Last Duke Standing by Julia London: Review

I knew Julia London’s books from her cowboy stories, not her Regency historical romance books. So I thought I would check out and review her upcoming release and see what it was all about.

A bit of a twist with a Princess in the lead, this was a very slow burn with a sweet ending. Continue on for my full review.

Last Duke Standing by Julia London
Publisher: ‎ HQN; Original edition (February 22, 2022)
ISBN-13: 978-1335639868‏

OVERVIEW:
Charming. Cheeky. Cunning.

When Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is sent to England to learn the ropes of royalty, she falls under the tutelage of none other than Queen Victoria herself. Justine’s also in the market for a proper husband—one fit to marry the future queen of Wesloria.

Because he knows simply everyone, William, Lord Douglas (the notoriously rakish heir to the Duke of Hamilton seat in Scotland, and decidedly not husband material), is on hand as an escort of sorts. William has been recruited to keep an eye on the royal matchmaker for the Weslorian prime minister, tasked to ensure the princess is matched with a man of quality…and one who will be sympathetic to the prime minister’s views.

As William and Justine are forced to scrutinize an endless parade of England’s best bachelors, they become friends. But when the crowd of potential grooms is steadily culled, what if William is the last bachelor standing?

Last Duke Standing by Julia London Review

You can’t help but love a romance with a Princess in it! Especially when said Princess is so misunderstood and continually surrounded by those that discount everything she is or does.

You feel her pain and realize how thankful you are to not be in the same situation. Manipulation is the name of the game in Justine’s life. Sad and quite awful really.

London certainly developed some interesting characters to fill out this story. They are ones you have definite feelings for… good and bad! I know I sure did! Her sister is quite the brat! There are a few other ones I really hated!

But Will, he is a sweetheart and I loved their subtle flirting, their lively banter, and their slow-to-grow love. They were a beautiful balance for each other. London nailed the ending that brought the story together in the most delightful way. It truly made the book for me.

A few tough spots with the way Will spoke made the flow of the book stumble a bit for me. Overall, Last Duke Standing is a Princess of a story that leaves you celebrating the sweet outcome!

4 STARS!

Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.