I don’t usually read period pieces that don’t involve some sort of fantasy or science fiction aspect. I love watching them but, being an extreme mood reader, it’s hard for me to get into them. I made an exception for Alexis Hall’s most recent novel because, come on, it’s Alexis Hall! That alone recommended it to me and I didn’t really know what I was getting into, to be honest. When I started reading and I realized that it’s set in the early 1800s and features a trans protagonist in the form of Viola Caroll, I couldn’t stop reading!

The yearning and the guilt on both parties, Viola and Gracewood, was painful at times, in the most bittersweet way. Viola feels she abandoned Gracewood, letting herself be presumed dead and becoming the woman she’s always been. Gracewood feels he abandoned Viola, his best friend, by not being able to find her after the battle at Waterloo. He drowns himself in laudanum and alcohol rather than face the grief and physical pain he was left with after the war. Feelings they both may have felt in the before are refreshed as they are reintroduced. As Viola shows her true self and comes to terms with being who she has always been and reconciling that person with who she used to be. What parts of that person were real and what were a front? Is who she pretended to be then different than who she is now? And how does that affect her relationship with Gracewood?

The perfect amount of details lay the scene at Morgencald. What Viola wears, how Gracewood dresses, the dark atmosphere of the house itself, and yet how beautiful it is.

Viola deals with dysphoria from the start, feeling uncomfortable leaving the home she has found with her brother, Badger, and his wife, Louise. They had believed her dead at Waterloo but accepted her back with open arms when they discovered this was not the case. At their house, she remained ensconced, safe from potential judgment. She was hesitant to leave that comfort, to be present in society. At best, she hoped for a life as an old maid, companion to Louise, until the end of her days. Viola finds comfort in traditional femininity, wearing her hair just so, gloss on her lips, a choker around her throat, a well put together dress with matching shoes. And gloves, which she clings to and wears almost all the time, to hide her hands.

As her feelings for Gracewood grow and change, she knows she can’t have him. That he’ll hate her when he finds out who she is and what she did. And, if anything, society will not allow them to be together because she is without rank, the companion of a woman of status, but nothing more. She may be able to live her life as a woman but she can’t have more than that. Is that enough? With Gracewood back in the picture and feelings brewing, perhaps it isn’t.

Gracewood bears everything well, showing himself to be a man of value. He is more focused on the seeming betrayal and lies than he is on Viola being trans. And he steps away and thinks about the situation, rather than letting society or his immediate feelings affect the final outcome. I love how thoughtful he is, despite his upbringing, and how he feels comfortable around Viola from the beginning. Everyone is quite thoughtful, of the main characters, at least. They think things through logically, rather than letting emotion rule absolute.

The characters are so strong and feel so very real. From Viola and Gracewood, to Louise, Lady Lillimere, and Mira. For the women, they aren’t cookie cutter feminine figures. They have power and interests, and are quite intelligent and unwilling to bend to society’s wishes. Louise gets a husband who loves her and desires her despite being told that she is undesirable. Lady Lillimere is interested in women and yet still holds a place in society. Mira is very intelligent and hasn’t been brought out yet, but she still dazzles at social gatherings and is able to express her wishes and be listened to.

This book would be perfect for anyone in need of good banter and somewhat slow burn romance. People who lean towards Jane Austen and the Brontes, but want a little more queer content, will love this book! Also, fans of Alexis Hall and Boyfriend Material, will find the banter in this to be impeccable. Even if you don’t like period pieces, I highly recommend this book! It will draw you in and make you feel things.

4.5 shining stars! I was very excited going into A Lady for a Duke, a first (for me) in the historical romance genre in that it features a trans heroine. And oh goodness, did this love story deliver for me.

When Viola Carroll goes to war with her best friend the Duke of Gracewood, she makes the difficult but courageous decision to take the chance given to her by her presumed death in battle: to finally begin to live as her true self, even it means the loss of her wealth, privilege, and dearest friend. Years later, however, Viola is faced with just how much her perceived death has affected Gracewood, who struggles deeply both with the loss of Viola and the horrors of war. What follows is an incredible exploration of identity, grief, friendship, and love that is unlike any I've ever read. I can't really quite describe adequately just how well done this was - Alexis Hall's own beautiful words relay this better than I ever could. I think the epilogue in particular is a triumph, and something I'll be thinking about for a long time.

