I adore intelligent swoony romance novels, and this fourth and final book in The Gilded Age Heiresses series perfectly met my heart's desire. It's Harper St. George at her absolute best!

I really felt for Camille and Jacob, and was thrilled when they found in each other someone to love and cherish. To be "seen" is a great gift they give each other, as the author gives us yet another swoony tale of two people in an unlikely match who fall madly in love.

Highly recommended for histfic romance fans and anyone who loves a great tale told with elegance, wit and heart.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Ms. St. George for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was a wonderful note to close the series on. Increasingly in this series the titular heiresses are exploring their agency and now we close with Camille, whose agency and sense of self were stripped down to the absolute bare minimum by her deceased spouse, the Duke of Hereford. Camille has the most power to recover and the most agency to regain and her journey to accomplish this is so rewarding. Honestly, as much as I enjoyed her scenes with Jacob, her personal journey was even more of a treat. Her realization she owed no explanations to the servants, her decision to enjoy the dessert she'd been formerly criticized for eating, her newfound joy in talking to people at balls, her increasingly enthusiastic involvement in causes such as the women's home and suffrage: it was such a thrill to see Camille blossom as a person after having been repressed for so long.

Don't get me wrong: her scenes with Jacob were... HOT. There was clearly an existent mutual attraction between them that made their arrangement extra spicy, and I appreciated his patience with her.

I am sorry to see this series end because it has been outstanding, but I'm looking forward to the spinoff!

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

I really couldn’t wait for The Duchess Takes a Husband since I enjoyed all the previous books in the Gilded Age Heiresses series. I was excited to see how author Harper St. George wrapped up the series with Camille’s story, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Camille has been a secondary character throughout the series. She is friends with the Crenshaw siblings and a fellow American heiress who married into English society. Her marriage wasn’t ideal, and now that she’s a widow, she’s determined to enjoy her newfound freedom.

I like Camille; she was well-developed and had a lot of growth during this book. I loved that she was finding herself and her place in the world. She was also a very strong woman; although life had beaten her down, she wasn’t letting it define her.

Jacob has also been in the background of the previous books. His half-brother was the main character in one of those books and is also part-owner of a club featured throughout the series. Jacob was almost too good to be true, but he was exactly what Camille needed. Other than the fact that he was illegitimate, I wish there was something more wrong with him. Jacob didn’t quite have the same growth as Camille, but he was well-developed.

I enjoyed the romance between Camille and Jacob. Much of it had to do with Camille getting past some relationship issues. But Jacob was patient and willing to help her, and in the process, they found love. I could have used a little more conflict, but I especially enjoyed the scene when Jacob finally gave in to his feelings and came riding in on his white horse to protect Camille.

I liked both characters and their story, but in some ways, the story was too shallow for me. I needed more conflict and depth to Jacob to make it a 5-star read.

The Duchess Takes a Husband was hard to put down. I enjoyed the story, and it was a satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series.

Quick Breakdown:

Fake Engagement
Intimacy Lessons
Widowed Heroine
Illegitimate Hero
Cinnamon Roll Hero
Love After Abuse
Commitment Phobic MCs
Dual POV
Open Door - Moderate Detail

The Gilded Age Heiresses series starts off with with the wedding of Camille, an American heiress, to an English Duke two to three times her age. It’s used as a cautionary tale of American families basically marrying / selling off their daughters in exchange for status.

With Camille as a friend of the Crenshaw family, throughout the first three books we get peaks into her frankly tragic marriage to the Duke of Hereford. Fun fact - Harper St. George even stated that Camille wasn’t originally supposed to get her own book until readers asked for her to get her own HEA. Because of that we now get The Duchess Takes a Husband & it is oh so satisfying!

With the death of her husband, Camille is free in a way, but still stuck in her past. After her traumatic sexual experiences with Hereford, she’s struggling to be intimate with men. Enter Jacob, part owner of the Montague Club that Camille is a member of. The pair agree to help each other. Jacob will take Camille to bed & help her learn to be touched again while she pretends to be his fiancé to assuage a possible business investor.

Jacob was made for Camille. He was sweet & soft & accepting of her limitations, never pushing her to go father than she was able to, all the while encouraging her to take what she needed. I loved how both MC’s started out commitment phobic, but soon realized they found their equal in one another.

