I love historical romance novels, and this book by Amelia Grey, did not disappoint! I loved the storyline which brought the two main characters together. It was unique and the characters were well written so we understood their motivations for all their actions. Fredericka's upbringing and relationship with both her sister and cousin, and Wyatt's experience growing up as the son of a duke and what he saw and experienced especially at Eton. Even the children in this story were given depth to their characters and was always a joy when Bella's character came on the scene. I truly enjoyed this story and plan to read the other books in this series. (I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for my opinion, but would have gladly paid to read it!)

“In reality, the duke’s proposal sounded so cold. An impersonal business arrangement. Not even the pretense that it was anything more. Nothing like she imagined it would be should she ever have anyone offer for her hand. But really, what had she ever imagined about courting, romance, and marriage other than a young girl’s fancy to think about a young man who loved poetry as much as she did.”
Fredericka Hale needs a husband, and she needs one fast to prevent her cousin from taking guardianship of her nieces and nephew. She has been interviewing candidates when the Duke of Wyatthaven unexpectedly shows up at her home asking for her hand in marriage. He is also in dire need of a wife and believes that Fredericka is the answer to all his problems.

I will preface this review by saying that there is domestic violence mentioned in this book, it is not on page, but it is a part of the storyline. Fredericka gains guardianship of her young nieces and nephew when her sister and brother-in-law pass away, and for this reason, I do admire her. She takes on something very difficult in the name of love, and I know many of us would do the same. However, that is the only thing that I enjoyed in this book. Fredericka comes off exceedingly proper all the time, even to the point of being cold. I wonder if this is a type that Amelia Grey likes to write because some of her other heroines are the same. She scolds her nieces and nephews every chance she gets, and there really aren’t any fun interactions between them. It felt unnatural and not the way I expect an aunt to act.

Now, onto Wyatt. He was rude to Fredericka on multiple occasions. They could not communicate with each other without having a communication breakdown that devolved into an argument, and then it’s never solved with actual communication but with kisses. These two stubborn characters never let down their walls or tried to put any amount of effort into their relationship, and then at the end, we are supposed to believe they love each other. In my opinion, this book has some red flags. We should not normalize an unhealthy relationship with our partner, and that’s exactly what this book does.

If you’re a fan of lower-steam authors like Ella Quinn and Lisa Berne, this may work better for you than it did for me.

~ Michelle

This is a slow burn romantic story of Fredericka Hale, who is taking care of her orphaned nieces and nephew and the Duke of Wyatthaven, who propositions her to a marriage of convenience that will benefit them both. At the current time Fredericka is interviewing gentlemen to see if they will make a proper husband for her so that she can keep custody of her sister, Angela's children. Wyatt is in need of a wife to satisfy a codicil in her grandmother's will. The couple agree to live separate lives until the time they need to produce an heir. Circumstances with her cousin Jane, cause Fredericka to go to the Duke's residence prior to their agreed upon time so that they could spend time together as a couple. There are lots of ups and downs in the story as Wyatt and Fredericka try parenting the children together. Will they get their relationship on track so that they can prevent a united front to the powers that be in order to prevent her cousin Jane from getting custody of her sister's children? They will have to come to terms with events that occurred in their past which causes them to be who they are today. The story is well written and I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between the H/h.

I received this story as an ARC from Netgalley and I am leaving my honest review

The Duke of Wyatthaven just found out that to get his inheritance from his grandmother, he has to marry by the end of the week or forfeit it to a Poetry Society. He is told about Fredericka Hale needing a husband as she is currently raising her deceased sister’s children (2 girls and a boy) and Jane who seems to be barren is trying to take them away from her. Fredericka and her sister were raised by Jane’s family, and I have to say Jane is definitely a bully. Anyway, they marry by Friday and go their separate ways. The children being children, you have to laugh at the devilment they get into, the only problem, it happens at the wrong time. Wyatt is so sweet with the children, and he really tries to do right by all of them. The more he is with Fredericka, the more he wants to spend time with her.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a complimentary copy.

Yours Truly, The DukeSay I Do by Amelia Grey. This is the first book in the Say I Do Series. This is the story of Fredericka Hale and “Wyatt”, the Duke of Wyatthaven. Wyatt is a happy bachelor but soon learns that he will need to marry quickly to get his inheritance from his grandmother. In addition to possibly loosing Real estate that would be giving to his much hate man named Percvial Buslingthorpe who treated Wyatt very badly when he was a student at Eton. So his solicitor points him to Fredericka. Fredericka has been raising her niece and nephew after loosing her. But now her cousin Jane feels she is the better guardian and wants them. So Fredericka needs a husband fast and that leads her to Waytt. Enjoyed their story.

