A laugh-out-loud romp from a New York Times bestselling author: Meg Church adores two things: life in a village of perennial Yuletide, and the freedom of being a spinster with no reputation to protect. Oh, very well, three things: She’s harbored a secret tendre for Christmas curmudgeon Lucien le Duc since the moment she first glimpsed him. But the sexy blacksmith won’t give her the time of day, … But the sexy blacksmith won’t give her the time of day, much less a night of torrid passion.
Ever since Lucien le Duc was forced to flee his beloved France during the revolution, his all-consuming goal has been to recover not only his lost land and fortune, but also his rightful place among the French aristocracy. He would never be distracted by an English dairy maid’s sultry glances… or her soul-consuming kisses… or the temptation to turn one night into forever…
The 12 Dukes of Christmas is a series of heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. Twelve delightful romances… and plenty of delicious dukes!
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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
Lucien le Duc along with his siblings had to flee France as children to escape the revolution. He’s been awaiting the chance to return to his homeland claim back his family’s title and lands. He can’t wait to get back to France and away from the English language that exhaust him, he can barely communicate with them. Meg Church a scandalous spinster has fancied Lucien for years but never had the opportunity to do anything about it. She accidently bumps into Luc and starts trying to seduce him. Meg discovers he could do with English language lessons and decides it’s the perfect way to get close to him. Meg is determined to help Luc and entice him into her bed and he’s just as determined to return to France. Luc comes to realize that being with Meg he can embracing both countries without betraying his homeland. An excellent story and one I voluntarily wrote a review.
4.5
I love this series!
What I liked:
The writing
The characters
Part of a series: 12 Dukes of Christmas
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC.
This is the 8th book in Erica Ridleys 12 Dukes of Christmas series. It, along with the other books in this series, was fabulous! It was the story of Lucien Le DuC and Miss Meg Church. Lucien has been the smithy in Cressmouth along with his brother. He has been working to one day return to France to reclaim his birthright. Meg is living in Cressmouth with her cousin, Jemima and her husband Allan, on their dairy. She has dreamed of Lucien for six long years. They run into each other in the castle library and she offers to teach him English. At first his prides makes him refuse. Later, he realizes he needs her help and goes to tell her so. Their attraction is palpable and one thing leads to another. This is a delightful addition to the series. It is a romance that has humor as Ms. Ridley is known for, witty bander, tender tearful moments, and the magic of love. I highly recommend this book and give it five stars.
The Duke’s Desire is the heartwarming and absolutely laugh-at-loud funny story of Lucien le Duc and Meg Church. Other than fleeing France during the Revolution (Lucien isn’t aware that Meg had lived in France) and living in Cressmouth, these two have nothing in common. Lucien is grumpy, refuses to learn to speak English well enough to carry on a conversation (even if he wanted to). Meg is outgoing and friendly, loves naughty novels, and has no problem talking about the activities in them. She lives with her cousin and her husband who own the local dairy where she doesn’t have to help in the barn, because they already have eight maids a-milking. As I said, total opposites. It seems impossible these two will have a happily ever after; but remember, this is Cressmouth, the town of Christmas miracles.
This is the eighth story in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series. It is a delightfully humorous and unpredictable tale with lovable quirky characters, snarky banter, some difficult secrets to reveal, and a few twists and turns. One of my favorite parts is when Meg agrees to tutor Lucien in English. Their tutoring sessions are fun for Meg, Uncle Jason, and the reader, but not so much for Lucien. It does give the couple the chance to get to know each other (Lucien likes that part). I thoroughly enjoyed the story of the eighth Duke of Christmas. Now on to number nine!
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
The last of the le Duc siblings gets their HEA ending. Lucien and Meg are an ill-matched pair; by birth, morals (she’s an alley cat/he’s chaste) and country of choice. However both are family oriented and strongly attracted to each other but Meg has a secret which can split them apart before they have even begun.
Whilst I know the turgid passages from the book Meg was reading were meant in fun, they didn’t appeal to me and distracted me from the story. Have to say this was my least favourite of the series to date.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Highly entertaining, fun, engaging and emotionally thrilling adventure filled with exciting charters, witty dialog, heart racing turns and thrilling passion…. was a great read from beginning to end. Really enjoyed this fun journey!
This is another wonderful addition to the “12 Dukes of Christmas” series! This time it’s Lucien’s story and how his best laid plans go awry once he meets Meg.. She is unlike anyone he has ever known and although she is nothing like he wants as a wife, he can’t resist kissing her!
