Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh

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Title: Would I Lie to the Duke
Author: Eva Leigh
Series: Union of the Rakes #2
Published by: HarperAudio
Release Date: July 28, 2020
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Melissa Kingsley
Length: 9 hours and 4 minutes
Genres: Historical Romance
Source: Libby
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2023 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2023 COYER Chapter 2
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iTunes ✩ Libro.FM ✩ Chirp
My rating:

Blurb:

When an ambitious entrepreneur pretends to be a lady of means, she catches the eye—and heart—of a duke...

Jessica McGale's family business desperately needs investors, and she's determined to succeed at any cost. But she knows London's elite will never look twice at a humble farm girl like herself. Posing as “Lady Whitfield,” however, places her in the orbit of wealthy, powerful people—most notably the Duke of Rotherby. His influence and support could save her company, but Jess never expected the effect he'd have on her.

Society thinks Noel is a notorious, carefree duke who dabbles in investments, but there's a side to him that only his closest friends see. When he crosses paths with Lady Whitfield at a business bazaar, his world tilts on its axis. She's brilliant and compelling, and brings him to his knees like no woman has before. Trust is difficult for Noel, but Jess makes him believe anything is possible...

As time ticks down on her Cinderella scheme, the thought of achieving her goal at Noel's expense breaks Jess' heart. He doesn't just want her now, he wants her forever. But will her secret end their future before it begins?

My Review:

4.5 stars — This one felt both very different from historical romances I’ve read so far, but also not.  There was just something refreshing and frank about Jess, and I loved her.

Ms. Kingsley did a great job with the narration.  Occasionally I had a moment of not knowing who was speaking, but generally it was pretty solid.  As were her emotions, pacing, and as far as I could tell, accents.  😉

Jess was so…bright, curious, eager, and determined.  I appreciated how much she didn’t fit into the time and circumstances she was born in.  I truly understood her determination to do whatever it took to save her family’s business and keep her together with her siblings.  And from the start I knew just how much she hated having to deceive the people around her, but she wasn’t given a lot of options.  I appreciated her quick mind, and her attempts to get the outcome she wanted without hurting people…but also her struggle when she’s presented with Noel.

Noel was an intriguing Duke.  I kind of loved that he didn’t have some dark past he was either clinging onto or trying to get over.  Yes, he did NOT want to be lied to, but it wasn’t tied to anything more than his pride, and his appreciation of the frankness he gets from his true friends.  I loved that he had many sides to him…there was the façade of the carefree Duke, but it wasn’t completely a façade.   He appreciated the benefits of his station, but he also understood the magnitude of his responsibilities and the disparity between folks around him, thanks to his friends.

And the two of them together were just fire.  I loved the bantering, the challenging, and natural openness.  I also appreciated the variety we saw in the steamy scenes that I was not expecting at all.  I loved them together, and I appreciated the way the conflict and climax played out — it was resolved in a way and at a pace that felt right for them.

While I didn’t start with book 1, I still was able to appreciate the nods to The Breakfast Club with the Union, and I look forward to reading the other 2 books (and hopefully catching a glimpse of what happens with the remaining 2).