I loved the feminist aspects this one brought in, too. Watching Camille take back her power, standing up for herself & finding purpose in using her title to advocate for women was so satisfying to watch.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have loved this series from Harper St. George, and from book one I have been begging for Camille to get her happily ever after. Hereford was awful to her, and very abusive. He made her feel worthless, a version of herself that is always less, and once he dies, she decides to take her power back by propositioning Jacob Thorne to a scandalous liaison. She hopes that he can help her enjoy sexual relations and prove that there isn't anything wrong with her.

Oh Camille. I was so broken for her reading this story. She is such a kind and loving character, but I hated to see how much she despised herself from the abuse she suffered. It was beautiful to watch her come back to life and take her power back not just sexually but mentally and emotionally as well. In the end, she finally realized her worth, and to me that was just as important as the romance. Don't think I am knocking the romance, which I am not, because that was wonderful too. Jacob was so patient and kind with Camille. He never forced her, and if she closed up then he reacted to it not with anger but understanding. He could have given up on their lessons, but the more Camille opened up to him, the more he realized that he needed to help her. What turns out is a love that is lasting, and a beautiful bond build out of trust and communication.

This may be tied for the first book for my favorite in the series. I read it twice before the release and can't wait to get my physical copy to add to my keeper shelf. A wonderful ending to a great series. Interested to see what Harper St. George will do next!

A widowed American duchess, a London rouge, and one scandalous fake engagement deal. The terms? She uses her status as duchess to get him investors he need to finally buy his own club, and he teaches all the wicked ways in bed and that it is possible to experience pleasure in bed…

The Duchess Takes a Husband is a spicy historical romance part of the series The Gilded Age Heiresses by Harper St. George.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a historical romance and I completely adored this one. Camille is the widow of the Duke of Hereford, she is king and loving and I loved her from the first moment. She was mistreated and abused by the Duke forcing her to go into this shell of dullness she hated and in the book we follow her as she begins to comes out of it and more into the London society, thus meeting Mr. Thorne.

Jacob is the illegitimate son of an earl and the co-wonder of the infamous Montage Club. I also loved him from the first moment. He’s so gentle with Camille, he was gone for her from the start. He was a huge help to Camille. It was also incredibly sexy and intimate. Their intimate scenes had me gasping for air!! The spice was high and perfect. There were 3 to 4 descriptive scenes.

I also loved to meet the Heiresses, I haven’t read their books but I will definitely be doing so n the near future!

The fourth book in The Gilded Age Heiresses series by Harper St. George, The Duchess Takes a Husband provides not only an excellent conclusion to the series, but gives readers the HEA’s for Camille that we have all been wanting!

Camille, Duchess of Hereford has been a second class citizen of the ton since she arrived after her dollar princess marriage to the Duke. His death has freed her from his tyranny but she is still an outsider.

Jacob Thorne may only be the recognized, natural son of an Earl, but he has everything he needs in life. Plenty of women, to warm his bed and coownership of his London club… that is until a business deal requires him to have a wife!

Jacob and Camille pair up in a fake engagement to help him get the backers, he needs for his new business, but Camille get something out of this deal, too! Having not felt attraction to any man and poor results on the bedroom with her husband, Camille, enlists Jacob to teach her how to enjoy bed sport!

Just turned out to be a beautiful story of two outsiders, recognizing the strength in each other, and becoming each other’s cheerleaders. I loved how Jacob took his time and supported Camille in all of her endeavors. He saw her. While Camille saw beyond the rakish façade side of Jacob to the man, trying to make a name for himself outside of the Earls shadow.

Is the final book in the series, I was very pleased with the cameos by the Crenshaw siblings, and their spouses, one of them being Jacobs brother! It really gave a happy conclusion to all the parties involved, especially for Camille, who has been through the most throughout the series.

I’m excited to see what Gilded Age adventure Harper St. George has in store for us next!

#TheDuchessTakesaHusband #HarperStGeorge

The Duchess Takes a Husband is a captivating tale of scandalous love between a charming London rogue and a sophisticated American duchess. This novel is filled with delightful tropes that left me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning the pages to discover what happens next. As the story unfolds, I was transported to a world of lavish stakes and high-society intrigue. The heroine of the story is a most deserving woman whose strength and determination will inspire readers to root for her every step of the way.

