Cover Image: Their Duchess

Their Duchess

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Yowza this was hot. Packed a lot of heat into a short novel and I was into it. Lots of pining, and art and great sexy and very spicy

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Delicious. Salacious. And smut-tastic.

Ms Michaels has written a wonderfully steamy yet sweet story.

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4.5 super steamy menage-a-yes-please! stars

This was a super hot MMF story about a neglected duchess that just wants to be truly desired by someone (she was neglected by her husband who carried on numerous affairs), her coachman (and only ally in the duke's household), and a 3rd son they met along the way (literally!).

Anna is technically in mourning as her husband passed away, but she had not had any tender feelings for him in years before his demise. Their marriage was arranged, but she had hoped they would grow to care for one another; instead, the duke carried on his own affairs with numerous women siring several bastard children (which he would rub in her face as she was barren). He did not make any arrangements for his wife upon his death, and the new duke (her husband's uncle) has stripped her of everything she owns in an effort to wear her down so that he can use her for his own perversions. The only servant that remained after he stopped paying them was her coachman Oliver. He has become her friend and confidant over their time together, and the tension of mutual desire has grown as thick as it can get, though both know their stations in life would not allow them to have a love affair.

Oliver is taking Anna from the London townhouse to the country so that she can get away from the duke's lecherous reach, but they encounter a massive ice storm that has made the road impassable. Miraculously, Oliver spots some lights leading to an estate where the owner Ezra, the 3rd son of an earl, agrees to allow them to wait out the storm in his home. Ezra immediately notices the tension between the 2 odd travel companions and finds himself drawn to each of them. Though he wonders what a duchess is doing traveling without a maid and only a coachman, he decides not to press and welcomes both to his home and his table.

Anna and Oliver have been fighting the battle of their attraction to one another and now realize they are both intrigued by Ezra. When Ezra reveals that his preferred pastime is bringing passions to life in the form of graphically erotic encounters (both of his own inspiration and by commission), they are even more fascinated with him. Recognizing that their own passions have held them hostage, Ezra proposes that he draw an erotic rendering of Anna and Oliver... together.

Will Anna and Oliver finally surrender to the physical and emotional attraction they have long held for each other? Can Oliver ever allow himself to be seen as an equal and not a servant? What will happen if Ezra inserts himself into the duo to form a trio? And what will happen to each when the storm passes?

I really liked this story, the characters, the SUPER steamy goodness (early & often!), the pace, and the HEA. There was not any unnecessary angst, and the author made the arrangement between the three of them feel intimate and real. There wasn't any shame factor by any of the characters of their own desires; instead, they embraced them (and Anna embraced & even encouraged the M/M action). Would definitely recommend!

Plot --- 4.5/5
Writing Style --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 3/5
Steam Level* --- 5/5 (ALL THE THINGS an MMF trio can do!)
Violence --- none
Triggers --- neglect/affairs by h's husband
Language --- yes
POV --- 3rd but each chapter focuses on one of the 3 main characters' perspectives

*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all

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Her husband the Duke is dead and he left her with the same as he gave her throughout their loveless marriage, nothing. So she is driving to the new Duke's home where he means to take possession of her whether she wants it or not, she has no options. Then caught in a snow storm with her very loyal driver Oliver, who has loved the Duchess for years, remaining in her employ even after the funds to pay wages had long run out, they are taken in by Ezra, a reclusive artist who paints seductive, sensual portraits for his clients and for himself.
Attracted to both the Duchess and Oliver, Ezra persuades them to pose for him, thus beginning a very hot, very sensual, emotional menage' that scorches the reader with beautiful, reverent, sensual encounters between the three that touch you deep inside with the emotion and feeling behind the written words. These were some of the ssexiest, warmest, most beautifully described scenes I have ever read. To describe them as anything less is an insult to the author and to the book.
I loved this and can not wait for the next in the series.

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Their Duchess is a steamy story and I enjoyed it. The story features the widow, Anna, and her trusted servant Oliver. Throw in Ezra and you have one splendid story.

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When her husband’s death puts an end to her loveless arranged marriage but leaves no jointure for her, Anna, the Duchess of Sedgewick, is forced to seek out the new duke and beg for his financial support. When a storm sees Anna and her faithful driver, Oliver, stranded at the home of reclusive painter Ezra, repressed desires and emotions come raging to the fore.

