Review: A Clean Historical Romance
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 30, 2014
Because I was really fascinated with the Peerage when I was younger, my first foray with full length novels were Historical Romances. I don’t read them much nowadays but when I do, I like to read about heroines with personalities that totally contradict the strict rules of decorum that was the norm during those times in regards to how women should think and act.The Duke’s Obsession is a sweet, clean Historical Romance. Although I did like both characters, the romance didn’t engage me as much as I hope it would. I guess a big reason for that is because I found the chemistry between Edward and Daphne a bit lacking. They do have their share of banter and bickering with a few light doses of sexual and romantic tension which I enjoyed at a certain level, but their relationship and its development just didn’t wow me. Don’t get me wrong, this was not a bad book and I like what it stands for overall. I also sincerely think this is more of a case of ‘it’s not you, it’s me’.For the most part though, I did like both characters individually. Edward is a true gentleman who does not look down upon people below his rank. He’s also more openminded to change and modernization than the rest of his peers but at the same time, he’s not perfect and can also make bad choices and decisions which he freely admits to once realized. Daphne is indeed a strong, smart woman who is not afraid to fight for what she believes in but her stubbornness, narrow-mindedness and prejudice against the English can get annoying and irritating because her actions just results to unnecessary misunderstandings. I love the supporting characters though, especially Daphne’s English relatives who never gave Daphne a chance to reject them.Overall, although the romance was not as engaging and exciting as I hoped it would be, I still enjoyed reading The Duke’s Obsession and I did like most of the characters present, even the antagonists. The plot and storyline can be a bit predictable but I don’t think this book was meant to be taken too seriously anyway. I would recommend this for readers who enjoy Regency Romances who are looking for a clean, uncomplicated read for one of those lazy afternoons.An advance readers copy was provided by the publisher, Entangled Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.