Review: 3.5 *s for The Duke's Holiday
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 4, 2014
It was really enjoyable to experience Montford's "undoing" - his transformation from the most uptight person Yorkshire (or maybe even London) has ever encountered to someone who embraces life with all its uneven edges and burning wigs.On a much smaller scale we see Astrid transform, or at least come to a realization, that her family can and will survive without her overseeing every aspect of their lives.To that end we have an H&H; who are kindred spirits in the responsibility arena. And that's where the similarities stop. To say that  they get along like oil and water (for 95% of the story) is putting it too mildly.Astrid's characterization was ridiculous in the extreme, a 26 year old who acts like a spoiled teenager. She runs a business, stomps, rants, flails, yells, wears trousers, has bluestocking tendencies, curses, has flaming red hair, freckles and curves -- you get the picture. Basically every independent Regency-era heroine cliché was rolled into one woman. (Oh, and these outstanding qualities garnered her two offers of marriage by upstanding community members, the vicar included.)  Hmmm....Montford was the more sympathetic of the two leading characters, especially given his traumatic childhood history, although his OCD and unbending will became tiresome rather quickly. The chemistry he and Astrid shared was exciting and suspenseful at times but the constant (and I do mean constant) bickering and immature behavior ruined the anticipation in many parts of the story.(Astrid kicks a ladder down when Montford is at the top of it because she's mad he followed her? Montford ties her hands up for their carriage ride after Lightfoot threw her in a carriage, tied her up and beat her? How is that romantic, Montford?)There are some amusing segments to the story which kept it moving at a good pace. I just wish there had been less teenage dramatics and clichéd characters (the dotty aunt, the bad guy - speaking of which, whatever happened to him? - the snooty London relatives, etc.) and more afterthought.