A master storyteller, Caroline Fyffe takes you into a 1881 England and a newly named Duke and his American Bride! Beranger Northcutt has just inherited the title of the Duke of Brightshire. Having been living in America and just married Emma Brinkman, they set sail to Beranger's homeland. A lot has happened since he had been gone but nothing has changed about his hateful stepmother, except that now she has to rely upon him.  
Of course, Emma coming from a small town and becoming a Duchess, wasn't sure what she was to do, but she quickly captured the hearts of many by her delightful spirit and humble demenor.  But the love between her and Beranger just won my heart. 
There is so much going on with this story that it captured me from the first page as we meet Charlotte, who will also play a role and have a budding romance.  Mystery, suspense as Beranger becomes ill and it seems someone wants to do him harm, secrets that will come out and of course romance is in the air.
I truly loved this story and with the wonderful descriptive prose it seemed I was there in England with the characters and watching the story unfold!!

While I've always enjoyed Caroline Fyffe's western romances I was curious to see how her stories would work when she mixed her American West characters with British royalty.  Judging by this book, I think it's a success.  When Emma suddenly finds herself married to the new Duke, she has a lot of adjustments to make and lots of learning to do.  Sadly, Emma finds herself closer with the staff and lower levels of society than her newfound peers which only causes more problems for Emma.  Fans of Downtown Abbey are sure to enjoy this spin off of the Colorado Hearts series as Caroline Fyffe introduces a whole new set of characters.

Brideswell Abbey, Hertfordshire  -  1922

Zoe Gifford is an American heiress needing to marry an impoverished aristocrat.  Once married, she can then access her funds to pay back her mother’s debts.  Zoe is to marry Sebastian Hazelton, whose brother is Nigel Hazelton, the seventh Duke of Langford.

Enroute to Sebastian’s home, Zoe’s car gets stuck in the mud and she is rescued by Nigel.  It is reported that his face is scarred from the war.  Seeing a few scars on the side of his face, Zoe doesn’t find him horrifying.  Then, he sends his car for her and her mother.

After marrying Sebastian, Zoe will then divorce him, but the duke is against the idea.  This marriage of convenience will give funds to Sebastian and allow Zoe to access her inheritance.  Even though the duke is appalled at the idea, Zoe doesn’t care.

Julia, sister of Sebastian and Nigel is impressed with Zoe, but Nigel disagrees.  He doesn’t consider American women be ladylike, but he can’t help but be attracted to Zoe.

When Zoe learns of a dark secret that Sebastian is hiding, she calls off their engagement and soon becomes engaged to Nigel.  Their attraction is strong and Zoe wants to be with him all the time, but he is plagued with nightmares from his time in the war and doesn’t want her to see that.  Angry at this, Zoe is determined to do things her own way in life.  Can their marriage withstand this?

This is a good story, but I wanted to smack Zoe because she is the epitome of the spoiled American lady of the time period who is determined to do what she wants.  This didn’t play well with Nigel as well it shouldn’t.  All in all, it is a good story and I think readers will enjoy it.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This story had a number of events happening. The new duke and duchess had arrived and were settling into their new life. This wasn’t easy as they had a spiteful stepmother to contend with. I did like it when the duchess came into her own and put others in their place. There was also a romance with the baker called Charlotte and either the assistant gamekeeper or the duke’s cousin. In addition to this, there was a murder to investigate, the mystery of Charlotte’s parents and visitors from America and someone with a vengeance. Charlotte also has to contend with jealousy from workmates and relations. However this was a good paced, entertaining read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title      : An American Duchess

Author : Caroline Fyffe

Genre   : Romance

Pages   : 348

I received this Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley and Montlake romance. Thank you!!!

“Time is your friend,” Emma said “Never say never”

“Beranger, your pain I’ll see, And my revenge will be completely”

Review
An American Duchess is the extension of the “Colorado hearts series” by the author which focuses on the life of the five sisters, whereas “An America Duchess” concentrates on a particular character Emma Brinkman exclusively, one of the sisters from the series. In spite of all the three prequels up in the line it can also be read as a stand-alone novel without feeling confused or bumpy.

