I devoured "Second Duke's the Charm" by Kate Bateman, and I can't stop gushing about how much I loved it. The story revolves around Tess Townsend, the Dowager Duchess of Wansford, who unexpectedly finds herself in possession of her newfound freedom and a mystery to solve when her elderly husband dies on their wedding night. Her journey as one of Her Majesty's Rebels, alongside her two closest friends, is both intriguing and empowering.
When Tess encounters Justin Thornton, a cynical shipping magnate who inherits a dukedom, their lives take an unexpected turn. Justin, an unexpectedly endearing and practical character, proposes a marriage of convenience and passion to meet their mutual needs. The chemistry between them is electric, and you can't help but root for this unconventional couple.
The plot is a delightful blend of romance, intrigue, and humor. I couldn't put the book down, and I found myself fully immersed in the charming world Kate Bateman has created. The secondary characters, including Tess's friends, add depth and dimension to the story. If you're a fan of historical romance with strong, independent heroines and witty, lovable heroes, "Second Duke's the Charm" is an absolute must-read.

I'm a bit torn on how to feel about this book. The romance? Great, really enjoyed the interplay between Tess and Justin, they sizzle on the page and I buy what they see in each other. All of the other conflict? It completely petered out.

The first 20% of the book isn't my favorite, it's a lot of set up and it is a definite slow start to the romance until it hits the accelerator big time. Justin is barely in town for a minute before he proposes a marriage of convenience and then the relationship plot is off with a bang. This was the strongest part of the book for me, seeing Tess and Justin interact and play off each other. Tess is a really fun character who has secrets, but she holds firm to who she is at all times. Her friendship with the other girls is great and I loved their dynamic. Justin isn't as full fledged as a character, he feels more like a stock version of a romance hero, who doesn't want to fall in love and is a self-made man, but he sparks when combined with Tess. I am also not immune to the "hardened man discovers jealousy for the first time" trope.

The problem is that I never really cared about the blackmail plot or the "who is trying to kill Justin and/or Tess" plot. It feels like an afterthought in the book with both plots wrapping up relatively easily and without much fanfare. One of them even wraps up entirely off the page and we're just told about it later. It leaves the ending as more of a whimper than a bang.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Tess's husband dies on her wedding night, it solves all of her problems--she doesn't have to be married to an old man she has no interest in, she's still free from her father, and she has money and a place to live--and she's free to keep running an investigation agency with her two friends. But two years later the next heir to the duke is finally named, and when he shows up, Tess recognizes him as her dalliance from a party she attended in disguise,
Justin Thornton, the new duke, proposes a deal: they'll marry, so neither of them has to worry about finding a new spouse or their place in society; and they'll be lovers, so both of their needs will be satisfied. This deal will last three months, at which time he will retreat to his own residence, leaving Tess with the houses and more than enough money to live on. She agrees, hoping he won't discover that she's completely inexperienced in the bedroom.
Meanwhile, Tess and her friends are investigating a matter for the queen, and Tess is keeping this part of her life secret from her husband. But accidents keep befalling the two of them, and Justin is getting suspicious, thinking she has a lover on the side.

Overall, I found this book very fun. I loved the dynamic between Tess and Justin, and Tess's friends were great, as well. I wish it had been a little longer (I would have loved to see just a little more of Justin falling for Tess) but my only real issue was Tess's preoccupation with not being seen as a prostitute. A line or two about that would have made sense (especially as she reckoned with the fact that she was, in her words, selling herself to Justin) but there was a section of the book that focused on it way too much, which was especially disappointing considering Justin's views on prostitution were actually quite refreshing. Aside from that, I enjoyed the book and will definitely be reading the rest in the series.

This book hooked me from the start. I love a regency romance but I couldn't put this book down. The friend group was exceptional. I loved everything about this book.

A charming, solid start to a new historical romance series, Second Duke's the Charm showcases all of Kate Bateman's strength as an author: charming banter, sharp, contemporary writing (I would say her books are a great place to start for readers new to the genre), and a good balance between plot and romance.

I particularly enjoyed the all-females, 'Charlie's Angels', detective agency setup, and the novel actually put this aspect to good use with some decent sleuthing sequences. The arranged marriage trope was also well-executed, even though the resolution to the third act conflict felt abrupt and rather inconclusive (however it was definitely 'grand'), and one could argue this novel leaned into the recent 'spicy romance' preference with its abundance of steam—while I appreciated the variety, it did feel a bit excessive and indulgent at times.

Second Duke's the Charm doesn't break any new ground, and isn't the most memorable historical romance I've ever read, but it's overall well-crafted (I was hooked from the very first paragraph), fun, and filled with plenty of endearing details—sometimes that's really all one needs.

