A Lady For a Duke: a swoonworthy historical romance from the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material

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You know, I’m growing a bit tired of stories that are steeped in irony and a “wink-and-nod” type humor, where every moment of sincerity is undercut by a joke. It was such a relief to come by a book that isn’t afraid to be unapologetically itself. Also, I’ve never read an epilogue that actually improved the book until this one, just absolute perfection. Alexis Hall is the master of fabulous secondary characters. Lady Marleigh and Viola's brother, for instance, are not only comic relief, but key players in Viola's life. Her nephew, Bartholomew is such a precocious, funny little boy. His interactions with his aunt add so much depth to her character, it was beautiful to witness those intimate moments. Lady Miranda! Ah, my favourite, I do hope she gets her own book. She's the catalyst for much of the plot and I adored every single minute of it. Amberglass, you bastard, I can't wait to read your story. Though I loved Viola, the the Duke of Gracewood was my favourite character in this book. He's the most caring, supportive and understanding hero I have ever met. He never let Viola feel "fake" or "unwanted". From the moment, he finds out that his former best friend wasn't a man but a woman, he starts referring her as "She". It made me so happy. I was crying happy tears after witnessing that such amazing men exist; might have existed even centuries ago...Loved Justin's character. He isn't perfect by any means. He is ill-tempered, grumpy and self destructive. But he's also become one of my favourite characters of all time. The portraiture of his grief and PTSD was (once again) perfect. I think what makes this romance so incredibly striking is the fact that being together allows both Gracewood and Viola to process their grief, and they’re both grieving completely different things. Viola is grieving both the person she was wrongfully raised to be along with the womanhood she was never fully invited into or allowed to embrace. Gracewood, on the other hand, is not only coming to terms with the fact that he was grieving someone who was never actually lost, but he’s also grieving the past version of himself that was stronger, more independent, and more able-bodied—because that's how he's been taught to define his masculinity and because the world has conditioned him to place value in those things.

Action taking place in settings including a cold and severe ducal estate, and an airy and modern London townhouse, and a turn about Vauxhall Gardens; There are many more examples of individuals in a similar time period who did not identify with their assigned gender, and many whom lived as the gender they identified as—including James Allen, who wrote to his wife that he was her “Most loving and affectionate husband until death”, and all other ‘female husbands’, the Public Universal Friend, Dora Richter, Lili Elbe, Toni Ebel and her partner Charlotte Charlaque, and many more lost to the ravages of time and poor record keeping. This book was a lovely—if somewhat progressive—portrayal of a trans woman living and loving as herself, and being affirmed by those she loves. Eagerly looking forward to more fresh stories in the historical romance canon to join this one on the shelves.

I'm going to do my best to review this book but honestly words fail me to describe how beautiful it was. It is not a light read, my heart broke for Viola and Gracewood. Viola making a difficult choice, live her life as her authentic self but leave her old life behind in a lot of ways, including Gracewood. I loved their transition from friends to lovers this story was so full of love and joy but also angst.

The writing was too romantic, uff, I was blushing so so much - just so sensual with even the briefest of affections of a beautiful slow-burn romance that was fighting between want and need and warring with itself against society norms and Viola's fear and reluctance was so very true and honest. Gracewood's candor was so precious, that basically said 'damn the world, damn what people think, it's you I want - as you are'. 🥲For those who were fans of Boyfriend Material, it's worth noting that A Lady for a Duke is tonally quite different. While this does have some funny moments, it's not a comedy and is much more serious in tone. That said, I thought it was a really beautiful love story crafted with care, featuring a trans heroine and her childhood best friend who thought she had died in the war. Alexis Hall is giving us a historical romance with a trans heroine??? If god hates the gays WHY DO WE KEEP WINNING It may not have been a perfect read, but boy, did I have a perfectly good time reading it. It was unlike anything I had ever read, but everything that I was so happy to read. Reacquainting myself with Alexis Hall's writing paid off in flying colors - maybe, it's time I reconsider my hesitation to finally read Husband Material, as well... 🤔🤔

A trans heroine. A grieving Duke. Two old friends. A moving and beautiful historical romance. Alexis Hall has outdone himself! When his younger sister Miranda sends a letter to Viola’s benefactor and sister-in-law Lady Marleigh hinting at Gracewood’s struggles, she decides that the younger Gracewood needs to be rescued. Lady Marleigh, knowing Viola’s history with the duke, decides she knows just the thing to help Gracewood and Miranda: she and Viola will visit. If anyone can cheer him up, it will be Viola, right? What follows is an emotional reunion as Viola sees the impact her “death” had on the man she once loved. She struggles with how much of herself to share with a shattered Gracewood as he tries to understand why he finds himself drawn to the mysterious and vaguely familiar lady’s companion.The perfect historical romance does exist, and Alexis Hall has not only proven that but achieved that with flying colors in this truly unforgettable book. This is wish-fulfilment, and why not? Why not have nice things? While the book begins with Viola stewing in her fears of rejection, should her old friend Justin, Duke of Gracewood, recognize her, once that recognition is made, the drama isn't that she transitioned, it's that she let him think she was dead. And then further drama as the two try to carve out a place for themselves which takes into account the expectations of a Duke (that is, continuing the family line) and also the expectations of a lady's maid (to not be disgraced by an affair). I love you as a man loves a woman, but we both know that love is not bound by such narrow terms. So instead let me simply tell you that I love you."