This is a fabulous, sumptuous romance novel, and while it's a bit denser (and thicker!) than I usually prefer my romance novels, this one was well worth it. The historical trans rep was such a freaking treat, too.

I was so excited to read A Lady for a Duke. Seeing trans rep in historical romance is absolutely wonderful and I want more. Overall this story deals with a lot of personal growth from both our main characters. First learning to accept themselves, and then building that trust to let others in. There are so many sweet and steamy moments too, which balances some of the slower scenes. My biggest complaint about this book is that it was very long. It felt like a lot of the conflicts were repeated over and over just to stretch out the book, rather than needing that time for extra character development. I just wanted things to move a bit faster because it's hard to live in the conflict for so long, and it ends up making it harder for me to be excited for the romance.

But like I said, I really hope we see more books like this coming out. Thanks to Forever Romance and Netgalley for a copy to review!

This is such a charming historical fiction. I personally don't mind that there are aspects for which one might need to suspend disbelief, because even if society as a whole might not have been accepting, that doesn't mean there was no one accepting. The romance and conflicts are sweet and bitter, and ultimately I very much enjoyed the ride.

Goddamn. This book is freaking amazing.

Alexis Hall is amazing and every time I read one of his books, I'm left a little bit stunned. A Lady for a Duke is just flat out beautiful. I NEVER highlight books. Sometimes I try to squirrel away a phrase or sentence I loved, but rarely do I start using my #kindle to highlight passages. But this book was so perfectly phrased that I couldn't help but want to capture them forever.

Viola was resourceful, witty and full of sharp retorts that had me smiling. Her and Justin had such perfect chemistry and while he said a couple of things to her that made me cringe. Overall, I was fully yelling "KISS KISS KISS KISS" at my eReader and crossing my fingers for a happy ending.

The book drags ever so slightly in the middle while Viola can't quite make up her mind about what she wants. But ultimately it felt plausible and I was willing to wait it out for the HEA.

This book is a masterpiece and you need to read it.

Review scheduled to appear on my blog and twitter on Sunday, August 7 at approx. 9;30 am
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PAGE TURNER!

That is what this book is, above all else. It will have you whipping through the pages wanting to know more, wanting to find the truth, wanting to know when they will both know.

God it was so good.There was so much heartbreak in it, and love in every word on the page. Every detail of this book felt like it was so carefully planned out, and god were the details amazing.

The characters are singular and well crafted, each with their own triumphs and tragedies, and man are they some of the best characters I've gotten to know this year. There is such love between most of them, and god, some of them had me laughing out loud. Viola is amazing, her strength and her inner thoughts drew me in and had me wishing I could spend more time with her. Gracewood also carried my heart, breaking it in equal turn, as he tried to fight with himself and his PTSD.

The plot is intoxicating and I loved every single moment moment of it, wanting more and wanting less. There were a few moments that did seem to drag, but more often than not I found myself wanting more.

It is a queer historical romance, so there are moments where your heart feels heavy when the illusion of a happily ever after in this scenario gets broken but god, I could read this book again and again.

But then again, it is Alexis Hall, so...

I literally would not stop talking about this book for weeks after I read it. It upended my expectations for what a historical romance novel could deliver, in all of the best ways. Honestly, at first, I kept dismissing recommendations of this book because the gorgeous cover art had me convinced it was going to be a cis- and heteronormative romance, which I am not interested in. I am so glad I finally read it! It was so swoony and sexy and romantic and exciting. The nonchalant and warm manner in which all of the main characters talked about gender identity and sexuality was so refreshing and lovely. I loved this book.

