Thank you to J J. McAvoy and NetGalley for an ARC!

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I made it through a little over 20% before I gave up. The pacing was entirely all over the place, and the storyline was difficult to be immersed in. There wasn't very much that drew the the reader into developing any kind of connection with the main character Odite/Aphrodite. Some scenes were sped through and difficult to place a picture to. Other scenes felt unnecessary, and dare I say boring. I had high hopes for this regency romance, because I adore unconventional characters placed in a regency era text, and I love a good love story. This just wasn't one that could inspire me to stick around to find out the ending, where Aphrodite will undoubtedly end up with the Duke. There wasn't anything in the first 20% that made me curious enough to know the ending.

With some tweaking and suspense added, and unnecessary portions removed from what felt like ten too many characters for this stylization of writing, this could be developed into something more intriguing.

3.5 stars for me. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters but the writing was stilted and immature at times. I also found the storyline somewhat basic and the whole story felt almost Bridgerton-esque, right down to the large, close family and the mama trying to marry her daughters off. Since the eldest brother is already married I had to check and see if this was actually the second book in a series (it is not). Not a terrible book overall but I think there are better regency novels out there.

Aphrodite Du Bell has always resented her name. While the members of the ton, and even the queen herself, praise her warm brown skin, perfect curls, and exquisite features, Aphrodite can't help but think that living up to the literal goddess of beauty is asking a bit much. Her renowned loveliness certainly didn't stop the love of her life from jilting her and marrying another woman four years ago.

When Aphrodite's formidable mother summons her back to London to aid in her sister's debut, she has no choice but to acquiesce. But Aphrodite is determined to ignore one man in particular: Evander Eagleman, the Duke of Everely, the man who devastated her all those years ago. Yet why does her guileless heart still flutter at the sight of him?

Evander Eagleman lost his chance for true love, but now that he is an unattached widower, he is determined to win back Aphrodite's trust--and her hand in marriage. But just as the couple make strides to mend old wounds, Evander's true reason for rejecting Aphrodite threatens their coveted future . . . and even their lives.- Goodreads

I have read a lot of historical romance and I can say this with every beat of my heart that this book although a good read is a very tame, almost clean version of all those books.

The book focuses more on the characters and their interactions with each other and "the scandal" as opposed to making it about Aphrodite's relationship with the Duke. Its almost like a side story, which I have no problem with the author doing that. It was just unexpected given the summary and also given what I am use to reading.

It was a breath of fresh air, although slow. However, I would like to note that Aphrodite personality doesn't really shine in this book. There are glimpses of it but not enough for me to determine if I like her or not. I do know for a fact that her family is annoying; especially her little sister. This would have been a good clutch to build Aphrodite's personality more.

Short review I know but overall this was a good book; nice foundation into this world. I would read a book two.

Overall,

3 Pickles

In spite of the promising premise and beautiful cover, I found this novel slow going. The plot meandered, the dialog was stilted, the word choice strangely formal. The various first-person narration was distracting rather than enlightening, and the characters spent a whole lot of time talking and not doing.

Arc Reviews

Aphrodite and the Duke

First and foremost; this book is definitely for the Bridgertons babes. I think this book is right up your alley if you enjoyed those books. Personally, this book was just okay for me. It left a lot to be desired for me, and I think that has a lot to do with where the plot went in the second half. It’s not that it wasn’t interesting, but I was much more curious about multiple other things. The pacing and act structure is also pretty different from that of a standard second chance romance, at least compared to the ones I’ve read in the past. It definitely threw me off at first, but I kind of liked it and only wish it had been executed a bit better. There are more specific things that I liked and didn’t like which I’ll bullet point below.

What I liked:
⁃ I really enjoyed the relationships between Aphrodite and her siblings. I wish we got more of it. They were all very cute and funny and realistic when they interacted with each other, even when those interactions were based in them being annoyed with Ike another. The general family dynamics in this book (the good ones at least) made this book very fun and enjoyable. They made up some of my favorite moments in the book in general.
⁃ (Mild spoiler) I LOVED that the author made Aphrodite earning Emeline’s trust an important storyline. It was one of my favorites, and I wish we got to see more of it. I also love that Aphrodite fought for that trust too despite what anyone else had to say about it. It made Aphrodite and Emeline’s bond feel really special.
⁃ I loved that the author is already hinting at more books to come. At least, that’s what I hope she’s doing. It makes me excited to see what’s next and made the book a even more interesting at times as you get an inkling of who the next couple could be.


