3.5 Stars. After being jilted, Margaret Stredwick is taken on a journey through by her aunts so her aunts can steal recipes from the various places they travel. Their first stop is the home of Lucien Ambrose, Duke of Merleton, and the pair meet. During their encounter a book of recipes is taken and Lucien follows the group to France, Germany, and Italy. After a romantic encounter in Italy Meg finds herself pregnant and returns home. At this point, 55% in, the book jumps two years. Lucien encounters Meg and mistakes his daughter for her niece. The two begin spending time together again but neither fully trusts the other.

This book is the fifth in The Mating Habit of Scoundrel Series, and the third in the series that I’ve read. The first two I read (books three and four) were both 5 star books for me, but this one was lacking for me both in content and pacing. It was bonkers in a way that I haven’t seen in ages. If this had been a book written 15+ years ago I wouldn’t have blinked twice at the events of the book, but it was just so the opposite of what is being written now that it really threw me through a loop. The pacing also felt off to me. It felt like the first 55% was one book and the last 45% was another. Had either half been significantly shorter, i think it would have been better for me as a reader and would have helped my issues with the pacing.

I really wanted to like both Meg and Lucien more than I did. Other than Meg swearing off men at the beginning of the book, it felt like she did not make any decisions for herself. It was like everything in the book happened to her rather than her being an active participant in their events. Lucien’s personality was all over the place. The Lucien we were introduced to at the beginning of the book who was analytical with an almost naïveté to him, was entirely different than that Lucien who was calculating and obsessively tracking Meg and her aunts through Europe. Again their characters reminded me of the heroes and heroines of historical novels in years past, and by the end I honestly did not want them together. I needed Lucien to do a whole lot more groveling than we got.

I did like that the book let our characters travel outside of Britain and enjoyed many of side characters. Overall, I’m glad I read the book and will read the next book Vivienne writes. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 1/2 stars. I adore Vivienne Lorret! The premise of this one was so so good! The heroine is mistaken for a thief and seducer of men, and of course, she decides to play along a bit to have some fun distraction with the handsome duke! So much fun reading the interaction between these characters with a satisfying and swoon worthy HEA.
Loved this one! Highly recommend.

Never Seduce a Duke
Book 5 in The Mating Habits of Scoundrels Series
Rating: 2 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

****SPOILERS AHEAD*****


Never Seduce a Duke is the fifth book in the series and sad to say it is my very least favorite. To be honest I don't recall ever giving this author a 2 star rating, but sadly this book did not work for me. I didn't like that for most of the story misunderstandings and lies prevailed between Meg and Lucien.
It was so disappointing to see these two people who should be falling in love with each other not trust in one another for most of the story.
Though Meg tried to let Lucien know about him being a father, once he confronted her because he STILL thought she had stolen his legacy..she took a long time to tell him the truth. It was these dumb decisions that made him mistrust her again.
Also, not enough groveling from him after he accused her of things that she had not done and I thought the two aunts were annoying and seemed to make matters worse with their meddling and stealing of famous recipes.

I usually very much enjoy books by Ms. Lorret and while this one started off well, I lost interest in it at around the 30%. There wasn't much action and while I did like the duke's nerdy ways, I didn't find any chemistry between the hero and the heroine. Sadly, I stopped reading because I didn't care about them one way or another.

I've enjoyed this series and was so excited that Meg was getting a book; however, this was a bit of a disappointment.

It started out fun, then morphed into so many miscommunications, then there was the so called plot twist, (which is my least favorite trope), only for a time jump and more miscommunications.

I wanted so much more from this story because these characters had a lot of potential. Sadly, I just skimmed after I got the the halfway point because I lost my will to care.

Overall, there were some fun parts and I'll always read Vivienne's books, so I'm eager for the next one.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

Never Seduce a Duke is a worthy addition in the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. Each of the books is great in its own way, but I was such a fan of Lucien and Meg together that if this is the end of the series, I’m glad it ends with them. He’s so stuffy and scientific but kindhearted in his own way, and instead of needing him to change to be more romantic, Meg finds him charming exactly as he is. I was so happy to see that what made him “odd” was what she loved about him.

The tie to Arthurian legend is what makes this book different from the others in the series. Lucien’s family has always protected a book from that time, and when he believes Meg has stolen it, he’ll do anything to get it back. She uses the opportunity to have a flirtation before she puts herself firmly on the shelf. Neither one of them expects chemistry and swoony moments and, worst of all for Lucien, love. But they’re so utterly fantastic together that I was willing to put up with how long he held onto the idea that she was the mysterious thief, even when it got a bit ridiculous.