A real stunner of a historical romance! The book opens when Camille, a recently-widowed duchess, approaches Jacob Thorne, co-owner of an exclusive London club, for an amorous liaison. Camille is ready to experience the world that her marriage had closed off to her: her husband might not have been physically abusive, but he controlled her every movement, not allowing her to visit her friends, dance with other men at balls, or even join a lending library without his express permission. Since her marriage she has not felt desire for another man, despite her best efforts. So when she's attracted to Jacob, she decides to seize the day. At first, Jacob puts her off - until he needs a fake relationship. She agrees to a pretend engagement, but he has to seriously consider her request in return.

The book deals with a lot of heavy topics, especially abusive relationships. Despite her new independence as a widow, Camille is haunted by her marriage. Her current financial circumstances are controlled by her husband's heir. Her family cannot see - or refuses to see - the damage that her marriage caused her. Her determination to take control of her life and become the woman she would like to be, despite all of the limitations, makes her an inspiring character to read. And Jacob's more supporting role makes him her perfect match.

Not only that, this book is sexy. Like, REAL sexy. Keep in mind that Camille has a difficult time getting out of her own head, due to her past experiences. Jacob's willingness - or rather, his enthusiasm - in assisting her to achieve her goals make the intimate scenes powerful, too.

This is a good one!!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

🌱Book Review📗

My first daisy bloomed this week and it makes my heart happy! My daisies are my most favorite flower in the garden and their arrival is synonymous with the beginning of summer!

I have adored The Gilded Age Heiresses series and I was so excited to see the @harperstgeorge decided to wrap up this set with Camille. We first meet Camille as the example of what all the other heiresses do not want to become…essentially sold off to an old man with a title who is trying to financially restore his legacy. Her husband is cold and mistreats her in alllllll the ways. We have no idea how poorly she was truly treated until this book.

Apparently, everyone who has read the previous three books wrote to St. George begging her to write Camille her own happily ever after. Because don’t all American heiresses in historical romance deserve their own happy ending? Of course, Camille deserves to finally bloom just like my daisy!!

Camille’s husband, the Duke of Hereford, has FINALLY passed away in The Duchess Takes a Husband. But, Camille is in no hurry to remarry, instead she’s interested in finding a man to teach her to not be terrified of what goes on between a man and a woman behind closed doors. Scandalous! And it’s no surprise the duke was a brute with her. 🙄

I loved that Camille finally got her own HEA in this book and I can’t wait to see what St. George writes next! This final installment in The Gilded Age Heiresses series releases tomorrow, May 23rd!

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! This was the first time I’ve read Harper St. George, so I honestly went into it expecting typical romance book - which are, you know, fun but often not terribly deep…but this was so thoughtful and has really beautiful emotional depth and nuance, I was enamored pretty much from the start and all the way through!

I loved the feminism that was woven into the story, it was so naturally and seamlessly done. The way it quietly tackles some rather heavy subject matter felt really authentic and not just like a vapid plot point to drive a few scenes.

The relationship between Camille and her mother was another aspect that I really appreciated. Specifically how her mother responded when given the truth about Camille’s experiences. It made me so happy that her mother took responsibility and BELIEVED her instead of continuing to minimize and ignore.

I really liked how well balanced the push and pull of ‘will I, won’t I’ was done, it was just enough to create tension and keep you engaged in the story but doesn’t drag on unnecessarily. Camille and Jacob were such an enjoyable couple to read, both individually and together I really liked both of them.

And, as this is the fourth book in a series but the first one that I’ve read, I have to say it was a perfect blend of filling in the blanks from previous stories just well enough to never feel lost or like I was completely missing context…but also absolutely piqued my interest and I definitely want to go back and read the previous books now!

Sometimes it is the unplanned story that surprises us. After the last book, I did not know what to expect from this additional one.
To understand Camille’s past, I would recommend reading the first two books in the series as she is featured as what a fiasco these arranged marriage could be, being wanted only for the wealth she would bring and belittled for her commoner’s origins.
Plus the second book introduced Jacob as the hero’s half-brother.

Despite Jacob being the by-blow of a peer, he lived a much easier life than most of the children born on the wrong side of the fence. Still, he always felt like an outsider in his parents' couple. An obligation for his sire, a man who loved his mother, but only really her.
So after having been the son of then the brother of, he wants something for himself, to succeed of his own volition, not because of whom he is related to, just for his ideas and some of his coins.

