3.4 Stars
When Catherine Forster asks a handsome stranger to lead her out of the ballroom and into the Tremberley gardens, she hopes to glimpse its renowned Roman ruins…and maybe steal a kiss. But when she and her delectable escort are discovered in a scandalous embrace, Catherine is horrified to learn that she has been kissing John Breminster, heir to the man who ruined her family. Given that the Forsters are his sworn enemies, John had no choice but to walk away from Catherine that night. But even seven years later, still longs for her touch. Worse, when his father dies, John, now the Duke of Edington, finds himself with a problem that only Catherine can help him solve.
A debut novel & an interesting read, which was heavy on tropes & so the story suffered. I almost gave up after the first couple of chapters & put it to one side for a couple of weeks. However I did go back to it & finished it. I liked the author’s writing style but would like more character development & more concentration on the story rather than a trope led book. An interesting debut & I’ll certainly read more from the author as she hones her craft
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

LOVED THIS BOOK! I haven't read historical romance in such a long time but this book made me miss this genre so much!

I adored these two characters. I especially enjoyed Catherine. She was strong, kind and I loved that she always acted unbothered whenever John made her mad, which inevitably drove him INSANE. It was so entertaining and the chemistry between the couple was VERY hot. John was great too, I loved how obsessed he was with Catherine from the beginning (even though he didn't want to admit it), and his dedication to his sister was sweet and endearing.

I also found the mystery aspect of the book to be a great addition. This series and cast of characters is very intriguing, I can't wait for more from the Rank Rakes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lydia Lloyd for the ARC!

Catherine Forester’s life has not been easy, her mother died when she was very young and she was raised by her father and her Aunt Mary, but when she was a young girl, her Aunt Mary was embroiled in a huge scandal with their neighbor, the Duke of Edington. Caught in a compromising situation with the married duke by his young son and the duchess, Mary fled in shame. Catherine’s father was outraged at the duke and tried and failed to make him pay for dishonoring his sister, dying a year later and leaving Catherine orphaned, penniless, and shamed. She was taken in by Sir Francis Wethersby and his wife Elena, who did their best to shelter her from the scandals caused by her Aunt and Father. Years later, Catherine meets John Breminster, the Marquess of Forester and heir to the Duke of Edington at a ball thrown by Viscount Tremberley, but neither knows who the other is, until after they share a heated encounter in the garden and are saved from another very public scandal by John’s friend Lord Tremberley. To say they parted on bad terms would be very generous. But now years later, John is now the Duke and has come looking for Catherine for help in finding her Aunt Mary, help he will pay handsomely for. Catherine would love nothing more than to kick John out of her humble lodgings, but Sir Francis is dead and Catherine and Lady Wethersby and her young son Sir Ariel have fallen on hard times and despite her feelings for the duke, she can’t say no.

John had no choice but to seek out Catherine, a woman who is for all intents and purposes his family’s greatest enemy, even though she played no part in the scandal that ruined both families. But John loves his younger sister Henrietta more than any other person and unless he does his late father’s bidding, she will be left dowerless, and if that wasn’t bad enough, the money earmarked for her dowry will go to his vile second cousin. So to prevent that, he will have to ask Catherine for her help in finding her Aunt Mary, so he can fulfill the terms of his father’s will and protect his sister. He is sure he can remain professional, even though thoughts of her have haunted him for years. He will enlist her help, keep his lustful longings to himself, find her Aunt, and then never see her again. At least that is the plan…

This was a new to me author and I believe this is her debut novel. With that said, it was good for a debut, but it is a bit wordy, it also tends to meander off-topic, there are some title errors (Seriously if I had a dollar for every time an author erroneously called a duke “Lord Whatever” I would have a lot of money to spend on books), there are some odd word choices, like “the Rank Rakes” – I am not sure what she was going for using “Rank” but I just kept wondering if they smelled bad LOL, and I had a hard time believing that the “scandal” was the talk of the ton almost 17 years later. Yet, in all honestly, these issues were minor and I am sure the more this author writes, the better she will become. I did like her characters, the steamy love scenes, the general idea of the story as well as the ending and I will definitely be looking forward to the next book and following Ms. Lloyd’s career. And with that said, I would happily recommend this title to my fellow HR readers.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary arc.

