The Duchess War

So many romance novels are predictable and cliche. Oh my Lord, this one is not. The characters are complex and lovable, but not boringly perfect - or cute. They are fascinating and unique. There is mystery and suspense. There are villains and one of them has a transformation that is not forced or silly. It is important. And beautiful. The backstories to our leading couple allows for dimension and novelty. You better set aside a few hours because this one will be very hard to put down.

I adore the banter. It is absolutely a delight. I was taking screenshots to share with my offspring.

This author has a gift for wildly, improbably, perfectly romantic scenes and dialogue. If you’re looking for a story that manages to be fanciful and substantive, look no further.

November 2018 I didn’t remember anything that happened in this book and I’m so glad I reread it. It was amazing and like reading it for the first time all over again. I can’t wait to finish this series. —————————————— March 2015 this book was amazing. Hands down one of the best historical romance books i've read. I really connected with the characters. Can't wait to read the rest.

Liked story because unique in that couple waited till marriage to mate & first time was not bliss or perfect. Story was entertaining. I continued to read when should have been up doing chores.

Interesting.

I was pretty impressed with the prequel to this series, so I had high hopes for this book. Courtney Milan did not disappoint with The Duchess War. I fell in love with Robert and Minnie, and I enjoyed their interaction. I really like the intricacies in the plot, and I appreciated the author's note at the end explaining the historical aspects in the story. I know this story is set during the Victorian Age, however, at its core this is a love story. It's why I read romance novels, and Milan knows how to write a good one. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series which I've already purchased.

Everything was wonderful: the descriptions, the history, the characters...Very creative storyline, and I was happily surprised that a wedding wasn't the end of the book. I will definitely be reading more of this series.

I'm annoyed at myself for reading the whole thing, but it wouldn't be fair to review it unless I had. I understand that one must suspend one's disbelief to enjoy a story, but not even a forklift could achieve that in this case. The plot is contrived and ludicrous, the 'witty' repartee scant and falling short of the mark, and the period details seemed made up and anachronistic. Then for a moment, I thought we were rescued -- when it was just the two main characters alone, it got much better. Their falling in love seemed much more believable. Only for it to sink back down again, fairly quickly. The whole climactic event seemed inaccurate and just silly--all torturously contrived to arrive at the high points she had in mind. If she's just going to make things up, she would do far better to write stories that simply revolve around the characters, not try to drag in outside events that are improbable at best. There is a knack for understanding the characters psyches, and how their needs would mesh. The author should stick to her strengths, and avoid her weaknesses – or do some research. Or just read someone else who has a sense of period. There were a few pleasant moments, but there were so many more jarring ones that I consider this a waste of my time.

This is one of the best historical romance novels I’ve read in some time! The plot was well-developed, with enough romance and suspense to keep me saying “just one more chapter” until I finished the book.