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kelly_e's review against another edition
funny
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? Yes
3.75
Title: The Duke and I
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: December 1, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Charming • Playful • Entertaining
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Daphne Bridgeton, the fourth of eight siblings, has formed friendships with many of London's finest, yet finds herself unwilling to play their romantic games. Everyone likes her for her kindness yet no one truly desires her.
Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, has recently returned to England and is dead set against marriage. After a difficult childhood, in thanks to his very own father, he has no intentions of fulfilling his royal duties.
After an encounter with Daphne (his best friend's sister), Simon thinks there may be another option, one that could deter the elite from parading their daughters before him. His plan: a fake courtship with Daphne that will in turn help boost her prospects.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Historical romance is a genre I tend to stay away from, yet I decided to see what all the fuss was about with this series. And of course, I was pleasantly surprised with this first installment and was not expecting the witty humour
I have to say it was surprisingly well-written and the Bridgerton family captured my heart from the very first page, their family dynamic felt so genuine and relatable, and the regency setting was enticing. I'm a sucker for books with a real sense of community, and The Duke and I certainly delivers on that front.
During the first half of the book, I appreciated Daphne's character development, but unfortunately for me things kind of fell apart in the second half with some of her questionable choices. When it comes to the romance, I enjoyed the playful banter, which helped make their romance feel genuine.
Overall, I picked this up looking for an escape, and it delivered. I'll definitely be looking forward to the next installment and getting to know each of the Bridgerton siblings' stories.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Downtown Abbey
• historical romances enthusiasts
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Heartache, Daphne eventually learned, never really went away; it just dulled. The sharp, stabbing pain that one felt with each breath eventually gave way to a blunter, lower ache—the kind that one could almost—but never quite—ignore."
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: December 1, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Charming • Playful • Entertaining
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Daphne Bridgeton, the fourth of eight siblings, has formed friendships with many of London's finest, yet finds herself unwilling to play their romantic games. Everyone likes her for her kindness yet no one truly desires her.
Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, has recently returned to England and is dead set against marriage. After a difficult childhood, in thanks to his very own father, he has no intentions of fulfilling his royal duties.
After an encounter with Daphne (his best friend's sister), Simon thinks there may be another option, one that could deter the elite from parading their daughters before him. His plan: a fake courtship with Daphne that will in turn help boost her prospects.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Historical romance is a genre I tend to stay away from, yet I decided to see what all the fuss was about with this series. And of course, I was pleasantly surprised with this first installment and was not expecting the witty humour
I have to say it was surprisingly well-written and the Bridgerton family captured my heart from the very first page, their family dynamic felt so genuine and relatable, and the regency setting was enticing. I'm a sucker for books with a real sense of community, and The Duke and I certainly delivers on that front.
During the first half of the book, I appreciated Daphne's character development, but unfortunately for me things kind of fell apart in the second half with some of her questionable choices. When it comes to the romance, I enjoyed the playful banter, which helped make their romance feel genuine.
Overall, I picked this up looking for an escape, and it delivered. I'll definitely be looking forward to the next installment and getting to know each of the Bridgerton siblings' stories.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Downtown Abbey
• historical romances enthusiasts
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Heartache, Daphne eventually learned, never really went away; it just dulled. The sharp, stabbing pain that one felt with each breath eventually gave way to a blunter, lower ache—the kind that one could almost—but never quite—ignore."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Rape
Moderate: Sexism, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent, Fatphobia, Death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
sillyduckie's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Abandonment, Ableism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Infertility, Grief, Death of parent, Child abuse, Body shaming, and Classism
Moderate: Stalking and Colonisation
Minor: Death and Vomit
saturnpersonified's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Death
jax00's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Tw: sa, rape
This was a 4.5/5 star book until that scene. The characters were funny but still had darker parts. The build up was also nice.
However, Simon said he never wanted children and could never have children. Daphne agreed with this and married him. However, one nights after a fight, Simon gets drunk and is sleeping and Daphne decides to have sex with him. She then forces him to finish in her, even after he's stated (as much as a drunk man can) he does not want to. Then he runs off, which expected and good. However, he is the one to apologize and Daphne is never thought to be wrong.
This was a 4.5/5 star book until that scene. The characters were funny but still had darker parts. The build up was also nice.
However, Simon said he never wanted children and could never have children. Daphne agreed with this and married him. However, one nights after a fight, Simon gets drunk and is sleeping and Daphne decides to have sex with him. She then forces him to finish in her, even after he's stated (as much as a drunk man can) he does not want to. Then he runs off, which expected and good. However, he is the one to apologize and Daphne is never thought to be wrong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Death and Violence
lisa_m's review against another edition
emotional
2.0
I read this book because I wanted to know what the hype was about.
Well it's definitely problematic. Maybe even more problematic than the series.
I did enjoy parts of the story but the relationship is surely toxic and the representation as well.
Well it's definitely problematic. Maybe even more problematic than the series.
