From a New York Times bestselling author: A forbidden love, opposites attract romp between a meticulously proper duke and an impishly improper spinster in this witty, feel-good romance!This year, the Duke of Nottingvale’s Christmastide house party doubles as a bride hunt. The handsome duke seeks a blue-blooded debutante as respectable as he is, and his parlor is brimming with paragons of … is brimming with paragons of propriety.
Inveterate spinster and unapologetic hoyden Miss Cynthia Louise Finch does not fit the mold. Any mold. Her younger cousin is perfect for the duke! By matchmaking the two, Cynthia will save her favorite cousin from a horrific fate. The only problem? Cynthia has always held a tendre for the duke. And for the first time, she seems to have caught his attention…
The Duke of Nottingvale knows his responsibilities: Duty and decorum above all else. A respectable lord would never sneak away for stolen moments with a fearless, audacious minx he cannot make his duchess. He definitely wouldn’t kiss her. Or fall in love…
Welcome to a heartwarming series of fun Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!
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THE TWELVE DUKES OF CHRISTMAS:
- Once Upon a Duke
- Kiss of a Duke
- Wish Upon a Duke
- Never Say Duke
- Dukes, Actually
- The Duke’s Bride
- The Duke’s Embrace
- The Duke’s Desire
- Dawn with a Duke
- One Night with a Duke
- Ten Days with a Duke
- Forever Your Duke
more
Cynthia Louise is on the shelf. Her thin thread to the ton is due to her aunt’s marriage. At the age of thirty, she has become a chaperone. When invited to the annual holiday house party at The Duke of Nottingvale’s estate, she decides to bring her cousin along to see if she might be the perfect duchess. While Nottingvale makes her pulse race whenever he comes into view, Cynthia Louise attempts to keep her composure.
Nottingvale is all about rules. After inheriting the dukedom at a very early age, he had to do everything perfectly for he seemed to have a huge fear of failure. Selecting his duchess was no exception. Cynthia Louise tortured him with a devilish attraction. He knows he can’t have her, but that doesn’t stop the longing for her to warm his bed.
I loved Cynthia Louise from the first page. She has learned how to have fun and live life to the fullest while walking the line between acceptance and scandal. I understood Nottingvale’s actions and I loved how we see him open up and let his heart soar. We don’t see that very often in historical romance, so it was an exciting change to read his thoughts from beginning to end.
While this series is complete, I know Ridley is not slowing down any time soon. I loved this story and this series. I know it will be included on my December reading list for years to come.
I received Forever Your Duke for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
What a fun conclusion to this series. Finally we get the Duke of Nottingvale’s story, the ever proper Duke. I really enjoyed this story where he discovers there’s more to life than his position in society.
It’s time for Alexander Borland, the Duke of Nottingvale to be married according to his very socially conscience mother. He has been the duke since his teens and was wholly unprepared for the title being so young. He’s found solace in his mother’s advice and society’s RULES. Unfortunately he has found little joy in life being so consumed with being the PERFECT Duke! This story takes place at his annual Yuletide celebrations in Cressmouth where it’s always the Christmas season. His mother has invited all the perfect society debutantes for him to choose from. Unfortunately they all seem the same and no one catches his attention. No one except Miss Cynthia Louise Finch who is her niece Gertrude’s chaperone. Cynthia spent six seasons being the perfect society miss and was forever an unnoticed wallflower. She decided as no one was going to marry her, she cast aside society’s rules and decided to enjoy life to its fullest. This is what draws Alexander, her joy in life. Not meaning to they find they enjoy each other’s company and she gets him into several situations unbecoming for a Duke. Eventually Alexander discovers there is more to life than rules and society’s approval and chooses Cynthia.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Duke finds love he didn’t know he wanted. A delight, laughter aplenty, sparkling dialog that left me with a smile on my face.
Marlowe Castle – December 1814
Alexander Borland, the seventh Duke of Nottingvale’s annual Christmas house party will also be a bride hunt. He has decided to marry one of his guests and is seeking a blue-blooded debutante with a background similar to his own.
Miss Cynthia Louise Finch, 30, is a spinster and a hoyden. She has always enjoyed participating in things that are considered to be not so ladylike, but it is what she likes to do and she doesn’t care what others think.
