This was a delightful second chance love. I enjoyed Iain and Seraphina as a couple, but didn’t understand why she waited so long to tell him what she had to do to survive all those years. I would’ve liked to see a more deserving ending for her evil father. That man was the most hateful character. Overall, it was a great read. Now I want to read everyone else’s stories in this series.

(4.5/5 stars)

The Duke's All That by Christina Britton is a a delightful historical romance and the third book in the Synneful Spinsters series.

I discovered the author via this series, and I'm so glad I did. Her prose is so easily digestible and consumable to me.

I really loved the first book, Some Dukes Have All the Luck but wasn't as enamored with the second, What's a Duke Got to Do With It. But The Duke's All That swung the pendulum back to love. Though it's a trilogy, the books can be read standalone in any order (you'll just hear tidbits of other couples if you read them out of order).

Ever since the first book of this trilogy, I needed Seraphina's story. I knew that the parrot-owning proprietress of the island's lending library was concealing tons of secrets. I'm glad to say there was great payoff in this book.

Second-chance romance doesn't always work for me but Seraphina and Iain had very believable chemistry as first loves who were tragically separated. There's a bunch of miscommunication here too, since they're both hiding secrets, but though that's another trope I don't care for it just kinda worked here for me.

The main friend group in this series, The Oddments, continue to be the best people ever, as does Lady Tesh (who continues to become Best Momfriend Ever). The author does a great job including pets: Seraphina has a foul-mouthed parrot named Phineas and Katrina (the heroine of the second book) has a dog named Mouse.

I was pleased to get confirmation on another couple I was hoping for, and a queer one at that! I would love to read a book with their story as well. I'm also hoping for something of a Synneful Sisters trilogy, with Seraphina's younger sisters.

Tropes in this book include: second chance, secret marriage, found family, forced proximity

CW: abusive parent, fear of parent, addiction, carriage accident (mentioned), mention of asylum and abuse within

I enjoyed this from the prologue to the last chapter. The prologue was written to catch attention and pull the reader in.

The plot is about a married couple, who have been unknowingly separated by lies, finally meeting after 13 years.

I love the unpredictability and the way the suspense was built. I also love the older( slightly matured) characters.

However, it did feel like it was dragging in some parts. Also, I didn’t understand the need for the confrontation with her father.

The best part of the book was Phineas the parrot. His antics and words provided a much needed comic relief.

DNF @ 36%

I was really looking foward to reading this book so I'm bummed that I'm dnfing it only a 1/3 of the way in. I tried really hard to get into it, but the second-chance romance trope is really not my cup of tea. Combining that with miscommunication and "some sort of secret from the past" that lead to the initial breakup - I just couldn't get into this book.

I loved the first two of the series and I was really looking forward to Seraphina's story. Hopefully book 4 will be more my type!

Pub date: 2/6

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Christina Britton's "The Duke's All That" is a delightful Regency romance that effortlessly combines charm, wit, and heartwarming romance. Set in the glittering world of London's ton, this novel follows the journey of the dashing Duke of Thornley and the spirited Lady Clara Cheswick as they navigate the intricacies of love and society.

At the heart of the story is the captivating dynamic between the Duke of Thornley, Marcus Finley, and Lady Clara Cheswick. Marcus, with his brooding demeanor and undeniable allure, is a quintessential romantic hero who harbors deep-seated wounds from his past. Lady Clara, on the other hand, is a refreshing heroine whose intelligence and independence set her apart from her peers. Their chemistry is palpable from their first encounter, and Britton skillfully crafts their slow-burning romance with a perfect balance of passion and tenderness.

In conclusion, "The Duke's All That" is a captivating and heartwarming tale that will delight fans of historical romance. With its engaging characters, sparkling dialogue, and tender romance, Christina Britton's novel is a perfect escape into the enchanting world of Regency England.

I wish I had reviewed this when it was fresh in my mind. I really enjoyed this one, and look forward to reading more by this author.

