I was born into British aristocracy, but I’ve made my fortune in Manhattan. New York is now my kingdom.Back in Britain my family are fighting over who’s the next Duke of Fairfax. The rules say it’s me–if I’m married. It’s not a trade-off worth making. I could never limit myself to just one woman.Or so I thought until my world is turned upside down. Now, the only way I can save the empire I built … the empire I built is to inherit the title I’ve never wanted– so I need a wife.
To take my mind off business I need a night that’s all pleasure. I need to bury myself in a stranger.
The skim of Scarlett King’s hair over my body as she bends over . . .
The scrape of her nails across my chest as she screams my name . . .
The bite of her teeth on my shoulder just as we both reach the edge . . .
It all helps me forget.
I just didn’t bargain on finding my one night stand across the boardroom table the next day.
She might be my latest conquest but I have a feeling Scarlett King might just conquer me.
A standalone, contemporary romance.
Other standalone books in the series
1. King of Wall Street (Harper & Max)
2. Duke of Manhattan (Scarlett & Ryder)
3. The British Knight (Violet & Alexander)
4. The Earl of London (Darcy & Logan)
5. Park Avenue Prince (Grace & Sam)
more
Loved Ryder and Scarlett!
Fake marriage plots are forever one of my favorites! I also felt like we got to know the main characters on a deeper level in this book which was what caused the half point deduction on the first book in the series (King of Wall Street). Also Ryder and Scarlett are two of my favorite names of all time so I’m extra happy this book was good:)
What’s not to like? Ryder Westbury is successful, driven, gorgeous and has that swoonworthy British accent. Well he’s a real player but that shouldn’t count. Scarlett King is alluring, witty and sexy but has been treading water and living a lackluster life since her divorce two years ago. She has her very successful business but that may be in for hard times too. These two meet by chance and spend a wildly erotic and lust filled night together. He makes her an offer she can’t refuse. One that gives them both what they want. It’s strictly a business proposition except feelings start to come into play. To paraphrase an old saying “be careful what you ask for, you just may get it” is superbly apt for this twosome. Never fear though, they get their HEA!
I am loving this series and this author. Each of these stories is about a different couple and their own story but are connected in some way. But can be read as a standalone.
Ryder is a sexy playboy with a little secret, he is also in line to be the next Duke of Fairfax. There is one catch though, he has to be married before his grandfather passes away. With his grandfather getting up there in age and having a stroke a few years back, and now he has fallen and needs surgery on his hip. While visiting his grandfather, Ryder finds out that his company might be in danger if he doesn’t become the next Duke of Fairfax.
Scarlett King is an independent woman, recently divorced, and just wants to move on with her life. her sister tells her she needs to find a one night stand to help her. When she sees Ryder at the bar, she thinks he is hot, sexy and will take her mind and body to other places.
After their night together, Ryder can’t get Scarlett out of his head, after finding out her company is one his company was trying to purchase, he comes up with an idea that might help them both.
Can his plan help them both in the end? Will they be able to succeed without falling in love with each other?
I love this series and can not wait to read the next one, although I think I read them out of order. I loved the narrators Saskia Maarleveld, and Shane East too. Good thing they are standalone. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them too.
A marriage of convenience for both of them. The only thing they didn’t count on? Love.
I’ve found a new addiction. The narrators for the audiobook are fantastic, especially the male voice. He really brings the hero to life. Ryder is captivating and Louise will soon have you wishing and wanting your own Ryder. He knows what he wants, how to get it, and nothing will stand in his way.
Scarlett was perfect. Head strong and willing to do whatever it takes to keep her company. I do enjoy the banter between both of the characters as well as when Scarlett handles her own with Ryder’s brother and sister-in-law.
I’m already reading Violet’s story.
Lily S. Thomas – Author of the Galactic Courtship series and the Ice Age Alphas series
A sweet, charming, and heartfelt journey to go on with Ryder and Scarlett. I enjoyed everything about this story.
It was my first Louise Bay book and I absolutely loved it! Everything. The writing style. The plot. The characters. Scarlett and Ryder were perfect.
