Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “If I Only Had a Duke (The Disgraceful Dukes, #2)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

If I Only Had a Duke

(The Disgraceful Dukes #2)

Lenora Bell (Goodreads Author)

3.94 · Rating details · 2,693 ratings · 365 reviews

After three failed seasons and a disastrous jilting, Lady Dorothea Beaumont has had more than enough of her family's scheming. She won't domesticate a duke, entangle an earl, or vie for a viscount. She will quietly exit to her aunt's Irish estate for a life of blissful freedom. Until an arrogant, sinfully handsome duke singles her out for a waltz, making Thea the most popu ...more

Get A Copy

Mass Market Paperback, 372 pages

Published August 30th 2016 by Avon

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about If I Only Had a Duke, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

August 2016: Historical Romance Releases

43 books — 56 voters

Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

2016 Historical Romance

304 books — 612 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.94 ·

Rating details

· 2,693 ratings · 365 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of If I Only Had a Duke (The Disgraceful Dukes, #2)

Aug 18, 2016 Lenora Bell added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: i-wrote-this

I wrote this! What? Sometimes I still can't believe I'm a published author. This takes some getting used to, you know? I spent years doubting myself and thinking that I could never finish a book much less sell one. Why should you read this book? Well...Heroes and Heartbreakers said it was: "full of funny, sexy crazysauce" and I think that about sums it up. This is a wild, reckless, rollicking ride through Regency England and Ireland with a renegade vigilante duke and a determined, independent he ...more

flag 68 likes · Like · see review

May 05, 2020 Somia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Lady Dorothea (Thea) Beaumont has had three horrible seasons and a wedding day that didn't end in her marriage, all of which led to harsh whispers and cruel laughter. Banished to live with her aunt in Ireland she is happy, but when she is called back for another painful season she prays she can blend into the walls and quickly return home to Ireland. But when the Duke of Osborne dances with her, in what appears to be a sign of approval, the fickle Ton rather than distain her start to rush her, t ...more

flag 31 likes · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2022 Aksa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: heart-stealing, historical-romance, rakish-hero, damaged-or-troubled-hero, headstrong-heroine, love-is-hard

Oh.....wow!!!!!

Lenora bell has really won me over. Whatever I was expecting out of this book. I was not completely expecting to fall head over heels in love with the characters and the setting.
Thea she was so captivating. I think this is probably the first time I enjoyed reading an adorable and feisty heroine this much. I mean I like my girls bad ass but Dorothea was something else. She made me laugh, made me think, made me want to hug her.
On the other hand Dalton.... well miss bell does know ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Aug 14, 2019 ✨ Gramy ✨ rated it really liked it

Shelves: c-romance-historical-england, c-romance-steamy, four-shelf-i-really-liked-it

** Contains mature themes **

'If I Only Had A Duke' is Lenora Bell's second book in her Disgraceful Dukes series. The Disgraceful Dukes Regency series is a debut by Lenora Bell. It was definitely an escapist's delight in entertainment. The quick pace and pleasingly captivating combination of sensual romance, delightfully unconventional characters, witty dialogue, and fabulous humorous banter provides the tale with an overwhelming success

The duke ruined her plans and he'll just have to fix them ** Contains mature themes **

'If I Only Had A Duke' is Lenora Bell's second book in her Disgraceful Dukes series. The Disgraceful Dukes Regency series is a debut by Lenora Bell. It was definitely an escapist's delight in entertainment. The quick pace and pleasingly captivating combination of sensual romance, delightfully unconventional characters, witty dialogue, and fabulous humorous banter provides the tale with an overwhelming success

The duke ruined her plans and he'll just have to fix them.

Dalton, Duke of Osborne, is far too heartless for debutantes or marriage--he uses dalliances and public spectacle to distract from his real purpose: finding the man who destroyed his family. When his search leads to Ireland, the last thing he needs is the determined, achingly innocent Thea, who arrives in the dead of night demanding he escorts her to her aunt. His foolish agreement may prove his undoing. The road to the Emerald Isle is fraught with unforeseen dangers, but the greatest peril of all might just be discovering that he has a heart...and he's losing it to Thea.

A dark, sexy and troubled Duke meets a lovely lady. comes face to face with a Thea was passionate, sharp, kind, and artistic. He is taken aback by the strong, independent young spinster-in-training.

Not all characterizations are well done, but it is definitely able to stand on its own and delivers a swoon-worthy fairytale Happily Ever After conclusion.

Review by Michelle M: "This book is a lot of fun. If the reader is looking for period-correct behavior on the part of the characters this is not the book for them. The author acknowledged some of the restrictions that the upper classes face during that time and then proceeds to have her characters break every rule with no consequences. This, however, is a historical ROMANCE, not a literary novel and so I think that allows some leeway. I liked the characters, both primary and secondary, and enjoyed the situations that they got themselves into. I read the book before this one (not necessary to follow what is happening in this novel) and liked seeing what has happened in the lives of the characters that I was introduced to before. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for persons that like historical romances with a little humor."

