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.

I liked the book alot. it was a little long but interesting all the same. I espesially liked Emma and Charlotte, the two main characters of the book. They became fierce and strong women throughout the book.

It has been almost a decade since I have read anything by Caroline Fyffe. When I requested this story from Netgalley, I wasn’t aware An American Duchess was the sequel to Heart of Mine, part of the Colorado Hearts series. Fortunately, it can be read as a standalone.

The problem I ran into was the plot followed two couples or four MCs. Emma and Beranger from Heart of Mine was the established twosome. In addition, there was a slowly-developed romance between Charlotte and Tristen, or will it be Justin?

The setting took place during Victorian times and two of the people were in domestic positions. They developed a friendship with Emma -a new duchess- and, with caution, accepted an immediate promotion. Other characters had a difficult time accepting this. Meanwhile, the reader was expected to take an immediate leap of faith.

About halfway in, two cowboys- former co-workers of Emma’s from America- visited her new home. It was distracting. As this was happening, Beranger was struck down with an unusual illness. And all along, his deceased father’s wife treated the new duke and duchess with snobbery and what bordered as hate.

~~~~~
To sum it up, there were two romances, a love triangle, a sudden mysterious illness, two visiting cattlemen and a nasty stepmother. I felt as though too much was going on and I found the writing syntax awkward. I liked Emma -and Charlotte- but I would have preferred ’less is more’.

*Thank you to Ms. Fyffe, Montlake Romance and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this story. I was given it for an honest review.*

After the death of the previous Duke of Brightshire under potentially mysterious circumstances, the heir, Beranger Northcott has just returned to England to assume his newfound responsibilities with his new American bride in tow. Emma Northcott is hoping not to embarrass her husband with her lack of knowledge of English customs, meanwhile her adoring husband worries she won't be content in England. Soon it becomes apparent that their happiness may not be the most pressing concern. Indeed, their very lives may be threatened.

Meanwhile the new duchess bonds with the new kitchen maid Charlotte Aldridge and Charlotte explores a belowstairs romance of her own, setting the tongues of the staff wagging. Both women share similar dreams and suspicions despite their differences in station and with Emma not knowing who to trust, their friendship becomes all the stronger.

This book has a rather dark, gothic tone that put me in mind of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. It was quite different from what I usually read and it did take me a bit to get into it, but once I did I couldn't put it down. You're left wondering who to trust the whole time and then glorying in the triumph of Emma and Charlotte as they come into their own. I definitely enjoyed this one, even more than I myself expected to.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A riveting tale about a woman becoming a duchess and having no clue what she’s doing. I adored this and I want to be a duchess so hard it hurts.

Hmmmm. How to word this correctly? Well, I enjoyed this book even with the glaring loopholes that frustrated me no end. A historical romance written competently with just enough mystery thrown in to spice up matters and a sweet love story underlining the whole is just junk food for the soul. It makes you happy and satisfied and wants you to keep coming back for more. This book certainly ticked all those boxes. 

The best parts are obviously the strong female characters, which I always enjoy. Both women in this story are strong, hard-working and intelligent to the core which makes things that much more interesting. Also, there are no frivolous running around and fainting spells –another great plus for me. The men in the story are suitably dark and handsome and mysterious. It may sound weird but I thought the Gamekeeper was more attractive than the Duke! Somehow, the poor Duke appeared to be a pretty washed out version of himself and was mostly delegated to the background as the women battled it out center stage.

Spoilers Ahead : 

The parts that frustrated me were the first bit when we realize that the American duchess is already installed in place and we are just getting introduced to her now. The first chapter deals with another character entirely and I was just trying to figure out how she would ever become an American duchess when I realized that she would not. This was actually a very good writing device because it completely threw me off for a bit. So much so that I had to leave the book for a few days and then come back to it once I got over this clever deception on the part of the author.

The second bit was the strange and complete trust that the duchess bestows on complete strangers. It was disconcerting to say the least. And while one can still come to grips with that part of the story, the most unbelievable bit was the dinner that the duchess invited the baker and the gamekeeper to. It was so unbelievable that it could certainly only ever happen in a book. Could the Duchess not see how elevating people from below stairs to the high table one day and then throwing them back to their own devices the next was unbearably cruel? Also, we have sen enough Downton Abbey to know that the Upper and Lower floors must NEVER mix. There is a very obvious high American moral ground with the American heiress showing the path of equality and acceptance to her English cousins, which is alright if a bit too obvious. 

