⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
🌶/4 (lots of chemistry but only one or two explicit scenes)
If you love Jane Austen & Bridgerton, but want to see more queer rep with your semi-spicy Regency Romance, this is the book for you.
Viola grew up with her best friend, Duke Gracewood. They spent summers together, went to school together, and then went to war together. They were the closest that any two people could be, and yet Viola was keeping a secret. She had been born the Viscount Marleigh, but she was in fact a woman. When the two friends go off to war, Viola was injured and finally saw an opportunity. She let everyone believe her dead, and returned to London finally as herself.
Her younger brother became the Viscount, and he and his wife take in Viola as she learns to embrace herself and her womanhood in a society ripe with fashions, customs, and gossip. She may have had to give up her title, her money, her lands, but she is free to be truly herself for the first time. And then a letter from Gracewood's sister alerts Viola to the reality that her death has left her best friend a broken shell of himself. She and her sister-in-law travel to the Duke's estate with the goal of rescuing his younger sister in favor of giving her a season in London... but also to help the Duke find himself again.
What follows is a beautiful tale of friendship, trust, and love. By telling a trans story in a time period and society so steeped in highly specific gender roles, the author gives us so many insights into the challenges that would have been real then, and are yet somehow still relevant today.
** Some spoilers ahead **
There are so many important themes but I'll focus on my favorite 2. First up is forgiveness. While Viola's actions did lead to some pain and suffering on the part of her closest friend, she is adamant that she cannot and will not seek his forgiveness for it. She had to make massive sacrifices to be herself, and to live unapologetically as your true self was an important message and theme throughout the book, even when it was difficult. It also shows the strength of Gracewood's character when he is able to put aside his own hurt in order to empathize with Viola and realize that hurt is not something that needs to be compared. He learns the importance of embracing the joy of having her returned to him, instead of dwelling on the hardships of the past.
The second theme is that of masculine vs feminine "roles". There are so many times when Gracewood has to adjust what he thinks of as his "role" or "responsibility" just because he's a man. He was gravely injured in the war and has been left with a bad leg. There are times when he cannot be as strong as he would like, and even times when Viola has to support him and even fight for him. He comes to understand that just because a woman had to support or fight for him, that doesn't make him any less of a man. And the reverse is also true for Viola. After embracing her womanhood, there are certain things she is afraid to do again because she is worried about embracing her "masculine" traits. From riding a horse to sword fighting to protect the Duke, she also comes to understand that just because she is able to do "manly" things, doesn't' make her any less of a woman.
This story takes a sense of self and puts it far above gender in terms of importance. By telling this story in a time period where women were so defined by the rules of society, it sheds an even bigger light on some of the more absurd notions of masculinity and femininity that we still hold to this day.
Some final notes:
- I've read other books by this author and without fail, he manages to insert humor in even the most serious of moments. We have two side characters (Louise & Lady Lillimere) who are positively fantastic and add so much to the comic relief. Sassy, strong, intelligent women who love a good raunchy joke or innuendo. What would we do without them?
- The relationship between Gracewood and his little sister Miranda makes me think of Darcy & Georgiana in a sweet way. If Georgiana was a wee bit more adventurous, and turned out to be potentially bi. She was also a great character to help question the societal norms of the time period.
Overall this was a fantastic read and I recommend it to anyone who loves Regency Romance!
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Reviews with images
Spectecular! All my love goes to this book!
