Bringing Down the Duke was an absolute delight! It was smart, sexy, and filled to the brim with feisty, intelligent women that paved the way for many suffragists to follow. I loved the clash between the sexes and the classes! Evie Dunmore has written a true historical-romance novel. Annabelle, a country vicar's daughter, and Sebastian, the Duke of Montgomery, will melt your heart one moment and make you scream "why!?!?" in another. This novel, set in Victorian England, is not to be missed.

Set in 1879 England, Annabelle has a chance to leave her cousin's home, where she works in his household as practically a servant, by accepting a scholarship to be one of the first group of women to attend the University of Oxford. The scholarship requires her to work for the suffrage movement and to help with the passage of the Married Women's Property Act. She's assigned to enlist a man of high political influence Sebastian Deveraux, the Duke of Montgomery to the cause. They develop an unlikely relationship but reputation and status is everything to Sebastian and marriage to a poor suffragette far below his station is unthinkable. He wants her to be his mistress which she refuses. Here begins a too long conflict of I won't marry you, marry me, I won't marry you, marry me......

I truly enjoyed the setting and the difficulty Annabelle faces as a single women of the time trying to be independent. Learning about the Married Women's Property Act and the history of what the suffragists faced Overall it is a very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to the next book.

Smart and swoonworthy historical debut! I was fully engrossed in the love story and I was such a fan of the backdrop it was set against in terms of time periods. It was perfectly angsty and lovely, with captivating prose and a couple to really root for. More suffragette romances, please!

I was a little hesitant about regency romances, I love how this breaks the genre. This didn't feel like my mothers regency, the modern take on the story and political undertones made for a fun read.

Fantastic debut novel by Evie Dunmore. The entire book was fun and entertaining. The characters were three dimensional and the character development throughout the book was well paced. Time was spent to develop not only the main characters but the supporting characters as well, which bodes well for the rest of the series. an't wait for the rest of the books in this series to come out.

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore is great read! I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed Annabelle and Montgomery's story and I look forward to reading more from this author!

After reading the blurb to this book, I was curious but not all that sure that I would actually read it. I'm glad that I gave this one a chance because it was a smart romance with complex characters that I really came to love. I really struggled with the hero early on but I'm glad that I stuck with the story because not only did I warm up to Sebastian, but I really came to love him and Annabelle together. Evie Dunmore wrote a lovely story for these two and she set up the next book just right because I'm all in for that one. I can't wait to jump into that one.

Our heroine, Miss Annabelle Archer is a fiercely independent woman who fights extremely hard to get into the University of Oxford and she's one of the very few women that are selected to go to school there. She takes that very seriously because her success in school is her ticket out of the life that she's living now. She's poor and all alone in the world except for a cousin who uses her as an unpaid Jane of all trades. She cleans, she watches his kids, she's a lady's maid to his wife and Annabelle has to scheme to go to school because her cousin can't afford to send her and wouldn't spend the money on her even if he could afford it. So when Annabelle gets a scholarship to go, she makes sure that she's there and she makes sure that she does what she is supposed to do to keep her scholarship. What does she need to do, you ask? She needs to support the women's suffrage movement and she needs to find some support amongst the males in England.

Sebastian Devereaux is the Duke of Montgomery and he's on a mission to get back everything that his father squandered away. It's taken him years but he's put a huge dent in the list of properties that his father lost and one of the last remaining properties is the big one, the one that he won't rest until he gets back and the Queen of England gives him an almost impossible task in exchange for...that property.

Things get interesting when Sebastian and Annabelle cross paths. They're at cross purposes but the chemistry between them burns hot. I wasn't a huge fan of the way that Sebastian treated Annabelle at first and boy did I connect with the way that Annabelle handled that meeting at Sebastian's house because I would have done the exact same thing. Sebastian's attitude was obviously the attitude of the aristocracy and was completely in line with how I figured all the Dukes from that time acted but it was still hard to take at times. I wanted to kick him in the balls more than a few times throughout the book but boy does he win me over by the end of the book. I really enjoyed seeing him and Annabelle fall in love with each other and I just enjoyed the way that we saw them fall in love. It wasn't instantly, it was done really well and I appreciated Evie Dunmore's efforts in showing us how their friendship grew into the love they shared in the end.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters and am looking forward to reading Lucie and Tom's book. This book was a good one and I think everyone should give it a try because it's smart, the characters are a fun bunch and the romance between Sebastian and Annabelle was delightful and steamy. You can't really ask for more. I definitely recommend.

