Doing Business Different
In Romancelandia, capitalism isn't so bad sometimes
This week’s edition was inspired directly by the ending of the first book on the list, Duchess by Design. I was so blown away by that ending that it redefined in my mind how much I could expect from romance, particularly historicals, in terms of female agency, questioning the patriarchy in a much more stringently patriarchal time, and book business owners. Please enjoy the other two books on this list as well, of business owners striving to make a difference one way or another through their profession.
Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale. Adeline Black, a broke aspiring dressmaker in Gilded Age NYC, accidentally knocks the broke English Duke of Kingston off his course. Kingston has arrived in NYC to woo an American heiress to save his crumbling dukedom and his mother and sister, but after becoming instantly obsessed with Adeline, she teaches him that perhaps there’s a third option other than a loveless marriage to a wealthy woman and complete financial ruin. A fun twist on dukes in historical romance, where he has to learn feminism and hard work rather than being simply a savior of a downtrodden hot lady.
This book has stuck with me ever since I read it. It didn’t end at all where I expected it to, and up until the final few chapters I was convinced there was no way she could get us back to a happily ever after. There’s just too many obstacles, practical and otherwise! And yet. And yet!! I love Adeline and I love that her big thing is pockets in dresses.
Rating: 4.5/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥
The Hellion and The Hero by Emily Sullivan. Lady Georgiana Arlington has lived her entire life for others, even agreeing to a loveless marriage to save her father and her family. But now she’s widowed and ready to rumble, starting with the business she inherited from her late husband that she intends to make a haven for laborers, particularly female ones, making her a target for the other business owners in the area who don’t appreciate having to offer competitive wages, benefits, and treatment now.
When the target on her back starts to get more threatening, her brother hires someone to look into it and keep an eye on her: Captain Henry Harris, PI, war hero, and the one who got away years and years ago when Georgiana was a debutant and he was a penniless fortune hunter. He’s still smarting from her choosing someone else (though he doesn’t know why), and she’s got her own baggage from before, but together, they’re pretty much unstoppable.
Rating: 4.5/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
How The Duke Was Won by Lenora Bell. James, unexpected Duke of Harland, thought he was safe from ducal responsibility as the second son. But when his father and perfect older brother perish from a carriage accident, he’s dragged back from his travels and adventures to take his rightful palace in the peerage and is in need of a wife. Because he can’t be bothered to care about much of this, as he’s accustomed to his freedom and is working to establish a cocoa manufacturing plant that doesn’t rely on slave labor or exploiting workers that can give chocolate to people of all classes, he selects a series of debutants at random to come to his estate and compete for his hand.
Charlene is the illegitimate daughter of an earl and a courtesan, who bears a striking resemblance to her half sister, the earl’s acknowledged daughter Lady Dorothea. When James invites Dorothea to his estate for the Marriage Games, she’s unfortunately out of town, so the earl’s wife convinces Charlene (whose mother and sister are in danger from a very bad man) to pretend to be Dorthea to secure the duke’s hand in exchange for a healthy payout. In dire straights, Charlene agrees, even though she’s far from duchess material. Luckily, James is far from duke material, so as you might expect, it’s a match made in heaven, despite much of their courtship happening with Charlene pretending to be someone else.
Every part of these shenanigans did it for me. I love that Charlene knows self defense and kinda kicks James’s ass upon first meeting (he’s pretending to be a servant to test the way the debutants treat their staff, then he comes on to her and she does not react demurely). I love that James cares so much about the family he’s built in spite of the family he came from. I love how Charlene can’t help but be herself despite all she has riding on this deal, and how instantly James fights by her side despite her deception. All of this book is great.
Rating: 4.5/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Next week, I’ll be recommending books about one or more of the protagonists coming back to their hometown after a long time away.
What should I be reading next? Let me know in the comments!