Bringing Down the Duke is unlike any other historical romance I have read before and that is fantastic! I am always looking for a book that takes what I love about a genre and makes it even better. This novel does it! Though a little slow at times, the plot and characters are compelling and I enjoyed reading about a brilliant daughter of a vicar who takes Oxford by storm and gives readers an empowered heroine to read about.

I am officially obsessed with historical romance. It didn’t take many to hook me, but this one right here cemented my love of the genre.

The year is 1879 and the Women’s Suffrage movement in England is gaining traction. Annabelle Archer has finally escaped her role as housekeeper and childcare giver in her cousin’s home and is one of the first women accepted into Oxford University. Even though she is not taught in a classroom like the men but given solo lessons with a professor, she is excited about both the big and little things; from attending Oxford to finally having her own bed.

One reason she is able to attend Oxford is that she was awarded a stipend by the National Society for Women’s Suffrage. However, one of the stipulations of accepting the scholarship is that she now has to try and recruit influential men to champion their cause. And Annabelle has been tasked with recruiting the brooding, cold, and calculating Duke of Montgomery. Let the games begin.

Annabelle is a refreshing and headstrong heroine. She is trying to balance the expectations placed on her by not only society but by her cousin, and at the same time stand up for what she believes. It creates an interesting and dynamic character who is relatable in many ways, even though she’s living in 1879. I loved how she stayed true to what was important to her, even if it meant getting hurt or heartbroken.

Sebastian (aka The Duke of Montgomery) is a very interesting and complex character. His growth in the book is immense but is done in a way I found realistic. He has so many layers and depths to him and watching his wits be unravelled by strong and independent Annabelle was an absolute delight.

While this is a historical romance, the topics of women’s rights and consent are extremely relevant for today. As a reader, you can tell that Dunmore did her research and in doing so created a realistic portrayal of what the Suffrage movement was like in England during this time period. Getting this small glimpse of what women 100+ years ago were up against puts things in perspective for today. Yes, we’ve come a long way since then, but we still have so far to go.

There are so many romantic moments in this book that had me swooning like a lady who has cinched her corset too tight. I had a terrible time putting this one down and am so incredibly eager for the rest in the series to come out. I’m not sure exactly sure how I’m going to survive the wait!

If you aren’t sure historical romance is for you, I urge you to give this one a shot. It has all the relevant topics you could want but with the backdrop of 1879 Victorian England.

This is a debut not to be missed.

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I flew through this book-I loved it so much! I appreciated the view of women's rights in the 1870's-it gives historical perspective to the fight for women to vote in America. It added a fresh twist on a sort-of regency romance. This book simmered with tension between the two lovers-it was the perfect blend of lust and propriety! I am looking forward to Dunmore's next book.

Not for me. The blub definitely had tinges of political messages, but I was hoping the romance plot would be the main focus. Alas, no, it was far too focused on messages and far less on romance.

While I've been reading more romances in the past couple of years, this was the first time I've ventured into the historical realm, and this book was a great introduction to the category. It was both entertaining and enlightening- I've never thought much about the first experiences of women at Oxford, and while I've spent plenty of time reading and learning about suffrage work in the US, I am unfamiliar with the process in English history. The romance in this was so entertaining to read, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

Good for romance fans. Kind of treacly, but this will be a sure hit for lovers of the genre. Snappy dialogue and a quick pace kept things moving throughout.

Annabelle is a penniless country girl who has The good fortune to be granted a position as one of the few women at Oxford. This book is an enjoyable jaunt through Annabelle’s journey dealing with Oxford, the suffragist movement, and most importantly the Duke. I truly enjoyed reading Annabelle’s story and how she dealt with each and every obstacle, even if she was very stubborn along the way. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I honestly think this might be favourite historical romance of the year! I'm giving this five-stars for a fantastic group of characters and overall great story! While I've seen this theme done before Evie Dunmore adds her own take and makes it feel fresh again! I've been avoiding Historical Romances for awhile and this brought me right out of that slump!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC for an honest review! :)
Can't wait to read the next ones in the series and more from Evie Dunmore.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable historical romance. It incorporates many of the usual romance tropes, but the author still managed to make it feel original. The characters were well-drawn, complex individuals, and I really cared about them. I also appreciated the inclusion of realistic discussions of women's rights that are appropriate to the age in which this book was set. All in all, I liked it.

This was a charming romance and a delightful change to the often formulaic historical romances dominating the genre right now. It was refreshing that both main characters had interests and purpose outside of each other which seems like a no brained but feels increasingly rare in the historical romance genre currently.

