though I had a few quibbles with A Duke for Diana, I enjoyed the book overall and I’m looking forward to seeing what Jeffries has planned for Diana’s sisters.

Elegant Occasions ....

Is formed when the enterprising sisters, scorned because their mother ran off with another man and their father divorced her, are weeds amongst the ton. This is Diana's story. She's the one with the fashion sense. I quite rather liked Geoffrey, a newly minted duke, who was in trade with this grandfather and is a civil engineer with a yen for bridges (which is an appropriate metaphor). He's protective of his sister, Rosy, who is not a diamond of the first water, quite the opposite. Geoffrey hires Elegant Occasions to help situate his sister to protect her. I enjoyed his interactions with his mother and Rosy. Geoffrey is really a decent sort and I look forward to the next book in the series that feels fresher and more charming than Sabrina Jeffries' last series.
Recommend.

My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

This book had its moments. Mostly where it came to the secondary characters. Sure, there was some witty banter back and forth between Geoffrey and Diana, but I just didn't buy into their romance. For the most part, I would say it felt like they argued more than they got along. In fact, Diana was a harpy throughout most of this, finding reasons to either outright argue with Geoffrey or at least be mad at him, even when they were getting along only minutes earlier.

Sure, they have sex, but even that didn't strike me as passionate. Merely a clinical test for Diana (especially the way they went about it). Thankfully, that didn't produce a child thereby forcing their hand as I thought it would, but the rest of the book wasn't an improvement. Sadly, even when it came time for them to declare themselves, I saw nothing to make me think they actually loved each other. No, it felt more like they just wanted easy access to one another while still remaining "respectable.

Which leads me to the question of just how these ladies built their business. Sure, we see them discussing a ball they had attended and being asked by a new member of the ton (an American at that) to plan her ball. And sure it seems like from there things expanded, but things like this just didn't happen during that time period. Aside from an American hiring them, I don't feel as though anyone else would considering their disgraced status. And sadly, we never get shown their success, only told about it once the "company" (again something that would not exist during the time period) had been established.

Honestly? I would have been more impressed if this had been Lady Rosabel's story. Especially considering how things played out, it would have been fun to see her with her variety of suitors before she chose one. As it stands now, for all the growth we saw in her character she didn't change in the one area that mattered (which is both a good and bad thing).

All things considered, if the next book comes across my feed and looks promising, I would probably take a chance on it. But I won't actively seek it out.

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.

A Duke For Diana
Designing Debutantes Series - Book 1
By Sabrina Jeffries

Zebra Books - May 2022

Historical Romance


Options weren't plentiful for young ladies whose parents created scandal. Luckily for Lady Diana Harper and her two sisters, they had been able to turn their precarious situation into a successful business. They had started Elegant Occasions, where they used their skills to help others navigate ballrooms and parties. Diana knew it would take all their skills, and an abundance of patience, to deal with their newest client. Not Rosabel, the young lady whose debut they would be overseeing, but the brother, who although recently acquired the title of duke, had missed gaining any of societies niceties.

Geoffrey Brookhouse, Duke of Grenwood, wanted his sister to have a successful Season and find a husband. His goals with Elegant Occasions were solely focused on her. He was a civil engineer, building bridges were his forte. Not picking clothes, or monitoring his speech. Which was why he found himself also a client of Elegant Occasions.

Not that Geoffrey minded being the attention of Diana. In fact, he found that sparring and spending time with the woman was the most intriguing aspect of London. But Geoffrey had ulterior motives with his plan to settle Rosy into a happy marriage, for nothing less would do. He knew secrets that if they were revealed could jeopardize the future of everyone he cared for.

A Duke For Diana is a fun introduction to Sabrina Jeffries' fascinating new Designing Debutantes series. Diana and her sisters are strong, independent, business savy women who didn't let circumstances hinder them. And they helped those they chose to do business with, which involved so much more than dresses and curtseys. I enjoyed all of the characters and, of course, the romance between Diana and Geoffrey. For me, the highlight was learning about some of the lesser known aspects of making a successful debut, such as the chalk. It was certainly interesting to see some of the "behind the scenes", if you will, and I look forward to not only the other two sisters finding their own heroes, but hopefully also learning something else new.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

A Duke for Diana
by Sabrina Jeffries
Kensington Books, Zebra
Pub Date: May 24

What a fun histfic romance set in Regency London, with three enterprising sisters whose parents' scandal prevents them from making good marital matches. I loved their solution: To start a business, Elegant Occasions, that helps members of society with party planning and debuts, and gives themselves an independent life and income.

They build a fine reputation, attracting the new Duke of Greenwood, Geoffrey Brookhouse, who wants their help to launch his sister into society.

But he swears and dresses messily, needing the help of Elegant Occasions as much as his sister. While Lady Diana Harper, the fashion expert in the business, effects a marked change in both clients, she finds herself first sparring with, then attracted to, Geoffrey. He's as drawn to her as she is to him, yet scandal and secrets plague his family too, adding bloody thorns to their spicy path to love.

