ARC REVIEW Nothing Like A Duke by Jane Ashford

Book four in the Duke's Sons series and I have been waiting for Robert and Flora's story since the first book. Every other book has teased at their attraction and the bickering it's all foreplay. Jane Ashford has lead us on a merry chase with these two, in the last book the only mention was how bad humor Robert has been in since he left Oxford and Flora. The nice thing is that while it would be beneficial to have read the previous books (at least to get a feel for the past history of Flora and Robert and the other books are worth the read) it is not entirely necessary.

I love the writing style of Jane Ashford she's focused on the romance and the character building and does so in a way that is funny, romantic, and heartfelt. Both characters balance each other out and bring out the qualities they never thought they had. Robert is the pink of the ton very popular, fashionable and very sociable. Flora is a bluestocking who spent most of her life living up the the standards of her father who never got the boy he wanted. Flora never learned to socialize, she sees these girls act dumb and it irks her to no end that they do that and that men expect their women to act that way. There is no place in Flora's world for stupidity and no love for the high society that rejected her mother for marrying a poor scholar. But Robert changed her perspective on things he made her think things were possible and that she was willing to try going into society.

Robert could not fathom why Flora's opinion mattered to him, why he tried so hard to prove to her that he wasn't just a pretty face in society but that he was intelligent as well. However Flora just kept pushing him and making cutting remarks that Robert left and he thought to put the whole thing behind him and continue has he always had but he couldn't stop thinking about Flora. Getting into society at one of the better house parties before the season started he thought was the perfect place to forget about Flora, until she shows up and takes his breath away. Flora initially planned to go to the house party to experiment and learn about how to act in society so she can finally have her season. She hurt that Robert left she thought better of him but giving up and going back into society kind of reaffirmed everything bad she thought of him. Throughout the span of the house party through the childish actions of a manipulative young woman who has her sights set on Robert to the desperate actions of a cruel and money hungry gambler both Robert and Flora learn a lot about each other.

Overall, this was a good read. The side characters are a hoot, they made the story much more enjoyable.