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore is an fun and fiery read. The dialogue between the Duke and the bluestocking lady, Annabelle, was interesting. I could not stop reading the book. In fact, I look forward to reading the second novel, hopefully, revisiting them in the next plot. I was completely swept away with this historical romance. A Duke who put his duty before his personal lie has a lot to learn. A fresh, young, and intelligent woman such as Annabelle awakens his attention to life. He and his younger brother also have some things to learn. Family is important. Mistakes are made to be learned from. I loved the how the characters took to responsibility, love, and trust. Both main characters lost in the battle of trust in the past. They present lives and hearts were hanging by nothing but a thread. Trust is once more heavily relied upon. It was a daring adventure. The scenes were easy to escape within and I couldn't stop laughing at times. Their tug of war was the best part of this novel. Overall, I highly recommend readers everywhere, to read this romantic tale. It was fun watching them fall to their end  and back again. Love held their destiny from the beginning. It was up to them to set their course.

*An advanced reader ebook copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Bringing Down the Duke book cover
Debut author Evie Dunmore stormed #bookstagram during August and September! While some the buzz has died down as newer book releases take over, Bringing Down the Duke deserves the continued love.

Set in 1870s England, the novel follows Annabelle Archer, a brilliant woman without wealth or privilege. She’s accepted into the first cohort of female students at Oxford University and receives a scholarship from a women’s suffrage organization. In exchange for the scholarship support, Annabelle is recruited to sway the opinion of Sebastian Devereux, Duke of Montgomery.

Sebastian Devereux, the aloof and strategic duke, stumbles upon a group of suffragists crashing his younger brother’s holiday party. Appalled at the situation, he cannot help his feelings for the spitfire suffragist. Will he choose a proper duchess to be his wife or risk his standing in society for happiness?

What I like:
I enjoyed the backdrop of women’s suffrage in this book! I liked that Dunmore showed how suffragists were viewed and treated. Often modern historical romances take a feminist lens but do not always delve into the history of women’s rights
I liked the conflict that both characters had to work through to find their happily ever after

Not so much:
I assumed from the description and illustrated cover that the book would be a romp full of humor and romance. So I was a little thrown off by the amount of times I questioned whether there could ever be a HEA. Partly why romances have been my jam during stressful times is because the books don’t stress me out! There was a realness factor here, drawn from history, that unsettled me. Without giving spoilers, I know that too many women did not and continue to not have options. That being said, I think it speaks to the author’s writing that I was emotionally devastated at certain events.

This was a cute story with interesting characters. I don't read a lot of Victorian-set novels, so I can't speak to the believability of the plot/time period, but the author's notes at the end seem to show she did research before writing. I will be interested to read the other (hinted) couples' stories.

What fun! A romance/historical fiction novel that is both well researched and very romantic. Can't wait for the further adventures of this charming and fun group of women.

4/5 stars

This was such a fun, historical fiction story with a touch of feminism and plenty of romance!

<u>Synopsis</u>
Annabelle Archer has just been accepted to Oxford's new girl's college and granted a stipend. The only condition is that she has to join the local suffragettes who's mission is to petition Parliament for women's rights. After a run in with Sebastian, the Duke of Montgomery, the suffragette's leader gives Annabelle the personal mission of persuading the duke to their cause. Unfortunately, Sebastian is known for his avoidance of the suffragettes and has his own interests to fight for in this battle.

<u>Pacing & Points of View</u>
The overall pacing was fast for a romance and the main points of view were Annabelle and Sebastian. I loved having both of their thoughts throughout this story! It helped the reader to dive deeper into the character's feelings and motivations.

<u>Characters</u>
I really liked Annabelle whose personality was before her time. She's strong minded, resourceful and longs to learn more at Oxford. I also liked her budding friendships with the various suffragettes and I'm excited about possibly reading their stories in the future! Sebastian's character was broody and determined to restore his inherited lands to their past glory. I really liked reading their almost enemies to lovers romance. There was a lot of miscommunication and wires crossing at the beginning and it was fun to see them sort it all out! All their interactions were interesting and well written. It was definitely a more sweet and sexy series!