Y'all! My heart! This book was everything I could have ever wanted in a historical romance! In fact, I would say it's probably the best regency romance I've ever read. It was incredibly tender and unapologetically queer and so full of hope and joy. The banter and humor was absolutely delightful and had me cackling in places! And y'all! The yearning and the pining was so well-written that you can't stop reading once you start. You have to know what happens next and if they will be able to get their happily ever after. This story made me feel all of the emotions.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that Alexis Hall can write anything they want and will make it totally fabulous. This book was no different. The amount of heart and vulnerability in this story is both astounding and beautiful. I was a bit worried that this would be really angsty given the premise. But while Viola is worried about being judged for choosing to live as her most authentic self, it wasn't the whole plot of the book and I can't tell you how much I appreciated that. There are still some heavy topics discussed in this book and some angst but it was so perfectly balanced out with sweetness and joy. It was heartwarming that everyone who Viola came out to not only accepted her but supported her so fully in her quest to live the life she was meant to.

Viola and Gracewood are war veterans and we see how that has affected them. Gracewood was shot in the leg and has to use a cane for the rest of his life. He also suffers quite severely from PTSD. I am grateful that the author didn't gloss over or minimize those affects like I have seen in several of the Regency romances over the years. Viola does not have PTSD in the same way that Gracewood does but how her actions and choices in the war haunt her is never seen as being less than his trauma.

The romance between Viola and Gracewood was everything! This book is a master class in how to write a romance novel. I saw it described in someone's review that described this romance as a second chance at first love which is a wonderfully apt description. The romance is full of instant attraction but manages to still be a slow burn and very intimate and tender. Watching Viola and Gracewood discover that there is so much more to the other that they didn't know was *chef's kiss*. They aren't perfect but they are perfect for one another. I adored watching them fall in love so much!

It was mentioned in the author's note that this could be the beginning of a new series and I really really hope it is! I loved so many of the secondary characters! And I cannot tell you how much I need a Mira book and a Lady Lilimere book in my life! I can't recommend A Lady for a Duke enough! If you want to read a truly unique and well-written queer historical romance, this is the book for you.

Quirky. Witty. Hilarious. Relevant.

Also while being everything a regency romance should be. Kidnappings and masquerades and corsets.

Is there anything Alexis Hall cannot do?

Representation:
-trans MC
-MC with PTSD & physical disabilities
-casual queer side characters who are also fully formed and fleshed out.

Thank you @hachetteaudio & @readforeverpub for my gifted review copy.

The narration is fabulous, the story is tender, lovely and pulling at my heartstrings in the best way. I really loved it!

I loved this book! Viola Carroll (we love a Shakespeare reference...), a former duke, was presumed dead at Waterloo, and after recovering, begins to live the way she wants to. All this backstory happens off the page though. Viola is now a paid companion to her wonderful, funny sister-in-law, who orchestrates a reunion between Viola and her former best friend, Duke Gracewood. Gracewood was injured at Waterloo and suffers from what we would now call PTSD, and an addiction to his pain medication. Above all, when we first met Gracewood, he suffers from grief over losing his best friend.

I've never read anything like this book. I expect some readers will resist the "historical inaccuracies," but I loved the queer representation, which included some really enjoyable side characters, and the disability rep too. I also generally think it's silly to assume queer people haven't existed forever, so I was all in with this plot. I particularly loved that Viola's transition is not the center conflict of the story -- I have lots more to say on this but I will avoid spoilers here! Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so wonderful —BUT— I must admit that it started off sooooooo sloooooow that I don’t know if I would have made it through if not for the wonderful narration of the audiobook.

Once the plot moves past the early drawn-out angsty melodrama (ironic considering a reference in the opening paragraphs of the book), the story is fun and magical and charming enough that I could not stop reading!

Now that I got that out of the way, I want to scream and shout about how happy I am that this book exists. I can only hope that this is the beginning of a wonderful trend of trans representation in romance novels, especially period pieces. Everyone should have the chance to find themself represented in a fairy tale romance.

I found myself stepping into the shoes of each of the characters to put myself into time and place to ask big, deep questions and find answers I never even thought to look for before reading this novel. That is the mark of a story that NEEDS to be told because it means it hasn’t been done (or done well enough) yet to force the reader to find diverse perspectives they’ve had the privilege of never having had to consider before.

