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This was really lovely. Historical romances are hit or miss with me especially queer romance can be difficult to feel realistic. But this was so well done. Viola took the opportunity to become her true self after being presumed dead in battle but didn't realize her disappearance would affect her best friend so deeply. Their journey through grief & loss to acceptance & desire was an emotional ride. This took turns I wasn't expecting in the best way

Messy book. Lovely story.

June Fiction #ReadingBracket2023
This month was a difficult choice! Always the Almost and If I See You Again Tomorrow were both 5 ⭐ contenders, but A Lady for a Duke beat them out. I loved the complexity and growth of the characters
Something Wild and Wonderful has the top spot for the first half of the year though. Ben and Alexei have my heart ❤️

Emotional in a good, nonmelodramatic way. The interactions between the female cast were especially compelling. I loved the banter on all sides. It focuses on the main couple while letting the quirks of the side characters shine aplenty (chef‘s kiss to Viola‘s sister-in-law). Fun dynamics all around. The relationship between the main pair is also believable and makes you root for their happiness—which is the whole point of a romance book

4.5/5

Alexis Hall does queer regency romance?! HELL YES. This was a great "friends to lovers" story with much needed trans representation for the genre. Gracewood has long grieved for his friend, presumed dead at the battle of Waterloo, not knowing that Viola had taken that opportunity to return to the world as the woman she'd always been, until they reconnect years later and their friendship blooms into love. I liked this more than Hall's modern books!

I have never seen a trans person in a Regency romance before but I hope it becomes a thing
Disappearing from the battle of Waterloo gave Viola the chance to live her true life, sacrificing her title, her freedom, & her best friend, Justin, to do it.
Years later, Justin isn‘t doing well & Viola‘s sister-in-law convinces Viola that she is the only person who can help. What she didn‘t know is that old feelings also have a new name.
Finished 10/2/2022

Oh how I adored this! Viola is such a snarky darling, Gracewood was her perfect match and Mira? Mira, We protect. At all cost. Queer historical romance without too much of that "sad queer/can't have each other"-feel. Adore. Could've been about 100 pages shorter and not suffered but it was worth every single page.

4.5/5

A few years after being presumed dead at Waterloo, Viola Carroll has remade her life the way she has always truly wanted to live. Her only regret is that her best friend, the Duke of Gracewood still believes she is dead. Now circumstances force her to reenter his life and figure out their path forward.

I loved this queer, friends to lovers romance. I especially loved all the side characters, particularly Lady Marleigh.

Viola is finally living her life as the woman she‘s always truly been after faking her death in the Napoleonic Wars. Her only regret is leaving behind her best friend, the Duke of Gracewood, who has never really recovered. This is such a sweet, affirming, heartwarming yet humorous, nicely spicy friends to lovers romance. I loved the rep, the tenderness in Viola & Gracewood‘s relationship, & tbh the sheer drama of the back from the dead story line!

🎧I flew through this!
The first chapters I had a bit of a time suspending belief (ladies companions with dukes and a bit of insta love feel)but once the story started rolling I was sucked in and was trying to find things to do while listening so I knew what happened next! 450 at first felt bit much, but the length was perfect. I ❤️ getting to know Viola, and so appreciated that Gracewood had flaws but none were treating others poorly

How are we halfway through September?? My TBR for this month is still stacked high. Must get moving.
Listening to tagged from library also.

This is a beautiful romance. The heroine uses a near death experience in war to restart her life as the woman she always has known she is. Her one regret is leaving her best friend behind. She gets convinced to visit him to discover he is a mess. This begins a very slow burn romance. It really is lovely, but too long. It took me way to long to finish it, but I definitely recommend. 4⭐️

Alexis Hall and regency romance, what‘s not to love? Hall‘s books have such a wonderful kindness and acceptance at their core, and it had a lot of my favorite regency tropes: friends-to-lovers, fancy parties, etc.
I guess I need to read Boyfriend Material next!

I read this for a romance bookclub. Out of my comfort zone for sure. Overall, most of the story felt far fetched for me. I enjoyed several of the characters. 3⭐️

OMG. I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. 😭😭 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️ #AlexisHall #ALadyForADuke

"Though no sooner were the words out than she saw them for the cage they were: the iron bars of a world that insisted there was only one way to be a man or a woman or a duke."

Viola was presumed dead in the war & uses that belief to finally live as her true self. When she finds out her best friend, the Duke of Gracewood, never got over her death/trauma from the war, she is persuaded to visit him. but something about her is so familiar & he can‘t help but be drawn to her. I can NOT stress enough how good this book is. there is so much love, support, understanding & ACCEPTANCE. I love everything about this book. full stop

Children are stronger than you think ... Besides, they haven't had years and years of silly people filling their heads with silly ideas about what you're meant to do or say or be.