Oliver has loved Anna for years but has never been intimate with her apart from one stolen moment in a darkened hallway at the Donville Masquerade. When Ezra offers them much-needed funds in exchange for posing for an erotic painting, Oliver sees it as an opportunity to give Anna a bit of security and fulfill one of his dreams.

Since a devastating loss in his personal life, Ezra has been unable to paint for himself, only for commissions, having lost his passion for the art, but the palpable connection between Oliver and Anna inspires him. That desire and inspiration leads to something more than any party anticipated, leaving them wondering if they can overcome their past pains to create the future they want.

Of course, I went into this expecting a steamy read, and it is, but what surprised me was how deeply emotional it was. The dynamic between Anna and Oliver is already extremely layered thanks to the neglect and outright cruelty she suffered at the hands of her late husband and the palpable longing between these two. Oliver is convinced he can never be more than a servant and can assuredly never have anything lasting with Anna, not that she would ever reciprocate his feelings. The addition of intense, confident, but lonely Ezra to the mix served as a catalyst for all three characters to come out of their shells and finally give voice to the needs, desires, and feelings they’d been hiding. Each helped the others face and conquer their fears and past pain to establish a solid and loving relationship in a quick and low angst story. If you like a plot with your steam and want to read something driven by the emotions of the characters, this is a solid choice.

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

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"The moment when the Duchess of Sedgewick could watch her husband f**K his mistress without her heart breaking was the moment she knew her marriage was truly over.”

Woo wee...looka here...looka here. This opening line had me 38 hot...DO YA HEAR!!! I wasn't even done with the first paragraph and was ready to do battle for the Duchess myself. But the more I read, I realized she didn't need me cause she had her own champion. I just didn’t know it yet.

"Their Duchess" is marvelous. It's beautifully crafted and so hot, that it'll singe your fingertips it’s...Just. That. Hot 🔥🔥🔥!!! Jess packs a whole lot of feels in this short but fantastic read. It’s a 132 pages and ya’ll somehow, she was able to tell a story while working six (count em...six) steamy scenes into the piece without it feeling like porn! I'm not usually a fan of so many sex scenes cause there's only so much humping you can do on these pages...but...Baybeeee….Jess Michaels is a whole vibe and she pulls out all the stops with this ménage à trois between a recently widowed Duchess, her faithful driver and painter. The dialogue, the dynamics, the characters themselves are fantastic! I even cried…and I was NOT expecting that with all that humping going on.

On the way to ask for assistance from the new Duke, a right nasty old fella, a storm hits and Anna, the Duchess of Sedgewick finds herself stranded with her driver Oliver. Seeking shelter at the first home they find, they encounter a reclusive painter named Ezra. From the very beginning there's a sizzling tension between the three of them and when I tell you everybody wants Oliver…ya’ll…EVERYBODY wants Oliver. There’s something about this man. Shooo, even I wanted Oliver! His character was powerful and compassionate and loving and my heart ached watching him struggle with his desires, his station and his loyalty.

I loved everything about it....absolutely EVERYTHING. This piece was a great addition to this trilogy…and I can’t wait to read the third installment of the Theirs trilogy.

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And yet another great addition to Jess Michaels’ 𝘛𝘏𝘌𝘐𝘙𝘚 series. Oliver is devoted to Anna. As a servant in her household he takes care of her and loves her unconditionally. Ezra is a painter of erotic portraits. They meet and the chemistry between the three of them was so hot that my Kindle caught fire! They come together and it was the start of something beautiful and lasting. I enjoyed 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗜𝗥 𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗦 and am giving it the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy.

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Amazing series. I wish Ms Michaels will have a few more in the series. Loads of fun, a little twist, heat and finally a good ending.

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Well that was hot.

Jess Michael's continues her "Theirs" series with Anna, her devoted servant Oliver, and reclusive artist Ezra.
Anna and Oliver seek overnight refuge at Ezra's house and Ezra recognizes a spark between Anna and Oliver and asks them to pose for him. Things get heated quickly, of course.
What struck me with this book, more than the previous, with the semi-exploration of power dynamics and autonomy. Oliver grapples with his low station and love for Anna who doesn't care, and he and Ezra try to make big decisions for Anna thinking they are helping her. This is a short erotic novella so we don't really explore these angles but it was nice to approach them.