This story elaborately talks about the life of royal family, their legacy, tradition and their way of life. It absolutely gives the complete aroma of the vintage royal life, it has been written in such a way that the readers would instantly time travel to that period in a jiffy. The difficulties faced by the protagonist Emma, when suddenly transformed from a common American to the Duchess of Brightshire out of nowhere has been portrayed in greater depth. And the struggles of adjusting to a new life, new place with new set of responsibilities and of course the untiring homesickness she feels, has been written pragmatically nonetheless. The soothing and loving behavior of her brand new husband Duke Beranger was bestowing, the way he made her feel was worth all the difficultly she faces in the new continent.

On the other hand a commoner and scullery maid Charlotte Aldridge who has always been treated third-rated-ly by her aunt Ethel all her life finds happiness and a different way of living from the palace and the friendly new duchess. Her romance sequences with Tristen Llewellyn the game keeper’s nephew was ravishing, this piece of mild romance will kindle and awake the romantic personality in anybody.

The backstories of all these characters has been developed sagaciously. The friendship and trust between all the four characters that is, the duke, duchess, Charlotte and Tristen was beautifully processed and implemented. This foursome in the book was cool and unique, they all really made a good team. Then the ruthless characters like dowager duchess and aunt Ethel helped to understand the characteristic of the protagonists perfectly and more personally. There were lot of enchanting and worthy supporting characters like Mathilda, Verity, Margaret, Lady Audrey, Justin, Trevor, KT etcetra. Everybody was so good and they helped greatly in building up the plot. Without these characters the story wouldn’t have been as good as it is right now.

The confusion, doubts, twist, mystery, threat which all revolves around the palace was developed brick by brick. And at the end when it all unwrapped it was quite unexpected and well nice too. To talk about the writing it was easy and effortless which really helped in reading the book faster. It is feel good book.

My views
I din’t read the previous books in the series but still it was good to read, it’s an absolute stand-alone novel so don’t worry if you haven’t read the previous books. And I liked the book, it was like living a fantasy and it felt good. My favorite part in this book was the ball organised for welcoming Beranger as the Duke of Brightshire and all romance part between Charlotte and Tristen was adorable.

So this book is perfect for this summer, I’m so happy the book is being released at the perfect time. I recommend this book to everybody who believes in fairy-tale, romance and loves feel good book. This book is definitely for you people. 
My rating for this book is 3.5/5 

Happy Reading Folks!!!

~Meenu

I COULD FEEL YOU WERE DESTINED FOR SOMETHING GREAT

Once again, Ms. Caroline Fyffe has taken her readers on a roller-coaster ride in this emotional journey of family, loss, secrets, new beginnings, and love. The story has brought the five Brinkman sisters back to Eden, Colorado, where they were born, from their home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They must all agree to spend six months in Eden to inherit according to the will left by their father, John Brinkman. The story is now part of the Colorado Heart series, but an extension of the story of Emma and Beranger. 

In this story, Emma and Beranger will be married, following the information that he has inherited the title of Duke of Brightshire and they will leave Colorado and sail to England. The story will encompass the changes and memories that Beranger will face returning to where he lived, even if he was treated poorly by his step-mother. He will meet a half-sister that was born after he left England and worked on board a ship until he made his mark in America. 

The story is full of mystery, suspense, danger, secrets, angst, but also has new beginnings, making changes in how things in life turn out. It has a large cast of characters in the English town of Brightshire that will play major roles in this tale. It was always proclaimed the Beranger was illegitimate but how will the people look at him now that the truth is out that his parents had been married and in fact, Gavin was the illegitimate child?

“The people in Brightshire are delighted you’re home. Prove to them their memories of the resilient, clever, and courageous thirteen-year-old boy are correct. Show them you have come back a man, and you have all those qualities and more.”

Not everyone is happy that Beranger has returned, and with an American wife as the new duchess. The dowager duchess was always cruel and hateful to Beranger, and she has groomed her daughter, Lady Audrey to take over the title someday. She is no more than a wolf in sheep’s clothes and just as two-faced as she always had been. But now, her status is changed, and she must rely on Beranger for her well-being. He is more gracious than most people would be considering. 