Thanks for giving an advance of this book. I actually really enjoyed it but my favorite parts were the interactions between Tess, Daisy, and Ellie. Not many romances focuses on friendships, which is fine, but it’s always very refreshing to see this be included into romances. I’m not sure I found Justin as a compelling love interest. I liked his idea for his grovel but I always just want more. My only complaint is that some times the chapters ended kind of abruptly? Other than that I liked it! I will be recommending this.

I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC of Second Duke's The Charm by the amazing Kate Bateman from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Tess Townsend was forced to marry a very old man, though he was a Duke, he was a decrepit man. Fortunately for her, he died on their wedding night. The new Duke of Wansford, Justin Thornton, makes a proposition to Tess. He marries her for the connections she has, and she gets to stay and continue to be the Duchess. What neither of them realize is that the terms they have set pre-marriage may or may not still be valid as the more time they spend with each other as well as the blooming attraction between them. I love this story for its simplicity though there is some duplicity involved between the characters. A great read!

“Second Duke's the Charm” by Kate Bateman
A TRUE PAGE-TURNER STORY
I truly did enjoy my time within this story. It was so addictive that I begrudged anything that took me away from reading just one more chapter or page. A fun easy reading story. Yes there a few scenes that may have a tad too much detail for some readers; but you can quickly turn those pages and get on to the next scene. This is too good a story to not read. Happy Reading ! !
Note: This review expresses my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley

This starts very strong, with a heroine who very much deserves to have a happy ending and her two equally deserving friends, who hopefully (and presumably) will be the heroines of the rest of the trilogy. Tessa's alcoholic father forced her to marry a wealthy, elderly duke for the money, and the best thing to happen to her is when he drops dead before consummating their marriage - and the second best is her father's unlamented demise shortly thereafter. Newly wealthy, Tessa and her friends Daisy and Ellie launch an investigative service aimed at helping women escape bad situations. Things get rough when a new duke is (finally) found, and that's when the romance plot kicks off, with Justin and Tessa falling madly in lust at first encounter.

Sadly, once they've met the book peters out a bit. Tessa and Justin as a couple just aren't quite as compelling as Tessa and her friends, which is a definite issue in a romance novel. Their chemistry is good, but between the anachronistic underwear (no drawers during the Regency, people, or at least not how they're always described) and Justin's bland insistence that he won't fall in love, things become much more by-the-numbers than in other Bateman books I've read. It's still good, don't get me wrong, but it also isn't as good as it could be. That, however, will not stop me from reading the rest of the series.

I haven’t read anything by this author before but was drawn in by the pretty purple and red cover and the description of three women who run an investigative agency to help people being taken advantage of by those in power. From the very beginning I was drawn in and I zoomed through the book because I was enjoying it so much. The friendship between these women and their cheeky humour, the attraction and flirty banter between Tess and her new Duke… I loved that they had two different meetings under different circumstances and that they just rolled with it.

I did find myself wanting a little more of pretty much everything—the case that the women are working on, the potential murder plot, time between Tess and Justin—and especially towards the ending when it all came together in a bit of a rush. And even though I understood the message behind value and cost, it seemed a little antithetical to who Tess is and where she comes from for Justin to be gambling exorbitant amounts of money away to show his devotion (after all, the value to him isn’t equal to what that kind of money would mean to her or many of the people she’s helping!). But all in all, I really loved all of the characters, particularly the three women who run King & Co., and I can’t wait to read the other stories in this series and delving into the author’s backlist in the meantime.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of Second duke’s the charm.

I found this book really cute! I thought the characters were all really detailed and I felt like I knew them. I loved the growth shown between Tess and Justin. I really enjoyed the detective agency storyline.

This is a great and quick read. I definitely recommend.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
While this was not my favorite Kate Bateman book, it was still a fun and enjoyable read. I'm getting a bit tired of the bunch of women friends, each getting their own story trope, but I guess that's just me reading too much historical romance. What I liked is the writing, the characters, and the heated scenes. What I didn't like was just how much I had to suspend disbelief (like really, the Queen who has an entire army of servants and spies goes to seek the help of a person nobody has ever met, finds out it's actually three socialites running the business and entrusts them with sensitive Crown issues?!?). I think the book would have been better without the mystery subplot.

Second Duke's the Charm was just the read I needed! Charming and seductive, with elements of suspense and mystery... I was turning the pages and finished this story in a day!

This is book one in an all new series about three women who are friends and colleagues of a secretly owned private investigations agency. One that investigates the most scandalous crimes. Secretly, because it's unheard of for women to indulge in such activities. But Tess and her friends break the mold and do it well. Tess was only married for a day when her husband dropped dead. Now the virgin Duchess widow longs to experience physical pleasure herself. Enter Justin, the newly inherited Duke. He's all business and not looking for love. But when he finds that the ravishing woman he kissed at a party turns out to be the Duchess, he figures they can both get what they want with a marriage of convenience.