I enjoyed this debut romance. The FMC, Catherine, was strong, independent, and knew her worth. I loved that she was a scholar and worked to support her family. The MMC, John, was your typical rakish duke who doesn’t want to be a duke because *family drama. He was also one of the h0rniest heroes I’ve read in a very long time. The relationship between Catherine and John was equally parts charming, frustrating, and hot. It was slightly Instalove-y, but not overly so. I still bough the relationship between the two. Asp for the mystery shenanigans that brought our two MCs together, I found it to be somewhat predictable, and I wasn’t entirely pleased with the resolution (SPOILER: I wish Mary had just stayed out of the picture, honestly), but it was satisfying in the sense that it allowed growth for both MCs. I really loved Catherine’s relationship with Lady Wethersby and Ariel, her family, and Henrietta. I also enjoyed John’s relationship with the Rank Rakes and look forward to their stories!

If you’re a fan of well crafted, immersive historical worlds, trope heavy themes, and spicy romance, this is definitely a book to add to your tbr!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tule Publishing for this ARC in return for my review.

This was a fun read.

The chemistry between our two mains reminded me of the dynamic between Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd's characters in the 80s show "Moonlighting". I was a child when that show aired, but I just remember thinking that they were fire: fun, sexy, loads of banter and sexual tension. They would go from hot to cold in an instant. The same can be said for our mains.

John Breminster father has died. Not only does he leave his son his title - but he has also added a stipulation to his will that requires John to seek out the help of Catherine Forster.

This is the same Catherine Forster whom he had met seven years prior at a country ball (they had a moment in the garden - and if you read historical romance, you know that means something). And the VERY same Catherine Forster who's very existence reminded John of his father's betrayal. With no other options, John requests Catherine to join him in tracking down her aunt Mary.

Their adventure is littered with little obstacles, and a mounting desire between the two. If slow burn is your thing - this might not be for you - because, while there is burning between our two leads - it isn't slow. Nor is it one sided: Catherine is a great, strong willed, smart character. Also they spend quite a bit of time in an enclosed carriage.

This is the first in a series (The Rake Chronicles) and I think it's a solid start. This book introduced us to John and his friends (whom will make up the remainder of the series) - all of whom seem to be characters that will be able to hold their own in their books.

I'm giving this a 3.5 stars - which is a solid, recommended read. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series - and I kind of hope that something happens between John's sister Henrietta and one of his friends ... but I think whatever Lydia Lloyd decides to do with her Rakes - we will all enjoy the ride.

This was loads of fun with lots of heart (and spice) thrown in for good measure.

This debut by Lydia Lloyd was just the type of historical romance I have been craving! This book is full of so many fun tropes including enemies to lovers and only one bed and honestly I just couldn't get enough. The characters of Catherine and John just jumped off the page from their very first encounter. The author made me equally so empathetic towards both characters and the hardships they have faced (Catherine more than John) while also making me want to just wack them in the head for some of the grudges they were holding. I enjoyed getting to see both characters perspective and how they were truly feeling, despite what they might have said aloud. This hero was totally gone for the heroine from day one! There were some pretty crazy twists and the miscommunication was definitely there, but for some reason the author just made it really work. All of the side characters were lovable and I've already started guessing who the next book will be about. I've been waiting for a historical to really suck me in again, and this book finally did it!

I really appreciate the obvious love Lloyd has for romance. Her Instagram account is basically romance 101.

Unfortunately I found the book to be too much. The insta lust/love didn’t convince me, the hero and his friends (especially the one who takes advantage of servants) are not redeemable. There were so many great tropes but I wish Lloyd had saved a few for the rest of the series. The twits never stop and while we all love a bonkers romance, this story needed more finesse.

It’s clear she loves and respects the genre and she writes well, so with some fine tuning and growing I think we can expect wonderful things to come.

Let me start by saying "this is a new author for me." I am thrilled to have read this story. The history, the characters dynamics, witty banter, and shocking content (to some but not me) made me accept a decision I made years ago ease some.

Most would find this story hard to accept and understand, however, if they look at it through the eyes of the characters living it then they will shed a tear, rejoice at the outcome, and be glad den to have been a little bit apart of the story through one of the characters. It will resonate to something in their own life that might help resolve an issue if they let it.

Reginald Brominated late Duke, his son John Breminster, Marquess of Forster, heir to one of the richest dukedoms, Duke of Edington, his sister Henrietta is is pride and joy. John as a child say something that caused a scandal but did not expect the outcome to be what transpired. It took seventeen years to see what really happened and the damage it caused.

Miss Catherine Forster, lost her family at age eleven. Her mother died in childbirth, her Aunt Mary was the closest thing to a mother for those first eleven years. Her father died after losing everything after fighting for something lost years before. Now Catherine has a truer family with Sir Frances and Lady Wethersby and their son, Sir Ariel Wethersby. When Catherine had no place to go the took her in and lived her for who she was, when Sir Frances' died Lady Wethersby would not hear of Catherine leaving to lessen the burden, even with the shorten funds she had. Now Catherine uses any funds she gets from her articles to help support Lady Wethersby and Ariel, whom she considers a brother.

