Sophie Reads YA

ARC Review: Dockside Duchess (The Castleburys #3) by Jennifer Seasons

12:00

Dockside Duchess
Series: The Castleburys #3
Author: Jennifer Seasons
Published May 7th 2024 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc

Goodreads Synopsis
Gentlemen have all the fun . . . or do they?

The newly titled Earl of Castlebury, Crawford is under a lot of stress. New title responsibilities, pressure from his mother to find a suitable wife, his late father’s shipping empire to run. The last thing he needs is a feisty female pretending to be a deal porter down at his shipyard. She’s obviously in hiding for a reason, and try as he might, he cannot refuse his attraction for the spirited brunette. Soon he can’t keep his hands off her, either, even knowing he can never offer the common born beauty a future. He can offer her his body, his passion, and his patronage . . . but never his title or his heart.

Heiress to an ancient dukedom, Sadie Crisp is in hiding from her awful Cousin Archibald, who wants her dead rather than married, so that he can keep her fortune for himself. Disguised as a young male deal porter at the docklands, all is smooth sailing until the new owner of the Castlebury’s shipyard appears. Everything she’s ever wanted, Crawford ignites her passion and sets new hope aflame. Yet she cannot dare tell him of her deepest secret for risk of discovery. And she dare not love him for risk of her heart.

But when the enemy hunts her down and all seems lost, she must trust Crawford with her heart . . . or risk losing her life!
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Crawford Castlebury is the new Earl, and inheriting the title has left him with a lot to deal with. Top of his mother's agenda is finding him a suitable wife, so he can start producing heirs, whereas he knows he needs to focus on the shipping empire he's inherited. Heading down to the docks, he's the only one to notice that one of the dockhand's is actually a beautiful woman in disguise. Knowing their must be an important reason for her to hide in plain sight, Crawford keeps an eye on her, but an Earl could never be with a common dockworker. Well, he could if she was in fact the missing daughter of a late Duke, hiding from her wicked cousin who wants her dead so he can inherit everything. Can Sadie trust Crawford with her real identity, or is it too much of a risk?

I think this one might be my favourite so far. Crawford has the world on his shoulders, knowing it's up to him to keep the family safe, especially as the Revivalists have gotten close to the Castlebury's twice before. He'd do anything for his family, so he at least entertains his mother's plans to find him a bride this season, though he'd rather be with Sadie. The romance between them was so raw and real, it was amazing to see them grow as a partnership. Because of Sadie's mistrust after everything she has gone through, she found it hard to accept Crawford's love as being real. The extended Castlebury family definitely came to the rescue though, and I'm even more excited for the final siblings to find love!

Dates Read:
February 27-28, 2025

Rating
3 Stars

3 Stars

ARC Review: Duke Undone (The Castleburys #2) by Jennifer Seasons

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Duke Undone
Series: The Castleburys #2
Author: Jennifer Seasons
Published March 5th 2024 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
A lady’s secret can be a duke’s undoing.

Scandalous paintings of the ton are taking London by storm, and Joss Rainville, Duke of Somerton, is the latest target. Flattering as the nude is, it simply won’t do. Left a failing dukedom by his late father, Joss needs hislatest venture, sole proprietorship in London’s newest theatre, to be successful. Any scandal and investors disappear—which he sorely needs. He’s going to track down this Anonymous artist and make them pay dearly. Only Joss doesn’t expect his trap to catch Lady Ceranora Castlebury, the most frustrating female of his acquaintance... and the most irresistible.

Fed up with aristocratic, over-entitled men dictating the rules of society, Nora sets about putting them in their proper place. A brilliant artist, she takes great satisfaction in painting noblemen in the nude, giving them a taste of what it’s like to be a woman, to feel exposed and powerless. When she paints the Duke of Somerton and he miraculously tracks her down, she realizes she’s perhaps gone too far. But she refuses to apologize. Men don’t, why should she? Oh no, Nora won’t apologize to the duke for the insubordinate attitude, or the argument... but she will apologize for the kiss that lands them unexpectedly in wedlock.

One passionate kiss in a moonlit garden and their fates are sealed. Forced to marry, they cannot deny their attraction. But when Nora’s secret is uncovered and revenge comes calling, they discover they cannot deny their hearts, either.

Now Joss must save Nora and their love . . . before it’s too late!
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lately, paintings of noblemen have been taking London by storm, but they're not the usual art that the ton enjoy. Rather, they are scandalous, and if you find yourself on the canvas, it can lead to your ruin. So when Joss Rainville, Duke of Somerton, becomes the latest target, he seeks out the artist for revenge. He needs everything to go well, because his inheritance was an estate left in tatters, and he has to rely on investors to fund his theatre. Turning to the Earl of Castlebury, Joss is shocked to find he is so attracted to the Earl's daughter, Ceranora, and even more shocked when he discovers that Nora is the mystery painter. Attraction leads to a passionate kiss, that when witnessed by the ton results in a hasty marriage proposal.

This book kept me hooked from start to finish. Nora and Joss' relationship was fiery, and what might have started as hatred was just a front for an epic love story. I loved the way they fought each other and were so opinionated. They may have disagreed, but they respected one another, and did whatever they could to bolster each other when they needed it.