<u>Overall</u>
Overall I really liked the start to this new historical fiction romantic series following the suffragettes. I cannot wait to read the next books in the series!

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for allowing me the opportunity to read this amazing digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is fantastic and is definitely something I will be rereading again and again.

Annabelle is probably one of my top favorite characters this year because she’s so strong and compassionate, sticking to her principles despite the various trials and temptations she faces. She is flawed and human but such a phenomenal woman. An extraordinary woman you might say... ;) Sebastian is also a stellar man. It took some time to get to know him and make it past his "icy" exterior, but once we did get to know him, he simply melted. The respect he shows Annabelle even when he is caught up in the social constructs of the aristocracy is what every woman deserves and he is someone that the men today should all aspire to be. The banter between the two is witty, intelligent, and engaging. You can feel the love the two have for one another shining through the pages, even when they weren't fully acknowledging it themselves. Truly an exceptional read and I look forward to the next in the series!

The hype was strong with this title which made me really want to read it but it sadly didn't deliver for me. There were errors in writing that showed the author missed some steps in her research of the era and setting. But the biggest mark against it is that although it's set at a time where suffragists were starting to get more vocal, this was *not* a feminist romance. And Sebastian was pretty obnoxious.

Thanks to Berkley for my copy. All opinions are my own. This was billed as historical fiction but it’s really historical romance. Heavy on the romance. In order to keep her scholarship to Oxford, Annabelle Archer must sway the Duke of Montgomery to her cause aka the suffrage movement which took hold of Victorian England in 1879. It’s such a heart-warming book that also taught me a bit about the British women’s suffrage movement. I learned a bit about inheritance law too, but it was FOR SURE the romance that had me flipping pages with a goofy grin on my face. The sparks between Annabelle and Sebastian were palpable. Bringing Down the Duke was a breath of fresh air for my reading stack and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4.5 stars.

When I got my eARC of this book I was simultaneously excited and SO NERVOUS because VICTORIAN ROMANCE WITH SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT?! It sounded too good to be true. But guys, it was amazing. And the hype?! FINALLY a book worthy of it!

Our heroine is Annabelle, who lives with her oppressive cousin, but has been accepted as one of the first women to attend the prestigious Oxford University. While there, she is involved in the early Suffragette movement to give women rights to their property within the confines of marriage. While canvassing for this issue, she encounters Sebastian, the Duke of Montgomery and is selected to get to know him and have him become an ally to the cause. Problem is, it’s anything but love at first sight. More like passion yet hate at first sight. Second sight isn’t much better...Annabelle secures herself and her new friends an invitation to his home for a weekend house party where he won’t be present. Until he is and mistakes her for his younger brother’s lecherous paramour.

This misunderstanding is the catalyst for these two to dive deeper into understanding each other and falling for each other. But she is a country woman of no birth, and he is the highest ranking Duke in all of England. Propriety and duty stand in their way.

I genuinely loved both of these characters and their flaws. Their romance and passion for each other was entirely believable and I enjoyed it so much that once I started reading I COULD NOT STOP. The hurdles of “can they be together” are achieved, but I won’t spoil how! I will say, it’s entirely believable and I LOVED IT.

I cannot wait to read the next installment in this series and know it’s going to be one of my favorite Victorian romances. I highly recommend for anyone wanting a fun quick read and is looking for escapism!

* Thank you Berkeley Romance and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review! *

An interesting idea for a background (early days of women's colleges at Oxford, and the suffragist movement) is marred here by mis-steps with details. For example, if Peregrin Deveraux is the younger son of the previous duke, he is properly addressed as Lord Peregrin -- never "Lord Deveraux."

Over the past few months I have heard so much praise given to "Bringing Down the Duke" that I was initially worried it would not live up to it. I am delighted to say that Dumore's novel is as delightful and charming as I had heard. If you love romance with a strong, fiery leading lady then look no further. This title is a delightful read that I will definitely be recommending.

I got a copy of this book from #Netgalley. I was expecting a historical rom-com, instead I got an amazing book about sisterhood, suffrage and support. This first-time author’s book was devoured. You could feel everything that characters were feeling. The best pet was getting to experience the male perspective and female perspective from that time period, with a few appearances by the Queen. I can’t wait to read her next book!

Great romance book bringing women's rights and education to the forefront. I enjoyed the characters and the story overall.