Our story starts with John wanting to have a meaningful liaison with someone who sees him not his title, rank, or money. He is play acting as Mr. Overton, supposed penniless vicar and distant cousin of his friend, Viscount Tremberley one of the "Rank Rakes" as society refers to John and his friends. Earl of Montaigne and the Marquess of Leith, being the other two.

Catherine wants to have a flirtatious fling just once since society blames things on her that happened when she was a child and not even involved. So her friend Miss Marisa Plinty helps her. At a ball thrown by Discount Trek delay she is introduced as Miss Plinty's cousin, Miss Musgrave,

Now with the Duke's passing, John is given a task that he cannot refuse left in his father's will. So to Miss Foster he turns to for help. She agrees only if he pays her. The sum she knows he will reject but is shocked when he agrees. So off on the hunt they go.

To know what for and what happens you need to read the story. Along the way friends, family, and servants help open their eyes and hearts to things and in doing so they get more a dream come true.

So join the hunt, but don't forget to have a tissue handy in some chapter and enjoy a laugh in quite a few. Embrace new friends along the journey that will entice you to keep reading

This book was a flashback to the first regency romance I’ve read. Writers like Jo Beverly, Johanna Lindsey or Maya Banks, Books so well researched, neatly written and with the right pace for each plot twist. The only objection I have , I did not like the Duke very much, if it were not for the fact that Catherine falls in love at first sight, I would not have understood what the appeal was
.
The double point of view helps a little, but I was too m much into the family mystery to worry about the duke. Catherine seemed very relatable for the time, and her story touched my heart.
.
This is a regency romance that goes more to the angst side. The gender difference and the privilege of men favored by the monarchy and the noble society of the time and the difficulties that a woman has to go through to have recognition and be the owner of her economic future without being condemned to social ruin.
.
After having suffered a family scandal and having lost her father, Catherine is welcomed into Lord Wethersby's house and raised as one more daughter, but luck is not on her side when she meets a handsome vicar and instantly falls for him only to discover minutes later that he is her family's sworn enemy.
.
Seven years later, while Catherine tries to do everything possible to keep her adoptive family afloat financially with her writing, Jhon reappears in her life to propose a deal that is difficult to pass up.
.
Jhon needs to find her aunt so he doesn't lose part of the inheritance his father left for him and his sister and the only person capable of helping him is the one he left behind seven years ago and he can't stop thinking despite having all the reasons to hate her.
.
Catherine accepts the deal, since it is the only way to earn enough money to get her family out of ruin, but with this deal she is condemned to spend a lot of time near the person she hates most.
.
This is an enemies to lovers, with a mystery to solve and several plot twists that make you keep turning page after page almost addictively
.
Thanks to Lydia Lloyd for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

That night, neither of them themselves and both forever lost, the past cruelly crushed the present and abruptly ended their tryst…
Seven years later and the new Duke of Edington for barely a fortnight, John Breminster refused to let his father’s ironclad will destroy his sister’s future. Seeking her out his final option. She, scandal personified and the woman who had claimed his heart many moons ago and haunted his dreams ever since.
Learning the hard way just how cruel life and society could be, Catherine Forster had remained standing after losing nearly everything. The one moment of pleasure she’d granted herself that faithful night, and more specifically the man, still lingered in her dreams. And now he needed her help.
Neither of them responsible for the scandal that ruined both their families, they join forces on a quest with an uncertain outcome. But as their shared history reveals its secrets, will the truth divide them? Or can love truly conquer all?

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
📚 What starts as insta-lust, is actually star-crossed love-at-first-sight, and after years of longing, the blood stirs easily and the flesh is weak. He’s a reformed rake, something his charming band of brothers isn’t quite ready for, and she’s a clever lady thinking her family’s past will always haunt her.
I really enjoyed the way these two grew and communicated. The crazier the backstory became, the more they pulled together, and there never is any doubt they were made for each other.
This book is not perfect, but it’s a delightful, well-written and captivating debut. Tender, witty, emotional and steamy, I would recommend it to one and all, and I can hardly wait to read the sister’s story in the next book!

With a love of the genre, Lloyd makes her debut writing a historical romance that includes a multitude of tropes and a story within a story that is at the heart of a decades long feud.

