A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
Hello and Welcome to Drace forgets to blog about things they read because they have too many brain bees vol 3 or 4 at this point who knows. Today's edition is all about A Lady for A Duke by Alexis hall. Another of Alexis' regency works, this one more serious and less jaunty than Something Fabulous. The main character Viola, is a transwoman in a time where we wouldn't ordinarily see a trans protagonist. What's more is that the book is not focused on Viola's womanhood as the source of contention for the novel. At all. This reads as sort of a queer fantasy where everyone is accepting of Viola's truest self. It's a very sort of self-indulgent and happy fantasy that I can get behind. Alexis Hall poses the question of whether or not this sort of thing is something trans folks would like to see more of. Arguably this trans folk would very much approve of more of this story and others. Anyway, the main story revolves around Viola falling in love with her best friend since childhood, Justin de Vere, Duke of Gracewood. Gracewood has suffered a physical injury and is dealing with war-related PTSD. Like I said, this novel is a more "serious" regency, and the two have to work through years of trauma before they are able to find comfort in the new happiness they bring one another. It was a very touching and lovely book, and I highly enjoyed it. There's lots of positive affirmation and character growth in this piece. The characters aren't set on being horrible people, and I just really appreciate a regency where characters actually learn from their mistakes instead of droning on about them for about 17 chapters before they do a little bit of soul-searching and move on. Rating: 5/5 stars, if just for the concept alone.