Blog Tour: Review of Much Ado About Dukes by Eva Devon

Author: Eva Devon 
Mass Market Paperback: Entangled: Amara (August 23, 2022)
Publisher: 352 Pages

Shakespeare meets Bridgerton in this witty and lively marriage-of-inconvenience romance.

As far as William Easton?the Duke of Blackheath?is concerned, love can go to the devil. Why would a man need passion when he has wealth, a stately home, and work to occupy his mind? But no one warned the duke that a fiery and frustratingly strong-willed activist like Lady Beatrice Haven can also be a stunning, dark-haired siren who tempts a man’s mind, body, and soul.

Lady Beatrice is determined to never marry. Ever. She would much rather fight for the rights of women and provoke the darkly handsome Duke of Blackheath, even if he does claim to be forward-thinking. After all, dukes?even gorgeous ones?are the enemy. So why does she feel such enjoyment from their heated exchanges?

But everything changes when Beatrice finds herself suddenly without fortune, a husband, or even a home. Now her future depends on the very man who sets her blood boiling. Because in order to protect his esteemed rival, the Duke of Blackheath has asked for Beatrice’s hand, inviting his once-enemy into his home…and his bed.

Each book in the Never a Wallflower series is STANDALONE:
* The Spinster and the Rake
* Much Ado About Dukes

My thoughts:

Much Ado About Dukes is the second book in the Never a Wallflower Series.  I'll be honest, I think I liked this one less than the first book.  Maybe this series just isn't for me. Since I'm not a fan of Shakespeare or Bridgerton, I guess that should have been a sign.  I had a hard time connecting with the characters.  I didn't feel any chemistry between William and Beatrice, other than being told they were hot for each other every page.  I found Beatrice to be overbearing and exhausting.  The book was a bit repetitive.  Constantly being told they were hot for each other, but could never love each other got old.  The ending was predictable.  It was just a miss for me.  However, it has gotten good reviews, so maybe try it for yourself.

About Eva Devon

USA Today bestseller Eva Devon was raised on literary fiction, but quite accidentally and thankfully, she was introduced to romance one Christmas by Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory novella The Present and a romance addict was born. Now, she loves to write her own roguish dukes, alpha males, and the heroines who tame them.

Features:
Monday, August 22nd: @nsiabblog
Monday, August 22nd: @latestbookcrush
Tuesday, August 23rd: @barr_bookworm
Wednesday, August 24th: @everlasting.bookworm
Thursday, August 25th: @nerdy_book_lover_1987 
Friday, August 26th: @kingartherof_cat_onsville
Saturday, August 27th:  @lowkey.bookish 
Tuesday, August 30th: @reading.with.rylanne
Wednesday, August 31st: @a_stylish_bookworm 
TBD: Wednesday August 24th: @beastreader
TBD: Monday, August 29th:  IG: @bookswithsamantha and TT: @bookswithsamantha
 
Reviews:

Monday, August 29th: @temmathomas 
Tuesday, August 30th:  @infinite.readlist
Thursday, September 1st: Stranded in Chaos and @sarastrand9438
Thursday, September 1st: @daniereads87
Friday, September 2nd: What is That Book About  – feature
Tuesday, September 6th: Books, Cooks, Looks
Wednesday, September 7th: @onemused
Wednesday, September 7th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Thursday, September 8th: @plottrysts 
Friday, September 9th: @fringebookreviews 
Monday, September 12th: @sarahs.bookstack
Tuesday, September 13th: Laura’s Reviews  and @laurasreviews_1
Wednesday, September 14th: @lpm_reads
Thursday, September 15th: @shopcoffeekids 
Friday, September 16th: @christireadsalot
Friday, September 16th: From the TBR Pile
Monday, September 19th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
Wednesday, September 21st: @sarahs.bookish.reviews
 

Review: The Spinster and the Rake by Eva Devon

Author: Eva Devon

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Publication Date: February 2021

Edward Stanhope, the icy Duke of Thornfield, likes his life in a certain order. Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair, petting his dog, what starts as a request for her to leave quickly turns to a fiery battle of wits, leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught.

So of course, damn it all, that’s when Edward’s aunt walks in, and thereafter announces Miss Georgiana Bly is the future Duchess of Thornfield.

Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading and working to keep her family out of debt. But now her days are spent locked away with a growly duke, learning how to be the perfect duchess, and her nights spent fighting the undeniable attraction to a man who was never meant for her.

