When the clock strikes midnight...From A Cinderella Story to the magical Ever After, the story of a young woman seeking true love is truly a timeless tale. Lydia Drake gives the classic narrative a Regency spin, providing readers with heartbreak, humour, and romance in her stunning novel Cinderella and the Duke. Join me as I dive into what makes Cinderella and the Duke so spectacular. Note: A big thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC (Entangled: Amara) for the opportunity to read and review such an entertaining book. A heroine with marriage on her mind...Witty and spirited Julia Beaumont lives caged in a life where there is no hope of a better future beyond being her stepmother Constance's nursemaid. Constance is set on finding a match for Julia's stepsister Susannah - not Julia, who is considered to be in the 'prime of spinsterhood' at the age of 27. As Julia so perfectly puts it: "It's less likely I'll secure an offer of marriage than that someone will mistake me for a coat rack." When Constance comes down with a cold, Julia is brought in as her stepsister's chaperone to a ball and is given one glorious night of freedom. With the kind and tenderhearted Susannah cheering her on, Julia will attempt to do the seemingly impossible...find a husband in a single night. For marriage would give Julia all that she desires; true freedom. But there's a niggling fear at the back of Julia's mind. That her chance for love and marriage may have passed her by years ago...the last time she trusted a man with her heart and got burned for her troubles. However it's time for her to push down those fears and harness her fierce Beaumont spirit, as she moves forward to take hold of her own destiny. I've often thought life would be easier as a shoe. You come into the world with you match already made. Gregory Carter, the Duke of Ashworth, is a rogue, a rake, and a libertine. At least...that is what Society would have you believe. Husbands glare at him from across ballrooms and he spends most of his time avoiding being caught alone with any one of his many avid admirers. Having been surrounded by matrimonial shipwrecks, his view of love and marriage is as jaded as they come. As he himself notes: "The second kindest thing I could do to any woman is to not marry her." One night at a ball changes his life forever, when a captivating young woman rescues him from a compromising situation. He's never heard of Julia Beaumont before this night - but after only a few moments in her company, her sharp wit and refusal to bow to his whims has both delighted and ensnared him completely. When she flees the ball, Julia leaves behind a single beaded shoe with a missing heel and a Duke who will use any excuse to see her again. The return of her slipper leads to a startling proposal: a marriage of convenience. For her, the freedom she's been craving. For him, a shield from the simpering females of the ton. The events (and witty banter!) that ensue are immensely entertaining and feed into the growing passion and tension between the Duke and Julia, as they fight to navigate their marriage and their hearts' desires. Love is never convenientWouldn't he love to lower his defences and show her all of himself? Take down that Spartan shield, bare his breast for her dagger? If she wanted to carve out his heart, he'd only be too delighted to give it. The romantic relationship between the Duke and Julia is complex and passionate. It starts off straightforward - a mutually beneficial arrangement between two parties. Julia doesn't care who she marries as long as she is married. As for Gregory, the word 'marriage' is enough to make his skin crawl. He believes himself to be incapable of love. Julia believes herself incapable of being loved. "I can't give you what you want." "You're a single man with a pulse. You're everything I could dream of." Julia knows of Gregory's not-so-sterling reputation and is wary of him. However, she begins to be drawn not only to his appearance (he's terribly swoon-worthy!) but she seeks to uncover more about the man she's tied herself to. Who is true Gregory beneath the facade? Who is this man who makes her laugh and yearn for something more? But she's wary of being made to feel like a burden to him, something he resents. Of being left behind, waiting for a man to choose her...yet again. Her stepmother Constance - in complete disbelief over the news that Julia will become a duchess - is a big part of Julia's low self-esteem. Bitter that her stepdaughter has achieved even a modicum of happiness, she has no qualms about calling their marriage a fraud and reminding Julia that she'll never, ever, be enough for anyone. Gregory is Julia's perfect match in every way. Even their correspondence reflects their compatibility (especially when it comes to their humour!): "To my lovely ball and chain, from your devoted future prisoner." Not only is he excellent at verbally sparring with her, but he sees her. He sees her lack of freedom, what a waste her life would be should he not make her his own, and goes along with the marriage plan. Not only does he go along with it, he seems to relish it - catering to her wants, defending her, and showing genuine appreciation of her intelligence and candidness. His belief that he cannot love her seems to be deeply rooted in worry. Worry that he'll hurt her in the end because that's what he does to those he loves. Their arrangement comes with many benefits - status, wealth, freedom - but the shine begins to wear off as Julia is forced to live up to the image they've cultivated...two people in the midst of a fairytale romance, head over heels in love. It would be too easy to fool herself that it is all real, and that he truly loves her. When lines blur, will she be able to tell the difference between what is fake and what is real? Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. It is the star to every wand'ring bark, whose worth's unknown although his height be taken. Be Shelf-ishSo pop on your dancing shoes, grab your finest attire, and prepare to pick up a copy of Cinderella and the Duke when it hits shelves December 27th!
Will you be adding Cinderella and the Duke to your TBR? What is your fave historical fiction trope? Let me know in the comments below!
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