I adored Meg’s character, what a hoot she is! She will say anything to scandalize Lucien and I just loved the banter between them….in French and English!! This was a delightful story to read and I really enjoyed the bonus epilogue as well.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Why do we love those stories whose characters are most unlikely to be happily ever after?
Meg Church is brilliant. A spinster who likes the life she has but, on the other hand, hides a crush for a Frenchman who always dreamed of the day she would be able to return to his country.
But behold, two of his siblings found their happiness in the arms of English citizens.
Lucien decides to improve his English, and it’s Meg who will be his teacher.
But during class, probably between a charming French and a sassy British, there would be much more to teach and to learn than a language…
An enchanted and funny story
5 stars
THE DUKE’S DESIRE has turned out to be my favourite Erica Ridley book to date but I am finding it hard to categorise. I really enjoyed Meg and Lucien’s story.
On the lighter side, it’s a combination of flirty fun and sexy suggestiveness. There are plenty of laughs and I absolutely loved how Meg constantly needled the taciturn Lucien.
The darker side is a story of past tragedy and a disparity in lifestyles that pits Meg and Lucien against one another. There is much soul-searching and communication needed for them to come together.
As a novella, the story is short and sharp, yet I felt there was enough depth to bring about a satisfying conclusion.
THE DUKE’S DESIRE is book 8 in Ridley’s The 12 Dukes of Christmas series.
An amazing story, entertaining, enlightening, heartfelt and lots of emotional conflict and soul searching with unexpected circumstances and unpredictable surprises.
Since fleeing the revolution in his homeland of France after his parents were killed, Lucien le Duc has spent the last 18 years working to restore his fortune and aristocratic birthright for himself and his two younger siblings. Now he can finally return to France; even though his siblings will not be joining him, nothing will stop his leaving, especially not a flirtatious Englishwoman.
Meg Church loves her year-round Christmas-celebrating village almost as much as she loves the freedom her spinsterhood affords her. She has admired the perpetually scowling Lucien for years, but he pays her no notice at all. Until suddenly he does. Soon English lessons turn into much more, but despite their growing closeness, Lucien and Meg have different priorities that may be enough to keep them apart.
This was such a sweet story. Lucien was adorably broody and vulnerable beneath his hard facade and Meg was delightfully brash and irreverent. I didn’t even mind that this wasn’t a steamy read because these two had such great chemistry and were so sweet together. I loved them together and they demonstrated great growth, especially for such a short novella. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
THE DUKE’S DESIRE is the eighth book in the Twelve Dukes of Christmas series. Though each will stand on its own, please note that books six, seven, and eight are about the three Le Duc siblings.
Let’s not forget this is the eighth book – that means that there are eight maids a milkin’ – at Meg’s cousin’s dairy farm.
I have been waiting for Lucien’s story and Meg is the perfect girl for him. She is definitely not the expected shy and virginal historical romance heroine. She enjoys her life as a spinster with no reputation to guard. She is bold and unconventional, but she is more. That more just may come between her and Lucien.
I have loved Lucien’s undying patriotism from the start and his dedication to his family. His taciturn and surly mannerisms become something of a joke between them instead of something to overcome. I loved how Meg wormed her way into his heart. Meeting Meg quickly means questioning his own desire to leave England or how they can work out the obstacles of his family legacy in France.
I’ll have to wait almost a year for the final four books in this series, but I’ll know it will be worth the anticipation!
Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: THE DUKE’S DESIRE
Series: Twelve Dukes of Christmas #8
Category /Genre: Historical Romance
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing: A – near perfect
Received from: Erica Ridley (as an ARC gifted copy)
The Duke’s Desire is the most enjoyable historical romance novel I have read in a long time. Meg is outrageously fun and original. A spinster with a huge crush on the town of Christmas’s brooding french hottie, the things that come out of Meg’s mouth will have you laughing out loud as she tells the great Luc what she would like to do with him. Lucien le Duc wants to reclaim his family’s birthright that has been his only goal for the past 18 years but the spunky, spinster milk maid has him reevaluating what he wants in life. Funny, sweet, and sassy, this is by far my favorite story in the 12 Dukes of Christmas story. Meg is the kind of unconventional character that leaves a lasting impression. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
Erica Ridley once again offers an enjoyable, light-hearted, witty, and romantic addition to her popular series, The 12 Dukes of Christmas, which is set in the village of Cressmouth where Christmas is celebrated year-round.
