BR Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

[Andrea]

Since it's on sale (I think it still might be, at least in Germany and the US) and has a lot of great reviews, I thought I'd give this one a try :)

[Alex]

I'd love to join you with this one at some point in the next couple of weeks. It's been on my TBR for ages.

[Andrea]

Oh yay! I haven't heard back from the other person who wanted to join, so...
I can pretty much start this one anytime. When would be best for you?

[Alex]

I currently have 4 books on the go which is a bit too much for me so I probably won't start this until the weekend or next week, once I've caught up a bit. I need to stop doing this to myself haha.

[Andrea]

:D we all do. I know the problem.

Ok, then let's say next week, and if you finish your other books earlier than expected, just let me know :)

[Mariana]

I can start next week too! That works perfectly for me.

[Missy]

I might join too.

[Andrea]

Oh yay!!! People!!! :D

Then let's say Monday next week (the 27th). Do we want to do like three chapters a day or do you have other preferences for buddy reads?

[Merry Jewelhound]

Would you mind if I joined, I have never done a buddy read. Only 1 group read in the mystery group and it was not too active.

[Andrea]

Not at all. The more the merrier!!!! :D Just comment whenever you feel like it. This is the fun part of buddy reads, that you see a book from many different perspectives, even if you don't get involved in every single comment :)

[Karma♥Bites ^.~]

*peeks in* Hey, everyoneーI’ve not been around much since Feb/March. Still not back on regular basis but saw thread & wanted to post in case I catch comments once read starts. Already read this so interested in others’ thoughts.

Hope everyone is faring well, despite current events. :)

[Merry Jewelhound]

Excited to start on the 28th. I bought the book today and it was on sale.

[Mariana]

I am good with starting on the 28th. There are 33 chapters, so I would prefer to read 4 - 5 chapters a day if it's entertaining. Is that too much?

[Merry Jewelhound]

I am game for anything. I have a LOT of time on my hands. Just lmk what is decided.

[Andrea]

Mariana wrote: "I am good with starting on the 28th. There are 33 chapters, so I would prefer to read 4 - 5 chapters a day if it's entertaining. Is that too much?"

My Kindle edition says chapters 1-4 are 34 pages, so that should be ok, for me at least

[Lacey]

I hope you enjoy it everyone! I really loved this one :))

[Mariana]

Lacey wrote: "I hope you enjoy it everyone! I really loved this one :))"

Thanks! Good to know you enjoyed it. I am looking forward to starting.

[Andrea]

Hey guys, quick question, I mixed up the dates :D Do we start Monday (27th) or Tuesday (28th)? SORRY!!! :D

[Mariana]

I think that was my fault. We are planning to start Monday, the 27th, right?

[Amy]

Have fun everyone!I read it a while ago.I am having some mixted feelings though regarding it.Would love to hear how do you all enjoy it!

[Andrea]

Mariana wrote: "I think that was my fault. We are planning to start Monday, the 27th, right?"

:D Monday it is

[Leena]

I've read some disparaging reviews made me hesitant to pick it up.

[Leena]

im curious too on your views

[Merry Jewelhound]

I have a read a lot of free books that were worth what I paid for it lol. So this one was on sale and I am looking forward to it. At worst I will be out some time and a couple of dollars. So Monday it is.

[Andrea]

Monday is here! :D Well, at least over here in Germany.

As always, please remember to mark spoilers so we don't accidentally ruin the book for someone who isn't as far as you are :)

HAPPY READING!!!!!

edit: maybe I should've led with that. If you don't know how to mark spoilers, on the computer version there's a "(some html is ok)" link on the right over the comment box where it's explained. You can also find it here: https://help.goodreads.com/s/article/...

