Reviews with content warning for Grief - A Lady for a Duke

Viola Carroll was working as a companion to her sister-in-law, Lady Marleigh. It was not what she how she envisioned spending her life, but it was a life where she was much more happy. When Lady Marleigh received a letter from an old family friend, she became concerned. Miranda wrote that her brother, the Duke of Gracewood still suffered greatly since returning home from Waterloo two years previous. He was taking large doses of laudanum and drinking heavily. Miranda tried to care for her brother as best she could but feared she was losing the battle to save his health and mind. Lady Marleigh felt she and Viola needed to travel to Gracewood's estate to see if they could offer some support for them. Viola was very hesitant. Justin had been her best friend. Her oldest friend. They went to war together. Justin returned wounded. Viola was also wounded, but was thought to have died. Viola was now living life as her true self and had no plans to let anyone outside of her family know she survived the war.

Gracewood grieved for his losses. His leg was severely wounded and at times, it could not support him. He also relived the war in his dreams, so sleep was limited. His greatest pain was the loss of his best friend, Marleigh. Gracewood looked all over the battlefield in hopes of finding him alive. The medics took him away to see about his wounds before he had a chance to find his friend. When Lady Marleigh and her companion, Viola, arrived, they could see Gracewood was struggling. Viola did not intend to reveal who she was to Gracewood, but she had to do something to help her old friend. Slowly, she found ways to get him to talk. Justin began to enjoy these talks and started to open up about what he was going through. As they talked more, both of them started to develop deeper feelings. Viola wondered if there was a possibility for more.

I enjoyed how Alexis Hall slowly revealed the characters' stories in the novel. Viola was finally able to live as her authentic self. She gave up much to live that life, but she had no regrets. Justin was distraught over the loss of his closest friend. A friend he thought to always have in his life. When he met Viola, he saw something in her that let him know she was a person who would want the best for him. They both looked beyond what was visible to what each was inside. I loved the ending. It was perfect.

Content Warnings

nicoleonbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

A beautiful romance about love having the power to change you, and also being g loved as you are.

This is incredibly well written. It is the right mix of sad and hopeful. Viola is strong and Gracewood is tender, and they fit each other perfectly. The side characters feel like good friends and family.

I think it's also worth noting that the sex scenes are very few but they're beautifully realistic. I want more talk around sex like this in books.

Content Warnings

hannahwriightt's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-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? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

cassiebee's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

Content Warnings

emrys_lol's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny reflective 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

4.5

I really loved this book and the characters, especially for the genre, I feel like there isn't many queer historical regency romances, and this really did hit all of the marks for what I wanted from this book when I picked it up.

For anyone interested in romance, this is a perfect pick, and is surprisingly sweet and has a healthy dynamic. Overall, the side characters and main characters felt interesting and mostly fleshed out. I loved the way their emotion/trauma was discussed between the main character and love interest in a reflective and productive way. I was worried there would be a sense of toxicity in the way the love interest responds, and the main character would have to fix the issue and be the emotional crutch the love interest uses in a way that isn't healthy but it did not do that! The love interest takes it upon himself to do work before pursuing the main character again!

The only issues I had with the book was the plot points towards the end felt a little rushed, and not quite built up enough for the reveal, but it was a minor thing.

Content Warnings

mariavale4's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

novella42's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

This book was a delight and a joy, easily one of my top reads of 2022. As a queer cis person with PTSD and a disability, married to a genderfluid partner, I have often wondered what our lives might have been like in a different time. This story was a refreshing alternative to many of the "gritty" interpretations of queer history. The truth is that we don't know a lot about the queer or trans experience prior to the Twentieth Century—because it was hidden from view—and because we don't know, there is also space to speculate for happiness and acceptance just as there is for the usual tropes that assume all will encounter darkness and hate.

I felt such a connection to the characters. The struggle with internalized ableism was believable and handled with more nuance than I expected. And just... The identity work in this book, not just about gender but on so many levels. It felt wonderful to witness. To see them work through their fears, their demons, to navigate all the uncertainties (without language for their identities or traumas), and all the ways they connected to heal. I was crying with pure joy at multiple points throughout the book!

Content Warnings

mandaraffe's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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

Content Warnings

More...