3.5 stars - This was my first outing with this author, and I think it is quite an impressive start! The writing was particularly lovely, so I would definitely recommend this as a good choice for readers who value prose quality. I very much enjoyed all of the individual elements of the story (the main characters were well drawn, the set up/tropes were intriguing & well executed, and I believed in all of the motivations)... however, I did feel like the individual elements didn't quite come together as strongly as I wanted them to. There was something ever so slightly off, but this may also be colored by the fact that this was slightly more angsty than my typical preferences. Still, I would definitely read more from this author & I would recommend it

CW: addiction, depictions of cruelty towards those with mental illnesses

Pretty sure I'm on record as disliking historical romances. Most of the time writers simply transpose modern attitudes and progressive morals onto their characters. As someone who likes Victorian fiction, the disconnect between attitude and era is jarring.

That said, I'm glad I made an exception to read this book. Perhaps it's because I know so little about the Royal Academy and the author clearly knows a LOT, though she never bogs down the plot with historical background. (Also she knows a lot about the Afghan War, Victorian housing reform, and asylums. I'm impressed.) Also, Lucy Coover's lower class would enable her to have some freedoms that middle- and upper-class ladies of the era certainly did not enjoy. And the duke of the story being bound by some awful codicils that prevent him controlling his own life and inheritance make him less all-powerful than his high status would imply. It makes these characters' ability to ignore the rigid social order of their day more believable.

I loved the characters, too. How refreshing to find truly flawed people, not just people who in job interviews would say "I suppose my biggest weakness is I care too much." People who don't automatically trust one another (and for good reason), but who ultimately enable each other to reach their goals. (Not a spoiler - this IS a romance with a mandatory Happily Ever After. Though at the story's crisis point I really wasn't sure how the author would pull the HEA off!)

Top notch all around. For anyone who already likes historical fiction and wants to try out a well-written romance (I'd place The Duke Undone at "sensual" in Susanna Carr's heat level index), this is a perfect place to start.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The romance was great and really loved Lucy and Anthony’s relationship. They pushed each other to be better which was really good. The other story arcs were a little less interesting to me- about Lucy’s home being condemned, Anthony’s sister etc. I really just liked the scenes between the couple the best! All the details about art and women in art during this time period was very interesting

While slow to start, this book really delivers in the second half! We have two compelling main characters, a unique and interesting plot, some great historical detail and so much more. I heartily recommend this book to my fellow historical romance fans.

Loved this! Ever since I saw the cover, I knew I had to pick it up.

This story centers around Lucy and Anthony. Lucy is an art student at the Academy, who just so happens to come discover our Duke, Anthony, in the buff. Without getting too detailed, Lucy decides to use nude Anthony as inspiration for her latest painting. Unfortunately once and how Anthony discovers this, leads to all sorts of trouble for Lucy.

What I really enjoyed about this story in particular, is that with most historical romances I read, usually the hero or heroine is flawed, but almost not really? Sure, everyone has their issues, but Anthony truly harbors some dark family issues and this greatly affects his character. I loved that he was so flawed. There were moments I was rooting for him to get his shit together and then there were moments where it felt like he personally hurt me by his lack of care for himself.

Same with Lucy. I loved how outspoken and brave she was without it making her a hardened heroine. I understood her actions, even if I didn’t always agree with her methods.

The depth between Anthony and Lucy and their own development lead to some really heatwrenching and steamy moments. I really felt that build up that makes me root for a couple and I love that these too complimented each other. Especially with their differences in class and life experience.

I really really hope this is the start of a new series because I would love to see Lucy and Anthony again (no epilogue :( ) but also because i do want to know what happens to Kate, Effie, and Gwen.

I did only give this 4 stars as there were a few moments where I kind of lost focus in the story but truly I loved the balance of romance and historical aspects and how they came together

Art student, Lucy Coovish, is on her way to class when she literally stumbled over the unconscious, completely nude body of a man. He is not dead, only black-out drunk. But what a specimen! So taken by the beauty of the male form, Lucy makes a furious sketch, summons aid, and goes on her way. But the man isn’t just anyone—he’s a duke! When Anthony discovers the shocking fact that someone has made an exceptionally revealing portrait of him, he sets out to track down and confront the offending artist.