I do think this book is a bit long. I wish Hall would trust himself and his readers to grasp the depth of his meaning; from the very beginning he deftly says so much so quickly that some of the later scenes felt superfluous, even if well-composed. I also really love how Hall explores queerness in this world but I felt these other characters' stories would have benefitted from being told in their own books, so both their own stories and Viola's and Gracewood's could be given room to breathe. But really, these are minor quibbles - there are worse things in the world than a talented writer giving his readers too much of a good thing!

Thank you so much to Forever for an advanced copy of A Lady for a Duke, which is out on 5/24/22. All opinions are my own. Instagram review to come closer to pub day!

I'm so glad I read this book.

A Lady for a Duke is a regency romance that centers around Viola, a trans woman, and Gracewood, her best friend and the man who believes she died in the war.

I love romance. It's my favorite genre, and I have read hundreds of different types of romance books. I have never read a book that handled a topic so beautifully and carefully (that may be mostly by fault of my own). As you read, you can practically see Alexis Hall cradling this story in his hands, tenderly caring for it and building it up. And it works so well. The plot is vibrant, the characters grow consistently, it's SPICY, and everything you would be looking for from a romance novel.

I am so glad to have read a book about a trans relationship. Especially as it's a theme in the book, but not the main focus or point of tension. A Lady for a Duke takes out the hatefulness but doesn't ignore the complexities of the relationship. I really admire all the characters in this book, but of course, especially Viola and Gracewood.

AND THE MAIN TENSION -- fantastic. I loved the tension, especially the brothel scene. And the ending was so sweet. I will definitely read the next in the series (it's definitely going to be about Mira, right?!?!)

I only hesitate to give five stars because there was quite a lot of internal monologuing from both Viola and Gracewood and the mutual pining got to be a bit too much for me. I think some of this also has to do with it being a regency. I've read and loved all of Alexis Hall's contemporary books, and I think I am not entirely used to the style of regency. It was very accurate, but too formal for me.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is an epic, tender, romantic, angsty, and beautifully written historical romance. It tells the story of Viola and Gracewood, who have been friends since childhood and fought together at Waterloo. Presumed dead, Viola is able to live her life as a trans woman. Gracewood returns from war with physical injuries and deeply affected by the loss of his friend.

I will start by the ending and say that this book has possibly the best epilogue I have ever read. The writing in this book is incredibly romantic and beautiful. I read it fairly slowly because I wanted to savour it, and I was also a bit anxious about the angst. The lesson is to really trust in Alexis Hall as a writer. You can feel the love and care that was imbued in the text by the author. It was full of longing, and felt sweeping in a way that reminds me of some classic older historicals, and I mean that as the highest compliment.

Both Viola and Gracewood were deeply compelling characters with clear independent journeys of their own on top of their love story. I love the general romance archetype that Gracewood falls under, and his growth over the course of the book was really masterfully written. Viola’s strength and vulnerability was beautiful, and I felt such joy in reading her story over the course of the book.

As is typical of Alexis Hall’s books, I loved the side characters and relationships, and the bursts of humour. I want a book for Miranda! I loved Viola’s relationship with her nephew Bartholomew, I found it was one of the best instances of a kid in a historical romance that I’ve read. Give me more Louise and Lady Lilimere!

I love all the deconstructions of toxic masculinity and gender roles in this book, which is one of my favourite things about romance in general, and in this book it was at another level. Really looking forward to the next book in the series.

Tl;dr asdafdslkafdsfjadfs read this book

🌶🌶🌶/5 moderate steam

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the ARC

High angst romance between two lifelong soul-mates who eventually stick it to society and get their happily ever after.

Viola and Gracewood have been friends since childhood, except for the two years since Viola let people believe she died at Waterloo so that she could live as her true self. For those two years, Gracewood grieves the death of his best friend, suffers from PTSD, starts drinking heavily and self-medicates with laudanum. When Viola’s sister in law decides to socially liberate Gracewood’s younger sister Miranda, Viola—as her real self—meets Gracewood again for the first time. Of course, he doesn’t recognize her and she doesn’t tell him they already know one another, but they’re pretty much already soul mates. They come back together easily and start down a new path together, but none of it is easy.

The first part of the book is angst to the max. Viola and Gracewood are both gentle and kind and deserving of good things, but Viola is keeping a pretty big secret. While I enjoyed the book overall, I did not enjoy being privy to Viola’s secret and the hurt it ultimately causes both her and Gracewood during their initial interactions together. This is definitely a me thing, and I think if you enjoy exquisite angst, this is well done. The secret stops being a secret earlyish, so the angst does drop slightly after this. Fortunately, their lifelong affection and friendship trump the elements that I didn’t enjoy as much.

