BOOK REVIEW- IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DUKE by Amelia Grey

Nearing thirty, the Duke of Rathburne is finally ready to make amends for the wager that caused him and his best friends such scandal—but taking on a ward who needs a husband is a feat he’s not sure he can manage. The last he saw of Miss Marlena Fast, she was a spirited little ruffian, not the sort of bride most bachelors on the marriage mart sought. But one glance at the lovely lady she has become is enough to convince him otherwise…

Orphaned young and shuffled from family to family, Marlena counts on her fierce independence and quick wits to keep herself content. Being the responsibility of a notoriously wicked duke who upended so many lives is an unexpected challenge when she realizes he arouses her decidedly feminine desires. Marlena must be careful. She has her own scandalous secret to protect. If he finds out, will it shatter her chances of a happily-ever-after with the notorious rake?

It's All About the Duke is the next Regency romance in The Rakes of St. James series from Amelia Grey.

AMAZON   3 STARS

I'm sorry to say that this book just wasn't my cup of tea.  It was just okay although it had possibilities.  The plot idea wasn't a bad one but I just couldn't get with it. 

Both of the main characters were good people in their own ways.  The Duke does feel bad about his youthful prank but figures it is long over and no one was really hurt long term.  He has grown up quite a bit and is more careful now but he still is not a by the book duke in some ways.   Marlena is a faithful friend to many people and she tries to help those around her.  But having grown up with older sort of "adopted" brothers she has not one speck of cowardice about her.  When she was ten everything changed in her life and she had a guardian who she had to please.  He allowed her a lot of freedom but she had all the society deemed lessons that she would need when she entered society.  She was well educated because of that. 
One bump in her road is her pushy cousin companion Justine.  What a self centered social climber.  She wasn't necessarily hateful but she sure was clueless.  Nothing was really important unless it was about her.  

The story DID have a good ending, with several problems creatively solved.

 "I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.