"Lessons in Training a Rake" - Tracy Sumner crafts a poignant and deeply passionate second-chance romance that tugs at every heartstring. Juliet Fairchild, a baron’s spinster daughter and now a woman marked by solitude, never expected to feel Dorian Montrose’s presence like a lightning strike again. Their reunion, after five years of heartbreak and unspoken pain, pulses with raw emotion and unrelenting desire.

What sets this novella apart is its emotional candor as every stolen glance and quiet ache speaks volumes. Juliet’s sacrifice was born of love, but it’s Dorian’s grief and simmering longing that flood the pages with urgency. As they stumble through regret and rekindle what once was, the reader is swept into a love story aching to be reclaimed. This story is a heart-clutching reminder that love, when given a second chance, can bloom fiercer than ever. And best of all, it’s just the beginning. Lessons in Training a Rake kicks off Tracy Sumner’s upcoming Rookery Rebels series, and if this is how it starts, I’m ready to devour every single tale to come!

A delightful anthology with a collection from some splendid authors.

Kathleen Ayers - A rowboat to ruin - A story of bookish (insect-ish?) Annalese and a reluctantly and recently titled Marquess of Tenburgh - Finley. A very believable insta-love story and some great spice.

Wren St. Claire - Duke’s Mid-Summer Madness - enjoyable and steamy, but the insta-love was just too abrupt. Also personal preference, but I am not a fan big age gaps, where the younger person is a (19 year old in this case) debutante.

Emily E K Murdoch - The lakeside suitor - a short, sweet and spicy second chance story of Amethyst and Robert

Matilda Madison - Her coastal crush - This was a new author to me that I quite enjoyed. A wonderful friends-to-lovers story where Gregory writes letters to Emily under his brother’s name, afraid of rejection. Through the letters they both realize their feelings for each other.

Fil Reid - The Duke, the Valkyrie and the lost treasure - a very short easy read, insta-love and mystery involved.

Paula Quinn - A duke of all time - a fast paced time travel story. Very well written, wish it was longer as there was a lot going on for a short story.

Tanya Wilde - Be my duke - a heartwarming friends-to-lovers story with just the right amount of spice. As always for Tanya Wilde - a very well written story.

Cara Maxwell - Charmed by Lord Love - A meet cute and a fast love story between bookish Matthew and charming Amelia

Amanda Mariel - A season to surrender - another new to me author, whose story I really enjoyed. An emotional story of Lilian and Griffith, who bond over their shared difficult life experiences and come together to help each other bear the expectations that the world and society place on them and find joy in it.

I love a good romance anthology and DUKES ALL SUMMER LONG did not disappoint! I enjoyed each story and couldn’t possibly pick a favourite - they were that good! If you enjoy historical romances and novella length reads, then this is a must read for you! If you are on the fence, I highly recommend you give this a try and enjoy a quick, read in one sitting romance between longer, heavier reads. Trust me, you will grow to love them just as much as I do. I’m giving DUKES ALL SUMMER LONG the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!

Fun, some steamy, historical romances from 15+ authors. These short stories are a great way to be introduced to new genre authors and sample their style. At the end of each short story is a link to more information about the author and where and how to read their other books if you like them. I would definitely recommend this anthology to find some new favorites.

A delightfully long collection of Regency romance short stories which all, in some way or another, make readers believe in true love. A majority of the stories revolve around a lake, which highlights the seasonal nature of the text. I highly recommend this as a way to discover new authors or be reintroduced to an old favorite. A thousand pages have never flown by so quickly! I genuinely love this collection.

There are so many stories here that you are pretty much guaranteed to find a lot to enjoy (and some that you do not like as much) - which is always a sign of a good anthology because it means there is a lot of variety. Some of these may be standalones, but many are parts of series. This worked well for me if I had read the series of which they were a part, but for those I have not read it was easy to feel like I did not have a complete grasp on everything going on. The only problem with a series of short stories/novellas (I am not sure what these are officially considered) is that most of the time the narrative relies on a love-at-first-sight premise because there is so little time for the characters to meet and end in a happy ending. My favorites in this collection are:
- The Duke's Last Love (a nice addition to the One Night in Blackhaven series)
- The Duke's Deepest Depths (a little romance, a little mystery)
- A Wild Rose for the Unrepentant Duke
- The Midnight Waltz
- Her Coastal Crush
- The Duke's Mid-Summer Madness

Dukes All Summer Long is a charming historical romance anthology filled with quick reads and familiar tropes. While I appreciated the variety of authors and settings, not every story landed for me—some felt rushed, and a few relied too heavily on insta-love.

