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A review by shilo1364
The Truth About Dukes by Grace Burrowes
4.0
For the first 15% of this book I really actively disliked it. I was seriously considering dnfing it. I've read Burrowes' books before and enjoyed them, but it felt like we were dumped into a scene midway through followed by a series of short conversations between characters I didn't know about this mysterious thing that no one was naming. Part of this could be that it was the fifth in a series (which I didn't realize until I started reading it.)
However. I persevered and actually started really enjoying it soon after that, when Constance and Robert start interacting more.
The really interesting thing about this book, to me, is that it wasn't what I was expecting for a historical romance. There wasn't a lot of sex (honestly that's a good thing), and Constance and Robert got together VERY early on. The conflict didn't hinge on their relationship or misunderstandings between them, but rather on outside events each was going through. It actually felt more like historical fiction than historical romance.
The families were wonderful, and I was reminded a great deal of the Bridgertons. Which is good as I adored the Bridgerton clan and now I adore the Rothmeres and Wentworths as well. I'm tempted to go back and read the other books in the series now that I know how much fun the characters are.
This novel also took on some serious topics - Epilepsy, mental competency trials, anxiety, and adopted children one regrets giving up. I don't have personal experience with any of those, but I do have other debilitating physical and mental illnesses and the way these topics were handled rang true to me.
All in all a great book, but that awkward beginning drops the rating a bit for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this e-arc to review
*whoops just realized this review has been sitting in my drafts for a month. Smh.
However. I persevered and actually started really enjoying it soon after that, when Constance and Robert start interacting more.
The really interesting thing about this book, to me, is that it wasn't what I was expecting for a historical romance. There wasn't a lot of sex (honestly that's a good thing), and Constance and Robert got together VERY early on. The conflict didn't hinge on their relationship or misunderstandings between them, but rather on outside events each was going through. It actually felt more like historical fiction than historical romance.
The families were wonderful, and I was reminded a great deal of the Bridgertons. Which is good as I adored the Bridgerton clan and now I adore the Rothmeres and Wentworths as well. I'm tempted to go back and read the other books in the series now that I know how much fun the characters are.
This novel also took on some serious topics - Epilepsy, mental competency trials, anxiety, and adopted children one regrets giving up. I don't have personal experience with any of those, but I do have other debilitating physical and mental illnesses and the way these topics were handled rang true to me.
All in all a great book, but that awkward beginning drops the rating a bit for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this e-arc to review
*whoops just realized this review has been sitting in my drafts for a month. Smh.