A Duke Like No Other

General Mark Grimaldi is the grandson of a Duke, but his mother was disowned for marrying an Italian Catholic and so he has always had a dislike of the aristocracy. He married Nicole Huntington 10 years ago, thinking she was an aristocrat who loved him as the poor soldier he was then. Unfortunately three months into the marriage he discovered that she already knew of his aristocratic family, added to which she was secretly spying for the Bow Street Runners behind his back. Words were spoken in anger and Nicole fled to France where she has been a spy ever since. Now Mark is hoping for promotion to Home Secretary but his boss wants to appoint a family man, so Mark has travelled to France to see if he can persuade Nicole to return to England until he gets his promotion. I found this book a bit misleading, the blurb led me to believe this was an couple, estranged as a result of a misunderstanding, reconnecting to enable the husband to get a prestigious promotion and falling in love. Whilst it was, it was not the main plot, which revolved around solving a murder. So this was kind of a murder sandwich ie romance-murder-romance. And to be honest, both felt a little halfhearted, there wasn't enough romance AND there wasn't enough detective work. I also noted a few word choices that seemed out of place in an historical novel, talking about "giving a toss" about someone and "fancying" someone seem too modern. I thought that Mark's excuse for getting upset with Nicole seemed flimsy and for a supposedly clever man he was remarkably stupid about his family and his wife. Nicole on the other hand seemed to default to running away at the slightest excuse. Overall, it was a pleasant enough read but it didn't wow me. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Mark has dedicated his life to his work. First as a soldier, a spy, and now it his goal to become the Home Secretary. It’s all within his grasp until he’s informed he won’t be considered without proving he’s a family man and must present a wife. That’s going to be tricky because Mark already has a wife and they’ve been separated for ten years. Nicole is wild and free. She is not one to settle into what society dictates. For years she has lived her life in France where she is able to live the life she enjoys. However, she waits each day for the letter that will inform her that her husband has been killed while in service to his country. When he suddenly appears at her doorstep, her emotions are all over the place. I loved this second chance story of a couple that have obstacles to overcome. There was just a tiny bit of misunderstanding that started the rift between them, but at the heart of it is a true separation of trust, beliefs, and wants. Perhaps a long honest conversation might have helped at the time but the fact that Mark was set in his belief of her position could not be ignored. Now, years later with more maturity and the opportunity to truly see one another, they may be able to heal what is broken between them. Mark had every reason to feel the way he did but I personally thought he was a bit boneheaded. Nicole could have fought harder for him and what they had but she fled instead. Nevertheless, when you take those two decisions away, this story is quite charming with a bit of angst. I enjoyed reading how they reunited, placed conditions on each other, and came together for a common cause. This is a really enjoyable book and I’d love to read about some of the secondary characters as well. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I totally enjoyed reading A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman, book 9 in her Playful Bride series. This Historical Romance is a second chance at love and marriage, that is filled with mystery and intrigue. In order for General Mark Grimaldi to further his career and meet his goal to become the next Home Secretary in England, he must find himself a wife. But, he already has a wife; unfortunately they are estranged and haven’t seen each other in ten years. Mark knows his estranged wife, Nicole Huntington Grimaldi, is living in France, but he has a plan. He will go to France, surprise her and ask Nicole to do a favor for him by acting as his loving wife for a short period while he secures his promotion. What a great plan! However, Nicole has her own plan, she will agree to Mark’s favor as long as he agrees to do a favor for her. Mark readily agrees and off they go, back to England, together. Although it seems simple, life has a way of making simple things turn out to be a little more complicated. In this case life turns out to be a lot complicated. The likeable and intriguing main characters, General Mark Grimaldi and his estranged wife Nicole were quite entertaining in this story. In addition she added secondary characters that added more fun to this story. Definitely be on the lookout for Aunt Harriet and her contribution to a very important interrogation Mark tries to achieve. I always enjoy some humor in a good story. With Mark being a spy and Nicole being an “assistant” to the Bow Street Runners there are lots of investigating going on along with some surprise conclusions to the mysteries. I totally loved these characters and didn’t want to put this book down. Ms. Bowman did a fantastic job creating her characters, keeping the story intriguing, making me forget the world around me and did not let me go until I turned the last page. I highly recommend this book to other readers. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, supplied by the publisher through NetGalley.