There’s a good amount of plotty momentum here, so the “this is what I/we want, but the rules of society don’t allow it” premise doesn’t feel slow. We move from a gloomyish castle to the city, to a not dreary country estate. There are spirited, confident supporting characters who also manage to stick it to society, and a nephew called Little Bartholomew who befriends a mouse he names Arthur. (Possibly one of my favorite scenes in the book.)

While Viola is transgender, this is not really a primary source of conflict in the book, and everybody who knows this—her brother Badger and his wife Lady Marleigh, Gracewood and Miranda—accepts and supports and loves her. Which means Viola gets to be the romantic heroine without her story being exclusively about her gender. Yay.

Viola’s progression from “there is no way we could possibly be together” to “of course we can be together” wasn’t super clear to me. She largely seems to just…ignore her own reasons? She’s known Gracewood most of her life, and except for a single—not graceful, but understandably surprised—reaction he’s nothing but kind and supportive and loving with her. Whether or not a relationship with him would be worth it seems like it would already be a known? It’s possible (and very likely) I missed something.

I did appreciate that the bigger obstacle here wasn’t Viola’s gender. Love between Viola and Gracewood is a given. The obstacle is society and its intangible, inane, human constructs. I love that in the end, they get all the happiness.

Overall, A Lady for a Duke is a sweet but angsty friends-to-lovers historical romance with a super happy happily ever after.

The only problem I had with A Lady for a Duke was that it ended. This is a wonderful book that represents the future of historical romance and romance in general. All of the tropes and trappings of a romance novel are present - repressed longing, gothic castles, weirdly attractive dukes, duels, hand holding that's almost hotter than the sex, and a supporting cast of loveable eccentrics. But it's also packed to the rafters with queer representation and has a gentle, compassionate heart.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. *Insert mind blown emoji here* That was all I was able to think after finishing A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall.

Viola is presumed dead at Waterloo and she takes that as her opportunity to live the life she is meant to live. Unfortunately, this choice leads her to lose her childhood best friend, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood. Years later, they meet again and their connection is just as strong as it was before. After the war, Gracewood is left with guilt and grief with the lost of his best friend and suffers from PTSD. It takes Viola coming into his life to bring the spark back into his life.

There was so much about this that I absolutely loved. First, Alexis Hall has the ability to make you FEEL ALL THE FEELINGS with his writing. This story made me cry a little, laugh, and swoon. I felt for Viola, Gracewood and the rest of the characters. I was rooting for them and wanted them to end in a happy place. I think what is amazing about Hall’s writing is that he has the ability to make you both laugh and pull at your heartstrings over and over. It’s one of the reasons why I will always pick up his books.

I can tell that there was a lot of care put into this story. The story involves a transgender woman but the story itself is NOT about being a trans woman, which I really appreciate it. It takes something that you don’t commonly see in books and normalizes it. It’s fantastic. I cannot (hopefully) wait to see more of this.

If I had to describe this book in two words, it would be tenderness and care. Hall took those two things to create a beautiful story filled with hope and beauty. I cannot wait for everyone to read this book and I will definitely be gifting it to basically everyone in my life.

I have been waiting for this book for over a year, so I am just thrilled to be able to read an ARC. This is Hall’s second historical romance of 2022, and we are truly blessed to live in such an age.

Viola sacrificed everything for the opportunity to live authentically, and she doesn’t mind that the price for this is living in rural obscurity, away from curious eyes. When she learns that her childhood friend and his sister need help, she reacts with caution. After all, being recognized by anyone from her old life could spell ruination.

It takes longer than one might expect for Gracewood to recognize Viola, but when he does, he accepts her without reservation because their childhood friendship had always been based on a deeply-rooted affinity, rather than something more superficial. Viola has some reservations about their attraction to each other because she knows that dukes are supposed to marry and have children to further their line, as it were, and she doesn’t want to be an impediment to that. Also, her role as a companion puts her at a lower social status, making any marriage between her and Gracewood subject to scrutiny. And referring back to the last paragraph, scrutiny could lead to recognition, and she very much needs to remain in obscurity.

