Mia Vincy: A Scandalous Kind of Duke

A Scandalous Kind of Duke by Mia Vincy
Published by Inner Ballad Press on September 16, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Historical / General, Fiction / Romance / General, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency
Pages: 330
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Two friends. Too many missed chances.

Leopold Halton, the Duke of Dammerton, is the man with everything: perfect hair, beautiful waistcoats, and London's finest collection of decorative objects. But two years after his highly entertaining divorce (entertaining for everyone but him, that is), Leo still doesn't have what he wants most: another wife.

Leo is ready to propose to a suitable lady, but with gossip dissecting his every move, the family of his nearly-ideal bride demands that he first stop calling on artist Juno Bell, the first woman he ever kissed and now, a decade later, his friend.

After ten years of hard work to become an artist, Juno has everything she dreamed of: a flourishing studio, a wealthy patroness, and the freedom to live as she pleases. She even receives visits from a duke (and don't London's gossips love that!).

Juno has always known she can never hold on to Leo, yet when he declares their friendship must end, she finds it harder than expected to let him go. At least, not without a kiss.

After all, if their friendship must end anyway, then they have nothing more to lose ... right?

Heart-warming, steamy, and emotional, this historical romance tells the story of a duke and an artist who believe they can never be together, but find it impossible to part.

This was a recommendation in the realm of long pining hero and heroine, and it rang all the bells, brought all the pings and zings of feels, and was honestly for me a little closer to a 5 out of 5 than a 4.5.

Mia Vincy is a new to me author, and of course I had to start at the end of a series but it worked great as a standalone.  We have this polished, beautiful hero who, after a scandalous divorce, is ready to try again to find a respectable marriage (and also to help out his foundation, which needs a cash infusion).  Yet the young lady he selected has a family who objects to his history and his ongoing friendship with a very Bohemian artist, and old family friend.

Juno Bell is a woman who recognizes her lot in life and is embracing her freedoms as a painter and independent woman.  She swore to devote her life to her art after heartbreak at a young age.  Juno is hustling to keep her new patron happy, while also exploring some more risqué art that speaks more to her soul.

I really enjoyed this book, even though there were elements of misunderstandings, it was a slow burn, and this is a second chance romance which usually isn’t a trope I gravitate towards.  However, I think there is enough friends to lovers elements that it just worked for me as a reader, and I honestly loved how emotionally engaged I was in the story from start to finish.

There are intimate scenes, cursing, lots of adult subject matter, and a little violence so while I didn’t think anything necessarily rose to the level of content warning I would say this is not a match for readers who want kisses only or light and fluffy.

I think the historical details and elements are close enough that it provides that nice, immersive experience into the era most readers are looking for.  I really enjoyed some of the supporting characters, too, which helps to round out a story for me.

If you are looking for class difference, pining love, sex positive FMC and a little more modest of a MMC, and some real heart strings pulling I recommend giving this book a read.