Lenora Bell writes great historical romances that involve seemingly insurmountable class differences, and this one featuring a duke and his sisters' music instructor is no different.

Viola has been playing second fiddle (no music pun intended) in her own life. She works for the scandalous Duke of Westbury (West), teaching his sisters music but mostly keeping his household afloat through her diplomacy and charm--all while caring for her cantankerous musical genius of a father who is losing his hearing. She has been pining for the duke for a while, so her heart breaks a bit when West decides to set aside his rakehell ways and secure a wealthy bride. He has realized that his carousing and scandalous behavior has endangered his sisters' prospects, so he proposes to the first American heiress wealthy enough to provide the girls' dowries.

Viola and West spend most of the story resisting their attraction for one another, each recognizing that their relationship would not solve his needs to rectify years of rakish behavior through an advantageous marriage. Over the course of the novel, Viola begins to stand up for herself and her incredible talent and seize opportunities she once avoided--all with West's encouragement. Meanwhile, she helps West confront ghosts of his past and approach conflict with maturity and foresight.

It's a bit of a thin plot, based mostly on lively conversations between the two leads and the delightful shenanigans of the five sisters. Some aspects of the plot tie up a bit too neatly. Of course, these are tiny quibbles. Both Viola and West are enjoyable characters to spend time with, even when much of what they are doing together is finding opportunities in ton activities to make heart eyes at one another.

I continue to look forward to Lenora Bell's books, which always blend funny and sexy in engaging ways. It was a pleasure to see Viola and West come into themselves and get their happy ending, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Viola and Westbury was a sweet love story. Both of these characters were introduced in previous Lenora Bell’s stories. Viola and West were similar in feeling unlovable until they found each other. The beginning of the was slow but it picked up.
I enjoyed them.

This was a 3 star for me until the last few chapters. It’s a very stereotypical historical romance. A Duke has a terrible father and a secret that’s pretty easy to guess. He lives scandalously as some sort of revenge on his father, but somehow doesn’t know how his behavior could reflect badly on his sisters? Decides to reform to help his sisters and also because he needs to marry for money. And of course he falls for someone with no money.

The resolution with Laxton was what made me give this two stars. Feels like marriage was being used as a punishment and an innocent person was punished along with him. I started skimming after that. And after that the resolution with the money issue solidified my dislike for this book.

Of this whole series, Beatrice’s book was the only good one.

Thank you to Avon/Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow! This was a good one! The chemistry between Viola and Brandan was amazing. It was a slow burn but so worth it.

Brandan is an indebted duke with lots of emotional baggage. Viola is the music teacher for his sisters. Brandan needs to land an heiress to secure his sisters’ future, but is drawn to Viola. Viola has to take care of her composer father who is losing his hearing. These two have so many obstacles to overcome. It’s a breathtaking journey.

I received an ARC for my honest review.

So charming! I enjoyed this book. Lenora Bell’s books are always a hit. I really liked the relationships between Viola and West’s sisters - I would love to see more of them, they were a blast.

Lenora Bell's DUKE MOST WICKED is a slow burn at its finest! She gives the reader time to understand the characters, whether they be one-off background members or major players in the overall narrative.

West and Viola's tale is one that has a satisfying payoff, but not without its challenges. While I loved the development of their relationship, I wish West's reformation happened at the 5-10% mark of the book rather than 60%. West is a fascinating case because he is truly his own worst enemy, which is worth exploring. He is cognizant of his actions and their impacts beyond himself. His salaciousness is not without consequence, That was quite refreshing to read because it often feels like heroes of this sort act this way only to have it be brushed under the rug when they are married.

I will say that the Vanessa Chandler plotline went on a little longer than I would have liked. Instead, I would love a novel about her since she has such great potential!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel! I'm looking forward to reading the final copy!

I enjoy a good slow burn and historical romance. Part of the resolution felt a little too easy to me, but I liked the main relationship. The beginning where Viola and West were butting heads most forcefully was my favorite part.

I will admit I never really love a Lenora Bell - I think her books are often unforgivably cheesy, and the writing often feels like a self-congratulatory "aren't I so funny?" when I... don't think so. But this book is honestly horrific. Maybe if I hadn't read it in this exact moment it'd be 2 stars and not 1 but here we are.

