Much Ado About Dukes: ARC Review
As documented all over this blog, I am deep in my historical romance era. There are so many HR’s that take up brain and heart space, and I am excited to say we have another to add to the lexicon. I was so pumped to get early access to this ARC, and am excited to share with y’all all the things I loved about it! Fans of Bringing Down the Duke, 10 Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake and Waiting for a Scot Like You, capital L LOVE Eva Devon’s Much Ado About Dukes.
As always huge thanks to NetGalley and Entangled: Amara for the advance copy, thoughts below are my own.
Where to start with this ABSOLUTELY delightful historical romance? Well, first there is Beatrice who is a force to be reckoned with. She is fighting the fight for the disenfranchised, the enslaved, the poor, and the ones without voices. She has been passionately writing the Duke of Blackheath, imploring him to not only use his voice, but actually get up and DO something. But he’s been cagey, if not dismissive at best. So when her cousin is about to be engaged to the Duke’s younger brother she sees her chance: she will make him notice her and the causes she holds dear to her heart.
Right away I was, thinking: ok, oh lord another lengthy and exhausting enemies to lovers Bluestocking meets rakishly arrogant Duke. And FRIENDS, am I here to tell you what a DELICIOUS surprise this book is. So, beyond the initial clown behaviour from William, we find out mans is OBSESSED with Beatrice. Her thinking, her philosophies and her passion for change. Not only has he read everything she’s writing but he KEEPS reading it over and over, as a source of comfort. So when he sees her for the first time, he is literally jaw-on-the-floor shocked by her loveliness.
A quick waltz later, its clear that both Will and Beatrice are well matched in wit, passion and connection. These two lil babies become such good partners, which to me was such a refreshing take on this type of historical romance. The love scenes are lush and are written in such a sex-positive way that again was SUCH a refreshing change of pace from some of HR’s I’ve recently read. And William, he was self-reflective, continually-humbled and eager to work through the discomfort her feedback often times brings up in him. She was so brave, and vulnerable with him, when she confronted him and finally told him she loved him.
I did like the 3rd act tension, it totally worked with the storylines, and plotting and felt like a natural break to help Will work through the trauma his past has continually brought up for him. The grand-gesture was so sincere, that I was ready to throw hands if Beatrice decided to be a little stubborn, but fear not all ends up well.
Much Ado About Dukes was a freaking delight. Grab it wherever you get your books when it lands in stores and online August 23rd 2022.