The Duke's Best Friend

Slow burn, low angst romance: Kate and Henry form a mutually beneficial alliance - he escorts her to the society events that she uses to gather intel, and she will help him learn who's who in the intelligence community of London in 1820. Henry's officious uncle wants to be in charge of the ad hoc group of friends that find themselves investigating a man they thought was supposed to be in prison, but Kate refuses to be put aside and so the mystery unfolds as both Kate and Henry, along with Miss Palliser and Oliver Welden, pursue every clue to determine what's going on and why. I really loved that these characters aren't lauded as the "most handsome" or "most beautiful," instead we're told that they're attractive enough and that's a refreshing change from most hist-roms I've read. Henry has a quiet sort of bravery, willing to step up when necessary but not the sort to immediately take charge of any situation. That pairs well with Kate's need to prove her relevance and worth, and Henry seems happy to let her take the lead most of the time. I did think her "naughty dreams" was an overused plot device - once or twice would have been more than sufficient to let us know how attracted she was to Henry. I enjoyed the secondary romance and was happy to see that the story was wrapped up with two sets of HEAs. The investigation did leave one villain unaccounted for at the end, but perhaps that will be addressed in a future book. The writing is instantly captivating and I read this through in one sitting. I enjoy this author's well-developed characters and am looking forward to reading more in this enjoyable series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This romantic romp is entertaining as long as you don't take it too seriously. Kate is a clever spy but a terrible diplomat—she speaks too freely and takes everything too personally. Henry is the opposite. He's just the stabilizing force Kate needs. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

3 Stars! Read review on Goodreads - Careys Reviews