I love a good friends to lovers trope. This was a childhood friends to lovers and it was well done! I think there was a lot going on in this story and struggled at point to really get into it. On top of it being romance driven there is also a bit of mystery and family meddling. I enjoyed this story overall but it wasn’t a favorite.

I thought the book was very authentic and the portrayal of the characters was true to the time. Phoebe is a bit of a radical blue stocking striking out on her own. Will fills the role of the reluctant aristocrat perfectly. I loved the use of childhood friends to lovers. It ends with a bit of a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next book.

Historical romance is hit or miss for me, so I was very pleased Duchess Material was a hit. The comparisons to Evie Dunmore and Martha Water, two historical romance authors I really enjoy was spot on.

Phoebe and Will had a really great childhood friends to lovers story. I appreciated that Sullivan packed a lot into Duchess Material - mystery, social commentary, romance - without the story feeling overwhelming.

I'm unsure if this is expected to be a series, but I would love to read more about Alex, Freddie, and Cal.

I struggled with this one and I don't really know why. It took me weeks to care enough to finish it. I struggled connecting with the characters and truly wasn't that invested in the story (there was a brief time when my kindle and my phone were not synced with where I was at in the book and it took me 4 chapters to realize I had already read those chapters. I liked the previous books I've read from Emily but this one just didn't work for me. Also I just really really hate cartoon covers on historical romances.

This was a great book. Characters were great. This book was easy to get into as I am also a teacher. I loved watching Phoebe and Will’s adventures and seeing how human they were with the mistakes they made.

Emily Sullivan does it again! I absolutely LOVED this childhood friends x second chance romance x mystery subplot. The dynamic between Phoebe and Will is so well honed. We really get a sense of why they have avoided each other so long and what is holding them back even now. It also sets up the Atkinson sisters for follow up books and I really, really, really want to see that happen. Ugh, I could read 45 books just like this. One of my favorites of the year!

Duchess Material by Emily Sullivan
Historical romance.
Phoebe Atkinson was arrested for trying to find out how and where her missing student went. The manager of the building where the student lived was less than helpful and then called the police when she wouldn’t leave! Phoebe’s “phone call” went to William Margrave, the Duke of Ellis since he was still good friends with one of her sisters, and he’d have the power to get her released. Will shows up and promises the police that Phoebe wouldn’t interfere any further but Phoebe isn’t willing to just let her student be forgotten. Who knows what might have happened to the girl on her own with no supporting relatives.
Phoebe convinces Will to help her and both are reminded of their past friendship until he unexpectedly received the Dukedom.
Will needs to marry and because of the title, he needs a proper wife. The more time he spends with Phoebe, the more he wishes that she would make a good Duchess, but she’s a school teacher for the working class. It’s not a match that would be acceptable. Would it?

Phoebe is so caring and compassionate. I understood her reasons for her distancing herself from her family and it was so touching when she reconnected with her sisters. And of course, with Will. That relationship got steamy!
More complex than the standard regency with my favorite best friend sibling troupe mixed with a bit of second chance.
A great historical.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley, Forever Publishing, and to the author for allowing me to read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book had the feel of Pride and Prejudice, with mystery, scandal, and plenty of strong female leads!

My favorite quote was definitely, “”And a better man would tell you no." Her mouth slowly curved in triumph. She knew she had him. "But?" Will let out a frustrated sigh. "But it turns out I'm a bit of a bastard when it comes to you."” I’m obsessed!!

Duchess Material has everything I look for in a historical romance, from a female main character who bucks societal norms, a male main character who indulges her whims, and some family meddling. I loved that Phoebe had a job at a school for girls, supporting herself, and was entirely uninterested in romance. Will was the perfect match for her, willing to let her chase her ambitions, support her in the crazy schemes she found herself in, and love her endlessly. I also appreciated the mystery plot line and what it brought to the overall story.

Oh my, Phoebe had William on a hook and he reels him in to be genuine, kind and caring as he was before he became a duke a decade ago, setting her friendship and love aside. How she opens his eyes, she challenges him, she motivates him, she loves him. I really liked this book and Phoebe shines throughout. She is very likable.