Those that prefer a clean read should SKIP this series. It definitely does not fit in that category. Be warned so that you don't deduct points on your reviews. The authors do dedicate their time and effort to research their topics and surroundings, then pour their imagination into their works. I just wish the author's promotions would work together with Amazon and/or Goodreads to provide notification of a category that clarifies sexually explicit content, to better inform the entire reading audience. After three failed seasons and a disastrous jilting, Lady Dorothea Beaumont has had more than enough of her family's scheming. She won't domesticate a duke, entangle an earl, or vie for a viscount. She will quietly exit to her aunt's Irish estate for a life of blissful freedom. Until an arrogant, sinfully handsome duke singles her out for a waltz, making Thea the most popular belle of the season.

This book features two strong characters. A Duke, who has a secret identity as the Hellhound, he prowls the streets of London threatening gamblers and saving young peers from gambling away their fortunes. He comes face to face with a strong, independent young spinster-in-training. These two both know what they want and fight to get it. As the story goes on, we see each of them grow into an even stronger character.
.. ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

May 18, 2016 Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016

If I only had a Duke is the second book in The Disgraceful Dukes series. I read the first book, How the Duke Was Won, earlier this spring and I found it quite good. I'm very pleased to say that If I Only Had a Duke is just as funny to read as the first book in the series. I chuckled aloud several times during the first 1/3 of the book. Also, I really like this series heroines. They are all so bloody funny and feels refreshingly stubborn and independent. And, that, despite living in a time when w If I only had a Duke is the second book in The Disgraceful Dukes series. I read the first book, How the Duke Was Won, earlier this spring and I found it quite good. I'm very pleased to say that If I Only Had a Duke is just as funny to read as the first book in the series. I chuckled aloud several times during the first 1/3 of the book. Also, I really like this series heroines. They are all so bloody funny and feels refreshingly stubborn and independent. And, that, despite living in a time when women aren't more than a man's belonging.

Now, the book is not only funny, it has a serious streak as well. Dalton, Duke of Osborne is after the man that killed his young brother when he was a child. And, now he must flee the town in a hurry after confronting a man who wounded him and could identify him because of that. However, Lady Dorothea Beaumont demands that he takes her with him when she learns that he is going to Ireland since it's his fault that she now after a couple of seasons as a wallflower is now the most popular belle of the season. She has absolutely no plans at all to get married least of all to someone her mother or grandmother wants her to marry. But, traveling, with the handsome Dalton to Ireland may change her mind about marriage. However, will she be able to get the Duke to fall for her?

Nevertheless, as much as I enjoyed the book did I have a bit of problem with the story, and that's the seduction part, the mating ritual between Dalton and Thea. And, this is not the book's fault, this is something that seldom interests me in historical romance. I'm just not fond of reading about people lusting about each other. Especially not when it gets a bit too much. In a small dose, then it's fine. But, this is historical romance, and it's a big part. So, for the right person is that part probably just fine. However, I'm just the odd one out when it comes to that.

Also, the "twist" to the story was not especially surprising, but it at least made the book's ending sweet. Another thing, I just love the ending when Thea really puts down her foot against here families wishes and the result it brings. She really has guts.

I want to thank Piatkus for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Feb 21, 2021 Lisa (Remarkablylisa) rated it really liked it

Shelves: mr-grump-and-ms-sunshine, historical-romance-i-own, february-2021, historical-road-trip, historical-letters

I REALLY STUPIDLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK AND GRINNED EAR TO EAR AT THIS ROAD TRIP HISTORICAL ROMANCE FEATURING A GRUMP AND MISS SUNSHINE TROPE HOWEVER the ending was wrapped up too quickly and too neatly and it didn't give me... Satisfaction. Wink 😉 BECAUSE IT SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE BEGGING AND GROVELLING!!! ON HIS PART!!! ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Jan 30, 2016 Jenna Friebel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: edelweiss-netgalley, romance, adult

Thea is the best. <3 Also, Lenora Bell's writing is gorgeous. Can't wait for the next book in the series! ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Aug 23, 2021 Antonella rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, forced-proximity, grumpy-sunshine, traveling-together

charming and entertaining

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2016 Izy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, edelweiss, 2016, historical

Rating ~ 4-4.5 stars

This was my first read by the new historical romance author Lenora Bell but it's definitely won't be the last. I had a blast reading this one. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series and as I write this I'm already starting the first book in the series.

Lady Dorothea Beaumont likes living in Ireland with her aunt far away from London and the eyes of the society, this is would be her last season which means no more balls and parties, no more marriage tal ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Oct 10, 2018 Jan rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical

It was OK. Pretty forgettable. I've already forgotten the MC's names, and I only finished it yesterday :( Oops.

I thought I'd try a new author, but Lenora Bell's not for me, I'm afraid. I didn't hate it. It did start off quite well - light and humorous and fresh. But, fresh started to quickly go stale.......... About a third of the way in the cute and funny banter was getting old, and there was a sameness about it all. I started to not care that much. By 2/3 way through I was skimming.......

