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hugbuggirl's review
5.0
Enjoyed it immensely. The main character was raped and abused, and the author dealt with that topic respectfully and with care. I loved how the main characters worked to resolve their issues, both being flawed, not doing things right, but figuring it out. The drama was interesting, intriguing and well written.
texastink's review
dark
inspiring
tense
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
jan1234's review
4.0
It took me a while to get into this book to be honest, but it was a good one. It was nice to see some of the characters from the previous book make an appearance, and to carry on part of the plot from that book. I really liked Brice's character. He was so nice to Rowena, even when she kept turning him away. I loved Brice's deep faith and the way he kept praying for Rowena. There were some tough subjects in this book but was dealt with sensitively. The Audible version was good. This was my last read of 2023. Looking forward to the next book in the series in the New Year.
emilyturco's review
hopeful
inspiring
4.0
A really sweet story about redemptive love.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
maryfaithreads's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse and Sexual assault
jessmavis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
forestidylls's review
3.0
3.5. An interesting story that is hard to put down, but with very difficult subject matter that I couldn't have stood had it not been handled so tastefully, but I felt like there were an awful lot of coincidences to make things work out and a lot of questions that were never accounted for. Maybe they will be in the third book, though.
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White is the second book in the Ladies of the Manor series. It is 1912 in the Highlands in Scotland. Lady Rowena Kinnaird is her father’s heir (the estate is not entailed). Rowena has a low self-esteem (does not believe she is good enough thanks to her father and stepmother). Malcolm Kinnaird wishes to marry Rowena and will do anything (I mean anything if you get my drift) to make it happen (Rowena does not like him). Rowena does not wish to marry Malcolm (cruel, mean man), and, after she is attacked, she is afraid her father will force the match. Brice Myerston is arriving with his family and friends at Gaoth Lodge (it is his second house). Brice and his family are not invited to Douglas Kinnaird’s (Earl of Lochaber) home. They tried to be friendly, but Douglas Kinnaird wants nothing to do with them (do have a feeling it has something to do with a woman). That is why they are surprised when they receive an invitation to dine at the Kinnaird home (I have a feeling the Earl is up to something). Brice has enough on his plate. Lady Catherine Pratt is relentless in her hunt for the Fire Eyes. Brice cannot let them fall into her hands. What will Brice do when he finds himself in a comprising position with Rowena (with witnesses)?
The Reluctant Duchess may be the second book in the Ladies of the Manor series, but you can read The Reluctant Duchess as a stand-alone novel. The first book will provide more of the backstory and make it easier to understand everything going on in this book (it is also a good book to read). I had some trouble with reading the Scottish dialect (some areas are written with their accent and it is hard to figure out). Overall, The Reluctant Duchess is an interesting story (I enjoyed the mystery around Fire Eyes). I found it well-written, engaging, and rich in historical details (though a wee bit predictable). We get to catch up with some people we met in The Lost Heiress (the first book in the series) as well. There are some difficult topics in the book that are not appropriate for younger readers (domestic violence being one of them). I give The Reluctant Duchess 4 out of 5 stars (which means I liked it). I look forward to reading the next book in the Ladies of the Manor series.
I received a complimentary copy of The Reluctant Duchess from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the novel.
The Reluctant Duchess may be the second book in the Ladies of the Manor series, but you can read The Reluctant Duchess as a stand-alone novel. The first book will provide more of the backstory and make it easier to understand everything going on in this book (it is also a good book to read). I had some trouble with reading the Scottish dialect (some areas are written with their accent and it is hard to figure out). Overall, The Reluctant Duchess is an interesting story (I enjoyed the mystery around Fire Eyes). I found it well-written, engaging, and rich in historical details (though a wee bit predictable). We get to catch up with some people we met in The Lost Heiress (the first book in the series) as well. There are some difficult topics in the book that are not appropriate for younger readers (domestic violence being one of them). I give The Reluctant Duchess 4 out of 5 stars (which means I liked it). I look forward to reading the next book in the Ladies of the Manor series.
I received a complimentary copy of The Reluctant Duchess from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the novel.
english_lady03's review
3.0
3.5 stars
I’m something of a new convert to Edwardian Fiction, and have not been a consistent follower of Downton Abbey, so it’s not always my ‘thing’. I did however, very much enjoy the last book in this series The Lost Heiress so I jumped at the chance to read this one.
I loved some of the characters. Brice was just adorable, and the absent-minded but cheery Ella was so endearing. It would indeed be hard to remain depressed for very long in the presence of people like them. I liked how the story carried on the subplot of the last one with the conflict over the diamonds, but in a lot of ways this was in the background. The main theme was Brice and Rowena’s stormy relationship.
In some ways, I commend authors who want to explore such subjects as the impact of emotional and psychological trauma and abuse. Yet I would say it depends on how it’s done. I don’t like to see totally unnecessary rape scenes in books, and I absolutely don’t support the use of such content simply to rank up the drama and tension. I don’t believe the author does this with the protagonists, but some of the themes might be hard to deal with for some readers. The attendant themes of grace, forgiveness and acceptance were also well handled even if some of the character’s behaviour was inconsistent. For instance, Rowena was not meant to be a confident person, and yet threw a hissy fit when she got jealous of her husband and thought he was trying to control her.
