Blog Tour: Last Duke Standing Review

 Hello, all!

Does anyone else want to read all the romance books during February? If you're looking to squeeze one more in before the end of month, look no further than Last Duke Standing by Julia London. Big thanks to the publisher for having me as part of the blog tour!

Pub Date: 2-22-22
Adult - Historical Romance

With her father ill, Crown Princess Justine is to inherit the throne of Wesloria sooner than expected. But before she can do so, she needs a little, ahem, polish. Justine is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty from none other than Queen Victoria herself. Between lessons of comportment, Justine must also find herself a husband suitable for her standing. At the very bottom of that list is Lord William Douglas, the future Duke of Hamilton.

William is a notorious rake, but Justine's advisors have decided to use him to their advantage. Everyone who's everyone knows William, making him the perfect escort of sorts. William is tasked with keeping an eye on Justine and making sure that the royal matchmaker they've paired her with picks a man befitting the Weslorian crown. Justine and William have no choice but to put past slights behind them and work together. The more time they spend scrutinizing the English nobility, the closer they become. What if the perfect choice for a husband has been right in front of Justine the whole time?

This was my first book by London, and it was so much fun! I loved how cheeky the writing was. There was so much flirty banter between Justine and William, and I was here for every moment! I can't deny a hate-to-love romance, and the animosity and tension between them was *chefs kiss*. I found William charming and liked him right off the bat, but it took me a while to warm up to Justine. I thought she was a little rude and uppity, but she grew on me by the end. I liked watching them open up and start to realize how much they mean to one another. My only complaint is that I felt the pacing was a little slow at times but other than that I enjoyed this.

Rating: 3/5