Joint Xmas Discussion: Once Upon a Duke

Hello all! Carole and I will be discussing "Once Upon a Duke" by Erica Ridley. I am in orange and Carole in green.

Author: Erica Ridley

Title: Once Upon a Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas #1)

Genre: Historical Romance

Published:  October 9th 2018 

Pages: ebook

Due to the terms of an estranged relative's will, the Duke of Silkridge must revisit the cold, unforgiving mountains where he lost everything he once loved. As soon as he rights his family legacy, he'll return to London where he belongs. He definitely won't rekindle the forbidden spark crackling between him and the irresistible spitfire he'd left behind...

Noelle Pratchett is immune to charming rakehells like the arrogant duke. He stole her heart, stole her first kiss, and then stole away one night never to return. Now he's back—and so are all the old feelings. Noelle knows he won't stay. But how can she maintain her icy shields when every heated glance melts her to her core?

Our Christmas story :)

Yess. We needed to read something Christmas-y for the holiday season. 

Buuuuuut, omg it was very dull, and SO FREAKING over the top.

Ugh yess, I have to agree. I think it would’ve worked better as a short story. This just dragged on and on. Easy solution and they are being dumb and stubborn. :/

Perfect as a short story. A long, nope just nope. I hated all the townsfolk at the end. What was wrong with that village. I understood why he wanted to be far far away. His grandad was a dick. And all the side characters thrown in on like every page. We get it, they are getting their own books. But I do not want t mee them all now

I honestly don’t get WHY the grandad was such a dick to him. The reasoning didn’t really warrant him to be like that. I mean...I guess people get bitter over stupid stuff all the time, but this seemed really unrealistic. And yesss I wanted to shake that Virgina lady. Her philosophical quotes annoyed me. I would be like Benjamin and not want to live in that town. 

I hated that everyone loved his stupid grand father, all while the same person was a total dick to his ONLY grand son. Yes, it made no sense. And then to come there and have everyone throw it in your face what a wonderful wonderful sweet lovely magical person his granddad is. Uh, thanks, but he is a total dick to me.

Yea - I wouldn’t want to go there. And all the dang hoops that man made Benjamin do to get his locket? Wth? Not cool. And all those townsfolk were all “eh - oh well he must’ve had his reasons.” WHAT?! Drove me up the wall. 

Poor Benjamin, I felt so sorry for him, to be in that hellish town. I guess we were meant to love it and the people, but just no. Benjamin was not the scrooge of this story. This was clearly hell.

I did kinda like that aspect… I was ready for him to just hate Christmas because he is a scrooge, but he was actually in the right and had good reasons to hate the holiday and the town. 

A Scrooge that is right then :) I agree

Noelle’s freakout near the end made me roll my eyes. She didn’t even wait two minutes. She just ran off. Like girl. Maybe he was going to the bathroom???? Calm down lady!

Lol. Yes we clearly picked the wrong holiday read. This was a mess

Ugh I know. But it was a freebie...sooooooooooooo we had a 50/50 chance to have a winner or a meh. 

And it turned into a meh. I would not recommend it, and I would not read more. I do not need 11 more Dukes.

Nooo I don’t think I would either. It should’ve been a short story and less side character trying to take over the spotlight. Maybe I’d like something else by the author. Her writing wasn’t bad, but I had issues with the story itself. 

I have read her before and liked the books, but here, one hellish town, and too many annoying people showing up.

Yeaaaaa...not a good formula for this. Not the Christmas book I was hoping it would be. 

Better luck next time :/

New year coming up! I think we had a pretty good year with our discussions. Some super meh, some really good. Curious to see what we do for Jan!

We did great this Fall, thanks Bishop! I hope we have some winners next year too :)

Thanks Bishop! And thanks B for making me try the series ;) It was well worth it!!

YES :D

:D The end to the last discussion of 2019?

Until next year