Evie Dunmore

England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.

Bringing Down the Duke

Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. The cold and calculating Sebastian, Duke of Montgomery is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle Archer.

Remmi Ahmed

She quirked her lips wryly. Whenever she met her reflection, she saw her eyes. Their green sparkle had been long dulled by an awareness no fresh debutante would possess, an awareness that shielded her far better from scandals than fading looks ever could. 

 "You are not going to Oxford," he bellowed, and slapped his hand down on the desk. 

Her father's old desk. Left to Gilbert in her father's will rather than to her. The dignified piece of furniture did nothing for her cousin: age-worn on four carved lion paws, it would have bolstered the authority of any man throning behind it, but Gilbert was still fluffed up like a startled chicken. Well. It was understandable that he felt ambushed. She had surprised herself. After five long years as Gilbert's maid for everything, she hadn't expected to feel a yearning urge ever again. She'd kept her head down, her feet on the ground, and had accepted that the parish borders of Chorleywood were the boundaries to her dreams. And then the news that Oxford University had opened a women's college had slammed into her chest with the force of an arrow. She had wanted to ignore it, but, after barely a week, her self-control, so laboriously acquired, had crumbled. But surely, this was not just a case of her wanting too much. Who knew for how long Gilbert's ramshackle household would stand between her and destitution? Between her and a position where she was easy prey for a lecherous master? 

Paige Leitner

He gritted his teeth. “What do you expect from me, Annabelle? A bloody proposal?”

The words reverberated through her very essence, raised a chorus of hungry whispers. She silenced them with a tiny shake of her head.

He began to pace. “I can give you everything, everything except that, and you know it. My name has survived one scandal; it will hardly survive another. It would ruin my brother. It would taint my children. I would lose my allies. My standing, the Montgomery name—what sort of man would I be? I’d be no better than my father, at the mercy of his passions and whims.” He rounded on her, his body vibrating with tension. “Is that what you want? Would you have me change my place in history to prove how much I want you?”

Rebecca Briesemeister

 "I didn't know I was looking for you until we met. Had we never crossed paths, I might have lived and died a content and sensible man, but now I know what I can feel, and it cannot be undone, I cannot pretend that what we have is a folly that will fade. I can choose to live with a sense of loss over you until the day I die, or to live with you come what May. These are my choices, a life with you, or an existence, without you, and as with all choices, it is a matter of paying a price. I know that what we could have is worth anything.”

Kaitlyn Grace

Why did this book have me giggling at 11am on a work day?!

This was actually my favorite out of the series.

I find that books with the lower scores weirdly are my fav. It's been like this for the last two years, and honestly, I'm weirded out.

. I like a good grouchy dude that is soft for one person, and this man delivered. I also loved Annabelle more then the others.

I weirdly read this series in this order: 3, 2, 1. Like huh?! Now onto the 4th!

Reading in this order probably made me miss little clues or side plots for the previous couples, but I can't be fixed. I'm just built like this.

Sarah Campbell

Why did this book have me giggling at 11am on a work day?!
This was actually my favorite out of the series.
I find that books with the lower scores weirdly are my fav. It's been like this for the last two years, and honestly, I'm weirded out.
This couple's chemistry was chefs kiss. I like a good grouchy dude that is soft for one person, and this man delivered. I also loved Annabelle more then the others.
I weirdly read this series in this order: 3, 2, 1. Like huh?! Now onto the 4th!
Reading in this order probably made me miss little clues or side plots for the previous couples, but I can't be fixed. I'm just built like this.

“With her sterling debut, Evie Dunmore dives into a fresh new space in historical romance that hits all the right notes.”—Entertainment Weekly A stunning debut for author Evie Dunmore and her Oxford suffragists in which a fiercely independent vicar's daughter takes on a powerful duke in a fiery love story that threatens to upend the British social order. England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for. Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring...or could he? Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke.... “There is nothing quite so satisfying as seeing such a man brought to his knees by a beautiful woman with nothing to her name except an inviolable sense of her own self-worth.”—NPR

Rebecca Hurd

Such a well written romance!! I absolutely loved it, I could hardly put it down!! Great characters and a lovely story, Highly Recommend!!!!