This book is one in a series that follows the lives if 5 sisters who live on a ranch in America and I am intrigued enough to try and complete the set if I can get my hands on them.

Beranger Northcutt and his American wife Emma have returned to England so he can take his rightful place as the Duke of Brightshire. To say that Emma is nervous would be an understatement. She doesn't know how to be a Duchess and the last thing she wants to do is bring shame and embarrassment to her husband. But she's determined to do her best.

What she didn't expect was to be undermined by her new in-laws at every turn. Sure, they seem nice and helpful when Beranger is around. But the moment he's not? All bets are off. She finds herself seeking solace and strength from not only her husband, but her new friends as well.

But when Beranger suddenly falls ill, Emma not only finds her voice, but her determination as well. She will get to the bottom of what's going on and no one will get in her way. She plans to live a long and happy life with Beranger in their new home in England.

I really enjoyed watching Emma and Beranger get acclimated to their new surroundings. It definitely wasn't easy for them, but they pushed through and refused to let anyone bring them down. I enjoyed the mystery that was woven into the story. I found myself trying to figure out what in the world was going on and who was behind it. Sadly, I felt like there were some things that were left undone in the end. The resolution to the mystery fell a little flat for me. I wanted a just a little bit more.

I have to admit, when I read a book with multiple POV's, I'm used to it only being the hero and heroine. But this book follows two heroes, two heroines, and a couple other POV's thrown into the mix. This is not something I would typically read and had to keep switching from person to person in my head. I've discovered that I'm not a fan of this many POV's.

All in all, I enjoyed An American Duchess and thought it was cute. I'm looking forward to checking out more of Ms. Fyffe's books.

*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.*

When Beranger Northcott arrives to take his rightful place as Duke of Brightshire, the entire household is turned on its head by his new wife, Emma. Emma is an American from Colorado. Overnight, she’s gone from working on a ranch to being a duchess. Although she wants to do her best to fit into society and with Beranger’s family, she finds no welcome from his stepmother and stepsister. Instead, she befriends an orphaned girl named Charlotte, who’s taking her cousin’s place in as a scullery maid until her cousin is well again. They quickly become close, which is a solace to Emma as she finds the household more and more unfriendly as time goes on. Will Emma ever feel at home in England, or was marrying a duke and sailing away from her family a mistake?

I wanted to like this book, and for the first half, I was enjoying it. I liked Emma and Charlotte a lot. They both had interesting personalities and inner lives. I liked the way Charlotte was unfailingly polite and gracious when people were cruel to her–and they often were. I also liked Emma’s relationship with Beranger. You could really see the love and why she’d made the choices that she had.

The problem was, about halfway through, it just seemed too many unbelievable things happened. Without going into too much detail, it was all a little too contrived. I also didn’t like the resolutions to either mystery that crops up in the story. The writing also kind of unraveled and the characters became a little samey sounding. It just felt silly and pointless and by the end, I was irritated and glad to be done.

The strength of this novel are the characters and their relationships with each other, but the events and plot are very thin and ultimately not very enjoyable.

The plot of this novel is interesting: American newlywed Beranger, returns to England after being absent for 16 years. He is now a duke and his Colorado bride, Emma is his duchess.

I found the execution of the story lacking, however. The writing is fairly unsophisticated and might appeal more to YA readers. There are minimal errors, although "slake your thirst" rather than "sake your thirst" is the correct expression.

The contrast between the uptight, class-conscious British and the "we're all equal" Americans is portrayed humorously, especially when two cowboys put on an impromptu show. I've never heard of females inheriting dukedoms; therefore, Lady Audrey's chagrin over being cut from the line of succession totally confused me. Charlotte is delightful and her origins reveal is satisfying. The identity of the villain does not come as *complete* surprise, although the individual was not my first guess. All in all, an easy, enjoyable read.

