This was a quick, cheeky regency romp with modern vibes. The banter is snappy, the setup is fun (a dare, a bet, and a lot of fencing), and while the historical accuracy is more vibe than fact, it’s a perfectly enjoyable read if you're in the mood for something light and flirty.

What happens when a spinster’s pride and a duke’s ego crash into a bet and a dare? This is a story that delivers a charming blend of humor, romance, and sizzling tension that had me grinning from page one.
Lady Boudicca is the kind of heroine I adore—fiercely independent, clever, and unapologetically herself. Her “I’ll show them” attitude toward her sisters’ duke-daring challenge is both hilarious and relatable. Enter Wesley, the Duke of Baskim: equal parts arrogant and irresistible, and completely out of his depth when it comes to Boudicca’s sharp wit and refusal to swoon at his feet.
Their banter crackles, the romantic tension is a delicious slow burn, and the added layers of fencing matches, secret disguises, and social meddling make this story utterly binge-worthy. I especially appreciated that the emotional stakes were just as strong as the romantic ones—both characters grow, challenge each other, and ultimately find a love neither expected.
This novel kicks off the Duke Dare series with heart, humor, and just the right dash of spice. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Eliana Piers does a fantastic job in writing this historical romance book and this was no exception, I really enjoyed the way the characters and world were presented and developed. It was everything that I wanted in a opening chapter and was glad it was everything that I was looking for and am excited for more in this world. It uses the genre perfectly and had that feel that I was looking for and was glad it was so well done. It was a great first entry in the Duke Dare series and left me wanting more.

I DNFed this book because I have a pet peeve with weird names and couldn't get past the first few pages. The names are atrocious. No offense to anyone.

"The Duke's Spinster" is a fun way to wile away a few hours. It is something of a contemporary romance masquerading as historical - the language used and the behaviors engaged in by not just the main characters but the secondary ones as well are definitely not historical. But if you can look past that (I did), the book is entertaining and pretty low angst - at least until the aggravating third-act separation. I loved FMC Boudicca's pointed wit and obvious intelligence and thought her relationships with her sisters were lovely. I was less a fan of MMC Wesley - I am not a huge fan of blatant dishonesty and felt a bit like he waited for things to just happen to him versus taking proactive control in his own life. But I did think his gesture at the end was lovely.

Overall a decent read, and I would be happy to read the next book or books in this series. 3.5 stars rounded to 4. Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

he Duke’s Dare offers a fun premise with likable characters, but the dialogue felt too modern for the historical setting, which pulled me out of the story at times. Lady Boudicca’s strong-willed independence and Wesley’s charming yet stubborn nature made for an enjoyable couple, but I couldn’t fully connect with the world due to the anachronistic tone. The romance had its moments, though the plot was fairly predictable at times. This is an entertaining and light read.

This is a short, quick read that’s … historical-adjacent. The conversations, the quips, they’re written for a modern audience, and there’s nothing wrong with that, even if it’s not to my personal taste. However, when Wesley sneaks into Bodi’s room at night to fuck her, I had to go find my eyes from where they’d rolled out of my head. It’s just so goofy.

If you’re just looking for a romance to read, there’s nothing wrong with this one, but I think it would have been better as a contemporary romance rather than a historical. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

Delightful Regency Romance

A bet and a dare bring them together, but will love keep them there? Boudicca is the first of her sisters to accept the challenge. Wesley is the first of the dukes to pick up the gauntlet. What happens when Boudicca finds out her duke came courting because of a bet? Didn’t she accept because of a dare? Would love win in the end?

This is a delightful story. I recommend it to those who like Regency romance with wit and charm. This is my first book by this author, and I look forward to reading more.

The Duke’s Spinster by Eliana Piers is the start to a new series of “Duke Dare” books. Boudicca Rochester, the eldest daughter of a widowed historian Earl who has instructed each of his four daughters, named after historical warrior women of renown, to be the best they can be. Boudicca herself is an expert in fencing and able to best any man. At the ripe old age of eight and twenty, she is quite comfortable to be the spinster and has plans to open a fencing school for girls.

