Scan barcode
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, War, Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Misogyny, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Ableism, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Deadnaming
Minor: Transphobia
While this book is about a trans heroine, the only time the heroine is deadnamed/misgendered Is when someone who knew her previously recognizes her. Once this person is told how to address her name/pronouns, they do so. The heroine is never outed, either.elmead's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Wow wow wow. This is one of the best historical romances I’ve ever read. The premise is so unique and so heartachingly good. I’m a sucker for a best friends to lovers trope, but the added twist of one friend thinking the other is dead, but in reality still lives, but is now living as their true self really enthralled me.
The narrator did an incredible job bringing this story to life. Little touches like gasps, talking through laughter, and a small slurp when a character takes a sip of tea really added a theatrical touch and enhanced the storytelling
The narrator did an incredible job bringing this story to life. Little touches like gasps, talking through laughter, and a small slurp when a character takes a sip of tea really added a theatrical touch and enhanced the storytelling
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
Minor: Suicide attempt, Transphobia, and Suicidal thoughts
madlysoph's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
slow-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? No
3.5
Overall a good, well-written book with very lovely prose and tender love confessions. This was a bit too slow paced for me, the pacing makes sense for the necessary exposition, but again, didn’t work for me. The secondary characters are amazing, Lady Marleigh is hysterical and Miranda is a delight. Honorable mention to little Bartholomew, a darling and hilarious child. Gracewood and Viola are a charming couple who balance one another perfectly. This unique take on friends to lovers was wonderfully done. I am cis so I cannot say how good the trans representation is, but it felt like it was done respectfully and realistically. There is no explicit transphobia, the only negative reaction to her coming out was because of completely separate reasons, not because Viola was trans. My favorite parts were the multiple love confessions and the absolutely darling epilogue. I would genuinely read a novella of them living out their happy ending. Wasn’t bad, just didn’t totally work for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, War, Grief, Deadnaming, and Alcohol
booksthatburn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
In the two years since Normandy, Viola's best friend, Gracewood, has thought she was dead. In reality, Viola was figuring out how to be herself rather than the boy she was raised to be, and assumed that her best friend would move on with his life when she was no longer in it. Instead, she discovered that in his grief he had turned to drink and laudanum, terrifying his sister and staff with the depths of his despair.
When Gracewood finally learns that Viola and his best friend are the same being, a new set of complications arise, as the social pressures on the lives of a duke and a lady's companion are deeply felt, and seem inescapable. As a trans person, it's tough to read what seems like transphobia coming from the love interest, even briefly, but the way it's handled and how both characters react to that moment serves to make the story stronger overall.
I like the care paid to developing Gracewood's relationship with his sister, dealing with the trouble has in relating to a teenage girl when he is a man who was raised to give orders rather than to listen. Viola and Gracewood were both changed by the war, but Gracewood's experiences left him visibly scarred and mentally shaken in ways that affect him on a daily basis. This is handled variously throughout, as Gracewood gradually becomes confident to not accept casual ableism from others, but it takes a while.
I love how Gracewood slowly notices more and more of Viola's wardrobe, appreciate that she designs and sews/embroiders it herself. It's made clear that Viola hasn't had previous sexual experiences because she would have either had to have them as a man (which she was uncomfortable doing, even before figuring out her gender), or would need a partner who was not scared off by her body after meeting her as a woman. The eventual sex scenes with Gracewood are careful and intimate, treading the line between being specific about the logistics involved involved and giving Viola space to be feminine and sexual without triggering dysphoria. More than that, with Gracewood's support as a partner she gets to feel good about her body in a sexual context, that it is a woman's body because it is hers, and not based on whether it aligns with some standard of gender presentation.
Things I love, in no particular order: Viola's sister-in-law, and her interactions with her nephew; the audiobook narrator's excellent performance; the way the b-plot gradually becomes more important as the initial tension from the social difficulties of Viola and Gracewood's relationship fade in the face of their care for each other.
A LADY FOR A DUKE is self-contained and ends very satisfactorily, but it does appear that a sequel is planned (which I will eagerly await). Everything I could want handled is covered either in detail, or implicitly by the epilogue, which is set several years after the events of the main story. It seems that future books would be unlikely to feature Viola and Gracewood as main characters, but, based on the title of the sequel I think it will involve one of their relatives (which would be great, I'd love to have them play a role again after they were so wonderful here).
When Gracewood finally learns that Viola and his best friend are the same being, a new set of complications arise, as the social pressures on the lives of a duke and a lady's companion are deeply felt, and seem inescapable. As a trans person, it's tough to read what seems like transphobia coming from the love interest, even briefly, but the way it's handled and how both characters react to that moment serves to make the story stronger overall.