Brandan Delamar, Duke of Westbury, has been doing his damndest to keep his dead father rolling in his grave with such frequency that the corpse has likely created a small weather pattern in the graveyard in which he is buried due to air displacement. He's successfully gambled away his entire fortune, including his five younger sisters' dowries, which he feels no shame about until he overhears a potential suitor for one of them saying she'd only be suitable as a mistress, since she has no money to offer. The idea of his sisters forced to "descend" into sex work is what sparks his realization that he must marry for money, which he promptly sets about doing.

In a day where childbearing bodies are increasingly and increasingly regulated, it's unconscionable to me that you would write a romance novel whose plot hinges on the hero destroying his sisters' chances at happy, loving, secure, and safe marriages by gambling away their dowries to spite a dead man. It's ridiculous. And then, the heroine, who is a lowly music tutor and not the heiress he seeks, is forced to publish her own work under her father's name because he cannot be arsed to finish the symphony he's been working on for years, content to let her do the commissions he sees as inferior for rent and bread money while the patriarchy prevents her from working under her own name.

Of course, an 11th hour secret revised will reveal means that the hero's fortunes are restored with no work on his part, and he's free to marry our heroine. After so dutifully destroying his sisters' futures, he gets to swoop in and reveal that everything is fine with literally no work on his part. Incredible.

This book may be the death knell in my relationship with Lenora Bell. I cannot believe her agent and editor took a look at her proposed plot, took a look at the state of the world, and said "this'll go over well!".

Viola and West were an interesting couple. I’ve not read anything in this series or by this author before. It was definitely a slow burn, which isn’t usually my style, and probably 2 out of 5 on a spice scale. The author did a good job building the relationship and the chemistry, it just went a little too slow for my tastes. A fun read, though.

This is classic Lenora Bell to me and I loved it. Looking forward to followup books because 4 sisters leaves a lot of room for stories to be told!

The Duke of Westbury is a wicked man, living a life of debauchery but that doesn't stop Viola Beaton from being has been taken with him.
Viola is the music teacher for West's five sisters. When his scandalous lifestyle forces him to find suitors for his sister's and a wife for himself, Vio!a reaches her limit with West.
After quickly discovering how much of an impact Viola has in the functioning of his household, West agrees to get her back.
It takes a long time for true feelings to emerge but it did help the believability of the romance. There were no quick fixes but that was good, as there was a lot to be worked out individually and as a couple.
My one criticism was it was more of slow and mild burn and I wish we got to see more of the wicked side of the Duke with Viola. With that said, it was still my favorite book in the series!

Trope: different class, reformed rake, forbidden love

The is the 3rd book to the series Wallflowers verses Rogues but can be read as a standalone.

I usually read books with higher steam stats but the writing was most perfect that it pulled me right in! The build up chemistry/relationship
between the two characters West & Viola was wonderful. Their relationship was realitic and I loved how emotional they both were. They didn't jump right into a relationship and they were friends first. He's a Duke and she is his sister's music teacher and because of their positions in life they both fought their own feelings until they both realise that they couldn't live without eachother. I loved this book and can't wait to read the next.

Classic Lenore Bell with a devastatingly handsome duke and a music teacher who catches his eye but is totally inappropriate because he must marry a wealthy heiress to re-fill his coffers. With four sisters in the mix, Bell will have plenty of material for follow-up books.

The slap in your face review? Sweet but forgettable. (2.5)

This is the story of Viola Beaton, who secretly composes under her famous father's name while being the music teacher to the Delamar sisters, and the head of the Delamar family, the infamous WICKED Duke of Westbury (who, it has to be said, never did anything wicked except drink too much). He needs an heiress after gambling his fortune away and she will do anything to help this family, even if it mean helping this family while her heart breaks.

First and foremost this is WAY better than the first book in the series. There were moments that were super cute and made you smile like an idiot, sitting by yourself while eating a salad. That MAY be just me....

Things that were cute:
* The Duke, which NEVER goes by his name Brendan but instead goes by West, is absolutely adorable with his sisters.
* I loved the pacing and seeing how West falls for her, even as he fights it.
* His speech to Viola at the end is STELLAR!!! I mean top notch!

