I received an advanced copy of Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J McAvoy from the publisher Random House Ballatine. via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Aphrodite Du Bell was meant to marry the Duke of Everely Evander Eagleman, it was set up by their mother and they were also in love or so she thought until she was jilted and embarrassed. Four years lady her mom summons her back to London to aid in her sister’s debut. Now Evander is back on the marriage mart after the loss of his wife, he’s not willing to let Aphrodite go again. But Aphrodite refuses to be embarrassed again, but she still feels a connection but is a happily ever after even possible?

My Thoughts: I’d been wanting to read this book for a long time and so I finally sat down with it over spring break. This book is pitched as Bridgerton but with a Black family and quite frankly it does read a bit like Bridgerton (luckily, no rape scene!). The Du Bell family is huge, close, and silly, they are loud and enjoy their time together. It was fun to get to see this scene. I really liked how this allowed the author to explore the difference in happy and unhappy families in a way that really showed the way it can affect relationships and make it difficult to fully understand your partner (the duke is not from a happy family). This made it more easy to understand some of the miscommunication trope. I also really loved the first half of the book but the second half was a bit difficult for me. The first part of the book made me really fall for Aphrodite and Evander and understand their second chance, but the second part made me really frustrated with Evander and kind of took away my enjoyment of the pairing, I was like nah Aphrodite deserves better. The second half of seeing Aphrodite grow into her role as duchess was super interesting and I loved the scenes between her and Evander’s daughter. Overall, a really good historical romance with minor quibbles about the male lead.

Who Should Read It: People looking for diverse regency romance.

Summary: Two people torn apart by circumstances could be given their second chance.

Life got in the way and I could not finish the book. Thanks to the publishers for the chance to read the book.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. This book ended up being one of my absolute favorite romance reads. It read like a classic old school romance in character development, plot, and pacing. This is something I greatly appreciated. It was very well written and hit all of the historical romance beats I expect from my reads.

Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy is a fun historical romance. The interactions among Aphrodite’s family members feels real and loving. The point of view changed often, but made the story unfold well. But wait, there’s more…the romance was only half the story. This is a good read.

It brings me a great deal of pain to tell you Aphrodite and the Duke did not sweep me off my feet. I had high hopes for the second chance friends to lovers regency romance but it left much to be desired. J.J. McAvoy did a great job with crafting the setting and staying in historical context. In addition to the the narrators being perfect. However the real problem was the pacing and the the plotting of the storyline.

For a historical romance, the romance element ended at 50% and it became less about their romance and more about seeing the villain pay for their crimes. While I didn't mind that storyline, I wished it didn't overshadow the romance. Had it been rewritten to draw out their connection and Fitzwilliam meddled in their reunion, then we would had a the story I seeked.

The things I did like were commentary on marriage, privilege and choices, the comedy and the way that JJ wrote regency smut. Not sure if I'll read verity but I was glad to see a historical romance with two Black main characters. This representation matters!

I wanted to like this one more, but it wasn't as emotionally resonant as I would have hoped. It's a fine entry into the Regency romance subgenre, and elevated by the inclusion of diversity. I'll be on the lookout for future entries from the author.

It wasn't bad but it felt unoriginal, part one was good but once we got to Part two it felt like a new book, reminded me a lot of the Ruthless People series which isn't what I'm looking for when I come to historical romances. That being said, again it wasn't bad if J.J. McAvoy can find a way to write a regency beginning to end the way part one was written she'll have it on lock.

New to me author JJ McAvoy writes a sweeping and romantic tale that is full of depth and words that cut deep into my soul. A second chance romance and so much more, this well written tale boasts characters that were well developed and the amazing plot kept me intrigued and entertained.

#AphroditeandtheDuke #NetGalley

I wanted to read this because the cover is so gorgeous, but I ended up not being able to get into it. Historical romance and me just have not been jiving, but I keep getting tempted by the covers and ending up bored.

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an ARC!
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Unfortunately I DNFed this, it just didn’t catch my attention and maybe I’ll get into it again when I’m in the perfect headspace to give this another try! But I would buy and recommend this to others definitely!

Exceptionally written historical romance with captivating characters, engaging dialogue and great plot.

I liked the two leads and their second chance story quite a lot. I want to enjoy the next in the series as well

The author makes the reader question too the effects of primogeniture and bastardy. The incitement of the mob, once set in motion no matter the rightness of our purpose, cannot be controlled and despite unintended consequences we have a responsibility that is not eradicated once control leaves our hands. Brilliant. Highly recommend. This was worth reading I can’t wait for the second book and more books coming up!!

I absolutely loved this book! J.J. McAvoy was new to me, and I loved everything about this. I can’t say that I have ever read a historical romance novel with the main characters are Black.

I loved Aphrodite, affectionately known to her family as Odite; she was more than just a pretty face. She made a choice I can’t say I would have made, but I completely understand why she did. Evander, Duke of Everly, was fantastic. Getting his backstory was heartbreaking.

