Romancing the Duke

Romancing the Duke 

by Tessa Dare

I have to admit, I love romance novels. I will read them like crazy between the autobiographies and slightly heavier material becuase it is obvious what is going to happen. Clearly the main characters are going to fall it love. And by god I drank a number of Costco margaritas before I wrote this so I am wholey and totally into writing this review because dear god was this the right kind of ridiculous book.

Spoiler Free Plot:
This book is a bit absurt for so many reasons.  The main charaters are a  blind duke, who has decided to hide himself away from society becuase, reasons?  the other main character is the daughter of a famous childrens novelist (spoielrs behind the cut, duh) who is penniless but for various nefarious reasons inheirts the castle the duke is living in because yet again, reasons.  Romance novels are often  plot lines that revolve around things behind highly unlikelye and yet I love them anyway.  They decide to live in the castle together because they both think they own it, and get it on in the meantime (like that's any surprise... it's a goddamn romance novel... if they don't get it on it's probably because it's a 'Christian Romance Novel' or its written by my friend who is so pure that she blushes at someone saying blow-job in her general direction (which, yes, we do often becuase its funny)).  The rest of the plot is mostly unnecessary to describe becasue yet agarin romance novel.  Anyone who doesn't realize they end up happy in the end should email me for recommendations because dear lord, all romance novels end up happy).

Spoilered Plot:

Okay, I'll admit, I have a fondness for books where the lady is "I know what I'm getting into" thinking it's going to be a one night stand and the dude has heart eyes becuase he's totally in love but emotionally stupid and doesn't know how to say this and that is this book in a nutshell.  At some point she literaly talks about being a spinster and therefore unloveable and his innenr monologue is "i;ll show her someday" becuase he fucking lvoes her and its ridiculous and makes me happy at the same time.  There;s really not much to spoiler.  He, in the ened, appreciates all the friends that she's made through stories that her father (oh wait, not actually a spoiler, she wrote herself) wrote, and that helps to save his fortune and their fututre.  The entire book is a bit silly but dear god do I buy into every second the them say "I shoudln't do this" and then ignoring their own advice.

Rating:
I honestly don't know how to rate this.  It's fun, if  a bit silly book, but it breaks out of a few romance tropes.  Maybe a Riesling.  You know it's going to be sweet, but it has a bit of tartness that surprises you.  Maybe a 3.5 out of 5.  Cute, broke some tropes but not enough to make me really happy (though I coudl go with a 4 out of 5 if someone actually got me a reisling)

Drinking Suggestion:
Lot's of wine.  Choose one you like and start drinking.  This doesn't have lot of gratuitous scenes to maybe something softer, seriously my suggestion/rating of a reisling is a good idea. 

Happy Drinking, Ginny