Loved reading the marvelous & sensational romance story. When the new Duke of Dedham, Rhain, arrives with his mother and sisters, Valencia, the Dowager Duchess, has to leave her home, but Rhain makes a deal with Valencia to get his sisters ready for London society in return for a place in London. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting love story. Can't wait to read the next book by the phenomenal author, Sophie Jordan!

This is my first journey into this author's writing and I must say I was captivated. Rhain, wasn't really meant to be a Duke so when it lands in his lap, he is as unprepared as his siblings. Valencia, the current Duchess, never expected her horrific husband to die. Making a deal to help each other only opens doors that were unexpected but subconsciously desired. A well crafted story of two souls who find peace and joy through adverse pasts.

From Duchess to Dowager Duchess in a split second!

Valencia, the Duchess Dedham, was relieved when her husband fell down the stairs and died. No loss as the man she’d married was very different after his accident, often brutally so. She’d waited eleven months as the grieving widow and was looking forward to being out and about in society. Unconcerned at that moment that the family solicitors had finally found an heir—in remote Wales.
Valencia ignored this fact, determined to put of her bereavement clothes and enjoy life, beginning with an attendance at Vauxhall. Floating down the river on her father’s yacht ended in disaster when she went overboard. Rescued by a stranger on a passing barge full of revellers, all male, was both a relief and discomforting, especially with regard to her rescuer, and her dampened dress. Never mind, she’d never see them again.
Imagine Valencia’s shock when the very next day the new Duke’s mother and a gaggle of six sisters descended upon her, informed her of her new status as Dowager Duchess, and took over her household without a by your leave. Bedlam descended, all without the Duke.
The Duke, arriving later, annoyed with his family, took one look at Valencia and realized she was the lady he’d rescued from the Thames, and lusted after. In a fit of pique, he asked her to leave. He threw her out of her home. Valencia has nowhere to go but the dowager house in the remote wilds of Yorkshire, far from everything and everyone she knows. Valencia is stunned.
Valencia understands that the Duke’s sisters will have a hard time being accepted by the ton. Their dreams would come to nothing. No Duke from Wales would be able to stop their disappointment. The heartlessness of the ton was well known. Rhain realizes his sisters will be eaten up by the ton. They will be ignored and laughed at. He has to do something. He asks Valencia to bring them up to scratch. In return he will buy a house in London for her and increase her stipend.
Then there was the Rhain’s cousin, the affable Dewey (also from the barge!) Valencia was suspicious of him. Something was off. She was even more wary when she discovered him in a room with her maid. This was the man Rhain intended to oversee his properties while he went back to Wales.
I really enjoyed the first three quarters of the book, then it all went awry in the last quarter. Too many surprises revealed. The characters just felt all over the place and disconnected. What was a pleasing buildup fell away. The inclusion of her father stepmother at the end might be setting up for the next book, but it was a slightly offsetting note.
I liked Valencia. I liked Rhain, the new duke and his siblings. I appreciated Valencia’s terror at the hands of her husband. I understand her fear of the house party and her encounter with the dastardly Lord Burton.
Much to recommend in this intriguing “enemies to lovers” plot, and parts to puzzle over.
I must say I was rather drawn to the cover.

An Avon and Harper Voyager ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

✔️ Rich/Poor
✔️ Insta-Lust
✔️ And They're Roommates

I love that this historical was about a widow who is ready for a fresh start after an awful marriage. You can't help but root for Valencia, and want things to go her way

The tension with the new Duke who moves into her house with his mother and sisters? Exquisite. He's not grumpy but his curtness and stoicism make him seem so. She's not a sunshine, but she doesn't stop trying despite all her setbacks. The pairing of these two is perfection with the mutual pining and yet both unsure what the other thinks of them.

Highly recommend this if you're into historical romance!

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

I really enjoyed reading the latest in Sophie Jordan's The Scandalous Ladies of London Series, The Duchess. I always enjoy her writing along with the fact that most of her heroines are a little older. I enjoy that take in a historical regency instead of a younger debutante just starting her seasons. It gives you a different look at how life was and how women would continue on with their lives after major events took place. Valencia and Rhain did have a slow burn romance where they both had to work through some major issues to be able to come together as a couple, especially for Valencia and dealing with past trauma from her first marriage. I loved the comic relief that Rhain's sisters provided in the story.. I felt the ending was a little rushed but the story had enough of a hook and suspense that it kept me engaged, and I can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy!