This put me in the mind of “Bridgerton,” and I loved it so much. Meeting the Queen and seeing how much interest she took in Aphrodite was fun. Also, I loved that this was not Aprhrodite’s coming-out season; it was her sister’s, Hathor. I would love a book to see how Hathor’s season ends.

Odite’s family is loving and supportive; everything Evander’s family wasn’t except for his sister, Verity. I absolutely adored Verity. It is her coming-out season, but she’s not concerned about herself. We will get her story in book 2, and I’m hoping there is a book 3.

This is a second-chance historical romance with mystery, humor and love. I am excited for where this goes next!

This felt really flat and I didn't like the fatphobia pretty early on in the book. I do see the merit of diverse historical romance but I really didn't enjoy this one.

Certeza que essa história foi inspirada na escalação do Rege como Simon em Bridgerton. A primeira parte foi bem legal, mas o ritmo da história caiu um pouco na segunda. E, talvez seja coisa minha, mas pela narração em primeira pessoa, às vezes os personagens pareciam um pouco fora de sua época.

After having to start 3x this book was so good.
Aphrodite and Evander have known each other their whole lives as soon and she turn 18 they are getting married. Then boom they don’t. you’ll have to read it to find out why and Aphrodites season is ruined and spend. The next 4 years avoiding the ton. But she’s back this season and who does she keep running into? She’s angry at him but he can’t answer hers whys so she can’t forgive him but those feelings are still there along with ones she never experienced before. This story is messy, full of family drama , scandal , and lies, all the good stuff. These two find a way back to each other but they have to fight the drama scandal and lies. They love each other but do they know each other as well as they thought they did? I recommend this book if you like a historical romance , the messy kind.

I adored this book! This brought me so much joy and right out of a very long reading slump. This book gives you exactly the feelings you are longing for. If you are a big fan of the Bridgerton series, especially the tv show this book gives you those same feelings but even more because you are experiencing them yourself. I truly adored Aphrodite and Evander! Envisioning black people in this world, with beautiful clothes and palaces, seeing someone who looks like me fall in love during the regency era, without having to experience pain from racism or seeing yourself as the help or an enslaved person is so refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Aphrodite is still suffering from a broken heart 4 years after the man she was supposed to marry chose to marry someone else. With all of her dreams dashed and feeling humiliated by the whispers about town she fled to the country to get peace and quiet. But now her younger sister is set to make her come out and their mother wants her back in London for the occasion. The fact that a certain duke is now a widower is definitely part of her mother’s scheming. Her mother only wants her to get her happily ever after after all this time but Aphrodite wants nothing to do with any of it. If only she could find some interest in the second suitor that comes calling but tis not meant to be.

Typically in stories like this they draw out the explanation for why the main characters didn’t even up together the first time. So imagine my surprise when it happens sooner than it typically would because in a log of books they would have kept putting it off. The reason why Evander didn’t marry Aphrodite as planned all those years ago is actually rather valid. Evil illegitimate brother, stolen identity and pregnant young lady are all a lot to deal with. Why he couldn’t have possibly told Aphrodite or her family anything that might have spared her broken heart a little? There is no real reason except reasons. I mean I get that whole her family was close and loving his was the exact opposite but he could really have said something. But he’s a man in a regency romance so of course he didn’t.

To me the story took a strange turn post wedding. Obviously when you get to the wedding halfway through there are more shenanigans to follow. Aphrodite settling into life with her new husband and trying to build a relationship with her stepdaughter and doing all the duchess things was perfectly fine. Evander keeping secrets and generally being annoying was predictable and I suppose just a given for the time period. Though considering the fact that Aphrodite already knew about the evil brother it didn’t really make much sense to keep hiding things but I guess that can be blamed on his upbringing. The whole thing with the nanny made no sense to me because what was her motivation? At the very least I assumed the stepmother must have been influencing her of something but nope she acted that way on her own for no good reason. It takes awhile for the brother to actually show up and nothing about him seems all that sinister really. Like what was his plan? There was no way he could suddenly become the legitimate son even if he killed Evander, the title would have just passed to their younger brother. So what was the point of anything he did? The only people he hurt were innocent women he manipulated not really his brother. Everything about him was rather anticlimactic and maybe that’s why the last quarter of the book is just all over the place. He was never really a threat and then in the end one of the last things he did was just an obvious escalation they should have seen coming. But the way Evander reacts and suddenly is feeling bad for his brother like his brother wasn’t trying to be evil this whole time made zero sense. Just like it made no sense that the stepmother in the end tried to act like she was so innocent in everything that occurred over the years. But how is that possible considering what she did to the sister?

There was just a lot of nonsense in the last quarter of the book that could have been done better. All this said though I did actually like the book and with Aphrodite’s many siblings seems like it could be a series. I also liked the cover and can literally not help but to read any historical romance with people of color being the main characters. I’ve never read the author’s other work but if there was another of these I would definitely read it.

Did not finish this book. The premise excited me, but ultimately I didn't like the writing style and I couldn't get through it.