This was a great debut!! More romance in this vein PLEASE!!! (Also I am qualifying this review with the facts that 1) I spent ~2 semesters doing research on 19th century lesbianism prior to 1869, & 2) I did decide to turn my brain off before starting so I could have a fun time.)

I had a very fun time with this book, even if I do wish it had done More at 60% & through the end. (If the book had 50 more pages to work with, I probably would have loved it, but some things began to feel rushed after that 60% mark.)

When you ease into the beginning of the story, the main characters are instantly interesting, and their relationship with each other feels FUN. They have chemistry & even when their relationship begins with misunderstanding, the way they interacted was engaging. The beginning through ~40%, I just was loving how d*kish & authentic it felt. (I'm allowed to say that, I am one.) I also really loved how the book is very realistic about how women of high social class still faced incredible barriers to self-fulfillment at this time, and how they tried to find joy despite that. (Tho I think the book could've delved way deeper into that & been even more successful by doing so!!)

But then, by the time Loretta realizes she's queer & beyond, things just didn't work as well for me. I was having no trouble turning my brain off & being swept along for the ride, but the way queerness was represented & didn't develop felt like a let-down, considering how great the first half of the book had been. And I'll fully admit, I did Not like how the finale unfolded; for a book so concerned with the realities of queer women in 1824, it felt like we were thrown into a fantasial wind, like all the rules and concerns of the entire rest of the book had been disregarded.

Also the sex scenes (& lack thereof) were so odd to me. There are several fade-to-black instances (which I think are fine) and one descriptive scene. I super don't mind if there are or aren't sex scenes in my romance novel; some books need them, some don't. But the way they were executed in this book was strange; it almost felt like the editor was like, I know you're doing fade-to-black, but we need at least ONE smut scene. The story super would have benefited from showing the first few sex scenes between the main characters, because it would have really benefited their character and relationship growth.

Overall, even with parts of this being messy (& honestly making me wonder if it got a bit neglected by an editor), I do recommend you read it if you like sapphic romance! I very much intend to read whatever the author writes next, and I may also pick up a copy to add to my personal collection.

This one was nice but I struggled to stay focused on the story. It took me a long time to read and nothing really enticed me to come back. The romance was lovely but there was a lot of other fluff that I didn’t care much about. The end was a bit too dramatic for my tastes in how it played out. I also was hoping the brother would also be queer but alas.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️🌶️/5

I received an eARC from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.

I had sometimes fun reading this one, but I didn't feel like the story was original enough to really make me recommend it to others. I read a lot of queer historical fiction, and the story of a naive young socialite being seduced by a more sophisticated member of the ton and having a sapphic awakening has been done a lot for me and I didn't feel like this one had a new angle. It probably would appeal to people who enjoyed "Don't Want You Like a Best Friend" or "An Island Princess Starts a Scandal" or any work by K.J Charles or Cat Sebastian.

Regency romance with a sapphic twist!

This book was very much a cute romance with like a level one spice rating. It's not my normal vibe but I did enjoy it. I think the "Do I like girls??" aspect was very real and well written.

I thought this book was great!

I’ve read a few Regency historical romances that focus on the social season and trying to find an advantageous match for marriage, and this is my favorite sapphic romance in that category!

Charlotte is a painter, and I loved the description of her artwork. For example, Charlotte’s art is sensual, emotional, honest and body positive, showing models with body hair and stretch marks.

My other favorite part of the book was the description of the hidden, queer community gatherings that celebrated people from across the gender spectrum. One character described the gatherings as feeling holy and that resonated with me. The depictions of these gatherings illustrated their importance, irreverence, and sacredness all at the same time.

The ending of the book felt rushed to me. There is a new obstacle that comes into play towards the end of the story. That obstacle was handled surprisingly quickly, and I felt like that challenge to the relationship shifted the focus off the longer-term questions they were facing as they tried to determine the logistics of a long-term relationship.

I think I would have enjoyed the end of the book more if I was left with a better idea of what their long-term, happily ever after would look like and if their concerns from earlier in the book were more fully resolved.

