Fun romance but too wordy—I skimmed through much of the chatter. The four sisters are great. Some of the dukes betting and betters was silly.

"The Duke's Goddess" by Eliana Piers is the second in a series about unusual sisters named after female warriors. This is Joan and James' (the Duke of Cornwell) story. It is an easy and entertaining read. Joan and James' have excellent chemistry and banter, even as both are sure nothing permanent can happen between them. I also very much enjoyed both the relationship between the sisters and the relationship between the group of betting dukes. I am looking forward to the next story in this series.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. Thank you to Dragonsblade and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

What a beautiful and romantic love story this was. I love the clever and witty dialogue between the characters. The flirtatious moments that James and Joan shared are my favorite. These are the moments where you get to read the innocents of romance blooming. James’s character personalities are perfect for Joan. Without even realizing Joan had him wrapped around her little finger. Joan tried to play innocent, but I think she knew what she was doing. I thought that little pack that the sisters have between them was a good motivator to get Joan out there. I enjoyed the lighthearted moments and the romantic moments.

This book manages to bring together all that you want in a Regency romance: witty banter, spicy chemistry, and a fun fake courtship between unlikely partners. Quiet, dagger-throwing Joan and roguish Duke James team up to matchmake their friends, only to find themselves falling for each other. Their slow-burn romance moves quickly but not without tension, culminating in several steamy scenes that mix heat with genuine emotional connection.

While historical purists may balk at some modern sensibilities, the story thrives on its charm and humor. Joan’s quiet strength balances James’s reluctant vulnerability, and readers of the other books will enjoy seeing familiar characters.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I quite enjoyed this book - it's fun - but if you are looking for tight dialogue, historical accuracy, language of this period... it might be a little frustrating for you!

This Regency tale, while spirited and funny, stumbles with historical missteps and a rushed narrative. Four offbeat sisters wager to wed dukes, with Joan, a keen dagger-thrower, and James, a charming scoundrel, pairing up to kindle others’ love. Their lively repartee and crackling chemistry drive a delightful love story arc, but shallow characters, repetitive musings, and implausible romance disappoint. It tries to brings a fresh spin to the rogue trope yet falls short. Thank you NetGalley for ARC, all opinions are my own.

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

This is the second book in the series and it was a fun and quick read, and it would be nice to read it in order as the series is about a family of sisters, their ongoing dare with each other, and there are other pre-existing relationships as well.

BUT if you are a stickler for stories, characterizations, language, etc staying true to the historical period, then this series may drive you a bit crazy. There is a lot of anachronisms. But on saying that, I did enjoy the sisterly relationships, and the fun banter and dialogue amongst the characters. This was a fun and lighthearted romance that feels very contemporary in the mannerisms of the characters and their language, that happens to be plonked into Regency England.

3.5 stars out of 5

It’s Joan’s turn to try to snare her duke, but she’s not interested either. Somehow, she gets caught up with rakish duke James in playing matchmaker for their friends instead. And as they spend more time together, Joan starts to realize she’s actually attracted to this guy and James realizes that maybe he’s capable of love after all. This one is a quick and solid read with just the right amount of steam.

An Unexpected Match
Joan and James had no interest in love or marriage—they were simply trying to match two of their friends. But what happens when they fall victim to their own matchmaking efforts? They weren’t meant to fall in love, but fall they did. Will they accept that they’re meant to be together, or continue resisting fate? Can Joan reform a rake who insists he’ll never marry?
I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful historical romance, full of wit and charm. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre.

The last chapter/EPILOGUE kinda killed the vibe of this book for me. The last spicy scene and the dialogue was so cliche and a little cringe. I did love the banter and buildup of the relationship between the 2 main characters and it's what kept me hooked while reading. The story up to the proposal was engaging and flowed well, but then it felt a little rushed. You finally get to the sex scene that this story has been leading up to and it and was a little boring. I mean the MMC is a notorious rake after all! And I felt that the epilogue was more of a last chapter then an epilogue. I expected there to be more of a time difference between the last chapter and the epilogue. But with that said, I do understand that this is only book 2 out of 4 (?) and maybe the next book will pick up right where this one left off, or maybe have some overlapping in terms of time.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and will look forward to reading the next in the series. I do hope it's Chris and Nobi's story, because it's about damn time! (P. S. feel free to add in the appropriately timed claps that we have all been trained to do!)

Captivating relationship!
I enjoyed this novel. I found the two protagonists, Joan and James, very likeable. Their relationship is captivating, and they have a special bond that quickly drew me into their attempts at matchmaking their closed friends together. To my great delight, they get caught up in their own game. This book is a quick and enjoyable read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Book two of this entertaining series takes us on an adventure with Lady Joan. She's the quiet one of four sisters and can easily be overlooked. She starts to help out her friend and ends up plotting with James, a duke, who was ignored growing up. Their plotting is humorous and funny. From an author, who always delivers a quality story, this one is a winner! Four sisters who have unique skills, four Duke's who are best friends, and an imagination that has no filters... You can only guess what will take place in this story and the next two are going to be even more fun. Don't miss out!