I really enjoyed this one. It's paced perfectly with all the things I love in a romance story. These two are opposites, and yet their banter and instant chemistry was undeniable. Things certainly heat up between these two quickly and while I would have hoped for a little more development, I wasn't mad about it. I enjoyed the mystery and surprises. And I really enjoyed these bestfriends. Their interactions had me smiling. A great start to a new series that I can't wait to read more of!

What You'll Find:
-Historical Romance
-Marriage of Convenience
-Widow
-Virgin
-Opposites
-Spice
-Dual Third Person POV

*I received an ARC from St. Martins Pub via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and given freely.

This book reminds me why Kate Bateman is one of my go-to historical romance authors. I was in a bit of a slump coming into this book, and thought I just wasn't in the mood to read. But as soon as I picked up this book, I was immediately engrossed. Reading slump broken! Though this was quite a far fetched plot line (realistically aren't all historical romances, I mean how many dukes were running around England back in those days?!), the author sold it well and made me enjoy going along for the ride as Tess and Justin meet, meet again, and eventually fall in love. The mystery plot and strong female friendship added excitement to the story, and I can't wait for the next books in the series, which are sure to revolve around Tess's interesting friends!

I really enjoyed reading Second Dukes the Charm. There was adventure, strong friendship between Tess and her friends and the attraction between Tess and Justin was genuine. The banter between the girlfriends was hilarious, especially Daisy’s jokes. I look forward to experiencing the book in audio on release date.

“You’ve shown me the positives. That there’s passion beyond the physical-passion of the soul. It’s longing for someone when you’re apart. Missing their smile, their presence, their humor. It’s wanting to share more than a bed with them. It’s wanting to stay.”

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Tess is happy to be single. When she meets Justin, she doesn't know what to think. I liked the different characters in this book.

Every day I get a new Kate Bateman is a good day. This series starts out with a lot of potential and I’m excited about it. I loved the concept of this, and as always Bateman draws the characters and their insecurities so well. Justin, the MC was a little pushy, but I thought this was a lot of fun.

new series from kate bateman: three friends tess, ellie and daisy use their widowhood/ family connections to solve crimes that the bow street runners don’t pick up. especially cases that involve women which leads to queen charlotte seeking them out assistance.

our hero justin becomes the duke to tess’s duchess after a series of other would be inheritors meet accidental tragic ends. their first meeting leads to misunderstandings about both of them but mostly from justin not being able to pick up a context clue to save his life.

excited to see how this series unfolds it was a really fun introduction to bateman for me.
thanks to netgalley for the arc

Kate Bateman is such a great historical romance writer, so I was super excited to hear she had a new series in the works. Second Duke’s the Charm is the first book in Her Majesty’s Rebels and follows Tess, the first rebel and one of the owners of King & Co, a private investigation company. Tess was forced into an unwanted marriage with a significantly older man who died on their wedding night before he could consummate the marriage. After two years of mishaps, Justin Thornton, a wealthy shipping magnate, inherits the title, and Tess quickly realizes Justin is the man she had a passionate moment with not long ago.

Tess longs to experience intimacy and passion, and she’s eager to lose her virginity to maintain her reputation as a free and experienced widow. And when Justin offers a marriage of convenience with no emotions attached, she agrees, believing this is her best option for maintaining her freedom. But secrets between them and people with murderous intent put their lives and futures at risk. It’s such an entertaining story with the perfect mix of mystery, drama, and romance, and it’s a great start to Bateman’s new series!

Tess and Justin have an incredible amount of chemistry, but Justin doesn’t believe in love, and Tess wants to keep her independence. They both hold each other at arm’s length, which becomes increasingly more difficult as they spend time together. Both characters also struggle to trust, which makes sense considering their histories. They have compelling stories and arcs, and I loved how they broke down each other’s walls. There were times when I wanted to shake Justin, though. He was a little oblivious and judged Tess harshly even though he was totally smitten with her. I think he did this partly to keep his walls up, much like Tess does when she isn’t completely forthcoming with Justin.

The investigation is intriguing too, and I love the women of King’s & Co. Intelligent and brave, they work really well together and prove that women are as capable as men in a society where women are considered the inferior sex. I’m excited to see who will be the focus of the next story and what kinds of investigations will come their way in future books in the series!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I’m so glad that I got the chance to review this novel. Kate Bateman does not disappoint. From the opening scene to the final scene with the horse race, everything was perfection. I love the friendship between the three female characters and the budding romance between the main characters was great. I really appreciated that The author gave the female characters more independence than we are used to seeing in some of the female characters in historical romance novels. The conversation about contraception was hilarious. Overall five stars and would recommend to anyone who loves this genre.