Love on Holiday, Book 3
From the publisher:
In the swoon-worthy finale of her Love on Holiday series, Christy Carlyle takes readers to the breathtaking coast of Ireland where a pretty, young countess’s secretary agrees to impersonate her mistress to help a duke appease his fortune-hunting family…until he falls for her instead.
Miss Evelyn Graves has never had a holiday. She is much too busy as the personal secretary to the Countess of Waverly. But the Duke of Ballymore Castle in Connemara, Ireland, has invited the countess to visit—and as the countess cannot travel, she has insisted Evelyn go in her stead. Except when Evie arrives, everyone mistakes her for the countess—and it’s clear the family who owns crumbling Ballymore were hoping to match the widowed countess with Alexander Pierpont, Duke of Rennick. Though Alex knows the truth of Evie’s identity, he has an unusual request. He’ll happily show her hospitality if she’ll agree to let others think she’s the countess during her visit.
There’s just one problem: as time runs out on their arrangement and Alex increasingly fears he must in fact marry an heiress to save his family’s fortunes, he finds that his heart now belongs to Miss Evie Graves…and he can’t bring himself to let her go.
“Carlyle completes her Love on Holiday trilogy (after Lady Meets Earl) with characters fans will adore. Hand to readers who love the fake-dating trope and the hijinks of a romantic comedy.” — Library Journal
“With its charming Cornish setting, lively writing enhanced by a blithe sense of wit, and a memorable cast of characters, Duke Gone Rogue, which kicks off Carlyle’s Victorian-set Love on Holiday series, blossoms into an absolute delight.” — Booklist
https://amzn.to/3NKW4lU
I’m not sure how I missed the first two books in this series, but this third one was so much fun to read that I will hunt down the first two. I always enjoy Carlyle’s books and this is no exception.
I love the setting in Ireland; I’m not sure I’ve ever read a historical romance set there. Usually, it’s England, sometimes Scotland, and occasionally America. I also like the Duke falling for a commoner trope, which is so popular that it has become a subgenre of historical romance, as far as I’m concerned.
The Duke was actually a second son, and he never planned on becoming Duke, but when his eldest brother and his father died, he inherited the title. Unfortunately, his father was a terrible steward of the family fortune, and they are now in dire straights. The only solution is for the Duke to marry someone with a large dowry. Except he really doesn’t want to. But there is stipulation in the will that says if he isn’t married within six months, his uncle will inherit the castle in Ireland, and that is the only place the Duke really cares about.
His family set about matchmaking but he isn’t being too cooperative until he accidentally meets Evelyn Graves in the garden at a ball. They have a strong connection, but he doesn’t know who she is and she takes off. He next sees her when she appears at his home instead of her employer, a rich widow his family is trying to matchmake for him. Confusion soon ensues, but while parts of their story may be fake, their feelings for one another are very real.
I really enjoyed this story; there were a lot of laughs, some heart-wrenching scenes, and some heat as well, making this a terrific read. Now I’m off to find the first two books in this trilogy!
9/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
DUKE SEEKS BRIDE by Christy Carlyle. Avon (August 22, 2023). ISBN: 978-0063054516. 368p.
Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™ 
Great series. Thanks for sharing 👍