This is a fantastic book! It is the second in this series, but could also be read as a stand-alone. Joan is practical, logical, fiercely loyal to her family (including her 3 sisters), and I see a lot of myself in her personality and thoughts. She doesn’t see James as a potential love interest at all, and only starts to spend time with him in order to help her friend connect with his friend. I love how they both seem to acknowledge that they could never be a couple, which in turn allows them to be more open either each other and show more of their true selves.

This book has some great banter, romance, loyal friendships, and some spice. Overall, I highly recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free advanced copy - this is my honest and voluntary review.

I enjoyed this lighthearted allies to lovers romance. As always, the author's writing style is playful and the story is humorous, steamy and full of likable main and supporting characters. James is a rake with a poignant childhood and Joan is the cautious, observant sister of the unconventional quartet. I liked how the two were on the same wavelength from the start despite their different personalities and how the relationship between them developed. I also liked Joan's close bond with her sisters and the witty banter between James and his friends.

Now that her older sister Boudicca has successfully fallen in love with a duke and married him, it is Joan's turn to do her part in the Duke Dare. But instead she and James, the Duke of Cornwell, try to set her friend Sarah up with James’ friend.
After his unhappy, loveless childhood, James has lost faith in love and is determined never to marry or have children of his own. He is a reckless rake, but wants to see his friend happy.
The matchmaking scheme shared with the cautious, levelheaded Joan goes unexpectedly well and the two grow closer than expected…

Overall, an entertaining fun read with some spice that I am happy to recommend!

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

This second book in the Duke Dare series is a very beautiful and serendipitously written historical romance. I really enjoyed this delightful and charming love story that is full of drama, humor, wit, and emotional issues that are very engaging. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the ending was lovely. I highly recommend reading!

This book is such a fun read. Joan and James are an unlikely pair but give two opposites a mutual task and sparks might fly. I loved the humor and teasing they showed each other throughout their journey. I also appreciate a heroine that knows her mind and a hero that will actually talk about his feelings no matter how difficult. Loved the sisters and the Duke challenge. There’s just so much to love about this book!

Thank you NetGalley. Joan was watching her friend Sally and she was watching the two men across the room so Joan went to be some help to her. The one was James a duke but it couldn't be him so it must be his friend standing next to him. No! She was interested in the wrong man. Joan and James get together and try to interest her friend in the correct man she should be interested in. While doing this Joan finds herself with the rake. Her brother is continuously showing up and separating them. James finds he is interested in Joan.

I don’t mind reading a interconnected series out of order, sometimes is actually good for me to read them like this, because if I like the characters I will read the other books in the series, and that’s exactly what happened with The Duke's Goddess. I was so interested that I read this in one sitting.
I fell in love withe the characters and soon after i finished, i looked for the first book on Amazon, and read it also in one sitting.

The characters in this book totally made me fall in love in the first few pages and I was so interested in the story, that I just wanted a happy ending for both of them. The relationship between the sisters was also something I loved very much. Each and every one of them was unique and important to the story, that I want them to have their happy ending too, so now i cannot wait to read the other two books in the series. I'm officialy hooked!

Four sisters – daughters of an earl, a little eccentric but well-liked by the ton – agreed on a dare to each snag a duke before the Season is out...

Joan is the next to youngest of the foursome; quiet, observant, and very talented at throwing daggers. She’s not to sure about love or ever finding it for herself, but she also doesn’t want to let her sisters down.
James is a duke from a cold nest, an incorrigible rake who learned long ago that calculated risks are far more rewarding than trying to earn his parents love. As far as he’s concerned, love doesn’t even exist, but the loyalty of his friends is priceless, and he’ll do just about anything to keep them happy and safe.
They enter each other’s orbit when her friend starts mooning over him while his friend is head-over-heels for the girl. Determined to steer Cupid in the right direction, Joan and James agree to join forces and do a little matchmaking. A hazardous occupation – especially to the heart – involving waltzes, rowboats, ballroom terraces and nighttime chaperoning missions.

This was a delectable, humorous, light and relaxing read – so very romantic – a charming and witty co-Cupids-to-lovers, house party, close proximity romance! They sizzle, and with each mishap the tension mounts leading to some delicious steam, a little scandal and the scariest feeling of them all: true love.
These MCs read each other like open books; they don’t see it, don’t realise it’s happening, but their entire entourage is on to them, and it was lovely seeing them open up and grow close.
I’m really enjoying this series so far, and I’m eagerly looking forward to what’s next!

I was really excited to read this book but unfortunately, It wasn’t for me.

The characters felt very one dimensional, the story felt rushed, and the love between Joan and James was not very believable. I struggled with the repetitive inner monologues of the main characters but did appreciate that this felt like a new take on “the rake” trope.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc, all opinions are my own.