{"id":30874,"date":"2024-01-08T14:46:42","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T18:46:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/?p=30874"},"modified":"2024-01-08T14:48:31","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T18:48:31","slug":"review-second-dukes-the-charm-by-kate-bateman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/08\/review-second-dukes-the-charm-by-kate-bateman\/","title":{"rendered":"Review \u2764\ufe0f Second Duke&#8217;s the Charm by Kate Bateman"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-30874\" data-postid=\"30874\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-30874 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n    \t\t\t<!-- module_row -->\n\t<div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_zpkk94 tb_first tf_w tf_clearfix\">\n\t    \t\t\t<div class=\"row_inner col_align_top gutter-narrow tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n\t\t            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-1 tb_muyq94 first\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_48jt94 rounded drop-shadow customBorderRad_top image-center auto_fullwidth tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n\t\t    <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"1033\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=640%2C1033&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-30875\" title=\"second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman\" alt=\"second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?w=929&amp;ssl=1 929w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=186%2C300&amp;ssl=1 186w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=634%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 634w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=768%2C1240&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=400%2C645&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n    \t<\/div>\n<!-- \/module image --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_a5vt94 customBorderRad_bottom repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">The wedding-night death of her much older husband left Tess Townsend the Dowager Duchess of Wansford\u2014and still a virgin. Now she and her two best friends investigate London\u2019s most scandalous crimes, and while Tess longs to experience physical pleasure for herself, she can\u2019t risk losing her treasured independence&#8230;<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Cynical shipping magnate Justin Thornton never expected to inherit a dukedom, but he\u2019ll do his duty. When the ravishing woman he kissed at a party turns out to be the Dowager Duchess, Justin sees an obvious solution: a marriage of convenience that will suit them both.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">But the passion that sparks between them is anything but convenient. As Tess works on a new case at the request of Queen Charlotte, her increasingly suspicious behavior makes Justin question her motives\u2014and her past. The infuriating woman clearly can\u2019t be trusted, but Justin doesn\u2019t believe in love, so there\u2019s absolutely no danger of him falling for his own wife&#8230;is there?<\/span><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-2 tb_xabq94 last\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_3dyn94  repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-25880 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/smitten-diamond-banner-1-2.png?resize=296%2C72&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"296\" height=\"72\" \/><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>Release Date:<\/strong> Dec 26, 2023<br \/><strong>Series:<\/strong> <em>Second Duke&#8217;s the Charm<br \/><\/em><strong>Book: <\/strong>1<br \/><strong>Heat Level:<\/strong> Sensual<br \/><strong>Publisher: <\/strong>Macmillan<br \/><strong>Imprint:<\/strong> St. Martin&#8217;s Press<br \/><strong>Price:<\/strong> $8.99<\/p><hr \/><blockquote class=\"quotes\"><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>\u201cAs if sensing Tess\u2019s presence at his side, the stranger raised his head. A shock of something elemental, almost like recognition, flashed through her as their eyes met. If someone had asked her to describe a \u201cdangerous man,\u201d it would be him. Flint-gray eyes, high cheekbones. Lips that looked like they could command- or kiss- with consummate ease. They\u2019d never met in person she was sure, but she knew him: he was every wicked fantasy she\u2019d ever dreamed, come to life. Handsome seemed too weak a word. Shrewd intelligence blazed in his eyes, and Tess had the strangest sensation that he was looking right through her, through dress and skin, to the very heart of her. She felt exposed, all her secrets laid bare.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This was such a fun one! <strong>Kate Bateman<\/strong> is a master of her craft. She never misses, and always delivers a sensational historical romance full of heart, wit, and mind-blowing chemistry.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was fully immersed in <strong>Justin<\/strong> and <strong>Tess\u2019s<\/strong> relationship from the beginning, and I loved how everything came full circle with them. Almost as if it was destiny that they ended up together.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tess was not just beautiful, but brave and bold. She has a secret that she has been carrying that could ruin her, she never consummated her first marriage. She knows she can never take a lover for fear they might spread rumors of her virginal state, but she decides to take matters into her own hands and attend a pleasure party to seduce a man and gain her pleasure. Once Justin fell under her spell, he had it bad for Tess. He had to do anything to have her and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I do love a hero who knows what he wants. This was full of swoony heart-stopping moments with just enough mystery and intrigue without overwhelming the romance or the relationship development. The next book in this series can\u2019t come soon enough!<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you\u2019re a fan of historical romance authors such as <strong>Joanna Shupe<\/strong> and <strong>Eva Leigh<\/strong> then you won\u2019t be disappointed.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>~ Michelle<\/em><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_6ww794 customBorderRad repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/47HKhM5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a><\/span><span class=\"s2\">\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.co\/3TO1xMh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">iBooks<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman\/1143330043?ean=9781250290199\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">B&amp;N<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/second-duke-s-the-charm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">Kobo<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/books\/details\/Kate_Bateman_Second_Duke_s_the_Charm?id=tUm4EAAAQBAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">Google Play<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n            \t    <\/div>\n\t    <!-- \/row_inner -->\n\t<\/div>\n\t<!