A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

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Title: A Lady for a Duke
Author: Alexis Hall
Published by: Forever
Release Date: May 24, 2022
Format: eARC
Pages: 384
Genres: LGBT, Historical Romance
Potential Triggers: View Spoiler »PTSD « Hide Spoiler
Source: NetGalley
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2022 COYER Spring, Lenoreo's 2022 Diversity Reading Challenge, Lenoreo's 2022 Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge
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My rating:

Blurb:

When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood.

Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become.

As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again.

My Review:

I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4 stars — This one will be hard to review.  There were so many parts that had me smiling away and feeling delighted.  There were other parts that got to my heart and had me hurting with Viola and Gracewood.  And there were yet other parts where things felt…confusing.  But that could have been just me.  In the end, I think of all of those it was the delight and the heart that stood out the most.

One of the things that didn’t work for me as well, is that a lot of the characters had the same stuttery way of talking.  Obviously some more than others, but I was surprised to see it present in so many of the characters.  It made sense for Viola, as she was often unsure of herself and what she wanted to say.

I really loved reading the book club section at the back.  a) because it was hilarious at times.  And b) because it really made me think about the way in which I enjoy historical romance, and how it fit with this book…and how there are others who are more sticklers for “realistic”.  Obviously, I don’t want it to be wildly unrealistic, but I’m okay with a modern touch to explore interesting ideas in another time.

I kind of loved that while Viola being trans was wholeheartedly a big part of the story, it wasn’t as big in the ways I was expecting.  I didn’t have to see her deal with struggle and hate based on that, from the outside world.  If we saw her struggles, it was internal, or in her relationship with Gracewood.  At times it felt almost too easy, but you know what?  I don’t even care.  It was kind of nice to just have that love story…where there are missteps and foibles along the way, but it’s all predicated on love.

I will admit that, while I wholeheartedly want to learn and grow and do the right things, I am 100% the kind of person that is eminently curious about what life is like for someone experiencing gender identity issues.  I would constantly be stopping myself from asking inappropriate questions.  I would stop myself, but there would be a part of me that truly just wanted to know.  I’m working on it.  Even reading this book I couldn’t help but have questions in my mind, but it was still enough for me to learn without the story feeling like a lesson for the poor cis girl.  You know, like learning just from observation.

I appreciated that Gracewood has his own set of challenges to overcome, and if I’m being honest, it felt like his journey was larger than Viola’s.  I loved seeing the author explore PTSD back then, when there was no such understanding.  And it wasn’t just the war that had scarred Gracewood, it was his childhood as well.

I found that I both loved and was frustrated by our MCs.  They could both be so stubborn and stuck on things, but they would do so much for each other.

I spent the first large chunk of the book on tenterhooks waiting for the shoe to drop.  I have no idea how I feel about all that, but I guess it worked out in the end.  😛

There were some interesting side characters.  On occasion I wanted more from them…more resolution between Justin and Miranda especially.  I know there is the possibility of future books from some of these side characters, but I still think I would have liked a bit more in *this* book.

All in all, I was very entertained.  There was just something preventing it from being higher rated for me…and of course I can’t quite pin it down.