Hi there! I’m here today to talk through my thoughts on a new queer historical romance release! **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
It’s been a while since I’ve talked about a historical romance on here. Historical in not a genre I gravitate towards in general, and the only other time I’ve reviewed a historical romance was when I discussed Heiress for Hire, my first book I received from BookishFirst (you can read that review here). But after requesting Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall as an LGBTQReads Patreon book and really enjoying it, I saw that he was coming out with another historical romance featuring a trans heroine. I requested it on NetGalley not thinking much of it, and was so excited to dive in when I got the email saying my request was approved. I didn’t know what to expect, but childhood friends coming together after years apart sounded really great to me.
When Viola Caroll was presumed dead at Waterloo, she fled and took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But as she gained her freedom, she lost her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood. When their families reconnect years after the war, Viola comes to know how deep that loss truly was – Gracewood, shattered without her, has retreated so far into his grief he is barely recognizable to his old friend. As she strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, Viola recognizes old desires bubbling to the surface, lending way to new feelings that would have been impossible once, and may be impossible still, but which she can’t deny.
*the author has provided content guidance for this book on his website, if you would like to see the full list please click here*
I’ll start off by saying that I found this to be incredibly accessible to those who may not typically read historical romance. People and roles and places were introduced and while there may be a larger cast of characters than usual, it was easy to keep track of those who play significant roles. Something I worried about was that Viola’s identity would be kept a secret for the majority of the book, ultimately causing a third act conflict when Gracewood found out, but that wasn’t the case. He is kept in the dark for a while, but I thought, given how much work he needed to do for his healing, it might have been detrimental to him if Viola had mentioned it when she first arrived at his residence. I also really loved the representation of grief in both main characters. Viola took the chance at Waterloo to live her life as her true self, and while she is much happier living authentically she acknowledges all she had to leave behind. Gracewood believes his best friend to be dead, assumes the fault to be his own and becomes a recluse relying on alcohol and opium to ease his pain. They both had to find each other and work through their grief together, because they know each other better than anyone else in the world. I really felt for Viola throughout the book because while she acknowledges her feelings for Gracewood, she feels as if she doesn’t deserve him, and conversely that he deserves better – someone who he can start a family with, to give him an heir for the family line to continue. But what I loved about Gracewood is he knows who he is – he isn’t ashamed to live unconventionally, as long as he is happy, and is willing to forgo tradition if it means being able to be with who he wants.
One other thing I’d really like to mention is the representation of PTSD. Both Viola and Gracewood fought at war, even sustained injuries that will be around their entire lives. At several points, when Gracewood hears loud noises (specifically fireworks) he has flashbacks of being at the front line, and thinks he is being attacked by gunfire. Viola comes to assist him, and he wonders why he was so affected by the sound and she was not, when she had also been at war. PTSD can affect people in various ways, even if they’d been present for the same traumatic event, but that doesn’t mean he is weaker for reacting this way, and I really liked that discussion. If I had to mention a critique, it’s that the book is long, and there are times when you will feel that it’s long. It doesn’t mean that what you’re reading at the time isn’t important, there is just a lot going on. A lot of the side characters who added comedic relief can certainly be expected to have their stories expanded, and I would love to see further installments discussing their lives in the future.
In conclusion, I may not be a historical romance reader on the regular, but this is one I can say I truly enjoyed. Alexis Hall did a fantastic job at making me care about his characters, and their story, even when it pained me to see them making a choice they thought they had to but would only bring them further heartbreak. In the end, the story worked out in our main characters’ favor, and Viola and Gracewood truly deserve a life where they can be happy together, with their past behind them and the future just over the horizon. A Lady for a Duke is set to be released on May 24th, 2022 (which is the day this post goes live) so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday, and consider picking up a copy for yourself if you’re interested! *Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find A Lady for a Duke:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Publisher (Forever)
Alexis Hall’s site
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