Would I Lie to the Duke audiobook

"Get on your knees and receive your penance." What a hell of ride! I mean damn this one was good! 4.5Would I Lie to the Duke is the second book in the Union of the Rakes series. I read the first book (this was also my first historical romance) earlier this year and also enjoyed it, but ya'll this blew away my expectations. I'm not sure what I was expecting in terms of the storyline; however, this was it! I ate this whole book up. Every single page. Every single line. This second installment focuses on Jess as she pretends to be a member of high society to save her family business. I know that these books are based on 80's movies. During an interview, Leigh stated that she took inspiration from The Secret of My Success and Working Girl and of course the prologue for each of these books takes inspiration from the Breakfast Club. This book didn't just do well in terms of writing, but the character development was on point. I loved and genuinely enjoyed each one of these characters. Jess, an intelligent and hardworking woman, was willing do to anything to save her family's business. While part of me was aching for her to be honest to Noel, a bigger part of me felt as though she had no choice. Noel, while rich and a high ranking member of society, had a soft and sweet side of him that I didn't expect. There were moments where I felt as though I was falling in love with Noel at the same time as Jess. They had an electrifying attraction that was undeniable. Although Jess had no intentions of falling in love with Noel, she couldn't resist and I don't blame her! It was also interesting to read a romance where our heroine does most of the groveling. I think that most romance books that I've consumed lately entail the hero doing groveling after they make a mistake. It was watching Jess take responsibility for the lies that she tells Noel as well as navigate the agonizing thoughts she has about potentially hurting him. What I love most about Leigh is that she has made this historical series extremely accessible. There is a feeling of modernity that easily allowed me to transition into reading more of this romance subgenre. While it does take place in the past, I think that Leigh keeps her readers in mind when writing and as a newbie I truly appreciate that. Let's talk about these steamy scenes BECAUSE ya'll!!! There were so many lines in this book that I plan to use in my real life. Remember that this is my first venture into historical romance and I haven't encountered one where the I've seen a submissive hero. While Noel takes the lead in his social, business, financial, etc life he is willingly submissive in his sexual life. And oh was it a glorious thing to witness. These scenes were intense and I enjoyed every single minute of them. These two definitely had chemistry in and out the bedroom. It didn't reach a full five stars for me because I did find it predictable in some parts; however, it was definitely one of the best romance reads of the year. If you haven't checked out this series I highly recommend it. While I'm not a historical romance expert, I can definitely recommend this as a good place to start.

Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva LeighHistorical romance. 2nd book in the Union of the Rakes series. Can be read as a stand-alone. Commoner poses as high society to keep her family business running. Falling is love wasn’t part of the plan. Nevertheless love happened. Emotionally satisfying and beautifully written, this romance is heartbreaking and enriching. I fell in love with the Duke who had a soft heart and was essentially a nice and generous person. I fell in love with the heroine who was extremely intelligent in finance and business, who also had a soft spot for the handsome Duke. Their collision course was steamy, sexy and entertaining. I’ve never read this author before and I was highly impressed by the engaging pace and likability of both the main and secondary characters. While historical romance is not generally on my list, I will definitely look for more books by this author. Thanks to Avon and Kisscon for an advance paperback copy.