My main issues were with the language. I did not feel that the representation of the Scottish characters accent, dialect and some of their attitudes was entirely realistic. It’s all ‘Dinnae fash yerself lass’. Sorry, but as a Brit, who is quite used to hearing Scottish people speak, it just seemed exaggerated and very stereotypical. Dare I say more like how Americans think a person from the Highlands would speak then how they actually do? Seriously, not everyone in the Highlands speaks Gaelic (some actually speak a dialect that is heavily influenced by Old Norse), and not everyone speaks like Sean Connery or Gerard Butler. The present day Duke of Argyll, for instance, does not even have a ‘Scottish accent’ at all.
Also, what many American readers would think of as ‘Scottish’ terms and phrases are also used extensively in Northern England as well. Yes, you could hear people in rural Yorkshire saying things like ‘lass, aye and ye’. Finally, British people do not usually talk about ‘getting new drapes’ or ‘drawing back the drapes’. We call them curtains. Those kind of Americanisms stand out.
I did doubt that a Highland Earl of the early 20th century would have been quite so insular and narrow-minded. Rowena’s family for instance would refer to events like the Jacobite rebellion as recent history, when they had happened like 200 years before. I appreciate that there has always been and always well be a certain degree of friction between Scotland and England which really goes back to Anglo-Saxon times, but to me it did not seem to fit the setting and period. In one place for instance, Brice asked Rowena why she had not had many aristocratic suitors, and she said they were all English. Really? What about Wales and Ireland? Britain consists of three counties, it’s not a synonym of England.
Also, I found it took me a long time to get through this book. It part that was because of other commitments, but I did find it heavy-going in a lot of places. Perhaps it had to do with the depth and scope of the work, but it does not normally take me a month to get through a book like this. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but just noting it. I think I would read it again, but devote more time to doing so, and I am interested in the next and final book in the series due out in September.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley (and also the paperback via their UK distributors) for the purposes of giving a review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.
I’m something of a new convert to Edwardian Fiction, and have not been a consistent follower of Downton Abbey, so it’s not always my ‘thing’. I did however, very much enjoy the last book in this series The Lost Heiress so I jumped at the chance to read this one.
I loved some of the characters. Brice was just adorable, and the absent-minded but cheery Ella was so endearing. It would indeed be hard to remain depressed for very long in the presence of people like them. I liked how the story carried on the subplot of the last one with the conflict over the diamonds, but in a lot of ways this was in the background. The main theme was Brice and Rowena’s stormy relationship.
In some ways, I commend authors who want to explore such subjects as the impact of emotional and psychological trauma and abuse. Yet I would say it depends on how it’s done. I don’t like to see totally unnecessary rape scenes in books, and I absolutely don’t support the use of such content simply to rank up the drama and tension. I don’t believe the author does this with the protagonists, but some of the themes might be hard to deal with for some readers. The attendant themes of grace, forgiveness and acceptance were also well handled even if some of the character’s behaviour was inconsistent. For instance, Rowena was not meant to be a confident person, and yet threw a hissy fit when she got jealous of her husband and thought he was trying to control her.
My main issues were with the language. I did not feel that the representation of the Scottish characters accent, dialect and some of their attitudes was entirely realistic. It’s all ‘Dinnae fash yerself lass’. Sorry, but as a Brit, who is quite used to hearing Scottish people speak, it just seemed exaggerated and very stereotypical. Dare I say more like how Americans think a person from the Highlands would speak then how they actually do? Seriously, not everyone in the Highlands speaks Gaelic (some actually speak a dialect that is heavily influenced by Old Norse), and not everyone speaks like Sean Connery or Gerard Butler. The present day Duke of Argyll, for instance, does not even have a ‘Scottish accent’ at all.
Also, what many American readers would think of as ‘Scottish’ terms and phrases are also used extensively in Northern England as well. Yes, you could hear people in rural Yorkshire saying things like ‘lass, aye and ye’. Finally, British people do not usually talk about ‘getting new drapes’ or ‘drawing back the drapes’. We call them curtains. Those kind of Americanisms stand out.
I did doubt that a Highland Earl of the early 20th century would have been quite so insular and narrow-minded. Rowena’s family for instance would refer to events like the Jacobite rebellion as recent history, when they had happened like 200 years before. I appreciate that there has always been and always well be a certain degree of friction between Scotland and England which really goes back to Anglo-Saxon times, but to me it did not seem to fit the setting and period. In one place for instance, Brice asked Rowena why she had not had many aristocratic suitors, and she said they were all English. Really? What about Wales and Ireland? Britain consists of three counties, it’s not a synonym of England.
Also, I found it took me a long time to get through this book. It part that was because of other commitments, but I did find it heavy-going in a lot of places. Perhaps it had to do with the depth and scope of the work, but it does not normally take me a month to get through a book like this. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but just noting it. I think I would read it again, but devote more time to doing so, and I am interested in the next and final book in the series due out in September.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley (and also the paperback via their UK distributors) for the purposes of giving a review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.
addieray's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0