“Fairly and always. Whenever and now.”

The story has the good, the bad, and the ugly in people—and all that will play a part in this tale. With health issues plaguing Beranger, is someone trying to harm him? A critical letter of Emma’s from her father will be stolen from their room. A mystery about the death of the previous Duke, Gavin, will have secrets that could harm others. 

The story will have another romance taking place between Charlotte and Tristan and the mystery behind her life will eventually unfold with surprises. While their story isn’t always smooth sailing, it does have several surprises along the way.

I was so happy to receive my copy of An American Duchesss! I had a hard time waiting to see how Emma would do in her new role as an English Duchess. 
I was pleasantly surprised to find the Colorado shop owner still retained her lively spirit even when intimidated by the English gentry.
Charlotte is also trying to find common ground in the castle. She is the new scullery maid and learning the ropes when the new Duke and Duchess arrive in Brightshire. The two form an immediate friendship and forge ahead.
Emma's new found friend, Charlotte, helps her as she tries to learn the many rules and proper etiquette for a genteel woman in England. They are allies when things go horribly wrong.
This is such a good story! It has romance, intrigue, and history....what more do you need?
It is a page turner. I blew through it in seven hours.
I highly recommend this book. It could be read as a stand alone or even better read after the other three books in the Colorado Hearts Series. Each book spotlights one of the five sisters in the Brinkman family. This is Emma's story.

Moving from the West to become a duchess in England has to be difficult, but Emma is determined to make her husband, the new Duke of Brightshire proud. This is a richly layered story, with both upstairs and downstairs featured — which means twice as much romance. There is an evil dowager duchess, a mystery and plenty of action, including a cowboy performance at grand ball. The villain(ess), when she is discovered, is not who you expect it to be, so that's a surprise and a welcome one The H/h, too, are steadfast in their love, with no silly misunderstandings — despite the dowager duchess' attempts to divide them — ruining the love story. The other romance deals with an aspiring baker who is not who she appears to be and a gameskeeper. Their love story, like the mystery, keeps the reader guessing. I would have given this five stars except the explanation of how the previously illegitimate son became legitimate was difficult to follow; the dead Duke was older, but he was illegitimate, and Bright was younger, but the duke had married his commoner mother. That led me to wonder how the younger sister was legitimate if her mother was not married to the duke; did they marry in secret later? All in all, I found it hard to follow. There also wasn't any follow up on the duke's vertigo, or if so, I missed it. So, a few too many loose ends in an otherwise great story. I'm going back to read about the sisters back in Eden, too. This is one book where you want to know the backstory. (I received an ARC on NetGalley. Opinions mine.)

The rules of Victorian society are defied in  bestselling author Caroline Fyffe's novel of romance, royalty, and a little revenge.

In Kent, England, the arrival of Beranger Northcott, Duke of Brightshire, causes quite a stir.  Berenger left home more than 15 years ago, never expecting to return. Never expecting that he was th legitimate heir to a dukedom he brings with him his new American bride, who isn't quite what anyone expects!  By accepting the hand of her beloved, Emma Brinkman went from hardworking Colorado rancher to duchess. Now she's expected to comport herself as nobility. Overnight. For Emma—stifled, homesick, and unable to shake the feeling she's being watched—the metamorphosis is a challenge. And if Emma's suspicions are correct, perhaps even a dangerous one.

Not one to deal in formality, Emma makes friends with the help and fortunately, for Emma she has found a trusted friend in the orphaned Charlotte, Brightshire's scullery maid.   Charlotte has dreamt if only for a moment what it would be like to live a privileged  life with out the daily back breaking life she’s lived—if only for a moment. When one of the duke's handsome cousins takes notice of Charlotte, the castle kitchen is set abuzz with speculation that she just might be swayed into being ruined.  

In navigating their two different stations, both Charlotte  and Emma alike will discover all they have in common—from secret fantasies to daring hearts to upending the rules of society. And that finding their places in the world—and love—is a dream that can come true.