My personal favorites featured couples with shared emotional history—like The Duke’s Secret Wager by Sherry Ewing, The Lakeside Suitor by Emily E. K. Murdoch, A Wild Rose for the Unrepentant Duke by Elizabeth Heights, Lessons in Taming a Rake by Tracy Sumner, and Her Coastal Crush by Matilda Madison. These stood out for their relatable characters, solid pacing, or emotional resonance—especially within the short story format.

A few entries dipped into time travel or mystery, which didn’t match my taste. A Duke For All Time and The Duke’s Deepest Depths in particular didn’t quite work for me, either due to genre or underdeveloped emotional arcs.

Overall, this is a great summer read for historical romance fans looking for bite-sized love stories—especially if you enjoy dukes, lakeside escapes, and love that blooms from shared history rather than instant attraction.

Dukes All Summer Long is a delightful collection of short stories by popular romance authors. It's the perfect book for when you only have time for a quick read and need a cheerful mood pick me up. There's a lot of variety in the stories from second chances at love, time travel, friends to lovers and so much more. Not only did I enjoy stories from my favorite authors like Kathleen Ayers, Darcy Burke, & Emily E K Murdoch, I have found new authors I like too after reading their stories.

I usually prefer books with one fully detailed story but Dukes All Summer Long was quite fun. It's an enjoyable way to spend some time relaxing each evening, reading one story each time.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a delightful, varied collection that’s like a box of gourmet chocolates: best savored one piece (or story) at a time.

If you’re craving a breezy, sun-drenched escape packed with dukes, wit, and swoon-worthy moments, "Dukes All Summer Long" is the perfect poolside companion. This anthology delivers seventeen (!) never-before-published Regency romances, each brimming with tropes tailor-made for historical romance lovers: enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, wallflowers vs. rakes, and even a dash of time travel.

Highlights & Standouts:
- Kathleen Ayers’ "A Rowboat to Ruin" kicks off the collection with a quirky, charming bang. A spinster entomologist collides (literally) with a rakish marquess in a rowboat—what follows is pure banter-filled bliss. Nerdy heroines forever!
- Tracy Sumner’s "Lessons in Taming a Rake" is a sizzling second-chance romance with an older heroine and a reformed rake. The chemistry is off the charts here, and so well-written.
- Bronwen Evans’ "Duke’s Like This" gives us class-defying romance between a duke and an Irish farmer’s daughter—sweet, steamy, and full of heart.
- Tanya Wilde’s "Be My Duke" closes the anthology on a high note with friends-to-lovers perfection: a masquerade ball, a stolen kiss, and years of pent-up longing. Sigh.

As with any anthology, mileage varies by story—a few felt rushed, but the majority are gems. Standouts from Matilda Madison ("Her Coastal Crush") and Wren St. Claire ("The Duke’s Mid-Summer Madness"*) introduced me to new authors. The heat levels range from sweet to spicy, so there’s something for every mood.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed Dukes All Summer Long! This anthology of 17 short stories was a delightful read from start to finish. My absolute favorite was the very first story featuring an entomologist and a duke—it was charming, quirky, and utterly endearing. I have a soft spot for nerdy characters, and this one hit all the right notes.

The collection as a whole is a great way to discover new voices in historical romance. None of the stories rated under 3 stars for me, which is impressive for such a large group of authors. My TBR pile has definitely grown, and I’ve already signed up for Dragonblade Publishing's email updates to stay on top of their new releases.

If you're looking for a breezy, feel-good anthology that introduces you to a variety of talented romance authors, I highly recommend this one.

Thank you Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this anthology, sometimes these shorter books are just what U need, especially in the summer when I am busy and have less reading time. My favorites were Tracey Sumner and Kathleen Ayers novels.

I love, love, love these short stories. Not only are they quick reads full of life, laughter and joy...but each has been written by some of my all time favorite authors! In some cases, the story is of a secondary character or characters from a series that the reader has always wanted to see have their own story. In other stories, the characters were new and lead you to want to read more from that author if they are new to you. In any case, don't miss out on picking up this book as it's fabulous and a terrific read.