4 stars - Carefully interwoven character arcs create an appealing tapestry with conjoined happily-ever-afters

This is a part of the lovely Colorado Hearts series & is essentially a sequel to book 3, where Beranger and Emma first meet and fall in love. Since I have not had the opportunity to read book 3 yet, I can assure you that it in no way impeded my understanding and enjoyment of this story. (Like all series, however, the reader's growing familiarity & affection for the characters will enhance each successive book)

The story revolves around Emma & Beranger's relationship as newlyweds and adapting to their strange new life. As well as the romantic triangle that develops between Charlotte, Tristen, & Justin.

There are also several mysteries i that develop and serve to draw the main characters increasingly closer together.

I love Emma; she is a Brinkman sister after all. However, Charlotte is my favorite in this story. She's a wonderful cinderella character - the type who is stuck in an abusive situation but transcends it rather than allowing it to define her or pull her under. While not overtly Christian, her thoughts & actions are consistent with those of an aspiring Christian who is preaching without words.

Towards the end of the story there are a few plot points that are too contrived and those triggered my inner skeptic, but I reminded her that we were enjoying the ride so hush. 😉

Clean romance level: passionate kissing

As always I enjoy any book by Caroline Fyffe. This one was a nice surprise. Set in England instead of the west and I thought it was beautifully written. The attention to detail, the family dynamics were great. The twists and turns this story took were unexpected and kept me on the egde of my seat. I never expected the outcome! And it was nice to see Emma and Beranger in a new setting. And seeing a new couple, another sweet love story blossom is just icing on the cake.

Everything was new and a little frightening for Emma. A small town girl was now a duchess. And had not a clue what was expected of her. But her humble ways and charming spirit win over the household quickly. All but Beranger's stepmother. I don't think anything could wipe the frown off of that face. The outright hatred Emma feels from her towards her husband is a red flag and when Berenger begins getting sick, only one person comes to mind.

Beranger is happy to be back home. To see all of his old friends and the ones he considers family. All he wants is to be good to his people and help in any way he can. And love Emma and any children they might have forever. But disturbing happenings are occurring and his fears grow. Can he keep Emma safe with his sudden sickness hitting him? What is happeneing to him? With only his trusted ones by his side he must find the answer to these problems and more. Can't wait to see more from Caroline!!

AN AMERICAN DUCHESS – Caroline Fyffe

Colorado Hearts

Historical Fiction

England – 1881

The Duke of Brightshire has returned to England after being found by a family member when the last duke died. Beranger Northcott and his American born wife were stunned when Lord Harry found them and broke the news. Beranger ran away from Ashbury when he heard his father discussing sending him to Italy with Beranger’s stepmother. Until recently, Beranger had thought he was the illegitimate son of the duke, only to discover that the duke had married his mother, but kept it secret. Now he is returning to Ashbury to take over the family estates after spending much of his adult life in America making his fortune. Unsure of what he will find upon his return, still Beranger knows with his lovely wife by his side, all will be well.

Emma Brinkman Northcott feels as if she is living a dream. She and her four sisters have been running a successful cattle ranch in Colorado, and now she is married and, even more amazing, a real duchess. Hoping that she can adjust to this strange new life and not embarrass her husband, Emma is determined to learn all she can, hopefully from her step-mother-in-law, and Beranger’s half-sister, Audrey. But their welcome, while cordial, is frosty at best. It’s obvious that the dowager duchess isn’t happy about Beranger’s return. And Lady Audrey isn’t all that hospitable either. Emma bravely smiles and is ready to support her husband, but she will watch her back, and Beranger’s too.

Charlotte works at the bakeshop for her aunt, who makes it abundantly clear that she’s done the girl a favor by raising her after her mother (the baker’s sister) dies. Charlotte works hard, has learned the trade well, and tries to keep the peace. However, one day while delivering bread, she witnesses some strange behavior by one of the locals. Keeping it to herself, Charlotte hopes it’s nothing bad. Later, she meets the gamekeeper’s nephew, Tristen, a new arrival in the area, and they become friends.