This book surprised me. A lot. From the premise, I was expecting something light-hearted, fluffy, maybe a tad farcical. But there are darker themes that drive the plot as much as the romance. Some of those things include the housing conditions of the poor and the legislation pertaining to them; the terrible institutionalizing of women for hysteria, a very broad term used for women who did not conform to men’s ideas of appropriate conduct; and alcoholism, specifically as a self-destructive addiction. The role of consent in taking a likeness not freely (or consciously) given and then profiting from it is also touched on. I believe these topics are all handled with sensitivity and mostly faithful historicity; they lend the novel a unique and valuable emotional undercurrent. [Please be aware of these topics and proceed accordingly.]

I was drawn into both Lucy and Anthony’s characterizations. They feel very real and entirely relatable in a way that, again, I was not expecting. Their relationship is a slow burn, following the friends to lovers trope, and you really see that connection develop and strengthen as the novel progresses. It makes the romance shine. It’s lovely.

I think the story overall could have been woven together tighter. There seemed to be a tendency to drop various subplots then pick them up again right when they’d begun to fade from memory or perceived relevance. All the threads eventually come together, leading to a single answer, which is both predictable and abruptly cut off. But I highly recommend this read, especially if you’re a historical romance fan.

4.5 Stars...maybe 4.75 stars. I loved this book, as it was unusual in the historical romance genre!

This was a solid romance genre read. The writing is very good and the historical research shines. Lucy, our intrepid heroine, is a genuinely interesting and motivated character surrounded by like-minded women who are not strictly part of the glamor set. The romance is almost secondary to an interesting look into the historical role of women artists. The look into the transition at the Royal Academy with the introduction of women as students is where this book really shines.

As for the romance? It was OK. The Duke was only so-so as a character, and the situation in which he finds himself is not only ridiculous, but also, not actually that hard to overcome. There is an attempt at a backstory, but character development is thin with a seeming complete about-face in order to wrap up the narrative. As a character meant to overcome his reputation as the “idiot duke,” I am not sure much progress is made.

Overall, however, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It ticks all the romance boxes, is extremely well written, genuinely funny, often heartfelt, and complete with happily ever after. In short: five-star writing about a one-star duke.

WOW. This is one of those books where after reading it, I immediately wanted to sit down and retell the entire story to someone. I'll spare you the full details, because #spoilers. But what a wonderful, romantic, swoon-worthy story. When art student Lucy comes across a passed out, naked man in an alley she covers him up, but not before taking him in. The Royal Academy allows female students, but does not allow them to take nude drawing classes. She immediately has an idea for a painting featuring this very attractive man, and she goes about creating it. When her aunt needs money for a new sewing machine, Lucy has to sell her beloved painting, and that's when all the trouble begins for Anthony.

Anthony recently inherited his title, but despite being 29, when it comes to his financial affairs, his father's will marked him as a legal child until he turns 30. Anthony must adhere to his father's strict rules, including no drinking alcohol, until his birthday in order to come into his money. This would not have been a problem for him some years ago, but mourning the loss of a difficult older brother and hunting for his missing little sister have led to an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. He can't have a whisper of scandal associated with his name, or his finances will still remain in control of Mr. Yardley, a family friend. When another man calls Anthony out for having an affair with his wife, who purchased the nude painting of him (not knowing the subject would be him), he has to find the artist and confront her. Once he and Lucy meet, the passion between them is undeniable. (There's also an excellent conversation about consent and how he did not want her to have created this nude painting of him. Lucy apologizes, and though there are some threats and blackmail involved in this story, the power dynamics between the two are clear, so anything Lucy does that might seem "villainous" she must do to survive.) The two realize how they can help one another. Lucy can help Anthony find his missing sister, who indicated she might be working and living in Lucy's working class neighborhood, and Anthony can use his newly found political power to make sure Lucy's block isn't wrongly condemned, its tenants evicted.