I don’t always love time jumps in novels, but one in this book works pretty well to serve the plot. It was so unexpected for this series, but it did pay off. I’ll admit I guessed who had truly stolen the book before the big reveal, but I couldn’t have guessed the motivation if it had taken me a month to read the novel. And it’s a fun, intriguing ride to get there.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book a lot. I enjoyed the plot twists.

I’ve been waiting for Meg’s story for awhile and it did not disappoint! I really thought I had this story figured out but that last 20% of the book had a number of twist and turns I didn’t see coming.
Meg is getting over a heartbreak by going on a grand adventure with her favorite aunts. Before they leave England they visit the home of a very anti-social Duke. There seems to be a spark when Meg and Lucian meet but Lucian only goes after Meg thinking she stole something from him. Meg let’s him think that to get more time from him.
However, Meg seems to get more than she bargained for and her adventure sets both on a very different course.

Meg is taking a trip to the continent with her sister-in-law's aunts before settling down as a spinster aunt. The aunts, however, are matchmakers as well as recipe thieves. At the very beginning of the trip, they stop at Lucien's, the Duke of Merleton, estate. The aunts are hoping for Meg and Lucien to meet, as well as to steal a recipe. The Duke's family is famous for having a recipe book from King Arthur's time.

They end up stealing a recipe from the kitchen and Meg ends up running into the Duke, and after a terse exchange, they part. However, at this time, the Duke's family book is also stolen. The Duke and his cousin give chase to the aunts and Meg, believing they were the ones to steal it. Around this time, Meg decides to enjoy this foray out into the world with a great flirtation before settling down. This leads to an interesting misunderstanding and flirtation between the duke and Meg.

When they finally do separate, it starts to become apparent to the reader (though not the characters) that something/someone is working against the two of them.

This book was very playful and different, I felt, from a lot of other historical romances. These differences kept it interesting enough that I never grew frustrated with the main characters for the misunderstandings between them. Full 4 stars from me!

Thank you #NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC.

3 stars

I liked the Arthurian Legend used in this story. I thought it was unique and interesting. I liked the Duke as well, nerdy, science oriented, and glasses-wearing.

However, I didn't really like heroine. It seemed like she was just floating through life without fighting for herself or what she wanted. She just went along with her aunt's schemes.

This story was also rife with miscommunication which in my opinion wasn't done well.

I'm not the biggest fan of secret/ surprise baby and time jumps, both of which occur in this book, so that didn't help my rating. I liked the idea first half of the book much better than the second half. But if you like those tropes, this book might be for you.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #NeverSeduceaDuke by Vivienne Lorret in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK!!! There is so much to love about this book starting with the 2 MCs - what a pair! Meg is delightful and honest and very real. Lucian is the sexy nerd you've been looking for. Together - their chemistry is off the charts. The sexual tension is perfection. I especially loved the theme of food throughout the book (I mean besides the part that I was hungry the entire time I read this one). Lorret really commits to food and delivers in so many delicious ways. This book has a road trip across the continent (France, Germany and Italy), talk of the Knights of the Round Table (you'll love the King Arthur references) and a little magic.

I smiled ear to ear, I laughed, I cried, I gasped and my jaw dropped and in the end, there was a satisfying HEA.

I’ve been waiting for Meg’s story. Margaret Stredwick is the sister to the MMC in the third book of the series. She believed she was fated to marry her childhood neighbor and her hopes are dashed when he jilts her and marries another. She is only 22 ready to be away from the marriage mart. She takes a journey to the continent with two beloved matchmaking aunts. Before they leave England they tour the house of Lucien Ambrose, the Duke of Merleton. She gets separated from her aunts and ends up meeting the elusive Duke who is upset she is inside his home.

After meeting Meg, Lucien realizes a family treasure has gone missing. Thinking it must be Meg, he and his cousin set off to follow them to various stops on their continental tour. Meg knows she isn’t the thief but enjoys flirting with Lucian about the possibility of being a seducing stealer. Lucien's character is supposed to be very scientific. And I love that he wears spectacles. But he is rather clueless as to anything other than what he is sure is the only truth.