“Dukes All Summer Long” is a new anthology that brings together a mix of authors ( some are favorites, some are new to me ) who approach the same theme of … well, … Duke and Summer … in such variety of writing styles, characters development and settings that the reader never feel bored. There is a plethora of different tropes : hidden identity, class differences, second chance, enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, wallflowers-rakes, later in life, and even time travel ….ect
Each story is short enough to finish in one sitting and unique enough to not seem repetitive in such a long anthology. The novellas range from lighthearted and humorous to heart-wrenching and angst-filled stories, from sweet to spicy.
Some of my favorites are :

Kathleen Ayers - A Rawboat to Ruin : Hidden Identity, strangers-to-lovers, and a Rowboat collision between a spinster entomologist and a jaded marquess.
Bronwen Evans - Duke’s Like This : Class Difference, A love story between a Duke and an Irish farmer’s daughter.
Mary Lancaster - The Duke’s Last Love : Part of Blackhaven Series. Later in life trope. A managing spinster, a widower Duke, and an eloping couple.
Deb Marlowe - The Duke’s Deepest Depths : Virgin widow, a newly minted Duke, a school and a mystery.
Tracy Sumner - Lessons in Taming a Rake : Second chance romance, older heroine, long time friends, a Bluestocking and a rake. The start of a new series (yay!!!)
Tanya Wilde - Be My Duke : friends-to-lovers, A masquerade ball and a kiss changes things forever for longtime friends.

I enjoyed reading this great anthology and I highly recommend it to Historical Romance fans who need a quick yet delightful novellas when life is too busy to read a full novel.

A massive anthology full of short reads by great authors. Each story is quite short, most are 5-10 chapters only, so these are great when you have only a short reading break. Seventeen stories add up, even if they’re short. There is some steam, so don’t get this if you prefer sweet historical romance. The dukes in question come in all types—young, old, reluctant…. And there heroines are also varied. I have been enjoying the variety and the fact that the stories, though short, don’t leave me hanging. They have been surprisingly complete stories. I highly recommend as a sampler of some of my favorite authors.

This anthology from Dragonblade is perfect for summer reading. Each entry is short enough to be read in one sitting, and it’s a great way to discover new-to-you authors. I particularly liked the stories by Tracy Sumner, Kathleen Ayers, and Emily EK Murdoch. Don’t miss this collection!

I received an ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

What a fun book! The stories are so varied, but hold to the summer theme. Lots of picnics, boating, swimming, shirts off and more. Plus, it truly will last all summer long as the anthology is over 15 hours for your reading pleasure!

A rowboat to ruin- Kathleen Ayers

A new sub story for our Five Deadly Sins Series. Easy, quick read, and sweet. I like that both were 30, its so nice to not read about an 18 year. I like that both wanted to ensure that the other had a passion that they could be proud of. 4/5

Duke's Like This - Bronwen Evans

This is part of her most recent series that has been released by DragonBlade, the season of secrets. I liked this short story. 4/5 it was a quick read and because the past attraction had been there, for me it avoided insta love vibes. Both characters were interesting. I wonder if Lucien has a book out, I need to go find it.

The dukes last love Mary Lancaster

I have only read her mystery series so this is my first true romance by the author. This is part of the one night in Blackhaven series. Enjoyable again. There was a kiss so it was clean. I liked the story about the newphew and Jenny also, they seem to be matchmakers without knowing it. 3.5

The Duke’s deepest depths Deb Marlowe

I love the mystery series by this author this will be the second romance series I read by them. Liked it and was open door. But it had virgin widow is not a fav trope of mine. Also, is this the start to a new series? 3.5/5

The lake side suitor by Emily Murdoch

Love Emily. This was a nice second chance love story. The step up and communication to work out the misunderstanding was good. Both characters enjoyable. 4/5

Lessons in taming a rake Tracy Sumner

Second chance romance. Heroine is older than male lead (love that) he is a rake though ( real one don’t love that) but Tracy does angsty second chance so well. 4.5/5

A tidal affair Ruth a Casie

I’m skipping, this author isn’t for me

The dukes secret wager sherry Ewing

I liked it. Falling in love at a house party , which is one of my fav tropes. But I felt like the ending was a little weak, I really didn’t care for his friend.

A wild rose for the unrepentant duke Elizabeth Heights

Liked this one a lot sweet and kind characters. Childhood friends to lovers. 4/5

The midnight waltz Marie Higgins

Second chance but slightly longer than the other stories which was nice cause she is a new to me author. I liked it. It was a clean romance but enjoyable. 4/5

Her coastal crush Matilda Madison

I loved this one. Romantic and sweet. Childhood friends to lovers. He is fearful of being honest about his feelings for her so he hides behind a persona so he can tell his truth. I liked it so much.
5/5

A season to Surrender Amanda Mariel

This author is not for me

Charmed by Lord Love by Cara Maxwell

Very Excited to read this story! 4.5 they meet at a house party. She is shy and introverted. He is extroverted and seems to understand her in ways others do not. Her sister is the lead in the second Lady's knight series (my fav). So happy to read this author again! I forgot how much I enjoy her writing.

