What I Did for a Duke - Julie Anne Long

What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long
Series: Pennyroyal Green #5
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Source/Format: Bought || Kindle e-book

For years, he's been an object of fear, fascination . . . and fantasy. But of all the wicked rumors that shadow the formidable Alexander Moncrieffe, Duke of Falconbridge, the ton knows one thing for certain: only fools dare cross him. And when Ian Eversea does just that, Moncrieffe knows the perfect revenge: he'll seduce Ian's innocent sister, Genevieve--the only Eversea as yet untouched by scandal. First he'll capture her heart . . . and then he'll break it.

But everything about Genevieve is unexpected: the passion simmering beneath her cool control, the sharp wit tempered by gentleness . . . And though Genevieve has heard the whispers about the duke's dark past, and knows she trifles with him at her peril, one incendiary kiss tempts her deeper into a world of extraordinary sensuality. Until Genevieve is faced with a fateful choice . . . is there anything she won't do for a duke? (from Goodreads)

It's been quite a while since I've properly reviewed a romance novel on the blog, but it seems fitting that the first one that earns a review after this (unplanned) hiatus is What I Did for a Duke. After the girls convinced me that I must read it, I finally got around to it - and I'm so glad that I did. This book had me laughing and weeping in public, and it's such a sweet romance.

What truly makes a romance novel interesting to me are the characters. I can happily report that I could relate to Genevieve quite strongly, though I often wanted to (gently) smack her on the upside of the head for her assumptions. I loved her stubborness, her clever mind and her kindness. And as for Alex, he was my typical type when it comes to romance heroes - a (supposed) bad boy with a vulnerable heart, a heart that's caged and protected because of something that hurt him in the past. His witty retorts and his more vulnerable moments with Genevieve were amazing.

The story runs a typical vein of romance (as you can tell from the plot), but the author managed to make it her own. This mostly has to do with the witty repartee between her characters, which I absolutely loved. And even though I could predict most of what happened between them, I was still pleasantly charmed as the book drew to a close - and so moved that I started crying as I hit that crucial moment between them... which might have been slightly awkward since I was sitting in the library surrounded by people at the time.

All in all, this novel was an absolutely wonderful way to jump back into one of my favorite genres. What I Did for a Duke is the kind of romance you can read over and over again (and I have half a mind to!), with a story that's charming, sweet and just plain fun. I definitely enjoyed it, and I would highly recommend it to both veterans and newbies to historical romance.

(Note: This is the fifth book in a series. I have not read any of the others, and that did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all.)