Tamsin is Duchess of Clevesly and newly widowed. Christian, her husband’s cousin is appointed as trustee and co-guardian of her son. Right from the start, Tamsin is direct and not afraid to verbally spar with Christian. Unfortunately, in those times, he still has the upper hand and hence off they go to the countryside of Herringbrook, with her young son, James.

Tamsin is desperate to return to London – to her friends and to her “work”. Thus, she kickstarts her plan to convince Christian that London should be where they should be. This causes many funny scenes between them and some totally outrageous ones.

Despite her current status as a duchess, Tamsin is a daughter of a merchant and hence not noble enough. While Christian is attracted to her, he is bound by duty to marry someone of noble blood. Will he choose duty or will he choose Tamsin?

The romance is more of a slow burn as both of them try their best to fight their mutual attraction. Tamsin is also hesitant to commit to any relationship as she has finally obtained her freedom through her status as widow.

I enjoyed the scenes when they discussed the caricatures and I would love to see actual drawings of them as they sound hilarious. The scenes between Frederick and Christian were also lovely and I enjoyed their close friendship and brotherhood.

While this isn't the best from the author, this was still such a good read. It was well paced, with characters that I adored and a plot that I hadn't read in historical romance for quite some time. I LOVED the set up where it is a widowed duchess ready to protect her son and her own newfound freedom.

Tamsin Palmer, the widowed Duchess of Clevesley has never really been accepted by society despite her advantageous marriage to a Duke, in the eyes of the ton, she is nothing more than a wealthy Cit whose father bought her a title, and sadly the duke, while considerate to her physically, did nothing to smooth her entrance into the upper echelons of society, preferring to have her stay in the country with their infant son. But now that her mourning is almost complete, she hopes to finally find her place in the ton, raise her son, continue to use her art to make a difference and live happily independent ever after. And then she met him…

Christian August, Count of Rauchberg, is a German noble and cousin to the late duke. He was named by his cousin as executor of the dukedom and co-guardian to his young son. Christian is all about duty and thanks to his mother being of lower birth than his father, knows firsthand how cruel society can be to those they deem as lesser mortals. He believes he will go to England, set the estate to rights, form a plan for the young duke’s future and then return to Germany, marry an acceptable bride and live dutifully ever after. And then he met her…

This book was entertaining, but not quite the story I was expecting. I was hoping for a light, fun read and it started out that way and then for some unknown reason, the author decided to crank up the angst and made the characters miserable before easily solving the problem and giving them a HEA. Overall, it was an OK read, but not one I would re-read. This book doesn’t appear to be the start of a new series but does have several secondary characters that might get stories of their own.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Wow! This book made me so mad to start with! During that time period women were nothing more than property. They could not have a job, or vote or even to use their brains. I would not have done well in that era. But Tamsin does want to see changes and wants to be part of those changes. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a sweat HEA. This is why we read this type of books! Of you're looking for a lighthearted refresh, look no further!

I was gifted this as an ARC by Entangled Publishing so thank you to them for granting me early access. This book was so good - in fact it has launched me right into my regency romance books era. I really couldn’t get enough of the two main characters. The Duchess, now widowed after a loveless marriage, finds herself, by way of her late husband’s final wishes, as a co-guardian to her son, with her late husband’s insufferable brother. When the brother comes in he tries to uproot their lives and the Duchess pushes back. But soon things heat up as these enemies become lovers. The Duchess is a commoner by blood and her only noble status comes from her title given to her by her husband. This proves to be quite challenging and not only that - the duchess is finally free from a man’s control, is she willing to give that all up again for love?
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Expertly written, likeable characters, and fast moving plot with a swoon worthy romance - a solid 4 stars. Be sure to check this one out when it’s published Nov 26.24!

An enemies-to-lovers fairytale!

~ Tamsin & Christian ~
A widow from a loveless marriage, her late husband’s third, she’s a duchess struggling to claim her place in society. To them she’ll always be a jewellery merchant’s daughter who’s papa bought her place among them. She’s also a mother who adores her little boy, a secret caricaturist and a mischievous imp - and she’s more than ready to entertain that continental interloper all the way back to his homeland!
He’s the Prussian count - honourable, prim and insufferably proper - tasked with sorting out the late duke’s estates and co-guardian to her son. He also has his own estates to manage and is forced to obey his uncle’s every whim. The man’s latest fancy is for his nephew to find a wife... a purebred blue-blooded wife fit for court, not the red-blooded duchess who’s making his heart race and his life hell!

