seriously romantic: a duke like no other by valerie bowman

when estranged husband and wife, mark and nicole, make a devil's bargain, they both will pay a price. the thing is the price of reuniting, even if it's for duty's sake (on his part) and for a baby (on hers), might be worth paying. in a duke like no other, mark and nicole need to learn who they've each become in the ten years since their disastrous marriage.

they're older, wiser, and still as in love with each other as ever. as much as they try to deny this or willfully not see what is right in front of them. i enjoyed their reunion, i liked both mark and nicole as characters. i was also so frustrated by the misunderstandings that lay between them. i struggle with these second-chance stories because i often find the reasons for the original falling out to be so stupid that i can't understand how the characters let it harm their relationship so irrevocably.

it probably has to do with the fact that i consider holding grudges a waste of energy. and like sure this is about true love and whatever, but i feel like if the love had been true you would have fought harder for it in the first place. so anyway, i have issues. but if these kind of estranged spouse stories are your jam, this is a good one.

**a duke like no other will publish on may 1, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/st. martin's press (st. martin's paperbacks) in exchange for my honest review.