Dates Read:
February 23-24, 2025

Rating
3 Stars

3 Stars

ARC Review: Mayfair Misfit (The Castleburys #1) by Jennifer Seasons

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Mayfair Misfit
Series: The Castleburys #1
Author: Jennifer Seasons
Published January 4th 2024 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
A cold heart meets blazing passion . . . can it be love?

Stifled by the rigid confines of Mayfair society, Lady Carenza Castlebury lives a secret life. One full of passion and color in the heart of London’s rookery, where she sings in a tavern as the infamous Masked Meadowlark. Coveted by many, claimed by none, Carenza refuses to conform to a life dictated to her by her controlling father, the powerful Earl of Castlebury. She will run away from his every attempt to quell her freedom, regardless of what her father believes—and regardless of any man he sends to bring her home. Or so she thinks, until she encounters the one man who stops her—and her heart—dead in her tracks.

Commoner Damon Crowe has made a lucrative living digging through the secrets of the rich and titled. In the recovery business, Damon thinks nothing of assisting the Earl of Castlebury in retrieving his spoiled daughter from her covert nighttime escapades before her ruse is discovered. Damon sees only a hefty payout on an easy assignment. Truly, how big a problem can one nobleman’s bored and pampered daughter be?

Turns out, she’s a rather large one. But when Carenza’s brazen nature puts her directly into the path of the Revivalists—a group of murdering noblemen rampaging London—Damon can no longer deny his feelings for the passionate hellion.

Now he must use all his impressive tracking skills to find her . . . before it's too late and he loses the only woman he has ever loved.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lady Carenza Castlebury is sick of her life. She may be the daughter of an Earl, but with the gowns and the balls comes a lack of control and being stuck in a box. All she wants is to sing and perform, but her father reach is almost too much. Especially when he hires Damon Crowe, a commoner from the East End, who is well known for doing the dirty work of toffs who would rather keep their hands clean. And for Damon, it's a no win, right? How hard can it be to dig up information about a spoiled lady?

This was another new series and author to me, and it's definitely off to a good start! The Earl of Castlebury runs his household with an iron fist, but his five children all do what they can to push against this. For Carenza, she's a talented performed, and masquerading as the infamous Masked Meadowlark is her way to take back some control for herself. Unfortunately, her father is starting to get suspicious, and also the vile Revivalists group that is terrorising the city has her in their sights. Damon was a commoner, but that never stopped him from accessing parts of London that realistically wouldn't be open to him. He and Carenza had a chemistry that was immediate, and no one and nothing could break their connection. They fought against each other and for each other, time and time again. It was great to see their relationship progress, as well as learning more about why the Revivalists were so important.

Dates Read:
February 22-23, 2025

Rating
3 Stars

March

Stacking the Shelves: March 15th 2025

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March

Stacking the Shelves: March 8th 2025

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3 Stars

ARC Review: Designs on You by Jaci Burton

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Designs on You
Series: None
Author: Jaci Burton
Published December 3rd 2024 by Berkley

Goodreads Synopsis
Sparks fly when an interior designer and a game designer cross paths, but they must learn if they can design a happily ever after in this heartfelt romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton.

Natalie Parker is in her mid-thirties, divorced, and firmly focused on her newly resurrected career and her two children. When her sister asks her to help design the backyard in the new home she shares with her boyfriend, Linc, Natalie’s more than happy to take on the project. What she isn’t prepared for is Linc’s younger brother, video game designer Eugene Kennedy. He’s smart, incredibly good-looking, and constantly flirts with Natalie. He’s also too young for her, which makes him totally off-limits.

Eugene is intrigued by Natalie’s beauty, smarts, and especially her sarcastic wit. When he teases her, she throws it right back at him. Besides that, they have an instant chemistry, but she keeps trying to get rid of him despite the sparks that fly between them. And Eugene never backs down from a challenge.

Natalie is running out of reasons to think being with Eugene is a bad thing. Her kids adore him, her sister loves him, and even her always negative mother does, too. The only person holding her back is...her. Maybe it’s time she take that leap and design herself a love for the ages. After all, if she can create the perfect home, she sure as hell can design a happily ever after.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Interior designer Natalie Parker is getting her life back on track following her divorce, and time out of work to help raise her children. When asked by her sister to help design her new home, Natalie jumps at the chance. Everything is going swimmingly, until her sister's brother-in-law, Eugene appears, and he's got his eyes set on Natalie. He's smart and handsome, but younger than her, so can she take the risk on him?

Well, I wanted to like this book, but it was such a drag. I'm not saying it's bad or anything, but I just wasn't hooked by the characters or the story, and I had to somewhat force myself to keep picking it up so that I could finish it. Natalie and Eugene were alright characters, and their chemistry and relationship was okay too, but the whole will they/won't they element of it kept getting on my nerves. There was no reason for them not to be together other than Natalie constantly getting in her head and putting a spanner in the works, and it soon got tiring for me. Anyway, I'm glad it's done.

Dates Read:
February 17-21, 2025

Rating
3 Stars