Westley, the Duke of Baskim, on a dare from his friends, to woo, Boudicca. All in a thin plot but entertaining if you have not much else going on. I received an ARC from the publishers and NetGalley with thanks and submit my honest review voluntarily.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this story and this is my freely given opinion.

This is a first book of a new series by Eliana Piers, and features a rather eccentric family of sisters named after famed female warriors, daughters of a widowed historian Earl. Lady Boudicca is the eldest and determined to embrace her spinster status, planning for an independent future, especially as it later is revealed, she and her sister have some rather singular hobbies that she knows most men would never support or encourage.

Wesley, Duke of Baskim, is handsome, popular, and well regarded in Society - after all, he is a duke. Likewise, he is arrogant and full of confidence. But he and Boudicca are thrown together when they literally bump into each other at a ball, and because of dares and wagers they both engage in, Boudicca with her sisters, and Wesley with his friends, they are forced to deal with each other.

Bouddica is determined to challenge and trip Wesley up, not trusting why he is suddenly seeking her out, and purporting to court her, while making outrageous demands to rise his ire and force his hand. Wesley is determined to court Bouddica, trusting in his attractiveness and desirability as a duke, but also not wanting to lose his bet. But as they spend time together, and especially when Wesley discovers her secret hobby, their ire with each other gives way to the underlying attraction, and growing respect and liking for each other.

Bouddica grows to feel that she can give Wesley her heart, except she still senses that there is something he is hiding from her.

This is a cute forced proximity (because of their wagers), enemies to lovers romance. However, much of the dialogue is off-puttingly contemporary, such as the nickname of Wesley's set - the Betting Buddies, and the use of phrases such as "She thought she was going to lose it....", and "the hottest duke". There was a very high school cliques feel to the beginning of the story with Wesley and his clique and Bouddica and her sisters - with a juvenile feel that made me almost want to give up on it. But as the story moved along and Wesley and Bouddica moved beyond their initial hostilities and challenges, I started to fall into the charm of their growing relationship, especially as they moved onto their shared hobby and they developed a deeper relationship that drew me in.

3.25 stars out of 5

The Duke’s Spinster by Eliana Piers is a light-hearted Regency romance featuring Boudicca Rochester who has been raised by an eccentric father who, among other things, has taught his daughters all how to fence. It is her dearest wish, now that she is a spinster, to open a fencing school for young ladies. Wesley, the Duke of Baskim, is supposed to be looking for a a bride. He doesn’t really want one and has come up with the perfect scheme. Pursue a woman who will be “safe,” and refuse him when the time comes. In the meantime, his parents would see him courting and leave him alone. Bodi seemed like the perfect candidate. Well, we can see where this is going, can’t we? There are ups and down but the inevitable happens.

Bodi and her sisters are interesting characters, although the others are not as determined a Bodi. We got to know her well and she is a terrific character. Wesley, not as much, but not bad. He had least has sense enough to see what he has. The plot was thin, but entertaining. The pacing was good, and all-in-all it was an entertaining read.

I was invited to read The Duke’s Spinster by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #ElianaPiers #TheDukesSpinster

Eliana Piers delivers a fun and sexy Regency romance filled with sharp wit, well-matched characters, and just the right amount of intrigue. The Duke’s Spinster introduces readers to Lady Boudicca, a fiercely independent woman content with her spinster status—until her sisters challenge each other to marry dukes. Determined to prove she is not suited for love, she accepts the dare, never expecting Wesley, a duke caught up in a wager of his own, to upend her plans. Their relationship unfolds with humor and depth, making it clear that love is not about winning a bet but finding someone who truly sees and values you.

With a well-paced narrative, strong supporting characters, and an entertaining premise, The Duke’s Spinster is an enjoyable start to the Duke Dare series. Can't wait to read more!

I took awhile to write this review because I wanted to savor this story. I love reading this author's work! It's always filled with humor, joy, different plots and awesome characters. Not a true historical romance as there's little history melded into her stories but that doesn't matter as she fills it with such great story telling that one wouldn't really notice. I have a number of favorite authors, just like I'm sure the rest of you do! My favorites all have different skills and talents. This is a great story with odd character names, that makes me reach for Webster's to learn more! If you have never read her work before, run don't walk to get a copy you won't be disappointed.

A delightful romance!

