Review: BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE by Evie Dunmore
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore 
Series: A League of Extraordinary Women #1
Published by BERKLEY on September 3, 2019
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance
Pages: 320
Source: Netgalley
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE Review
Evie Dunmore’s debut novel Bringing Down the Duke is a wildly entertaining historical romance with a feminist twist. Set in England during the late 19th century, it follows protagonist Annabelle Archer. Annabelle is a brilliant young woman who has been accepted into the first class of female students to attend the prestigious University of Oxford. Annabelle, the daughter of a country vicar, comes from a poor family, however, and can only afford to attend the university because she was awarded a scholarship.
To keep her scholarship, Annabelle must meet a few requirements, one of which being that she must play an active role in the up and coming women’s suffrage movement. She begins attending meetings and learns that the primary strategy for the movement is to start recruiting men of influence who are willing to support their cause. Annabelle is assigned perhaps the most challenging target of them all, Sebastian Devereux, the Duke of Montgomery. Sebastian is politically opposed to everything the suffragists are fighting for. He also serves at the Queen’s command, and the Queen is also opposed to the suffrage movement. Trying to change the Duke’s mind is a daunting task, but Annabelle thinks she is up for the challenge…as long as she can ignore the growing attraction she feels for him.
Annabelle is not the only one fighting this attraction, however. As Annabelle spends more and more time with the Duke, he finds himself more and more interested in her as well. The problem: she is well below his social status and a relationship between them would be considered scandalous and could quite possibly cost him his legacy.
All’s fair in love and politics, but the question is which will win out in the end? Can Annabelle get the Duke on her side? Is the Duke willing to possibly give up everything to claim Annabelle as his love?
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I truly adored Bringing Down the Duke. I loved the chemistry between the fiercely independent Annabelle and the stuffy Duke of Montgomery. The evolution of their relationship not only felt authentic, it was also just flat out sexy! It was fun watching the cold and calculating Duke thaw toward Annabelle as he got to know her better.
I also really liked that the story was presented from both of their perspectives. I liked being in both of their heads as they’re trying to fight their mutual attraction. Seeing those internal struggles play out added so much depth to the story.
As much as I enjoyed the romantic angle of the story, I also very much enjoyed the exploration of 19th century England. The author also does a brilliant job of capturing the social and political climate of that time as well as the opposition to suffrage movement. The author does a very nice job of balancing the politics and the romance, which makes the story move along at a nice clip. I was able to finish it easily in two sittings because I was so invested in seeing what would happen between Annabelle and the Duke and if the suffragettes would get what they wanted.
All in all, I was completely delighted by Bringing Down the Duke and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about feminism and to fans of historical romances. You won’t be disappointed! For a little taste of what to expect, the publisher has very kindly provided an excerpt from Bringing Down the Duke, which I have posted below.
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:
A stunning debut for author Evie Dunmore and her Oxford Rebels, in which a fiercely independent vicar’s daughter takes on a duke in a fiery love story that threatens to upend the British social order.
England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women’s suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain’s politics at the Queen’s command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can’t deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.
Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn’t be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn’t claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring…or could he?
Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke….
About Evie Dunmore
Debut author Evie Dunmore wrote BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE inspired by the magical scenery of Oxford and her passion for romance, women pioneers, and all things Victorian.
In her civilian life, she is a strategy consultant with a M.Sc. in Diplomacy from Oxford. Scotland and the great outdoors have a special place in her heart, so she can frequently be found climbing the Highlands and hunting for woolly tartan blanket bargains.
Evie lives in Europe and pours her fascination with 19th century Britain into her writing. She is a member of the British Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA).
Review: WELL MET by Jen DeLuca
Well Met by Jen DeLuca Also by this author: Well Played
Published by BERKLEY on September 3, 2019
Genres: Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 319
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
WELL MET Review
Jen DeLuca’s Well Met is one of the most adorable books I’ve read in a while. It follows a young woman named Emily, who is going through a rough patch when we first meet her. She has dropped out of college, lost her job, and her long-term, live-in boyfriend wants to end things, which has also left her basically homeless.
When her sister is severely injured in a car accident and needs someone to help care for her, Emily agrees to move to her sister’s place in the tiny town of Willow Creek, Maryland for the summer. While Emily knew she would also be helping out with her teenage niece, Caitlyn, driving her around, etc, what she didn’t realize was that she would find herself roped into volunteering at the local Renaissance Faire all summer too. Even though she’s completely dreading having to take part in the Faire, especially after encountering Simon, the horribly gruff Faire coordinator, whom she immediately dubs the “RenFaire Killjoy,” Emily has no idea that this whole experience could end up being exactly the thing she needs to get her life back on track.
I honestly loved everything about this book. Emily was such a fantastic character, one of those messy, complicated characters that I love so much because she just seems so authentic. She could easily be me or any one of my friends. I loved getting inside of her head as she dreads the whole Faire experience but then gradually starts to warm up to it as she gets into the groove and starts making friends. I also loved that even though she and her sister have never been close, she was truly willing to put her entire life on hold to come and help out. I think that says a lot about her.