I have always been a huge fan of Sophie Jordan and these new series of hers keeps us on our toes for sure. This is the 2nd book in the series of The Scandalous Ladies of London. These are strong ladies who are more than the glitter and glam of London and the ton. These ladies are fighting to stay at the top and to protect themselves. This book won’t disappoint. Valencia is the Dowager Duchess of Dedham, whose awful husband died a year ago. Now the unexpected new Duke has moved in, along with his mom and sisters. She thinks she is once again in for the worse but after making an agreement with the new Duke she is able to stay and help his sister's debut. In exchange she will be financially stable and allowed to stay in London with her friends. Now Rhain, who never expected this fancy life for him and his family, has to take on the role of Duke and all its responsibilities. The more they are together the more they are drawn to each other and the things they had planned for their lives aren’t really what they want in the end.
You are going to love the strong characters and detailed storytelling that Jordan is known for. You won’t want to put this book down. If you haven’t read the first book it is still okay to start here, you’ll want to read it though as soon as you're done. Be aware of some mature matters that Jordan handles very well. Trust me, the wit, the passion and adventure is exactly what you need in this story. Enjoy.

This was an exciting and wonderful read by one of my favorite authors. Ms.Jordan writes a spectacular tale of romance with a hot hunky hero and a beautiful Duchess. The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own. I love this series but can be read as a stand alone.
Valencia, the Dowager Duchess of Dedham, has become a widow. Her abusive husband is finally dead and now she can live the life of a free woman. She will not be beholden to no man. Valencia is now living in the ducal townhouse because the new Duke of Dedham as arrived along with his six unmarried sisters. Rhain is a brawny good looking Welshman who really didn't want to become the next Duke. But with so many sisters in tow, he has to give them a chance to get husbands.
He has met the Dowager Duchess and can't quite get over the fact that she is beautiful. His senses are reeling and his libedo is on high alert. Why couldn't the woman be old and ugly? Oh, dear. What does he do now?
Since Valencia is low on money, Rhain needs to get his sisters' through a season. and he will pay for her to launch them. Even they are needing lots of instruction on how to dress, act and talk with members of the ton.
There is a slow burn to the romance between Rhain and Valencia. Flashbacks of the story take up a lot from the romance. But there is a happy ever after after the villain is defeated.
I appreciated Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

I was a big fan of The Countess and so excited to read Valencia’s story in The Duchess. Redemption stories are some of my favorites and picking up right on the tail of the last Scandalous Ladies of London story, I knew Valencia would finally get her HEA after being married to a beast of a man. I think Sophie Jordan does an excellent job of taking women’s burdens and struggles and making them relatable and sympathetic. She knows how to write women who have suffered their husband’s cruelty and have a second chance at life and love. This is my favorite part of her storytelling and I was so pleased to see Valencia reawaken from her pitiable life under the thumb of her late husband, the Duke of Dedham.
Rhain was a strong foil to her—his “who did this to you” vibes and quietly strong presence balanced Valencia’s unparalleled beauty and demure countenance. I just wish I got to see more from him and his point of view because I really liked him as a hero!
Readers will remember the surprise ending of The Countess and there’s definitely a bit of a plot twist at the end of The Duchess as well. I’m not sure that it did anything to help me feel that Rhain and Valencia should be more enamored with each other. I think this book could have had several different endings and I would’ve liked to see one where their relationship grows as a result of the two of them, not because events force them to act (again this is because I REALLY enjoyed both characters and wanted more from them). That includes the intimate scenes—they’re so good—give us more please! I have a suspicion Hazel’s story will come next, and she is possibly one of the most intriguing characters because she did not come from gentry. I would definitely recommend reading The Countess first in order to establish relationships (also, it’s really good!) and would recommend this for a quick cozy afternoon read. It will do the trick! I received an early copy from NetGalley and Avon. All opinions are my own.

Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟
Heat: 🪭.5️⃣
Plot as told through emojis:
👩🏻🎂🛥️🍃🛟🧔🏻‍♂️🏠👯‍♀️👯‍♀️👯‍♀️🤴🏻👉📦👰🏼‍♀️👗👴🏻👩🏻😔💰🙏🏼🎱🙈🐶🎩🎶🦵🔥🎭🚪🤫🥵☀️✉️😥🔮🩼💃🧳👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨🥷🪢⛑️💘

CW: Domestic abuse, kidnapping, death of spouse mentioned multiple times, miscarriage mentioned off page

This was very unexpected in a way that the story didn’t go in a way I thought it would. I absolutely loved the Countess, but this one didn’t flow very well for me. Every 5 chapters there was also a past chapter then the last 10 % revelation mystery plot came out of nowhere. Valencia is now a dowager duchess after her abusive husband is found dead. The next heir to accept the dukedom is Rhain (who also has unusual accent that make’s Valencia melt) who moves in her house with his 6 unwed sisters. Rhain asks Valencia to help train his sisters to enter into society for the marriage mart in return she’ll have her independence and financial security. Over time with how much those two spend together, their attraction grows. I only felt friendship in this story with the couple and not really a love development between Valencia and Rhain. I wished we saw more interaction with Valencia and her friends. I just think things moved quick slow in this one.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Mystery, Curiosity, Thrilling Romance:
We first meet Valencia throwing away her widows' weeds and anxious to be set free to discover all life as to offer her.
An act of fate brings Rhain face to face with Valencia in a most unusual way. You can't say this was a happy meeting but a year later the unexpected does happen and their lives will change from this point forward.
A sparkling immediate attraction but a slow building romance story that had me glued to the explosive pages.
Their lives a turned upside down and around as their undeniable desire takes over and sets the pages on fire by the last few chapters where all hell breaks loose.
There are many situations for both H and h to deal with, a large family which is complex to say the least and of course there happens to be a mysterious foul plot that pops up towards the end that brings many shocking surprises that I did not see coming.
An enjoyable romance story with lots of desirous connections between the duke and the dowager duchess, that held my interest to a wonderful ending.
📖Review rating: Passionate💋💋💋💋 bumped my 4.5 rating up to 5 stars.⭐

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

I *really* like Ms. Jordan's writing style and I was primed to really like Valencia. I have a soft spot for women (fictional or otherwise) coming from abusive situations. She was so supportive of Tru in The Countess (I LOVE the female friend group situation going on here) and I was really ready for her to have her happy ending after the events of Tru's book. Rhain took a lot more work to warm up to, but eventually I came around. I did feel the chemistry between them, the pull towards each other, and living in the same house I suppose there would have been enough proximity for a familiarity to grow.

However.

The plot was somewhat inconsistent in its trajectory, with things introduced that went unresolved (like the "get the sisters ready for their society introductions" plotline that fell by the wayside; like the mom's vociferous objections to Valencia, like the other guy, Burton, who was creepy and persistent - nothing ever happened to him, right? Will he just... recur?, etc etc). I felt myself waiting for resolutions that never came. The "twist" at the end felt a little left field too, and the intimate scene seemed startlingly abrupt and odd.

Not to say that I didn't enjoy the book - I did! I did!!!!! - but I think The Countess was a stronger book. ⭐⭐⭐1/2

The Duchess by Sophia Jordan gives the reader a gritty view of the widowed life facing a spouse of a deceased peer of the realm. For all the glitter and glamour in the life of a Duchess, the reality of her future can be grim and unfair, especially if the husband has not generously provided for his widow. Such is the state of Valencia, former Duchess of Dedham, as the newly found Duke of Dedham makes his appearance and claims the title and house. Adding to her shock is that he has brought his mother and his 6 unmarried sisters with him! Rhain Lloyd, Duke of Dedham, is from a small town in Wales and is his own man in personality and purpose. This invasion of the Lloyds spells the end to Valencia's London life filled with friends and activities. Sophia writes these chapters so sharply that we can feel Valencia's heartbreak over leaving the home she lovingly created during her 15 years of marriage as well as her frustrating powerlessness against the will of men.
Rhain understands the viciousness of the Ton and knows his sisters will be torn apart without a mentor’s instruction. He gives Valencia is given a choice with the promise of economic freedom in the future. Rhain actions reveal a man who deeply loves his sisters. As much as he wants her out of his home to quell his growing attraction to Valencia, he needs her in his sisters’ lives.
The twist at the end surprised me and, in my opinion, the resolution of the story felt abrupt and rushed. I would have liked the book to be a little longer with more chapters focusing on the developing relationship between Rhain and Valencia. Was it more than just lust on his part and was it just Valencia's widowed state that made her want Rhain so much. There are steamy scenes and chemistry between them, but I thought they needed more time to connect heart wise.
I did enjoy reading Valencia’s and Rhain’s story in The Duchess and look forward to the next book in The Scandalous Ladies of London Series.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary opinion based solely on my reading experience.