I a ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Dec 16, 2016 Angie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: snuggable-romance, age-gap, adult-romance, favorites, books-i-own, historical-romance

Seeing as this is my first Bell novel, it took me a while to get into her writing style and flow. She writes in way that's kinda choppy at times, but I eventually grew to like her style with the storyline and characters because it just worked.

I loved this historical--it had a feisty and smart heroine, a devil-may-care sweet duke, an adventurous plot with a driven focus and flowing plot, a 'villain' that we learned to hate, and great secondary characters that worked to push the MCs together when ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Nov 12, 2016 Esther rated it really liked it

Shelves: hero-rich, heroine-rich, virgin, humor, virgin-heroine

I would give this a 3.5 rating.

Short review on just a couple points.

This had a pretty good story line, but at times got lost with all the side plots added to the mix.

I at times found some scenes to almost have missing parts. Jumped from one scene and then felt like I was in another and not sure how I got there (hoping this makes sense and I'm explaining myself here).

Both characters were likeable and good chemistry.

...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Aug 14, 2016 Em rated it did not like it

Shelves: all-about-romance, anthology

I gave this a D- at All About Romance.

If only If I Only Had a Duke had actually been about marrying a duke! Unfortunately, there are plots, subplots, tangents, overly complicated lead characters – he’s a hybrid secret vigilante/rake hero, she’s a timid and shy (but not really) heroine; supporting characters who are overly familiar and inappropriate (‘buddy’ manservants); extreme versions of common stereotypes (overbearing mothers and grandmothers); too perfect friends; and finally, so many liber I gave this a D- at All About Romance.

If only If I Only Had a Duke had actually been about marrying a duke! Unfortunately, there are plots, subplots, tangents, overly complicated lead characters – he’s a hybrid secret vigilante/rake hero, she’s a timid and shy (but not really) heroine; supporting characters who are overly familiar and inappropriate (‘buddy’ manservants); extreme versions of common stereotypes (overbearing mothers and grandmothers); too perfect friends; and finally, so many liberties taken with historical accuracy that even this reader (who rarely catches these things) took offense. It was all TOO MUCH. I wasn’t particularly impressed with the first book in this series (How the Duke Was Won) but this one is so much worse. It’s such a mess that it’s difficult to work out where or how to start this review, but I’ll begin with the main characters, Lady Dorothea Beaumont and the Duke of Osborne.

Dorothea, nicknamed ‘Disastrous Dorothea,’ after an embarrassing, failed attempt to snare a husband, has spent the past few months living in exile in Ireland with her Aunt Emma. She helps her aunt take care of a bee colony and make her famous marmalade, and in her free time, she visits Balfry House, the neighboring (vacant) estate of the Duke of Osborne. During her first visit she discovers a treasure trove of artwork covered and stored in the attic. An amateur (but apparently expert) art historian, she believes one piece to be a rare self-portrait by the female renaissance artist Artemisia; on the strength of her hunch, she writes to Osborne asking permission to view and catalog the rest of the collection. He refuses.

Though beautiful and perfectly trained to be the perfect debutante – which begs the question as to why she doesn’t seem to know the correct form of address for a duke – Dorothea has spent three seasons failing to snag the duke – any duke – her mother dreams of. Awkward, uncomfortable, and barely able to speak when she’s around men, Dorothea has ambitions to spinsterhood (do people actually aspire to this?), and plans to return to Ireland to live with her aunt in Ballybrack Cottage, at the end of the season. But in the meantime, she hasn’t forgotten the Artemisia moldering in the attic at Balfry, and when she spots Lord Osborne across a crowded ballroom, Dorothea decides to approach him and demand he give her permission to catalog the collection. This rather seems to negate the reason at the heart of Dorothea’s still being on the shelf – an inability to carry on a conversation with a man, let alone force one to do her bidding.

When she approaches Osborne, a handsome, unrepentant rake with a reputation for bedding widows and unhappy wives, he’s on the terrace whispering in the ear of a Mrs. Renwick. Despite the fact she’s clearly interrupting a private tête-à-tête and that she’s usually struck mute by proximity to the opposite sex, she’s determined to get his attention. When he finally acknowledges her, she launches into a detailed explanation of why she wants access to the collection. The duke, rather than telling her to beat it, instead...

Read the rest of this review at All About Romance, here: If I Only Had a Duke (The Disgraceful Dukes, #2) ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2016 Natalie rated it really liked it

Shelves: canoodling-in-carriages, 2016, alpha-males, romance-heroes-i-love, regency-era, favorite-romances, romance-heroines-i-love, we-re-on-each-other-s-team, intense-brooding-heroes, girls-and-freedom

Artmesia was trying to tell her something. the mask Dalton wore had slipped and shattered. She knew the real man now. And her own mask wasn't needed anymore. The timidity. The nervous giggle. The fear of failure. In such a short space of time she'd become something wholly different.

