A Duke in Autumn by Arietta Richmond

Chemistry When Opposites Attract

I found this book to be a surprising delight. I have read some Regencies lately that just didn’t do it for me. What I particularly enjoyed was the well-crafted dialogue. I believe that language in historical fiction should be slightly elevated but still accessible; compared to us, they were much more formal back then, and it is nice to see that expressed in written dialogue. As I read, I hear the story in my head, and this felt authentic to me. The characters themselves were also fun as well. The hero has a roguish charm, taking delight in vexing the much more straitlaced heroin. They truly are opposites. She is all about propriety and being a good girl. I liked, too, that this book took place in Bath. In quite a few Regencies, we hear a peripheral reference to Bath being a place where characters have been, are going to, or are at, but we never really see the location in action as an actual setting. The hero and heroine are next-door neighbors. By chance, one of the heroine’s new friends is trying to encourage her to loosen up a little bit, while she promises to help on the other young lady understand what the proper behavior and actions should be. This character change sets up an interesting arc both for the heroine as well as for the hero. If you enjoy well-written Regency, you will most likely enjoy this book.