Very charming story which I could have fallen in love with.  Just a bit of nitpicking here though that I thought a bit more editing of starting and stopping their stories would have made for a smoother read.  Otherwise, I truly liked this story.

Marilyn Rondeau

Enjoyable look at Victorian England and it's rules regarding love and class. The new Duke of Brightshire,..Beranger Northcott...returns to England to claim his title after being missing in America for 16 years. He brings a beautiful new American wife with him. Emma Brinkman used to be a cattle rancher in Colorado but now she is struggling to learn her place in Victorian England. She faces Beranger's disapproving  mother but has found a friend and ally in Charlotte, a young servant girl . Both young women strive to find love and their place in this world. But there is also danger and a mystery to be solved. When I received this book I didn't realize that it is part of a series but it reads well as a standalone.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book to  review.

Another delightful Brinkman sister finds her true love. Newly married, life is an uphill battle from the start. Challenges abound as well as mystery and danger. Is emma up for the task, only time will tell! Great story line, unique characters, fantastic read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book; all opinions expressed are my own.

If you liked Downton Abbey, you'll love An American Duchess. A great read! Really enjoyed it!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.5/5.0
What a sweet and enjoyable turn on the old "Victorian romance" trope! Take the much written about English aristocrat, then throw in a totally American western heroine. But, wait! Let's make the aristocrat a man who ran away and made his life in the American west, falls in love and marries said heroine - THEN, discovers his father, and older brother are dead leaving him the Dukedom with responsibilities over a very large estate back in England.

What ensues is a wild, combustible story where both hero and heroine try to navigate upper class English society without losing their down-home American kindness. Then, throw in a bit of intrigue and you have a totally delightful afternoon of reading!

Okay, so the climatic ending to the intrigue is a bit of a stretch... still, bet'cha didn't guess the villain!

Emma and Beranger are married now, he's inherited the title, and they've moved to Kent. If you didn't read the first book, don't worry because Fyffe will catch you up on the travails these two have already faced. Emma is no shrinking violet- she ran a big ranch - but she is occasionally flummoxed by Victorian UK attitudes and activities.  Luckily, she's got Beranger AND she's made a friend in Charlotte.  Charlotte might be a servant but she's a smart, sincere woman in a world that isn't kind to newbies.  You'll read this story in their voices, as well as in the voice of Tristan, who finds Charlotte, well.....There's perhaps more here than there needs to be (including the mystery) but it's a good read.  Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Emma, an Colorado farm worker marries Duke Beranger and promptly moves to England and his ancestral home. Emma tries very hard to learn the manners and customs of the English but in turn misses her home and family in America. Emma befriends a young maid at the manor, Charlotte. Charlotte has met the Dukes cousin and is totally infatuated with him. This is a sweet story that has two women who have similar dreams about their lives. Well-written and engaging story make this a four star book!

I'll start off by saying that the main reason that I gave this book 3 stars is likely related to the fact that I have not read previous books by this author. I'm not sure this book was intended to be a stand-alone book, but read in a certain order. As such, I struggled for more than half of the book just to get to a point where I could follow or understand much of anything that was going on. 

One of the first things I look for in a book is the ability to get drawn in quickly (like within the first chapter, but preferably on the very first page). Unfortunately, It took me several chapters to even find a fair level of interest. As a result, I was not in a hurry to read this book as I normally am with most books I read. I didn't look forward to my next opportunity to read, and took much longer reading it than I normally would a book this size. I'm not sure if I would have gotten into any of the previous books more quickly or not had I started at the beginning of the series. I found that the book jumped around a great deal between characters that seemingly had nothing in common. Many of them did not even meet one another until the second half of the book. Many times, I would find myself confused as to which characters I was currently reading about.

There were a fair number of grammatical errors throughout this book. There was depth in some of the characters, such as the dowager and Emma. However, I believe their personalities could have been explored even deeper. Events were too easily swayed, and emotions altered too quickly. 