A fabulous read

Duchess Material by Emily Sullivan was a great read! I found myself unable to put this one down as I needed to see what happened for these characters before I closed the book.

When William Margrave unexpectedly inherited a dukedom a decade ago, he has done everything he could to be the perfect aristocrat. That means connecting himself with the "right" people and now that it is time to marry, he intends to find the right duchess with the same approach he has done everything else. The only problem is that his oldest friend's younger sister keeps interrupting his carefully controlled life and what's even worse...he actually likes it.

Phoebe Atkinson is an outspoken bluestocking and while her older sister is the budding economist and her younger sister is the social butterfly, Phoebe has traded in her life in high society to spend her days teaching working class girls. But when her most promising student goes missing and Phoebe gets into a bit of trouble, she turns to the most powerful man she knows, the Duke of Ellis. While he was one the object of her affections, when he became the Duke, he left his old life behind...including her. But as she leans on him more and more over the days, she realizes, he hasn't really changed all that much and her feelings actually haven't gone away.

As I mentioned, I enjoyed this book and I thought it was really well done. The characters were well-developed, the story was written well kept me turning the pages to see how things would turn out. I'm hoping that we get books for other Atkinson sisters too as I found both to be interesting and would love to see how things turn out for them too!

I’m a historical romance lover but having the added bonus of a mystery to frame the love story was such a delight. Phoebe comes from a wealthy family but has struck out on her own, wanting a different path than her businessman father and older sister. She is a school teacher for working class girls in London and one of her promising students goes missing she is determined to get to the bottom of it. And to do that she needs to enlist the help of her childhood friend and Duke, Will.

The feel of the novel is similar to Evie Dunmore’s novels where the women have agency and are fighting against the expectations of what it means to be a woman during the time they lived. But that’s not to say the romance wasn’t the focus! The chemistry between Will and Phoebe was great and I especially loved getting inside Will’s head. The family bond between Phoebe and her sisters also grounded the story and brought out great character dynamics. I have high hopes for this mysterious nun and next novel we may have gotten a glimpse into at the end of this novel.

Will and Phoebe’s story was absolutely delightful. I loved the slow burn evolution of their relationship and the twist on the “best friend’s little sister” trope. Sullivan’s late Victorian era setting is a breath of fresh air.
One of the things I love the most about Sullivan’s stories is her realistic portrayal of complex family dynamics. She tackles those tangled, sometimes knotted, strands with grace and compassion.
Read this book of you enjoy any of the following:
- a strong-minded heroine
- meticulous research and fully developed side characters
- multi- dimensional heroes who aren’t afraid to fall first or confess their vulnerability.
Perfect for fans of Mary Balogh and Eloisa James.

This was an absolutely delightful historical romance. I'm always very fond of headstrong heroines, and Phoebe did not disappoint. I really loved her dynamic with Will - she always kept him on his toes, and wasn't afraid to challenge him (or anyone else) if she didn't agree with him or his views. They have some excellent banter between them, and the love they have for each other really shone through even before they confessed to each other.

The plot was also interesting, the little bit of mystery was a fun change from other historical romances and I liked the inclusion of political topics that were prevalent in the late 1890s. There were some really fun references to Pride and Prejudice scattered throughout, but not enough to be overbearing. The first kiss scene was one of the best I've read in a while, the anticipation built to that moment perfectly throughout the text and I loved getting to see Phoebe take what she wanted.

I'm thoroughly looking forward to the next books, I have to see what Alex and Freddie get up to!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC.

A solid historical romance. Nothing groundbreaking but very enjoyable. I particularly liked the character of Alex, too smart for her own good and has no time for the silliness of people in love but connot say it to one another.

Emily Sullivan has such a great writing style, very sharp and precisely constructed, that gives you a solid feeling of the time period while also feeling very approachable.

I loved the premise of this one, best friend's sister, heroine with a job (a teacher to working class girls) during the Victorian time period, and a reluctant Duke.

There were some swoony moments for sure in this one, and enough mystery to keep fans of that intrigued. But I do feel like some of the elements suffered in favor of the other, with not quite enough emphasis on each.