Camille has followed her parents' dictates, even when it led to a disastrous marriage, yet now a widow, she is still under the clutches of the men controlling her life. The new heir making her life difficult, a father who has left her without knowledge of her situation and option, and lovers who only take.
She once more feels like a puppet in other’s games.

So when she propositions Jacob, it was she thought to get some hold on her choices, or lack of them.
But she did not envision her wounds running deeper than she thought. She always sees herself as the problem, feeling like a failure.
Jacob at first misconstrues her reserves and fears, but he is a kind and fair fellow. So he does not give up when she backdowns. And while he needs her help, he also sees the woman she is, he wants to help her step outside her shell, to experience truly what she deserves.
He thought assuaging her fears would do the trick, but he realizes she needs more, after years of surrendering her life, to be controlled by others, with no free will. So in his own way, he gives her back the power to decide for herself, to decide what she wants or not. How far she chooses to go.
He shows her the sole owner of her body and desire, desirable and the only one to dictate the pace.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 hot

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year!
After learning that this book wasn’t planned, it makes me appreciate this story that much more. Camille deserved the happy ending that she got and I’m so happy that Jacob Thorne was the man to help her heal from her past abusive marriage. The care and gentleness he had with her honestly gave so the warm fuzzies. This book is filled with raw emotion as Camille tries to reclaim her past sexual experiences and turn them into something beautiful. Couldn’t recommend this series enough!

Another fun historical romance from Harper St. George. I loved the angst and pining in this book. I thought the representation of grief and abuse was well-done. I will continue to read St. George's books!

I am not usually a historical romance girlie, but I’ve yet to be disappointed in a Berkley selection for me yet so I went into The Duchess Takes a Husband, Harper St. George’s fourth and final installment in the Gilded Age Heiresses series, with an open mind.

After being forced into a marriage to the Duke of Hereford, Camille suffered in silence right up until the day he died. Now, she is a free woman and taking full advantage of that. Even with the title her marriage affords her, she still finds herself on the outside of London Society, something her late husband made sure of. But it’s this outsider status that leads her to make a deal with Jacob, the illegitimate son of the late Earl of Leigh. In order for Jacob to soothe the nerves of a potential investor for his new club, Camille agrees to a fake engagement - on one condition. Jacob must show her that it is possible for her to experience something she never has before…pleasure in bed.

After witnessing Camille on the sidelines of the Crenshaw siblings’ stories, it was a true joy to see her headline her own story. Through the three prior books, we see Camille as a bit of a wallflower, shrinking herself to fit into the very tiny box her husband created for her. Delving into this story felt like a releasing a breath I didn’t know I was holding on Camille’s behalf, especially when she takes matters into her own hands and propositions Jacob. The growth that she goes through from the start of the story to the end is admirable and the friends that stand by her side to guide her warms the heart.

The on page discussion about how abuse can take place is difficult but important. Camille, like many women, has a notion that abuse is only physical, feeling as though what occurred within her marriage did not fall into that category. As she opens herself up to Jacob and becomes a part of the London Suffrage Society, she starts to unravel her complicated feelings about it and recognize it for what it was. Harper weaves this storyline in effortlessly and provides a space for other women who have suffered as Camille did to have a starting point for healing.

While Camille’s propositioning of Jacob occurs early in the book, the relationship takes on a very slow burn approach to developing. Normally, I am not a fan of slow burn, but the reason for which everything moved slowly actually made me glad for it. Jacob’s care and patience exposes him for more than the rogue that he is perceived as by others in London Society and it deepens the reader’s emotional connection to him.

This story could have very easily been a hot and heavy whirlwind of steamy scenes leading to an eventual happily ever after, but Harper took time to craft something that is not only incredibly steamy, but soft and loving. The natural development of Camille and Jacob’s relationship is a reminder that, even when there is undeniable attraction and chemistry, a relationship needs to have a strong foundation set in mutual respect, care, and especially consent.

There’s always something special about the unplanned stories—the ones that unveil themselves as the narrative progresses, allowing the characters to take the reins at every turn. And that’s certainly the case with Harper St. George’s final installment in the Gilded Age Heiresses series—The Duchess Takes a Husband. Camille, Duchess of Hereford and Jacob Thorne’s story is a serendipitous beauty that focuses on finding the love one deserves. It’s always been the two of them, long before they even get together, with the romance glistening from the start. The execution fits them appropriately in this fake engagement slash lessons in intimacy romance.