Things that I had problems with:
* For being dubbed "The Wicked Westbury" I would expect to know of what made him so wicked. Everything they alluded to was just normal rake/rogue stuff. Nothing legendary to have such a stain on his character.
* I love music, but I dont think I am enough of a music lover to connect with all of the musical descriptions. I meeeeeaaaannn, hearing music while someone kisses you is too far fetched for me.
* There were some side plots that were unnecessary and didnt add to the story.

I dont know is this was my cup of tea. If felt like it was trying to accomplish a lot and falling flat on it.

Thank you NetGalley for my e-ARC. Review and opinions are my own.

"Did you just insult my insult?"

That is possibly my favorite quote from the book, though there were so many quotable lines. I LOVED this book! I feel like West is all of us who are growing up and more respectable "yes, I'm reformed, but I can still be scandalous." Granted, he has a sad backstory. But I loved that he owned his failures and didn't try to feel sorry for himself for being a miserable wreck. He was actively open to self-reflection and changing for the better.

I really liked Viola. She was a very relatable character as well- all fierce for her loved ones, but timid in her own life.

And I just love love love this group of fierce females at the Bodicea Club.

Brandan Delamar, Duke of Westbury otherwise known as “West” to his friends, is what you call sin incarnate. Having spent the better (and I use full irony here) part of his childhood seeking his father's approval and being met only with fists and harsh words, he turns away from being good to being wicked. Gambling, drunken exploits, Things come to a head when he overhears a certain Lord Laxton speaking inappropriately regarding one of his five sisters. After waking up drunk, bruised, and battered in a gentleman’s club, he overhears a group of men talking about his sisters in not-so-polite terms. It is then and there that West decides to do all he can to help his sisters.

Viola Beaton is the daughter of famed composer, Louis Beaton although she now finds herself as her father’s caretaker while he suffers from hearing loss. With the urgent need for money, Viola offers up her services as music instructor to the Duke’s younger sisters.

The choice to have Brandan’s sisters have names that all start with B is a quirky decision by the author but one that often left me confused. I felt like I was studying a textbook; having to take my time reading through the scenes that included the sisters to make sure I didn’t mistake one for the other.

I enjoyed reading about Viola's journey. You really feel for her (although her staid personality annoyed me sometimes). She spends a lot of time taking care of others whether it be Brandon, his sisters, or her father, while suppressing her own needs. Watching her get her own happy ending was a joy to watch. The musical terms were interesting but they could be quite superfluous, especially when Brandan and Viola first kissed.

I thought that Brandan and Viola's relationship progressed pretty realistically although the sexual tension wasn't built up enough for my own wicked heart. Still, they had a good back and forth and like others, I liked that Viola gently but firmly told him off. She wasn't afraid to let him know about himself, which Brandan desperately needed. Brandan and Viola were one couple where I could actually see them being not only lovers but friends as well.

All in all, it really good romance!

Thank you to Netgalley, Lenora Bell, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Duke Most Wanted was SO GOOD! I live for heart breaking angsty romances and I couldn’t pull myself away from this one. The banter was great and I had a great time.

4-4.5 Stars! This is book 3 in the ‘Wallflowers vs Rogues’ series & can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed West & Viola’s story. I didn’t like West at the beginning, he was a total ‘Richard’, although I did feel bad for him when he was a kid with a mean & abusive father. Viola is such a sunny and kind person and is the glue that holds Wests’ sister and staff together. I love seeing how both West & Viola grow throughout the book. Viola is stronger than I originally thought. At first I was thinking she would be a weak female main character but after West truly ticks her off, she surprised me & I loved it! Strong female romances are my favorite! A few twists in the story that I didn’t see coming! I’d love to know what happens with Wests’ sisters and Miss.Chandler & Ian!
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

This was an excellent read by Lenora Bell. I enjoyed that the author did not change the main characters throughout the book into entirely different people by the end. They both matured and found their HEA. I also love that it was slightly different by adding some Gothic elements that I haven't seen in historical romances often.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm still not sure this is my favorite series by Bell, but this was overall cute and enjoyable. The