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book_grinch's review against another edition
2.0
It's been about two weeks since I've finished reading this, and already I couldn't remember how it had ended... that's how interesting this was.
Irene, the main character is a suffragist who owns a newspaper, so I was hoping for something more interesting than this...
I liked seeing how women of such different social spheres interacted... and that was about all.
The romance was lacking. The characters were boring. I couldn't care less if the couple stayed together.
I found Henry's mother to be ridiculous. It was insane.
First book by the author that I almost DNF'ed.
xsophiehoughton's review against another edition
4.0
In The Truth About Love and Dukes, we see suffragist and newspaper editor Miss Irene Deverill come toe to toe with the staunchly traditional Duke of Torquil. Her popular “Dear Lady Truelove” column recently published a letter from the Dowager Duchess of Torquil, showing her intent to marry her younger Italian lover, and Henry is enraged. He wants to stop the gossip rag from publishing any more, and force Irene to help him stop his mother's marriage to someone wholly beneath them. His plan is to use Irene and younger sister Clara's family connection to a Viscount, their father's drinking problem, and financial control over the family paper to force Irene's hand, and by inviting the Deverill sister's to his home for the time being, hopefully his mother with be dissuaded from the marriage. Henry thinks the enticement of a little Season would be enough to entice Irene, but he thought wrong. Obviously though, Irene cares nothing for the rules and regulations of the ton, and she isn't afraid to let Henry know this. Will Irene be able to succeed, or will the chemistry and banter between herself and Henry get in the way?
I've heard a lot about this author since falling in love with regency era books, and I now know why people keep mentioning her. This book was definitely a solid one, and if you're a fan of this genre, then this book is for you. Both of the main characters are strong and developed, and just perfect for this story! Irene was someone I really enjoyed, and I can see why she was the way she was. Her father started drinking heavily once their mother died, and wouldn't listen to any of the children, let alone his son, who he ran off, and so Irene was left to pick up the pieces. The family publishing empire was now only one small paper, but Irene had sole control - of both that, and the household really. Still, her father thought he knew what was best, and wanted more for her and Clara, so jumped at Henry's offer to sponsor the sisters and buy the paper to leave money aside for dowries. Irene just wished her father knew her, and spoke to her about it all, but he didn't listen. Henry was so stuffy and highbrow, but Irene managed to break down his defences, and I loved see his change. He was not a bad person, but he was a result of his upbringing, and it was made clear the more we saw of him. Their chemistry and budding romance was a joy to read, and the angst we inevitably had further into the book actually made me feel a little heartbroken on their behalf. I can't wait for my copy of The Trouble with True Love to arrive now, to see how Clara's story turns out!
I've heard a lot about this author since falling in love with regency era books, and I now know why people keep mentioning her. This book was definitely a solid one, and if you're a fan of this genre, then this book is for you. Both of the main characters are strong and developed, and just perfect for this story! Irene was someone I really enjoyed, and I can see why she was the way she was. Her father started drinking heavily once their mother died, and wouldn't listen to any of the children, let alone his son, who he ran off, and so Irene was left to pick up the pieces. The family publishing empire was now only one small paper, but Irene had sole control - of both that, and the household really. Still, her father thought he knew what was best, and wanted more for her and Clara, so jumped at Henry's offer to sponsor the sisters and buy the paper to leave money aside for dowries. Irene just wished her father knew her, and spoke to her about it all, but he didn't listen. Henry was so stuffy and highbrow, but Irene managed to break down his defences, and I loved see his change. He was not a bad person, but he was a result of his upbringing, and it was made clear the more we saw of him. Their chemistry and budding romance was a joy to read, and the angst we inevitably had further into the book actually made me feel a little heartbroken on their behalf. I can't wait for my copy of The Trouble with True Love to arrive now, to see how Clara's story turns out!
gilwen's review against another edition
4.0
Classique, mais efficace. Une romance entre deux fortes personnalités, mon petit péché mignon. Ça se vole dans les plumes à grands renforts de piques bien placées. Introduction également d'un cercle familial qui laisse présager de tout aussi sympathiques histoires par la suite, j'ai hâte de voir ça. Bref, j'ai testé une nouvelle autrice, et j'ai bien accroché.
rohaniroslan's review against another edition
3.0
The story was okay, but the writing needs serious editing because the language is TOO modern for a 19th Century setting, and I would expect that even at this time period, where social class still matters, that some characters would at least inhabit the correct forms of address to the peerage. So it really annoyed me that Irene - a 19th Century agony aunt for a gossip magazine AND who a niece of some random nobleman - addresses Henry, the Duke of Toruquil, "Duke!" It's too much. She would have been an outcast from the get-go. I also notice a lot of historical romance novels nowadays try to be politically correct, especially on issues about feminism. I don't have a problem with that, but it's just not as subtle as it used to be. Irene's meddling and self-righteousness annoyed me so much, her silly ideals made Henry's seem more moral and honorable.
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
This is my first book by Guhrke. I want to thank HarperCollins for allowing me to read it early. It was a lot of fun.
Since I have always said that romances are like dessert for me, I am going to start rating my romance reading based on ice cream sundaes.
This was a good sundae with lots of hot fudge and whipped cream. No special ice cream flavor, but definitely not vanilla.
Since I have always said that romances are like dessert for me, I am going to start rating my romance reading based on ice cream sundaes.