This book is a disappointingly a little bonkers. The first half is fun and I like both MCs. But a little over half way there is an almost two year time jump setting up a second chance for the two to be together. Again there are misunderstandings and miscommunications. Lucien is still hurling accusations but is drawn to Meg. She tells him that she has written to him many times and instead of returning to his estate to verify he chooses to stay to prove her a liar. (He spent the last two years out of the country.) I still like Meg and she is more than understanding of Lucien given all that has happened. But for a supposedly smart man Lucien can’t seem to see any possibility that isn’t his narrative. And that weakens him in my eyes as a hero. There is a lot of talk of King Arthur and you can guess the villain from the name alone.

I had high hopes for this book to be as good as the last few in the series but the storyline misses on a few marks. It is still entertaining and has delightful moments but some parts didn’t works as well for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 Stars)

Vivienne Lorret has managed to capture many emotions in this book. Lucien and Meg's story began as a fun romp across England and the continent. Meg was traveling with her wacky spinster aunts, Maeve and Myrtle. The aunts recommend that Meg use "the three Fs" (feed, flatter and flirt) to aid her in attracting a man. Believing that Meg had stolen a precious family heirloom, the duke began to follow the women in their travels. Meg, who was practicing the 3 Fs, hoped that the duke was interested in her on more of a personal level. Halfway through the book, things started to go wrong. Through no fault of their own, Lucien and Meg were separated at a very pivotal moment in their burgeoning relationship. I was absolutely riveted as I fought off my tears in the last half of the book. I read the cutesy part of the story at a very leisurely pace but once things got tough, I found the book impossible to put down. I was still wiping my eyes when I got to the happy ending. This was the first book I've read from this author and I highly recommend it.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

For when you're vibing with... Heroes that wear glasses (just like a daddy would), madcap hijinks, ridiculous sexual tension, a bit of traveling in your historicals, and Secret Secrets.

Meg is on a what you could consider the historical romance of a girl's trip, a finding herself moment, except she's traveling in the company of two spinster aunts (compliment, love them) who are on a mission to steal the best recipes in Europe. They're hitting the continent throughout the summer before Meg is officially on the shelf after two unsuccessful Seasons.

Mid-recipe-theft, however, she's discovered by the owner of said recipe--a hot, bespectacled, Stern Brunch Daddy duke who finds her infuriating (but delightful and a real boner popper, obviously). And after a family heirloom (a bejewled Arthurian recipe book, yes, what about it?) goes missing, Lucien assumes that Meg is the culprit, leading to a pursuit throughout Europe, heavy flirting, maybe a little bit of tomfoolery, and like... Mistakes are made on the part of our dear Meg. And Lucien, obviously. It takes two to tango. Look at that official summary REAL GOOD if you didn't read How to Steal A Scoundrel's Heart (and you should read that book, it's another 5/5 read).

So this book is DELIGHTFUL. And swoonily romantic. And actually? Very sexy. Quite hot. It has the flavor of an old school romance, this one--which, actually, so did How to Steal A Scoundrel's Heart. There are certainly some bananas thrown around in this one, and I was incredibly happy to see them. If you think that things like wild family secrets and mustache-twirling villainy (I personally found this villain quite fun, but oh is the reveal wonderfully camp) and... a lot of withhold truths, shall we say, are annoying? Then this might be too much for you.

For a reader like me, who wants to like, hold a book to her chest and go "oh my goooood" and laugh and feel all twitterpatted over how hot a hero is--this is pretty much a flawless book.

Quick Takes:
--Meg and Lucien are basically flaw-free leads for me. I already loved Meg based off her introduction as the Fun Flighty Little Sister of Brandon, The Wrong Marquess's hero (who makes appearances here, is generally quite fun, and is a great hero in his own right, go read that book too). This book made her learn a lot in a short amount of time, and her development is quite excellent. She really becomes a woman... in every sense... throughout this novel. Her journey to understanding what a cannoli is supposed to reference? What the filling of a cannoli is supposed to reference? True brilliance, we stan a queen who missed out on Sex Ed.

--Lucien, her hero? Also perfect. Every now and then, I forget that I actually do like a nerdy hero. As long as he isn't a big fuckin' dork. There's a difference between a nerdy hero and a dorky hero, and Lucien is the former. He wears glasses (probably like, 10 pairs throughout the course of this book because he's always breaking them, sometimes during attempted ravishings). He's super intense about his family's Arthurian history, even if he doesn't really believe in magic or fate or bullshit like that (his reasons are appropriately tragic). He spends a ridiculous amount of time trying to work on ancient recipes, gets hard when he meets Meg, goes "THE RECIPE MUST BE WORKING" then realizes, nah, she's just super hot. But also? Uhhhhh Lucien can put it DOWN. In many ways, if I were to compare him to a dude on TV, I'd compare him to Tom Hughes's version of Prince Albert in ITV's Victoria. Like, he's a fuckin' nerd, but you know he 's like, got a 6 page diagram of the vagina, pussy, and g-spot, and he gets off on making women weep with pleasure or some shit. In other words, he puts his nerdacity to good use.

