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A review by allisonwonderlandreads
Betting on a Duke's Heart by Royaline Sing
4.0
This historical romance starts with a horse. On the verge of winning the Triple Crown, Rochko is a part of Miss Dina Campbell's dowry. The lady in question receives many greedy suitors who truly seek her champion racer. The worst of the lot seems to be Duke Saxton, an equestrian of some renown who informs her of their engagement rather than, you know, asking her. Commence a battle of wits. Both competitive, they set one another a series of challenges to determine whether Dina will accept the proposal or find herself set free.
The story had a lot of amusing quips and sentimental moments. Dina, in particular, was a strong character. Her passion for translating myths, her enthusiasm for travel, and the way she strives to honor both sides of her cultural heritage (Indian/English) make her a dynamic protagonist. Her at-times tempestuous personality and strong sense of loyalty combined to make a fierce advocate and devoted friend. Our hero, Aetius, held less sparkle for me. It was often his emotional immaturity that held the romance back throughout. On the other hand, the author said to imagine he looks like Hrithik Roshan, and honestly, I can work with that alone.
What I loved best about the story is that it wasn't rushed. We get thoughtful details about our characters' lives, relationships, and histories outside the love story. What drives them? What makes them well-rounded people? It was very well done and at just rhe pace I like. I want to know about side characters and read the back-and-forth of conversations to settle the idealistic romance into the trappings of reality in a comforting way. I also enjoyed the snippets from the myth Dina is translating from Sanskrit.
This is a promising #ownvoices historical romance debut, and I so look forward to finding out what futures lie in wait for the other characters in this world. Thank you to Entangled Amara and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It hits shelves next month on 4/19!
The story had a lot of amusing quips and sentimental moments. Dina, in particular, was a strong character. Her passion for translating myths, her enthusiasm for travel, and the way she strives to honor both sides of her cultural heritage (Indian/English) make her a dynamic protagonist. Her at-times tempestuous personality and strong sense of loyalty combined to make a fierce advocate and devoted friend. Our hero, Aetius, held less sparkle for me. It was often his emotional immaturity that held the romance back throughout. On the other hand, the author said to imagine he looks like Hrithik Roshan, and honestly, I can work with that alone.
What I loved best about the story is that it wasn't rushed. We get thoughtful details about our characters' lives, relationships, and histories outside the love story. What drives them? What makes them well-rounded people? It was very well done and at just rhe pace I like. I want to know about side characters and read the back-and-forth of conversations to settle the idealistic romance into the trappings of reality in a comforting way. I also enjoyed the snippets from the myth Dina is translating from Sanskrit.
This is a promising #ownvoices historical romance debut, and I so look forward to finding out what futures lie in wait for the other characters in this world. Thank you to Entangled Amara and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It hits shelves next month on 4/19!