Wyatt and Fredericka are interesting and relatable characters. From the start we got to see these characters at their core – which is one of the things I loved about this books. The characters growth for both main characters was fitting for them. Their romance is sweet and fitting. I enjoyed the secondary characters – especially Wyatt’s best friends and the children. Both added much to the fabric of the story. I hope that we get to see more of these characters in other books.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a traditional marriage of convenience story -- each side needs something. He needs a legacy that will be lost unless he marries ASAP; she needs the power of a dukedom to protect her sister's children from a relative trying to adopt them out from under. What makes this a great read is the sweet unraveling of the story, complete with three wonderful children and a hero and heroine whose falling-in-love tale has all the feels. Fredericka Hale and the Duke of Wyatthaven didn't mean to end up besotted, but they do, and so do we. A great start to a new series from a writer who never fails to deliver. (I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. Opinions mine.)

I am a fan of Amelia Grey’s books and was looking forward to this one. A marriage of convenience trope, when done well, can be fun and entertaining. Although there were great aspects of this story, and some readers will love the story, some of it didn’t hit the mark for me.

The Duke of Wyatthaven, or Wyatt, has no desire to marry but he will, to keep his grandmother’s fortune from going to the poetry society. And he must marry quickly – he has 7 days to accomplish this task! Fredericka Hale has been raising her deceased sister’s children and quickly needs a husband to keep her cousin from taking them in a custody battle. A marriage of convenience is easily the answer for them. Wyatt asks his friends to help him write a proposal letter for Fredericka. What ensues is quite entertaining, as is the final letter.

Some of the best scenes are Wyatt’s interactions with the children. Wyatt’s playfulness was a great foil to Fredericka’s strict rules and regulations for the children. I was laughing out loud when the children were mimicking the card playing adults. It was a shame Fredericka couldn’t see at least a little of the humor in the situation. The misunderstandings between Fredericka and Wyatt became a bit tiresome after a while.

I didn’t like the custody battle aspect of the story. Jane was a horrid character, and I found her lack of respect for Fredericka and her position as a duchess to be unbelievable. Why didn’t Wyatt use his power as a duke to squash Jane like the insect she was? How do you redeem a character who is that nasty?

Overall, the story had great promise. Like Ms. Grey’s other books, the writing style flowed well. This may not have been one of my favorite books, but I am looking forward to the others in the series. Thank you to Ms. Grey, St. Martin’s Publishing, and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy. I voluntarily read the book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 They Both Benefit from Marriage Stars!

What a wonderful introduction to Amelia Grey’s writing with this first book in her new Say I Do series. This book combines some of the tropes I love; marriage of convenience, single parent and witty banter between the H/h.

Frederika as the guardian of her nieces and nephews is in a bit of a pickle as her cousin has decided to fight her for custody of them and I’m in full agreement with Frederika that these children belong with her… there may be a lot of rules, but, they’re very much loved and cared for. The solution to her problem is a husband and quickly… but who would be willing to take on her and nieces and nephew? Well, a Duke that’s in dire need of a wife. Enter Wyatt, the Duke of Wyatthaven. He needs a wife to protect his inheritance so it seems they’re both on the same page… marriage to protect what’s most important to each of them.

Well, as you can imagine it’s not as black and white as that because those pesky feelings start to get involved. Both between Wyatt and Frederika, but also, most surprisingly to Wyatt, Charles, Elise and Bella too. I loved how they connected with each other. Their building closeness was beautiful to see. What can’t be denied, is that while Wyatt is falling in love with these children, he’s also wildly attracted to their Aunt.

Unlike other historical romances I’ve read, the heat in this book is relatively light, which is just fine with me. I loved the build up but leaving a lot of it to our imagination. The more I read this book the more I loved. How Ms. Grey built up the relationship between our H/h and how their marriage of convenience became so much more than just a sham which neither of them expected!

What it all comes down to is that I absolutely loved this book and I’m on board to not only read the next book but I’m also going to read Ms. Grey’s other books, because now I’m hooked!

