Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

14 reviews

kathis_wonderland's review

emotional 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

2.75

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore is the first book in the A League of Extraordinary Women series. Annabelle finally gets the chance to study at Oxford. During her help for the women's suffrage movement she meets Sebastian, a powerful duke in England. In the efforts to win him for their cause, Annabelle is falling for him. And even though it is socially not acceptable, Sebastian falls for the country woman as well.
 
I've had this book on my to-read list for over three years. When a friend of mine said she had it at home, I was really excited to finally read it. However, I am a little disappointed. This book was not really my cup of tea. The characters are all rather cold and distant. None of them really appealed to me. I just didn't get warm with them. Sebastian was the coldest of them all. I did not really see his charm. He is abrupt and demanding, but he never did anything against Annabelle's wishes. All the aristocratic and misogynistic thinking made me mad. I was constantly annoyed and just did not really enjoy the writing style of this book. The sex scenes were steamy and okayish.
 
There was nothing extraordinary or exciting in this book. It was an okay read. Sadly, I don't want to read the other books in the series. I expected something different. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Classism

Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Infidelity

undecidedpersonality's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted slow-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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Medical content, Miscarriage, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Grief, and Violence

madsreadsbooks17's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Pregnancy and Miscarriage

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Alcohol, Sexual content, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Alcoholism

allisonmspiers's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Classism, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Addiction, and Bullying

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Medical content

zer0zer0's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Sexism, Classism, and Misogyny

Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent

Misogyny, sexism, and classism flagged are all setting appropriate but not overly violent or graphic. Death of a parent, alcoholism:

Both the main characters have experienced this, though is not touched on much for the female protag, and briefly discussed for the male protag. The male protag’s father was an alcoholic and died from this, which the male protag harbours resentment for.

Pregnancy, misscarraige:

the main female protag had a miscarriage before the story began, this and the pregnancy are only mentioned in 2 scenes.

Sexual assault & harassment:

There is a scene where one of the main protags friends is harassed and groped by a police officer.

saurahsaurus's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.25

I really liked this book! I was seeking out a light-hearted read with a love interest for a bit of escapism. I ended up liking it more than I’d thought I would. I learned a bit about history, and found that it wasn’t as light as its tags would indicate. In fact, I thought the book was rather emotional, angst-y, and at times even heart-wrenching.

The main characters and their love story were very compelling, to the point that I could actually see this occurring in the past. They’re a bit star-crossed, and that’s what made things so emotional: in real history, their socio-economic circumstances would have precluded their love from blossoming, much less their initial meeting. Thankfully, this is fiction so we’re allowed to dream :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexism, and Classism

Moderate: Colonisation, Alcohol, Abandonment, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Infidelity

A note about what the “sexual assault” tag, with minor spoilers (that are not major plot spoilers).

The assault referenced is brief, and is groping by an authority figure. I tagged it as “assault” because it goes beyond verbal harassment. Although it is brief, it is described as it happens (rather than an event in the past that is mentioned in passing), so I listed it under “moderate”.

jana16's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Police brutality, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

Minor: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Torture, and War

thefatpaperback's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

2.0

The feminism in this book wasn’t what I wanted it to be. The characters’ feminism was still classist and sex-negative, so it didn’t extend to women who were mistresses and sex-workers. Additionally, there were too many things going on in this plot of this book to make for a cohesive and comprehensive read. I also didn’t ever care for the Duke sooo not for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, Classism, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual assault and Alcoholism

brichneyfloss's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Pregnancy