THE DUKE'S EMBRACE by Erica Ridley

Title:  THE DUKE’S EMBRACE

Series:  Twelve Dukes of Christmas #7

Author:  Erica Ridley

Publisher:  WebMotion

Publish Date:   12.03.2019

Category /Genre:  Historical Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  A – near perfect

Received from:  Erica Ridley (as an ARC gifted copy)

Goodreads link: The Duke’s Embrace

Date completed: 12.13.2019

Description from the publisher:

Unpaid and under-appreciated journalist Miss Eve Shelling never goes anywhere without a trusty notebook and her overprotective Duenna—who happens to be a bullmastiff.  Eve learned the hard way that men are not to be trusted.  She’s definitely not falling head-over-heels for the deceptively charming subject of her front-page column.

Local blacksmith Monsieur Sébastien le Duc is the pillar of his community—when he’s not pillaging elsewhere.  He’s a rakish dandy with a heart of stolen gold and two teeny tiny secrets. One happens to be a wee international smuggling operation. The other involves losing his heart to an ambitious journalist determined to expose the truth at any cost…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE DUKE’S EMBRACE is the seventh book in the Twelve Dukes of Christmas series.  Each stands on its own, but I highly recommend reading them all and in the order of release; there is mention of previous couples in subsequent books.

Every time there is another chance to return to Christmas/Cressmouth, England, I am quick to jump into my sleigh and look for the next of the 12 gifts of Christmas.  This time it is seven swans a-swimming, before they fly away for the winter. 

This is a perfect parallel to the plans of Sébastien and Lucien to fly away from England and return to France as soon as the Christmas season is over.  That is until Sébastien is tamed by Eve.  She has as effectively ground him as those birds who have had their tails salted.  I don’t think Sébastien minds one bit!

Lucien’s sister and brother have each found love in England and chosen to remain; is it any wonder that the next book will find him an English rose, as well?

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via NetGalley, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

The Twelve Dukes of Christmas series:

1.      Once Upon a Duke

2.      Kiss of  a Duke

3.      Wish upon a Duke

4.      Never Say Duke

5.      Dukes, Actually

6.      The Duke’s Bride

7.      The Duke’s Embrace

8.      The Duke’s Desire

9.      Dawn with a Duke

10.  One Night with a Duke

11.  Ten Days with a Duke

12.  Forever Your Duke

Also from Erica Ridley:

·   Never Been Bitten

·   Two Dukes a Dueling

Dukes of War Series:

1.      The Viscount’s Christmas Temptation

2.      The Earl’s Defiant Wallflower

3.      The Captain’s Bluestocking Mistress

4.      The Major’s Faux Fiancée

5.      The Brigadier’s Runaway Bride

6.      The Pirate’s Tempting Stowaway

7.      The Duke’s Accidental Wife

8.      All I Want

9.      Holiday Reunion

Gothic Love Stories Series:

1.      Too Wicked to Kiss

2.      Too Sinful to Deny

3.      Too Tempting to Resist

4.      Too Wanton to Wed 

Magic & Mayhem Series:

1.      Kissed by Magic

2.      Must Love Magic

3.      Smitten by Magic

Nether-Netherland Series:

1.   Charmed

2.   Midwinter Magic

Passion & Promises Series:

1.      Let it Snow

2.      Dark Surrender

3.      Romancing the Rogue

Rogues to Riches Series:

1.      Lord of Chance

2.      Lord of Pleasure

3.      Lord of Night

4.      Lord of Temptation

5.      Lord of Secrets

6.      Lord of Vice

Wicked Dukes Club series:

1.      One Night of Seduction

3.      One Night of Passion

5.      One Night to Remember

AMAZON-US

APPLEBOOKS

BARNES&NOBLE

BOOKBUB

GOOGLEPLAY

KOBO