The full review will be up on Marvelous Geeks Media on pub day, May 23, 2023: marvelousgeeksmedia.com/2023/05/23/the-duchess-takes-a-husband-by-harper-st-george-review/

I went into this book blind and without reading the first three books. This book could be read as a standalone, but I think you will feel Camille's journey more from reading the previous books.

Camille is the Duchess of Hereford and a recent widow. She is trying to heal and get over the abuse she experienced from her much older husband. She propositions Jacob Thorne to have a night of sex so she can try and experience pleasure. She feels like there is something wrong with her sexually. He doesn't agree at first, but he now needs a fake fiance to show a potential investor he is not just a rake. This leads to sex lessons and fake dating.

This book was a big slow burn due to Camille's trauma and issues with sex. Jacob is extremely patient and supportive and slowly helps her rebuild trust and confidence. He helped her by also giving her control, and he was the king of consent.

I thought this book really dealt well with domestic abuse and overcoming trauma. It was a little slow in places for me, but I think I would have connected more to the characters if I read the previous books. I really enjoyed Camille's growth and self-exploration through the woman's suffrage movement.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

What I absolutely loved about this book was Camille's storyline in wanting to feel more comfortable as a sexual being. And Harper St. George showing all the starts and stops there are there.

I think there was a throughline here that was so good and compelling, but there was just some extra plotlines happening around the core that took away from everything else a bit.

Also, I personally felt there wasn't nearly enough danger to this story. Like I thought Jacob was gonna be so edgy and different, but he ended up just being a bit boring and nice. I think he was supposed to give "golden retriever" energy, but idk he kinda felt bland to me.

I didn't feel like Camille and Jacob had enough time with each other to fall in love here, but they definitely did have something! Just needed more scenes.

4 1/2 stars. Tropes: widow wants to know what passion is, fake engagement.

This book is the third in a series but works fine on its own.

I need to give this author huge kudos for not writing just another romance novel where a woman has been assaulted or abused (physically, sexually, and/or mentally) and she promptly sleeps with the hot hero and he immediately cures her of what ails her. If you're looking for a plot-driven book with MC's who hop in the sack at the 25% mark, this may not be the book for you. What this is, though, is an almost completely emotionally satisfying HR with a cinnamon roll MMC who behaves as a fully dimensional, caring man would with a woman who has had a rough past. Harper St. George is a talented writer regardless, but I'm glad she has enough faith in her audience to write a romantic relationship this nuanced. The love scenes here are beautiful, some of the best I've read in a long time.

Also, it's so easy to root for Camille, and I love how she finally reclaimed her confidence and sense of agency by the end of the book. The female secondary characters around her are supportive, not catty.

Yet another plus: don't worry, this is not your typical cold, distant mother who has no character arc and never has closure with her daughter. I found myself cheering on the woman at the end.

That said, I have a couple caveats: the fake engagement trope usually leads to some turmoil once secondary characters find out about it, but this surprisingly never surfaces. Also, as much as I loved Jacob earlier in the book, why is he so dense at the end? He was all set to become my new book boyfriend, but I couldn't get on board with his lack of proactiveness regarding the villain. All the signs were there early on that the guy was bad news. (And forget Paris, anyway, you bacon brain.)

Overall, though, the first 83% and last 90% go down like a hot toddy in front of a fire on a cold winter evening. I rewrote the couple of scenes in between in my mind.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my voluntary review. Thank you to Harper St. George, Berkley publishing, and Net Galley.

Unlike Harper St. George’s other three novels in this series, in The Duchess Takes a Husband, feels more like a character study of our main character, Camille, Duchess of Hereford. Where George focuses on the neglect and verbal abuse Camille suffers during her marriage. The novel is more of a reflection, or the aftermath rather of what Camille suffered since her husband, the Duke, is now dead. We see the effects of trauma and how Camille struggles with intimacy.

Though, now that she’s free from the constraints of a verbally abusive husband, Camille takes a risk in helping her understand her own wants and needs with the delicious Jacob Thorne.

And after their bargain is struck both Jacob and Camille begin to slowly realize they may be more invested in one another than they originally proposed.