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yourbookishbff 's review for:
Ne'er Duke Well
by Alexandra Vasti
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I'm so delighted Alexandra Vasti is now writing full-length books. I fell in love with her writing through the Halifax Hellions novellas, and seeing her transition into a full-length series set-up is so exciting. This hit all the right notes - a guardianship conflict that feels realistic (and doesn't overly rely on child drama), a newly minted (American) Duke with radical politics, entrepreneurial heroine (running a salacious lending library), near-miss ruination (gasp!), and pining-while-married. This is fairly low angst, with most of the conflict operating outside the couple, and features several absolutely delicious open-door scenes that feel Just Right for these characters. I particularly enjoyed a few of the plot twists that set up future books in the series and can't wait to see these characters get their own happily-ever-afters.
Come for the spicy regency comedy and stay for the author's note, because as always, Vasti evidences how deeply researched and historically authentic these characters are - a great reminder that there have always been women clawing their way to self-determination with the tools available to them, and feminism is not anachronistic.
Come for the spicy regency comedy and stay for the author's note, because as always, Vasti evidences how deeply researched and historically authentic these characters are - a great reminder that there have always been women clawing their way to self-determination with the tools available to them, and feminism is not anachronistic.
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content
Moderate: Slavery, Abandonment
Minor: Pregnancy