Despite finding the end of the book a bit rushed, I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it. This was the author’s debut Regency romance novel, and I hope to read more sapphic romance by this author in the future.

Highlights:
- sapphic awakening
- finding queer community
- debut Regency romance
- queer artist painting the female gaze
- artist and her muse

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

3 stars

A well-written Regency-era lesbian love story that leans into the fantasy of a fairytale romance. It’s a fun read, and I really enjoyed the evolution of Loretta’s character over the course of the story, so if you’re looking for more sapphic historical romance this is worth adding to your shelf.

The story did, however, contain a few pitfalls. Charlotte’s toothless and privileged rebellion left a sour taste in my mouth, so while I was rooting for Loretta, I wasn’t necessarily rooting for Charlotte. That said, I loved the tie-in with the Regency art world through Charlotte’s painting, and the way she introduces Loretta into London’s underground queer community.

Small mention of one of my Regency pet peeves: referring to stays as “corsets.”

This was a wonderful little regency romance! As a lesbian I can’t get enough sapphic romance, but I’ve realized that historical romances can be a hard read. Queer men in historical romances are less concerned with succession and money but because of their gender it has to be a focus for queer women. It just makes the novel a bit of a stressful and unpleasant read for me. However this book tackled the issue very well. The villain feels a little mustache twirly but I’ll let it slide cause the rest was a ton of fun. Heads up though this romance is not very explicit if that’s something you don’t gravitate towards.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story of a shy baron's daughter and the rakish sister of a duke is also an amazing reflection on the unfair expectations put on women, comphet, and the existence of queer people and spaces throughout history. It had me smiling and kicking my feet and also pulled and twisted my heart in the best and worst ways. I can't wait to see what Emma-Claire Sunday writes next!

And a note to all publishers: more sapphic historicals, please!! I love an M/M romance, but queer women deserve just as many stories.

Thank you to Harlequin via Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was an unexpected find for me. I loved it!!! In this wonderful adventure we find Loretta who is supposed to be finding a husband. The Duke of Coolchester would be a great husband. However it's not him that makes her heart race, it is his sister Charlotte. What can she do? Do what everyone is expecting her to do or follow her heart?
I loved this story. Emma-Claire Sunday is a new to me author and I am so happy to have been able to read her work. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers. Her characters are all strong and amazing with detail that really creates the best story.I love the interaction with the characters and the wonderful wit and passion. You will get lost in their world and want their happiness to. I was so happy to find this genre and it was so wonderfully written.
I can't wait to read more from this amazing author. Enjoy this adventure.

Two and a half stars. I was excited to see an historical sapphic romance, but this didn't hit the mark for me. I found this book fine, but it didn't retain my interest.

Loretta has finally landed herself a duke. He's fine, she supposes. They could be happy together. But the person she most wants to get to know is Charlotte, the duke's sister.

Where this book shines is in Loretta's self discovery, and the early pining between the characters. But as the book went on, I wasn't feeling the connection between the characters (and they spent a good amount of time apart, which didn't help). I also felt that the villain at the end didn't earn their villainy, so the whole climactic drama was marred by that.

I love the trend of more sapphic and queer historic romances, and I want writers to keep exploring that space which history has obscured, but this book just wasn't the one for me.

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

We desperately need more sapphic historical romances and so I was delighted when I saw this one was coming out. It was genuinely a sweet read and I enjoyed every second of it.

Overall a fun read. The characters were entertaining and delightful. Solid 3 stars only because the “villain” never really felt like one. I felt like I was told how awful he was but it didn’t feel like it and often I forgot about his character. If you’re in for a quick and light read though, you can’t go wrong with this book.

I enjoyed this fairly quick read but found myself wanting more from the ending; perhaps an epilogue or something.

I absolutely loved everything about this regency romance. Charlotte’s slightly-better-behaved Anne Lister vibes paired perfectly with Loretta’s innocence on the verge of a sapphic awakening. It was beautiful how they found not only swoon-worthy romantic love together but a deep and meaningful friendship as well. And I enjoyed the way they each helped each other grow and figure out who they were and what they wanted. Also, Nathaniel was wonderful as Charlotte’s best friend, wingman, and way of sneakily getting her artwork shown. But my favorite scenes were at the Fourth Tier parties. Those were so magical, and it was wonderful to see queer people gather and be themselves at a time where that was strictly forbidden. I hope there will be a small or big screen adaptation so I can actually see those lovely scenes come to life someday.

