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hanvnah's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
vervain's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
lauramegan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jotyler2021's review against another edition
3.0
Good story, but way too talkie. The main couple spend forever having long drawn out conversations that took whole chapters to finish at times. I've read books like that before, but this is the first time in a while where I found myself really annoyed by it.
Hopefully book two will be more to the point.
Hopefully book two will be more to the point.
beckymmoe's review against another edition
5.0
Loved!
Henry and Irene are great characters, and their enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story was so much fun to read (though, really...why does it always take dukes so long to realize that hello, they're dukes and they can do what they want in life?) Henry's grand gesture was over-the-top fantastic (a thousand sighs, really!), and now I can't wait to see what Clara's book is going to bring!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
Henry and Irene are great characters, and their enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story was so much fun to read (though, really...why does it always take dukes so long to realize that hello, they're dukes and they can do what they want in life?) Henry's grand gesture was over-the-top fantastic (a thousand sighs, really!), and now I can't wait to see what Clara's book is going to bring!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
kazen's review against another edition
2.0
Review:
I have mixed feelings about this book - the good parts were good, but the parts that annoyed me really annoyed me. Let's break it down, shall we?
The good:
- The internal conflict is thick and delicious. There isn't a lot of external, moving around plot, but the inner lives of our couple keeps the story moving nicely.
- There are two instances where love crosses class lines, each different in their own way.
- Guhrke obviously researched the 1890s and revels in the slang and phrasing of the period. It's a breath of fresh air for those of us who usually read in Regency-land.
- Irene is a strong woman and is involved in issues of the day, first and foremost getting women the vote.
The not-so-good:
- Irene's views match our modern views almost perfectly, to the point that she feels like she's parachuted in to re-legislate the Victorian era in long discussions with Henry. Women should get able to go to university, become doctors, vote, run a newspaper, have sex outside of marriage... I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Oh, and high society can go hang. I'm for every single one of these things, but Irene talks of little else. It grates.
- Henry pushes back as well as he can, pointing out how this or that social norm exists for a reason. Irene is uncompromising, though, and...
- ...the resolution boils down to Henry agreeing with Irene in every way and rearranging his entire mindset and worldview to match hers. I would have liked more of a compromise - "I guess I'll learn how to be a dutchess" doesn't count.
- The way they finally get together for sex is more finagling than anything else. I didn't feel the love.
While I'm disappointed by the characters the writing is solid so I can see myself picking up another book by Guhrke. This was my first - can you recommend a better place to start?
I have mixed feelings about this book - the good parts were good, but the parts that annoyed me really annoyed me. Let's break it down, shall we?
The good:
- The internal conflict is thick and delicious. There isn't a lot of external, moving around plot, but the inner lives of our couple keeps the story moving nicely.
- There are two instances where love crosses class lines, each different in their own way.
- Guhrke obviously researched the 1890s and revels in the slang and phrasing of the period. It's a breath of fresh air for those of us who usually read in Regency-land.
- Irene is a strong woman and is involved in issues of the day, first and foremost getting women the vote.
The not-so-good:
- Irene's views match our modern views almost perfectly, to the point that she feels like she's parachuted in to re-legislate the Victorian era in long discussions with Henry. Women should get able to go to university, become doctors, vote, run a newspaper, have sex outside of marriage... I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Oh, and high society can go hang. I'm for every single one of these things, but Irene talks of little else. It grates.
- Henry pushes back as well as he can, pointing out how this or that social norm exists for a reason. Irene is uncompromising, though, and...
- ...the resolution boils down to Henry agreeing with Irene in every way and rearranging his entire mindset and worldview to match hers. I would have liked more of a compromise - "I guess I'll learn how to be a dutchess" doesn't count.
- The way they finally get together for sex is more finagling than anything else. I didn't feel the love.
While I'm disappointed by the characters the writing is solid so I can see myself picking up another book by Guhrke. This was my first - can you recommend a better place to start?
bandherbooks's review against another edition
4.0
After his mother is given scandalous advice from one Lady Truelove, the Duke of Torquil decides he must find out who the advice columnist is and make the offending writer fix her error.
