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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
I feel sad for people who have not been graced by this book
Read for Contemporary-a-thon challenge “Read your most recently purchased or acquired contemporary”
Read for Contemporary-a-thon challenge “Read your most recently purchased or acquired contemporary”
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Super cute.
I found myself finishing this book at 2am with a wobbling lower lip trying to hold back tears.
I did not succeed.
I’ll definitely be reading the next in the series.
(The narration in the audiobook was not great.)
I found myself finishing this book at 2am with a wobbling lower lip trying to hold back tears.
I did not succeed.
I’ll definitely be reading the next in the series.
(The narration in the audiobook was not great.)
I liked this one a lot. The back and fourth starting around 70% got a bit silly.
1.5 stars
#CBR10Bingo: Cover Art
Spoiler warning! This review will discuss plot points from the book in detail, because it is impossible for me to list the many ways in which this book did not work for me without mentioning them. If you are unfamiliar with Scotland, Edinburgh and couldn't care less about the British peerage, then maybe these things will not bother you. Nevertheless, be warned that you may get spoilers if you continue with my review after the fourth paragraph.
New York socialite Portia Hobbs arrives in Edinburgh to complete an apprenticeship with a sword maker. Unfortunately, her new boss seems to be trying his very best to avoid her and while he's very hot, he also seems to be severely lacking in social skills. One of the reasons Portia has decided to go to a different continent for a while is that she was pretty much a hot mess in her old life - drinking too much, sleeping around and hurting friends and family members. She's determined to be a new and better Portia, and that person doesn't sleep with her boss. So she does her best to help out his flagging business while waiting for him to teach her what she's actually there to learn.
Tavish "Tav" McKenzie loves making swords and daggers, and as well as running Bodotria Armoury, he gives free fighting lessons to underprivileged kids and tries to make a difference in the rapidly gentrifying community. He doesn't entirely see why his brother hired him an apprentice, and he certainly wasn't expecting a posh and sexy American to show up, with tons of ideas of how he can improve his business through an improved social media presence. While he finds Portia very attractive, Tav is aware both of the difference in their ages and the fact that he's her boss. He's not intending to act on his attraction to her, and so instead tries to keep her at a distance by being as gruff as possible.
When Portia accidentally reveals on social media that Tav may in fact be the son of a duke, his life is suddenly changed completely and Portia feels responsible. Used to high society, she's determined to coach him in etiquette, so he can assume his rightful position, if that's what he wants to do.
I really wanted to like this. I did. I'd heard such good things about it on several romance review sites. The cover is beautiful. I think diversity in romance writing is incredibly important and Alyssa Cole cares about geeky stuff and complex and interesting female characters. Sadly, however, this book was not the book to win me over. I find it baffling that Ms Cole, who clearly writes very well researched historical romances set during the American Civil War shows such appalling lack of research skills when she writes in a contemporary setting.
Things that made it impossible for me to like this book:
- The book is set in Edinburgh. I have lived there for two years. Several of my dear friends still live there. The husband and I visit it often. The area most of the story takes part in is a fictional area called Bodotria, when it is clearly meant to be Leith, which is an actual, rapidly gentrifying section of Edinburgh. I cannot for the life of me understand why Ms Cole had to make up a new part to set her story in.
- The "Scottish" accents. Don't get me started on the fun interpretation of colloquial Scottish vernacular that many of the characters, including Tav speak.
- Turns out, Tav's biological dad (who his mother decided to leave because she was a poor, Chilean refugee and their union would never have worked out) is a duke. Not just any duke, however, a Royal Duke. The Duke of Edinburgh, in point of fact. This is where any suspension of disbelief I had went up in a fiery inferno of fury, because 1) The only royal dukes in Great Britain are directly related to the current monarch - in this case, Queen Elizabeth II. None of them are Scottish.This can be easily discovered with a quick Google search. 2) The Duke of Edinburgh is a title that has only existed three times in the history of the UK. The current, contemporary one is Prince Phillip, consort to aforementioned Queen Elizabeth II. 3)
There are in fact several Scottish dukedoms that Ms Cole could have used instead, but I can only surmise that since the title of this series of books is Reluctant Royals, a normal duke (still the highest order of peerage after the actual royals in the UK) wasn't good enough and had to make up a fictional royal dukedom to give to Tav's bio dad. Why in the world she couldn't just invent a new dukedom, rather than the one belonging to the man MARRIED to the current Queen is anyone's guess. How no one in Ms Cole's editing team didn't think to take her aside and say: "You know the Duke of Edinburgh is the Queen's husband, right?" seems like dereliction of duty of the highest order.