--This book is fucking BOLD. I feel like a lot of new historical romances, perhaps by some fresher authors, have kind of followed the romcom lens many contemporary books have taken. (And don't get me wrong, this book is funnier than like... most contemporary romcoms.) While this novel never really felt overly heavy, it fully embraced being an adventure and featuring a lot of plot. In fact, the plot takes a hard left turn at the halfway point--for me, it was totally cohesive and seamless and I loved it. I felt like I got a little bit of everything in one love story.

--A great supporting cast! We see the heroines of the four previous books all show up again with their men. We get the aunts, who I personally loved, from The Wrong Marquess. We see again how much Meg is loved and supported by Brandon and Ellie, which is really lovely. It's all there!

--The heat and chemistry in this book was perfect. Vivienne Lorret is, to me, an author who's great at infusing her books with a lot of heat even when the characters aren't having sex. Every touch, every moment in the lead-up, the back and forth of Lucien and Meg... It's delicious.

The Sex Stuff:
Having read all the Mating Habits of Scoundrels books, I feel like Vivienne Lorret absolutely upped her game on the sex scenes over time. This one... keeps up with that trend. It's delightfully hot, and the sex scenes really fit the characters, with an edge of humor throughout. If you have a daddy kink, if you like glasses on a man--you're gonna love this shit. The irate fingerbanging? Be still my heart.

I'm trying to hold back on discussing the hook of this book, though it is fairly easy to guess. And I know that it's a hard sell for some readers, and seems very old school to others. But as someone who loves it when it's done right... This book does it right.

This was easily one of the most fun reads I've had in a while--and I can't wait for what Vivienne does next.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️ A Broken Hearted Spinster in the Making + An Oblivious Recluse Duke + 2 two sticky-fingered Spinster Aunts + A Jaunt Across Europe (mixed with some sizzling passion) = A “missing” heirloom recipe book and a Happily Ever After … or does it? ⭐️

Never Seduce a Duke is the fifth book in The Mating Habits of Scoundrels series written by Vivienne Lorret. I have enjoyed this series with its fun characters, witty dialogue, passionate encounters, and entertaining plots, this story is a wonderful addition to the series. Lorret wrote this story from alternating POVs which I always enjoy and she mixed some of my favorite tropes including mistaken identity, Beauty versus Beast, , secret baby, second chance at love, and miscommunication/misunderstanding tropes. There is an adventurous road trip and mild mystery also included just to keep things fun - overall this blend works well for creativity but fell a little flat in regards to pacing. There is a very clear demarcation in this book separating “the before & the after” and unfortunately the story became a bit sluggish in places. Never fear though Lorret keeps the angst at a perfect level and turns up the heat with some super sexy bits 😉 you surely don’t want to miss the combination!

I enjoyed the “spinster aunts” and found them to be feisty yet loving, shenanigan seeking, and masterfully skilled in recipe espionage 👀 never a dull moment with them around! I actually thought all the characters were well thought out and the inclusion of previously introduced hero/heroine’s is something I always enjoy - it’s nice to “catch up with them” - just like old friends.

Last but certainly not least, The romance between Meg and Lucien is very well written and their “conflict” was not overly superfluous - I thought their path to HEA was unique and flirty.

Combine all this together and Lorret delivers a charming historical romance ❤️‍🔥

Overall rating 4-stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 4-Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥 - I absolutely recommend this book & the entire series!

📚Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from Avon and Harper Voyager publishing via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, comments, and interpretations of the story are my own and bias free. I did not receive any money in exchange for this review. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review. Reviews are cross-posted to social media, goodreads, Bookbub, and blog. 🦄

Mmm, mmm, mmm – who wouldn’t love a book with a genius duke who wears glasses and is socially inept? Lucien Ambrose, Duke of Merleton is absolutely precious and the banter between him and Margaret Stredwick is absolutely priceless. While I think you’ll enjoy the book ‘as is’, I think you will enjoy it even more if you read the third book, The Wrong Marquess, before you read this one. The zany aunts and their penchant for purloining recipes are introduced in that book and I think it will provide better insight into the aunts and some of the situations in this book. You don’t have to have read it because it is explained in this book, but, not to the delightful degree it is in book three.