The secondary plot involves the whole gang going to London so that Gracewood’s sister Miranda can have a Season. There, they meet an assortment of aristocrats, including another duke named Amberglass, who is the antithesis of Gracewood. He didn’t rise to “chewing the scenery” levels of wickedness, but he danced perilously close to that line. Seriously, this guy could be the villain in a children’s movie where he’d say things like, “I’m so good at being bad!” Apparently, Amberglass is going to be in the sequel, and I am here for the redemption arc. Alexis Hall has his work cut out for him with that one.
Speaking of which, I cannot go without mentioning the superb ensemble whose many and varied personalities support our two protagonists. Some of the best moments in the book involved Viola and/or Gracewood interacting with these secondary characters.

I want to end my review with a note on perspective. While dual-POV is fairly common in the romance genre, many of Alexis Hall’s novels have been single POV. This works well because knowing what the other protagonist was thinking would eliminate much of the novel’s tension. This book, however, features dual perspective from both protagonists, and it works so well here. In this case, it’s imperative that the reader knows that the protagonists are on the same page—no pun intended.

I would absolutely recommend A Lady for a Duke. Admittedly, Hall is one of my favorite authors, but this book exceeded my expectations. It was full of big feelings and heart, and there’s a nice balance of tension and levity. I’m thrilled that Hall has jumped into the historical romance pool, and I hope that we’ll have more from him in the future.


I received a digital ARC of this book from Forever/NetGalley.

A Lady For A Duke has a trans heroine, Viola, who has made some tough choices in order to live her life on her own terms. She hears that her childhood best friend, The Duke of Gracewood, is struggling with life after coming home from war. The two reconnect, and together they try to figure out what it means to love and be who they truly are in a world that would tear them apart before allowing them to be happy together.

This book is truly a masterpiece. I love every book that Alexis Hall writes, but there is something so heartbreakingly beautiful about this story that puts it a smidge above the rest. It has the sweetness of queer romance that Alexis does so very well, but it also has some heavy issues that were handled so expertly and compassionately that I couldn’t help but fall in love with both Viola and Gracewood.

The characters in this story are hilarious, flawed, and so, so lovable (with the exception of the villain who is…adequately villainous). Viola is so convinced she can’t have everything she wants that it almost becomes a fatal flaw. She is strong and so undeniably herself that she elevates everyone else around her to do the same. Gracewood is grieving, and thinks he has to play the role of the cold, unfeeling Duke, but he sees in Viola a beauty and a light that helps to heal his spirit and allows him to truly live.

The side characters are also a delight. I loved Lady Marleigh and Badger. They had a fun dynamic that was refreshing. Miranda, Gracewood’s sister, I fell in love with right away. In the Reading Guide at the end of the book Hall asks what characters we would like to see a future book about and Miranda is definitely my choice. I would love to see her grow up a little and explore her sexuality and place in the world. I would honestly read a book about any of these characters and be perfectly happy with it.

The plot itself was really intriguing. I loved any scene between Gracewood and Viola. I would be very interested in reading more about their childhood together as children. The only critique, and it’s a very small one, is that Viola overthinks everything. EVERYTHING. Which I relate to and adore, but it sometimes slows the pace of a scene because her thoughts sometimes can run in circles. This could just be because I was so desperate to see the two of them happy, and honestly her thought process was interesting enough that it didn’t really take away from the story.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves queer romance, strong female leads, Bridgerton, dukes, or anything to do with the regency era. It was a delightful read whose characters will stay with me for a very long time.

##

Viola Carroll has returned to the Duke of Gracewood’s life after over two years of him believing her to be dead. Now that she is there and able to be fully herself, she is afraid to tell Gracewood the truth — and once she does, she has no idea what that will lead to? And of course, all of this is happening while the rest of their lives are nothing but chaotic, helping Gracewood’s younger sister debut in the ton in London and interacting with folks for the first time in years.

**Some Highlights:**

- Viola is transgender! And while this is obviously a big plot point, it’s not the only driving force of the story. The focus is far more on the relationship between Viola and Gracewood while navigating all kinds of different things in life.
- As with any other Alexis Hall novel, this book is *so* funny. However, this one also pulled at my heartstrings so much more often than past Hall novels that I’ve read. The banter between all of the characters is fantastic, but Viola and Gracewood both definitely have a lot of struggles they have to face — Viola with getting used to socializing with others now that she is herself (no longer being in a position of power while also not being raised as a woman) and Gracewood dealing with a multitude of things that make his life harder (the trauma that comes from having a bad father, PTSD from war, believing he lost his best friend, his leg injury that has led to a reliance on laudanum).
- We love a romance where the characters rely on each other, but not in a way that comes across as codependent or toxic in any way. Viola and Gracewood make each other better, their lives are more fulfilled together, but if they couldn’t be together, they would also be able to live good lives independently of one another.
- I loved all of the side characters! Even the antagonists were well written characters that I loved to hate. If I saw any of them in future novels, I would absolutely not be mad about it.