But Malin, I hear you say, it's only a romance novel. Why does this bother you so much? The answer, dear reader, is that if Alyssa Cole wanted her hero to have a Scottish duke as a father, she could have made up a title instead - like she made up a fictional part of Edinburgh. If this is in fact set in some alternate reality, where there is no Queen Elizabeth II (although the Queen featured later in the book sure seemed a LOT like her) and her husband is not the Duke of Edinburgh, then she should have made this a hell of a lot more clear.
- Tav is utterly undeserving of Portia (even as much of a mess as she seems to think she is). He treats her appallingly for much of the book and thoroughly deserved to be pepper sprayed by her. I don't care that he's nice to down on their luck local children if he can't treat a woman in his employ with basic respect and decency.
- Portia is supposed to be in Edinburgh to apprentice to a sword smith. She makes ONE sword in her three months there! Apart from that, she's Tav's secretary/PR-person/social media rep.
- It would have been nice if the villain of the story was slightly less of a racist stereotype, but this is so far down my list of grievances to be negligible.
- For all that Portia claims to be a hot mess and discovers through online tests that she most likely suffers from ADHD, she sure is beautiful, fit, personable and extremely competent at everything she sets her mind to.
Things I actually liked:
- Tav's sister in law, Cheryl, is adorable and runs a Chinese takeaway out of a little kiosk painted to look like a TARDIS. It's called Doctor Hu's. I want to go to there!
- Portia, for all that she is almost too perfect (no matter what she tells herself), was very likable and I wanted better for her than Tav. Her family (minus the sister, who could be WAY better at communicating) is clearly awful and she should cut her toxic parents out of her life for good.
- Portia's friends all seemed pretty great. Not enough that I want to go back and read the first book in the series, but both Nya and Naledi were fun supporting characters.
- Prince Johan (of made up European principality - see, if you can make up new parts of Edinburgh and Europe, you can make up alternate peerage as well, Ms. Cole), who seems to be the hero of the next book in the series.
Sadly, based on this book and the rage it produced in me, I'm not sure I'm going to check out any more of the Reluctant Royals series. I'm frankly slightly reluctant to read any more Alyssa Cole at all, despite having enjoyed (but not loved) two of her historicals. I may give her a new chance in time, though.
Judging a book by its cover: Long before this book came out, I was interested in it because of the pretty cover. Having now read the book, I think the cover may in fact be one of the best things about it. The cover models look pretty much like the characters they're supposed to portray and I absolutely love both the hair and the warm shades of the dress on the female cover model.
#CBR10Bingo: Cover Art
Spoiler warning! This review will discuss plot points from the book in detail, because it is impossible for me to list the many ways in which this book did not work for me without mentioning them. If you are unfamiliar with Scotland, Edinburgh and couldn't care less about the British peerage, then maybe these things will not bother you. Nevertheless, be warned that you may get spoilers if you continue with my review after the fourth paragraph.
New York socialite Portia Hobbs arrives in Edinburgh to complete an apprenticeship with a sword maker. Unfortunately, her new boss seems to be trying his very best to avoid her and while he's very hot, he also seems to be severely lacking in social skills. One of the reasons Portia has decided to go to a different continent for a while is that she was pretty much a hot mess in her old life - drinking too much, sleeping around and hurting friends and family members. She's determined to be a new and better Portia, and that person doesn't sleep with her boss. So she does her best to help out his flagging business while waiting for him to teach her what she's actually there to learn.
