The Duke and I

That was abysmal. And a terrible first read for the new year! I normally stay clear of romances, historical or otherwise, but I watched the first episode (and a half) of the recent Netflix adaptation of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novels, quite enjoyed them, only I always prefer reading the book over watching the series. However, I think Netflix might have the edge in this instance - the reviewers on IMDb who think the books are great literature need their heads read. This is historical fiction lite, based on an American's crash course in Georgette Heyer, Downton Abbey and and PG Wodehouse and it shows. Painfully.

Set in the Regency era - very loosely, though not intentionally or humorously so, like the adaptation - the first half of the show more overlong novel is, I think, supposed to be a sort of comedy of manners, but more Jeeves and Wooster than Jane Austen. Daphne Bridgerton is the fourth child of eight - all named alphabetically, hoho - and perilously close to being left on the shelf. Men like her but as a friend or a sister, not romantically. Her mother is desperate, dragging her round the usual marriage markets, but the only man showing an interest is called Nigel. (The characters are all given weirdly anachronistic names.) The Hero is a brooding, rakish duke called Simon - seriously - who left the country after the ubiquitous Childhood Trauma that makes a brooding hero and only returned to claim his title after his father's death. Simon and Daphne strike up a flirtation after she knocks Nigel out and they agree to pretend to be interested in each other. Two months later, or some equally ludicrous lapse of time, they are predictably head over heels in love and married. Then the whole pace and tone of the story completely flips into some horrendous bodice ripper, with Simon showing Daphne how to love and Daphne taking the initiative when Simon tells her they won't be having any children. I didn't give a stuff, to be honest - I hate men with issues who think that gives them the right to treat women like crap, whatever the timeline, and that's all this novel boils down to.

I just generally hated this book - the series seems far, far better. Less waffle, for a start - the dialogue just loops round and round in circles, and the humour is childish. There are Americanisms and anachronisms abound - Daphne's silk dresses are constantly getting pulled or torn from her body, with no mention of underpinnings, for example - and the 'love scenes' are laughable. 'I want to be in ... your soul,' Simon actually intones at one point. I snorted at that. The characters are all described in the same way - dark hair with blue eyes, or chocolate brown in Daphne's case - so thank goodness for the diversity in the series (despite all the racists on IMDb crying over different ethnicities in Regency England). And the grasp of social history and etiquette would have Jane Austen - and many Austenites - spinning in their bonnets.

I'm going to watch the rest of the series and try to forget the books exist! show less

Oh boy. I can't believe I'm going to type this out. But here we go.
So everyone has serious thoughts about this book. You'll read about a "rape"� scene. At the risk of sounding combative, I do not full-heartedly agree. Rape implies a forced act onto someone who did not agree to participate at all. To me, the nefarious scene in The Duke & I would fall under the "sexual assault" umbrella. Duke asks for and consents to sex. The tipping point was forced insemination. Up until that moment, it was mutual. HOWEVER, that doesn't justify the necessity for the scene. It was truly pointless and almost laughable that an author would even attempt to paint such a thing as a misunderstanding or a plot device between lovers. While I don't think the show more assault should render this book an atrocity, I certainly didn't think it was needed. Daphne and Simon could've had plenty a good argument about Simon's deceit without such a f***ed up move. Because while there is a fine, blurred line between "rape"� and "sexual assault"�... there is a solid, distinguished line between "CANNOT" and "WILL NOT"� in regards to bearing children.
As problematic as our protagonists were, God help me, I was engrossed in this story. I watched the show first without knowing anything so holy hell was that a surprise! I debated reading the source novel and finally gave in. And I arrived at much the same conclusion. Characters are terrible but there's just something that keeps you turning the pages. It's a guilty pleasure read. If Gossip Girl lived in Austen's time, you'd get this exact story. I read sorta slow and I finished these 450 pages in 3 days.
Short version: if you are easily triggered by uncomfortable sexual encounters, please don't read this. Otherwise, it's a quick read to pass the time. Even if you do have to hear about how Daphne "has four brothers"� every other chapter.
Oh, and the 2nd epilogue was terrible. You may want to skip it. show less

I guess I can safely say if you're looking for a book where a woman rapes a man, a man uses a woman's ignorance against her, and no consequences come of either terrible person's actions, then I've got the bridge to sell to you.

This book is messy, characters are more like caricatures. There's rape, there's manipulation, there's an unhealthy relationship. All in the day for a normal historic romance, right? We can't have any books where everything is squeaky clean or free of nasty topics like forcing a man to impregnate you or using an ignorant woman's naivete against her in bed. Nah.

A dumpster fire, not even the kind one can enjoy watch burn.

[ 4.75 rounded up ]

I cannot believe this book was almost called Daphne’s Bad Heir Day. That’s so funny. I didn’t have any doubts about me enjoying this book, but I didn’t think that I was going to love it as much as I did. Julia Quinn does such a good job of sprinkling genuine humor into the story. This is what really sold me to the books.

If a book can make me laugh out loud while I’m reading it, it’s a win for me.

What I liked:
• LOOOVVVEEEEE Daphne and Simon flirting when they are first meeting. I do wish we got to stay in that phase a bit longer.
• I also loved getting to read about Anthony and Simon as friends. I wish we got to go deeper into their friendship as well.
• Daphne as a whole was just so funny.
• I say show more this as someone who watched the Netflix series before reading the books, but reading the books was like getting a bunch of bonus material for the show, so that was a lot of fun for my brain.

