"From the moment her pet pig attacks him, Adeline Foster knows she does not care at all for the Duke of Warwick. Certainly the man is handsome, but such an arrogant arse. But when her scoundrel half brother demands she marry a stranger over a failed investment, the duke does something shocking…he announces he’s courting her."
This is an awesome book. Adeline is determined to get married for love only. The Duke is determined that there is no such thing as love.
I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I thought this was a fun light historical romance. While there was a conflict with Adeline's half-brother trying to marry her off in the beginning we don't really get much more about it until closer to the end when everything gets resolved.
I really enjoyed that Adeline is a strong independent woman who is not only a healer of people, but also takes care of animals. This is how Warwick first realizes who she is when the dogs won't stop barking and he storms over there only to get run over by Henry the pig. Of course, he isn't happy about it and storms off, causing Adeline to basically instantly dislike him, even though she is definitely attracted to him.

I liked that once they agreed on their fake dating scheme, we got to see more of Warwick's inventions, and more of Adeline's healing. I loved that Warwick was so interested in watching Adeline take care of others, and found opportunities to help her learn more.

While I enjoyed the story and its characters I found that I wasn't truly invested in what was going on with them, and didn't really feel much when it was all over.

If you can suspend a whole lot of disbelief, you will enjoy this romance. The heroine is the daughter of an earl and an Arab woman. Her whole ambition is to be a healer like her father. The hero is a duke who is devoted to improving steam engines. For some convoluted reasons they pretend to be courting. You know what is going to happen from here. It all gets wrapped up very neatly so that they can get their HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Loved the characters and setting of this one. Romantic and fun! The beginning with the pig was super cute. This is my favorite by this author. Cant wait to read more!

thank you to net galley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Duke of Warwick is a thinker. He loves to spend time adapting and thinking of new uses for inventions (steam engines, gun powders etc.). While tinkering at a country house he meets his neighbor Lady Adeline Foster. She studied the healing arts from her mother her was Middle Eastern and cleans and bandages a wound for him. The next day he hears her step brother, the new Earl, insisting she marry a money lender to clean his debts. Warwick steps in and announces that he is courting Adeline.

Warwick wants to help Adeline be free of her brother but also wants to avoid the marriage mart for the season. His godmother hosts Adeline for the season so the Warwick and she can be seen courting. The cover for this book is lovely and draws attention. It is interesting to me that Warwick has characteristics of ADD but that wouldn’t be recognized in the time period. Her being of mixed race and medical knowledge plays into the story well too. I wish there was a comeuppance for the brother or better solution to the main dilemma. If the Duke is only going to end up paying the debt himself he could have done in the beginning because of his wealth. I wanted a better resolution. But the chemistry is great as is Adeline’s desire for a love match. And the Epilogue gives a nice HEA.

This is the second in the Daring Ladies series. It can be read as a stand alone but the couple in the first book, One Night with an Earl are friends of Warwick and makes appearances in the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC am I’m leaving a voluntary review.

It's one of those historical fiction books that you will find impossible to put down. The story is great, but the thing I love the most is the characters. Both Adeline and the Duke of Warwick are interesting, quick-witted, unconventional for their time, and loveable. Separately, they are two of the best fictional characters I have read in a while. Together, they are perfection. I thoroughly enjoyed their romance, and I highly recommend this book to other readers.

Adeline is a half-English and half-Egyptian woman who not only learned the social norms of English society but also learned the family values of her mother's people. She is a healer and all she wants to do is help other people and ease their pain.

The Duke of Warwick is an inventor and a recluse. Some believe him to be quite mad. But all he wants is to work on his next best idea and invent something that will make life easier for others. He just wants to serve his country in any way possible. And having a rational mind, inventing seems like the best option.

Running away from society, the two find each other in the country. And their lives will never be the same. What starts as a ruse, soon turns into reality. Now, they must face their inner demons and find out just how much they love each other.

The first time Daniel Millstone, the Duke of Warwick, met Adeline Foster, he was attacked by her pet pig Henry. Not the best start to meeting one's neighbor, especially when he just wanted to get the woman's dogs to stop barking so he could continue his work in peace on his steam engine project. Adeline Foster had not met a more arrogant man than the Duke of Warwick. Doesn't he know that "Henry" was just trying to be friendly? Adeline had moved to the country and was just trying to make a life for herself as a healer in the village away from her controlling brother Edwin. When her brother tracks her down and demands that she marry a money-lender he owes money to, Warwick happens to be there and unexpectantly blurts out that she cannot marry that man because he's courting Adeline himself. Adeline is shocked at the duke's pronouncement but realizes a fake betrothal is just what she needs to keep her brother from forcing her to marry. Now, she just has to tolerate Warwick long enough to make everyone believe they're in love, but what happens if her heart wants the betrothal to be real?