Cynthia Louise has attended the duke’s Christmas party for years and this year she is escorting her cousin, Lady Gertrude (Gertie), 18, to the party and hopes the duke will select the shy, young woman. Cynthia Louise has always had a soft spot in her heart for the duke, but knows that they would not be a good match.
Alexander strives to make everything perfect for his guests and loves following rules. Ah, but Cynthia Louise is all for breaking the rules.
The more Cynthia Louise instigates fun events, the more intrigued by her Alexander is. That’s when he decides to join her on some of her outings and has a ball. But when she is injured on an outing, Alexander realizes how much she means to him. Will he decide to make Cynthia Louise his bride?
This is a really cute book and I loved both Cynthia Louise and Alexander. Gertie is also a special character. I hope the author writes a story about her as well. Don’t miss this sweet, clean, romance. You will love it!
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
In the last book in The 12 Dukes of Christmas series, set in Cressmouth where Christmas is a year-round event, Miss Cynthia Louise Finch finds herself in trouble once again. Ostensibly meant to be chaperoning her shy cousin, Cynthia Louise takes every opportunity to slip away from the party to meet and socialise with her friends in Cressmouth. The Duke of Nottingvale has determined to choose a bride during his Christmas house party, but thoughts of the unsuitable Miss Finch keep intruding. Unable to avoid her, the Duke is enticed into joining Cynthia Louise in her adventures and gets more excitement than he anticipated. This is a well-written, lighthearted romance that kept me entertained and chuckling, all the way through. I received a copy of this novel as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
This has to be one of my favorites. I totally loved Cynthia Louise Finch who is known as a hoyden and is now traveling with her youngest cousin Gertie, to make a match with the Duke of Nottingvale. The Duke has a Christmastide house party every year but this year he is planning on finding a bride. Cynthia is determined to make that bride her cousin because if she doesn’t, Gertie’s father will marry her off to one of his friends that is three times her age. The only unfortunate thing is Cynthia cares for the Duke but knows they could never be a match. He has his responsibilities and it has been drummed into him that he is to marry one that meets the standards of a Duchess and not for love. Can all that change as Cynthia is able to show him how to enjoy life.
This story of Cynthia who doesn’t follow societies rules and Alexander who is a Duke who strictly follows all the rules will enchant you and amuse you.
This story isn’t quite enemies to lovers, but it’s certainly a case of opposites attract. Alexander has never met a rule or regulation that he didn’t respect. After being soundly beaten down by all those obligations and expectations, Cynthia has no time to bother with being “proper” anymore. These two should be the farthest thing from what each other wants, and yet neither one can deny the chemistry that keeps pulling them together. As a way to close out the series, this book was so much fun. We get the chance to peak back in on several of the couples that have come before while Cynthia and Alexander get to know one another beyond the social masks. In fact, I’m feeling a little bit bereft that the series has come to a close. I’m not ready for Christmas to be over and I’m not at all prepared to leave Cressmouth just yet.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this story from the author.
I loved the carefree Cynthia Louise who took chances and enjoyed life after being put on the shelf. I love how her relationship with her cousin Gertie was protective yet urging her to come out of her shell so she can catch the Duke of Nottingham’s eye. The Duke of Nottingham is all about being proper and Cynthia catches his eye and urges him to have some fun. But Gertie is perfect for him even if his kisses make Cynthia’s knees weak. Now the Duke must decide between honor and love.
