A review by _gabi_starry_paperback_
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

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

4.0


This series has been on my radar for quite a while and since the adaptation of these books is coming out on Netflix in December I've decided to try it out.

I really liked this book. The story follows Daphne - the oldest of the Bridgerton daughters whose dream is to get married and start a huge family, and Simon - a duke who's hell bend on never marrying and never having children. The two enter an argument to attract possible suitors for Daphne and repel young ladies from Simon. Obviously, they fall in love, and things get complicated.

I really adored the first 75-80% of the book. The writing is witty and charming. The characters are lovable and possess so much chemistry. I love how much the Bridgerton family was involved in the story. Julia Quinn builds up the characters of the Bridgerton siblings from book one and I love it. It really makes it feel like this is a long saga dedicated to the family.

I also adore Simon, he's funny, eloquent, and overall an amazing guy. He has daddy issues because his father was terrible to him and he has to struggle with the psychological reproduction of growing up with the knowledge that his parent hates him. It provides for an interesting inner conflict for Simon, causes some trouble in his relationship with Daphne, and makes Simon do some not-so-great things. However, Simon is so sweet and has such a big heart. It honestly broke my heart seeing how much he had to suffer as a child and in many ways still is suffering.

Daphne, well, I liked her for the majority of the book. I liked that she knows what she wants and is not afraid to pursue those things. She's headstrong and intelligent. She can also be incredibly funny. BUT, she does mess up big time. This book is infamous for its rape scene. I came into it knowing that it will happen and when it happened it was bad. I wondered whether people made it out to be worse than it actually is but no. It is pretty bad and I'm glad I knew about it beforehand. The book is also not so great about dealing with the aftermath of the event. Daphne isn't really sorry that she went against Simon's wishes and violated him. It's brushed off, and by the end, it is Simon who apologizes for rightfully being upset. I'm not mad that he forgave Daphne but I am mad that she never even apologized.

It is a difficult book to rate because of the last 20%, however, I loved the rest of the book. The ending was satisfying in a way because Simon does overcome his issues, and Daphne seems to realize that she messed up.

Long story short, Simon did not deserve any of it and all of the stars I'm giving this book are for him. 
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