Review: Duke, Actually

Somehow I managed to miss reading A Princess for Christmas in 2020. I saw Jenny Holiday’s book, wanted to read it and then…didn’t. So, when I realized it was a sort of but not really series and Duke, Actually was releasing in 2021, I jumped at the chance to review it. And, oh boy, am I glad I did. I absolutely loved it. I laughed. I swooned. It was an absolute delight.

Here’s the book’s description:

Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is trapped. Under pressure from his domineering father, he must marry a suitable bride before he inherits a title that feels like a prison sentence. In New York to meet a prospective wife, he ditches his responsibilities and appears on Dani Martinez’s doorstep. He’s been intrigued by the no-nonsense professor since he met her at the Eldovian royal wedding and is determined to befriend her.
Newly single Dani is done with love—she even has a list entitled “Things I Will Never Again Do for a Man”—which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s trying to escape relationships, and she’s resolved to avoid them at all costs. All they want from each other is friendship and a distraction from their messy lives.
As their bond begins to deepen, so does their attraction, until they end up in bed together. Falling in love was never part of the plan—Max’s family doesn’t see Dani as a perfect match, even as his heart tells him she’s the one, and Dani isn’t sure she can make it in Max’s world. Can they find the courage to live they life they desire, even if it means risking everything?

First things first…you don’t have to read this one 1. At Christmas or 2. After A Princess for Christmas. Will you perhaps get more out of it if you do that? Hmmm…maybe a bit. But the main couple from the first book isn’t really in the second book all that often and the story does start and end at Christmas but there’s a lot going on in between. Buuut if you want to be true to the series and the season, there will be a third book coming out this fall so you can binge all three leading up to Christmas this year!

I loved loved loved Dani and Max’s relationship. It is a sloooooow burn but, my god, I have never read a sexier slow burn. And Holiday makes sure we get a great payoff when the pair finally get together. So. Satisfying. A bookstagrammer friend of mine, megmcreads, is always searching for Hallmark After Dark reads around Christmas and this one definitely fits the bill. It’s sexy and steamy and definitely not rated PG. *fans self* What made the sexy times so satisfying (for me, anyway) was the fact that the emotional relationship between Dani and Max had been solidified over the course of the year. They were getting to know each other and there was trust between them that translated into a romantic relationship. (And then a break up and then a reconciliation. We can’t be reading a romance novel without those elements!)

Duke, Actually is so much more than a romance, which is part of why I loved it so much. Dani and Max as people were so great to read about. They’re both wicked smart and funny so the banter between the two was a delight to read. They’re also so very loyal to the people they care about so the reader knows they’re great people and deserve each other and a Happily Ever After. Their careers (or lack thereof) are important to them and they help each other focus on career goals, instead of how to hop into bed with each other. The balance between real life events and romance made for an amazing reading experience.

Read Duke, Actually. That’s all you really need to hear me say about Jenny Holiday’s novel. But if you need a bit more, know that it’s funny, smart, well-written, romantic, and so freaking good. Just read it, already!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*