The Duke’s Embrace by Erica Ridley

The Duke's Embrace by Erica Ridley
Series: 12 Dukes of Christmas Series Book #7
on January 26, 2026
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency
Pages: 204
Goodreads

From a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author:Unpaid and under-appreciated journalist Miss Eve Shelling never goes anywhere without a trusty notebook and her overprotective Duenna—who happens to be a bullmastiff. Eve learned the hard way that men are not to be trusted. She's definitely not falling head-over-heels for the deceptively charming subject of her front-page columnLocal blacksmith Monsieur Sébastien le Duc is the pillar of his community—when he's not pillaging elsewhere. He's a rakish dandy with a heart of stolen gold and two teeny tiny secrets. One happens to be a wee international smuggling operation. The other involves losing his heart to an ambitious journalist determined to expose the truth at any cost…The 12 Dukes of Christmas is a series of heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. Twelve delightful romances… and plenty of delicious dukes!

The Duke’s Embrace by Erica Ridley is book 7 in the 12 Dukes of Christmas Series. I have loved each of Ridley’s stories. They can truly be read as stand-alone books. I think this hero was one of my favorites. Monsieur Sebastien le Duc is a dandy – an incredibly masculine dandy. That sets him apart from most Regency character heroes. In other books, a dandy ( someone who is unduly devoted to style and appearance) is generally seen as foppish. But in The Duke’s Embrace, Sebastien is an incredibly masculine blacksmith. “She let her gaze linger on the muscles of his upper arm, on the breadth of his strong shoulders, on the thrilling familiarity of his wide, firm mouth and how sensual it had felt against her own.” There is a very steamy sex scene. Looking forward to the next book in this series.