Book Review, Kirkus Style

     

     Bringing Down the Duke

     Evie Dunmore

     Jove Books,  340 p.



In this charming historical romance the poor but clever Anabelle Archer enters the first female class at Oxford on a scholarship from the National Society for Women’s Suffrage. In exchange, Annabelle must attempt to convert the influential, and adversarial, Duke of Montgomery to their “radical” agenda. 

Eager to escape the drudgery of being her “ignorant yet self-important” cousin’s unpaid “everything maid” the independently minded Annabelle accepts her obligation to the Suffragettes despite the moral outrage it may cause. The upcoming election is a chance to advocate for the repeal of the Married Women’s Property Act and Annabelle quickly makes friends as together the women canvas the streets for “men of influence.” If the Suffragettes could arouse the sympathies of a man with the unquestionable clout of the Duke of Montgomery it would be a major victory, but Montgomery is focused on rebuilding the family estates his father left in shambles, turning his brother into a suitable heir, and helping the Queen win the election for the dreadful Tories. After a subterfuge brings Annabelle and her friends to the ducal mansion, our heroine finds herself in series of confrontations with Montgomery that leave her flushed with more than the heat of argument. Torn between his desire for Annabelle and the respectable duties of his station Montgomery resists upsetting the status quo only to discover the formidable Annabelle is not a woman to compromise her conscience. 

Dunmore’s duke is a classic love interest, arrogant and controlled on the outside, passionate and tender on the inside: a combination that delivers during the couple’s unchaperoned, and decidedly improper, encounters. Despite her unconventional actions Annabelle is essentially indifferent to politics. The suffragettes’ cause is incidental and wearying to her character, rather than a driving force. The sass and charm of her fellow suffragettes add dimension to the story, and hopefully we can expect to see them front and center in the series’ future. Fans of historical romance will enjoy the period details throughout this amusing and heartfelt tale of forbidden love.

Comments

  1. Abby AbbottFebruary 21, 2021 at 9:33 AM

    Your review makes me want to find out what happens with this story. I like reading and watching books with forbidden loves and some sort of social movement. This has both! Thanks for the review.

    Abby Abbott

    ReplyDelete
  2. Erin CataldiFebruary 22, 2021 at 9:51 AM

    Great job! This definitely feels Kirkus worthy - I read this story and you did a wonderful job on the summary - full points!

    ReplyDelete

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