Catherine Forster and John, the Duke of Edington, have grown up under the shadow of a scandal that rocked both of their families and caused them to become adults who loathed one another. Yet, as Lloyd beautifully crafts a story that puts Catherine and John in the same space for a significant amount of time, prejudices are tested and all that they thought they knew is toppled to the ground.

This was an absorbing tale and I thought that the author did a wonderful job with both protagonists. I experienced moments of frustration and loathing, as well as empathy and understanding, as I came to know these characters better, and experience their interactions.

Lloyd was masterful in how she crafted the cast of characters, pacing of the story, and the cadence of the romance between John and Catherine. There was a nice touch of complexity to characters that caused me to see them as nuanced beings, some of whom I adored (i.e.; Ariel, Lady Wethersby), and some who I did not (i.e.; Aunt Mary). Although, the intricate characterization of the players in this story ultimately caused me to step back and understand that people are like icebergs and the author will-and can-only reveal so much.

If I had one piece advice to give the author, it would be to develop a sleight of hand when integrating tropes into a story. Less is more when you can include a few tropes masterfully, and in a way that immerses your reader further into the plot and characterization.

Overall, I am highly impressed by Lloyd's debut as an author. She writes in a beautiful manner that took me effortlessly through this exquisite story. If you are a reader of historical romance, or interested in picking up this genre for the first time, I highly recommend this author be towards the top of your list.

I read and reviewed a DRC of this book thanks to Tule Publishing via NetGalley. All honest opinions are my own.

I'm always on the lookout for historical romances that lean more into angst and emotions, and this one did! I loved the way it dabbled in some old-school romance tropes, like the otherworldly beauty of the female main character, while still being very new school in its approach to sex and consent. A truly fun read and I am anticipating more from this author.

Catherine Forster finds herself ruined by the one man her family abhors. John Breminster is the heir to the Duke of Edington, the man who ruined Catherine’s family. Given that the Forsters are his sworn enemies, John had no choice but to walk away from Catherine that night. However, seven years later, when John becomes the duke, he finds himself drawn into assisting Catherine find her aunty.
The well-detailed book with two characters instantly drawn to each other, this book provided plenty of light entertained. The relationship between Catherine and John is fairly intense from the very beginning and doesn’t lessen given their time apart. I did find the instant attraction quite a bit to take on and I didn’t quite experience the gradual transition in their feelings towards each other. An entertaining read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For a first book, I felt this one was very good. It checked a lot of my boxes. The only thing I wished for was more dialog in the beginning of the story. But that is just me because I love lots of dialog. The story moved along pretty well and there was a little mystery (I did figure it out but it was fun seeing the characters finally discerning what happened). There was a lot of sexual tension which I totally loved.

I think this will be a series of the four friends and I saw the write up of the next story and wow, did not see that pairing coming but am anxious to read it.

Don’t overlook a new author, you never know when you will find your next auto-buy.

From the gorgeous cover to the tear-inducing epilogue, this book was the total package. I was completely swept up in the enemies to lovers tale of John and Catherine. They started out as a young couple meeting for the first time at a ball. They were both destroyed when they realized each other's true identity, since their families had been engaged in a bitter conflict for many years. They never spoke again until 7 years later when a desperate situation forced John to seek Catherine's help.
There were so many things to love about this book: the long-reaching mystery of the family conflict, the precocious young baron, the awful second cousin, the loyal housekeeper and the three dashing rakes. There was even an annoying parrot in there somewhere if I'm not mistaken. Nonetheless, John and Catherine's evolving relationship remained front and center. Even when all appeared to be lost, I had faith that things would work out somehow. This steamy tale kept me on pins and needles until the end. I was wiping my tears as I reached the epilogue. Once I started the epilogue, the tears kept on coming because the happy ending was perfect.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Genre: historical romance
England, 1815

The dark cloud of scandal has loomed over Catherine Forster for many years. She’s now debt-ridden and scraping by with the family who took her in upon the death of her father. So when John Breminster, newly minted Duke of Edington, reappears in her life seven years after their own near scandal, with an offer of ten thousand pounds, she’s shocked, but in no position to say no. Her task: locate her aunt who went into hiding after her own scandal with the former Duke of Edington. The stakes: a sixty thousand pound dowry for John’s younger sister is on the line, and he’ll pay her handsomely for her help. The sparks between John and Catherine from seven years prior haven’t faded, though, and proximity will surely lead them down a path of their own mistakes.

For anyone who follows Lydia Lloyd on instagram, you know her as a purveyor of microtropes. She’s known for detailed research and sharing recommendations to match. So it’s no surprise that her debut novel is a trope driven adventure. Unfortunately for me as a reader, it starts with instalust that then spans seven years, which is rarely going to work for me as a reader. And while I love a good scandal, I wasn’t convinced this one would span generations.