Alexis Hall created something utterly unique and amazing in A Lady for a Duke!Where to start? This story encompasses such thoughts on gender and gender roles I could probably write an essay on it.In a nutshell the book tells the story of Viola Carroll and her oldest friend, Gracewood who happens to be a duke. It is a love story so strong and captivating it made my heart ache and become so full it could burst!It is established from the start that Viola is a woman though she was not born in a woman's body and the duke knew her when she was very very different from now. They were separated in the war and Viola came back finally finding a way to be herself, though it meant leaving most of his past behind, even Gracewood.The story begins with their meeting first as strangers than as familiar companions and old friends then so much more!I love that the leading lady of a historical fiction is a transgender woman. I love that the main points of conflict are not really related to this fact!I absolutely love the characters, they are all a bit peculiar but they are infinitely prescious on their own way!Viola is a very special lady with a couragous, lighthearted, deeply caring personality. She, though conflicted with her past at first, grows into her character and becomes this incredible woman who takes care of her loved ones.Gracewood represented another kind of gender role dissonance at the time. He has PTSD at an age where it does not yet exist and is considered weakness. He's also slighlty disabled because of a war injury showing another kind of weakness that is not really admirable in society. He also have some deep trauma from his childhood. So all in all, his storyline and character development is just as powerful as Viola's! And of course, he needs some gentle nudging from her to start on his road.Miranda, Lady Marleigh, Badger, little Bartholomew, Lady Lillymere and everyone were amazing and provided a delightful slice of life from the 19th century!The plot is not quite extravagant but I don't think the story needs that. It is a historical fiction, not unlike some classic romances I read, but with a twist on society including the queer community, which, let's face it, not that much included in classics but was very much present nontheless.The focus was on the development of characters and relationships, on showing a mirror to stereotypes, and porvoking some interesting thoughts about gender!And let's be honest the humour in it was fantastic, the romance swoonworthy, the intimacy heartbreaking and the epilogue? The epilogue was the sweetest!Because a trans woman deserves her happy ending even in the 19th century!Absolute love for this book! And thanks to Alexis Hall for writing such masterpiece!
Top reviews from other countries
Clare Vancouver
The best Regency Novel I had read this year.
Reviewed in Canada on December 5, 2022
Mariah
This book was a whirlwind. I was in rapture from the very first page.
Reviewed in Brazil on June 20, 2022
Fanni
Spectecular! All my love goes to this book!
Reviewed in Germany on July 30, 2022
Fanni
Reviewed in Germany on July 30, 2022
Where to start? This story encompasses such thoughts on gender and gender roles I could probably write an essay on it.
In a nutshell the book tells the story of Viola Carroll and her oldest friend, Gracewood who happens to be a duke. It is a love story so strong and captivating it made my heart ache and become so full it could burst!
It is established from the start that Viola is a woman though she was not born in a woman's body and the duke knew her when she was very very different from now. They were separated in the war and Viola came back finally finding a way to be herself, though it meant leaving most of his past behind, even Gracewood.
The story begins with their meeting first as strangers than as familiar companions and old friends then so much more!
I love that the leading lady of a historical fiction is a transgender woman. I love that the main points of conflict are not really related to this fact!
I absolutely love the characters, they are all a bit peculiar but they are infinitely prescious on their own way!
Viola is a very special lady with a couragous, lighthearted, deeply caring personality. She, though conflicted with her past at first, grows into her character and becomes this incredible woman who takes care of her loved ones.
Gracewood represented another kind of gender role dissonance at the time. He has PTSD at an age where it does not yet exist and is considered weakness. He's also slighlty disabled because of a war injury showing another kind of weakness that is not really admirable in society. He also have some deep trauma from his childhood. So all in all, his storyline and character development is just as powerful as Viola's! And of course, he needs some gentle nudging from her to start on his road.
Miranda, Lady Marleigh, Badger, little Bartholomew, Lady Lillymere and everyone were amazing and provided a delightful slice of life from the 19th century!
The plot is not quite extravagant but I don't think the story needs that. It is a historical fiction, not unlike some classic romances I read, but with a twist on society including the queer community, which, let's face it, not that much included in classics but was very much present nontheless.
The focus was on the development of characters and relationships, on showing a mirror to stereotypes, and porvoking some interesting thoughts about gender!
And let's be honest the humour in it was fantastic, the romance swoonworthy, the intimacy heartbreaking and the epilogue? The epilogue was the sweetest!
Because a trans woman deserves her happy ending even in the 19th century!
Absolute love for this book! And thanks to Alexis Hall for writing such masterpiece!
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