Romance
Bringing Down the Duke
We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Evie Dunmore, on your first book!
Get your first book for $5 with code PASTEL at checkout.
Join today!We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Evie Dunmore, on your first book!
A little feminist, a little romantic, but mostly just fun—and downright dirty on top of that. Yes, please.
Feminist
Light read
Forbidden love
Salacious
England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.
Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring ... or could he?
Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke....
When I started at BOTM, I was a professed literary snob—and probably flaunted that term with pride (cue eye roll). I never read romance books because I assumed they were too cheesy and poorly written to be considered worthy of my time. Years later, dozens of romance books devoured, I’m so happy to report that, on that score, I was wrong.
Set in turn-of-the-century England, this is the story of Annabelle Archer, a plucky woman with the opportunity to become one of the first female graduates at the prestigious University of Oxford. Upon entering college, she becomes an advocate for the women’s suffrage movement, which is how she first encounters the Duke of Montgomery—an influential, ill-tempered political adversary whom she must convince into becoming an ally. A clash of two strong-willed, sharp-tongued enemies? Sounds hot ;)
Bringing Down the Duke gives us the best that the romance genre has to offer: light-hearted fun, steamy sex scenes, and lots of brooding, read-between-the-lines dialogue. It also serves up a few additionally tasty accoutrements, including royals, a heroine with a feminist agenda (Suffragism! Get involved, people), and witty repartee that make for a very entertaining read. FYI, this is not a book that takes itself seriously—but I think you’ll agree the result is serious fun. Cheers!
Kearsten J.
Antioch, TN
It gives Jayne Eyre meets harlequin romance and I’m here for it! All set in 1870’s Oxford with a vibrant cast of characters championing the women’s suffrage movement. Read it in one sitting!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Melanie R.
Laurys Station, PA
I can’t lie, I was taken by surprise by how much I enjoyed this book. I loved how strong and independent Annabelle was, loved her gal pals, and loved the chemistry b/w her and the Duke. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!
Leah R.
Raleigh, NC
I absolutely loved my first book from BOTM! Bringing down the duke is an amazing mix of genre while sinking in to the women suffrage movement of 1879. You will not put it down! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cassandra F.
Houston, TX
Y’all I haven’t read a romance novel in a while but this one was ???? It was hot and spicy ???? and set in the 1800s —even better! At first you are annoyed by the hott duke but then you fall madly in love
Katie S.
Rockville, MD
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to this fun, slightly salacious romp. Did I know how it would end up? Of course, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride of getting there. Super quick. Super fun, and finished in a day.