I was sent a copy of this one for review quite some time ago. I've picked it up quote a few times but really struggled to get into it. I'm sure it's someone's favourite but unfortunately just not for me. I think it's just a sake of format, I tend to listen to historical romance as audiobooks so maye I might try that another time.

This is historical romance. Our female main character fully expected to get a proposal in her first season, given it was essentially agreed already and then the man turned up engaged to someone else.

She's now been in hiding for several years but her mother is now insisting she marry this season. And the man she was almost betrothed to is now widowed.

This book is okay. I felt it tried to do too much, particularly on the non-romance side of things, and the time spent on that didn't do anything to build the relationship between the two main characters.

The first half of the book concentrates on the family of the female main character (presumably to build a Bridgerton like series with the siblings). The parents are unlikeable, the siblings are fine but all those interactions then get completely dropped once the couple get together - and they've spent almost no time together at that point!

There are then a number of new sub-plots introduced, but we don't spend enough time on them for it to be satisfying.

The romance side of things does fell lacking. While it's a second chance romance, as readers we don't really get any insight into why they feel anything for each other (then or now).

I also would have liked the female main character to have slightly more going for her, other than just being traffic-stoppingly gorgeous!

TW// abuse and mention of attempted suicide

Aphrodite is the oldest girl of the Du Bell family, one of the most prominent families living in Belclere Castle residing happily and isolated within the countryside. However, on her sister Hathor's coming of age, Aphrodite is reluctantly forced back to London, the very place she longs to forget, after being abandoned and betrayed by the Duke and love of her life, whose promise of engagement turned out to be to someone else completely. Now 22, her mother is adamant that she shall marry this season, and if she refuses to choose her own eligible suitor, her mother will ensure she marries to recently widowed Evander Everely, the betrayer of her heart. Still sporting the sting and humiliation of his last rejection, she is resolute that this forced engagement will not occur. Evander on the other hand has his own predicaments to manage, with his bastard brother Fitzwilliam, whose callousness, and viciousness is second to none, trying to claim titles and estates he feels as the first born is owed to him. Leading to a constant battle between the two that may just threaten those he holds dearest.

This was actually my first regency era story, and I really loved it, the characters were complex and well developed, nothing was as it seemed and I just became so attached to them. I found it personally really captivating and enthralling, full of humour, wit and heart. Aphrodite's family in particular hold a very dear place in my heart, their loyalty to one another and utter adoration and kindness was so heart-warming to read. Aphrodite especially has nothing but love in her heart, she's giving and warm, and it's hard not to root for her, in spite of her humiliation and pain, it hasn't changed her personality in the slightest, which is just a testament to her strength as a character.

It was just so much fun, immersive and full of wonderful characters, and I just found the plot really cleverly and well written, overall just a wonderfully immersive, escape to regency England, with some loveable and strong characters.

I requested this book not only because it sounded good but also because I enjoy watching the tv show Bridgerton so I thought I would enjoy reading the book.

Sadly I couldn’t get into the book and I found it hard to concentrate on the story. I found the characters over the top and the start of the story wasn’t engaging for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus for the digital copy of Aphrodite and the Duke

Thank you for this advanced copy which was a great read, I had trouble putting this down! I liked the way it was written and it made for an easy read. I would definitely recommend and look forward to reading another book by this author! A stunner!

I have to say that I was not able to read and review this book at the moment, sadly enough. My apologies!

A story that I felt just failed to keep up its promise.
I did like that it ws written in 2 parts and thus did not end with the normal HEA but carried on to discuss their further lives.
I was disappointed that the author accepted that the illegitimate son was to be cut out from the will and that his brother made no effort to alleviate this, but rather was indignant that he shoild be asked to. It was true that his nother was nasty but it seemed to me that her and her son's behaviour after the father's death was to some extent caused by the rather unfair will.
I found the style not be as appealing as some authors of this genre being too heavy and lacking in humour.

It pains me to say this, but I could not get into this story. I usually love this author's books, but this one didn't work for me. The characters were not great, the storyline just meh. I kept trying to read it, but it was boring and I ended up dnf-ing it in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review!

This was a very cute, romantic read, with echoes of Persuasion and Bridgerton. I really liked Aphrodite, and I enjoyed her family a lot. I missed them when the plot moved her away, and I'd definitely read more books about her sisters if Du Bell went down a series route. I'd especially like to read Damon and Silva's story.

