Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore is a Victorian romance that is getting a lot of buzz right now. The premise of the story is about Annabelle, a former vicar’s daughter who is unmarried and in her twenties and is relegated to the role of servant in the home of her cousin. She earns a place in the first cohort of women at Oxford University, but she cannot afford to pay the tuition. She wins a scholarship from the women’s suffrage movement in exchange for working with them on campaigns. Her first assignment is to win over the Duke of Montgomery to their cause, not knowing that Queen Victoria has promised the return of the Ducal lands if Montgomery will keep any threat to her power away from Parliament, including the suffragettes. With so much against them, of course, they fall in love.

This is an enemies-to-lovers romance, which is my least favorite trope, so it has to be very good to win me over. Bringing Down the Duke was not that book for me. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it enough to finish it, which is saying a lot, but I mostly felt disappointed based on the buzz.

The parts that I was mostly looking forward to, I found not very interesting. I loved the idea of a Ninteenth Century woman academic, but except for one scene of intellectual flirting between Sebastian and Annabelle, the academic part has little to recommend it. I was also looking forward to learning more about the suffragette movement, but Annabelle seemed a pretty reluctant and uninterested suffragette, until a friend is attacked by a man at a march.

I did really enjoy the beginning of the romance between Annabelle and Sebastian at a house party, which is what made me keep reading. But it was fairly clear that Annabelle and Sebastian were of such radically different social standing that they couldn’t marry, that caused me to lose interest.

Overall, I give this book 3 stars, because there were parts of the story that I liked, and parts that I didn’t like. But mostly because there wasn’t anything that I just really connected with and loved, even though the description of the book makes it sound like it should be perfect for me. Content warning: this is a bedroom-door open book.

**Spoiler Warning**

It has taken me a long time to post this review, because I kept thinking about how to share my thoughts and feelings about the book. What really bothered me about the book was the sex scene. I think it was meant to be a sort of feminist statement that she should be free to enjoy sex with whomever she wants. But at the same time the author reminds the reader of the risks of that for a woman in the 19th century. I get the point, but it makes Annabelle look like a woman who makes bad decisions, and her own negative self-talk reflects that she thinks she makes bad decisions as well. But, given what we learn about the time period, her own conclusions seem right. Also, Sebastian wants to make Annabelle his mistress, and thinks he got his wish one night. That made me lose respect for him, and made his “reformation” later when he finally decides to marry Annabelle harder to believe. In a romance there needs to be some sort of obstacle to keep the couple apart, but I think that element of this book was built up too high to come down so quickly.

****

I did receive a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book felt like digging into a perfect stack of pancakes. Yes, nothing terribly revolutionary about a Duke and a bluestocking in a historical romance. Yes, you know a HEA is coming somehow. But the delight was in how the main characters are so lovingly fleshed out and witty, in the backstories and the underlying motivations. Dunmore has created an ideal model of a historical romance with the same attention to detail that my beloved America’s Test Kitchen cooks give to brown, crisp sides and an even, fluffy rise on a pancake. Finally, a solid quarter (at least) of the middle of the book is full of steam and smoldering, and while I’m not a romance connoisseur it definitely felt like more than the usual serving size per romance-but-not-erotica book.
I had one concern—I can’t really tell Annabelle’s friends apart, which doesn’t bode super well, since they will all (if things go according to plan) have their own books as well. We’ll see, but I definitely plan to check out book 2.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to Berkley for an ARC

Set in 1879 England, this book is a delightful historical romance. I must say that I haven't read very many books from this particular period of history, but I would like to read stacks more!

Annabelle Archer's 25 years have been difficult (bad romance, father dying, loser cousin inheriting the estate, and her subsequent demotion to unpaid staff). When the opportunity to be one of the first women to study at Oxford arises, Annabelle hopes this will be her path to a better life. As part of her scholarship, she must participate in the suffragette movement. This brings her face-to-face with Sebastian Devereux, Duke of Montgomery, the man with the ear of the queen.

