Based on the description I was super excited about this book but I couldn’t get in to this one. I tried but historical romance in first person just does not work for me. The plot felt slow and it felt like it took forever to get both MCs on the page together. I wasn’t a fan unfortunately.

I thought I'd love this one because, after all, I'm a historical romance lover. They're my guilty pleasure reads. They're always so deliciously fluffy and fun, regardless of accuracy. So to say I didn't enjoy this one is a surprise.

But I just couldn't get behind the romance. Eliza and the Duke (I already forgot his name), went from strangers to in "love" in like 3 pages. It was unbearable. There was no reason why they seemed like they should be together. Pretty much the only reason we were given is that he was sex on legs. Which is great, but not enough to fill a 300-page book.

Other than that, there's not really much to say about this one. It was just bland. Even as I write this, I can remember almost nothing about the book. It's safe to say I won't remember I read it by next week.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

When the infamous Duke of Chester makes a return to society, many whispers abound the Ton. Eliza Melrose will not let a big story slip through her fingers, even with the repercussions her identity being found out. The duke is a mysterious figure whose secrets Eliza is determined to get to the bottom of. Did he really murder his family in a house fire? Why does the aggravating duke seem to not be able to leave Eliza alone?

In order to keep her family’s newspaper business from failing Eliza has been forced to marry her father’s business partner’s son. But the more time she spends with the duke the more attraction grows between them. Does Eliza dare find out what one night with the duke will be like?

I really enjoyed this steamy historical romance and look forward to another JEM book!

Another great book from Jodi Ellen Malpas. I’ve read other books by this author this one was just as good as those. I really enjoyed the story and the characters were well thought out.

I thought this was an interesting historical romance, that I would recommend to those who think it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

When I saw Jodi had written a historical romance I knew I wanted to read it! Fiesty heroine who has come I to "new money" and does not want to get married. Enter handsome, brooding Duke who may or may not have murdered his family. Adventure ensues! I enjoyed this quick romantic read! Thanks to Read Forever for the book to read and review!

Even though getting through this one was a genuine struggle, I thought that I *might* be able to give it 3 stars until I got to that train wreck of an ending. I genuinely adored other books I've read by her, but this was just a mess. Inconsistent pacing, oddly written characters (the heroine is clearly an innocent but constantly tingles and gets wet *down there* when the hero is near without wondering what the heck is going on...like WTAF?) and a truly convoluted plot make me wonder if Malpas has even read any other Regencies before. I am so disappointed, I was so excited to have a chance to read this one.

Rating: 2 stars / D+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

***3 stars!

“You have a kind heart, Eliza.” I snort. “I think perhaps you do too, under all of that brooding.”


First I would like to thank Forever (Grand Central Publish) and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book! I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and give it an honest review.

This was a book I had been hearing about for quite a while and had on my list of books that I needed to read; while it wasn’t what I expected it to be, it was a very interesting read! I really enjoyed the plot of this book; a brooding duke and an independent young woman with a bit of mystery. I found that I really liked the mystery aspect of the book, it was one of the things that drew me in at the start. While reading the book, I was trying to piece together the mystery as I read along and I felt as if it always kept me guessing and wondering.

Eliza and Johnny were both very interesting characters that I thought to be well suited for each other. Their romance was very intriguing and they had the most wonderful wit and banter together which also made their scenes very fun to read. I adored how bold and proud Eliza was, she was clearly a young woman who knew exactly what she wanted. Reading their relationship slowly build as they continued to discover more about each other was very captivating.

While this book was not what I expected it to be, there were a lot of fun and intriguing aspects that kept me interested throughout the whole story.

If you’re looking for a slow-burn and mysterious historical romance that is a quick read, then this is definitely a book I’d recommend!

One Night with the Duke by Jodi Ellen Malpas is a Regency romance with mystery elements and the first book in the Belmore Square series.

Eliza Melrose and her family are new money recently moved to London from the countryside. Now, Eliza must act like a lady now that she is expected to take her proper place in society. Things get a little more interesting when the scandalous Duke of Chester moves back into his family's home which has been long abandoned. Eliza is determined to figure out if the rumors about a rakish duke who murdered his entire family are true.

I liked the idea of this plot, but I had a really hard time getting into the first 25% of this book. Some of the plot felt quite contrived at times. There were also multiple characters who kind of seemed like the same person and didn't have enough distinctive characteristics by themselves. The whole book is from Eliza's perspective, and it might have been nice to have some chapters from Johnny's.

Some of the language spoken by characters feels pretty modern here, so the publisher blurb that mentions this would be good for fans of Bridgerton seems very on the nose.

I'll probably continue on with this series even though I didn't really connect with any of the characters here and the primary romance fell a little flat for me. This series feels like it will be good as light fluff for me to read in between heavier books.

Tropes in this book include: arranged marriage, class difference, damaged hero

CW: murder (off-page), physical abuse (off-page)

I really liked both lead characters and the story. looking forward to the rest of the series for sure!

One Night with the Duke by Jodi Ellen Malpas was a great historical romance. Eliza’s character had me hooked from the very beginning. Then add the mysterious duke and I couldn’t but this down. The banter in this book is too notch. The mystery of murder has many plot twists. Very well written and I cannot wait to read more in the series!

If the author isn't going to invest time in the most basic research, I'm not going to waste my time reading.

As soon as she wrote that Eliza didn't want to study Latin because her parents wouldn't let her travel anywhere that people...spoke Latin, I was over it. Where was she hoping to visit? The Roman Empire??

It was clear very early on that not even the most basic historic context was going to be in play here. This is crappy historical cosplay. A complete disappointment.

eARC provided via NetGalley for review.

Eliza’s character had me hooked from the very beginning. Then add the mysterious duke and I couldn’t but this down. The banter in this book is too notch. The mystery of murder has many plot twists. Very well written and I cannot wait to read more in the series!

Intriguing plot

I loved the subtle commentary on the timely issue of news with integrity vs. paid propaganda, and I appreciated Eliza's inner social justice warrior. I thought the plot was unique and found myself as captivated by the elusive Duke of Chester as the characters were. However, I struggled to like Eliza, finding her quite morose and cynical, and since the entire story is told exclusively in her POV it was difficult to get a balanced read on the rest of the characters.

I was frustrated by Eliza's inability to either stand up to or stand by her father; her frustrations with his selfish manipulations seemed at odds with her unfailing determination to win his approval. It was difficult to know what I was rooting for.

Johnny's indecision wasn't as easy to read through Eliza's POV, but he made it clear he'd never marry her and even at the end, when we're supposed to believe in their HEA, he doesn't offer marriage. In a contemporary romance this wouldn't be a problem, but in a regency where the main conflict is her father's attempts to marry her to the wrong man this omission leaves the conclusion far too open to interpretation.

The writing style wasn't as smooth as I'd like. The author put significant effort into arranging the dialogue to fit what she must believe was appropriate for the day, yet her own use of grammar, especially personal pronouns, falls short of what is even acceptable today.

This was my first book by this author, and I'm not sure I'd take a chance on another. There's a lot of promise in the creative premise but the execution could have been better. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Eliza Melrose wants her independence, but she won’t be allowed to have it. She has published articles under her brother’s name in her father’s famous newspaper. Now that her family has moved to London, she has been betrothed to the unfriendly son of her father’s business partner. When the mysterious Duke of Chester moves back into town after being blamed of murder of his entire family, Eliza is intrigued. She investigates the Duke, which leads her closer to the man she must stay away from.

I couldn’t connect with this novel. I liked Eliza, and she seemed like a great character. I didn’t like the side characters around her. They all seemed to blend together. I also didn’t understand why everyone, including Eliza, liked the Duke because he was attractive, yet he was also a murderer who they ostracized from their community. He didn’t seem to have any redeeming qualities. The explanation at the end of the story of the Duke’s family’s supposed murders was a little too far-fetched for me to believe.

