Review: Sincerely, The Duke (Say I Do, #2) by Amelia Grey

                                                  

Print Length: 336 pages

Publisher: Avon (March 26, 2024)

From Goodreads.com: Miss Edwina Fine has one shot at finding a husband before the ton learns her secret. With red hair, green eyes and being one of triplets, she knows the superstitions and rumors about women like her. So when a marriage proposal from the Duke of Stonerick arrives by mail, Edwina jumps at the chance to solve her problems. But nothing could prepare her for the attraction that sparks between them when they finally meet. It will take more than Edwina’s wit to navigate her past, reservations about marriage and the passion that ignites within her for the irresistible duke.

Rick, Duke of Stonerick, enjoys his life exactly as it honing his expert marksmanship, playing cards and fencing with his friends. He even enjoys exchanging affectionate humor with his mother about his lack of matrimonial engagement. But when a recurring illness reminds Rick he has no heir, he picks a name from the list of prospects his mother presents and writes a simple marriage proposal. Then he forgets about it—until that very lady with an iron will and breathtaking bravery shows up at his doorstep, ready to accept. Edwina tempts him like no other and suddenly, marriage doesn’t seem much of an inconvenience after all. But will keeping his illness a secret cost him her love?

  

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My Rating: 1 star out of 5

Good lord, I don't know that I've ever read a book with a more ridiculous plot, or annoying characters than this one. 

A Duke (named Rick) suffers from fevers. He decides since his cousin has married and has a son, he should do the same immediately. And since to him, one woman is as good as any, he picks a woman's name off of a list his mother gave him at random and proposes to her. She accepts with the stipulation that he find husbands for her sisters. Now he doesn't bother to tell her about these fevers (or that they might kill him) and she doesn't tell him that (get ready to gasp and clutch your pearls everyone) she's a TRIPLET (oh the horror). She also has red hair and green eyes so everyone already thinks she's a witch. Her sister's come to London. And apparently everyone in London is so bloody stupid that they see them together, but because one has freckles, one parts her hair differently and they all wear colors that aren't close to one another no one realizes that they are identical.

Until one night, another member of the ton approaches them at a ball talking about an old rumor they heard about triplets being born 20 years ago and inquiring if Edwina and her sisters might be them. The Duke, his superstitious mother, and his friends all immediately come to her defense, but he knows looking at her that it's the truth. So he confronts her when they get home because apparently this information was absolutely crucial and he should have been told this information before they were married. Mind you, not only did he meet her sisters BEFORE they were wed, he also moved them into his house AFTER the wedding so it wasn't like he didn't see them together all of the time. It really wasn't Edwina's fault that her husband was too stupid to put two and two (or in this case three and three) together and figure it out on his own. 

Even with that fight, and his insinuations that she didn't trust him, Rick still has not told her about his potentially fatal fevers. He goes so far to protect this secret of his that when he is taken by another one, he runs off to his friends house. She eventually finds him, but doesn't hold it against him that he withheld info from HER prior to marriage because by now she is in love with him. 

That was another issue I had with this novel. The fact that they both claimed to love one another, when all we really see them do is kiss, touch, and argue with one another. And sometimes over the dumbest things possible (for example Edwina becomes mad at Rick when he aides her sister Eileen in leaving to pursue her own life and interests, insisting that the promise she made to their dead father was more important than anything Eileen might want for herself). 

Sadly, this is not the first time I have read this author and just not enjoyed the story. I don't think I will continue to read any more of their works in the future. However, that doesn't mean that I don't think other people won't enjoy this story (as well as her others). They just aren't for me. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.