Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Bringing Down the Duke

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

108 reviews

caelfind's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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unsweetener's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

5.0

What can I say? This one hooked me, and I loved it more the further I got into it.

Annabelle is a broke, overeducated, and slightly jaded vicar's daughter who becomes one of the first women admitted to Oxford; Sebastian is your prototypical tightly wound, super rich, hyper competent Duke (we all love a Duke named Sebastian; there's nothing for it).

There's a real class difference to contend with, and the late Victorian setting is well researched, lived in, and unglamorous. Annabelle's involvement with the suffragists offers both personal and plot development for both main characters; no 90% mark crisis to add drama here! The external conflict builds gradually, comes to a head with real consequences, and the fallout carries the rest of the book. It's definitely not a downer; there's some really excellent angst, though, and the historical grounding makes the class difference a meaningful obstacle and source of conflict. Since these characters have experience working through difficulties with high stakes, it only enhances the happy ending.

All told, this felt like an original, meaty approach to familiar tropes, and it ended so strongly that I forgot my minor critiques. Read it!

As a final note, I tried and failed to listen to a later audiobook in the series first, and I'd recommend against both (audiobook and skipping this one). Start here; the supporting characters get really excellent introductions (hope to see you again someday, Peregrine).

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baearles's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

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lostinthepaigeofabook's review

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adventurous hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

This book was so fantastic!! It was like Bridgerton with spunk. Annabelle was just the best! I loved her strength and the women’s suffragist storyline truly made this story for me. Yes, it’s “just a regency romance” but oh no, no it’s SO MUCH MORE than that! The characters are strong and meaningful and the plot surrounding Annabelle and the women’s movement she supports was so exciting. Her writing had me yearning to listen to it all day long! (I did the audiobook, the narrator was also great!)

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welaneyding's review

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

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kamreher's review

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted 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

3.75

we love a book about historical badass bitches.

spice 🌶 - a 4 🌶 spicy

length - just right.

reading speed - read in 2 days
did it make me cry? - nope

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paigedent's review

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It started to get very inappropriate and read that it would get more so. Not historically accurate. Not a very interesting story in general.

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unsuccessfulbookclub's review

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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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onegalonelife27's review against another edition

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emotional 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? Yes

5.0

Life’s been down recently, so I decided to re-read a book to bring me up. And it’s hard to not enjoy Evie’s Dunmore’s League of Extraordinary Ladies series. This first book in the series sets up the Victorian era with its highs of elegant balls and its lows of poverty. We are introduced to Annabelle Archer-a highly educated vicar’s daughter forced to work for her cousin as maid and nanny until she manages to convince him to let her go to Oxford as one of the first female students. What she doesn’t mention is she got a scholarship to go, so long as she supports the local suffrage chapter. And it’s during one event that she meets the Duke of Montgomery, Sebastian. Sebastian works hard to restore the family’s honor and claim his ancestral seat that his father lost. Queen Victoria herself promises to give him back the seat, if he is able to help her party win the upcoming elections. And her party does not like suffragettes trying to spread their cause around, especially inside their own homes. Yet when a political strategy sends Annabelle into Sebastian’s home, the sparks fly, and leads to sizzling, emotional romance.

One aspect of this I liked is how Annabelle is a sadder, wiser girl. She’s loved and lost before and now is on a path of self-reliance and staying safe. She’s learned how to manage men but knows she can’t rely on them for too much. Sebastian is also heavily self-reliant, since he had to take over the dukedom at a young age. He could indulge in all the sins of fellow nobles and not have a care in the world for others, but he works hard to sustain his estates and those who rely on him. Both feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, but find comfort and a fellow companion in one another.

I feel like this book also makes a statement about how wealthy and political activism are intertwined. The only reason that Annabelle gets involved and keeps being involved is because of the stipend that gets involved. The rest of the ladies involved in the suffrage cause are referred to as ladies or come from families like Annabelle’s friend Hattie who is a banker’s daughter. Annabelle runs herself ragged trying to keep up with the obligations of activism, school, and a deal with her cousin to send money to cover for her labor at his place-the jerk. Yet the rest of the ladies can just go about their days and attend meetings and protests without worry, well without too much worry. If Annabelle didn’t have to focus on survival and self-reliance, Sebastian’s offer wouldn’t be half as tempting.

Overall, if you like a series that portrays interesting heroines, great relationship dynamics, and a realistic setting, I highly recommend A League of Extraordinary Ladies, starting with this one! Happy Reading!

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mollyjeannette's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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? No

3.75

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