What I didn’t like:
⁃ This books has multiple POVs, including more than just Aphrodite and Evander, but those POVs aren’t consistent and they don’t always make sense. This only really happens in the beginning and with only two or three other characters, but it felt so random and sudden and not completely needed.
⁃ The second half dragged just a bit, and it also felt like it was trying to juggle one too many things and none of them felt properly fleshed out. They all deserved more page time for it to feel truly satisfying.

Overall, this was a solid read. It’s nice to see black people as lead characters in romance novels, especially in historical romance books. I’ll definitely make sure to get it into my B&N, and push it towards the Bridgertons and general historical romance crowd.

I did not like this writing style at all. It was trying to be in the style of Jane Austen? However it felt weirdly stilted. Like a modern person trying to speak in the style of Jane Austen.

While there are promising flashes of plot and character development, on the whole I found that the characters were one dimensional and the dialogue was stilted. The hero had anger management issues, and the heroine was presented as almost too good and too beautiful to be true. The villain, half-brother(?) to the hero, was presented as a narcissist and was really the only source and cause of conflict. It was mildly interesting to see how the hero and heroine eventually learned how to work together, but it was a somewhat tedious process.

Overall, I found Aphrodite and the Duke to be a fun and entertaining read. There were a few parts that were a bit slow, but they didn't last two long. In addition, from the description, I thought that the book would be only about Aphrodite and Evander's courtship, ending with a marriage, but I was surprised when they got married and then there was entirely new plot point moving forward for the rest of the book. In that sense, it felt just a little choppy, but it did add a bit more substance to the story. One other thing that I noticed was that Aphrodite seemed to have slightly more modern views on women, their roles, and what they can and can not do. At the beginning, I believed Evander to have similar views, but by the time they married, he seemed more dismissive and thinking women silly (in particular, he thought it would be "cute" if women revolted against men). Although this is not surprising in the least for regency men to think this way, I was a little disappointed that Aphrodite never argued with him on these points since she clearly felt as though she deserved more respect and freedom than was given to her as a woman.

First off, the cover of this book was so striking that I had to get it. And I was not dissapointed., This was my first JJ McAvoy book and wont be my last. Aphrodite was so self assured and Duke of Everly was so sexy. I love a second chance, redemptive HEA

A story of English nobility with a heroine of color. Aphrodite and the Duke is a romance fill with loss, redemption and the best kind of HEA.

*3.5

I enjoyed this and I really loved seeing the love that they have for each other. The book was really good up until they got married. After that it lagged a little bit. It picked up near the end but not enough for me personally.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I love second chance historical romances and I was really enjoying this one. Just wished there was more groveling from Evander and I didn't get any chemistry between the two main leads. But can't wait to read more from this author though.
<b><i>Trigger Warnings: loss of a parent (past), death, child abuse and neglect, violence, domestic abuse(not between MC's), and attempted suicide</b></i>

Aphrodite and the Duke set in England during the era of dukes and duchesses and rulers over the lands was one of romance with the coming out season in London of the marriageable maidens and their suitors. Of counse, their was the rivalry among the heirs for the inheritance of the estate and all the family conflicts and love affairs. The characters were determined and true to form making for an enjoyable read.

If you watched the first season of "Bridgerton" and enjoyed the diversity of the ton society, then Aphrodite and the Duke is a must read. It's clear as you read that the author watched the show, as some of the events that occurred there are utilized in the book. Also, the passionate dynamic you see between Daphne and Simon are paralleled in the relationship between Aphrodite and Evander. The one difference is that the latter follows the trope of second-chance love.
Some of the characters are quite unpleasant, but I guess it's necessary for someone to be the villain. In this case, there are 2, and both get exactly what they deserve in the end.
Overall, a good read and I'm interested to see if the author will continue writing about other characters in the rest of the family.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC, which I voluntarily read and reviewed.

