The Duke and I: The (Bridgertons Book 1)

I was of course bought here by Netflix. As an avid book-lover it had to be the novel before the T.V show! I really enjoyed the book despite it's formulaic approach. I think, in honesty, what appealed for me is something I feel creates serious romantic tension - moral boundaries, classic societal expectations and traditional roles. We live in a world where it is offensive to be feminine anymore. As a woman this leaves our desires subconscious. I believe deep down this is the main reason this entire series took off. Along with all female romance. Why is it the books we crave always has the tall, assertive, loyal, determined, ambitious man? We crave the polarity the dynamics that we are so determined to quash. Reading in the past gives us full permission to insert ourselves into this. And women everywhere fell in love with Daphne and Simon, Duke of Hastings. I personally loved that the author managed to give Simon a meaningful back story that moved hearts and pushed us into empathy. I thought it was quite the feat for a romance novel of this genre.

Was a good story line but took a little while to read just wasn't to drawn towards the story of it.

It took a few chapters for me to really get into but once I did I couldn't put it down. Was better than season 1 of Bridgerton.

When I first stumbled across Netflix's Bridgerton, I thought I was merely watching another historical romance piece, with little charm or character, and that I would be bored of it. Not so long later, I had devoured the nine book series within the span of two weeks, and quickly became obsessed with Quinn's writing and characters. However, since then, I have been too scared to touch the Bridgerton series, out of fear that I would not enjoy them as much a second time around. And boy was I wrong. Within a year, I had forgotten how entertaining and romantic Quinn's writing style was, and I have fallen back in love with the series that pushed my childhood love of reading into adulthood. While The Duke and I is not Quinn's best work in the Bridgerton series, it is still a charming romance novel, even if it does have certain moments that let the story down. The Duke and I follows Daphne Bridgerton, a woman entering another social season, and is beginning to grow tired of her mother and the rest of the ton pressuring her to find a husband, especially since all the men that are offering themselves to her, and not who Daphne imagines herself spending her life with. Simon Basset is the newly acquired Duke of Hastings, following the death of his father, whom Simon has been estranged from his entire life, due to a stutter he has worked to overcome. As Simon is best friends with Daphne's older brother, Anthony, the pair were likely to be introduced anyway, but the bump into one another at a ball, and Simon attempts to defend Daphne's honour. The pair begin fake dating, so that Daphne may receive more attention from suitors, and Simon will be left alone by the ambitious mama's. However, the pair stray off into the garden one night and are consequently forced to marry. The book and the story itself is quite an easy and somewhat fun read. There are moments scattered throughout the book that had me laughing, such as the first time Daphne and Simon are intimate, and Daphne believes him to be impotent. There was also a nicely balanced ratio of sex scenes in proportion to the plot, and none of them felt unnecessary or uncomfortable to read, apart from the one that was supposed to make you uncomfortable.

Absolutely Amazing, Highly Recommend!🥰 I absolutely loved this book, this story and family! My thoughts and feelings can not be put into words over how much I adored this book! I look forward to the rest of the series!!💞