A Second Chance in an existing marriage is my favorite trope & this book did not disappoint me!

Summary: The Duchess of Southwick, Mara Buxton, has endured a disastrous wedding night and eighteen months of isolation at her husband’s country estate. Tired of loneliness and endless books, she makes a bold decision: for the first time since her wedding, she’s traveling to London for the Season. And while there, this meek, shy mouse of a wallflower who has never met a shade of beige she didn’t like will do the unthinkable. Mara Buxton, Duchess of Southwick, is going to take a lover.

Her husband, Ambrose, initially reacts with scornful amusement when he hears rumors about his wife’s intentions. After all, their fiery attraction had long since faded. But when he discovers that Mara truly intends to have an affair, his amusement turns to incredulity and then to jealousy. Mara is his wife, and if anyone is going to make her burn with passion, it’s him.

Verdict: This novella is an enthralling romance that delves into desire, secrets, and the opportunity for redemption. I rated it four stars because I hoped the couple would reveal their past traumas to one another, and I found the conclusion too sudden, lacking a glimpse into Ambrose and Mara's future. The story takes the reader on a voyage of forbidden love, where a duchess with nothing left to lose and a duke with everything at stake engage in a war of emotions.

A meek duchess who dares to take a lover? Impossible. That's what people thought when the news spread out. Even the husband doesn't care. The novel sometimes goes backward, when they started to meet, court and then married. This is good, but the going backward doesn't suit my taste, but overall, the idea of the story is OK.

Ambrose Buxton, 6th Duke of Southwich, deserted his bride on their wedding night to return to London. Left at his country estate, his bride Mara has been content to live without her husband for eighteen months. Lonely, she decides to go to London and find a lover. Nothing but this rumor would force Ambrose to return to the estate he hates to seduce the woman he really loves.
A game of seduction. VERY STEAMY!!!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Get ready for a fun adventure in this exciting story by Jillian Eaton. You're going to love this one, I sure did! Couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to end. Mara, Duchess of Southwick, has decided to have an affair. After a lonely marriage and an absent husband she wants more. Ambrose has avoided his beautiful wife ever since a terrible misunderstanding of a wedding night. That is until he learns that his wife is planning to take a lover. He decides that no matter how cold she is to him he won’t let this go unnoticed and unhandled. Now he is going to show her what real passion is, and Mara can’t get enough.
A story packed full of second-chances, a back story of abuse, miscommunication and lots and lots of romance. Eaton is a new to me author and I am hooked. Her characters are so in depth, full of personality and back stories to complete the adventure. Her attention to detail is on point. With a perfect mix of chemistry, wit and spice you will be as hooked as I was. I received this as an ARC but I will be definitely starting a Jillian Eaton collection for my bookshelf and I can’t wait to read them all. Enjoy your adventure.

What a lovely book! I wasn’t too excited about the title but the description showed that the book is very unique. The writing and the tension was superb! The built up, the characters, not focused on sex despite the title. I can’t wait to check out more of this author’s books.

Thanks to NetGalley for introducing me to this author and for the free copy in exchange of an honest review.

Ambrose and Mara both carry the emotional baggage from having physically abusive fathers. Ambrose determines he will never love anyone because if you care, they have the power to hurt you. He needs a wife and heir so he finds what he thinks is a meek wallflower in Mara and marries her. When her thoughts of her father's abuse surfaces on her wedding night making her nervous, it doesn't go well and Ambrose abandons her to his country estate alone for 18 months. Only rumors of her planned affair makes him return. So the title is a little misleading. The book is really about their reconciliation and Mara's transformation into a strong and confidant person. You'll meet Kitty, Mara's younger sister, who she tried to protect from her father's fists. Now, Kitty is in an unhappy marriage and will be featured in the next book of the series.

The Duchess Takes a Lover reminded me a bit of Mia Vincy's A Wicked Kind of Husband, which is one of my favorite regency romances. The couple had great banter, the build up to their relationship was great, I loved all of the characters...I honestly just felt like it was a bit too short. At only 145 pages, I would have loved and read another 100 pages easily! I look forward to reading the sequels.

