This is my second Kate Bateman series, and I just love her historical romances! The men are always so swoony (and smitten) and the women tend to get a life outside of the home, which is my personal favorite.

We meet Tess Townsend on her wedding night to a much older man that she has been forced to marry. Nothing happens between the two of them though, because he passes away…leaving Tess as the 19 year old widowed Dowager Duchess of Wansford. The real story begins two years later, as lawyers search for the heir to the Dukedom and Tess and her friends have established themselves as a private detective agency.

Her love interest, Justin Thornton, is a wealthy businessman returning from making his fortune in the fur trade in Canada who is - surprise - the next Duke of Wansford!

The two of them have delicious chemistry, and he fully respects the way she has run the properties for the past couple of years. I love a man who respects his partner’s brain as much as her beauty!

I also love when a romance series fully introduces all of the main characters that we’ll see throughout the series, so you’re already invested in them before you get to their love story, so I hope that the series will continue with Tess’s friends and their detective agency!

There are a few aspects of the book that some readers may not love, which I will add to my goodreads under a spoiler tag. (Very mild spoilers.) Neither bothered me, but they might annoy you!

While I overall really enjoyed the book, I do think it lost a bit of momentum in the last third. I find that to often be the case with romance novels, since I trust the author to give me an HEA and if they have done their job well, I understand what the characters need to overcome in order to reach that place!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! Kate Bateman is a must read for me, and this book overall did not disappoint in this new series. Tess is a widow after her first husband, an elderly duke, dies on their wedding night. Her friends and her start a women’s detective agency, and she also decides to enter into a marriage of convenience with the new Duke Justin. So overall this is a romance, combined with a mystery/friendship/adventure plot. I liked this book, but it was not my favorite Kate Bateman novel. The things I liked about it were that it’s swoony, sweet groveling at the end, nice steam between the two main characters, great female friendships, and a fun adventure plot with the female detective agency. My problems with it were that the ending felt rushed, there was a lot of talk about her virginity (not ever a fan of that), the Duke was kind of mean towards Tess and his misconceptions of her, and the grand gesture at the end was sweet, but fell a little flat for me - though the groveling was good. Overall I definitely recommend this for fans of historical romance and Kate Bateman, it just wasn’t my favorite of hers (she has really written some amazing historical romances).

Very fun historical romance. The sismance was topnotch and I found myself laughing out loud at their witty banter and antics. Each character had their own unique personality that added to the charm of the story. The romance was also enjoyable, if a bit fast. I appreciated how direct Thorn was, and Tess was no slouch herself.
I am eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

Huge Thanks to the Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC

A very pleasant sexy read with an independent no-nonsense heroine entirely capable of surviving on her own. Widowed on her wedding night prior to consummation by her elderly groom, she successfully improves his duchy over the next two years until a new duke is finally identified. Shortly after meeting him they wed and sparks and secrets begin to fly creating havoc and clarifying feelings.

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Kate Bateman, I love all of her work and have yet to find something lower than a 3-star. Typically, I always know how to rate her books but this one had me stumped. I wasn't sure if it was a 4 or 4.5 but after some thought I landed on a 4 star.

Overall, there was so much to love about this book and I am super excited for the other romances. Something that Kate always does is excel at plot but not only did she do that in this book but this was the first time I saw her create a strong girl gang. One of my favorite aspects of this novel was the female friendships and how these girls would do anything for each other! The friendship was so beautifully crafted and I think it set up the next books in the series nicely.

The mystery in this book was also super fun, I liked how we were trying to figure out who was blackmailing the queen's sister (?). The plot helped the novel move at a good pace and constantly kept me engaged.

I also loved the relationship between the hero and the heroine. Both characters were amazing and I really enjoyed their personalities and how they got along. This book is very insta-lust (might even be love to some) and that was something I didn't mind because they were obsessed with each other from the beginning and had some amazing chemistry. With that being said this was very steamy for a historical romance and might even be Kate's steamiest! Which I am in no way complaining about haha

However, some things were preventing me from giving it a 5 stars and unfortunately, that was the relationship. I think (again) the characters had amazing chemistry and I really loved them together but we didn't truly see them together until the second half of the novel which was a huge bummer. The female friendships were the main focus of this book, which I don't mind, I just wish the romance was better balanced.

I also wished we got more of Justin's POV since we only got a few chapters and I wanted to see them both fall in love with each other which we don't really get. I loved the last part of them together and truly loved how it was more than just them wanting each other but the pacing was just off? I am not really sure but I just wanted more and didn't understand why all their time together was in the second half.

I have seen some negative reviews of this book and I don't think it will be for everyone but I had an amazing time with it and if you go in with the right expectations I think you could too.