The more I read about these two characters, the more I came to appreciate them. They both worked hard for the betterment of the people around them. Annabelle for women's rights and Sebastian for the people on his estates who rely on him for their livelihood, the common man in England, and finally for his brother (though it doesn't really seem like that at first).

Now on to the secondary characters in this book. They hint so promisingly at the following books in this series.... and I am can hardly wait :) Sebastian's brother, Percival seems at first to be a troublemaker of the highest order, but you get to see the softening in him towards the end, and I really liked him. Annabelle makes a few friends during her suffragette meetings. These women Lucie, Hattie, and Catriona become Annabelle's true friends.

The romance between Annabelle and Sebastian was well written. Since Annabelle was a bluestocking and a commoner and Sebastian a duke, there was no way that they could marry. Both know this. In addition, Sebastian's political standing is contrary to the suffrage movement. The way these issues where handled in the book demonstrated the class-ism (and sexism) that was experienced during this time. This book had many sweet moments and yes, also hot moments... The push and pull of this story, the connection between Annabelle and Sebastian, their ability to be real and raw with each other was what held me enthralled.

Most definitely recommend, and have added to my buy-a-paper-copy list, so I can reread.

3.75 stars

Romance isn't my usual genre, but I read several glowing reviews so decided to give it a try. It was an entertaining read set in the 1880's featuring an impossibly handsome and autocratic duke and a spirited and beautiful suffragette and commoner. The final destination was never in doubt but the trip there was fun. Clever conversation, strong physical chemistry between the leads, and some worthwhile history as well.

Lots of strong women characters, and some surprisingly empathetic male ones. And an interesting glimpse into the constraints of British life for women in that era.

Just one thing, authors -- must you continue to have your male characters "mount" their love interests? Or could we just consign that term to animal husbandry conversations?

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun historical romance debut! The rising British suffrage movement proved to be a refreshing take on the duke trope.

Annabelle and Sebastian were wonderful spar partners and well matched. Annabelle is intelligent and determined to go hard after her education. Sebastian on the other hand is the kind of emotionally suppressed man I can't help but root for his undoing at the hand of the heroine.

While their attraction was immediately apparent, there were so many reasons they could not be together, not the least because Sebastian is a Duke and his main purpose in life is to help the family name recover from past scandal and reclaim the family seat his father lost. On top of that, the Duke is Annabelle’s political opposite and he’s not likely to be recruited to the suffragist cause.

I loved how they truly saw one another, even as it made my heart ache because there didn’t seem to be a way for them to come to a good compromise. Annabelle doesn’t want to settle for less than she deserves, rightly so, but there are fewer good options for women to begin with and I really empathized with her quandary.

There were so many great side characters, in particular the women Annabelle meets through the suffrage movement. They’re all there for different reasons and what they’re trying to accomplish comes to mean so much more to them by the end. (Obligatory mention that the Queen was such a hypocrite for not supporting the suffragists and her scenes made me so angry.)

Because of the whitewashing that can occur with the American suffrage movement, I was curious about how women of color played into Britain’s movement. This article was quite instructive. At that time, people of color made up a very small percentage of the population, with the majority of those being men. Fewer WOC were involved as a result. The whiteness of this book is then in accord with history as we know it.

I did feel that “we can’t get married because class differences” went on for too long. Even when the duke decides he does want Annabelle and he doesn’t care about the consequences, she rebuffs him and I really didn’t understand why. It was quite the relief when they both gave in and finally decided to be together, regardless of the consequences.

CW: sexual assault (groping), past pregnancy and miscarriage, past death of a parent, past alcoholism

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Berkley in exchange for an honest review.

Delightfully feminist and a fun fast read. Echoes of Jane Austen but with way more sex, politics, and romance thrown in. It is the perfect pick me up after a long week.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As soon as I saw the cover of this one and read the synopsis, it became one of my most anticipated releases of this year. A historical romance set against the backdrop of the women's movement in England? Sign me up!

Luckily, it was just as enjoyable as I suspected it would be. Though some of the set up to the romance involved tropes that were rather obvious, such as the FMC falling sick at the MMC's mansion as a device to give her a reason to stay in contact with them, I still greatly enjoyed the characters. They were well rounded with flaws that seemed realistic and at times, they made flat out poor decisions and I wished I could tell them not to do certain things.