I don't normally read historical romances, so Bringing Down the Duke wasn't really on my radar initially. After reading the blurb and seeing the beautiful cover around though, I decided to give it a chance and I'm so glad I did!

I enjoyed the hate-love/enemies vibe immensely between Annabelle and Sebastian. Their verbal sparring ramped up the anticipation so well and their chemistry was amazing. I would have loved even more scenes between them. The story started a little slow for me, as the world and characters were being established, but once things got going, I was hooked. My heart was fluttering and there were plenty of chest squeezes/turns thanks to the lingering, longing glances and brushes of physical contact. I love a good forced proximity and this trope played out perfectly between Sebastian and Annabelle. The secondary characters were just as wonderful and I enjoyed the strong friendships between all of the women as much as the romantic aspect of the story.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and wit, but I did have to stop from time to time because I wasn't familiar with all the terminology/britishisms. A quick google search had me back in the story though. ;) This was a fantastic debut and I'm very excited to see that Lucie's story is next!

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

I really enjoyed the story line and character developments. Not only is there the development of the main characters but even the development of the secondary characters, particularly Annabelle's friends, is well done which I have not seen in a lot of romance novels. I really enjoyed that it takes place during the suffrage movement in England, which has not been widely covered in the genre. I have read a lot of historical fiction mysteries but not a lot of historical fiction romances, so this one is a great way to get your feet wet if you are just starting out.

*ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I don't know where to begin with how wonderful this book is. I had a hunch from the back cover description that I would enjoy the story, but nothing could have prepared me for how incredible Dunmore's writing is, or how deeply I would come to love these characters, or how invested in their lives I would find myself.

The story centers around Annabelle, who has been given a chance to study at Oxford. The catch? The scholarship she's been given is from the the National Society for Women's Suffrage, which means she'll be helping promote their cause. Annabelle, being from the country approaches the Duke of Montgomery, without realizing that she is speaking to a duke. They continue to run into one another, despite their mutual dislike of one another...until it's not so much of a dislike....hilarity ensues.

I don't want to give anything else away. You'll have to read it for yourself because it's amazing.

This was such a wonderful historical romance! I am a huge fan of historical romances and Bringing Down the Duke was unlike others I've read. The first in the League of Extraordinary Women series, Bringing Down the Duke was full of smart women who know what they want, romance, and a little bit of mystery. I can't wait to read more from Evie Dunmore and the suffragettes.

SWOON! Wow this was my first historical romance and I can't believe I've waited so long to give this genre a try. I absolutely adored this book and couldn't put it down. Evie Dunmore had be literally swooning during multiple scenes. I mean with quotes like "These wild depths in you, they call to me" how could a girl not?! I would say there is plenty of steam in the book but it's done extremely well. It's crazy this is her debut novel. I can't wait to read the next book in the "A League of Extraordinary Women" series. Fans of the romance genre this needs to be on your TBR!

I loved this book! Thoroughly entertaining with a great group of female characters at the centre: Oxford students and suffragists. Great weaving together of the political storyline with the love story. The romance was believably drawn and the conflict felt real, not belaboured or thin.

I’m so glad I took a chance on this book because I absolutely adored it! I’m so impressed that this is a debut novel for Evie Dunmore as the writing was excellent. I was immediately drawn into the story. My heart bled for Annabelle and her struggles. I was rooting for her from the very start. I loved how stubborn she was. The way she started out as enemies with Sebastian, our Duke, and then became friends with him was so much fun to read. It made for a delicious slow burn and build up of sexual tension. How Annabelle slowly cracked Sebastian’s tough facade was perfect. The way they really got to know each other made their chemistry and relationship so believable. They were the perfect couple and this was the perfect book. So much angst and feeling!! I can’t wait to see how Dunmore grows as a writer and I eagerly anticipate Lucie and Tristan’s story.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


All Annabelle Archer, newly enrolled Oxford student wants is a good education and a place of her own where she doesn’t have to work herself to the bone for her gross sexist cousin and is that really too much to ask? Unfortunately for Annabelle she also has the added pressure of making enough money to send back to cousin Gilbert so he won’t pull her out of school, spending the rest of her free time working for the Women’s Suffrage Movement (they gave her her scholarship to go to Oxford) and the unfortunate circumstance of being hopelessly in love with the most stubborn and immovable Duke in all of Victorian England.