You get two MCs who seem to have it all, but underneath all that perfection are two very lonely souls struggling to find their footing in life. Not that they’re willing to show anyone, let alone the other, how much they hurt. And they both come with some very loyal friends. I love how creative she gets when trying to be rid of him, and his reactions are brilliant! She plays dirty - the funny clever kind of dirty - and he’s honor bound to suffer. Excellent!
And then the spark catches, the dynamics change and the stakes go up. I loved seeing them grow close and their delectable sizzle! But it’s not all fluff; this tale deals with a lot of very serious issues as well, and those add wonderful depth and complexity. Not to mention the grand sacrifice in the end!

A very entertaining playful and relaxing read with some beautiful heartbreaking interludes. Honest and vulnerable, yet witty and nicely paced with some delicious steam, this was one of those stories with no angst and the right balance between humor, romance and drama, and I really enjoyed it!

A fun, entertaining regency romance that makes one think of Bridgerton(if you know, you know).
I loved the main characters, Tamsin and Christian. Such endearing characters. The chemistry between them is swoony and lovely.
The story did seem to drawn out a bit longer than necessary. But, besides that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Duchess Takes It All. As always, when there is a epilogue, I am very happy!
To sum it up, a enjoyable read that I’m glad I got to read.
Thank you NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I always enjoy Ms. McLean’s stubborn and noble characters, and Tamsin and Christian have that in spades.

At first glance, Christian’s arrogant personality is grating as he adheres to his duties being the guardian to Tamsin’s son and executor of her estate. His inability to listen or empathize with Tamsin’s situation is frustrating and makes for a rocky start for the protagonists. However, Christian’s transformation from grouch to hero seems organic and believable as he begins to admire the strong and beautiful Tamsin as she stands up to his intrusion and defies his demands to follow his wishes. Overall, it’s his final selfless act that made me fall for Christian completely. It is one of the best grand gestures of love that I’ve seen in a long time.

Tamsin is a wealthy merchant’s daughter who is a widow of a Duke. However, society does not recognize her status and shuns her at every turn. Fed up with people telling her what to do and how to act, she stands by her convictions to not let Christian dictate her life. Tamsin’s warmth and compassion shine brightly against the rejection from the ton as she gives an anonymous voice to those who otherwise remain unheard. Christian doesn’t like her dangerous venture that would ruin her for good, but he supports her and vows to protect her. It is refreshing to see her give into her desires and break down Christian’s proper resolve.

Ms. McLean’s presents an interesting enemies to lovers plot dealing with obligations to duty and skirting around strict marriage laws of other nations in the name of love.

The loyal circle of friends to both of the protagonists is a wonderful addition to the story. They demonstrate that love, loyalty, and friendship thrive on shared values rather than societal approval.

I recommend this delightful romantic story about true nobility that lies not in birth, but in courage, love, and the unwavering spirit to forge one’s path on one’s own terms. Bravo!

Thank you to Ms. McLean for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

This is a wonderful story with great chemistry and lots of witty banter between Tamisin and Christian, who was appointed by her late husband as guardian of her toddler son and to oversee her estate.
I loved the fact that Christian came from Germany and the difference in customs of the country.
Tamisin, having been from a wealthy merchant class, had never fully been accepted by the Ton, even though her husband had been titled.
This is a slow burn romance that is beautifully written.

They argue over everything and I loved that for them. The slow burn was long but worth the wait. Fun side characters who brought in laughter and great advice for both MCs.

This story is written with great wit. Tamsin is a widowed duchess. She is fiercely protective of her independence and her son. Christian is a Count on a mission to do his duty. The plot of the story is fantastic. It throws together two strong willed characters who start out as enemies. It becomes a funny and romantic story. It is a real page turner that is easy to read. The story is filled with wonderful characters that readers will totally enjoy.