This was a quick, easy read with likable characters. Warwick is an elusive duke who has shunned society because he's too busy being an inventor and working to improve other inventions. That was different, and it made me wonder why a duke had an interest in trade. As the author slowly teases out Warwick's back story, there's a connection between Warwick and Edwin, which makes the story more intriguing. Having Adeline with Egyptian heritage was enjoyable, especially since the author lets her heritage shine through the book in a number of different customs, foods and healing knowledge she had learned from her mother. The plot moves along at a good pace, although I did expect something more dramatic to happen at the end with the moneylender and Edwin. The whole issue kind of went away without much fanfare, which was a lost opportunity, in my opinion. There are a couple of graphic sex scenes, so readers beware. I look forward to reading more in this series.

3.5 stars. This book is a mixed bag. Adeline and Daniel have some very interesting conversations about her knowledge of healing and his inventions. They have some fun banter and real potential as a prominent couple. Their evolution from suspicion to trust is interesting and unusual. The secondary characters are amusing, and Henry the pig is a fun addition. But the repetition of the plot nearly caused me to DNF the book. Every few pages, either Adeline or Daniel restates the whole situation for us. No, really, I understood it the first 57 times. I finally stopped reading paragraphs without dialogue in them so that I could finish the book. That was one star off. There were a couple of half-hearted attempts to make the villain, Adeline's half-brother, slightly less stereotypical, but he mostly just stomped around making melodramatic pronouncements. The resolution of that was weak, and that was another half star.

The story was an easy read. The romance was sweet and charming. I do have questions of during the ti e period, would the Ton be as open arm of acceptance of an Indian lady marrying a Duke of English nobility? The story moves pretty fast. There are entertaining moments, I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoyed this story. I have read it twice and I think it is going on my keeper shelf
This review may contrain spoilers.
This story is about the youngest half-sibling of an earl. Her two older half-siblings were born to the earl and his first wife. The first wife passed during childbirth, but two weeks after she passed away, the earl married the heroine's mother. The heroine's mother was the result of an Arab princess and a Turkish rug merchant. While not British royalty, the heroine did have blue blood in her veins. AND her mother was married to her father, so she was legitimate. Even though the heroine's mother tried repeatedly to mother the earl's heir, the boy refused to acknowledge her and was repeatedly rude. The heroine's mother passed away but before that she taught the heroine about the healing arts. The heroine also had her mother's attendant, who stayed with her and took care of her. The heroine got along well with her half-sister, they were only about a year apart and the half-sister loved the heroine's mother as her own. When the earl passed away, the heroine was kicked out of the house to a cottage that was left to her by their father. The only problem was that the cottage was not kept up and needed some renovations, but the half-brother refused to help her. The heroine's neighbor was an engineer who was working on the final touches of his new steam engine that would be more efficient that the present day steam engines. He was devoted to his work and progress. He felt that some jobs could be improved by technology. The neighbor is also a duke in hiding. He doesn't want anyone there and his godmother wants him to get married. The first time they meet, the heroine's dogs are barking and disrupting him. He comes over and the pet pig escapes and knocks them over. The hero is very disparaging of the animals. The heroine is a healer and she is working on healing the dogs and the pig is her pet. The second time they meet it is because the pig has escaped again and is in the hero's drawing room, eating the throw pillows. The hero uses kitchen scraps to lure the pig back to his pen. When he arrives at the heroine's home, he hears her yelling for some one to get out. He goes in the house and sees his childhood nemesis bullying the heroine. The half-brother, the present earl, has speculated on a business deal and the ship sunk. So he owes a lot of money to a money lender who has seen the heroine"s beauty and wants to marry her. The half-brother is ordering her to marry the man. The hero, who takes in all in, says that he is courting the heroine. At that point, the half-brother called him by his title and the heroine knows who he is. She agrees to the ruse to get her half-brother out of the house. The hero talks the heroine into a faux courtship to save him from the Season's debutantes.
I enjoyed this story. It was very detailed and I felt as if I was right there in the action. I liked all of the characters, the settings and how the story was told. This story did not drag and I enjoyed the way the author used the heroine's Middle East heritage to describe how immigrants in that time period lived. It was very interesting. I gave this book 5 stars and recommend reading.