I’ve read many books written by Jillian Eaton and I always enjoy them!
After a disastrous wedding night followed by eighteen months of isolation at her husband's country estate, Mara Buxton, the Duchess of Southwick, has grown tired of being lonely. So she's made a decision. For the first time since her wedding, she's traveling to London for the Season. And while she's there, this meek, shy mouse of a wallflower will do the unthinkable: she is going to take a lover.
When Ambrose hears the rumors swirling about his wife, his initial reaction is scornful amusement. While a fiery spark of attraction first drew them together, it was extinguished long ago. The Duchess of Southwick, for all her beauty, is cold as ice, and the only thing she has a chance of inviting into her bed is snow. But when Ambrose discovers that she really does intend to have an affair, his amusement quickly turns to incredulity and then to jealousy. If anyone is going to make her burn with passion...it's him.
This book is short, super easy to read and engaging. I loved Mara. She is sweet but strong and resilient. Ambrose is intense and a bit insufferable, but they really work together. There’s a lot of sexual tension, a bit of aghast and many lovely moments. The sexy times are steamy and really good. I enjoyed the secondary characters a lot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"The Duchess Takes a Lover" by Jillian Eaton is a historical romance novel that follows the Duchess of Southwick, Mara Buxton, as she decides to take control of her own happiness by seeking a lover. The premise is intriguing, and Mara's journey from a meek, isolated woman to someone willing to defy societal norms is engaging. However, readers should be aware that the novel is a little sexually explicit, which may not be to everyone's taste. The dynamic between Mara and Ambrose, her husband, adds depth to the story, but at times, the characters' actions and motivations feel a bit forced. Overall, "The Duchess Takes a Lover" is a decent read for fans of historical romance, but it may not appeal to those looking for a more nuanced or subtle exploration of relationships.

Thanks to Ms Easton, the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, fun, fun! I was worried the angst would be too much for me in this one, but like some of my favorite Sherry Thomas novels, this book swept me away instantly and would not let go of my heart! So happy I took a chance on this one!

Marabelle and her sister, Katherine, grow up in a home where their father physically abuses his family. He kills his wife during a particularly volatile fight, and she falls down a flight of stairs. Mara witnesses this. Thereafter, she strives as much as possible to shield Kitty from her father's abuse, while showering her with love and gifts. Ambrose Pierce Nathaniel Buxton, the sixth Duke of Southwick, was himself abused by his father growing up.

Both have withdrawn from society as a means of coping. Mara is scared and withdrawn, while Ambrose locks all emotions away and is harsh with all whomever he deals with.

Following their marriage and less than successful wedding night, Ambrose banishes Mara to the family country estate of Southwick while he remains in London. Eighteen months later, frustrated with how she her husband has abandoned her to the country and feeling lonely, Mara decides it is time to take a lover. News of this reaches Ambrose in London who initially scoffs at the idea that the woman he married would have the temerity to do such a thing but as more and more rumours spread around town, he decides to return to his country seat and confront Mara about the rumours and ensure she does not sleep with anyone except him!

What follows is a story of two lost and hurting people who finally come to see their spouse in a different light, get to know them and fall in love. Lovely.

I received a copy of this book as a gift from Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

The Duchess Takes a Lover is actually the first book I've read by Jillian Eaton but it definitely won't be the last. I enjoyed this book from start to finish and look forward to picking up the next book in the series.

Mara is the new Duchess of Southwick and after a disastrous wedding night, finds herself all on her own at her husband's estate for the next 18 months. But when she decides she has had enough, she travels to London for the season and if she happens to find a lover while she's there, all the better. She's over being alone.

When Ambrose, the Duke of Southwick, starts to hear rumors about his wife, at first he doesn't give it any credence. His wife would never do what he is hearing and anyway, she's a cold woman...there is no chance she would take a lover. But when Ambrose discovers that Mara really does intend to have an affair, he can't believe it and anyway, Mara is his wife!

This was an easy read focused on a second-chance romance trope. If you're looking for a new historical romance series to grab that will pull you right into the story, consider picking this one up.

It is often hard to really understand the emotions, the pain, and the scars if you are a victim of abuse like our two main characters experienced. I noticed many of the reviews mentioned that the two main characters should have just talked to each other. I imgine that is easier said than done.
Ambrose and Mara had a disastrous wedding night, and then Ambrose sends Mara to a place that holds painful memories for him, and he never goes there if he can avoid it. That makes me wonder about why he would send Mara there when their courtship was looking so promising. Especially since he had other properties.
Mara wants to take a lover, but I think in her innocence what she really wants is someone to talk with, and to pay attention to her so she is not lonely. These two definitely had a rocky road to a HEA!
Another great story Jillian!

I really liked this book. The characters were easy to understand, the dialogue was good. Fast paced and a captivating story- I couldn’t put this book down. A must read!

This historical romance gives us two people who have had traumatic childhoods. Hiding their fears and emotions is what is normal for them. Unfortunately that doesn't make a happy marriage. It could take the interference of another to change that.
A very emotional story with a heroine who is a lot braver than she thinks, and an arrogant hero who struggles to remain in control.
The book does jump about a bit from the present, to the past, in both their lives. This is needed to explain their characters.
Very entertaining.

Can Two Lonely People Find Their Way to Each Other

Her husband had abandoned her, so a year and a half later, Mara decided to go to London to take a lover. She had told no one, so how did the gossip about her spread through the ton?

Ambrose did not pay much attention when he heard rumors that his wife was going to take a lover. Didn’t their wedding night prove she was as cold as ice? Then, he received a letter from her confirming the rumors. Ambrose was not going to have it, so he traveled to his country seat, where he left his wife all those months ago. He would find a much different woman than the one he left behind.