Gelaine Trinidad

sani

3.5★

okay, this was CUTE. like so cute that my reading slump is gone, it's all sunshine and rainbows now, i love reading again. 

Sebastian and Annabelle were everything. i love the way Dunmore had written the characters, i could connect them from the very start. the chemistry was burning up and omg, they reminded me SO much of Kanthony. 

i might binge read the entire series now, hehe

Ena Kalkan

oh, my, god. i have soooo many emotions that i can’t even begin to process. this entire book has my whole heart—all of it. it has just about everything (and i mean everything) i wanted in a book. the enemies to lovers, the slow burn, THE ANGST??? yeah, FIVE stars

Megan Daigle

Captivating. Well written. An easy, enjoyable read. It is a bit descriptive of the Duke and Annabelle’s relationship, which I personally am not a huge fan of, but that doesn’t keep it from being five stars either.

azliana aziz

felt like the whole suffragette premise was overplayed too much. and what we does get in the book was so minor, in fact same old damsel in distresses. also the language was very modern i had to suspend my disbelief (s) a looot of time. overhyped and overrated.

Julie Burszan 

This is definitely a read that makes you go “Just 10 more pages...oh my god when did it become 4am and how am I 200 pages in?”

A great regency romance that delivers everything you want: tension, angst, a bit of forbidden love, slight enemies to lovers, a FMC that is strong and opinionated, the list goes on. Well-written and face paced, I never wanted to put this book down. I’m also kinda obsessed with Annabelle and Sebastian now. I can’t wait to read the rest in this series! 

Katie Allard

I think there were many great aspects about this book, including the many important historical references to women's suffrage in the UK during the late 1800s. While the writing in this book felt lacking at times, Annabelle's and Sebastian's story was heartwarming. There were moments where I really liked the pacing of the story and moments where I felt like it could use a little work. Overall, it was a good book and a nice change from typical historical fiction novels where women's rights are often put on the back burner. 

'I have read the future of historical romance, and it's Evie Dunmore' EVA LEIGH, author of Dare to Love a Duke _________________ Oxford, 1879. A beautiful bluestocking is about to teach a duke a lesson . . . Brilliant but destitute Annabelle Archer is one of the first female students at Oxford University. In return for her scholarship, she must recruit influential men to champion the rising women's suffrage movement. Her first target is Sebastian Devereux: cold, calculating and the most powerful duke in England. When Annabelle and her friends infiltrate his luxurious estate, she's appalled to find herself attracted to the infuriatingly intelligent aristocrat - but perhaps she's not the only one struggling with desire. . . Soon Annabelle is locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own. She'll need to learn fast just what it takes to bring down a duke. ________________ Praise for Bringing Down the Duke 'Evie Dunmore's debut is a marvel . . . a witty, richly detailed, historically significant, and achingly romantic celebration of the power of love and the passionate fight for women's rights' CHANEL CLEETON, bestselling author of Next Year in Havana 'Dazzles and reminds us all why we fell in love with historical romance' JULIA LONDON, New York Times bestselling author of Seduced by a Scot 'Simply superb! Evie Dunmore will wow you' GAELEN FOLEY, New York Times bestselling author of Duke of Storm 'Bringing Down the Duke is the best historical romance I've read all year.. . . Evie Dunmore is a marvellous, fresh new voice in romance who is sure to go far. Don't miss her brilliant debut!' ANNA CAMPBELL, bestselling author of the Dashing Widows series 'Evie Dunmore's Bringing Down the Duke delivers the best of two worlds - a steamy romance coupled with the heft of a meticulously researched historical novel...Readers will be entranced' RENEE ROSEN, author of Park Avenue Summer

Colleen

4.5 Stars
 
*A heartwarming story that excellently balances romance, friendship, and the real-life struggle of the women’s suffrage movement*


  

 

Admittedly, I am not a huge romance fan. But sometimes I want something cutesy, and I definitely got on board the hype for Bringing Down the Duke. What can I say, I’m a sucker for intelligent, sassy heroines giving men a run for their money! So with a series title of , it isn’t surprising that I picked this up.