What a delightfully different story line from an author I have never read until now and I am so glad to find her! Tamsin is a widow with a son who is a Duke to be. Meeting the man who will be co-guardian has her up in arms and ends up IN his arms. Christian is a rule-follower, doing all he can to undo the damage his parent’s marriage has done to the family. I loved how the author showed Tamsin’s desire to be accepted, to the point of confusing herself. Seeing Christian change was so satisfying, as well. The twists and turns keep the reader guessing and when an HEA is all but destroyed, I wondered how the author would fix an unfixable situation. It really was a well done story, with banter( that I absolutely adore), love blooming and a feisty heroine willing to do whatever it takes to protect the ones she loves. Their chemistry jumped off the page from the start and her friends are a hoot. Even his uncle learns from Christian! I adored James-soooooo cute!

I received this story for free and these are my own views.

“The Duchess Takes It All” is a fun romp through the Regency era with chemistry, humor, and love all bound together in an independent widow and the count who’s come to oversee the accounts and her son’s affairs until he reaches his majority.

Christian doesn’t have a clue what he’s going to face when he moves Tamsin and her son to the country. Tamsin is absolutely perfect as she prods, torments, and irritates him in a bid to force him back to town. Her plans may be derailed when she finds herself a little too interested in not just his reactions, but the man himself.

The push pull attraction is so well written I found myself immersed in the story as both Christian and Tamsin tiptoe around each other trying to pretend they aren’t continually taking peeks at one another. As the romance grows so do the problems they face. Is love enough?

I found this to be one of the more entertaining regency romances I’ve read in a long time. Loved it.

I was given a copy courtesy of Amara and this is my honest review.

Very engaging story with clashing wills between a mother and a guardian resulting in lots of anmusing episodes, A more major conflict however, is between the couple in love vs society and governing laws on marriages and treaties. Love finds a way makes for a most satisfying ending.

I received an ARC of this book and leaving my review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this book! It has excellent depth of character development ! The tension and attraction between Tamsin and Christian is palpable.

Excellent read!

Tamsin Palmer, recently widowed Duchess of Clevesly, considers Christian August, Count of Rauchberg, a nuisance. Cousin of her deceased husband, Christian is named co-guardian of her son. He’s starchy...and she has no interest in being managed. But despite the arguments and pranks, an interest begins to develop.

The blurb sounded promising, but I had mixed feelings about this book. Tamsin is a widow of means, who has station due to her title, but isn't really accepted in society due to her common birth. Christian comes from German nobility and has complicated expectations about marriage and his family's line of succession. The two butt heads over guardianship of her son and the estates, but start to become attracted to each other. This really felt more like falling into friendship than love. I really wasn't sold on the love connection here, and so I struggled to really enjoy it. I think readers who prefer a more traditional HR plot will probably like this story a bit more than I did. (3.5 stars)

Tropes: Widow, Guardian/Ward, Enemies to Lovers, Secret Job

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

The dynamic between Tamsin and Christian is attention grabbing and the chemistry was palpable. Frederick and Christian’s conversations were entertaining and brought out the chuckles in more than a few instances. Enjoyable story from start to finish.
Review copy received from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley

The first book I ever read by this author made a big mark on me so I try and read her latest releases because she knows how to let her characters have fun and enjoy life. This was on perfect display in this new story.

Free-spirited and fun are not usually terms you hear when speaking about historical romance books, but McLean engages her characters in such a way that you find yourself thoroughly enjoying the story. She weaves in unexpected pieces like a German connection and tricky laws to navigate through to keep story unique and true to the time period.

Loaded with mischievous pranks and a caper or two, this story is rich with wit, passion, and a unique story that will leave you smiling and cheering along the way. The two main characters are loaded with banter, torn between family obligations that threaten their connections, and a slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance that is beautifully paced.

Whether it is the two main characters or the supporting ones, all of them are enjoyable making The Duchess Takes it All a delightful story. A treat to read.

An uptight duty bound Count from a German principality with decided opinions, arrives in England to take care of his responsibilities as co-guardian of the young Duke of Clevesly and his estates. From the very beginning he and the widowed Duchess clash and butt heads but come to enjoy their sparring and the physical spark they both feel. However unless a supreme sacrifice is made, a great gulf lies between any chance of lasting happiness together,.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.