[Andrea]

So, being several hours ahead of all of you (I'm in Germany), I have already finished my five chapters :D

Spoilers ahead, and yes, I'm nitpicky as hell, so there will be a wee bit of ranting ;)

(view spoiler)[
1) I don't really like Annabelle so far. I dislike the way she's described (the inert sexiness she got from French ancestors for example. I mean. Why? Because a "sultry" mouth and the accompanying pout can only be French? To be fair, I also dislike it when it applies to the Nordic-God-liness of our hero. It just feels so clichéd). I also would like to know how she got her superior education and why.
Also, I don't like the way she thinks she can magically assess and manage every man around her (to be fair, I would also dislike that trait in a male character). I would like to know why she became that bitter and cynical.
2) The anachronisms. Sigh. I know, hardly anyone would like a HR where the characters spoke historically correct, but this feels too modern to me at times. Anyone else? Or is it just me (I can totally live with that btw ^^)
3) The structure. I feel like the beginning is a bit too disjointed, with the chapters jumping from month to month as they do. It feels like every time I manage to get into the story, it's a new month and a new situation...
I feel like a lot of it is the author's inexperience (it is a debut, after all), but I feel like it could've been edited and tightened up a bit more.
And just to be clear, I know I sound really bitchy, but I'm not saying it's a bad book, it's too early for that, I just haven't really connected with it yet. (hide spoiler)]

[Merry Jewelhound]

I just finished reading Andrea's post. I can definitely see your points. But I do like a heroine that has a lot of spunk. I don't know how to hide spoiler so hard to say more.

[Andrea]

I don't know if this works on the app or mobile version as well, but if you click on "(some html is ok)" on the upper right corner of the comment box, it tells you how to. Or go there: https://help.goodreads.com/s/article/...

If I try to type it, it always results in a spoiler tag :D:D:D

[Andrea]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "I just finished reading Andrea's post. I can definitely see your points. But I do like a heroine that has a lot of spunk. I don't know how to hide spoiler so hard to say more."

My problem is always there's spunk, and there's annoying. And I am easily annoyed :D But I read she gets better, so. There's hope for me! :D
(view spoiler)[My problem is, I have no problem if you do that with a twinkling eye and a "oh, I'll show him". But the way she's doing it, it feels too.. I don't know. I mean, if it were a man who'd say "I can manage any female", I'd call him a conceited ass, so ^^ Plus, she grew up as a nobody's daughter in the countryside. Where does all this knowledge about men come from? Does she have a large family with many brothers or cousins? Things I wonder about :D (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea]

Also, out of curiosity, how do you feel about the way Queen Victoria is portrayed? I've read some reviews where people complained about it, so I'm curious.
Me, I know she was a strange mix of contradictions, and I actually knew about how she felt about women's suffrage, so that part is actually true. Even if confusing to us, seeing as she was a female ruler, so her being against women having, you know, rights may seem a bit odd.
Which is another thing I've noticed, there seems to have been A LOT of research on the author's part into the era, which I like. In my experience, there seem to be more historical romances set in the Regency era, so it's a nice change for me....

[Merry Jewelhound]

I saw something on PBS about Queen Victoria. She did not seem at all like she is portrayed on the series Victoria. But then I think royalty of the time felt they they were put there by Devine intervention and they were exempted from what others had to follow. (view spoiler)[ I see what you mean about the heroine having limited experience in reading people since she was a poor relation who never had a season and was not of the gentry. But someone must have said she had a nice mouth since it has come up several times. (hide spoiler)]

[Mariana]

Whew! I just finished my five chapters 10 minutes before midnight.

(view spoiler)[1) I don't like Annabelle either, but I don't hate her. I think the problem is that we haven't received any of her backstory yet, just very tiny glimpses. Was she involved in a scandal with someone from the aristocracy who was attracted to her mouth? I'm thinking something like that, but I hope we find out definitely through the story.

2) I agree the word choices are not historically correct, but it doesn't bother me (at least yet).

3) Yes! The structure of the narrative thus far is bothering me. We've covered three months, multiple character introductions, various locations, and about 15% of the book; yet I know hardly anything about the H or h and am not invested in the story. At this point, I should want to read a little bit more before setting it down. Instead, I'm like, eh, I could take it or leave it. (hide spoiler)]

Queen Victoria: (view spoiler)[I also have watched and enjoyed the PBS Victoria. It inspired me to read some of her memoirs, including her trip to Scotland. However. it did not touch on her views of the women's suffrage movement; so I really didn't know she was against it. I thought the portrayal of her subtly demanding favors to help those she liked fit very well. However, her strong distaste and condescending attitude toward women fighting for their rights felt overdone, but maybe she did feel that adamantly opposed. I haven't done the research. (hide spoiler)]

One quote that seemed odd to me:
(view spoiler)[Still, he had seen it: the flash of emotion in his brother’s eyes. Had he not known better, he would have said it was hatred.
Oddly, it stung.
Why is it odd that it stung? The Duke has been the father (and mother?) figure to his brother. It would be odd if seeing hated in his brother's eyes didn't sting. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea]

I agree with both of you, this (view spoiler)[,let's called it dislike, of the aristocracy feels personal. I also suspect a rich nobleman :D (hide spoiler)]

And YES, we need more real info on both of them soon, I agree with Mariana, we don't really know them despite so many chapters...