This book was absolutely stunning. I’ve only recently started to get into queer historical romance novels, and I will always love a book that involves queerness in some way (in this case, a transgender main character and side characters that are not heterosexual) that doesn’t involve constant pain of the characters as a result of their sexuality/gender identities. Alexis Hall has written an absolutely beautiful love story for Viola and Gracewood.

“But you’ve already sacrificed so much. Title, lands, wealth, most of your rights, and the ability to be lauded for accomplishments other than needlepoint.”

Lady Viola has returned home, presumed dead on the battlefield, under a new name. She has surrendered literally everything she had to live her true life and is now a companion to her sister-in-law in the house that used to be hers. She’s struggling to learn how to be a woman, how to be herself.

When she learns her lifelong friend the Duke of Gracewood has turned to laudanum and his younger sister is isolated and lonely, Viola and her sister-in-law visit them. Viola is terrified of both being recognized and being rejected.

Gracewood, a disabled war veteran with PTSD, is devastated by the death is his friend. He believes that he left his best friend to die at Waterloo and could never even bring his body home and has never recovered, sinking further into despair and laudanum.

I was hooked on page one and by the the end of the first few chapters I was desperate for Gracewood to realize his friend wasn’t dead. Viola is one of the bravest and sweetest characters I’ve ever read. Gracewood’s capacity for growth and patience was swoon worthy.

It’s nice to see a regency with honest conversations and swearing and sex. Too many historicals focus on creating an idealized version of how they think people spoke and acted in the past while forgetting that people were still people. The supporting characters were well drawn. Lady Marleigh is a force to be reckoned with and everyone needs a champion like her in their corner, even if they don’t appreciate her. Lady Miranda was adorably naive and earnest.

The heroine is a transgender woman and the hero a cis man and both are heterosexual. The story takes place in a highly gendered society but Viola’s identity is a part of the story but not central to the conflict. I would love for regency romance readers to simply pick up this book and enjoy it.

The dialogue is excellent, quick and clever when it had to be, believable when it was sincere. The writing was evocative and everyone’s feelings, even the painful ones, were beautifully expressed. There is so much heart-wrenching yearning in this book. Not just for love, but also for forgiveness, for identity, for belonging, for friendship. I devoured it.

4.5 stars review will appear June 5 https://www.heathermollauthor.com/post/book-review-a-lady-for-a-duke

Oh, my Heart. I am completely undone. This book made me laugh, cry, worry, swoon, curse, giggle, swoon some more and now I am left in awe over the beauty of this story. It's described as a lush, sweeping queer historical romance and it is that, but it's also so much more. This is a Love Story. So full of CARE and HEART and TRUST and TENDERNESS that it’s like no other historical romance I have read. And I adored it.

Viola & Gracewood were childhood friends who fought at Waterloo together and when Viola is presumed dead she takes the opportunity to live her true self as a trans woman. But the war leaves Gracewood grief-stricken, injured and lost in PTSD and addiction. When they meet again years later their connection is still there and Viola brings Gracewood back to himself, as Gracewood falls for who she is now. There is so much angst and pining as their souls ache for each other, and they are drawn to each other like magnets. Viola is beautiful and witty and caring and Gracewood is vulnerable and kind and accepting, and together they are unstoppable. I just love them so much.

My favorite part of the story is that at its core it’s about gender roles in society. None of our modern day identity labels existed in 1817 so the words trans and queer are never used, and although there is a lot of queer representation in this book, it allows for everyone to just be themselves and exist as PEOPLE. Everyone accepts Viola as a woman. Side characters are accepted as queer. The conflict for the characters is more about navigating the expectations of your gender in this era. What does it mean to be a man? Where Gracewood's role as a man and a Duke is to provide an heir and make decisions for his sister. What does it mean to be a woman? Where Viola clearly longs to be a mother but can't bear children. Where Miranda, Gracewood’s sister, is expected to marry a man of similar rank. It is a beautiful take on these ideas and a joy to read how they grow and make their own world with their own rules.

Can we talk about the writing? The writing is absolutely gorgeous. Hall is one of my favorite writers and the prose is as elegant as Viola and her embroidered gloves, and as perfectly put together as she likes to be. The language is of the time and felt similar to KJ Charles or Bridgerton, but there are a few modern morsels included that almost feel like a wink to us the reader. There is sex and cursing and sass and lasciviousness and I found it to be a perfect blend of styles.