I really appreciated the fact that history was not twisted to give the romance more of a modern vibe. The characters faced things that were really obstacles in the Victorian era and their solutions were true to the time, though admittedly, when Sebastian offered to make Annabelle his mistress, I wanted to slap him in the face. I have to admit that it was a solution that he would have come up with given the time period.

Anyway, I couldn't stop reading and the book was everything it promised to be. I will definitely be looking forward to future books by this author.

After having many people recommend this book, when the publisher invited me to read it, I had to say yes! I don't read much Historical Romance, but I cannot wait to read more of this series! Annabelle is freaking awesome and Sebastian may have needed some sense knocked into him a time or two, but I absolutely loved him as well! A great book!

Anabelle was sent away from her home in disgrace, ending up as basically a housekeeper for a cousin. Given the rare opportunity to study at Oxford in the late 1880’s, Anabelle becomes involved in the suffragette movement, while at the same time becoming enamored of a Duke she was supposed to spy on for the movement. As the Duke falls for Anabelle, this appealing historical romance becomes entertaining. Recommended.

Bringing down the Duke started out slow, but once it picked up, I couldn't put it down. I loved the history of this one and the focus on suffrage. The romance here was well told and I enjoyed this story immensely.

I really enjoyed this book and honestly my only complaint is that I wish there had been a bit more politics in it. But, that is mainly due to the fact that I personally though the suffrage plot was going to be more of a focus. I loved the tension and the chemistry between the main characters and I loved how this was like a sexy Pride & Prejudice. I am not typically a fan of historical romance, but was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this one.

Annabelle is trapped in a life as an unpaid servant for her male cousin, so she jumps at the chance to be one of the first women to study at Oxford. As a condition of her scholarship, she must join the local suffragist movement. Sebastian, Duke of Montgomery, has spent years building back the dukedom his father left in shambles. The Queen leverages his desire to win back his ducal home by forcing him to be the chief strategist for the Tory party for the upcoming elections.

A tale of a bluestocking, country girl fighting for women’s rights who falls for the enemy - a duke and the chief strategist for the Tory Party, Bringing Down the Duke gives readers a grand romance between two people who are meant to be, but born into stations that forbid their love.


Annabelle and Sebastian share an almost epic love. I appreciate that the while the passion is hot and burning, the romance builds slowly over the course of the book. Annabelle is extremely cautious, always aware of the repercussions to her reputation and life if she were to take up with a duke. Sebastian knows he can never marry a commoner like Annabelle, but is willing to take care of her as a mistress or however else she desires. Both understand not only their own place in society, but the roll of the other, so they accept they can never be. Their friendship grows as they flirt and banter, neither able to stay away from the other. And slowly, each comes to realize what is truly important in life, leading to more than one emotional scene.

With the dual POV, readers understand the wants, needs, and responsibilities of both characters. This makes it all the more heart-breaking by knowing how much each cares for the other, especially when Annabelle tries to protect her duke by refusing him to avoid his own downfall. The combination of getting into the minds and hearts of both main characters, as well as the passionate slow-build of their love, hooked me. I was invested in their relationship, hoping it would work, unsure how it would end (I mean, I know HEA, but..) I like that the author addresses the class separation and makes it an important part of the story, rather than ignoring the realities of the time. I also love me a strong historical heroine - one who doesn’t conform to the times, which is most certainly Annabelle. She thinks she’s broken because she’s inquisitive and engages conflict rather than demurely shying away. While this is a bit off-putting to some, Sebastian appreciates her candor, after getting to know her.

In the end, Sebastian and Annabelle captured my heart. And the author has set the stage for future stories for Annabelle’s close friends. I look forward to finding out what is in store for this League of Extraordinary Women.

Story: A-

“This is not a game to be won.”
“Well, it certainly seems like a tremendous defeat to let you go.”
‘Don’t let me go.’

