DREAMING OF A DUKE
LIKE YOU
Historical Romance
AUTHOR:
Sara Bennett
RELEASE DATE:
October 10, 2023
PUBLISHER:
Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
ISBN/ ASIN NUMBER :
9781538723814
RATING:
4.5
AUTHOR LINK:
https://sara-bennett.com/
Gabriel Cadieux owns a profitable gaming establishment in
London. He receives news that he is the heir to a debt-ridden dukedom and
guardian to six sisters. Gabriel grudgingly accepts his new responsibilities. However,
he needs to find someone who can help his siblings integrate within Polite
Society. Gabriel believes Vivienne Tremeer will be perfect for the job. She is
perfect for his sisters but wrong for him. Which will Gabriel choose? His
responsibilities? Or his heart?
Vivienne Tremeer is the daughter of a baronet. When her
brother loses at gambling, and has no way to pay, she approaches Gabriel to forgive
his debt. Instead, the infuriating man offers Vivienne a deal – if she agrees
to teach his sisters how to navigate the ton, he will clear the debt owed. She
never expected to fall in love with him. However, Vivienne knows her blemished
reputation is wrong for Gabriel’s family. Will Vivienne do the right
thing by giving Gabriel up?
It is always fun for me when I see a hero share my
youngest son’s name. Other mothers may find it uncomfortable or unnerving, but
not me. And no, I did not name my son after a book character (my husband
forbade it. Lol). I could not help but love Cadieux. He started out with
nothing, a boy from a foundling home, who managed to turn his situation around
by a game of chance. I like how Gabriel never forgot his two childhood friends,
also from the same foundling home. He included them in his new life, both as a
gaming hell owner and then later as a duke. What I adore the most about Gabriel
is his hobby. He likes to read… and not what others would expect. Gabriel likes
reading romance books, a first for me.
I could not help but empathize with Vivienne. She always
put her loved ones’ needs before her own while dealing with her own worries and
troubles. I admire Vivienne’s willingness to take action to protect her brother’s
future. She had limits on what she was willing to do. Even when things looked
bleak or helpless, Vivienne never considered debasing herself. What I like the
most about Vivienne is that she never treated Gabriel like an outsider. She
understood him better than their peers ever would.
DREAMING OF A DUKE LIKE YOU is the first book in Sara
Bennett’s historical romance series, DUKE OF GRANTHAM. I am
new to this author’s works. The story’s premise is what interested me. I have a
fondness for the “gaming hell owner” angle in historical romances. Some of my all-time
favorite stories have that aspect in them. I cannot wait to read further books
in this series.
Nitpicks, I do have a few. One, Vivienne and Will’s stepfather.
I believe that could have been touched on further. Honestly, I anticipated him
being Gabriel’s final roadblock to deal with. Instead, it feels like the entire
situation fell between the cracks, forgotten. Unless the author plans to save
that for Will’s story.
The second one is Longley’s character. I understand he is
Gabriel’s nemesis. He seemed to only come out to cause some tension or problem
for Gabriel, only to melt back into the background. Nothing more is done with
him, no final confrontation, nothing. I wonder, like above, if the author plans
to use Longley for Charles’ book, which makes sense.
No comments:
Post a Comment