What I didn't like:
• The book made Daphne and Simon feel like they fell in love SUPER fast. I would have liked to see it slow down a little more.
• Um. The entire scene where Daphne takes advantage of Simon when he’s severely intoxicated to try and force him to get her pregnant???? UMMM????? WHAT WAS THAT???? That was the MOST UNCOMFORTABLE thing I’ve read in a LONG time. And the fact that she never feels remorse or properly apologizes for it? And Simon just lets it go? BRUH. I’m so glad that the Netflix show took that scene in a bit of a different direction. This is actually the reason I couldn’t give the book a full 5 star rating. show less

Simon Basset is the talk of the town (or at least all of the ambitious Society mothers). The Devastating Duke has captured the imaginations of the ton with his dashing good looks, his ironic wit, and, perhaps most importantly, his unmarried status. To escape his ever-growing circle of admirers, Simon proposes a fake attachment to his best friend's sister Daphne Bridgerton.

Daphne has her own marriage-minded mother to worry about - a mother who has gone so far as to draw up lists of eligible bachelors to urge her eldest daughter into a suitable match. But the only men who have proposed are either much too old or not particularly bright; everyone whom Daphne feels she might be happy with sees her as no more than a good friend. A show more demonstrated interest by the ton's darling could soon provoke the attentions of more attractive partners, so Daphne agrees to go along with the charade.

Daphne's loud, rambunctious, and loving family is a wonderful contrast to Simon's lonely childhood deprived of parental affection, and all friends codes of ethics aside, he cannot help but be attracted to his best friend's little sister. Daphne loves how at ease Simon makes her feel and how thoughtful he is to her family - and soon the fake attachment begins blossoming into something far more real.

The family interaction was truly wonderfully depicted, the overprotective brothers, rambunctious younger siblings, and well-meaning mother are so true to life and so full of love that it is impossible not to adore the Bridgertons. Simon's motivation was given true depth and my heart went out to him as he worked to overcome his father's disdain and his stutter.

I very much enjoyed that Quinn didn't make a wedding the happily ever after end of all of the couple's problems. Instead they must work through issues, mistrust and misunderstandings to find a stronger love. I also enjoyed that neither of the characters was 'the wronged'. Both contributed to the problem; both had convincing reasons for doing so, and both worked to overcome it in the end.

Humorous romance involving characters who are real people with real flaws. Very good. show less

The Duke and I
4.5 Stars

Synopsis:
To protect himself from ambitious mothers, Simon Basset Duke of Hastings, makes a deal with his best friend’s sister – they will pretend to be engaged. For Daphne Bridgerton, the pretend betrothal turns out to be quite lucrative as she becomes the belle of the ball. The only problem is that Daphne begins falling for the devastating Duke who has made it clear that he has no intention of ever marrying.

Review:
After hearing such marvelous things about this book and the series as a whole, I just had to see for myself and was not at all disappointed. The Duke and I is a wonderfully sweet and charming story with engaging characters and some of the funniest dialogue.

Julia Quinn’s writing style makes it show more impossible not to feel for her characters. Simon is a heart-wrenchingly tortured hero but unlike the physical torment that many characters of this type endure, Simon’s suffering is all emotional and as such even more compelling. It is amazing that he is still capable of love after the rejection that he bore as a child.

Daphne is a spunky heroine and the way in which she handles both Simon and her brothers is inspiring. She and Simon have great chemistry and their banter is excellent. Their relationship develops in a predictable way. However, there is one questionable scene that some readers may find offensive. I don’t want to give too much away but suffice it to say that Daphne can be seen as taking advantage of Simon. I won’t say that the scene didn’t bother me because it places Daphne in a rather negative light but taken within the context of the story it is understandable if not quite acceptable.

The introduction to the other Bridgerton siblings is mainly focused on Anthony and Colin. While both brothers are sympathetic and engaging, Anthony’s overprotectiveness and belligerence is often grating and excessive. Nevertheless, the Bridgerton family dynamic is one of the highlights of the story and I look forward to reading the rest of the series soon. show less

No, no no no, no-no. No. The absolute only thing giving this book that second star is the fact that I am by no means the target audience for this series. Listen, I get it. Sometimes you want no thoughts, just words on a page, but somehow The Duke and I circled all the way back around to excessive thoughts. What in the world is happening in this book? It's just dialogue. Absolutely no content, just conversations I don't care about.
And someone please please tell me what exactly I'm supposed to make of the sexual assault that took place 2/3 of the way through?? And then we just carry on and have to pretend that this is still a match made in heaven? Sorry, but this toxic, manipulative pairing disguised as a love story is unacceptable.
In show more order to get through this one, I suggest having a drink in hand, so I've created a drinking game for all prospective readers:
take a sip every time your poor eyes have to read the word "seed."
take a sip every time someone other than Simon stutters.
take a sip every time the story jumps for an inexplicable amount of time to progress the story in the least artful way possible.
take a sip every time the author inserts herself like this is some sort of victorian Gossip Girl.
and finally, do two shots- actually, do three every time you feel like there's something...extremely wrong with the sexual encounter being described to you. show less