What a wonderfully rich, swoony and interesting debut from Evie Dunmore. We’ve been on a bit of a historical renaissance lately and couldn’t wait to start Bringing Down the Duke. The era and the theme particularly sparked our interest, and the passion we experienced was palpable.

Set during the time of the National Society of Women Suffrage, the suffragette’s aspect was something that particularly garnered our interest and we take our hat off to Evie Dunmore because the research that went into this story was exhaustive! It seems scandalous to think of the sacrifice’s many women made for marriage at that time. The suffragette’s certainly fought a hard-won fight.

Annabelle Archer is twenty-five, beautiful, extremely intelligent and capable of great things, however, because of her station and gender, she must endure being a housekeeper for her horrid cousin. Annabelle is offered a scholarship to Oxford, something she desperately wants, however, the terms of the stipend state she must support the suffragette movement during her education.

This isn’t a hard ask for Annabelle and her friends Lucie, Hattie, and Catriona. These women are passionate about the cause and willing to fight for the right to be educated, enter parliament and for dissolution of the spousal property policy, in which they women must sign over their property to their husbands upon marriage. These women certainly have a fight on their hands.

Annabelle soon crosses paths with the handsome, aloof, commanding, utterly belligerent Lord Montgomery (Sebastian) a wealthy Duke, who is considered to have one of the country’s sharpest strategist minds. So much so, his counsel is sought by the Queen herself. The Duke has the ability to make women fawn and men cower with one piercing look.

‘He does have a heart, you see, a retrained, honourable heart, but it bruises just like yours and mine, and I wage it is a hundred times more steadfast.’

Annabelle is taken with the thirty-five-year-old Duke, and she, in turn, ignites a passion and lust in him that puts him off kilter. Readers, just wait until you experience the passion and chemistry between Sebastian and Annabelle! It’s tangible and felt like a living breathing being of its own!

‘But the truth was, a shocking emotion had held him in its clutches that night – to be inside her, or die.’

Annabelle and Sabastian not only gel with their sharp minds, but they meet on an emotional and physical level. Is there a future for them when Sebastian cannot marry below his station, and despite her feelings for him, Annabelle knows their relationship cannot prosper…or can it?

‘Very few people would ever see him like this, Montgomery, the man, not the duke. How she wished he were only a man.’

Evie Dunmore captured the struggle and strength of the suffragettes perfectly, whilst pitting the battle between love and want versus propriety and rules beautifully. We thoroughly enjoyed this story, though we did at times it could be a little repetitive.

This can be read as a standalone, though we’re looking forward to catching up these extraordinary women as the series progresses.

“Would you have me change my place in history to prove how much I want you?“

“This is not a game to be won.”
“Well, it certainly seems like a tremendous defeat to let you go.”
‘Don’t let me go.’

What a wonderfully rich, swoony and interesting debut from Evie Dunmore. We’ve been on a bit of a historical renaissance lately and couldn’t wait to start Bringing Down the Duke. The era and the theme particularly sparked our interest, and the passion we experienced was palpable.

Set during the time of the National Society of Women Suffrage, the suffragette’s aspect was something that particularly garnered our interest and we take our hat off to Evie Dunmore because the research that went into this story was exhaustive! It seems scandalous to think of the sacrifice’s many women made for marriage at that time. The suffragette’s certainly fought a hard-won fight.

Annabelle Archer is twenty-five, beautiful, extremely intelligent and capable of great things, however, because of her station and gender, she must endure being a housekeeper for her horrid cousin. Annabelle is offered a scholarship to Oxford, something she desperately wants, however, the terms of the stipend state she must support the suffragette movement during her education.

This isn’t a hard ask for Annabelle and her friends Lucie, Hattie, and Catriona. These women are passionate about the cause and willing to fight for the right to be educated, enter parliament and for dissolution of the spousal property policy, in which they women must sign over their property to their husbands upon marriage. These women certainly have a fight on their hands.

Annabelle soon crosses paths with the handsome, aloof, commanding, utterly belligerent Lord Montgomery (Sebastian) a wealthy Duke, who is considered to have one of the country’s sharpest strategist minds. So much so, his counsel is sought by the Queen herself. The Duke has the ability to make women fawn and men cower with one piercing look.

