Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - The Duke and I

Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

35 reviews

kirraleah's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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swagboat69's review against another edition

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medium-paced

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

3.0

as someone who has seen the show more times than i will ever admit, i have come to the conclusion that 97% of the changes made by netflix are in fact good changes.

first off, the language honestly didn't really give me the historical romance feel, it felt very modern. i get the appeal of that but i feel like a historical novel should feel.... historical? meanwhile this oozes with early 2000s ideas of masculinity and sexuality - so in a way it's like 2 historical novels for the price of 1.

speaking of... it's quite predatory. i love that we get a bigger insight into simon's insecurities and confidence issues than the show provides, but he's sooo... i just personally don't believe that being angry at your father would cause you to think about your wife all possessive and horny like that??? but what do i know lol. she does rape him. so idk. maybe their dynamic is just supposed to be like that. hm. much to consider here.

at the end of the day i would recommend the show over the books. the show improves the plot and raises the stakes, it elevates the fake relationship trope (it's so minor in the book rip), it makes violet bridgerton likeable (julia quinn does NOT like her) and it promotes lady danbury and queen charlotte to main character status (i really missed them in this). i was also shocked that lady whistledown, basically the cause for any and all plot in the show, is barely in the book?? and doesn't have much impact outside of a few excerpts from her paper and a couple mentions?? wild. and generally quinn's writing simply cannot compete with the drama and visuals of the show

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leggsbenedict's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

2.5

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selene_nyxly's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

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

2.25

I really loved this story. The characters were fun, and the plot was easy to follow. However, I did have a major issue with this book.

TW: RAPE

Daphne literally rapes Simon. They try to play it off as if he also wanted what was happening since he vocally encouraged her. However, literally moments before, he had been passed out drunk. He could not consent in the moment and had specifically stated that he did not want to have even the slightest chance of getting her pregnant. The entire thing ruined the book for me.

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rmperash's review against another edition

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4.0

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camillarossi's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

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mattiedancer's review

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Bridgerton: The Duke & I by Julia Quinn

Writing: 3.5⭐️/5

The writing is manageable and succinct, but nothing outstanding.

Characters: 3⭐️/5

I think the characters fell short for me. I wanted much more from each of the characters. Several characters felt flat during the course of the book when I feel like small moments could have been used to draw out various characters’ personalities. This might be a result of comparing to the show too much, but I felt like a lot of the characters didn’t have any personality that was deep and meaningful.

Plot: 3.5⭐️/5

While the plot was fun to read, parts of it were a bit less fleshed out than I would have hoped. It reads nicely and smoothly, but certain scenes could have been more detailed and thought out. In particular, I would have loved for the plot to explore Daphne and Simon’s connections.

Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5

Fun read. Easy read. Cute.

Who Should Read This?

Readers looking for a fun, fluffy read
People who love romance novels
Those looking for a fake-dating, period novel

CW: Misogyny, emotional abuse, violence, domestic abuse, pregnancy, sexual assault, rape

Final Rating: 3.25⭐️/5

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helloimjacq's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

3.25

I’m actually quite surprised at how similar this was to the show. If anything, in some ways the show was a bit more enjoyable since there was more action overall. Not a lot happens, but it was still a decent read. I mean what’s not to like about enemies to lovers that are fake dating (or I guess courting in this case)?

I would have given it a higher rating, but the clear sexism and manipulative behavior was a huge turn off. I’m not sure if this is how historical romances are supposed to be, but certain aspects definitely didn’t sit well with me.

All-in-all, if you’re looking for something quick and easy, this is your book. But, if you’re looking for something riveting… well then this probably isn’t your book.

Oh, and just a side note but if you would like to avoid all spoilers, I would highly suggest not reading the second epilogue until you’ve completed the series!

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sillyduckie's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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

3.75

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kasvispupu's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing 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? It's complicated

2.5

Rape part of the book kinda ruined the rest of the book. Before that i really enjoyed this book.

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