He’s claimed his title. Could he inherit a bride, too? Part of The Sommersby Brides. The Duchess of Skeffington retreats to the estate that was her refuge during her cruel marriage. She’s shocked to come face-to-face with the distant heir, now newly inherited duke, adventurous Simon Alexander. When Elizabeth is robbed, it’s up to them both to find the thief. But traveling together would … traveling together would attract too much gossip… Unless they pose as husband and wife!
“This is in a league of its own. It is a stylishly written, heart-breaking, emotional and vividly accurate. One Week to Wed is a perfect, roller coaster ride of emotional angst”
–Chicks, Rogues and Scandals on One Week to Wed
“An amazing start to this new series by the very talented Ms Benson. This is one of those books that is way too good to be true, it is fabulous”
–Chicks, Rogues and Scandals on One Week to Wed
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His Three-Day Duchess is the third and final book in “The Sommersby Brides” series by author Laurie Benson. I must admit I’m sad to see this series end but what a wonderful ending to a fabulous series!
Our heroine in this story is Elizabeth (Lizzy) the Duchess of Skeffington. Lizzy is the middle sister and the only one who did not marry for love. She was “sold off” by her father at the age of seventeen to a Duke old enough to be her grandfather. If you’ve read the first two books in this series then you’ve already met Lizzy & if you haven’t I highly recommend you do! In those glimpses of her we got the impression that she liked to remind everyone of her wealth and status. So I was very interested to see if there was something more to the haughty Duchess of Skeffington….
Simon Alexander is the newly appointed Duke of Skeffington. He was a man that grew up without privilege, spending most of his life after his mother died with people who didn’t care about him. He wasn’t trained to be a Duke and has no desire to be one. He’d much rather relinquish the title and continue to travel and explore the world.
Simon was a wonderful hero and I immediately liked him. A good man who was put into circumstances he didn’t want but had no way out. I’ll admit throughout this series Lizzy was not my favorite sister… But author Laurie Benson did a wonderful job of changing my mind by revealing a Lizzy I didn’t know. When I finally got to see the real Lizzy and see how she felt and all she endured over the years, my feelings for her changed. I will now admit she is my favorite sister in this series!
This was a beautifully written story of two people who didn’t always have an easy life, who never thought they were deserving of love, to finally trust in someone and take a chance to gain true love. I absolutely loved Simon and Lizzy together, they were absolutely perfect for each other and I can’t imagine a more deserving couple!
With a mystery to solve, a fencing match that you won’t want to miss and a reappearance of characters from the previous books this was a fantastic ending to this series! I highly recommend this book and the entire series & I look forward to seeing where Ms. Benson takes us next!
I enjoyed reading the story of Elizabeth and the new Duke. I won’t give away the plot but it was an interesting, romantic read. Thank you Ms. Benson.
I loved this story! For me, it was a page turner, I did not want to stop reading. Simon did not want to be a Duke. He loved want he did for money, and he had no desire to be part of the ton. Lizzie had put up with a lot, and her past definitely made her a stronger woman. She had her pride and a need for independence. Both had trust issues, and I enjoyed how they learned to see beyond their pasts. I highly recommend this story.
I received an ARC as a gift, and this is my unsolicited review.
A story that made my heart smile! With her abusive husband gone, Lizzy just wants to live her life as she wants, but finds herself feeling lonely. After all, with her being bartered by her father into marriage to the Duke, she definitely had not been given a chance for a love match like her two sisters. Second chances rarely came along.
Imagine her distress when the will of her late husband is read and she finds there is a new Duke of Skeffington! What else could happen!
Simon, the new Duke, has had his own troubles in life and the last thing he wanted was the title and responsibilities that came with it! He had not grown up privileged and only wanted to spend time doing what he loved, searching out treasures and traveling. The character that came alive in Simon was so sigh worthy! Handsome, desirable, smart and charming, and as he and Lizzy met there is almost an immediate attraction. Could that friend called fate be stepping in?
