Review: Alexis Hall’s A LADY FOR A DUKE.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

I think Alexis Hall is one of the best banter writers I’ve read & it’s very apparent in A Lady for a Duke. Wouldn’t it be so great if we were as quick, funny, & astute as an Alexis Hall character?

Let me just say I welcomed those moments of humor with open arms because so much of the romance is a rich, dense, & incredibly thoughtful plumbing of emotions, heart, & friendship. Which is amazing…& also served really well by an occasional bon mot for levity.

A Lady for a Duke has everything & it just feels so colorful to me. I don’t think I’m in danger of forgetting the characters—they’re truly magnificent in their own ways, from the leads—indomitable Viola Carroll & the sternly principled & honorable Justin, duke of Gracewood—to Viola’s brother, a not very bright but also affable person called Badger who is beloved by his wife, (a magnificent would-be puppet master with a heart) Louise.

The story, too, is unforgettable, featuring a trans heroine who, as she says, made choices that severed her from her old life—as a beloved best friend to Gracewood—but that allowed her to live as herself.

This childhood best friends, class difference (Viola is a lady’s companion) romance has bold & romantic speeches & moments, stunning descriptions, a devastating sense of drama, & an absolutely lovely Epilogue that serves up major feels.

Check out the CWs but this book is soo good & highly recommended!

5 ⭐️. Release date: 05/24.




CWs: The Author’s Note details some CWs including references to Viola’s dead name.
Past abuse. On page there is drug & alcohol abuse. Gracewood shoots at Viola and Louise when they first arrive. Suicide ideation. A villain hits Viola with a cane. Sister is kidnapped. Discussion of war & Gracewood experiences what I would call PTSD.




[ID: an ebook is on an orange ottoman. To the right is a stack of books: there’s a pattern of spines, yellow, white pages, blue. Behind is a wooden desk. To the left of the ottoman is a white bookcase.]