Synopsis
Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is trapped. Under pressure from his domineering father, he must marry a suitable bride before he inherits a title that feels like a prison sentence. In New York to meet a prospective wife, he ditches his responsibilities and appears on Dani Martinez’s doorstep. He’s been intrigued by the no-nonsense professor since he met her at the Eldovian royal wedding and is determined to befriend her.
Newly single Dani is done with love—she even has a list entitled “Things I Will Never Again Do for a Man”—which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s trying to escape relationships, and she’s resolved to avoid them at all costs. All they want from each other is friendship and a distraction from their messy lives.
As their bond begins to deepen, so does their attraction, until they end up in bed together. Falling in love was never part of the plan—Max’s family doesn’t see Dani as a perfect match, even as his heart tells him she’s the one, and Dani isn’t sure she can make it in Max’s world. Can they find the courage to live they life they desire, even if it means risking everything.
Goodreads
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Review
Duke, Actually was such a cute romance! I didn’t think I’d like Max as much as I did, but he was so charming and witty, and I totally get why Dani would fall for him!
Though this is a sequel to A Princess for Christmas, you can read it as a standalone! And though there are some holidays mentioned, I don’t know that I would characterize it as a holiday romance as much. However, the story is cute, and I liked the progression. Usually, friends to lovers isn’t my favorite trope, but I loved these characters so much, and seeing them go from friendship to love was highly entertaining.
Dani is great. She’s an intelligent, driven person who has been hurt and thus, has quite a lot of baggage. Max has baggage of his own, and I liked how they each dealt with it in almost completely opposite ways. The two of them together was excellent, and they had so much chemistry. I have to admit that Duke, Actually had me screaming, “oh my god, just kiss already,” but the slow burn made sense. I’ve already mentioned my love for Max and how witty he is. I loved any scene in the book where there was dialogue between him and Dani because I couldn’t wait to see what he would say!
This is a wonderful rom-com with two fantastic characters that I loved reading about.
