Reviews

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid

joonvrses's review

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-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

eva_mallevaey_fieve's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

3.75

moonlitreading_'s review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sugurudilf's review

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fast-paced

3.0

it was cute. fulfilled my historical manhwa loving heart and got me back into reading after work.

cala_p's review against another edition

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5.0

I received an ARC of this book.
Being unfamiliar with this author I went head first into the book with only the synopsis to drive me forward.

Katherine (Kitty) Danvers has had multiple seasons with them going nowhere. She has two sisters who need to marry and marry well in order to save their family from impending financial ruin. As they already have little money, the sisters are not marriageable and Kitty has had no luck. So she conducts a plan and claims to be engaged to a duke who has not been seen in years. With the duke’s name and title attached to her, her sisters immediately start attracting men and material things are coming to the family. Alexander, said duke, reads of his engagement in the papers. Surprisingly he does nothing but continue to send her stuff and plan a trip to meet her.

This book has a beauty and the beast retelling vibe, particularly in the second half of the novel. Alexander experienced an accident in which scarred his face, much of his body and made it so he is unable to walk without a walker, but is often confined to a wheelchair. In the age of this story, all things that makes this duke unwanted by society. Kitty is unaware of all this until meeting him. Despite his injuries she slowly falls in love with him, for him and his kindness. She doesn’t care for the looks. He “the beast” worries that she will eventually want for more (children) in which he can not provide for her.

So despite the unique situation, they become friends. He helps her by keeping the lie alive. She helps him by being a friend and helping his loneliness. Together they fall in love and it is magical. What I especially love about this book is the development of the romance. It’s not quick. They do truly become friends while falling in love with one another. There’s a quote from a movie I love: “Love is friendship on fire” and this book represents that. Despite the attraction, the hold off and become friends but once the attraction builds more, on top of the friendship, it really all becomes enflamed creating one hell of a story. Alexander and Kitty are so great for each other. While she is young and “fresh” she had had a few seasons so both characters have an air of maturity around them.

Due to his limitations nothing physical happens for most of the book. I love that about this one. The story truly stayed true to the character’s disabilities and limitations and didn’t magically speed healing along in order to drive the physical aspects of the relationship.

I’m very happy I picked this one up. I can’t believe I need to wait a year for book 2, which is undoubtedly about a friend of hers in the club. I enjoyed this book immensely. A fairytale retelling without being too much of a retelling; more of a theme than anything. Magical, heartwarming, and lovely! I’ll definitely check out more from this author.

reeyabeegale's review

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3.0

3.5 stars

It’s unlike any of the historical romance books I’ve read. Having a scarred and broken hero are not what makes it unique but the beauty of how the people around him showed their love and care.

I can’t help it whenever my heart aches for the characters’ faith in themselves falter. There’s nothing more sad than feeling convinced that you are unworthy and undeserving of anything — affection, love and dreams. I think it’s what saved this book for me.

The premise was promising, it’s the reason I bought a copy and at the start, it delivered. Towards the middle, it became meh; but again, I can’t fault its beauty in all its brokenness. Also, the manner of speaking/conversation was too formal — I’m used to reading historical romances like it’s written in this day & age; that’s not a bad thing or a negative in this book, I just prefer it differently and would’ve probably enjoyed the story more in that way.

I hope I end up liking the other books in the series.

danacanterino's review

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4.0

4/5

Me encantó y más porque me sacó del bloqueo lector que tuve por más de un mes.
Fue entretenido y me encantaron Alexander y Kitty ☺

warnettexoxo's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

caro_j's review against another edition

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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

3.0

shannonlangton's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.25

I loved the emotional journey these characters went through together and individually to come together in the end. I sort of wished that she could have proved her devotion without it being through the act, and that could have created a space for him to be confident in himself and his value and thereby be able to perform. But only a slight digression :)

I also love story arcs and concurrent timelines in different books. I can't wait to read the other stories for the Sinful Wallflowers!