I knew two things going into this book: 1. It’s a book written by Christina Britton so it’s going to hurt. 2. It’s a second chance written by Christina Britton so it’s going to be THAT kind of hurt. And I was right 😀

Painful second chances aren’t my favorite thing, but this one was definitely delightful. It was frustrating at the end when Seraphina STILL wouldn’t let him in…but I understood and it made the end even more romantic. I’m also happy with the percentage at which her father’s scheming was revealed. It last long enough to create that “I hate you” tension, but not long enough to never see them be happy/frisky.

I think this is Christina’s hottest book to date? Seraphina was confident in her sexuality and it was HOT. Would I have liked for Iain to have remained celibate like the heroines so often do in situations like these? Yes, but that’s just a wishlist item. (I don’t think it was ever discussed on page? Just implied that he hadn’t waited etc.)

I don’t know about you, but the “I’m her husband” bit announced to a crowd when none of them knew she had a husband will ALWAYS hit. I was hooked from the start and read this one super fast in a night. It was a lovely, bittersweet send-off for the Isle of Synne. And I can’t wait to see what Christina writes next!!

Oh, and how could I forget the foul-mouthed Scottish parrot??? The way Iain’s relationship with him was also incredibly heartwarming, leave it to Christina.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️/5


CWs: Forced institutionalization (torture, abuse, solitary confinement, etc) (recounted)

Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

I liked this book. This book had both a second chance romance AND forced proximity tropes. I liked the characters but wish they were both able to communicate more with each other.

I always love a historical romance that has a strong heroine and a hero. That doesn’t know how to deal with her initially. I love this book from start to finish. The relationship was something that you rooted for and a couple themselves were exciting and interesting. This for me is the epitome of a fun comforting read.

Much awaited serafina's romance.

This series Is really heart warming to me. I have been waiting for this book with the heroine as a secret writer. She appears in earlier books. The scot hero is SUCH a bonus.

Seraphina has a tragic backstory Thanks to a villainous father.
Who tears the Hero and heroine who have married secretly apart. Not only that, but he fairly just tortures his own daughter (no spoilers more than this). Strong that she is , she finds a way to escape the father and protect her two little sisters from a horrendous future, making a comfortable life on the Isle of Synne.

13 ,years gone and enter Ian. The big, gruff Scott who is now a Duke and angry and determined to get his divorce from a wife everyone believes to be dead but isn’t.

Their banter and chemistry is felt immediately. The underlying anger makes for a nice slow burn. There is misunderstanding yes about the past but it gets fairly cleared as soon as they are on the road trip!! Yes yes road trip roadside inns and only one bed (also you have two rooms but heroine can't control herself which was hot too)

The parrot is such a joy to have. There are good laughing moments, nice friendship support shown, including the elderly lady Tesh and found family on Ian's side.

Very satisfying and swooning romance. Thanks forever, and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my honest feedback.

Synneful Spinsters book #3, The Dukes All That gives us Seraphina's story, revealing her mysterious past.

Iain MacInnes, the new Duke of Balgair, learns the wife he believed dead is alive. He's tracks her down, along with her sisters, demanding she divorce him but in order to do that she must travel with him back to Scotland. The chemistry contained in their carriage as they make their way back to his homeland was palpable. Could the heartbreak of years of separation been solved with a bit of communications, you bet but that wouldn't of made for a good regency romance.

I will forever miss the fierce sisterhood of these women in this series. The way they support, encourage and simply love one another is what made this series fantastic. Britton is one of favorite regency writers.

Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Seraphina has been living in hiding in Synne with her sisters for 13 years. When her husband, who thought she was dead, arrives in Synne and finds her very much alive he demands he travel with her back to scotland to get a divorce.