The Duchess by Sophie Jordan is the second book in the series.
Valencia, Duchess of Dedham has earned her title. She was once happy to call herself the Duchess, she actually married for love. But that was years ago and so many painful memories from now. Yet with her husbands untimely death she is finally free. She can explore all the things she has been missing and to afraid to take a chance. And how quickly plans change when the heir to the Dukedom appears in London to lay claim to all.
Rhain Llyod is out of his element in London, used to a much quieter life in Bryn Bychan Wales. Choices were taken from him as the laws of primogeniture cannot be ignored, he is the Duke of Dedham. With that comes the responsibility of launching all of his sisters in the unsuspecting ton. Lucky for him he has the perfect tool to assist, the now Dowager Duchess. Sadly, she does not come with all the other trappings of the new title, but keeping his distance may prove to be impossible.

Another Sophie Jordan gem. This book is beautifully written, exploring women’s lives in ways that only romance novels can. I loved the two leads—such well thought out characters. I was a bit smitten with the Duke myself. Sophie Jordan has really perfected the art of storytelling over the years. The chemistry between the leads has you turning pages, but there’s also so much richness to her worlds and text. My only criticism is now that I’ve read this one, I have to wait for her next novel to come out!

The Duchess is book two in The Scandalous Ladies of London Series by Sophie Jordan.
This is such an entertaining, well-written, steamy, historical romance novel that is so captivating I couldn’t put my Kindle away.
I just really adored this novel, I found it to be so interesting, I loved all of the characters and I am just so excited to see where this series go.

Thank You NetGalley and Avon for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book had it all--heartbreak, secrets, betrayal, mystery, family, friends and a sizzling forbidden romance. Valencia's married life had been difficult and being widowed actually came as a bit of a relief. She had a wonderful group of female friends and she was ready to begin living her best life. All of this came to a screeching halt when her beloved home was beset by a horde of young women. Making matters even worse, the ladies were followed by their older brother who also happened to be the heir of Valencia's late husband. Rhain, the new duke, was devastatingly handsome. Unfortunately, his presence signaled the fact that Valencia's tenure as duchess was truly over.
Rhain did not know his predecessor. He was only there to take care of estate matters and get his six sisters established in society. He decided that it would be beneficial for his sisters if he kept the lovely widow around to mentor them. At least that's what he told himself.
When I began reading this book, I only expected to enjoy the usual tropes. Yes, they were there but there were also a few unexpected surprises. Valencia was an emotionally deep character and she experienced a lot during the course of the story. The romance was certainly passionate, but Valencia's personal journey stood out as well. Her story is definitely not over and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Valencia and Rhain in the next book of the series. I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Once upon a time, Valencia married the man of her dreams, but not long after their wedding, her dream became a nightmare when her husband was injured in an accident and changed from the charming man she married into a mean, abusive drunk. For years she endured his abuse, both physically and verbally, until another accident finally ended his life. Now a year later, Valencia is the widowed Duchess of Dedham, and ready to live again, but things do not go as planned and instead of a fun night celebrating her birthday with friends at Vauxhall Gardens, she takes a dip in the Thames and is pulled out by a rude boor of a man and if that was not bad enough, she is awakened the next day by the arrival of the same rude boor who happens to be the new Duke, along with his mother and six unmarried sisters and is unceremoniously kicked out the house she has lived in for over a decade! But launching unmarried six sisters into London society is more than his mother can handle and Valencia sees an opportunity – she will prepare the girls for their debuts and in exchange the duke will pay her handsomely. She just has to keep her eye on the prize and ignore the attraction she feels for the new duke, because if there is one thing Valencia knows it is love is an illusion. She fell for that trick once and learned her lesson the hard way, so that won’t be a problem…