I loved this romance.
I loved the main characters, Boudicca and Wesley. They are wonderful together. The character's interactions were enjoyable. The characters were well developed. The pace is fast. There’s never a dull moment. The story is stunning, humorous, and romantic. I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

An enticing tale about a Lady and a Duke who come together in a ballroom leaves the reader needing to infer that the pair have fallen in love because their actions fall short of proving it to the reader. Eliana Piers's historical romance The Duke's Spinster promises a memorable read that turns out predictable, providing a couple who are one-dimensional.

This is the first book in Piers's Duke Dare series, a series designed to take place in historical England (I think). The language used by the characters are all modern day colloquialism. Phrases and words that depict the 21st century, and not the 18th or 19th centuries.

The dialogue between the various characters carry the story. Sometimes entering so many characters at once that the reader feels lost in the maze. Only at these moments can the reader glean some activity. Atmospheric descriptions are rushed and offer a skeletal visual for the reader.

The plot, on the surface, has a Bronte sisters flair. At the age of 26, Lady Boudicca has resigned herself to being a spinster. Taunted by her younger sisters, she engages in a bet with them to attract a duke. Simultaneously, Wesley, the Duke of Baskim, enters into a game with his friends to dance, then court, and finally propose to the next female he bumps into in the ballroom. That female becomes Lady Boudicca in an encounter that has none of the traits of being stimulating or memorable for the reader.

Readers are not able to distinguish Lady Boudicca's character from her younger sisters. Nor is Wesley distinct from his mates. The characters all seem interchangeable. Wesley would fair the same with any one of Boudicca's sisters, and Boudicca would have the same attachment to any one of Wesley's buddies. It is a clean read with alot of game playing conducted by Wesley and Bodicca, leaving the reader to infer this is an image of falling in love.

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review.

A dare and a bet...

Boudicca (its so funny I just read another book by that name) agrees to a dare with her sisters to all marry dukes, though she's not keen on it.

Wes, conveniently a duke, agrees to a bet with his buddies. He's know for rejecting the ladies.
His fancy is tickled by Boudicca, as well as that pesky bet, Which of course, comes back to bite him in the...

I liked Boudicca and her efforts to thwart Wes's courting attempts.

I am not going to lie, I devoured this book. It had everything I love, a strong female main character, Chemistry between the two leads, and spicy goodness. Boudicca is such a great character, she knows what she wants, and no one will get in the way of that. She was logical and outgoing but also had a vulnerability that she showed with her family. She's what I wish more FMC are like in historical romances. I didn't think that I would like Wesley, but I did. Part of this was that we get to see things from his POV, I also like that he didn't try to change Boudicca or make her submit to him. Instead, he accepts who she is and even asks her for help. Boudicca is a woman and a warrior and I am glad that at the end of The Duke's Spinster she stayed one. I think while I wait for the next installment of the 'Duke Dare' series I will have to check out Piers other books.

Overall, a great romance.

This first book in the Duke Dare series was a charming and unique love story. A spinster and three sisters, a duke, and three others, a dare, a bet, fencing, a secret disgu,and other exciting and interesting issues kept me very engaged. I enjoyed the humor, wit, delightful banter, how complex, intellectual, and strong-willed they both were. The surprising and delicious passion that became so much more was beautiful. I can't wait for book two. I highly recommend reading!

A dare between sisters and a bet between friends leads to unexpected love between an unconventional spinster from an eccentric family and a duke known for his high standards.
I really enjoyed this very well written, lighthearted story with its witty banter, humorous moments and steamy love scenes. Wesley and Boudicca are endearing characters with great chemistry between them.
It was funny how she tried to boycott his courtship attempts and heartwarming how he fell in love with her despite and because of her idiosyncrasies.
I am happy to recommend this entertaining quick read and am already looking forward to the next book in the series!

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

I love an entertaining romance read and THE DUKE’S SPINSTER was that and more! In this book, the Lady and the Duke go head to head. One is trying to escape a bet, the other a dare. The results are sweet, sexy and hilarious. I enjoyed following the antics of Bodi and Wesley. She was a cracker and he was putty in her hands. This was my first Eliana Peters romance and will most certainly not be my last! I’m giving it the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!