A stunning debut for author Evie Dunmore and her Oxford Rebels in which a fiercely independent vicar’s daughter takes on a powerful duke in a 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. … 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….
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4.5 stars
I love me a good historical romance; one where there is societal propriety and yes just a little naughtiness to show that they were just as human as we are. Especially when it comes to the opposite sex. This book DID NOT disappoint in any way.
Annabelle is living with her cousin when an opportunity arises for her to be able to go to university. This was not the norm back in 1879; women in college. To help support her way she has to advocate for the woman suffrage group and petition to have laws passed. She sets her sights on one in particular – Sebastian Devereux, the 13th Duke of Montgomery.
Sebastian Devereux seems cold and calculating, he works closely with the queen and campaign parties for parliament. He is set on restoring his families name but gets thrown off track with the sassy Annabelle.
They are often locked in a battle of wits, with a simmering attraction underneath. But, nothing can arise that wouldn’t cause scandal as Annabelle is below the Dukes station in life.
So what happens? You definitely will want to one click this now! You won’t be disappointed.
I was not the read I had planned for today but after reading a previous of the first two chapters, i had to continue my reading.
I have seen many great reviews from earlier reviewers, I leave to them the action to convey their thoughts about the historical facts as it is not in my capacities.
I will just share how I felt and the sentiments once having turn the last page of this book.
For once, I can very much say it is my first read by Mrs Evie Dunmore, as it is also her debut novel, well her first edited one ( as I do suppose to be published, an author has to sweat over a lot of pages before catching a publisher’s eyes.
What an error it was to decide to read it, i stayed awake late at night when I had to wake up before the sun rising.
I just adored this book.
The characters are flawed but it was what made them more engaging.
Annabelle is no miss-in-distress. Sure, she is facing some dire straits and paying a harsh price for the errors of her young self.
But she uses her clever mind and wits to her profits, refusing to let others dictate her future. She might be a woman, she won’t let it stop her from reaching her goal. She has to play not always fair but it is how life is.
She is a strong willing woman and she won’t debase herself even to satisfy her passionate inner core, but she has also her doubts, as they were ingrained and tattooed in her soul, in spite of knowing she is worth than what it is expected from her, when her dreams could come true, she can’t comprehend she is deserving her happily ever after, she rejected it for fear of not being enough.
Sebastian Devereux, Duke of Montgomery is everything is expected from such a lofty titled gentleman. Icy cool and composed, never showing or expressing an emotion. Always behaving like he is expected. He inherited his title at a very young age and since he has made his mission to restaure his family name to its ancient splendor. Slowly he is regaining all his lost estates, and now that only one is left, he must obey His Queen’s orders if he want to be able to get the last one back. But his encounter with a pair of green eyes disrupts everything he had planned. He is unsettled for the first time since long, drawn to her like he is magnetized. When around her, he can’t stop saying outrageous things, acting the wrong way.
Despite their sizzling chemistry, she is too far below his station to be anymore than a kept woman. Why they spent a great amount of time avoiding the other when at the same time they can’t stand to be too far as they need another’s presence to breath freely.
So when after having told her many many time, she could never be more than his mistress, I did understood why she didn’t believed him. Proposing her after having a fright, is not the best path to reassure her of his feelings and his willingness to face the scandal which would assuredly strike.
Sure words and insults were exchanged but as their “courting” was not the usual too, he should have realize he could not come and barge in her home like a madman and profess his undying love when he told her with conviction she was no match for a duchess position.
The author gave me time to get acquainted with both main characters plus the side protagonists. She developed them in a way, I learned gradually about their pasts, pain and wounds. It rendered them more alive.
While I have read some reviews complaining about Annabelle refusing Sebastian’s proposal, despite the hurt both caused to another, I did accepted her choice even if wrong. She thinks she is protecting him from a rushed decision, albeit letting go her own happiness, maybe too to shield herself from future pain.
So with this first published novel Mrs Evie Dunmore has won a firm reader.
And autumn 2020 is so very far for the second installment.