3/5. Releases 4/25/2023.

For when you're vibing with... lighthearted historical romance, a healer heroine, a nerdy hero, and cute animals.

When Daniel Millstone, the Duke of Warwick, meets Adeline Foster, it's dislike at first sight. But Daniel needs a wife--or at least the appearance that he's seeking one. And Adeline's loathsome brother is about to force her to marry a man she doesn't want. The solution? Pretend that they're courting, of course! Who cares that they can't stand each other? It's FINE.

This is a cute, light historical romance. My problem is that those can be hard sells for me, so I'm not sure I was the right reader for this one. However, I can see this working for Bridgerton fans--except, it's much better than that.

Quick Takes:
--I tend to hate the "for fans of Bridgerton" mess historical romance marketing has become. But in this case, it's true. There's a fun frothiness to Gabrielle's writing style, an inherent romcom vibe to the setting, the quirks of the characters, the pets running around. However, Adeline's mother was from Egypt, and the author (who I understand has a similar background) actually incorporates this into Adeline's character. She has another Egyptian character; Adeline's privilege as someone who lighter-skinned than this character is acknowledged. It's not treated as like, this exotic fetishistic THING, but just a fact of who Adeline is and where her mother came from. It feels much more real and tangible.

--What I struggled with is that everything happens very quickly. These two have one mildly bad encounter, during which he's super into her physical appearance, and then the narrative is like "they hate each other". Really? After that quick, mildly bad encounter? It felt a bit forced, and while the characters were nice, I just didn't feel much... oomph. I needed more drama, and just more in general.

--Adeline is an aspiring healer, and that's something I did find interesting and compelling. The thing is that it made her much more compelling than her hero. Daniel just didn't rise to her standards, for me. He was nice. It was just too nice for me.

The Sex Stuff:
There were a few different sex scenes--and they're explicit, if not over the top (kind of standard quick, semi-flowery historical romance sex scenes). One encounter--or attempted encounter--was interrupted by a man who needed help with his wife's delivery, which... I don't know about all that.

I totally see an audience for this book, and I think it was well-done. I'm just not the audience.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5

How not to Marry a Duke is my first book by Tina Gabrielle and I am really happy that I chose to read this as an ARC.
The blurb had me immediately when it mentioned an encounter with a pig and a fake dating trope with 2 mc’s that are both into the sciences.
Add onto that a half Arabian FMC and a meddling godmother and you got me hooked.
Or rather; Warwick got me hooked!
Everyone knows I am a simp for the starchy emotionally stick up their butts MMC’s and Warwick is everything and more. The poor sod falls madly in love and everyone around him knows it, except he. Because love isn’t logical (ofcourse!) and he is logical.

I didn’t want this book to end, I kept savoring it, trying to make this last but unfortunately it did end and I can never again read it for the first time.

I think the story could’ve benefitted from another 50 extra pages and I found myself a bit disappointed with how it all wrapped up. I wanted a bit more and the conflict seemed to be settled too easy.

Overall this was a fantastic read and this won’t be my last Tina Gabrielle.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled publishing (also Tina thank you for approaching me in the first place!) for providing an ARC.

Fantastic for Romance Reader

I loved our strong female character - Adeline. Despite by a earl' s daughter, she also have a passion being a healer. Nothing sexy enough than independent woman who knows how to heal people and taking care of animals in needs. Our handsome duke- Warwick also have a passion in science innovation which is very unexpected from a duke. Also, I love how the author brings a different culture which is Eastern Culture. Showcasing the beauty of Eastern culture in their foods, clothes and every aspect of Adeline and Hasmik's life. It is such a beautiful book.

