Steve tries to play footsie with Eddie, stiffling giggles when it gets rough and playful- only to realize, when Eddie gets up to grab a drink, that it's actually been Robin the whole time. He just gets more competitive, determined to 'win'... which, in turn, makes Robin kick harder. She wins.
“I had to light my own fire. That is not a euphemism.”
— Louise Marleigh, a Lady for a Duke
Review for A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
Man, trans representation in books is next to nothing but trans representation in historical romance? I literally have not read any historical romance where a trans character is the main lead. This baffles me because trans people existed before the term trans is coined to describe them. The term transgender was popularized in the 1990s (Rawson, 2020) and trans people lived before it, yet books, where they are the centers, are non-existent.
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall tells the story of a trans woman, Viola, after leaving her life as a soldier, a friend, an heir, and a Viscount, and finally deciding to live her life as what she is. But her freedom cost her to lose her closest companion, the Duke of Gracewood.
Two years after the war, Viola now serving as a lady’s companion of Viscountess Marleigh, her sister-in-law, is pushed to meet the Duke who suffers from his wounded leg and PTSD. As Viola, tries to bring back Gracewood to what she knows, realizations are made, and maybe this time the feelings buried deep can be let out. Maybe this time the impossible gets to be possible.
8 Things I Love About A Lady for a Duke
1. Trans representation. Trans representation in media is important because trans people exist and should be represented in mass media! Sure, the book is set in a kind of regency era, and won’t fit in today’s society but the fact that a trans woman found her happy ending in this book means that trans people can find theirs in real life.
2. Her being trans isn’t the main conflict in the book. The main conflict in the book lies with the fact that since she became Viola, she lost her wealth and is a woman in a very patriarchal society. No one in the book questions her being trans but Viola knows that everyone will question how the Duke of Gracewood fell in love with a lady’s companion. HER BEING A TRANS IS PART OF HER IDENTITY BUT IS NOT THE PROBLEM!!! I cried so much when I realized this tbh.
3. Content Warnings! Listen I am all for not spoiling books but putting a trigger warning or a content warning on one of the first pages of the book would tremendously help a lot of people. In this book, one of the warnings was about Viola being dead-named by some characters, and if a trans person or anyone read this without knowing it, it could be a trigger for them. Put trigger warnings, please.
4. Modernization of the language. Reading regency or any historical romance, especially classics, one will always find it harder to understand than contemporary works because the structure of the language is different, and the words used are not the same as now. So, it is a good thing that Alexis decided to modernize some of the languages because it connects to the audience much easier. However, some would argue that this is unnecessary and ruins the genre but well there are other books for you to gatekeep the language babe.
5. Beautiful and romantic prose. I swear to everyone that this has one of the most romantic prose there is. Gracewood saying that she’s his home, her breath, and him saying this
“I love you as a man loves a woman, but we both know that love is not bound by such narrow terms. So instead lead me simply tell you that I love you. I love you with the unfading flame of my friendship. With every drop of ardour in my blood. I love you with my soul, as some reserve their faith for absent gods. I love you as I believe in what is right and hope for what is good. I love you with everything I am and ever was-and if you will only let me, with every day that comes, and every self that I could ever be.” (Chapter 34)
I want a Gracewood, please.
6. PTSD. The exploration of PTSD for both Gracewood and Viola since they were both in war is so well done. While reading you ache for both, especially Gracewood. His pain was described so vividly that I remember feeling heartbroken for him.
7. Body acceptance. Since Viola is a trans woman she has the faculties of a male-born individual, so the discussion about her being worried that she cannot bear children, and having a sexual relationship with Gracewood like other women was so beautiful. I found myself highlighting every phrase because it was so beautifully described. I love that Viola realized her worth and that she also deserves pleasure and love.
8. Love. So much love in the book, it’s oozing.
Rating: 5 stars
Gracewood: The only true protection against the predations of powerful men is--
Miranda: A pistol?
Gracewood: I was going to say a society of laws, the companionship of loyal friends, and a world that knows better.
Viola: A pistol may prove easier to come by.
I’m planning on making a dust jacket for A Lady for a Duke so here, have a bit of Viola fanart
@scooprtroopr ur tags on this post inspired a lil something and well, here you go friend <3 / also omg this fits for @steddie-week’s prompt pining! tehe / you can also read it over on ao3 :)
Steve gets that this is how karma works.
You do something bad, you don’t have the best intentions, you trample on one or two people’s feelings selfishly, yadda yadda. Then what do you know? Next month, it’s happening to you. What goes around comes around, right?
That’s how karma works. Steve gets that.
And yet, the sting in the morning when another hookup has crept out in the night feels so goddamn unshakeable. It slices through his ego, hitting every feeling on the way, and cuts right down the bone, and it hurts.
But it’s karma though, Steve knows that. He’s left a girl more than once or twice, and snuck back out the window he had crept into. Stumbled back to his car in the early morning hours.
(Steve pointedly ignores the old part of him that was- is so hesitant to stay — after the iciness of his first ever hookup, who had wrinkled her nose at the thought of him staying the night.
Who had patted him on the cheek in a near condescending way, a girl the year above him, and said, “Don’t overstay your welcome, yeah?”)
So when the other side of the bed is empty when he wakes, he knows he’s lost another game of ‘who can sneak out on who?’
Which Steve hates — it’s why he stopped going over to his dates house and instead started bringing them back to his. Hoping they might read that his invitation to stay the night extended right out til breakfast. Hell, til lunch if they wanted.
No one has come close to overstaying their welcome in the Harrington house.
They are boyfriends!!!!!
The arturito shirt is for all my Spanish speaking friends
For @snow124-art ❄️💖
All designs belong to her〜！Here I’m sending you a lil secret message with some of your AUs that are my favorite ^^！
Thank you for letting us meet your art, your creativity and you！✨
shimmies back with some kakashi and obito! 🐕 🐕
i’m also selling these as prints, so feel free to request a custom order on my Etsy or inbox me!