Tavish "Tav" McKenzie loves making swords and daggers, and as well as running Bodotria Armoury, he gives free fighting lessons to underprivileged kids and tries to make a difference in the rapidly gentrifying community. He doesn't entirely see why his brother hired him an apprentice, and he certainly wasn't expecting a posh and sexy American to show up, with tons of ideas of how he can improve his business through an improved social media presence. While he finds Portia very attractive, Tav is aware both of the difference in their ages and the fact that he's her boss. He's not intending to act on his attraction to her, and so instead tries to keep her at a distance by being as gruff as possible.
When Portia accidentally reveals on social media that Tav may in fact be the son of a duke, his life is suddenly changed completely and Portia feels responsible. Used to high society, she's determined to coach him in etiquette, so he can assume his rightful position, if that's what he wants to do.
I really wanted to like this. I did. I'd heard such good things about it on several romance review sites. The cover is beautiful. I think diversity in romance writing is incredibly important and Alyssa Cole cares about geeky stuff and complex and interesting female characters. Sadly, however, this book was not the book to win me over. I find it baffling that Ms Cole, who clearly writes very well researched historical romances set during the American Civil War shows such appalling lack of research skills when she writes in a contemporary setting.
Things that made it impossible for me to like this book:
- The book is set in Edinburgh. I have lived there for two years. Several of my dear friends still live there. The husband and I visit it often. The area most of the story takes part in is a fictional area called Bodotria, when it is clearly meant to be Leith, which is an actual, rapidly gentrifying section of Edinburgh. I cannot for the life of me understand why Ms Cole had to make up a new part to set her story in.
- The "Scottish" accents. Don't get me started on the fun interpretation of colloquial Scottish vernacular that many of the characters, including Tav speak.
- Turns out, Tav's biological dad (who his mother decided to leave because she was a poor, Chilean refugee and their union would never have worked out) is a duke. Not just any duke, however, a Royal Duke. The Duke of Edinburgh, in point of fact. This is where any suspension of disbelief I had went up in a fiery inferno of fury, because 1) The only royal dukes in Great Britain are directly related to the current monarch - in this case, Queen Elizabeth II. None of them are Scottish.This can be easily discovered with a quick Google search. 2) The Duke of Edinburgh is a title that has only existed three times in the history of the UK. The current, contemporary one is Prince Phillip, consort to aforementioned Queen Elizabeth II. 3)
There are in fact several Scottish dukedoms that Ms Cole could have used instead, but I can only surmise that since the title of this series of books is Reluctant Royals, a normal duke (still the highest order of peerage after the actual royals in the UK) wasn't good enough and had to make up a fictional royal dukedom to give to Tav's bio dad. Why in the world she couldn't just invent a new dukedom, rather than the one belonging to the man MARRIED to the current Queen is anyone's guess. How no one in Ms Cole's editing team didn't think to take her aside and say: "You know the Duke of Edinburgh is the Queen's husband, right?" seems like dereliction of duty of the highest order.
But Malin, I hear you say, it's only a romance novel. Why does this bother you so much? The answer, dear reader, is that if Alyssa Cole wanted her hero to have a Scottish duke as a father, she could have made up a title instead - like she made up a fictional part of Edinburgh. If this is in fact set in some alternate reality, where there is no Queen Elizabeth II (although the Queen featured later in the book sure seemed a LOT like her) and her husband is not the Duke of Edinburgh, then she should have made this a hell of a lot more clear.
- Tav is utterly undeserving of Portia (even as much of a mess as she seems to think she is). He treats her appallingly for much of the book and thoroughly deserved to be pepper sprayed by her. I don't care that he's nice to down on their luck local children if he can't treat a woman in his employ with basic respect and decency.
- Portia is supposed to be in Edinburgh to apprentice to a sword smith. She makes ONE sword in her three months there! Apart from that, she's Tav's secretary/PR-person/social media rep.
- It would have been nice if the villain of the story was slightly less of a racist stereotype, but this is so far down my list of grievances to be negligible.
