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Bringing Down the Duke is a debut novel with lots of potential. The book had some of my favorite aspects of historical romance novels and it also played during a time, the late 1800s, which isn’t often portrait in this genre. Most stories are set during Regency England between 1811 and 1820. This novel plays during the time of suffragettes, when women were allowed to attend college and during the time of winning voting rights for females. It was certainly an exciting time. With many strong and forward thinking women. Ms. Dunmore introduces a number of secondary characters who I am sure are destined to have their own books.
That's how Annabelle meets Sebastian, the Duke of Montgomery, just outside Parliament. It's not a particularly successful meeting but it works well for us romance readers, as we see a bit of antagonism and attraction at the same time. Sebastian is not just stuffy. He's single minded. Before his death, Sebastian's father had managed to lose all the unentailed properties of his dukedom. Since inheriting the title, Sebastian has been on a quest to regain them all. And he's been successful, except for just one place: Montgomery Castle.I never once felt that Annabelle and the Duke were in love. It just seemed like they were really, really horny for one another. It always really annoys me when the attraction between two people is wholly centered on lust and sex, because it seems like a really fraught foundation for a relationship, and because I just get really annoyed when characters think with their genitals all the time. Did Annabelle and the Duke have one single moment together where they did something other than slaver over one another? There are some throwaway lines where the Duke mentions he likes that Annabelle is smart, but it's constantly overridden by his - frankly - disturbing hyperfixation on how beautiful and sexy she is. I get that the romance genre must have Lust and Sex - but does it have to take over the entire plot? She had never really known her place. Where others were appropriately intimidated, she seemed oddly intrigued by the challenge.
Dunmore is my new find in historical romance. Her A League of Extraordinary Women series is extraordinary.”—Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author I loved Sebastian because underneath his exterior, there really was so much more going on. I loved his intelligence, his humour and his passion and devotion. His family’s history as a Dukedom, Sebastian being involved in advising the Queen and Parliament and Sebastian’s relationship with his younger brother, Peregrin, were all interesting subplots. I don’t even know how to express how much I loved Sebastian.Annabelle Archer wants to go to Oxford, which just opened its first women’s colleges. Since her father died, Annabelle has been her cousin Gilbert’s “maid for everything.” I do not want a spin-off about Gilbert, who is exercable. Anyway, after some deft manipulation by Annabelle, Gilbert agrees to let Annabelle go to Oxford as long as she sends him two pounds a week so he can hire someone to take her place in the household. In addition to the money, she must have perfect moral conduct.
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