Bethany Bennett

Good Duke, Gone Wild by Bethany Bennett
Bluestocking Booksellers series #1. Historical romance.
Caroline Danvers is a poor vicar’s daughter, thrown out of the cottage when he discovers her hidden job as an erotic romance writer. Fortunately Caro has cousins in London and their parents who are more than happy to have her live with them and work at their bookshop. After all, Caro is a well known favorite author of the ton though they only know her pen name and not who she really is. The most recent book has the ton speculating if the hero is one of their own. Caro did in fact, use the Duke of Holland as inspiration for the novel since he comes into the shop on a regular basis.
Dorian Whitaker, the Duke of Holland first met Caroline when she had just arrived in London having traveled several days to get to the bookstore and family that will help her. He’s a bit smitten and has visited the book shop on a regular basis since she arrived. He eventually hires Caro to inventory and sell his late wife’s library where she finds love letters in books that were not written by him. Dorian and Caro investigate the letters and eventually grow closer. But their class differences are sharp and a future together is unlikely between a Duke and a bookseller. Even with her secret author identity and her own money she will never be accepted into the peerage. Is there a solution or compromise?

I loved Caroline’s wit and intelligence. More so her two cousins who were behind her 100% unconditionally. I definitely want more of them in the future. But back to Caro and Dorian, their relationship is forbidden and has a lot of inequities. She was fortunate to have her book income which gave her a bit of leverage. Tough choices for them both.
Engaging, and a bit unique. Lots of little inclusive details beyond the main story that added depth and richness.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.… (more)

As the daughter of a strait-laced, cold, uncaring vicar, Caroline (Caro) Danvers longs for a place to belong. A place where she isn’t constantly watched, judged and found wanting. To achieve that, she has secretly become a successful erotic novel author and is saving her royalties so she can purchase her own cottage and live on her own. She is almost – almost – there when her father discovers her secret, confiscates her savings, disowns her, and throws her out with nothing but the clothes on her back. With no place else to go, she walks the 140 miles from Staffordshire to London hoping her aunt and uncle will take her in. With the door of their bookshop blessedly in sight, a man knocks into her and she nearly hits the ground. But she doesn’t. Because he catches her and pulls her to him – and – Oh! My!

Dorian Whitaker, Duke of Holland, lost his wife several years ago and he still hasn’t really recovered. He truly loved his wife and has been devastated by the loss. However, the men in his family tend to die young, and he is the last of his line, so he knows he needs to marry and sire an heir. He knows it in his head, he just can’t get the rest of himself to go along with his mother’s matchmaking. The potential wives his mother introduces him to are still children – just out of the schoolroom – and they are uninteresting. They all see him as a duke and not the man behind the duke.

I really came to like both Dorian and Caro and it was a lovely tale to watch them come to care for each other, support each other, help each other, and finally, after a few hiccups, find their happily ever after.

This was a Regency romance. I know that because the advertising said so and the author used a date of 1812 and mentioned Prinny, King George, and Napoleon. That is the only reason I know it was a Regency romance; absolutely everything about this book was contemporary. For me, that is sad because I love this author’s writing style and she could have easily become one of my favorite authors. However, I enjoy Regency romances and I want all of the trappings that go with it. I would be just as disappointed if I read a contemporary romance with flying cars and teleporters. So, I would not read this book a second time, but those who came into historical romance through the Bridgerton series would probably enjoy it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.… (more)

Lottie might technically belong on my BBW shelf, as there are a couple of references to her generous figure, but it was not a feature of the story so I’m leaving her off. And she’s technically a spinster, but that aspect is fairly irrelevant plot-wise, so I’m only putting her on the trope shelf for being independent and managing. This premise had me really excited, and I did enjoy the story, but the third act nearly smothered it. The story could have had a hundred pages trimmed from it. Even the epilogue dragged for me. I was hoping this would be a good trope read, but it’s not really angsty. I really like the characters though, and plan to read the second book in the series.… (more)