I was granted an advance copy through Edelweiss and the publisher Penguin Publisher Group. I purchased also my own. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
Evie Dunmore’s “Bringing Down the Duke” delivers the best of two literary worlds—a steamy romance coupled with the heft of a meticulously researched historical novel. The story of the women’s suffrage movement in Britain is every bit as compelling as is the chemistry between Annabelle and Sebastian. Readers will be entranced watching Annabelle, a woman ahead of her time, bring the sexy Duke to his knees.
I had never read anything by Evie Dunmore when I picked up this book, but I was instantly caught up in the book. Annabelle is a strong, independent and admirable heroine, the kind I like best.
I can’t explain how much I loved this book. Stern Dukes and Fiesty Bluestocking are what I love. And this book was everything I wanted and more. I could read about this couple for years and not get bored.10/10 and Evie Dunmore has a new fan here.
This is the book that turned me on to historical romance and back into a reader! Evie Dunmore creates complex and real characters in a fictional world that seems very real. The book is easy to read and although it takes place in the 1800s many themes and issues women face are still relatable to today’s society.
Had me hooked until the last page!
She knew what she wanted. He knew what he wanted. Now tie it altogether in a bow.
I absolutely could not put this book down. Wish I had read it sooner! If you love historical romance books and a bonus of historical suffragist movement then you’ll want to read this series.
Fun and sexy. Loved the characters and the backdrop of the suffragist movement. I hope to see these characters again in the next books!
Evie Dunmore has ruined me for all other historical romance novels for me, nothing can compare to her stories and characters. Bringing Down the Duke is not your typical historical romance novel where the only thing the female character wants is to try and turn a rakish Lord into a devoted husband while over coming unrealistic hurdles. The story proves that you can have strong, smart females who know what they want and keep all the romance. The heart of the story is the romance between Sebastian and Annabelle the friendship between the other female characters isn’t cast aside.
This was such a swoony read! If you loved the Bridgertons and Pride & Prejudice, you’ll love this one.
I haven’t read a historical romance in a while, and this book reminded me why i love them. They bring history to life (which is a plus for someone like me, who already loves learning about the past). This story takes place in England with heroin, Annabelle Archer, being a suffragist. She (and her fellow suffragists) want the right to keep their property after marriage. The hero is a duke, Sebastian Devereux, who the queen asks to help the opposite political party win the upcoming elections. With such a premise, I was intrigued from the start. I needed to find out how they could find their HEA.
Not only did I enjoy reading about the suffragist, but it was also interesting to learn about the roles of men and women in British society during this time. Sebastian is a Duke. Society demands he find a wife, but they also stipulate who should be his wife. It most definitely isn’t Annabelle, the daughter of a country vicar and suffragist. Them together would be a scandal big enough to ruin Sebastian.
Reading their romance play out was a treat. It was sweet, complicated, heartbreaking, and hot. If you love romance (historical or not), I recommend this book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this historical romance. The push and pull of the independent woman and broody protective man was the best way to jumpstart my reading after a long book funk.
Magnificent! I adored this book. It is a heart-crushing, bone aching, toe-curling romance. Dunmore reveals complex and calculated characters. I fell in love with the hero Sebastian and cried over the heroine Annabelle’s plight. There are several steamy scenes but all very well written, in my humble opinion. I can’t wait to read more.
So glad I tried this author! Fresh original and thought-provoking, as well as STEAMY hot and romantic. An excellent read. I immediately got the other book A ROGUE OF ONES OWN, when i finished this one.
I needed something nice, fluffy and uncomplicated and ‘Bringing Down the Duke’ gave it to me. It centres around Annabelle, an impoverished vicar’s daughter who wins a scholarship to study classics at Oxford and becomes caught up in the activities of the local chapter of suffragists. Along the way she captures the attention the Duke of Montgomery who is advising the Tory party on how to thwart the suffragists and win their next election so that he might recover his ancestral family castle. Romance naturally ensues. This was a lovely unchallenging read to take me through the Christmas holidays and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something similar.
romance novel disguised as historical fiction. this is the first romance novel i’ve ever read and I LOVED IT. terrific characters. historical settings seem realistic. unexpected turns. you hope for a happy ending…but so many times it seems doomed by one of its own characters.
It’s a little Jane Austen mixed with RBG. Love that the heroine is a literary woman fighting for women’s right to vote. Highly enjoyed!
I loved it and can’t wait for the next book in this series.