I did enjoy parts of the story but the relationship is surely toxic and the representation as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Infertility, Ableism, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Rape, and Toxic relationship
amanda556's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Death, and Child abuse
rbookish's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
this was honestly so cute
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
emmahe's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, and Misogyny
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Death
leahsbooks's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I listened to the audiobook after watching this on Netflix, and I'm glad I did, although I usually don't watch a show until after I've read the book. I liked some aspects of both, although there were some parts of both the show and the book that I didn't like so much.
Reading about Regency-era life was rather interesting, although it seemed like a very rigid and stifling time for women. I really felt for Daphne when it became clear how her entire life was focused on finding a husband, and that if she could, her life goal would be fulfilled, while if she couldn't, her life would be ruined. Initially, she seemed really sweet and innocent (with a great punch), although she did have some manipulative tendencies that became clear later in the book. I liked her, until there was one event that occurred later in the book. While perfect characters aren't interesting, Daphne did something that I really struggled with.
Simon was the other main character. His flaws were on display right from the start, but he was a cinnamon roll under all the rakish behavior. I loved seeing him come out of his shell and learn to be his authentic self. His arc showed the most character growth, and it allowed him to resolve some of his longer-standing issues.
The romance wasn't always an easy one, and it grew out of what is rapidly becoming my favorite trope - the fake relationship. Daphne and Simon pull it off well, even amongst the heavy societal pressures of Regency-era London and Lady Whistledown's society papers. I think the story could have been written without removing one character's say in their own reproductive rights, but aside from that, it was a light-hearted and enjoyable read. The narrator was perfect for the role, with a posh British accent and a voice that kept me engaged throughout the story. While it was a long read, it didn't feel that was at all, with the story maintaining a fast pace that held my attention and kept me entertained.
Reading about Regency-era life was rather interesting, although it seemed like a very rigid and stifling time for women. I really felt for Daphne when it became clear how her entire life was focused on finding a husband, and that if she could, her life goal would be fulfilled, while if she couldn't, her life would be ruined. Initially, she seemed really sweet and innocent (with a great punch), although she did have some manipulative tendencies that became clear later in the book. I liked her, until there was one event that occurred later in the book. While perfect characters aren't interesting, Daphne did something that I really struggled with.
Simon was the other main character. His flaws were on display right from the start, but he was a cinnamon roll under all the rakish behavior. I loved seeing him come out of his shell and learn to be his authentic self. His arc showed the most character growth, and it allowed him to resolve some of his longer-standing issues.
The romance wasn't always an easy one, and it grew out of what is rapidly becoming my favorite trope - the fake relationship. Daphne and Simon pull it off well, even amongst the heavy societal pressures of Regency-era London and Lady Whistledown's society papers. I think the story could have been written without removing one character's say in their own reproductive rights, but aside from that, it was a light-hearted and enjoyable read. The narrator was perfect for the role, with a posh British accent and a voice that kept me engaged throughout the story. While it was a long read, it didn't feel that was at all, with the story maintaining a fast pace that held my attention and kept me entertained.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Miscarriage, and Rape
_thelitlibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.50 stars
-
TW; Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Death
-
This was such a fun read (minus the gross plotline that happens in chapter 18), it was the perfect blend of what I imagined Gossip Girl would be like in the 1800s. I listened to this on audio and found the narrator to be absolutely charming and did a great job differentiating all of the different voices!
It just seemed like there was so much drama happening to our characters - this installment focused on the relationship between Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, the newly appointed Duke of Hastings. Their relationship is based on a whole will they/won't they. It is clear from the start that Simon has some trauma from his childhood resulting in the fact that he plans on never marrying and having children. This topic is something that comes up quite often in the book - it is also the reason why he refuses to marry Daphne knowing he wouldn't be able to give her what she wants.
I really enjoyed the banter between our two love interests (also the steamy scenes were a plus), I started off really enjoying the character of Daphne and disliking Simon - but by the end of the book that had changed. As mentioned above Daphne makes a manipulative choice in chapter 18 that turns me off of her character, I found both of them to be selfish at times.
-
TW; Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Death
-
This was such a fun read (minus the gross plotline that happens in chapter 18), it was the perfect blend of what I imagined Gossip Girl would be like in the 1800s. I listened to this on audio and found the narrator to be absolutely charming and did a great job differentiating all of the different voices!
It just seemed like there was so much drama happening to our characters - this installment focused on the relationship between Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, the newly appointed Duke of Hastings. Their relationship is based on a whole will they/won't they. It is clear from the start that Simon has some trauma from his childhood resulting in the fact that he plans on never marrying and having children. This topic is something that comes up quite often in the book - it is also the reason why he refuses to marry Daphne knowing he wouldn't be able to give her what she wants.
I really enjoyed the banter between our two love interests (also the steamy scenes were a plus), I started off really enjoying the character of Daphne and disliking Simon - but by the end of the book that had changed. As mentioned above Daphne makes a manipulative choice in chapter 18 that turns me off of her character, I found both of them to be selfish at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage and Death