The Duke's Bargain - Review

The Duke's Bargain

By: Megan Walker

Expected Publication: May 5, 2026 by Shadow Mountain

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Ruined by scandal, Georgiana bargains with a duke to regain her place in Society. But their pretend friendship sparks real love, risking reputations, duty, and unexpected happily-ever-afters.

Eight months after a stolen kiss ruined her reputation, Miss Georgiana Wood is a recluse, cast out of Society without any hope of ever finding a suitable match. Longing for redemption, she never expects her salvation to arrive in the form of a handsome, temperamental duke.

After a failed bargain left the Duke of Marlow without a promised wife and heir, he must face courtship a final time. He plans to entice his future bride with a priceless family heirloom—one now in the possession of Miss Wood, who agrees to return it if he takes her on three outings in London during the Season to restore her reputation.

As the pair navigate Society’s expectations and whispered gossip, Marlow soon sees a new side to Georgiana—an ally and friend. Her wit and courage, grace and allure far exceed that of the eligible ladies he intended to court, and soon, he’d do almost anything to secure her happiness.

As Marlow wrestles with duty and desire, Georgiana begins to hope that she could be loved not despite her past, but because of who she truly is. When hearts are tested, truth and secrets revealed, will love be enough to risk it all?

First, The Duke's Bargain should really be listed as book 3 in a series with the previous two books being: Lakeshire Park and Miss Newbury's List. Georgiana was a side character in Lakeshire Park. Her brother was the main male character of that book. And she and another woman were in competition at a house party for the hand of one man. Georgiana had known him since childhood and truly couldn't comprehend that he wasn't interested in her. She kisses him in a public way, and her reputation suffers because of it. But she hasn't given up. When the Duke of Marlow shows up at her house to retrieve an heirloom that his cousin lost to Georgiana's brother, Peter, during a bit of gambling, Georgiana knows that she has to capitalize on this opportunity.

Marlow was a side character in Miss Newbury's List. He was supposed to marry Rosalind in an arranged marriage beneficial to both of them. But Rosalind fell in love with another man during that time. Marlow still needs to find a wife and produce an heir. He agrees to Georgiana's request to escort her to three events, thereby giving her his blessing to all of society. But he didn't count on falling in love with her. Nor her with him.

I really enjoyed this romance. Marlow was so cold in Miss Newbury's List, yet I did remember feeling sorry for him. And I like that Georgiana was considered a villain in Lakeshire Park. It's all about perspective. I love being able to turn things around and see them from a different angle.

Favorite quotes:

-Loneliness was an ugly, bitter hag, and I was tired of her.

-"No man can measure up to a good book."

-"I don't aim to control you, Georgiana. I only aim to please you."

-"'Dear, dear! To see how some people fling away their happiness, and then cry and weep about it, just as if it was not their own doing, and as if there was more pleasure in weeping and wailing than in being at peace.'"

-"Ours is my very favorite story, Lucas."

I definitely feel like The Duke's Bargain should be listed as the third in a series. While you could read this book independently from the previous two books, I do feel like you'd be missing a lot about the characters' stories and background. How we got to where we are is so important to appreciate the full story. The Duke's Bargain gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Duke's Bargain? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 05/03/26