- For all that Portia claims to be a hot mess and discovers through online tests that she most likely suffers from ADHD, she sure is beautiful, fit, personable and extremely competent at everything she sets her mind to.
Things I actually liked:
- Tav's sister in law, Cheryl, is adorable and runs a Chinese takeaway out of a little kiosk painted to look like a TARDIS. It's called Doctor Hu's. I want to go to there!
- Portia, for all that she is almost too perfect (no matter what she tells herself), was very likable and I wanted better for her than Tav. Her family (minus the sister, who could be WAY better at communicating) is clearly awful and she should cut her toxic parents out of her life for good.
- Portia's friends all seemed pretty great. Not enough that I want to go back and read the first book in the series, but both Nya and Naledi were fun supporting characters.
- Prince Johan (of made up European principality - see, if you can make up new parts of Edinburgh and Europe, you can make up alternate peerage as well, Ms. Cole), who seems to be the hero of the next book in the series.
Sadly, based on this book and the rage it produced in me, I'm not sure I'm going to check out any more of the Reluctant Royals series. I'm frankly slightly reluctant to read any more Alyssa Cole at all, despite having enjoyed (but not loved) two of her historicals. I may give her a new chance in time, though.
Judging a book by its cover: Long before this book came out, I was interested in it because of the pretty cover. Having now read the book, I think the cover may in fact be one of the best things about it. The cover models look pretty much like the characters they're supposed to portray and I absolutely love both the hair and the warm shades of the dress on the female cover model.
A fun read.
Dear friends who are royal watchers—or whatever the term is—please keep in mind that this novel is set in a fictional world where the duke of Edinburgh is not the title of the current real life Queen of England’s husband.
Dear friends who are royal watchers—or whatever the term is—please keep in mind that this novel is set in a fictional world where the duke of Edinburgh is not the title of the current real life Queen of England’s husband.
While I continue to be totally in love with Alyssa Cole's writing style and her multifaceted, realistic and sexy as hell hero and heroine I wasn't quite so enamored with the story this time around.
Unlike the largely delightful "A Princess in Theory" it felt like not quite enough time was spent really getting into the heads of Portia, a smart but emotionally fragile trust fund kid who has trouble seeing her own value thanks to frankly crummy parents and an overachieving twin sister, and Tavish, a tough as nails Scottish sword maker and teacher who already has a failed marriage behind him and a chip on his shoulder so big I'm amazed his arm hasn't fallen off. Its not that they're not well drawn and genuine, they totally are, its more that I didn't get the sense of growth and resolution with them that I had with Naledi and Thabiso (who do make a few appearances which was very cool). And Portia certainly had a lot that needed resolving.
At the end of "Princess" Portia's primary issue was her deeply troubling drinking problem which is all but non-existent by the first page of "Duke." To have something that was such a huge component of the plot of the first book get sort of sidelined with her decision to just not drink anymore felt sort of cheap. Sure its mentioned periodically but never as anything other than a mild inconvenience over which she has complete control. Obviously different people deal with drinking problems differently but, I repeat, this was a huge, glaring, possibly requiring major treatment issue for Portia in "Princess." More troubling is the only time it is seriously brought up her problem is used as a plot device to create and then resolve the one major conflict between Portia and Tavish. It just didn't sit right with me.
Then there are her issues with her family which are brought up constantly and definitely suck but also get magically "resolved" by the end without any kind of confrontation or at least meaningful conversation between Portia and her parents. Her issues with her sister boil down to a slap sticky misunderstanding that gets treated like something out of "Threes Company."
I think my problem really rests with the idea that Portia and Tavish don't arrive at important realizations about themselves in an organic way the way that Ledi and Biso did. The great thing about "Princess" was Ledi's gradual placing of trust in Thabiso and his willingness to acknowledge his own shortcomings and work to change them. Their relationship helped them grow as individuals and it was very believable despite the somewhat fantastical plot of a missing princess and secret betrothal. In a way it made the fairy tale even easier to enjoy because watching them grow together was so lovely.