Actual Rating: 4.5 starsIf you are looking for a fun and sexy historical romance with a brilliant, dominant heroine and a rakish but sexually submissive hero, you should definitely check out Would I Lie to the Duke! I had a really good time with this one and I like the way the author plays with power dynamics. This is the second in a series loosely inspired by 80's teen movies, and you will certainly see a few tongue-in-cheek references to modernity. Including a very silly business idea that is the regency era equivalent of Twitter. Jessica McGale's family soap-making business is in trouble and she is determined to do whatever she must to find investors. Even if it means posing as a Lady widow to gain entrance to a business-related event. And even if it means maintaining the ruse, despite her growing attraction to Noel, a notorious duke. I loved Jessica as a heroine. She is smart, determined, and is dedicated to the people she loves. What's cool about this book as opposed to many other historicals, is the author lets her be dominant in the bedroom, recognizing that there were so few ways for women during that time to have any kind of power. Noel may be the man AND the one with the money and position, but he is (in the words of the author) dirty-talking and sexually submissive. Note that the steamier scenes involve a fairly light version of consensual power play. It's refreshing to see the role reversal when so often we get dominant heroes. In addition, I really liked their relationship development. It's sweet and vulnerable, despite some necessary lies that create understandable conflict. This is definitely one worth checking out. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wishlist | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Ko-fi Thank you to Mills & Boon, for sending me a copy of Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh, and for the opportunity to participate on this blog tour. Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh is the second book in the Union of the Rakes series. It can be easily read as a standalone though. Synopsis: This is the story of Jessica McGale. Her family business is in need of investors, after it collapses due to a fire. Jessica is determined to acquire investors for her business at any cost. When she realises that London’s elite will never give a chance to a humble farm girl like herself, she does the unthinkable. She poses as “Lady Whitfield” and joins the elite on the table. She especially tries to get close to the Duke of Rotherby, as his influence and support could save her company. But one thing Jess never expected to happen, is to grow feelings for him. Noel is the carefree and notorious duke, but only his close friends truly know him. When he meets Lady Whitfield at the business bazaar, his world shifts. She makes him want to obey every command she tells, which is something he never imagined doing. He struggles to trust people, but trusting Jess is so easy. But what happens when the business bazaar is over, and so is the fake portrayal of Lady Whitfield? How do you cope when someone has lied to you, but you want them in your life forever? Read this amazing book to find out! My Thoughts: I was so hooked about this book, and I finished it in two days. While the plot is a bit predictable and it has a Cinderella vibe to it, I still enjoyed it a lot. I could completely understand where Jess was coming from, and in order to save her business, I don’t think there were any other options, given how much rejection she faced in the first chapters. But as soon as she started developing feelings, she should’ve been honest with Noel. The person in me felt uncomfortable for her every single time she would deliberately put herself in an awkward situation and not tell the truth when she had a chance to. And the business trip to the farm? Oh, that got me biting my nails again. I also understand that continuing with the deception was a crucial part of the plot, to produce the drama that it did, but I am just not a fan of dishonesty. Noel was an amazing character, even though, at times, he seemed like the typical rich boy. I loved the way his relationship with Jess progressed during the couple of days, and how he started opening up. Honestly, I didn’t believe it at first, given that it was based on a lie. I thought that given the fact how much trust issues he had, he could never get past her betrayal. And for me, his way of coping and resolving the issue didn’t fit with his character. I have the feeling that people who are lucky enough to have a high income and live in the elite societies are much more wary of “gold diggers”, and everything Jess does (even though for a good reason), seems to be for her business. So I wouldn’t have blamed him if he reacted in a way more different way and just told her to “bugger off”.Overall, I enjoyed Would I Lie to the Duke and it was a very pleasurable short read to get me away from reality. I don’t always dive into historical romance, and this was a surprising change that ended on a positive note. Honestly, I am glad that it sparks a debate in my mind and makes me think of “what I would have done” on either side of the relationship. I would have acted very differently. And maybe that’s the reason I’m not married to a duke (yet).

Ok, Eva has given us rom-com excellence. I enjoyed this book soooo much more than I anticipated (mostly because of the surprise femdom relationship!!). Undercover/fake identity is one of my fave tropes when done well and Eva Leigh truly nailed it with this one. There is such good relationship buildup between Jess and Noel! They had funny banter and saucy dialogue and their chemistry was hot. The Duke literally dying to serve Jess even when he was mad?? We love to see iiittt. I also appreciated that Jess had her own character arc separate from the romance. Noel did too, but I found Jess compelling. I admired her willingness to do anything for her family and their soap business. Ashley (BookishRealm) did not miss with this rec! I’ll be reading more from this author.

This one was significantly better than the first, and almost felt like it was by a different author or in a different series. This book was much more sensual and built up to a conflict that was really logical and had a logical conclusion--quite the rarity! The steam 😮‍💨 was incroyable 🤌, and very unique compared to what one expects from an HR!