Welshman, Rhain Lloyd is a self-made man who has no interest in being the Duke of Dedham, but with no choice, he travels to London with his mother, cousin and his six unmarried sisters (he has 12). His plan is to access the dukedom and its holdings then have his cousin act as his steward, so he can return to Wales and his quiet, ordered life. He is shocked to learn that the woman he fished out of the Thames is the late duke’s widow, which makes her off-limits in his mind. And because of his attraction, he needs her gone ASAP, but when it becomes clear that his mother is not prepared to launch his sisters into society, he makes a deal with Valencia. He will pay her to present his sisters to the ton and find them husbands and then she will leave and he will carry on with his original plan. He can control himself and there is no way he would ever fall in love with her, so that won’t be a problem…

This was a well-written, somewhat emotional story that focuses mostly on Valencia’s journey to HEA. The book is filled with emotional healing, some triggers, lots of sisters, a stuffed dog, well-meaning “ride or die” friends, secrets, low steam love scenes, betrayal, blackmail and finally a well-deserved happy ending complete with an epilogue. I liked this story, and my heart broke for Valencia, she was badly used and yet she never broke, she is a survivor who fought for her happy ending, and I was rooting for her all the way. Much like the previous book, this story didn’t “wow” me and I never really felt the romance. And am I the only one who found Poppet uber creepy? Anyway, IMO the book was not a keeper, but it was still a good read with a happy ending. This is the second book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone title with no problems. Please note, this book does have content that might be upsetting to some readers, and I would suggest checking out the content warning before reading the book.

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.*

This is an amazing book that will delight romance fans! I also just really love the cover, which I found striking.

Valencia and Rhain were so fun to read about. From tumbling off a boat into the river and being rescued to the very end, the book was non-stop entertainment. The Duchess had lost her husband and is ready to leave her mourning period. Just when she's ready to move on, Rhain and his sisters take over her house, meaning she'll be relegated to the dowager house in the country. I wish she had the foresight to think of the plan to help the sisters come out to society, but Rhain comes to her "rescue" again, giving her the chance to change her fate. The whole cast really adds to the story, from family to friends. No stone is left unturned in the tale, secrets are uncovered, and a villain is even afoot. the only thing that was kind of odd was the parts told from Hazel's POV. I wasn't quite sure why we needed to sympathize with her, other than to not paint her as a complete villain. Perhaps her story will be the next book? I wish I had read The Countess, and I just might have to grab a copy to dive more into this world. Sophie Jordan has never disappointed me. Looking forward to more stories!

Almost a year after the death of her husband, Valencia, Duchess of Dedham, can finally begin to enjoy her life as a widow. The only problem is that the day she decides to take charge of her life, the new duke, his mother, and six sisters arrive taking their place in here home. And, the new duke, Rhain, is unfortunately the very handsome man who had nothing nice to say about Valencia the night before after she fell into the Thames. Rhain agrees to allow Valencia to stay at the London house so she can help launch his sisters into society, but finds himself constantly distracted by her attractive presence and soon learns she finds him equally distracting.

I enjoyed the previous book in this series and I liked this one even more. The vibe is kind of a Real Housewives of Regency London with confessional quips starting each chapter. As always Sophie’s writing is fast paced and easy to read. I read the book in one sitting on a Sunday afternoon and had a delightful time. While the book does have darker undertones it is overall a book about love. I loved Rhain and the sections in his POV were absolutely wonderful with him fully taken over by lust/love that he could not string together a coherent thought let alone a coherent sentence. This is the type of thing I want in my romances but have found to be lacking in so many recent romances. I want to feel the heat and tension between the characters and I always know Sophie can deliver on that front. I am excited to see where this book goes. From how the book ended my guess is the next book will be about Valencia’s step mother Hazel, but we shall see. No matter who the next book is about, I will read it.

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