Smart, funny, passionate and sexy. And the chemistry… gah.. it was off the charts. 5 amazing stars!
Scarlett and Ryder are royally fantastic. Scarlett is fresh off a divorce and still wondering what happened with her ex and she truly misses being part of a couple. She is independent and a smart business woman . She has a great business sense and is partner in a up and coming perfume company. She may be falling short in her dating life but she is a savvy business woman! Ryder is part of the British aristocracy but has made a name for himself in the private business world. Although he still has a hand in the family business that may be falling into the wrong greedy family hands. When these two worlds collide Scarlett may be the answer to all his problems . Save the family company, find a wife and help out a beautiful girl along the way!!
Loved Ryder and Scarlet !!!
~~Michele McMullen ~
I didn’t want this book to end! I want more of Scarlett and Ryder! This book is just the best! I fell totally and utterly in love with these characters and their story! Never in my life did I imagine I would love this book so much, but I did and you can’t believe how amazing this book is! Scarlett and Ryder had the greatest chemistry ever. They were sweet and sexy and god it was so romantic! Yet it was also so hot, this book was just on fire! Emotionally and sexually a masterpiece! This definitely won’t be my last book by Louise Bay. And I can’t wait to read the next books in this series! Definitely one of my favourite books this year!
5 Ryder Intense Stars!!!
Oh man.. Louise Bay writes stories that usually revolve around very successful, wealthy, sexy, caring, over the top alpha men. Who usually from England. Man I legit hear the English accent and it makes my insides tingle lol.
Ryder Westbury is the grandson to the Duke of Fairfax. Ryder has never had interest on becoming the Duke after his grandfather passes away. Ryder has moved to New York and opened his own business. He’s made a fortune doing it. Ryder plays by his own rules.
Scarlett King had gotten divorced. She needed to prove to herself that everything her ex said was not true. Scarlett moved and with her best friend opened up a fragrance business. It has skyrocketed. But, her personal has not. Her friend keeps telling her to get on the horse.
When Ryder’s grandfather falls and hurts himself things change dramatically for him. In his grandfathers (the Duke) will when he passes away the title goes to the oldest married grandson. Ryder wouldn’t care, but his cousin Frederick is an evil S.O.B and will screw both Ryder and his sister.
Ryder knows he must get married if he wants to keep everything and make his grandfather happy. He wants Ryder taking his place, not Frederick.
When Scarlett and Ryder meet the sparks are off the chart. Scarlett is in desperate need to find an investor to save her business. Ryder can see that Scarlett is as driven as he is. Their chemistry is off the charts. Ryder comes up with a plan. They get married. His cousin will believe it and he’ll get to keep everything. He’ll help Scarlett keep her company. Should be easy.
These two are perfect for each other. Their chemistry was so up and over the charts its unreal! For strangers they really understood each other and made sure to be there for each other. Their unexpected meeting was the best thing for them both personally and professionally. I can not wait for Louise’s next 5 star read!
I’ve never read a book by Louise Bay but I rather love Shane East, the narrator, so I thought I would try it. Shane is so easy to listen to with the accents!
I loved Duke of Manhattan! Scarlet and Ryder are great characters! Of course, I then bought the next two books in the series, one in audio (because…Shane East!!!).
Scorching
I loved this book! I experienced such a huge range of emotions while reading this. I became truly invested in Ryder and Scarlett’s story, and almost cried when the inevitable conflict arose. I loved this couple and was cheering for them the whole way! I have found this author’s heroes are always sexy and charming, her heroines are funny and smart, and her writing style is smooth and engaging.
Ryder and Scarlett are too hot to miss The Duke and Duchess will have you captivated from the very start. Scarlett is trying to rebuild her life after her divorce. She finally has a career she loves and is living in Manhattan and is trying to really live life to the fullest. Now she just needs to tackle her love life. She wants excitement and fun so when she meets a cocky handsome British guy in a bar she think what the hell I’ll live a little. Ryder is living the proverbial JayZ life of 99 problems but… however if he wants to keep his business and save his family estate from going to his horrid cousin Frederick he needs a wife. But still when he meets Scarlett he has no idea that their night of passion will be so hard to forget. She has him bewitched as he has never experienced. So since he needs a wife why not at least make it worth his while. When their marriage begins to cross from just one of convenience to something more can the two find a way to make contract marriage one that last forever?
