Reviews

Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare

allthebookssheloved's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

5.0

kreadsromance1's review

5.0

Summary: Beauty and the Beast style historical romance. Penniless but owner of a decrepit castle, Izzy is determined to help the current occupant - who had no knowledge of the castle's sale - to find out what is going on with his finances in return for a wage and/or the castle. Ransom is recently blinded and has locked himself away in the abandoned castle belonging to his family. Romance ensues: expect some sex, a plucky heroine, a weasel, and a dangerously primal, snarling hero.

Spoiler

Main pairing: Isolde (Izzy)/Ransom
Favourite character: Izzy
Villain(s)

Spoiler

lawyers, who'd have thought? I'm glad it wasn't Duncan

Character rating: 10/10
Plot rating: 10/10
Setting rating: 10/10
Overall rating: 10/10

Pros: Yes, there have been many historical romance takes on Beauty and the Beast. There have also been many historical romance takes on the hardhearted duke falling for the penniless but sweet girl.

This book? This book is in a league of its own.

Let's start with the main characters. Izzy isn't a renowned beauty, but she is sharp as a razor and one of those genuinely good, kind people. Ransom is churlish and unfiltered, with an mind that is obviously and keenly intelligent, a capacity for sensuality and caring (even if he tries to hide it), incredibly cynical and yet hardy of character. The two of them together are inspired. Not an uncommon pairing of temperaments I suppose, but their exact brand of banter, seduction and spirit is a cut above.

Ransom's arc in particular, including his recitation near the end of the book, was a pleasure to read. His dialogue made me laugh out loud multiple times, and I definitely shed a tear near the end. All in all he was a very lovable character who could also manage to be a complete arse when necessary.

I mentioned his recitation, and if you haven't read the book you'll be wondering what I'm talking about. This is where things get truly unique. The heroine's father,

Spoiler

or is it?

, is the author of a famous work of fantasy fiction - imagine that he wrote a series like the Narnia chronicles, or if you have heard of The Magicians, the Fillory books - and wound through Romancing the Duke are hints, quotes and descriptions from his work. Everyone knows Izzy as the little girl in her father's books. It's a blessing and a curse, and it was the most unusual and fun thing I have read in a long time. Near the end, Ransom recites a passage from her father's books and the moment manages to be simultaneously heart aching, anxiety inducing and mildly absurd all at once.

Another thing I really appreciated is the direction of the plot. There are a lot of historical romances out there that follow very similar storylines. It isn't necessarily always a bad thing that you can often anticipate where a book is headed, but every so often one comes along that alludes to these storylines and then decides it is strong enough to stand alone. This book does that. I'm going to spoiler tag this next section just in case you haven't read the books yet...

Spoiler

There are two main points I am thinking of. The first is that often when the hero is emotionally closed off, uninterested in marriage etc it takes the heroine leaving him, being driven away, being taken away by someone else or having some sort of major conflict with the hero. Tessa Dare said "Bugger that" to the other novels and stuck with a simpler storyline that also gave it more authenticity and allowed the hero to naturally conclude that he wanted to marry Izzy without having her (or anyone else) try to force his hand. The second is smaller, but Tessa Dare made sure to make the injury that blinded the Duke possibly reversible. I've come across it in other books where the hero suddenly has his sight returned and yes, it is fun, but I can't help but feel the message there is that a happy ever after means the curing of a disability and that disability is a tension in a plot to be resolved rather than a reality to be lived with. Ultimately, Ransom shows no sign of getting his sight back and I appreciated that a hell of a lot more than I thought I would.

Cons: Cons? You want me to find cons with this? I struggled. The characters - all of them - are delightful. The plot is quirky and fun. The castle is marvellous. I think the only moment I had a smidgen of doubt was near the end when one of the people play-acting as servants breaks character with potentially devastating effect. I refuse to believe that would be have happened either by accident or on purpose given the importance of the subterfuge.

I also was quite desperate at the end to see Ransom's new lawyer rain legal hell down on the villains' heads when confronted. Sadly, the poor fellow didn't even get a single line in that scene when I wanted him to verbally destroy the men.

Final opinion: Another Tessa Dare to add to my "favourites" collection. This is an original, light hearted, sexy, emotional, funny read. Well worth every second.

tess_ap's review

5.0

This was my first Tessa Dare book and I loved it. It was a perfect grumpy sunshine. Had some beauty and the beast vibes, and I thought it had some had some shrek and donkey vibes. I loved the way blindness was portrayed. This book is just wonderful.

aeola's review

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Firstly, I truly appreciate that the premise of the story expertly avoids revealing any spoilers, preserving the delightful surprises that unfold from the very first chapter. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative, which strikes a perfect balance of humor and relatable characters that resonate with contemporary readers. The exploration of their spiritual growth added depth, complemented by an intriguing and unconventional plot. Furthermore, the intimate scenes were crafted with finesse—engaging, captivating, and undeniably steamy.

rachel_reads_rom's review

5.0

Stayed up half the night reading it. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

h_s_88's review

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

katieedecker's review

2.75

Very traditional romance novel-kinda fun but I don’t think it was my style. Great every once in a while

laurenjcarter28's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

m_klevenberg's review

3.0

Well, that was the best guilty pleasure I've read in a long time. It was an easy read and one I didn't want to stop reading. I owe it to my sister for the wonderful suggestion.

konvineo's review

2.0

This was kind of boring for the most part, and most of the story and characters felt one dimensional. The narrator had a really, really pleasant voice, so at least the book had that going for it.
Then there's the ending, which was absolutely buck wild. This author really decided that that was a proportionate ending in comparison to the rest the book. Also, a general observation about how I feel about the historical romance genre, the trope where the book ends in a pregnancy or an epilogue with multiple children really is not my thing, and I'm getting tired of reading it.