eARC Review: One Duke Down
Late last year I picked up Anna Bennett’s Girls Before Earls romance and fell in love with the way she writes both leads, settings, and supporting characters. Poppy was just a stand out in book one that when I found out she was getting her own book, your honor, I was very excited.
I am so happy to be able to share my advance review of this soft and cosy strangers to friends to lovers romance between a proud fisherman’s daughter and a duke who washes right up on her beach.
As always a huge heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for the advance copy, thoughts below are my own, enjoy!
First things first, THIS COVER though?! How insanely gorgeous is the styling, art direction layout and the SMILES?!?!? Look at how stinking happy they are just to hold and look at each other. Publishers, take note more of this please.
I feel like it’s no secret that I loved this book and I have a suspicion that it’s going to be a stand out for folks in 2023. It was equal parts, soft and tender, with lots of personality, kindness, and the steadfastness that I love in a historical when the guy is deep in his feelings and you know that they aren’t going to change.
Poppy is an excellent self realized heroine to cast opposite Keane and readers are going to fall head over heels for the insanely swoony moments these two share. For example…
As they are leaving a masquerade ball:
She faced Keane and found him staring at her strangely.
“Did the mask leave a mark?” she asked, skimming her fingertips beneath her eyes.
”No, no.” He looked away quickly, as though embarrassed.
”What is it then?”
He shook his head. “I was just thinking that while you looked lovely in your costume, I missed your freckles. I missed your face.”
When they are on the beach and he’s trying to explain how much he loves her the way she is (knowing her lower society status):
“It’s the easiest choice I shall ever make,” he said solemnly. “I choose this moment. I’d choose it over a hundred portraits, over a thousand other happy memories. I choose now… with you.”
The plot, pacing and low-angst was exactly what I was looking for and Anna did not disappoint at all! I loved watching Keane love Poppy for who she was (both for her brain and her heart), and seeing the two of them just defend the sh*t out of each other to small minded idiots at every turn was like reading a hug. I loved it. Also the daily questions, my goodness be still my heart.
If you’re wondering about bedroom stuff, don’t! The steaminess was present and sweet, with a few fully open door scenes which added to the tenderness that kept growing and blossoming between them through each chapter. Are you convinced you need to pre-order this already?
One Duke Down is a delight of a historical romance and reminded me why I love this sub-genre so damn much. I am beyond certain that folks will fall in love with both Poppy, Keane, and will be eagerly awaiting Kitty’s book (who do we think is her nemesis?!). What more can I say than you need to add this to your TBR, pre-order it, ask your library to order it in, and or grab it when it hits shelves Jan 24th 2023.