Also, re the brothers, yes, that was weird. As you said, the parents are long gone (we assume?), and he's relatively young, so. Weird ^^

[Merry Jewelhound]

(view spoiler)[ I can understand his younger brother being rebellious and not wanting to buckle down. This is in the news with Prince William and Prince Harry. The next section is part pique at being spoken to and a plot device for the heroine to stay at the Dukes home. (hide spoiler)]

[Alex]

I'm up to chapter 9 now and I have to agree that it feels rather disjointed. I thought it might be just because I've been reading it here and there whilst travelling but it seems I am not alone. I feel as though we really don't know anything about Annabelle (actually had to check that was her name that's how little I really am invested in her). Really could do with some proper back story not just hints here and there that don't really add up. (view spoiler)[Apparently she is "against" men and relationships because she had her heartbroken in the past but the rest of the writing makes it seem as though she just has a problem with all men because they are men. She comes across as a very anti-men sort of feminist, which I can see rubbing people the wrong way. (hide spoiler)]
I do like the suffragette aspect of the book but I fear it's not going to be done well. I am trying not to judge too soon but I think I might have gotten my hopes up a bit too much for this one.
Also was a bit thrown off by mention of the queen. Suppose it does make sense with the political aspect of the story but her involvement does make the story seem a bit unbelievable.
Also does it bother anyone else that Annabelle is supposedly a very smart and well educated woman but doesn't know who the leading members of parliament are? (view spoiler)[The way she just naively "runs into" the duke just doesn't feel right. Surely she must know who he is if he's that important? (hide spoiler)]
I'm hoping for some more character development, back story and less time jumping in the coming chapters. Really hoping there's not going to be any insta love...

[Andrea]

Yep, I agree. I read a review that said this book "contains feminists, but isn't", which so far I'm inclined to believe from what I've seen so far. It feels like the suffragettes were a convenient plot device to throw a commoner into a duke's way. And I agree, if she is invested enough to have applied for a scholarship from them (which no way she just got because they heard about her in the middle of nowhere), she should be better prepared for their cause, especially since she knew it was a condition of her keeping that scholarship. I feel like a lot of it was good ideas but no one telling the author to develop those.
And yes. It does feel rather strange that Vicky would get involved in his plan to get his property back and all...

[Andrea]

I finished chapter 7 and...

speaking of "sensible" (view spoiler)[who runs off in a snowstorm?????. Sigh. At least they're both judgemental? I really hope this won't turn into insta lust because they're both the only people to stand up to the other one... (hide spoiler)]

[Mariana]

I have to say that I did enjoy the second set of five chapters more than the first, or at least they were easier to read, less jumping around. I can still put the book down.

(view spoiler)[Oh, it's gonna be insta-lust. It already halfway is with

"He stalked off, almost tasting the base satisfaction of sinking his teeth into her plush bottom lip."

and

"His damned intelligent eyes and effortless self-assurance impressed upon her, and now her body wasn’t able to shake the feel of him. It remembered the strength of his armaround her, the feel of his hard chest against her back, the cool touch of his lips against her ear . . . his scent, so subtle and yet compelling, had clung to her until she had soaked in the bath last night. Her body knew things about him now and was intrigued when it shouldn’t be."

I do get that Annabelle is a proud and stubborn female with a temper, just her personality I guess. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea]

Ah yes. The dreaded (view spoiler)[insta lust. How I have missed it... SIGH (hide spoiler)]

Also (spoilers including chapter 10)

(view spoiler)[
That mouth. The pink fullness belonged on a courtesan in Brittany, not an Englishwoman, or bluestocking, or country girl.
Have I mentioned how tired I am of hearing about that stupid pouty FRENCH mouth? I get it! She's hot. Too hot for a British woman!
I feel there are several insults in his statement....

oh, and also:
Noblemen didn't rise until noon; Annabelle had that on good account.
From hints dropped, she has met ONE nobleman who dumped her unceremoniously (ok, maybe his friends, too?), how is that "good account"? (hide spoiler)]

I don't get the hype, to be honest... It's not bad, but it could've easily been better, I feel?

