New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James returns to the Wildes series with a prequel about the Wilde children’s parents, Hugo, Duke of Lindow, and Ophelia, Lady Astley.Every Duke needs a Duchess… Hugo Wilde, the Duke of Lindow, has a drafty castle, eight naughty children—and no wife. Ophelia, Lady Astley, has a fine house, one well-behaved daughter—and no husband. Hugo takes one look … Astley, has a fine house, one well-behaved daughter—and no husband.
Hugo takes one look at Ophelia and loses his heart, but she doesn’t want more children or a castle. She takes one look at him and heads for her carriage.
Desperate to find a duchess, Hugo identifies an appropriate lady to woo. Yet when he meets Ophelia again, the duke realizes that he will marry her, or no one.
Now he faces the greatest challenge of his life.
He must convince Ophelia that their blazing sensuality, his exquisite castle, and his eight charming children add up to a match made in heaven.
When a duke finds his duchess, can he win her heart?
more
An Eloisa James novel is a frothy, delectable, tantalizing delight each and every time!
This is a very good book. I enjoyed reading about how Hugo and Ophelia meet and what he had to over come to win her.
I liked the second story also. It is great when we find true love.
Really enjoyed this prequel to the Wildes. It was enjoyable seeing the younger Wildes. I loved the characters and the plot of this book. Also enjoyed re-reading the bonus feature. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
This was another wonderfully written story of the Wildes of Lindow Castle series, but this time a prequel about the Wilde children’s parents, Hugo the Duke of Lindow, and Lady Ophelia Astley.
Hugo has loved and lost twice, his first wife was a love match but his second was a disaster. He’s now divorced and left with eight children. He’s convinced by his sister that he needs a new Duchess. As soon as he sees Ophelia he knows she’s the only one for him, she just takes a little more convincing to become his Duchess.
Ophelia and Hugo had great chemistry, passion and lots of witty banter. This was a delight to read.
Loved this book! I loved Ophelia, who is perfectly content with her life, loves her daughter, has more than enough money to care for herself. She is certainly not looking to marry a man who doesn’t know her, and comes with 8 kids to boot! Hugo is lovely and a little lost. His second wife ran off and abandoned him and the children, and he knows the kids need a mother but he’s at a loss to figure out what he wants in a wife. Both of this characters are wonderful and strong, and this was such a fun introduction to the Wildes!
My Last Duchess by Eloisa James is the 6th book in the Wildes of Lindow Castle series, a novella about Hugo Wilde, the Duke of Lindow and his 3rd and last duchess, Miss Ophelia Astley.
This novella is a quick read and one in which Hugo, a beleaguered duke (one with 8 children and a recent divorce) takes one look at Ophelia and falls in love. Ophelia, a widow and mother of a young child, isn’t so sure.
After Hugo pleads his case to Ophelia in a carriage, spends the night with her (mostly platonically) and declares his intention to wed her, Ophelia declines. She isn’t sure she wants to take on Hugo and/or his 8 children.
But when Hugo takes Ophelia at her word and starts courting another woman, Ophelia is a bit bereft and rather hurt. Fortunately, Hugo’s sister and his children aren’t content to sit on the sidelines and let Hugo make a mistake.
The younger children in particular have questions for the prospective brides, questions that made me laugh out loud. Hugo may not be the world’s best father, but his desire to be better is quite clear. His children’s opinion is important.
My Last Duchess by Eloisa James is a sweet novella that put a big smile on my face. It gives readers a fun look at the Wilde children (who are the main characters in the other books in the series) growing up.
Fans of the Wildes of Lindow Castle will find this novella a charming read and a great escape.
I received a free copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
5 Stars
My Last Duchess is the prequel installment in the Wildes of Lindlow Castle series.
Can it be read as a standalone? Should it be read as a prequel prior to the other titles? Yes to both questions. However, the emotional impact will be greater if you start at the first novel in the series, Wilde in Love. Why? The reader’s connection to the characters will be greater. It will also remove the sense of insta-love from this novel.
After reading about Hugo and Ophelia for an entire series, the ultimate parents and grandparents, the family-oriented duke and duchess, we finally see how their romance unfolded. We’ve witnessed the coupling of their numerous children, witnessed the joy of the birth of their grandchildren, and nearly swooned from the undying passion of their mature love… now we get to experience it from their beginning.
Many readers will think the journey too quick, too short, and the love too instantaneous. I’m one who advocates against insta-love at every turn. However, I think this truly worked for Hugo and Ophelia. We readers already know they’re happily married, the greatest support system for their ragtag grouping of children. We’ve seen it in the aftermath, now we had the pleasure of experiencing in the now.
The Wilde men are known for falling hard at first sight, so why should their patriarch be any different?
The duke’s sons notoriously wed women similar to their stepmother, so it was no surprise that Ophelia made Hugo work for it, made him sweat, made him nearly beg. She was a strong woman, independent but with a deep sense of longing to belong to something greater. Her maternal instinct was as big as her heart. Hugo was also surprisingly sentimental, lonely and needing the deeper connection of a love match instead of a contractual marriage.
Read in one sitting, My Last Duchess was a joy to read. The warmth and happiness between a widow and widower infectious. The pages flew by, and suddenly I was finished, and then the desire to begin anew settled over me, the intense need to reread their children’s stories.
Beyond recommend to fans of historical romance, especially to those who are fans of Eloisa James and the Wildes. I cannot wait to read whatever the author publishes next, always at the top of my recommend list for Historical Romance.