This was a fantastic debut, and I can’t wait to read what the author writes next!

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

The Duke's Sister and I by Emma-Claire Sunday was quite a good book. It was a classic regency setting. The romance was super slow and sweet, and not spicy at all. I recommend.

3.5/5 Rounded up to 4. The Duke’s Sister and I is the author’s debut novel. The story itself was beautiful and it was also beautifully written. It didn’t read like a debut.

This story had a lot of promise and I enjoyed uncovering the complex layers of the MC. One working through the many phases of grief from losing loved ones and also not being able to live life on your own terms. The other having always made sure they were the epitome of a debutante but didn’t know why their heart wasn’t ever in it. Discovering who they are and the awakening that comes from that knowledge.

The MC we’re wonderfully developed and lovable. They start out on prickly terms but as Loretta’s understanding of what the feelings inside her mean, they’re more friendly prior to becoming lovers. I liked the underground community they find or was already a part of, having a safe place for them and others.

However, overall this one wasn’t really for me. As much as I enjoyed all the characters and appreciative of the overall theme and message in the story, the pacing was too slow. It took a while for me to get into it and didn’t get to the meat of the plot until the last ten percent. This was my first Harlequin book and was excited about the promise this story had and think those that enjoy historical romance would enjoy it.

This was a slow burn with one encounter that is more sensual than detailed. There’s also two fade to black encounters and some kisses. I found the steam level to be on the lower end.

I received an advance ecopy from Harlequin via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I picked this one up because it's a sapphic Harlequin historical that gets the same clinch cover treatment as the MF Harlequins! I enjoyed this romance between a rakish duke's daughter (she's lost count of the number of women she's slept with) and the debutante being courted by her brother.

Emma-Claire Sunday presents a pretty historically accurate view of queer love: the major romantic conflict is that Charlotte, lady rake, can't admit she's in love with Loretta, the sweet ingenue, because she knows there's no possible future between them. I really liked the juxtaposition of the traditional historical romance rake with a really legitimate and poignant reason why she can't let herself fall in love: she's locked way her own hope of even the possibility of her own happily ever after.

There's also a wider plot involving a scandalous painting, a villainous suitor, and a sexy closet at Almacks: lots of historical romance trappings overlaying the queer awakening love story. Sure, the writing could have been a little tighter, but I really liked the way this one ended up. It feels just like a queer Harlequin historical should.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Absolutely loved this sweet f/f romance. The way the friendship develops and true love begins... And the betrayal. That awful, deceitful piece of....

She’s supposed to wed a duke… But it’s his sister she can’t keep her eyes off! As the town's most in-demand debutante, it should be easy for Miss Loretta Linfield to find the perfect husband. So the reason why she is embarking on her third season unwed is a puzzle that nobody can solve. Not least Loretta! Until she meets Charlotte Sterlington… The sister of her new suitor, the Duke of Colchester, is everything that prim and proper Loretta isn’t—bold, daring and rakish!

I don't read a lot of historical sapphic romance, so this was a wonderful treat for me! I loved Charlotte and Loretta. Loretta's personality was so much fun for me! I felt the plot was a bit lacking, but the characters pulled me along. I really enjoyed this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

First I would like to thank Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this wonderful book!

This book was so beautifully written! The story was so engaging and the slow build up of the romance was very well done. From the moment I first picked up this book, I would hardly put it down! I really loved the way the author wrote her descriptions and details, it made it so easy to be able to fall into the story and become very immersed in it and the characters.

Charlotte and Loretta were absolutely perfect for one another! It was such a joy to watch their romance unfold and see them get the HEA they deserved! I also enjoyed all the obstacles along the way that kept you on the edge of your seat as you continued with the story.

The Duke’s Sister and I was such a delight to read and I can not wait for the author’s next one! This is a book I’d highly recommend if you’re looking for a swoony and charming sapphic historical romance!