Advent Reads Day 11: Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday

 Welcome to Advent Reads!

This is an event I have had on my blog for several years running now.  Each evening I feature a different holiday themed book. Think of it as your Book Advent Calendar! I post a variety of holiday books including romance, children's, middle-grade, mystery, paranormal, and I try to find some that are other holiday celebrations than Christmas too. I hope you will stop by each evening to see what new book I have for you!

Synopsis: "Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is trapped. Under pressure from his domineering father, he must marry a suitable bride before he inherits a title that feels like a prison sentence. In New York to meet a prospective wife, he ditches his responsibilities and appears on Dani Martinez’s doorstep. He’s been intrigued by the no-nonsense professor since he met her at the Eldovian royal wedding and is determined to befriend her.

Newly single 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 trying to escape relationships, and she’s resolved to avoid them at all costs. All they want from each other is friendship and a distraction from their messy lives.

As their bond begins to deepen, so does their attraction, until they end up in bed together. Falling in love was never part of the plan—Max’s family doesn’t see Dani as a perfect match, even as his heart tells him she’s the one, and Dani isn’t sure she can make it in Max’s world. Can they find the courage to live they life they desire, even if it means risking everything?"

My Review:  I honestly wasn't sure what to expect with this one, sometimes these royal holiday books don't work for me, but this one was everything I ever hoped for in a royal Christmas book! I loved the banter between Max & Dani, the transition from enemies to friends to lovers was so fun to read. I also like that there was a lot of time passing off page so it didn't seem so unbelievable with the sudden rush of romance. I also enjoyed the side characters a lot, turns out that this is the second book in a companion series, but you don't need to read the first one to enjoy it but I will definitely be going back to pick it up! If you are looking for a fun, romantic comedy for the Christmas season, go pick this one up and I highly recommend the audio book version too!

My Rating: This book was so fun to read, it gave me grown up Princess Diaries vibes with a Christmas flair and a lot more banter.  It was easy to slip into at the end of a long day and get a good giggle while at it. I give this one a rating of Four Paws and a Stump Wag! This is definitely a contender for top Christmas book this year and maybe even in the top books of the year over all!

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley, the above is my honest review and opinion.

You can find out more about Jenny Holiday and her Princess for Christmas series on her Goodreads page or Website.

Duke, Actually just released November 16th, so you can pick it (and the previous book) up now in print or digital format from Amazon and Barnes & Noble or request it at your local library or bookstore.