Hot Duke Summer: Regency Historical Romance Anthology
Thank you to NetGalley, Dragonblade Publishing, Inc, and all the authors involved for this advance reader copy of the book. Below is my honest review.
By Scarlett Scott, Alexa Aston, Annabelle Anders, Meara Platt, Kathleen Ayers, Chasity Bowlin, Sara Adrien, Jude Knight Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. Publication date: August 24, 2024 Print length: 406 pages Rated a 3 out of 5 stars
An anthology of never-before published novellas. What a cute Summer read; it didn't take long to finish each story which is perfect for Summer when I seem to always be on the go. Taking a bit of time for myself was easier to do with each being a short story. I'm always up for a historical romance involving a hot duke. While each story is a standalone some fit into a series if you're interested in reading more of a particular author.
A few of the stories weren't up to par for me. Vering off the historically correct path a bit is ok, but I prefer not to go so far that it's unbelievable. A couple weren't interesting. I don't want to spoil anyone's enjoyment or bias you unkindly to a story you might think is grand. I'm going to pick my favorite to give you a taste of the material.
Love is the Duke's Best Remedy by Sara Adrien. A play on Pretty Woman and a bit of Cinderella. I've never read any of this authors work and was pleasantly surprised by how well the plot moved along, the dialog was enjoyable, the characters likeable. Edmund and Lola are our couple with Brewster as the bad guy lawyer. For me using the plot of the movie as the basis for the story worked, with a few changes it fit into Regency England without too much fuss. Edmund can't sleep, Lola grows flowers and herbs to sell at an apothecary, Brewster is a mover-and-shaker lawyer using Edmund as his pawn in deals to make himself rich. One of the tweaks is Lola's job. The Cinderella aspect has a bit of a twist but it also works. There're mean shopkeepers, rubies, opera, and a brown polka-dot dress. I loved it.