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Their Duchess is the second book in the Theirs series by Jess Michaels. While this is a series, you don't necessarily need to read them all or in order so you can definitely pick this one up any time.

The main characters in this book are Anna (widowed Duchess), Oliver (her driver), and Ezra (a reclusive painter who offers them shelter in a storm). I thought Michaels did a great job of setting this story up and building the relationships in a short amount of time.

Anna had an unhappy marriage and now that her husband is dead, the new Duke has his sights set on her and she is not interested but she doesn't have many options as her dead husband never set up anything for her. Oliver has always been attracted to Anna and after a mysterious night in a club, Anna has been drawn to him as well but they've never acted on it outside of that one episode. As they cross paths with Ezra and are given shelter, he challenges them to open up and allow feelings to override the rules Society has placed on them.

Ezra has his own past to come to terms with and Anna and Oliver push him to face his demons and they all learn to accept each other regardless of past history, current expectations, and difference in status.

I definitely recommend this book / series if you are looking for a steamy read. Michaels definitely doesn't shy away from the sexy bits and the relationship building portions are well done. I'll be picking up more from this author in the future.

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This is the second book in the series and it can be read as a standalone. This is a fast-paced and hot MMF historical read. Anna is the Duchess of Sedgewick and a widow. When she gets stranded with her driver Oliver and a painter, Ezra, sparks fly. Will this new relationship have a future? Great characters with intense chemistry and sizzling scenes. I loved it.

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I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Their Duchess is the second in Jess Michaels’ scorching-hot Theirs series. It can be read as a standalone, although I do recommend both.
Anna’s situation on its own is deeply moving, and a sad reality for many young women of the past, being subject to the emotional abandonment and infidelity of their husbands during their marriages, and at the mercy of their husbands’ relatives in the event he predeceases her. It’s hard not to blame her for finding passion elsewhere, both during and after her marriage. Oliver has been a longtime servant of the duke and duchess, and was in love with her for much of that time, motivating him to stay even when he wasn’t being properly compensated.
The introduction of Ezra provides an interesting shift to the dynamic, as he’s an erotic artist. I like how that also brought in some of the steamier elements, particularly with him observing the others in sex acts for the sake of capturing them in his work, in addition to his participation in them. I also like that even though he has a vocation, he’s able to relate to both Anna and Oliver about aristocrats being terrible people, given he has his own family he’s left behind.
I feel tad conflicted about the romance, especially in comparison to the previous book. I did like how all three were able to come together on an emotional level, because of their shared or common experiences, so the emotional stakes felt much more prominent here. But while I did like Ezra adding to the sexual aspect, I feel like I didn’t feel the real “pull” of the three of them together as a “throuple” or romantic unit, like I did in the previous book, because Ezra doesn’t have any history with the other two…his history is merely similar. And I feel the story could have easily shifted to be solely about Anna and Oliver, with Ezra being a secondary character as opposed to a main love interest.
That said, this is another solid read, and I’d recommend it for anyone who enjoys steamy/erotic historical romance.

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Jess Michaels has truly crafted an absolutely lovely menage novella series. Michaels writing is charming, sensual and romantic. Her tone is swiftly engaging, well paced, and while mainly the physical exploration and awakening between three humans, has a soft romantic feel that provides the relationships with heart and depth. This novel is the perfect treat if you are looking for a quick and steamy romance, that will leave you hopeful about love and all its forms.

This novella perfectly charmed me with the delightful tropes that Michaels interweaves throughout. We have a secret hallway trysts that opens the novella, we have a class difference between one of our heroes and the heroine, their is some delicious posing for sensual paintings and there is a high level of heat and tension that builds up throughout the novella. I got exactly what I wanted from this, and Michaels has a soft way of layering some character depth and development that takes this novel into a really lovely romantic level. Michaels uses physicality to explore trust and understanding between everyone in the relationship. And it is through the physical that communication can happen in its most vulnerable form.