When the Duke Loved Me has some very funny moments (Ariel, for example, is funny in the way an earnest ten-year-old never means to be) and some very passionate moments. But the hot/cold relationship the hero has with the heroine doesn’t work for me, and ultimately John and Catherine lacked the romantic chemistry I look for and the plot twists relating to John’s sister and her dowry overshadowed true relationship growth.

I truly look forward to the next book from Lydia Lloyd though, because there are strong elements in this debut, even if the book didn’t work for me. I know it will work for other readers, especially ones who enjoy a trope driven narrative!

Thank you to Tule Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC for review. When the Duke Loved Me is out 8/28/23.

Wow. This is what I want out of a historical romance! A new favorite.

I loved the angst and the reconciliations. In a lot of ways, the premise is a blend second-chance and a rocky start. John and Catherine meet at a masked ball and are attracted to each other right away. But soon their disguises are revealed, much to their horror. Their families have been at odds ever since Catherine's aunt and John's father, had a torrid affair. A few years later, they reconnect when John needs Catherine to fulfill part of his late father's will.

Their scorn for each other is justified and palpable, full of hurt on both sides. There is great groveling, and growing. It's tender, sexy, and tense. I couldn't put it down.

I can't wait to read more from this author.

This was a delightful debut from Lloyd and while it didn't whisk me away the way some books do, it was VERY satisfying to finish. Lloyd has a very sweet way with words and her prose make it easy to picture and understand what is going on. She's also very good with dialogue! Some of my favorite lines were quotes mentioned by the characters.

Both John and Catherine were wonderful characters to follow. Witnessing their transition from enemies to friends to lovers was almost seamless. Sometimes it seems like character move too swiftly or erratically into and thru the relationship, but there was an organic element to their growth from start to finish. Perhaps that is why the ending felt so gratifying. Had I a physical copy, I can only imagine how satisfactory it would feel to close the back cover.

As someone who really enjoys the manipulations of side characters in stories, I was SO pleased with all of the involvement of the friends and family members of John and Catherine. And can I just say it was *amazing* to read the age-appropriate actions of a ten-year-old? As a parent, I often cringe at child characterization because it just doesn't match up with the actions of actual children. However, in this case, Sir Ariel had me giggling with his accuracy.

All that to say I can't wait to see what book has in store. Lloyd certainly excelled at her storytelling through the tropes, even managing to through in a few surprise twists. Looking forward to Henrietta and Hugh story next!

It is so clear from this book that Lydia Lloyd has such a love for historical romance and the tropes we find within - her social media posts are some of my favorites and she clearly has a lot of knowledge and does a lot of research.

I really enjoyed her writing and thought the dialogue was both well-written and realistic. Oftentimes in debut novels I feel like the dialogue can feel just a bit stilted but i did not have that experience here! I loved some of the side characters, notably Henrietta and Ariel. The first 15% of this book actually hooked me and I was looking forward to continuing...

Unfortunately I really struggled with other aspects of this book as it went on - I think it essentially boils down to there being both too many plots and tropes. This has some of my favorite tropes but because it has just SO many the story ends up feeling quite bogged down and without one line plot to hold it together. Instead we had way too many plot lines - one would resolve and then there would be another plot line out of nowhere that the characters have to contend with. It gave a distinct feeling of whiplash that I assumed would slow down by the last 15% of the book but instead just somehow increased.

The other major issue I had with this book is that essentially every adult character was terrible and some were downright unlikeable! From the very beginning I hated John and needed him to GROVEL and he absolutely did not. I did like Catherine in the beginning however she makes some wild assumptions (really all of the characters do) as the book continues. Catherine's aunt and John's father were also terrible people and I do not feel an ounce of sympathy for them - I feel like the end was supposed to redeem them to readers but it really did not work in my case. Catherine and John's relationship was also based on one night of lust 7 years ago - and he's carried this torch for her ever since? It just really never made sense to me and I had a hard time understanding their chemistry since it's essentially insta-lust/love as they've never actually spent time together.

I was really looking forward to this one and I think it has good bones - in my opinion it ultimately needed a significant developmental edit to simplify the plot and tropes. I will never write off an author based on a debut novel - I can't imagine the work that went into this and everyone needs time to grow their craft! So I will absolutely look forward to Lydia's next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tule Publishing for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily

This is an engaging, well-written story, but it's too dark and steamy for me. I wish the content warnings had been included in the book description. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.