Hugo Wilde, the Duke of Lindow, has a drafty castle, eight naughty children – and no wife. Ophelia, Lady Astley, has a fine house, one well-behaved daughter – and no husband.
Hugo takes one look at Ophelia and loses his heart, but she doesn’t want more children or a castle. She takes one look at him and heads for her carriage. Desperate to find a duchess, Hugo identifies an appropriate lady to woo. Yet when he meets Ophelia again, the duke realises that he will marry her, or no one. He must convince Ophelia that their blazing sensuality, his exquisite castle, and his eight charming children add up to a match made in heaven.
I just loved the blurb but even more I loved that Hugo & Ophelia have had their story. If you love the Wildes then this is a much anticipated must read. It was fun, it was entertaining & I devoured it. It also made me want to continue & re read the series as I fell in love with the Wildes again, so I’d say pretty much job done
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
My Last Duchess is the prequel to Eloisa James The Wilde of Lindow Castle series. Other readers (unlike myself) have probably already been introduced to this prequel’s main characters after reading the first five books in the series. I’m glad, though, I started with the prequel in this series. This was the first book I read from Eloisa, but it won’t be my last. I enjoyed the story with Ophelia and Hugo. It was fast-paced, and it didn’t take me long to read. I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I’m going to add them now to my TBR.
Female Protagonist: Ophelia, Lady Astley, is a Widower with a little girl. She’s one woman that will not be persuaded by a handsome Duke, and I adored her character because of how she handled herself with the Duke. There were times she drove me crazy about how she saw herself. The way the male protagonist described her, she was beautiful.
Male Protagonist: Hugo Wilde, the Duke of Lindow, is one man that is determined to win over the Female Protagonist in the story. He is one male that has had it rough after losing his first wife and then having his second leaving for someone else. I felt for him because I didn’t think someone would want to marry him, especially after finding out how many children he has in his household. I loved his character in the story and can’t wait to read more of him in the full-length novels.
Storyline: Hugo Wilde is the Duke of Lindow, and he’s on the look out for a third wife because he needs a mother for his eight children. His twin sister persists that he finds a Duchess that can handle his family. Hugo ends up falling head over heels in love with a woman that runs away from him. She even turns him down when he asks her to marry him. Ophelia is not someone that will be won over easily by a handsome Duke. She loves her life as a single mother to her daughter. She lost her husband and just now went back out to society, and she runs into a Duke that wants to marry her right away. Nope. It’s not going to happen. The Duke, though, is very persistent. The chemistry and the constant banter between these two were what kept me turning the pages. I loved getting to know these two characters.
Steaminess: Some Steam, especially towards the end of the book.
Standalone or Series: It is the prequel to The Wildes of Lindow Castles series. It could be read as a standalone. Readers who have read Books 1 – 5 have already been introduced to this prequel’s main characters.
HEA: Yes
Trope: Instant-Love
Would I recommend this book? If you enjoy Instant Love in a historical romance, then this prequel is for you. I give this prequel 4.5-stars and recommend it to readers that love Historical Romance and have read Eloisa James books before. I’m kicking myself in the butt that I’m just now reading one of Eloisa’s books. Now I cannot wait to find out who Hugo and Ophelia’s children will end up within their books.
***I try each time to type up a short review, but it never happens. I love sharing, but I promise not to spoil.***
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
If you are a fan of Eloisa James’ The Wildes of Lindlow Castle, then you would be very familiar with the The Duke and Duchess of Lindlow. You would also be very fascinated how these two very much in love individuals met and what is their story. Yes they are that enthralling as secondary characters that you would want to know how everything started. My Last Duchess is the prequel for the series and the novella details the short but very romantic and sexy first meeting and courtship of Hugo and Ophelia. Suffice to say that the Wilde children’s propensity for falling in love with independent persons definitely started with these two. Hugo and Ophelia delights and entertains with equal parts humor and poignancy about falling in love when one is very far from the first blush of youth.
My Last Duchess by Eloisa James is a fabulous historical romance novel. This is a prequel to the successful The Wildes of Lindow Castle series. This book features the courtship and romance that blossomed between Hugo, Duke of Lindow and Ophelia, Lady Astley which are the beloved parents to the group of children that the previous novels follow.
I have to admit, this is the first book I have read in this series, as well as by this author and I have to say that I am most certainly smitten. If the rest of her books are as addictive as this gem, I am hooked. I have already purchased the first two books in this series, because I need to know more!
There are several things I love about this book:
1. It can easily be a stand-alone. I love that I can jump in now and feel as if I am picking up from the beginning.
2. I love the witty dialogue, banter, sarcasm, laugh-out-loud moments and one-liners. It is so quick, fresh, and real. It is just so smart. I was drawn in from the beginning, and I devoured this book before I even realized it. It kept me engaged and wanting to read just “one more page” before I had to regrettably set it down.
3. I loved the characters! I liked the whole character cast of course, but I love Hugo and Ophelia and I truly did feel as if they were meant to be. Their love, respect for each other, and chemistry was spot on. They both are complex, real, like able, imperfect, yet still seem to be truly good people and parents. I can only imagine their family growing up together.
4. I loved the plot. It was interesting, quick, paced just perfectly, and ended just as I wanted.
This is everything that a historical romance should be. Perfect in every way. I cannot wait to read this series!
5/5 stars enthusiastically
Thank you EW and Avon Books/HarperCollins for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.