Aphrodite fights for herself and uses her cleverness to win, which I really enjoyed. I also really liked Aphrodite's mom. She was fearless and strong and such a fun character. Very Mrs. Bennett but far more clever.

I think there were a few too many POV's. I felt like Aphrodite and Evander would have been enough, the others were unnecessary and felt a bit confusing.

Towards the end of the book, things felt a bit rushed, especially in regards to Aphrodite and Emeline's relationship. They had very few meaningful interactions but suddenly <spoiler> she's calling her Mama? I also didn't get Mrs. Watson's motivations at all. I figured she'd be in league with Fitzwilliam somehow but it was never brought up again. </spoiler> It also all got a bit dark and a bit confusing. The whole thing with the Wildinghams and Fitzwilliam and Marcella zoomed by, and I wish it was fleshed out a bit more.

All in all, this was a fun read, and included diversity sorely missing from the historical romance genre. It's not my favourite ever, but definitely a solid choice. Three stars.

First of all, thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I REALLY wanted to like this one and I was so excited for it.
I did enjoy
• the sibling dynamics
• the main characters love of books
• little Emmeline

I hated everything else.

I felt the romance wasn’t believable. I had no real reason to believe these were two people who were madly in love, who had been pining over each other for years, since they were young. Instead we got two petulant adults who refused to speak plainly to each other and married wayyyy to early.

I loved the author’s previous works so I’m hoping this one is just a fluke.

Overall 2.5 STARS

Umm.. this was amazing?

How do I even begin to describe this book? It’s like no historical romance I’ve ever read. This book unlocked a secret desire for a sub-sub-genre I didn’t even know I had… for the very modern historical romance that reads like a classic.

This was a childhood friends to lovers second chance romance. And believe me, when one of Evander’s first lines is “Forgive me. I beg you”, I felt it all the way down to my toes.

But then everything about this book was so unique! First, there were the Bridgerton tv show vibes. The BIPOC heroine in a lush Regency setting where different races are equal. And her family!! Six kids, loving parents, Kennedy-esque banter. I was genuinely laughing out loud during the scenes in her family home.

But also—and this is where this book blew me away—it had major Tolstoy vibes? Middlemarch by George Eliot vibes? It was like everything that gets crammed into the normal historical romance’s epilogue finally got its time in the sun. In the first half of the book, this couple (re)fell in love in all the ways we’re used to—dancing at a ball, a clandestine conversation in the garden, walking with a chaperone in the park. But then in the second half, they fell in love for real. Being together, growing together, making mistakes and forgiving each other. This plot was so human and moving. And the pacing felt like reading a classic.

I swear my IQ increased while reading this. Take her name: Aphrodite. There was the usual living up to a divine name, beauty as a motif and all that. But then I loved the all Hellenistic philosophy—Epictetus, Seneca the Younger, and Plato of course. And little things like a reference to her parents being English nobles during the French Revolution, Shakespeare quotes but also Sophocles quotes. I was living!

This couple was so compatible, they grew so much as characters, and they truly brought out the best in each other. The side characters were amazing. It was just amazing. I need this to be a series! This paced-like-a-classic historical romance needs to become a trend!

Are you a Bridgerton fan? This is a book aimed directly, and specifically at you. And as such, it does the job admirably well. I felt it was a touch long - something about the pacing didn't quite work for me but I couldn't pin point exactly what, but overall this is an enjoyable read. It leans heavily on the tropes of Bridgerton, but then that's kind of the point of it, so I'd have been surprised if it didn't. The story concerns Aphrodite - seemingly jilted by the duke she claims to no longer be in love with - her mother's keeness for them to marry, and a side helping of scandal.

The Georgette Heyer fan in me appreciated the style of writing and the details in this story as they're quite accurate.
I found it a bit too slow at the beginning but I enjoyed it and had fun.
It's a well plotted historical romance and, even if the MCs are a bit vapid at times, I liked them
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Okay, so we're getting a multi-season TV show and sequels, right? RIGHT?!

Ladies and gentlemen who have been missing Bridgerton - may I introduce you to 'Aphrodite and the Duke', your newest historical romance obsession. I read this book in 48 hours, something I have not done in a very long time, and it's a tribute to how immensely entertaining and delicious this novel is.

A second-chance romance between Aphrodite and her childhood love Evander, the novel is a tale of two halves. The first, centred around the London season and the rekindling of the romance between these jilted lovers. The second, of Aphrodite learning to become a duchess and getting entangled in the mad family drama of Evander's extended clan.