Emma and Beranger find that Ashbury has some financial issues, and having the frowning, sharp-tongued dowager duchess and her daughter around add to the negativity. When something Emma treasures is stolen, the newlyweds are sure that someone in the house is causing havoc. Is it too obviously the dowager? Or is there someone else working against the young couple?

AN AMERICAN DUCHESS is a romance, as well as a very interesting mystery. Readers may think they know the answers, but they may be surprised. Well written with a very different premise, and some engaging characters, I highly recommend AN AMERICAN DUCHESS. Please check out the author’s webpage for previous novels in Colorado Hearts series. http://www.carolinefyffe.com/

After reading Heart of Mine, which is my absolute favorite book in the Colorado Hearts Series,
I fell in love with Emma and Beranger. In my review, I mentioned my wish that they get a
spin-off series of their very own. Imagine my delight when I found out that An American Duchess was the next book being released by Caroline. I loved this story even more and fell deeper in love with Emma and Beranger. Caroline did an amazing job writing about Victorian society. I really hope that there will be more Victorian tales to come!

“I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.”

Emma Brinkman Northcott has married a Duke, which makes her a Duchess. She is leaving Eden, Colorado and her sisters to travel to England to start a life with her new husband. Once in her new home Emma meets those who welcome her and as she tries so hard to live up to the expectations of her new station in life, there are those who want nothing to do with her “American” ways. There are also those who wish her husband had never returned to his childhood home.

Ms. Fyffe has added a new flavor in the Brinkman Sisters Series by having Emma’s story take place in the beautiful Country of England with the mystery of a “who dun nit”. This story takes place in a setting much different than her familiar Colorado but she does a wonderful job with the telling of Emma’s story. This author has a beautiful style of writing and having her story take place across the pond is icing on the cake for the readers this go around. She knows her characters really well, there are vivid descriptions of the homes, the country side, as well as the plot of the story flows very smoothly and is a joy to read. Also, there is more than one romance in the story as we get a look at Emma and Beranger’s life as a married couple and we also get to know Charlotte, the niece of the town baker who befriends Emma right from the start. There is also more than one mystery in the plot as well, as we walk through Charlotte’s changes in her life and the fun road to her happy ever after.

Once again this author has allowed me to escape to another time and place, getting a peak into a time where people lived a much slower pace of life but finding that relationships are the same no matter the century or circumstance. A lovely story I know I will re-read time and again.

This book is a fabulous read! There are heart-stopping moments as well as romantic adventures in this story. I absolutely love the Colorado Hearts series about five sisters who inherit their father's ranch, along with some businesses in the town of Eden. I was astounded when Emma Brinkman, the middle sister, met the love of her life, married, and then moved with him back to England. Beranger Northcott, now a Duke, was called back to fulfill his duty in the homeland. It was to be a grand adventure for Emma, who not only was a rancher but also owned the local mine in Eden.
This book is the new life Emma Brinkman Northcott now has in Brightshire, Kent, England. I have to admit that I started this wonderful story and didn't stop until dinner time; it is compelling, fascinating and mysterious, all wrapped up into one new book. Can Emma learn her new role as Duchess; will her mother-in-law accept this commoner; and, where will she find friends in this village or within the castle itself. There are so many servants, helpers, caretakers, cooks and general help that she is amazed. After all, where would the inhabitants of the local hamlet work if it wasn't in the Ashbury Castle.
Everything you would ever want in a story-line is in this book. This author did an amazing job of writing to keep her fans gripped in the adventures surrounding the 500 year old castle of the Duke of Brightshire. The new life for Emma and the love of her life, Beranger, starts on page one and continues with intensity right up to the End. Loved it!

What a anice change of pace. Instead of an American marrying an Englishman and adopting all the ways of his country, Emma strives to bring America to his family and estate. Emma doesn't understand the class system, or even care for it. She would rather treat everyone as equals and goes a long way in doing so. A bit of intrique, a bit of the old West and a bit a romance - all make for a pretty darn near perfect book.

A romance that looks at the issues American women had marrying into the upper crust of England. This novel has a couple who were in love and married before he claimed his title, thus making this a pure romance versus the harsher look at "title-grabbing-Americans" and "money-hungry-impoverished-English upper crust". Perfect for those wanting the happy before and the happy after.