And the introduction of the Duke of Amberglass, the villain/hero of the next book, has me intrigued. I love a Libertine and a scoundrel! Also, the Epilogue is *chef’s kiss*

Thank you to NetGalley & Forever for the ARC. I was really dying to read this one!

– Please everyone read this book. Available May 24, 2022 –

Even though Alexis Hall has written several romcoms, no matter the amount of levity they contain his books always have a gravity to them. They have Big Things to say, important messages woven in with the romance and the humor. It’s one of the things I like most about his books. This one might be his most important and impactful yet.

Viola is a trans woman who has given up her old life simply so she can live as her true self. She is extremely hesitant to revisit old places and faces for fear of rejection. She believes she is consigned to a life without love and friendship. However, we see such radical empathy, compassion, and acceptance among the characters. It’s truly beautiful. The message “love is love” echoes loudly throughout these pages. This book is not just wonderful but it is needed.

So much of this book is profoundly beautiful. The writing is exquisite and the topics are given the weight and sensitivity they deserve. And frankly, it’s a damn good story. There is yearning and angst and drama and more yearning. So much yearning. 😂 And there is a declaration of love in this book that rivals Darcy’s for Elizabeth Bennett. It is SO beautiful. There were some bits that I thought could have been condensed some - the ball scenes went on a while - but it’s never a hardship to read anything by Alexis Hall so I didn’t mind it. I very much look forward to the next one in the series!

I will expand on my thoughts a bit more on my blog.

5 stars out of 5

Thanks NetGalley and Forever/Grand Central for providing the digital arc.

‘A Lady for a Duke’ is one of the loveliest, most romantic novels I’ve read and by far a favorite of recent years! It’s wonderfully queer, romantic and funny with just enough angst. To me, one of the most romantic tropes is falling in love with someone a second time, intentionally and with purpose. Viola and Greenwood fit that perfectly. The desperate longing between them, for who they were to one another and to who they are now is delicious. I cannot recommend this enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested advance copy to review. All opinions are my own.

Oh my god this was so beautiful. I read this not long after Something Fabulous, so I was expecting something similar and light. This is nothing like that at all, but wow was it amazing. If you’re expecting a book that’s fluffy and wacky, this is not that. But it’s beyond wonderful so you should absolutely read it.
Viola and Gracewood are hurting from their past and who they are and who they want to be. Viola has struggled her entire life to understand who she is, to be able to articulate who she is, and now to be able to live as she truly is. But that doesn’t mean she could ever turn away from her oldest and best friend. Gracewood is still reeling from the war, struggling with PTSD, mourning his friend, and at a loss at how to be the man society expects him to be. This book explores so beautifully acceptance, love, friendship, societal roles and what it means to reject them, how to move past trauma and hurt, and how to live and love as we truly are.
This was a beautiful and as powerful as a Meredith Duran historical romance (super high praise from me). There was the requisite drama and sweet resolution with an HEA and I loved every minute of it.
Alexis Hall has quickly become an auto-buy author for me and I’m so glad we got another amazing book.

This is another winner from Alexis Hall. The love between the main characters is obvious and your heart hurts for them as they try to figure out a life together.

This is a 5/5 star read for me, but I want to heavily qualify that by saying that I am not a trans woman. I think it's super important that this book makes its way into the hands of trans women readers and that, when we read through the reviews of this book, it's the voices of trans women that should be the loudest and carry the most weight.

Writing the Inner Life of a Trans Woman

(1) On gender dysphoria. I am agender and have experienced and continue to experience gender dysphoria. Because Viola exists on the gender binary and I do not, the dysphoria she experiences is different from what I experience. However, I can say that the descriptions of dysphoria landed well with me. Sometimes I could relate, and where I could not relate, I deeply empathized.

(2) "the rough seam between the life she used to live and the life she lived now" Here is where we need the perspective of a trans woman. For me, as a person who is agender, there is not a clear demarcation between what is referred to in this book as an "old life" and a "new life". I've always been agender. The difference for me now is that I have the language to describe my relationship with gender, whereas before I did not. For Viola though, it was Marleigh (her deadname) who died in the war in France and it was Viola that returned to England. For Viola there is a clear line of demarcation and it's her interaction with Gracewood, who knew her before and after transition, that forces her confront the place where her "old life" and her "new life" intersect. In the book, AJH calls this intersection a "rough seam". I would like to know how this - the description of a demarcation and the reference to a "rough seam" weaving the two lives together - lands with trans women readers.

