Some matches are made in hell…

Joanna Porter loves being one of London’s hottest up-and-coming matchmakers. But her heavenly vocation is about to turn into a nuptial nightmare—thanks to the Duke of Crestmont. He’s as handsome as he is insufferable and obsessed with all things proper. Matching him would cement Jo’s status as England’s greatest matchmaker. Except, of course, the impossible-to-please duke refuses all of her most eligible ladies…confirming his status as a complete and utter pain in her petticoats.

The Duke of Crestmont can’t believe he needs a matchmaker—let alone this spitfire of a woman whose kissable mouth and dancing, impertinent gray eyes tease him ruthlessly. But the people of his estate are counting on him to find a duchess. A proper lady with a flawless pedigree and immaculate deportment. So why can’t he stop himself from wanting his pert, lively matchmaker…instead of the perfect duchess?

Now the entire ton is watching as this determined, audacious matchmaker takes on the most powerful man in London. And this show might just be the most outrageous one yet…

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

NetGalley ARC

Title:  The Duke’s Rules of Engagement
Series:
Author:  Jennifer Haymore
Genre:  Historical Romance/Regency Romance
Published:  September 27, 2022
Publisher:  Entangled Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars

When an author pits the most unlikely to fall-in-love couple against each other, well you had me at the cover!  I absolutely adored The Duke’s Rules of Engagement.  It’s funny, witty, engaging, sizzling, and full of laugh-out-loud moments on this couple’s road to claiming each other’s hearts.  But.  It’s not going to be an easy journey when two equally stubborn people come together and each believes that they alone know best.

Joanna is a woman who is in love with love.  Oh, she may not believe that the happy state of being loved is in her own future, but she finds great pleasure and satisfaction in pairing up couples who will find that magical happily ever after future, thanks in part to her matchmaking.  She confidently believed that she could find the perfect match for anyone, right up until she met the Duke of Crestmont.  Matthew has rules, ridged rules for what the woman he will marry should be, look like, act like, and behave within his world.  If his list of rules wasn’t so much like many members of the ton during this time period they would have been laughable… but Jo isn’t laughing, at all.  And Matthew isn’t budging, either.

It was a treat watching Jo and Matthew banter back and forth, fall in love themselves, and change one stubborn Duke’s mind on the true state of love.  It’s not going to be an easy journey to their happily ever after ending, after all this is one determined and may I say, bull-headed Duke.  Yet, watching Matthew slowly change his attitude, and seeing Jo begin to believe that just maybe love can be found for herself as well was emotional, sizzling with chemistry, full of laughter and tears (and a touch of anger at times) experience.  I liked this couple, a lot.

The Duke’s Rules of Engagement is full of all the reasons I read Regency Romance… and if you love an emotional, funny, sexy, well-written Regency Romance full of laughter and promise, then this one is for you.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Available in paperback or for your favorite e-reader