I spent today relaxing and reading this fabulous historical romance. Two friends are separated on the battlefield at Waterloo ; one a Duke returns to England with a wounded leg the other “dies” and returns to England as Viola Carroll. Fast forward 2.5 years and the friends are brought together. Friends to lovers trope with a twist. A surprisingly thoughtful story about Viola and her Duke‘s journey to acceptance and love ❤️ 👍👍

June Wrap-up 🌈

Books: 17
Pages: 4,883
Longest: A Lady for a Duke (480)
Shortest: Rosebud (96)
LGBTQ books: 14
BIPOC authors: 8
Women / nonbinary authors: 11
Favorite(s): Boyfriend Material and Nuclear Family

Doing some backyard reading in the evening shade. So excited to start this one- I grabbed it because it looked good and I‘d seen good reviews, and I didn‘t even realize that it was by Alexis Hall. I absolutely tore through Rosaline Palmer the other week and was in a bit of a slump after. I can‘t wait to read another book by the same author about another, and regency one to boot! Truly it is summer

A story about two friends who went to war and came back changed, and well, kinda figure out that actually maybe they are in love with each other. The various meddling and not meddling family members were wonderful also. For #RippedBodiceBingo can be used for second chance, high tea, and ghosts.

Alexis Hall really knows how to write a good pining #romance like YESSSS ?? this was so nice to read, dialogue is great and it works that the mains grew up together but also the development was amazing! even the "side" plot was interesting bc you know I'm here for the adult romance. Also the narrator, amazing! #queer #trans #disability #disabled #lgbtq

A suspension of disbelief is required at the beginning for how long it takes Gracewood to recognize Viola but this was an angsty #regency delight. It‘s much more serious than the romp of Something Fabulous & I ugly cried my way to a stuffy nose. 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈 #romance

Queer historical romance, just in time for Pride!

bookriot.com/queer-historical-romances/

The prose was occasionally more purple than I strictly prefer, but I really loved Viola and Gracewood (re)discovering each other! The details of Viola being trans during the Regency were well thought out without ever being A Big Deal, which may have been my favorite part. Or maybe it was Gracewood owning his power. Or both. #historicalromance

The last couple days were so busy I didn‘t get much time with A LADY FOR A DUKE or with Casey. Gonna try to rectify both those things today. The chunk of the book I‘ve read so far makes me weepy in the very best way, with plenty of Alexis Hall‘s signature humour sprinkled in amongst the more serious issues.

What a sweet historical romance! I loved this friends to lovers story featuring two former soldiers, one of whom was believed to have died at Waterloo but actually saw the battle as an opportunity to finally live as herself. Despite gender and trans identity being important to the story, Hall managed to create plenty of internal and external conflict that had nothing to do with either which was so refreshing. Highly recommend.

Leftover walnut shrimp for breakfast, plus the start of A LADY FOR A DUKE. I hope I get enough time to really sink into it today!

Hall says one of his goals was to write “a historical romance with a transgender heroine in which the fact that the heroine is transgender is not the main source of conflict or narrative tension”. He has succeeded admirably. The MCs are dealing with a lot of baggage besides that. There is a lot more angst than in his more recent books but also flashes of his usual wit. #romantsy #gaymay

1. The Dance Tree and A Lady for a Duke

2. True Biz and Salt to the Sea

3. Read as many LGBTQ books as possible!

#WeekendReads

I love Alexis Hall's Regency Romances for the humor. But especially abecause everyone deserves a Happy Ever After. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where have you listened to sexy times with 🎧⁉️

There I was pushing my 🛒 cart through Walmart, Bluetooth Earbuds in, ignoring the other shoppers and the story got steamy.

I live in Rural Oklahoma not exactly the most welcoming place when it comes to 🌈 community. So I found it especially fun to be reading.

Happiness is when you find a brand new release at the thrift store! I‘ve got this one on hold at the library, but they take so frickin long to process anything other than literary fiction that I‘m happy to pay $2 to skip the line. Here‘s hoping it‘s one of the Alexis Halls I can‘t stop screeching about rather than one of the ones I like a whole lot.

Happy Publication Day! I'm doing some Spring Cleaning the next couple of days. Always nice to have #listenwhileyouwork book you've been anticipating for awhile. I love Alexis Hall's Regency Romance because everyone deserves a Happy Ever After. 🏚🧹🧼📖🎧

Just started an ARC of this historical romance with a trans heroine and the Duke she left behind.