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A review by moonytoast
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
coming at this book from the perspective of someone who has basically read little to no historical romance (outside of my appreciation of jane austen's works) is interesting, but this has made me feel compelled to read not just alexis hall's backlist but also more queer historical romance novels!
i absolutely fell in love with the characters of viola and gracewood. i think hall did a great job of building out their prior friendship and also their own respective traumas. their chemistry upon reconnecting is so intimate and has the kind of easy kinship that i really love to see in romance stories, but it's also distinctly different from the dynamic viola and gracewood had before the war. friends to lovers tends to be a hit or miss trope for me, but this really sold me on it because there's still a significant journey that these characters go through before they actually reach the lovers part of the trope.
the side characters were also a fun time! louise and badger eavesdropping on viola and gracewood by hiding behind a plant and then interrupting their conversation, miranda going to a costume party dressed as frankenstein's monster.... i love them your honor!!!!!
the last 100 pages kinda went on a wild journey and i definitely knew something was going to happen, but wow. my brain was just like: OMG we're getting a swordfight in a brothel between viola and amberglass??????? OKAY IDK WHAT'S GOING ON BUT I'M HERE FOR IT! i blame my general lack of experience with historical romance and also the fact i am currently hopped up on medication for the worst sinus infection i've ever had in my life, but i was not prepared for that.
overall this is definitely primed to become a favorite comfort read of mine so i might eventually change this to five stars upon a re-read, but it's still absolutely lovely the first time around!
i absolutely fell in love with the characters of viola and gracewood. i think hall did a great job of building out their prior friendship and also their own respective traumas. their chemistry upon reconnecting is so intimate and has the kind of easy kinship that i really love to see in romance stories, but it's also distinctly different from the dynamic viola and gracewood had before the war. friends to lovers tends to be a hit or miss trope for me, but this really sold me on it because there's still a significant journey that these characters go through before they actually reach the lovers part of the trope.
the side characters were also a fun time! louise and badger eavesdropping on viola and gracewood by hiding behind a plant and then interrupting their conversation, miranda going to a costume party dressed as frankenstein's monster.... i love them your honor!!!!!
the last 100 pages kinda went on a wild journey and i definitely knew something was going to happen, but wow. my brain was just like: OMG we're getting a swordfight in a brothel between viola and amberglass??????? OKAY IDK WHAT'S GOING ON BUT I'M HERE FOR IT! i blame my general lack of experience with historical romance and also the fact i am currently hopped up on medication for the worst sinus infection i've ever had in my life, but i was not prepared for that.
overall this is definitely primed to become a favorite comfort read of mine so i might eventually change this to five stars upon a re-read, but it's still absolutely lovely the first time around!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, and War
Minor: Transphobia, Kidnapping, Sexism, and Violence