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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Absolutely living for the artist/muse trope being flipped so the artist is a common woman and the muse is an aristocratic man. Especially because neither of them are aware of their situation until said aristocratic man is accused of adultery because some dude's wife has a nude portrait of him.
As far as historical romances go, this one's a bit more serious than many of my usual picks, but the heavier themes worked for the story, and it felt fairly well grounded in reality. Anthony's tirade against his dead father tended to get tiresome after a while, but while he's certainly not perfect, he does have an interesting arc and growth I can appreciate.
For Lucy I have no criticisms. I love her. She is chaotic and colorful and will take anyone down, including dukes she's accidentally stumbled over and then painted naked. Respect.
Pros: Anthony and Lucy's various schemes were highly entertaining, and the stakes are always high for everyone involved
Cons: This book is long. Like, perhaps a bit too long and could've been cut down a tad
CW: Alcoholism, sexual content, forced institutionalization, suicide, child abuse, emotional abuse, death of parent
Recommended for: HR readers who prefer the slightly more serious, "historically accurate" romances
As far as historical romances go, this one's a bit more serious than many of my usual picks, but the heavier themes worked for the story, and it felt fairly well grounded in reality. Anthony's tirade against his dead father tended to get tiresome after a while, but while he's certainly not perfect, he does have an interesting arc and growth I can appreciate.
For Lucy I have no criticisms. I love her. She is chaotic and colorful and will take anyone down, including dukes she's accidentally stumbled over and then painted naked. Respect.
Pros: Anthony and Lucy's various schemes were highly entertaining, and the stakes are always high for everyone involved
Cons: This book is long. Like, perhaps a bit too long and could've been cut down a tad
CW: Alcoholism, sexual content, forced institutionalization, suicide, child abuse, emotional abuse, death of parent
Recommended for: HR readers who prefer the slightly more serious, "historically accurate" romances
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
slow-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
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
On her way to the Royal Academy for her painting classes, Lucy stumbles upon an unconscious, naked man and for some reason, she can't stop herself from taking in every detail of him. She covers him, fetches help, and continues on her way. But she can't get him out of her mind, so she paints him. Only problem? He's the Duke of Weston and her life will be forever changed as a result.
The Duke of Weston, Anthony was once just a second son, with plans to lead his own life away from his troubling family, but life rarely goes according to plan. After the death of his brother, he becomes heir and after the death of his father his freedom is taken away from him until his 30th birthday when he will inherit, as long as he follows the rules. Then there's the matter of his missing sister to tackle. Anthony should destroy the painting and never think of Lucy again, but maybe she can help him instead?
The Duke Undone was a great read. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters were fun. I got invested in their story easily. The story deals with some pretty heavy subjects but does so very well. Both Anthony and Lucy have troubled/complicated pasts that play very big parts in who they are, but they both grow substantially throughout the book. The inclusion of the side characters and the bit of mystery around Effie and the inheritance add intrigue to the story. I had a wonderful time reading this and struggled to put it down. I'm excited for the next book in the series which was released yesterday.
✔ Class Difference Trope
✔ Slight Enemies to Lovers
✔ Soldier Hero/Artist Heroine
✔ Dual POV
The Duke of Weston, Anthony was once just a second son, with plans to lead his own life away from his troubling family, but life rarely goes according to plan. After the death of his brother, he becomes heir and after the death of his father his freedom is taken away from him until his 30th birthday when he will inherit, as long as he follows the rules. Then there's the matter of his missing sister to tackle. Anthony should destroy the painting and never think of Lucy again, but maybe she can help him instead?
The Duke Undone was a great read. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters were fun. I got invested in their story easily. The story deals with some pretty heavy subjects but does so very well. Both Anthony and Lucy have troubled/complicated pasts that play very big parts in who they are, but they both grow substantially throughout the book. The inclusion of the side characters and the bit of mystery around Effie and the inheritance add intrigue to the story. I had a wonderful time reading this and struggled to put it down. I'm excited for the next book in the series which was released yesterday.
✔ Class Difference Trope
✔ Slight Enemies to Lovers
✔ Soldier Hero/Artist Heroine
✔ Dual POV
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
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
dark
hopeful
medium-paced