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me.

Thank you Forever for sending me a copy!

Content warnings: death of parents, murder, house fire, alcohol abuse

When I first read the premise of this novel, I was instantly hooked and couldn't wait to read it. That being said, when I started the novel I was slightly taken aback. Knowing that this was the author's first historical romance, and hearing their contemporary romances were amazing, I was hoping for a possible fresh take on the genre. Which I found for me as a historical romance reader, did not quite hit the mark. From the outset of the story, the writing almost brashly strikes out at the reader, telling the story in such a way that lacked the nuance that I find so prevalent with the genre. Being relayed from the first person POV left me with a disconnect to the MMC, which is one of my favourite aspects of typical historical romances I read. It had the strong feeling of a contemporary romance playing regency dress-up.

Jodi Ellen Malpas does a beautiful job with her historical romance debut-One Night With the Duke. Malpas uses the strengths she has built in her contemporary writing and woven them into a new setting. Her writing is smart, sensual, she builds an interesting world with rich characters. I found this novel to be engaging, with a strong heroine at its center and an intriguing and mysterious ducal love interest. Malpas thrives through building an intense hero whose sensual passion and chemistry builds the perfect tension between the heroine. If you love Malpas this is a lovely addition to her works, it has a softer intensity than her more modern works, so this is a wonderful place to start if you have never read her before.

One Night with the Duke perfect blends well loved tropes of the historical romance genre-an independent heroine, a brooding hero with secrets, an unwanted engagement. The dialogue between the hero and heroine sparkles with wit and intelligence. The sexual chemistry builds to the perfect boil. And the intensity of a physical bond heats the relationship to beautifully display the bond these two are building. It is really lovely to watch these two be intrigued by the other, to slowly learn each other, and then to blossom into a strong relationship with trust and understanding. I love that the heroine is bold and smart and can stand her own against the hero. She knows her worth, and she will settle for no less than what she absolutely deserves.

This historical romance debut from well renounced Jodi Ellen Malpas is a delightful success! I am so excited to see her writing grow in this genre. Definitely worth checking out this romance if you are a Malpas fan or just love a good historical romance!

My, there was a lot to enjoy in One Night with the Duke: a brooding duke, an independently-minded young woman, a family shrouded in mystery, conniving members of the ton, and a very steamy romance.

I loved Eliza from the very beginning. She was headstrong, intelligent, and, most important, she quickly and easily recognized when she was doing the very thing she berated others for doing. I loved that you could take Eliza out of the country, but you couldn't take the old habits out of Eliza. Despite it being something a lady of the ton did not do, Eliza saw no reason why she couldn't continue contributing to her father's paper and I loved that mentality. Eliza wasn't afraid to own up to the fact that she was new money and didn't fit into the ton's expectations.

Our brooding, leading man was equally entertaining. Johnny is the very definition of dark and mysterious, keeping his biggest secrets close to his chest until the very end. Johnny had all the men's eyes on him out of suspicion and all the women's eyes on him out of desire, and Johnny wore that mantle well.

The overall plot kept me interested throughout the whole book. I dove into the mystery surrounding the duke and his family, and I loved the constant sense of danger that followed Johnny everywhere. This historical romance was definitely more than just two people falling in love.

With plenty of drama and danger to go around, One Night with the Duke was a fantastic start to Malpas's Belmore Square series. I can't wait to see more from this section of the ton, and I can't wait to read the next couple's story.

Eliza has a nose for news and writes in secret for her father’s newspaper.
Then, the most delicious news item occurs, the Duke is back and Eliza is smitten.
But much stands in their way, especially a scandal that threatens both their names. Is Eliza prepared to sacrifice herself to keep duke out of jail?
A fun, frothy read set during a time of social mores and expectations and characters who defy those restraints.