There was just something about Cynthia Louise Finch that was so likeable . She didn’t conform to any rules and did whatever took her fancy. She was considered by some to be a bad influence but Cynthia had fun and enjoyed her life. Alexander, the Duke of Nottingvale was the complete opposite of Cynthia, he is looking for his perfect duchess and Cynthia does not fit his criteria. However, the more they are in each other’s company so their opinions change. There is still the problem that Cynthia is not duchess material! This was a fun, light hearted read that had a very happy ending. I received and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If there was ever a book in a series to be considered as the cherry on top of the sundae, this is the book. I’ve now read all books of the 12 Dukes of Christmas and this is the best and most fit ending to the series. I am sad the series has ended, but what a fun series it has been to read. Miss Cynthia Louise Finch has been in the background as one of the many supporting characters in the previous works, but in this one, she shines. And, of course, Alexander, the Duke of Nottingvale has always “existed” and been spoken of but was barely around to play much of a support character. In Forever Your Duke we finally get to know the real Alexander, the esteemed and responsible Duke who is expected this year to choose a respectable, blue-blooded debutante from those in attendance at his annual Christmastide house party. Fate has something else in mind this year for Alexander and it is packaged in an on-the-shelf spinster… Miss Finch. Alexander feels he needs “an aristocratic young lady who would bring honor and continued decorum to the esteemed Nottingvale dukedom.” In his mind, “Miss Finch was the opposite of proper. She was a firework in a box of candles.” When Cynthia is unable to foster a match between the Duke and her cousin, she volunteers to help him determine which debutante in attendance is more suited to him. It will be a Duchess Derby. I loved the humor that was woven so well throughout this work. There was a lot of “tongue in cheek” humor as well as droll wit. Alexander was under a lot of pressure from his mother to choose the right bride. The author adroitly portrays the dilemma and the contrary feelings he is going through as he spends more time with Cynthia. He starts to participate in some of the activities she does and finds out he is enjoying himself. Alexander was a man who followed rules but Cynthia encourages him to loosen up. When the house party is ending, he needed to make a choice, and Alexander chose love. What a perfect ending to a great series. Please note, I received an ARC of this work and offer this voluntary review. All opinions stated are my own.
Extremely witty Christmas tale. I absolutely loved the banter between our main characters and laughed out loud during the billiard game. Alexander and Cynthia have such different personalities but as the old adage says, ‘opposites attract’. Max is also an hilarious creature, especially his love of cakes. This is a fun filled book of merry mayhem and I highly recommend it for Christmas.
I received an ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This is the final book in the series and I have read them all. I will be so sad to say goodbye to the town of Christmas. Each book became my favourite and this one is no different. It was an amazing and loving finish to a fantastic series. Each book can be read alone but it was lovely to follow the journey of each couple. This couple was amazing, the spinster who didn’t can what society thought of her and the duke who was obsessed with being perfect. This love story is about seeing the best in each other and realizing that life is only lived once and need to make the best of it, not conform to what society expects. This book was pure romance with no sex. I received this book as an ARC and freely give my review.
This charming Regency romance is the twelfth and final book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series by one of my favorite romance authors, Erica Ridley. While the stories interconnect, each book focuses on one couple and can be enjoyed on its own. They’re all fun though, and I highly recommend the entire series.
I loved these characters so much! Cynthia Louise just wants to be loved and accepted as the feisty, adventurous woman she is, and it’s easy to root for her in all of her zany antics. Alexander, Duke of Nottingvale, is determined to be the perfect duke for the sake of his family. He’s such a sweet person, it’s painful to watch him give up his own happiness to do the things he thinks are expected of him.
There aren’t many surprises here, but it is so much fun to watch these two fall in love and find their happy ending. This is a light, undemanding read, perfect as a quick escape. Unlike other books in this series, this is clean and suitable for a wide audience.
I recommend this book, and the entire series, for fans of Regency romance.
I was provided an ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.
Miss Cynthia Louise Finch is an enigma. Six years ago after spending six years trying to live by society rules and not getting one offer, not even an offer to dance. So she decided not to live by any rules, just to have fun and live life. Alexander, The Duke of Nottingvale lives strictly by the rules. His belief is that if he doesn’t act like the duke he is, things will fall apart. It doesn’t matter what he wants personally, only what the rules tell him. They are two of the most opposite people in Cressmouth. However, when opposites attract, it can cause an explosion. Although Cynthia Louise is attending tbe Duke’s annual party, not for the first time, this year his mother has made it known he will choose a bride. Cynthia Louise wants him to choose her shy, but perfect cousin, Gertie. As Cynthia Louise encourages Alexander to have some fun, and that the world won’t stop if he does. He just has to convince himself that she would never due as his duchess. This last entry (boo hoo!) into the 12 Dukes of Christmas wraps up the series nicely. The only thing that would be better would be one more story to update and wrap up all of the dukes lives, maybe a year after. Please, please, pretty please Erica Ridley!! I am not ready to give up the dukes just yet. I received this eBook from NetGalley for an honest review.