To Torquil's dismay, Lady Truelove is the utterly beguiling and entirely, unsuitably modern Miss Irene Deverill. A Suffragist! The horror!
Firmly believing in her advice to Torquil's mother, Irene refuses to stop publishing the gossip and her advice column in the newspaper she took over from her drunk father. Unfortunately, her father still owns the paper and in exchange for the Duke's assistance in presenting Irene and her sister to society, he has agreed to sell the paper to Torquil!
Torquil gives Irene an ultimate, stop his mother's upcoming nuptials to the younger, poor Italian artist she eloped with based on Lady Truelove's advice, or lose her paper.
Irene, torn between her morals and her ambitions, agrees but instead hopes to change the Duke's mind.
Two stubborn hearts, a Duke steeped in tradition and wary of love, and a woman intent on changing history, this is a classic enemies to lovers tale sure to melt the iciest of hearts.
I adored Irene's shirtwaists and ties, her convictions, and her willingness to explore an affair with the Duke with no marriage in mind. She doesn't want to be a Duchess, but she wants him. Torquil was an icy Duke of an imperious nature, with a soft, sexy heart he forgot he even had. I loved seeing Irene melt him down.
I also enjoyed all the sexy consent. There is a great love scene that showcases Torquil's willingness to stop, no matter what, if that is what Irene wants. More of this please!
I will definitely be reading the next books in this series. I'm glad I tried another Guhrke, as I didn't really enjoy my first.
To Torquil's dismay, Lady Truelove is the utterly beguiling and entirely, unsuitably modern Miss Irene Deverill. A Suffragist! The horror!
Firmly believing in her advice to Torquil's mother, Irene refuses to stop publishing the gossip and her advice column in the newspaper she took over from her drunk father. Unfortunately, her father still owns the paper and in exchange for the Duke's assistance in presenting Irene and her sister to society, he has agreed to sell the paper to Torquil!
Torquil gives Irene an ultimate, stop his mother's upcoming nuptials to the younger, poor Italian artist she eloped with based on Lady Truelove's advice, or lose her paper.
Irene, torn between her morals and her ambitions, agrees but instead hopes to change the Duke's mind.
Two stubborn hearts, a Duke steeped in tradition and wary of love, and a woman intent on changing history, this is a classic enemies to lovers tale sure to melt the iciest of hearts.
I adored Irene's shirtwaists and ties, her convictions, and her willingness to explore an affair with the Duke with no marriage in mind. She doesn't want to be a Duchess, but she wants him. Torquil was an icy Duke of an imperious nature, with a soft, sexy heart he forgot he even had. I loved seeing Irene melt him down.
I also enjoyed all the sexy consent. There is a great love scene that showcases Torquil's willingness to stop, no matter what, if that is what Irene wants. More of this please!
I will definitely be reading the next books in this series. I'm glad I tried another Guhrke, as I didn't really enjoy my first.
andybook's review against another edition
5.0
Now there is a Duke I loved!
The Duke of Torquil, Henry is so honorable and sweet and still a Duke who prioritize the people who depent on him and his responsibilities.
Irene is an independent woman who knows what she wants and what not.
The romance was amazing! I loved the way they came together despite their first impression and negative feelings.
Henry earned my respect when he asked her to marry him and never suggest she becomes his mistress due to her social status.
The Duke of Torquil, Henry is so honorable and sweet and still a Duke who prioritize the people who depent on him and his responsibilities.
Irene is an independent woman who knows what she wants and what not.
The romance was amazing! I loved the way they came together despite their first impression and negative feelings.
Henry earned my respect when he asked her to marry him and never suggest she becomes his mistress due to her social status.
sarrie's review against another edition
4.0
Very fun and entertaining. I think all the characters were well done, each was flawed but had something positive going for them. The dialogue was so very snappy, and the strain on the relationship seemed genuine and not too contrived. I had a lot of fun with this one, if you enjoy historical romance it's worth trying. I think I'll be picking up more of her work.
cakt1991's review against another edition
3.0
Full review here: https://courtneyreadsromancesite.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/review-of-the-truth-about-love-and-dukes-dear-lady-truelove-1-by-laura-lee-guhrke/