A duke for all time by Paula Quinn
New to me author. This was a time travel and I did like that the ML was the person that traveled in time not the FL. But I just didn't really care for the story. This wasn't for me
2/5
The The valkryrie and the Lost Treasure by Fil Reid

This author is not for me I am not reading it.

The duke's Mid Summer Madness by Wren St Claire
New to me Author. I enjoyed this but I didn't love the tropes in it so 3/5 for me. I don't like when the age gap is repeated over and over as though she is so young (he was even doubting her age towards the end). I also prefer the sex scences to be from the female perspective (it wasn't bad from the MMC view but not my fav). The last thing, is when the MMC has a previous love and he "realizes" it was never true love. Why can't both be true strong love? I know this author has a new book coming out with dragonblade soon and I want to read it first.

Be my duke Tanya Wilde

What a great high note to end on. I am smiling. Oohh OM drama which I love. Two childhood friends becoming lovers. They are older and a big dramatic declaration of love what more could I want honest. 5/5

A Rowboat to Ruin by Kathleen Ayers...
Thoroughly engaging romance with witty banter. Analise and Finley have beautiful chemistry.

Duke's Like This by Bronwen Evans...
When love is meant to be and feels so right and difference in class doesn't matter. This is Alexander and Caitria's love story.

The Duke's Last Love by Mary Lancaster...
Two couples and love, one of saving love and one of keeping love. A little diplomacy goes a long way.

The Duke's Deepest Depths by Deb Marlowe...
A wonderful romance of new beginnings for Cart and Merritt. The stage is set for many happy endings.

The Lakeside Suitor by Emily E K Murdoch...
A second chance at love by the lake, a reconnection and misunderstandings forgiven for Robert and Amethyst.

Lessons in Taming a Rake by Tracy Sumner...
A second chance at love with no regrets this time. A glorious and passionate romance, an undeniable love that reignites again where it left off for Dorian and Juliet.

A Tidal Affair by Ruth A. Casie...
An engaging romance, two strangers meet and finally when fear no longer matters or has been overcome can celebrate and take their love forward.

The Duke's Secret Wager by Sherry Ewing...
A lovely romance set at a house party. A wager that sets the story and a wonderful journey to finding love for Georgina and Laurence.

A Wild Rose for the Unrepentant Duke by Elizabeth Heights...
Sweet romance, a rescue and undeniable connection and discovery of love for Sebastian and Rose.

The Midnight Waltz by Marie Higgins...
The beginning of a waltz brings a second chance at love for Eleanor and Graham. A little danger lurks before they can gain their happy ending.

Her Coastal Crush by Matilda Madison...
Sweet romance, letters written and mistaken identity but Gregory and Emily end up being the perfect match.

A Season of Surrender by Amanda Mariel...
An engaging story filled with hope. Griffith and Lilian find each other at the perfect time, two people and two hearts in need of healing and love.

Charmed by Lord Love by Cara Maxwell...
A charming romance where misadventures make for a perfect love story for Amelia and Matthew.

A Duke for all Time by Paula Quinn...
A time travel romance where time has no meaning but only love matters for Conn and Sarah.

The Duke, the Valkyrie, and the Lost Treasure by Fil Reid...
A lovely story, finding treasure and so much more with new beginnings for Daniel the new Duke and Cassandra his Valkyrie.

The Duke's Mid-Summer Madness by Wren St Claire...
A passionate romance, Fenella and her Captain come Duke are soul mates destined for each other. A story filled with desire and tenderness.

Be My Duke by Tanya Wilde...
A lovely best friends to lovers romance, everything changes for Barnaby and Celia at a masquerade house party and the masks come off for a wonderful happily ever after.

This summer romance anthology is like a box of chocolates with a selection of different fillings, but each one is delicious. From beginning to end, I was entranced and enjoyed every book by my favorite authors. I received a copy of this anthology as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

So many dukes!

Although in some cases, marquess, and such.
I thought this was an excellent collection of historical novellas, perfect for reading on the beach or by the pool. Some new to me authors and plenty of favorites. Some novellas were spicy, some not. Something for everyone.
Its a highly recommend, folks!
Grab this one.