Book Review: The Duke’s Secret Cinderella by Eva Devon

About the Book:

Title: The Duke’s Secret cinderella

Author: Eva Devon

Series: Never a Wallflower #3

Page Length: 384

Publication Date: Feb. 21, 2023

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Synopsis: Cinderella meets Ever After in this witty and lively historical romance from USA Today bestseller Eva Devon.

Charlotte Browne could just kick herself. What on earth possessed her to tell the Duke of Rockford that she is a lady? But something about the duke’s handsomeness and kind intelligence makes Charlotte blurt out the teeniest, tiniest falsehood. Now it’s too late to admit she’s just plain Charlotte of no particular importance—with cinder-stained hands, a wretched stepfather, and no prospects for marriage….

Rafe Dorchester, Duke of Rockford, has done what every self-respecting duke must do—avoid marriage at all costs. But the only thing stronger than the duke is his mother., Wheand she lays down the highest ultimatum, he’ll need to find a duchess. Immediately. Only, when he calls on a potential bride, he instead finds the pert, fresh-faced Lady Charlotte. Rafe was warned to never mix the business of marriage with pleasure, but when it comes to Lady Chearlotte…oh, business would be a splendid pleasure.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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My Review:

The Duke’s Secret Cinderella is a great addition to Eva Devon’s Never a Wallflower series. Described as Cinderella meets Ever After, the story follows Charlotte, who poses as a Lady to get her beloved friend out of debtor’s prison. Here, she meets my new book boyfriend, Rafe Dorchester, the Duke of Rockford.

Let’s talk about Rafe because I would like to officially add him to my list of favorite book boyfriends. I love romances where the guy falls first, and Rafe is smitten with Charlotte from their first meeting. It’s so sweet and romantic, even though they meet under unusual circumstances. And Charlotte is the perfect Cinderella. Kind and caring, she always thinks of others before herself, and she is incredibly strong.

Treated like a servant instead of a family member, Charlotte lives an isolated life under the abusive watch of her step-father. Her only solace is her step-sister and the other servants in the house, who treat her like family. They remind me of Danielle and her situation in the film Ever After. Like Charlotte, she had a loving, familial relationship with the servants in the house, and a horrible relationship with her step-parent.

There are so many other Cinderella elements that I liked – the dashing prince, the wicked stepparent, a love story for the ages, secrets that change everything, and, of course, a wonderful HEA. Rafe’s mother even feels a little like a fairy godmother in her support, acceptance, and encouragement of the relationship, and there’s an extravagant ball. The one change from the original tale that I loved was that Charlotte’s step-sister is good, and they have a lovely sisterly bond.

Rafe’s friends are fantastic too! They are funny and loyal, and they add a comical levity to the story while still showing how menacing they can be when someone they care for is threatened. Between them and Rafe, I was swooning! I also really liked Rafe’s mother and grandmother. They’re strong women and so supportive and intelligent.

I was a little frustrated with how long it took Charlotte to tell Rafe the truth. I feel like she had so many missed opportunities, and it got a little frustrating. Thinking about her upbringing and everything she had to lose, I can understand her reluctance, but Rafe deserved the truth way sooner than he got it.

Overall. I enjoyed the story. It’s a great Cinderella reimagining , and there are a few surprise revelations that I totally didn’t expect! I didn’t realize when I started the book that it was the third in the series. It didn’t matter. That being said, I want to go back and read the first two books! Special thanks to Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.