Lucien le Duc is one of the handsome blacksmith brothers in Cressmouth. Lucien, a curmudgeonly type of character, is the antithesis to his charming brother Sebastian. He has never made a great effort to learn English as his goal has always been to return to France to reclaim family property lost during the French revolution. He decides he needs to properly learn and read English if he wants to have his family visit him when he returns to France. He hires Margaret (Meg) Church, a free-spirited and outgoing local spinster, to teach and enhance his limited English skills. During their time together, Meg and Lucien develop a friendship that eventually develops into a great liking for one another. They both know there is little hope for a future together as he wants to return to France and she wants to stay in Cressmouth. Additionally, their backgrounds are so different, as he is from the aristocracy and she isn’t.
I loved the dynamics between Lucien and Meg. He was such a dour character and she was able to get him to open up and reveal his true personality. The banter between them, especially her bawdy innuendos, was delightful. There is one intimate encounter between them that is so sweetly written, my heart swooned. Their story was such a fun tale to read and I loved the epilogue. It was perfect. I highly recommend this read. One of the best offerings in the series.
I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this work and offer this voluntary review. All opinions stated are my own.
Erica Ridley can do no wrong.
It’s Christmas and she delivers a delightful read. This is Lucien le Duc’s story. He’s the reluctant second best blacksmith. A true gentleman, he plots to gain back his French inheritance and avoid the English. Out of his two siblings, he’s the only one with no ties and different life he envisions.
Meg Church is giving him English lessons.
I loved Lucien and really getting into his head and heart.
Highly recommended.
Miss Margaret Damaris Brouillard Church (Meg), is happy to be a spinster and she loves her little town of Christmas(Cressmouth). Meg’s best friend had married one of the le Duc brothers and had taken over full time, the Cressmouth Gazette. The man she had admired for six years, Lucien le Duc, used to be the smithy. But he sold it so he and his brother had enough money to go to France and start over.
Lucien and his two siblings were French but their parents had been pulled away from them and they met Madam Guillotine. They charged him with taking care of the children, he was just thirteen. Their Uncle Jaspar had helped them escape and come to England. They set up a blacksmith shop and it managed to keep them feed with a roof over their head.
The book is very well written, funny, romantic, and adventurous. Meg is very outspoken and loves to shock people. The first time they meet she starts talking innuendos and as a gentleman, he does not know how to take it. It was one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. I recommend this novel very highly.
I received this from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.
Wickedly funny and wonderful! Meg goes after Lucien, the last le Duc brother, with irreverent resolve. Will the handsome, scowling, smoldering French bachelor ever look her way? Great fun!
The worst thing about the latest installment of the 12 Dukes of Christmas series is that we have to wait ten months for the next one. This is such a great series, filled with humor, quirky characters, an even more quirky town, and of course romance. We met Lucien le Duc in the previous two books that featured his younger siblings. He comes across as a gruff, very French, not willing to learn English man. However, Meg Church sees through that rough exterior to the anything for family man underneath. The two seem like bookend opposites, but find they have a lot more in common than either knew. What happens when they collide? Will Lucien agree to English lessons from Meg? Will Lucien return to France alone? Erica Ridley’s books are always nicely done, with unique storylines and very likeable characters. The Duke’s Desire continues that constantency with a very pleasurable read. I received this eBook from NetGalley for an honest review.
The Duke’s Desire is book 8 in Erica Ridley’s 12 Dukes of Christmas romance series. So far I have loved each one of Ridley’s books. I have scored them with 5 star reviews because I felt that’s what they deserved. Unfortunately I can only give a four star review for this one. I loved the hero, but hated the heroine. Lucien le Duc is one smoldering, hot Frenchman. I enjoyed his taciturn personality, and his glaring silent rebukes. I enjoyed watching him gradually melt. But the heroine Meg Church just didn’t grab my heart. I thought her too vulgar and unbelievable for her Regency setting. Her crudeness and self centered lust made her unappealing and unbelievable. I am still a Ridley fan, just not a fan of this book. I was given a copy of this book
A great story about Lucien a French gentlemen who only wants to return to France and Meg a professed spinster. When Lucien allows her to teach him English, he can’t help but fall for her and her sexual metaphors. But he is looking for French bride of good stock. But love is pretty powerful. A romantic and amusing story. I received a complimentary copy and I am voluntarily reviewing.