Emily does it again with Duchess Material! This book was so good! I loved the new characters. Will and Phoebe were just awesome.

This was a friends to lovers but with the friends kind of lost touch along the way until Will comes to Phoebe’s aid. Phoebe, while from a prominent family, decided to be a school teacher and truly has a passion for her students and the school. Will was thrust into a dukedom at the age of 18. He never wanted to be part of the peerage but when a distant relative died and he was the closest heir he didn’t really have a choice.

Now years later, Will is looking for a duchess and Phoebe is looking for, well definitely not a Duke, a student. Will agrees to help her in order to keep her out of trouble but trouble finds them both.

1890’s Britain, independent blue stocking Phoebe and unhappy Duke Will renew their childhood friendship and maybe more. There was some nice spice and an interesting dash of societal problems facing late nineteenth century London but the plot lines seemed fairly obvious. The two issues not resolved at the end were about Phoebe’s sisters. I presume that a second book will address these because they could be more interesting and this book could be more foundational. Overall, a pleasant read but not a page turner.

I had just been complaining (to myself mostly) about there not being enough leftie historical romances before I opened this book, and I really should have known I could depend on Emily Sullivan! I love her writing and Duchess Material was such a wonderful read. An easy 5 stars.

Tropes include: second chance, older sibling’s best friend and childhood neighbors, opposites attract, class difference

I really appreciated how Emily Sullivan wrote a (for the time) radical feminist (and maybe socialist?) FMC and a once-radical-but-then-he-unexpectedly-inherited-a-dukedom-and-stupidly-became-a-Tory-but-don’t-worry-because-aforementioned-FMC-will-bring-him-back-to-his-senses-MMC, name-dropped Marx’s daughter and explored social issues of the time and still managed to keep this book SO FUN.

I’m excited to get to know the rest of the Atkinson sisters and am probably about to embark on a reread of the League of Scoundrels Series. Also, I’m about to preorder the physical edition of this book ❤️

Will inherits a title he never expected and moves away from his family and the life he has known. Years later he feels the need to marry to protect his family. But an old family friend needs his help. He gets tangled up in old feelings as he helps Phoebe. Will makes a much of things with Phoebe but comes back to redeem himself. I enjoyed reading this story and seeing both Will and Phoebe grow as the story went on.

This was such a great read. It’s the first book I read from Emily Sullivan but it won’t be my last and I will eagerly anticipated any book that comes from this series!
Duchess Material is about childhood friends that grow apart after Will inherits a dukedom. Years later, Will and Phoebe (who is a teacher) are in different social circles and haven’t run into each other until Phoebe gets in trouble and Will has to rescue her from jail! (Talk about a meet cute, such a strong start). What follows is them getting to know each other and fighting the attraction that is between them. Will thinks he needs to find a wife that is “duchess material” but he can’t stop thinking about Phoebe! This was 100% exasperated man that can’t help falling in love with the woman that exasperates him to no end.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story, the secondary characters and the social commentary. I can’t wait to get a book from Phoebe’s sisters!

I can't believe how much I squealed with delight as I read through this charming romance. First off, the main FMC is a teacher, and I absolutely loved that piece as a teacher myself. Next, the plot setup was done extremely well. This was a book that I didn't want to end. Finally, the romance was perfect! I loved the pining and the build-up. I will be reading more of Emily Sullivan's books in the future for sure!

I loved this book so much! This was a super enjoyable read and I loved how the characters are imperfect but trying their best to grow. Phoebe and Will’s backstory, and Will’s friendship with Alex, added so much depth to this story and their connection as it grew. I do wish there had been a bit more of the mystery aspect to the story or more of a conclusion with the scandal aspects but it also sets everything up really well for another book!

This book also really captured the difficult relationships that’s families have, and I loved that even after discussing and sharing their experiences, they remained perfectly imperfect!

Review posted to goodreads 10/25 and Instagram (@evelynlainebooks) 10/25 and tbd future dates.

I started this one and then put it down for a bit, because it did not pull me in initially. But, I am glad I went back to it and finished the book because I did enjoy it. I am still new to the historical romance genre, so it was interesting to read something taking place at the end of the 1800s. It was more modern then a lot of the historical romance I have been reading.The characters in the story were interesting and I can definitely tell the author is setting up the possibility for more books concerning the female main characters sisters (which I would be interesting in reading). The dynamic was also a good one with the two main characters as past friends and now distant, class differences, and both wanting to avoid a relationship (at least initially). Will be recommending this one to my fellow romance readers and patrons.

Duchess Material is a sweet romance of childhood friends who grew apart once William Margrave finds out he is a duke’s heir. Over the years, the divide becomes greater as Phoebe Atkinson grows into an independent lady and teacher at a girl’s school. One night she finds herself in a lot of trouble and tosses out William’s name as he is now a true duke. From there it’s an adventure with a bit of mystery, investigations in unusual and shady places, a few rough patches, sweet and sexy moments but delightful all the same. I loved seeing William travel through some serious self-reflection to find himself again. And, Phoebe has a determination that keeps her strong against the odds for a lady of that era. Great book to brighten your day!

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of Duchess Material.

I enjoyed this book. I liked that Phoebe and Will had more to tie them together as they tried to find her student. It made the book have more personality and appeal. I would recommend to anyone looking for a little bit more from their historical romance fix.

What a perfect blend of Victorian romance and mystery! I thoroughly enjoyed watching the character growth of both Will and Phoebe unfold throughout the story. Their childhood crushes blossoming into something deeper years later was a delight to witness, adding a wonderful layer of nostalgia to the romance. The mystery aspect kept me engaged as well, bringing tension and intrigue to the plot. Overall, it was a beautifully written story with well-developed characters and a charming romance that made for an enjoyable read from start to finish!

