Duke, Actually
“[A] master of witty banter.”—Entertainment Weekly
USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday follows A Princess for Christmas with another delightful contemporary Christmas romance, set in the heart of New York City, about a playboy baron and a woman who has said goodbye to love.
There’s a royal wedding on, and things are about to get interesting.
Meet the man of honor
Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is not having a merry Christmas. He’s been dumped by a princess, he’s unemployed, and his domineering father has sent him to New York to meet a prospective bride he has no interest in. In the city, he meets Dani Martinez, a smart (and gorgeous) professor he’s determined to befriend before their best friends marry in the Eldovian wedding of the century.
Meet the best woman
Newly single, no-nonsense New Yorker Dani is done with love—she even has a list entitled “Things I Will Never Again Do for a Man”—which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s the perfect partner for snow angels in Central Park and deep conversations about the futility of love.
It’s all fun and games until their friendship deepens into attraction and, oops…
Falling in love was never part of the plan.
General Fiction (Adult) | Romance - Book 2 of 2: A Princess for Christmas
Publication Date: 16 Nov 2021
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Praise for Duke, Actually:
“This smashing sequel is packed with delightful characters, snappy dialogue, and a fairy-tale European setting. A top pick for every holiday romance reading list. –Library Journal (starred review)
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“…another confection of a novel…” -Entertainment Weekly
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“…there’s no denying the sparks that fly between these two lonely hearts” –POPSUGAR
My Review:
5 Stars Sugar, Spice, and everything Christmas. Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday i is the after-dark Hallmark Christmas story you didn't know you needed. A messy divorce, infamous royal, friends to lover, dual POV, snarky, with the best slow burn. It's the second book in the series but could be read as a standalone novel; feel free to check out A Princess for Christmas to be more invested in the characters. All around, a charming, heartwarming, and laugh-out-loud Holiday story that I am pleased to recommend.
Dani has just finalized her divorce from her cheating husband and Max has been dumped by a princess and sent to find a match for himself. Will the wedding of Princess Eldovia will bring these together? The slow burn and character build are everything and the spice is decent but could be lackluster for those who love a spiceeyyyyy novel. This was just a cute and fun Christmas story with the flair of Royals. I will be going to watch the Christmas prince on Netflix and pretend I too could find myself a handsome duke someday.. i mean I wish right?
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Will be re-reading
🔥 Spice
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the advance reader copy.
PRINT LENGTH PAGES
AVERAGE REVIEW RATING
PAPERBACK COST
E-BOOK COST
AUTHOR
Jenny Holiday is a USA Today-bestselling and RITA®-nominated author whose books have been featured in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, and National Public Radio. She grew up in Minnesota and started writing at age nine when her fourth-grade teacher gave her a notebook to fill with stories. When she’s not working on her next book, she likes to hang out with her family, watch other people sing karaoke, and throw theme parties. A member of the House of Slytherin, Jenny lives in London, Ontario, Canada.
PUBLISHER
Avon is one of America's most acclaimed romance imprints. Known for having pioneered the historical romance category, Avon continues to publish a wide variety of genres, including contemporary, rom-com, paranormal, and regency romance.
Harper Voyager is a thriving global imprint dedicated to science fiction and fantasy.
WHAT OTHERS SAY?
KIND WORDS FROM OTHERS
"Holiday’s follow-up to A Princess for Christmas hits all the right notes as the heir to a dukedom discovers love during the holidays...Holiday cleverly draws parallels to Love, Actually throughout this witty, emotionally charged holiday tale. Readers will delight in the strong heroine seeking love on her own terms." -Publishers Weekly
"RITA-nominated Holiday follows A Princess for Christmas with another splendidly entertaining romance that offers just the right dash of holiday cheer and delectably droll wit." -Booklist
"Holiday’s knack for writing witty banter is on full display here, with Dani and Max's escalating text messages and phone conversations showing a deepening friendship between them... This slow-burn romance will appeal to readers who enjoy the friends-to-lovers trope. The novel carefully builds trust and a deepening emotional attachment between Dani and Max..." -Kirkus Reviews
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