That same kind of natural progression just doesn't really happen here. Portia and Tavish just kind of decide to work things out after outside circumstances are brought to their attention making it possible for them to do so. It doesn't really have to do with anything they learn about themselves.
I also had some issues with Tavish's behavior (something I again blame on my dear friend Carmen, my favorite romance novel feminist). To put it bluntly he's a jerk a lot of the time and he enjoys being a jerk. He enjoys it a lot. So the reader gets treated to scenes that I'm sure are intended to be very "oh look at this adorable, crusty Scott, aren't his highlander ways so delightful!" but instead are "wow this guy is an asshole who doesn't seem to get basic concepts like saying mean shit to people hurts their feelings." And again this is a part of his personality that needs resolving but instead it becomes about Portia being a match for his bad attitude not someone who helps him understand he doesn't have to go through the world acting like a douche all the damn time. He's not less negative by the story's end he just has someone around to be more negative at him in return.
The supporting cast is fine. They're mostly there to point out to Tavish how amazing Portia is and say things like "Och you're a bloody pillock and no mistake!" when he does or says something especially awful. They also provide Portia the moral support she's never gotten from her family which is nice and I suppose important since it does seem to help her see her own value in a way she hasn't before but they're not impactful enough for me to even recall their names.
I did enjoy the setting very much. The action is fixed primarily in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in Scotland and in Tavish's armory and Cole does a bang up job painting her set. The whole town is very vivid and charming, absolutely a place I'd like to see in person.
This review is making it sound like I hated this book which I absolutely did not. I think its partly that "Princess in Theory" was so delightful that the bar was just really damn high for book 2. I still very much recommend it and Alyssa Cole for any contemporary romance fans.
Unlike the largely delightful "A Princess in Theory" it felt like not quite enough time was spent really getting into the heads of Portia, a smart but emotionally fragile trust fund kid who has trouble seeing her own value thanks to frankly crummy parents and an overachieving twin sister, and Tavish, a tough as nails Scottish sword maker and teacher who already has a failed marriage behind him and a chip on his shoulder so big I'm amazed his arm hasn't fallen off. Its not that they're not well drawn and genuine, they totally are, its more that I didn't get the sense of growth and resolution with them that I had with Naledi and Thabiso (who do make a few appearances which was very cool). And Portia certainly had a lot that needed resolving.
At the end of "Princess" Portia's primary issue was her deeply troubling drinking problem which is all but non-existent by the first page of "Duke." To have something that was such a huge component of the plot of the first book get sort of sidelined with her decision to just not drink anymore felt sort of cheap. Sure its mentioned periodically but never as anything other than a mild inconvenience over which she has complete control. Obviously different people deal with drinking problems differently but, I repeat, this was a huge, glaring, possibly requiring major treatment issue for Portia in "Princess." More troubling is the only time it is seriously brought up her problem is used as a plot device to create and then resolve the one major conflict between Portia and Tavish. It just didn't sit right with me.
Then there are her issues with her family which are brought up constantly and definitely suck but also get magically "resolved" by the end without any kind of confrontation or at least meaningful conversation between Portia and her parents. Her issues with her sister boil down to a slap sticky misunderstanding that gets treated like something out of "Threes Company."
I think my problem really rests with the idea that Portia and Tavish don't arrive at important realizations about themselves in an organic way the way that Ledi and Biso did. The great thing about "Princess" was Ledi's gradual placing of trust in Thabiso and his willingness to acknowledge his own shortcomings and work to change them. Their relationship helped them grow as individuals and it was very believable despite the somewhat fantastical plot of a missing princess and secret betrothal. In a way it made the fairy tale even easier to enjoy because watching them grow together was so lovely.
That same kind of natural progression just doesn't really happen here. Portia and Tavish just kind of decide to work things out after outside circumstances are brought to their attention making it possible for them to do so. It doesn't really have to do with anything they learn about themselves.