Ambrose and Mara had similar experiences of abuse by their families. They were both broken. Could they find a way to share their experiences? Was there a chance for them to salvage their marriage? Ambrose must woo his wife. Was he up to the task? His childhood taught him to fear love. Unless he could open his heart, he might lose the best thing in his life. Mara and Ambrose had to work hard for their second chance. Months of neglect could damage a soul. Ambrose's fear of love could have destroyed his chance of happiness. Would he realize the treasure he had before it was too late?

I loved this story. This steamy romance kept me turning the pages. I would recommend it to lovers of second chance historical romance. It had some heartbreaking moments, but it also had humor, love, and redemption.

The Duke of Southwick married his Duchess and then took her to his country home and left her. So now eighteen months later she has written to him and told she is going to have an affair. Well there is nothing that can move him any faster than that to get him to the country. Not that she wants an affair but she is tired of being neglected. He says he'll teach her how to act with a lover. The only lover she really wants is him. He really wants her too but then his childhood taught him to be alone. Maybe they can salvage their relationship if they try. Thank you NetGalley.

The Duchess Takes a Lover by Jillian Eaton is a novel in which Ambrose Pierce Nathaniel Buxton 6th Duke of Southwick, currently residing in London, is surprised to hear that his wife is coming to London to take a lover. Imagine. She was as cold as ice in his bed. And now she was broadcasting this news. At his country estate of Southwick, his wife, Marabelle Anne Buxton, Duchess of Southwick, was working in the garden, having nothing else to do except spar verbally with her sister, Kitty, who was staying. No one knew for how long. They had had an abusive father whom Mara had escaped by marrying Ambrose and Kitty had escaped by marrying the first man who came along. Mara had no bed sport and Kitty had nothing but: no marriage to speak of. Ambrose remembered his wedding night. She had been frightened and he had been drunk. Not an auspicious beginning, but instead of setting it right, he had run. Now she was planning to find someone else. Over his dead body. He was not going to lose something else.

Both damaged by abuse, though of different sorts, Mara and Ambrose were also hampered by the inability to communicate. This broke the heart of the current housekeeper at Southwick, Agnes, who knew what the life of the small boy had been like and wanted the best for him. It all came to a head when instead of joining him for dinner (at his command), Mara took a walk and was attacked by wolves. He heard her scream and raced to save her, only to find she was doing an excellent job of fending them away herself. But, one of them had bit him behind his knee and he was losing blood. He passed out and they got him to the house. She loved him. She didn’t know how to let him know that. He was cold, apparently unfeeling, and difficult to approach. Actually, the epitome of a duke. She was a simple girl, who had been overwhelmed by him and now didn’t know what to do. What a terrific story! Excellent characters and an interesting dilemma. The pacing was excellent and the reader was rooting for them all the way.

I was invited to read a copy of the Duchess Takes a Lover by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #JillianEaton #TheDuchessTakesALover

This is my first time reading a book by author Jillian Eaton.
I was pleasantly intrigued by The Duchess Takes a Lover, it was a quick and face paced read that I enjoyed.

Mara and Ambrose a marriage of convenience for Ambrose that is… Mara thought this was a possible love marriage.
After 18 months living separate from her husband she decides to take a lover. Poor Mara… she actually doesn’t even know what taking a lover really means. In her bubble It means a male friend lol. I couldn’t believe she was up front about her decision to seek a lover in a letter to her estranged husband.

Ambrose and Mara character development was great! Mara needed to grow a backbone and I’m so glad she did.
Ambrose…….. If only I could throat punch you in the beginning. Gosh what a jerk!

I really hope there’s more to their story, It felt like some of the story was just missing in the end. I wanted more but I’ll settle for a book about her sister.

“The Duchess Takes a Lover” is the introductory novella to Jillian Eaton’s new series, “Ladies of Seduction.” Ambrose married Mara because she seems meek and obedient and exactly the type of woman he can abandon in the country - which he promptly does. So color him shocked when he hears she is going to be coming to London to take a lover. He goes to her first instead, setting up a second chance romance.

Except that Mara and Ambrose’s story is light on the romance and heeeeeavy on the lust. Which don’t get me wrong, I love a little lust. But here it is unclear that there is anything else. Ambrose goes from disconnected, cold, and occasionally cruel to suddenly madly in love with little to bridge the two states. I think we are supposed to infer he has always loved Mara since he has not slept with anyone else during their separation, but his treatment of her during that same separation just doesn’t bare that out. And Mara goes from deep resentment and anger at her husband to unbridled passion almost immediately. There just wasn’t enough story in this story, which is the best parallel for the characters’ inability to communicate with one another.

I did find the epilogue intriguing and likely will pick up the next book in the series, especially as I have read Jillian Eaton in the past and found other examples of her work much stronger. 2.5 stars, rounded to 3. Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for a complimentary ARC of this book. These opinions are my own.