Some tropes: marriage of convenience, duke & widow pairing, grumpy/sunshine(ish)

Overall I really enjoyed this book and am so happy I got to read it. I am super excited for more in the series!

This was so enjoyable! Fun, lovable and intriguing all wrapped up in a new series that I can’t wait to read more of! Historical romance at its finest!

I requested this book before the boycott. I look forward to reviewing it when St Martin’s Press addresses the racism against Palestinians.

Kate Bateman's Second Duke's the Charm is the first book in her new series - Her Majesty's Rebels and if I haven't said it before, I'll say it now...Bateman is an auto-buy author for me. I know I'm going to get a story with fantastic characters, an interesting story, and plenty of romance.

Tess Townsend, the Dowager Duchess of Wansford is our heroine and I thought she was great. When her (much older) husband died on her wedding night she was greatly relieved. Unfortunately (but not really) the marriage wasn't consummated and the only people who know are her two best friends. They decide that they will keep the secret and use Tess' newfound freedom and wealth to start their own investigation company to solve London's most scandalous crimes.

Shipping magnate Justin Thornton never expected to inherit a dukedom but here we are and he will do his duty. When the woman he kissed at a party turns out to be the Dowager Duchess, Justin sees an obvious solution: a marriage of convenience with no danger of falling in love. As Tess works on a new case at the request of Queen Charlotte, her suspicious behavior makes Justin question her motives and past and he's not sure he can truly trust her.

I truly enjoyed this book and if you're looking for a new historical romance, definitely pick this one up. And if you haven't read her other books yet, go get them now. I'll be waiting for the next book from Bateman and can't wait to see where things go with this series.

‘Meet Her Majesty’s Rebels: three brilliant women who run King & Co., London’s most exclusive investigative agency...

The wedding-night death of her much older husband left Tess Townsend the Dowager Duchess of Wansford—and still a virgin. Now she and her two best friends investigate London’s most scandalous crimes, and while Tess longs to experience physical pleasure for herself, she can’t risk losing her treasured independence...

Cynical shipping magnate Justin Thornton never expected to inherit a dukedom, but he’ll do his duty. When the ravishing woman he kissed at a party turns out to be the Dowager Duchess, Justin sees an obvious solution: a marriage of convenience that will suit them both.

But the passion that sparks between them is anything but convenient. As Tess works on a new case at the request of Queen Charlotte, her increasingly suspicious behavior makes Justin question her motives—and her past. The infuriating woman clearly can’t be trusted, but Justin doesn’t believe in love, so there’s absolutely no danger of him falling for his own wife...is there?’

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Second Duke’s the Charm is the first book in Kate Bateman’s new series, Her Majesty’s Rebels and is a historical romance with a bit of a mystery as well.

I love Kate Bateman’s books, I’ll read anything she writes. Seeing that this also had a bit of a mystery and the potential for danger with the inclusion of an investigative agency, I’d been looking forward to this new series.

Tess, Daisy, and Ellie are best friends and run the agency together under the name of a fictitious Mr. King. They are hilarious together and their interactions togethers are gold. I am looking forward to Daisy and Ellie’s stories to read more of the trio. Running this agency and looking into a matter at the request of Queen Charlotte herself leads to suspicion from Justin. He can tell she’s keeping secrets, but he isn’t what she’s hiding. He tends to assume the worst of her though which was unfortunate. I would have liked to see him have to do more to earn her forgiveness. The whole point of his plan to earn her forgiveness wound up being a big win for him instead of a loss, so I was a little disappointed and didn’t feel like the characters were at the grand declaration stage yet. I still enjoyed it, but it has not been my favorite by this author so far this is the first of a new series, so that could certainly be a factor.

Ready to read Daisy and Ellie’s stories and some more investigating and possible danger, so I’m looking forward to the next book!
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I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for sharing an eARC of Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman. This is my honest review.

I liked the characters in this story and I liked how the three friends decided to start an investigative agency to help women be taken seriously. I liked how Justin didn’t want to fall in love but as he got to know Tess he realized that there was more to her then just a pretty face. I liked how Tess and Justin’s relationship grew past just the physical attraction that they both felt. I enjoyed the story and would read the other books in the series when they come out.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Our opinions of this book are a great illustration in how expectations can affect your perspective. We both really like Kate Bateman, so when we got a copy of her latest book and new series starter we were really looking forward to it. I read it first and was underwhelmed, to say the least. I let Laine know, and she went into reading it with adjusted (more appropriate?) expectations, and ended up thinking it was fine. ⁠
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So what's up with this book? What got me most was the emphasis on physical virginity. It was both offensive and illogical. I don't mind that she lied about not having consummated her first marriage. But to continue lying about her experience - AND that she'll take care of the contraception - annoyed me more and more as the book went on.⁠
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The conclusion was super fun but also made 0 sense with this book. I felt like I saw the Kate Bateman I liked but without any setup. ⁠But look. Laine absolutely loved that the conflict that is a marriage of convenience where the issue is that they both like and want to f*ck each other. Maybe it's TOO convenient a marriage!⁠

A generous 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I thought this read was highly entertaining and quite clever. Tess and Justin were easy to like and the chemistry between them was off the charts and undeniable. The story itself is intensely engaging with its enticing blend of drama, danger, emotion, heat, heart and twists. An excellent book and a terrific start to this intriguing new series.