It hurt to see main character Annabelle struggle with hunger, poverty and being seemingly alone in the world with no one to care for her. She quickly makes a group of friends who are high above her in station but they don’t give a fig. Best friend Hattie, highborn daughter of some kind of financier was so sweet, funny and likable with a determination to rival Annabelle’s own. I loved her so much I wanted to squeeze her.

This book starts out as a slow-burn, enemies to lovers romance but soon turns into an all or nothing relationship because the Duke of Montgomery does absolutely nothing halfway. He wasn’t my type- possessive and aggressive isn’t really my jam but I still enjoyed the will-they, won’t-they, how-can-they push and pull as these two people who are so attracted to each other try to navigate their vastly different political views and social standing.

Annabelle is a complex character who struggles with her own yearning for total personal and financial freedom with her internalized societal ideals of women. She wants to be in love, but doesn’t want to be held back and controlled. She wants women to be in charge of their own fates yet accepts that in this time period a woman needs a man for safety and security. I struggled sometimes to like Annabelle because she complained every single time about going to any event or being seen publicly as supporting women’s rights, and yet:

A. The movement paid for her education

B. The women stood by her through every scandal

C. Women should definitely have rights?!?!

Despite this I found myself really drawn to Annabelle. She is intelligent and outspoken, and fiercely protective of the ones she loves. She has been burned by scandal in the past and is hesitant when it comes to sharing her heart but knows she can’t live life detached from the people in it. Overall I really did enjoy this book! It reminded me of both Beauty and the Beast and Pride & Prejudice, two people who just don’t get each other and make wild assumptions taking the time to learn and grow to see each other as they really are.

This is the first in a series which will focus on several of the women introduced in the first book, so there were some threads left loose at the end. I’ll definitely pick up the next installment to see what happens with the characters and where they go from here.

Oh, I knew I would like this book when I read the synopsis and boy, oh boy, did I love it! As soon as I finished this, I pre-ordered it!

A huge thank you to Berkley for providing a free digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a delight. I loved the entire concept of a well-educated “commoner” going head-to-head with a well-bred and equally well-education nobleman. The Victorian era is one of my favorite British time periods, so that was a bonus! Then add the early suffragette movement (which I don’t know too much about) and how it pitted Annabelle and the Duke of Montgomery against each other. *swoon* However, the middle of the book dragged a bit, after Sebastian and Annabelle realized their feelings for one another and had a *moment.* Sebastian’s internal struggle about his feelings for Annabelle while also trying to do right by his legacy frustrated me a little. I wanted him to be better than that but they’re both under the constraints of the time period. It felt a bit Pride and Prejudice-esque but with even more thrown into it because Sebastian is titled. (But I’m really a sucker for these types of “rags to riches” love stories, to be honest.)

I like how these two characters don’t seem to lose who they are in the process. Eventually they almost become a “grab life as it comes” type of person because of who they fall in love with. As I said before, I loved how Annabelle could go one-on-one with Sebastian because she is an unusually well-educated woman considering her social standing. I like that she made Sebastian think, especially since he had outside forces wanting him to do the opposite. The author doesn’t let us forget that Sebastian has a lot at stake if he chooses to love Annabelle openly.

Yes, Annabelle does have a lot to gain if she ties herself with Sebastian, but the author allows Annabelle to have other options, too. It’s always frustrating to be reminded how limited women had it. And yet Annabelle has found this niche, a group of girlfriends, a job she doesn’t mind (as it’s better than life with her cousin), and is given the opportunity to use her education. But I like how it all comes to a head and these characters are forced to face their feelings and their pasts. I do, however, wish a little more was spent on these aspects of their lives because I felt like it was just talked about and perhaps not properly worked out. But maybe this was because they had individually worked through it on their own.

I’m in love, and I am already anticipating book 2 in this series and anything else Dunmore writes, especially if it’s like this. Also, the sex scenes weren’t at all cringeworthy which, for me, can really make or break a romance book for me. I absolutely loved those scenes between Annabelle and Sebastian, and actually wanted a bit more. I found them really sweet and didn’t find their coming together awkward.

As I said earlier, I’m completely in love and can’t wait for more!

This felt like a fresh romance to me- high on feminism and realism re: class differences. Annabelle, the daughter of a vicar and suffragette, and Sebastian, Duke and political star, shouldn't work but their attraction is instant. The devastating reality is that they can't be together without scandal. I liked it, especially the fight for women's rights in England, and will definitely keep an eye out for the next one.