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I don't think I've read any new HR release that devotes this much page count in decoding an evolving relationship dynamic, as well as the psychological impact on the parties involved (the only comparable one I can think of is Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale); the commitment wholeheartedly pays off as I was left wanting more after the epilogue wrapped up (which by the way was extremely joyful and poignant). two hundred years ago people needed explanation of trans and did not effortlessly do everything right by standards far in the future.
It really bothered me that when Viola personally witnesses Gracewood’s laudanum addiction and suicidality, she responds by starting to sneak out of the house because staying will increase the risk of Gracewood recognizing her. My favorite scene: the shaving scene where Viola helps Gracewood shave because his hands aren’t steady enough to do it himself. It’s a tale of a friendship experienced in two very different ways, but made no less true or special in those differences. I've used beautiful a lot, I know, but I can't think how else to explain how this story is so precious in its entirety.It is so good and so cathartic to see these characters find their way back to each other and heal each other in a way that is so incredibly earnest and powerful. Viola is assumed dead at Waterloo and takes the opportunity to reinvent and restart her life the way she wants to live. The way the individual characters develop and deal with the various challenges facing them was entirely believable. Their relationship felt inevitable, with a quality of kismet that made them read like the most perfect of soulmates.
So while we sit around waiting for her to decide she believes him, we watch her move in to be a companion to his sister and shepherd her through her début into London society. I'm not usually a fan of stories where there is an off-page, prior to the story emotional connection between the MCs, but I really understood it here. When Viola learns of Gracewood's distress, she and her sister-in-law, the Lady Marleigh, decide to intervene. The story is also very mindful of how Viola is still learning how to navigate those new spaces, how she still doesn’t really know what she should wear, how she should conduct herself, what’s "polite" for a woman to say, or even how to take up "womanly" activities like arts, tea service, or being a hostess. While that's perfectly fine in other instances, in this case though Viola is a trans woman, not a cis gay man so the scene was not really done how it should have been.I love how Hall navigates their shared past when Viola could not live as herself, carrying the affection and positive memories from that time and integrating it into their romance.
It is one of my all-time favorite books now, and if any part of this review connects with you, I'm sure it will also become one of yours in no time at all. The whole plot felt drawn out and muddled, and I missed the feelings I had in the beginning of the book. I listened to the audiobook and while I normally love reading in that format, I was choosing to listen to music on my commute instead of the book because it was so boring. For those who were fans of Boyfriend Material, it's worth noting that A Lady for a Duke is tonally quite different. She may have had to give up her title, her money, her lands, but she is free to be truly herself for the first time.This is the first historical romance I have come across to where queer poeple are not only recognised but also are treated with utmost respect.
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