Review originally published at Romancing Romances.I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.3.75*Would I Lie To The Duke is a book I had a hard time describing how it made me feel, for a very simple reason: I hate liars. [I like the fake relationship trope because both characters are aware and in on it]. And yet, I enjoyed this book quite a bit, with the exception of the moments I was reminded that Jess was lying, because she had several opportunities to tell the truth.But let's start at the beginning. Jess's family is in trouble and they might lose their livelihood, which is why she became a companion and is searching for people who will sell her family's soap in London, as well as invest in their factory.Cue the Bazaar. A place where wealthy people look for their next profitable investments. It would be a dream to be able to present her project there.After being rejected by Bond Street vendors, Jess meets (at a distance) the also investor and savvy Duke of Rotherby, Noel. And luck has it, he is one of the Bazaar's investors.So, when Jess decides to try her luck, he is there, and she presents herself as a Lady, even though she is truly a commoner, a farm girl as she describes herself.She continues her lie during the whole Bazaar, and her acquaintance with Noel, even when he tells her he feels so happy with her because she doesn't lie, and she doesn't want anything from him. She had several opportunities to tell him the truth. Not necessarily to the Bazaar people, but to him at least. And she abandons him after he pretty much pours his heart out. I was heartbroken for Noel.In the end, I enjoyed the book, but ended up with the feeling that maybe they shouldn't be together. Jess had her reasons to lie, but that still could have changed as they got to know each other.I was always disappointed with Jess when she failed to tell him the truth. I think he would have understood (as he did in the end) but suffered less if she had been honest. And I believe he would have helped her, if only she had asked. My favourite part (with the exception of the very sexy, very steamy sex scenes) was when Jess' siblings told her she didn't need to be doing all of that on her own. I think she really needed that bucket of cold water to take her down from the mind-set of "I'm essential, nothing will work without me". Because that's the feeling I got when she said to herself, she was doing it for family, they needed her, who would take care of them? But they were all grown ups. So.... there was a lot of lack of communication that could have helped so much.I did like Noel quite a bit, as well as his friends. He was intelligent, business savvy, he cared about his tenants. Yes, he used to be quite a rake, but he never forgot his responsibilities. He admired other smart minds, no matter their gender. And he had a crooked smile, who can resist that?I'm sure that when you read this, you'll think I didn't really enjoy the book, but that's a lie. Even with its problems, I laughed out loud several times as I was reading it, I loved the sexy moments, I really enjoyed a business/inventions background to the story, and I did like at least one of the main characters, which was enough to get me through the book with me cheering for Noel the whole time.Steamy, great hero, and it left me curious about the other men in the Union of Rakes circle.

Jessica McGale needs an investor, quick, for her family's soap making business. Desperate to secure funds before accompanying her Lady on a tour of the continent, she gets swept up in to a fake identity in order to gain access to a private party of rich aristocrats who spend the week looking for ways to spend their fortunes.Here Jessica meets the Duke of Rotherby, a man as beautiful as he is kind and seductive as hell. As the pretend widowed Lady Witfield, Jessica impresses Noel, but she is reluctant to take his money or his attention, knowing she is actually naught but a farm girl.As their time comes to a close, both Jessica and Noel succumb to their building attraction, but at what cost to them both?Super sweet, I enjoyed this tale! I was following along eagerly with the author's writing of this book and while yes, we find out Noel is in to Jessica dominating their bed sport, this is on the very light side of erotic (all talk, both are new to the kink it seems).But, all in all another sparkling tale from Eva Leigh!Thank you to Avon and Edelweiss+ for the ARC!