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Man, this week was packed full. Monday was a normal school day. Little Boy had his last ball game of the season. They won, and they ended up winning their age group in our league because they only lost one leauge game. Big Girl also had a game. They didn't win, but it was a close one at 9 to 12. They were up to bat in the final inning and she hit a line drive that short stop robbed her of. Neither of our two base runners tagged up, so the other team got a triple play and ended our come back. Turns out about half of that team is from a travel ball team, so that made our game even more impressive to me. Tuesday, Big Boy had his second round of testing. I won't know anything about the results until later this month. We went to my parent's house after that. Big Boy's game got canceled Tuesday night because it was raining. I didn't mind the extra night at home this week because we have just been so busy. Wednesday was another normal school day. We are wrapping up a lot. We have finished our science unit for the quarter and we only have one more history lesson to wrap that up. I can't believe we only have two weeks left of school. Big Girl had pitching practice Wednesday night. And it was another emotional one. She's doing great though. The coach spent a good bit of time talking to the girls about how much of a mental game softball is, especially for the pitcher. I had to ask her if she would tell a friend the things she was telling herself. I hope that helps. Thursday, I had hoped we could go to the park, but even though it didn't rain on Thursday, everything was wet. We decided not to. Big Girl had her last ball game. Big Girl would get two strikes on almost every batter, and then they would hit or walk. She did much better staying calm, but she was really, really sad when the game was over. Mostly just that the season was over. Even though this group of girls wasn't our best team as far as knowing and playing the game, she said this group of girls was really nice, and that hasn't always been the case. Friday, we had another normal school day. Big Boy's last game was scheduled, but I just knew they would cancel it due to rain. But they let them play in the rain. We lost by one, but I was also proud of him because he played short stop in the first inning and caught a popfly. Then he got an out playing on the pitcher's mound. He had a good hit too, but he also had a piddly hit that he beat out the first baseman to the base. Saturday, the kids had a big gang of neighborhood kids riding bikes back and forth in front of our house. I always feel torn about them playing with neighborhood kids. More than one of these kids under 13 years old have a cell phone with (as far as I can tell) unfiltered access to the internet which scares me so much. I spent my day cleaning house. We've been gone every Saturday for over a month so I haven't been able to get as much done lately as I wanted, and it feels so nice to have cleaned what I did.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West (4.5 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of The Duke's Bargain by Megan Walker
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The Bad Seed

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Stranger Things Have Happened - Review

Stranger Things Have Happened

By: Kasie West

Publication: April 14, 2026 by Saturday Books

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Can fake dating lead to real love? In Kasie West's next sexy adult romcom two people must decide where the lie ends and the chemistry begins.

Sutton knows she needs therapy. After all, she’s managing her newly opened restaurant remotely while taking care of her ungrateful sick mother. Plus, her boyfriend of two years just dumped her over the phone. But does therapy with a handsome stranger, who she has to pretend to be engaged to, in order to help her friend’s struggling relationship count? Probably not. Then why did she just agree to go? Because she’s had a few too many drinks? Because this stranger, Elijah, is smug and annoying and really, really handsome? Because she feels guilty that she abandoned her best friend, Tara, after high school and this might just make up for it? Whatever the reason, she has committed to this unhinged plan.

What [...] is Sutton doing?

Helping Tara prove a point: a good therapist can tell the difference between real love and fake love. That’s what she’s doing. But as they attend their sessions, Sutton and Elijah only seem to be proving one thing—the lines between pretend desire and real desire are very blurry. This true connection forming between them is threatening to unravel everything Sutton thought she knew about family, friendship, and her own heart.

Kasie West has been a mostly auto-read author for me. Up until this year, she has written only for young adults. But within the last year, she's released two adult novels, and I'm here for it.

Sutton starts off the novel on her way to meet her boyfriend for a date since she's been out of town taking care of her mom. But her boyfriend decides to dump her over the phone instead. On top of that, she's recently opened a new restaurant with a friend and business partner that isn't getting great reviews from critics. She's not in the best place, but she's keeping it together. She runs into her high school best friend, who is engaged, the fiancé, and his brother.

Tara is trying to talk her fiancé into doing premarital counseling before the wedding, but he thinks therapy is pointless. Sutton gets pulled into a bet of sorts that a therapist couldn't even tell if two random strangers were actually in a relationship or not. But Sutton and Elijah (fiancé's brother) are the only strangers who could attempt this for Tara and fiance. Of course, Sutton and Elijah are forced to spend some time together and have some homework given to them by the therapist. They agree to do the homework to the best of their abilities to ensure they don't need to lie in their sessions and remain as truthful as possible to see if the therapist can figure things out. And of course, feelings begin to develop.

Elijah and Sutton were great. Everything about their relationship was enjoyable. Even though things kept getting thwarted. They were easy to root for. There is a little on-page spice, but there are not too many scenes if that's an issue for you.

What was a struggle was DB fiance who I haven't dignified with even a name in this review. He was easy to root against. And then Sutton's mom was so difficult as well. She was often downright mean to Sutton. I suppose there's resentment towards Sutton and thoughts that her husband wouldn't have left, but she was just so awful to her that it was hard to read. Caregiving is hard work, but compound that with trying to care for someone who degrades you, and that's what she was facing.