Set in 1870 in England, Bringing Down the Duke tells the story of Annabelle Archer, a genteel but impoverished young woman to be one of the first women admitted to Oxford. She becomes involved in the suffrage movement, and her assignment is to lobby the stiff-backed Sebastian Devereux, of Montgomery for support of their cause. Of course, sparks fly between the two of them. But can they overcome their differences in station and views?

The story is certainly a Romance. It’s a little steamy but not fully a bodice-ripper. I enjoyed the banter between Annabella and Sebastian as well as the swoon factors. 

But what I liked even more is that this story doesn’t completely focus on the romance. There are strong female friendships that wonderfully display the bond and support that women can give each other.

There is also much exploration of heavier topics. Women’s rights are the main focus, but the story also deals with classism and sexism as well as other societal problems.

“Perhaps you can explain it to me, then,” she said, “how is it fair that my utterly inept cousin is in command of me, for no reason other than that he’s a man and I’m a woman? How is it fair that I master Latin and Greek as well as any man at Oxford, yet I am taught over a baker’s shop? How is it fair that a man can tell me my brain was wired wrong, when his main achievement in life seems to be his birth into a life of privilege? And why do I have to beg a man to please make it his interest that I, too, may vote on the laws that govern my life every day?”
The historical aspects were well researched, and the story was woven around real events. It is too easy to overlook just how much risk the Suffragettes took. They weren’t simply promoting an unpopular opinion. They risked having their entire lives destroyed. Women had almost no legal rights. They faced very real possibilities of being disowned, left destitute, being jailed, or being committed to insane asylums. Lack of moral fiber was a legally permisable reason for a women to be declared mentally incompetent and forcibly committed to asylums where most patients were neglected, abused, and even experimented on. “Reputation” was more than just how popular you were. Their lives depended upon their reputation. Yet in real life, these brave women risked all of that to try to gain equality. Although sadly sexism is still alive today, this is certainly a piece of history that should be remembered and celebrated. 

Overall, this was such an enjoyable, well-rounded story and impressive for a debut! I look forward to reading more of Dunmore’s work in the future.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 5 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 5 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 5 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars

Joana da Silva

Sixth book of my Covid-19 isolation. I don't usually go for the historical romance, but this book was highly mentioned by Regan, aka @peruseproject, a booktuber I adore. So, naturally I went for it. And what a great surprise it was! Annabelle is quite the character, even though sometimes I struggled with her "selfless" acts. All that aside, I really liked this book. The writing navigated perfectly through the language from the time it was set and Evie Dunmore's touch.

menna

4.5 stars

mayhaps i do love historical romance

dija

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH I LOVED IT SO MUCH

Kristen Claiborn

I joined the Book of the Month club in February of 2021, and absolutely love it. They pick five books each month (I have no idea how they narrow their selections, there are so many good books) and present them as their main selections. Every one of those books is destined to be on bestseller lists, celebrity book lists, and book club lists around the world. Each month BOTM also has a selection of notable books they offer as add-ons. I have made every attempt to read each main selection and each add on every month, and that is not an easy task. In September of 2021, BOTM added a book called Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore. Upon further investigation, I discovered it to be the third in a series, so my task was to read the first two. So here I give you the first in Evie Dunmore’s first in the League of Extraordinary Women series. 
	This is a debut novel for Dunmore, and I was pretty darn excited to dive into this one. I love me a good romance, and I especially love when a new author jumps into the arena with such an enthusiastic response from the reading world. I was disappointed. I wanted a book that focused on the strengths and accomplishments of these women that fought so hard for women’s rights in England, and instead I got a book about how men, again, saved women. It’s not a terrible book, it has all the required components of a good story and a good romance, but it wasn’t what I was led to believe it would be. Dunmore gets a gold star for the research that went into this novel (and the ones that follow), and it’s well-written enough that I was able to finish quickly and not hate it (despite being disappointed). I will read the next two books and I will probably not hate them, but I just don’t see me loving them. This book is about as average as a book can be.

