Review: Bringing Down the Duke
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore was one book I had been meaning to get to for MONTHS and with the release of his sequel this Fall, I realized I needed to get to it. And honestly, I couldn’t have chosen a better Romance for the beginning of Fall. This book is cozy, romantic, and steamy, with a setting that is reminiscent of your favorite classics like Austen and the Bronte sister. With a little more time in the bedroom.
Synopsis: “England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.
Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring...or could he?
Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke….” -From the Publisher
My Thoughts
What I Liked:
The cozy vibes—I loved the setting of this book. I love England, especially London and Oxford. There’s something so magical about the English countryside and it was even better that it took place during December!
The discussion on gender norms—I hesitate to label a lot books “feminist” because as I’ve learned in the last few years, it’s not feminism unless it’s intersectional feminism. But I did love the focus and commentary on societal gender norms in this romance novel.
The Language—it truly felt like a classic ala Austen or Bronte.
What Didn’t Work:
I didn’t *love* the lead characters and didn’t find myself swooning too hard over the love story.
The pacing—Everything fell a little flat for me.
TW/CW: Mention of miscarriage, mention of infidelity, mention of illness
Steam Rating: 3/5 Character Authenticity: 3/5 Overall Rating: 3.5/5