And by giving her this gift, Dalton was trying to tell her something as well. He believed in her dreams and her goals... and he wanted to be part of them.

(Easily a 4 star book. I will reconsider if it's a 4.5 or more Artmesia was trying to tell her something. the mask Dalton wore had slipped and shattered. She knew the real man now. And her own mask wasn't needed anymore. The timidity. The nervous giggle. The fear of failure. In such a short space of time she'd become something wholly different.

And by giving her this gift, Dalton was trying to tell her something as well. He believed in her dreams and her goals... and he wanted to be part of them.

(Easily a 4 star book. I will reconsider if it's a 4.5 or more upon re-reads)

THIS WAS SO GOOD. This was everything that a great pairing should be, where two people bring out the best in each other and make each other better, and stronger together. Where they challenge each other, and set each other free. I AM VERY SAPPY RIGHT NOW.

BUT LOOK I WON'T APOLOGIZE FOR BEING SAPPY!!!!! This book had me right from the first page with the letters, turning steadily more witty and sarcastic. I LOOOOOVE books with letters and correspondence. And the letters were about A R T. Dorothea is a student of A R T. She wants to showcase Artemisia Gentileschi's paintings she found hidden in Dalton's attic in his estate in Ireland. ARTTTTTTTTTTTTTT. THE BOOK USES ART TO TELL US THINGS ABOUT THEA AND DALTON.

Thea and Dalton had amazing chemistry right from their letters. When they met they had this easy, sparky banter and when Thea sent him all the flowers she had gotten from her unwanted suitors I died. And then the book turned into a road trip!!!! Art, letters, a dangerous duke with a secret identity, sheltered heiress who loves art and is more than what she appears to be AND A ROAD TRIP? CATNIP.

Thea and Dalton were so FUN and it was also really emotional as they started to let their guard down each other, especially Dalton, who's walled himself up for so long so he could focus on his family secrets. But Thea came right along and saw right through all his pretenses and for who he really was. And Dalton also challenged Thea, brought her out of her shell and at the end gave her the push she needed TO STAGE HER OWN ART SHOW OF FEMALE ARTISTS (WAILS).

Ugh. And their sexual chemistry was amazing too. Dalton pretends to be such a tough guy but he's mush underneath, he fell SO HARD for Thea. I loved this book. ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Oct 02, 2018 Shannon rated it it was amazing

Definitely deserving of 5 + STARS.
Simply wonderful! Lenora Bell is a master storyteller! This book made me laugh and cry and was altogether quite satisfying. I will be reading more.

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Jun 07, 2016 nick (the infinite limits of love) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, historical, adult

Lenora Bell's The Disgraceful Dukes series is turning out to be a delightful historical series. If Only I Had a Duke might only be her second book, but already she has positioned herself among my favorite historical romance authors, Tessa Dare, Lisa Kleypas and Sarah MacLean. This book had me smiling, laughing, swooning and even shedding a tear!

I love how Lenora Bell crafts strong and independent female heroines. Thea was a darling of a heroine. I was curious about her in the previous book and w
Lenora Bell's The Disgraceful Dukes series is turning out to be a delightful historical series. If Only I Had a Duke might only be her second book, but already she has positioned herself among my favorite historical romance authors, Tessa Dare, Lisa Kleypas and Sarah MacLean. This book had me smiling, laughing, swooning and even shedding a tear!

I love how Lenora Bell crafts strong and independent female heroines. Thea was a darling of a heroine. I was curious about her in the previous book and was ready to learn more about her in this book. She was everything that I expected and so much more. Her passion for art, her willingness to seek independence and her bravery really spoke to me. All of her life, she had been trained and prepped for landing a husband from her mother and her grandmother and she has had enough. I loved watching Thea go against her family's wishes and chase after her own happiness and in the process gaining so much more courage than she initially had. She was fierce and fiery and I couldn't love her more than I did.

Thea finds her perfect match in Dalton, Duke of Osborne, whom we also met in the first book. This secretive and deliciously attractive guy had me sighing and swooning whenever he was in a scene. To the outside world, he was nothing more than just a notorious rake, but Dalton was much more than that. Years ago, his baby brother was murdered in Ireland and ever since, his mother has refused to leave the house because of her grief. In the shadows of the night, Dalton and his manservant, Con, seek clues as to who murdered his brother and in the process, he acts as a vigilante of sorts. I loved this duo and their friendship! Dalton's grief and guilt over the death of his brother was really heartbreaking to watch especially as it ate him from the inside and entirely shaped who he was. I wanted to reach out and just give the guy a hug. Even with his roguishness, he was kind and thoughtful and basically, I found him to be the perfect book boyfriend.