I also had some issues with Tavish's behavior (something I again blame on my dear friend Carmen, my favorite romance novel feminist). To put it bluntly he's a jerk a lot of the time and he enjoys being a jerk. He enjoys it a lot. So the reader gets treated to scenes that I'm sure are intended to be very "oh look at this adorable, crusty Scott, aren't his highlander ways so delightful!" but instead are "wow this guy is an asshole who doesn't seem to get basic concepts like saying mean shit to people hurts their feelings." And again this is a part of his personality that needs resolving but instead it becomes about Portia being a match for his bad attitude not someone who helps him understand he doesn't have to go through the world acting like a douche all the damn time. He's not less negative by the story's end he just has someone around to be more negative at him in return.
The supporting cast is fine. They're mostly there to point out to Tavish how amazing Portia is and say things like "Och you're a bloody pillock and no mistake!" when he does or says something especially awful. They also provide Portia the moral support she's never gotten from her family which is nice and I suppose important since it does seem to help her see her own value in a way she hasn't before but they're not impactful enough for me to even recall their names.
I did enjoy the setting very much. The action is fixed primarily in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in Scotland and in Tavish's armory and Cole does a bang up job painting her set. The whole town is very vivid and charming, absolutely a place I'd like to see in person.
This review is making it sound like I hated this book which I absolutely did not. I think its partly that "Princess in Theory" was so delightful that the bar was just really damn high for book 2. I still very much recommend it and Alyssa Cole for any contemporary romance fans.
This was a solid four stars romance -- fun, with a phenomenal female main character, and very feel good. I loved the first Reluctant Royals book (A Princess in Theory), and thought it was a tad better than this.
What I loved about A Duke is:
a) Portia, and all of her growth and maturity that happens throughout the book.
b) The interracial romance, and how that was handled.
c) The emphasis on friendships and self-worth.
d) all the sass.
e) consent consent consent consent
Cons: I didn't think Tavish was that great, mostly because he was too completely unbelievable. Also, the Scottish dialogue sounded so off and pulled me out of the story every time.
All in all, recommend, especially if you like A Princess in Theory.
What I loved about A Duke is:
a) Portia, and all of her growth and maturity that happens throughout the book.
b) The interracial romance, and how that was handled.
c) The emphasis on friendships and self-worth.
d) all the sass.
e) consent consent consent consent
Cons: I didn't think Tavish was that great, mostly because he was too completely unbelievable. Also, the Scottish dialogue sounded so off and pulled me out of the story every time.
All in all, recommend, especially if you like A Princess in Theory.
How have I lived my whole life never reading a book by Alyssa Cole?! This was my first but will absolutely not be my last! Honestly I don't even know where to start because everything was SO good. I haven't read the first book in this series so know that this can definitely be read as a stand alone. (i.e. If you haven't read it go order/one click/run out and buy it NOW).
I've read a lot of romance novels and really enjoy historicals, but this was a contemporary romance and this story taught me more about the peerage and society (and all their expectations) than any one historical book I can think of! The characters were funny and well developed, the pacing was beautifully done, and even though I have nothing in common with any of the characters I was able to relate to the story in many ways - that is mastery writing at it's best.
Cole touched on so many subjects in this book as well - class issues, race issues, self-worth, settling into your identity and truly embracing it, family guilt, the list could go on and on.
Just...this book is so fucking good. Five stars, would highly recommend - go buy it!
I've read a lot of romance novels and really enjoy historicals, but this was a contemporary romance and this story taught me more about the peerage and society (and all their expectations) than any one historical book I can think of! The characters were funny and well developed, the pacing was beautifully done, and even though I have nothing in common with any of the characters I was able to relate to the story in many ways - that is mastery writing at it's best.
Cole touched on so many subjects in this book as well - class issues, race issues, self-worth, settling into your identity and truly embracing it, family guilt, the list could go on and on.
Just...this book is so fucking good. Five stars, would highly recommend - go buy it!
Alyssa Cole is a queen of romance! I loved this one. Portia is a likable and relatable heroine and Tavish...😍 I loved that this book featured honest communication between the leads, and the Duke angle was so fun.