Series: Debutante Diaries #2
Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group on July 30, 2019
Genres: Fiction, Historical, Regency, Romance
Pages: 365
Format: eBook
Source: ARC
She’s a secret sensation. Miss Lily Hartley is the anonymous mastermind behind the ton’s latest obsession: The Debutante’s Revenge, a tell-all advice column for young ladies. To keep her identity hidden, Lily delivers her columns disguised as a boy—which is well and good, until she lands in the middle of tavern brawl. As luck would have it, a devastatingly handsome duke sweeps in to rescue her.
He has no idea who she is.Eric Nash, Duke of Stonebridge, discovers there’s a beautiful woman hiding beneath a lad’s cap, and, before long, he’s falling for the delightfully clever stranger recuperating in his house. He vows to help her find her home, even though he’s reluctant to part with her. There’s only one problem...
Neither does she.Lily has no idea who she is. She could be a duchess or maid. Betrothed or married. There’s only one thing she does know—that her attraction to Nash is more than skin-deep, and it grows stronger every day. While Lily and Nash search to find her true identity, they just might lose their hearts to each other...
“Fans of Regency romance authors Eloisa James, Tessa Dare, and Mary Jo Putney will go wild.” —Booklist
"Deeply satisfying." - Publishers Weekly
The cover of this book really sucked me in when the synopsis ended up on my desk. I’m a sucker for pretty covers and I love the idea of young ladies having uncommon hobbies for the time. The Duke is But a Dream is my first book written by Bennett. I enjoy her casual writing style as it makes it easier to read if you aren’t used to old-timey phrases. The characters were easy to relate to and the dialogue wasn’t too weighty. Lily was a strange combination of strong yet fallible and she was a good fit for the dark, brooding Nash. Nash softened toward Lily quicker than I expected, near instantaneous, and it just seemed a bit underwhelming.
I didn’t care for the heavy reliance on amnesia as a plot point / obstacle. Amnesia is one of my least favorite tropes. I can handle it in small doses but that doesn’t stop me from rolling my eyes hard enough to give myself a concussion if it takes too long to resolve. Also, the final obstacle / climax moment was lacking the tension I’ve come to expect.
Final thoughts? If you don’t mind the amnesia trope and are looking for a quick, fluffy romance then definitely give The Duke is But a Dream a chance. The writing is inviting and the characters are lovable. If you do end up picking it up, let me know what you think!
About Anna Bennett
Anna Bennett started swiping romances from her mom’s bookshelf as a teenager and decided historicals (with their balls, dukes, and gowns) were the best. So, when she had the chance to spend a semester in London she packed her bags—and promptly fell in love with the city, its history, and its pubs. She dreamed of writing romance, but somehow ended up a software analyst instead.
Fortunately, a few years and a few careers later, Anna found her way back to writing the stories she loves and won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® for Regency Historical Romance. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children, who try valiantly not to roll their eyes whenever she quotes Jane Austen. Her weaknesses include reality TV, cute shoes, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.