Reluctant Duke and Fake Engagement: A Review of Someday My Duke Will Come

I cannot even with how much I love Christina Britton’s Isle of Synne series. She somehow balances the perfect amount of angst and heavy emotion with playful banter and fun tropes.

Because I’m a chaos reader, I am apparently reading the series backwards. Last fall, I read A Duke Worth Fighting For. I saw a review that said virgin hero, and I have never downloaded a book so fast. I’ve got a type.

Someday My Duke Will Come does not have a virgin hero, but Quincy Nesbitt is a beautiful gift of a beta hero. I actually debated whether or not to classify him as a beta hero. He’s got charm and is experienced. But he really has some hidden confidence issues and is happy to just go along with whatever.

His issues are understandable. Please note that the depictions of an emotionally abusive parent are quite hard to read. He finds a lot of healing in the novel through his relationship with Lady Clara, which is beautiful.

Speaking of Lady Clara, she is a refreshing heroine. She is a dominant character with a soft demeanor. She’s spent her life as a caretaker and the lynch pin of her family. She doesn’t want to marry OR DOES SHE? From her own past trauma, she is terrified of a relationship and wants to be a spinster. But as her family grows and changes, she struggles to find her place.

Christina Britton has content warnings for this book here. Lady Clara’s trauma that is uncovered in the novel is pretty heavy and hard to read. Read the CW or feel free to message me and ask if any of your “nope tropes” are in this book.

Review continued below meme.

But oh the tropes! I’m not usually a friends-to-lovers fan, but this was beautifully crafted. I love a fake relationship. There is also a delightful bromance between Quincy and Peter. I love healthy male friendships. We need a lot more of it in books—maybe in books marketed to men, honestly!

I would say this book is a bit steamier than A Duke Worth Fighting For, but it’s also not the steamiest. I’d call this a solid jalapeño. Book 3 is more of a poblano. I’d consider a Tessa Dare book a serrano or occasionally a habeñero.

And now, I’m hungry.

Christina Britton is quickly becoming one of my absolute favorite authors. I’ll be finishing the Isle of Synne series with Book 1 this month. This was a fantastic, quick read full of all the emotions. Quincy will steal your heart.

Bonus: the book matches my bedroom!