Lucien is a very brainy, scientific man who loves to analyze everything, calculate everything, and leave nothing to chance. Until a delightfully sunny lady enters his life and leads him on a merry chase across Europe – and then disappears on him. Lucien is a man who desperately wants to connect with his family’s past and when a family heirloom that connects so closely to that past is stolen, he will go to any lengths to get it back.

Lucien’s scientific and analytical way of speaking will certainly make you chuckle – if not laugh out loud. No, it isn’t staid – with the context and situation it will make you laugh – and love him even more. One example is when he is speaking of a rival for Meg’s hand – he says – “Prescott is welcome to apply the fixed, corded braiding of hemp fibers to his cervical vertebrae and descend from a platform at a rapid rate of speed.” (In other words – Prescott can go hang himself).

The book is basically in two parts – the first fifty percent is their “on the road” adventures across Europe and the last fifty percent takes place two years later. There is a major story shift within those two halves. Both halves are good reads, but the first half is more lighthearted and fun than the second half. That isn’t to say the last half isn’t good, the tone is just a tad different – and it needs to be.

There is an antagonist in the book – I mean – somebody actually stole the heirloom and it wasn’t Meg. I figured it out pretty early on and from that point on, I’d get so aggravated because all of the characters in the book couldn’t see it too!

And – last but not least – there is the epilogue! It is whimsical, funny, endearing, and so very romantic. So, I can definitely recommend the book and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Never Seduce a Duke by Vivienne Lorret is a unique story premise, involving Arthurian Legend, that just fell a bit short of the mark for me. I am such a fan of her writing, but I just had trouble believing that such and intelligent man would chase someone around the world without proof of who she was. I also found it odd that he would just drop the ball and not search for her when she disappeared. He certainly had the means to do so. I would have loved it so much more if Lucien would have pursued Margaret.

My thanks to NetGalley , Avon and Harper Voyager for the E-ARC. This is my honest review.

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 5 of the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. This one makes more sense if you’ve already read Book 3 of the series, The Wrong Marquess. Meg is the younger sister of the male main character of that book and she’s traveling on holiday with the spinsterly aunts of the female main character of that book. After having her heart broken, Meg is intent on having a grand holiday (and possibly flirtation) before returning to her brother’s home to stay a spinster. However, the meddlesome aunts are at their recipe-stealing antics again and somehow get entangled with a surly hermit of a duke, Lucien. His family relic, a recipe book covered in jewels and myths, has disappeared the same time that Meg is caught trespassing in his home, so he chases her across her European vacation to find the book. Lucien seems to think that Meg is the seductive and mysterious Lady Avalon, known the be a thief, while Meg (who has been fresh-faced and overlooked by gentlemen) is flattered by his attentions. The banter and flirtation and fighting goes on for half the book… it’s a bit tedious at times to read, with them misunderstanding each other, and him being a stubborn stoic scientific arse. When they finally come together and perhaps the truth may be uncovered, there’s another set of miscommunications that keep them separated, and from Lucien never knowing Meg’s real name or identity. And as the summary alludes to, Meg ends up pregnant. Though the front half moved slowly and tediously, the pace of the plot picks up in the back half of the book with a gasp-worthy time-jump and we do ultimately find out the identity of Lady Avalon.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. These are my opinions.
Meg goes on a holiday with Ellie's matchmaking aunts. They stop at the Duke of Merelton's estate and ask for a tour. Meg runs into the Duke and he mistakes her for a thief, Lady Avalon. There is a lot of fun and adventure throughout the book as he follows her and the aunts throughout Europe.
There are also twists and turns to the story that make for a very interesting read. I gave it 5-stars.
This is the last in the series but can be read as a stand-a-lone.

I haven't read anything by Lorret before, but this premise sounded too good to pass up, so I was eager to give it a go. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. A lot of it had to do with the fact that the synopsis is a bit misleading. I went in expecting a fun, adventure romp through the countryside, not Knights of the Round Table. The whole plotline of Lucien's family having this recipe book that may have belonged to King Arthur wasn't that interesting to me. This book is also rife with misunderstandings and miscommunication, which just drove me bananas. Despite all that, I am still interested in checking out other books by Lorret since I enjoyed her writing style, but this book wasn't my cup of tea.