Let's quickly discuss the Daphne-shaped elephant in the room - yes, there are a lot of similarities to the first season of Bridgerton. The Duke's family drama, the steamy scenes, the accidentally catching people getting dirty in the gardens - it's packed with very familiar tropes. I can't comment on how much of an influence it was on this book because I don't know when it was written/redrafted, but it's easily looked past for something this fun. And that's the best way to describe this book. It's just so much fun. It's swoon-worthy, it's juicy, it's packed with those Regency-era details that made millions of us go mad for the aforementioned show.

The family dynamics of Aphrodite's side were funny and charming - hopefully giving more space for greater expansion in this world - and McAvoy did an incredible job building the world and the atmosphere of Regency England, right down to tiny details in the prose. This book provided such escapist joy for the whole time I was reading it and scratched an itch that a lot of regency romances haven't been able to for me.

The last 10% of this book is CRAZY. Like, ridiculously crazy. If I were to take a more critical eye to it, I would suggest it might be a little too crazy, but ultimately, it all pays off to a satisfying conclusion that leads the door open for sequels (please god let there be sequels I want Verity to be happy). But that's my central criticism. This book pays homage to the regency romance that has come before it - but does something different. This book will capture you like reality TV and keep a vice grip until you've hit the last page. What. A. Joy.

So I'm normally a sucker for a regency romance featuring a duke, Prince, viscount and have read quite a few now. This one fell a little flat with me and I didn't feel the heat or passion between Aphrodite and Evander. The way he treated her in the second part of the novel really threw me as that is not how you treat someone who you supposedly adore and love.  
 
I wanted a lot more spice with the sex scenes which I felt weren't that strong. This book was in two parts which had four different points of view which I felt unnecessary at some points. The first half of the book had promise but the second part did let it down which I stated above with the reasons. It was okay but not 100 Percent amazing.

I really enjoyed this story and how it progressed beyond just they got married and lived HEA, instead having a part 2 to show the issues they faced after marriage. The only reason I can’t give it 5 stars is I didn’t like the several explicit sex scenes in it, as I felt it took the story from a good regency novel to being very mills and boon which spoilt it for me

A story in two full parts, both full of romance and intrigue, although you know something horrendous must have happened to stop Evander marrying Aphrodite, you just don’t know, with all the machinations of siblings and parents something is going on and I wasn’t quite sure who to root for. The second part of the book develops and mystery further and tension builds beautifully as the baddie is revealed but not caught and someone is going to get caught in his snare. A really good read, with well balanced tension, some funny bits added by the siblings and a great few lines from Aphrodite’s dad.

I'm SO disappointed, but this one did nothing for me. I was so excited to read more diverse historical romance and the cover is gorgeous but it just fell flat.

I really liked our heroine Aphrodite. I really did feel for her situation and how women really did't have any options back then. She also subverted a trope I hate - The 'I'm going to love bomb/seduce you until you forget why you're angry' - I see this a lot and it's kind of an anxiety trigger for me. But Aphrodite actually says 'I deserve answers and if you don't give them then we're done'. This disappears in part two sadly but at least we had it a bit.

That brings me on to like the weird choices that were made in this book. We had FOUR POV'S. In a historical romance book! Two of the pov's belong to the heroine's brother and the hero's sister. We get very brief glimpses from them, which felt pointless because they could have easily not been there, and then in the second half we don't here from them at all. It felt very disjointed.

The fourth POV is from the hero, Evander. We do not get his POV until 135 PAGES into the novel. By that time I didn't care about him because I had only seen him through the eyes of 3 other people and not in his own words. By the time we did get to him I realized he should change his name to Ev-Blander because he was. Extremely bland.

I think that was what really affected my enjoyment. This book is very tell and not show which just doesn't work with second chance romances, because you're supposed to be convincing me they already have a strong connection. I didn't feel that here. The plot was told in a really strange way. We I presume are kept away from the hero's POV until his motives are revealed in order to make it higher stakes or mysterious but it just felt like a strange choice. Also a big part of the conflict is solved by 40 percent in. And then I was left thinking...what are we gonna fill the second half with? I liked Aphrodite's story within the second half but I didn't like the way Evander treated her.

Overall this was lacking in connection for me, as well as bringing me out of the plot with disjointed story telling. This is also in my opinion kind of low angst. Some people I know will like that though.