Something that I find curious is how often people will say Courtney Milan writes "low steam/not very spicy" books. It is curious because I have not read a book by Courtney Milan that wasn't hot. I think this may be a "me" issue because, for me, it is not acts that dictate steam rather the vibes. . . and idunno Milan's books are horny! Big emotions and unsaid words and the tension of someone longing so desperately for the other person to like them, to see them reads pretty hot to me! And my god her prose sets my heart on fire. ( )

As one reads this novella, one gets a sense that Milan wants to right some of the wrongs dealt to frivolous characters in classic literature. A Duchess's War draws inspiration from Pride and Prejudice, and this novella is no exception. She seems to ask the question "is our judgement of these women characters just or is it sexist," and she justifies their conduct.

Lydia, whom I'm assuming is named after Lydia Bennet, is frivolous and cheerful beyond belief. On the surface, at least. However, it becomes clear to both readers and to the hero that she is not as happy-go-lucky as she seems. She was the victim of statutory rape and then poisoned by a doctor so that she would miscarry. The hero Grantham was a medical apprentice during this time, and Lydia resents the fact he knows about her past; however, the hero is madly in love with her.

The pair are cute, and their banter is fun to read. Compared to Minnie and Robert from the previous book, Lydia's reservations make more sense, and Grantham's continued courtship is supported by plenty of evidence that Lydia actually likes him. Overall, it's a sweet story with good pacing and memorable characters, despite its short length. ( )

I still don't like this one. ( )

2nd read- I have a hard time with the notion of self delusion to any significant degree, and that's a major aspect in this story. I get that it can be a protective mechanism, so I'm not even saying it's improbable, just that it makes me uncomfortable and is off-putting for me in a character. It's all the more impressive then, that *overall* I still like this story despite that. I can't even explain how it's possible that so much of the story can be almost painful for me to withstand, and then at the end of it I'm so pleased. lol. Just that the good outweighs the bad. I like that both characters are flawed, and quite different from each other, but that they see the other more clearly as time goes by, and are good for each other. I like the medical history thrown in, and how the subplot of hoarding is handled. I like the peeks into the lives of all the characters, and the discussions of societal standards. The self delusion is unsettling to me, but in the end, it's just a strong piece. ( )

This belongs on the abused heroine shelf, though Lydia doesn't resemble a lot of the women there. Most of the heroines of my favored trope were violently assaulted and their story is about recovering from the trauma of it. Lydia's tale is less understood to be abuse in society, Victorian or contemporary. But she was lied to and seduced as a very young girl - practically a child - so in my mind, it is not consensual, given her age and inability to truly make an informed decision. And reading her story and the impact of that experience makes that point well.

I liked Lydia, but I adored Jonas. Another beta hero, I loved his lack of social graces and his frankness about medicine, but more than anything, I loved his forward-thinking, downright feminist analysis of sexual education and birth control. Milan creates extremely unique, complex and engaging characters, and she is quickly becoming a favorite historical romance author for me. It's a genre I generally read for its simple, escapist fun, or for its formulaic plays to smooth my own insecurities; in short, light, easy reading. But everything I have read by Courtney Milan so far has pulled me in and made me invest in characters in a way I rarely do with books I am lazily devouring on a day off. On to the next! ( )