This was a good sundae with lots of hot fudge and whipped cream. No special ice cream flavor, but definitely not vanilla.
reader_fictions's review against another edition
4.0
Since I revisited my obsession with historical romance novels back in 2014 by reading my first Tessa Dare, Romancing the Duke, I’ve been constantly on the hunt for more authors who write the sort of historical romance I love. I’ve found Julia Quinn (an oldie but a goodie), Lenora Bell, Courtney Milan, among others. When I first asked for recommendations, Guhrke was one of the names I got from several people, and those people were spot on. Guhrke writes solid, creative, feminist af romance novels, and they’re absolutely what I expect of historical romance of recent years.
There’s a deeply specific subgenre of historical romance where the books center on agony aunts, and tbh I really love it. The premise of the series is based around the advice column of “Lady Truelove,” a fictionalized character written by Irene Deverill, who runs her family’s newspaper single-handed. The agony aunt concept serves as a humorous foundation, yes, but more than that writing advice columns or society gossip was one of the few careers respectable women could have in that era…so long as they do so anonymously.
Irene’s such a badass. She reminds me a lot of Frederica Marshall from Milan’s The Suffragette Scandal, who is also an opinionated suffragette who runs a newspaper. They would totes be besties and dismantle the patriarchy one article at a time. Irene is the granddaughter of a viscount, but she’s happy to have escaped society, thanks to dear old granddad completely cutting off her mother for marrying a newspaperman. She loves being the editor of the paper and advocating for women’s rights in her free time.
Henry, the Duke of Torquil, comes into her life after Lady Truelove advises his mother to marry the scandalous artist she has her heart set on. Henry’s not amused, and he demands that Irene and her younger sister Clara come stay for a fortnight so that Irene can talk his mom out of the plan, which will turn society against them, ducal or not.
Though I never really got emotionally invested in the ship the way I like to, I do love Henry and Irene on an intellectual level. Henry comes off as high-handed and a bit of an asshole, but he’s mostly just deeply protective of those around him. He’s open to listening to Irene’s criticisms of his privilege, and he really learns from her. Of course, I also love any book where the dude is a mess of feels, and the heroine’s holding it together; I like when the men are emotional and the women are more logical. It’s also nice that Henry is in no way a rake at all; he’s rule-bound and traditional, which isn’t a hero type you see very often.
Everything about this romance novel was great. It’s somewhere in the intersection between Courtney Milan and Kate Noble.
There’s a deeply specific subgenre of historical romance where the books center on agony aunts, and tbh I really love it. The premise of the series is based around the advice column of “Lady Truelove,” a fictionalized character written by Irene Deverill, who runs her family’s newspaper single-handed. The agony aunt concept serves as a humorous foundation, yes, but more than that writing advice columns or society gossip was one of the few careers respectable women could have in that era…so long as they do so anonymously.
Irene’s such a badass. She reminds me a lot of Frederica Marshall from Milan’s The Suffragette Scandal, who is also an opinionated suffragette who runs a newspaper. They would totes be besties and dismantle the patriarchy one article at a time. Irene is the granddaughter of a viscount, but she’s happy to have escaped society, thanks to dear old granddad completely cutting off her mother for marrying a newspaperman. She loves being the editor of the paper and advocating for women’s rights in her free time.
Henry, the Duke of Torquil, comes into her life after Lady Truelove advises his mother to marry the scandalous artist she has her heart set on. Henry’s not amused, and he demands that Irene and her younger sister Clara come stay for a fortnight so that Irene can talk his mom out of the plan, which will turn society against them, ducal or not.
Though I never really got emotionally invested in the ship the way I like to, I do love Henry and Irene on an intellectual level. Henry comes off as high-handed and a bit of an asshole, but he’s mostly just deeply protective of those around him. He’s open to listening to Irene’s criticisms of his privilege, and he really learns from her. Of course, I also love any book where the dude is a mess of feels, and the heroine’s holding it together; I like when the men are emotional and the women are more logical. It’s also nice that Henry is in no way a rake at all; he’s rule-bound and traditional, which isn’t a hero type you see very often.
Everything about this romance novel was great. It’s somewhere in the intersection between Courtney Milan and Kate Noble.
lissielove's review against another edition
5.0
I desperately want a epilogue in which Irene gets the right to vote and I want to see Henry fumble around in that world a bit. Such a lovely romance after a long crappy week of paper writing.
missmarketpaperback's review against another edition
5.0
Laura Lee Guhrke is a hit or miss author for me and this was a hit. I love the advice columnist premise. I think the conflict made total sense. I love the women’s suffrage parts. This is just a great historical romance.
soph75's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked the premise of the story. I don't know how Henry thought that Irene was going to convince his mom, that was a far-fetched but I liked how they fell in love and how Irene stood by her moral and views. She was a really modern heroine for her time though. It would've been nice to see some aspects of historical societal influence on her. Instead she seemed like a modern girl transplanted into historical Britain. Still it was a really nice fun read with all the banter (even though some of their monologues were soo long O.O)
olive2read's review against another edition
3.0
This was very close to a 4-star rating but the last few chapters were regrettable enough to knock it down. It’s like the author got so swept up in her own story that she forgot one of the primary reasons Pride & Prejudice works and holds up so well - *both* Darcy and Elizabeth make mistakes in judgement and *both* of them come to see their own errors as well as holding the other accountable. This did that well to a point. The last fight these two have is reconciled only on one side and that killed it for me. They both make valid arguments against the behaviour of the other but only one is pushed toward any sort of compromise (and if only one person is giving over anything, that by definition *isn’t* compromise).