Overall, Stranger Things Have Happened was a fun, fast read for me. I am actually giving Stranger Things Have Happened 4.5 Stars because of how real and connected I felt to the story. Have you read Stranger Things Have Happened? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 04/26/26

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

It was back to school and routines after our vacation the week before. Monday was a normal school day. All three kids had ball games Monday night. I took Little Boy, and Husband had double duty. Big Girl got to play on the local high school field. The boys started playing in a regional week long midseason tournament. They both lost their pool games Monday and Thursday, but that just puts us in a lower bracket for the tournament. Tuesday we didn't have any activities. Normally we would go to my parent's house and hang out and get groceries, but our schedule had to be a little different this week. Wednesday, we had normal school. Little Boy did have to stay late for end of the year testing. It isn't too intense or anything, and he did well. Wednesday, Big Girl did have pitching practice. Thursday, we went to my parents. I dropped two off. And Big Boy had some testing done. We're trying to rule out some potential things like dyslexia and such. Anyway, we went back to my parent's house. And then all three kids had ball games again. I went to Big Girl's game and then to Big Boy's after that. Bracket games started Friday night. So we had two games instead of three. Little Boy's team lost by 1 and that shut down their chances for a bracket championship. Big Boy's team won. So we went on to play Saturday morning. Saturday morning's game was a shut out. They had their bats moving and defense was spot on. We spent the rest of the day doing various yard work things.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of Brimstone (Fae & Alchemy, # 2) by Callie Hart (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Tempest (The Lyrian Sea, # 1) by Victoria Aveyard
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Be Kind

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The Bad Seed

NEW BOOKS:

A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams – A Historical Novel of the Woman Who Helped Shape America from the Shadows

By: Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

Narrated By: Cassandra Campbell

Publication: May 5, 2026 by William Morrow Paperbacks

464 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, American Revolution

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--In time for the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the United States comes a sweeping, intimate portrayal of Abigail Adams—wife of one president and mother to another—whose wit, willpower, and wisdom helped shape the fledgling republic. A stunning historical novel with modern-day implications from the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter and My Dear Hamilton.

In the heart of revolutionary Boston, Abigail Adams raises her children amid riots, blockades, and the outbreak of war. While her husband, John Adams, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder, often away for years at a time, Abigail builds her own independence—managing their farm, making lucrative investments, amassing savings, battling plague and loss, and defending their home. Unafraid to speak her mind, she famously offers fearless political counsel, urging John to “remember the ladies” in the new government. Through it all, she becomes his most trusted confidante and indispensable ally.

When peace is secured, Abigail steps onto the world stage—exchanging ideas with Thomas Jefferson in the French countryside, navigating court life as the wife of the Minister to Great Britain, and presiding over the parlor politics of the early American republic in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Even after her husband’s presidential administration, she continues battling political foes and working behind the scenes to advance her family, secure independence for the women in her life, and ensure a better life for the next generation of Americans.

From war-torn streets to the chandeliered halls of power, A Founding Mother is the unforgettable story of a woman ahead of her time—one whose voice, vision, and valor still resonate powerfully today.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Homeschool Friday - Be Kind

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

Be Kind

By: Pat Zietlow Miller

Illustrated By: Jen Hill

Publication: February 6, 2018 by Roaring Brook Press

32 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Friendship, Fiction, Manners

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate link. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--A picture book about the power of kindness.

When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind. From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving and thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference--or at least help a friend.

We've had Be Kind for a long time. I'm always looking for books that have good morals. Be Kind does a great job of showcasing diversity without it being forced. Be Kind is a story about a girl who witnesses a friend at school spill grape juice on herself. The main character (I don't think we ever learn her name) is wondering how to help her friend feel better. So she goes through the process of thinking through some things that might help Tanisha and what it means to be kind.

I know that Accelerated Reader wasn't a perfect program, but I do like to use it as a guide to figure out which books are on my child's reading level. Be Kind is listed as a 2.2 Level book. There were a few names that were a struggle for my son. Tanisha, Rabbi Mandelbaum, Desmond. For the most part, he didn't need much help other than those names.

Be Kind is my favorite kind of picture book. It has a great message. The illustrations are meaningful to the story. And my child didn't fight me about reading it. Be Kind gets 5 Stars. Have you or your child read Be Kind? What did you think? Let me know!