Louise has done it again with another book I couldn’t put down, I was sucked in from the first few lines until the very last page. Ryder and Scarlett’s chemistry was full of witty and feisty banter, hot as hell sex and a love they never saw coming. I have a new favorite couple and you will too once you read this book. Looking forward to the next amazing book by Louise!
“He’s devastatingly attractive, richer than God and in need of a wife.” If I were to have an arranged marriage, I would DEFINITELY want this scenario. A sexy as sin Duke, who’s incredibly attentive and sweet, driven and career oriented, AND mind-blowing in bed… sign me up please!
In DUKE OF MANHATTAN we meet Ryder Westbury, (who is a completely new character to the series), and Scarlett King whom we first were introduced to in KING OF WALLSTREET and then reintroduced to in PARK AVENUE PRINCE. Louise Bay set up the intrigue for her character almost immediately when we found out she was a divorcee and the circumstances surrounding that were concealed. Now, this is her story and how she builds herself up after a failed marriage and how she proves to herself (and her ex) that she is not the type of woman you leave behind.
Ryder is trying to protect his company from getting into the hands of someone he hates, but the only way to do that is to find a wife and soon. But after living a life with no want for a committed relationship, there is no one he can think of that would want to be his wife ONLY for appearances and NOT take something from him in the end. Until Scarlett. She has something to gain from this arrangement. After sharing a night of mind-blowing passion, Ryder finds out that her company is the one he is trying to acquire. He sees an answer to his predicament. Offer her a fake marriage, to save his company and in return, he’d pay off her company’s loans in full. She’d no longer be at risk of losing her company, CECILY FRAGRANCE and he’d save his company. He sees this as a win-win situation. Scarlett is hesitant at first, what with her first marriage failing. How can she marry someone only to get divorced AGAIN? But what choice does she have, she HAS to save CECILY FRAGRANCE in whatever means possible. But what happens when the pretending isn’t pretending anymore? After months of shared moments. Living together day in and day out. Continued passionate moments together. What happens when you want more…a future…everything? Neither Ryder nor Scarlett were looking for a future together. This was all supposed to be temporary. A means to an end. But fate has other plans. When hesitations are crumbling and feelings are forming, creating deeper feelings, hesitations set in once again. Insecurities surface. Can an arrangement such as this, turn into something MORE?
This is a story about love happening in the least expected of places. It’s about going on an adventure and taking risks. Facing your fears. It’s about finding out who you are and what you want out of life. I swear I fall in love with Louise Bay’s writing style with each book I read of hers. (This is only my 3rd book of hers). Each one has a uniqueness to it that makes it stand on its own and DUKE OF MANHATTAN was no exception. First of all, HELLO, sexy Brit *fans self*. I was drawn into the story right then and there. *wink* And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.
This story was fun and sexy and downright swoon worthy. Heck, I fell in love with Ryder right along with Scarlett. And on top of creating yet another extremely lovable man, I have to say, Louise Bay did a great job of developing Scarlett’s character. Scarlett went from this cautious woman to this confident, vibrant woman by the end of the book. It was that self-reliant woman that Ryder recognized in the beginning and whom he eventually helped shine through. They were perfect for each other!
DUKE OF MANHATTAN was executed wonderfully and was packed with everything I’ve come to love and expect from Louise Bay’s novels. The constant push and pull between Ryder and Scarlett. The ever-present combustible attraction and then the growing development of affection and love between them made for a fun, sexy and beautiful read. There was also a touch of angst in there, which keeps a reader intrigued. I would recommend this novel to any and all romance lovers.
Note- And of course we were treated with some scenes with previous characters: Sam and Grace (PARK AVENUE PRINCE), Max and Harper (KING OF WALLSTREET) and Violet, whom doesn’t have a book yet, but I HOPE she gets a story of her own. She NEEDS her HEA too!
5 stars!
