Comments on: I’ll Admit It: I Like Duke Books

By: Pat Henshaw

Pat Henshaw — Fri, 28 May 2010 23:28:14 +0000

Is Christine totally unsuitable for Wolfric? I don’t think so. She has presence, is comfortable in herself, doesn’t take any guff from others, is compassionate, and is completely well meaning. She commits the faux pas that she does because she hasn’t been subjected to nor memorized all the rules of society which might make one think she’s unsuitable, but she’s not a dolt. Learning the rules will be easy for her; whether she decides to follow them or not is the question. But given her basic self, she will be a model duchess–just as Wulf is the perfect duke for her.

Lynne, I agree about the Kinsale book. That the man has suffered a stroke and is about to be declared insane makes the story exceptionally moving. (I read this quite by coincidence after my father had a stroke, and it helped me “see” the world from his viewpoint and help understand what he was going through–something that the doctors couldn’t quite communicate as well.)

By: Isabel

Isabel — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:35:29 +0000

I went and bought slightly dangerous, and I loved it’s duke! thank you for the tip.

By: Robin

Robin — Mon, 24 May 2010 21:59:24 +0000

The first duke I remember reading about, when I was 12, is still my favorite. Duke of Avon, from These Old Shades.

By: reader

reader — Mon, 24 May 2010 12:33:47 +0000

Yaaay! I love a duke. When well written, they can be the ultimate Regency Alpha Males

By: Sunita

Sunita — Sun, 23 May 2010 19:02:41 +0000

JanetW, the recent Jo Beverley book is The Secret Duke. I liked it much more than the AAR reviewer did, and unlike you, I thought that Beverley did a good job of showing the responsibilities that went with power and wealth. If I remember correctly, he was competing for political influence with Rothgar, and he was concerned about being in London during politically important events.

The book with the Purple Satin Dress is The Foundling, I believe (Gilly, the Duke of Sale). In that book he is attempting to escape his responsibilities and find out what a commoner’s life would be like. In the end he realizes that even with the constraints, being a Duke has its advantages. And having just reread the Dark Angel series, I agree that Bridgewater’s ducal responsibility and upbringing is well depicted.

I agree that there is a ridiculously large number of Dukes in romancelandia, to the detriment of untitled powerful characters. But there *were* quite a few important Dukes, and there were lower-ranked aristocrats and commoners who were powerful and chose to turn down dukedoms when offered. Of course, that could never happen in a romance novel because the reader wouldn’t believe it.

By: LizA

LizA — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:03:27 +0000

I am with Lynne Connolly. I think the perception of the duke as the most powerful aristocrat is a kind of misunderstanding or misconception about rank and the way these things worked. Sure, he got to walk first and to be addressed as “your grace”. But many time untitled men or “lower tytles” were more influential. I actually prefer not to read about another duke, although I liked some of them. But there is such an inflation of dukes out there these days. it has me longing for a plain mr.

By: Janet W

Janet W — Sat, 22 May 2010 22:28:39 +0000

Duke not a duke. How about the duke in Balogh’s Unlikely Duchess? Or the duke in Heyer’s book with the Purple Satin Dress? (Sorry, blanking out). Another Balogh duke, Bridgwater in The Plumed Bonnet. Or her duke in Heartless. The sense of separation from their fellow men and their families always struck me.

In fact Jo Beverley’s latest book … another blank on title … a Georgian, struck me as not accurately portraying the hero as a duke. I did not sense his responsibilities or his power. But St. Raven, by Beverley, did show the dilemma of dukedom — and their powerless to make some life choices (St. Raven could not marry where there was not money — even if he were to want to, he could not do it to the duchy).

I could go on and on: dukes done right are great but slapping duke on a character does not a duke make and that is the more common duke in romantic historical fiction.

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 22 May 2010 18:19:05 +0000

Sandy, I’m with you as I read the first sentence I was already thinking of Clay from WML. Yes the book has as many haters as it does fans but Clay is a duke through and through. The description of his homes and is power and position where so clear you could imagine him as he walked in a room. One of the things I really enjoyed was that he had a loving mother, his brother wasn’t out to kill him to get the title and although his father was dead all the memories where good. I love a grand duke with all the power and status. By the way I love this book I have many copies and read once each summer. It was the reason I now read historial romance.

By: Victoria S

Victoria S — Sat, 22 May 2010 16:48:41 +0000

Sandy, you are soooooooo right, and I love a good Duke myself. All the examples given are Dukes written at their finest. I’d like to throw my oar in the water for Vere Mallory, Duke of Ainswood in Loretta Chase’s “The Last Hellion”, he resents being the Duke because so many had to die for him to get the title. Great stuff!!!

By: CEAD

CEAD — Sat, 22 May 2010 12:58:26 +0000

I love non-wallpaper dukes too. My ongoing list of my favourite heroes has a disproportionally large representation from dukes (and, to a lesser extent, marquesses). I particularly like it when the duke’s book is the last of a series and the reader is allowed to drool after him in anticipation. When the duke’s book is first, it always seems like a bad sign even if it isn’t.

Thanks for posting this. I’m relatively new to romance (I’ve only been reading it for about two years), so a lot of the delicious dukes mentioned here aren’t familiar to me, and I really appreciate the recommendations. Candace Camp’s Duke of Rochfort is my favourite duke so far.