For the most part. Viola's thoughts around being trans rung true to me, even if AJH didn't always dive very deep into those thoughts. However, while reading this I was very aware that it was a cis gay man writing the inner life of a trans woman and I wondered if that man (AJH) had a right to tell this story, and if trans women would find that he told that story well. And in the same vein, do I, who is not a trans woman, really have the right to judge this story's merits?

Tragic Queer Stories (TM)

Like many of us, AJH is sick and tired of reading stories that paint queer lives as tragic (I am basing this on notes at the back of the book and various social media posts). In the back of the book, AJH states, "my intent for this book was for the fact that Viola is transgender not to be the main source of conflict" and asks the reader if that intent was successful.

I would say that the attempt at a story where the fact that Viola is transgender is not the main source of conflict was not successful. But not in the way you might think. This is most definitely not a Tragic Queer Story (TM). Indeed, it is a celebration of love and a celebration (and affirmation) of Viola's womanhood.

In my view, this book exists in three parts - The Reunion, The Pursuit, and The Random Side Story with the Sister. (Btw, while it seemed unnecessary as I was reading it, upon reflection, that Random Side Story absolutely served a purpose).

In part one, which I am calling The Reunion, Viola and Gracewood are reunited two years after Marleigh (Viola's deadname) was believed to be killed at Waterloo. Only Gracewood doesn't know that Viola is his longtime friend. He doesn't recognize her yet is drawn to her. And it's during this section of the book that I, as a reader, was on the absolute edge of my seat wondering when it would come out that (a) Viola didn't die at Waterloo and (b) Viola is trans. Here, I believe that the fact that Viola is trans was, if not a source of conflict, definitely a source of narrative tension. And by the end of part one, Viola's transness becomes, if not the source of conflict, definitely the source of some very conflicted feelings.

That leads us to part two, which I will call The Pursuit. I'm trying to avoid spoilers here, but given that this is marketed as a romance, it can be no surprise to any reader that there is in this middle section a pursuit of romance. And it's during The Pursuit that the fact that Viola is a trans woman once again becomes a source of conflict. But again, not in the way you think. As I said before, this is not a Tragic Queer Story (TM). Rather than being denied happiness because she is trans (as one might expect), happiness is instead laid at Viola's feet and it is she who hesitates to grab at it because she's always believed that being trans necessarily meant that she would be denied romance. The joy here is that Viola is given an opportunity for romance just as any other woman would be given the same opportunity.

Historical Accuracy

There are those that are going to hate this book because they perceive it as being not historically accurate. My fear is that there will be readers that use that argument to disguise their own transphobia.

At the end of the book, AJH poses these questions:

There's often resistance among fans of historical fiction...to writing stories about LGBTQ+ people that don't just consist of wall-to-wall bigotry and misery, on the basis that it's "historically inaccurate." So two questions: Firstly, is it, in fact, historically inaccurate? Secondly, does it matter? Is the purpose of historical fiction only ever to imagine historical societies as they were (or as we are in the habit of imagining that they were)?

I think that second question is the most vital to me personally: does it matter? Does it matter that this affirming love story between a trans woman and a cis man may not be historically accurate? I've said it before and I'll say it again here, queer people, including trans women, deserve happy endings too. If AJH is presenting this book as entertainment rather than proven history, can't we just, you know, enjoy it?

Conclusion

As I reflect on this book, and even as I write this review, I am realizing it is going to take a re-read for me to fully absorb what AJH has given us here. There are some aspects of the romance I was unable to truly savor because I was wringing my hands worrying that the fact that Viola is trans would somehow become a source of tragedy (even though I was assured that this was not a Tragic Queer Story (TM)). Additionally, every AJH book contains nuances that are impossible for me to pick up on during the first pass. So I look forward to re-reading this one to find its hidden gems.

This is a 5/5 star read for me. But again, I think when trans women read and review this one, it's incredibly important for us who are not trans women to listen to and uplift their voices. In the end and imo, it's for trans women readers to decide if this one hit all the right notes.

By all accounts this book shouldn't work for me. The pairing is m/f, and I typically don't read that, and it's a pre 20th century period piece- something else I don't tend to enjoy. But both of them didn't matter as much to me in this case. I chose to read this book in particular because the main character is a trans woman, and it isn't every day that I get to read a book about a trans woman that isn't also scifi or fantasy (which I usually need to be in a particular mood for). And in a time when my community in particular is under more attacks than ever, it was really nice reading a book about a happy ending for a trans woman when you wouldn't necessarily expect one. The stars fell into place for A Lady for a Duke, and I really enjoyed it.