As their wedding day approaches, the attraction between them burns hot and fierce, but is it enough to melt the duke’s chilly facade? 

The Spinster and the Rake is the first book in the Never a Wallflower series.  This one involves  Edward and Georgiana.  They are two people who never wanted to marry, yet are forced to when they are caught in a compromising situation.  I was hoping for an amusing story and while there were amusing parts, it kind of fell short of my expectations.   I did ultimately enjoy the book, however I didn't love it.

The romance part was fairly good.  They had great chemistry together and good banter.  I liked how they played well off of each other.  The hero seems to be on the spectrum. But since I really have no experience with autism I can't say how accurate the representation is for this character.  The biggest issue I have about both of these characters is that they don't fit the title.  Edward is hardly a rake and I wouldn't say Georgiana is a spinster either.  She never wants to get married.  Edward is kind of socially awkward and not one I would say is a great seducer of women.  As for the rest of it, I found it repetitive and kind of slow going.  Nothing really happens.  The big conflict in the end was such a dud because it was easily fixed with money and influence.  It's a quick read, so give it a shot. I'll probably read the next one.

Blog Tour: Review of The Wedding Wager by Eva Devon

Author: Eva Devon 
Publisher: Entangled: Amara 

Publication Date:  October 25, 2021

All Lady Victoria Kirby wants is to dig in the dirt, take notations, and record history, thank you very much. Bumbling through ballrooms and getting disdained by the ton for her less than ideal looks, on the other hand, is the last thing she wants. But her reckless father has a different idea for her future when he puts up the ultimate ante—her hand in marriage—and loses. Over her dead body.

The Duke of Chase cannot bear to see a woman misused. After all, he saw that often enough as a child. So when he’s witness to a marquess gambling away his daughter to a lecher of a man, he has no choice but to step in and rescue her. Lady Victoria has a reputation for being as tart as a lemon and as bitter as one, too. So, he may have just found the perfect wife to keep a promise he made to himself long ago—to never have an heir. With her, surely, he'll never be tempted to take her to bed and break that promise.

But when he meets the wild, witty, intelligent, young lady he’s bound to marry, he knows trouble is headed his way... And everything he ever swore to uphold may very well come undone, especially his heart.

Purchase Links

Entangled Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My thoughts:

The Wedding Wager is the first in a new series,  This one involves Victoria and Derek.  When Derek hears Victoria's father gambling her away in a wager, he steps in and wins her instead to save her from an awful marriage.  Victoria realizes that marrying Derek is the only way that she will be free of her father.   

This one was OK for me.  It's definitely a slow burn.  The couple don't even really like each other in the beginning. I honestly didn't really feel much chemistry between them for a long time. That made the book go a bit slower that I like in a romance.  My favorite of the couple was Derek.  I felt like he had the biggest growth by the end.  Victoria really just kind of got what she wanted without really having to sacrifice anything.  I did like the glimpse forward in the epilogue.  I also enjoyed Victoria's sister. I would be interested in seeing what happens to her in another book.

 
Connect with Eva
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tour stops:
Monday, October 25th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – spotlight
Monday, October 25th: @a_stylish_bookworm 
Tuesday, October 26th: Reading Reality
Tuesday, October 26th: @readingforamoment
Wednesday, October 27th: From the TBR Pile
Thursday, October 28th: The Obsessed Reader and @obsessedread
Friday, October 29th: @whimsyreadswithshelby
Saturday, October 30th: @purrfectpages
Saturday, October 30th: @bookmom22
Monday, November 1st: @olivias.bookish.world
Wednesday, November 3rd: @nerdy_book_lover_1987
Thursday, November 4th: @latestbookcrush
Thursday, November 4th: @emilyisoverbooked
Friday, November 5th: @angelareadsbooks
Sunday, November 7th: @transportedlfl
Monday, November 8th: @bookscallmyheart
Tuesday, November 9th: @readinginfairyland
Wednesday, November 10th: Laura’s Reviews and @laurasreviews_1
Friday, November 12th: @currentlyreadingwithcoffee
Monday, November 15th: Bewitched Bookworms – spotlight
Monday, November 15th: @readingandteaching247
Wednesday, November 17th: @radusreads
Thursday, November 18th: @readingwithmrsleaf
Friday, November 19th: @literallybookedsolid
Saturday, November 20th: @shopcoffeekids