Scan barcode
A review by bandherbooks
After Dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long
5.0
Mariana Wylde, an opera diva newly branded the “Harlot of Haywood Street” finds shelter at the Grand Palace on the Thames when she finds herself out of funds and options after two rival beaus duel over her. She finds the rules of the Grand Palace delightful, and is grateful to find a soft place to land while she finds a way to keep carrying on. She wasn't expecting the starchy General James Duncan Blackmore, the Duke of Valkirk and grand war hero of well, everyone, to be so entirely rude to her.
When the proprietresses of the Grand Thames chastise James for his behavior and ask him to make it up to Mariana, he agrees to tutor the young ingenue in Italian. Instead of the flirt he pre-judged, James finds himself slowly falling in love with this determined woman as he helps her learn to both recognize when people are taking advantage and to stick up for herself.
But, with honor and propriety on the line for James as he attempts to pen his next book, he cannot fathom every allowing himself, or Mariana, the pleasure of finding a happily ever after, together.
WOW THE ANGST. This book, what a ride. I truly wanted to yeet James a few times, as his honor causes him to so thoroughly wound Mariana, who only wanted to give him her heart. BUT BUT how he falls, and how he groves. Perfect. Yes.
I about died when he threatened the Italian composer while he wouldn't listen to a no. Put that in my veins people. Also, all the little moments, the soft touches. how Mariana clutched James' palm kiss against her heart while she slept. UNF.
My one minor quibble was the anti-sex worker rhetoric, that felt shaming. James really uses it to hurt Mariana at one point, but it felt true to his character (and he atones). Mariana also is disdainful of sex workers.
It was great to be with the ladies of the Thames again. I need to go back and read the book I missed, and I snagged an ARC of the next one. JAL - a queen.
Big thanks to Kate Clayborn, and Funmi, for reading this with me!
Thank you to Avon for the advanced copy. Glad to find out this wasn't a holiday romance (don't let that cover fool you like me. I do want that robe though!)
CW: physical violence, sexual harrasment (described, some on page - countered, James is a widower and is about 20 years older than Mariana. Lingering grief over death of a father (in past, described).
When the proprietresses of the Grand Thames chastise James for his behavior and ask him to make it up to Mariana, he agrees to tutor the young ingenue in Italian. Instead of the flirt he pre-judged, James finds himself slowly falling in love with this determined woman as he helps her learn to both recognize when people are taking advantage and to stick up for herself.
But, with honor and propriety on the line for James as he attempts to pen his next book, he cannot fathom every allowing himself, or Mariana, the pleasure of finding a happily ever after, together.
WOW THE ANGST. This book, what a ride. I truly wanted to yeet James a few times, as his honor causes him to so thoroughly wound Mariana, who only wanted to give him her heart. BUT BUT how he falls, and how he groves. Perfect. Yes.
I about died when he threatened the Italian composer while he wouldn't listen to a no. Put that in my veins people. Also, all the little moments, the soft touches. how Mariana clutched James' palm kiss against her heart while she slept. UNF.
My one minor quibble was the anti-sex worker rhetoric, that felt shaming. James really uses it to hurt Mariana at one point, but it felt true to his character (and he atones). Mariana also is disdainful of sex workers.
It was great to be with the ladies of the Thames again. I need to go back and read the book I missed, and I snagged an ARC of the next one. JAL - a queen.
Big thanks to Kate Clayborn, and Funmi, for reading this with me!
Thank you to Avon for the advanced copy. Glad to find out this wasn't a holiday romance (don't let that cover fool you like me. I do want that robe though!)
CW: physical violence, sexual harrasment (described, some on page - countered, James is a widower and is about 20 years older than Mariana. Lingering grief over death of a father (in past, described).