Thea and Dalton's romance was another aspect of the book that had me flipping through the pages of If Only I Had a Duke. They don't start off on the right foot, but all the banter and the flirtatious moments were the absolute best. They had so much chemistry together and I just couldn't wait for them to kiss already from their very first letter the two exchanged at the beginning of the book - they were hilarious btw! I loved the dynamic that they shared with Dalton seeing Thea as a bit of a nuisance. I love it because it's so entertaining then to watch this hero fall for the thorn on his side and want nothing but to protect and keep her for himself by the end. And boy does Lenora Bell know how to write a steamy scene and have all that chemistry between her couple burst! I loved the road-trip nature of If Only I Had a Duke too. It made for an engaging story and I loved all the characters that Dalton and Thea meet on their adventure to Ireland. Secrets are discovered, new revelations are made and it was all so enjoyable. Not to mention, this book was also humorous and very light-hearted, exactly what I was looking for out of it.

If you're looking for a new historical romance author to discover, Lenora Bell should be the first author on your list. Her writing is fresh, her characters lively and her romances sweeping and epic. You won't regret picking up If Only I Had a Duke or even the first book in this series, How the Duke Was Won. ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Feb 15, 2017 Amanda rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, spinsters-and-bluestockings, heroines-of-my-heart, cute-animal-cameos, fake-dating-and-faux-marrieds, rebel-heroines, catnip-reads, read-in-2017, matchmaker-make-me-a-match, banter-gives-me-life

This was a very fun, cute read. It featured a lot of tropes I tend to love: bantering leads, classic road trip shenanigans, a matchmaking man servant, a grumpy duke, a spirited wallflower, sexy times on a ship, etc. Thea for me was the standout though. I identified with her feelings of inadequacy and admired her journey to self assurance, aptly rubber stamped by Dalton’s total awe and confidence in her and her dreams. I also liked how she drew much of her strength from her love of art, which was This was a very fun, cute read. It featured a lot of tropes I tend to love: bantering leads, classic road trip shenanigans, a matchmaking man servant, a grumpy duke, a spirited wallflower, sexy times on a ship, etc. Thea for me was the standout though. I identified with her feelings of inadequacy and admired her journey to self assurance, aptly rubber stamped by Dalton’s total awe and confidence in her and her dreams. I also liked how she drew much of her strength from her love of art, which was then reflected in her experiences.

“Kissing the duke felt like viewing a life-changing painting in a gallery. The perception of a curtain opening on another world. Reality shifting, expanding.”

I enjoyed Thea and Dalton’s sparring matches and the letters they exchanged. The fact that broody Dalton was undone by Thea’s clever mind and caring heart made for a lovely dynamic between the two. There was no doubt that they were a well matched pair, but there was A LOT going on that had little or nothing to do with them. It was a clunky execution of plots on top of side plots, characters that were introduced and made relevant or irrelevant with no apparent ease, and I feel like the romance got lost somewhere along the way. I found myself easily distracted while reading too which is pretty good indication that my heart wasn’t wholly invested.

There seems to be a repetitiveness in Lenora Bell’s writing that continues to irk me. I first noticed it in How the Duke Was Won, most notably were Harland’s obsessive thoughts about Charlene’s breasts. Here, Dalton could not stop going on about Thea’s “butter and marmalade curls” (does that make her a ginger???). Obviously fanboying about hair is less annoying/pervy than breasts, but it got really old after the umphteeth mention. This, the messiness of the plot(s) and the lack of an emotional connection I had with the main couple did detract from my love for the book. If I Only Had a Duke was a vast improvement over the previous book, but not enough to completely sell me on this author just yet. ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2016 (Nat) Reading Romances rated it it was amazing

Lenora Bell is an author you should be reading.

If I Only Had a Duke fulfilled all my (high) expectations! And let me tell you, I haven’t read a historical with such hot sex scenes in a good while. They were very well written.

I’m only confused by the title, because the heroine never wanted or needed a Duke as part of her life plan. So I suggest it could’ve been titled as “How to topple a monumental duke”! HA!

I was so sad when it was over. I want to read more by Lenora Bell ASAP! She’s got a new f ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 12, 2016 Pamela Shropshire rated it did not like it

Shelves: dnf

DNF. Far too many sentence fragments. For no good reason. Just. Couldn't. Take. It. Any. More.

Too many inconsistencies. Too many tangled storylines that were unnecessary. And I won't even begin on the anachronisms in this so-called historical. H/h are both apparently time traveling SJWs from the 21st century.

Perhaps I'll give it another try later when my tolerance is greater. ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 07, 2016 id!l rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-romance

I really enjoyed the first book, but I wasn't really sold here. I found the premise and plot a bit far fetched, and to be fair that was also an issue in book 1, but at least the love story was more compelling. I think there wasn't enough of a build up and so it came across as insta love. ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Jul 24, 2020 Ana rated it it was amazing

Wow! Just ... wow. Great read, wonderfully written, engaging characters, good story line ... pretty much all you can wish for with historical romance.

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Mar 29, 2017 Ginger rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, 2017

Decent characters, plot was good and fun book to read!

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Sep 11, 2016 Avid Booker rated it liked it

Recommends it for: People Who Don't Mind other side Character's stories taking a little space in their Romances

First OFF, lets not EVER compare this to the glorious magnifiecence of A Week To Be Wicked. I'm sorry, this story just didn't have that kind of charm or humor. That's first. 2nd, it was good, but some things left me dry.

