‘The Duke And I’ Book Review

With the premier of part two season 3 of Bridgerton this Thursday, I decided to pick up the first book in the Bridgerton series: The Duke and I.

Although having watched every season of the Netflix series, I never felt compelled to read the book version. Written by Julia Quinn, the story follows a nineteenth-century love story between Daphne, the fourth child of the Bridgerton family, and Simon, the Duke of Hastings. Throughout the book, readers watch the couple fake a courtship to avoid martial pressures from the ton, while suppressing true romantic feelings toward each other. 

This book is a perfect example of historical romance. Not only does Quinn pay attention to every nineteenth-century detail included in this story, but the writing follows that same time period’s dialect and slang as well. When you read this story, you can believe this book was authentically written during the nineteenth century. Quinn has definitely done her research, and I applaud her. The book’s romance is also comical yet compelling, ending up with readers falling in love with the couple and their growing family. 

I enjoyed watching Simon and Daphne’s love story grow throughout the story. They are a great example of a strong fictional couple: Simon, the brooding, emotionally unavailable man who only has eyes for Daphne, the unconditional lover-girl who gives him a chance. Their love story is predictable, but they also keep you on your toes. The duel, for example, was a scene I did not expect Simon and Daphne to become engaged in, but it gives the story some element of unpredictability. 

On the other hand, I think the story was missing ‘something.’ We only follow Daphne and Simon throughout the entire book, but I was hoping we had access to the other siblings’ storylines as well. I wanted to see more of Eloise and Penelope, for instance, who are barely mentioned in the entire story. It’s probably because I watched the series first, but I enjoyed the subplots in season one almost as much as the main plot. I also really liked the fact Daphne was the diamond of the season in the series. It was a nice touch I wish was incorporated into the book first.

Overall, I would recommend this book to any romance reader. I don’t believe anyone outside of that realm would particularly enjoy this book since it is very heavy on romance. The book’s storyline is basically a simpler version of the series, so I would recommend the show if you don’t have time to read, or if you don’t want to read the book. If you want more from Simon and Daphne’s storyline, however, I would recommend reading this book.