This was a slow-paced historical with lots of pining and a sprinkle of mystery. If you enjoy historicals where the heroine is more independent than this is the book for you. She has no need for marriage so her romance with Will develops purely because they both have feelings. I enjoyed the banter and the pining. I also enjoyed the unique premise. It's not often when the heroine has a job of her own but I really loved that she had a life where she was fulfilled and just happened to also love Will. There's a mystery element of this book as well and I had a good time watching them work together as partners in crime to solve the mystery of her missing student. If you're a fan of Evie Dunmore's historicals I think this will most likely be your type of historical.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc! I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, easy read with really likeable main characters (and side characters — I’m really invested in Phoebe’s sisters now).

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Emily Sullivan for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Duchess Material coming out November 19, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love Victorian Era novels. I thought this book was really interesting. I enjoyed that it was part mystery and part romance. I really enjoyed William’s character. Some of the tropes have been done before. I’ve read a lot of Victorian books. But overall, I really enjoyed it. I would read more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Victorian books!

A romance novel set in the late-Victorian period is an automatic win for me. Add in a bluestocking FMC, an interesting mystery, and a swoon-worthy MMC and you have a book that had me so hooked I read it in two days. Emily Sullivan is now an auto-read for me.

Love a historical romance and this one was fun! The set up was lovely - childhood friends where something almost happened but life got in the way. The MMC was great and I found myself rooting for the FMC. Their tension and love felt real and I enjoyed it! I wasn’t as into the mystery, but that’s because I’m here for the romance

✨ARC Review✨ I positively devoured this historical romance set in 1896 London.

Phoebe, although belonging to a wealthy family, has no notion to be a simple gentlewoman, taking tea with the ladies of her circle. She lives with a fellow schoolteacher in a decidedly not-genteel part of London to be close to the school where she teaches.

One of her students goes missing and Phoebe is desperate to find her. She ends up being taken to the police station for trespassing and calls upon her most affluent family friend for help, the Duke of Ellis. Her childhood friend and irresistible crush, Will Margrave.

Will, of course, comes to her rescue and thus begins his involvement in the investigation of Alice Clarke’s whereabouts and renewing his own interest in Phoebe Atkinson.

I absolutely loved this book. The dynamics between bluestocking do-gooder Phoebe and staid, mind your manners Will is delectable. She helps him remember when he also wanted to do good. What a fun, bantery, intense, slow burn! Highly recommend for any historical romance lover or for those who may not know what historical romance has to offer. 😉

I received this eARC via #netgalley and @readforeverpub. All thoughts are mine alone.

#romance #romancebooks #historicalromance #phoebeandwill #duchessmaterial #emilysullivan #readforeverpub #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram

I really enjoyed this one. I’m a sucker for a non-traditional historical romance and really enjoyed the banter and intrigue in this one. Emily Sullivan never misses!

I loved Emily Sullivan's previous series, so no surprise I loved this one as well. The late Victorian period is such an interesting time of change and upheaval, and Sullivan uses it to great effect to position the story. Will and Phoebe have excellent chemistry, and the mystery isn't all-consuming but makes a nice backdrop. The family dynamics were a highlight. There's clearly a lot of set-up for the rest of the series, and I look forward to reading those books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

William Margrave, the Duke of Ellis, strives to be the perfect aristocrat. He toes the line and left his progressive ideals behind once he inherited his title. The time has come for him to wed, and William plans to take a wife who aligns with the version of himself he presents to society. It seems like a solid enough plan except for the fact that his friend’s younger sister keeps wreaking havoc on his carefully controlled life, and he finds he doesn’t mind that at all.

Phoebe Atkinson is a bold and outspoken bluestocking. She and her sisters are known for not playing by society’s rules. Phoebe spends her days teaching working class girls. When her star student goes missing, she turns to the Duke of Ellis, the most powerful man she knows. As they search the streets of London for the missing girl, Phoebe comes to realize that there’s more to this stuffy Duke than he lets on.

Phoebe is a strong, intelligent, and independent woman. I really admired her tenacity. Not only is the school she teaches at in danger of closing due to lack of funding, but one of her students has gone missing, and yet rather than give up she finds solutions. I loved her as a character.

Will had quite the journey to go on. Stuck in the games the ton plays, he’s chomping at the bit to break free, but it’s hard for him to let go. At the start of the novel, he’s actively pursuing Lady Gwen, though they’re not engaged yet. I did appreciate that after he shares a scorching kiss with Phoebe, he decides to end his pursuit. He’s become complacent in his life going along with what is expected of him. Phoebe helps him to realize there’s so much more he wants from his life. He no longer wants to be reined in by the expectations put on him by the ton.

I enjoyed how they bantered and challenged each other. Will respected Phoebe’s opinions and took them into serious consideration. He’s in a very unique position that allows him to enact change in parliament. Phoebe opens his eyes to the realities those in the working class face daily and the threat a new bill will pose on them, and he aims to make changes.

There was so much yearning on both sides and the chemistry between them jumped off the page. Phoebe and Will grew up together and had crushes on each other as children. But that all changed once he inherited the dukedom. Since then, they’ve been estranged. Once they reunite again in order to search for Phoebe’s missing student, they each realize the feelings they had for each other when they were young have not gone away. The more time they spend together, the more that initial spark turns into a roaring flame.

It’s not smooth sailing for them, however. Both have to let go of expectations that they harbor, and there is a bit of a separation after the third act breakup while they each think about what it is they truly want. Ultimately though, true love prevails, and we get a perfectly timed happily ever after. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.