Historical romance. Regency or Victorian-era England. Book 2 of the Daring Ladies series. We follow the duke friend from Book 1 here about a year after that book ends into the country where he is working on his inventions. The Duke of Warwick (known to his sweet godmother as Daniel) is not your typical duke: he’s socially inept and awkward and focuses mostly on his passion for science and technology. While hiding in the country to escape the bustle of town and the matchmaking efforts of his godmother, he meets his new neighbor Adeline, who has her own problems. Adeline is the banished half-sister of an earl who is in the country to work as the village healer; however, her brother has tried to arrange her marriage to a moneylender to pay off his debts. When Warwick overhears the argument between Adeline and her brother, he steps in and says that she cannot marry another because they are courting. We start a fake courtship here so that Warwick can avoid his godmother’s pressure to marry and so that Adeline can avoid her brother’s arranged betrothal. Both characters are pre-occupied with their own individual goals and not looking to marry, especially not to each other. Of course, as they spend more time with each other, they learn to appreciate each other’s strengths, even if typically dismissed by society. I especially loved how Warwick was supportive of Adeline’s work as a healer. The romance built up slowly in this book, but the respect they had for each other was a strong foundation for their partnership.

Tina Gabrielle is a new author to me. I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC of How Not to Marry A Duke from Netgalley.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. Daniel Millstone, Duke of Warwick is most happy when trying to invent or improve something. Adeline Foster, a healer, is half sister to Edwin, the Earl of Foster who is a vindictive prejudiced person. Adeline's brother wants her to wed a moneylender he is heavily in debt to in order to forgive the debt. The Duke overhears their loud argument when he comes to return Adeline's pet pig who had wandered into his home. Instantaneously, he sees the need to step in and informs Edwin that he is courting his sister implying she cannot marry anyone else. What starts off as a fake courtship, turns into something magical and electrifying. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Tina Gabrielle makes her characters come alive and transports her readers into their world. A great story!

How Not to Marry a Duke was such a treat, it was like finally winning a prize from a claw machine. I read the first two books in the Daring Ladies series and I liked both of these novels, with the sequel eking out with the lead. As the reigning princess of tropes, I was more than pleased with how much this book had to offer: fake dating, healing touches, and an adorable pet pig. I was hooked from the beginning and I was delighted by how the main relationship developed throughout the story. Adeline was one of my favorite heroines in a hot minute. She was a smart independent woman who was proud of her Middle Eastern culture and strove to learn more about the healing arts. I couldn't relate to her love of animals, but I was willing to relent because of her swine sweetheart, Henry. How Not to Marry a Duke was like a magic carpet ride with surprises around every corner and I never knew what to expect after each amazing chapter.

I couldn't get enough of How Not to Marry a Duke and I was sad that it eventually had to end. I wonder which couple will be featured next in the sequel. Possibly a hero with a more romantic name than Warwick when moaning in passion? I gotta tell you it took me out when she wailed his name in a moment of excitement. Warwick just doesn't elicit great feelings of lust for me. The couple's passion for science as well as each other was wonderful to see. I mean if she considered a trip to an anatomical convention as a romantic gesture, we're in good company. I'm happy to have discovered Tina Gabrielle's work and I hope to read more of her publications in the future. This may have been entitled How Not to Marry a Duke, but I certainly wouldn't mind walking down the aisle with this one in particular!

How Not To Marry A Duke by Tina Gabrielle is the second book of her Daring Ladies Series and my very first book by this author.

And what can I say? It won't be my last! That's for sure! ♡

Lady Adeline and the Duke of Warwick are neighbours in a small village. He is only interested in his inventions, she's a healer and not really conventional.
As her half-brother - Lord Foster - forces her to marry a moneylender to pay his debts, Warwick - out of his usual character - helps her unusually. Pretending to courting Lady Adeline could be not the help she needs, but also the one he needs to deal with his godmother. But was it really a good idea?

OH MY GOODNESS!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED AND DEVOURED THIS BOOK!
The love story of Adeline and Warwick was
E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G! In my opinion it was so so so so good!
When they first met! OMG! I laughed so much! Adeline isn't this normal lady. She has a pet pig (Henry) and two huge dogs.
She's a healer and is such a strong and self-confident woman! I loved her so much!
And Warwick! Awwww! Be still my beating heart! 💓
He's the complete opposite! At first so uptight and a man, who's more interested into science than getting a wife.
The development of their relationship from the beginning to the end was SOOOO ENJOYABLE! I felt with them and swooned so many times! Oh dear! 🥰
And all these ups and downs! Awwww!
They had to deal with lot of things like the unpleasant half-brother or the dubious moneylender!
I really really loved this book and the characters! I'm not even sure how could not love this book!
It has everything! (I know I said it before, but I'll say it more times if necessary! LOL)

HOW NOT TO MARRY A DUKE is the perfect love story! An enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, fake engagement, historical romance full of love and laughter and drama and wonderful characters! ❤️

Thank you so much to Tina Gabrielle and Entangled Publishing for this ARC via NetGalley.
This my honest review in my own words.