This book is mainly told in conversations and introspection. Seraphina has a lot of trauma she refuses to deal with and her adventure with Iaine forces her to take a look back into her past. This truly shows how hard and painful dealing with a traumatic past can be, even if you are willing to look at it. I loved Seraphina and Iaine together but left this book wishing I got more time with them building their relationship back up. And the confrontation with her father was so good.

This was a beautiful book, and Christina's quippy writing in past books is slight in this one while focusing more on emotional depth and trauma recovery. I loved this book.

I want to move to the Isle of Synne and have tea with the oddments! Finally, sweet Seraphina’s story. Her story is hard; her life has been hard, yet we get to see her walk/travel through her past and triumph over her demon/demons. She and Iain both suffered through no fault of their own, except their youth and lack of life being against them. More maturity might have kept them together. Now, they struggle with a possible chance, but the telling is love itself, forgiveness of self and love for each other!

Seraphina and Iain married at young age and planned to escape together to start a new life when lies end up separating them, and then Iain hears that Seraphina is dead.

Years later, Iain finds out Seraphina is not dead and sets out to find her and get a divorce. As they travel together, the lies are unraveled and they begin to learn about each other anew, but is it enough to keep them together?

A very cute, simple story with no big action or rescue scenes. I enjoyed it and give it 3.5 stars!

I love second chance romances, but I'm less taken with plots centered around a failure to communicate. "The Duke's all That" abounds in both. After a secret wedding, Ian and Serafina are separated by her father. Year's later, Ian discovers that Serafina isn't dead, as he had been mislead to believe, and he goes in search of his deceitful wife. Fairly quickly, he learns and accepts that they have both been deceived by Serafina's father. It takes much longer (too long in my opinion) for Serafina to admit what happened and enlist Ian's help. I admire a strong, independent woman, but she really didn't accept the help that was freely offered to her by Ian and her powerful friends.

That being said, I enjoyed the writing, and it was nice to read the story of the last of the Synneful Spinsters.

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

Seraphina and Iain's story really did a number on my heart. This story had a fierceness to it that made the drama, emotions, angst, and twist all the more potent. It tied my heart and feelings into great big knots.

The Duke’s All That by Christina Britton is book Three in the Synneful Spinsters Series. This is the story of Iain and Seraphina. Iain and Seraphina married but for one day as they both where lied to. This book is their second chance at love. Enjoyed.

I found the story to be a fun read. Iain is like no Duke that I have read before. He has poor Seraphina flying around like a kite without the string. My favorite part is when Iain takes Seraphina back to Scotland. Romance blooms for a second time and this romance seems even better. The story is a good read that I liked.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam: 🔥🔥.5

The book starts with the couples wedding night, which is then followed by the present day the story follows. Seraphina and Iain got married when they were younger, but now after 13 years they meet again. Seraphina is living under and assumed name and Iain believes her to have been dead this whole time. However they reunion is not a happy one-- Iain has appeared to bring her to Scotland so they can officially get divorced.

I would consider this a medium burn, second chance romance. It is the second book in a series but can definitely be read as a standalone. The chemistry between Seraphina and Iain is definitely there--whether they are flirting *or* bickering (same thing, right?). Britton did a very good job balancing their relationship and writing the right amount of tension needed in a romance. As with any story with miscommunication, there was definitely a part of me just wanting to scream at the book for them to hurry up and just *TALK* but that was definitely to be expected, and the miscommunication gets resolves relatively early (could have been earlier but alas... plot).

Tropes: second chance romance, Scottish hero, business owner heroine, road trip, there's only one bed, miscommunication, forced proximity

CW: does discuss dark themes, I do not want to include spoilers but the other does have them on her website.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own. :)

This was the second book in this series that I have read and it was just as good as the first and now I’ll definitely be going back to read the one I missed. The Duke’s All That though is a really sweet second chance romance. The chemistry between Ian and Seraphina was strong from the start so I was constantly rooting for them and wanting them to hurry up and communicate about their pasts. Britton’s storytelling is nice and engaging and I personally love the pacing of the story. I look forward to more of her work.