Prepared to sit down and not stop reading until you get to the end! Laurie Benson has created a enthralling story with her wonderful descriptions filled with humor and tender emotions that is all a historical romance should be! Although part of a series, this can be read as a standalone but I intend to go back and read the first two!
This is the third and final book in The Sommersby Brides mini series and I will admit that I was in mixed thoughts about this. I loved a good 99% of it; the plot is fantastic a blossoming romance between two people who I honestly would never have put together, with the hint of a mystery as they try to catch a thief, it literally takes the reader on a wonderful journey. The hero is amazing, really I have fallen head over heels for this brilliant man, especially as he does remind me of Indiana Jones minus the great hat no idea where that came from. Maybe because I was watching Indi at the same as reading this over Christmas. And off course the amazing Aunt Clara is back on brilliant form, she really is a hoot.
I do hate to say it – only because I never like saying anything negative about an author’s hard work, but I have vowed to be honest and as great as this book is; really the story itself has everything that we have come to expect from Ms Benson; fascinating character’s, thrilling side story involving stolen jewels and a bit of a game of cat and mouse between two highly opinionated and strong people who ultimately leads to romance. But to me this final book in The Sommersby Brides series didn’t have that same magic which the previous books did. I can’t put my finger on it, it felt as though there was something missing for me the heroine was lacking something which surprised me. I don’t know why but for some reason I couldn’t warm to Lizzie as I did her sisters; Juliet and Charlotte. To me on first meeting her at the start of the book she appeared; cold, bossy, a bit demanding and may I say it a tad on the selfish side – Sorry! She did mellow and become more human as the story unfolded we found out more about her as a person instead of as just a duchess. I did love the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ spark between her and Simon, the dialogue between them is fast and fiery, plus very romantic but I am a fickle reader and first impressions really do count for me.
Lizzie; Duchess of Skeffington is finally free from her cruel husband to be able to go about her life as she wants. She has resigned herself to never finding love like her sister’s have, she is feeling alone and depressed she hasn’t had the best start always being passed over for her much more vivacious sisters and then ending up in a terrible marriage. She sees now as being the chance she has for the happiness she deserves, she fully plan’s on retiring to her secluded little idle of Stonehaven and being able to breathe again. That is until her late husbands will is read and she meets the new Duke of Skeffington, she feels like her life has just fallen around her again.
Simon Alexander, the new Duke of Skeffington which really is something that he never wanted. He can’t think of anything worse than having this title and responsibility that comes with the title land in his lap, he is far happier in his old life as an adventurer and searching out his much-loved treasures and is love of antiques – you see now why I think of him as Indiana Jones! And if you think that he isn’t overly excited about his new life then wait until you see his reaction to Lizzie. To say that he initially dislikes the dowager duchess is an understatement, but he soon comes to know her as Lizzie and not just the money grabbing duchess he initially thinks her to be. Especially when one thing leads to another and they end up on the hunt for a thief that takes them on an eye-opening journey.
I love Simon, what a wonderful, sexy, intelligent, honest, warm and sensual man he is. He is everything I love about a hero; charming, a bit broody, hard-working, not too keen on aristocrat’s – basically he thinks most of them too be demanding lay-abouts ) my words, not his!) He has a good head on those wide shoulders and a sympathetic, kind heart. Plus, he is very easy on the eye…..he really does need an Indiana Jones hat to go with those boots….sigh!!
Over all this is a wonderfully romantic story all about second chances and finding true love, the beautiful story and charismatic Simon did out way my own personal initial thoughts of Lizzie. It’s charming and heart-warming, the writing is as perfect as ever and I absolutely love the epilogue which is such a lovely ending to the series and it is so good to see how all the couples fair. It is a little sad that the series is over, it seems to have finished way too quickly one minute we are just getting to the sisters and then poof, we are at the end….but heard rumours that aunt Clara may get a story – that should be fantastic!