The second in The Daring Ladies series does not disappoint. How Not to Marry a Duke will grab your attention from the moment you begin Adeline and Daniel's story. Tina Gabrielle has given readers a book that is well-written, filled it with a great cast of characters that I adored, they hold your attention as their individual personalities become more than just part of the tale they come off the pages and pull you into their story, sweet romance, witty banter and entertaining situations. With setting descriptions and action sequences that are wonderfully vivid that brings the story to life and brings this read together perfectly!

One moment, Daniel Millstone, Duke of Warwick, is enjoying tinkering with his inventions in his quiet country home. The next, he’s getting run down by a pet pig and trading verbal barbs with his new neighbor. But when Lady Adeline Foster’s half brother - and Warwick’s former nemesis - demands she marry a crooked loanshark, the duke does something shocking…he announces he’s courting Adeline.

This is the second book in the Daring Ladies series. It can stand alone, although the heroes from both books are friends and book one’s couple does play a small role.

This was my first read from this author and there were a lot of things I liked about it. The main couple has a “meet cute” as the exasperated Duke confronts his neighbor about all the noise. The blurb seemed to bill the story as enemies to lovers, but it was really more of a friends to lovers story. The main characters are quickly drawn into a fake relationship and spend quite a bit of time getting to know each other in order to pull off their ruse. While the build up here was too slow moving for me, I did appreciate seeing the characters interests in mechanical invention and medicine. I felt like the story picked up in the last 40% as Warwick and Adeline became more invested in each other and struggled with their feelings. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Tropes: Meet Cute, Working Heroine, Fake Relationship, Nemesis’s Sister

Steam: 2 (three scenes, but two were in the shorter side)

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #HowNottoMarryaDuke #NetGalley

Summary
Daniel Millstone, Duke of Warwick would rather be alone and tinkering with his machines, while Adeline Foster just wants to live a quiet life in the country and practice the healing arts, but circumstances force them to pretend they are courting. This way, Daniel can remove himself from the marriage mart, and Adeline is spared an arranged marriage she has no say in. What they do not count on, is deeper feelings emerging between them, despite the inauspicious start to their relationship.

Review
This is my first book by Tina Gabrielle and this, along with the fact that the female cover model seemed to be an Asian woman, made me very excited to jump into this story.

The first few chapters told me that Adeline's father was an English earl and her mother was the daughter of an Arab rug merchant, so there are expressions of her heritage scattered across the story (henna, za'atar, dolma, use of aloe vera for medicinal purposes, habibti, etc.). Adeline does experience bigotry, especially from her half-brother Edwin, the new earl. It was personally a little uncomfortable for me to read, but I got through it. In contrast, Daniel whole-heartedly embraces Adeline's culture and even takes part in it.

This is a classic fake-dating (fake courtship) story. The hero especially just wants to be removed from the marriage mart and the match-making machinations of his godmother. Their initial bargain is to keep up their ruse for the Season, and then go their separate ways. Obviously, it doesn't work out so easily, especially when feelings get involved.

Tina also really goes into the weeds when it comes to Daniel and Adeline's respective hobbies. There are multiple scenes where Adeline is given an opportunity to help people who are ill, and as for Daniel, uh... I will say this: trying to invent a steam-powered engine sounds a lot more impressive than a lawnmower.... or a self-tying corset 😂. But taking an interest in each others' passions is basically the tip-off point for their relationship, which I did think was cute. Like, he bought her an apron so she doesn't get bloodstains on her skirt! Their first kiss happens after they use the newfangled stethoscope on each other! She gets jealous about a lady mathematician and is all "have they shared more than FORMULAS?". It's great.

The sex:
I think the sex scenes were in all the right places— like sure, Adeline and Daniel were attracted to one another pretty early on, but it didn't make sense for their characters to have sex until they knew one another better, and that too, it's something they (Adeline especially, as a woman) choose of their own volition to have, outside the bounds of their courtship. The sex itself was nothing super stand-out.

Overall:
How Not To Marry A Duke wasn't personally for me, but if you're looking for a light read with diverse characters and feminist undertones, then I think you will enjoy this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Entangled Publishing for this ARC.