If you are looking for a high steam romance, this is a novella for you. If you adore Jess Michaels, you are going to love this. Would definitely recommend if you love a menage with a soft and gentle romance at its core.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Their Duchess is the second book in the Theirs series by Jess Michaels. My favorite thing about this series, in general, and this book in particular, is the emotional depth of the characters. This book could have easily been only about sex; however, it is not. There are numerous excellently written steamy scenes; there is also raw, honest, uninhibited emotion. I genuinely cared for these characters.

Oliver, Ezra, and Anna have emotional scars and find healing, satisfaction, and belonging with each other. This is a short novel that packs a big punch! It is fast paced and is a page-turner. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes haunting, this menage romance will leave you wanting more! Jess Michaels has a gift for writing emotionally vulnerable characters, intense sensuality, and enchanting happily-ever-afters!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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THEIR DUCHESS is a fun menage novella, though somewhat less compelling in the emotional sub-plot than the predecessor, THEIR MARCHIONESS. The various emotional concerns of each of the characters--Ezra's loss, Oliver's class anxiety, Anna's fear about how the loss of her husband makes her vulnerable in a world in which women have little power--may have been better explored in a full novel, but if you are just reading for a quick, sexy story, Michaels delivers.

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Their Duchess by Jess Michaels
Theirs 2

Fantasies…we all have them…and so do the characters in this book. How wonderful to read their fantasies become real and live vicariously through their story. I love this author’s books and look forward eagerly to reading each and every one of them.

In this series there are three, not two, who find happiness together. This time it is an unloved widowed duchess that ends up with two men that adore her as she adores them. The emotions are strong, the steam level high, the love enduring, and the ending heartwarming for the three…and for me.

I loved Anna’s ability to communicate what she wanted.
I loved Oliver’s steadfast commitment to Anna.
I loved Ezra’s ability to see what could be and his willingness and ability to make it happen.
I loved each individual and thoroughly enjoyed reading how they were able to come together and find their happily ever after together.

Smiling as I think about this story and thinking about rereading again soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – this is my honest review.

5 Stars

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This was a new author for my and I really enjoyed this story! I thought the characters were wonderful! The plot was interesting and steamy! All in all great! I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

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I’ve been looking forward to this story since I read the excerpt at the end of Their Marchioness, and I was not disappointed. This book is a fairly short piece of historical erotica, but in it, Jess Michaels manages to craft a beautiful love story. I felt like this book had more substance than the series starter. It is also relatively low angst, which I enjoy. If you like your romance super steamy, don’t miss this. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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So you know I loved the first in Jess Michaels’ new MMF trilogy, Their Marchioness. But man, Their Duchess is straight FIRE.

As I said in my review of the first book, if you are a fan of very spicy romance novels, I really encourage you to open your mind and try an MMF book. I never thought I would be interested in them, but wandered onto some Kate Pearce and Samantha Kane books, and got hooked. It’s just an added factor that brings new drama, and complications, and excitement to a novel. These break through the usual tropes and deliver a sparkling new experience.

Okay, so Their Duchess. We got a snippet of it in the previous book that had me salivating. I thought I was ready. I WAS NOT. That first line made me shout out loud. Jess Michaels lassoed me in from the VERY FIRST LINE. Anna, the Duchess of Sedgewick, was trapped in a miserable marriage. Now she’s a widow, but down on her luck since her profligate husband left her in dire straits. It’s just her and a very loyal servant, Oliver, making a journey to throw herself on the mercy of the horrible new Duke. But they get caught in a storm, conveniently at the home of the hottest man ever, artist Ezra Pembroke (even that name excited me), who could be Anna’s savior, and possibly Oliver’s as well.

Anyway, you fall into a beguiling tale of class conflict, personal demons, and forbidden passion and you will eat it up until the last page. It is STEAMY. Jess Michaels has warned folks, so when I see reviews saying “there was so much sex,” I really just have to roll my eyes. Jess Michaels books always have sex. It’s like finding out that water is wet and being surprised, haha.

But roll with it and enjoy yourself with this quick read. It's not DEEP, but it is SATISFYING. Sit back, pour a beverage, and open your mind, and I promise you’ll love it. Easy 4-1/2 stars and I cannot wait till the next, Their Countess, comes out.

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