I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: August 27, 2019
Rating: 3/5
How To Love a Duke in 10 Days, or alternatively, How to Lose Oneself in Metaphors, is the first book in Kerrigan Byrne’s brand new series. I love most of KB’s books from her Victorian Rebels series, so I was really excited to embark on a brand new journey with a new set of characters. But as much as I love the characters, I really wish I liked the story a lot more than I do. Spoilers below the cut. I am also including a trigger warning in there.
Let’s start with the good things. I think KB did a pretty good job developing the romance between Alexandra and Piers. The timeline of their story is tight – it really does take place within 10 or so days. But because the timeline is so tight, there is a lack of trust building between Alexandra and Piers. Oh, they definitely talked to each other and got to know each other better during their marriage. Piers was also open about his past and his childhood. But Alexandra hid important things from Piers up until the very end of the book. Listen, her reasoning makes sense to me. I get why she wouldn’t divulge her secrets so easily. But what I couldn’t understand is why she was unable to fully trust him about being blackmailed even after significant emotional and physical development.
My main complaint about this book is that there are way too many things happening. The series was set up really well, as expected from a writer like KB, who is so talented and creative. I love the concept of three redheaded girls at university who become lifelong friends and protect each other from the world. Trigger warning: Alexandra gets raped by the headmaster of her school in the prologue and she ends up killing him. This entire scene is graphically described. When they find out what happened, her two best friends, Cecelia and Francesca, help her bury the body. This tragic event changes the girls, most especially Alexandra, and their friendship becomes stronger than ever in the aftermath.
Fast forward 10 years later, we find out that Alexandra is getting blackmailed by someone who knows the truth about that night. That’s one plot point. Francesca also has a bit of drama related to her past going on. Then, there are multiple assassination attempts that take place throughout the book, leaving the reader befuddled as to who the actual target is and what the motive is. And there is a nasty former lover that comes into the already complicated equation and makes everything messier. It is crazy how these threads multiply at a rapid pace and finally amalgamate during the absolutely ridiculous climax, where villains upon villains are unmasked and lots of shooting and injuries occur in the process. It. Was. Way. Too. Much. Not to mention that the mystery blackmailer’s identity and motive were both so painfully obvious from the very beginning. The climax almost felt like a dark comedy – that’s how ridiculous it was.
A couple of oddities:
1) Alexandra’s parents never make an appearance. It was so odd. Their opinion and reaction to Alexandra’s wedding was completely ignored and not mentioned at all.
2) Alexandra leaves her friends to go on her honeymoon even though she isn’t sure who among them is in true danger. What happened to sticking together to ensure safety in numbers? Who was protecting the girls while Alexandra was being protected by her husband? Weird.
3) Pretty sure the whole hymen part of the book is not scientifically sound (correct me if I’m wrong though!)
Writing:
The writing is strong, as expected from KB. But there were sooooooo many repetitive descriptions and metaphors. The hero and heroine were pining for each other so much that they lost themselves in poetry and weird metaphors that made no sense at all. Some of the metaphors were perfect and beautifully written, but the author definitely went overboard with the others. I love KB’s prose, but I think her writing would be much stronger if she cut down on the metaphors.
If I were to conclude my thoughts about this book: I love the characters, but I was not a fan of the plot overall, despite the amazing tropes (scarred hero, beauty and the beast, and marriage of convenience). There were times when I found myself completely enthralled with the story, but then there were times when I was just bored out of my mind. That being said, I am SO excited for the next book! Cecelia and Cassius are going to be SO hot together. I’m sweating just thinking about their dynamic. I need it now!!!!!!!
P.S. It annoyed me so much how the girls had masculine names for each other. Literally, what is the point of this??
Romance Library 