A Lady for a Duke is now one of my all-time favorite romances and is easily one of the best books in any genre that I’ve read this year. It is stunning. Hall has gifted us with a tender regency romance with a trans leading lady that is joyful and swoony with an edge of absurdity (that third act!). And through it all, he navigates complex discussions of gender identity, regency-era (and modern) gender roles and social constructs, and the realities and complexities of choosing to live as you were meant to.

A few of my favorite things about this book:
💞 SO MUCH MUTUAL PINING.
💞 Brilliantly executed friends-to-lovers and second-chance romance
💞 Well-developed side characters (Lady Marleigh! Mira!)
💞 The levity! Hall’s signature humor balances even vulnerable, fearful or dramatic moments throughout the narrative.
💞 Hall’s decision that Viola’s gender would NOT be the central conflict in her love story. She gets the happily ever after she deserves, and we get to enjoy every second of it.
💞 The incredible attention to detail in Viola’s descriptions. As this is set in a time when clothing, makeup and jewelry were some of the only tools available to identify herself, the details of Viola’s attire become essential elements of the story. Every time she is in a scene, Hall (typically via Gracewood, the cinnamon roll-est of cinnamon roll main characters) describes her outfit in particular, loving detail. This specificity was so insightful and authentic, and I loved Hall for it.

It was so easy to fall in love with these characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this from start to finish. Highly recommend to all readers, but note the content warnings.