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A review by balletbookworm
Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa James
4.0
Some of my favorite Eloisa novels are the ones where she brings in information from her other life as a literature professor ([b:The Taming of the Duke|298371|The Taming of the Duke (Essex Sisters, #3)|Eloisa James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388474294l/298371._SY75_.jpg|289469] is a particular favorite for this reason) because we get to see what people did in their communities or in their downtime. And this one has a minor plot element in that Viola has suggested putting on a Bible play - which is not exactly CofE, given that the plays are medieval or Elizabethan in origin and run somewhat closer to the dreaded papistry of Ye Olde Englande (my joke here, not Eloisa's, but she uses the play to great effect late in the book).
That said, this is an almost completely internal plot. Viola, who has awful social anxiety, has fallen in puppy love with the new vicar on the Lindow estate (never mind that he's got a (terrible) fiance and potentially equally awful mother-in-law in tow), probably because he's the safest non-related male around. She also - unfortunately, or fortunately - overhears the Duke of Wynter cold-bloodedly discussing how he would rather propose to her sister Joan (he has reasons, they aren't great). Viola gets up the nerve to tell him off, which makes her immediately intriguing to him and he sets about trying to engage her interest in him and not the vicar for the rest of the book. Sometimes, I just really need a book where nothing untoward happens - there's no unhinged hanger-on, no greedy cousin, no addict mother, etc etc here for distraction - and the entire plot hangs on whether the main characters will fall in love. And if this is what you're looking for, this is it.
There's also an extremely steamy closet-sex scene which might be the sexiest thing Eloisa has written since the blindfolded chess/sex scene in [b:This Duchess of Mine|5742909|This Duchess of Mine (Desperate Duchesses, #5)|Eloisa James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380320134l/5742909._SY75_.jpg|5914609].
That said, this is an almost completely internal plot. Viola, who has awful social anxiety, has fallen in puppy love with the new vicar on the Lindow estate (never mind that he's got a (terrible) fiance and potentially equally awful mother-in-law in tow), probably because he's the safest non-related male around. She also - unfortunately, or fortunately - overhears the Duke of Wynter cold-bloodedly discussing how he would rather propose to her sister Joan (he has reasons, they aren't great). Viola gets up the nerve to tell him off, which makes her immediately intriguing to him and he sets about trying to engage her interest in him and not the vicar for the rest of the book. Sometimes, I just really need a book where nothing untoward happens - there's no unhinged hanger-on, no greedy cousin, no addict mother, etc etc here for distraction - and the entire plot hangs on whether the main characters will fall in love. And if this is what you're looking for, this is it.
There's also an extremely steamy closet-sex scene which might be the sexiest thing Eloisa has written since the blindfolded chess/sex scene in [b:This Duchess of Mine|5742909|This Duchess of Mine (Desperate Duchesses, #5)|Eloisa James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380320134l/5742909._SY75_.jpg|5914609].