Jade Iveson

Becky A

What a delight! (Really should be three and a half stars.) I sped through this - it was really fun and engaging, and I loved that (aside from being a bluestocking student) the heroine had a whole past affair that had gone badly but wasn't shamed for it, and I'm really looking forward to all the other books in the series. (I do wish there had been more about the actual political machinations, though - it was set up with those as the stakes but then was rarely mentioned.)

Annabella

It took me a while to finish this book because I couldn't bring it with me, but it was delightful. And, yes, we Annabelle's are stubborn

Arianna M

I really enjoyed this romance. Extremely readable, I rooted for both the hero and the heroine to reach their happiness, and I found the conclusion to be very satisfactory.
(view spoiler)[I hope in the next books we find out they had kids because THEY WOULD BE GREAT PARENTS!!!! (hide spoiler)]

Janna Niemi

General info 

Annabelle is a poor girl from the countryside who gets into the first female college at Oxford university. She’s actively trying to get government to give women the vote.
Then there is Duke of Montgomery. He’s all about duty and when he meets Annabelle, his life turns upside down. They go through ups and downs when they face the expectations of the society and other obstacles. This is a beautiful story about real love and soul mates. 

Things I liked

I have to say I really like the poor country girl and a rich duke set up a lot. It might be a bit cliche but not in a historical romance usually. I also really like the characters and especially Annabelle. She’s strong, inspiring and clever. And I appreciate Montgomery too. He’s brilliant and in the end he does the right thing. 

Things I didn’t like 

At least right now, there’s nothing I could say that I didn’t like. Well certain characters but I guess that’s a given with any book and that’s good thing really. 

Conclusion

All in all, this book is great. It has strong characters, a beautiful plot and it truly shows the type of life women had in the past. The happy ending truly was just the cherry on top. 

* ARC received from the publisher through First to Read scheme

Connor 

10/10, an UNMITIGATED DELIGHT. the best angst, the best enemies to lovers, the best drama, the most deftly handles ending, I love them and I love this and I want Lucie’s book right now please and thank you.

Stefanie  Uwah

What I Was Promised:
-”A daring Oxford rebel takes on a powerful duke in a love story that threatens to upend the British social order…”
-FEMINISM

What I Got:
-An unlikeable heroine who only fights with the suffrage movement because the organization is paying for her schooling.
-An alpha-male duke who constantly thinks he should be granted a pat on the back for not forcing himself onto the heroine.
-WhiteFeminism™

In the end, this book was not worse than some of the historical romances currently out there. The relationship between the heroine, Annabelle, and the duke, Montgomery, was fine. Sparks were flying every now and then. The book just touted itself as being more progressive than it actually was. If this series wasn’t called “A League of Extraordinary Women”, I wouldn’t be having issues. But if you are going to publish a book in 2019 about the Suffrage Movement in 19th century England and have no mention of black people, you can keep it. Black people existed during this time (I know–shocking) and it’s very telling that the author chose to not make the conversation around women’s rights include black women. 

I have a few other issues with the book (hero was very possessive/problematic and would rather make other men think Annabelle was his mistress and risk ruining her reputation than, you know, letting other men admire her from afar) but the white feminism was the main thing that prevented me from becoming invested in the story.

PSA: If your brand of feminism isn’t intersectional, I DON’T WANT IT. TAKE IT BACK, RETURN TO SENDER. Do what you gotta do to remove it from my presence. I don’t have the time.

Anna

3.5*

Sadly it had not met my expectations, but I loved the ending.
Will I read next book in the series? Maybe later.

Bringing Down the Duke

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