Title: How (Not) to Hate a DukeAuthor: Jennifer Haymore
Pages: 400
Publication Date: Feb. 19, 2024
Publisher: Entangled Pub
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Historical
Synopsis:
Georgiana Milford may be a wealthy heiress without title, but even she has her limits. It’s vexing enough to be courted by every fortune-hunting noble during the Season—goodness, you’d think she was hiding a gold mine beneath her skirts! But this is not to be condoned. Because during a merry two-week party at a lord’s country home, she’s forced to endure her father’s greatest enemy and the most wretched duke in all of England: the Duke of Despots.
Theo St. Clair has hardly been the Seventh Duke of Desborough long enough to straighten his cravat, yet the ton are already nipping at his bootstraps. Starting with the Milford family who are convinced he’s exactly like his blaggard of a father. Unfortunately, nothing tempts the scoundrel in him more than the prospect of kissing the prim-and-proper-ness right off Georgiana Milford’s lovely lips...
Now they’re trapped together, forced to wear polite smiles while they trade acidic barbs and pretend to ignore the growing tension charging the air between them. But while there is danger in ruin, it’s the devastating secret her family has been hiding that will shatter Georgiana’s world…
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A wealthy heiress entirely aware that men want her for her money, Georgiana travels to a house party as the guest of her dearest friends. When she arrives, she notices, to her dismay, that her neighbor and enemy is there. Georgiana’s family and Theo’s family have been feuding for longer than either can remember, but Theo can’t help but be drawn to Georgiana. However, Georgiana wants nothing to do with the man society dubbed the “Duke of Despots” just like his father. Theo has no idea how to convince Georgiana he isn’t the dastardly villain everyone thinks he is, but he sure tries.
I always enjoy historical romances that take place at a house party. There’s something romantic and fun about the country setting, the variety of games and activities planned, and the forced proximity nature of the party. That’s certainly the case for this book. The lush grounds, underground waterways and caves, sprawling lawns, and more all sound like a beautiful place to spend time, especially for someone stressed and needing an escape, like Georgiana. Too bad her nemesis is also there.
Theo has been trying to fix the damage his father did as Duke, but it feels like for every two steps forward, he has to take three steps back. Georgiana has heard a lot about the terrible actions of Theo’s father, and Theo is considered guilty by association. At first, she is unwilling to compromise in her feelings about Theo, but the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes he’s nothing like his father. It’s interesting to see her come to these revelations and then try to convince others. She experiences firsthand all the prejudices and preconceptions Theo has suffered through, that’s for sure, and I think it makes her way more empathetic to his struggles.
Georgiana and Theo have a wonderful love story with tons of chemistry and sexual tension, and I adored their enemies-to-lovers romance. There’s one scene where the couple shares a boat to a cave that is especially swoon-worthy. But even when it seems like things are going in the right direction for this couple, they still must overcome her parents’ hatred and earn their acceptance. I didn’t love Georgiana’s parents, though I understood their concern. It was good to see growth in all of the characters, and they begin to see past their prejudices and preconceived notions. Other characters, like the other house party guests and Theo’s brother Sebastian, are intriguing, too, as are the family secrets uncovered.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing m e with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- house party
- family secrets
USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Haymore is the author of sexy historical and contemporary romance.
You can find Jennifer in Southern California trying to talk her husband into yet another trip to England, helping her three children with homework while brainstorming a new five-minute dinner menu, or crouched in a corner of the local bookstore writing her next novel.
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