The Duchess Deal (Girl Meets Duke, #1) in Some Like It Hot!

Nov 17, 2019 Chloe rated it really liked it

I’ve got a bad habit. I buy books and then I let them sit on my shelf for months or years before I pick them up. And when those books are part of a series? Forget about it. I won’t even think about touching them until the series is through. Occasionally, I’ll pick up a romance novel if the stories are loosely related out of order (which is what happened with this series) and have to go back and read the rest. I’m a sucker for proper chronology.

The Duchess Deal is the first book in Tessa Dare’s n I’ve got a bad habit. I buy books and then I let them sit on my shelf for months or years before I pick them up. And when those books are part of a series? Forget about it. I won’t even think about touching them until the series is through. Occasionally, I’ll pick up a romance novel if the stories are loosely related out of order (which is what happened with this series) and have to go back and read the rest. I’m a sucker for proper chronology.

The Duchess Deal is the first book in Tessa Dare’s newest historical series, Girl Meets Duke and gosh what a great start it was. I am not a person who laughs out loud. I don’t generally find “comedy” terribly funny but this book is funny. And steamy. And sweet. And swoony. And just an overall delight. It was my first Tessa Dare book and will not be my last.

The story starts with our heroine Emma showing up at Ashbury’s house in a wedding dress. It’s a perfect introduction for both characters whose wit and banter heat up from the start. Emma was a great heroine, smart, plucky, knew what she wanted and how to achieve it. And Ashbury, oh Ash, he was such a delightful character. Now, if he heard me say that he’d scowl and say he’s not delightful. He really is. He’s grouchy and tortured and secretly a big softie who’s had a bad go of things.

Emma and Ash’s romance starts perfunctorily enough. Ash is determined to get her pregnant and send her away ASAP. What he doesn’t count on is how much she likes it (a woman enjoying her sexuality? Gasp). Or how much he has clearly been missing affection. I loved watching the push and pull as Emma tried to get over Ash’s walls and as Ash tried desperately not to want her/need her. It was delicious, it was swoony, it was everything I want in a romance novel.

There were a few things that felt a little anachronistic but I’m not really a stickler for that type of accuracy, and I was too lazy to look them up and see anyways.

Was it super realistic? Not really. Did I love it anyways? Sure did.
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Aug 28, 2019 🐉 PrinZessBookDragon 👑🌶️ rated it it was amazing

https://prinzessbtrfly.livejournal.co... ...more

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Aug 02, 2019 Karen A. Wyle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-romance, steamy

I'm rounding up at least half a star, but better that than rounding down.

This is the first Tessa Dare novel I've read, and I very much hope that at least some of the others have the brilliant dialogue and humor, original characters, and emotional depth of this steamy historical romance. (I would never have expected to find the phrase "unicorn vomit" in such a book -- but it works, and it certainly caught my attention.)

I can take or leave -- and in fact, more happily leave -- explicit sex scenes, ...more

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Jun 15, 2020 Katie rated it really liked it

What a great start to the series! Full of steamy sex, great characters, and a pretty decent plot. I loved how pithy and sassy Ash was. And I especially adored how feisty Emma was. I’m looking forward to book 2.

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Nov 30, 2021 Krystina rated it really liked it

Tessa writes really cute soft romances that always include some kind of animal and just make you fall in love with the heroine and their soft nurturing personality

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