A review by yourbookishbff
The Duke Undone by Joanna Lowell

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

After loving Lowell's newest release, A Shore Thing, I wanted to start at the beginning to read through her backlist. This is a remarkable debut, with a wildly inventive premise (East End artist stumbles on naked duke, paints him, causes pandemonium) layered with lush prose and complex character work. Through our main characters, Lowell is tackling codependency and alcoholism, war trauma, grief, class difference and Victorian era housing rights. She deftly uses the primary subplot - our Duke's attempt to finally overturn the conservatorship that's bound his money and agency with his father's old accomplice - to expose obstacles in the romance, and I appreciated how respectfully Lowell navigates some really nuanced relationship and power dynamics. 

Also, Lowell writes excellent intimacy scenes that feel authentic to each character and propel the plot and relationship in meaningful ways. Her intimacy scenes remind me of Meredith Duran's, both for their gut punch emotional heft and their character insight.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to being a Lowell completionist.
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