Check out my Pinterest novel board for DUKE OF MANHATTAN here: https://www.pinterest.com/vgrey14/duke-of-manhattan-by-louise-bay/
Do you have any weakness? Something that makes you screams with excitement. Well, we all have at least one. Mine are British alpha men. And when I heard that next Louise Bay’s book was about a British Duke I was so excited. A new book from one of my favourite authors that includes one of my obsessions is a super plus. In Duke of Manhattan, Louise Bay gifted us a British cocky and hot man who will wet our panties. I wish I were Ryder’s Duchess. If I could give more than five stars to this book, I’d give it ten stars.
Duke in Manhattan is a standalone novel about a British man who in order to keep his company and fortune he has to deal with some family issues which will lead him to leave his playboy life and settle down. Ryder could be quite the opposite of what we think British men are like. He is not cold. He is hot as hell and his mouth is pretty dirty.
“Scarlett, I want you to take off your clothes.”
He’s definitely not the kind of man who wants commitments but life and destiny will play against his desires of being permanently single.
“Never seen a wife and kids in my future. I knew I liked women too much to limit myself to one.”
Until he met a beautiful, sexy and smart woman in a bar. She will turn his world around. A shared night of passion is when Scarlett, for first time in her life, will enjoy what she denied to herself since her divorce. Both will need each other to keep what they want.
“Sometimes, the most unusual circumstances can throw two people together—that doesn’t mean they’re not perfect for each other.”
Scarlett is the kind of woman who will risk herself to keep her dreams. After her divorce she wanted to prove herself that she is more capable of being a kick ass woman so she focused on her business and, as professional as she is, she will accept a deal that will save her company but in the way she will leave her heart and soul exposed. She is not a damsel in trouble. She does not need a knight in shinny armour. However she will have a Duke who will help her.
Her passion, her honestly and the way she fights for what she wanted will make Ryder to fall deeply and madly in love with her.
“I learned more about her with each fuck. And every time, I felt myself falling a little further under her spell.”
It’s quite exciting and enjoyable to watch a playboy fall in love. It’s a show that you do not want to miss.
“He might be British aristocracy, a duke and one of the most powerful men in Manhattan— what was more important was he was the best man I knew, my lover and my best friend.”
The chemistry between Ryder and Scarlett is pure fire and lust. Pleasure mixed with business is a dangerous combination. But as Ryder’s grandfather said: “Unusual circumstances can throw two people together”.
I absolutely love this book. This is the kind of book you won’t want to miss. I was engaged from the first pages. I highly recommend you to add this book to your TRB list. I devour this book in one day. Because when you enjoy so much the book, you read it fast like a pro bookworm. If your things are hot and dirty British men, arranged marriage and a kick ass heroin then this book is perfect for you. Between us, I fucking love the cover. This book is a masterpiece in all the word meaning.
I listened to the audiobook and I have to admit, I would listen to Shane East narrate pretty much anything and Saskia Maarlesvard is also pretty darn good. The story, an arranged marriage/ fake marriage trope, was cute, if a little standard. Ryder, a duke(!) needed to marry in order to inherit the dukedom. He and Scarlett have insane chemistry and they need each other so they decide to get married for a few years. But can’t they really let each other go? We know that there will be ups and downs because, well, that’s the formula. And I have to admit, this felt a bit formulaic and therefore, not particularly memorable but the banter and characters made me smile throughout. I will be listening to other books in this series because I’m enjoying them when I listen to them, in part because the cast is so wonderful.
Perfection
Loved all the books in this series
A note from the grave can make all the difference
This thoroughly enjoyable book is a play on the fake wedding to satisfy the terms of the will story. Ryder Westbury moved to New York and had no intention of having anything to do with the title of Duke of Fairfax that could be his when his grandfather passes away. That changes, when his no-good cousin gets in the picture, and threatens to take away everything that Ryder built in the states. Uninterested in giving up his playboy lifestyle forever, Ryder needs a wife in name only, and only for a short time. Scarlett King now free of a disastrous first marriage and determined to avoid a repeat becomes his preferred partner for this deception. She wouldn’t want to make this permanent any more than him, would she? Even from the grave Ryder’s grandfather plays a role.