Although I did notice that this book rated much higher by most reviewers, I'm fairly convinced the other reviewers were likely familiar with this author and had opportunity to read other books prior. I believe this book should be advertised to ensure the reader knows to read these books in succession. This would likely make a world of difference.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mix up between Victorian England and the American West. I was already in love with Emma and Beranger from a different series. Seeing them in England starting their new life together was so much fun!!!! I am looking forward to more stories set in Brightshire with all of these new characters I am growing to love as well. Charlotte and the men vying for her attention gave a great contrast to Emma and Beranger. Watching the two worlds collide was suspenseful and intriguing. I often found myself laughing and enjoying all the mix-ups going on at the castle. I can't wait for more!

I have never Read anything by the Author Caroline Fyffe  before , but I must now say I shall be looking for some of her other Novels to read & hopefully recommend as I will this one among friends & family whom I know will enjoy every page of this delightful story which is full of strong determined characters from both sides of the  Atlantic Ocean, and those who would also see the equality of people no mater their background too.

I liked the romance aspect of this book but the American trying to become a duchess and she doesn’t really know what to do sounds like my life I liked this book it gets a five star from me the only bad part of it I felt like it was a little too long

Whew! I have to take a rest! There was a lot going on in this book by new-to-me author Caroline Fyffe. I enjoyed both love stories and the mystery, the writing was excellent, and I loved the characters. I’d even like to see some of them in their own books. I’ll definitely read this author again.

When the book first started off, I thought, “Oh man, not another one that gets it wrong.” Then, she turned it right around and got it right. Good going! It appeared that she was going to have an illegitimate son inheriting the title – and we all know that is absolutely impossible. So – good for you Ms. Fyffe.

Beranger Northcott had a horrid childhood as the illegitimate child of the Duke of Brightshire. At the age of thirteen, he’d run away from the father who never loved him and the step-mother who mistreated him. He rode to the harbor and sold his freedom for four years as a deckhand aboard a ship, the Destiny. When his four years were up, he found himself in America where he made his fortune. Now, he’s returning to Ashbury Castle as the new Duke of Brightshire – along with his duchess, the love of his life, Emma Brinkman Northcott. They are newlywed and firmly, steadfastly and stalwartly in love – and I was so happy to see that nothing could shake that.

Emma is an American through and through. She’s an American heiress, but not the kind we usually read about - as in she's not from New York, Boston, Boston, etc. She and her four sisters inherited one of the largest, most profitable ranches in Colorado – the Five Sisters Ranch. She and her sisters are very, very close and she cannot imagine not being able to see them every day, but here she is, in England with the man with whom she fell instantly in love. 

English life as an aristocrat isn’t easy for either Beranger or Emma. Beranger has spent so many years in America that he is more American than English and Emma – well, she has a strong belief in equality and she sure isn’t finding that in England. Add to that an insufferable ‘step-mother’ who takes delight in belittling Beranger and Emma and trying to make them appear inept and you have a situation that could begin to unravel their love. However, I love that wasn’t the case – their love never wavered – no matter what was thrown at them. Even when Beranger became very ill and Emma suspected someone was poisoning him, she didn’t cower, she stood strong and guarded him like a tigress.

The second love story features Charlotte Aldridge and Tristen Llewellyn. 

Charlotte is the niece of the local bakery owner and Tristen is the nephew of the gamekeeper at Ashbury Castle. Charlotte has always felt that her Aunt Ethel hated her. She berates and belittles her constantly. Nothing Charlotte ever does is good enough and that hatred grows exponentially when Charlotte catches the eye of the new duchess and is offered a position at the castle.

Tristen is so grateful to his uncle for taking him into his home and is now very happy to fill in as gamekeeper at the castle during his uncle’s illness. His uncle could have just left him to fend for himself and with his past to haunt him, he wouldn’t have fared very well. When Tristen meets the new duke and duchess, he really likes them – and they like him in return.

Between Tristen’s secret, Charlotte’s troubling suspicions about her cousin Thomas, the possible murder of the last duke, mysterious illnesses of the new duke, the attention of Mr. Winter, and a startling revelation about Charlotte, their romance seems doomed. The road to their HEA isn’t an easy one, but it was nice to see it when it arrived.

This book left me scratching my head over a few details that didn’t feel wrapped up, but I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.