I received an ARC for review

I love Emily Sullivan's characters, and I was so excited to receive this! This is a charming start to a new series.
Will and Phoebe are childhood friends who drifted apart after Will unexpectedly inherited a dukedom and Phoebe decided to pursue a career in teaching. They were brought together again after she needs him to bail her out of jail. Hijinx ensue, but this is a great look at divisions in class in ther era and societal expectations. It's so clear Sullivan did her research.
Phoebe is a fun, bold character that was so well-developed, and I can't wait to read her sisters' books next. The banter and witty arguments throughout the book were delightful.
Thank you Forever and Netgalley for the ARC.

Miss Scarlet and the Duke meets Pride and Prejudice!

Thank you to Forever for the digital arc.

Emily Sullivan is a new-to-me author and I'm so glad I discovered her! Phoebe is a bluestocking from a wealthy family who's given up her life of luxury to be a school teacher to impoverished girls. When one of her students goes missing she's forced to enlist the help of her childhood friend Will who is now a lofty Duke.

While neither of the characters are detectives they are working together to solve a mystery in Victorian England and have an antagonistic style banter. She's headstrong and putting herself in dangerous situations while he's exasperatedly, and high-handedly, trying to keep her safe. All this goodness paired with their mutual teenage crushes gives major Miss Scarlet and the Duke vibes and I am here for it. (We'll just pretend season four didn't end the way it did.)

There are also some very wonderful tributes to Pride and Prejudice sprinkled throughout the story, HELLO wet shirt scene! Will inherited the dukedom unexpectedly and trying to live up to expectations has made him rather starchy. He's on the hunt to find the perfect duchess but keeps getting distracted by Phoebe, who is definitely not Duchess Material 😏. It screams Mr. Darcy and I love it.

Now you may ask, "Laura, is this book political?" It sure is! While the characters are wealthy, the story critiques the wealth gap between the nobility and lower classes and doesn't sugar coat living in poverty. There's also a discussion about the criminalization of sex work, men in power exploiting women, and Victorian era birth control. All issues I find relevant to today's political climate.

Set in 1896, the cover appropriately shows this is a Victorian era romance. I am assuming this is the beginning of a new series which will find romances for the three Atkinson sisters. Phoebe is the middle sister. She is an outspoken bluestocking. She works as a teacher and surprisingly shares a flat with a fellow teacher. Her childhood crush and neighbor was William Margrave, her brother’s best friend. He unexpectedly became the Duke of Ellis. He is approaching thirty and is determined it is time to marry someone from society who understands her role as a Duchess. But he isn’t expecting Phoebe to need his help when a student goes missing. And he can’t help but be distracted and entertained by her.
He also can’t help making mistakes with her.

I really enjoyed the characters and the subtle differences from a regency era romance. There is still concern for being ruined but there are not all the rules about chaperones. The Atkinson sisters can be a part of high society because of the wealth of their father but they are not titled. There is a nice mix of passion and properness. I liked that the sisters are part of the story and especially like how Alex comes to Phoebe’s aid. Very enjoyable. I will be looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for this free advanced copy
I will be the first to admit I do not read much Regency Romance; however, I was pleasantly surprised by Emily Sullivan’s latest book, Dutchess Material.
From the opening lines, Will and Phoebe engage in charismatic banter; there is a will-they-or-won’t-they tension, and a slowly resolving mystery brings them back together! This book was entertaining to read!
Sullivan wrote two well-developed characters who, in addition to being conflicted over their relationship's plausibility, each had internal conflicts to overcome.
Phoebe Atkinson has decided to make her path in the world. I loved that she pushed Will’s buttons over and over again. Poor guy; his restraint had limits. She was not concerned with what others thought. I also felt her conflict with her sister was a miscommunication that made sense. I could relate to my sister and me, thinking we knew better about a situation.
And then we have Will Margrave. Will is a duke, single, and handsome. That is enough, right? But Will is thoughtful with his power, experiences imposter syndrome over his position, and genuinely wants to do right by both his peers and Phoebe. Sullivan wrote him as the perfect foil to Phoebe's wild schemes.
I enjoyed the mystery subplot and the clever way Sullivan wrote each detail. I appreciated that the particulars were revealed to both the reader and the characters simultaneously, keeping a little suspense throughout the book.
This was a delightful read, and I highly recommend you pick it up!