The Duke and I by Julia Quinn - 4 Stars

[Diana]

In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable.

Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.

Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.

The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule...

This novel beautifully blends the genres of "romance" and "historical" to create a captivating story. The characters are well-developed and I couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards Simon due to his difficult upbringing. Daphne is a genuine and kind-hearted character that I found myself rooting for. Although some of the plot points may seem exaggerated (view spoiler)[like being able to marry Simon just after a few weeks since first meeting him (hide spoiler)], the author's writing style is so engaging that I was able to overlook them.

I particularly enjoyed how the story didn't end with Simon and Daphne's marriage, but rather explored the challenges they faced in learning to understand and accept each other's flaws. This added a layer of realism to the story that I appreciated. While I did have some issues with certain characters, such as Daphne's overbearing brother, Anthony (view spoiler)[budging into Daphne's house demanding the whereabouts of her husband to kill him because he somehow mistreated their sister - infuriating! (hide spoiler)], it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the novel. Overall, this is a wonderfully written book that left me feeling satisfied and hopeful.