Reviews

Blame It on the Duke by Lenora Bell

bookfortbuilder's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

being_b's review against another edition

1.0

I was really enjoying this book up until the last four pages. The heroine is clever and interesting and the hero is convincingly screwed up in just the right way. But then

Spoiler

in the end he decides to "out" her as the translator of a piece of the Kama Sutra, despite the fact that she had told him that if he did that, her translation would be disregarded and it was important to her to contribute to the scholarly community. He tells the other scholars, they immediately stop complimenting her translation and start doubting it until he offers to donate some money (which he only has because she had a huge dowry, he was broke) to their new roof. And they walk off together,
with her reflecting on how much she luuuurves him. A whole book of him respecting her as a person undone by one stupid act of disregarding her professional judgment. UGH.

It completely ruined things for me.

jody_diou's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

aqtbenz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Mental illness, and Sexual content

labwa_0712's review against another edition

2.0

Boooring.

kerrythefire's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

This was a cute book. I found it looking for Alice and Wonderland reimaginings, which it is not, but it does give some fun easter eggs in the form of names and such. Regardless, it was a fun little love story and Alice and Nick were great together. 

Alice was my kind of heroine - smart, determined, confident, curious, intellectual, kind and compassionate... And we need more heros like Nick who just roll with that kind of heroine and enjoy her as a person. 

I never got fully sucked into this story, but it could have been partially the narration (it wasn't bad, it just wasn't immersive). I think this story would be great adapted into a movie or miniseries where the imagery could round out the story more.

jillmlong's review against another edition

4.0

I loved the characters. Very nice story.

patricia_anna's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is one of the first books I read by this author, and it led to me reading another 7. It's fun, it's lighthearted, it's easy to read. Its historical romance with a little bit of mystery. I enjoyed it. I would love if the author could follow up on the mysterious Jane's story though! 

llamallamacallurmama's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

**Most of my reviews contain detailed Content Notes (including CW/TW) sections, which may include spoilers.  I have tried to mark them appropriately, but please use caution.** 

2.75/5

Audio (Beverly A Crick)

Summary:  Nicholas, rake (and secretly devoted son and protector of many), finds himself engaged to fiery bluestocking Alice as part of her parents’ social climbing aspirations.  Concerned that he may one day suffer the same mental decline as his father, Nicholas resists his affection for Alice despite their marriage of convenience and intense chemistry, while she resists her increasing attachment to him (as she is concerned that marriage and love may interfere with her Kamasutra translating).

Stats: HR, M/F, open door, part of a series but stands alone.

Notes: This was kind of all over the place.  The historical details make no sense and are woefully anachronistic at times.  The construction is a bit odd - Sex tutor, marriage of convenience, a bunch of random side plots…  The FMC avoids NLOG-status, but it’s occasionally a near miss, though nice to have an HR FMC who is interested in sex (though how that interest developed is a bit odd).  The MMC is charming but not a particularly well developed character, but the plot relies on their inability to consistently communicate well.  There’s some exoticism and saviour stuff going on with the Kamasutra and asylum plot lines (which I found slightly unpleasant and a bit… stale?).  The pace was plodding and then so rushed, I finished, it wasn’t awful, the performance was okay, but I don’t have much desire to return to the series.

OTT and Spoilery Content Notes:

Parent with mental illness, alcohol, gambling, fear of hereditary illness, estranged parents, FMC sort of slut shames the mmc, marriage of convenience, financial problems, references to religion/church wedding, some “crazy” talk, mention of animal abuse and fighting (by previous owner), gift giving, vegetarian FMC, light praise, a side character is drugged with an opiate, mention/brief descriptions of abuse of people with mental illnesses (restraint, forcefeeding, etc), communication about sex during sex, bondage (kink, rope), attempt at birth control (pulling out), mention of death in childbirth, panic attack/anxiety, serious illness (poisoning), medical care, sexism in academia

iskanderjonesiv's review against another edition

4.0

Have you heard?

The future Duke of Barrington has just been gambled away by his father. To an heiress!

The delicious details thus far...

Nicolas, Lord Hatherly, never intended to marry—nor add to the “mad” Hatherly line—but now he must honor his father’s debt to a social-climbing merchant or lose the family estate.

A notoriously wild marquess, won by her father at a game of cards, is the very last thing Miss Alice Tombs wants. She’s spent the last three seasons repelling suitors in spectacular fashion so she’d be at liberty to explore the world. She’ll just have to drive this one away as well.

Until Nick proposes an utterly tempting arrangement: one summer together to prove the legitimacy of their union, then Alice is free to travel while Nick revels in the time he has left before the Hatherly Madness takes hold.

It will be easy to walk away after a few months of make-believe wedded bliss—won’t it? Alice and Nick are about to find out...one sultry night at a time.

This ought to be fun . . .