I like the care paid to developing Gracewood's relationship with his sister, dealing with the trouble has in relating to a teenage girl when he is a man who was raised to give orders rather than to listen. Viola and Gracewood were both changed by the war, but Gracewood's experiences left him visibly scarred and mentally shaken in ways that affect him on a daily basis. This is handled variously throughout, as Gracewood gradually becomes confident to not accept casual ableism from others, but it takes a while.
I love how Gracewood slowly notices more and more of Viola's wardrobe, appreciate that she designs and sews/embroiders it herself. It's made clear that Viola hasn't had previous sexual experiences because she would have either had to have them as a man (which she was uncomfortable doing, even before figuring out her gender), or would need a partner who was not scared off by her body after meeting her as a woman. The eventual sex scenes with Gracewood are careful and intimate, treading the line between being specific about the logistics involved involved and giving Viola space to be feminine and sexual without triggering dysphoria. More than that, with Gracewood's support as a partner she gets to feel good about her body in a sexual context, that it is a woman's body because it is hers, and not based on whether it aligns with some standard of gender presentation.
Things I love, in no particular order: Viola's sister-in-law, and her interactions with her nephew; the audiobook narrator's excellent performance; the way the b-plot gradually becomes more important as the initial tension from the social difficulties of Viola and Gracewood's relationship fade in the face of their care for each other.
A LADY FOR A DUKE is self-contained and ends very satisfactorily, but it does appear that a sequel is planned (which I will eagerly await). Everything I could want handled is covered either in detail, or implicitly by the epilogue, which is set several years after the events of the main story. It seems that future books would be unlikely to feature Viola and Gracewood as main characters, but, based on the title of the sequel I think it will involve one of their relatives (which would be great, I'd love to have them play a role again after they were so wonderful here).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Alcohol, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death, Cursing, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Gun violence, Violence, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicidal thoughts
honeycupreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really loved this book! The main characters were so loveable and their individual struggles were depicted wonderfully and handled with such care. I was slightly worried going into this book since I’ve not read many historical romances but I’m glad to say that this was such an easy read I genuinely did not want to put it down.
I did feel like the last 15% or so with the secondary plot line was pretty unnecessary and could’ve been excluded. It was sort of reminiscent of a wattpad plot twist and definitely threw me off, in a bad way, but overall didn’t ruin the story for me.
I did feel like the last 15% or so with the secondary plot line was pretty unnecessary and could’ve been excluded. It was sort of reminiscent of a wattpad plot twist and definitely threw me off, in a bad way, but overall didn’t ruin the story for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Addiction, Deadnaming, Ableism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Violence, Vomit, War, and Kidnapping
hollsart's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence
This book centers a Trans MC. Refreshingly, while her Transness informs the character and her choices it is never used as a plot device to move the story forward or traumatize the MClira_the_recluse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
Great characters and not too many anachronisms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
readingqueerly's review
emotional
lighthearted
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
The yearning, Y'ALL THE YEARNING. This was all the push and pull of a Jane Austen Novel, but make it diverse and especially queer as hell with a main character who is a trans woman, multiple side characters expressing queer interest, a male lead with a disability and an old friends to renewed friends to lovers. When I tell you I was screaming at some points because it made me feel all of the emotions. But especially the yearning. Alexis hall managed to put down banger after banger of line that made me swoon and melt.
When I saw this book was ~450 pages, I truly believed I would get bored or that it would be too long. Few romance books need to be that long. But this was so incredibly enjoyable and engaging. With a good background plot as well to carry the romance through and a male lead that one can only find in books like this
When I saw this book was ~450 pages, I truly believed I would get bored or that it would be too long. Few romance books need to be that long. But this was so incredibly enjoyable and engaging. With a good background plot as well to carry the romance through and a male lead that one can only find in books like this
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Transphobia
mobymaize's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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
5.0
It was really nice to read a regency era romance novel, a genre I don’t typically consume, with a trans woman protagonist, a person just like me :)
ALSO HOLY FUCK THERE IS SOMETHING INCREDIBLE & HOT ABOUT FALLING IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHERS WORDS. also HOLY SHIT THE SEX SCENE!!!!!!!!!! absolutely magnificent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Death, Drug use, Dysphoria, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, War, Classism, Death of parent, Outing, Sexual content, Deadnaming, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Ableism, Body shaming, Alcohol, Addiction, Child abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Gun violence
elliya's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.5
This is such a sweet world :) Viola and Gracewood both felt well rounded to me, though some other elements of the plot felt somewhat tacked-on rather than fully integrated into the story. Such fun regency-era clothing descriptions as well, which I always love! And a very emotional and superbly well-written sex scene.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault