In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable.

Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.

Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.

The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule...

Here’s the story of a true bookworm. I bought The Duke and I in 2013 and was so excited to read it. I kept looking at it and adding it to my seasonal TBRs and never getting to it. Apparently it took a Netflix series and all my friends talking about it to actually get me to prioritize it over everything else I’ve been reading lately. Oh well! I finally got to it, and that’s all the counts! For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. Except for one scene.  As always, my main points are bolded.

1. I adore the Bridgerton family, and they were my favorite part of this book. I think this is the first book series I’ve read that has such strong family bonds (no, I did not read the Harry Potter books so I don’t know of these Weasleys everyone mentions when book families are discussed). Their sibling relationships are so warm and sweet. Daphne’s brothers are extremely protective, and I found it to be really heartwarming! Growing up, I always wanted an older brother to look out for me. I loved their meddling mother, Violet. She is a queen and runs that family like a well-oiled machine. I’m so, so excited that each sibling (and their names are alphabetical from oldest to youngest! I love it!) gets their own story, because I already feel so attached to some of these characters. And I seriously can’t wait to see what Violet does next.

2. I have a feeling this series is going to be very character-driven, which we all know is my favorite. I never ever get attached to, much less remember, secondary characters from historical or contemporary romance series. Maybe someone will feel familiar or I’ll recognize the name, but I can’t think of anyone noteworthy enough in one book that I remembered them later on when they became the hero/heroine of their own story.

3. I was not expecting the humor I got with The Duke and I, so that was a very pleasant surprise. It reads like a romantic comedy, with banter and disagreements between the love interests as well as Daphne and her siblings. I have been living for romantic comedies these days (well, this entire past 15 months really), and was delighted to discover I can switch things up from contemporary to historical and still get my fix.

4. Lady Whistledown’s gossip column is amazing. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from the latest issue of this anonymous woman’s musings and information about noteworthy members of society, and I practically giggled with each one. The sarcasm and little jokes and jabs were positively delightful. I’m assuming she remains a staple across the entire series, and I really want more information on who she is. What a fun mystery!

5. Simon and Daphne are very cute together, and I fell in love with them quickly They enter a fake dating agreement, which we all know is my favorite romance trope, but catch real feelings along the way. They have so much chemistry and their banter is wonderful. I loved their flirtations and discussions. However, they both have horrible communication skills. Miscommunication or lack of communication is a very common trope in the romance genre, and I never enjoy it because it requires too much of my own energy to push through it. I feel like if the author had allowed them to communicate properly and build trust and understanding, their relationship would have been much healthier and happier for the both of them. But then…

6. The author chose to write a scene that I really wish she had not chosen to write. What happens in this scene is rape, and it’s wrong no matter how you look at it. When a person rescinds their consent, no matter when it happens, anything further is rape. Daphne takes advantage of Simon during sex while he’s drunk, and does not allow him to stop participating when he clearly and emphatically wants to. His panic is real, and his pain and anguish is heartbreaking. The resolution and recovery seemed way too easy and unrealistic for such a blatant act of betrayal on Daphne’s part. I so wish their story had been written differently. 

7. Julia Quinn’s writing is wonderful. I loved the dialogue, so many of the characters, and the humor. The text flows so freely and naturally and it’s honestly a joy to read.

I cannot wait to move on to the second book in the Bridgertons series, The Viscount Who Loved Me, for Anthony’s love story! Anthony is the oldest Bridgerton sibling, and I really love what I’ve seen of him so far (even though he’s got some anger issues and could loosen up a little). I’m excited to get to know him better and see what falling in love does to him.