I really enjoyed "Second Duke's the Charm", the first in a new series from Kate Bateman. The three women at the heart of this series are funny and smart, and a great example of a found family. Daisy is a particular favorite and I am already looking forward to her story. But this story belongs to Tess and Justin, and it is a good one.

Tess is a virgin widow, her lecherous ducal husband dropping dead on their wedding night, luckily before she had to shoot him. Justin is the very reluctant new duke who has secretly wanted Tess since seeing her across a ballroom years before. Justin almost immediately proposes a marriage of convenience, Tess resists at first as she does not want to cede control over her own self, and she doesn't want to give up the investigation agency she runs with her two best friends, especially now that they have been hired by the queen. But passion - and a lucrative marriage settlement - get her to the altar.

The love story is steamy and just the right amount of angsty. There are minor issues - the murder attempts feel like they were thrown in a little haphazardly just to create conflict for Tess and Justin; the idea that three ladies of the ton could all gather daily at a residence without gossip about seeing them go in or out seems a little nonsensical. The queen adds both drama but also a bit of farce. But the overall story is good, and this reader at least was thrilled to see Tess and Justin find their HEA.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

Aww the ending was so sweet! I've read Kate Bateman before and also gave that four stars. This is a very solid read. On her wedding night, Tess's awful husband (forced upon her because he was a Duke) drops dead right when he sees her in her bedroom. Tess, along with her friends and colleagues Ellie and Daisy (they have a detective agency together), sets out to have some fun and comes across Justin Thornton (yes I did read this entire book thinking of Mr Thornton of North and South too), the ruthless businessman who's just inherited her late husband's estate, fortune, and title. They have an unforgettable encounter and he offers her a marriage of convenience to get rid of matchmaking mamas. The terms are simple - Tess would become his Duchess, they'd live together for three months and then he'd leave her to her own devices. No feelings, no love, no strings attached. Well, we all know how that goes :)

I enjoyed this! Justin and Tess's romance is very sexy and passionate. I love that she's a detective along with her best friends (there's a good side plot here as they try to solve a blackmailing mystery, frankly I could have read a whole book about their adventures together solving mysteries!) and the scenes with the three of them together were my favourites. I also liked that Tess has a good head for business that Justin can respect and this had four of my favourite things - French toast, maple syrup, truffles, and a Christmas scene. Perfect for this time of year!

My endless thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.