An excellent student… In the art of flirtation Caroline Yaxley has always been in love with her best friend, James Dunstable, Duke of Heydon. After years of waiting for him, she’s finally admitted defeat and decided to find a husband. James suggests she practice her nonexistent flirtation skills on him, which seems like a good idea–until she must pull away to avoid a shattered heart. Their … shattered heart. Their pretend attraction has begun to feel alarmingly real!
“What a book, I’m in love… My goodness, I am feeling all hot and bothered… Ms. Martin has created a beautiful story that has real heart and lots of love, her writing is full of passion for the story and the character’s.”
–Chicks, Rogues and Scandals on Reunited with his Long-Lost Cinderella
“She immerses readers in the world and scandals of the ton with realistic settings, authentic dialogue and twists and turns that keep the action moving.”
–RT Book Reviews on An Earl to Save Her Reputation
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4.5 stars, as reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1f9
Caroline Yaxley and James Dunstable, the Duke of Heydon, met five years ago, when James was engaged to Caroline’s friend, Georgina. It was to be a marriage of convenience, so when Georgina fell in love with another man, James released her without any regrets. Since that time, James and Caroline have become the dearest of friends, though unbeknownst to James, Caroline is in love with him. James has been a matrimonial target for so long, that he finds great joy in Caroline’s company, feeling he can be totally himself. She sees the fun and honest side of him that he doesn’t reveal to the rest of society. Since Caroline realizes he doesn’t return her feelings, she doesn’t put on any false airs around him, and they truly have a loving and caring friendship.
Caroline is now twenty four. She originally thought never to marry, since she couldn’t have the man of her choice. Yet, thoughts of decades of loneliness and childlessness have made her change her mind. She’s decided that she’ll find a decent man this season and become a wife. The years of rebuffing men showing any interest in her has left her unsure how to change. When she confides her plans to James, he’s at first surprised, then suggests that she brush up her flirting skills with him.
After his initial shock in finding out that Caroline plans to wed, and showing his support, James finds the thought unsettling. Both James and Caroline realize that her marrying will put an end to their close relationship, as no husband will tolerate it. Over the years, James has actually given thought to marrying Caroline, but he’s held back by one very large obstacle. James’s parents had a close and loving marriage. They fell in love with each other at first sight, and stayed in love for the rest of their lives. James firmly believes that he wants that same kind of love, and that he’ll know it’s right when it hits him like a ton of bricks upon first setting eyes on this paragon. His engagement was actually an anomaly, as he was feeling the pangs of getting older without finding love, and was willing to “settle.”
As Caroline opens herself up to suitors, James begins to look at her with desire for the first time. He tries to remain honorable and not sabotage her plans, but he can’t help but discourage other men, while finally indulging in some kisses and caresses with Caroline. It seems that everyone in the world realizes what James is too blind, or, perhaps, too stubborn to see. His friends encourage him to marry Caroline, but when she bluntly asks him if he loves her, he can’t lie, and she refuses him.
HER BEST FRIEND, THE DUKE, is pure catnip for me. Friends to lovers is a favorite trope of mine, but when one of the friends is pining from unrequited love, I am a goner. One scene near the beginning of the book is particularly poignant – James has been traveling abroad for several months. He returns and seeks out Caroline at a ball, but not in the ballroom. He waits until she goes outside, where he approaches her, and opens his arms to embrace her. She walks into his arms, knowing she’s being held by the man she loves, while he feels he’s greeting a dear friend. So heartbreaking!
James is truly a wonderful man – he’s kind, intelligent, and honorable. He just can’t rid himself of the absurd notion that it can only be genuine love if it comes like a bolt out of the blue. He finds Caroline beautiful, he desires her, he loves spending time with her, and he thinks she’s the best person he knows. Yet, he doesn’t think that’s real love. Caroline can achieve her dream by accepting his proposal, yet she doesn’t want to trap him into a marriage where he feels that he accepted second best.
HER BEST FRIEND, THE DUKE, is a wonderful and emotional read. I think that Laura Martin did an excellent job writing both characters, as I could feel Caroline’s pain and hopelessness. Even though I was a bit exasperated by James, I couldn’t help but love him, and I felt sympathy for his confusion and uncertainty. The final chapter was especially sweet and rewarding, and left me feeling so happy with the outcome. Recommended – especially if you love friends to lovers.
