The Lady and the Duke, Hanna Hamilton

Sweet, slightly tedious, but otherwise enjoyable.

The book reads like a BBC special of a Jane Austen. Sadly, it's not as moving as Austen's novels, but it feels just as long.

I would have liked for this to have been told from both Edwin and Lydia's point of view, but we only get Lydia's mind. She is, however, not prone to dramatics, immaturity, or histrionics so it wasn't unpleasant to view the world through her eyes. I was impressed by her intelligence and commitment to doing the best thing and moving forward with accepting her new lot in life. Her determination and her brain gave her every advantage and also caught the good opinion of the duke.

There was very little romantic build and not a lot of passion for anything but horticulture. I'm certain this would have been a great love story in the time it was written, but for a modern audience, I feel there's something lacking. Although the ride through the park was quite entertaining.

Overall, I feel like this is a good story. Very tame, very sweet, and very logical from start to finish. The events plodded along at a sedate pace. It moved slowly and there were a few moments of romantic frustration that served to keep the reader's interest. There was a satisfying conclusion and definite hope for their future if it's based on their toasts.

With the extended epilogue the story felt more than complete. I wouldn't rave about the epilogue, it was more just a scene from their well-established life, but it gave a sense of finality and continued contentment as well as success in their horticultural endeavors.

Read and willingly reviewed this ARC from Hidden Gems.