‘He does have a heart, you see, a retrained, honourable heart, but it bruises just like yours and mine, and I wage it is a hundred times more steadfast.’

Annabelle is taken with the thirty-five-year-old Duke, and she, in turn, ignites a passion and lust in him that puts him off kilter. Readers, just wait until you experience the passion and chemistry between Sebastian and Annabelle! It’s tangible and felt like a living breathing being of its own!

‘But the truth was, a shocking emotion had held him in its clutches that night – to be inside her, or die.’

Annabelle and Sabastian not only gel with their sharp minds, but they meet on an emotional and physical level. Is there a future for them when Sebastian cannot marry below his station, and despite her feelings for him, Annabelle knows their relationship cannot prosper…or can it?

‘Very few people would ever see him like this, Montgomery, the man, not the duke. How she wished he were only a man.’

Evie Dunmore captured the struggle and strength of the suffragettes perfectly, whilst pitting the battle between love and want versus propriety and rules beautifully. We thoroughly enjoyed this story, though we did at times it could be a little repetitive.

This can be read as a standalone, though we’re looking forward to catching up these extraordinary women as the series progresses.

“Would you have me change my place in history to prove how much I want you?“

This book is so fun and swoony and just UGH - so good! Though I seem to have a penchant for picking up books lately that deal heavily with emotional abuse... o.O Set in the Victorian era with a focus on the Women's Suffrage Movement, this book both made me laugh and broke my heart. The class difference between Annabelle and Sebastian makes this something of a star-crossed lovers story, which also starts out in a very enemies-to-lovers sort of way, and it's just glorious.

I did NOT love the little interludes between Sebastian and the Queen. I don't know, just something about having real characters, especially royalty, in my hist-rom just sort of breaks the illusion for me. I start thinking about whether Queen Victoria would have said something like that, acted like that, etc. Also, I wish Annabelle had been a bit more involved with the suffragists' cause, rather than just being obligated to go to their meetings and rally and whatnot because it was part of the terms of her scholarship. I assume she wrote some sort of essay applying for said scholarship implying that she supported their movement, and while she went along with it she clearly wasn't as gung-ho about it as some of the others.

I love the dynamic between Annabelle and Sebastian. They sort of immediately assume the worst about each other and are like a couple of hissing cats, and it's just GREAT. Especially when misunderstandings are cleared up and apologies are required. This is a slowwww burn with lots of sparks, and I love it. And then there are these glorious angsty moments when they're each trying to find a way to be together when they live in such disparate worlds, and I am just MELT.

Bringing Down the Duke is the first in the A League of Extraordinary Women series, and I am really looking forward to reading more from Evie Dunmore!

4.5 stars.

Bringing Down the Duke is easily the best historical romance of 2019, and definitely on my top ten list for this year. I'm truly amazed that this is a debut, because Evie Dunsmore writes with a uniqueness and confidence that belies her publishing years. It's the ultimate in different-status-in-society, push-pull, can't-help-but-love-you romances. I adored it.

Annabelle Archer is a woman who was shamed by her family and sent away to live with her uncle as a maid to his wife and children. But Annabelle is smart, and she learned a lot about Greek mythology and anthropology from her father, so when Oxford University begins letting women in to study, she manages to get a scholarship from the National Society for Women’s Suffrage and ends up studying there under her father's best friend and professor. The catch? She needs to scrounge up two pounds a month to send back to her uncle so that he can hire a maid to take care of his wife and children in her stead. And she has to help further the suffragist cause. It's the latter that has her bumping into Sebastian Devereux, the Duke of Montgomery and one of the queen's most prominent strategists.

Sebastian is used to people not being able to look him in the eye - his reputation as a brilliant political advisor and ability to persuade people to his side is legendary. So when Miss Annabelle Archer looks him clear in the eye and asks him to support the amendment of the Married Women's Property Act, Montgomery is surprised and intrigued. He's known as a cold-hearted man, and his political affiliations have him against her, but he can't help but find her fascinating, smart, and his equal in every way...except her station. All his life, Sebastian has been working to right the wrongs of his family - to gain back their ancestral castle and seat. A dalliance with Miss Archer would be wrong on every count...