Speaking of which, I also loved the family vibe of the book. Yes, I think the book is primarily meant to be a romance, but it also has this wonderful dynamic between Emily and her sister, and of course, between Emily and her niece. It’s really sweet watching them all bond as a family as they spend more and more time together. And again, speaking to Emily’s character, I thought it was wonderful that she agreed to participate in the Faire, just because it was so important to her niece.
As much as I adored Emily, I actually think Simon, aka the RenFaire Killjoy, was my favorite character. Yes, he’s grouchy and pretty awful to Emily when she first joins the Faire, but once we learn more of his story and how heartbreaking it truly is, I just wanted to give Simon a hug. I thought the author did a wonderful job of peeling back the layers of this character each time Emily encounters him, letting her and us really get to see the real Simon and what a caring person he is. The more I got to know Simon, the more I wanted him and Emily to move forward together.
I also adored the charming small town setting and the whole atmosphere of the Renaissance Faire. It provided such a fun backdrop to offset some of the more emotional scenes between Simon and Emily. I loved the jousting, the hand binding ceremonies, the tavern atmosphere, and especially the laugh out loud moments that frequently took place between Faire castmates who were all about having a good time and making the most of their Faire experience. I’ve been to my share of Faires and DeLuca captures the whole atmosphere perfectly and really makes you feel like you’re there.
Well Met is truly a delightful novel about family, love, and finding your place in the world. It made me laugh, it made me shed a tear or two, and it was just all around a wonderful reading experience. I highly recommend it to everyone!
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:
All’s faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author, Jen DeLuca.
Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him?
The faire is Simon’s family legacy and from the start he makes clear he doesn’t have time for Emily’s lighthearted approach to life, her oddball Shakespeare conspiracy theories, or her endless suggestions for new acts to shake things up. Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she’s in her revealing wench’s costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they’re portraying?
This summer was only ever supposed to be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else for Emily, but soon she can’t seem to shake the fantasy of establishing something more with Simon, or a permanent home of her own in Willow Creek.
About Jen DeLuca
Jen DeLuca was born and raised near Richmond, Virginia, but now lives in Central Florida with her husband and a houseful of rescue pets. She loves latte-flavored lattes, Hokies football, and the Oxford comma. Well Met is her first novel, inspired by her time volunteering as a pub wench with her local Renaissance Faire.
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’ve Read That I’d Like to Have in My Personal Library
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is Books I’ve Read That I’d Like In My Personal Library (perhaps you checked it out, borrowed it from a friend, received it for review, etc. and want to own it yourself.) This topic was actually pretty challenging since I normally do eventually go back and purchase the books I love so I can add them to my personal library. It took me a while but I was finally able to come up with 10 that I still want to add to my collection and haven’t gotten around to buying yet.
10 Books I’ve Read That I’d Like to Have in My Personal Library
1. THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman. I love Alice Hoffman’s books and this one is actually my favorite but somehow, I’ve still neglected to pick up a copy for my personal collection. I seriously need to remedy that soon.
2. THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah. Kristin Hannah is another of my favorite authors and I’ve been slowly adding her books to my library. This is one I originally checked out of the library to read, but I definitely want to own a copy.
3. THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black. This is another that I checked out of the library to read, loved, but haven’t purchased for myself yet. Strangely enough, I do own the second book in the series even though I don’t have the first.
4. LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff. Jay Kristoff is another author where I’ve loved every book I’ve read and so have started collecting them. I have most of his but LIFEL1K3 is one I’d love to get at some point. I’ve been hoping to get a good sale so I can get a print copy.
5. THIS SAVAGE SONG by Victoria Schwab. Same song, different verse here. Schwab is another favorite author whose books I’m collecting but somehow forgot to pick up a copy of this one. I do own Our Dark Duet so I’m wondering if I actually had this one and loaned it to someone since Schwab is an author I recommend to pretty much everyone.
6. ONCE UPON A RIVER by Diane Setterfield. I read an ARC of this one and thought it was such a beautiful story. It’s definitely one I’d re-read at some point, plus the cover is gorgeous, so I’d love to have it in my library.
7. RECURSION by Blake Crouch. This was such a mind blowing read for me and it’s a book I could see myself recommending to a lot of people I know. I think it would make a great addition to my personal library.
8. THE LOST GIRLS OF PARIS by Pam Jenoff. Historical fiction is still, by far, my favorite genre and it’s definitely one where I collect my favorite titles. This is one I loved last year when I read it but haven’t purchased a copy for myself yet.
9. THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE by Katherine Center. I usually like to purchase copies of my favorite reads of the year for my collection, and I’m pretty sure this book is going to make the list for 2019. What a fantastic book and definitely one I’ll be recommending and lending out frequently.
10. THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL by Anne Frank. Switching gears a bit, I was trying to think of books I’d read in school (classics, etc.) that I’d like to have in my collection. As an English major, I’ve actually accumulated almost all of those books already since I had to purchase them for AP English in high school and then all through college. The one exception that I could come up with was The Diary of Anne Frank. I read it in middle school and it really resonated with me, but somehow I’ve not yet acquired a copy of my personal library even though I have other books that focus on the Holocaust.
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What are some books you’ve read that you’d like to add to your personal library?