A lovely second-chance Regency romp perfect for fans of Bridgerton!

Aphrodite Du Bell is returning to London years after a stunning betrayal from the man she thought she'd marry, the Duke of Everly, Evander. Only one problem: he's back too, recently widowed, and determined to get her back.

I loved the second-chance romance here and the fact that Evander was practically begging for Aphrodite's forgiveness so early on (I love a good grovel). The earnestness between the these two, along with the drama of the second-half plot and the quirks of the supporting cast of characters really made this book for me.

Ultimately this fell a little flat for me in the second half, but I think that was mostly due to personal preference-- I'm not a huge fan of "taking care of the household" plots, namely for the gender dynamics that I know are realistic but ultimately frustrate me (again, a very personal thing and not really reflective of the book itself!).

Overall, though, this was a fun, passionate love story that felt like the perfect escape, and I very much enjoyed it.

Tw: domestic abuse (not between MCs), attempted suicide, child abuse

This book was one of the most incredible historical romances I have ever read. I absolutely fell in love with the Du Bells and by far Aphrodite was such a beautiful character. She may have been scorned by Evander, the Duke of Everely,once before, but she never fell out of love with him. Crossing paths with him once again was her undoing. They both will stop at nothing to be together this time around. This love story will draw you in and keep you under it's spell until the very last page!!!

Aphrodite And The Duke is a fabulous historical romance by J.J. McAvoy. This is my first book by Ms. McAvoy, hopefully it won't be my last. This is a well-written book, however, it is written in first person, multiple points of view. Aphrodite is returning to London for the Season even though her heart is still sore from the last time she was there. Evander wanted only to marry Aphrodite, but he married another and left town. His wife has died and now he's back in town hoping to win Aphrodite back. Evander and Aphrodite's story is loaded with drama, humor, sizzle, action and suspense. I enjoyed every page of this book and look forward to reading more from J.J. McAvoy in the future.
This is a complete book, not a cliffhanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am thankful for NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this eARC and I hope to review more of their books in the future!!

I had to DNF at ~10% unfortunately.

I really, REALLY wanted to love this book. The historical romance genre desperately needs to feature more representation in many different categories. I was super excited to see a black woman on the cover of this book and read a book where racism isn't the main conflict the heroine has to deal with.

However the constant and blatant fatphobia and body checking in the beginning of the book was insanely triggering to me. The way the mother would comment on her daughters' bodies was very unnecessary and made me feel icky. I don't understand why the author chose to be "historically accurate" in this account because of fatphobia's roots in racism against black bodies, specifically against black women. I expected the book to not rely on the Eurocentric beauty standard because the FMC isn't the Eurocentric beauty standard. I was wrong and that's on me for assuming.

While I did not enjoy this book, I know many will and will see themselves represented in this story and that is what truly counts.

Best wishes to the author and their future books. ❤

This book absolutely felt like a Bridgerton episode. And I am here for it because I loved this book!
Aphrodite and Evander? ooh, la la. I have to say that I disliked Aphrodite's mother, she was too much and not in a good way. But she fit the description of a noble mother from the ton to a tee. I loved the book though. I give this book a thumbs up! I voluntarily read this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Black women and regency? Sign me up.

Well, actually I don’t typically like regency stories all that much. However, I read this after watching season two of Bridgerton and it was everything I wanted for it. (Especially if you loved season two)

I was grinning the entire time. I loved that the angst level was low although that may not please some people it made weak-hearted me exceptionally happy.

Aphrodite and Evander is a second chance love story. Both Aphrodite and Evander are likable, lovable characters. Their chemistry was evident and I spent the entire time rooting for them to be together. The story was well-paced and thought out.
This story is so fun and sweet that I can’t get over it I think I have cavities.
Yes, the first part of the novel was a little bit slow HOWEVER I think that comes with the territory of regency novels.
Aphrodite, or Odite, you will always be famous. She is just a good person and loving big sister and she deserves love and that’s what she gets too.
Evander is actually sure a good man who made some mistakes. I love him.
J.J. McCoy did with Jane Austin couldn’t do. I'm still blushing and giggling.
I love Black people.

ARC provided by netgalley