I know! That plot sounds like quite something, and trust me, it was even more than that. Joanna Lowell weaves a web of scandal and lies that takes the reader from the Royal Academy to the slums, from dress shops to theatres, from mansions to the mental hospital. I was in awe of her skill and how each piece of the puzzle fit together. I also loved the frank discussion of power dynamics, mental health, emotional abuse, addiction, PTSD, and learning disabilities. Lucy is very hesitant to start a relationship with an alcoholic, as her father was one. Anthony has had a difficult upbringing. His father was cruel towards him because of his learning disabilities, he deals with gaslighting for many years, and he watched his mother be hospitalized with a nymphomania diagnoses. I loved that men's mental health was really brought to the forefront of this novel. While the women, who very well might not have mental illness, are wrongly diagnosed and treated for it, Anthony deals with addiction and PTSD from war and the way he's been treated over the years.

Oh, and the LOVE SCENES. From the first kissing scene to the three love scenes that followed, I was swooning. This was a solid 5 star read for me, and I really hope that the author turns this into a series. There were so many interesting characters introduced - feminist Kate, selfish Lavinia, troubled Effie, snobby Maude, aloof Gwen, artsy Augustus, forgiving Cecil. I want them all to find love, even if they were antagonists! My thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

An entertaining and emotional story with real stakes, unfortunately slightly spoiled by the ending, which glossed over a big part of the hero's journey.

I read a lot of historical romance books and I was surprised when I started reading this one and realized it was way above in writing and plot than most of the others I have read. Not that the others were horrible, just that after reading so many the formula and stories start to blend into each other. The Duke Undone was so refreshing and new. It starts out with Lucy, an art student tripping over a naked man in an alley and even though she protects him he acts as a muse of sorts to her as she has never seen an undraped figure in art class as women were denied access to such classes. His image brings about a painting that he eventually sees and their paths cross again. Of course there is more to the story and he has a missing sister who he is looking for and in exchange for her help he will help save her aunt's shop and neighborhood.

It sounds like a fairly simple sort of book, but it deals with heavy issues such as alcoholism, mental health, and corruption. It is so well written and a lot of the times when you feel like something is going to be predictable it isn't and then you are pleasantly surprised. There is definitely angst and in the past when angst would get too heavy sometimes I would give up but here I cared enough about the characters to stick with it and I’m so glad I did.

Both Lucy and Anthony felt so real and when it came to the other made decisions that made sense. When they were wrong they admitted to it and it felt like they were mature characters. I really loved that, and it is refreshing to see a confident protagonist. Anthony as a character is flawed but I love that his struggle wasn't glossed over. Another thing I really loved is that we didn’t have to wait so long for things to get going. It is a well paced book and well researched!

Since Lucy is an art student we also get to see her friends and the Royal Academy. It’s a different change of pace to read about art students in this time period. They are all so interesting and not boring at all. In fact I can’t wait to see if there will be books about her friends Kate and Gwen.

I read this in one night and immediately thought to myself that Joanna Lowell has become an auto-buy author for me. I immediately pre-ordered this book and there is no doubt that I am going to reread this many times. This story and author are just so refreshing and I can’t recommend this highly enough. It is that good!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

This book had a lot going for it, strong lead character and not your typical subject matter for a historical romance book. There were some stumbling blocks early on that I just couldn't get past. The way the lead characters meet just felt off. Why does she just ogle him in an alley way while he's naked and then do nothing to help him other than pay a homeless boy to watch over him? If the roles were reversed and it was the male character pulling this kind of behavior it still would have been all kinds of wrong. There second meeting does not fair any better. They go from "oh I hate you, to oh we should probably make out" in no time at all. The story would have been just fine without these elements.

3.5 stars. I couldn't get excited about either of the two main characters.. As for a historical fiction romance including a duke, it was good, but there are lots of better options out there.

Lucy Coover is a painting student at the Royal Academy. One day she stumbles across a passed out naked man in an alleyway. The artist in her makes her sketch and eventually paint him. The man is Anthony Philby, a Duke with lots of restrictions upon him. He was a solider and second son. He is haunted by the brutality of war and was never trained to inherit. His father's will leaves the estate in the hands a trustee till Anthony can prove he can manage his own affairs.

This is a more serious romance novel than I was expecting. The author covers many areas of Victorian life and law. The art school for example only started allowing female in 1860, and at the time of the novel 1881, the education still isn't equal. Other topics touched on include alcoholism, insane asylum laws, property condemnation, colonizing wars and political corruption. I appreciated the authors note at the end explaining her research and sources.