A Lady for a Duke follows Viola Carroll. Formerly a wealthy noble in early Victorian era England, Viola is content to have her previous self assumed dead after the Napoleonic wars content to live as a lady in waiting for her sister in law. While a step down society wise, Viola is more than happy to take it to be able to live as her true self- something before was impossible. This changes when her sister in law hears from the Gracewood family that Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood has become sullen and unapproachable. Gracewood used to be Viola's closest friend and someone she nursed feelings for. Viola is reticient to go but also knows she is possibly the only one who can help Gracewood through this time in her life, even if it comes with potentially being recognized.

Viola was such a wonderful character. She was warm and compassionate while also having a quick wit and love of fun. She was so easy to root for and empathize with about her identity struggles and her dilemma about Gracewood. I absolutely loved her and felt bonded with her as a protagonist nearly instantly. Gracewood was a compelling character too, there's nuance to his darkness and I don't want to understate how good all the characters were in this book, Viola just had my heart from the start.

People who write trans characters often have good intentions but don't get everything quite right, especially in gender representation ways, but I can tell Alexis Hall put in a lot of time and effort and sensitivity to really nail how to best depict Viola. It came through and well.

The book was compelling too. The yearning between Viola and Gracewood was on point, Gracewood's emotions and trauma progression, and the will they wont they find out kept me reading. I enjoyed those aspects of the book too.

My usual issue with LGBT period pieces before the 20th century is I don't usually find the acceptance realistic. There was only one I can think of quickly that I really enjoyed and it was Backwards to Oregon by Jae. But it might just be my emotional state with the national attacks on trans people in America and England right now, but reading a story about a trans woman be loved and accepted by the people in her life just worked for me. This book made me feel good. And that makes it a success.

I did have some minor issues with the book, particularly the flowery language used, but also it was probably fitting for period pieces of this type and other readers won't mind it as much.

This book made me feel things. It shouldn't necessarily have worked for me, but it did. It's the right book at the right time. 4.5/5

A Lady for A Duke is a rollercoaster. There was one scene in particular where I think I felt every possible emotion.

This book has an incredible premise, with interested characters, great representation (both with LGBTQ+ characters and disabled characters), hilarious dialogue, and beautiful writing. There were so many lines I noticed that were so quotable.

However, my only issue is that this book is long, and feels it. At some points, the beautiful writing did seem a little too much, and it dragged down the pace. Luckily, I loved the characters and plot more so it didn't bother me that much, but I can see it being an issue for people who aren't typically historical romance readers jumping into this for the first time.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Forever publishing for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

"I want to go forward. And I'm not looking for perfect. I'm looking for you."

I have found my favourite book of 2022, and yet we're only in March. I don't care, this book was everything I needed it to be, and more. I swear to god, this book is my 3rd favourite book of all time.

A Lady for a Duke follows Viola Carroll, a transgender woman who used the Battle of Waterloo to escape with her life and finally live how she's meant to be, and Gracewood, Viola's childhood and oldest companion. Viola realizes that leaving Gracewood has caused him to retreat into grief, so far that Viola barely recognizes her old friend. While Viola helps Gracewood become himself again, the fresh desires give way to old feelings. Will Gracewood accept Viola for who she is, who she has always been? Or will it be the end of their friendship?

First off, the representation in this is phenomenal. Not only do we have Viola, a trans woman, but Gracewood uses a cane and has PTSD episodes from the war.

As a trans person, Viola was so well crafted and I can tell that Alexis Hall wanted to get Viola done correctly. It's clear to me that he did his research and probably had sensitivity readers before this book went onto Netgalley. Reading from Viola's perspective was, in simple words, amazing. She's my favourite character. The way that Alexis Hall described how Viola feels about gender was done so carefully, and so god damn well. I love Viola, and I will defend her till my death.

As for Gracewood, I loved him, definitely my second favourite character. He's so sweet, so caring, and so gentle. I just want to give him a massive hug.

This is my second Alexis Hall book (the first one I read was Murder Most Actual), and I can tell you, he is a favourite author now. His writing is just something else that I absolutely love.

At this point, just add this book to your tbr. It's amazing, it's funny, it's cute, it's heartwarming, and it's a lil smutty (one scene, but woo wee that was great).

Out May 24th, 2022!