Bringing Down the Duke (League of Extraordinary Women #1) by Evie Dunmore (2019)

Synopsis

England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.

Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring...or could he?Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke...

Review

She is Annabelle Archer, a ‘country woman’ who wants to study Greek and Latin at Oxford University and to escape the indentured nature of her life in Kent. At present, she is dependent upon the whims of her cousin, an uptight noddy clodpole who fears that such an education would be a waste and rather unseemly, not to mention how it would unduly inconvenience his life, were she no longer available to serve as free labor in his home. But Annabelle is not deterred and maneuvers him into consenting to her plan - as long as she sends him 2 pounds a month to pay for an additional servant. Annabelle agrees to this burden, even if it is exorbitantly more than he pays for any servant in his employ. The agreement is worth it to get away from a man who can’t manage his money enough to make it last through the month but still seems bent on creating more heirs to feed. Freedom from being under the man’s thumb and to have a room of her own is worth the burden that extra work as a tutor will entail.

And so, Annabelle is able to attend Oxford using a scholarship provided by the National Society for Women’s Suffrage. She must, of course, work for their cause. At present they are focused on changing the Married Women’s Property Act so that women can retain ownership of their property after marriage. Not only would this allow them some autonomy but could eventually lead to the vote, since only property owners can speak at the polls in Victorian Britain.

He is Sebastian Devereaux, distinguished lord that Annabelle is prodded into presenting with a handbill for the cause, not realizing that he is the 19th Duke of Montgomery. Montgomery is notoriously efficient in overseeing anything. What he wants, he gets, and he always wants what will the best for England and his responsibilities. At present he is occupied with managing one of the oldest dukedoms in the kingdom and burdened with not only recovering his family seat from the clutches of another - lost in a card game by the 18th duke - but also with the unfortunate task of keeping Disraeli in office, a task given by Queen Victoria herself. His encounter with Annabelle leaves him unsettled, since she looked him in the eye and has the nerve to speak her mind rather than cater to his wishes. So few people treated him thus and it’s a welcome change. (Not to mention her stunning green eyes and a soft mouth not seen on this side of the Channel.)

Their paths cross again on his estate, when he discovers her sleeping in his chair in the library. He thinks she’s the bit his wastrel brother is keeping on the side, not knowing that Annabelle and several other Ladies are there by invitation for an impromptu house party (he’s supposed to be in Paris). His arrogance and presumption about her propriety rankle her feathers and when he orders her to leave, she obliges by setting off through knee-high snow to walk the 7 miles to the nearest town. Being from the country, it’s a prospect not too daunting in the least. But Sebastian learns shortly after their encounter that she’s quite respectable and being a gentleman, is compelled to be hospitable. But Annabelle refuses to return with the groom he sends after her and so he must set off to save the headstrong chit from herself. The imperious chastising looks he gives her have no effect and he is forced to do something quite rare: he apologizes. Annabelle relents and this interchange begins the downfall of the Duke.

As the story progresses, we learn why she reacted as she did in the library, why he’s so cold and intimidating, why they’re drawn to each other and why it would be nothing but a disastrous decision to do anything about it. In between, we get a glimpse into what women had to go through just to hold property, let alone try to have a voice over their own lives. In the end, we’re treated to a delightful book, two endearing main characters, side characters that are 3-dimensional, and a satisfying ending indeed.

Be warned that this is not a clean read, but it’s highly respectable anyway. A great start to a series about extraordinary women who demand to be more than possessions, ornaments and broodmares, and the fortunate men who fall in love with them. 5 out of 5 stars.