I enjoyed the book overall but it wasn't the easiest to read. I love the art school with Lucy and her friend Kate. Anthony is harder to like. He is self destructive and flawed. I wanted more real conversations between the two MCs and to see the romance develop. We are told Lucy fell in love with the image of Anthony while painting him. But his reality is less than her imagination and I didn't feel the connection. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley-Penquim Random House for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Great characters, great writing, and an overall great read.

What I enjoyed most: the interesting characters, the well researched issues, and fun dialogue.
What I enjoyed less: predictable ending and a few dragging scenes.

Would recommend to any Victorian romance lover.

When I read the synopsis and began the book, Lucy stumbles over a naked man in an alley, paints his portrait, then discovers the man is a Duke, I was expecting a lighthearted romp. Instead I found a very emotional story with complex characters and issues. Lucy, the daughter of an alcoholic, lives in the slums with her great aunt now that her parents are dead. She attends the Royal Academy of Arts and is desperate to save her home from being condemned by a corrupt government body, while trying to perfect her talent to earn a better life for herself. Anthony, a damaged soul, raised by his cruel father, his mother’s suicide, and time at war, is now an alcoholic under the control of a steward. He must have no drink, no scandal until the age of thirty. Obviously this isn’t happening because Lucy finds him passed out drunk in the alley. His sister Effie is missing and he is determined to search the London streets at night to find her. There is a fascinating look into life as a woman at the time, at the Royal Academy, a man’s domain for so many years, at how men controlled the women in their life so much they could have them committed to a lunatic asylum. Lucy is determined not to repeat her mother’s life living and depending on an alcoholic. This causes arguments between them and they knew how to turn the screws to hurt each other. Their romance is complicated by their place in society and the codicil in his father’s will that with some investigation begins to unravel......

A refreshing take on the Victorian romance, I laughed out loud on several occasions! Lowell doesn't do the typical high class, glitz and glamor, historic romance. It's obvious that Lowell researched the Royal Academy and the drama caused by the addition of female students. Lucy is one of those students, she comes from a poor family, lives in poor conditions, and is struggling to make a better life for herself and her aunt. Anthony is a duke, with problems of his own, and his problems are compounded when Lucy trips over him, passed out and naked, in an alley! Lowell touches on so many important issues of the time period, women being diagnosed with mental issues when they didn't "behave correctly", housing and unsanitary living conditions of the lower class, women's equality, and much more. If you are a fan of historic romance, I would definitely recommend The Duke Undone!

Wow! If you're looking for a new and fresh voice in historical romance, look no further than this book. Lowell did a ton of research into the time frame and it shows with compelling, realistic characters that feel like they could walk off the page into your house. Moreover, she deals with some really timely themes: the rich vs. the poor, housing insecurity, recovering alcoholism and the glass ceiling. Definitely recommended!

Lowell packs quite a bit in this historical romance. There is the standard Victorian-era Women's Equality bit, but also statements about affordable housing, public sanitation, class disparity, starving artists, alcoholism, mental health discrimination, failing parental expectations, orphanage, plagiarism, and so on and so on.
For a historical romance, she manages to also bring in some very steamy scenes pretty early into the story. This isn't a slow burn type of romance, so recommend to your readers with caution if they are used to a more 'prim' and cosy Victorian romance.
Overall a fun read. Lucy is ah-mazing, of course. Why wouldn't she be. She's a total badass orphan painter from the wrong side of town with an awesome artistic mom that (unfortunately) died too young.

Lucy and Anthony in Duke Undone by Joannna Lowell
Set in the late 1800’s Lucy is a painter studying at the Royal Academy but is from a poor family. Anthony is a Duke who suffers under a guardianship of a Mr. Yardley who controls everything until he turns 30. Lucy finds Anthony lying drunk, his clothes stolen and she draws him: women were not allowed to see or paint nudes at that time. Anthony finds the painting and, fearing exposure to Polite Society, confronts Lucy to get any preliminary drawings. Of course this sets off a path to love for them.
However, there are many subplots that are fascinating. One follows the madhouses- asylums- of the day and the ease with which women who were different could be admitted and controlled. Another plot illustrated the way government boards, appointed not elected, could easily condemn an area as a slum and erect their own businesses.
The characters were intriguing and well written. The plot, and subplots, were fascinating and the love story was satisfying. I would recommend this book to my patrons.