A review by rjordan19
Not the Duke's Darling by Elizabeth Hoyt
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (some might be a bit longer? Some felt light to me though)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately (about 2%)
Cliffhanger: No – the romance is a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes? But it’s just the ending of the sections of the story of The Grey Court Changeling which started each chapter, not of the actual characters.
Format: got as a “read now” option on NetGalley and just getting to it now after a few years
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
I think yes – this is book 1 but a lot of things were established and set up in this book that will continue through the series.
Basic plot:
When Freya is faced with her nemesis and cause of the downfall of her family at a house party, she begins to take her revenge.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian romance (1760)
- London and countryside setting
- childhood friends
- enemies to lovers (on heroine’s side)
- widower hero
- bit of mystery/secret identity
- duel
- revenge
- beloved pets – this was the first historical book (or any book) I’ve read that basically had a service dog
- claustrophobic hero
- medium steam – 4 full scenes but some felt on the lighter side
Ages:
- Heroine is 27, hero is ‘past 30’
First line:
Had someone asked Freya Stewart de Moray at the age of twelve what she expected to be doing fifteen years later, she would’ve listed three things.
My thoughts:
I didn’t hear the best things about this novel so I put off reading it forever. Maybe because my expectations were so low was why I ended up enjoying it!
It does have some darkness running through it and some plot events left unanswered for sure (and I’m not sure if the series will get finished so if that is a deal breaker for you maybe put off this series for now and see).
Christopher is our hero and he has some major flaws. But I love how he was able to admit that and become a better person from what happened. I thought he was really protective of Freya and really bared his heart to her to get her to forgive him.
Freya is so independent and determined. I struggled with her a bit with how long it took her to open up with Christopher. I know our heroines are always the ones giving to the heroes but my heart just ached with how badly Christopher wanted her to trust him and let him in and she held strong for most of the book.
This book surprised me with how emotional it was – I felt the angst so much in this, and I was aching during some of the scenes. Everyone talks about and loves Maiden Lane but I really enjoyed this one (And maybe it’s because I’ve only read 2 of the Maiden Lane series to compare so I don’t have certain expectations in my head?) I’m definitely eager to try the next one in the series after this.
Endearments:
The hero calls the heroine darling
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
Harlowe straightened to his full towering height. His mahogany hair was down around his shoulders, he was flushed, and he wore a ferocious scowl on his face.
He was absolutely breathtaking.
---
She was wearing only her chemise.
His vow to himself to guard her without touching her fled.
Her breasts were unbound, round and full, the indentation of her waist a curve to incite a man to violence.
To ruin.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- death of parents remembered, death/murder on page, death of a child
- imprisonment
- spousal abuse
- mention of injury resulting in disability and depression
- hero has PTSD from his time in India resulting in claustrophobia
- witch hunting/burning
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
18% - kiss
31% - kiss
36% - kiss
46% - kiss
65% - 🔥 kisses, blow job (incomplete), missionary
75% - 🔥 kisses, her on top
84% - 🔥 missionary
91% - 🔥 Thank god you’re alive sex (missionary)
95% - kiss
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (some might be a bit longer? Some felt light to me though)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately (about 2%)
Cliffhanger: No – the romance is a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes? But it’s just the ending of the sections of the story of The Grey Court Changeling which started each chapter, not of the actual characters.
Format: got as a “read now” option on NetGalley and just getting to it now after a few years
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
I think yes – this is book 1 but a lot of things were established and set up in this book that will continue through the series.
Basic plot:
When Freya is faced with her nemesis and cause of the downfall of her family at a house party, she begins to take her revenge.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian romance (1760)
- London and countryside setting
- childhood friends
- enemies to lovers (on heroine’s side)
- widower hero
- bit of mystery/secret identity
- duel
- revenge
- beloved pets – this was the first historical book (or any book) I’ve read that basically had a service dog
- claustrophobic hero
- medium steam – 4 full scenes but some felt on the lighter side
Ages:
- Heroine is 27, hero is ‘past 30’
First line:
Had someone asked Freya Stewart de Moray at the age of twelve what she expected to be doing fifteen years later, she would’ve listed three things.
My thoughts:
I didn’t hear the best things about this novel so I put off reading it forever. Maybe because my expectations were so low was why I ended up enjoying it!
It does have some darkness running through it and some plot events left unanswered for sure (and I’m not sure if the series will get finished so if that is a deal breaker for you maybe put off this series for now and see).
Christopher is our hero and he has some major flaws. But I love how he was able to admit that and become a better person from what happened. I thought he was really protective of Freya and really bared his heart to her to get her to forgive him.
Freya is so independent and determined. I struggled with her a bit with how long it took her to open up with Christopher. I know our heroines are always the ones giving to the heroes but my heart just ached with how badly Christopher wanted her to trust him and let him in and she held strong for most of the book.
This book surprised me with how emotional it was – I felt the angst so much in this, and I was aching during some of the scenes. Everyone talks about and loves Maiden Lane but I really enjoyed this one (And maybe it’s because I’ve only read 2 of the Maiden Lane series to compare so I don’t have certain expectations in my head?) I’m definitely eager to try the next one in the series after this.
Endearments:
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
Harlowe straightened to his full towering height. His mahogany hair was down around his shoulders, he was flushed, and he wore a ferocious scowl on his face.
He was absolutely breathtaking.
---
She was wearing only her chemise.
His vow to himself to guard her without touching her fled.
Her breasts were unbound, round and full, the indentation of her waist a curve to incite a man to violence.
To ruin.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- death of parents remembered, death/murder on page, death of a child
- imprisonment
- spousal abuse
- mention of injury resulting in disability and depression
- hero has PTSD from his time in India resulting in claustrophobia
- witch hunting/burning
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
18% - kiss
31% - kiss
36% - kiss
46% - kiss
65% - 🔥 kisses, blow job (incomplete), missionary
75% - 🔥 kisses, her on top
84% - 🔥 missionary
91% - 🔥 Thank god you’re alive sex (missionary)
95% - kiss