The 12 Dukes of Christmas comes to an end with Forever Your Duke. Cynthia Louise Finch is a spinster at the ripe old age of 30. Having given up on finding a husband several years ago, she lives her life exactly as she pleases. The Duke of Nottingvale needs a wife that’s well-bred and well-mannered, certainly not anyone like Miss Finch. Which is what makes her exactly what he needs.
This is my favorite of all 12 of the books. I absolutely adored Cynthia and her free spirit, she’s so witty and fun and by far my favorite character of all the ladies in the series. Of course, I’m a sucker for a slightly grumpy, super-serious MC who needs someone unexpected to soften him up. Forever Your Duke made me want to go find some snow to play in (and I don’t even like winter). I love the sweet, simple feel of this entire series, they’ve all been really great escapes when I’ve needed it.
Enchanting Grinch-inspired romance!
I’ve been reading the 12 Dukes of Christmas series right from the start, and I have unequivocally loved every single one. I know I’ve said it about every one, but this one truly is the best of the bunch.
The author skillfully wove in many nods to the classic Christmas tale, without veering off track from the main plot of finding a bride for the last remaining single duke in Cressmouth. Alexander feels the weight of his title in every decision he makes, and his mother never lets him forget that his life is all about duty. When he’s finally forced to confront his future and consider exactly what kind of man he wants to be aside from fulfilling his duty, his heart is right there to point him in the right direction.
Cynthia Louise has been following a duty of her own, as well; one that she is likewise called upon to reexamine in the light of her future options. I loved her carefree, lively attitude and her devotion to her friends and family, but I truly respected her when she was able to look deep into her own motivations to find the freedom that she was seeking.
I love how this author always does such a fabulous job of cutting through her characters’ veneer, reaching deep into their hearts for the truths they need to address in order to clear the way for their HEA. The splendid build-up of attraction, chemistry, and longing was exquisitely rendered, and the climactic aftermath of the scene with the archers and Max was breathtaking and downright swoon-worthy. The HEA was everything I could hope for.
Get this book, get the entire series if you haven’t already, and settle in for a delightful visit to the beautiful town that celebrates Christmas year-round. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Magic is in the air as Erica Ridley sweeps you through a Christmastide house party. Come eat, drink and be merry… maybe some fun and mischief thrown in in Forever Your Duke. Miss Cynthia Louise has been a wallflower and never excepted by the ton…so she decides to live life to the fullest and stay a spinster. Alexander, the Duke of Nottingvale is looking for the perfect bride to be his Duchess and Cynthia Louise is not in the running! As Cynthia arrives at the house party like a whirlwind with her cousin and one michief making puppy Alexander doesn’t know what to do. Try as he might Alexander can’t help being drawn to Cynthia and her love for life in this story that is beautifully written, characters are well thought out and each one comes across clearly as their individual personalities become more than just part of the tale they take you on a journey, a good plot and as their story unfolds with all the drama, passion, uncertainties and the magical magic of the Christmas Season!
The Duke of Nottingvale is everything that is proper, and Cynthia Louise Finch is everything that is not. The Duke has finally agreed to marry and will choose his bride from among the female guests at his Yuletide party in the village of Cressmouth. At 30, Cynthia Louise is chaperoning her 18 year cousin Lady Gertrude, whilst she is more than attracted to the Duke herself, she knows he will never choose a hoyden like her. But, when he joins her in skipping some of his party’s festivities, will his priorities change? Loved it.
Can be read as a standalone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you love swoon-worthy historical romance with great characters and fun, witty banter, then this is definitely the book for you! The characters had interesting personalities and they were so lovable especially Alexander. I loved their banter as well. It was fun to follow and really added to this story. The romance was sweet and steamy and perfect for these characters. I loved, loved this series and I am sad it’s ending. This was an excellent book to end on though and it was truly enjoyable. I can’t wait for more from Erica and would definitely recommend this book this holiday season!