Look, this sounds like your typical historical romance, I know. But the brilliance of the two characters, their unbelievable chemistry, and the fantastic background of the suffragist cause and the political machinations make this a much smarter, bolder romance than I've read in a long time. This is romance for the intellectual. The writing is eloquent and sophisticated. Evie Dunsmore doesn't hold back with the Greek mythology, with the Oxford University setting, with the logic that Sebastian and Annabelle display in their flirting and sparring. The slow-burn Dunsmore creates is so affecting that you really feel both the incredible attraction between Sebastian and Annabelle, and the desperate tragedy of their stations in life holding them back. I confess that I was often near tears when they would come together and break apart because logic had them holding back. It's one of the first romances I've read in a long time where I genuinely couldn't see how the happily-ever-after was going to come about, because Sebastian and Annabelle had such strong wills and goals.

I also loved Dunsmore’s excellent secondary characters - there’s a lot going on in this novel between the suffragists, the political climate, and Sebastian dealing with his younger brother Peregrin. It’s very clear that Dunsmore was setting up a series, but to be able to carve out such passionate but different characters in Catriona Campbell, a lady whose father is an esteemed professor; Hattie Greenfield, the daughter of London’s greatest merchant; and Lady Lucie, the head of the suffragist movement, was a delight to behold. Not only was the friendship A+++ between the ladies, but they each had goals and personalities that really worked against and for each other. There was a rapport between them that rivalled the one between Annabelle and Sebastian.

I absolutely adored Bringing Down the Duke. It was unputdownable, sexy, and so well researched that I have very few qualms. Well, maybe only one - the love scenes were beautifully written, but there were definitely moments where I felt that they bordered on the tasteful side. But maybe that’s just me. Overall, this one really got me, and I’m really, really looking forward to the next book in this series that Evie Dunsmore has up her sleeve.

I was {this close} to DNF'ing this book, but I'm truly glad I hung in there through to the end. I found the 10 to 15 chapters to be rather slow, but once I got past the hump the story was really so good. Evie Dunmore created a very rich and layered world with characters that felt very real and flawed and relatable. Not only did I wind up engrossed in the story, I can't wait for the rest of the series. I loved the ties to actual history and found the author's note at the end to be very helpful. I'm very much looking forward to Lucie, Catriona, and Hattie finding their HEA's as well! 4 out of 5 wine glasses.

I've had trouble writing this review because I don't know how I feel about it. It's a well written book and more serious as the cover makes it seem. There are consequences to the actions both of the main characters face with being with each other. They're not blind that marrying each other would lead to sacrifices on both sides. So they fight this strong attraction until they can decide what they can give up to be with each other.
P.S. I loved how Queen Victoria was not portrayed as fluffy because she did hate the suffrage movement in real life.

Normally historical romances , duke and duchess’ tempting chemistry kind of books are never my first choice or the last but this book is so witty, liberating, smart, refreshing reading awakens your feminist sole and questioning women rights, equality, lack of educational opportunities and other things they’ve suffered from humiliation to imprisonment at the time end of 19th century’s UK! And it also brought us a beautiful romance between well rounded, smartly developed and credible characters.

Back stories which include heavy dramatic elements were well rounded. I enjoyed the characters’ chemistry and relationship’s development.

It’s a well written debut of a gifted new writer. I enjoyed it mostly even this is not my favorite genre.

Of course I gave 3.75 stars rounded definitely to four political, lyrical, rebellious, equal women rightful STARS!

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for sharing this sweet book with me in exchange my honest review!

Loved this book! According to the author's note, it is inspired by real people and real events surrounding the fight for women's suffrage in late 19th century England. Very thoughtfully written from the point of view of a very strong and admirable female protagonist. Recommend to readers who enjoy historical romances with a light touch. I hope she keeps writing more of these.