Thank you to Alexis Hall for sharing this piece of their heart with the world. Thank you to Hachette Audio and Forever/Hachette Publishing for providing me with the opportunity to read an ARC of “A Lady for a Duke” via Netgalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

“A Lady for a Duke” is set in 18th century Britain a few years after the Battle of Waterloo. The story follows Viola Carrol, our main character who is a transgender female. I can only hope that this story paves the way for more historical fiction with LGBTQIAS+ representation at its forefront. Alexis Hall handles the various trans, lesbians and bisexual characters in a way that still feels authentic to the time period but manages to imagine a world with more freedom and acceptance so that as a reader we are seeing fully formed queer characters who are more than a tragic coming out or repressed sexuality.

The main plot follows Viola Carrol who after the way was presumed dead and she she used the opportunity to follow a life true to her authentic self. This meant relinquishing titles, land, friends and some of her previous freedoms. For Viola this was well worth the freedom to be who she has always been on the inside.

A few years after the war Viola is thrown back into the orbit of her former best friend, the Duke Gracewood. Reeling from his presumed loss of his best friend and the horrors of war the Duke has become a shell of his former self.
With the somewhat meddlesome “help” of Viola’s upfront and sarcastic sister in law, she finds herself at once trying to conceal her former identity while helping the Duke find his way back to happiness.
Alexis Hall manages to find the perfect balance of passion and romance, witty banter, Austen-esque courtship and heartwarming narratives in this historical and yet modern romance.
A fantastic recommendation for fans of Bridgerton and period dramas looking for more diversity in these stories.
While not a historical romance fan myself I found myself charmed by the characters Alexis Hall created and comforted by a story that above speaks to the importance of finding and loving your true self.

I am grateful for getting a chance to read an ARC of this novel. Hall writes a trans historical romance novel with care, compassion, and so much heart. I loved Viola and Gracewood so much. Every time Gracewood complimented Viola for a masculine skill (like riding or fencing), I felt her hurt. Viola's gender affirmation by Gracewood later in the novel, especially in the physical intimacy scenes, was so important to read. Normally the epilogue in historical romance make me roll my eyes but Hall made me cry--there is so much love between these characters. I loved how much Hall normalizes transgender representation

If your idea of a good time is letting a book emotionally destroy you, allow me to recommend Alexis Hall's A Lady for a Duke. This queer historical romance follows Viola, a trans woman, and Gracewood, the childhood best friend who believes she died at Waterloo.

I don’t know what I can add to the praise that has surrounded this book, except to say that it is an unbelievably tender story that will stick with me for years to come. Viola and Gracewood both have intense emotional journeys that Hall expertly pairs with moments of witty banter, knowing just when to add levity to a scene and when to embrace the cathartic release of the grief they’ve coped with alone.

I imprinted early on Beauty and the Beast, and I could write an entire dissertation on how Alexis Hall captured the essence of that story in a way I've seen few others do. He goes right for the core of the original in which two characters who feel deeply othered find each other, where the Beast corrects his behavior and learns to do better by those around him, and Belle puts up with nothing less than what she deserves. I want to bottle the way I felt reading the scene where Viola and Gracewood dance together—it is too perfect for words.

I actually read the physical book while simultaneously listening to the audiobook (narrated by Kay Eluvian) because I wanted to soak up as much of Hall’s gorgeous writing as possible and savor every second of this masterpiece.

I'm incredibly sad, but I just couldn't get into this book. I usually love the author's writing, but this one just dragged for me. Too much inner monologue, and a slow start that made me loose interest pretty quickly.
I loved the concept and idea but was bored by the execution. I'm sure it was just a fluke. Can't wait to read his next novel.

This was exactly what I was hoping for. There is nothing sweeter than a story about being seen for exactly who you are, and being loved because of it. Friends to lovers and hurt/comfort are some of my favorite romance tropes, and they are so well done in this book. This title is featured prominently on our Queer Themes in Romance table, and hand-selling it has been such a joy.

