A review by bzliz
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

emotional lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I have conflicting feelings about this book. I have not seen the show (though I’ve seen a few spoilers on TikTok) but I decided to give the book a shot even though I’m not a huge regency romance fan. On one hand, I started the book enjoying Daphne and Simon’s banter and I really liked the over all vibe of the Bridgerton family. Once they got married though I was less charmed. I tried to take the “period appropriate” (written in 2000, set in the 1800s) sexism with a grain of salt but it’s hard to give grace when the main characters just start acting really abusive towards each other. And that’s without taking into account the sexual assault scene. 

Even after those icks are taken into account, I still didn’t despise this as much as other readers seem to. It wasn’t revolutionary, nor was it the worst thing I’ve ever read. I may continue the series if I can get it from the library. 
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