-- \/module_row -->\n\t<\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The wedding-night death of her much older husband left Tess Townsend the Dowager Duchess of Wansford\u2014and still a virgin. Now she and her two best [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,122,48,59],"tags":[154,155,305,404,405,548,485],"class_list":["post-30874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-macmillan","category-michelle","category-reviews","category-st-martins-press","tag-5-star-keeper","tag-5-stars","tag-historical-romance","tag-recommend","tag-recommended-reads","tag-regency-romance","tag-top-picks"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Review \u2764\ufe0f Second Duke&#039;s the Charm by Kate Bateman - Smitten by Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/08\/review-second-dukes-the-charm-by-kate-bateman\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Review \u2764\ufe0f Second Duke&#039;s the Charm by Kate Bateman - Smitten by Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The wedding-night death of her much older husband left Tess Townsend the Dowager Duchess of Wansford\u2014and still a virgin. 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Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5a4181aeb9cd5641e30023b9b4d3e00d","name":"beverley","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d01d9a027fd24b3d94658206104dd5d7aaffba75b651e55c08358a9bc51b26a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d01d9a027fd24b3d94658206104dd5d7aaffba75b651e55c08358a9bc51b26a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d01d9a027fd24b3d94658206104dd5d7aaffba75b651e55c08358a9bc51b26a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"beverley"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog"],"url":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/author\/beverley\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?fit=929%2C1500&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"builder_content":"<img src=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg\" title=\"second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman\" alt=\"second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?w=929&amp;ssl=1 929w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=186%2C300&amp;ssl=1 186w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=634%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 634w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=768%2C1240&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman.jpeg?resize=400%2C645&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 929px) 100vw, 929px\" \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The wedding-night death of her much older husband left Tess Townsend the Dowager Duchess of Wansford\u2014and still a virgin. Now she and her two best friends investigate London\u2019s most scandalous crimes, and while Tess longs to experience physical pleasure for herself, she can\u2019t risk losing her treasured independence...<\/p><p>Cynical shipping magnate Justin Thornton never expected to inherit a dukedom, but he\u2019ll do his duty. When the ravishing woman he kissed at a party turns out to be the Dowager Duchess, Justin sees an obvious solution: a marriage of convenience that will suit them both.<\/p><p>But the passion that sparks between them is anything but convenient. As Tess works on a new case at the request of Queen Charlotte, her increasingly suspicious behavior makes Justin question her motives\u2014and her past. The infuriating woman clearly can\u2019t be trusted, but Justin doesn\u2019t believe in love, so there\u2019s absolutely no danger of him falling for his own wife...is there?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/smitten-diamond-banner-1-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"296\" height=\"72\" \/><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>Release Date:<\/strong> Dec 26, 2023<br \/><strong>Series:<\/strong> <em>Second Duke's the Charm<br \/><\/em><strong>Book: <\/strong>1<br \/><strong>Heat Level:<\/strong> Sensual<br \/><strong>Publisher: <\/strong>Macmillan<br \/><strong>Imprint:<\/strong> St. Martin's Press<br \/><strong>Price:<\/strong> $8.99<\/p><hr \/><blockquote><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>\u201cAs if sensing Tess\u2019s presence at his side, the stranger raised his head. A shock of something elemental, almost like recognition, flashed through her as their eyes met. If someone had asked her to describe a \u201cdangerous man,\u201d it would be him. Flint-gray eyes, high cheekbones. Lips that looked like they could command- or kiss- with consummate ease. They\u2019d never met in person she was sure, but she knew him: he was every wicked fantasy she\u2019d ever dreamed, come to life. Handsome seemed too weak a word. Shrewd intelligence blazed in his eyes, and Tess had the strangest sensation that he was looking right through her, through dress and skin, to the very heart of her. She felt exposed, all her secrets laid bare.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This was such a fun one! <strong>Kate Bateman<\/strong> is a master of her craft. She never misses, and always delivers a sensational historical romance full of heart, wit, and mind-blowing chemistry.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was fully immersed in <strong>Justin<\/strong> and <strong>Tess\u2019s<\/strong> relationship from the beginning, and I loved how everything came full circle with them. Almost as if it was destiny that they ended up together.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tess was not just beautiful, but brave and bold. She has a secret that she has been carrying that could ruin her, she never consummated her first marriage. She knows she can never take a lover for fear they might spread rumors of her virginal state, but she decides to take matters into her own hands and attend a pleasure party to seduce a man and gain her pleasure. Once Justin fell under her spell, he had it bad for Tess. He had to do anything to have her and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I do love a hero who knows what he wants. This was full of swoony heart-stopping moments with just enough mystery and intrigue without overwhelming the romance or the relationship development. The next book in this series can\u2019t come soon enough!<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you\u2019re a fan of historical romance authors such as <strong>Joanna Shupe<\/strong> and <strong>Eva Leigh<\/strong> then you won\u2019t be disappointed.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>~ Michelle<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/47HKhM5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.co\/3TO1xMh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iBooks<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/second-dukes-the-charm-kate-bateman\/1143330043?ean=9781250290199\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B&amp;N<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/second-duke-s-the-charm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kobo<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/books\/details\/Kate_Bateman_Second_Duke_s_the_Charm?id=tUm4EAAAQBAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Play<\/a><\/strong><\/p>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30874"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30882,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30874\/revisions\/30882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}