This historical romance follows Viola and Gracewood. When Viola was presumed dead after the battle of Waterloo, she took the opportunity to finally live as herself. However, returning as Viola means she had to give up her title, wealth, and best friend. Two years later, Viola's family receives a letter from Gracewood's sister detailing how Gracewood is not doing well. Viola and her sister-in-law go to visit, and Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to being the man she knew. This is my first historical romance ever and I absolutely adored it! I really enjoyed the balance Hall was able to strike between the polite, super light flirting I'd expect from a historical romance and some pretty heated moments. I also loved how this story also explored Viola becoming more comfortable in herself and being able to ask for and get what she wants out of her life. I loved the side characters and how supportive they were to our main couple. This was a long read (480 pages!) but it didn't feel like that long of a read. There were a lot of things going on in the plot outside of the romance that I was also invested in. I also really liked how the main conflict in the relationship wasn't Viola being outed and becoming a 'scandal' (although that is an understandable fear of hers). Bonus points to Hall for making me actually love an epilogue just as much as I loved the rest of the book.

A trans-heroine in a Regency romance gets her HEA, and I'm here for it!

It's been a month since I've read this and just the thought of it brings swells of emotion.

The longing. The tenderness. The respect. The bravery. The steam! This book just has it all. Each character is so lovingly crafted with compassion and respect from Alexis. Add in a dash of the humor we've grown to expect from Alexis and a well crafted cast of side characters and you have a wonderful story.

After reading other Alexis Hall books earlier this year, the excellent Boyfriend Material and the quite good Something Fabulous, I became very excited for the promise of A Lady for a Duke.

And that excitement was well placed, as I very much enjoyed this outing. While it didn’t quite reach the heights of Boyfriend Material for me, I felt Hall did a much better job with the tone of historical romance than he had in romp in Something Fabulous, even if the pacing bothered me at times. I found it a bit repetitive and then interspersed with time jumps that left the reader without some of the opportunities to just be with the characters. The good news is that I wanted to be with these characters enough that I was bothered not to get to see more quiet moments.

Hall’s stated goal in writing A Lady for a Duke is that Viola being transgender was not the main source of conflict of the book, and I think he managed that well. So well in fact that I don’t want to dwell on the chapter in which Gracewood reacts poorly to discovering whom he knew Viola as because the immediate chapter after it launches into one of the best long form grovels I’ve read in a Romance in a long time. The real conflicts for the characters (nearly all) are really about gender roles and gendered expectations. Viola refuses Gracewood’s advances several times over because she is focused on the ways she feels she cannot live up to society’s (and her own) expectations about what a lady needs to do or be to be for a Duke. Gracewood has his own hang-ups about what kind of man he is after the war, dealing with physical and mental impairments. Gracewood’s sister Miranda is a young woman unconvinced that they fully know who or what they want, just knowing they want the love of their family, and Viola’s sister-in-law Louise who fulfills what the expectations are of a woman of her class, all while also being exactly whom she wants to be, screw what anyone else has to say about it.

I find there to be great value in exploring ideas through characters who don’t have the language we would use to characterize what is going on with them. I find it can help readers work through ideas on their own, to find themselves on the page, to find their own interpretation. I’m a history person, I should want my historical fiction historically accurate (and I often do) and listen, I know Hall is going to get pushback at this being inaccurate due to the undercurrent of acceptance that is the backbone of the emotional beats of this book, but screw that noise. Why are we in the habit of ignoring the possibilities and realities of independent, individual reactions? Why do we assume the laws at a national level reflect the entirety of a populace when it so clearly doesn’t in our own times? If you have problems with Hall’s accuracy, I invite you to look closer at the scholarship, because he’s not creating a baseless fantasy world in this story, certainly not more than any romance featuring a Duke of which there were less than 30 at the time.

Final thoughts: Hall teases the possibility of other stories in this universe including the other ladies whom he borrowed names from Shakespeare heroines for (yes please Miranda!) but also Amberglass and I have no desire at all to read that character have a redemption.

I really loved this book. I thought the character development was wonderful. I loved the setting, and to get it with trans rep.... I was so excited to receive this arc and to read it before release.