Fredericka is a strong willed woman who is unexpectedly responsible for her 3 nieces and nephews after a terrible tragedy. Wyatt is a Duke who must wed by the end of the week to keep his inheritance. Together, can they help each other?
This had SOO much potential that unfortunately fell short for me. I have been drawn to books that have a more original plotline, and I was drawn in by the storyline as Fredericka being a caretaker. The author did a great job of making the kids likeable and keeping them at the front of the plotline while also not over dominating it with talk of kids. I enjoyed each of the children's' personalities and enjoyed their presence in the story, however, I wish I could say the same for the other 2 main characters. Wyatt had the potential to be likeable, however, time and time again the author felt the need to bog down his personality with impulsive garbage coming out of his mouth and it seemed like he went from being a bachelor with no plans to settle down to being a settled down, in love, married man with 3 kids with the turn of a page. There was no build up, nothing. You just turned the page and he was a changed man all of a sudden.
Fredericka was quite the unlikeable heroine of the story. While her intentions were sweet, the author made her very unlikeable by making her extremely rigid, tense, never in good humor and all around a drag to be around. There was no build up of romance to the characters together, and in fact, about 3/4 of the way through the book, all they had done was kiss a few times and I had to reread the cover to make sure this was supposed to be a Romance novel, because it was almost non existent. I would be curious to read the next book in the series, but with the amount of options there are out there, this would be a pass for me.

Disclaimer: Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Amelia Grey for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This did not in any way affect the contents of my review.

YOURS TRULY, THE DUKE by Amelia Grey is a heartwarming regency romance about learning to trust your heart. In this book, Fredericka Hale and Wyatt, the Duke of Wyatthaven, marry a few days after meeting each other, for convenience. Wyatt must marry to secure his inheritance, and Fredericka needs to be married to ensure her late sister’s children stay with her and not with her cousin. The two aim to live apart and not have a real marriage, but of course they cannot stop themselves from their growing attraction.

I enjoyed this book! I liked how the circumstances of Wyatt’s and Fredericka’s marriage and their own lives made for an interesting story. Their feelings for each other seemed to grow naturally, and I often found myself laughing during the book. I think that the growth both of the main characters showed throughout the story was wonderful. I am looking forward to the next book in this series!

I really liked this story. I loved the characters too. Wyatt is desperate. He needs a wife now or he will lose an inheritance from his grandmother. He doesn't really need it, but he will not let it go to the people his grandmother designated. Fredericka needs a husband because her cousin is trying to take her nieces and nephew from her. Jane is unable to have children and wants Fredericka's nieces and nephew. Fredericka will not give them up willingly. She has had them for the past year and is going to do everything in her power to keep them. When Wyatt proposes a marriage of convenience, she takes the chance. She usually doesn't make rash decisions, but she is running out of time. Wyatt thought they would live apart until he needs an heir, but circumstances change, and they are forced to make adjustments. Will they ever have a real marriage? They are both dealing with old hurts and have to come to terms with everything before they can go on together. Will they be able to keep the children?

Yours Truly, The Duke is a Marriage of Convenience tale, with the addition of a bitter family conflict involving custody of three small children. Both the main characters are scared by their childhoods and, as a result, have communication issues and extremely rigid behavior. This leads to a very angst-filled story, which I, personally don't care for, but if you love angst, there is plenty there to enjoy. I didn't dislike the book, it just isn't what I enjoy most in a historical romance. . 3-1/2 Stars

I received an ARC for free but left my review voluntarily.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

I was ready for some pure escapism, so I chose the new Regency Romance by Amelia Grey, Yours Truly, The Duke. This is a marriage-of-convenience story and a quick, entertaining read.

Wyatt (the Duke of Wyatthaven) is a wealthy, handsome, powerful duke who carries some guilt from his past. When he was boy at Eton, with all the privileges of being a duke’s son, he did nothing to help his fellow students, some of whom were being physically abused by one of the teachers (who taught poetry.) He is only 28 and has no desire to settle down. However, his grandmother died a year earlier and left a codicil to her will that is to be read one year after her death. The codicil gives him one week to marry or a valuable property of hers will be left not to him but to a poetry society. (She loved poetry. This was not a punishment/cruelty to Wyatt.) Still, weird. Why the year wait before announcing this? Why the one week’s notice? At any rate, Wyatt sets to the task. His attorney knows just the woman, Miss Fredericka Hale.

Fredericka also needs to marry. She took in her young nephew and two nieces after the tragic death of her sister and brother-in-law a year earlier. She loves them and is determined to bring them up in a way that would make her sister proud. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a lot of extra money and she doesn’t have a husband. This wasn’t a problem until her cousin Jane, married to a viscount and unable to have children of her own, decided she would claim Fredericka’s sisters’ kids. Now, Fredericka needs a husband desperately. (Only a husband would be able to lay claim to the children in court.) A duke would serve the purpose very well.

