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A laugh out loud historical romance that will have you pining for a Duke of your own.

This book was very kindly recommended by a fellow blogger and I was not disappointed at all!

Thanks to some encouragement and much generosity I finally read it. And if you like historical romance, romance at all, or just want to fall in love outside of time.. This is a good choice.

I’ve heard only good things about the show. It’s supposed to be really good.. Fortunately I hadn’t started watching it yet because, until I saw a review on here, I didn’t even know they were books!

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Bridgerton ‘The Duke and I‘ by Julia Quinn

‘The Duke and I’ was such a delightful read!   

Four Stars!

The characters here are beautifully written, their relationships with one another are highly entertaining, and the story flowed at a steady and enjoyable pace.. towards a predictable yet tidy ending (sorry.. it’s true.)

Daphne is the definition of a fine young lady.. (if you exclude her penchant for smart mouthed remarks and assaulting potential suitors.) Quick witted and self assured, this young woman keeps the men around her on their toes. She has a generous heart, is fiercely loyal, and hides a spine of steel in lace.

“Who would have thought I could be so terrifying?” Daphne murmured, thinking of all the men who thought of her as a jolly good friend and nothing more. “How wonderful.”

Simon stared at her as if she were insane, then muttered, “I’m not even going to question that statement.”

― Julia Quinn, The Duke and I

She reminded me a little of Jane Bennett in Pride and Prejudice. Often described as plain and more of friend to the gentlemen callers than an actual love interest.. Yet unquestionably attractive to a man in complete denial about his feelings towards her.

It’s alright. We can wait.

Simon was intelligent, reserved, and kept his own council to avoid exposing his vulnerabilities to society. It all seemed very sad.. What he had to overcome became a defining quality in the younger Duke Hastings personality. You unquestionably felt the burden he carried from his position, limitations, and the lingering resentment towards his father.

“It was those eyes as much as anything that had earned him his reputation as a man to be reckoned with. When he stared at a person, clear and unwavering, men grew uncomfortable. Women positively shivered.”

― Julia Quinn, The Duke and I

Quinn did a brilliant job capturing the old fashioned self assured male ego. Shown in the exchanges between both Simon and Daphne’s brothers, it’s a hard reminder of how far the rights of women have come. These are completely realistic examples of the power a man had in regards to a woman’s rights.. She had none. Thankfully, the author chose to bless this young lady with men who loved and respected her choices.

The verbal play between these two was amusing and had me chuckling out loud. The beginning of their relationship shows us a playful, friendly side that develops wonderfully. Their time together slowly blooms into a deeper, more matured attraction that lends to some very complicated situations.

I can tell you that at one point I almost smacked the ever loving crap out of our Duke Hastings(figuratively speaking). I believe he used the words ‘I own you’ towards Daphne in the heat of the moment.. (Not even knowing it was just a book stopped the immediate disgust I felt towards the notion that any person could claim ownership over another.)

“Did you know I have always suspected that men were idiots,” Daphne ground out, “but I was never positive until today.”

― Julia Quinn, The Duke and I

The Bridgerton’s are the kind of crazy beautiful chaos that all families should aspire to be. I found all the siblings devotion and defense of one another beyond heartwarming. Their mother, Violent Bridgerton, is a quietly underestimated force to be reckoned with and the charming and overprotective brothers were endlessly amusing with their sly remarks and hilarious expressions of brotherly affection.

“We should save Daff,” Benedict said.
“We really should,” Anthony added.
“What my brothers are too lily-livered to tell you,” Colin said derisively, “is that they are terrified of my mother.”
“It’s true,” Anthony said with a helpless shrug.
Benedict nodded. “I freely admit it.”

― Julia Quinn, The Duke and I

And I cannot forget to show appreciation for the wickedly comical writings of their very own gossip girl. Indiscriminately revealing society’s secrets and scandals, Lady Whistledown’s column inspires much ire.. and intrigue. Her character was a fun addition to a time when such things were considered highly improper. While her identity remains a secret for now, I’m comfortable predicting that we’ll soon find out who our mysterious writer is..

Ah Gentle Reader, This Author is pleased to report…

LADY WHISTLEDOWN’S SOCIETY PAPERS, 19 December 1813

Only in historical fiction do you get to so thoroughly immerse yourself in the past.. While knowing just how much better off we are with modern plumbing.

I definitely recommend this to any and all willing! It’s sweet, its funny, and the characters are so authentic you could almost take a step out of time.

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