Okay, so lets start of with the similarities of this and A Week To Be Wicked. A rake and normal girl(she's of the ton, but barely). Check. Someone in the story makes up wild tales. Check. It's a road trip romance. Check.
Now that we got that over with. Let's get on to the charact First OFF, lets not EVER compare this to the glorious magnifiecence of A Week To Be Wicked. I'm sorry, this story just didn't have that kind of charm or humor. That's first. 2nd, it was good, but some things left me dry.

Okay, so lets start of with the similarities of this and A Week To Be Wicked. A rake and normal girl(she's of the ton, but barely). Check. Someone in the story makes up wild tales. Check. It's a road trip romance. Check.
Now that we got that over with. Let's get on to the characters.

Thea, Dorothea, was our heroine. She wanted to become as spinster after several disastrous seasons because her family isolated her to become the perfected duchess(they planned to snatch her up a duke), but she never really talked to a man, so when she does, she's bad at it. Anyway, fast-forward some years and she's snooping around the Duke's house in Ireland while she's there for a visit with her Aunt. She sends the Duke letters and he writes back. Fastforward again and its now the season. One more and she can be a spinster. But after a fail trying to talk to the Duke again, he makes he the bell of the ball.(You learn all this from the back of the book kinda) She goes to his house and demands he take her to Ireland. She was..... okay I guess. Not my type. She was NOTHING like Minerva. So if you expect that, well don't. Cuz she's not. She's loud, outspoken (surprisingly for someone who was isolated) and trying to force her way in life. She's never too stupid, but she does do some things that I was like idk if that was the smartest thing to do. ALSO, she's really INTO paintings. One woman artist in particular, and THAT is what makes the story start off.

Dalton, aka Duke Osbourne?, he was our Rake. Always being spoken about because of his widows and wives that he sleeps with. He was....okay too. I really have nothing to say to him. Thea NEVER listened to him and it was kind of annoying.

Con and Molly. Honestly, they were NOT needed. And neither was the whole weird subplot of Dalton's brother being killed and him trying to avenge his death etc etc. It was stupid. Specially what ended up happening. I thought it felt rushed and almost predictable in a way? Con and Molly were there THE WHOLE trip. And while the main couple had plenty of times alone, there were moments when their plots took up some time and caused less getting to know you time, for me. I think those pages should have been used more for witty banter and romance.

Her mom SUDDENLY agreeing was a weird touch. You'll see what I mean. That's about it. It wasn't bad, but let's not EVER compare it to the great A Week To Be Wicked. Minerva and Colin were damn near perfect.

I've never heard of masseuses in Regency! That was a nice surprise and made for a cute scene!

But yo, tell me why she brought up his hands and said something along the lines of "he was different from other dukes because he had dirt underneath his fingernails." Some time later, like it might've been days or whatever but she licked his hand. I'm sorry, she didn't say anything about his sanitariness but I WOULD NEVER lick his hand. I don't even think they used hand soap back in this time. I laughed, but it was a gross thought lol.

Quotes:
She used all her strength to grind her heels into the ridges of his back.
"Christ," he grunted. "Easy now."
"Am I hurting you, Your Grace?" she asked sweetly redoubling her efforts.
"Hold a moment," he said, low and dangerous. "I know that voice..."
With one swift movement he twisted, setting her off balance. He caught her by the waist and forced her knees to either side of him, pressing her down against him.
"What in all the fiery blazes of hell are you doing here? Con," he bellowed. "I'm going to bloody well murder you."

Whenever they spoke to one another sparks flew. They'd start the carriage on fire if they weren't careful.

Molly grinned. "Will you allow me to raid the library when you live at Balfry House?"
"Pardon?"
"When you're married to the Duke and live at Balfry. Or maybe you two will live in London?"
Thea dropped her hand from Molly's shoulders. "That will never happen."
"Dunno 'bout that. You smile so much more than when I first met you, and your eyes get shiny like when you look at him. And the way he stares at you..." She gave a low whistle and scrunched up her freckled nose. "Its kind of disgusting."
Thea smiled.
"See?" Molly said, piking her arm. "You're smiling." ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Oct 02, 2016 Stephanie (Jump) rated it really liked it

4 stars
This started off brilliantly. Their letters back and forth, the way the hero misunderstood the heroine as a marriage scheming miss, the sparks when they met that first time on the dance floor of a ballroom. The flowers going back to him with that note. So good.

Somewhere halfway when they start to get along it loses some of its magic and steam. Dalton's mysterious alter ego was hard to believe. But I have never been into the whole (view spoiler) tro ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 11, 2016 Jaci rated it it was amazing

Lenora knows how to craft a wonderful tale of a Duke who hides his true self behind a facade of the decadent rake and the debutante who is a disaster in Society who hides her passion and strength.