[Mariana]

I think her "good account" may be more what she heard than direct experience?

[Andrea]

But as someone who values facts and claims to be logical, shouldn't she know better than to trust rumors? I mean...
I know, here I am, bringing logic to romance novels :D

[Merry Jewelhound]

I am starting to enjoy the book more. I usually find the set up of the story in the first few chapters a bit tedious as they are laying out the story. This one has little back story given so not the norm. There is sexual tension.

[Andrea]

Yay! We do get a bit of backstory in chapter 11, but:

(view spoiler)[Ok, so who else is confused by the way he treats his little brother? I mean, yes, he's a pain, but forcing him to join the navy? That's a tad extreme, isn't it????? (hide spoiler)]

Also, we have a reason for the man-hating! (view spoiler)[Of course it had to be a lover who dumped her after he slept with her. (hide spoiler)]

I'm still confused about her family, though. Can someone explain? (view spoiler)[So the father was something with the church. She has a French grandmother she was sent to live after the scandal, and then she ended up living with whoever that in the beginning was? (hide spoiler)] I'm really really confused.

[Merry Jewelhound]

Brother (view spoiler)[I think he has concerns that the brother maybe drifting and spoiled. That he will take after his father who was overwhelmed by his duty. The military has always been viewed as a place to become a man. I just read several books in the book Slightly Married about where a Dukes brother does the exact same thing (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "Brother [spoilers removed]"

Sure, but. I don't get it. It felt really weird to me. But I don't have siblings, so. It just felt really cold and high-handed and everything to me. I don't understand it.

I still don't feel connected enough to the characters to get them.

[Merry Jewelhound]

I do agree with you. It wasn't like his behavior is egregious. He hasn't killed anyone and was just at college partying.

[Andrea]

right? Seems a but excessive. We haven't heard about little bro hosting orgies or anything. He parties and wastes money, like most teenagers ^^

[Alex]

It seems to me as though none of these characters have motives that really make sense. Nothing is really adding up for me.
Also I think the issue with readability in this book might lie with the timeline. There's a lot of jumping around and it's hard to keep track of when things are happening. (view spoiler)[When Annabelle is finally brought back to the house, hours have supposedly past, then we're suddenly at a dinner and she's apparently there but then in the next part she's slept for days and has fallen ill. It feels as though this book was just written in one take and no character planning or timeline was made to help keep it on track. (hide spoiler)]
Insta love/lust: (view spoiler)[I'm cringing so hard! You supposedly hate this woman and banish her from your house then a couple of hours later you're all "oh how sexy and tempting she is to me". I know the hate the love trope is common in HR but seriously? We could have had at least a bit more build up there. (hide spoiler)]
Another part where her back story doesn't add up with current events is with the horse. (view spoiler)[Surely a country girl would know how to ride a horse and not be so shocked by a sudden gallop that she is unable to walk afterwards??? Another convenient plot point maybe? Making her the damsel in distress that he conveniently has to hold in his arms... (hide spoiler)]

I really want to like this book but I feel like the editors have really done it a disservice... with their lack of editing.

I definitely agree with that review that this contains feminists but isn't.

[Merry Jewelhound]

I am definitely seeing that class is still very strongly defined. (view spoiler)[ The Duke wants her for a mistress but she would be shunned by polite society. Since the brother had a protection officer I wonder if kidnappings were a problem. I get the impression that Annabelle is not a true devotee but is doing it because of the scholarship. Also because of how she is treated as an unpaid servant at her cousins. I think Lucies story will be interesting. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea]

Alex wrote: "It seems to me as though none of these characters have motives that really make sense. Nothing is really adding up for me.
Also I think the issue with readability in this book might lie with the t..."

Definitely! A good editor could've worked wonders here.

re the horse incident: maybe she just doesn't know how to ride side-saddle since she grew up in the country and that's her problem? I was waiting for that, but you're right, a lot of it just doesn't make sense.