This first in the new Designing Debutantes series gave me happy hours of respite during a hard personal time. Romance readers will adore it and wait excitedly with me for Book 2. Can't come soon enough!

Thanks to author Sabrina Jeffries, Kensington Books, Zebra, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#SabrinaJeffries #ADukeforDiana #KensingtonBooks #NetGalley #RegencyLondonRomance #enemiestolovestory #boostagramcommunity

I held off writing this review because I wanted to know whether my disappointment with this book would lessen over time. It did not. It was a boring book, especially for a Sabrina Jeffries historical romance. Unfortunately, the novel was as insipid as the cover (and the font used for the title), no significant heat to speak of, a pacing that was… off. I was so excited to read this novel and it fell completely flat. 2 stars

A great start to this new series. It is filled with love, scandal and secrets. Geoffrey is a new Duke, but he doesn't care for all the pomp and circumstance. Diana is constantly taking him to task for his language. He comes to town with his mother and sister. His sister has promised to partake in one season and if she doesn't like it, she will then take care of Geoffrey and his household. They consult Diana and her sisters to make over his sister. Rosy is already beautiful; she just needs a new wardrobe to give her a bit of confidence. As the sisters help Rosy, Diana becomes more enamored of Geoffrey. She isn't sure he would want her after her family's scandal. Geoffrey wants to marry Diana, but he is afraid his family will be involved in a scandal and doesn't want to bring Diana into it. He is keeping a big secret about his father's death. A secret that could leave them penniless and he can't ask anyone to share that with him. Will Diana take a chance? Can she convince him that he needs to share that secret with his family?

A delightful start to a new series, sisters Diana, Eliza, and Verity decide to face the scandal of their parent's very public divorce by opening a business: a select business that will help young ladies enter their debut Seasons with confidence, plan entertainments for a hostess whose taste is a bit lacking, and in general help throw elegant occasions. When Geoffrey, newly minted Duke of Grenwood, hires the sisters to steer his younger sister through the trials of her first Season, he has no idea he will meet his match in Diana.

Sparks fly at once but it is hard to tell whether they are attraction or loathing- so you know they will end up an excellent couple! I enjoyed the uniqueness of both Diana and Geoffrey. She has been scorned by Society for something that had nothing to do with her and instead of letting Society dictate her life, Diana and her sisters decide to forge ahead with something they know they are good at- planning parties. The fact that this means setting up a business, not marrying or living with their parents (who sound awful) or any of the other traditional places Society thinks they should be in is wonderful. They have each stepped into their own role and embraced their own strengths, and I will definitely enjoy getting to know Eliza and Verity more in future books. Geoffrey is in the unusual position of never having expected to be a duke, or really be in Society at all. He has been a working man all his life, a civil engineer, and needs Diana's help fitting into Society as much as his sister does. He has the constant, and rather entertaining, habit of putting his foot in his mouth. Refreshingly, none of the characters overly care about Society except for the acknowledgement that they have to live in it to some degree so have to go along to get along. To an extent. Without letting it change who they are and what they really want out of life when they stop to think about it.

Overall a lovely twist on the Regency Romance with refreshing new characters, lively wit, and sparkling chemistry .
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Self-made man Geoffrey Brookhouse has unexpectedly inherited the dukedom of Grenwood, but he's hiding a secret that could ruin his family. With the Season approaching, Geoffrey is desperate to find his sister Rosabel a respectable husband who can protect her if the worst should happen, but he needs help to orchestrate her debut. Enter Lady Diana Harper & her two sisters - Elegant Occasions
The three sisters started the business four years earlier when their family was rocked by the scandal of their parents divorcing.
This is the first in a new series & sets up the series very nicely. I enjoyed the book & look forward to the rest of the series but I didn't love either Geoffrey nor Diana as I felt that chemistry was lacking, yes they were attracted to each other but it wasn’t a toe curling romance. I enjoyed their banter & how the sisters transformed Rosabel but it was just so so. There were no edge of the seat moments even the great secret reveal felt a bit of an anticlimax. A light read which would make a good holiday read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I was so excited to get a copy of “A Duke for Diana” from NetGalley, because Sabrina Jeffries was one of the first romance authors I started reading and she holds a special place in my heart as a result.

Geoffrey, a civil engineer who has recently and unexpectedly inherited the dukedom of Gracewood, first comes across Diana and her sisters in needing help with his sister’s debut. Diana and her sisters have a party planning business, Elegant Occasions, that they agree to use in the planning of Geoffrey’s sister’s debut.

But of course misunderstandings ensue between Diana and Geoffrey and at the heart of the misunderstandings is a secret that Geoffrey has been keeping.

Beneath the pining between Diana and Geoffrey there is a lot of talk of understanding each other and they do go out of each others way to help the other. I loved that even when they first didn’t get along, there was a chemistry between them that they couldn’t ignore. 😉

I wasn’t expecting that mental health would be a topic of discussion within this book, but I’m glad it was. Even though mental health during the regency era of the book was minimal or nonexistent, it is important that characters know that someone else’s actions are not their fault.

4/5 ⭐️