Thea has a plan to get back to her aunt's cottage in Ireland where she can be herself and not ever have to worry about what other people think of her. She has no plans to get married. Her passion is finding lost paintings from female artists and introducing them to the world. All she has to do is not to ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jun 06, 2016 Dragana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, historical-romance, banter

If I Only Had a Duke reminded me why I fell in love with historical romance genre. While it needed maybe a bit more editing since sometimes some phrases and words were repeated too often, the fun it provided made up for it.

If you like historical romance novels that feature:
+ Mouthy on-the-shelf heroine
+ Brooding duke
+ The-clash-of-wills romance
+ Intriguing side-mystery and quest
The If I Only Had a Duke will offer you a delightful, relaxing love story.

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Feb 03, 2017 Erin Kelly rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fave-historicals

LOVE LOVE LOVE! Ok, so it is only fair to mention that I teach fine arts, so when this heroine longs to give props to Artemisia Gentileschi and mentions Elizabeth Vigee LeBrun, I am all in. Oh, and she pretends to be an Italian opera singer. Our Duke is a vigilante, and they are soooo swoonworthy. Full review to come, but Lenora Bell has now become a preorder author for me.

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Apr 24, 2017 Jo rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-5-stars, gr2017

Lady Dorothea Beaumont was taught to be perfect. All of her family expected her to make an excellent debut and to marry well. Instead Thea had three failed seasons and was hidden away in Ireland, hoping time away would make everyone forget about her blunders. But Thea has decides she’s had enough of her family’s scheming and expectations. She doesn’t want to be the belle of the season, she would rather live in blissful freedom with her Aunt on her Irish estate. But all her plans are ruined when the arrogant and very popular Duke of Osborne singles her out for the first waltz. Suddenly she has more suitors that she knows what to do with, her family is ecstatic and she’s furious. She’ll just have to force the duke to fix the mess he has created for her.

Dalton, the Duke of Osborne, doesn’t have time for debutantes. He’s spent years carefully cultivating his two personas, the sinful rake with his many dalliances which distracts people from his secret identity whereby he seeks the person who murdered his brother. Vengeance is all he has wanted for years and he doesn’t have time for innocent and determined ladies, even if they are as alluring as Lady Dorothea. When his search leads him to Ireland, he’s forced to take Thea with him, otherwise she might just derail his plans. But the long journey doesn’t just bring danger, it also brings a fierce desire, one that threatens not only Dalton’s plans, but also the heart he thought he didn’t have.

I really liked Thea and her determination to win her independence, to not be the perfect lady her family wanted her to be. She was feisty and witty and a great heroine.

Dalton was a great hero and I liked the way he clashed will with Thea, and how he had such a hard time keeping his distance from her.

I enjoyed the romance for the most part, especially their hilarious letters in the beginning that was full of sarcastic banter. The chemistry between these two was great and very sizzling. My only problem was that Dalton kept pushing Thea away for too long because he felt he wasn’t good enough for her. I can handle some pushing away, but not until the very end.

This was my first book by this author, and I really liked her writing. I love that her heroine was unconventional and that she wanted more from her life than what was just expected from women in those times.

...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2017 Bambi Unbridled rated it really liked it

Shelves: million-page-challenge, arc, audiobooks, romance-historical, read-2017

The Disgraceful Dukes series continues with If I Only Had a Duke featuring funny and endearing characters, reluctant romance and steamy interludes. The narrator, Beverley A. Crick, gave us an exceptional performance. She was a dab hand at Irish and Italian affectations (even when they were supposed to be bad), and was believable as both female and male personas. I will definitely look for more of her work in the future.

You may recognize the heroine of this story as Lady Dorothea Benton, whose name and false identity featured heavily in the previous book, How the Duke was Won. In that story, Thea was a meek, mild-mannered and oppressed by her overbearing mother and grandmother. But after refusing to marry the prior duke, Thea was exiled to the Irish countryside where she has blossomed. I loved seeing Thea come into her own and assert herself, and she ended up being quite humorous with her Italian and Swedish strumpet impersonations. She proved herself to be resourceful, intelligent, and passionate about female artists. She was a great heroine.

Our disgraceful duke also featured prominently in How the Duke was Won, you may recall him as the Duke of Harland's rakish friend who was present at Warbury Park during Harland's search for a wife. Garrett (Dalton), Duke of Osborne, has been seen as a tragic character for a portion of his life... the elder brother who saw his younger sibling die tragically at a young age. But after finding the tragedy was murder, Dalton has spent the last ten years of his life seeking vengeance. He believes these dangerous activities preclude him having a wife, and his playing the rogue is a good cover for what he is really doing in the dark of night. I liked Dalton, but I feel like we could have gotten to know him better. He was really overshadowed by Thea.

So Lenora Bell has proven herself adept at the meet cute... we saw the Duke of Harland being mistaken for a footman in the prior installment. And, in this story, we see Thea and Dalton trading saucy letters regarding his neglected art collection. Dalton is operating under the false impression that the impudent miss is out to trap him into marriage, so he seeks to foil her plans by elevating her from wallflower to original of the season! With all the suitors sure to come calling, Thea will surely be out of his hair... or so he thinks.

