She stomps into his room to suck his dick in one scene, but then literally struggles under him when he goes to “mount” her because of her “feminine resistance. Annabelle cares about women’s rights because she cares about herself and doesn’t want to be the property of some ugly idiot. When Sebastian sends her a certain book to read, Annabelle realises that a sense of humour lurks beneath his cool exterior. i am really impressed with this debut novel and i am very much looking forward to reading more about other extraordinary women in the upcoming books for this series.

It always really annoys me when the attraction between two people is wholly centered on lust and sex, because it seems like a really fraught foundation for a relationship, and because I just get really annoyed when characters think with their genitals all the time. The characterisation is done well with the smart charismatic Annabelle and Sebastian's character development shifting him fundamentally from the person he was at the beginning to who he becomes by the end. She convinces her dolt of a cousin, whom is in charge of her, to let her study at Oxford and thinks that she will live a fulfilled life as a studious spinster. It's uplifting and thought-provoking to read about what strong women went through back in the day to ensure we have the rights we do today. He's constantly looming over the protagonist, Annabelle, using his size against her, grabbing her by the arm to stop her from getting her away, backing her into walls .

The social gap between hero and heroine is much wider: he is a duke, a trusted advisor to Queen Victoria; she is an impoverished vicar’s daughter. Annabelle’s recuperation at Claremont affords an opportunity for them to talk and get to know each other.

Spun around this setting is an epic love story between a commoner and a duke, both very aware of their position in society. She simply wanted the life she could have had if she were a man, inheriting her family home and money, being able to go to Oxford at any time if she so wished. Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke…. It is 1879, and the over educated, beautiful but destitute 25 year old Annabelle, inveigles her way to study amongst the first group of women at Oxford University after gaining a modest scholarship, for which she must support the radical political suffragettes led by Lady Lucie Tedbury, and their campaign to recruit powerful men of influence to champion their cause.I love that Annabelle is fiery enough to answer back, but also cognizant enough of her own social station to temper her emotions. And as it is with this old and predictable drama, it takes a dramatic life or death situation for the lofty Duke to come to his senses and propose. I felt for the heroine and loved how she stands up for herself, and Sebastian had me almost from the start, and by the end I definitely swooned over his words and actions! In this fast-paced story, we are thrown right into the political fight for social reform in Oxford and London, England.

It is believable and you can feel their dilemas and conflicts, both of their perspectives are relatable and understandable. Something tore inside his chest, something vital, and briefly, he wondered if a man could die from it. The romance between main characters is developed in a way that feels natural and in accordance with how both of them are described.

What he doesn’t need is a group of suffragettes invading his home, particularly as Queen Victoria regards them as ‘wicked, foolish creatures’. Every time the hero and heroine are within breathing distance of one another there was mention of her "feminine softness" or his "masculine hardness" or some such nonsense. But it is equally important that we remember the women of colour who are too often erased from history for their contribution to women’s rights. The suffragist aspect quickly becomes background noise as the heroine, Annabelle, debates the pros and cons of becoming the mistress of the oh-so-powerful Duke of Montgomery.

I wish they had connected this way first and the physical attraction came in slowly later, as that would have been more natural. Once she gets her happily ever after, she no longer bothers with activism, but she does continue her education, which I think is where her real passion lies. Annabelle Archer is nothing but the destitute daughter of a village vicar and, as a single woman, has no standing in the world, social or otherwise.

Thus she is thrust in the path of the Duke of Montgomery, hoping to win his vote to reform the Women’s Property Act.