I kind of missed calling Rotherby ‘Rotherby’. It took some getting used to to refer to him as Noel…and that is my only critique of this book.Jessica McGale is in trouble. After her parents death, and a fire on the farm, her family business is in danger of failing and she and her siblings risk being split up. She needs people to invest in their business but no one will listen to a poor farm girl with a damaged farm. A chance comes when she manages to make her way into the Bazaar, a place where wealthy aristocrats invest in businesses. But the only way she gets in, is by posing as a noblewoman herself…I loved this book. It had the heat that was missing from book 1 (some of those sex scenes were darn steamy). The chemistry between the two was clear right from the start, they were amazing together.Noel was such a breath of fresh air. For all those tired of dark, brooding heroes–I present you Noel. He is the epitome of a gentleman, he’s fun loving, he’s endlessly charming and, most importantly, he apologises when he does something wrong. He was such a sweet, witty hero and I loved every time he came on the page. It was so lovely to see him wooing Jess and it was heart warming whenever he showed her his vulnerable side.Also, he’s a sexually submissive Duke. I honestly can’t find fault with him. He was amazing. I knew I’d love him from the glimpses we caught in book 1 but he fulfilled those expectations and then some. Ah, I could honestly praise him for days.But I can’t forget Jess, our leading lady. She was so confident, both sexually and in her normal life. She knew what she wanted and needed and she was determined to succeed. Whilst some of her actions resulted in pain, both for herself and others, this was about her journey. I loved her character growth, she was such a savvy businesswoman and I adored whenever she had a chance to shine.We saw a lot more of the other guys in this book, which was brilliant. I loved that we’re gradually seeing more of these guys, and their relationship seemed more real in this book. There were very much part of the background in the previous book so I liked how they played more of a part in this one.Overall this was such an engaging read, there were some genuinely warm, funny moments. All I can say is I cannot wait for the next Union of the Rakes book!Also I need there to be a Curtis and Rowe book. I’ll even take a novella! Please Eva Leigh? Pretty please?

I really LOVED the first book in this series, My Fake Rake, and was super excited to read more about Rotherby, the rakish Duke (or Noel, as we come to know - and love him - as in this book). Also, it's a mistaken identities trope and something of a Cinderella story, and you know I'm a sucker for both, so I clearly needed this book in my life. I didn't love Noel and Jess as a couple as much as Sebastian and Grace in the first book in this series. HOWEVER, My Fake Rake was one of my top 5 favorite books I read in 2019, so it's a VERY high bar. I love how driven Jess is, and how... NOEL Noel is. There's really not another word to describe it. Their chemistry is dynamic, and the slow burn of their heat growing is delicious. I didn't really like their sort of fledgling dom/sub relationship, though kudos to them being kinky in Ye Olden Times I guess? I guess if you don't have the internet and modern culture to desensitize you, their sexual relationship was likely quite edgy for the times. It just fell kind of flat for me and I found myself skimming through the sex scenes to get back to the story. Maybe it was just that I'm not used to any kink in historicals? I spent entirely too long trying to figure out why it put me off a bit (besides repeated use of the word "quim," bleh) and I just can't pinpoint it. Anyway, the sex scenes didn't really work for me, but the ENTIRE REST OF THE BOOK DID. Especially because with every mistaken identity trope, there's the reveal of who the person really is. Midnight eventually comes and Cinderella goes back to her rags and her reality. But imagine Cinderella had lied about who she was to the prince for days, and that he was more vulnerable and honest and himself with her than he ever was with anyone before, ever. And then suddenly there she is in rags with her carriage just a smashed pumpkin behind her. My heart, it breaks for them both, and Eva Leigh writes this inevitable crash and heartbreak after the fantasy SO wonderfully that it had me sobbing into my Kindle. (And let's be real, this is a romance so we know it's going to all end Happily Ever After anyway, so it's OK to cut loose and cry.)Would I Like to the Duke is the second book in the Union of Rakes series, but can be read as a stand alone. Holloway and the others of the Union of Rakes make a bit of an appearance, and there are some very minor spoilers for the first book, My Fake Rake. One of the main characters for book three, Waiting for a Scot Like You is Lady Farris, whom I very much came to love in this book - I can't wait!!A digital ARC of this book was provided by the publisher for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.Like this review? Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter

✨Not the audiobook for me.✨Okay so long story short, I absolutely did not vibe with the narrator. She was fine for Jess, but lord save me from that Noel voice. It was so . . . squeaky, stuck up, bad. Imagine the voice of Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice remarking on the excellence of boiled potatoes. Then imagine him trying to talk dirty to you. It just reaaaaally did not do it for me. Thus, I couldn’t get fully into this book. I also just really didn’t care about the business conversations and all of that jazz. (Louis Armstrong would have been proud.) There was no real enemy or source of tension besides Jess’s lie, which, when it finally unraveled, wasn’t surprising or shocking. I probably would have eaten this book up like pasta salad on the Fourth of July if I’d have read the paperback. Jess and Noel’s chemistry could fry an egg on the sidewalk at midnight. I loved how Noel gave himself over entirely to Jess and the trust that existed between them. Their power dynamic was unique and the consent was always there. There was intense dirty talk and the language felt very modern. I think I’m going to read the other paperbacks in the series because I am SO intrigued by the two friends of Noel who DEFINITELY woke up cuddling when they had to share that bed. I do also believe I would have enjoyed this book far more if I had either liked the narrator or read the paperback. There still would have been issues, but nothing that would stop me from reading the next book.⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶.25*/5*.25 🌶s deducted for the Mr. Collins treatment.

Miss Jessica McGale and her siblings run a soap business that is desperately in need of capital after a fire halted their production and plans for expansion. On “hiatus” from working as a lady’s companion, Jess poses as a widowed lady in order to sneak into an investor event. Noel Edwards, Duke of Rotherby, inadvertently helps “Lady Whitby” gain entry to the exclusive group. Jess is unlike any other woman Noel has ever known and he’s willing to do anything to bring her closer into his orbit.This is the second book in the Union of Rakes series. I liked this story better than the first one. It works well as a stand-alone and the couple from the first book is barely mentioned. I thought this was a hidden identity trope done pretty well. You’re always waiting for that shoe to drop when the plot centers around a lie, but I was just happy it wasn’t another kidnapping!!! I liked the resolution. This book had some great steam, but I was a little put off by the “sexually submissive duke” narrative. If the author had left it as a dirty talking hero and assertive heroine, I would have enjoyed it more. To me, it felt forced and distracting.* I received an ARC from the publisher and this is my honest review. Thank you, Avon!

3.5 stars rounded up.Jessica McGale's family makes the best soap to be found in England, but just as she was hoping to expand their production, a fire put paid to those plans. Now working as a lady's companion, Jess knows she must find investors to keep the business afloat and keep herself and her two siblings together. When she winds up with two weeks in London without her employer, Jess sees her chance. Pretending to be the fictional widow Lady Whitfield, Jess finds her way into the circle of London's wealthy and business-minded, including the entirely too attractive Duke of Rotherby. His support and influence could fix everything if Jess can just rein in her reaction to him.Noel, the Duke of Rotherby, is well used to sycophants and flatterers who know him as a wild rake with a casual interest in investments. Only his closest friends know the real man beneath the societal facade. When he meets Lady Whitfield, he's delighted by her sharp wit and obvious intelligence. He's unprepared for his reaction to her and struggles with trust, but Jess makes him feel comfortable just being himself.As Jess' bold plan comes to fruition, she struggles to keep up the ruse and it is soon obvious that attaining her goal will mean losing Noel. He's not interested in temporary; for once Noel wants a woman by his side always, but Jess' secret is a big one and it might be too much for Noel to overcome given his difficulty with trusting others.I enjoyed this book overall, just not as much as I wanted to. I liked the Cinderella-esque stance, but Jess' lie went on way too long. It would've been much more satisfying for me if she'd confided in Noel as he did in her. Jess didn't open up to Noel much and this made the relationship feel a bit one-sided to me, especially given the fact that, in my opinion, Jess didn't do nearly enough groveling or apologizing in the end. It also annoyed me that Jess, knowing the precariousness of her lie, had the gall to call Noel presumptuous. He was nothing but good to her and didn't deserve the disdain she showed him for the first half or so of the book, even if she was trying to keep her distance to protect her scheme. For his part, Noel was a fantastic hero, one of my new favorites in fact. I loved that he could be vulnerable and a bit submissive, but there was never any doubt that he was a strong and powerful man. He was fabulous and I just thought he deserved more from Jess. I enjoyed this book, despite my annoyance with Jess and the length of her lies, and I very much look forward to Duncan's book.I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.