This story had a lot of good aspects to it... bantering love interests, road trip hi-jinks, endearing secondary characters, and a dynamic heroine. Unfortunately the story didn't always hold my interest and I found my mind wandering. The side plot regarding the murder of Dalton's brother seemed an afterthought at times and it didn't always mesh well with the romance. But overall this was an enjoyable read and I think the good overshadowed the mediocre. So I'm glad I took the time to listen.

I recommend this book to fans of humorous historical romance or road trip romances. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook that I received from the publisher, Tantor Audio.
...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Aug 12, 2016 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

Historical romances always put a smile on my face, especially when they're actually done right. Lenora Bell has mastered the art of taking unique women who go against the norms of society and tame the rakes who were previously untamable and quite irresistible to any women who crossed their paths. Can you say, yes please?!?!

Lady Dorothea was bred to find a handsome duke to snag and marry, but what her mother failed to do was socialize her perfect daughter. Any time she's near a handsome man, Thea Historical romances always put a smile on my face, especially when they're actually done right. Lenora Bell has mastered the art of taking unique women who go against the norms of society and tame the rakes who were previously untamable and quite irresistible to any women who crossed their paths. Can you say, yes please?!?!

Lady Dorothea was bred to find a handsome duke to snag and marry, but what her mother failed to do was socialize her perfect daughter. Any time she's near a handsome man, Thea finds herself tongue-tied or giggling like a fool, neither of which is attractive to any man. After spending some time with her Aunt in Ireland, Thea is determined to live life as a spinster there, especially after she uncovers lost paintings in the attic of the estate next door. The owner of the estate happens to be the infuriating Dalton, Duke of Osbourne, who loves pushing Thea's buttons. One dance in London and Dalton has all of the men pining after Thea, which is the last thing she wants. Dalton finds himself being forced to escort Thea back to her Aunt's house in Ireland to help her escape a horrible future trapped in a loveless marriage.

Oh, this book. I was so intrigued by Thea from the first book and I loved how unsure and shy she was around anyone of society. She was perfectly happy retreating to Ireland studying books and paintings, which are her passions. Of course, she started to clash with Dalton before they even met when she discovered the priceless paintings in his attic. I loved how she forgot being shy and let her passions drive her actions around the duke. From the start, they definitely intrigued each other, but neither one of them could possibly trust each other after how they were both raised.

And can we take some time to talk about Dalton? Because, yum! Seriously, there is nothing better than a rake who falls head over heels, quite unexpectedly, for a woman who is definitely not his usual type. Dalton had such a soft heart despite the careless attitude he gave off to society. Thea saw right through his facade from the moment she met him and I loved how they really understood each other the more they got to know each other. Thea was so smart and it was great seeing someone challenge Dalton and prove to him that he actually had a heart.

If you're a fan of historical romances, Lenora Bell is an author you can't miss. I am crossing my fingers that Patrick gets the next book because I NEED more of these characters! I have yet to meet a character I didn't completely fall in love with in Lenora's books and I'm dying for a duke of my own! ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Historical Romance: self portrait of female artist found in attic, in Scotland or Ireland. [s]	4	36	Aug 01, 2020 05:19PM
Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish	1	2	Feb 03, 2016 03:32PM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Romance > Historical Romance

239 users

Romance

212 users

Historical

117 users

Historical > Historical Fiction

38 users

Historical > Regency

22 users

Adult

22 users

Historical Romance > Regency Romance

18 users

Fiction

13 users

Travel > Road Trip

5 users

Adult Fiction

5 users

See top shelves…

About Lenora Bell

Lenora Bell

1,163 followers

Lenora Bell is a USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of historical romances with Avon Books. A teacher with an MFA in Creative Writing, Lenora has lived and worked on five continents. She's currently fixing up a big old building in small town Alaska with her carpenter husband and two tiger-striped rescue kitties (#RomancingTheRenovation). She loves hearing from readers! Join her Facebook R ...more

Other books in the series

The Disgraceful Dukes (3 books)

Books by Lenora Bell

How the Duke Was Won (The Disgraceful Dukes, #1)

What a Difference a Duke Makes (School for Dukes, #1)

Blame It on the Duke (The Disgraceful Dukes, #3)

For the Duke's Eyes Only (School for Dukes, #2)

Love Is a Rogue (Wallflowers vs. Rogues, #1)

More…

Check Out the Hottest New Rom-Com Trends with These 44 Books

You know the saying, "One's a dot, two's a line, three's a trend"? Well, here at Goodreads, we're always on the lookout for the plot premises...

Trivia About If I Only Had a D...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from If I Only Had a Duke

“You don’t smell at all like a rake. I’ve been pressed against you and you simply don’t smell like one.” She tapped her forefinger against the table. “Spicy musk. Sandalwood. Pine forest. The aforementioned polished leather. Those are all acceptable scents for a rake. But if you must know the truth, you smell rather like the stables.” — 0 likes

More quotes…