Kate Bateman’s humor is incomparable! I laughed quite a lot while reading this book. And what about her lovemaking scenes? So gorgeous, so emotional, so very hot! I absolutely ADORED this book. The three young female detectives are wonderful characters, so very different from one another, but their friendship is precious and strong. And Tess in particular is so sweet, but also brave and smart. And Justin is my kind of hero, stern, forbidding, hot… and how I laughed when he said that he didn’t have a heart and would never fall in love! Just add a little mystery and an adorable puppy to the mix and you’ll get an unputdownable book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"The wedding-night death of her much older husband left Tess Townsend the Dowager Duchess of Wansford—and still a virgin. Now she and her two best friends investigate London’s most scandalous crimes, and while Tess longs to experience physical pleasure for herself, she can’t risk losing her treasured independence.."
The Duke is convinced he can never fall in love until he meets Tess. .The Dowager Duchess of Wansford is a beautiful young woman who's first husband died on his wedding night. She wasn't even sure what marriage was about. This is a comical romance story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

I actually finished this one the night before last and it was such a nice little historical romance. I have a lot of hope for this series even if I had a couple minor quibbles with this particular storyline. Highly enjoyed it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received this book for netgalley in exchange for a review.
Historical romance has always been something i been wanting to get into and read. I was not disappointed. Love at first site. Its very steamy which is a given but still a very intriguing read. There is passion and sweet moments of the romance between the MC's. I highly recommend if you like the historical romance books.

I adore this author and this book was just another amazing read. The main characters were so good and the story just brought me in and never let go. I wish I could be friends with these characters even during that time period. I just highly recommend this book. I mean I bought the irl book and the e book and the audiobook so that’s definitely saying something.

The Second Duke is the Charm by Kate Bateman is the first book in a new series called Her Majesty’s Rebels. The book centers around three women who run King and Co. The business is an investigative agency, only there is no Mr King. Tess Townsend is gladly a widow. The only little twist in her wedding night was her husband died before they consummated the marriage. This is a secret that will need to be kept as it could push her back into poverty.

After two years and a lot of research, the newest duke is finally found. Justin Thornton is so far removed from the line of the duke, he is astonished and quite frankly not interested in upending his life. He is convinced thinking he will just do this for a while and then go back to his real life. Only it didn’t work like he thought it should and he is the Duke of Wansford and he met Tess.

Meanwhile, King and Co. was hired by the Queen (secretly of course) to retrieve some of her daughter’s love letters that are out in public. They are hired to find the letters and the blackmailer. However, Tess can’t tell Justin what she is doing and why she is acting the way she is. Secrets are always a problem in this type of story, especially when the main two characters are so into each other.

The Second Duke is the Charm by Kate Bateman is a great read, I can’t wait until I can read the next one!

Tess and Justin engaged in a charming dance of avoidance and attraction that could only lead to one inevitable conclusion.

I just love that Justin proposed a marriage of convenience to Tess because he needed a duchess and also because he found her irresistible. As if the two were mutually exclusive, but he was lucky enough to find both in one woman. And so Tess found herself in a situation where she was trying to hang on to her secrets and Justin was equally determined not to fall in love with his captivating wife.

Kate Bateman consistently creates interesting, strong FMCs with stubborn ideas of their own, and wonderful men who stand by their sides and support them in their wild endeavors. This duke and duchess certainly didn’t disappoint, and Tess’s friends seemed equally fascinating. Justin and Tess were an excellent match in intellect and wits that was clearly communicated through the engaging writing style.

I can highly recommend this book if you like a steamy historical romance with some intrigue and drama. This is the first book in a new series and I cannot wait to read more.

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

"The infuriating woman clearly can’t be trusted, but Justin doesn’t believe in love, so there’s absolutely no danger of him falling for his own wife...is there?"

I fell for this story, and believe in love!!!

The main characters stole my heart and the secondary characters were as engaging!

This is a series I will definitely be returning for!

FUN! Sexy! Engaging!

I loved it!