Friends to Lovers!! A heroine who is strong and sacrifices herself for her love of him. He doesn’t know. My heart ached for Ms. Yaxley, the heroine. I could have enjoyed an additional chapter for James, the Duke, realizing that yes, indeed, he does love Caroline. The supporting characters were just as believable as the main characters and I hope to see their stories, too. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book. These are my opinions voluntarily given.
Her Best Friend, the Duke
Laura Martin
https://www.facebook.com/LauraMartinAuthor/
Release date 05/19/2020 (paperback), 06/01/2020 (ebook)
Publisher Harlequin Historical / Mills&Boon Historical
Blurb :
An excellent student… In the art of flirtation Caroline Yaxley has always been in love with her best friend, James Dunstable, Duke of Heydon. After years of waiting for him, she’s finally admitted defeat and decided to find a husband. James suggests she practice her nonexistent flirtation skills on him, which seems like a good idea—until she must pull away to avoid a shattered heart. Their pretend attraction has begun to feel alarmingly real!
My review :
Will her love always be unreturned…
What a lovely read Mrs Laura Martin offers here. With James and Cara, she shows the different ranges of love.
Both have been friends for years, a very unusual friendship as he is older than her and a man and duke when she is a mere miss and woman.
Caroline, nicknames Cara by James, while she felt in love from their very first encounter, she hid it well, and James was oblivious of her feelings for their five years of acquaintance.
Until, she decides life as a spinster is even less a prospect than a loveless marriage.
Her new resolution shatters James’ certitudes. He thought he would always have the soothing influence of Cara’s friendship, but her resolution to marry might remove her from his life.
James has been raised with an idealistic vision of love, the one his parents lived throughout. Since he has refused to settle for less. It is instant love like a lightning bolt. And while he shares a companionable relation with Cara, it is not the thunderbolt he expects.
Cara is clever and full of sass, and while not shinning like a diamond of the first water, her cheerful personality is part of her beauty.
And even if she cherishes her friendship with James, she knows it will never go elsewhere than to a wall. Thus her need to cut him from her life.
James is so determined he will know when Cupid arrow will hit him, he never looked twice to a debutante. Cara is a species on her own, she makes him smile and laugh, there is rank and sex genre with her, they share their adventures, well his, their views of life and their ideas of love.
While they run toward and away, they learn the deepness and power of love. Up to them to comprehend what they are looking for, their hopes and dreams.
They were lucky to be surrounded by so thoughtful friends.
Mrs Laura Martin has a 5 stars moving and charming read with this lovely tale about the meaning of love.
I loved the side characters, such as Milton, I do hope with West they will have their own book, as for Henrietta.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Harlequin, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
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3.5 rounded up. Although I did like both James and Caroline, I wasn’t as engaged with them as I like. James was blind to what he had with Caroline and she was foolish to think there could be anything more. The author did a good job of depicting their different personalities and conflicts. Considering the era, there was no talk of consequences for their intimacy, which was too steamy for me. She was the chaperone for her cousin Henrietta, but Caroline never seemed to have one. There was a smattering of modern terms (James slammed the lid of his suitcase. I don’t think they had suitcases back then. Perhaps she meant trunk.) It was enough to pull me out of the story.
Side characters came and went in the story – Georgina, Bertie, Henrietta, and Lord West. A little more about each would have been interesting.
They did get their HEA in Italy no less.
This e-book was given to me by the author for a honest opinion. And so it is.
Captivating and lovely. A story of friendship and unrequited love.
You had me at Best Friend.
I’m a sucker for friends-to-lovers. I love stories of unrequited love. As long as there is a happy ending, the more heart-crushing, the better.
I still remember back in the 80s, the first time I watched Some Kind of Wonderful. The bittersweet pain of being so close to the person you love, and yet know you will never be close enough.
Her Best Friend, the Duke has all these delicious elements. The heroine is smart, fun, and lovely and the hero is clueless and powerful.
They get along so nicely, they have so much chemistry but, for James, it is just a friendship.
I know I should have fallen for James, but I fell for Milton instead. Milton is James’ friend and Caroline’s beau. This is one of those instances in which I disagree with the heroine’s choice. I understand her but humbly disagree. I hope Milton gets his own chance for a happy ending.
This is my first book by this author, but will not be the last. I really liked the way her writing flows. The characters are well rounded and relatable and the story is light and fun.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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