Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - A Lady for a Duke

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

47 reviews

lisacanteven's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is really more of a 3.5 read without rounding up, but I think because of the wonderful representation in a genre like this it deserves rounding up to a 4.

Here's where it didn't work for me: Almost 400 pages were telling a beautiful story with lovely writing and great character development. Then it took a hard left turn somewhere just south of page 400, and we were taken on a totally different ride on a trip I did not sign up for. It wasn't a bad trip, but it wasn't the one I wanted to be on. Maybe another time I would have enjoyed the trip, but I was ready for the trip I already had to be finished. Ya getting me?

Then for a few pages just north of page 400 the story got a little patriarchal outta nowhere. I didn't really expect that one person to just excuse the other person's behavior like they used the wrong fork at fancy dinner. If you read it, think about it. How did they just get away with it, but that is kinda how it usually happens because patriarchy.

Just as I was building my case against the villain's terrible redemption arc, the ending came together in a way that did satisfy me. I mean no one took down patriarchy in this book, but maybe that wasn't the point.

Here's what did work for me: The trans representation was really nice and sweet. I thought it was the perfect blend of trans joy and trans realness. You do have to suspend your disbelief and let yourself enjoy the relationship, but experiencing the trans joy through the story is worth it. For that alone this book was worth the read despite its flaws.

TL;DR- The first 400 pages will seem very laborious, but the last 50 pages will flash before your eyes like you're fast forwarding a movie. Both these parts of the story are enjoyable in their own right, but when put together they make a confusing tale. The queer, specifically trans, representation only gave the story more depth and attachment. For that achievement this story has earned its place among must-read romance books.

Content Warnings

wardenred's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“I don’t want to go back.” Gracewood reached for his cane and struggled upright. “I want to go forward. And I’m not looking for perfect. Only for you.”

Going by the page count and a couple of reviews I skimmed (and possibly misunderstood), I expected the kind of romance that has a lot in the way of external/non-romantic plot. Instead, most of this story is decidedly slice-of-life, with a super strong focus on the characters' relationship and inner world. Honestly, as much as I often enjoy slice-of-life stories, sometimes it got a little too much for me, probably just because of the sheer length of the book.

That isn't to say that I didn't like it! I have in fact quite enjoyed multiple things about the book. The relationship between Gracewood and Viola was absolutely beautiful. I just wish there wasn't so much repetition in a few parts of the story, where there were entire sections of the two of them walking in circles around a problem without considering more than a single way to solve them (and even then, it was usually only Gracewood considering it in a vague, "But what if something COULD be done about this?" way while Viola was adamant that there is no solution). When those beautiful pining moments were shown so often from different angles, without a lot of events to offset them, they became somewhat... less poignant than I feel they could and should have been.

I also completely loved how the subject of Viola being trans was handled. Yes, Gracewood was mad at her for leaving him and making him believe his friend was dead, but never for why she did so; in fact, once he properly processed why she did it, it immediately pushed him toward understanding and forgiveness and accepting that this wasn't about him, no matter how it impacted him. I loved how he started thinking about her as Viola as soon as all the dots were connected, and I really liked the writing choices Alexis Hall made to avoid full-scale deadnaming. Every time Viola's pre-transition life is mentioned, she's referred to by her original last name, and the pre-transition first name her family and friends knew her under is never mentioned. This choice feels like the best compromise one could make while staying true to the historical period's realities.

What I liked less was the handling of Gracewood's addiction, disability, and PTSD. Especially addiction and PTSD. It felt kind of like a lot of it just... got better once he focused on being in London and his relationship to Viola, because he decided to stop letting it affect his life so much or something. I'm really not sure it's possible to bounce back so fast from using opium to the extent he was using it early in the novel. Really, a lot of these themes felt like the author meant really well, but under-researched.

There were plenty of side characters here I completely adored, especially Miranda with her sweet quirkiness and her desperate want to have a good relationship with her brother, and Louise with her awesome brand of no-nonsense tough love. All the parts where either or both of them were heavily featured were my absolute favorites! The ton storyline later in the book brought some colorful awful rich people to the table, too—the kind I want to stab with a fork, but also find it fun to watch them in morbid fascination. It's a pity that the whole storyline with Miranda having a season wasn't tightened up a bit, and interwoven in a more solid way and with fewer gaps with the main plot. There was a lot of potential there.

Overall, I'm still glad I stuck through it through all of the slow, circular parts, because the characters were great, there were plenty of great dialogue, and I've barely stopped smiling since I read the epilogue. There's lots of good stuff here! It just... felt like reading a very clean first draft that could use some tightening and trimming down?

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seraphimgt's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

The prose was beautiful and very reflective of a regency period piece. The love professions were incredible and had me kicking my feet ♡ Not to mention the VA put their whole vaussy into the audio book. My main complaint was that it ran a bit long. Otherwise, a wonderful book.

Content Warnings