They are wed. The deal is, he gets his inheritance and he’ll make sure she keeps the children, but nothing else in their lives will change. Of course, everything changes.

The two have an intense chemistry. They bicker a lot and misunderstand each other almost intentionally. Nevertheless, they are plainspoken with one another and generally reasonable. The threat of losing the children is very real. Wyatt learns that just being a duke doesn’t mean everything will go his way. He has to put in effort. Fredericka learns she doesn’t have to be so uptight about the children’s upbringing. And they fall in love.

This is an interesting start to a new series. We meet Wyatt’s two closest friends (also dukes) who I expect will feature in the next books. This is a series to watch!

Frederika needs a husband to keep her sister’s children and The Duke of Wyatthaven needs a wife to keep his inheritance. This should be a match made in heaven. She’s supposed to stay in the country and he in the city but when she and the children show up in London things don’t go quite as expected for either party. The simmering passion between them becomes full blown and eventually they realize they are made for each other. Historical with a bit of a modern twist. A good read.

I love historical romances. And I’m a big fan of Amelia Grey. So I was quite interested in reading this. Two people who need a marriage of convenience for very different reasons, and let’s just say, it doesn’t always go smoothly. But where there’s a will (and heart) there’s a way

1.5 stars

Fredericka Hale is in trouble. She has custody of her late sister’s three children, but her custody is in jeopardy.
Her cousin Jane wants the kids. Fredericka needs to get married in order to ensure that Jane doesn’t win the children in court. Enter, the Duke of Wyatthaven, AKA, Wyatt. He’s gorgeous. He’s charming. And he needs to marry YESTERDAY if he wants his inheritance. This marriage of convenience is the perfect solution to their problems!

I fell in love with the first 30% of this book. It was beautifully written. I found myself highlighting quite a few lines of text. I adored the way the two characters, so different (he’s charming and laid-back while she’s super straight-laced), enchanted each other. Their first REAL kiss in the gorgeous English countryside...perfection! I also found the three gentlemen, all of whom will have their own book in the “Say I Do” series, adorable. Hurst and Rick, one lovesick, the other cynical, were fun to watch. I loved their comraderie.

And then…we get to the 31st percent and beyond…. I feel like the majority of this book is comprised of adults bickering with each other. Fredericka becomes offended by virtually everything Wyatt says, frequently twisting what he said and interpreting things in the worst possible way. I don’t really understand how he even put up with her. Their chemistry was good, however. They’re obviously attracted to one another, despite the fact that they can’t get along whenever they’re having a conversation. I normally don’t care if the love scenes are behind closed doors or not, but I actually found it problematic that the author chose to conceal their love scenes because their physical love was pretty much all they had going for them as a couple.

There were also many scenes with mean girl Jane, which I found to be very tedious. Ironically, I found myself siding with this awful character towards the end of the book when she decided to take the children away after seeing them unattended, smoking and drinking. WHAT?!? Wyatt gets his way in the end by being quite underhanded. I had a hard time liking any of these characters, or believing that anyone grew as a person. Yes, there were some beautiful moments, but not enough to save this book for me.

I'd like to thank St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book. All opinions presented are my own.

Talk about a marriage of convenience. Both Fredericka and Wyatt need to marry, she to protect her right to raise her deceased sister’s children and he to make sure he gets his grandmother’s inheritance but they are night and day different in personalities so how will this ever work? This historical romance has almost a modern feel, in both the subject matter (custody of the children), but also both lead character’s attitudes. Fredericka is no wilting flower, even though her childhood experiences cause her to have a bit of PTSD and while tough and gruff Wyatt certainly has a very playful side for being a Duke, although my impression of him at the beginning wasn’t the best (stuffed shirt anyone?). There is quite a bit of instant attraction, although it’s more of a slow build up, a bit of sadness (they are working on getting custody of the kids), but lots of humor as the shenanigans that the kids get into will leave you in hysterics. This seems to be the start of a new series about the dukes (fingers crossed anyway) and is a nice quick read. 4.5 stars . I was have to read and review an arc copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, clever and kept me reading. I wanted to find out what was going to happen. I enjoyed this book and will look for more books by this author.

A Duke who needs to marry to preserve his inheritance and a woman who needs to marry so that she can continue to care for her late sister's 3 kids. Sounds like a perfect match. It might be if they can work out their parenting differences. Another problem has very good reasons for disliking the poetry that she loves. Everything gets resolved.

3 Stars