Good book. Eleanor is in a predicament. The man who courted her suddenly proposed to another woman, and the gossip papers gave her the name "Ice Queen". Raised by her father to believe that showing emotion is a sign of weakness, Eleanor must find a way to overcome that training and find a husband. With the family at the end of their financial rope, Eleanor's mother sends her to a courtesan for lessons in flirting and how to show warmth in her interactions.

Charles recently inherited the title. He struggled all his life to earn his father's love and approval, even taking up his father's search for antiquities. Charles returned to England after his father's death, wracked with guilt over his failure to find the Couer de Feu, a legendary ruby. All he needs to do is find the right journal with the information. Unfortunately, some of those journals belong to the Murrays, the family of his father's greatest enemy.

When Charles returned to London, he found that his childhood friend Lottie, a vicar's daughter, had become a courtesan. When she begged for his help so that she could change her life, he couldn't say no. Imagine his surprise when she asked him to assist her in training Eleanor, one of the Murray family members. If he helps her, perhaps he can get his hands on those journals.

I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationship between Eleanor and Charles. The attraction sparks between them from the beginning, but both try to resist. Eleanor must marry by the end of the Season to save her family. Charles believes that marriage is not for him, having seen what his father's travels did to his parents' marriage. Their attraction awakened the passion hidden beneath Eleanor's icy shell, and Charles soon found it difficult to resist the woman revealed. I loved seeing the changes in Eleanor as she learned to love the passion she feels. She also realizes that her heart is in trouble, as that passion focuses on a man who refuses to marry. Charles is a harder nut to crack, as his fixation on finding the ruby overrules his growing feelings for Eleanor. It isn't until he nearly loses her to another that he realizes that his priorities have changed, and a hilarious elopement scene follows.

When Eleanor finds out about Charles's quest for the ruby and need for the journals, she makes an interesting bargain with him. I enjoyed seeing them work together to uncover the secret. An unexpected twist brings disturbing revelations about their fathers' methods. Charles and Eleanor also learn that they aren't the only ones looking for the ruby. An intense confrontation with an unexpected enemy puts both of them in danger. I was on the edge of my seat until it was all over. The ending was terrific. I loved the solution Eleanor provided for Charles's dilemma, and the epilogue was fantastic. ( )

How to Tempt a Duke by Madeline Martin is a delightful and wonderful Regency Romance.
Well written with superb, engaging and believable characters. The storyline flows seamlessly and effortlessly with all the right things for a great romance. Filled with sex, lies, secrets, betrayal, treasure, danger, and surprising twists and, turns, the reader can't go wrong.
Follow, Lady Eleanor Murray, dubbed the "Ice Queen" and Charles, Duke of Somersville, the dashing, and charming gentleman Eleanor turns to for secret lessons, to shake her "Ice Queen" moniker. Steamy love scenes and so much more provides for a page turning story.
Absolutely loved HOW TO TEMPT A DUKE.

Rating: 5
Heat Rating: Steamy
Reviewer: AprilR ( )

Series: Not A Series, but several ‘associated’ books
Publication Date: 12/1/19
Number of Pages: 288

Add danger and mystery to a wonderful romance and you have…the perfect book! The writing, as always, is superb and the characters are complex and robust. The mystery is exceptional, there are a number of twists and turns that will keep you rapidly moving from page to page and there is a beautiful epilogue. What more could you want?

Lady Eleanor Murray is half-way through her seventh unsuccessful season. She was expecting to become betrothed to Lord Hugh Ledsey, but, out of the blue, he announced his betrothal to the lovely and sweet Lady Alice. Eleanor was raised with a cold and unfeeling father who forced his wife and children to NEVER, ever show any emotion. Thus, Eleanor had become known as the Ice Queen. Inside, she was anything but ice, but she couldn’t allow those feelings to show.

Eleanor’s mother, the Countess of Westix, finally tells her that their finances are in dire straits and this will be her last season. If she doesn’t marry, they will be destitute. Her father is dead and her brother is missing, so the only way for them to save themselves is for Eleanor to marry well. How is she to do that when nobody even asks her to dance or for an introduction. Everybody avoids the Ice Queen. Her mother has a plan – and it is a jaw-dropping one. She’s made arrangements for Eleanor to take lessons from Lottie, who is a courtesan. The lessons are to be in flirting and bringing warmth into her interactions with others.

Charles Pemberton, the newly minted Duke of Somersville, feels he has failed everyone in his life. He failed his father because he never lived up to his father's expectations and he never found the Coeur de Feu (Heart of Fire). He worshiped his father – revered him – yet he failed him and has never earned his approval. Now, he is gone and all Charles can do is to finally buckle down and find the Coeur de Feu for him. He’s also failed his friend Charlotte (Lottie). When he returned to London from abroad, he discovered that his childhood friend had been compromised and had to turn to being a courtesan in order to provide for herself. She, a vicar’s daughter – how he had failed her.

Charles and Eleanor’s fathers were enemies – and thus Charles and Eleanor hated each other’s family. Yet, when Lottie asked Charles to assist her with the lessons for Eleanor, he agreed – after all, she had journals that he needed in order to find the Coeur de Feu. He just had to figure out how to get them from her. (Venal isn’t he?)

Due to a miscalculation – and royally sticking his foot in it – Eleanor discovers who Charles is and wants nothing to do with him. After that, it is a very careful dance to safeguard their hearts and yet each get what they want – and neither of them wants love.

It is a delightful read and I highly recommend it. Even with Harlequin’s restrictions on the number of words in the book, Ms. Martin still managed to deliver a great read. I can only think of a couple of things that would have made it a better read for me – and I’m pretty sure the omission of those things were due to Harlequin’s restrictions and not the author’s. The first thing is – we didn’t actually get to see the villain get his punishment. We know he was apprehended – but – he was a peer, so – did he get a trial in the House of Lords? Did they strip his title and try him as a commoner? Was he hanged? Was he transported? I hate it when things are left hanging. The other thing I was left to wonder about was how the villain came to know all the things he did about the Duke’s house? Those were things that nobody outside the family would know.

Anyway – bottom line – it is a wonderful read and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )